I've been trying to record video for the next episode of this story - but there have been problems. I've lost several real time days because of not being able to save progress. When I have managed to save successfully, it was after less than one sim day's play and then I'd have to shut down and reload and then probably get Error 12 next time I tried to save. In the end I decided to take some drastic action. I wasn't sure if the game could be saved but decided to give it a go.
I evicted the household to the clipboard, then placed them into an empty house. I could have left them on the clipboard but didn't.
Next I saved their house to the library and bulldozed their home. I bulldozed several community lots I'd placed around the world too. By this time I noticed the game was running much better. I could have probably had success if I just placed their house from the clipboard onto their now empty lot and then moved them back into it. But I had already decided to move them to Appaloosa Plains. I have rarely looked at that world and am not familiar with it so decided to send them there to live. I'll miss the townies from Moonlit Falls.
So now I had their house safely in the library I got Don to dial up a trip to Appaloosa Plains. Everyone joined him, including the pets.
On arrival in Appaloosa Plains I placed their house onto a 60x60 lot and then placed a few community lots, including the Festival Ground which is across the street from their new lot.
I can now play and save as often as I want and can play for as long as I want without any problems saving.
I just investigated the possibility of them consigning their excess potions in the Elixir Consignment Store (which I placed in an empty lot). While looking around inside the store I spotted Pip Goodfellow dancing inside. So it looks like we will still see some of the Moonlight Falls townies as tourists. I placed the Base Camp next to their new lot too.