Tuesday, November 30, 2010

That Time

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That time of the year again.  Yep, it’s ho-ho-ho time.  Something a little different this year – a Christmas tree!  Yep, I put mine at the end of my entrance hallway.  Notice at the far left, the kids’ stockings. 

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So Cheesebum and I were sitting down eating breakfast when he goes, “So you helped the kids with their homework last night.”

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“Why wouldn’t I help the kids?” I asked him.  “Satis seems to have a math block.  It’s like she freaks out when she sees a number.  Sety has language issues.  He has trouble with multisyllabic Simlish.  He can do simple Simlish fine.”

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After Andy left to go to practice, I found myself home, alone – with Sage.  Let’s just say, that didn’t go very well.

“Waaaaah!!!” went Sage, and I had no idea what she wanted.  “Waaaahhhh!”

Ok, Savannah, calm down, I told myself.  But I couldn’t stay calm.  This kid was crying and I didn’t know what to do.  Then suddenly I smelled a stench coming from her direction.

Oh no.  This didn’t mean what I thought it meant, huh?

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It meant exactly what I thought it meant.  Sage had had an accident and I needed to change her. 

But, how to change a diaper?  The last time I did this AJ was a little boy.  Satis or Andy or Halima usually changed her.  But neither one of them were home at the moment.  So I put on a pair of gloves, rolled up my imaginary sleeves, and changed Sage’s diaper. 

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving Surprise

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Just when I thought my brother couldn’t pull anything else out of his hat, he surprised me (and my kids) with a visit on Thanksgiving.

“Hey sis.”  His voice was unmistakable.  When his eyes met with mine we met near the front door with an embrace that lasted a good ten minutes.

“You drove up here – for what?”

“Hey, you know I couldn’t spend Thanksgiving down there in Bridgeport while you guys were here,” he said.  “It wasn’t right.”

I was surprised by how strong he was.  He very nearly picked ME up.  “Been liftin’ weights, boy?”

“Unfortunately,” he teased.  “My agent said I had to keep in shape, so I try.”

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Mom insisted on seasoning the turkey even while it was technically the butler’s job to cook the meal.  Truthfully, she hasn’t been, you know, herself, since Bassy left.  Bassy leaving was, IMO, the last straw for her. 

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While dinner was being cooked, AJ thought he’d try out his angling skills.  This is where he IS like his dad.  I can’t begin to count how many fish and frogs I found in his knapsack, lol.  I tell him to put those in an aquarium or something but he insists on carrying them around. 

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And, as usual, Satis was playing mommy to Sage.  I couldn’t ask for more with her or Sety, they’re great with AJ and Sage. 

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While we were waiting for mom and the butler to finish the turkey, Bassy entertained me with gossip from Bridgeport.  “Did you know Matt Hamming has a new girlfriend?”

“New girlfriend?  Really?  He has a different one every week, right?”

“Seems like it.  But this one is different.  This girl Katie has moved in with him.”

I shook my head.  Bassy was dishing out dirt on his ex-boss like it was no one’s business.

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He told me he’d started a small vegetable garden and has been knee deep in scripts.

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“I did a reading as Buzz Light-Sim the other day,” he said with a chuckle.  “The suit I was wearing was heavy.  I couldn’t chance driving wearing that costume so I had my limo driver take me to the audition.”

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Soon it was time to change into our finery (Mom’s idea, so we humored her) and eat.  And yes, that white haired gentleman at the head of the table is Noah. 

I’m stuffed, and headed to the mall tomorrow to start Christmas shopping for the kids.  Sety wants a scooter, Satis wants clothes and the new Lola Belle CD, AJ wants a bike… shhhhh….

Later,

Savannah

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Love, Bassy #22

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Hey sis,

Yes, it was me in the tape.  I don’t know who shot it, but I bet the gossips are having a field day over it.  Lola and I are just friends, that’s all.

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When I was coming out of the theater after my cameo in “Sims and Monsters” I ran into Stanley, who was practicing a few bars of piano.  “I didn’t know you played,” I told him, with Terry Luna and Barry Tenderlove beside me. 

Emmy hates music,” he said, “so I’m resigned to play when and where I can.”

Say what?

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Anyway, Lola came by the house the other night.  I let her in thru the security gate.

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“Sebastian?” she called from the other side of the kitchen. 

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“Whatcha cookin?”

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“A very special feast just for you.”

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“Really?  You’d really cook a meal just for me?”

I shrugged.  Kai doesn’t cook?

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Finally our meal was done.  “What is this, Sebastian?”

“Stuffed flounder with crab meat.”

“Sounds delish.  I’m starved!”

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“Where’d you learn to cook?”

“I took it up as a teenager.”

Lola laughed.  “You know, most teenage boys aren’t learning to cook.  They’re learning, well, other things.”

“I picked up a cookbook while my parents were in Egypt with my sister.”

Your sister?  You have a sister?”

Yeah.”

Does she live here?”

No, Sunset Valley.”

What does she do?”

She’s an archaeologist.”

