By Smokytopaz

The discussion e-book versus printed copy goes on. I love my e reader......

The mod squad seems to be trying to get rid of Hanzel, must admit he has a dark side.

Peacy is on spring break, oh does this mean more Peacy builds?

Cera too has time off and has wandered off into building science facilities.

Oh my look at Larissas sims!! How does she do that!

Picture Perfect takes a turn into the dark side this week. The world is ending!

We got new emoticons, everybody loves emoticons!

On the first day of spring, KQuinn got snow! Well you could build a snow man...... or an igloo?

TSS Insider is pleased to announce, due to the lost ad placed last week, Pixie Littlebottom has come home. However no statement has been made as to what happened to her. We can only speculate.

KateKnight got an ea feature for Rosalie! Scott got featured too, for his Traditional House. And Lil! for Dustin Fabulous.

The awfully frightening group of Israeli teens (yeah right) still can neither spell or construct a reasonable sentence. Careful guys, we know your Mummy. You could find your pocket money stopped.

Linday has made a truly beautiful evil stepmother.......

Peacy has gone into CAW..... and wow thats beautiful!!!! Make that double wow. wow.

Cabertha is doing strange things with sheep.....

Bills new lot, Brooklyn Waterfront is fabulous, five bathrooms? Three bedrooms??? I guess he likes clean simmies.

X0X1 has uploaded 5 lots in this last week!! Does that woman sleep?

Steph(Wickedjnr) is moving and setting up house with her fiance on April 1st . Good luck you two.

Bill has showcased his new build – a warehouse, and done a story to show it all off. Beautiful.

This week Picture Perfect focused on Fine Dining and there are some fine dining rooms to show

you. There were also twelve entries this time, which the highest entry number ever!

Bylos created this warm woody

room, very creative table!

Flobo's light and airy Dining

Room, beautiful aqua tones

in this.

That's two! Another ten to go, which one do you like best?

Haze, who is fond of the big

impressive build. I think this is

taken after the liqueurs!

Jorgha went for a gothic look,

purples and red.

Judyw's light and creamy room.

Love that carpet!

Kimabc went for a modern,

spare look softly pastel.

Nam's regal double height room.

Pallypoo did a light toned

artdeco feel.

Pinklady went for coral and

lilac.

Princess Natasha surprised us

all by finishing! A woody

country feel to this.

ScorpioP's entry – very grand.

And last but not least, StuArts entry, a very classy room indeed.

And what did the judges say??

Nam (cc) -

Cera says - I like your use of the platform, especially to elevate the dining table. Its so airy and

grand.

Tweek says - I like the colors you chose. I really like your wall cutouts with all the decorations in

them. I kinda get a Harry Potter feel from your room. Good job!

Flobo -

Cera says - There is that gorgeous blue again! I really like your layout and furniture choices!

Tweek says - I love the colors. (I love this whole build!) The patterns are great! Looks like Blair is

afraid of scratching the glass table. hehe. Great job!

Pally -

Cera says - Great layout! I really like your pattern choices and the red, lovely!

Tweek says -Very fancy! I like the design around the ceiling light. The colors are nice. I like the big

mirror. Looks great!!

Judy (cc) -

Cera says - I love the light colors against the dark wood, feels very high class to me!

Tweek says - I was going to say interesting shape and then I realized it was the Alto Estate. I like

that floor rug. Your room looks very classy! Beautiful!!

kimabc (cc) -

Cera says - I really like the colors you used! It really makes the wall art just pop! Wonderful layout

as well!

jorgha (cc) -

Cera says - I like the red floor against the purple. Nam used those wall pieces too, they are so cool!

Anyhow...I like that you used the goth set. It's kinda spooky!

Tweek says - The rooms a little dark but that's all part of the Gothic feel. Like the ceiling light.

Those shelves again. Where do they come from? Great room!

haze (cc) -

Cera says - Very spacious! I like the floor! Nice choice in colors too! The fountains are a great

addition to the room as well.

