Well here it is, the start of year two at University and I'm sitting here wondering what on earth has hit me. It's only the second week and I'm already shell shocked and knocked out. As I write, I'm listening to Bowie's 'Low' in an attempt to get me out of this strange mood of self-doubt (and if anyone can do it, Bowie can, and has done, many, many times before).
Oh, just a thought - does anyone fancy doing one weekly update next month? It's not for a while yet, but I'll be away on holiday for a week mid-November during reading week - so if anyone wants to take up the reins and write the weekly update while I'm away, let me know. And - completely off topic - and with apologies, but I just had to get this bit in the update somewhere - Sunderland AFC are 3rd, yes 3rd, in the Premiership, their highest position in 49* / 44* / 43* / 19* years (*depending on which newspaper I read last weekend - journalists, pah!). Cheers. Anyway, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.
Not as many tears were spilled this week over events on the Street although there have been a couple of very powerful scenes with Gary this week, not least, at Judy's funeral when he breaks down while trying to give a speech in the church. Natalie tries to console Gary at home, talking to him about coping with the death of Des, and the pair of them had tears in their eyes (as did I). Very moving indeed. Jim showed Gary the car that Vera was driving and it's obvious to Gary that someone has to take the blame for what's happened, but who? He goes round to the B&B to confront Jack and Vera and finds out it's Terry who's sold them the car. Another heart- wrenching scene when Jack calls Terry to tell him "Judy Mallet is dead because of you!". Sitting on the stairs, Jack takes off his glasses, hangs up the phone and breaks down in tears after telling his own son he's going to report him to the police. Terry has other ideas and is round at the B&B as quick as you can say "no evidence" to battle it out with his dad. "I would happily dance on your grave," spits Jack, but Terry tells him there's more chance of him dancing on his dad's grave, his heart being a bit dodgy and all that. Boo hiss. Well, the evidence does indeed go missing while all the regulars are at Judy's funeral, as young Tyrone in the garage doesn't notice the car being taken away to be crushed up into little bitty pieces. Gary's at his wit's end, he's having trouble coping with the crying babies and his anger over Judy's death vents itself when he starts throwing stuff around the living room. It's up to his brother then to persuade Gary to go back to Newcastle with the family for a short break, and Gary reluctantly agrees.
Fred starts to woo Kathleen, much to Audrey's displeasure. She's very jealous but does her best not to let Fred know (and fails miserably, he knows what's up) but when Kathleen dampens Fred's ardour, he takes the lady councillor out for dinner instead.
Sharon goes into the Rovers, humble as anything and after a dressing down from Natalie, makes her peace with Sally too. Bland Danny (who surely would be more appropriately cast in EastEnders?) and Sally get all kissy-kissy now that they can be open about their relationship without upsetting Sharon, but Sally made me roll my eyes to the ceiling and tut loudly when she pulls her hand away from Danny in the café, saying "We're a bit old for hand-holding!". No one is ever too old for hand-holding, believe me. Ian turns up in the Kabin again and takes Sharon out for dinner. Sharon, still hoping and wishing and wanting and believing Ian to be her Mr. Right, invites him to stay overnight in her flat, but on the sofa.
In the Rovers, Vinny's stout is brewing nicely but he needs a name for it. When he asks Betty if she wants to see his real ale and fermenting vessel, she isn't best pleased. "Them as can, do" she tells him. "And them as can't. (and she looks him up and down with disdain) boast about their equipment". The chemistry between these two is wonderful to watch. Less so with Natalie although I'm sure there is an inevitable romance in there somewhere, despite this being a long-sleeved kind of week.
