Jim continues to support Christine – way beyond the call of duty!

Radio Times: Nic just can’t make her mind up, and David offers relationship advice.

Characters: Christine, Clarrie, David, Nic, Ruth

• While Christine is interested in Nic’s wedding plans, she is clearly pre-occupied with when Ivy Horrobin’s funeral is to be – because that will bring Clive to the village.
• David has had a visit from Oliver who has asked his opinion on the viability of a badger vaccination programme. It would have to be every year for five years over a wide area. David thinks they haven’t got a hope but, with his NFU hat on, he will canvass opinion. Ruth mentions Christine’s anxiety about Clive and suggests that David gives her a call; he does so and assures her that she would be welcome at Brookfield if Jim is not around on Thursday – she thinks he is due to give a U3A talk. Anyway she cannot expect him to stay forever (though she gives the impression that she wouldn’t mind if he did).
• There are some gorgeous wedding dresses available and Clarrie is really enjoying being with Nic as she looks at them; not having had a daughter, it’s a treat. But nothing is quite right, so Nic may resort to looking on-line.
• Ruth has been doing some research on milk contracts by talking to a farmer with very similar ideas to their own; he got a supermarket representative to visit his farm and he was impressed – but there was no contract because they didn’t, at the time, need another supplier. Nevertheless, Ruth concludes that he, and hence also she and David, are on the right track.
• Christine was right: Jim was due to give a talk on Thursday but he has cancelled it and is taking her out for the day – far away from Ambridge. Good old Jim! He’s such a kind and sensitive man.