6 January 1998

Happy New Year! As regular readers will know, I usually settle down on a Monday night to write the weekly update with a chilled glass of something lovely and a few bits and pieces to nibble on as I type away at my PC. Tonight, due to the excesses of the last couple of weeks, you find me with a hot cup of Earl Grey and a couple of digestives, listening to The Lighthouse Family on CD in the background (on low volume, of course). Today was my first day back at work after 2 weeks of eating, drinking and lazy days so if the update cuts short half way through while you reading it, it means I've fallen asleep at the PC. And finally, for my two friends who admitted the other evening that they aren't (heaven forbid) true Corra fans and the only reason they subscribe to the updates each week is to read my prattle at the beginning of each update, I'd just like to say "Glenmorangie" and you both know who you are.

Another strong week on the Street this week that saw me warming to Toyah Battersby, her tough nut exterior cracked open just a little when she told Spider she loved him. She found out it was his birthday and gave him one of those huge cardboard cards but all Spider did was lament about how the only people who profited from birthdays were the capitalist card manufacturers. "It's okay" replied Toyah "I didn't buy it, I nicked it!. Spider and Toyah join forces against the council's plan to build a concert bowl on the red rec, along with Roy and some of the others in the Street. They hold a protest meeting in the Rovers which turns into a shouting match, led by Janice Battersby, of course. Roy laments the destruction of the hoary ground wort on the red rec, and Toyah paints a sign, bless her, that reads "Save whorey". Spider laughs at her spelling error and she gets a little upset about it "It's not my fault I'm thick, it's the government's!". They both decide they'll handcuff themselves to the trees in the red rec when the revolution comes, and have a rehearsal in Emily's house, handcuffing each other to the stair banisters. When Spider asks Toyah for the key so he can unlock the cuffs, she admits she left it on the sideboard so they both miss out on the protest meeting at the council and have to stay locked together until Aunty Em comes home, hours later. I really enjoy Spider, he's a scream, very likeable (and real) and has quickly become my favourite character on the Street.

Well! What can I say! Deirdre finally found out about Jon! Sitting in the Rovers on New Years Eve, she tells Liz she's going to surprise Jon at Try-n-Sly. Armed with a bottle of cheap fizzy stuff she strolls in to ask the assistant where Jon is, and she finds out that Jon is at home with his wife and kids. Surely not? She gets Jon's address from the assistant and, complete with bulging neck muscles, storms to the house. Jon's wife answers and Deirdre tells his wife, kind of cryptically I thought, that she is the "mystery woman". "What was all that about?" asks his wife after Deirdre leaves, "I really don't know" says Jon. (Actually, it's all more of a let down than a show down). Anyway, Jon comes to see Deirdre a few days later and tells her that his wife is psychotic and that he can't leave her because she's threatened to kill their children if he leaves her, but this time he will start divorce proceedings and promises to be true to Deirdre. Far too late, Deirdre realises what a fool she's been and orders Jon to leave immediately. She goes to see Jon's wife later and tells her what Jon had told her about his wife, but the wifey doesn't want to believe Deirdre, after Jon told her that Deirdre was a maniac who had been stalking him. She tells Liz she'll withdraw £500 each day from his credit card until her £5,000 has been repaid and that she'll leave the house for Jon to continue paying the mortgage, and move into a little flat on her own again. Sounds straightforward but I don't think it will be that simple - especially now I've heard that Deirdre gets thrown in jail soon on charges of fraud!

Looks like Liz McDonald is set to have an affair with Mike Baldwin! Mike takes Liz on as a machinist in Underworld, and the girls, especially Janice Battersby, are not best pleased, wondering why Mike would take on someone without any experience but who does wear tiny skirts and tight tops. When Alma finds out that Mike has taken Liz on, she wonders what is going on too, and Mike tells her that he has taken on someone tarty like Liz to fit in with his expansion plans for Underworld. (Yeah, well, that's one word for it!).

