Joe puts Clarrie in the picture and thinks big about his birthday.

Radio Times: Joe makes plans for the barn.

Characters: Clarrie, Daniel, Jill, Joe, Neil, Shula, Susan

• Susan is anxious not to be ‘late for school’ – it’s her first day in her new job. Neil is still worrying about the negative results from the tests on Tom’s pigs. He now feels that his new job description and pay rise were under false pretences. Tom hasn’t mentioned it (is he sickening for something?) but it would be easier for Neil if he’d been proved right.
• Shula and Jill are discussing the dwindling number of horses at the Stables. Jill tries to be encouraging about the future, but Shula expresses her fears that the slasher may yet turn on Daniel. It’s like living in limbo, waiting for something to happen. Jill is obviously taken aback by this thought and offers to have Daniel at Glebe Cottage until the villain is caught.
• Joe has borrowed Jennifer’s digital camera to photograph the pole barn. He agrees that the black roof looks much better and persuades a reluctant Clarrie to pose with the turkeys.
• Later, Shula phones her mother to report that Daniel would rather stay at the Stables. Jill is not too surprised – Daniel had told her that he didn’t want to go back to school as it would mean leaving his Mum alone with the horses. He hasn’t said much about school today, but neither has he said he doesn’t want to go tomorrow. Daniel would now like Scruff to watch television with him, but Shula suggests a walk – a Guard Dog Patrol!
• Neil catches up with Susan in the shop and is pleased to hear that her first day at school was a success. He’s proud of her and goes home to start making the tea.
• In the Bull, Joe puts his photos on the website for everyone to admire. Clarrie thinks they look really good. He wants to leave the computer on, until Clarrie reminds him he’ll have to pay extra … !! She tells him that Emma has applied for a moped under the ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme, as it’s not always convenient for Will to run her to Borchester. Then she asks what Joe would like to do for his birthday. He has big ideas – a barbeque for the whole village beside the pole barn! He’s joking isn’t he? Surely it’s not suitable with Ed’s curfew and his waiting to go to court. She doesn’t want him to have to miss another party. A nice family dinner at home, with a drink in the Bull after – she really couldn’t manage nothin’ bigger at the moment …