Sunday Comments, September 14

Lines of the week:

• Michelle "I'm still very much uncool"
  
• Stape to Fiz "If I slip let me bang my head on every step, just save the telly!" (boys and their toys!)
  
• Violet to Jamie about Lauren "Don't say anything about it to her though. You know what she's like" (um no, he doesn't actually)
  
• Steve about Jim "He didn't rip his shirt off, turn green or anything!"
  
• Liam to Michelle "I've got a girlfriend who's pregnant and a sister in law going out with a nutter. What is there to be happy about?"
  
• Lindsay (Tony's ex) "Tony likes to possess things and people"
  
• Jim "What about ye, Son?" (Yay! and we had a "So i have")
  

Hmmm so Tony left his wife for Carla and she says he's a control freak. I'm not surprised there. He has already showed signs of it. An him saying he can't believe he has to defend himself over something his ex said? Well, Carla certainly didn't know she was his ex (post divorce) and i never trust a man that jumps that much on the defence instead of being a bit more understanding and honest. Obviously, Carla didn't know anything about a wife or an ex wife and being as it was that recent, it would have been up front of Tony to say so at the start. A control freak certainly isn't going to admit to it, now, is he? It's sure got Liam's hackles up too. Something tells me his feelings for Carla aren't exactly brotherly. I would have expected Tony to have a posher house but i suppose it's the house he started off in and hasn't upgraded yet with the rise in his business fortunes. His ex thinks Tony would always come back to her but i disagree. He seems like the type that would be controlling, and if he still wanted someone he wouldn't let anything get in his way but if he is done with someone, he'd cut them off without a second look back. Do you mean to tell me that Tony didn't hear that noisy sports car outside his house nor notice it?

Why is it that the father of a baby is always the last to know? Maria told Audrey, and then Michelle and Michelle told Steve she'd tell him what was going on after. Mind you, it wasn't that long before she told Liam. I would have thought if Maria was going to tell anyone first it would be her roomie and best friend Fiz. But Liam is a family kind of guy even if he's young and has never had to had much in the way of responsibility. He's always been a good uncle to Ryan and now taking on the factory instead of running market stalls, i think he'd be ready for fatherhood. No, he didn't really want to be a dad just yet and because that, Maria decided to terminate. He turned around and proposed! The only thing is, he's tying himself to a wife and baby on what clearly seems to be a rebound from Carla, or to prove something to Carla.

Rosie sure got a shock when John laid down the scholastic law. And then she laid down the hormonal one. She's getting more and more brazen too! John seems to be as smug as any other soap male that is having an affair. Figures he and Fiz will be together forever and he'll get away with having it off with the local schoolgirl who lives on their doorstep. This is a soap. It's going to come out and probably in the worst way possible and John's ass is going to be grass. She made him change her mark to an A and he worried you could tell. Well duh, he used a red pen over a black one! I can't think she's even that smart. She told her mother not to copy it when Sally clearly said that subject was the very first essay John had assigned her. (months ago!)

I can understand Vi and Jamie not wanting to accept Sean's money. It gives him that much more of a hand over them, an obligation they would feel but in the end, Vi took the money without telling Jamie, as a loan and told Jamie that Lauren gave her the money. Not good, having that sort of secret already. So we have Violet's sister, Lauren showing up unexpectedly and straight out of the gate she's highly annoying. They certainly are two very opposite personalities aren't they? And clearly not that close either or Vi would have told her sister about the baby. She waltzes into the pub, charms the lads and ticks off Betty, never a good thing. Lauren knows Sean too but then Vi has known him for years. Yet another lodger for Eileen. She's going to get annoyed and just move out. That poor house must be heaving! Sean and sometimes Marcus, Vi and now Lauren plus Eileen. Jason, at least, has moved into the equally heaving Platt house. Lauren knows about the cash too. Very discreet of Violet to pull it all out in front of her. When did that happen anyway? I must have missed the scene where they were going to the pub to talk out an arrangement but they met up with Lauren instead and then Violet has the cash first thing the next morning. Looks like Lauren is a greedy little scam artist, too. Maybe not a proper scam artist, but she sure uses people to gain a little cash whenever she wants it. How much you want to bet none of it ever gets paid back?I'm actually surprised Lauren would urge Vi to tell Jamie the truth when it doesn't seem to be part of her own vocabulary unless maybe she prefers causing trouble even more than she worries about honesty. And how much you want to bet this one turns into the most annoying and pointless character ever with the most smackable smirky face ever?

Liz and Vernon's wedding plans are moving along. Liz isn't too keen on Vernon's friend Bob. I hope we get to meet this guy. Liz wants Andy to give her away instead of Steve who's bought her a pub and given her her dream job as manager. Nice. And to add to the wedding frenzy, Jim's back! Yay!!!!!!! Is it ever good to see him! He even took the news about Liz remarrying remarkably well. What i'm curious about is that in the past, Jim has been moved to a prison some ways away from Manchester and Liz had moved there to be nearer him. So is he now back closer at hand, say, in Strangeways? Or is that just a continuity burp? Doesn't really matter. He's served his time now. It's really good to see him back. Very surprised he wanted a coffee not a pint but i can well imagine the swill they serve in prison and pretend it's coffee or tea. He seems to have moved on too. I still don't think he'll ever love anyone but Liz, though. Liz knows very well Jim won't be able to stay away and he proved that. I don't care, I always thought Liz and Jim had great chemistry. The actors really do gel very well!

Doreen was all set to reject Norris until he proposed last week. Now Emily and Rita are going to sabotage him. If i didn't really know Rita didn't want Norris for herself, it certainly does seem like jealousy. I don't want you but I don't want anyone else to have you either. Doreen really did seem sad that Norris withdrew his proposal, though I don't think they'd have been very compatible anyway. Why on earth would Audrey buy a glass of wine for Maria in the pub when she knews Maria is pregnant? Boy i'm telling you, the continuity fairies were on the absinthe this week.

Hmm...What's going on with Ryan? Someone seems to be following him in a car? That can't be good. With all this upset with Maria in the salon, where are David and Sarah? Did i miss something there too?

Does Rosie only have the one blouse? the white ruffly one? Ok two blouses. Both white, low cut, one more ruffly than the oth er. Sheesh. That's a nice touch, showing Ryan having a mate that's in a wheelchair and it not being a big issue. Just mates on their way to school. New owners of the betting shop! That's Harry and Dan Mason. Where have you seen Harry before? He was Jim Fenner in Bad Girls (Showcase used to have that on. I loved it!). And Harry is clearly going through a messy divorce. Lloyd owed the former owner 400 pounds. Since when have we ever seen Lloyd gamble and to that extent? and the bookies walk in the first time and come looking for Lloyd? Contrived, if you ask me. Besides, i'm sure the new owners have taken on the business and that includes any debts owing by the customers. Looks like Audrey's son Stephen is coming for a visit too.

That's it from me for a couple of weeks. I'm on me holidays.

Sunday Cojmments, September 7

Lines of the week:

• Jerry to Mel "PC Mort, hold the fort!"
  
• Ivor to Doreen "I'm like an Everready battery, me" (Yeah but if she marries you, you'll be a little heap on the floor!)
  
• Fiz to Sally "As if you'd *ever* make a pass at my John" (how many shades of red did Sally turn?)
  
• Becky about Sarah "She's lucky i didn't give her head a side parting!" (go girl!)
  
• Fiz to Kevin "Are we mental or what?"
  
• Gail about David "He doesn't try to be obnoxious, it just comes naturally"
  
• Kevin to John "Those kids wearing you out?" (kid. singular. Your daughter.)
  

Well everything that Fiz has observed, added to Sally's very real crush on Stape, wouldn't that lead you to suspect things too? Even if it was completely innocent, seeing John's head so close to Sally's was the last straw for Fiz and now she's got Kevin's suspicions going too. Sean didn't help matters either, bellowing out "Are you going to tell Kevin!" within earshot of the garage. And let's face it. Kevin has a very real reason for suspecting Sal and she was rather economical with the truth when she explained about Fiz getting upset with her in the factory. She does have form after all. Doesn't matter that she's not actually doing the tutor, she *wanted* to. We know that and the signs are pretty obvious for anyone that's got a set of eyes but the eyes are on the wrong Webster woman. Like mother like daughter, though eh? I'm surprised Sally didn't smack Rosie after her impertinent remark about Sally knowing her way around the lads. Does Stape really know how pathetic he looks being led around by the nose and ordered about by a 16 year old over whose skirts he's drooling? Clearly not. Kevin's angry thinking Sally might be having it off with the tutor, he's going to go ballistic when he finds out it's his darling daughter. Unfortunately the circumstantial evidence against Sally is mounting up so Kevin decided to ditch Ashley and play a round of Spy on Sally in the Shops. Doing exactly what she said she was going to do. When he realized Sally really was just shopping, he nearly caught Stape and Rosie in their wherewithall! I had hoped Stape would climb out the window and down the drainpipe, scraping his shins along the way but no such luck.

Tony's back and it's obvious we have a freshly minted couple here. This week's omnibus again ended with a resounding smack upside a face in the factory, Carla's this time, from a woman that says she's Tony's wife!! I knew he had shifty eyes! Maria's up the duff. Accidentally. Again. What will Liam say and do? Ryan wants to play video games for a living. Children! Is Becky drawing her eyebrows on darker and darker these days?