Mike and Linda return from their trip to the Far East and Linda is full of herself after Mike asks her to move into the flat. "I've gotten used to seeing you around the place" he croons in that old lothario way of his, and how could a girl not fall for that, especially when he gives her a silver bracelet she'd been admiring at the airport. Mike takes Linda to her flat to help her pack and is aghast at the hovel she's been living in. "It's all I could afford on what you pay me" she tells him, to which he replies "Your back street days are over, sweetheart. I'm going to turn you into a princess". (Hang on while I throw up). Anyway, she's more than happy to let the factory girls know her new address and Mike breaks the news to Alma, who does a fine job of pretending she's not bothered while reminding Mike her solicitor has contacted him regarding the divorce settlement.
Emily and Maude have set off on their trip and Emily asks the lovely Spider to keep an eye on the house for her, giving him a house key. After Curly throws Spider and Toyah out of his house after a row with Toyah and Spider flashing his underkegs everywhere (honestly girls, you can see his underkegs if you watch, really, really closely with your nose pressed to the screen). So, Spider has an idea - he and Toyah set up house in a tent on the red rec but the sanitary arrangements leave a lot to be desired (there's no toilet or fresh water) and after eating Yams one more time, Toyah isn't best pleased with her new home, especially with Spider's mate, a tramp called Tufty, turns up on the door step, or rather, at the tent-flap, begging for food. Audrey, as councillor in charge of parks and recreation, isn't too pleased when she finds out Spider and Toyah are camping on one of 'her parks' and gives 'Mr Hippy, the armchair anarchist' a piece of her mind. Not that it makes any difference.
Oh, and Gail gets all wistful this week and tells Martin she thinks she's pregnant.
Glenda ;-)
Don't forget to leave a message at Spider's Web! http://zen.sunderland.ac.uk/~aa8gyo/spidersweb.html
Not a very exciting week this week - on the Street, I mean. For me, personally, this week has been a bit of a blinder, exciting and special in every respect (although I would have much preferred Phillips, not Shearer to have scored the first goal for England at the Sunderland Stadium of Light yesterday afternoon). Well, um, anyway. I've sat here and twiddled my hair for the last 10 minutes, bit the top off my pen and got halfway through a glass of Chilean red and still can't think of anything more to put in the preamble, so I won't. Here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.
Toyah isn't adjusting to life under canvas very well, even if it does mean sleeping under the stars with the lovely Spider. She moans that she can't go to college without first having a good wash: "I'm all smelly and wet and me clothes are all dirty and creased". No worries there then Toyah, 6 out of 10 students I meet every day look like that, and quite a few lecturers too. Anyway, declaring herself fed up and in need of a bath, off she goes back to Janice but then persuades Spider to let them both st ay in Aunty Em's house while she's away on her jollies with Maude. Spider isn't too sure about this arrangement, well aware he's broken his promise to Aunty Em about them both not staying in her house, and the two of them have a bit of a falling out. Toyah is keen to make up and fills the house with candles for a romantic night in. While the two of them are upstairs playing battleships in the bath tub, one of the candles sets fire to Aunty Em's curtains and the living room ends up with serious smoke damage. Oh dearie me Spider starts to fret and ends up doing a good impression of Blakey from 'On The Buses'.
Spider had already asked Audrey about renting the flat over the salon, but was put off a little when she asked for a deposit of 500 quid, which he obviously doesn't have. Tom, however, does. He pays up and moves in and Audrey isn't best pleased to see young Tyrone helping him with the move, worrying about "letting that young tyke roam around the streets - he's not even electronically tagged!". Tom turns down the offer of some bits and pieces for the flat from Alma, telling her he's colour co-ordinated (and he is, the flat is gorgeous, lovely curtains).
It's Ken's 60th birthday and Blanche is determined he's going to have a party and enjoy himself, whether he wants to or not: "It's a milestone, not a tombstone. Today you're going to have fun." Deirdre tells her not to make a fuss but it's too late. There's a dedication to him on local radio, his photo in the local paper and a cake and a bit of a do in the Rovers where Blanche lets it be known to anyone who'll listen that Ken has come into a bit of money now, with his pension and all. Mike, who had just found out the extent of the divorce settlement that Alma is entitled to, realises he's going to have to get the money from somewhere to pay his ex-wife and in a moment of sheer Baldwin nastiness, breaks up Ken's birthday celebrations - even Tracy and hubby Robert are there - to tell Deirdre and Ken he wants his money back that he paid for Deirdre's trial. All £10,000 of it.
