susannah

What a horrible thing. He should have been shot. I am sure way back in the day, that when things like that happened, and I am sure they happened often, that many girls would keep their babies using such deceptions.

I didn't catch all of the show this week, but I saw that the cranberry pie was too sour. I only saw Jen's pie when she was cut, and I was like, what the heck? Does she not know how to spell home? It must have been her ice cream that Nancy said was terrible. Terrible is way worse than sour.

Nor the reverse! I would think that those family get togethers would be very awkward either way. Also, I wonder how any kid would feel when he finds out that his mother gave him away to his aunt. Even if they never told him, secrets always come out. It seems like a badly conceived plan to begin with. See what I did there? 😀 Do you remember the episode quite a while back where the impoverished mother had two children already and had just given birth to a third, and her sister was essentially going to BUY him? I hated that. She was wealthy but would only help her sister in any way unless she turned over her baby. That mother changed her mind too, and the sister acted like she was entitled to the kid. I can't imagine how such close adoptions would ever work. Nice chatting with you, Ella!

Your points are valid but I just really disagree. Yes Reggie comes home for visits but he is supervised. They don't leave him at home alone. They don't ask him to do more than he is able to do. He helps Fred, but in ways that alot of even special needs young adults could do. I;m not sure what "real" problems could arise on his visits home. He is able to take care of himself, dressing, eating, etc. There have been several times when they worried about him though, the one where he was giving bread to the sick sailor, as you mentioned, the one where Violet was worried that the marketplace sellers were taking advantage of him, and when he put the little tin carousel on Barbara's grave...killer.. and the one where he missed his girlfriend and they were worried someone was taking advantage of him. I agree that his place sounds really nice. I guess its just perception, but I don't even think it was implied that all a parent of a special needs child needs to do is to love the child. Fred had no way of knowing what Robert's level of function would be, and said to the father that since they got Reggie when he was already grown up, he didn't know about raising a Down's baby. But, if I remember right, the father was worried that he wouldn't love Robert, not about what his abilities would be. I also didn't see any "villainizing" of the sister for not taking the baby. She was honest with her feelings, and I was so glad that she was honest beforehand and said no, instead of them taking the baby and then putting him in a home, or hurting him out of frustration. Not everyone feels up to the challenges of a special needs child, especially back then when support and resources were pretty thin. I remember when Rhoda Mollucks, the mother of the thalidomide baby, was, with her husband, just at her wit's end to know how Susan was going to manage anything, eating. using the toilet, bathing, etc, as she grew. But they didn't institutionalize her. Others would, and did.

They had more than one show with Susan Mollucks, the thalidomide baby. They talked about how the nursery wouldn't take her, and her parents had her evaluated for prosthetics. They DID show how it was very difficult to raise a child with no functioning limbs. No one has said that "love solves everything," ever. Yes she does. When she has her hair up though I just am reminded of Delia.

Do they feel like cotton or like a knit?

Nancy said that she had Colette when she was sixteen and that she was five. They got a girl to play her that looks older than five. I think alot of adults make impulsive choices when they are scared and against the wall. She obviously had been abused in the convent she grew up in and she was not going to let the same happen to her daughter, and then the head nun threatened her that she wouldn't see Colette at all. I don't think Nancy thought that she should just say okay, and go home and make plans. She was afraid of losing her daughter.

I believe they did address that, and acknowledge that, when Reggie's mother died and the Buckles took him in. He nearly set the place on fire when he tried to cook something and filled the place with gas. He tried to go back to his home, and was getting harassed by some jerks. It was made clear that he needed close supervision. They looked for places they could send him where he would be happy, seeing some bad ones, and not knowing what to do. Reggie now is in the facility where he is happy, doing his gardening, and enjoys his visits home, but it is always clear that he will always need supervision, for his own safety. I don't know how much more clear they could make it. No one said it would be easier because there is love. But it sure would be alot harder if there isn't, and that is all Fred said to Robert's father.

I agree. We shall see if he really puts his money where his mouth is. He's not going away, for sure!

Yes I know he said that. Saying isn't doing. I disagree that he is meeting Trixie where she lives and works, I think that he is making sure SHE is set up, since he likes her. That is self serving. I would think more of him if he actually did start action on cleaning up the slums, or that his contribution to NH had nothing to do with Trixie. Differing opinions are great.

I guess any opinion is good, because that is all we have. It made no sense to me that he gave the money to Sr J when the issue was the slum apartments, and didn't address that at all in regard to doing anything about them.