For anyone that's got eyes, it's also clear that Becky's got eyes for Jason. David has eyes in his head and picks up on that pretty quickly and knows that Sarah isn't the most secure person so he's going to take full advantage of that and try to use Becky's interest in Jason to push Sarah and Jason apart. Sarah takes Gail's advice and does exactly what every insecure woman does when confronted with a possible rival, flaunt her coupledom under the rival's nose, complete with predatory and very posessive kissing and fondling just so she gets the correct message. And the more that Sarah becomes posessive, the more Jason is going to chomp at the bit in resistance. He has no intentions of being anything but mates with Becky but Sarah's jealousy is going to push him right at her.

Sounds like there's a lot of red tape and paperwork for someone to be named as a father if the mother doesn't want it to be, that's if they aren't married. Will Sean go to those extents? Even if this deal was what he'd agreed to, he didn't expect how he'd feel. The mistake was not having anything down in writing when they decided it. The long term friendship looked to be at a firm end until Jamie and Marcus intervened. Gotta say Yay for Marcus standing up to Violet. If Jamie is allowed to be part of the peacekeeping because he's now Vi's partner, well, Marcus is Sean's partner so it evens out. I was wondering when they'd get around to realizing that the flat over the Kabin is still empty. That's the one Steve and Karen lived in and that Michelle just recently vacated. Most people never live too far off the Street. And i wouldn't have thought Sean had to apologize for going to find out his legal rights. Perfectly reasonable if you ask me.

Ty and Molly made the mistake of blaming Paul for not clearning up the mess like he said he'd do. They should know by now that against Paul, all others are second class citizens. They really need to get their own place. Looks like Jack and Vera are thinking of moving to Blackpool. Norris, George and Ivor are now open rivals for the fair Doreen and she's having a great time playing them all off against each other. I think she's having more fun with the persuit than she would if she allowed one of them to actually catch her. Grilling the three men on their financial status, property ownership, *snork* Talk about shortlisting the interviewees! Did Doreen really think that Rita wanted Norris for herself or was his lack of prospects i.e. he's only renting a room instead of owning a property, make up her mind to eliminate him from the running? Or was her plan to push him into proposing after all? The competition was just too much for Norris. I wonder if he proposed specifically because he knew Rita disapproved. He's hardly falling in love has he? He's just facing old age alone and that's his whole trouble. Doreen then gets to string them all along a little longer deciding on which proposal to accept.

Looks like Kayleigh took the 20 quid for the theatre trip and decided to go on it all by herself, via the back window. Finlay isn't the brightest little spark is he? Rather than tell the honest truth, he could have lied and said he'd heard something out the back. Anyway, Kayleigh got busted well and truly and told Jerry a few home truths. I doubt it will change his ways for longer than 5 minutes but it means the end of Eileen and Jerry's relationship, gone down the same road as Lloyd and Jodie's. Jerry just has too many responsibilities even if he shirks most of them. I'm pretty sure Rosie and Sophie share a bedroom but the bedroom Stape and Rosie were in didn't look very much like there was another bed in the room.

Sally forth

Sally Webster is one of my all time favourite characters. I've enjoyed watching her evolution through the years. The only good thing about this dreary and horrific storyline we're seeing now with the lackluster feckless teacher and Rosie is Sally's part in it. She's the one that developed the crush on Stape and he knocked her back. Now, absolutely nothing is going on between them, no thanks to Sally, but Fiz thinks there is. Everyone has spotted that Sally has a crush except Kevin of course. But now Fiz's suspicions are boiling over. She's already lamped Sally one for an innocent "Oh i've got something in my eye".... Was it innocent? Probably. It's a factory, there's probably a lot of dust and stuff floating around. Fiz knocked it out of her eye and now she's got Kevin suspicious too.

Let's face it. Kevin has a right to be suspicious. Sally's got a history. Greg Kelly. Ian Davenport. Alex the builder. That doesn't even include the men she got involved with when she and Kevin weren't together (Chris Collins, Danny Hargreaves, Martin Platt). I laughed this week when Fiz apologized to Sally and said it's not as if you were coming on to him. Sally looked everywhere but at Fiz at that one! Well she wasn't. not this time, but she's still got lingering feelings.

Fiz knows there's something up but she doesn't realize it's the school girl seductress. That's the part that's really getting up my nose though. It's so irritating.

Still. Perhaps John has a history too. He was together with Fiz. That was before she was on the show because we never ever heard about it. Yet the first time she was on the sh ow, she was Roy and Hayley's foster because she wasn't yet 16. She then disappeared for a few months and then returned and got a job at Underworld, having got 10 GCSEs and left school at 16 rather than do A levels. That means John must have gone out with her when she was 16, probably just barely 16 so as to be legal and after she'd left school. I think we were told he was doing some dj work in a club when they met but he'd have been a teacher by day. Anyway, he obviously has a taste for younger women. He's back together with Fiz and i have no doubt they did have a proper relationship even though he would have been about 10 years older than her. Rosie pouts at him and flashes a bit lf cleavage, and his will power goes right out the window. Yes another 16 year old between the sheets! Rosie is working him for all she can get and it was mainly because her mother had told her about her crush. She got pissed off at her mother for something after that and decided this would be a fine way to get back at her.

The shit is going to hit the fan though, over the Christmas episodes. Boy is it going to hit the fan. I'm saying nothing more.

Sunday Comments, August 31

Boy, isn't it good to have Corrie back!

Lines of the week:

• Jerry to Mel "I'll be two minutes!" (four hours later...and Where's Darryl? )
  
• Steve to Claire "How are you ever going to get your hands on a man? Get your mum to knit you one?"
  
• Stape about Sally "She's not actually that bright"
  
• Becky on Sally's offer to lend Claire advice on clothes or makeup "Sally, i didn't think you had a sense of humour"
  
• Liam "It's a dirty Irish video. Lepreporn"
  
• Fiz to Sally "You Bitch!" THWAP!!
  

We pick up right where we left off two weeks ago with Sally knocking on John's office door and Rosie on the other side with her tongue down John's throat. But you knew they wouldn't get caught, didn't you? In a quiet school and an old wooden door, you'd think Sally would be able to hear Rosie's voice quite clearly from the other side. Sally used the whole thing to suck John back into more lessons. And the spineless git can't say no to her either. No wonder Fiz is getting suspicious though she shouldn't have been so wound up with John driving Sally home since Rosie was with them. Sally seemed quite delighted that it seemed like there was trouble in paradise and smugly stuck her beak in between a tentative kiss. I'm really *really* hating having to watch Rosie laying it all out on a plate for John and the other boys in the classroom and having to suffer the really really terrible acting of almost all of the people in that classroom and that includes Rosie. Fiz's questioning of Kevin has now put a spark of suspicion in his head too, and no wonder, with Sally's history. What was up with Rosie's hair? Literally, up! She's having a lot of fun flexing her muscles and leading John around by the whatsits and he's acting no older than poor sap Lee, him that Rosie's using. Still, it's all worth it just to see smug Sally get a smack from Fiz even if it isn't strictly waranted. Why is it though, that it's the woman that gets the slap? John should have had one too if it was actually what it looked like which it wasn't.

Some people wouldn't like to take advantage of generous relatives but Sarah has on qualms. Aw Jason kept his speech to read to Sarah. He might not be too bright, but he's a good lad. Too bad she's turning into a nasty vindictive cow. yes, yes, i know, it's understandable, but only to a point. It would be fare more productive to just ignore David altogether. It would be nice if Jason adopts Bethany wouldn't it? Well, David has noticed some sort of spark between Becky and Jason. That will be his next plan of action, i bet, to drive that wedge between Jason and Sarah.

Lol Vikki won't listen to Human League because she was thwarted in her quest to fly to the UK to see them when she was 14. That was the fastest cup of takeaway hot chocolate i've ever seen made! I don't think Becky did more than snap her fingers! Does Roy keep hot choccy on the stove steeping hot like he does a teapot? Where does Michelle get off objecting to Steve taking a half a day off to play golf with a mate when she's perfectly capable of disappearing to Ireland at a moment's notice or going off to the shops? Mind you, he doesn't really have to ask permission. Seems like the emasculation that Karen started has been well and truly completed by Michelle.

seems that it's a week for couples reconciling. Jamie and Violet are back together and all loved up after he had umpteen beers to shore up his courage and they are just too cute for words. I can't blame Vi for being a bit reluctant though. Not everyone loses their boyfriend to his stepmother. Claire and Ashley ended up back together after Claire's disastrous night out at the singles party where she snogged Kevin Webster in a drunken pity party. I'm glad Sally didn't take it seriously and it was fun watching Kevin squirm. Paul's still slacking off and making it look like Tyrone and Molly aren't keeping the place clean and now Jack and Vera are back.

Boy, someone peed in Sean's cornflakes! He gets asked about the baby and because he's been told to back off, he gets snarky and takes it out on Marcus and Jamie who's curious to know whether Violet has said anything about him kissing her the night before. Um Sean, that was the whole plan, the whole deal. You were to be the donor, not a full time dad. You may have changed your mind, but Violet hasn't. Don't be so surprised you got what you agreed to but we all know he's always wanted a child, a little family of his own. Terrible timing, though, just when Sean decides he wants to push to be more in the baby's life, Vi and Jamie get back together and Jamie will take Sean's Daddy role. Ouch. Nice to see Marcus so supportive though. But Sean has had a knock back now, and is threatening to get legal access and he wonders if finding out his right is going to make things better or worse? Duh. What do you think? So who do you think is going to annoy you more? Sean whining about the baby or Violet selfishly smug with Sean? (Yes, i know it's going to be Rosie and John on the top of that list but who's next?)

