4 February 2002

Greetings and welcome to another weekly update.  It's been another week of changes for the Street, not least because we hear that Bet is definitely coming back.  Make of that what you will. Me? I'm overjoyed.  And so, with lemonade and some chocolate, and without any further ado here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

Eve decides to speed things up when Shelly confides she wants Peter to ask her to move in with him. So Eve tells Peter that Shelley's being evicted from her flat and needs a place to stay. Anyway, it all ends up nicely with Shelley moving in and putting cushions everywhere. Much like I've been doing this week myself, ahem.  They throw a flat-warming party to which the usual suspects turn up for free drink and a booze-up along with Blanche and Roy and Hayley.  Blanche makes merry with the vodka bottle and Roy and Hayley take off their cardis and cut the rug to Dusty in a truly wonderful, truly Cropper scene.

But while Shelley and Duggie get cosy, Toyah and Sam are drifting apart. Toyah tries to avoid Sam and tells him (twice, poor bloke) that he's like a puppy dog following her.  He can't quite understand what's gone wrong but Toyah knows she has to be honest and he's not the bloke for her.  Methinks she could've been nicer, if she'd tried. She tells Les she thinks Sam's a great bloke, but not for her.  Of course Les misunderstands and tells Sam he's still in with a chance so Sam goes and spoils it all by saying something stupid like "Will you marry me?" to Toyah who replies with something sensible like "no".

Vik's still going nuts over Hazel, his angel fare from taxi-cab heaven.  But he gets confused when he arrives to pick her up from home and her husband gets in the car with her. He confides to Steve about what's going on and is warned to be careful about what he's doing.

Duggie hosts a card game for the lads in his flat after hours.  The talk turns to women and Duggie comments: "Being with a new woman is much like driving a new sports car."  "Especially with the top off" says Dev.    While they're playing cards, Richard spots Duggie unlock a mini-safe in the living room.  The safe is stuffed with used notes, cash that the tax man knows nowt about.  Duggie and Sunita had relationship troubles this week but I won't bore you with those, it's not worth it. Read on and you'll see why.   Richard becomes increasingly concerned about the quality of work that Duggie's men are doing in the house.  Duggie shrugs it off, what's a few cut corners between friends?  Alone and in the dark, Richard goes to the house to inspect the work for himself and when Duggie gets wind of where Richard's gone, he's there like a shot to stop Richard from seeing too much.  So, you've got Richard and his torch and you've got Duggie in a panic, they're together in a darkened, creaky old house and you just know they won't be swapping tupperware catalogues when they meet. Sure enough, one of them meets their doom as Duggie steadies himself on the upstairs bannister and it gives way from the wall making him fall to the hall.   But what does Richard do?  Does he ring the police? Does he call out for help? Does he panic?  Does he buffalo. He takes Duggie's keys from the body and nips straight round to his flat to steal the cash from the safe and then turns up in the Rovers cool as you like for a pint with Gail.  He even rings Duggie's mobile to tell him he wants to speak to him soon.

Karen's been wittering on for ages about how she wants to move house, the flat just isn't good enough.  There's a wonderful scene outside of Streetcars when Steve tells her he's bought them a new place.  She hops in the taxi and gets Steve to drive her to her new house immediately.  The car turns the corner and stops. Karen can't believe her eyes - he's bought No. 7 from his mum for them both.  Karen's been brilliant this week and she chucks another mental about wanting a flat on the quays or a castle in the air.  After the McDonalds argue for all the street to hear, Rita offers words of comfort to Karen in the flat.  Who needs to read Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars when you've got Rita Sullivan's advice, eh?   So when Steve comes back, Karen's all mellow and like "well I'll move in to number seven but on my terms and I want it all decorated and to my design" only to be told that he's just told Eileen she can stay as a tenant for the next six months. Rita's words are forgotten, voices are raised and another mental is chucked.  Later in the Rovers Karen spares her blushes by telling everyone she's staying in the flat because of Rita's ill-health, she needs Karen to look after her. She makes it sound plausible - until Rita walks in.  Strangely, Rita colludes with Karen's story but gives her a look that defies her to ever try that again, lady.

