First mate's log:

March 7, 1972

Greg Brady went over to Blenford again to book time at the recording studio during Spring Break, which is a couple weeks away. He of course hopes that the record will be a big hit, and then he can afford a nice boat. But for now, he'll keep taking the ferry when he has to.

Carol Brady's diary:

March 9, 1972

Aunt Jenny will be visiting this month! She'll arrive on St. Patrick's Day and stay through Spring Break. The kids will be recording Greg's song during that time, but she's met many famous musicians, so she might have some advice for them, although she's not exactly musical herself.

I just got Jenny's letter and I can't wait to tell Jan when she gets home from school. The two "twins separated by forty years" will get to meet in person! And I haven't seen Jenny in ages myself, although we got back in touch a bit after the rescue.

March 11, 1972

Jan is still worried about turning into her Great-Aunt Jenny. But now she has something to worry about that's going to happen sooner than in forty years. Jenny is coming to our island on Friday. Jan doesn't want to see her, but she doesn't know how to tell her parents that. And, considering Jenny is a world-traveler, she's probably already on her way here so it'd be too late to stop her.

"Well, she's not going to be here that long, and you just have to be nice to her. It's not like she's gonna visit that often, right?"

"I guess. But it's still going to be soooo awkward." She sounds almost like a teenager sometimes.

March 13, 1972

It turns out that Peter's voice is changing. I remember when that happened to my younger brother Jack. It's a very awkward time for a boy, and Peter already has so many insecurities.

He feels guilty because he doesn't want to ruin the recording of Greg's song, a week from tomorrow. It's unlikely that he'll have his new voice by then, since it may take weeks, months, or even years for his voice to settle. Even if Peter's voice miraculously changed all the way by then (and goodness knows I know about the miracles that can happen with voices, like the Christmas I lost and regained my voice), Greg would have to readjust his song to accommodate whatever range Peter ended up in.

"And," Peter's voice cracked last night, while hiding in Tiger's old doghouse, "I'm going to ruin Aunt Jenny's visit for Jan and everybody!"

"It'll be fine," Mike said.

I nodded. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely visit."

March 15, 1972

Peter is just as upset as Jan, but it's not because he's afraid he'll grow up to look like his great-aunt, who's not his blood relative anyway. His voice is changing and he's worried that he's going to ruin Greg's song.

"I wish my stupid voice could've waited."

"Well, when it's time for voices to change, they just do it and you can't do anything about it."

"How old were you when your voice changed, Gilligan?"

"Well, it started when I was about your age. But even on the first couple years on the island, when I was in my early 20s, it still sometimes broke when I was nervous."

"I kind of remember that."

"But that doesn't mean it'll happen to you. I mean, Greg's voice has settled down and he's only sixteen."

"Well, that's Greg. Everything works out for him."

I don't think that's true. Look at what happened with Warren Mulaney for one thing. But I know what it's like to have an older brother of course.

March 17, 1972

Jenny is here! She's just as colorful and charming as I remember, although I haven't seen her in ages. For instance, when she arrived, she claimed to be surprised that Mike and I have been married only three and a half years, considering we have six kids, four of them adolescents. Never mind all the media coverage about our shipwreck and rescue. Then it turned out that Jan had told her all about our time on the island, and the wedding in California and all that. (And I did invite Jenny to the wedding, but she couldn't make it.) I was worried she was having memory issues (she's too young for senility), and then she laughed heartily. She was just joking with me!

We gathered all the children in the living room, well, except Jan. I noticed she wasn't as excited when I told her about Jenny's visit as I expected, but I got distracted by Peter's voice worries. And I thought she was just worried about Peter, and about Greg and the song and all of that.

It wasn't until yesterday that I realized anything was wrong. I'd told Jan that we're going to have Jenny share the girls' room so that the two of them will have more of a chance to get to know each other, with Jan and Cindy sharing a bed during the stay. (Not that I don't want the other kids to get to know Jenny, but I figured she and Jan would have a special bond). Yesterday, Mike and I went to talk to Jan about the arrangements again, and then she told us what she's really upset about.

