8 April 2019 (1st)

The path is blocked by bags of potatoes

Eileen comes round the corner with Huwi in his pram, and discovers the path is blocked by bags of potatoes;  Cassie says that they are for the chip shop and have been there for hours.   

"Aaron, can you get your Mam to move these bags?"

Then Aaron approaches, and Eileen asks him to get his mother to move the sacks;  

"OK, I'll tell her"

he replies that he will tell her.

Brenda casts her eye over the proposed menu

Brenda looks at the proposed menu for Tapas;  “Lamb in rosemary and balsamic vinegar – 

"Welsh 'catwod' – that sounds disgusting!"

“with Welsh ‘catwad’?   That sounds disgusting,” and Jaclyn informs her that it is chutney.   Then Brenda continues, “Pembrokeshire prawns in romesco sauce, and Jaclyn explains that it is spicy prawns.

"This is Carmarthenshire, not the Costa del Sol"

Her mother-in-law doubts if there is much demand for fancy stuff like that around there;  “This is Carmarthenshire, not the Costa Del Sol.”   Jaclyn is hoping that Welsh Tapas food will go down well, and invites Brenda to help out with the romesco sauce.

"Could you go and get a lemon?"

Suspecting that Brenda has no idea about romesco sauce, she asks her to pop over to Tapas to get a lemon, 

"There's no lemon in romesco sauce!"

then laughs as she reveals there is no lemon in romesco sauce.

Aaron looks in  the usual places for the chippy keys

Aaron finds things scattered all over the kitchen, but cannot locate the chip shop keys, 

"Mam, where are the keys?"

so he calls to his mother;  she replies that she is trying to sleep.

Ricky will soon be going to college

In the shop, Mark tells his mother that he will miss Ricky being in the café, and she agrees that it will be hard;  “It’s a big thing – the last chick flying the nest,” she says, “And he’ll be going soon!”

"I wish he'd show some interest in learning to drive"

He anticipates that Ricky will be back for the odd weekend, but wishes that he would show some interest in learning to drive.   “I don’t want to push him,” he tells Kath, 

"How's the party coming along?"

and she wonders how the arrangements for the party are coming along.   “I’ve been looking for music from the late 60s on the Internet,” he says, 

"It doesn't seem like fifty years, does it?"

and his mother cannot believe that it has been fifty years since then.

A brilliant idea occurs to Mark

When he adds that Ricky has been helping him with the arrangements, he has an idea, and rushes out of the shop.

Brenda bewails the lack of mobile signal

Brenda complains, as she is trying to Google something on her phone, but there appears to be no signal;  

"What's in romesco sauce?"

she asks Eileen, “You’re in the food business, aren’t you?   What’s in romesco sauce?”   

Eileen has the facts at her fingertips

Eileen immediately reels off the ingredients – red pepper, oil and almonds.   She also reports that Huwi is tired after keeping her awake all night.

"I'm going to do the gin club every week"

Cassie comes in and orders an Americano, and says she has good news;  “I’m going to do the gin club every week in the Deri – £10 for a year’s membership.”   

"I'm a bit short at the moment"

Predictably, Brenda maintains that she is short of money today and will pay another time.   

"Yes, and pigs will fly!"

Cassie appears to know her sort;  “Yes, and pigs might fly!” she remarks.   Eileen enquires if Cassie is back to stay in Cwmderi, but is told that it depends on whether the club is successful or not.

"This menu sounds lovely"

Mathew tells Jaclyn that her menu sounds lovely, 

"Why don't you stay for dinner, Mathew?"

and is invited to stay for dinner, as she is doing a veggie casserole.   

Guto has had a disappointing detecting session

Guto returns from some metal detecting, which did not go very well, with only a couple of bottle tops and nails to show for it.

Mathew remarks to Tesni, “A metal detector?   

"Your brother's a bit of a weirdo, isn't he?"

“Your brother is a bit of a weirdo, isn’t he?   You know what I mean – you must admit it’s a strange hobby.”   

She quickly spring to her brother's support

Tesni is immediately on the defensive, and replies that it simply shows a bit of his character – so he should be left alone.

"I'm going to hire a chauffeur"

Mark is ironing his postman’s shirt when Ricky returns home;  “I’ve been thinking more about Mam’s party – we want it to be right, and I’m going to hire a chauffeur to drive your mother to the party,” Mark tells him, “Like Parker and Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds.”   

