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The setup

The Whittaker Saga: the setup

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 I  was vastly inspired when reading the decades challenge, and as a history teacher, I could not stop myself from giving it a try. Of course, true to my nature or refusing to do things by the book, the first thing I did was break the rules. How? By creating as my protagonist a single, working woman living on her own! Gasp! Why? Partly because a story popped into my head, but also, partly, to honor the many women who - by choice or necessity - actually worked, and worked hard for their living in the 1890s. We tend to forget them, but the working women were there - from the hard working farmers that we often downgrade by calling wives, as if they weren't an essential part of the economy of the farm, to the working class women working as domestic help or in the factories where they were only payed half of a man's wages.  So with that, I introduce Abigail Spencer, a single, working, middle class woman in 1890s Willow Creek:  As middle class there is only a few jobs avai...
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1980s: Finding a new purpose in life

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Even as a life is ended, other lives moves on, and for Steven, that means a life outside the safe confines of university. With Anna's death, no one - including himself - really think about celebrating the fact that he has finished Foxbury with honors, or that he has had job offers from both Microsoft and Apple. He chooses Apple, as he loves Apple II that has just come on the market and is super excited for the development of the company. That isn't to say that there wasn't other consideration. As the fact that Microsoft is much further north than Apple, and that Larissa also got a job offer for Apple, and that he'd be moving to Evergreen Harbor where his sister and cousin already lives. It's Larissa who suggest they find a place to live together. "We're good together, don't you think?" she asks. "And it's sensible to share the costs, and we like each other's company and knows when to speak and when to leave each other alone." It m...
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1980s: The Death of a Childless Matriarch

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1980 goes by fast. In November Ronald Reagan wins the presidency, in December John Lennon is shot and killed in New York. Vigils are held across the country, across the world even, especially in San Seqouia where Barbara lives. She and Susan speak often on the phone in the months to come, as Susan opens up about her life in the shared grief of someone they both admired. But winter passes and a new year begins. Ronald Reagan is sworn in and life moves on. By spring its time for Barbara to celebrate her 50th birthday. "Mum, were you present when they signed the declaration of independence." Abby asks as she helps her mother prepare for her party. "I'm only turning 39!" "And exactly how many times can a person turn 39?" "Oh hush or I'll make you vacuum." Soon the house fill with people. The family, friends, even Gordon comes to celebrate Barbs as she turns fifty, even though they haven't seen each other in years. Outside the rain is po...
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