It turns out she had heard from Jenny before I did. She showed us the recent picture Jenny sent. I think Jenny looks perfectly fine, but, no, she's not like Lauren Bacall or some other celebrity who's aging gracefully. Jenny was never a pretty woman exactly but she was attractive because of her vitality and style.

It's not just that Jan was hoping for a more gorgeous, glamorous relative. She's worried she's going to inherit Jenny's looks when she grows up. (Jenny is a redhead but I suspect that that's a good dye job.) I think Jan looks like me, although not as much as Marcia does. In any case, Mike and I explained to her that genetics are complicated and she shouldn't worry about it now, while she's still a lovely young girl. However, I remember when she was worried about her freckles during her crush on Clark Tyson. And she probably feels in Marcia's shadow as far as appearance goes, since Marcia is older and more poised.

As Jenny handed out gifts to the other children, I went upstairs to get Jan.

"Jan, Jenny's here. You need to say hello."

"Do I have to?"

Although I'm somewhat sympathetic to her insecurities, I love my aunt and didn't want her to be hurt by rudeness. "Yes, you do."

So I guided her downstairs and made introductions. Jenny was warm but Jan was cold. Not outright hostile but definitely withdrawn. It didn't help matters when Jenny's gift to Jan turned out to be a modern-art portrait of Jenny.

Jenny picked up on the "bad vibes" and later asked me and Mike to "tell it like it is" and "lay it on her" in the den. We tried to be diplomatic but it was a very awkward conversation. I feel sorry for both her and Jan, and now I wish I'd suggested Jenny sleep in the family room instead. Or I could've asked the Howells to put her up.

March 19, 1972

Mrs. Brady's aunt Jenny came to our island a couple days ago but she's already gone. She didn't use the ferry, but instead booked a water taxi. I saw the cabbie carry her suitcase from the lagoon to I guess the Brady house. And then yesterday, I saw him carrying the suitcase back. I hoped that Jan hadn't told her what she thought and then scared her off.

Then I talked to Greg Brady today, because he was going over on the ferry to Blenford to confirm his recording studio time.

"So, uh, how did your great-aunt's visit go?"

"It was a lot of fun. She's really groovy!"

"She is?"

"Yeah, she's traveled all around the world and met lots of famous people. And she's just a fun person."

"Uh, how did she and Jan get along?"

"Well, Jan's been weird lately. So she was shy at first but by the end, when Jenny had to leave suddenly, she said she was going to miss Jenny."

"That's good." I wondered what made her change her mind, but I figured Jan wouldn't confide in Greg. Maybe in Marcia.

"Jan's at that difficult age," the sixteen-year-old said. "Peter, too, well, a year older than Jan of course. Which reminds me, Jenny inspired me to write a new song."

"She did?"

"Yeah, it's about being open to change, including growing up. That's what we're going to record in a couple days."

"Wow, that's great!"

"Thanks, Gilligan. I'll be sure to save you one of the records when they get printed."

"I appreciate it," I said, unsure if he was going to charge me but willing to pay if I had to.

March 21, 1972

Jenny's visit was shorter but better than I anticipated when she first arrived. She ended up charming the whole family, including Jan. Unfortunately, her secretary kept calling long-distance, interrupting the Japanese meal she and Alice prepared. And the last call was about a dinner Jenny forgot she promised to attend tomorrow, at the American Embassy in Paris. She'd have to go back to Blenford and then fly out to Honolulu and then catch a couple flights to get to France in time.

Meeting someone who lives life to the beat of her own drummer seemed to inspire Greg, who wrote a very catchy song that the kids recorded today. It's called "Time to Change," and it showcases Peter's cracking voice in a funny, delightful way. It's all about growing up and changing, pretty profound for a pop song written by a teenager. I'm very proud of Greg, and all of them.

It's been quite a Winter and I'm curious what Spring will bring, even though the weather is one thing that doesn't change much on this island, storms aside.