1970s: Another goodbye, two new beginnings and a midlife crises
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 feeling as if it's too much work, even with Carl doing most of the heavy lifting, and the house is a constant reminder of the people no longer in it. Anna starts to realise that it's time to move on, that this place was only home because of who was there.
Carl is shocked when she tells him that she sold the farm. A done deal, no hesitation. Just like always when she makes up her mind Anna acts first and tells others second.
"But I'm here, I don't mind the hard work," Carl says.
"This is not your life. It was mine, but you have yet to find yours, and I will not be the excuse you use not to find your purpose," Anna tells him.
"But I'm happy here," Carl insists.
"Yes, but you're also complacent. You don't meet people, you don't dream, you just work. That is not living. You needed this, the work, the horses, the peace and quiet, but you don't anymore. Now it's time you forge your own path."
"But what about you?"
"I've found a small cottage in the mountains. I'll be happy there. The view is open and wide, the place small and easy to manage."
There isn't much to do for Carl but offer to help Anna pack up and move, while at the same time figuring out where to go himself. So before Christmas has arrived, he and Anna stands before her new little cottage.
"You're really sure about this?"
"Well it's a bit late for me not to be," Anna says.
The place seems very small to Carl, but Anna lights the fireplace and seem content. "This will be good," she says. Carl can't really see it at first...
But has to admit that it looks better after he's helped Anna pack up her furniture and get her photos on the walls. Even Abigail's paintings from Windenburg is on the walls.
"If you ask me if I'm sure one more time..." Anna says.
"Just checking."
Anna is certain, and she likes the cottage. This might actually be the first time in many years that she's decorated a place entirely to her own taste. The kitchen is a bright sunny yellow, with tiles that remind her of Selvadorada. She even finds her old rug that she brought home from there and places on the floor.
While the bedroom looks almost the same as her old one at the ranch, just a tad smaller.
But when Carl is gone she cannot deny that the place feels empty. She hasn't lived alone in so many years, it's hard to get used to the quiet. She turns the TV on for company.
Meanwhile, in San Sequoia, Michael is preparing to host his fist gathering for his family, as his birthday fall on Christmas Eve. He and Robin has decorated the place with a tree, even if there is hardly room for one.
"It's not Christmas without one," they both agree, and squeeze around the tree when needed.
Once the guests arrives, Michael is happy to show them their apartment and the food Robin has prepared.
Not everyone fit around the table, however, but eat sitting in the sofa instead.
Robin is proud of their gathering:
But Michael is a bit worried about his brother who seems a bit lost now that he's no longer living on the ranch. Their mother comforts him.
And Michael tries to encourage him into finding his dream job.
By the time the guests leave for the long drive home, something they are have to do as the family is gathering in Oasis Springs for Christmas the next day, Michael and Robin are exhausted and falls right into bed.
But in Oasis Springs, sleep is a luxury, at least the next morning. There is so much to do before the family arrives for Christmas dinner. A few days before, Susan received her acceptance letter to College, something they've barely celebrated with the funeral and everything else going on.
And with his only daughter moving out right after Christmas, his son unsure of what to do with his life, Johnny dead, and the ranch gone, Thomas is thrown straight into a midlife crisis.
So as a Christmas present (that she also hopes will help Thomas cope), Betty gives the entire family a puppy. Little Kaya.
But a puppy in the house does not make it easier to prepare for Christmas. Everywhere they step they have to make sure not to step on her as she seems to fall asleep everywhere but her bed. Still, Thomas manages to get the tree into the house and decorate it with Steven and Susan while trying not to think about the fact that next Christmas there will be no children living in the house to decorate the tree with.
Once the guests arrives, however, no one has much time to think. Anna is still in black, but the mood is generally good, the food appreciated and the gift giving just as chaotic as always.
It's very late when everyone leaves as almost all of the family is staying in Oasis Springs overnight. Tomorrow is Kenneths coming of age party, and then they both depart for college to get settled in before New Years.
On Boxing Day, the main event is Ken's birthday, not the holiday itself. For Grace seeing her beloved baby boy, the one she has spent all her time on, leaving home is hard, but something she's also proud to see. As usual David has been cooking all day, preparing racks of lamb and a tiered cake for his son.
The house is soon filled with people, chatting, talking, laughing. Even Hazel, who spends less and less time with the rest of the family, shows up to her nephew's birthday.
Finally they all sing for Ken, before he blows out his candles.
Already later the same day, Susan and Ken get into a car, as Thomas drives them to Foxbury where they are both enrolled. They even stay at the same dorm, if in different rooms. Susan stays in the only room that has girls. She's glad to see Beth from her school being one of them. Having had a crush on her forever, and made out with her once, Ken is even happier about that.
That first day they visit the common room, though it is strangely empty. "The term isn't starting until after New Years. There will be more people then," Elisabeth says confidently.
The dorm is filling up, however, with people arriving in time before the term starts. And quite quickly they learn that there is a party planned for New Years.
"1975 is starting, man! That has to be celebrated."
Luckily, it's not a hard party to get invited to. If you attend Foxbury, or know someone who does, you're more than welcome. It's helt on top of the university thrift shop, in the little café above. A keg has been placed on the stage, the dancefloor is colorful and jukebox flips from soul to early disco, to rock and pop hits. Under the glare of the disco ball, the first one Susan has ever seen, they dance and sing along to Blue Swede being Hooked on a Feeling and to Carl Douglas Kong Fu Fighting. It's the most amazing night in Susan's life, much better than either of her two prom nights. As they ring in 1975, funerals and old age feel a mile away. University is going to be so cool!
