15/03/2023

Ben gets curmudgeonly Sykesy talking about his memories of Brookfield. As he warms to his subject Ben uses the moment to announce it’s his birthday, and Sykesy should join them for tea and cake in the residents’ dining room. After some obfuscation, Sykesy agrees. As Ben tries to jolly him along Jill appears with homemade cake, and the two are introduced. They have common ground as Jill remembers his name and that he worked the farms around Ambridge. Ben’s horrified when Jill asks if Sykesy’s still grumpy, but Sykesy laughs it off. He enjoys Ben’s embarrassment at his Gran’s birthday fussing, and offers enthusiastically to help cut the cake. Eddie’s under the impression Clarrie’s at work, but Neil tells him the dairy’s shut while the observation window’s being installed. They wonder what’s going on, and where their wives are. Neil calls Susan but gets no response. Later Eddie gets a text from Ned; Clarrie’s been spotted at a music festival. The men are even more puzzled, but at least it means they won’t be disturbed while they work in the garden at Grange Farm. When Clarrie gets home Eddie makes it clear he knows where she’s been. Why didn’t she tell him? Clarrie says it was payback for his own mysterious behaviour recently. Eddie shows her the reason. He and Neil have relocated Susan’s pergola to Grange Farm, while Susan’s having a new summer house. Clarrie’s delighted and touched he made this effort on his birthday. He declares Clarrie is the best birthday present he could have.