Welcome to Round 1 of the Oldie Family.

WOT rolled for this family is Adoption Obsession. The Oldies rolled 3 so they must complete 3 adoptions of pet, or child (any life stage) in any combination. Every family gets a children roll and they got a roll of 2. That means that 2 of the adoptions will be children... or I could let them count Mary Sue as one child and then the 3rd adoption could be another pet... hmmm. What will happen...


Coral & Herb have moved into a new Mobile Home park in Pleasantview to be closer to their only daughter and her family. They had heard about some of the crisis going on and felt it would be a good idea to be close by.


Things haven't worked out the way they expected though. Mary Sue, Daniel & Angela are busy putting their lives together, Lilith is nowhere to be found, and the Oldies are forgotten. They are lonely...


Coral decides to get back into her teaching career and is quickly employed as an Elementary School Teacher.


Herb comes out of retirement and gets back into the business world. But it doesn't seem to be enough... the house is too quiet. They had planned on visits from their grandchildren and family dinners, but that wasn't happening.


A dog! Yes that was the answer for Herb. He went to the shelter and found Mingo. A nice golden retriever, a bit of a doofus and messy, but he was friendly & playful. Herb looked forward to taking him for walks.


Coral loves Mingo the minute she sees him, and she and the dog become friends quickly.


Their days get into a comfortable routine. Coral gets home from her teaching job first and enjoys the newspaper on the deck.


Herb comes home and watches the news while Coral makes dinner.


After dinner Coral reads while Herb paints or plays chess. The house is still too quiet. "Why don't we adopt a child, Herb?" Coral asks one evening. "We both have good careers, we can give a better life to a deserving child." "Do you think we can do that at our ages, Coral?" He asks "Of course we can do it!" she answered quickly.


Coral made the call to the local Adoption Agency. Paperwork was filled out and the home inspection went without a single problem. It was finally the day their new son or daughter would arrive. They had opted for a school aged child, keeping in mind they weren't young any more. Chasing a toddler would be too difficult for Coral and an infant was out of the question.


Meet Brittany! The Social Worker dropped her off and rushed off to her next Home Inspection.



Brittany met Mingo first. He bounded right up to her as if he knew she was part of the family.


Coral was just returning from the community greenhouse and welcomed Brittany to the family. "Let's go shopping ok? Get you something new to wear than that Orphanage dress."


When they returned from the store Brittany explored her new home. She didn't want to disturb the paintings that were already started so she headed for the chessboard.


Once again routine settled on the Oldie household. Coral would read her articles in the newspaper. Brittany would go play in the playground after school.


Herb would still come home and watch his news programs.


But now Coral would be fixing dinner for a real family.


"How was your news program dear?" she would ask Herb. They would discuss what went on during their days. Herb & Coral would quietly laugh at Brittany's stories about her day at school. Life is so serious for an 8 year old.


They would all go swimming after letting dinner settle. Trying to enjoy the last warm days of fall. Coral & Herb were happy that they had decided to adopt a child.


Brittany seemed to be quite happy too. She was settling in and made some friends at school. She brought Beau Broke home one afternoon. They played red hands and took Mingo for a walk.


Another time she brought home Jenny Smith. The family was from Strangetown, but Jenny was attending the Pleasantview school for a while... she never exactly said why.


Brittany was a very helpful and neat child. She helped make the beds each morning, so Herb & Coral could get breakfast and go to work. The schoolbus would come for her soon after, so she felt very helpful and responsible about her small chores.


Coral's experience as a schoolteacher came in handy when she was helping Brittany with her homework. In no time Brittany's grades were perfect, and it became much easier for her to do her homework on her own.


Coral caught the flu from her students at school. It seems to be going around this fall.


Brittany quietly reads in her room to allow Coral to rest.


She is playing with the Chess Board when Herb gets home from work. She tells him that Coral is ill and resting. He praises her for keeping quiet and orders pizza for them that night. Then he joins her at the chess board until bedtime.


Coral has the next day off work and takes it easy. She is feeling better and decides to teach Mingo to Stay. He doesn't learn very fast.


She gives in on the training attempt and tidies the house. She is happy to have Brittany & Mingo, but there is still an emptiness in her life.


"Herb?" "Yes dear?" Coral puts down her paint brush and palette, "Can we try adopting one more child? Brittany is such a gem and I love that we are making her life better. I want to do that for another child. Perhaps we can even get a boy this time?" The words come out in a rush. "I'll think about it Coral. We already have so much... its a lot to consider." "Ok Herb."


It's the last day of fall and way too cold to swim, so the Oldie family tries out the gym facility... Herb has been enjoying Coral's good cooking a little too much. Herb is watching Brittany at her ballet practice and turns to Coral. "Call the Agency dear. We need to offer our home to another needy child."

*I let Coral's wants & fears determine the child thing. If she rolled a want to adopt, they would adopt if she rolled a want for a pet... the third would have been a pet. On the last day of fall she rolled a want to call the adoption agency... so that was it...*

This is the end of the Oldie Family Round 1.

Will Coral & Herb adopt a boy this time? Will the new child and Brittany get along? What about Mary Sue? Will she reconnect with her parents before it's too late?

I have reached the end of the Pleasantview proper rounds. The first suburb I rolled to play is Belladonna Cove and the first house there is the Contender house. Ill have his WOT, random rolls and his story up soon!