Hi everyone,

I hope everyone's enjoying the last few weeks of summer over there. It has been really cold weather during this past week, but this weekend has been very mild. In fact all our winter has been fairly mild on the whole. No rain though. If anyone has any to spare please send it our way. They say that unless we get a good downpour in the next couple of weeks we could have water restrictions by September. They do often threaten that though and the level of rationing they're talking about really only restricts hose use and sprinklers outside so it's not too bad.

We've had a very busy last couple of weeks. James is well back to school and having assessment tasks in all subjects. His course work, or assessment tasks as they're called, count for up to 50% of his marks, and then he has external exams at the end of the year which account for the rest of the marks. They're assessed by the people at the Board of Studies. We went to visit Monash University last weekend and it was Ballarat today. It's usually very cold up there, sometimes it snows, but today was just lovely. He's looking at a performing arts course there, but arts and law at Monash. He has until the end of September to decide his preferences definitely. We're off to Melbourne University next weekend. That's for law and arts again but also for creative arts, which has a strong performing component as well.

Tim's birthday is this week too, on Tuesday and Children's Book Week starts on Friday and goes through the following week, so there's all that planning for a week of celebration that's on the way too. As you can see we're in for another busy week.

On The Waltons front, I really don't have much news. We now have Promised Land on each night at 8 p.m. so I'm catching up on early episodes. Haven't seen RT yet though. He has been on another movie here on Pay TV though...Go Toward the Light. He plays a father of a young boy who has AIDS. Has anyone seen it? He is very good as always. One of the Christy movies is on at the moment too, although I haven't seen that yet.

Talk to you all again in a couple of weeks time. What's happening with The Waltons on TNN?

Goodnight everyone,

Karen.

Hello Karen and all!

I was sorry to hear that you won't be sending out as many digests Karen, but I understand your decision. I hope that all goes well for James and the rest of your family. I'm glad that you will keep putting it out even if it is less often. I haven't seen the Waltons for over a week, but the last one I saw was when Germany surrenders. It made me cry at the end to see Elizabeth. Can you imagine not remembering a time when there was either no depression or war? It must have been very hard for her. I had a pleasant surprise Friday night, the last night of my camp, when one of my friends asked, "has anyone ever heard of the Waltons?" and my councilor replied, "Goodnight John-boy, Goodnight Mama." There were also two Australians at camp, Karen, and we had a long discussion on Canadian words versus Australian words. That's all for this week!

Goodnight Everybody,

Robin

KAREN'S COMMENT: Elizabeth was very upset in that episode. It made for an interesting ending though. I think she'd just had enough and just wanted all her family to be safe and well at home on Waltons Mountain.

Karen,

Wishing you good wishes on the school searching for James, and some free time for yourself in the up coming weeks. I loved seeing the Walton house on that website. I was curious if the fan who found that site, knows if the warner brothers ranch site is open now. That person last visited in the 1980s. It was wonderful to get to see the house, and I watched an episode last week where the kids all walk John Boy (the 2nd one) out to leave for New York. It was funny to see them all standing in front of the house and to know that it was probably a shell when they filmed it. I am curious about the Ranch as I am going to California in November and would love to see the house. May be someone knows where I could email Warner Brothers and make the request.

I also saw part of an episode last week where the Baldwin Ladies had their still dismantled. Did the still get rebuilt in their house, it looked like they had it in a bedroom? I was just curious.

Thanks for all your hard work on the digest Karen, I really enjoy it.

Kathy

KAREN'S COMMENT: I'm not sure about the episode you mention about the Baldwin's but I wondered if it was the one where they find the still in the mystery room? If so, I think it was kept in that secret room. It's quite funny to think of how differently we see things on TV compared to what they actually are, and the house is just one of them.

Dear Karen,

I like reading all the questions and responses, even though I do not get to watch the series. And I was thrilled to learn that my sister, DeEtta, won the calendar!!

As to the wedding, it is only 6 months away now. I talk to Craig's "mum" in Winston Hills about every 2 weeks or so. Last night she said the weather had turned nasty after two months of beautiful winter weather there close to Sydney, but she reminded me that it was still nothing like our winters here in the South USA. Please pray that the weather is more Sydney-like during the week of January 12-19, 2002, with no snow or ice.