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 feeling as if it's too much work, even with Carl doing most of the heavy lifting, and the house is a constant reminder of the people no longer in it. Anna starts to realise that it's time to move on, that this place was only home because of who was there.
Carl is shocked when she tells him that she sold the farm. A done deal, no hesitation. Just like always when she makes up her mind Anna acts first and tells others second.
"But I'm here, I don't mind the hard work," Carl says.
"This is not your life. It was mine, but you have yet to find yours, and I will not be the excuse you use not to find your purpose," Anna tells him.
"But I'm happy here," Carl insists.
"Yes, but you're also complacent. You don't meet people, you don't dream, you just work. That is not living. You needed this, the work, the horses, the peace and quiet, but you don't anymore. Now it's time you forge your own path."
"But what about you?"
"I've found a small cottage in the mountains. I'll be happy there. The view is open and wide, the place small and easy to manage."
There isn't much to do for Carl but offer to help Anna pack up and move, while at the same time figuring out where to go himself. So before Christmas has arrived, he and Anna stands before her new little cottage.
"You're really sure about this?"
"Well it's a bit late for me not to be," Anna says.
The place seems very small to Carl, but Anna lights the fireplace and seem content. "This will be good," she says. Carl can't really see it at first...
But has to admit that it looks better after he's helped Anna pack up her furniture and get her photos on the walls. Even Abigail's paintings from Windenburg is on the walls.
"If you ask me if I'm sure one more time..." Anna says.
"Just checking."
Anna is certain, and she likes the cottage. This might actually be the first time in many years that she's decorated a place entirely to her own taste. The kitchen is a bright sunny yellow, with tiles that remind her of Selvadorada. She even finds her old rug that she brought home from there and places on the floor.
While the bedroom looks almost the same as her old one at the ranch, just a tad smaller.
But when Carl is gone she cannot deny that the place feels empty. She hasn't lived alone in so many years, it's hard to get used to the quiet. She turns the TV on for company.
Meanwhile, in San Sequoia, Michael is preparing to host his fist gathering for his family, as his birthday fall on Christmas Eve. He and Robin has decorated the place with a tree, even if there is hardly room for one.
"It's not Christmas without one," they both agree, and squeeze around the tree when needed.
Once the guests arrives, Michael is happy to show them their apartment and the food Robin has prepared.
Not everyone fit around the table, however, but eat sitting in the sofa instead.
Robin is proud of their gathering:
But Michael is a bit worried about his brother who seems a bit lost now that he's no longer living on the ranch. Their mother comforts him.
And Michael tries to encourage him into finding his dream job.
By the time the guests leave for the long drive home, something they are have to do as the family is gathering in Oasis Springs for Christmas the next day, Michael and Robin are exhausted and falls right into bed.
But in Oasis Springs, sleep is a luxury, at least the next morning. There is so much to do before the family arrives for Christmas dinner. A few days before, Susan received her acceptance letter to College, something they've barely celebrated with the funeral and everything else going on.
And with his only daughter moving out right after Christmas, his son unsure of what to do with his life, Johnny dead, and the ranch gone, Thomas is thrown straight into a midlife crisis.
So as a Christmas present (that she also hopes will help Thomas cope), Betty gives the entire family a puppy. Little Kaya.
But a puppy in the house does not make it easier to prepare for Christmas. Everywhere they step they have to make sure not to step on her as she seems to fall asleep everywhere but her bed. Still, Thomas manages to get the tree into the house and decorate it with Steven and Susan while trying not to think about the fact that next Christmas there will be no children living in the house to decorate the tree with.
Once the guests arrives, however, no one has much time to think. Anna is still in black, but the mood is generally good, the food appreciated and the gift giving just as chaotic as always.
It's very late when everyone leaves as almost all of the family is staying in Oasis Springs overnight. Tomorrow is Kenneths coming of age party, and then they both depart for college to get settled in before New Years.
On Boxing Day, the main event is Ken's birthday, not the holiday itself. For Grace seeing her beloved baby boy, the one she has spent all her time on, leaving home is hard, but something she's also proud to see. As usual David has been cooking all day, preparing racks of lamb and a tiered cake for his son.
The house is soon filled with people, chatting, talking, laughing. Even Hazel, who spends less and less time with the rest of the family, shows up to her nephew's birthday.
Finally they all sing for Ken, before he blows out his candles.
Already later the same day, Susan and Ken get into a car, as Thomas drives them to Foxbury where they are both enrolled. They even stay at the same dorm, if in different rooms. Susan stays in the only room that has girls. She's glad to see Beth from her school being one of them. Having had a crush on her forever, and made out with her once, Ken is even happier about that.
That first day they visit the common room, though it is strangely empty. "The term isn't starting until after New Years. There will be more people then," Elisabeth says confidently.
The dorm is filling up, however, with people arriving in time before the term starts. And quite quickly they learn that there is a party planned for New Years.
"1975 is starting, man! That has to be celebrated."
Luckily, it's not a hard party to get invited to. If you attend Foxbury, or know someone who does, you're more than welcome. It's helt on top of the university thrift shop, in the little café above. A keg has been placed on the stage, the dancefloor is colorful and jukebox flips from soul to early disco, to rock and pop hits. Under the glare of the disco ball, the first one Susan has ever seen, they dance and sing along to Blue Swede being Hooked on a Feeling and to Carl Douglas Kong Fu Fighting. It's the most amazing night in Susan's life, much better than either of her two prom nights. As they ring in 1975, funerals and old age feel a mile away. University is going to be so cool!
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