#river lenowski

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Mac was satisfied with their mother's account of her own childhood and where she had come from; but it had only opened up more doors that Mac wanted to explore. They had heard from their mother and her siblings - but they wanted to know more. And who better to tell them than their grandmothers.

Mac tried to visit their grandma's every few months. The years had taken a lot from them in old age, and the triplets had sequestered them back home from Tartosa to keep them close by and safe as old age began to take its toll on every facet of their lives. Heather and Jenny lived in a retirement home, albeit one that had every luxury of a resort. Whenever Mac visited, they were always busy with some activity or social engagement.

This time though, Heather was excited to see her grandchild to tell them stories of her own life. She broke out her old family photo album, the one she had held onto her whole life, with the precious few photographs she had to show where she herself had come from.

'My mother and father were married, and they had me and my brother. You'd see these photos and think we were the perfect family, but I learnt from a young age that things aren't always what they might seem from the outside - my Mom was unhappy, and my Dad was a workaholic. After my parents divorced, Dad married again and moved away, your classic mid life crisis. But even so, as a young girl I missed him so dearly.'

'I guess that's the benefit of never having known my Dad,' mused Mac. 'I can't miss someone I never met.'

Heather smiled at her grandchild. 'Such an insightful one, aren't you? You can't miss what you never had... except your own memories. I did always want to see that big house we grew up in one last time before my time is up.'

Mac had a great idea. 'Why don't we go there, granny? Just for a look?'

And so Mac took their elderly grandmother on a road trip to San Sequoia, to the address of the home she had grown up in as a child in the 80s. Except when they arrived, the house didn't look the same.

'Well, I guess it's to be expected,' sighed Heather. 'All old things get remade into something new.'

Mac didn't want their grandmother to be sad; but as they went to turn around, a family came out of the house - a Mom, a Dad and so many children.

'Sorry to have bothered,' said Mac. 'It's just, my granny here grew up in this house as a girl, and she wanted to see it one more time.'

The family were excited to hear Heather's story, and invited them into the house. It was a beautiful, sunlit home with all the marks of being well lived in by a young family. It was nothing at all like it had been in Heather's childhood - and yet, she smiled as she looked around the space, remembering that her childhood had existed right here too in a different time.

'Are you okay, granny?' asked Mac. They didn't want her to be feeling sad, like her childhood had been destroyed.

Heather smiled and hugged her grandchild. 'Not at all my dear. Another family lives here and is making their memories now. Think of the beaitiful layers and layers of happy childhoods that exist here. I am glad that this home is still loved.'

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Taking their grandmother to visit her childhood home was one of the most memorable experiences of Mac's young life. They felt such a deep connection to their grandmother and their own origin; seeing where their grandmother had grown up had just excited them further to know more about where they had come from.

Back at the retirement home, Heather showed Mac some more of her preserved family photos. She pulled out a very old photo full of people Mac didn't recognised.

'This was my father,' explained Heather. 'And this is him with his siblings and parents. I never met my grandparents on my paternal side... they died before I was born, but I know their names were Eleanor and Gary. And that was aunt Clover - she was very impressive. Uncle Indigo, he passed away young too, it was terribly sad for my Dad. And Aunt Summer, her kids were my cousins and so much fun.'

'Where did they grow up, San Sequoia?,' asked Mac.

'Oh no... see, my Dad grew up in a hippy commune in Sulani, would you believe it. I think that's why he was always such a straight guy - like he was trying to pretend that wasn't his life. There aren't many photos from his childhood, but the ones I do have speak for themselves.'

Mac was fascinated by this bizarre hippy family that they had supposedly descended from. With their grandmothers photos in hand, they decided to take a trip down to Sulani, to retrace their hippy roots.

But when they arrived in Sulani, it was no longer a hippy commune. The township was filled with modern beachfront condos, a haven for retirees and the successful. When Mac showed up at the place their grandmother had told them about, there was no longer a bungalow but a great big glass house. It was like all history had been demolished and replaced.

