Maggie and Andrew are looking forward to an early retirement in France, but due to the death of their son and daughter-in-law, their grandchildren arrive, totally disrupting their plans as they take on their family duties as next of kin.

Maggie's looking forward to some time to herself now the children are going back to school, but chicken-poxes intervenes.

Philip has to take a visit to casualty, while Jake's hamster dies, and Georgia falls for the builder, whose interest lies with the cleaner.

Andrew takes the kids out to entertain them, only to get himself arrested. Andrew tells Maggie to relax and enjoy having their grandchildren around, while Georgia is devastated to find Tom kissing Liz.

The drastic changes to the family's living conditions has put a financial strain on Maggie and Andrew, plus the lack of living space exacerbates the problem, so Tom decides to transform the garage into a bedroom prompting Andrew to make a tearful goodbye to his garage wine collection.

Maggie and Andrew decide to legally adopt their three grandchildren; however this news doesn't go down too well. Plus, Liz has doubts after her first date with Tom.

Maggie gets a job at a friend's restaurant and the family all gather together to watch Jake in his school nativity.