Kimball Farms and Sim Shenanigans
Aug. 17th, 2018 11:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crossover_chickKimball Farms:
Was fun! Got up early this morning, had a muffin, got ready, and we set out on our adventure to Massachusetts to visit the place! Timed it just perfectly too -- people were only just starting to come in when we arrived, but the place was darn near packed when we left. As Mom had suggested when we were planning the trip, we took a "Give Me Three" deal that let us pick three activities to do there -- we chose Bumper Boats, a round on one of the two mini-golf courses (the Waterfall Run one), and the Soaring Eagle Zipline. In order:
Bumper Boats: Really fun! Though learning how to drive them is a bit tricky. It's also not as splashy as you might expect, although maybe that was just from having only four of us (me, my parents, and one other early-comer with his kid) bouncing around the lake. Still, it was a good time, and I'd happily do it again.
Waterfall Run Mini-Golf: Also fun! They had a pretty challenging course with some great scenery. As you might expect, the Waterfall Run course takes you around a bunch of waterfalls they've built into the world. Mom was the only one of us to get a hole-in-one by getting a bank shot just right -- Dad and I both came close, though! I'd definitely give it another go -- although first I'd want to try out the other course, the Forbidden Mine. (We actually ended our run in what looked like a mine shaft -- I'm not sure if at some point we somehow switched courses, or if both of them happen to end on the same hole. Guess we'll find out!)
Soaring Eagle Zipline: I enjoyed it, but I don't think Mom did so much -- Dad ended up skipping it because there were a lot of little kids lined up and he didn't want to separate anyone from their parents (the zipline takes two at a time, and it didn't look like only one person could go on). It's a pretty short ride -- you zoom up backwards about 350 feet, dangle for a moment, then zoom back down. Going backwards is actually scarier than going forwards! I'm not sure if you actually go faster, or if you just feel like you are because you can't see where you're going, but that was the biggest thrill of the ride. Mom later complained it wasn't scary enough. As someone who's only recently gotten into rollercoasters, I think it was just scary enough. I'd say it's a good "beginner's" zipline -- something for the kids who were lining up all over the place.
After that, we were GOING to get lunch, but the prices turned out to be waaaaay too much for just a burger or seafood roll, so we decided to just get ice cream instead. Which -- turned out to be a good idea, as what Kimball Farms thinks is a small ice cream is equivalent to a lot of places' LARGE. I'm not kidding -- I ordered a small Malted Moo Crunch (light chocolate ice cream with chocolate-covered toffee pieces) in a sugar cone, and got a MASSIVE tower of chocolate. I had to ask for a cup and upend my ice cream into it to eat it with a spoon! The ice cream itself was DELICIOUS, don't get me wrong -- they make it on-site, I believe, and it was super creamy and rich -- but I think we needed to get a "Kiddie's" size instead of the small. I don't even want to know what a large looks like. . .
So yeah, despite the Zipline being a little underwhelming for Mom and the ice cream portions being huge (which isn't THAT much of a complaint), we had a great time! We even got a souvenir magnet to remember the trip by. (And Mom got a cup for her ice cream that she never used and decided to keep as a secondary one.) We're already making plans to go again and check out some of the stuff we skipped -- besides the other mini-golf course, they also have a batting cage, a driving range, regular bumper cars, an "Animal Adventures" exhibit, and horse and pony rides. It's basically a mini-amusement park -- if you like that sort of thing, I can recommend! Just skip the regular food and go straight for the ice cream -- and remember, "small" isn't. XD
Sim Shenanigans:
Welp, it's official -- Victor is alien pregnant. He developed the belly today. I now have to figure out what the heck I'm doing where, and how best to add a basement to the house for them to rest in. Not that I think they'll use it much, given I generally have them Dark Meditate their energy back up. . .but I also kind of want them to have a laundry room, so my McFly family isn't the only one using stuff from that pack, sooo. . . Lucky Alice has a decent job and Victor is making decent bank super-selling most of the produce from his garden. Plus I had Victor license a song and Alice publish her first two books, so those royalties will help as well.
On the plus side, they had a pretty solid good day -- Victor FINALLY officially identified his Toxic Camomile (the game had told me what it was a while back because it was a fertilizer option) and is bonding decently with his bees. He also got the ability to move as a bat, and I made it both his and Alice's standard movement option just because it's so much quicker than walking or jogging. Alice got the "Influence Emotion" and "Vampiric Strength" powers, at the cost of the "Eternal Sadness" (which, really, she's already got the Gloomy trait, and I know how to drown out Sad with other moodlets) and "Sleep of the Undead" (can only sleep in a coffin -- which, again, she doesn't sleep that much, and that probably allows me to sell their bed and get some more money that way) weaknesses. Victor's also now a "Guilty Drinker" (gets tense drinking from Sims without their permission) -- which shouldn't be a problem, as they have a steady supply of plasma fruit, the ability to order Plasma Packs online, and a pond in their backyard to catch plasma-filled fish from. Might not be as good as the stuff straight from a Sim's veins, but they're doing fine. Emma also maxed her "Creativity" skill, opening up the actual instrument skills for her (though I don't think she can paint yet), and is very close to completing the child Creative aspiration! So that's cool.
