First mate's log:

February 12, 1974

The Hinkleys came over for dinner last night. The boys are doing fine, now that they have parents and each other, and they're making new friends at school. Ginger's career is going well, although she's cut back her hours some since the adoption.

But the Professor isn't happy. Well, he's happy with his family, but not with work. He does different science-related things, including teaching a few classes at Blenford Community College. He likes that mostly, but the problem is he did an environmental study that the Baroness doesn't like. Not that she understands much about science (OK, I don't really either), but she wants to do even more development on her island. His study says that would be a bad idea.

He explained it to us that further development would put too much stress and strain on the soil and the surrounding water. There are already environmental pressures on Blenford, because of course it used to just be mad Dr. Boris Balinkoff's castle on the island and not much else. And now there are thousands of people.

We asked the Professor about the development on this island, but he said that it hasn't been as extreme and there aren't the problems with over-crowding like on some parts of Blenford. This island could actually support a lot more people, like if the jungle was cleared more. But, even though Mr. Howell loves money, he's happy with this balance. (And whenever he and Mrs. Howell want to go to someplace more developed, they can definitely afford to.)

Anyway, the Baroness wants the Professor to redo the study so it'll have results she'll like. Or at least not publish this study. He has too much integrity for either, but it is tough on him because of her pressure. And of course she owns most of that island and funds the college.

We didn't really have any advice for him, but he appreciates us believing in him. I'm so used to listening to the Brady kids' problems, which are simpler. And even then, I don't have any real advice and I just offer sympathy.

Carol Brady's diary:

February 13, 1974

Marcia has been practicing boating, mostly with Mike, although I've gone with her a couple of times. She's seventeen now and feels she's ready to finally get her license. Yes, she's very different than Greg, who started dreaming about his own boat when he was only fifteen. Mike says she's a fine boater already, although still with more to learn. She's hoping to take the test a week from tomorrow. I'm sure it'll go well, like with Greg. (His trouble started when he actually bought a used boat.)

February 14, 1974

Mary Ann and I are celebrating our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, and our last before the baby. She's definitely showing now, but, yeah, she's still as beautiful as ever. She's cutting back on work some but still does most of the cooking at the Pizza Parlor. It's still hard to believe how much everything's going to change in about four months, even though I've had time to get used to it.

February 15, 1974

Mike and I spent a very nice Valentine's Day evening on Blenford. We still don't know when we'll get away for a whole weekend, but we can manage dinner and dancing sometimes. We at least know we're not going anywhere until after Marcia is done practicing for her boating test, and maybe not even then.

February 16, 1974

Marcia is going to try for her boating license on Thursday. Peter told me that she and Greg made a bet over whether she'll get a higher score on the test than Greg did. The loser has to do the winner's chores for a month. It's been awhile since the Bradys have had a bet with each other, but I'm definitely not taking sides.

(The bet started because Greg thinks women are bad with boats. I'm better with them than Mary Ann is, but only because of my training and experience. She's definitely alert and level-headed enough that she could be a captain if she really wanted to.)

February 17, 1974

Marcia is really coming along at managing the boat. She feels like she'll be ready on Thursday. She and Mike are able to get in extra practice time, because it's Presidents Day Weekend right now.

Meanwhile, Jan joined the debate team recently and she'll have her first debate on Tuesday. She enjoyed speech-making when she ran for and won the Most Popular Girl contest. (And, yes, she's still doing her best to fulfill her campaign promises.) This seems to be the year where she's coming into her own, and it's a rocky road, but I am proud of her.

February 18, 1974

The Professor told the Skipper about the environmental study, and the Skipper thinks the Professor should just tell the Baroness to blow it out her ear, even if she is a lady. Joyce thinks the Professor should pretend he'll go along with it and just stall the Baroness. But he really does want to publish his findings soon.

February 19, 1974

Poor Jan failed her first debate. She just froze up and forgot everything, even what she had on her notecards. I was worried she'd quit the debate team, but she later told me that Marcia gave her a pep talk. I'm very proud of what a good big sister Marcia is. And, yes, I'm proud of Jan for deciding to try again, after this first failure.

She has another debate scheduled on Thursday, yes, the same day as Marcia's boating test. I hope both girls do well, but I will encourage them to keep trying if they don't.

February 20, 1974

Peter told me that Greg and Marcia were arguing about female boaters again. So now they've changed the bet to six months of the winner's chores. By then, he'll be ready to go off to college, unless he goes to Blenford Community and just commutes. But of course he doesn't expect to lose.