I'm a bit insulted for all of womankind when Lloyd suggested that Claire could only pull if she had a boob job. If Claire is going to have a conversation that she wants kept fairly private, she shouldn't do it in the middle of a small crowded cafe. Claire looked quite nice though a bit girl next door-like. Maybe that's why she wasn't attracting too much attention at a singles night at the club. I'm a lot happier about Claire and Ashley getting back together than Vi and Jamie but then with the Peacocks, it was inevitable. I don't understand why Claire felt the need to tell everyone, all and sundry that she kissed Kevin while she was drunk if she's that embarassed about it. She may think the facts would be better coming from her, and i understand her telling Ashley, but what makes her think Kevin would have gone round to everyone spilling the gossip? He didn't even tell Sally!

Seems a bit of rivalry between Doreen and Rita over Norris. Rita didn't want him but she seems to be resisting the fact that he could want someone else so soon after she turned him down. Is Rita right? Is Doreen just playing with Norris' affections? Or is she jealous? I'm betting that she knows her friend well enough even though they haven't had any contact before now for decades. Liam still seems to be making puppydog eyes at Carla though dating Maria hot and heavy. David's got a court date for driving without a license and one whinge, what does Gail do? persuade Jason to stop working on the list of chores for Sarah and go play with David. Which of course, causes contention between Jason and Sarah so the day wasn't a complete loss for young master Platt.

Withdrawal pains?

Are you missing Corrie as much as i am? Damn CBC! But take heart, for the 2010 and 2012 games, CBC does not have the broadcasting contract so we won't suffer a 2 week withdrawal until 2014. At least during the NHL playoffs, they still show the Sunday omnibus and have began to show the episodes online as well. I think that worked quite well but they can't do that now because believe it or not, there's still people that don't have the internet!! Yes, i know. Astonishing innit? What's wrong with these people? ;)

I am missing it but it's not too bad. I do spoilers and download some of the UK episodes and look at the ITV episode updates for the rest, I write for Corrieblog.tv (which is a UK site, with spoilers) and i write an episode update for the UK broadcasts using the downloads so my withdrawal isn't so bad as some. I have dozens of Corrie dvds and a few books and a stack of old Corrie magazines that help a little bit, too.

What do you do to get yourself through the drought?

CBC rant

So we're at that point again. Falling behind another 2 weeks because CbloodyC suspends Coronation Street during the Olympics. Which are on the other side of the world. So they're broadcasting live all night and in the morning and broadcasting the highlights at night. So if it's repeat broadcasting anyway, Why can't they show Corrie at 7? It's not as if they're broadcasting live???? It really pisses me off. Well, CTV has the contract for the next two Olympics, 2010 and 2012 so this won't happen again until 2014. That's another thing. The Olympics used to be every four years but the Networks make so much money out of the ads during the Olympics, i guess that's why they decided to spread them out to every 2 years. Each set of games is only four years between, but they alternate. So the next Summer Olympics are 2012 (In London).

In the meantime we go through Corrie withdrawal. I'd say they should broadcast it on the web only but that isn't fair to people that don't have computers and the internet. Philistines ;) And we fall a further 2 weeks behind for about 9 and a half months behind being the total by the time we return to Corrie at the end of August. (25th)

Sunday Comments, August 10

Lines of the week:

• Gail about David "Well he's not his usual self" Audrey "You say that like it's a bad thing"
  
• Gail to Jason "There's more to you than people think, Jason Grimshaw" (and i bet you never thought you'd hear that)
  
• Fiz "Trust 'er (Sally) to go one better than an apple"
  
• Jodie to Lloyd "It was beautiful while it didn't last."
  
• Tony "Kelly Crabtree reminds me of Big Bird off Sesame Street" (doesn't she just?)
  
• Jerry "I can change if that's the problem" (If???? and he *still* doesn't get it)
  

David's latest trick was letting the neighbours have Sarah's wedding dress and i did have to laugh at it being on the Guy and getting burned on bonfire. But how could Sarah tell? I couldn't. And where did they get the veil? I don't think Sarah had one. If David really were in a suicidal state, other than getting councilling, getting back to work probably would do him good if he thinks he's up to it. As it is, he's probably just hoping to be able to wind up Sarah some more and make a little money. Sarah called the next door neighbours "chavs". Um. Look in the mirror lately? It must be frustrating for Sarah in one way, knowing David has been doing all this on purpose to wind her up and nobody believes her. But biting every time he casts out a line is only making it worse because he just keeps on doing it. I'm still waiting for social services to get involved or the police (he was driving an unlicensed and uninsured car with no driver license). And if Sarah *will* get into rows in the cafe, Becky is going to come over all sympathetic and Jason is going to start confiding in her and then there will be trouble. Sarah was nasty about having her wedding catering done by a hooker, now she's going to work for one at nights.

I'm a bit confused. David is doing the sweeping and tea making and maybe washing hair. Sarah is cutting hair? When did she go to styling school? I don't even remember Maria taking a course either. David is really pretending to be on his best behaviour which shows Sarah up in a worse light. Very, very glad that Sally wasn't put in charge of the factory. She's insufferable enough as it is! And as for Kelly smarming that they all took Vikki under their wing, ticked off because Vikki told them to get back to work, i very much don't think so. Kelly was one of the worst offenders when it came to insulting Vikki.

John handled Sally's admission of her crush well. Rosie is really pushing herself at John and showing herself to be as immature as we know she is. Why she should be surprised Sally had feelings for Stape, though, considering she knows Some of Sally's history, i don't know. At least Stape knocked Rosie back for insulting him and Fiz. But why on earth would Stape tell Rosie that Sally fancied him? Big mistake! Now Rosie has something to use over her mother if she wants to even if Sally doesn't know she does. I really don't see what Stape sees in Rosie. Well, ok, yes, there is that. I guess i never did understand why people cheat on someone they love especially with someone that they don't love and that will ruin them in one way or another if it comes out. So John moving in with Fiz. That's going to make it even trickier to find alone time with Rosie though I'm surprised he's not had her to his place? Is he not living on his own? Ah "shared house" it was. Well it still is, isn't it? Rosie wasn't too thrilled was she? He wants to finish it and she doesn't. I bet she really puts on the pressure now. and when Rosie says Jump, Stape seems to roll over and say How High. Gutless as well as spineless. It ain't over till it blows up in your face on a soap. Stay tuned for fireworks.

A little bit of PR with the poppy selling in the pub. Steve moves Michelle and Ryan in (how many rooms does that pub have??? It keeps changing!) and hopes that Liz and Vernon will move out but L&V hope Steve et. al. will go instead and leave them in their little love nest. Urgh.

There's Jerry being selfish and irresponsible as always and poor Jodie yet again bears the brunt of it. All she had to do was go get Jerry from the beer tent. Couldn't have been that far away. Jerry might appreciate Jodie, but he really doesn't show it. And who couldn't see it coming? Lloyd has had enough of waiting for Jodie to free herself of family obligations and the albatross around her neck that is her father. Even then, Jerry still didn't catch that he was the main reason Lloyd dumped Jodie. See? Selfish! And where did it get him? Jodie-less and that's the last we'll see of her. Boy, when people decide to leave town, they don't waste any time, do they? Now. Jodie said she was almost 30 and Daryll said she's a 32 year old woman. Which is it? the twins are only 19 i think or thereabouts, so Jodie is at least 10 years older.

Norris definitely doesn't like to share his new friends though his friends think he fancies Doreen. I don't think that's the case but perhaps if he thinks she fancies him, he might grasp at the straw. Whatever happened to school uniforms? Rosie and her class weren't wearing any. I suppose they're in the A level type course, is it not uniformable then? And of course, Amber is in her class too. She looked like something out of Trends R Us, didn't she? I'm surprised more than just the one other student didn't immediately take against Rosie with a violent dislike! It's probably more likely all about Rosie flirting with the lad than it is her swanning in. I"m guessing this Tina and the lad used to go out together.

Claire and Ashley! Not seen them for awhile. Seeing Violet going off to shop for the baby, i wondered why Claire didn't offer her Freddie's baby clothes. I thought Claire had invited Ashley back? I guess that was just a one night on the couch thing. Sean has absolutely no experience with hormonal women and is over excited about the baby anyway. And it seemed like everyone else but Vi knew the baby was a boy and now she does too. What did Vi think was going to happen with Sean being the dad? She knew how much he wants a child. I can understand her being angry that Sean found out the sex and told everyone and then she found out but she's carrying it on a bit much, threatening to go to a tribunal. At least she backed off that when Sean admitted he tricked Marcus though why it took him and Sean so long to admit it when she'd been tearing strips off them both for days, i don't know.

Sunday Comments, August 3

Lines of the week:

• Minister "We now need the rings" (and there goes the bridesmaid with the rings!)
  
• Kelly "I only wear Gucci" Fiz "you mean Poochie!"
  
• Jason "All marriages go through rough patches don't they?" Todd "Yeah, but not usually in the first week."
  
• John to Fiz "You're being paranoid " (that's what they all say when they're having affairs!)
  
