LIVING IN SUMMER BAY (episodes 27-32)

Floss finds out that her estranged son has gone away with his wife and they are looking for a nanny for their child. Floss goes for the interview without her son knowing and is then given the job, again without her son knowing for some reason. Not really sure why her son doesn't talk to her or her husband anymore. Also not really sure where/why her son and his wife have gone and why they decided to leave the child at home with just some rando nanny they haven't met. Her grandson (Ben) turns out to be a little shit and he calls her an old hag.
The whole Bay start gossiping about Ailsa after finding out about her having murdered her father, especially Alf's nosy-hole sister, Celia. He tells her, "You've got a mouth like Lunar Park except occasionally Lunar Park is shut". Then for some reason, Alf, Donald and a police officer are doing a stake out, I think to find the cow-killer. Alf yells 'Up yours!" in a very tense moment of drama.
I also found out that Roo is short for Ruth and not Kangaroo. I don't understand then, why it's not spelt Ru. But anyways, Roo is being her usual arsehole self and Alf decides that she's gonna have to go to boarding school.

Then Home and Away did this weird '3 DAYS LATER' thing which I've never seen before. This big school gig that they've been talking about for fucking ever is FINALLY happening. It's called 'Summer Bay Variety Night' and it's for anyone who wants to perform. Because Roo has been sent away to boarding school and can't sing in the band anymore, Frank desperately looks for a new lead singer and is having no luck. Then Pippa decides to try out. Frank bluntly tells his foster mother "This is the 80's? Music's different!". But turns out Pippa is p. good!

Frank's lame-ass band before Pippa saved it

Anyways, The variety show is p. pathetic. Floss and her hubby do a lame comedy routine and are also MCing the whole thing. Then Celia sings a religious hymn awfully. Next up, Alf and Tom Fletcher do this disturbing, camp drag act where they can-can dressed like weird rag dolls.

                                        Tom (left) and Alf (right) camp it up to the can-can
The best was saved for last. Pippa comes out with Frank's band who have name themselves The Summer Bay City Rollers. Okay, I have to admit that was a p. good, v. clever name for the band. They sing the hit song 'Livin' in Summer Bay'. And let me tell you...  it's a fucking TUNE! Like, seriously guys, GET THIS TO XMAS NUMBER ONE! How did we ever forget this one? How did we let this slip through the cracks of time? Here it is if you want to give your ears a massive treat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_O4LynPtU4

GLORIOUS! Although, I was kinda  hoping that they would do some sort of rock version of the Home and Away theme tune but I think that would be way too meta!
Donald Fisher who is the vice-principal and has been acting as principal while the actual principal was injured finds out that actual principal is recovering and will be coming back soon. Poor Donald is very upset to be demoted and gets very emosh. He says to Ailsa "It hurts! It hurts like hell!!" in a very tense moment of drama. He threatens to quit. Ailsa comforts him and nosy-hole Celia sees them.
Carly and Lynn go to the city. They miss their bus and have to wait an hour until the next one. Carly decides to hitch a ride on her own. Carly gets back from the city hours after Lynn does. It is extremely late and she goes straight to her room, slams the door and in a genuinely emotional scene, breaks down crying.
Things are about to get very serious in Summer Bay in this very important and controversial storyline.

Episodes 17-26: First mentions of 'The City', Morag and Terminations
Frank and Roo decide to wag (skip school). A v. cheesy montage of them kissing and frolicking on the beach follows.
Pippa has conceived despite having been told she couldn't have kids. She is at risk of Rheumatic Fever and the baby would have a high risk of dying so has Pippa. Her and Tom talk about their options and they talk about termination but they ultimately decide to they will try to have the baby. Pip and Tom go to the city to see a 'specialist'. This is the first mention of 'The city'. The city seems to be an hour away or a day away depending on the episode. Sometimes, for example, Brax will go to the city at lunch and be back for dinner. Other times people need a day to get there and end up staying in a hotel for the night. I assume the city is Sydney although they never mention this and keep it purposefully (I think) vague.

Roo and Frank kissing and frolicking

Alf finds out about Roo and Frank going on the mitch (wagging). Alf confronts Frank who initially denies it and Alf come out with one of the best one-liners of all time "Pull the other one, it plays jingle bells". Alf then let's Ru and Frank go out as long they keep no more secrets from him but then for some reason they continue to hide the band they are in from him.
Poor Nico's bike is destroyed with a sign saying GET RID OF DUMMY on it.
Roo keeps trying to come between Ailsa and Alf and Ailsa decides to cool off again. Alf then decides he needs Ailsa in his life and thus, the greatest proposal of all time ensues;
Ailsa is arranging flowers to beautiful music and there's a knock on the door. It's Alf.
Alf: Damn you woman!
Ailsa: Wh... what's wrong?
Alf: You, damn you!
Ailsa: Well, what have I done now?
Alf: MARRY ME, okay?! That's what you wanna hear, isn't it? Let's get hitched.
How could Ailsa have possibly said no? But of course, Ailsa has a dark secret past! She has no family and has never mentioned her past life...
Roo obviously is incredibly pissed off about this and listens to music on our favourite giant Walkman. In an act of rebellion she decides to 'do it' with Frank. But when they get close to 'doing it' Roo comes to her senses and decides against it. She then decides to run a background check on Ailsa with the help of her aunt (Alf's sister) Morag. Hardcore H&A fans will know about Morag; the only competent barrister in Australia. She has popped up for the last 26 years anytime anyone has ever been in any kind of legal trouble and I don't think she has ever lost a case. We only get mention of Morag though, as Roo only speaks to her on the phone.

Nico (right) with cow (middle)

Nico (our mentally challenged friend) comes home and goes straight to his only friend, Jessie the cow. The cow has been killed. This scene was actually incredibly moving and I might have shed a tear as Nico breaks down and cries and screams PLEASE GET UP over and over again. Nico blames Donald Fisher because of his constant petitioning to have Nico institutionalised and Nico attacks Fisher. Nico is then locked away. Lynn goes to see him in the mental home and it really is just heartbreaking. He just sits there silently in his little pyjamas and then Lynn has just one of the weirdest lines of all time - "but now I know God's like Nico. He doesn't exist either". Wow, v. philosophical for a 14 year old girl.

Bobby and Carly: They love to hate each other 

Bobby and Carly continue to be at each other's throats and Bobby calls her a 'Rich bitch'. Which apparently was ok to say on Australian tv in the 80's.(BTW In episode 24 I realised that Frank doesn't go to school. I have no idea why but he works with Alf full-time in the bait shop.) Roo being the sneaky bitch she is finds a card to Ailsa from Donald. Roo starts going around saying nasty shit about Ailsa. She says to her friends "She probably made Fisher pay for it" and Bobby has it out with her and a catfight ensues.
After being engaged for what seems like two hours, Tom and Pippa throw an engagement party for Alf and Ailsa. Roo then gets a phonecall from Morag revealing Ailsa's big dark secret. Roo rushes to the engagement party and then announces on front of everyone that Ailsa is in fact.... A MURDERER!!!
Ailsa confesses and admits that she killed her father when she was 18 years old. She admits to showing no remorse in court because it was defense against her abusive father . Ailsa leaves the party mortified. Bobby punches Roo in the face.
Thing are getting dark in H&A and it's only going to get darker!!