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Radio Times: RSVP is compulsory.

Characters: Clarrie, Eddie, Helen, Peggy, Tommy, Tony, William

• Helen and Tommy are still at each others’ throats, both thinking that the other isn’t pulling their weight and, like a strong undertow in their sea of troubles, there’s still Tommy’s festering resentment at her part in Hayley’s continued absence.
• Tony, with Robert Snell’s backing, is planning a public meeting to discuss GM crops and, specifically, Brian’s testing of them.
• Eddie and Clarrie discuss their gratitude to William and his maturity in offering to sell Posh Spice for the good of the farm. Later Eddie tells this to William. William, though, asks about what sort of a rate of inerest he can expect when his parents repay him, Eddie laughs it off, but William doesn’t seem to be joking!
• Clarrie, meanwhile, has her own problems. Helen’s taking to her new rôle as dairy boss and, in addition to cracking down on timekeeping, she’s decided to institute a hazard analysis critical control point study. Flow diagrams, team testing, jargon, EU directive implications, buzzwords and all. Clarrie’s not convinced she has the time, but Helen is insistent that it needs to be done. Clarrie’s not particularly enjoying life in the dairy at the moment ….
• Peggy’s helping out at Bridge Farm – including making lunch for Tommy who’s too busy with the sausages accounts to feed himself. She’s planning a little family celebration from Helen’s birthday on Friday and has even bought a card for him to sign, but he’s not particularly interested in celebrating her birthday. This does not please his gran and she really takes him to task, pointing out that their bickering is not going to help their mother’s recovery, nor their father to cope with it better than he is. While we know that Helen’s probably more to blame, she does point out some home truths to Tommy – not least a few low blows regarding John and how he took the disappointments and setbacks without grumbling.