I don't think that Fred was minimizing the fact that there are difficulties raising special needs children, just that it is okay to love them. As said here, there are varying levels of limitation with Down's kids, but with love and support, they will be the best that they can be, and the parents have to learn day by day how to do it. Reggie's limitations have been illustrated on the show, but they also have shown how he has grown, and he is treated like the young man he is. Robert will grow up with that love and support, and will never be shoved into a home, regardless of his limitations. His siblings would also be there for him. I love Reggie, and that he and the Buckles will be great support systems. I too loved the scene with Reggie and the carriage. I was glad the sister was honest enough to say that she couldn't take Robert. That was the most adorable baby. Thank goodness Nancy got Colette out of that orphanage, and away from that nasty guy. Of course she should have come to Nonnatus first thing, but she was scared. She is still a very young woman with a great responsibility, and fear that she will lose her child. I also thought that the Turners could foster Colette, since it would be a temporary situation and not one with a hope of adoption at the end as with May. I thought that Sr Hilda and Phyllis were right to chastise her, and Nancy got that they were so worried about her and cared for her. I didn't care at all about Sr Gorgon at Colette's orphanage. The tenement situation was horrible. Of course the errant landlord had to be Rich Guy. I didn't at all like that plot manipulation, since Trixie was involved. He wanted Trixie's approval, so he stepped up. I did wonder what endowing NH was going to do for the tenements, besides nothing. They aren't in charge of housing. I don't like the blooming relationship, since it is has only been a year since the wife died. I am sure Trixie's having to lose all her fancy clothes was like a knife to the heart! Timothy is off to medical school! I am so proud. I remember when he was hanging out the car window looking for Sheilagh, when she was discharged from the tb facility, and when he got polio. He was so little then!

Is there a Phillippe in this season? Anyone remember the other Phillippe, who thought he was God's gift to baking, and there with the snarky remarks? I have tried to make buttermints, like the ones you can buy, but the homemade ones just are basically butter and powdered sugar, with flavoring. Essentially frosting. If anyone ever knows how to make the hard ones, please let me know!

That would be even better.

So true. Sadly, this culture of male sexual entitlement is fostered by both fathers and mothers, the ones who want their sons to be "real men." There is so much that has to change for the culture to change. We have to teach girls and boys that girls are valuable and worthy whether they have a boyfriend or not, that they never have to accept being treated badly or ever as sexual objects. Boys have to be taught to respect girls. I think this education needs to start in first grade and continued through the years.

So true. I graduated mid 70s, and no pregnant girl was allowed to walk with her classmates. The boys who were known to have impregnated girls, including a 13 year old girl, were allowed to graduate and fully participate. It was sickening.

But my question was what if Henry had gotten hurt, or if he had hurt someone else? Things can go south very quickly when guns are involved. Eddie was just supposed to shut up? Henry's "rodeos" are in the past, he is no longer a police officer.

Not sure why, since Henry was doing a wrong thing, and Eddie was concerned for him. He had no right to tell her he was going to go on pretending he was still a cop, because he ISN'T, and she had nothing to say about it. So if she said nothing, and he got himself killed, that would be cool?

I haven't heard it.

I agree that that DA and the lawyer helped that woman get away with murder, and the DA should have been charged with obstructing justice. It is Erin's job to prosecute crimes, and there is no statute of limitations on murder. I think Eddie was also doing her job, since she is an officer and Henry isn't. She could have arrived at the scene to find him dead. She was concerned, and I think Henry was an ass to her. But telling him should have come from Jamie, and I don't think Henry should have been made out a hero. He is not a cop anymore, and can't go around trying to be one with his gun and handcuffs. What more was Erin supposed to do when the DA refused to cooperate with her and tried to destroy her professional reputation?

I haven't watched both seasons, just the last few of Season 2, and apparently Finley is the major screwup, and I don't know what her issues are, but I know she has them, and I like her and feel for her. I think she is the new Shane, who I always liked and felt for, even though she was a screwup.. But it is apparent that Shane has never grown up and still is acting like a horny teenager, having sex in the laundry room with a houseful of kids around, etc. .I hope that Finley does better. The actress that plays Finley is so good. What's even better is the stuff on youtube where Kate and Leisha are in one place and Jennifer in another, talking. They have so much love for each other and so much history.

I have a question about what Henry did. I don't know if he crossed a line, since he isn't a cop anymore, and wanted to feel like one? I loathe the DA that is making life hell for Erin. It seems like Erin is just trying to do her job. I about fainted when Danny told the girl that her baby would be even better if he or she was like Jamie. That is the first time I have heard him recognize what a good officer and person Jamie is. Eddie is not doing well in the partner situation. Why does she keep getting weird people for partners? Like I said about Joe, they need to step back and give him the space he needs, to feel comfortable with the family, in his own time.

Except it was his choice whether he wanted to be a part of them or not, and when. He didn't grow up knowing them, and sometimes it takes time to get to know people and feel one of them, if you ever do. I felt like Anthony was essentially telling him that he was one of them, so act like it, end of. It wasn't his business.

Is that the one that lost her hair over it?

I just saw an ad that is not only gross, it makes NO sense. A grandfather sneezes at the dinner table, and then everyone at the table starts these huge sneezes...I sure wouldn't want to eat that dinner! then I see that the ad is for a cleaning product for CPAP wearers, which treats sleep apnea. WHAT does that have to do with everyone sneezing on their dinner?