• Carla "Do i get mate's rates?" Janice "You would if you had any mates"
  

Wow, the wedding of the year sure went off with a bang didn't it? Seeing as Sarah had been Bridezilla, it's no surprise she insisted that Jason go through with the wedding even though everyone thought David might be dead after driving his car into the drink. Same place that Richard drove them, too. And even after he was taken back into the fold, he still gave Sarah a dirty smirk and she knew she was right, he set the whole thing up to try to stop the wedding. To pay them all back. Yet everyone thinks oh Poor David, and all is forgiven instead of pushing him out of the family forever for doing what he did. That or locking him up or having him committed. Really, that's what needs to happen. He really does need psychiatric help does David. Sarah probably does too, with her obsession with David. She's pretty much as bad as him especially now he's ruined her wedding day. Jason sure had his eyes opened with a snap, didn't he? About his new wife, i mean. He couldn't even bring himself to "kiss the bride". Jason is basically a pretty decent bloke and he does try to do the right thing when it comes down to it. How's he going to think of her now? Yes, *we* know David seems to have been winding them all up but none of them realize it. Between her obsession and her being so self centered, i don't know which was worse. Sarah is a mother herself, you'd think she'd sympathise with Gail and probably if it hadn't been David, she would have. So David didn't manage to stop the wedding but he certainly did ruin the day and the honeymoon.

So, he took his car and slept in it. And then ... poof, he's on the roof of the factory spying on everyone. And then Poof, he's in the car again by the Canal. When Sarah saw the police car, i bet she thought maybe he really did kill himself. David probably thought the cops were there because of his note and missing car. Marcus and Sean were all confused as to what church to go to. What church is it? Everyone else is gone.. well the Bride is still there! Every time there's a wedding or a funeral, there are always surprising absences and surprising attendees (Not many of the neighbours were there though i did spot Roy, Deirdre and Blanche in the back and possibly Sally and Kevin. But Dev and Amber, Steve and Michelle, all of which were Huh?? guests Ooh and i saw Liz and Vernon. Another HUH? Kirk and Tyrone, Jason's old best mates were not there that i could see). Sarah did look lovely. And there's David, scowling because they're all going off without him and ignoring his note, so he thinks. Do you think he really meant to kill himself and bottled it at the last minute or was it all a plan from start to finish? I am of two minds really. The speed of things really dropped my jaw. First David is here and there and everywhere. As the wedding began, he hadn't driven off into the canal yet before they were through the vows, the cops were at the church. (How did they know where to go? That was some pretty fast deduction that it was indeed David's car and the cops ould have had to have the church noted on their files. And you noticed that David was playing the same song as Richard had playing? It turned out he's ok but Gail didn't know that when she heard the message he left on the answering machine. Can you imagine how *chilling* that would have been had it been for real? He didn't stay away too long though did he. Turned up wet and mucky and looking as pitiful as he could. He continued to play his mother off against Sarah all week! Sarah must be desparate to get away if she's willing to move in with Eileen. Well David is back with his mother, why doesn't she go to Audrey's?

David not only ruined the wedding but he ruined Sarah's honeymoon too. Jason really was upset over what happened. Sarah slept the sleep of the righteous knowing she was right all along but nobody else will believe her. I do believe they could easily have finished the wedding ceremony. they were nearly done anyway. The minister could have done the speedy gonzales version. Do you? We do! done! Sign here! DAvid is really REALLY playing them all isn't he? Milking it for all he can with his family and with anyone else that comes around. Even Eileen won't have the newly minted Grimshaws under her roof and who can blame her? She can't stand Sarah anyway. Oh.... speaking of which. Gail's lovely blue mother-of-the-bride outfit? Did you think it looked at *all* like that really nice purple suit that Eileen had bought that Sarah said was identical to the one Gail'd got? Neither did i. Continuity Fairy on holidays again, i think. David's next trick? Getting Sarah's wedding dress on the Guy to be burned on a bonfire! Sarah had wanted to wear it to retake the photos! (ok, nice one, David. I did laugh at that)

Sophie is turning 13 and Sally is as insufferable as always. Imagine suggesting that her 13 year old's birthday outing be to a classic play instead of bowling? Ah but you see, she couldn't invite John to the bowling party or at least discuss the play with him. She wouldn't be able to keep her mind out of the gutters let alone her balls). Liz is 50 and she got a lukewarm party. Paul at least, managed to palm off his day old wedding buffet leaving Dev waving around ineffectually behind them and still Steve expected Dev to come to the party! He did but Dev made sure that Liz felt even worse. Mind you, I certainly wouldn't be upset. I wouldn't have expect a great deal anyway. Then anything would have been a nice surprise. But hey, Vernon came up trumps with the Paris tickets! I'm not even going to ask how he came up with the money. Probably sold something.

I see Leanne has her snarky waiter back again. And Paul kissed Leanne! Ooh, as if you couldn't see that coming! Liam's dog seems to like Kelly. But in the wrong way. Liam is off to Ireland and asked Ryan to look after the dog. Sounds to me like he's still not quite that into Maria. Why not ask her to mind the dog? Why not ask her to go with him? Carla is starting to act very jealous too. One kiss, and Liam starts getting narky about her and Tony and now she's making cow eyes at Liam too.

Rosie and Stape continue to gross me right out. btw "stomach ache" seems to be another word for er... female troubles. The kind you get every month. But with Rosie, it was a lie to get the house to herself anyway. And how could Kevin have woke the girls up? He wasn't talking any louder than Sally was there early in the morning. Looks like everyone else in her family is selfish. She asks for help and they all get busy buttering their toast. Yet they're the first ones to moan in their tea isn't on the table and all three of them are capable. Fiz is starting to realize that Sally does indeed have a crush on her fella. Jerry's back from Viva Milano and wonders why Jodie is cool towards him. You know, he's a charmer but he's very selfish too.

At least, if nothing else, the wedding got Todd and Jason back on the brotherly love track. Becky looks quite fondly on Jason these days, doesn't she? The actress that plays Amber seems to be looking off to the sides as if she's reading off cue cards. I don't think they do that on the set but it's distracting. And it looks like Sally is about to confess her crush to John. Tune in this coming week!

Sunday Comments, July 27 and a dedication

I started writing these comments over on the Corrie.net guestbook quite a few years ago. I started keeping about 5 or 6 weeks' worth on my website which i still do but this blog contains them all since i started writing the blog. That's not my point. I meant to tell you about a long time regular poster over on corrie.net. In the beginning he always signed his posts ". from here". Turns out his name was Eric. He was a senior citizen who seemed to enjoy winding up the regulars. Some would get upset with him, some found him funny. As time went on, he seemed to be less caustic and more sardonic and we all knew this was just the sense of humour of a self-titled "cranky old man". He made a post about 2 weeks ago, first as Dot saying he was not going to post anymore due to "Woodbine's coffin nails" and then later the same day, as Eric, daring God not to send Dot "down there" and a memo to "Old Nick" saying not to let Dot pop his clogs. Anyway, i had a feeling that he was ill and that's how he was telling us. He didn't elaborate on it after that. Today his wife posted to say he'd passed away. As much as he annoyed and upset people at times, i really think he will be missed. He certainly kept the posters over there on their toes. So with him in mind, i dedicate this post to him. Eric aka ". from here", wherever he may be.

Lines of the week:

• Eileen "Do you, Long John Grimshaw, Take this woman..."
  
• George (Ivor?) to Norris "Think of it as a Doreen sandwich!" Norris "I'd rather not"
  
• Doreen leering at Liam "If i were 10 years younger..." Rita "30 ... and i'm being kind!"
  
• Kayleigh "I'm not some stupid kid!" (and proceeds to stomp up the stairs like a stupid kid)
  
• Jason "That will never be me. I do what i want" (i.e. under a woman's thumb)
  
• Liam to Jamie who's casting aspersions about the dog "He *can* hear you know!"
  
• Sarah "This time, I win!"
  

Jason's ok, and upright! Sarah figures it will be even better, since he's hobbling on crutches he can't escape out the window. Everyone was smiling at David except Sarah who doesn't trust him as far as she could throw him. (maybe that's bad taste considering Jason's topple off the scaffold?) Anyway, Bill realizes that the bars were unhitched and the fingers point to David. As they should. There's more bad news, no Maid of Honour. Candice selling speedboats? I can't see it, myself. Pretty lame excuse. What happened to the gig with the band? Audrey and Gail seem to take turns being David's defender and Audrey always gets caught in the middle. See, if i was David and i wanted poeple to believe me innocent (even if i was guilty) i'd keep my head down and not protest quite so much and not snicker and make idle threats. David certainly knows all the buttons to push and he pushes every single one to make his family react so that when they do, he can say "See? You don't like me!" How is Gail supposed to help him when he just won't have it. She's helping him by trying to keep him away but he can't see that. The combined family dinner went fairly well with the lubrication of plenty of wine.