Also cool -- visiting the Romance festival, and discovering married Sims can renew their vows. I don't know if that's true of all wedding arches in the game, or just that special one at the festival, but it was adorable. :) Even if that's when Victor's alien baby belly chose to make it's appearance. :p Looks like I'm staying with the Van Dorts a while! Not that I'm complaining that much. . .
Other:
Got another chunk done on "Fixing You" Chapter 5! Victor and company are approaching the main gates of Burtonsville, and Victor's getting nervous. Talking about how much Galswells hates him and having a bad moment in his head regarding his feelings for Alice and how twisted he thinks they've become hasn't helped. And things are only going to get worse, sadly. . . I'm also thinking I might split the currently long Chapter 5 into shorter Chapters 5 and 6 -- currently it covers Victor, Alice, and Fixxler entering Burtonsville and having to endure the scorn of the villagers, AND their tea with the Van Dorts (which is an entirely different kind of endurance test). I wasn't sure originally if the tea could hold a chapter on its own, but looking at it again -- having a slight break between the two events might be a good thing. We'll see how I feel as I continue editing.
And I finally caught up on "Super Sim!" Max has maxed the pet training skill, and ALMOST maxed the veterinary skill in a marathon session at the vet clinic he owns. Got said clinic (the Brindleton Bay Pawspital, in fact!) up to three stars, too. James was talking about doing the Selvadorada stuff next. . .and then hasn't updated the series since May of this year. It wouldn't be the first long hiatus he's taken from that particular challenge, but I sincerely hope there's nothing wrong with the save. I'd like to see Max fulfill all his little Super Sim dreams. And experience weather.
Also watched Helloween's latest RE4 set -- Leon has been both super-badass (blowing heads off left and right) and not so much (poor Helloween got him killed gruesomely twice in a double mini-boss match-up). He technically found Ashley, but got dumped in a pit before he could actually rescue her and had to kill a creepy fast boss and a fuckton of gross bugs to even start working his way back. Poor dude just can't catch a break. . .then again, he's a Resident Evil protagonist. They never do.
Okay, gonna finish off answering things in the inbox, and then take advantage of this being the last night I can stay up late (Canobie Lake is a two hour drive, so I gotta wake up early on Sunday too so we can hit the road early) to -- well, I dunno if I'll manage any productivity, or if I'll just muck around. :p Got a solid plan of room cleaning, "The Technicolor Phase," and Sims 4 for tomorrow, though. Plus maybe even a real walk if the weather cooperates! We'll see. . . Night all!
Was fun! Got up early this morning, had a muffin, got ready, and we set out on our adventure to Massachusetts to visit the place! Timed it just perfectly too -- people were only just starting to come in when we arrived, but the place was darn near packed when we left. As Mom had suggested when we were planning the trip, we took a "Give Me Three" deal that let us pick three activities to do there -- we chose Bumper Boats, a round on one of the two mini-golf courses (the Waterfall Run one), and the Soaring Eagle Zipline. In order:
Bumper Boats: Really fun! Though learning how to drive them is a bit tricky. It's also not as splashy as you might expect, although maybe that was just from having only four of us (me, my parents, and one other early-comer with his kid) bouncing around the lake. Still, it was a good time, and I'd happily do it again.
Waterfall Run Mini-Golf: Also fun! They had a pretty challenging course with some great scenery. As you might expect, the Waterfall Run course takes you around a bunch of waterfalls they've built into the world. Mom was the only one of us to get a hole-in-one by getting a bank shot just right -- Dad and I both came close, though! I'd definitely give it another go -- although first I'd want to try out the other course, the Forbidden Mine. (We actually ended our run in what looked like a mine shaft -- I'm not sure if at some point we somehow switched courses, or if both of them happen to end on the same hole. Guess we'll find out!)
Soaring Eagle Zipline: I enjoyed it, but I don't think Mom did so much -- Dad ended up skipping it because there were a lot of little kids lined up and he didn't want to separate anyone from their parents (the zipline takes two at a time, and it didn't look like only one person could go on). It's a pretty short ride -- you zoom up backwards about 350 feet, dangle for a moment, then zoom back down. Going backwards is actually scarier than going forwards! I'm not sure if you actually go faster, or if you just feel like you are because you can't see where you're going, but that was the biggest thrill of the ride. Mom later complained it wasn't scary enough. As someone who's only recently gotten into rollercoasters, I think it was just scary enough. I'd say it's a good "beginner's" zipline -- something for the kids who were lining up all over the place.
After that, we were GOING to get lunch, but the prices turned out to be waaaaay too much for just a burger or seafood roll, so we decided to just get ice cream instead. Which -- turned out to be a good idea, as what Kimball Farms thinks is a small ice cream is equivalent to a lot of places' LARGE. I'm not kidding -- I ordered a small Malted Moo Crunch (light chocolate ice cream with chocolate-covered toffee pieces) in a sugar cone, and got a MASSIVE tower of chocolate. I had to ask for a cup and upend my ice cream into it to eat it with a spoon! The ice cream itself was DELICIOUS, don't get me wrong -- they make it on-site, I believe, and it was super creamy and rich -- but I think we needed to get a "Kiddie's" size instead of the small. I don't even want to know what a large looks like. . .
