So anyway, since we don’t have anywhere else to put the couch, it is now out on the curb, free to anyone who can haul it away. Bernie is hoping a band of gnomes will appear and march off with it, but I’d rather they take our dad. Seriously. He has become lamer than ever. I witnessed Elvis chewing him out today, and it wasn’t pretty.
“To be honest, Maury, I don’t get it,†he was saying. “You’d think with everyone in the house trying to chip in, you could do your part, too. Even your son is out there selling lemonade, for pete’s sake.â€
“I don’t know what Pete has to do with it, but trust me, Elvis – I’m working on something. Something BIG! It’s going to put this family on the map. It may look like I’m sitting on my rear end all day, but you would not believe what’s going on in my head! I’m strategizing right and left. I’m working it all out. You don’t need to worry about me OR this family. We are solid.â€
“That’s a load of crap, Maury, and you know it. If you’re cooking up another one of your get-rich-quick schemes, I’d advise you to stop. Right now. Remember the last time you had something BIG in mind for this family? That didn’t work out so well now, did it?â€
I had no idea what Elvis was talking about, but it certainly shut Dad up.
Right then the phone rang, so I raced off to answer it. A strange and somewhat accented female voice on the other end asked for me. I crossed my fingers, hoping it was about the record store job, but…it wasn’t.
“Good evening, Ms. Mortinez,†the very courteous voice said. “I am calling to offer you a job as my intern. My name is Della Gallego, and I am what you might a call a career ambassador. I travel all over the world, wherever I am needed, and sometimes I’m gone for weeks. I need someone intelligent, someone whom I can trust implicitly, to take care of things in the office while I’m gone. You will have great responsibility and may be called upon to answer phones, deliver messages, and take my poodle Pumpernickel for a walk. Do you think you’re up to the task?â€
I couldn’t speak for several seconds, which prompted Della Gallego to say, “Hello? Are you still there?â€
“Yes, I’m still here…sorry. I…think I’m up to the task, but…my brother was really interested in this job, and…â€
She replied in very clipped tones: “I’m sorry, but he’s not qualified.â€
Huh?? Rico and I have the exact same qualifications. It didn’t make any sense. I figured I’d better take the job, though – it would pay well, and I might not get any other offers. So I told Ms. Gallego I’d be there at 3 PM sharp on Monday.
“Excellent,†she said. “Don’t forget to dress professionally. Image is very important in the world of diplomacy.†Click. Dial tone.
What in the world was that all about? I still don’t know if it’s good-weird or bad-weird. I guess I’ll find out on Monday.
(continued on Page 4)
Hi. great update. aww Joel seems like a nice guy and he seems to like Fran as much as she likes him. in other words what I’m asking is when their going to kiss?.
I think it’s sweet that Bernie wants to buy something for the baby. um I wonder what Elvis meant when he said for Fran’s dad to remember what happened the last time he had a big idea. I wonder if that had something to do with made them move house.
Keep Simming
See ya
I hope Fran’s brother doesn’t get mad at her because she landed the job he wanted. I like her and Joel together.
Hi great update. I have read all of your stories and want/need updates on everything. LOL Really you are a great writer and I can’t wait to read more.
Oh how did you get the present?
Llama Mama is a proud sponsor of The Francesca Diaries. Besides, without Mt. Geneva (and Shanley Manor…) there might never have been a Llama Mama. And yes, they even look great on a mustard yellow wall (that’s the power of Plato, he looks good in anything) You have a lovely drama evoloving, and I have to say it again… your pictures look SO GOOD. They’ve always been excellent, but that Snagit makes it look like you’ve got a $500 video card. Rock on!
Oooh, I like it! Are you going to put Fran in one of those Maxis made powersuits for teenage girls, the mint or pink ones? That’d be awesome. XD And yay, baby on the way! *bounce bounce bounce*
I just picked up the Celebration stuff pack today, by the way, am about to install it. Have you gotten that, Jen? =)
Great update Jen! I loved the pimple scene, and the one where Fran’s brother is smacking himself on the forehead. Even my husband cracked up at that picture! I always enjoy my time at Mt. Geneva!
