1890s: Engaged

It's been an eventful week in the Whittaker household, and it started dramatically with a fire when the gas lighting in Abigail's bedroom malfunctioned!!!

Fires were of course common in the 1890s, with many wooden houses, lots of fabrics and mostly live flames, yet it wasn't until this very year, 1891, that New Orleans saw fit to actually pay their fire fighters. Before this year they had all been volunteers. Still Louisiana did have a working fire brigade, and while the furniture in Abigail's room didn't survive the fire, the house and the rest of the family did. 

For Abigail a few uncomfortable nights are spent in the maid's quarters at night before new furniture can be delivered.

Joseph, however, goes into a worrying frenzy, not able to let the fire go. He is constantly tense and fearful of new fires. What to do? The solution comes in a revolutionary new and modern contraption: the radiator!

Radiators were invented in the middle of the century, but became a hit after the invention of the system known as the "Bundy Loop". In the second half of the 19th century, cast iron radiator systems became hugely popular in America. Still fireplaces were seen as prettier and had a natural place in the home, and Abigail is not a great fan of these new contraptions. It's one thing in bathrooms and other rooms where fireplaces have no place, but in the bedroom!?! But Joseph is insistent. Abigail gets to keep the fireplaces in the drawing room and dining room, but all fireplaces in the bedrooms are removed and replaced. As a concession to Abigail fake fireplaces are also installed in some rooms. To at least give the appearance of the real thing. (Fake fireplaces looked a lot different in reality to the boring wooden frame we have in game, and were much prettier, but they were popular so the wooden frame from the holiday pack will make a fair representation of the idea).

Unwittingly, Joseph's push to keep his family safe from fire brings with it another perk. The new radiators are not at all as dirty as the old fireplaces. Recently, Joseph has noticed a distinct decline in the quality of air in the area, a very common problems in the cities of the time. Now Willow Creek is just the type of place one would move to in order to get away from the pollution in the cities, but with WC growing bigger, and everyone relying on fireplaces for heating, the air has taken a turn for the worse lately. The snow is brown, and air smells foul: 

By changing the dirtier fireplaces (industrial footprint +5) to the slightly cleaner radiators (industrial footprint +3), Joseph does quite a bit to help lower the levels of pollution in the area by plugging up four of his fireplaces. Win-win, says Joseph. Ugly, says Abigail. Through all of this, Abigail and Joseph is planning their engagement party! Abigail decides to spend some of her newly acquired money on a new dress for semi-formal events:

Joseph would most likely be happy to pay for her new dress, but Abigail says that is not appropriate. There were strict social rules for gift giving during the engagement period, one were that any gift be returnable should the engagement be called off. A dress was custom fitted, and not returnable. Abigail pays for her dress herself. The rest of the money she saves up, as she knows how precarious her situation can become. Should Joseph have a change of heart, or if he were to die, Abigail has nothing but the money that is in her name. Even after marriage, Frank will inherit Joseph's money. Abigail will be dependant on Frank's good will when that day happens. Only her own money, and any valuable jewellery or other gifts that Joseph gives her are hers on the day she is left alone. Not spending her money lightly is of crucial importance. In the middle of preparations, on the very day of the dinner, Abigail gets a familiar missive from Matthew. 

This time she has no problems with saying no! How inappropriate can he be to make such a suggestion when he was no where to be found when she actually needed him!?! Abigail decides she does not like self-absorbed sims! The dinner itself starts out well enough with some conversation in the living room: 

But dinner is chaotic and at one time I found Abigail sitting alone in the living room knitting instead of entertaining their guests!!!

I suppose she had something to say about guests who would just not sit down to eat but insisted on going outside to look at the snow or inside the kitchen to speak to the help. After free will was turned off, dinner quieted down, and everyone managed to stay seated. A few toasts were held to the engaged couple's honor:

The women and men then separated and sat down to hold their own conversations:

Abigail does have some trouble feeling truly at home in this group. She decides they need to expand on their circle of friends. The day after the engagement dinner, Joseph gets an offer from a theatre who wants to make a stage production of one of his books, his first ever sci-fi book. The offer does have its drawbacks, however, and since Joseph is well aware of how other people's work has been misused (Dicken's for one did not get one penny of all the popular plays made on the basis of his Christmas Carol), he turns the offer down. He has no interest in fame, he's quite comfortable with his present life as it is. 

He does, however, accept the promotion that comes with his new found success:

 

With Valentines Day coming up, and increasingly popular new holiday in the US, he takes Abigail on a date to the newly founded local museum.

Once there, they run into Dolly Despre, the maid in the Godeau house. Somehow, in spite of her loyal trait, they managed to persuade her to ditch the Godeau house and come work for them. Lizbeth was asked to resign. (Seriously, do not ask me how, she just was there instead of Lizbeth when I loaded the game this morning).

For Abigail, it's of course easier to have a maid that does not remember her as the governess, but comes in with the view of her as the future Mrs Whittaker. Besides, Lizbeth hated cooking, while Dolly is a natural cook. Joseph is quite happy with the new more French inspired food.

Next week it's springtime, and most importantly Ida's birthday. She's growing up to be a girl. The rules says she's supposed to get creative as her first trait, but I'm not so sure, I think I'll roll a dice and see what the game decides (it has done a marvelous job so far). Regardless, Ida's education will be guided towards the more creative talents, of sewing, knitting and playing instruments. Useful pursuits for a girl. Weather she likes it or not, well that is an entirely different story. To be told later.