Post by cam83 on Oct 3, 2003 3:43:50 GMT -5
Chapter Fifteen
Christmas 1986 was fast approaching, and Karen headed back to L.A. Her counselling treatments were proving to be very successful to her, and she and the rest of the family were quite pleased. They could sense something different about her which showed in her attitude and behaviour. She seemed quite at peace.
This Christmas, there was no new Christmas special or album, or single to release, so it was a pleasant Christmas. Karen was thinking of buying a house of her own, and moving out of her condo. She wanted her own home, garden and place that she could decorate to her own liking. She wanted to be able to settle down, and start thinking about a family.
Another Carpenters album was going to be released. The WINGS album was already quadruple platinum, with 3 Top 10 hit singles. The new album would be called GEMS and was their 17th album. The reviews were quite good.
People Weekly stated that, " This album is full of gems…hence the title GEMS, and lives up to its name. Another Carpenters release worthy of adulation."
Billboard reviewed by saying, " This is the 17th album out of so many other fine Carpenters albums, and this one doesn't fail to impress…Karen's voice is just as silkier as ever, and Richard's production skills are impeccable, as always…"
The debut single was RAINBOW CONNECTION and it slammed to # 4 in it's 3rd week, going gold. The next week it was # 2 for 3 weeks, and on the Adult Contemporary Chart, it was # 1 for a month. The video also made it's appearance on the Sesame Street, as the Carpenters guested on that show, to film the music video.
GEMS, the album, hit # 5 and was already platinum. Overseas, it was a monster seller, selling millions of copies in over a dozen countries. In Britain, it was # 1 for 10 weeks, and stayed in the Top 10 for over 28 weeks. It was certified with selling over 2.4 million copies being sold.
The Grammy Awards were up again, and surprisingly Richard nor Karen were nominated for any Grammies. But they were invited to be presenters. Richard was unable to make it, so Karen still went ahead to present. She was still happy to be a presenter.
Karen wore a slim-fitting evening gown, with beads that shined all over. It was very form fitting, and showed her curvy figure to her advantage. The gown, had no shoulder straps but there would be no problem of it falling down. It had taken Karen awhile to put it on. She also wore gloves, and spiked high heels. Her hair was in a bun, and had blond streaks in it. She wore big, jangly earrings and had a priceless necklace on. She looked sensational as always, and caused many an eye to be focused on her. She lavished in the attention. She went with her girlfriend Olivia Newton-John, who was up for 2 Grammys as well.
Karen headed back to Seattle, for the last batch of her treatment sessions with Dr. Raymond Vath. Everything was going according to plan, and Karen was feeling great about herself. During the course of being able to share with her Counsellor, she had learned a lot about herself, and learned to magnify her gifts, as opposed to magnifying and dwelling on her faults and failures. She learned that she should love herself, as she loved everyone else. She needed to take time for herself, and learn to do what she wanted to do.
The last session in May was tearful, but joyful. For now she was leaving a woman, and a complete one at that. She had maintained her weight for many, many months which was an accomplishment in itself. Nothing to be taken lightly. Anything that she did, she felt proud, even if it was a mistake, because she would use it as a learning experience. So much had been changed in her psyche, and her way of thinking had been re-wired.
Cherry and Dan took her out for supper to help her celebrate. Karen didn't feel apprehensive over food, and she knew that she had won her battle. It had never been a battle with food, that was just a symptom of a much greater problem. Her struggles had been about not having any control in her life, and letting herself be walked over by everyone. About not being able to say no, to want to always please others, to deny her own desires, and to hating herself, who she was.
They talked over what Karen would do next in her career. She had just turned 36, and her life was still ahead of her. She wanted to do a Gospel album, a Broadway album, Country tunes…there was so much that she wanted to do. Where would she start? She wanted a chance to fly, and discover the world on her own, in her own special way.
During this time, she continued writing in her journal, and also her memoirs. She had a good memory, and so she did this. No one knew that she was doing this, as she wasn't sure if she would ever get it published. Oh, she knew that other celebrities sold their books, with tantalizing secrets, and gossip about other Hollywood personalities. She didn't want to do that. She just wanted to tell the truth. And if the time ever came...well, she would face it.
She left Seattle, and hadn't told anyone about her coming home. She wanted the chance to come on her own terms, and to come with no fanfare or anything. She was her own woman. She took a cab home. Her family was happy to see Karen back home and much healthier. They could see that she was so much better. Even Richard agreed that she seemed stronger emotionally, physically and looked happier as well. Karen beamed at his compliments.