“An archy- what?”  Then Lola smiled.  But it wasn’t one of those big wide grins.  It was one of those knowing secretive smiles.  She’s one of those folks with whom you have to do an examination to figure out what they’re thinking.  “What?”

I was just thinking – Sunset Valley – that – that explains you.”

Huh?  What do you mean?  What’s wrong with Sunset Valley?”

“I performed at the stadium there, beginning of my career.  It’s very … how can I explain it … surreal, almost.  Almost too perfect.”

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Lola changed the subject.  “Your father, Nathan Plumb, he was a composer, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Studied his stuff in school.  The advanced guitar textbooks here had at least twenty of his songs in it.”

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“Really?” I asked, a little dumbfounded, especially considering they weren’t in our books.  “Which ones?”

The ones I remember were ‘I Would if I Did’ and ‘Sunset Moon.’

Sunset Moon’s in there?”

Yeah.”

What’s funny is I actually remember when he composed that one.  And I’m sure you do, too, Vanna.

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I listened to her talk for about three hours.  It was kind of like being at home with dad.  Music runs through her veins.

For my senior recital, I did a medley of three of his songs.  I was scared as heck, standing in front of the whole school for fifteen minutes.  It was just me and my guitar.  And then – in an instant – it was like there was no one else there.”

I don’t even remember my senior recital.  And it wasn’t that long ago. 

I’m stuffed and sleepy.  Gonna have to work off all this food somehow.

Love, Bassy

Monday, November 22, 2010

Response #6

Hey little bro,

Why are you having trouble sleeping all of a sudden?  Are you worried about something?  I’d like to think I know you pretty well, and I know you like to be liked by everyone.  I bet you’re upset about Emmy.

Believe me, Bassy, the way that Emmy Starr treated you was nothing short of a disgrace.  If I had been there I’d have given her a piece of my mind.  Just because she’s a big celebrity, that doesn’t give her the right to treat someone this way.  I’m sure the right girl will come along soon enough, you’re too good a person not to have anyone special in your life yet. 

Speaking of girls, Daisy asked about you – again.  I keep forwarding her some of these letters, the ones that don’t contain privileged communication between you and me.  That seems to sate her for a bit.

I had to laugh at the pictures you sent of you dressed in the costume doing the show.  I just thought they were funny. I’ll pass those on to Daisy and Neil. 

So, last night Satis is watching this TV show, “Sim Gossip Today,” you know how teenage girls are – I was one, remember, and I do not have fond memories of that time – and she sees this video come on TV.

“Say,” she says in her cute accent, “is that Uncle Bassy dancing with Lola Belle?”  Satis is a HUGE fan of Lola Belle.  And for some reason she likes listening to Dad’s stuff, too. 

“Where?”

 

Sure looks like you tho.  Either it’s you or someone pretending to be you. 

So, Bassy, tell me the truth.  Is that really you dancing with her?  You can tell me, I won’t bite.  :D

Off to work.

Love you to bits, Savannah

Friday, November 19, 2010

Love, Bassy #21

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Hey sis,

I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  I’m having trouble sleeping through the night.  I’ll get in the bed and then get back up at like 4 am and have trouble going back to sleep.  

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On top of that, today I had to research another role, this time at Public School #67.  I hadn’t been inside a school since I graduated. 

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PS #67 is much bigger than the Community School back in Sunset.  Verhoeven wanted me to research the role of one of these cool, hip young substitute teachers who comes in and transforms a classroom full of unruly kids.  She thinks I’d be perfect for that part. 

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By the time I left the schoolhouse, it was already getting dark, and I could see the stars and a little bit of the downtown Bridgeport skyline. 

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I got to the Aquarius lounge at a quarter to eight.

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While waiting for the elevator, I spotted a guy with bare feet???

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I got up to the third floor and met Lola Belle, who is a five-star celeb and pop-music icon.  I’d seen her here before. 

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Anyway, Lola and I got to talking, and she’s artistic, virtuoso, and technophobe – so far.  With two traits in common, we had a lot to say to each other.

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Sweet dreams (I hope)

Love, Bassy

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Love, Bassy #20 (cont’d)

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After coming home from work, I invited Emmy Starr over to my house.

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Sure enough, it didn’t take her long to get there.

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I greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

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Then I loosened up the atmosphere with a joke, which she laughed at.  Then again, she’s an actress.  Was she pretending to laugh?

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Then, for no reason at all, she jumps down my throat.  “Hey, why’d you invite me over here anyway?”

“Um, well…”

“You know for sure I’m dating Stanley, how dare you?”

“How dare I – what?  I’m not doing anything wrong.  I thought I’d, you know, get to know you better.  After all, we are working together on a project.”

That didn’t go well, did it?  I don’t know.  I don’t get it.  I think I’ll go to bed.

Love, Bassy

Love, Bassy #20

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Hey sis,

Would you believe I did a music video?

Yeah, I got to the soundstage at 2:30 in my costume. 

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My shoot for the afternoon came complete with a dancer…

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…and a member of the paparazzi.

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After I was done I went over to the set and studied my lines.  (cont’d on next page)