- Clarrie has a strange feeling
- Kenton hates lilies
- The Eileen Titcombe Book of Household Management and Stain Removal
- The disaster of a wedding which just wasn’t
- Joe won’t eat homemade bread
- This is a local stately home for local people
- £4.20 for a pint at The Bull
- Another reason for Jolene to be morose
Clarrie has a strange feeling
Clarrie’s off out with the WI and Nic for the day, and feels decidedly odd.
Like she’s playing truant.
Nope, Clarrie. That’s just the following one gets when one doesn’t have to warm Joe’s socks … cut his toenails … cook the tea … do the washing up … work at Bridge Farm ……….
It’s called having time off, and having fun. Enjoy!
Kenton hates lilies
As they seemingly smell like air freshener, and they could leave stains on wedding clothes from the pollen (so Lewis adds stain removal to his list).
I better go cancel those lilies I got for Kenton for Valentine’s day …
The Eileen Titcombe Book of Household Management and Stain Removal
Now there’s a thought for a bestselling book.
Mrs Beeton must be quaking in her grave.
The disaster of a wedding which just wasn’t
So nothing really happened at Mrs Barrington-Hughes’ daughter’s wedding.
Some woman fell off her high heels and ripped her tights (but Eileen Titcombe had a spare pair). A vegan bloke couldn’t really eat anything (but didn’t seem that bothered). And the ‘black sheep’ table seemed to be just full of smokers.
And that was that.
Methinks the wedding was just a ploy to make David utterly lose the plot and get back to his cattle.
The only remotely interesting (droll) part of the wedding was Jill’s comments on a woman’s hat:
[Jill] “Good heavens! What has that woman got on her head … it looks like she’s got a cactus growing out of her ear”
Joe won’t eat homemade bread
[Clarrie] “Joe broke a tooth on a particularly crusty loaf and now won’t eat anything but shop bought”
So Clarrie has stopped making it.
Nic's been inspired to start making her own, after the WI trip (where they all had a go at a bakery).
(and I have nothing more to say on that – boy, was this a slow day in Ambridge!)
This is a local stately home for local people
Elizabeth still won’t entertain the thought of an outsider coming into Lower Loxley to be its manager.
She may not have a choice, if the Trustees decide different.
£4.20 for a pint at The Bull
My village doesn’t have a pub.
Is that expensive these days?!?
Another reason for Jolene to be morose
Valentine’s day is the date Sid proposed to her.
So it was left to Fallon to dog out the Valentine’s decorations – then her and Harry to come up with gimmicks.
Which is themed cocktails.
Again.
Sorry to be utterly negative for once – but Jolene is starting to grate my nerves something chronic.
The sooner Jolene leaves – or gets it together with Kenton – the better.
- Still no tray!
- Will nobody think of Ruth?
- Don’t pick on wee Henry!
- Smiley baby
- Bizarre Helen moments
- Temperature 106
- Berlin, Barcelona and Salzburg (on my)
Still no tray!
I’m starting to agree with Mrs Barrington-Hughes.
Third day of the great Tray request – and David still hasn’t sorted it.
Is it any wonder she’s stressing out and phoning him so often.
[David] “Do you know how much mind numbing trivia I’m holding in my head at the moment. That woman has got an unnerving instinct for phoning me when I’m just about to start a job”
David – give up the wedding. For everyone’s sake.
Will nobody think of Ruth?
Come on – the woman is clearly on the edge of a breakdown. She doesn’t even recognise the value of cold pizza for breakfast.
And as we all know, pizzas are Ruth’s only speciality (the frozen variety).
She’s having to manage Brookfield with only sporadic help from David, Eddie and Brian. And the kids. While she’s also grieving for Nigel.
David’s not only hardly around to do his work at Brookfield, he’s only being utterly dismissive of Ruth’s struggles:
[David] “Ruth, you’ll think of something”
[Ruth] “Well, I’ll have to. I’ll phone Brian”
(Oho! Maybe Brian is due another affair …)
Later on, Ruth has a right go at Pip when she tries to defend David over his calf mistake.
But is there anyone noticing that Ruth is having to cope completely alone?
Even after she’s sorted out David’s calf mistake, after she’s herself had a long day and was supposed to be coo-ing over Henry and as she heads off to help Josh with his homework, it’s still David that gets the tea and sympathy.
This could lead to far, far more.
Don’t pick on wee Henry!
[David] “He’ll be around for a few years, I’m sure I’ll catch up with him by the time he’s 12”
Oh that’s cold David. Very cold.