Tyrone's finding it harder to say no to Karl Harper.  This time Karl's after MOT certificates and with a bit of a warning that bad things could happen to Tyrone if he doesn't help out, the MOT certificate is duly passed over.

And that's just about that for this week.

Glenda



11 February 2002

 

Sorry I can't stop to chat this week, I've got stuff to do. And so, without any ado, further or otherwise, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

Right, cast your mind back to last week and we've got Duggie lying dead on the floor. Bring it forward again to the next morning and Gail's asking Richard if he'll take her to see the house he's been working on. He can't refuse and expecting to see the house swarming with police and builders, he isn't too bothered. But when Gail and Richard reach the house, there's no-one around, they're first on the scene to "discover" the dead body. The police are called, the locals are told the news and stiff cups of tea are odered in the cafe. Sunita and Shelly snivel as they clear up Duggie's doo-dahs in his flat after Eve calms Shelley with three little words in the Rovers: "Betty. Brandy. Now". Richard knows he needs to get another builder on the job and he approaches Steve - who tells him he's not interested. Just when Richard's starting to think he's got away with the perfect crime, the police call Gail and tell her they want both her and Richard to be at the inquest. Deciding that Richard needs cheering up, Sarah and David decide on a day at the seaside and off they all trot to Blackpool. "You'll have to wear a kiss-me-quick hat" says David, to which Sarah goes: "'Cos David will be wearing his slap -me-quick face." Wonderful stuff.

Under pressure from Karl, Tyrone gives in and steals 5 - count 'em, 5 - MOT certificates from the garage but starts having trouble living with the guilt of it all. Fiz has less of a problem with it after finding out Tyrone's been paid £500 for the theft. Disgusted with himself, he gives the money to Fiz who blows it on an Argos necklace, showing it to anyone who cares (and most people don't). The factory girls are suspicious and reckon they've had a win on the hospital lottery only Fiz has kept the money. Meanwhile Tyrone's having a hard time of it too when Vera finds out that Kevin's sacked him from the garage. "You're as bad as our Terry" she tells him, the worst insult of all. Fed up and downcast, Fiz and Tyrone pack their bags to head for Cornwall calling in at the Rovers for a goodbye drink first. That's when Fiz finds the lottery ticket in her pocket, persuades the girls she hadn't nicked any money from them because they hadn't won anyway, and decides to stay on the Street. Tyrone doesn't know whether he's coming or going.

Ken and Deirdre call on Peter and Shelley for Sunday lunch at their new place. Shelley's still upset over Duggie's death and there's tears over the trifle. Peter's coping with the anniversary of twin Susan's death so they're not the most jolly couple to be around at the moment but they don't half work well together.

Janice returned "home" to the Street this week, walks back into her old job and is determined not to go back to Les. She and Toyah start looking for a new flat together but Toyah knows it'll be hard to tell Les she's moving out.

And that's just about that for this week.

Glenda



18 February 2002

Greetings and welcome to another weekly update. You find me this week feeling happy and bright (and with a much shorter haircut) but as you can't see any of that, you'll just have to take my word for it all. I'd like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who emails to thank me for the updates. I know I'm sometimes remiss about replying to you individually (there are so many, it's not often possible to reply to each and every email without sounding like a mail-merged MS word document). But I do read your emails and I really do appreciate them, so thanks again. And so, with a huge mug of tea and without any further ado, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

