Note:

· Game Version 1.5 – New Farm Layout with beach.

· 2021 Calendar
- Spring : 1 February to April 30
- Summer: 1 May to 31 July
- Autumn: 1 Aug to 31 Oct
- Winter: 1 Nov – 31 Jan

· Game Dynamics
- Character Profiles & Personality Traits
- Dialogue & Events References.

· Liberties taken by changing the farming and the upgrading of the farmhouse.

· This is a Fan-Fiction Story and all original characters are fictional and were created for the sole purpose of this story. Any resemblance to a real person living or dead is purely coincidental.

Spring
Monday 8 February
Sunshine Farm
Late Morning

Joanna stood with her hands on her hips as she watched the two burly men from the movers company she had hired carry her furniture into the small two bedroom cottage. The cottage still had the mixed aroma of fresh paint and disinfectant. She was standing in the small open plan kitchen and directing them to the designated spots for her things.

Joanna could not deny the feelings of apprehension, this sudden and spontaneous decision to leave her life in Zuzu City and move to a rustic cottage on a rundown farm had taken everyone by surprise. Nonetheless when she had first stepped off the bus last week and had walked down the path leading her to Pelican Town she had been excited. For the first time in all of her 25 years she was taking control of her own life. With only a letter and a deed she had knocked on Mayor Lewis's door and the fifty-something, stout walrus moustache man in brown suspenders and bright green shirt had given the keys to her future.

The farm was, as Joanna had discovered much to her dismay, 60% sand, 30% grass and 20% actual farmland. There was a lot of overgrown grass, trees in odd places and a lot of rocks and other debris that had gathered over the years of neglect. The cottage had seen better days but was still well preserved despite being battered by the elements of unpredictable weather. The Stardew Valley region known for its precarious weather was situated on the southern part of the Ferngill Republic and Pelican Town was one of the few towns situated on the southern coast. Her farm bordered on the coast allowing her a generous stretch of beach which she has yet to visit.

Over the course of just five days, the cottage had been cleared out of all variants of insects and bugs that had made the cottage their home. It had been repaired, cleaned and painted. The broken floorboards and holes in the walls had been repaired by Robin the local carpenter and builder. Joanna had found the toned ginger haired woman a bubbly explosion of chatter and friendliness. Except for when she was holding nails in her teeth and wielding a huge hammer the woman talked non-stop. Joanna had not minded as she had been eager to learn as much as she could from her new neighbors and the town she was now going to call home. Robin had given vivid descriptions of most of Pelican Town's residents and some snippets of recent events and gossip. Robin had mentioned that besides Joanna there had been two new people who had also moved here in the last year. An aspiring writer that lives in a cabin he rents from Mayor Lewis on the town's beach and an artist that was renting the river cottage from Marnie the rancher in Cindersap Forest. Although Joanna might be the latest gossip she was not the only gossip Robin had laughed.

Late Afternoon

Joanna wiped her hands on her jeans after she had pushed the final box into place in the small room at the back of the cottage. It was supposed to be a second bedroom but for now it was storage for all her stuff until she can at her own leisure unpack. She might turn it into a studio or maybe a study…or something. Joanna glanced at the big black flat bag that held all her drawings and paintings leaning against a stack of boxes and the guitar case hidden behind others. She has not drawn, painted or played since her mother had died. The passion she had once felt was gone, her creative inspiration buried with her mother.

Joanna checked her cell-phone for the time. Mayor Lewis had promised that he would send someone to connect the solar panels to the inverter. Although the cottage has been reconnected to the town's main power grid she wanted to utilize the newly installed solar panels. Also the inverter needed to be connected to the saltwater battery so that all excess energy could be stored and in turn the inverter needed to be connected to the main electric panel in the cottage. If the electrician that had been busy with the installation had not been called away on an emergency it would have been done already. It had only been luck that Mayor Lewis had been there checking on her and bringing her a welcome parcel when the electrician had been called away. He had calmly reassured her he knew someone…someone right here in Pelican Town that could finish the job. Joanna had used some of her savings money to invest in the alternative energy source, plus she has also purchased a power generator which was now standing in the small shed behind the cottage on the kitchen's side. At some point the generator will also have to be connected especially before the winter.

Admittedly those purchases and the cost to repair the cottage had significantly dipped into her savings. She has not even estimated what the cost is going to be to get the farm workable again. Although the letter and the deed had come attached with a huge amount of money tied to a policy, it has yet to be paid out. According to Mr Pendelbrooke, the family attorney, it could take up to two more weeks. Joanna will be patient she can make a start on clearing up the space in front of the cottage herself, besides people say swinging an axe can be therapeutic. How hard can it be to chop down a tree or two...or three?

Early Evening

Seriously, could the Mayor not have found someone else to do the job? Shane grumbled as he turned up the path to go towards the farm that was situated just northwest of Marnie's ranch. Surely he could have found another qualified electrician in Stardew Valley? It was a favor he had said...bah, favor! Actually it had been Marnie that had persuaded Shane to accept the job. Marnie was sweet on Mayor Lewis although she would feverishly deny it, so she had asked nicely that Shane would consider doing this for Lewis. And since Shane owed Marnie a lot more than just a favor he had agreed.