So yeah, despite the Zipline being a little underwhelming for Mom and the ice cream portions being huge (which isn't THAT much of a complaint), we had a great time! We even got a souvenir magnet to remember the trip by. (And Mom got a cup for her ice cream that she never used and decided to keep as a secondary one.) We're already making plans to go again and check out some of the stuff we skipped -- besides the other mini-golf course, they also have a batting cage, a driving range, regular bumper cars, an "Animal Adventures" exhibit, and horse and pony rides. It's basically a mini-amusement park -- if you like that sort of thing, I can recommend! Just skip the regular food and go straight for the ice cream -- and remember, "small" isn't. XD
Sim Shenanigans:
Welp, it's official -- Victor is alien pregnant. He developed the belly today. I now have to figure out what the heck I'm doing where, and how best to add a basement to the house for them to rest in. Not that I think they'll use it much, given I generally have them Dark Meditate their energy back up. . .but I also kind of want them to have a laundry room, so my McFly family isn't the only one using stuff from that pack, sooo. . . Lucky Alice has a decent job and Victor is making decent bank super-selling most of the produce from his garden. Plus I had Victor license a song and Alice publish her first two books, so those royalties will help as well.
On the plus side, they had a pretty solid good day -- Victor FINALLY officially identified his Toxic Camomile (the game had told me what it was a while back because it was a fertilizer option) and is bonding decently with his bees. He also got the ability to move as a bat, and I made it both his and Alice's standard movement option just because it's so much quicker than walking or jogging. Alice got the "Influence Emotion" and "Vampiric Strength" powers, at the cost of the "Eternal Sadness" (which, really, she's already got the Gloomy trait, and I know how to drown out Sad with other moodlets) and "Sleep of the Undead" (can only sleep in a coffin -- which, again, she doesn't sleep that much, and that probably allows me to sell their bed and get some more money that way) weaknesses. Victor's also now a "Guilty Drinker" (gets tense drinking from Sims without their permission) -- which shouldn't be a problem, as they have a steady supply of plasma fruit, the ability to order Plasma Packs online, and a pond in their backyard to catch plasma-filled fish from. Might not be as good as the stuff straight from a Sim's veins, but they're doing fine. Emma also maxed her "Creativity" skill, opening up the actual instrument skills for her (though I don't think she can paint yet), and is very close to completing the child Creative aspiration! So that's cool.
Also cool -- visiting the Romance festival, and discovering married Sims can renew their vows. I don't know if that's true of all wedding arches in the game, or just that special one at the festival, but it was adorable. :) Even if that's when Victor's alien baby belly chose to make it's appearance. :p Looks like I'm staying with the Van Dorts a while! Not that I'm complaining that much. . .
Other:
Got another chunk done on "Fixing You" Chapter 5! Victor and company are approaching the main gates of Burtonsville, and Victor's getting nervous. Talking about how much Galswells hates him and having a bad moment in his head regarding his feelings for Alice and how twisted he thinks they've become hasn't helped. And things are only going to get worse, sadly. . . I'm also thinking I might split the currently long Chapter 5 into shorter Chapters 5 and 6 -- currently it covers Victor, Alice, and Fixxler entering Burtonsville and having to endure the scorn of the villagers, AND their tea with the Van Dorts (which is an entirely different kind of endurance test). I wasn't sure originally if the tea could hold a chapter on its own, but looking at it again -- having a slight break between the two events might be a good thing. We'll see how I feel as I continue editing.
And I finally caught up on "Super Sim!" Max has maxed the pet training skill, and ALMOST maxed the veterinary skill in a marathon session at the vet clinic he owns. Got said clinic (the Brindleton Bay Pawspital, in fact!) up to three stars, too. James was talking about doing the Selvadorada stuff next. . .and then hasn't updated the series since May of this year. It wouldn't be the first long hiatus he's taken from that particular challenge, but I sincerely hope there's nothing wrong with the save. I'd like to see Max fulfill all his little Super Sim dreams. And experience weather.
Also watched Helloween's latest RE4 set -- Leon has been both super-badass (blowing heads off left and right) and not so much (poor Helloween got him killed gruesomely twice in a double mini-boss match-up). He technically found Ashley, but got dumped in a pit before he could actually rescue her and had to kill a creepy fast boss and a fuckton of gross bugs to even start working his way back. Poor dude just can't catch a break. . .then again, he's a Resident Evil protagonist. They never do.
Okay, gonna finish off answering things in the inbox, and then take advantage of this being the last night I can stay up late (Canobie Lake is a two hour drive, so I gotta wake up early on Sunday too so we can hit the road early) to -- well, I dunno if I'll manage any productivity, or if I'll just muck around. :p Got a solid plan of room cleaning, "The Technicolor Phase," and Sims 4 for tomorrow, though. Plus maybe even a real walk if the weather cooperates! We'll see. . . Night all!
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Date: 2018-08-18 12:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-08-19 02:24 am (UTC)