Brian has an unpleasant board meeting. Jenny has a spaced-out kitchen fitter. Ruth has a birthday picnic.

Radio Times: Ruth has a happy birthday, but Brian is not pleased with Borchester Land.

Characters: Annabelle, Brian, Buddy, David, Jennifer, Jill, Ruth

• The inevitable birthday surprise awaits Ruth in the shape of breakfast in bed. It enables Ruth to indulge in some sentimental wallowing.
• At Home Farm things are not good. Brian receives an email from Annabelle announcing that Charlie’s interim report is far from complimentary. Even the saintly Debbie is under attack. Brian will tackle Annabelle before the BL meeting. As if this was not suffering enough for the Aldridges, Buddy arrives to work in the new kitchen in plaster and high on some ‘painkillers’ he has obtained from a friend. They may block his pain but they do little to ensure efficient working as Buddy merrily confuses a tape measure and a mobile phone.
• Annabelle is more than ready for Brian, and defends Charlie and his methods. She tells Brian he is overreacting, and that Justin has many innovative ideas for the future of BL. Meanwhile it is felt that Debbie is unable to do her job properly from a distance, which has led to an over-rigid cropping policy. Brian blusters and fumes, but Annabelle quickly moves on to outlining Justin’s vision before she sweeps off to another meeting.
• Ruth gives Jill a hand with the bees and they decide that if David has time, they will take a birthday picnic up Lakey Hill later.
• A furious Brian tells Jennifer about Justin’s plans for another anaerobic digester and a solar farm. Jenny is all for tackling Annabelle face to face, but Brian insists that she keep quiet; the plans are very much under wraps at present.
• David sees the visiting scabby sheep off, and the family go off for Ruth’s birthday picnic. Jill has made the best cake ever and David is in expansive patriarch mode. What could be better on a summer’s day in Ambridge? There is even a bottle of champagne.