Dead and Gone

Round 8 - February 2041

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Clarence and Lily Phillippine are 32, Ryder and Rainie are 7

Oh, I've been traveling on this road too long

Just trying to find my way back home

The old me is dead and gone, dead and gone

T.I. ft. Justin Timberlake

Clarence Phillippine was a very complex man. At least that's what his wife Lily said. He knew that she didn't understand how he could go from a gearhead, motorcycle lover to farmer John in one fell swoop. He really couldn't explain it himself. But he had always had dreams of owning a farm. It was a dream he kept to himself, as this want didn't mesh very well with his persona. But the dream was still there, tucked away in a corner of his soul, awaiting the day when he would get the courage to try to make that dream a reality. And that day was today.........

Their twins Ryder and Rainie didn't mind the abrupt change their life had taken. Moving from downtown LaQuest Beach to Camden Park meant more fresh air and open spaces for them to play. And they still got to attend the same school with all their friends. Their mother would even be teaching there now! Yes, it seemed like the ideal situation to them......

It wasn't that Lily was completely against the idea......she just didn't understand it. Clarence had worked in auto mechanics his whole life, and he seemed happy. So hearing that he had always wanted to be a farmer made her wonder what other things she didn't know about her husband of eight years...........

So far, Rainie was loving spring in Camden Park. Her father had given her an old jar to try to catch butterflies in. She would never have been able to do that in the city!

Ryder was also glad to be away from the city. Now that his dad was focusing on his farm, he was at home all the time and could spend more time with them. He liked being able to hang out with his dad whenever he wanted.

Clarence was glad that the move hadn't negatively affected the kids. It was bad enough to feel tension from Lily without adding the kids to the mix.

"Are we going to get to eat stuff from your garden, Daddy?" Rainie asked.

"Sure we are......but we have to grow it first," Clarence said with a laugh.

"Oh I know that! Me and Ryder can help!"

"I think that's a great idea........"

Ryder and Rainie had made friends with Ricki and Ryan Knowles. They were the same age as Ricki and Ryan was only a year older. Lily was happy that the two were able to have friends separate from one another. They were very close and she had been afraid that they would only socialize with one another.......

Ricki thought that it was cool that Rainie's parents owned a farm. She loved being outdoors, but she was more partial to her parent's house on the beach. But she liked being able to run around catching butterflies with Rainie.

Lily and Kinsley had become friends through the play dates with their kids. 

"How are you adjusting to life in the country?" Kinsley asked.

"It's ok. I got a job at the elementary school. I don't know, I just thought we were good the way things were. We were even talking about having another child," Lily said.

"So why didn't you just tell Clarence no?"

"Because how do you tell someone that you don't care about their dreams? It's my job to support him, to be there for him," Lily said.

"But what about you? Isn't what you want important too?" Kinsley asked.

"Yes, it is. But what I want is a new baby and I can have that while he plays farmer," Lily said laughing.

"Well, I'm sure it will all work out," Kinsley said with a smile.

And it would be. The kids got up early before school so that they could play outside every morning. Rainie hated when her brother threw the ball too hard. She was a girl for goodness sake!

Ryder couldn't help that he was stronger than his sister, how was that his fault? The fact that the kids voluntarily got up on their own and didn't have to be dragged from bed before school was a sign to Lily that they just may be able to make this new living situation work.

And Clarence would do everything he could to make it work. He wanted to make them proud, have something to leave behind for the kids. There was a new Clarence Phillippine in town, and he was going to make his family proud!

* Clarence and Lily are two former townies who fell in love in the background when Marshal and Shamella were living in their apartment. I married them and moved them in together and they had twins Rainie and Ryder. They were both gearhead townies. I've been wanting to have a farm family since I added Camden Park and decided to make this family it since I can't imagine any of my regulars becoming farmers :). I've place a small store lot next to their house that I will let Clarence buy once he gets his gardening skills up. For the moment, they're living off of Lily's teacher income. So his crops will be feeding them for the most part lol

* And to add more complexity to the situation, Lily's knocked up! I forgot to put her on birth control when I moved them in :/. The house has three bedrooms and right now Ryder and Rainie have their own room. So I get to figure out where the new baby will go >:0. The little spawn will be here November 2041........so many new kiddos!

* We'll see Lily again in the elementary school update as she will be working there now :)

* And I just wanted to say a very big THANK YOU to the reader that submitted me and the other three great blogs as a love secret on simsecret; absolutely made my freaking day! No, dear reader, YOU ROCK!!!!!! I'm glad you enjoy visiting my little piece of the world wide web and I hope you continue to enjoy my sims' antics :)