And you also don’t even have the time to ask Pip about how her exams went. After all the fuss you made about her retaking them. And, she is your daughter.
I think David might be on track to lose grip of more than just his sister’s husband …
Smiley baby
Helen’s round at Brookfield introducing Henry to Ruth and Pip.
Seemingly he’s already talking back and Helen is healing up just fine (even though she does have to have someone else carry Henry up the stairs).
Pip reckons Henry:
“has got such a smiley face”
and that he makes folks happy.
Though of all the people who need that sort of pick-me-up (Elizabeth), Helen seems to be avoiding.
Still, Henry’s Snug suit sounds great!
Bizarre Helen moments
There was a few odd moments today when Helen said:
[Helen] “I’ll never know what his dad did, of course”
[Helen] “I want to socialise him … I make him sound like a puppy!”
Hmmm. How is an anonymous donor ‘dad’ (and is she now having regrets about not knowing the biological father?), and what’s with the puppy?
Still – at least she’s kept her new found ability to laugh at herself.
Temperature 106
Thank goodness indeed for Eddie. He managed to notice the ill calves that David had missed in his haste.
It turns out to be viral pneumonia, which could have spread between the claves if Eddie had spotted it in time.
And it was all because of a draft due to a gap in the shed cladding – which David soon have seen to.
David’s about to collapse from exhaustion, Ruth’s about to go banshee and, to top it all, looks like costly mistakes might be made along the way.
Berlin, Barcelona and Salzburg (on my)
Brenda and Tom are soon off to Berlin in celebration of Brenda’s 30th.
Now Pip’s planning a trip to Barcelona for her 18th (with Gary and Izzy, who must be back together again .. regardless of how ‘boring’ Gary can be at times).
And, Tony and Pat are off to Salzburg for Tony’s birthday.
My word! Ambridge is really jet-setting these days.
- Bring back our Clarrie!
- Elizabeth redeploys David
- How could he forget the tray?
- We know “your lot” likes cheese
- Clarrie doesn’t want to give up yoghurt
- Kathy in a huff?
- Who is more fragile?
Bring back our Clarrie!
Now I know I’m saying that Clarrie’s a Saint, and should spend more time on herself, but I’m really not liking this grump and quite snide Clarrie.
She’s still looking after her menfolk to the nth degree:
[Clarrie] “Joe, I’ve warmed your socks up”
But she’s keen to again get to work early to “beat” Vicky, later somehow managing to then trick Vicky into loading the delivery van the wrong way round
(well, Vicky claimed “Well it wasn’t my fault … she misled me!”)
However, that was nothing compared to the quite uncomfortably hard time Clarrie gave Emma:
(as Emma turns up on her doorstep)
[Clarrie, sounding irritated] “Oh. Emma … this is a surprise”
[Emma, sounding unsure] “I nice one, I hope”
[Clarrie] “You look rough”
[Emma] “Turnips and shortbread … not a great combination …”
[Clarrie] “Anyway, what did you want, cause I need to get on”
[Emma] “I just wondered how you’re coping?”
[Clarrie] “Fine, thanks for asking”
[Emma] “Cause if there’s anything you need …”
[Clarrie] “It’s a bit late now, ain’t it!. It’s when I had the plaster on that I needed the help, Emma”
Ouch!
Entirely Emma’s fault for not caring or helping when Clarrie broke her arm.
And she’s only trying now because she’s jealous of Nic and Clarrie becoming so close.
But that was not our ‘usual’ Clarrie.
Elizabeth redeploys David
Keen to crack on with planning (seemingly it’s time to bet on with Easter!), Elizabeth suggests to David that his:
[Elizabeth] “strengths lie in managing the estate”
Which is quite right.
So off David goes, back outside, back to dealing with beasts and fences.
But, he does insist on keeping the wedding.
Why?
How could he forget the tray?
After the fuss Mrs Barrington-Hughes made, and the anger David then felt, over finding an antique tray big enough to fit the new cake – how could David forget to check whether Lower Loxley actually had a suitable one?
The tray, David. Don’t forget the tray.
We know “your lot” likes cheese
What is it with the Grundy lot and cheese?
First they must have cheese on their cauliflower.
Now they won’t touch anything other than cheddar.
Maybe Clarrie’s new skills will inspire new culinary delights?
Clarrie doesn’t want to give up yoghurt
But Pat insists that she learns-up about the cheese making, so that she can help out while Helen isn’t at work.
But Clarrie isn’t interested, as she thinks it’s a ploy for Bridge Farm to keep Vicky.