Over at Underworld, Linda's been acting up all week and not turning in for work. Mike tells her if she wants to stay in her job, she's going to have to start acting like everyone else there, but she's not having it, she's Queen of the Quays now, Lady Muck of the Maisonettes and she can do whatever she wants to. Well, she thinks she can - until Mike sacks her and tells her to find herself another job. Alma, obviously is keen to hear this news from Hayley, and a woman called Gwen takes over at Linda's machine. Gwen was married to a squaddie and waxed lyrical about army men, so she did.
Gail's pregnancy test proves negative. However, to make sure they don't go through a scare like that again, the pair of them sit down to talk about Martin having a vasectomy. Well, Gail talked while Martin flinched.
Vinny's home brew gets the thumbs up from Natalie and a confused look from Betty. The brew, 'Vinny's Velvet' isn't on sale in the Rovers, but each time someone wants a pint of the new beer, they have to put money into the Judy Mallett memorial fund for the twins. Vinny starts flirting with Natalie but she's having none of it for now anyway.
And, over at the café, Curly starts choking on a piece of food that's gone down the wrong way but plucky Roy saves the day with his life saving heimlich manoeuvre.
And that's about it for this week.
This week's update brought to you with the help of Morrisson's Chilean wine (red, one glass of).
Glenda ;-)
The continuing saga of my dodgy video recorder ended this week when the poor thing died. One episode of the Street this week was missed when a phenomenal contemporary version of 'Swan Lake' had me cheering, clapping and crying throughout. Another episode was missed last night when the lads won 2-1 over Aston Villa - and while that had me cheering and clapping, I managed not to shed tears. So, it is with the help of my top bloke once more that I bring you this week's Coronation Street update.
The lovely Spider enlists Hayley to help out redecorating Aunty Em's front room after last week's fire. While she gets cracking making new curtains, Spider and Toyah do the wallpapering and the place looks ok again. Hayley happens to mention that now Linda's moved in with Mike, her old bedsit is free - at last, Spider and Toyah have a home to call their own. Only one slight problem, they can't afford it, so Spider, bless him, decides it's time he got himself out and got a job (about bloody time, too !). Off he goes to the jobcentre and tries to get a job as park keeper but the job has already gone. However, Earnest in the jobcentre tries to find something suitable for him. He tries slaughterhouse work (no - he's vegetarian), pest control (no - he can't kill creepy crawlies), car park attendant (no - we all know the damage they do to the environment), baker (no - too many animal fats and GM foods) and canal dredger (no - he can't work with Toyah's dad).
Mike gives Linda a list of contacts to.. er, contact to see if she can get herself an interview for a new job. However, she takes it upon herself to get in touch with ex-employer Paul Wheeler - well, he does have a bigger factory than Mike does and it b ecomes obvious the two of them have a bit of history between them. Super slimy Wheeler gives Linda the job straight away, having checked her credentials and gone over one or two points previously, and Mike isn't best pleased (in fact, he's more than a little jealous) that Linda is working for Wheeler. (Anyone else think that Linda has a look of Judy Garland about her? Or maybe it's just the way the light shines on my telly).
Ken hands over the £10,000 to Mike as demanded last week. When he explains to Deirdre that he did it to get rid of Mike once and for all, and that he wished he could have paid for the lawyer at the time herself - she goes all mushy.
Roy and Hayley attend a first aid class in a village hall. "Once Lester unravelled that crepe bandage I could focus on nothing else". There weren't many people there but it doesn't deter these two, thinking it might get a better turn out if they hold it in the café instead and Roy sticks up posters advertising the class. Tyrone says he'll come along as long as there'll be loads of girls there.
