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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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1970s: Another goodbye, two new beginnings and a midlife crises

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Having spent her life being strong, Anna is devastated by the loss of Johnny so close to the death of Alice. On the day of the funeral, this time planned and arranged by Anna alone, Carl tries to offer his support. For once, Anna is willing to accept the help she's spent her life giving others. The service is held in Chestnut Ridge church, and once more Anna stands in front of her family sharing her memories of someone who is no longer there. At times, it almost gets too much and she has to interrupt herself to catch her breath, but she pulls through. When she's finished Thomas goes up, sharing the memories of a man who was like an extra father at times. After the ceremony, they gather outdoors to bury him. He's buried close to, but not next to, Alice, leaving room for Anna to lay between them when that day comes. With Johnny gone, Anna ages faster. Her gait looses it's stride, she becomes more tired and her always so straight back starts sinking in. The ranch starts fe...
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1970s: A Last Goodbye

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The day after Alice's death, several members of the family defy the high gas prices and make it out to Chestnut Ridge where Anna has invited them to discuss funeral arrangements. As some of the younger ones go with Carl to the horses, Josephine, Nash, Barbara, Johnny and Anna sid down in the living room.   But what is a supposed to be a moment of mourning, soon turns into an argument. Where is Alice going to be buried and more importantly, who should be attending. Fairly quickly the sisters agree that they should do what they can to keep it a private affair, to keep paparazzi and curious fans away. That means Del Sol Valley is out of the question for the burial. This is also something Anna has discussed with Cora, and so she suggests Chestnut Ridge. That's the first disagreement. "But she needs to be buried next to mum and dad!" Josephine insists. "In Willow Creek? What on earth for?" "It's where we're buried! It's where we've always bee...
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