Lynda’s Christmas plans are back on course; Ruth and Jill realise that they don’t have any yet.

Radio Times: Lynda’s plans have a hollow ring.

Characters: Caroline, David, Eddie, Jill, Lynda, Ruth, William

• David had been looking forward to a lie in but it is not to be: a phone call from Freda brings the news that Bert has done his back in. Great!
• Lynda and Caroline are in differing moods. Caroline is about to go riding with Oliver but Lynda is down because Robert has discovered her grand Christmas plans and all now hangs on the reaction of his daughters. When Eddie comes by, Lynda scales down her Christmas evergreen order. Eddie is going to the Country Park; when Carloline asks where will he be getting his supplies of mistletoe and holly this year, the response is rather evasive.
• Jill calls at Brookfield after church and Ruth drops off in mid-sentence. To give her and David a break, Phil will do the early milking tomorrow and the children can stay overnight at Glebe Cottage. When Eddie calls seeking orders for Christmas turkeys, they realise that they have not given it much thought yet.
• Caroline assures William that she has everything in hand for the lunch for Wednesday’s shoot. William bemoans the fact that he cannot get any of Eddie’s time to look for a new car, the insurance cheque having arrived. Caroline does her godmother duty and offers to go with him. Lynda turns up in much better spirits; the girls have given sufficient approval for the Christmas plans to go ahead.
• After a twelve hour day, David thinks he must be mad to let Ruth drag him up Lakey Hill. However the spectacle is worth the effort: the shooting stars are stunning. Ruth has been thinking about Christmas. With Shula and Elizabeth both committed to their spouses families, they should invite Phil and Jill to Brookfield but Ruth is worried that, being six months pregnant by then, she will not cope with the cooking.