Oh wow!!!

That's funny, because even before the Mandie series was fully complete, I started making up my own continuing Mandie stories involving my Barbie dolls, and acting them out with my younger sisters. Mandie and her friends were all grown up, and I of course contemprorized the setting, because I did not have the kind of period-style clothing which would be required of the actual setting.

Mandie married Joe (I would not stand for it to be any other way, even when reading the books. If there was even a hint of attraction between Mandie and one her other male friends, I would start thinking, "No, Mandie likes Joe."). Mandie and Joe then moved into the house in Charley Gap where Mandie grew up. I imagined the modern-day Charley Gap as being very much like Stars Hollow in GILMORE GIRLS.

I had two blonde dolls who looked a lot alike, so the one that looked younger I decided would be Mandie, and the one I thought looked older, I cast as Elizabeth. I had a red-haired doll (Midge-original Mattel name?), who of course was Celia. Celia married Robert Rogers. I had a black-haired, tan-skinned doll which I cast as Sallie Sweetwater, who married Dimar Walkingstick (he was actually a brown-haired Ken doll).

Now here's where I sort of strayed from the books. I decided that the Woodards adopted a set of twin girls, Ashely and Maria (my two Skipper dolls), who had an older biological brother, Justin Smyth. Ashley married Jonathan, and Maria married a different guy who I actually did not name after one of the Mandie characters. Justin married a girl named Becky Shaw, who as it turned out, was Uncle John's daughter from his first marriage, which occurred not too long after Jim and Elizabeth's (Jim and John were not on speaking terms at that point yet). There were similar circumstances to Jim and Elizabeth surrounding John and his wife, except that they were separated before either John or his wife knew she was pregnant. After Becky was born, she grew up in an orphanage, where she met Justin. As for Tommy, he married Esther, my mermaid doll, and yes, I actually had her character as a mermaid. Upon the two of them being pronounced husband and wife, a miracle occurred, and Tommy turned into a merman.

And each couple had kids, too. Mandie and Joe had three kids: Josephine Amanda, called Josie; James David, called Jem; and Elizabeth Julia, called Lizzie. Celia and Robert had a daughter named Cassandra, called Cassie. Sallie and Dimar had two kids: Charles and Ruth. Ashley and Jonathan had five kids: Joanna, whom Jonathan called Anna; Tyler Lyndall Guyer IV (I had to continue the name); Cameron Ryan, called Cam; Sarah Witney; and little Emily was the baby. Maria and her husband had two kids: Adam and Grace. Justin and Becky had three kids: Timothy Justin, called Timmy; Hannah; and William, called Will. Tommy and Esther had a daughter named Allana (and yes, I took the name from THE LITTLE MERMAID).

And I continued my made-up storyline with the kids.

Mandie and Joe's kids:
Josie married Charles, Sallie and Dimar's son. Jem married Allana, Tommy and Esther's daughter (With another miracle occurring. This time Allana gained legs but retained her ability to breathe naturally under water, and Jem gaining the ability to do likewise). Lizzie married the brother of her best friend from high school (who was not the offspring of any previously mentioned couple).

Celia and Robert's daughter.
I did not develop anything with Cassie, though I have no explanation for doing so, just didn't feel like it I guess.

Sallie and Dimar's kids:
Charles, as stated, married Josie Woodard. With Ruth, like Cassie Rogers, I didn't make the effort to really develop anything.

Ashely and Jonathan's kids:
Joanna, married a guy from France named Henri Depar, and they had a son named John. Tyler, Ashley and Jonathan's second child, married a girl named Louisa. Cam married a girl named Lisa, who as it turned out was the said best friend whose brother married Lizzie. Sarah married a guy named Ted. And Emily married her high school boyfriend.

Maria's kids:
Again, nothing.

Justin and Becky's kids:
Timmy married Henri's sister, Marie, and they had a daughter named Anne.


Okay, I think that covers everyone. This is just a basic who end up with whom and the names of their offspring, but believe me, I made up some very drawn-out stories with these people.





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