16 March 1998

Characters: Betty, Mike, Neil, Pat, Roy, Tommy, Tony

• Roy admits to his mum that he and Kate are getting on well since the trauma of John’s death and her advice is not to push Kate too far too fast if he really wants to be involved.
• Tommy’s trying to make himself indispensible about the farm, although when he mentioned the hole in the workload with John’s not being around Pat explodes and excuses he of using his brother’s death as an excuse to scive from college. Later Tony and Tommy talk and he realises that his mother is being protective and looking out for the best interests of his welfare. He still wants to pull his weight about the place, but will return to college for the moment.
• Susan’s starting work at the surgery reception today.
• Neil’s trying to, delicately, bring up the matter of John’s pigs. He had been planning to supply weaners and would need to be thinking about getting hold of a boar if that agreement is to proceed. Tommy’s all for it, but Tony and Pat are concerned that marketing the pigs was something that only John could do and they ask for a week to mull over the decision in more detail.

Summarised by: Chris Harrison