And Martin isn't coming to the wedding. David figured Martin wouldn't like his son being banned. I'm very surprised David hasn't called Martin to whinge! Anyway, it really let David down. He really hit bottom then. He's writing a suicide note. Do you think he means it? Sarah doesn't but she did look to have a moment of doubt in the ladies' loo before Maria came in. Sarah tore it up! Maria is horrified. In spite of it all, Maria still has a bit of a soft spot for young David. Sarah thinks it's just one more desparate attempt to stop the wedding. Personally, I think he probably did mean it at the time he wrote it but I don't think he'll do it. He's far too interested in seeing what effect his schemes have on people. Everyone else is oblivious and everyone is actually all very happy for them. Gail and Audrey have booked them a Lake District honeymoon and Maria is apparently maid of honor. I hope she's the same dress size as Candice because there wasn't any time to tailor the dress! So David's car is gone. Will that mean something? We'll find out this week. Fun little scene with Jason and Todd admiring Marcus and Sean's new suit modelling :)

Roy is really at loose ends without Hayley. Laughed at Liam talking about Hayley going away and getting carried away, talking about Paul getting out of control and Hayley getting a sexy tan and...where'd you go Roy? Maria is all gooey over Liam, (and who can blame her) but giving him a puppy is a bit much at this stage isn't it? Liam wasn't too keen either but... awwwww how could you not fall in love with that lickle black fuzzy face? I think Liam is starting to warm to the dog. He's even named him after Ozzy Osborne. Molly comes to the factory to tell Liam that "something's howling" and disturbing the pigeons. Hello? Former Kennel Maid? Surely she'd know it's a dog. I suppose she was being facetious but it didn't come across that way.

Stape is *really* **seriously** creeping me out. See him holding a CD in a judicious position when Sally nearly caught them snogging? Eurgh! Since Rosie had checked Carla's flat last time, why wouldn't she still have the keys? yet she picked up the keys off a desk in the office. Rosie's going to be in his class and you can well imagine how *that's* going to go over.

Jodie and Lloyd made another attempt at a date with Eileen babysitting but Kayleigh didn't take kindly to it and kicked off, ruining Jodie's evening. Granada must have to have a stock of Freshco bags made up. Eileen drives! That's something you don't see very often. Leanne paid off Roger with Paul's investment and she's now got a partner. If he's as good a chef as seems to be, it could work.

Sean is starting to turn into DadZilla! But then him wittering on about where all the socks go in the laundry. That is a question that's puzzled the mind of many over the decades. Anyway, Violet wants to be surprised about the sex of the baby and Sean wants to know and what did he do? trick Marcus into revealing it's a boy! But Sean is right, a crystal, or a needle or a ring hanging on a string very often will predict the sex of a baby. I've seen it happen a lot! Marcus can't figure out if Sean is thick or selfish. He doesn't know Sean as well as we do. Selfish it is then. He must really care for Sean though if he was willing to forgive him.

Rosie has packed in her job and going to stalk John at Weatherfield high! So it looks like Doreen has a crush on George and Ivor, they're enjoying her attentions but think that it's actually Norris she wants. And Norris is acting jealous. I think that's only because she's taking his friends away and he doesn't want to share now that he's actually got some. Now with Doreen flattering him, he's going to think Doreen has a crush on him and finding out that Rita thinks that Doreen thinks that Norris likes her, makes him think that at least *somebody* does. Oh this is starting to sound like high school, isn't it? Never mind, Even though it's a storyline with Norris, at least it's also featuring Rita and Doreen!

Liz is turning 50 and now everyone has to come up with a surprise party for her. Well, Vernon's doing the organizing. Should be interesting to see what he comes up with. And one odd look from Michelle and Dev is worried everyone thinks he looks like he could be 50 as well. Well he doesn't look 30 if that's what he thinks and no amount of chin wagging and temple rubbing is going to make any difference.

Sunday Comments, July 20

Lines of the week:

• Todd to David "It's only kids that feel the need to compensate"
  
• Eileen to David for managing the happy Grimshaw family reunion albeit unwittingly "You're my little ray of sunshine!" (*snork*)
  
• Maria to Rosie "What did you think he was going to do? Come round to your house and play with your Barbies?" Rosie "He might have. He's going out with one" (right on both sides!)
  
• Rosie (after a private tutoring "session") "Liam who?" John to Fiz "Sally is the last woman you have to worry about"
  
• Gail to David "After what 'you' did today, I think you deserve to be in there." (Ya figure?)
  

Can't let David win. I can understand Sarah freaking out. There's been an awful lot of stuff going wrong and weddings are fraught with stress at the best of times. David isn't helping matters so letting him win is the wrong thing to do. Thus, Nice to see Todd standing up to Sarah and pointing out the home truths. Someone's got to. Todd was able to make Sarah smile and see the error of her ways. Jason gets to have his brother at the wedding. David gets made to feel left out yet again. Sarah's acting just as childish to him as he is but her pushing him isn't helping.They need to just ignore him without pushing his face in it. They're going to pay for it, big time. Now that the Todd problem has been breached, Sarah's back to being Bridezilla again. Wasn't it a hoot when Doreen related the story...to Sarah... that her friend told her about one bloke being so scared of the wedding he climbed out the window. Doh. Holy crap. Gail inviting Todd and the Grimshaws out for a meal? She was never that nice to him when Sarah and he were together!

David is clearly on the slippery slope to disaster, both social and personal. That lad is heading for a breakdown, he really is. Right now he's so selfish that he can't see how upset his mother is over the fact that her family is falling apart. All he cares about is causing as much trouble as he can. He even resorted to damaging the scaffolding in the building yard which caused Jason to have a serious fall. That's criminal intent, that is, though judging from his face, i don't think he really thought anything serious was going to happen. That's another one of David's problems. He doesn't think. Even calling 999 wasn't really enough to make it up for what he did and did you notice he told his mother it was *him* that made sure nobody moved him? They all said in the hospital David was first on the scene but Hayley was, wasn't she?

Roy and Hayley are back and Hayley's all smiles but did you hear what she said? Something about the two of them thinking of going to help starving children in Africa. Yet Roy insisted they come back from their little holiday early because he missed the cafe. What's he going to do from another continent? Roy also seems to have seen the error of his ways as well. He's thinking of making amends with Christian but Becky, remembering the thumping she's put on him, is a bit reluctant. Hayley said to Roy that she didn't blame him for what happened but she did at the time. I Laughed at Becky, giving Todd the wink and nod. But then she does that with Jason too and any other fit bloke! Anyway Roy has decided to make amends, as i said. Guess he ended up going on his own with out Becky. Just as well. Seeing Christian cower in the corner behind the record stacks might give Roy the idea that something's up. Doesn't matter. Roy found out anyway and Christian is nowhere to be seen. Well instead, Roy and Hayley got an offer to go to Mozambique to do missionary/charity work at the very last minute possible. In the end, there was only room for one and Roy realized that Hayley really needed to get away and she's gone to Africa on her own. Jason's accident made her realize that she really could get a lot out of helping people. (In "real" life, Julie H. had asked to have a leave of absence for the better part of a year to spend time with her family. She *will* be back.) Ken was going to be Becky's right hand man in the cafe but he doesn't need to now. I can just hear Blanche's dripping tone if he had.

Rosie got a bit bolder. She figured Liam could kiss her and she wouldn't tell. I think that's the thing that made him realize what she feels about him. Then finding out that she stitched up Maria on her date with Liam, he really tore into her. And who did he pick for his "witness"? Kelly, who was all over him when he first arrived at the factory. One bad day at work and Rosie is already thinking she won't make a career of the factory. See? She didn't want to go back to school because of her crush on Liam! Sally figured she'd be just the person to help Rosie over the humiliation of being rejected by an older man but only succeeded in making Rosie resent her more. It turned out to be the object of Sally's affections that helped her. I can't believe how fast John Stape caved into temptation. "No... no.. oh ... don't tell anyone ok?" Well you shouldn't have been surprised. Fiz couldn't have been more than 16 when she first went out with John and he'd have been in his mid 20s then. It has to have been. She was Roy and Hayley's foster while she was at school. She came back to the Street a few months after she left school at 16 with qualifications and we've seen her entire love life on screen ever since. Clearly John likes his women young and barely legal.

So Sally figures it's ok if Rosie keeps her private life to herself. Most people do have to keep some things to themselves. (Speaking about anyone we know, Sal?) Stape's already scheming and lying so his quick bonk with Rosie wasn't a one-off. She's using Carla's flat! Talk about taking advantage! Now. They kept going on about how it was a kiss the other night but why would John have taken a shower when he got back home if that's all it was? Well it's more than that now and there's Rosie, with her chest spilling out of her bra and promising not to tell anyone about a little secret or even a bigger secret. If they hadn't done anything before, they certainly have done now. The man is made of jelly and Rosie has now got the idea in her head about going back to school and be taught ... by John! Rosie is also pursuing him with a vengeance. It's not going to end well, that's a given.

Kevin comes back from Italy draped in football colours and he looks to have had a very good time. Jerry had even better time, getting so drunk he jumped into a fountain...naked. Left Jodi for even longer and with the added hassle of bailing him out from a different country. He's going to pay for that when he finally gets home. Meanwhile has Eileen noticed how selfish Jerry really is, yet? Doreen seems to be taking a fancy to Norris' friends. Having crushes isn't just limited to the young. This is good, we get to see more of the Delectable Doreen! She's a smashing character! Violet's baby is starting to kick! It's going to seem a lot more real now! And Sean is getting more and more drawn in when Violet only wanted him to be at arms' length in the whole process.