Tweek says - Your pic's look a little dark to me too. There's plenty to do in your dining room

besides eat. I like the textures on the walls and ceiling. I also like the fountains. Great job!

Scorpio –

Cera says - I love the red and back with the leopard print! A very fun, exotic room! The room is a

great shape as well!

Tweek says - Oh fresh meat! I like how you matched the patterns with the chairs. The colors

look great together. Good layout. Nice job!

PN –

Cera says - A totally different take on the dining room! I love the rustic feel!

Tweek says - I like the cabin feel of your dining room. Great layout. Nice touch of color with the

green and yellow. Looks great!

bylos –

Cera says - I love what you did with the table, great MOO! The red you choose is a gorgeous color.

I also like that you used the platform.

Tweek says - Nice round table. Buffet’s all set up and ready to go. Looks good!

Stu -

Cera says - The hands are really cool! I love all the stone. It's unexpected, but very pleasant. The

gallery above is great too!

Tweek says - That is really fancy Stu! Very artistic. I like the balcony to be able to see over into the

sculptures and fountain. Beautiful!

Pinklady -

Cera says - I love the layout! The colors, patterns, textures you used are great! The rug is great, as

is your wall covering choice!

Tweek says - I like the colors you chose. Layout is really good. Looks like a great space to

entertain in. Great job!

And your Winners for Picture Perfect Week 21 Are....The Non-CC win goes to Pinklady, with honorable mention to Flobo!

The CC win this week goes to Judy, with honorable mention to Haze!

Pinkladys non cc Winning entry...... just love that colour combo

and the cc entry, Judyw!!

Beautiful work all round.

A Quick Look At Builders Showcaseby simtweek

Looks like XOX1 has been a busy builder this past week giving the community a few new builds to move into. I took a quck look at GriffCorp. International's "Justahouse Starter - 02". Built on a 20x20 lot this starter has two story's, a full basement and; as a courtesy from XOX1, all the appliances are unbreakable. This starter is available on the exchange: www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3881997

Update: Since I've started writing about XOX1 she's added another building to the list, on the front page of the Builders Showcase she has 10 buildings. Way to go XOX1! You’ll have your world built up in no time.

Jasnik82 has a new build called the Seagull's Nest. She built this Victorian house for Stu's Victorian project. (Sorry, I can't find a link for the project to say here.) It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It's a two story home with a detached garage and is beautifully landscaped. This lot is available on the exchange and is CC free. http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3866497

I know this lot isn’t one of the newest builds in the Builders Showcase but I just have to give it some recognition. Has anybody seen ricslady99’s building called Cornerstone? The exterior of this building is amazingly beautiful. It has 3 bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms. She has a few store items in this build, although the entire house isn’t furnished the kitchen and bathrooms are. Built in Bridgeport on a 44x34 lot. This lot is available on the exchange. It is also CC free. http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3722186

One of our newest members has a home in the Builders Showcase. Petalbot's new lot “English Country Cottage” is breathtaking. It features 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and is on a 40x40 lot. It has a fully stocked pond and a large vegetable garden. I love landscaping so just wait until you see the landscaping on this lot. This build is available on the exchange and is CC free. http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3853467

Stop by the exchange and check out these builds...and don't forget to leave a rec while you're there!

Clever Building

Sometimes someone comes up with a neat idea, a sort of different way of doing things. Now when you build a garage for a sim, you go through a lot of steps to insert a garage door, which they don't use and distorts the patterns you have used to make your house look smart. Plus ea managed to code the outside of their garage door as the inside and it always looks really dark..... so look at what Kirk did! (Socalkdl)

This is the finished look, a tall garage door.

First lay your foundations

Then turn on constrainfloorelevation Lay down your parking place.

Build your garage walls, note the pokey up bit – don't worry.

Take your level ground tool and pull all the way over the build

There thats tidy.

Switch off cfe....... don't forget!

Steps up to the house..

Build the rest of the house

Careful choice of wall cover to make it appear to be a garage door. Yippee! No distortions

Thank you Kirk!!

An update, look what he did with a little cfe on this garage door....