[Clarrie] “I wouldn’t ever want to give up making the yoghurt … just so you know”
Then – all change as Pat explains Vicky is only there for that week, to help ease Clarrie back in. After then, it’s back to normal.
And … our Clarrie is back!
She even offers to bake a cake for Vicky’s leaving tea.
That’s better.
Kathy in a huff?
Kathy hasn’t been over yet to see Henry.
I can’t really blame her – Pat telling her not to come round so often must have hurt and made it difficult to visit again.
Who is more fragile?
[David] “I sorted out the foods fads … sorry, dietary requirements … of this orchestra … a vegan piccolo player and a trombonist with a nut allergy”
[Lewis] “Well you’re doing Elizabeth a big favour”
[David] “I have to”
[Lewis] “Why did this happen. Why? It’s so senseless”
And both Lewis and David agree that Elizabeth is still too “fragile” to be back at work.
I don’t think there’s anyone at Lower Loxley who is ready yet to take on daily life after Nigel.
- Mrs Barrington-Hughes
- A sewing kit?
- Harry likes Jazzer in his kilt
- Banter, Tucker style
- Still not a peep from Kate
- Appreciating shortbread
- Burns Night, Jazzer style
- You slagging my mum?
- What recipe was Harry following?
Mrs Barrington-Hughes
Is driving David to distraction.
She’s the mother of the bride for the forthcoming ‘society’ wedding at Lower Loxley that David’s been sweating over.
And I’ve got to give David his due. He’s doing a great job of turning on the charm to keep Mrs B-H sweet while he’s concurrently wrestling with cattle.
A sewing kit?
David sounded quite perturbed that he’d need a sewing kit on hand for the wedding.
The devil is most certainly in the detail.
Was it just me, or did Emma sound like a natural event organiser? Maybe there’s no need for a ‘professional’ to be brought in.
Harry likes Jazzer in his kilt
Well, to be fair, kilts do make most blokes look dapper.
Banter, Tucker style
[Vicky] “Me and Brenda are ‘like that’ now since the party”
[Mike] “It’s Roy’s birthday next week an all”
[Vicky] “Ooh, that was bad planning”
[Mike] “Behave”
(and one assume ‘like that’ was Vicky crossing her fingers. Hard to tell hand actions when one’s eavesdropping)
Still not a peep from Kate
Brilliant.
She’s seemingly been keeping out of Roy and Hayley’s way, but it’s marvellous she’s also been keeping away from those secret microphones.
May it continue!
Appreciating shortbread
Yikes! When a gift becomes a menacing threat … Vicky sometimes can be a bit of a scary lady.
Burns Night, Jazzer style
First Jazzer changes the words of A Man’s a Man for a’ That (at least, it sounded like he did), then ended it with “Go!” to get everyone to down their drink.
Then we were treated to Jazzer’s actually quite lovely singing (which hasn’t been heard since Ambridge Has Talent)
Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
O I will luve thee still, my dear
While the sands o' life shall run.
And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand miles.
(Robert Burns, A Red, Red Rose)
And once Mike and Vicky had departed – the real party started (with Ed and Emma staying, more of Jazzer’s mates, including Chris, arriving – and a rather tired Harry accepting his fate of another late night.
But was Harry’s efforts to give Jazzer a good Burns Night in vain?
Ed reckoned not. After all, Jazzer had been given:
[Ed] “Food and drink and chance to show off!”
You slagging my mum?
The potential show-down between Ed and Vicky at Harry/Jazzer’s Burns Night didn’t happen, but Vicky seemed to be keen to try and wind up Ed.
Well, to be fair, she seemed to be keen to wind anyone up!
After saying she was finding it difficult working with Clarrie, as it was sometime hard to get a word in (!)
[Ed] “That’s my mum, Vicky”
She then went on, at some length and detail, about how great Nic had been at helping Clarrie when she’d broken her arm, and how Nic and Clarrie were having a nice time properly bonding.
That’s despite Emma also being in the room.
Then Vicky had a bit of a claw at Harry.
[Vicky] “I misjudged you … I didn’t take to you. I thought you were a bit of a know-all … but now, I could just adopt you”
[Harry] “Hah-ha ... that’s an 'interesting' proposition”
I can’t get a firm grip on whether Vicky’s a good or a bad ‘un, just as I can’t seem to get a grip on Harry.
Maybe they are actually related.
What recipe was Harry following?
Veg around the haggis?
Surely no.
Veg near the haggis, but never on the same serving plate.
And gravy?!?
No, no, no!
Still, Jazzer reckoned Harry did manage to get the haggis to look like a haggis, so I suppose I shouldn’t be a puritan.
