I absolutely loved this whole story, characters, story arc, and themes. So true to the canon but so satisfying to a reader today. I read it while I was transcribing real family letters from WW2 for my blog, letters where you will never know the backstory, never knew the writer in some cases; and your fiction was so cathartic, with believable familiar people with emotions, lives, relatives, and events, often carefully left out of their letters. And all the fascinating research that made it both interesting and alive. Loved it! Thanks so much.

My favourite of these snippets was Una's oh so private memorial. The dried and faded poppies all the way from France may have been more 'authentic' but her private field of buttercups seems much more personal, the sort of spot Walter and she would have rambled to and spent hours within. I think a live field is nicer than a dead flower where ever it comes from. Which is not to say that Faith's gesture was not appropriate or well received, just that Una found something better.

I liked the part with Ceci and Una and the preparations prior to the Vimy Ridge pilgrimage. As I recall your original narrative, and it's been a while since I looked at it, there was a sparseness with the Una and outside family happenings. The focus was and rightfully so the Carl/Shirley relationship, but you had intentions for some of the others and it's glad to get more meat on them.

The character that isn't there of course, but is in his own way, is Walter Blythe. With Anne's sort of refusal of acknowledging the trip and Una's refreshed mourning, you feel it. The poppy pressing Una is giving focuses your meaning with utmost clarity, but the build is there before the petal blooms.

I was struck with the thought if Walter really would have liked Una as she is now. Una is the most changed of them all, turning her life over to her church. Heck, she even switched religions. Walter doesn't necessarily strike me as the type to be religious or even one that has a heart for service. He was so reluctant to go and fight in the first place. Walter, I think, would have loved Una but with a careful distance and never returning the affection Una placed on him, perhaps without his deserving it.

I wonder if in this moment Una and Anne could have talked. They handled their grief for Walter in a similar manner, shutting out the present reality of it, moving forward, embracing distraction. In the end, one wonders why Walter died? Why did he have to die? A question Jem might have tormented himself with given how close he was in perishing in prison. It is little wonder Jem does not want to embrace a trip down memory lane.

I was not surprised Jerry wanted to go. He's always been weird like that. He's the one that re-enlisted 'dumb a$$'.

As far as your other chapter, Shirley and Gil together is always a good thing. IIRC, McMullen ran the flight school or was a prominent character there, so it's a bit of a wonder how/why Gil's application to join the Air Force was diverted for so long by his uncle. The man knew there was a young man that was 'good' before the war started, I almost think Gil might have been head-hunted with the Blythe ace creditial.

...acknowledges this in her decision not to have it alongside those buttercups. The poppy is for yesterday and perhaps after 20 years she doesn't want to memorialise her mourning this way anymore. Or, to go even further, perhaps her mourning is truly over, even if the remembrance is something she will always carry in her heart. This is a lovely transition to note for Una and further readies her emotionally for the arrival of Father Daniel.

Old Friends
It is really terrific to see Carl and Anthony pick up their friendship earlier before the war, and gives added weight now to their correspondence and meeting in the wake of Shirley's "nearly dead"-ness. That Anthony remembered Harry in his son - and that Harry's scarf brought Carl and he together again - is a note of lovely poignancy.

Meanwhile I didn't know I needed to see Gil and Uncle Shirley at an Air Show pre-war until you served it up to me, but there it is. This again adds depth to Shirley's internal wheels beginning to spin regarding the sort of community - and even friends - he has missed out on, let alone his professional opportunities. It is one thing to downplay that jump out of the plane twenty years ago, but quite another to feel you need to now compensate for all that skill, talent and potential gone to waste, or at the very last stagnating. We feel his despondency here. And that Tiger Moth might indeed be an "old friend" but it also represents past glories and achievements, and Shirley so hankers for proper new ones - achievements and challenges, at least. It is a grin-inducing moment when he meets McMullen here, and I'm sure that he remembers Shirley Blythe RAF Ace when it comes to staffing Camp Borden. And Shirley will remember this moment, too.

What terrific additions to your fabulous universe. Thank you for sharing them x

Well, knock me down with a feather to see Happiness back on the main page! I can't tell you how excited I was. It is like an old friend you haven't seen in a while, and never mind the actual old friend Carl catches up with!

The exciting thing about this story is the way your narrative can so easily accommodate additions such as these, and how gratifying it must have been with a little time and distance, to look at this with fresh eyes and note what might be backfilled or expanded upon, or being able to set things up here, such as with Anthony and Carl, that will already have on inbuilt payoff in chapters in the future already written. As someone always inherently interested in process as much as product, I love the insight this gives into your process, the fluidity and freedom of writing and especially of this particular online medium we all share.

