Mistral: I didn’t understanding either - or maybe something transpired that we didn’t hear? (still evening here ). And you are up very late, unless you are not in UK.
Yes, Ruthy and Lady R, me too. I need to feel exhausted before I go to bed, or else I'm just lying there wasting time. I am also cofused about the relationship between Home Farm and Borchester Land. not quite sure who owns what anymore. I thought Will worked for Brian, not BL.
I have no recollection of one in Rumania, Cowgirl but you could well be right. I’m not sure if he actually owns the farm Debbie runs in Hungary, or if that is a completely different enterprise?
Ruthy, thank you again. Martin Gibson is an unpleasant person and, he has achieved what he was always angling for, the Chair of BL. I was under the impression that Will was employed by Brian, is BL a sort of co operative? Will needs to check the disciplinary policies and procedures and revisit the tenancy agreement. Compassionate leave and the amount of time allowed will also be indicated in the policies, however any decent manager will/should agree a back to work programme. Who is Will's manager and if it is Brian then he needs to discuss when and how Will returns to full time work. Will also needs to start thinking about the practicalities of juggling work with managing childcare, but instead he is concentrating on getting Jake back, "where he belongs". All is not well.
William is definitely in denial about Jake and his job. As Brian said, he doesn't have much clout now that he's not a chairman of BL, though still on the board, with Martin Gibson as his arch enemy. Besides he's busy selling off bits of his estate, in Hungary perhaps. If William lost his job and home, he'd have to evict Tom and Johnny, in the meantime he's on a spending spree for home improvements, doesn't bode well.
Mornin’ everyone. Thanks for new blog Ruthy, we seem to be getting into a nice routine now. I too should like to know who this Doug is, and just what Brian could be thinking ofselling. Not Adam’s new super tractor that cost thousands I hope. Must be something much bigger than that, that the family won’t be happy about and that he is able to sell without their consent - any ideas?
The best thing for Will to do is to go on sick leave, he certainly isn't up to the job at the moment, his emotions are all over the place. That way he scuppers Martins plans.
Basia, I think you have it right - Will is in denial, poor man, can't face the threat of losing his job, so pretends otherwise, head all over the place. Jake will feel very uncomfortable at his neediness and back to a safe, supportive home with actual dad and stepmother he will go. Can't imagine Gibson will get away with this, legally or any other way. Brian was certainly sympathetic, aims to help but has much else on his mind....
I don't blame Jake wanting to stay with his father and it is the right thing ,in my opinion for him to do that. Andrew sounds like a reasonable bloke. I can't remember if we were ever told why he and Nic split up.
As for the tied cottage. Will is working part time at the moment so anybody employed by BL would only need to work part time so would not be entitled to the cottage so Will might as well stay there until he is ready to go back to working full time. A relative had a lovely tied cottage overlooking the Cricket Field of the Public School where he worked. When he retired he was allowed to stay there and when he and his wife died their unmarried daughter who had nothing to do with the School continued to live there.. The daughter died about 10 years ago. I doubt the same would apply today.
As I see it, Will's cottage is tied to the job of head gamekeeper, and, I think that in his letter, Martin Gibson said that unless Will resumed full-time working, he would lose his title of head gamekeeper, which could mean that BL (who, I presume employ Will, as otherwise it wouldn't be a concern of M.G.'s) could employ someone else in that position, with Will as a part-time assistant gamekeeper. In that case, if the cottage is tied to the job of the senior gamekeeper, BL would probably be quite entitled in asking Will to leave so that the new, full-time employee could have the cottage. I notice that Brian seemed to think that they were within their legal rights in doing that, as he only offered to ask Annabelle to plead Will's case - no mention of Will's legal rights.
I saw Wills rights in exactly the same way that Suz has described. I think that Brian saw it that way too.
Brian has treated Will in his hour of need in the way that one would hope a long time employer/ employee /would treat another village neighbour and member of a long standing village family. Martin Gibson, as Stasia has described him correctly, is no such person and as far as we know does not live in the village. He views the situation as a purely business matter. Annabelle may plead Wills case. She does sometimes have a sympathetic approach, but also will view a situation from a business point of view on other occasions.
I foresee much change in Ambridge in the near future.