The Antics of Stu-Ghost & Eric

dedicated to all parents, everywhere.

Season 2 - Chapter 20 – Epilogue

The silence lasted for ages. Neither Stu-Ghost nor Eric moved.

The DVD stopped playing and the screen went blank. The boys just sat, quietly breathing in time

with each other. It had been a massively emotional rollercoaster for both of them. They had both

seen things neither of them knew anything about....

“You ok?” Stu-Ghost eventually asked quietly.

“A little shocked...” Eric replied wiping his tear stained face.

“Yes. Me too!”

“Who would have thought that when I arrived at your house...” But Eric couldn’t yet bring himself

to say the words...

“Yes...” Stu-Ghost pondered, drifting into teenage memories. “I remember...”

“Hi Eric!” Susan said invitingly as Eric arrived at the James house after spending the day with his

family before they went away on their holiday. “I am so glad you decided to stay with us this

Summer. You are going to have a wonderful time.”

“Thanks, Mrs James.”

“Call me Susan. You make me feel so old when you call me Mrs James!” She smiled at the young

teen. “Make yourself at home! And remember the James motto: ‘if you want something, help

yourself. If we don’t have it, go get it!’”

“Thanks, Mrs... er.. Susan!”

“Yes, I second that.” Mr James said. “Make yourself right at home! I am sure you will feel like a

part of the family in no time at all!”

“Thanks everyone!” Eric smiled. “I am sure it is going to be the best Summer ever!”

“Stu” Susan continued, making her way indoors to start dinner. “Help Eric with his bags and show

him the new bed we put in your room.”

“Yes, Mom” Teen-Stu replied dutifully even though he loathed being told what to do. Teenagers

always think they are more intelligent than their parents sometime give them credit for.

Once his parents were out of the way, he ran down the steps and hugged his best friend.

“We are gonna have the best Summer, Eric!” he said enthusiastically.

“I know, Stu!” Eric replied just as enthusiastically. “For a moment I thought my father was never

going to let me stay with you. But, he did say how much he liked your parents and how much he

enjoyed their company.”

“I guess the endless dinner parties have done the trick!” Teen-Stu chirped in. “Now! Let’s get you

all settled in already!”

“Mom’s been out and bought matching beds! She even spoke to my dad about making an extension

and adding another room. But he quickly reminded her about the underground den, and how much

room there was down there.” Teen-Stu rambled on, without realising it.

“At breakfast this morning, that had such a massive – and boring! – conversation about whether you

should sleep in the den or in my room. Eventually, I said: ‘my room!’ That sorted out that issue. So,

I hope you don’t mind, but you’ll be sleeping with me.” He said, sounding quite pleased with

himself, but perhaps not altogether realising the implications of his own ramblings.

“So, whatcha think?” Teen-Stu asked, lying back on his bed.

“Yeah! It’s great! Plenty of space of both of us!” Eric replied, getting equally comfortable on his

own bed.

Some parents are wise enough not to buy teenagers double beds!

After a delicious dinner of home-grown organic vegetables, the boys headed upstairs to bed. What

followed that night was quite like a yo-yo.

Teen-Stu, a little embarrassed to get changed in front of his friend, waiting until he knew Teen-Eric

was asleep.

Although, it does have to be noted, Teen-Stu stood for quite a while looking at his friend, as he had

on so many occasions, like at sleepovers at Aunt Lilly’s...

The only way he could express his emotions was the silent way...

Just as Teen-Stu was creeping into bed, trying desperately not to awaken his friend, Teen-Eric got

up.

“Er.. Good night, Stu” Eric said, blushingly. “Just off to the loo. Sleep well!”

Teen-Stu frowned.

“Er... night! Sleep well, too! Hope you’re ready for some adventures tomorrow!” Teen-Stu said,

pulling his covers up.

But Teen-Eric had already left the room. He was away for quite some time. Teen-Stu was slightly

relieved and managed in Teen-Eric’s absence to drift off to sleep.

When Teen-Eric returned, he came in as quietly as he could.