Poppies and Buttercups
Well, this breaks everyone's heart, and no mistake. I am looking at parts of this with such a smile, half the time with my Betwixt hat on besides, noting lovely little character beats and hugging them to myself. Firstly to Jerry, naturally, just because. Any additional glimpses of him are so welcome, and this was a memorable and important trip for him, so much so that he was still telling the stories of it - and showing those slides - half a century later :) Meanwhile we have "solemn" Sam, whom you know I've always got my eagle eye on (and I still haven't given up on THAT particular diversion), already settling into the quieter steadiness he will become known for, and that independent character and a half Dellie, who could really manage her own hatbox, thank you very much. Finally to Ceci, so like Una in manner and interests, they two building an especially close relationship you will continue to feature.

But this is Una's chapter, and quite rightly, and you touch upon how she and all the others reflect and remember, underscoring not only how those at Vimy will process this occasion but reminding us what an important moment the unveiling/dedication was for Canadians back home. Everyone stopping for the live radio broadcast for me gives a little chilling forshadowing of what is to come, and how this medium will become such an essential part of daily life in the coming years. And Una, poor Una, pedalling away from memories but still the grief follows her.

But what a gift in every respect - yellow buttercups, calling to Una like that field of sleep-inducing poppies in a land called Oz that people will get to know in a few years. The image is incredible, and your vivid descriptions an artistry in themselves. And of course, in the midst of grief, color Hope yellow, for it is the talisman of our triumvirate, from that bright, cheery Lowbridge kitchen and those pear trees out the back to that Flying Daffodil of Shirley's and the transformative statement Carl will make to those grey outer walls towards the end of the war. It is a beautiful metaphor for Una's healing, despite the lovely gesture on Faith's part to bring that poppy back from Walter, as such. But the poppy has symbolically faded, and Una quietly acknowledg

I think you tease in the very best way. Because for the past two weeks, I've been looking forward to that Halloween party, but instead you've been coming up with these other treats for us. And they have been great!

I didn't know you were rewriting Happiness! I would have been on AO3 all this time had I known. Of course, I had to go over there and check out what updates had been made. On my very quick reread, I noticed 2 other new chapters - ch. 11 and 16 - in addition to these to that you shared here (I think?), and I think they are all excellent additions to a really beautiful piece of work. I really enjoyed them I plan on reading the AO3 version more slowly in the next few days, so maybe I'll see some more updates.

But I'll stick with reviewing these two that you have shared here now. First, Jem and Faith are my favorites and so anytime you write about them and their family, you make me really, really happy. These younger younger Blythes are wonderful - Cece who looks like her mother, but is really a mini-Una, Wally and Jemmy who are both rambunctious and reds, and Sam who is trying so hard to be grown up. I loved Jem's observation that after the elder Blythes leave, no one else besides Cece knows whats what in the kitchen. And also that Ingleside is now home to god knows how many kittens and dogs. That sounds like a good deal of chaos! There may not be much in the way of good housekeeping going on, but it's clear that there is so much love and these Blythe's are probably having most fun of anyone in the Glen.

I'm with Jem about the pilgrimage. I'm not sure if I'd want to revisit the memories of the war, especially with what Jem went through. I got the impression from Happiness that he was still quite a bit haunted by his experiences there, maybe even as much as Carl. And with a month off - if I were him, I would've have opted for a proper vacation (Shirley and Carl got it right with their trip to the Carribean). But he's the best friend ever to go for Jerry. I wonder what that trip would have meant for both of them? I don't completely understand Anne though. I mean, I can understand her not wanting to go, but calling it "your trip to Europe"? It seems really insensitive. It's a little hard to see her so flawed as she is in this story, but I do appreciate that you made her more complicated. I would love, if possible, to have more insight into Anne. I know this isn't her story, but I'd still like to know more of where she's coming from and why she so often disappoints in this story.

I really love that you have Una finally letting go of her obligations a bit and doing something just because. It's not something we get to see her do much. Una's always in service to someone or something, so it was so nice to to see her think only of herself for once. You do write these nature scenes so beautifully. The way you write about the buttercup meadow was so evocative of summer and color and vibrancy. And the magic of it all. I loved 'only ordinary buttercups in extraordinary profusion". And I got a little chill reading the last line, imagining Una glowing as she waded among the buttercups. Really gorgeous writing.

I want to know though, who has kissed Una? This is before Daniel. So maybe Lewis? Would that have been possible for him? I don't recall reading anything, but maybe I'll find out on reread of Happiness. Also, I'm so glad that Una seems to have finally moved on from her heartbreak over Walter. I mean, it's been a long long time coming. But it seems that in picking the dried buttercups over the dried poppies, she's finally (finally!) opening up to the possibilities for her own happiness. So long overdue, but I'm so happy she finally got there. I'm curious though - does this mean Faith knew about Una's feelings for Walter all along? How come she never showed any indication of it before. It's a little odd that she would have waited 20 years to finally acknowledge this...I'm wondering why now?