"Thunderbirds?   What's that?"

This reference is completely lost on Ricky, and he is told that they were big – half a century ago.

“A chauffeur will be expensive,” Ricky points out, but his father insists that Ricky can do it;  he will have six weeks to learn, so there is no need to panic.   

"No way!   Why do you have to spoil it?"

However, Ricky’s response is, “No way!   I was looking forward to this party – why do you have to spoil it?”

"And I'm the first member"  (who has not paid)

In the shop, Brenda passes on the message to Kath, “Cassie’s going to hold the gin club in the Deri every week – and I’m the first member.”   

Jaclyn wants to leave some menus in the shop

Jaclyn comes in and asks if she can leave some of her menus on the counter, then Cassie arrives, and is told that Kath wants to join the gin club too.

"Be grateful that you're too young to join"

Jaclyn thinks it sounds like fun, but is informed that it is only for over 50s;  “Be grateful that you’re too young to join,” Cassie advises.

Aaron is hard at work . . .

Aaron has obviously located the keys, as he is bringing in the bags of potatoes through the back door of the chippy.   

. . . and can see that the place is a mess

He sees that the place is in disarray, and sets about cleaning up, 

In the course of cleaning the very dirty hob . . .

but discovers, to his cost, that one of the hotplates on the hob has been left turned on, and burns his arm, 

. . . he sustains a painful burn

very painfully.

"I don't think Ricky's ready to learn to drive"

Mark tells his mother he does not think Ricky is ready to learn to drive, but she suggests that they should offer to buy him a car;  Mark wonders how they will afford that.   She is sure that they can find him an old banger somewhere, 

"He was angry when I mentioned it"

but Mark reports that Ricky was angry when he brought up the matter.   

Ricky comes downstairs

Ricky comes downstairs, and his Gran volunteers to have a word with him;  

"You're still not interested in driving lessons, then?"

“Your father said you’re still not interested in having driving lessons.”   

"A poor student can't afford to run a car"

Ricky points out that a poor student cannot afford to run a car, but she suggests that they could help, as that is what Joneses do – they help each other.

He is quite adamant that he does not want to drive, but Kath goes on about a car being very handy, and how all the other boys will have one.  

"It could be a 'babe magnet'!"

“You know, it could be – what do they call it – a babe magnet?   Look, I know it’s not easy for you, but I’m sure Courtney would want you to learn to drive.”

"How do you know what Courtney would want?"

He demands, “How do you know what she would want?”   

"We just want you to consider it"

Kath points out that all they are asking is that he should consider having driving lessons.

"There is some without chillies"

As they sit round the dining table at number 10, Jaclyn says that she made some without chillies as well;  

Tesni finds that Mathew is a great curry fan

Mathew enjoys curries, which appears to unsettle Tesni.   

Brenda takes this opportunity to get one back on Jaclyn and responds to the accusation she did not know the ingredients of romanesco sauce;  

Brenda is determined to get her own back on Jaclyn

“Everyone knows it’s a sauce with red peppers, almonds and oil,” she boasts.

Mathew asks Tesni, “Aren’t you having any of the spicy one?   You’re not scared of chillies, are you?”   

Guto moves to stop Mathew . . .

Guto protectively prevents Mathew from putting some on her plate, 

. . . which makes him think . . .

and he looks disturbed, but compliments Jaclyn on her food, 

. . . and Tesni is uneasy

and Tesni is very self-conscious.

Britt is in an apparent stupor

Britt is sitting on the sofa in a semiconscious state in front of the television;  

"The potato invoice needs to be paid"

Aaron tells her, “Right, Mam, I moved the sacks of potatoes from the pavement and there was an invoice stuck to one of them.   It needs to be paid.”   

He receives no intelligible response

She seems to be totally disinterested, so he says he will talk to Uncle Garry about it.

"Someone had left a mess down there"

“Is there a rota for who’s working what shift?” Aaron asks, “Someone had left a mess down there.”

"It's spotless – I clean it every morning"

Britt mumbles that it is spotless down there, as she cleans it every morning, but he stresses that she did not do it today.   

"You need to get up in the morning and do it"

“You need to get up in the morning to do it, like you used to,” he instructs her, but she does not appear to be taking any notice of him.

