State of the Street - February 2012

Frank's trial. Not a lot more I can say than I've already blogged here. The fallout ....Both of them sharing the factory. Carla *is* the majority shareholder so she should be able to pull rank on decisions, shouldn't she? It seems to be armed truce but I can't imagine how Carla can get through the days, Plus there's nearly out and out revolt on the factory floor with duelling supervisors, Hayley and Sally. I would think Carla would relish the chance to order Sally around as the office P.A. wouldn't you? That leaves Hayley as the floor supervisor.

Carla's drinking a little more and Simon is rebelling as hard as he can, poor kid. I didn't think Carla would be able to cope with Simon and now that Leanne is back, it's going to be all out war.  Well, Peter got what he wanted. I wonder if he thinks it was all it was cracked up to be. Certainly not happy families, that's for sure.

Steve and Tracy can't get annulled so it's off to the childish Wind-Me-Up Olympics and they're running neck and neck. Was it supposed to be funny? It wasn't. But then it was. Once Steve moved Beth and Moonface in, that is. And yes, Tracy should be paying half the mortgage and by the way, she mentioned him paying maintenance. Wouldn't that stop once he married her? I'd be talking to the solicitor about that one. Most couples who buy a house, with both names on the deed, usually share the expenses so she *should* get off her backside and get a job.

Now there's Beth paying rent with a lease and everything. This could be fun! I'm so glad they brought her back. She's like Cilla but with a nicer side. She's as common as muck of course and that child of hers is comedy gold and you know what? Steve could do a lot worse! He has. in fact.

Poor Katy is suffereing post-natal depression and she's having a really hard time coping. She won't ask for help and Chesney is trying to work too hard to support them to be able to be of any assistance. Plus, she knows if she asks for help, her father will be all over her with his "I Told You So" and that's exactly what he did and exactly why she ran and exactly why she didn't want to come back. And everything Owen rants about only proves her point. He's a controlling bully. Yes, he's a worried father but he isn't helping his daughter cope, he's making her feel even more inadequate. Let's hope this is a lesson.

I really admire Chesney. He's always stood up to Owen and continues to do so. He's not afraid of him and he has always been willing to take on his responsibility even when it overwhelms him at times. And I wonder if kids watching will get the idea that parenthood isn't like playing house except they'll end up happy and coping after a this glitch and it'll be all roses again.


Eileen and Paul's relationship kind of creeps me out. I think it has that effect on most viewers. . Paul's house flooded and he worried about Lesley coming back. He says she needs routine and familiarity so he moves her into Eileen's? Can't he just arrange to have her continue to stay at the respite home? Doesn't he have insurance that would cover alternate accommodations? They'd be just as strange to Lesley so what difference would it make?

I understand they are trying to focus on this storyline as an "issue" but it just makes us all feel uncomfortable with Eileen and Paul gazing doe-eyed at each other across Lesley's usually oblivious head. It just doesn't seem like something Eileen would do, want to be with someone whose wife was in that state. I'm sure this kind of thing does happen in real life, and it's a sad story and a tough spot to be in, but it's just so out of character for Eileen who, while a bit desperate and lonely, isn't *that* desperate. We all thought she still had a line she wouldn't cross. Guess not.

Sylvia obviously bigged up herself, her environment, her family only for Milton to discover her in a backstreet cafe. That doesn't stop him, though, he was determined to help upscale Roy's business with expansion! I really am suspicious though. Sylvia might not be the only one that's exaggerating. I thought Milton might not have been all he seemed but apparently he was genuine. Roy just couldn't tell his mother he didn't want her to go and felt like she was abandoning him all over again.

And Sylvia was of two minds to go or not. I think it was a close call. I think she used the excuse of being surrounded by loud Americans to call it off and maybe she realized that Roy just couldn't say the words even though he felt them, as Hayley assured her. Roy's retisence is not all her fault, either. He's just not built that way and rarely reveals his feelings in words. I'm glad she didn't go. She's such a great addition to the show and maybe this will be another turning point in their relationship.


Kirsty and Tyrone have had some ups and downs and Tyrone thought she was cheating on him. She got all affronted that he would be suspicious. Pot? Kettle? It wasn't ok when she though he was after Tina and still had feelings for Fiz and it's not ok that he's suspicious either. She's still managing to put a wedge between him and his friends and even if the baby is Tyrone's, I can't help feeling this isn't going to end well.

Lewis the cad is back and Audrey is leaning back in his direction. Has he changed? Does he really have true feelings for her? Once a con man always a con man? Nobody could blame Gail for worrying. Her mother has never been the smartest when it comes to men (nor has Gail!). I guess we shall see if Audrey gets sucked back in to Lewis' charms and what happens as a result. One thing's for sure, I'm pleased in one way because I love Audrey storylines even when they're silly and it's great when there's focus on the senior members of the cast.

Beefy Brian has decided that Ken is his new BFF, out of nowhere. Former teacher, current teacher, one thread in common and it's pretty flimsy. I suppose they have to give him at least one friend so he's not so isolated. Julie has loads of mates and family but Brian is tagged on with her.  And you know it was always his idea first to try for a baby and I can't help feeling this vasectomy was a retcon, rewriting the facts. Anyway, I do love this couple. He's so pompous and silly and she's daft as a bag of hammers.

Did you catch it when Audrey asked Tina in the bar how Betty was? The reply was that Betty hasn't been feeling well. I think that was the first "heads up" that Betty is ill, leading to her death. We know Betty Driver has died and that Betty's death will be written into the story with a funeral/wake. A three hanky episode, for sure!