YAY! update! ill write more later while im not multi-tasking.
Yay!!! OMG!!! They talked about their life and kissing and whatnot!!! I WANT FRAN TO HAVE HER FIRST KISS!!!!!!!!!!! Also, can’t wait to see the baby!
Yup. Amy rocks. That’s all there is to it. She IS the evil overlord … and the overseer of all things Llama Mama.
I’m really loving how you’re telling this story. And the sims are SO good-looking. These are a Maxis family, aren’t they? Came with Riverblossom Hills? I’ve not played with my Riverblossom guys in WEEKS … so … I’m not sure.
But … you’re telling such a great story! And Joel is growign on me daily just like with our lovely narrator. :O) I loved that shot of him when he smiled at her … so goofy … and yet so warm. *happy sigh*
But poor Rico! Tried to kiss a girl and got shot down. BLAM! And he didn’t get the job with the ambassador … and I wonder how this woman is! And why was Rico not qualified? Is it cuz he’s a boy? :O))
Can’t wait for more!
I am a sucker for adolescent stories, so I really like this. Have you ever considered writing those types of books, Jen? I think you’d be good at it. It’s such a nice light and airy feel. It feels natural, too. (amusing that this was the spam word I had to type in!)
And all sims needs Llama Mama! It’s mandatory! Or, well, you face the wrath of EO and I don’t wanna be on the other side of her wrath, LOL!
I don’t think you can grasp how much I love this story. I LOVE it. LOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE it. I see an update and it makes my week. (Which is good because they come out about once a week, so really I should be happy all the time…) Everything about the Franchesca Diaries is just perfect. I think my favorite part about it is that you update after one day in her life, so things move nice and slow. Most blogs breeze by huge spans in people’s lives. I’ve been contemplating lately on learning to use the fancy picture things that you use because it really makes a huge difference. The whole concept behind this series is fantastically humorous, entertaining, and yet it still drags you in with a behind-the-humor plot line that is serious enough to feel like you can relate to the character. Great job!
P.S. would you mind telling me all the different picture-enhancers you use in this series? And also the camera mods? Don’t worry if it would take too much time. Thanks!
The latest few Franchesca Diaries have made me want to play the Sims again raise a few kids, kill off those annoying ones and wonder how on earth to hook up with Townies. Your great story telling and your wonderful photo composition is keeping me playing the Sims.
I’m particularly impressed by the pace you have set for the romance. All your others were a tad rushed and didn’t really have any of the build up and longing that Fran is relating to the reader. The frets and worries she has are very nice touch too, we all have them yet sometimes the bigger things don’t have such an impact. For example her Mom being pregnant: Fran is more worried about 3 zits than her Mom having a baby the next day.
I love it! Keep writing and I’ll keep reading!
I know this isn’t related to Jenba, but I also know a lot of people read this blog: anyone know what happened to Isle of Thyme? It says site closed, no explanation. :o
YAY update! I am loving this story! Your characters are so awesome and realistic. I have been taking note how you are decorating this home (you have done a very nice job!) as I decided to use that same house for the Ottomas Family, after “fixing” Samantha of couse! :D It’s a little cramped but is working out great. I also noticed you have “stuff” on top of your piano!! Is this something that always has been possible, or do you have a special hack or something for that?! It’s nice to see stories using our newest EP. I love it too! :D
Pandora Moon – Interesting question…maybe Joel is waiting for the right time? Like, after Fran’s face clears up? (heehee)
Lisa – You just never know with Rico…and I like Joel and Fran together, too.
Detris – Thank you for your kind words. And the present-giving is a new interaction in Seasons. One Sim can actually give another Sim something from their inventory. Pretty cool!
Amy – Plato does look good in anything! He rocks. Literally. I don’t suppose he’s looking for some groupies to go on tour with him…? Oh wait, I forgot…he has a wife. Dangit.