Sally isn't happy that Natalie keeps hanging around Kevin at the garage, on the pretence of "doing the books". She feels she can't trust Kevin and wonders if their relationship will ever be the same as it was before his affair with the hoary ground wort.

Nick tells Leanne he is going to visit some Canadian friends in Scotland for a few days and when Leanne tells him how much she'll miss him, he asks her to go along on the trip with him. As the Battersby's sit around and argue in front of the TV, Leanne sneaks out of the house, leaving a note in the fridge for her parents. The two of them book into a bed and breakfast in Scotland, wondering how much fun it would be to get married while they're in Scotland, and so decide to get married the next day. Oh dear, I don't think Gail will be best pleased somehow.

Zoe is still staying with Ashley and the two of them hug and kiss. She tells baby Shannon (aka Katie) "I bet you think he's your dad don't you? Well, I wish he were".

Well that's my lot. I'm off for another cuppa and an early night. No more booze for me for oh.. at least till the weekend. I hope you all have a great '98 and that it brings you everything you desire for yourself, and more.

Glenda :-)


13 January 1998

Hello again - doesn't Christmas seem like a long time ago now? It's been a cracker of a week on the Street, I've had quite a few chuckles and the storylines are strong right now. Anyway, I can't think of anything pithy or witty to prattle on about before the update this week and it IS rather late as I type this after watching Corra on video later than usual tonight. So, with a yawn and sleepy eyes, here is this week's Coronation Street update.

The campaign to save the Red Rec moves to Councillor Robert's own back garden when Spider and Roy set up camp in Audrey's flower beds. "I just don't know what they're getting up to out there Alfie, I'll never sit in that end of the garden again" she moans. Supported by Toyah and Emily, the men are supplied with flasks of hot drinks to keep them going. A friend of Spider's sends him a didgeridoo through the post which adds nothing to the storyline but made me laugh, especially when Audrey refers to it as a didgeridoo-dah. Emily phones the local paper who come to take photos and write up about the 'save the Red Rec' campaign but the photographer is more interested in taking pictures of Toyah, preferably chained to a tree. Just as he's focusing his lens, Les tears onto the scene and the photographer demands to know who he is. "I'm the girl's father" he says "and her agent... how much are we talking about for these photos?!". What Roy and Spider don't yet know is that the council are set to bulldoze the Red Rec without any prior warning, while Weatherfield slumbers in the early hours of the morning. Audrey starts getting dreamy about being Lady Roberts if Alf gets knighted for his work on the millennium concert bowl.

The girls at Underworld are still at odds with Liz McDonald. "The only reason she got this job" says Janice Battersby "is because of the underwear she shows, not the underwear she sews". Good one Janice.

Leanne and Nick go to the register office in Scotland hoping to get married there and then but find out they have to give 2 weeks notice of their marriage first, so return to Weatherfield for a fortnight until they can go back to Scotland and be married. Both Gail and Janice are horrified that the two of them had been to Scotland together. ('Fraid I can't remember if they told their parents about the impending nuptials... should pay more attention, I know, I know).

Ken is curious to know what's happened between Deirdre and Jon and at first she doesn't want to tell him, she doesn't want anyone to know and Liz advises her to tell people they split up after an argument that couldn't be solved. In the end, Deirdre does tell Ken the truth and he's quite protective of his ex-wife. Then, we see a strange man in a bank complaining about unauthorised debits from his credit card. I thought one of my dogs had stood on the remote control at this point and turned the TV station over because there were two people on screen, neither of which I associated with the Street.. but it soon became clear. The debits had been made by Deirdre, after Jon had forged this guy's signature to allow Deirdre an additional credit card on the stranger's account. The stranger had just returned to the country and wondered what was going on with his card. Next time Deirdre tries to take some money from the cashpoint machine, her request is declined and the machine swallows her card. I hate it when it does that, don't you?