It's Valentine's day and after last year's shame-faced attempt by Blanche to send Ken a card from Deirdre and Deirdre a card from Ken, Deirdre is less than pleased when she thinks Blanche has been up to her old tricks again. But no, what's this? That Valentine's card that Deirdre's just torn up and thrown in the bin, was actually for Blanche, not from her. And so we meet Blanche's beau, Archie Shuttleworth who gets the measure of Deirdre immediately. "Five foot eight, if I'm not mistaken!" he tells her, but then he would, 'cos that's his job, being an undertaker. Blanche has met Archie "Shuffle off with Shuttleworth" at the cemetery and the pair of them are stepping out together, providing more wonderful lines for Blanche and a comic part played by Roy Hudd (no, not him with the Emu). So it's all going on at the Barlow's this week. After a chance remark from Charlie about the lack of supply teachers, Ken decides to sign up with an agency to get him back into work. Blanche is all for it: "Champion!", she says but Deirdre is less enthusiastic, worried that Ken won't be wanted to teach, not at his age, not now, not with those cardigans. But she needn't have worried for he's accepted by the agency to go back into teaching next week.

After the inquest records a verdict of accidental death, Duggie's body is released for his funeral to take place. Duggie's son Tom - who, if you recall, is mincing about on a cruise ship cutting hair - stays away from the funeral so there's no family, just friends from the Rovers and rugby club to say their goodbyes. Floral arrangements at the funeral are suitably naff, with the word Crusher picked out in crysanths from the Rovers.

Now that Duggie's buried, Richard can breathe a sigh of relief as it looks like he's got away with the perfect crime. He moves in with Gail and the kids and acts the family man. He gives Gail his old car and buys one of those damn-huge-purple-people-eater-vans (in red). He still needs to find someone to take over as gaffer on the house remodel and finally Steve McDonald says he'll do it, on condition that he gets first refusal on one of the apartments at a reduced price. As Richard gets his feet firmly under Gail's table, he spends a day working from home while the kids are off school during half-term. Matt and Charlie are spending half-term on a ski-ing trip with the school and have left their house keys with Gail. As Sarah Lou and Candice pop next door to feed the Ramsden's goldfish, Candice reckons it's a shame to let the Ramsden's house stand empty and makes herself at home. It all starts off innocently enough until Candice finds the drinks cupboard and invites Todd round. Then Jason turns up and things start to get rowdy until Richard can hear noises coming from next door. He goes to investigate and Sarah knows she's in trouble but fortunately he doesn't find them as they all crouch on the floor and he can't see them through the window. As Sarah takes Bethany back home, Candice persuades Jason to get the Ramsden's house keys copied for her so she has a set of her own. As she downs the booze and brings up the puke, Candice staggers around the house wearing Charlie's clothes until the noise level brings Gail to the door to split up the party and do a bit of shoutingÖ and as they are all forced to leave, Candice flashes the house keys at JasonÖ.

With Duggie's flat now vacant, Janice and Toyah sign the lease to move in. This could be interesting but so far it isn't, and I'll leave it for now.

Vik is in turmoil over Hazel and not sure what's going on. One minute she's on him like a rash and the next she's telling him to leave her alone; she's married, she has a 19 year old son and she's never done anything like this before. As Vik drives to her house, Steve warns him to be careful: "She'll have you up them stairs before you can say Roger Roger". Over and out, good buddy, ten-four and turn down your squelch.

Over at the garage, Kev's having a hard time coping with the workload now he's let Tyrone go and there's only him and Sam to deal with the work. He puts an ad in the paper looking for a new mechanic but it gets him nowhere until Molly persuades Kevin to give Tyrone another chance.

It's Mike's 60th birthday and Ken and Deirdre throw him a surprise party at their place - and what a party it is. (You always know it's going to be one of the better episodes when the writer's Daran Little). Over whisky at the party, Fred, Ken, Mike and Jack discuss how they're turning into their fathers; Audrey's in tears as she's missing her Alf and Emily sings of lost love to Adam when he tells her he's missing his mum. But the best bit by far was Deirdre in the back lane having a quiet cigarette on the sly. Dev pops out to see her and starts to patronise her little life in her little house but she soon puts him straight. "This is my life." she tells him. "It might not be glamorous but it's real and I like it". And much the same can be said of Corrie itself.