I think it's finally dawning on Kirk that taking care of things isn't as easy as it seemed. As bad a housekeeper as Cilla was, at least it didn't smell (other than of booze and fags). John is the only one that can't see that Sally has a crush on him. Darryl does have a point. David does look pretty daft just sitting in a car listening to music all the time. So just prove that he *can* drive and the car *does* go! Odd that, it never worked and David was supposed to be working on it with Kevin's occasional help. Yet we've never seen him do anything except listen to the stereo. I may remember it managing to start once. There was a reason we saw the car magically able to not just start, but go and it will become evident in a couple of weeks.

Sunday Comments, July 13

Lines of the week:

• Cilla "Waste good money on a pile of old bricks?"
  
• Cilla to Chesney "From now on i want you in bed by half 11!" (erm, he's 13, isn't that a bit late?)
  
• sally about John "He can reach out to the most ordinary person and not sound patronizing" (Take a few lessons there, Sal.
  
• Kevin "I promised Sal I'd stay off the booze" Jerry "And I'm starting ballet lessons next week"
  
• Molly to Paul's face "WHACK" (Yay!)
  
• Doreen "Problem is, i still think i'm 25" (as do we all, luv)
  
• Sarah "Great. The happiest day of my life and the catering will be done by a hooker!"
  
• Maria "I keep waiting for him to find out there's a lot less to me than meets the eye" (um, that's about the size of it sweetie!)
  

Chesney wonders how he's going to feed Schmeichel? Why should *he* have to? I laughed at Cilla, celebrating with beer. Man i'd have the champers popped in a New York (or Vegas) minute! Fiz really thinks Cilla will throw it all away but she's sat there trying to figure out what to spend it all on! Surprise, surprise! She decided to move to Las Vegas, and with Chesney's blessing. He probably will be better off with Kirk and Fiz though i'm not sure Kirk will be much good at being a parent stand in, even if Cilla is the worst mother ever. She didn't even think about taking Chesney to Vegas before Kirk reminded her of his existence. What a little prince is Chesney. And ttey even think Les will be back soon. I got news for them. Cilla didn't waste any time, did she! seemed like it was the very next day she was off! In spite of her being not much of a mother, I think Cilla does have a soft spot for her baby. I'm very surprised she even bothered asking people for a good bye party in the pub. They only went for the free drinks. They didn't realize she was going for good. It's too bad they didn't show the softer side of Cilla before, at least regarding how she felt about being a terrible mother. It was still all about her in the end, though. And hell, she didn't even give him a last hug goodbye. As a result, nobody's going to be sad she's gone though i must say, she was a fun character in her obnoxiousness.

I don't know why Fiz would want any of Cilla's money. Is it very realistic that teeny tiny Gail would have bought nearly the same outfit as tall curvy Eileen? And they'd just finished having a planning session a few days ago. Surely Gail would have told Eileen what she'd bought to wear so they wouldn't clash. Looks like Kirk started as he means to go on. Serving Chesney cold beef curry from a tin for breakfast. Fiz nearly went through the roof at the state of the place. She's going to give them a chance but i can't help thinking it's not going to go well. Funny little exchange in the cafe between Becky and Stape over Becky's gossiping!

Roger's getting on my nerves whinging about the money he lent Leanne and whining about money in general. It seems like she's making regular payments so what's the problem? Ooh Yay Doreen's back! Did you notice Rita was browsing the same Cheshire magazine that Cilla was looking at? Ah, so Todd has passed his uni degree. David's too young to be going bar hopping with the stag do crowd anyway! You know i really don't understand why Kelly seems to have an ongoing nasty on for Vicki but at least Vicki stands right up to her. I am intrigued by Vicky, too. We keep hearing all these little vignettes about her past life. Affair with a married teacher and having to change colleges was this week's little gem.

Did you see the look Jack gave Paul after he scuppered the nice tea and toast that Tyrone made for Vera? I wonder if he is starting to realize how manipulative Paul is. Hmmm maybe not. Now that Vera and Jack are going to have a little break in Blackpool, i'm not sure Ty and Paul are going to be able to live in the same house without one of them killing the other one! At least Molly is on Tyrone's side now. I don't know why Ty and Molly are having so much trouble finding a flat. I'm sure both of the flats over the bookies are empty. Well, one anyway, if the current owner is in one. And isn't there still a flat over Jerry's that's empty? Or one of them. There's three there, Janice has one, Roy and Hayley have one and there was another one that Martin lived in. Seems like they've decided to stay and be as much a thorn in Paul's side as he is in theirs. He didn't like it much when he found out they weren't taking the flat they saw. None too soon either. It seems Paul has been keeping some very dodgey company in his past. Money from the till and shagging the owner's wife! Well, Tyrone has him right where he wants him. The tables are turned and Paul owes Tyrone now.

Lloyd and Jodie finally managed to get together for a drink, even if it's at the Rovers, and Jerry and Eileen still horned in on it. I wondered if Jerry was going to wait until the last minute to tell Jodie he was going away the weekend. I wonder if Eileen is going to start realizing how selfish Jerry really is. Rosie doesn't think school can teach her about talking to clients, working with databases etc. Well it can if it's the right school.

John Stape seems to be changing his image. No shaggy hair. No specs. He cleans up quite nicely and it looks like Sally appreciates it too! She's hoping he's going to persuade Rosie into going back to school. Sally's crush is getting pretty obvious. So is Rosie's on Liam to the point where she foolishly didn't pass on a message from Maria and hid Liam's phone. She's going to get a rollocking for that!

So the wedding of the year gets closer. Todd has been in touch and arrives just in time for the stag do!
What a shock for Sarah and there's David chuckling across the road waiting for the fireworks. As much as Sarah's really ticking me off with her attitude which is just as childish as David's, she did the right thing and made out like it was all ok and thus David's plan was foiled. Candice isn't coming after all and Sarah's nearly having a nervous breakdown. And really, there was no need to be so mean to Eileen was there? At least they were all civil during the dress-refitting, which was also a disaster. I laughed at the wine spilled on it and Eileen just chucked another glass at it too. And Sally is getting more and more insufferable and i just love it! Things just went from bad to worse when Gail tore the dress and then Jason came back and saw her in it. You know what? I think she's right. The wedding *is* jinxed! Stay tuned next week and see if more disaster strikes.

Sunday Comments, July 6

Lines of the week:

• Cilla "I need my beauty sleep" Frank "You're telling me!"
  
• Violet "So, no plans for the weekend then?" Eileen "Apart from boarding the Good Ship Morton, no" (ooo errr!)
  
• Fiz "I thought you said he didn't like yer?" (Frank) Cilla "What's not to like!" (let me count the ways)
  
• Gail to David "Grow up"
  
• Jerry "Know why pirates are called pirates? Cause they Arrrrrrrrrr!!!"
  
• Liam "Think of me as a sounding board" Carla "Can i think of you as a punch bag?"
  
• Cilla "A dear friend croaked it recently" Norris "And how did he pass away?" Cilla "Filthy rich" ... and later "People mourn in different ways"
  
• Cilla "500 quid? I've gone through that in rubber gloves!"
  

Liam is still going around with a knot in his face over Carla. I think if Paul's sister is ok with Carla moving on, then his brother should too. It's ok for some. Liam seems to be spending more time with Maria. They make a nice couple actually. Why shouldn't carla get on with Tony? I hope Liam isn't using Maria to get back at Carla. But Carla is probably using Tony to prove something to Liam judging from her less than squishy demeanor the morning after. Spending the night with Maria seems to have lifted Liam's spirits. It's done the opposite for Carla. Does anyone worry about Tony, going so far over the top with the roses? That seems a bit excessive. Liam seems to be turning as green as a green thing. Carla wears the trousers in the relationship but she also dropped everything as soon as Tony beckoned. Unless that was just to get a dig in at Liam. I dunno. Their attraction seemed to come out of nowhere. They really didn't like each other for years and years and yes i know, sometimes that masks attraction. Well, it always does on soaps. I can't see them as a couple though. I think Carla would chew Liam up and spit him out.

Oooh is Candice really going to come for the wedding? I think Blanche is basically getting paid for sitting and listening for any and all gossip. Ok, I officially like Vicki, she doesn't look it but she is a little spitfire isn't she? I love it when she winds up Kelly or Janice when they make some predjudiced remark about Poland or the Polish and shows them up for the ignorant cows they are. Aww Jodie and Lloyd make a nice couple too, don't they! And Eileen got to go to a Pirate party for her birthday! (And Finlay's!) Jerry really *really* takes advantage of Jodi. I think Lloyd is going to get fed up waiting for her and fed up with her ranting about her father. Jodie needs to go on strike. I think Jerry had more fun at the party than the kids! Heyyyy Jerry and Eileen stayed over night! Jerry told Jodie she could have the weekend off and within hours he's making plans to go to Milan with the lads and dismissing her as "Oh she can have the next weekend off". She keeps complaining that she's responsible for the two small ones, too. What about that brother and sister she's got?

Looks like Sean's new relationship is going to make him feel guilty Since Violet having to work his shift seems to have had an ill effect on her. She's ok though, don't worry. I think Sean has snagged himself a really lovely bloke though. Marcus seems really nice!!