“It’s quite strange sleeping Stu’s room...” he thought to himself as he climbed back into bed.

In the wee hours of the morning, Teen-Stu was suddenly awakened by a sound similar to a grizzly

bear!

“Good lord!” He exclaimed to himself, as he too had went to the loo. “Remind me to ask mom for

some of her herbal sleep remedies tomorrow.”

Eventually, once Teen-Eric had changed positions, the noise ceased and Teen-Stu drifted back off to

sleep, too.

On the way to bed Susan James had stopped outside Teen-Stu’s bedroom and looked in through the

glass panel.

“James!” Susan whispered to her husband. “Come and look at this!”

“What is it, love?!” He said, joining her outside their sons’ bedroom.

“Two sleeping angels!” She smiled.

“Two-peas in a pod they are!” He smiled, hugging his wife.

“Yes...” she replied thoughtfully. “Like...”

“Like?” James asked, after Susan never finished her sentence.

“Hm...” she pondered, looking in through the door again. “I am not sure... like long lost brothers, I

suppose!”

Women are far more intuitive than men.

“Well” James joked, without realising any of the hints his wife might have been trying to say. “Eric

definitely did not inherit any of my looks! He is quite the Snow White, compared to our family

genes!”

“Yes...” Susan replied, still musing over her thoughts, and dragging her husband off to bed.

The days passed quickly, with the boys up to many fun antics. Eric fitted into the James household

like he had always been there.

Then the unfortunate day came with the awful news of what had happened to Eric’s family in

France. Mr James had taken a phone call from a neighbour in France with the news. As shocked as

he was, he and Susan spent most of the day discussing how they were going to handle the situation.

Eventually they decided that James would speak to Teen-Eric and Susan would speak to Teen-Stu.

They thought that if they spoke to them at the same time, and if they dealt with them individually

that they could give both the teens the individual attention that they would need to cope with the

news.

James got right to point with Teen-Eric, choosing not to beat around the bush him and to be totally

honest.

Teen Eric, upon hearing the news, froze. He didn’t initially react. He just sat there, almost looking

for permission to be emotional about it. The way in which his father must have drummed ‘big boys

don’t cry’ into him must clearly have had a tremendous psychological effect on the poor teenager.

James, however, spoke at length, explaining everything that had happened; almost answering the

questions that were not forthcoming from Teen-Eric.

“Where am I going to live?!” Teen-Eric suddenly blurted out.

“Here, of course!” James quickly replied. “Do not worry about anything. We will look after you!”

Upstairs, it was another ordeal!

“Ah! Incense! I love it!” Teen-Stu thought to himself as he walked into his room. “But, I wonder

what I have done now? I hate it when mom summons me to my room. Can’t think what I might

done...”

“Stu...” Susan said, coming into his room, but still wondering to herself about how she was going to

handle the situation. “Oh, good! You’re here already!”

“O-oh!” Teen-Stu thought to himself. “She looks serious!”

“Stu” Susan started, “there is something very serious we need to talk about...”

“You don’t say, Mom! You only ever summon me to my room when I have done something

wrong!”

“Stu!” Susan’s tone suddenly changed. “This is not about anything you have done. Now be quiet

and listen!”

Susan and Teen-Stu spoke for ages, with a barrage of questions coming from Teen-Stu that Susan

didn’t have all the answers for. These two were used to being frank, open and honest with each

other and Susan knew that was the best way to tell Teen-Stu about the tragic events in France. He

handled everything she discussed with him like a mature adult. They also spoke at length about how

best to cope with Teen-Eric and the grief that he would no doubt go through for quite some time.

“You ok?” She finally asked, getting up out of her chair.

“Yes, mom. I think so. Thank you for trusting me!” He said, suddenly very concerned for his friend.

“It’s just such a shock!” he continued.

“I know, my boy. But we need to give Eric the love and support he needs right now.”

“Yes. Yes, you are right, Mom.”

“Don’t go upsetting him unnecessarily. And don’t talk to him about this. Let him talk to you when

he is ready.”

