Michael Cochrane (Oliver Sterling)
I'm beginning to think that
Oliver and Caroline are too nice to run a viable business in this current
climate of austerity and competition. They are out picking holly and mistletoe
on Grange Farm and Oliver remarks that the Grundys are usually plundering the
trees and bushes at this time of year. "We have some bridge-building to
do" Caroline says. Why, pray? How often do the Grundys patronise Grey
Gables? On the night that Joe tripped, they were only there because it was
cheap and they would normally be shown the tradesmen's entrance.
Never mind, Oliver is
determined and sets out to see Joe. Prudently, Oliver has taken along a bottle
of home-made sloe gin and he butters Joe up further by asking if he could order
a small (10 – 12lb) turkey. Joe's principles are easily bought and he invites
Oliver in for a cuppa, laced with whisky. Oliver mentions the abundance of
holly and mistletoe and asks when the Grundys are going to harvest it? Eddie
enters and is bemused to learn that Oliver is now his father's best friend and
even more so when Joe says they should get up there now and pick it and would
Eddie mind getting Bartleby ready?
Soon the three are loading
Bartleby down with foliage and toasting each other with whisky. Joe tells Oliver
that he doesn't bear a grudge and the worst thing you can do is fall out with
neighbours. Excuse me? Joe doesn't
bear a grudge? Let's think – a well-refreshed 92 year old trips over at Grey
Gables and breaks his wrist, later getting £3,000 compensation from Caroline
and Oliver; Oliver allows Joe and Eddie to oversee the cider production from
his apples every year; Oliver comes round with sloe gin and persuades Joe to
come and pick his holly and mistletoe
(which they will sell); Oliver buys a Grundy turkey. And Joe doesn't bear a grudge? Give him the shirt off your back, Oliver
and he might even send you a Christmas card.
Over at the Stables,
Alistair attempts to take advantage of Shula's absence at Reg's funeral by
bundling Darrell into the car and driving him to a hostel. Sadly, Darrell goes
into meltdown and is rescued by Alistair after wandering around in the road,
clearly distressed and disorientated. "Come on, let's get you home"
Alistair says. It wasn't a good week for Darrell – he started his new job and
got the sack on the second day because he screwed up but doesn’t know why. You
put the pointy end of the nails on the wood and hit the flat bit on the top with
the hammer, Darrell – and that's the sum total of my DIY knowledge, but worth
knowing. Alistair, Shula and Daniel look at each other and Alistair goes out to
change the sign to "The Stables and Home for Waifs and Strays."
The story of Jill's eyes
reached a climax when her eye test revealed that she doesn't need new glasses,
but she has got cataracts. Jill is devastated to think that bits of her are
wearing out – it's called 'getting old' love and it's why you can't run after
buses any longer or take the stairs two at a time. Even worse; it gets worse.
On the other hand, Shula (who drove her mum to the appointment) makes light of
her condition, saying that it's just a routine operation and you'll be out of
there in a few minutes. Ha! Easy to say when it's not your eye that a man is
approaching with a sharp scalpel.
You will be delighted to
know that the recipe book ('Appetising Ambridge') has been printed (without
photographs) and all Lynda and Emma have to do is bind it (plastic spiral) and
flog it. The miserable (or as I think of it, the 'Will Grundy') part of me
hoped that they had bound it back to front, but I reckon there will be more
than enough grief when the contributors find that Lynda has 'improved' lots of
their recipes.
Lynda might have troubles
of her own, as Rob cries off a rehearsal as he's ill. Rob had an awkward moment
the previous day as he and Jess ran into Helen and Henry and Henry obviously
wanted to be picked up. Rob visited Helen at Ambridge Organics and he implied
it was her fault for not restraining Henry. She's distraught, but confesses to
Kirsty later that she still loves him. Fortunately we are spared more details
of how good the sex was. Tom ends up reading at rehearsal with Kirsty and I
fear that he is doomed and we'll see him in Lincoln green yet.
The atmosphere between the
Grundy siblings takes a dive when Ed (out shooting rabbits with dad Eddie –
nice to have a hobby) sees a dog running loose and shoots it dead.
Unfortunately, it turns out to be Baz, the dog that Will is training – and
presumably not very well if it runs off after a hare – and Will is adamant that
Ed did it on purpose. They grapple and are separated by Eddie. Will rants
"You killed my dog – I shan't forget this, ever!" What? Will bearing
a grudge – surely not? It's a pity that Eddie buried Baz, as Ed could have had
him stuffed and mounted and given him to Will as a Christmas present and a
reminder of the brief, but happy, time they had together…
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