Our rehearsal dinner with a "down-home" theme continues to grow, including serving sweet ice tea out of ball canning jars. I don't know if the Waltons ever showed that practice, but it used to be common in poorer homes in the South to use jars if there weren't enough glasses available for drinking. So, between the Northerners and the Australians we will have here, using the jars should be quiet fun...besides everything else.

I may have to check out the Walton's wedding program if they have it at the library before the rehearsal to see if I can get some more ideas.

Thanks again for all your work.

Sincerely, Leathea

KAREN'S COMMENT: I can guarantee that you won't get any snow during January in Sydney, but you can never tell about rain. It can absolutely pour at times for days on end. But generally the weather is very sticky in Sydney at that time of the year. As for where you are though....who knows? We can all pray for nice weather. :-)) Now I don't know what your jars look like, but over here some jams are in very nice jars that can be used for glasses afterwards. During the war they did that too.

Hello Karen and Everyone:

How is everyone?? Well, here to, we are waiting for rain again... this week we had a horrible heat wave. I think the people that worked on Bewitched were very close to the people with The Waltons. I just remembered that Will Geer made an appearance on Bewitched as George Washington. Hmmm..... the mystery continues..........

Besides that, I'm afraid I have nothing else to say. Best wishes to James with his class choices.. it can truly be a struggle picking the right courses.

'Night All!!!Viv

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for your wishes for James. It is a big decision for him. In one way it's great that he has so many choices, but in another it makes it just all that more difficult.

Hello everyone! To my amazement, I think that we have seen the last of The Waltons on TNN ... someone had mentioned it in the last digest. It is not on at all this week aside from the movie about John Boy's wedding!!!! I'm so depressed! I just pray that someone else will pick it up! Otherwise, I will definitely start ordering through Columbia House, which as we all know is expensive! However, no matter how many times I have seen all the shows it will be like not taking my vitamins everyday! The show has become a part of my own family!! My two little girls were just getting to know the characters and really enjoyed watching!! What a shame! Anyway, had to get that off my chest!! Hope everyone is doing well!

Sincerely, Judy

KAREN'S COMMENT: Yes it sounds a bit sad really. I like how you said missing the show is like missing your vitamins. Earl would love that description. It's just something that's a huge part of your daily life.

Hi Karen!

Greetings from Florida. I saw Donald's note to you in the digest mentioning girls with the names Erin, Elizabeth and the like. Just wanted to let you know that I have two nieces named Elizabeth Anne, and Erin Melissa. So they do have the names Elizabeth and Erin.

Karen

KAREN'S COMMENT: Lovely names. Olivia and John had good taste in names. :-))

Hello Karen,

With all the talk about the Walton's house and set recently, here are a couple of items to ponder:

Have you noticed that on the side of the house there is a window that mysteriously "moves" depending on whether you are inside or out? On the outside, it is on the front corner of the house near the front porch, but on the inside it is to the left of the piano, which would place it nearer the enclosed side porch.

I still haven't figured out the floor plan upstairs. We know the boy's room is on the back of the house next to the stairs. But as for the other three: girls, John Boy's and parents, it's not clear about their placement. From the outside, John Boy's is clearly on the far left end, but sometimes it appears that inside his parent's room is left of his, and other times that it is on the far right side. Anybody seen the actual sets and floor plans?

Delores

KAREN'S COMMENT: I had never noticed the window you mention before. Which episodes do you really notice it in? As for John Boy and the girls room...they both seem to look over the driveway when they look out of the window. That must mean they are on the front side of the house. Does that sound right? Olivia and John's doesn't seem to look over anywhere...has anyone noticed about that? What about Grandma and Grandpa's room too?

Hello once again! This will be my second post for this digest. Seems that my television guide is in error .. The Waltons were on today, contrary to my previous post. So.... I am in suspense as to the fate of the show ! I tried to get on the TNN web site, no luck! Has anyone heard more info on the status of The Waltons with TNN??

Judy

KAREN'S COMMENT: That sounds promising anyway.

Hi,

Here is the URL where you can read about the Walton Quilt project that was written up in a newspaper.

http://www.angelfire.com/tv/homecoming/waltonquilt.html

Shirley

KAREN'S COMMENT: What a fantastic article. Thanks for sending the URL Shirley.