Audrey's letting both David and Sarah work there. I expect it will be the sounds of sniping, then. Actually, i quite enjoyed seeing Jason rough up David a bit. David does seem to be making inroads with his mother towards forgiveness. I suppose it would take an awful lot for your mother to hold it against you forever. Sarah, that's another thing. Is she being over the top? Probably not. If the situation was reversed, David would be every bit as vindictive. In fact, he's been that vindictive for less reason than Sarah's got. Gail was very honest with David and she's in a difficult position, caught between two children, one of whom she loves but really can't trust and David really isn't mature enough to understand. You do realize Sarah's wedding is only about a month away and they're just making some of these arrangement decisions now? Most people would have had almost everything sorted this close to the date and all she can think of is a chocolate fountain and even at the big family meeting, that was the main topic of conversation. Swopping chocolate for champagne for a toast? ugh! Oh for heavens' sake, David, standing at the window like a 3 year old and staring inside, left out! Why didn't he just press his nose against the glass and have done with it? Grow the heck up! (Sheesh, now i'm saying it!) You know, if Sarah hadn't told David he wasn't invited so aggressively, he probably wouldn't have decided to ruin the wedding but now, you know he's on a mission. So much for being sorry. And his first trick? mailing Todd an invitation, hoping that he'll show up and stir the pot a little. Don't you think Sarah's leaving sending the invitations kind of late? it's only a few weeks until the wedding!

Very surprised that all the noise from 20 kids and a few adults on the other side of the wall didn't seep through to the Platts. Surely that's just as much noise as one stereo! Nice touch having the same song on the radio in both Jerry's and Audrey's. Odd that Jerry would have invited Kevin to Milan. I thought he seemed more matey with Lloyd.

Will Cilla move in with Frank? She's not sure she wants to leave "all her friends". Hah! He's trying to lure her with promises of inheritance. I'm surprised Cilla isn't jumping at the chance. Seems he wants a companion not a live in housekeeper, not if she's going to demand a cleaner come in. She's not going to get the chance to find out. Poor old Frank popped his clogs. At least she was on the phone to the ambulance straight away, somewhat un-Cilla-like. And oddly, she must have been quite fond of him because even though she was putting on a bit for the paramedic, you could tell she was a little sentimental at Frank's passing. Kirk and Fiz think Cilla nicked that necklace off Frank but she figures he left her everything. She looked like a dog's breakfast dolled up for the solicitor (as did the other woman waiting! Looks like Frank had a taste for the common-as-muck women!). She got quite a shock but an even bigger one when she found out how much the necklace was worth! She was so disappointed when she thought it was all for nowt, thinking she could finally have a good life for herself. Well, with the money from the necklace, that will help, at least. If she doesn't blow it all on fags, booze and trinkets first.

Sunday Comments, June 29

Lines of the week:

• Blanche "Call this aggresion? I haven't even limbered up!"
  
• Cilla "Anyone would think i've never given her a present before" (probably hasn't)
  
• Blanche "Do they call it all day breakfast because you have to wait all day for it?"
  
• Hayley to Roy "You repeat things, but you don't understand them"
  
• Cilla to Frank "You think you can win me over wi'yer dead wife's bling?"
  
• Becky to Christian "She is great. And you are NOTHING!"
  
• Carla "Do you think i wanted that? (kiss)"
  

I don't think Christian was repulsed. I think he was just very angry at Hayley lying to him. But Hayley isn't going to believe that. Hayley is now really going to find a hole in her life without Christian. Love Love Love Becky telling Roy he's ramming his values down other peoples' throats. I think Roy's got an awful lot of groveling to do to get any respect from Hayley ever again. Becky might go about things in the wrong way but her loyalty is not to be questioned. Even as worried as Roy was, he still couldn't say the words "Tell her I love her". It's a complex situation. While Hayley did have to tell Christian the truth, Roy should have been more supportive too and not shut her out so completely. Now Becky is trying her darndest to get the two of them to talk and neither will because they either don't know what to say or aren't going to say what the other wants to hear. I've never heard anyone get into such a state just going to a grocery store for milk and eggs. One would think Roy had never bought groceries in his life! And even then, with his customers waiting for breakfasts, he still couldn't let go of his carbon principles and his nerves are pretty much shattered aren't they?

Maybe now they can manage to talk properly. Well if Roy would get off his high frigging horse, they might have a chance. A change of scenery could very well help the problems between them, if they get a chance to talk it all out. By God he's hard work. Becky decided to take matters into her own hands and boy, i know violence isn't the answer and i don't think Christian really did hit Hayley with malice but Becky thinks he did and Becky thinks with her fists. And Boy did she give it to him, verbally too! And Oh God, they're going to put Blanche in the cafe to help Becky? Well she might object to Becky saying she'd be no help... but she's not, is she! Blanche with a hint of gossip is like a dog with a bone. Blanche seems to be spending mor of her time on her backside in the cafe than helping.

Sarah really has turned against David. She doesn't want him at her wedding. Would you? The feud seems to be causing a lot of trouble in the salon. Audrey is really caught in the middle between two beloved grandchildren. Can't blame Sarah but David is trying, he is. Nice to see Maria still sticking up for David. Audrey is trying to give David a home and thinks that her rules might help him. But if she too shows favouritism, it's only going to further alienate David.

Oh dear god. Knicker games! I've played that one where you have to remember the list of things and add one to it but have never had to wear knickers on my head when i've got it wrong! Hmmm Violet looks a bit sentimental over Jamie. Do i smell a re-romance or is it her hormones? Ashley is really annoying. Yes, closing the shop to babysit is just wonderful for business.

Jack's missing money from the money tin. I figure Paul is trying to set Tyrone up by Taking and replacing some cash and making it seem like Tyrone did it. Tyrone walked right into it. I'm really surprised that Jack and Vera would even believe that Tyrone would ever ever take their money! I don't blame Tyrone for being upset and he knows Paul's set him up, Paul even admitted it, but nobody believes him, not even Molly, which is just what Paul figured on. and He's very good at making it seem like Tyrone is lying isn't he! I think Molly's eyes are finally being opened, though.

Cilla's back from Vegas and what do you know? no money for the cab from the airport! She didn't even remember her own mother's birthday but she actually got Fiz an expensive and nice pressie. I bet Frank paid for it all. Cilla figures a British style diner on the Vegas Strip would do well. Poor Kirk, his birthday gift voucher for Fiz went to Lloyd! Frank doesn't seem to like Cilla's cooking. Brown sauce on pancakes!! Now Frank's giving Cilla pressies. I am starting to wonder just exactly what Cilla does for him because i'm darn sure she's a lousy house cleaner as well as cook.

Rosie is *so* crushing on Liam. Not only are her skirts getting shorter but her tops are plunging deeper and she doesn't mind sitting where his face is practically in her cleavage. I think he's starting to twig that she's throwing herself at him and he needs to nip that in the bud, sharpish. Her mother's daughter isn't she. At the same time, Tony seems to be crushing on Carla and Liam doesn't like it. He's saying that it's too soon after Paul's death. It is a big, but Carla doesn't seem to be rushing in to it either. So what does Liam do? Plant one on Carla. And she might tell him she didn't want that but it looked to me that her tongue was just as far down his throat at the time. Let's face it, Carla even admitted neither of them were faithful to each other (her and Paul that is) and we never saw all that much evidence of a warm and fuzzy marraige even if there was the occaisonal entry into the bedroom Olympics. And there's Carla with not a friend in the world, not really. She's not one to entertain girly friends and her guarded truce with Michelle is the closest she's got. But you know what? The more they protest that it will never happen? Guarantee that it will eventually even though these two are the most mismatched pair i could think of. It might be physical attraction but there's no way they'd manage a successful relationship.

I'm surprised the cafe isn't open at 8 o'clock for the pre-work crowd. Sean is still dating Marcus! You wouldn't think the doors to the pigeon loft would be left open for the birds to fly out would you? Yet it seemed to be when Liam was sulking in the back yard, sitting on the dirty ground. (pigeon muck?)

Sunday Comments, June 22

Lines of the week:

• David "It was just one lousy pill"
  
• Gail "I've done angry. I'm just done past caring"
  
• Inspector "You rang us? Green, Clean and Friendly?" Becky "Which one are you?"
  
• Vernon "A man for all seasons, me"
  
• Ryan about his relatives "They're all whack jobs. In a nice way"
  
• Betty re a magazine on menopause "That ship sailed long since" and to seasonal affective disorder "I saw off Hitler, you know. I think i can cope with a few dark nights"
  
• Hayley to Christian "Harold's still alive"
  
• Vernon "I'm very right brained" (but not right in the brain) Steve "So far, i've seen very little evidence of any brain at all"
  
• Hayley to Roy "Go away and leave me alone. I can't stand the sight of yer" (I bet you never thought you'd hear that come out of her!)
  

I'd be a lot more scared of Jerry but Gail is pretty frightening when she's on the warpath too. Oh i'm so glad the police got involved, probably via the hospital report. And as bad as David felt he sure got a shock when Gail refused to go to the cop shop with him. And even then, he still seemed to take it less seriously than you'd think until they told him he could be charged with manslaughter if Beth died. Which she didn't. She's ok. Beth is very very lucky she didn't have any damage from that pill. Wow, Gail even threw David out! Best thing for him even if he tried to turn it around on her. But she does feel guilty even though it was the right thing to do. So how long will Gail's resolve last? I'm a bit surprised that Audrey did take him in though, after all her urging for Gail to put her foot down. Maybe, though, Audrey will lay down the law and make David follow the rules. Maybe that's the best thing for him, rules and structure. Bill's not too keen on the idea but I think Bill would be a good strong male influence on David. Well, Bethany's home and as far as we know, no lasting effects. David was sure relieved. Don't think Sarah is every going to forgive David, with good reason. Gail is starting to really feel the guilt, though. David is trying to say sorry to everyone and nobody will have it. Anyone think that's going to push him into revenge mode? But Gail won't have David back until he's proven he's changed. That's going to take more than one day or even a week.