February 21, 1974

Mike had some funny but wise advice for Jan this morning before she left for school. He said that if you get nervous, just picture your audience in their underwear! It's hard for people to seem frightening in their underwear. (Alice of course joked that we should see her in hers, with her usual self-deprecation.) I hope it works for Jan, although personally I would find that mostly distracting, depending on who was in the audience.

Marcia, in contrast, is feeling very confident about her boating test after school today. She's done so well with her practice around this island. The licensing office is over on Blenford, but that shouldn't make much difference. At the same time, Marcia hasn't become over-confident, as I know my children sometimes run between the extremes on the confidence scale.

February 22, 1974

Poor Marcia froze up at her boating test. Peter wasn't there of course, and he only heard about it from Greg, who Marcia admitted it to in embarrassment, anger, and sadness. Apparently Marcia was just at the wheel and she forgot everything she'd ever learned about boats. I guess the pressure was too much. Usually, she's fine taking tests, but I understand. You have to manage a big piece of machinery, and of course she's old enough to remember the shipwreck, almost ten years ago, unlike Cindy and maybe Jan. So's Greg of course, but he's always been fascinated by boats.

Greg won the bet but he told Peter that he's not going to hold Marcia to it, since she feels bad enough. He proved his point, and he doesn't have to rub her nose in it. I hope she'll try again someday, maybe when she's had more practice and has figured out how to get past her fears and nerves.

February 23, 1974

Good news, bad news for two of my girls. Jan did very well on her second debate. She used Mike's "underwear technique" (yes, I know how strange that sounds) and kept her cool.

Marcia on the other hand, just went blank at her boating test. She didn't get in an accident, thank goodness, but she didn't even get out of Blenford Harbor. She didn't want to ever try again, but then Jan gave her a pep talk. I'm more proud of them than ever. Marcia has scheduled another test for Monday, so she's got all weekend to practice some more.

February 24, 1974

Marcia is going to take her boating test again tomorrow. I'm glad she's not giving up after all. In fact, she regained her confidence so much, she told Greg the bet is still on, and now the loser has to do the winner's chores for a whole year! Of course, by then he'll definitely be in college, whether or not he's living at home. But they can work that out after the test. I just hope she passes, whether or not she outdoes Greg.

February 25, 1974

Marcia passed her boating test this time! I'm proud of her of course, not just for her success but for her perseverance. Although Mike did point out to me that with another boater in the family, we're going to have figure out even more of a schedule for our boats. Luckily, everything on this island is walkable, and it's only when people want to go Blenford or another island that it becomes tricky.

February 26, 1974

Marcia passed her boating test, but her score tied with Greg's. He was willing to just drop the bet, but she wants it settled one way or the other. So their dad came up with an idea to do an obstacle course, sort of like truck drivers do, but on water obviously. They'll compete tomorrow. No, I don't know what they'll do if they tie again.

February 27, 1974

I had no idea that Greg and Marcia were betting on her boating test. No wonder she was so upset about failing it. I had heard him make unfunny jokes about women drivers. As with scouting, Marcia wanted to prove herself and strike a blow for women's lib. At first it was about a month's worth of chores, and then six months, and finally a year!

However, her final score was exactly the same as Greg's. Mike designed an obstacle course in the lagoon, at a quiet time in the afternoon, with brightly colored buoys that they would have to steer a boat around. Then they had to stop the boat as close to the final buoy as possible without hitting it. And to make sure we could see if the buoy was hit, Mike obtained a non-toxic but colorful liquid from the Professor, which would spill out into the water if that buoy was hit.

The whole family, including of course Alice, went to the lagoon for the contest today. (Yes, we checked with the Skipper first, since he's sort of unofficial harbormaster, with his ferry service.) We set up the buoys and then Marcia went first. She did well, not hitting any of the buoys, and stopping only a foot from the last one. (Mike was on board, and he did the measuring.)

Then Greg went, and I guess he panicked at the end. From the shore, I could see the bright purple liquid spilling out into the aquamarine lagoon. (Don't worry, it's supposed to dissolve within twelve hours, and it won't stain anything.) And, yes, Greg has to do Marcia's chores for a year, or until he moves out, whichever comes first. He was ironing in the kitchen when I passed through earlier. I think it'll be a long time before he says anything chauvinistic again, at least to Marcia.