Karen found out that Richard was engaged to Mary, and knew that this called for a celebration. Karen wanted to shout it from the mountain top that her brother was getting married, but she didn't. He wanted it to not be a big thing, and so she did her best to respect his wishes. Mary asked Karen to be her matron of honor, and Karen happily agreed. The Carpenter parents were very happy. Finally good news and a new start of years of happiness were dawning for everyone. Karen was better, and Richard would be starting a new family. Karen didn't feel terribly depressed that she hadn't found anyone. She knew that he would find her someday. Although she still wanted a family, but she still had at least another 10 years of child bearing years left. She just had to be patient.
Richard's wedding was on July 2, 1987 and it was a small, family affair, with 120 guests. Karen had written a song with John Bettis titled A NEW DAWN HAS ARRIVED( THE WEDDING SONG). Karen felt especially happy to give Richard back what he gave to her 1980 wedding when he co-wrote BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE(THE WEDDING SONG). Richard was touched. While they were signing the registers, Karen sang.
I always thought this day would never come
Always thought I would be all alone
Would I ever find someone else?
Were they looking for me as well?
Did I even know that my time for love had come
Like a new dawn peaking over the horizon
teasing me in ways I didn't know
The sun had slowly come into my day
and it's here to stay
A new dawn has arrived
And it is you so divine
Now my days have so much meaning
with you by my side
for better and for worse
side by side Hand in hand
we will always be
A new dawn has arrived
and you will be with me
until the sunset fades away
Her singing, was beautiful, that no words could describe it. A hush had fallen over the audience, all in rapt attention. Richard and Mary looked at Karen, as they wiped tears from their eyes. There was not a dry eye in the audience. Her song to them was a true gift from her heart. Even the birds seemed to hush their singing. Karen was beaming with happiness, as she followed the Richard Carpenter and his new bride Mary Carpenter down the aisle. She was so happy that her brother had finally found love. It gave her so much hope for her own love life, which was non existent, but she knew that she would find the man of her own dreams.
The reception was gorgeous, and Karen danced the night away with eligible bachelors. Agnes Carpenter sat with her sister Bernice, who was Mary Carpenter's mother. They were laughing and basking in their children's marriage. Karen loved the chance to dance with men and reveled in her being a single woman. She was feeling a lot of pride in herself as a woman. She received a lot of compliments at how beautiful she looked, which made her blush, but she loved it nonetheless.
The couple went to Hawaii for a 21 day honeymoon. They both looked so happy and so much in love, and Karen was so at peace with herself that her singing partner, friend and brother had found his true love. Now she looked forward to her own time to find her soul mate.
Christmas 1986 was fast approaching, and Karen headed back to L.A. Her counselling treatments were proving to be very successful to her, and she and the rest of the family were quite pleased. They could sense something different about her which showed in her attitude and behaviour. She seemed quite at peace.
This Christmas, there was no new Christmas special or album, or single to release, so it was a pleasant Christmas. Karen was thinking of buying a house of her own, and moving out of her condo. She wanted her own home, garden and place that she could decorate to her own liking. She wanted to be able to settle down, and start thinking about a family.
Another Carpenters album was going to be released. The WINGS album was already quadruple platinum, with 3 Top 10 hit singles. The new album would be called GEMS and was their 17th album. The reviews were quite good.
People Weekly stated that, " This album is full of gems…hence the title GEMS, and lives up to its name. Another Carpenters release worthy of adulation."
Billboard reviewed by saying, " This is the 17th album out of so many other fine Carpenters albums, and this one doesn't fail to impress…Karen's voice is just as silkier as ever, and Richard's production skills are impeccable, as always…"
The debut single was RAINBOW CONNECTION and it slammed to # 4 in it's 3rd week, going gold. The next week it was # 2 for 3 weeks, and on the Adult Contemporary Chart, it was # 1 for a month. The video also made it's appearance on the Sesame Street, as the Carpenters guested on that show, to film the music video.
GEMS, the album, hit # 5 and was already platinum. Overseas, it was a monster seller, selling millions of copies in over a dozen countries. In Britain, it was # 1 for 10 weeks, and stayed in the Top 10 for over 28 weeks. It was certified with selling over 2.4 million copies being sold.
The Grammy Awards were up again, and surprisingly Richard nor Karen were nominated for any Grammies. But they were invited to be presenters. Richard was unable to make it, so Karen still went ahead to present. She was still happy to be a presenter.
Karen wore a slim-fitting evening gown, with beads that shined all over. It was very form fitting, and showed her curvy figure to her advantage. The gown, had no shoulder straps but there would be no problem of it falling down. It had taken Karen awhile to put it on. She also wore gloves, and spiked high heels. Her hair was in a bun, and had blond streaks in it. She wore big, jangly earrings and had a priceless necklace on. She looked sensational as always, and caused many an eye to be focused on her. She lavished in the attention. She went with her girlfriend Olivia Newton-John, who was up for 2 Grammys as well.