They look at historic photos of Debbie

At Maes-y-Deri, they are sorting through old photographs of Debbie which could be displayed at the party, but Kath considers they ought to be put away, in case Debbie comes back early.   

"I know you don't want to learn to drive"

Then Mark has another try with Ricky;  “I know you don’t want to learn to drive, but I’m still going to get a chauffeur to take Mam to the party – only the best for Mam!”

Now Ricky's mind has been changed

Surprisingly, it seems that now Ricky has changed his mind, and suggests that he might be able to do it;  

"Courtney would have wanted me to learn"

“Courtney would have wanted me to learn – but what if I’m rubbish?   It will be so embarrassing if I can’t do it!   I’ve never driven anything.”   

"Everyone is like that at the start!"

His father says that everyone is like that at the start, so Ricky agrees that perhaps he will have a couple of lessons, 

"But I have the right to stop!"

but if he finds it hard, he has the right to stop;  “And if I’m not ready in time, I won’t be driving Mam to the party.   

"I'm off now, to meet Mathew"

“I’m off to the Deri now, to meet Mathew.”

Seeking assistance, Aaron finds Garry is not there

Aaron has gone to the Deri, but Dan informs him that Garry is not there;  Brenda notices the mark on his arm, but he says that he is all right.   

Brenda opens her big mouth again

“You should hide that – you don’t want Social Security coming round,” says Brenda, “It’s true – any sign of neglect, 

"They'll drag him off to a children's home"

“and they’ll drag him off to a children’s home, before you can say Marilyn Monroe – she was an orphan, wasn’t she?   

"They put her mother in a mental hospital!"

“They put her mother in a mental hospital.”

Aaron beats a hasty retreat

Aaron is quick to point out that there is nothing wrong with his mother, or him, and he leaves the pub.

Cassie regards Mathew as 'a hunk'

Cassie looks across at Mathew, and asks Brenda, “Is that the one who is going out with your Tesni?   He is a hunk!”   

"You and Jean would have got on well together!"

She adds that Brenda and Jean would have got on well together.

"You're good friends with Guto, aren't you?"

Ricky comes in and joins Mathew;  “Listen, you’re good friends with Guto, aren’t you?” Mathew asks, 

"I didn't realise how close he and Tes were"

“I just didn’t realise how close he and Tes were, that’s all,” and Ricky points out that they are twins, but Mathew suspects there is something else which he cannot put his finger on.   

"You're being stupid – Guto's a laugh!"

Ricky considers, “You’re just being stupid – Guto’s a laugh!” and Mathew concedes that perhaps he is just eccentric, like his grandmother.

Tesni takes her tablets . . .

At home, Tesni is taking tablets with a glass of water, 

. . . and thanks Guto for rescuing her

and thanks Guto for rescuing her at dinner time;  she does not know if her parents will suspect anything, but she does not want anyone to find out about last week.   

"We'll stick together, like we always do"

“It will be OK – we’ll stick together, like we always do,” Guto reassures her, but advises that she tell Mathew about the colitis.   

"It would be a turn-off for Mathew"

She replies that it would be a turn-off for him, 

"It's better if he finds out from you"

but Guto emphasises, “He obviously thinks a lot of you, and it’s better if he finds out from you and not someone else.”

"Fatigue can be one of the side-effects"

Aaron looks at the box of tablets which Britt is taking;  “It says here fatigue can be one of the side-effects, Mam.   

"I could help with the cleaning before school"

“Perhaps if you get a good night’s sleep – if you got up quite early, I could help you with the cleaning before going to school.   I know what to do, Mam – I did a bit of cleaning earlier before Madge opened up.”

"What's that on your arm, Aaron?"

Then Britt notices the red mark on his arm, which he explains away as a bit of itching, 

"I want to know if you'll get up early"

then continues, “I want to know if you’ll get up early to do the cleaning, like you usually do.”

"I feel so tired all the time"

She says she cannot promise anything, as she just feels so tired all the time;  as soon as he gets up from the sofa, 

She curls up on the sofa

she lies down and tries to sleep.   

Aaron searches for Social Services . . .

Aaron gets out the laptop and looks on the Chwilota search engine for ‘Social Services’.   

. . . and finds a very relevant page . . .

He finds a page entitled, ‘Worried?’ 

. . . which encapsulates his needs . . .

which accurately summarises 

. . . at this present time

how he is feeling at the moment.