Zoe complains to Ashley that she needs a night out so he reluctantly agrees to go nightclubbing with her, and Toyah babysits. While they're out, the baby keeps crying and Toyah has to get Janice to help her quieten the baby down. Ashley is concerned about the baby and rings home often, but there's no-one answering the phone at his house, so he starts to worry and tells Zoe to come home with him to find out what's happened, but Zoe refuses. She doesn't go home with him, or after him, and still hasn't returned home the next day. Uncle Fred can't understand why Ashley is being so protective of Zoe and the baby, and they both argue, with Ashley telling Uncle Fred to leave the house, which he does. When he returns later, he asks Ashley again what's going on and Ashley admits he has feelings for Zoe. Fred is aghast, I say, he's dumbfounded.

Ken has another escort job with Alec's dating agency, and he escorts a bit of rough but posh totty to a book launch. While the author whitters on about his new book, it becomes clear that the date is the author's wife, using Ken to make her husband jealous. Ken doesn't seem to mind though, it's better than sitting in knitting cardigans for himself.

And that's it for this week.

Glenda :-)


20 January 1998

Hello folks and sorry the update is a couple of days late this week. Due to a rather social hectic whirl (I wish!) I haven't had time to catch up with events until this afternoon when I settled down with my VCR for a 90 minute Street-fest. Problem is, when you sit and watch Deirdre and all her problems for 90 minutes, it makes you never want to watch Corra again!

So anyway, Deirdre has problems. Well, we all knew that of course, it just took her a few months longer than every other person on the planet to realise what was going on with greasy Mr Crisp-n-Dry. After last week when the cash point machine ate her card she goes to the bank to find out why. The lady at the bank is polite enough to Deirdre but calls in a police officer to take over the situation, after telling Deirdre about Mr. Jenkins and the money missing from his account. Of course, Deidre knows nothing about a Mr. Jenkins and denies the accusation of fraud strenuously.. but would YOU believe someone with side-burns like hers? She gets whisked off to the police station for questioning, the police officer tells Deirdre that they have tried to contact Jon Lindsay but he's took his wife and kids and left the area. (Why aren't we surprised?) Deidre is told she can go home, but not to the house she's living at, as there is some confusion over who actually owns the house - her, Lindsay or Jenkins - so Ken offers to take her in, which she accepts. She's called back to the police station a few days later only to be arrested and charged with fraud! What will happen to Deirdre now? Who will come to her rescue? Tune in next week to find out (if you can be bothered). Sorry, but this storyline was quite intriguing when it started off, then it turned silly, now it's just plain awful.

Zoe has moved back into Uncle Fred's house with Ashley and Uncle Fred is not best pleased. When he finds out that Zoe is no longer sleeping in the spare room, "She sleeps with me, Uncle Fred" says Ashley, Fred tells Ashley to pack his bags and get ready to move out, because he's going to put the house up for sale. Gary and Judy return from their trip to Newcastle and Judy is very upset that Zoe is still living across the road with the baby. Gary asks Jim McDonald for a job, and Jim is glad to take him on, so he is.

Events on the red rec turn ugly when Les Battersby gets a job as a security guard on the site. Toyah finds out about the council's plan to start bulldozing so she alerts everyone to get on the red rec before the guards arrive. There's some good comedy in this storyline, with Emily borrowing some outdoor clothes from Samantha, asserting herself all over the place and even arguing with Fred Elliott. Les and Janice are on the site, wondering why Toyah is playing truant from school and trying to keep Spider from corrupting their innocent daughter. Not that Spider would do anything like that you understand, not Spider. Spider's mate Mole turns up and starts digging a tunnel in an effort to get some publicity for the red rec and stop the bulldozers from moving on the site.

Des and Samantha start making plans for a summer holiday and Des is quite suprised with himself that he can make plans so far ahead with someone without quaking in his boots. He takes the morning off work and spends it in bed with Samantha and later, quicker than you can say "duvet cover" he's asked her to marry him. She takes a while giving him her answer, but eventually tells Des she wants to wait until her seperation and divorce are final, and that could be anything up to 5 years. Des isn't too happy about waiting that long and gets that sulking puppy dog look about him.