Karen headed back to Seattle, for the last batch of her treatment sessions with Dr. Raymond Vath. Everything was going according to plan, and Karen was feeling great about herself. During the course of being able to share with her Counsellor, she had learned a lot about herself, and learned to magnify her gifts, as opposed to magnifying and dwelling on her faults and failures. She learned that she should love herself, as she loved everyone else. She needed to take time for herself, and learn to do what she wanted to do.
The last session in May was tearful, but joyful. For now she was leaving a woman, and a complete one at that. She had maintained her weight for many, many months which was an accomplishment in itself. Nothing to be taken lightly. Anything that she did, she felt proud, even if it was a mistake, because she would use it as a learning experience. So much had been changed in her psyche, and her way of thinking had been re-wired.
Cherry and Dan took her out for supper to help her celebrate. Karen didn't feel apprehensive over food, and she knew that she had won her battle. It had never been a battle with food, that was just a symptom of a much greater problem. Her struggles had been about not having any control in her life, and letting herself be walked over by everyone. About not being able to say no, to want to always please others, to deny her own desires, and to hating herself, who she was.
They talked over what Karen would do next in her career. She had just turned 36, and her life was still ahead of her. She wanted to do a Gospel album, a Broadway album, Country tunes…there was so much that she wanted to do. Where would she start? She wanted a chance to fly, and discover the world on her own, in her own special way.
During this time, she continued writing in her journal, and also her memoirs. She had a good memory, and so she did this. No one knew that she was doing this, as she wasn't sure if she would ever get it published. Oh, she knew that other celebrities sold their books, with tantalizing secrets, and gossip about other Hollywood personalities. She didn't want to do that. She just wanted to tell the truth. And if the time ever came...well, she would face it.
She left Seattle, and hadn't told anyone about her coming home. She wanted the chance to come on her own terms, and to come with no fanfare or anything. She was her own woman. She took a cab home. Her family was happy to see Karen back home and much healthier. They could see that she was so much better. Even Richard agreed that she seemed stronger emotionally, physically and looked happier as well. Karen beamed at his compliments.
Karen found out that Richard was engaged to Mary, and knew that this called for a celebration. Karen wanted to shout it from the mountain top that her brother was getting married, but she didn't. He wanted it to not be a big thing, and so she did her best to respect his wishes. Mary asked Karen to be her matron of honor, and Karen happily agreed. The Carpenter parents were very happy. Finally good news and a new start of years of happiness were dawning for everyone. Karen was better, and Richard would be starting a new family. Karen didn't feel terribly depressed that she hadn't found anyone. She knew that he would find her someday. Although she still wanted a family, but she still had at least another 10 years of child bearing years left. She just had to be patient.
Richard's wedding was on July 2, 1987 and it was a small, family affair, with 120 guests. Karen had written a song with John Bettis titled A NEW DAWN HAS ARRIVED( THE WEDDING SONG). Karen felt especially happy to give Richard back what he gave to her 1980 wedding when he co-wrote BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE(THE WEDDING SONG). Richard was touched. While they were signing the registers, Karen sang.
I always thought this day would never come
Always thought I would be all alone
Would I ever find someone else?
Were they looking for me as well?
Did I even know that my time for love had come
Like a new dawn peaking over the horizon
teasing me in ways I didn't know
The sun had slowly come into my day
and it's here to stay
A new dawn has arrived
And it is you so divine
Now my days have so much meaning
with you by my side
for better and for worse
side by side Hand in hand
we will always be
A new dawn has arrived
and you will be with me
until the sunset fades away
Her singing, was beautiful, that no words could describe it. A hush had fallen over the audience, all in rapt attention. Richard and Mary looked at Karen, as they wiped tears from their eyes. There was not a dry eye in the audience. Her song to them was a true gift from her heart. Even the birds seemed to hush their singing. Karen was beaming with happiness, as she followed the Richard Carpenter and his new bride Mary Carpenter down the aisle. She was so happy that her brother had finally found love. It gave her so much hope for her own love life, which was non existent, but she knew that she would find the man of her own dreams.
The reception was gorgeous, and Karen danced the night away with eligible bachelors. Agnes Carpenter sat with her sister Bernice, who was Mary Carpenter's mother. They were laughing and basking in their children's marriage. Karen loved the chance to dance with men and reveled in her being a single woman. She was feeling a lot of pride in herself as a woman. She received a lot of compliments at how beautiful she looked, which made her blush, but she loved it nonetheless.
The couple went to Hawaii for a 21 day honeymoon. They both looked so happy and so much in love, and Karen was so at peace with herself that her singing partner, friend and brother had found his true love. Now she looked forward to her own time to find her soul mate.