I see you've done more to give Carl and Anthony more backstory. I think you alluded to Anthony having feelings for Carl in Chapter 11 back in college. (Incidentally, it occurs to me after reading that chapter that your Caela in Blerediths is a reincarnation of Harry, yes?). I like that Carl went to visit Anthony without Shirley...I think he had a lot of excuses for (Shirley doesn't like church, he doesn't want to raise suspicions), but I think he jist didn't want Shirley there. Shirley wasn't really a part of that friendship so many years ago and Carl really just wanted to have that for himself. And I like just how at ease Carl is around Anthony. He's comfortable and there's a comfort to the relationship. And that line, about the memory of his mother carrying "him into Anthony's embrace on a tender updraft." - so lovely. I have to say, that the first time I read Happiness here, the relationship with Anthony towards the end did seem a little out of the blue. I feel like with these chapters, it's making more sense and I have to say, I'm happy that Carl gets to have a something with Anthony (and I hope they do in Blerediths too!).

You know what - this chapter also reminded me of how sad I felt for Shirley in so much of this story. I hated how much he had to give up to be with Carl. He pushed aside all of his ambitions and everything he could have been to go back to the Glen for Carl and really, I think, it suffocated Shirley. It sucks that 20 years later, he's really feeling that loss and the knowledge here that he peaked during the first War and never did anything as good afterwards. Makes sense why he was so willing to serve in WW2.

Thanks for the wonderful updates to this story. It was fun to revisit this story. I love it a lot. Look forward to whatever other updates you have coming for us! Hope you and yours continue to be well!

Love this! Thank you so much! Be well and stay safe.

A wounderfull chapter.

Cu

Andrea

It’s lovely to be back in Happiness land, even if your Jerry always causes me to do a right double-take. (I expect this is mutual :) ) Though I notice that even across universes the Blythes have an affinity for surprise canines and a confusion of kittens. Though it certainly does put salads in jeopardy. (I notice a distinct absence of candle salad. Has it been banished forever?)

I appreciate Una’s meditation on Vimy and being grateful not to be asked so that she needn’t say no. We’re still in the Fr Kirkland era here, but it’s becoming apparent that Una is relaxing her hold on the past. Even the pressing of the buttery, new buttercups into that book rather than the faded poppy hints of new bends in the road. Though it’s lovely of Faith to bring it back. Without anyone saying anything we see that the sisters do understand each other, which soothes my incredulity reading RoI that Rilla and only Rilla put two and two together to get four.

I also appreciate the buttercups as liminal space. You could have made them any colour, but the sunshine yellow makes a nice analogue to new beginnings, even if at first it presents as a fairy realm. It’s rare that we see your Una eschew church -indeed have we seen that in her before? - but the communion with nature is deeply reminiscent of Walter, and particularly of Glen Notes Walter and Una who shared all their almosts in Rainbow Valley. Really the buttercups miss only a tame unicorn.

I enjoy this glimpse at Carl’s reconnection with the Macworths, though he’d better not tell Cornelia where he was! I suppose I have to make allowances for the United Church if it is Anthony’s ;) (My Aunt is one of the United people now. They do terrific mission work and I’m not surprised Anthony fell in with them.) It couples well with the Vimy excursion in that this, too, feels like a pilgrimage. Maybe not a government sanctioned one, but Carl too is reconnecting with the past. It’s lovely to see him among friends and in community. From his younger reflection in Harry, he really does land among kindred spirits.

Whereas Shirley and the Tiger Moth are a bit of a contrast. It’s not that he’s among Pyes, more he’s never been easy about his war career. Planes, maybe, but we see in the way he tries to dodge McMullen’s good humour how uneasily that part of his life lies. There are shades of a Faulks protagonist in the disquieted way Shirley interacts with his War, even as Gil does his best impression of a puppy around a rich treat. Please no expresses Shirley’s feelings perfectly. He did what he had to, and he survived. He wouldn’t wish it on anyone else, and Gil least of all.

ooh, nice. i've been following along on ao3 (very confused when Happiness was updated on here), but somehow the font just seems to suit your story a lot more. there's probably a way to make them look the same with those 'skins', but I wouldn't know. I'm just glad to have this version on both sites for when I next reread, and these chapters really do add something to the story. i was forgetting how much I missed una in blerediths, but I have hopes that she will emerge sometime soon.
i hope you're having a good week!

First of all, thank you for this beautiful surprise! It was really good to come back to this story, thank you!