He should be in the Stardrop right now nursing a beer not stumbling his way over rocks and overgrown grass to a dilapidated cottage so that a wannabe farmer can be green with renewable sustainable energy. Shane grimaced this farmer is probably some city yuppie that thinks farming will be a rejuvenating life altering experience. Farming is hard work. It takes patience and discipline not to mention a tough skin. This farmer will most likely not even last to the end of the season. He did not know much about the guy except that he was related to the previous owner. What was the farm called again? Oh yeah Sunshine Farm…Shane chuckled not so sunny in the state that it was now.

Shane reached the cottage out of breath and he wiped the sweat from his forehead, it was a good ten minute walk...twenty if you included all the stumbling and cursing. He had to admit he might be a bit out of shape he has not had a real work out since he stopped playing Gridball in collage and that was what? Five…six years ago? Wow has it really been that long already? And carrying a small heavy toolbox was not helping either. The front door was closed and he could see the flickering of candle light through the two porch windows. With the help of the porch railing he pulled himself up the steps and he knocked on the door.

Joanna opened the door and when she was confronted by an out of breath but ruggedly good looking man, dressed in knee length blue denim shorts, with a disheveled dark blue jacket and a grim expression her greeting died in her throat.
"I am here for the electricity" he wheezed and he looked suddenly all flustered.
"Y…yes please come in…over there" she stammered.
Joanna moved sideways to let him in and she pointed to the panel box on the wall next to the fridge. He nodded and he crossed the space to go around the small round table with four chairs centered in the kitchen section, he quickly set his toolbox down on the floor and opened it to retrieve several tools. He was, Joanna noted when he had passed her just slightly taller than her and he had a few days growth on his jaw line. Joanna remained where she was as she watched him. The candle light was flickering on the walls and she could see purple highlights in his dark raven hair. She had not been expecting him.
"Lewis said something about an inverter and battery?" he asked suddenly, looking in her direction but avoiding eye contact and Joanna pointed to the cupboard next to the fridge.

No, she had not been expecting him. When Mayor Lewis had mentioned he knew someone she had just assumed it would be someone elderly…a retired electrician perhaps. Joanna let her eyes drift over him he was on his knees with his top half inside the cupboard. He seemed to be about her age maybe a few years older, he was sturdy built with some softness around the edges. He looked like could have been an athlete at some point.

Shane shook his head as he tried to concentrate. This girl was not what he had been expecting at all. When she had opened the door he had been caught off guard. His eyes had been drawn to the red flames that were dancing in her long auburn hair that had been curling around her shoulders and pretty face. Her green eyes had widened in surprise when she had seen him. His eyes had quickly glanced over the oversized orange t-shirt and faded blue jeans she was wearing. She was slender but not thin and her hips had a gentle curve. He shifted uncomfortably on his knees as he was trying to connect wires to the battery. She has not uttered a single word more since he has arrived and he did not know if that bothered him more than the fact he knew she was looking at him.

After about thirty minutes of groaning and grunting underneath the cupboard, he finally stood up and dusted some imaginary dirt from his shorts. He went back over to the electricity panel and flipped two switches.
"Can you try the light switch?" he asked over his shoulder and then watched as she moved to the wall next to the front door and flip the light switch. The small light bulb that was hanging in the center of the room's ceiling flickered and then illuminated the room.
"Okay, you are all hooked up" Shane commented as he replaced his tools in the toolbox. Then with a grunt he lifted the toolbox off the floor and headed for the front door.

"Thank you I am Joanna by the way…" Joanna said with a small smile when he reached her and was about to move past her. He stopped and turned to look at her in surprise.
"You are welcome...Shane" and then with a nod he walked out the door. Joanna stood in the doorway and watched as he hastily walked over the sand, stumbling a few times over the scattered rocks and cursing under his breath. He slowly disappeared from view as he reached the edge of the farm and turned down the path to Cindersap Forest. What the hell was wrong with her? This is the first person outside of Mayor Lewis and Robin she has actually met, and she behaved like a stupid tongue tied teenager. Joanna slapped her forehead he must think her a total idiot.

Macpherson Ranch

When Shane finally reached the path that led down to Cindersap Forest he was breathing hard and the final rays of light from the sun was filtering through the trees. In true Stardew Valley fashion nightfall takes its time to arrive especially in spring and even later in summer. He paused for a second before he jogged down the path. Moments later he came bursting through the front door of the ranch dropping the toolbox onto the floor wheezing to get air into his constricted lungs, he was red in the face and sweat was pouring down his face. The expression on Marnie's face behind the counter just opposite the door was priceless. If he hadn't been struggling to breathe he might have laughed.

"Dear Yoba, Shane Macpherson!" Marnie held her hand over her beating heart Shane had given her a fright when he had come bursting through the front door. But his red face had made her hiccup in shock. Why does he look like he just ran all the way from Sunshine Farm? Oh dear Yoba, please let him not have done anything to upset the new farmer. She watched as he stumbled to the kitchen. Marnie ran her hands over her golden brown hair that was tied into a thick braid that hung over her left shoulder and straighten her green overall dress. She quietly slipped out from behind the counter where she had been busy going over her supply orders. She took a deep breath and then with her hands shoved into the two front pockets of her dress she walked into the kitchen.

"Shane…what did you do?" she asked a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
"Nothing" he groaned and he sounded annoyed. He was drinking a glass of water, taking slow sips in-between shaky breaths. Marnie cocked her head and squinted trying to read his expression. He seemed completely flustered.
"Did you know the farmer was a girl?" He asked gulping the last bit of water before rinsing the glass and placing it upside down in the sink.
"A girl?" Marnie was genuinely surprised "no I did not know" and then she smiled.