Robert spends a day rabbit catching with Eddie; Matt gets his planning permission; Ruth has another false alar

Radio Times: Run rabbit, run.

Characters: David, Eddie, Jill, Joe, Lynda, Robert, Ruth

• Taking everything mega-seriously as usual, Lynda is on four hourly watch with her new ‘baby’ and trying out her seldom-used lullaby repertoire. Robert warns her that David will be rather more than irritated if she turns it into a pet and he doesn’t want her upset like she was over Persephone’s kids. Lynda is not too keen on Robert going blood-sporting with Eddie, even though it could be deemed a public service – but in the circumstances she feels that the marvellous neighbourliness they have experienced during their traumas is worthy of any repayment possible.
• Joe and Eddie are waiting for Robert to arrive in the field at Lower Park, so that he can save them from some of the manic running about when the rabbits break. Joe can’t quite see how ‘a few poxy rabbits’ can possibly fulfil Eddie’s idea of a boost to their income – but can see some potential in Baby Spice. (Is she still at Brookfield?) William has moved on from wanting her, but where would they put her at Keeper’s Cottage? What would Clarrie say? Who owes the Grundys a bit of a favour? No-one, says Eddie immediately… but hang on, here comes Robert Snell at last………
• David is under the car? van? tractor? But Ruth wants a few minutes to talk about names for sprog – David can’t even say Chloe, but Ruth has already blown that one out – and she reckons Lynda’s lamb will have a name by now – more than their baby will have at this rate!! Emily? Charlotte? Jessica? But it’s not going to be a girl, is it?? Ben, not Jack? Sam? No, Benjamin it is for a boy. Pin down the name for a girl then onto middle names? David is saved from more torture (he’s SO typical…!) by the arrival of Jill announcing a rep, requiring a shopping list and letting on that Matt got his planning permission, George got his pine martin and Chris got livid!
• The total so far is twenty-two and Robert is ready for lunch but not for pulling rabbits necks. They’ve lost the ferret’s signal, which means digging for it, when Ruth appears in the field complete with contraction. Joe calmly suggests the nice, dry bracken ‘over here’ and Robert frantically asks if he’d better phone someone.
• Jill, busy as ever, has agreed to chair the sub-committee for the Jubilee Party and offers to have the children a bit more, overnight even, whenever necessary. She gets an in-advance hug for Mothering Sunday from David and Ruth fancies one (a hug) too as well as a lie down after her most recent false alarm. (disapproving mutters all round!)
• Robert’s appearance especially the unmentionable on his sleeve, is obviously as gruesome to Lynda as his description of the gruelling day’s activities! The first couple of sunny hours with birds singing while they netted a huge warren degenerated into exhausting diving all over the place, neck-pulling, Joe giving advice, wind, rain, no lunch break, lost ferret, hand down a rabbit hole, handful of maggoty rabbit – to say nothing of Ruth’s contraction! Eddie is obviously made of tougher stuff ‘cos he’s got a couple of days slabbing tomorrow!! We understand, Robert – that hot bath will soon sort you out… But Lynda – you’ve been thinking again, haven’t you? About the fancy dress dinner dance? Little Bo Peep perhaps? Or Mary? With her little lamb?? Surely NOT the real thing??? Of course not – it’s obvious that Robert would be the lamb……………