Perhaps Susan didn’t quite realise just how long it would be that Stu would actually be able to speak

to Eric about these things.

Back downstairs James, despite his concerns for the lack of emotion that Teen-Eric had not shown,

he had made immense progress with Eric and his worries.

“Eric, I want you to know that if you need anything... you come and find me and I will be there for

you.”

“Thank you, Mr James. I really appreciate that” Teen-Eric replied sincerely. “Can I go find Stu

now?”

“Of course!” James smiled.

James James watched as Teen-Eric left the room in search for his friend and suddenly broke down

and cried with an intensity of emotion that he, himself, had not felt in a long time.

“What an awful situation!” He muttered to himself through the anguish he was feeling for Eric. “I

am going to have to call my friend, Dr Phil, and get some much needed advice on how best to

handle this delicate situation.”

“And...” Susan suddenly stopped midsentence as the door opened and Teen-Eric came into the

room.

Back in the media room, in Wasaba House, it was Eric who next broke the silence.

“You parents were amazing! There were times when I almost felt like I had been a permanent

member of your family. And there were other times when I...”

He broke off and for the first time sobbed his heart out...

Through his sobbing he managed in a broken voice to speak the words that had never ever wanted

to admit: “times... when... I... (sniff) completely... forgot... (sniff)... that they... even (sniff)...

existed...”

“I know, love!” Stu-Ghost said, holding Eric’s hand tighter than and gently kissing Eric’s tears.

“That’s... (sniff)... an... awful thing.... to say...!” he sobbed.

“And then... (sniff)” Eric could hardly breathe from the sobbing he was doing... “When I ... lost

you... (sniff) that was... just the... (sniff) worst feeling...!”

“I’m sorry, love! So, so very sorry!” Stu-Ghost replied tenderly, knowing full well that it was an

apology on so many levels and for so many different reasons.

“I ran... (sniff) away, but... (sniff) I had... no-one... (sniff)... to run to...!”

Eric was sobbing and desperately trying amidst the tears to speak...

“And... that’s (sniff)... when I ... ended up... (sniff) on the... cliff...”

“I... (sniff) nearly....”

But Stu-Ghost was shift: “No, love. You didn’t. You are still here. Safe. With me!”

“Yes... (sniff)...”

Eric suddenly broke off and hugged Stu-Ghost.

“Thank goodness!” he howled into Stu-Ghost’s shoulder.

Once they had found the rhythm of each others’ breathing, Stu-Ghost managed to bring their

breathing down to a calm, steady pace.

Eric took a deep breath, let go only a little and then said quietly and calmly: “I nearly did it, Stu...”

They sat in silence staring at each other, feeling each other intensely through their eyes and joined

hands.

“But then I heard them...” Eric sniffed again.

“Who?” Stu-Ghost asked.

“My parents...”

The boys both had tears running down their faces as they stared deeply into each others’ eyes.

“I heard my mothers’ voice... telling me... (sniff)... that she loved me...”

“And that’s when you turned around?”

“Yes...”

“And then?”

“And then... (sniff) he... (sniff)... told me...”

“He told you...?” Stu-Ghost was treading ever so carefully.

“That he... (sniff)...” everything suddenly fell right out Eric’s own shocked mouth... “that he loved

me and that he had always been very proud of me! He had never said anything like to me when he

was alive. I was so overcome with emotion as I watched them. I had never seen them be

affectionate towards each other when they were alive. They truly loved each other, Stu. And I never

knew it.”

“But, it couldn’t have been them...” Eric frowned. “It must have been a figment of my imagination.”

“Why do you say that?” Stu-Ghost asked.

Eric stared at Stu-Ghost for a while, not sure what to say.

“It was only my mother and father...”

Stu-Ghost, being a ghost and having been to other side, knew all too well how family members

might come back to speak to their loved ones, but even he now frowned a little...

“...they told me...” he continued... “before they left that I was a fine man and that I would find

happiness!”

Stu-Ghost smiled.

Only love is real!

And here we stop.

The rest of the articles

are held over till the

next edition

of TSSI Insider