I know Vernon wanted to be romantic but he's not very bright either. New Year's Eve? Now he's got yet another excuse to skive. Wedding planning.He was really nervous about how Steve would take the news though. Now Steve wants to move Michelle into the pub. That's going to be close quarters. If they're worried about the crowds, why doesn't Michelle and Liz/Vernon swop? Vernon is making me ill. Will i have to put up with his mushing for the next couple of months? Rosie's skirt is getting shorter and shorter. Huge guffaw at David trying to amuse Betty sat under the dryer!

Uh oh. Sally's getting *that look* again, when she looks at John and she's cornered him into a theatre "date" to see Shakespeare and it happens to be on Fiz's birthday! And would you have believed that Kevin would actually enjoy it? He didn't either but he did, and he "got" it, much to Sally's surprise and chagrin. Tony Soprano, indeed! Sophie's getting a bit stroppy with teenage hormones isn't she? lol! Dev is really really being annoying about the slower kettle. IT's not as if they're lighting the fire by rubbing two sticks together. D'you notice? Christian even slopes along a bit like Hayley. Looks like Audrey's home is becoming a refuge for waifs and strays now she's taking Ashley in. Um, You know, It's Steve's pub. Surely if he wants to take down the photo of him snogging the gal in Malta, he can. I suppose his mother would prefer to have it there too, both of them like to take the pi$$ don't they! Evidenced by Lloyd urging Vernon to give Steve a hug.

Roy's low carbon footprint efforts aren't impressing the customers but seriously. How long does it take? It's not that bad but people are so impatient these days. Roy's really really annoying me lately though. Obsession about being green is taking over his life to the point where he's grizzling about the wrapping paper and taking the car out for a drive (when they rarely do take it out, after all!) If Roy is so concerned about the environment, he should sell that clunker of a car and buy a new small hybrid one that's fuel efficient! Laughed at Becky scaring Roy with her present, an inimate item no couple should be without and it was a carrier for id and money under your clothes. Becky is also very plain speaking and makes sure Roy hears the hard truth.

Curly Freddy is back again. Rosie definitely has a crush on Liam who definitely does not have one on her. John mentioned the theatre in the round. That must be the Manchester Royal Exchange theatre! Liam seems a little jealous that Carla is making eyes at another man so soon after Paul's death but really, Carla and Paul didn't really have that warm and fuzzy a marraige for quite some time.

Becky always seems to get straight to the core of things. She knows that Hayley wants to see more of Christian. Should she be encouraging Hayley, knowing how Roy feels? I think so, as long as Hayley explains to Roy which she did. But it didn't turn out very well, did it? But while he has a point, that Hayley really has to tell Christian the truth, making her choose between Christian and their relationship, and blanking her out is totally wrong. Leave it to Kelly, if it wears trousers she's ready to devour it. Another lie, Harold was cremated. Blimey, were any of you thinking "JUST TELL HIM!" Cripes, it's never a straight line with Hayley, is it! Well, Roy pretty much forced the issue and she finally told Christian the truth after that, and he smacked her across the face!!! Did Roy feel guilty? I hope so. I don't think Christian hit her because of the fact that she was a man before, it was because of the lies. Yes, Roy was right but i still think he was overly harsh with Hayley. For more examination of this storyline, check out the entry below this one.

Hayley's got a son

So we've come to the storyline where Hayley has discovered that she fathered a son when she was Harold. The basic premise was taken from the movie Transamerica where a woman was just about to have her reassignment surgery and discovers she'd father'd a son. She meets the lad but doesn't tell him who she is until much later in the movie when it blows up in her face. Well, the same idea here. Hayley discovered through a letter that was written to her late Auntie Monica that she'd fathered a son via a one night spent with a good friend back in the day. She doesn't tell Roy this because she'd told him at the start that she and Harold both were virgins. She does tell Becky who has been a tower of strength. I really think this is where Becky really comes into her own as a character and cements her place. But that's a story for another blog.

Hayley finds out where her son Christian is and when she steels her nerves to meet him, tells him she's his auntie and there lies the rub. When Roy finds out, he's very angry that he's been lied to but also upset that Hayley has lied to Christian. Lie begets lie. I do agree there, that Hayley needs to tell the truth to Christian. I don't agree with Roy's holier than thou attitude and harsh demands that if Hayley doesn't tell the truth, their future is in dire jeopardy. I think he probably could have forgiven the lie about viriginity even though he figures a relationship built on a lie is not worth having. It's not that serious a lie, really. Not enough to destroy 10 years of solidarity.

If i were i Roy's shoes, i'm sure i'd not be too happy with my partner's lies and would strongly urge the truth be told, not just for the partner's sake but for the lad's. He does deserve to know the truth, and should be told. I wouldn't threaten and emotionally blackmail my partner into it but then i don't see the world in black and white like Roy does. As good a man as he is, he can be very santimonious at times. He doesn't deal well with emotions. He doesn't compromise easily, not on the big things. He'd be utterly lost without Hayley yet he's pushing her away. For her own sake, he'd say. That's not being supportive and i can't blame Hayley for turning a bit cold to him after what happens.

I'm writing this the afternoon before a particular episode airs on CBC but i'm going to spoil it as i don't think a lot of people read this straight away anyway. But you've been warned. The rest of this post will contain spoilers for this storyline. Look away now if you don't want to know.

Last night Hayley finally told Christian that his father is still alive. Tonight she will tell him the whole truth, but knowing Hayley, it won't come out in a straight line. Christian isn't going to take it well. He walks away and she follows, pulling at him so he turns around and lashes out, smacking her across the face with the back of his beringed hand. That of course causes bruises and cuts. She thinks he thinks of her as a freak. I don't think that's the case really. I think it's anger at her letting him think his father was dead. Lie begets lie and he's angry when it all comes out. As anyone would be. I also think he's horrified at hitting her in the heat of the moment but he walks away and when Hayley gets home, Roy is horrified and wants Christian arrested.

Some might say it's partly Roy's fault for forcing Hayley into telling the truth when she wasn't ready. That's not right but he should feel guilty just the same. it's a very hard situation, really. Yes, Hayley should have told Christian from the start. This wouldn't have happened. He'd have been shocked and surprised but I think he'd have come round to it. i don't think he's a violent man as a rule, i think this was accidental but boy, oh boy, Becky sure reacts in true Becky fashion. She beats the crap out of him in retaliation. Roy doesn't know how to react other than directing his guilt and anger at Christian.

There's no right or wrong here, not really. Hayley should have told the truth from the start but it was a very difficult thing to do. Roy should have been more supportive and not so hard on her with his high morals. But encouraging her to tell the truth was right. Just not the way he did it. Christian shouldnt' have struck out but it's understandable.

The thing is, it more or less rewrites Hayley's whole history. Everything she'd told us over the years. The mother of her son, Cath, was supposed to be a sort of kindred spirit. Both young people were loners, outcasts. Yet what about Ruth? That friend that Hayley went to see years ago when she and Roy ran off with that little boy they were fostering. That was also supposed to be the same sort of best friend. Sounds like Harold had more friends than he knew what to do with. It seems the powers that be went with this storyline because of the popularity of the movie and because of the sensation it would cause if beloved Hayley was assaulted. Indeed the newspapers and ITV themselves were putting put publicity about Hayley being "brutally beaten" when in fact, it was one smack across the face. Hardly brutal. Jez Quigley was beaten by Jim McDonald and he died from his injuries. *That's* brutal.

In spite of that, though, as always, Julie H and David N have put in fantastic performances. Roy and Hayley stories are always good because the writers always do believable dialogue and the actors really know what to do with it. Even if watching Roy makes you angry, as it does me, i can appreciate the skill of both the actors and writers here. If it's a bit unbelievable that Hayley would have had such a good friend, had sex with her and then pretty much never see her or keep in touch with her within weeks of it for the pregnancy not to have come to light (Ok, maybe Cath just upped and left town without telling her best friend why and never kept in touch, that doesn't make a lot of sense either), that's television and you have to suspend disbelief, i guess.

This is the main thing i really dislike about tv shows that rewrite character history. Nothing adds up. When they gave Mike Baldwin a son with Susan who, surprise, didn't have an abortion after all, they failed to explain how Tracy could have visited Susan or Ken who must have called her or visited even though we didn't see it, how come nobody ever heard of or saw Adam, or even a photo of him in her flat? When they gave Mike a brother and therefore Danny Baldwin who became his son, they forgot that Mike's father was on the show and they used to talk about how it was just the two of them against the world when Mike was younger. Tsk. There is documented history here that's being thrown out the window. If there was an absence of a character or they were never known to the show or never talked about their past, you can get away with it. Bet Lynch was discovered to have a son from a teenage pregnancy who was given up for adoption as did Audrey. Both were believable because of the character however.

Oh well, i could witter on and ramble for a long time. i better quit. i've probably already lost any readers i might have had by this point! Sorry about that. Corrie isn't the only show that has done this and it always annoys me. But the performances keep me coming back for more. Corrie does drama like nobody else does. Long may it reign