Mac was disappointed, but they weren't deterred. Visiting the Sulani cultural centre, they hoped to find some kind of history on the origins of the Sulani community. And they weren't disappointed - there was a whole section dedicate to the origins of Sulani in the 1960s and 1970s, and the activism of its community during a time of political conflict and rebellion.

And there on the wall, was a picture of the house that Mac had seen in their grandmothers photo. It was a blue beach shack, and the plaque underneath read:

Original Sulani beach bungalow, built by Gary Lenowski c. 1970

Mac was chuffed to see that the Lenowski branch was being kept alive in history here in Sulani. Even though they could never know, they liked to think that their great-great-grandparents were cultural revolutionaries.

Mac sat on the beach and reminisced on what they had found. River, Clover, Indigo and Summer, the children of hippy revolutionaries. Gary Lenowski, who had built their home. And Eleanor... what was her maiden name? Where had she come from.

Mac pulled out their phone and googled the names of their great-great grandparents, and found themselves reading about The Dreyfus Family band...

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Dustin William Lenowski married Kelly Leigh Watson in the fall of 1994.

The couple were married at the San Sequoia club, the same place Dustin’s parents had wed back in 1982. All the family attended, including River, Yumi and Nori all the way from Mt Komorebi. It was a proud day for both him and April, watching their wayward son step up and become a husband to the girl he loved.

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The wedding reception was a huge affair. Dustin and Kelly cut their cake, celebrated their first dance and partied the night away in style. Everyone they knew was there - the Sulani cousins had made it, and River’s sisters Summer and Clover were thrilled to be invited to celebrate the happy occasion. Dustin and Heather even included their 15 year old little brother Nori in the festivities. It was the first time they had all been together as one whole family.

River even took it upon himself to speak with April. He thanked her for supporting Dustin for so long, and for bringing up their children after he moved away. April was surprised by his contriteness but was pleased to receive his acknowledgment after all the years since their divorce. If anything it helped her frostiness towards her ex-husband thaw somewhat.

As the night wore on and everyone became rowdy on the dance floor, Heather noticed someone familiar. Lo and behold, to her surprise it was Jenny - here, at Dusty’s wedding.

‘You��re a sight for sore eyes,’ smiled Jenny. She looked so different to how Heather had saved her in her memories. ‘Sorry it’s taken me a while to come and say hi. Sister of the groom, you’ve been popular tonight!’

‘I didn’t know you would be here,’ said Heather honestly. ‘Did my brother really invite his entire high school year just to make some kind of statement that he’s still got it?’

Jenny laughed. ‘I think he wanted to rub it in my face maybe - I’ll flatter myself that he needed to prove to me that he’s better off without me, even after all these years.’

The girls sat down to catch up. Heather couldn’t believe it had really been 8 years since she had last seen Jenny. Jenny, the girl who had opened up her heart. Opened her up to herself. The familiar butterflies crept their way back in. It was like time had rewound itself, back to high school. She was still so pretty, and so flawlessly cool. Heather couldn’t believe she had ever been so lucky to be her best friend.

They shared their life updates with one another - Heather told Jenny of her travelling experiences post-college. Jenny told her that she was living in Copperdale, working as a style critic for a big magazine. Heather was hardly surprised - she knew Jenny would always do something cool and exciting.

As the night wore on and they continued to drink their wine, both of them revelled in each others company after so many years of discovering the world and themselves.

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While River was visiting from Mt Komorebi a family reunion in Sulani had been planned. River travelled back to Sulani with his 3 children for the first time since his parents had passed away many years ago. Sulani has changed a lot, and yet it still felt so familiar.

He took his kids to see the house he grew up in, but on arrival was surprised to see how much it had been changed by the new owners since it had sold. River smiled to himself remembering the ramshackle hippy shack of his childhood that used to be there, so full of mess and activity. He wished his kids could’ve seen what it once was.

The family convened at Summer’s house. She still lived in Sulani with her 3 children, and had made a nice life for them all as a single parent. At Summers house River reunited with Clover, who was still very much her punk self.

Also at the reunion was their cousin Tanya and her two sons, as well as Jonathan, their beloved brother Indigo’s partner. It was the first time they had all been together since his death, and those who had loved Indigo most shared stories and anecdotes of his life while the teenagers and children entertained themselves.

