This episode aired on December 12 1972 with this opening. Whenever I look back to those days when I was growing up in the Great Depression, I'm always convinced that I came from a remarkable family. It wasn't that my brothers and sisters and I were sheltered from the realities of those difficult times. It was simply that our mother and father had a way of making more of what we had and less of what we didn't have. The show opens with another beautiful roaming shot from the top of the mountain. Back at the Waltons home front the children are setting around the breakfast eating before getting there day started. Out on the road, Yancey Tucker is coming one way, three strangers in another truck are coming another way, and they almost wreck into each other. John Boy and Jason are at Ike Godsey store to get there mother's groceries. After they leave, the three strangers pull up to Godsey store to buy some cheese and crackers. While in the store, the boy sticks three apples in his pocket but it back fires when they go to leave because Ike charges them for the apples. When the boy gets outside, he shows his pa the bacon and can goods he took. The three strangers turn out to be cousins of Olivia named Core, Hank and Joe. Hank and John Boy don't hit it off right away and Joe is asking questions about Mary Ellen. It turns out that the trio came from Kansas because they loss ***** **** and are waiting for a ****** from Newport News. The next day Olivia sends John Boy to the shed to get berries for his Grandma. When he opens the door, there sitting on the floor are Mary Ellen and Joe smoking cigarettes. As John Boy is coming out his mother is going in, catches Mary Ellen, and sends her to her room to learn 15 bible verses before supper. While down at the local store with her pa. and Hank, Erin sees Hank put a pouch in his pocket without paying for it and when Erin confronts Hank about it he tells her to get loss. Things are starting to fill uncomfortable around the house and Olivia and John are starting to wonder if there really is a letter coming from the Newport News. The Question now is what are they going to do about there unwelcome family members? Again, I like this episode because of the beauty of Waltons Mountain and the theme of this week's episode so I'm giving this episode 10 weasel stars.