And that's just about that for this week.

Glenda



25 February 2002

Greetings and welcome to another weekly update. How's your week been then, eh? Mine? Well, you know, it was a bit comme-ci, comme-ca, a bit c'est la vie with a big bag of chips. Just the way I like it. And so, with David "I think I love you" Cassidy on CD and without any further ado, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

There's been shagging and drinking this week at the Ramsden's while Charli and Matt are still away ski-ing. Candice is like, well, Todd I don't want to go out with you any more as you're so boring you won't stay in the Ramsden's house with me and I have the keys? And Todd is like, so? And Jason is like, whoa Candice, so you've finished with me brother? And Candice is like, yeah, so? And Jason is like, in there straight away and Todd is like, just so hurt, you know when he finds out? And he tells Maria what's happened and she's like oh no? And Maria tells Tyrone and he's like thumping Todd in the face? And Fiz finds out Ty's gone and stuck up for his ex and she's just like outta there, right? And Sarah's like feeling sorry for her mate 'cos she's dumped Todd and Jason won't talk to her now he's done the deed. Candice is like "we're an item" and Todd's just like "no way"? But Sarah's, like, well she's got this crush on Todd anyway, so yeah ....and the only one grown up enough to know what they're doing is Eileen, who tells Todd to move back into the house after Sally finds him sleeping rough on the hardware floor shop. Eileen wants her boys back around her, friends again, but Todd's still in tears over Candice and it's going to be a struggle to make up with his brother again. Meanwhile at the Platt's, Gail gives Candice a good ticking off for doing what she did, being under-age and all. "But I didn't!" says Candice. "I haven't and I wouldn't". But oh yes, she did, she has and she would.

There's more shagging this week (they're all at it, trust me) at Vik's place after he dumps Bobbi in front of all their friends and invites Hazel round the next day. Dev offers Vik his wise words of wisdom, telling Vik he shouldn't have dumped Bobbi at the birthday part-ay she'd arranged for him as a surprise. But Vik's unrepentent, he's just choc full of nuts about Hazel, who doesn't half straighten out his curlywurly.

Les is even at it with a new girlfriend called Sharon. Janice is best pleased for him, happy he's got someone new in his life although Les would prefer to think he's making her jealous. And Sharon? Well, she seems harmless enough, common and dowdy, with the sort of blonde hair she's bought on the cheap.

If you needed to know how common Karen was and you weren't yet quite sure, there's a wonderful scene in the Kabin this week with Karen in her nightie buying the paper and some fags. There's an air of mystery in the Kabin as Norris tries to figure out how old Rita is, it's her birthday this week. And for a birthday treat, she sets off for a drive in the country with Blanche, Emily and Betty - it's like David Lynch does Last of the Summer Wine. Out in the woods, lost because of Blanche's map reading, our four grannies are held at gunpoint by a young lad who's just robbed a post office. Emily goes into shock, reminded of the importance of Earnest being shot and not even a stiff brandy later in the Rovers can help her calm down. I did miss a bit, I have to admit, because I left the room for a few minutes (whaddya mean how dare I?) and when I came back the police had arrived and the grannies were taken to the station for questioning. My guess is the police caught the young lad after the gung-ho grannies had a go at him but he could have been taken off by aliens, I really can't say. How can I be sure, in a world that's constantly changing? (Whoops, time to change the CD methinks).

And finally this week, Ken goes back to teaching and Deirdre sends him off to school with a new satchel and a clean hanky. She's nervous about his first day at school and can't wait to hear all about it when he returns, but Ken collapses, knackered, onto the sofa and falls promptly asleep.

And that's just about that for this week.

Glenda


Written by Glenda Young
Read my on-line newspaper - THE DAILY .DOT And don't forget Spider's Web !!


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