800 Words S3E5

This episode is full of recaps of Woodie’s trip to Australia (along with George and Smiler). It starts with Woodie on George’s couch, and it is not looking good. Flashback to their departure - Jan thinks it is bonkers.Driving through outback - Smiler all worried about the venomous animals, including jellyfish. They hit the pub - can’t get distracted, straight in, straight out like a robber’s dog. Smiler - she’s a woman, has mysterious powers of distraction. And there she is - Woodie seems transfixed, runs away! Memories flooding back, good times, she is beautiful. Can George talk him down? They look too young to have been married 17 years ago. Rose wants to look at papers when less busy, Smiler and Woodie distracted by roo burgers, don’t want to be rude. Then a girl turns up - his daughter! Poppy. More stunned mullet and running away from Woodie.

Rose says tried to find Woodie, not asking for anything, telling him how things are, Woodie freaking out about Poppy, not knowing, life-changing moment, having trouble with saying anything to her but tries - it is kind of sweet - he has to do another runner before he’s ready.

Back in Weld, it is a wet weekend. It turns out Katie needs Police check to take the teaching job - why is she worried? Hannah does the police check for Katie, has a few fines, actually assaulted Hannah (with a salad!). Hannah lends Katie  money to pay fine but spills beans about fake conference, Katie worried can’t keep a secret. Tom suggests an alternative truth, not a lie. Photo comes in from Woodie all dressed up as if going to cocktail party - part of their cover - - Katie has to run away to avoid telling.

Shay and Ollie - he insists on running with her in rain,is a bit creepy, comes in for shower when they are done, Arlo is gone, Ollie is naked looking for towel. Monty and Siouzsie are there when Ollie comes out of shower. Monty has problem - Woodie drilled holes for battens for solar panels, went to Oz, then the rain. Siouxsie quite protective of dad - his dad bullies him. They stay with Shay. Monty is kind of nice to Siouxsie, who has a warning for Shay about Ollie, who doesn’t get the right messages when it comes to girls.

Rose - driven crazy by Woodie’s over-thinking, wanted Poppy to know he is real. G “Do you still love him?” “Everybody loves Woodie”. He’s out there having one-side conversations with Poppy, seems to realise weird for her, can go and talk with her. She has builder tools, knows what she is doing - they bond over building together. Woodie and Poppy - both discard stuff from memory (even that he is married!), she gets that he forgot to mention wedding, thinks Tracey is lucky, all the trouble he’s going to, its romantic, likes that she met him. Really sweet, Woodie is doing the proud dad thing, we’re kindred spirits. Can’t keep Poppy a secret and have a relationship with her. Might have found a few tears in my eyes at about this point.

Oh oh, now Monty springs the news about Woodie’s shotgun divorce - new to Siouxsie . Then we have Tracey and Katie, T saying knows about the secret and doesn’t care, but are they talking about the same thing? No - the salad incident. Is there something else?

Rose signs the papers, you’re off the hook - Woodie wants engagement ring, it is his mum’s. He’s worried about how guys mistreat Poppy and Rose. Poppy “should I call you Dad?” Woodie - like that. They drive off, get 60 metres, stop the car, I have an idea, maybe not great, but maybe Poppy could come to Weld. Rose trusts him, Poppy can pack real fast. Woodie - reckon Tracey is ready for the truth, I’m not married, but have a daughter - she’ll be stoked.

But then he goes in to see Tracey, with George to help him be on his own. Yep - she knows, is last to know,.embarrassed and hurt. Doesn’t really buy that it slipped his mind, bringing out his mum’s ring doesn’t fix things - want you to leave.

Woodie then presents Poppy - really doesn’t help. Poor Tracey. How to weather the storm? Ends with Woodie and George standing side by side “things didn’t exactly go to plan.”