Maxine returns home alone after poor Ashley can't face the flight and is coming home on a cargo boat later. Fred and Doreen meet Maxine, distraught, at the airport and drive her home, where she refuses to walk through the front door because Ashley had promised to carry her over the threshold - awww. After telling Maxine about Judy's death, Doreen tells Maxine she'll hang about a bit at their place until Maxine gets settled in, but the truth emerges that Doreen has left Maxine's dad and needs a place to stay. All this bad news is too much for poor Maxine to take and she goes round to see Tom in his flat - only to be met by Mel in Tom's dressing gown, the pair of them up to rumpeh pumpeh despite Mel's impending matrimonials. Tom however, has problems of his own when his dad turns up in the Rovers and causes a bit of a scene. Turns out his dad is none other than Crusher Ferguson, ex-rugby player, who isn't best pleased his son turned out to be a hairdresser. Tom however, has gone into shock at the thought of having his first storyline.
A great few scenes when Ian takes Sharon away to Nottingham for the weekend, and of course Sharon is too scared to tell Rita, well aware of her feelings about Ian. However, Natalie spies Ian and Sharon leaving in his car and tells Rita - a great scene in which Rita's feathers are obviously ruffled at not being told the truth from Sharon herself - but she isn't going to let Natalie know that she doesn't know, you know? So, when Sharon comes back and Rita says she knows the truth, Sharon storms into the Rovers to give Natalie a piece of her mind, but it doesn't do anything other than make Sharon look a bit more stupid than she is already for even considering taking Ian back in the first place. Sharon tells Sally she's fallen head over heels for Ian (again) but instead of the expected support, Sally berates her friend. After that argument in the Rovers, Sharon decides she's going to rub Natalie's nose in it and takes Ian into the Rovers with her. Natalie remains aloof but there's a definite atmosphere and Ian wants to leave. Sharon persuades him to go to the bar and while he's there, Vinny fills him in on the happenings of the night before and he storms out. Sharon runs after him but Ian tells her he's angry at being used. He drives off into the night as Sharon cries again.
And that's about that for this week.
Glenda ;-) http://zen.sunderland.ac.uk/~aa8gyo/index.html
If it's not one thing it's another, innit? Last week my VCR finally collapsed and died so I buried it in the garden next to the goldfish and this week, IT-blinking-V wouldn't work properly so all I could get for tonight's episode was a gist of what was going on so forgive me if I make some of it up again (it's okay, no one usually notices when I do this anyway). Further calamities this week included my update book running out so I've got 4 separate sheets of paper - some small bits, some old bits, so me recycled bits, which I've got stuck all over the PC in the hope it'll make some sort of sense. Anyway, without any further ado, here is this week's Coronation Street update.
Mike isn't best pleased at the attention his bird Linda is receiving from new boss Wheeler. When he finds out that Wheeler is calling to pick up Linda in his motor to take her into work, he tells Linda he doesn't want her working there any longer and tells her she's working back at the factory. Linda seems quite happy about this arrangement, strangely Ken has a word with her in the Rovers and she gets that sly grin on her face when she says: "I won't be making any more problems for Mrs. Rashid". Yeah , right, and I'm Ethel Merman.
Is it Spider? Or is it me? I mean, what's going on? Why have I fallen out of lust with the eco-warrier these days? He's just a pale imitation of the enigmatic crusty he used to be when he first turned up on Aunty Em's doorstep. Yes folks, this love affair with Spider could be on the wane, I'm sorry to say. He just doesn't really cut it any more, does he? I mean, there he was this week lounging around in his grundies, displaying a pierced nipple and all I could think when I saw him was that he needed a good feeding up. Well anyway, realising he has to take his responsibilities a bit more seriously these days now he's got Toyah and a bedsit to care for, he decides to get himself a job. "Principles don't put bread on the table", Gail tells him. So there's only one thing for it - he goes for an interview with the establishment - the Benefits Agency itself. A bit nervous before the interview, he starts talking to a guy who works there, only to find it's fellow crusty Ganga Tim. "There's somethi ng I should tell yer" says Spider, "I'm an anarchist". "So am I" replies GT. It's a done deal, he gets the job, planning to make the system work to help claimants with their benefits rather than becoming one of the establishment himself.
