Agnes prepares for her New Year's Eve party although half the guests have reasons for not attending. She is also perturbed that Mark and Betty want to send Bono to the very rough local school and is somewhat harassed when stern Father McBride persuades her to look after the parrot that belonged to Maria's recently-deceased auntie. After having a mishap with some aerosol glue which she mistook for deodorant and accidentally triggering Dino's food allergy, Agnes learns that the parrot was living in a house of ill-repute not unknown to Father McBride, a fact which comes useful for keeping Bono out of the dreadful school. Further cause for celebration is the fact that Cathy and the boys turn up for New Year after all.