HFH: Can you add plum to garden salad?

That evening, we held a simple dinner party at the B&B. We didn’t even dress up.

“Man, that Elder’s just got Plum Day spirit rocking through him!”

Everybody danced! Now, that’s a party.

Rose has her own style of dancing, like she’s in a magical world, or something.

“Hey, Forrest!” I said. “Looks like the party’s really rocking out there!”

I tried to infuse playful feelings into the salad I was making.

Rose took exception to something Uncle Jacob said. He told me later that he was just trying to be friendly. I know sometimes his friendliness can feel a little too much to Sims who don’t know him yet.

“No! I won’t tell you the secret that I told my blue unicorn friend! It’s a secret, that’s why!”

Emma ditched the party and went up to the balcony to paint. She said she’d been feeling like she’d been neglecting her creative side, and some time in silence appealed to her, too.

“The light up here is amazing.”

I think it’s kind of funny that a dinner party is all about Garden Salad. But if you make it fun, then it still tastes delicious, right? And sometimes, a light meal is just the thing!

“Tani, we’ve got some left-over Monte Cristo sandwiches in the fridge, if you’re still hungry.”

Emma finished her painting just as the light from the sunset graced the top of the gazebo.

“Plum is about more than purple. It’s got rose, orange, and yellow, too.”

Dani Pringle got over Toya’s teasing, but she still didn’t mind when he felt a little put off by the one dirty dish on the counter.

“Hey, my mom can’t do all the dishes! You could try washing one yourself!”

Marcus thought he smelled gas from the stove and kept checking the burners. That’s why we’ve got an electric stove at home. You don’t have to worry.

“But you can control the heat so much better with gas.”

If Elder’s family knew how amazing he was, sharing his friendliness with everyone, always helping out with the dishes, and keeping himself in the best mood ever, I think they’d feel so proud of this soon-to-be young man they’ve raised.

It must be something to have him around the kitchen every day.

Toya’s found a lot of new material for his jokes by spending time with us.

“This is how hippies talk: ‘Plum what? Right, dude. Like I’m all innocent, and everything. Hey, wanna hit?'”

Dani Pringle left the party early and headed upstairs to email her sisters.

“Mom and I are coming home tomorrow. We miss you.”

Rose seemed to be feeling a little homesick, too. She took her salad out to the back porch and ate alone.

“I miss my dad, Johnny, and Robin. I hope they’re taking good care of Robin. I should really get back. I’m sure he misses me. Nobody sings to him the way I do.”

Rose seemed to feel a little better when she came in to listen to the little concert I gave. I think she decided to leave the next day, and I bet she feels really happy that she’ll be back with her family soon.

Hunter O’Malley turned out to be a real music lover! He got into the Plum Day concerto I played.

It’s just a silly little piece, but I’m really glad that they enjoy it.

Dr. Jasmine has had so much to reflect on. She’s had so many diverse guests staying here, and she’s been at the center of it, getting to know and care for each of them.

“There’s an inherent ‘good-bye’ in every ‘hello.'”

Emma ran into Toya when she was cleaning up after the party. “He really surprised me,” she said. “He said the most profound thing.”

This is what Toya had told her:

Sometimes, at this season, we think it’s all about kindness. That we have to bring out different parts of ourselves and repress other parts. But it’s not that.

Plum Day lets us know that it’s really about being ourselves. About experiencing just what we experience. Being just who we are.

What we experience, what we contribute, that adds something to game itself.

Each of us offers something unique that no other Sim can offer.

Keep being you, Toya.