#bertram bennet

More Tilneys today.

Domestic bliss with Esther and Eleanor.

If only Eleanor would put her logic toy down for a moment, Esther has something very important to ask her.

This isn't really going quite how Esther envisaged...

but she ploughs on gamely.

It's all too much too soon for Eleanor...

and she has to refuse.

She does love Esther, but thinks it's far too soon to be making a long-term commitment to each other.

Anyway, right now, there's a party to concentrate on!

Cousins and best mates Bertram and Bennet find a quiet spot to chill out and catch up.

Esther figures that maybe Eleanor just needed to sleep on it.

But no, Eleanor really knows her own mind on this.

Besides, Eleanor is too distracted by saying a final farewell to Max to think about anything else right now. (Sorry for the lousy picture, but I was taken completely by surprise - much like Joanna!)

Esther is sure she knows the way to her girlfriend's heart, and presents Eleanor with a gift that she has been absolutely longing for. They don't have much money to spare, but it was worth every penny, to see the delight on her beloved’s face.

And - just maybe - her thoughtfulness will make Eleanor realise that they're really meant to be together, forever.

Eh, no.

Ah, they're such a tight-knit little family!

OK, well, it's not always entirely harmonious between the brothers.

Anyway, it's time to put any sibling rivalry aside, as it's Brandon's 13th birthday! That looks like some wish he's making.

Time to blow out the candles!

"What, now?"

"Yes!"

"OK!"

~ Scorpio 7 / 10 / 10 / 7 / 9

~ Dog Person / Bookworm / Virtuoso / Social Butterfly

~ OTH: Music & Dance

~ Favourite Colour(s): Green

~ Aspiration: Popularity / Fortune

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Cultured / +Well-Liked / -Brown Hair

Although most of his extended family have gathered to celebrate his birthday with him, Brandon doesn't want little sister Elizabeth to feel left out, so he makes it a priority to give her some attention too. What a sweetie!

As soon as he gets a chance, he heads straight out to the garage to try out his birthday present. Maybe his brother Giles was right - perhaps piano isn't his instrument after all!

I hadn't realised what a high achiever he is all round - I think he has a bright future ahead of him! (I also realised that he actually has Beth's eyes, not Bertram's, so he's 'grown out' of his glasses now - I have a rule that any child who shares the eye shape of a parent that wears glasses, will also wear glasses themselves.)

Elizabeth's birthday shortly after is a much quieter affair.

~ Cancer 10 / 9 / 9 / 10 / 7

~ Coward / Dog Person / Good Sense of Humour

~ OTH: Fitness

~ Favourite Colour(s): Orange

We're dropping in today on a family we haven't seen in a while - the Bennets.

We're welcomed by very toothy toddler, Elizabeth.

It's potty time...

bathtime...

and playtime for Elizabeth.

And then rather public woohoo-on-the-sofa time for Bertram and Beth, making the most of their time at home together.

Thankfully, they're all done and dusted before the boys get home from school, bringing their friends Phineas and Annabel with them…

...who stay for tea. Annabel is already issuing invitations for her next birthday party, where she's planning to have all her family present, as well as her many friends.

Midge is having much less success socially.

Merybury is about to have a new addition.

Walter and Benjamin are both smitten by their new daughter, Annabel. She has both Walter's red hair and green eyes.

They can't resist hosting a party for her first birthday - although there are some very sour expressions on the faces of their respective exes! Perhaps it was a little insensitive to invite Cassandra and Robert, especially as Walter barely acknowledges his three kids from his previous relationship with Cassandra.

Annabel is a very sunny little girl.

~ Aries 9 / 8 / 10 / 6 / 6

~ Adventurous / Dog Person

~ OTH: Arts & Crafts

But as always, at any gathering hosted by this pair, there has to be some drama! This time it's caused by Bennet getting a little over-friendly with his very distant ex Walter. Robert seems to be embracing the schadenfreude, Benjamin's dad Charles is of course dismayed, and Bertram - although unimpressed - has come to expect nothing else from his cousin.

Little Annabel is oblivious - she's too busy getting on famously with grandma Anne.

Bennet seems very pleased with his night's work, but Benjamin is really not enjoying having this taste of his own medicine.

With the remaining guests sent home, Benjamin takes solace in family - Charles provides some fatherly advice, and Bertram offers quiet sympathy.

While the couple attempt - once again - to resolve their commitment issues, granddad extraordinaire Charles is more than happy to take on babysitting duties.

Back to the home of romantic drama today.

Louie is back home for a visit, bringing their girlfriend Sally with them. And then proceeding to gossip about her with mum, right in front of her. 😯 Thankfully, Sally doesn’t seem offended. Caroline needs to get dressed though, as it's party time, in celebration of her political success.

John has been getting to know Bertram through work, and they get along rather well.

In fact, everyone is having a pretty good time, just hanging out together.

Until Lucy and George find themselves unable to contain their mutual attraction, discovered so late in life. After many contented years together, William is very, very disappointed in his fiancée. He's had his moments too, but never in public.

Caroline is still blowing hot...

Bertram is planning a surprise for when the boys get home from school.

One of the things he was most looking forward to, after moving into their new home, was finally getting a dog.

And so, Midge joins the family!

Brandon in particular is excited to meet their new friend!

Who soon grows into a very sleek beast.

There's another birthday too! Elizabeth's toddler stats:

~ Cancer 10 / 9 / 9 / 10 / 7

~ Coward / Dog Person

~ OTH: Fitness

Father of three, responsible dog owner, but never too old to play in the bath.

As everyone settles down for the night...

Continuing our tour of the Sanditon families, just across the road from the Bertrams live Bennet and Anna, whom we haven't seen in a very long time!

They're still uninhibited free spirits.

Anna is still the hottest girl around.

And they're still close to their extended families - Bennet's best friends have always been his cousins (Benjamin, Miles and Bertram).

Sadly, although they were close as kids, a rift has developed between him and his brother Jasper, over Bennet's continued dalliance with Sophia (the fiancée of their mutual friend Thomas).

Anna's half-sibling Louie is also a welcome visitor, and is keen to update old friend Bennet on this new phase of their life.

The pair are also starting to make headway in their careers.

With a couple of pay rises in the bag, they splash out on that Romance-Sim essential - a hot tub for the back garden.

Anna's ambition to romance the whole neighbourhood begins with fellow athlete, Philip.

With Bennet babies arriving thick and fast, Bertram and Beth decide it’s time to move out of their rented accommodation in Sanditon, and get a place of their own back in Merybury.

The excitement of moving day apparently brings on Beth's contractions.

And while she seems quite relaxed about giving birth on the front lawn, eldest son Brandon isn’t quite so convinced about witnessing the miracle of new Sim-life.

Finally, the Bennets welcome their first daughter - hello, Elizabeth!

Brandon is much more excited once his new sibling arrives.

And then it’s back to the important task of bug hunting in the family’s new garden.

Meanwhile, middle child Giles is engaged in indoor pursuits.

Sadly, when it’s his turn to age up, he doesn’t have his dad’s full attention.

~ Cancer 8 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 8

~ Brave / Over-emotional / Virtuoso

~ OTH: Music & Dance

~ Favourite Colour(s): Green