Kay – No, I haven’t gotten Celebration stuff yet! It looks lovely, though. Did you have any trouble after installation? I read somewhere that people were getting errors and other weirdnesses…I hope that didn’t happen to you! Also, as far as Isle of Thyme goes, I don’t know why it has closed, but I will miss it like crazy.
Mandie – Glad you (and your hubby) enjoyed the update!
liz – Sounds like a plan!
Phil – Not sure about the kiss, but you’ll see a baby very soon…
Angelia – Great to see ya! The Mortinez family is actually a CAS creation, as are Joel and his family. They’re living in a Maxis-made house, though. And I’m so glad you’re enjoying these stories.
Mao – Yes, all Sims need Llama Mama! They’re the new Beatles! Heh. Thank you for the lovely compliment about my writing. It means a lot coming from the author of KiD (in which I am woefully behind and hope to catch up very soon…).
Katie – Wow, thank you for all those nice words. Hearing stuff like that makes my day! As for the picture-enhancers I use, I’ve made a list and posted it in my FAQ section if you want to take a look.
Aner-Dyfan – It’s awesome to see you around – thanks for your kind comment! I hope you’re having fun with your Sims.
Laura – You’ll have to let us know how the Ottomas family likes that house! Haha. As for how to get stuff on top of the piano, I used the one of the One More Slot Packages (OMSPs) from MTS2. They have them for pianos, fireplaces, coffee tables, countertops, etc. They’re basically a wooden stand that has an invisible recolor. You have to use a couple of cheats to place them, but they rock!
Re: Celebration, yep! Out of ten times trying to load a lot, only the very last one worked. I haven’t checked again to see if it somehow worked out whatever glitch it is, but I’m hoping. :/ I’ll put it like this: I don’t regret spending the money to buy it, but I’d recommend to anyone else that they wait until Maxis have a patch for it.
“How depressing. OK, add that to my list of dreams, too. Someplace warm. What else?†– I love that line…I live in Florida, so I would LOVE to see snow sometime. :D
I can’t wait to see the baby…and I hope that Fran gets rid of her acne soon. By the way, is the acne just costume make-up? I heard that there was a way that you can make Sims get acne…(not that it would be fun to make my Sims freak out about things like that) :P
Wow! I love the Frachesca Diaries so much! Your graphics card really does this pictures justice. I love how detailed each one is. I really love the stories overall too. I can’t wait to here about the new baby!
Awsome post! I just love Francesca. The whole thing is so sweet…
Excuse the slight spam, but I have a semi-announcement: Simply Sims is turning in a whole new direction while the Thatchers are put on the backburner. A new family. A new story. A new struggle. I have focused my attention on a more story-oriented idea, with higher-quality pictures (thanks to the camera mod from your faq section and a reaction tester, both of which I don’t think I could live without now) and more conflict. So hurry over to http://www.simplysims.blogspot.com to check out Chapter 1: The Safe House!
Great post! I can’t wait until Franchesca’s mom gives birth to the new baby! I have a question though, about the Seasons. How do you get a sim to give another sim a present? I’ve been trying to figure this out FOREVER! But…I dunno…Go Figure. ;)
By the way, On “About this Site”, your “Creating a Sims 2 Blog” and “Maude’s Tales” links are broken. Just thought I’d point it out.
Just letting you know I’ve at long last updated my blog again. :D I think you’ll like this particular family, Jen!
Thanks for the comments! To answer some questions…
Katie – Great story so far – I left you a comment. :-)
Lucia – Hm, I’m not sure why the present thing wouldn’t be working for you — did your gift-giver have something in their inventory? Also, maybe their relationship has to be high enough for the option to show up? Joel and Fran were at Friend level when he gave her the present.
Rachel – Hrm, they seem to be working for me. Is anyone else having trouble accessing those links?
Kay – Yay, I checked it out!