It was such a heartwarming reunion for all the Lenowski siblings, to be back together in the same place. They took a photo to remember the occasion, with all the children and adults together as the last remaining members of the family.

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In Memory of River Eli

Rest in Peace River, heir to the 1980s of the Langston Legacy.

River lived a life of many changes and lessons. He was raised as a free range child in a hippy commune, but fell for the allures of the capitalist world and defied his parents beliefs. He had a successful career as a stock broker and built what appeared from the outside to be a perfect suburban life for his family but ultimately failed at his first marriage and burnt out in a spectacular midlife crisis. He finally discovered himself abroad and turned his life around when he reconnected to nature and his true self, and found love in his second marriage.

I enjoyed telling River's story in all its complexity. Though River suffered with his divorce, he came out on top in the end. His story serves as a look into the falacy that you can have it all - wife, kids, job, house, money - in a world that is modernising and changing. There were lessons in his own upbringing that he forgot in his pursuit of success, but which in the end were the key to making him a happier person.

In his lifetime River maximised his Programming and Logic skills, completed his aspiration of Computer Whiz and reached the top of the Business career.

River is survived by his wife, Yumi, his children Dustin, Heather and Nori and his grandson Cody.

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Things had been going so well for everyone in the Lenowski-Jones family. But one day, the other shoe finally dropped with a telephone call all the way from Mt Komorebi. River Lenowski had passed away, suddenly but peacefully in his home.

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Vote for the Langston Legacy 1990s Heir

It’s time to vote for the next heir to this Decades Challenge! It's been a while since I did one of these so I hope everyone will play nice 👀

Will it be Dustin or Heather? Here are some hints for what to expect the 1990s for both of these heirs:

Dustin the high school hero has all the pressure on him to go to college and do something big, but will he rebel and choose not to? Still scarred by his parents divorce, he’s determined to do better with his own future partner and be a present father with his kids - maybe even a stay home Dad.

Heather’s creativity will see her considering becoming a chef or a baker - maybe even running her own business. But before she settles down she wants to explore the world and sample everything.

Vote Here

Poll will close in 3 days

*Please don’t ruin this for me or anyone else and only vote once!

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Winter set in on Britechester, and Heather found herself in a new relationship. It was fun and exciting - she hadn’t experienced this before, having someone like her back and want to be seen together. Penelope Patton was a sweet girl and she and Heather would spend all their free time together, walking through the snowy Britechester streets and snuggling up together in the coffee house.

Heather was excited to tell her family about her new relationship, and as she had become accustomed to she emailed them all her latest update on her life at University. Her parents were always excited to read her emails, but Dustin couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy for the exciting life his sister was living abroad, and the love she had found there.

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Some exciting news came one day in late 1989 - River and Yumi's baby had been born. Dustin and Heather had a new little brother - baby Nori Tanaka Lenowski.

Their father sent them a photograph in the post, so they could see their new sibling. Heather was thrilled and immediately began knitting clothes for her little brother to post back to Mt Komorebi.

Dustin meanwhile felt conflicted over the news. He didn't know if he could accept this new sibling. He felt frustrated and betrayed by Heather's enthusiasm, and watching her make gifts pissed him off.

'He won't even know we're his siblings, you know. We might not even meet him til he's a kid,' he scoffed.

Heather was fed up with Dustin's vendetta against their Dad. She wanted to be happy, not resentful. 'He's just a little baby, Dusty. It's not his fault that Dad isn't here anymore. Anyway, I'm going to visit as soon as I graduate so he knows me. You can do what you like but grow up and stop blaming Dad for everything.'

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Immediately after graduation Heather decided she wasn't ready to return home to San Sequoia. Instead she went to visit her Dad in Mt Komorebi.

Her Dad and his family greeted her with enthusiasm, and immediately took her out to dinner to celebrate her arrival. Heather was blown away by the delicious food at the restaurant - sushi, sashimi, ramen, donburi and sukiyaki - it was all a taste sensation.

