Bert’s at a loose end. Jennifer is feeling her age.

Radio Times: The Ambridge grapevine goes into overdrive.

Characters: Bert, David, Jennifer, Lilian, Robert, Ruth

• With her 62nd birthday looming, Jennifer is feeling her age. Lilian’s suggestion of a birthday tea doesn’t help – it’s too sedate and elderly for Jennifer’s taste. Lilian quizzes her sister about Mike’s accident.
• The Brookfield children are meant to be ready for school, but the boys put up various arguments and Pip can think only of the calves. When Bert calls to see if David wants any jobs doing, David says he’s really enjoyed having the children home; it was the best Christmas ever.
• Jennifer is impressed with Robert’s decorating at the holiday cottages, where he is repainting a door badly done by Bert. Robert has several new clients as a result of his work. Jennifer is envious of his new role. Then Bert appears, still at a loose end, and is annoyed to find Robert repainting ‘his’ door.
• Robert takes Bert to the Bull for a drink, and as he flounders to explain the repainting away, he is rescued by Lilian, still eager to hear the full story of Mike’s accident. It seems that the whole village is talking about it.
• Ruth is trying hard to please David, but he is dismissive and cold, especially when she suggests that they go to the NFU lunch together. He’s only got one ticket, so if Ruth wants to go, she can go on her own.