Una's part touched me. I did not remember about their "Vimy Pilgrimage", but it was really good. The fact that she doesn't want to go to France doesn't surprised me, but the thing is, I wonder if her relief is because she doesn't want to say "no" to someone, or because she is afraid to let slip her mourning. Anyway, it was really good! I particularly liked the fact that she doesn't want to listen to the ceremony, and that she goes alone with her bike. Sometimes, when something happen, some people gathered, but being alone in those times can help much better, and I particularly love the fact that you did it with Una. It was a very powerful moment!

Thank you for Faith and Una's scene! It was very thoughtful of Faith to bring back the poppy, especially from Courcelette! I love this scene because they don't speak that much, but say so many things!

Yes, Anthony! It was good to see him again :) I like the fact that, usually, when you write a scene between these two, it's very peaceful (in the tone, because Carl's stress is surely at a high level).

I liked Shirley's part, too, but what hit me the most here is when McMullen says that Gil is following his footsteps and that Shirley thinks "Please, no". It was really powerful, especially when we know what happen to them after that.

Thank you again for these updates, it was really good to come back again to this story!
I hope that you are well!

My heart breaks for poor Una :( To love someone so deeply and lose Walter Blythe to the Great War is devastating. I'm very thankful that Una has a happy ending!

I vaguely remember some of those chapters, as I've been rereading occasionally for certain chapters on A03 lol.

I like how old stories still come back and haunt us at times. Sometimes we think this can be changed, other times its whole other little stories that come out of the woodwork.

Cecelia and her cooking, those first years of learning are always fun to remember. I still remember how proud I was for cooking pancakes by myself for the first time without messing it up.

While at the same time, I can remember the tension in those 1938 months and forward Shirley going to Borden to teach. Carl on the island. It still lives inside of me, the longing and saddness of beign apart, while trying to be together.

Carl and Anthony( who we saw in Blerediths) were interesting. I don't remember much of him, but apparently he's married with kids. I am assuming still very much in closeted denial?

I enjoy these very much and now need to go find some of my other favourite parts of the story i think sometimes tonight. Between all my writing.

I must admit to being a little confused and not remembering chapters 26 and 27 well enough to place these chapters in the context of the story (and having no time to re-read), but I shall look at them as individual chapters and on their own merit, without too much consideration where and how they fit into the rest of the story, except as it strikes me.

What I do remember is how the Vimy trip got just a short mention in the original story, which surprised me because I'd been waiting for it to happen. We get a little more insight here, showing various people's decisions to go or not to go. Jerry really seems to have been the driving factor for everyone who does go and like Una, I wonder why he's so interested in going back to that place, but I suppose it might be a form of closure for him. All the way back in Canada, Una also seems to achieve some closure during her bike ride, as shown viscerally by your use of colours, from landscape and the gulf to the two very different types of flowers. (Speaking of which, I was amazed someone managed to successfully press and dry a poppy. They always die on my exactly three minutes after plugging them.)

I also remember enough to know I was rooting for Carl to go to Anthony by the end of the story, and I feel supported in that belief by this other new chapter. There's a lovely, laughing happiness to Carl meeting the Marckworth family and while I realise that it would make for one complicated situation, Carl fights right in with the. There's even a little boy sharing his interest in biology and looking up to him, which is really very sweet. Here's hoping he got to spend much more time with the Marckworths than we ever saw in the original story, because this is a taste of the happiness he deserved and, in my opinion, sadly never got. But I can always look at this scene and hope!

I started reading this story on AO3, (i'm Fahrseer/Dreamsanddeath there), and while reading the reviews on the site, I kept noticing a few readers reference reading the story over here on . So, curious me, having just read the chapter titled "Unable to Love" and wanting nothing more than for the next week(s) to go by more quickly so I could read the next update, I google the title of this fic and your username and low and behold, there sat 49 chapters just waiting for me to read them. So read them, I did. Devoured them in only a few hours. That was nearly two months ago, and I can't count the number of times I've come back to read this story since, just to read it more slowly and savor it properly. I've managed to pick up a few things that I'd missed on my first read-through on just about every re-read, and I can't express just how much I appreciate and applaud you for this marvelous work of art. So much effort and care went into writing it, which is easy to see. I'm exceedingly glad I stumbled upon the first few chapters over on AO3 during an afternoon of boredom, because it led me to one of the best works of fanfic I've ever had the pleasure to read.

Your characterization is absolutely lovely, the way you've taken Shirley and Carl and Una and built them into fully fleshed out characters with thoughts and emotions and so, so much life from such scant source material while simultaneously never making them seem OOC is, quite frankly, amazing. And inspiring. This fic doesn't seem like a work of fanfic, but more like a continuation of actual canon. I'll probably be coming back to this story several times over for many months to come, just so I can fall in love with it over and over again.

i thank you with the bottom of my heart for writing this. And I look forward to anything else you'll write in the future, if you choose to do so, no matter which characters you turn your focus to. 3 3 3