A Sunny Spring Day

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Franchesca Diaries

“Hi, Joel,” I said, not as brightly as I would have in other circumstances.

His smile made me feel better instantly. “Hey, Fran,” he said, seeming not to notice the large, red mountains on my face. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” I said, grasping for something brilliant to say. “Wanna come in?”

“Yeah…except…wait. I have something for you.”

Franchesca Diaries

Joel turned and went back down the stairs, so I stepped out into the balmy spring evening and let the door shut behind me. In a snap, Joel returned with a present in his hands. A present for me! In a big red bow! I just about died.

Franchesca Diaries

I was tempted to say, “Oooh, I hope it’s zit cream!” but decided not to draw attention to my predicament in case he really hadn’t noticed. (Although, how could he NOT? We’re talking Mt. Vesuvius, here. Times three.)

With Joel grinning at me, I opened the gift…and guess what it was?

A Llama Mama poster!

Franchesca Diaries

I had to put it on my wall right away.

“You know,” said Joel, “I have this same poster, but it looks wayyy better on your wall than on mine.”

He didn’t even make one snide remark about the mustard yellow.

We headed out to the upstairs hallway because that’s where the stereo is, and turned on the radio program he wanted to listen to. Bernie joined us, and we chatted about school and life and whatnot.

Franchesca Diaries

I mentioned that I had gotten a job. Joel seemed really happy for me and told me he’s applying for jobs, too, so he can save up for a drum kit. Maybe he’ll get the record store job? That would rock AND roll.

“So what happened with Rico and Alicia last night?” I asked at one point, hoping Joel might know the scoop.

“Oh,” he said, laughing a little. “I guess he tried to kiss her.”

For some reason this made Bernie laugh like he’s never laughed before.

Franchesca Diaries

I waited for Bernie to calm down a bit before I spoke. “And she didn’t want to be kissed, I take it?”

“Apparently not. She’s…well, she’s kind of picky about stuff. She has her whole life and who she’s going to marry and everything all mapped out already.”

“Weird. I mean, that kind of takes all the fun out of it.”

I think Joel agreed, because he grinned at me really nicely.

Franchesca Diaries

“So you don’t have any plans for your life?” he asked. “Any big dreams?”

I had to think about that one for a good long minute. What the heck DID I want to do with my life? I hadn’t really given it much thought. And I doubted I was going to figure it out tonight. So I stalled.

“I don’t know…I’m really just excited for tomorrow, you know, the baby and everything. Beyond that…who knows?” I shrugged and smiled and deflected. “How about you? What do you want to do when you grow up?”

Franchesca Diaries

Joel pondered a moment, then said, “Well, first of all, I want to live someplace warm. It’d be nice to have a summer, you know? I mean, tomorrow’s the first day of autumn already.”

I practically fell over.

“WHAT? You mean there’s no summer here? At all?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“How depressing. OK, add that to my list of dreams, too. Someplace warm. What else?”

Joel grinned. “Well, I either want to be a drummer in a band, obviously…or a music teacher. Just…something with music. I know that’s what I want to do.”

I thought that was really cool. I like that Joel is this combination of knowing what he wants in life, but being laid-back enough about it that he can just go with the flow, too. I had so much fun hanging out with him tonight, and I was bummed when he had to leave.

We left on a good note, though. He said he’s going to come back tomorrow and buy some lemonade from Bernie. How sweet is that?

Franchesca Diaries

In the meantime, I am going to stare at my new poster some more, then go to bed and fret about my new job. I’m a bit scared. How the heck am I going to dress “professionally” when I don’t own a skirt OR a dress, and I don’t have money to buy either? Yipes! And I suppose it’s time to get rid of…the Hat.

But wait…new baby tomorrow! I’ll think about that instead. Happy thoughts.

(Jen’s note: Huge thanks to the ever-awesome Amy for her kind donation of Llama Mama merchandise! Llama Mama forever!)

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37 thoughts on “A Sunny Spring Day”

  1. 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

  2. I hope Fran’s brother doesn’t get mad at her because she landed the job he wanted. I like her and Joel together.

  3. 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?

  4. 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!

  5. 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? =)

  6. 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!

  8. 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!

  9. 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!

  10. 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!

  11. 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!

  12. 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!

  13. 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!

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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!

  17. 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.

  18. “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

  19. 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!

  21. 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!

  22. 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. ;)

  23. 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.

  24. Just letting you know I’ve at long last updated my blog again. :D I think you’ll like this particular family, Jen!

  25. 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!

  26. 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

  27. 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!

  28. *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

  29. 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

  30. 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?

  32. 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?

  33. 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

  35. 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!

  36. 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!