Natteryak Toad

But look, the front "hobbies room" has lost its walls and gained some stairs!

Now they have two more bedrooms and a bathroom up here. Not that they can afford to kit out the bathroom yet, but hopefully it'll be ready by the time Briar turns child.

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Donte: Aren't you a gorgeous one, then?

I mean, she's not exactly all that interesting looking, but she's definitely pretty.

The party was mostly a success. Val and Pascal got into some animosities (ditto Vid and Jenny - not sure what all that's about!) so Chloe got them all into a hangout and left them to it.

Pop!

Vallie: Auntie Chloe, you 'kay?

Chloe: I'm fine, thanks, sweetheart - the baby's just kicking. Do you want to feel it?

Donte: Good morning, little miss birthday Briar!

Yep, Briar's going to be a big sister, alright!

It's party time!

It's a shame Donte wasn't here for the big event, but he works til 6 and she wouldn't hold on that long.

And up she grows!

Time for a post-work workout.

Buzz: Hi, April - it's good to meet you properly.

(He's not mentioning the time he threw her out just after Buck had found out Lyla died).

Buzz: What the hell have you done to your hair, boy?!

Buck: Just experimenting, sir.

Buzz: Experimenting? You just remember why you've gone to college in the first place - to get an education to help you in your miliary career, not to "find yourself" like some nancy.

April: ... I'll do my four years, of course, but then I'm really interested in Oceanography.

Buzz: Not much ocean around here.

April: No, sir.

April: ... and we're both loving having Jasper around, aren't we, Buck? ... Goldie's cat, not so much!

Buck: Yeah, I-

Buzz: Your hair looks even more stupid in this light, boy. Better dye it back, I would-

April: Well, I like it. And anyway, the only person who has to like it is Buck himself, right?

Buzz isn't sure what to make of April. She seems a bit outspoken for his liking.

Buzz: *thinking* Bill... bill... junk mail... what's this?

Buzz: *thinking* Don't know if I even want to go to their stupid "wedding". I guess it's at the sheriff's place... maybe I should talk to him about it all...

And then he goes to run the obstacle course, so he doesn't have to think at all.

It's General Buzz's first morning living alone, and he was feeling pretty lonely.

I can't remember if this is breakfast, or a post-work late lunch.

Anyway, they napped after work and then headed out in the evening.

Harry: ... Yeah, the whole family's made me feel really welcome.

Junior: Yeah, they're a welcoming family.

I should make Dora related to Harry, right? Aunt? Grandma?

Peter learnt to come here!

Ophelia: You know... I've got the key to Tank's apartment - he left it with me to give back to Housing tomorrow... if we changed the sheets...?

Woohoo!

I can't remember who's calling her here, but she doesn't seem very interested!

Ophelia: I wish we could stay here all night... but we'd better not...

Johnny: I'm pretty hungry, anyway. C'mon, I'll make us something.

The Fishing Hole is very busy tonight!

So they wandered down the road, where it was a bit quieter.

Johnny: I've been thinking... there aren't a lot of houses for sale round here right now... what do you think about building somewhere? We've got time, I think. It would have to be small to start out, of course, but we could purchase a big enough lot to let us expand later.

Ophelia: Can we afford it?

Johnny: I think so. The other options are renting - the trailer park or in Ripp's building, or living with my folks. To be honest, I don't mind that much - I just want to be with you.

Ophelia: I want to go woohoo in that photobooth...

Daytona does not approve!

But she greeted Johnny as soon as they came out!

I did wonder if Virginia's previous hairstyle would be military approved as it was, but ended up having her put it in a bun. She does not approve!

Looks like she chose better this time! (I'm keeping the military scholarship students on their starting rank for half their military service before taking out the job stoppinator. Ophelia's done four days now, so she can start getting promoted and getting different chance cards!)

Kaelum: Ooh, can I have some fishy too, please?

Mary: Of course, honey - help yourself.

I do not know where Dora Ottomas came from! Not home with Mary, that's for sure!

Apollo loves stargazing!

Mary and Vid both woke up with woohoo in bed wants, and Mary had a baby want too.

They can't really afford another baby, but I know they'd both like one.

As she often does, Mary brought her dad home from work.

Kaelum's doing well in school!

Ringo: Hi! I'm Ringo! Are you the alien boys' daddy? Did you get 'ducted?

It's a lovely warm summer's evening; perfect for outdoor activities!

Finally, these boys made friends, over a game of cops and robbers.

Cosmo had a water balloon fight with Grandpa until he was too cold to continue.

Cosmo rolled a want to make friends with his twin! They've been enemies or just grudgingly tolerated each other for all of their eight years so far, but today's the day!

Vidcund's not exactly good round the house, but he knows the alternative is Mary dealing with it herself and getting stressed about it, so here he is.

$10 seems a lot for a drink when they don't have a lot of money, but at least he went for the cheaper drink.

He should probably get to know his sister, right?

Looks like everyone's having a great time.

Lazlo gets straight on with the potty training.

She's very cute!

Ziggy finally succeeded in making friends with Eden.

Crystal wanted to teach Juno to walk, so they made a start on that as the party wound down.

Ziggy: Hi, Kathy!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Juno!

Ziggy gets to hang out with his dad before school.

Changing Juno took forever this morning! (It turns out she has 0 neat points, so that probably had something to do with it, but I think the changing table glitched out too, so I had Crystal wash her in the sink instead, and that took ages too!)

Crystal finally got to sit down and study parenting, though.

Ziggy: Daddy!

Ziggy's mission at his little sister's birthday party: make friends with his cousin, Eden!

I don't plan to make Anna a criminal this time round but if she leads me that way I won't argue... a lot of kids beat up teddy bears, right? It's normal, well-adjusted behaviour, right...?

These two made best friends over a very long dinner. I don't know whether something was glitching, but they must've been eating for hours, their hunger bars ended up full but they never finished the plates. No one did, actually - I made them stop when their hunger bars were full. Or maybe I just don't have much patience...

I'm pretty sure Tessie asked Osiris for homework help first and he said ask Penny or Pascal. Tessie's closer to Penny, but she was in the bath at the time, so Pascal it was!

I love red hands!

Pascal: So, how was school, in the end?

Tessie: Scary... but okay. I don't really want to go back... but I will.

Penny reckons if you're stupid enough to mess around with industrial glue, you can take the financial hit for it - her client was lucky to get his medical expenses covered!

The kids brought some familiar faces home from school!

Everyone had low fun, so there was a lot of red hands going on.

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