Aunty Em returns from her travels with Maude and realises straight away what's been going on in her living room. She does a great impression of Lady Bracknell: "A FIRE?" when Spider and Toyah eventually come clean about why they had to redecorate. Emily isn't best pleased though and throws them out after taking Spider's key from him. However, Maude makes Emily see reason and warns her about turning people away. So, Em pops into the jobcentre to see Spider and invites him and Toyah round that evening . She gives them a cheque for £100 to cover expenses involved in redecorating but Spider tears the cheque up, he can't accept it, although Toyah would have snatched it from Aunty Em's hand, given half a chance.
Rita isn't too happy that Sharon continues to see Ian and calls her a 'daft schoolgirl'. To call her a 'brainless bimbo with no guts who needs a life' would have been more appropriate, but never mind. Things are moving along between Shazza and Ian but Sharon can't bring herself to tell Rita she's seeing Ian (again) and she lies (again) saying she's out with Sally - and Rita finds out the truth - of course. How can you keep any sort of secret in Coronation Street, for goodness sake? Lots of snogging and tongues down throats between Sharon and Ian this week. It's almost enough to put you off your pie and chips.
Maxine is beside herself with worry. Still using the back door of the house until her new husband returns home, she gets a call from Ashley to say he's stuck in Iceland after a storm hit the cargo boat: "He had to batten down the hatches, go below deck , and he's out of seasickness tablets!" she moans to her mum. Meanwhile, Doreen has problems of her own when Maxine's dad Derek turns up to try to woo his wife back home with the promise of a new bathroom suite (blokes can be SO romantic when they put their mind to it, can't they?). He also brings a bunch of chrysanths he's picked up somewhere but sadly, they don't smell good enough to hide the stench of 25 bad years together, and Doreen isn't swayed (who would be?). She tells Maxine she'll stay at her house longer until things are sorted out between her and Derek.
Roy and Hayley - wearing vomit-inducing matching jumpers - hold the first aid class in the café and there are great scenes and a lot of innuendo to be had when Roy struggles home with a blow-up doll under his arm. No, not that sort of blow-up doll, the sort of doll people in first aid classes use to practise on. First aider Lester leads the session and Roy isn't at all happy, in fact he gets quite jealous, that Hayley is better at this first aid lark than he is. He's so jealous that he even accuses Hayley of flirting with Lester. Flirting? In that jumper?
It's the anniversary of Natalie's wedding to Des and of course, she's a wee bit emotional. Betty realises the date and tells the others to tread carefully around Natalie - Vinny wonders if she'll remember it's her wedding anniversary anyway: "I used to forget mine regular" he says. But of course Natalie does remember and she's upset after spending a bit of time in the old house surrounded by her memories. Jim finds her crying on the cobbles, hugs her and takes her for a drink in the Flying Horse. Over a chat with Jim, she decides to sell the house and sort out Des' things once and for all. It's time for her to move on, a little anyways. When Vinny and Leanne find out that Natalie has been out drinking with Jim, so she has, they wonder what's goin g on and if indeed she has given Des any thought, today of all days.
Tyrone gets a little visitor in the garage when he feeds his sandwiches (which Vera made for his lunch) to a thin scraggy dog that just happened to be walking by.
A good line in the Rovers this week when Vinny cheekily wonders if Emily is chatting him up when she asks him: "A sherry, please. Sweet". It's a bit like the time I asked an assistant in Safeway "Excuse me, where's the Coffeemate?". He pointed at the Nescafe and laughed: "It's there, pet." Oh, and look out for the dishy non-speaking-extra bloke in the Rovers this week - I think it was Sunday night he was in.. not bad at all.
And that's about that for this week.
Glenda ;-)