Well, I think that's about all for this week.

Glenda :-)


27 January 1998

Well, I'm another day late with the update, it's getting to be a habit with me now for which I apologise. Still, better late than never eh?! I'm dashing off after writing the update this week to see "Titanic" at the cinema, all 3 and a half hours of it so it had better be good.

I'm handing over the update reins next week to C.P.Turner@durham.ac.uk, whom I have asked to write the weekly update for me. If you're already familiar with CP's very funny and rather um... er... original posts to the Coronation Street newsgroup ratucs, then you'll know you'll be in for a treat. If you've never heard of CP Turner before, then all I can suggest before you read next week's update is pour yourself a stiff brandy (I'm sure CP would agree, stiff ones are the best ones), lock up your sons and brace yourself.

In the Rovers, Vera falls down the stairs and injures herself. She refuses to sleep upstairs with Jack when he suggests they replace the staircase and have a ladder as their temporary route upstairs. Jim and Gary are called in to replace the stairs, which they do, but Alec refuses to foot the bill, saying he's not responsible for the repairs as he doesn't live on the premises. Jim and Gary start to wonder if they'll ever get paid but Jack and Vera come to an agreement with the lads to pay the £1,400 in instalments.

Deirdre is in court and has her passport taken away from her as a condition of bail. She gets sacked from her job after a suit from head office comes to visit Sunliners and tells Deirdre he would prefer it if she "took some time off". Mike's solicitor Frankie is on the case, trying to give as much support to Deirdre as possible but everyone, including Frankie AND Ken are having a hard time believing Deirdre, much as they want to. The general opinion is "how can any one person be so flippin' stupid to be taken in by Jon Lindsay and his tie rack full of lies". Indeed.

Emily finally stops protesting and comes down from her tree she and Spider spent the night up at the red rec and the story gets in the local papers. When Curly realises there's press involvement, he's there with supplies from Bettabuys hoping for some free publicity.

Leanne and Nick have their coach tickets for Scotland and their marriage license is all ready, the young lovers are looking forward to running away to get married, they think they're the only ones who know their little secret until Roy Cropper overhears them talking in the cafe and puts two and two together. (Phew, that was a long sentence) Will he tell Gail what he's heard? (And that was quite a short one).

A new character appeared this week in the shape of Hayley Patterson. Now, Hayley is a woman, played by a female actress but it's a character with a difference and all will be revealed in the course of the next few weeks. We're introduced to her in Curly's office when he's giving her a rollicking for not being assertive enough with the other staff.

Des goes down to London to meet up with Samantha's ex-husband and demands that he divorces Samantha immediately. Richie figures out that Des wants to marry Sam, and tells him that Samantha will never do what anyone else wants her to do, she's a free spirit and very wilful, but Des doesn't listen to him. He walks into the Rovers later and presents Sam with an engagement ring, and although Sam smiles and says thankyou, you can tell she's not best pleased about the situation. She doesn't wear her ring, after telling Des it's too large and needs adjusting, and Des believes her (sort of).

Gary goes to the arcade to ask Judy's boss if she can have her old job back and the boss agrees. When Judy finds out that Gary has been to the arcade, she's furious and goes to see her boss to tell him that it wasn't her idea that Gary had been to see him. I was a bit confused about this storyline, but it does appear that Judy's boss has been putting more in the slot than a few pennies and that's why Judy resigned. The boss tells Judy her job is there if she wants it, and she accepts. Will Gary ever find out the truth?

And that's just about that for this week. Quite a slow week all in all, concentrating on the dilemmas of Deirdre, and I have to say Anne Kirkbride has been pulling out all the stops and neck muscles to give a convincing portrait of the silly demented slapper that Deirdre has turned into.

So, it's over to CP Turner next week... !!!! I'll see you all the week after that.

Glenda :-)


Written by Glenda Young


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