Heather stayed with her Dad's family for several weeks, while she pondered what was in store for her now that her college days were over. She enjoyed getting to know Mt Komorebi better, and it made her want to travel more.

During her stay Heather got to know Yumi a little better, and they bonded over their mutual love of cooking. Heather was eager to learn about the ingredients, techniques and flavours of Japanese food, and Yumi was more than happy to teach her her own family recipes.

Heather knew she would have to return home soon, but she wasn't ready. One night as they eat a hearty Oden around the kotatsu, she told her Dad that she thought she might like to keep travelling.

'I just don't know if I'm ready to be a chef yet... there's still so much to explore, and I don't want to get stuck in a career until I've had some more experience with the world. How can I be a good cook if I don't understand the origins of what I'm creating?' she said.

'If I had my time again Heather,' smiled River. 'I would have waited before starting my career after college. Travelled, seen the world. Maybe I would've figured myself out a bit sooner... instead, it took me until my 40s to really know who I was and what I wanted. Different times, different pressures... but I think you should do it.'

And so, from Mt Komorebi Heather set out to explore the world, one exotic meal at a time.

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While he was staying in Mt Komorebi, River tried to get out on the town and enjoy the nightlife. He wasn't hoping to meet anyone, as he still felt fragile after his divorce. Still, the people he met were always friendly, and he enjoyed their company while he was travelling alone.

One night he noticed a woman near him at the bar ordering a drink. He couldn't help himself and made a joking remark. The woman laughed at his humour, and they struck up a conversation. Her name was Yumi and she was a Mt Komorebi local. It turned out she and River had a lot in common.

River found himself feeling quite attracted to Yumi, for she was very pretty. But he didn't want to act on his feelings... it didn't feel right yet. He wasn't ready to get hurt again.

Instead, Yumi encouraged River to sing karaoke with her, and the two of them stayed out late singing the night away. River felt good about himself - he was having fun for the first time in so long with someone who made him smile.

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River had a new lease on life. His new beginnings in Mt Komorebi had been the best possible outcome of his midlife crisis. He had found a new job working as a Salaryman - it paid the bills, and that was all that mattered. Because in his spare time, which he had ample amounts of these days, he would get out of the house. Physical activity was his new vice, and he loved to exercise in all forms - especially bouldering and climbing.

He loved his new life with Yumi. He appreciated the peaceful serene culture of Mt Komorebi. He enjoyed eating delicious food - especially Yumi's traditional cooking - and snuggling up with his love under the kotatsu. This was it. This was the life he had been looking for.

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River had made up his mind. After much deliberation, he decided that he was staying in Mt Komorebi. It was for the best.

But breaking the news to his kids that he was not coming home was something he had been putting off. Until finally, he knew he needed to let them know.

The phone conversation was hard. He could hear the kids go silent on the phone as he told them he was moving to Mt Komorebi permanently.

'So... you're not coming back,' said Dustin sadly. 'We won't get to see you on the weekends anymore.'

'Don't worry guys. You can come and visit me here in the holidays. We'll have the best time,' said River desperately. He felt terrible for disappointing them.

Suddenly April was on the phone, chiding him. 'You've broken their hearts, River. They were so looking forward to you coming home.'

'I'll bring them out here in the holidays, they'll be ok. And I'll call every week. It's not like they got to live with me!' he retaliated.

'Oh good, so you'll see them as much as you did when you lived here still!' shouted April angrily.

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River returned to San Sequoia to visit his children. His visit was timed so that he could be there for Dustin's 18th birthday. His family came for the trip, and he was excited to finally introduce Dustin and Heather to their little brother Nori. Heather was smitten with Nori from the moment they met. Dustin took some time to warm up to the idea of his new half-brother, but after a while he came around.

They celebrated Dusty's 18th birthday in the park - all he wanted was his parents and siblings there, and that was what he got. April and River were able to put their animosity aside to cheer on Dusty as he blew out his candles.

The celebrations didn't stop there. River was also there for Dustin's graduation from high school - and although Dusty hadn't applied for college, his parents were proud of him nonetheless for getting his Diploma.

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River Lenowski married Yumi Tanaka in a beautiful cultural ceremony with his teenage children by his side.