Re: links not working, they’re not working for me either and I think I know why. In the ‘About This Site’ section, Maude’s Tales goes to: http://jenba.net/wordpress/index.php?cat=2
But, from the ‘Categories’ section the link is: http://jenba.net/sims2/?cat=2
Likewise, the ‘Creating a Sims 2 Blog’ also has a wordpress and index rather than the sims2 bit in its addy.
http://jenba.net/wordpress/index.php?p=73
I suspect it was done by the butler in the rosegarden with the sconce. :o
D’oh! I misread Rachel’s comment. You are indeed right, Kay. I have now updated the links to point to the right directory. Thanks, m’dear!
*does the hammer dance* I helped fix it! Mmmhmm mmhmm! I’m awesome! Mmmhmmm mmmhmmm! :D
Brought to you by the ‘Everyone Needs To Do The Hammer Dance Now And Again’ Society. And’s my pleasure, Jen. XD
Ya know, its a pity the site you got your default eyes from hasn’t got all their downloads avaliable, and by chance would you know any others? And maybe even plantsim default replacements? :o
what a cool update i just love Bernie and I can’t wait to see the baby.I have never made their meal at tea time but how was it sparkly?
Hey I just uploaded a pic in relation to your last update it’s Verity jones and Joe anderson who were on a date and went a bit wrong.They live in your downloaded shady bluff which i called shady bay.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/kitty07734/snapshot_52f87b1a_12fde5d5.jpg
p.s my last comment had your comment is awaiting moderation written on it what does that mean?
I don’t mean to be a pain, but how do you take pictures with SnagIt in game? I suppose you don’t play with the game running in the whole window and that the game runs in its own frame?
Eva, assuming you have SnagIt running already, once you’re playing Sims 2 you can just press the ‘print screen’ (or ‘prt scr’) button. Wait a few moments, and then you should be able to first select what part of the screen you want to “photograph” and then what you want to do with the picture. If you want to use another button, here’s a video to show you how to change it: http://video.techsmith.com/snagit/latest/demo/msg/enu/sng_day12.html?DCMP=OTC-SnagMessageMsgDay24&ATT=snag8hotkeys
Thanks Kay!
Eva – I would also highly recommend JenntheSimmerGirl’s tutorial on configuring Snagit for taking Sims 2 pics. It tells you how to set up a profile to use strictly for Sims 2 picture-taking so that it doesn’t bump you out of the game every time you snap a pic. I have my Snagit set up almost exactly the way Jenn does.
Also, I run my game in fullscreen mode and have Snagit capture the entire screen, which means I have to use a photo-editing program to crop the picture and remove the red “paused game” border and such. I experimented a little with having Snagit only capture a portion of the screen (so I wouldn’t have to crop) but it was too tough to line my pics up correctly. I’m extremely picky when it comes to the composition and framing of my pics, so it’s just better for me to take the full screenshot and edit it later.
The overall process takes much longer than it did when I just used the in-game shots, but I’m happy with how my pics have been turning out. Let me know if you have any other questions about it!
Kitty – To answer your question about sparkly meals — the food will sparkle if you use homegrown veggies/fruits or fish caught from a pond. It’s supposed to signify that the meals are more “nutritious” and will fill your Sim’s Hunger bar more quickly. And that’s a cute rollerskating pic!
Teckno102 – You asked about default eyes. Here are some nice-looking default eye replacement sets, ranging from more Maxis-like to very realistic:
Echo66’s Snow Eyes
Helaene’s Beautiful Stranger Eyes
Migamoo’s Semi-Realistic Eyes (two sets: here and here)
Hooligans’ Starlit Eyes
Schuldig’s Realism Eyeset
Enayla’s Eyes for the Eyeless
Lliella’s Eyes
Albiel’s Eyes Pack
Lastrie’s Obscure Eyes
Lyran’s Eyes as Defaults (click on “Genetics” then “Eyes”)
And I found at least one Plantsim default replacement:
Replacement Skin & Eyes by Hysterical Paroxysm
There’s a lot more out there — hope you find something you like!
Wow Jen! You really know your way around Sims 2 fansites! These are great! :D
Thanks so much!