Does Will have a mortgage on his house on the Green? I really don’t like this story line - it’s getting rather dark like the Greg story. Where is Jill and her lemon drizzle cake when we need it? (It would go well with all that tea on the off topic blog) Is she still worrying about Shula and shut herself in her room with her knitting needles and a mountain of baby wool.
Surely if another gamekeeper is employed Will will not be needed at all . At the moment he is working part time so really only a "Supply" part time game keeper would be needed. Eventually ,Will will want the full time job back. Is he still being paid as if he were working full time? I don't suppose one is allowed a specific amount of time after a bereavement. I dare say a lot depends upon the circumstances. Will needs to find our what actual rights he has and how long he has before he must return to working full time. It wouldn't hurt Brian to do that for him but of course he has other things on his mind.
You're right about Will filling half of the gamekeeper's job, and BL possibly only needing another part-timer, Lanjan, but I thought that the crucial phrase in Martin Gibson's letter was "Head Gamekeeper" - which Will can't be at the moment, and, unless he is very careful (which he's certainly not being at the moment as he's fixated on having Jake back to live with him), he could find himself out of a job altogether - and out of the cottage that goes with the job too.
I thought that Will boughr No. 1 The Green from monies he inherited, (a family member, who I cannot remember her name) so there is no mortgage and this property is an investment only. I wonder if Will has been declaring the income he is receiving from this property, for tax purposes. It could come bacj to bite him, and add to his angst.
I thought Will's inheritance wasn't enough to buy No. 1 The Green outright, but it went a long way towards it, so he only needed a modest mortgage which, having such a substantial deposit, he got easily. I could be wrong though.
To me, there always has been a very strong Justin/Martin alliance and they have been playing Brian along for many months. I wonder if Brian can save Home Farm, from yet another take-over from this manipulative duo?
And can Brian still cover the costs, as to the pollution/dumping of the toxic waste so thwarts the planned "take-over"? Perhaps, if not, Kates Yurts will be well needed.
Completely agree with you Miriam - I have felt for some time that Brian thinks he's a lot more clever than he really is, and that Justin has been running rings round him. Presumably, all will become clear in due course.
Ruthy, what is the bird being shown? It looks like a humming bird, but I am not sure, so would love to learn. The first time I saw a hummingbird, was when I was in Cuenca in Ecuador (and Matt Crawford was nowhere to be seen). It was such a delight to see something new.
I saw some humming birds in Alaska. We had a very successful whale watching trip followed by a crab feast and at the restaurant there was a feeder at the window with honey in it and two humming birds having their own feast! Happy days!
Several people have mentioned writing on the ‘Jane Austen’ blog but I can’t find it! I go to ‘all bbc blogs’ and scroll down through an alphabetical list, have seen the About the BBC, the Writers blog, Strictly, Archers, and several others but no Jane Austen. Can anyone help me locate it please ?
Archerphile - you have the best credentials of all of us for appearing on a Jane Austen blog, living where you do. It's Jane Austen 200 (being Jimmishly pedantic!) Cow Girl has just made me splutter cornflakes in all directions with a vision of Jazzer dancing a quadrille.
HG-(9.38 PM 28th)The same thing happened to my Post. I see Ruthy's as a Private Club where like minded folk are able to say what they like (within reason) which is great. Unfortunately we have lost some of our friends because of the closure of the BBC blog. I would have accepted the closure better had all BBC blog sites been closed down. I have just checked the About the BBC site . Comments for the last ten blogs are 0,0,0,38,4,0,0,1,0,0. Interesting.
I have no credentials at all for posting on the Jane Austen blog. I think I am a bit of a Philistine I am the sort of person who will say that 'I don't know much about art/music/ literature but I know what I like." I don't even see that saying something like that is wrong . To me that seems logical.
Last week I went to a concert. The music was by Elgar(loved it) ,Ravel (didn't) . Maryellen I don't much like the books by Jane Austen. Lots of silly women I much prefer Wuthering Heights . Have I been crossed off your Christmas Card list now? .
Sorry, my reply to LanJan above was verging on cat chat. Back to TA, do we know exactly when the new editor starts work and we can expect any noticeable changes of direction? It soon became obvious that his predecessor wasn't going to be the answer to the listener's prayer.
There is one thing about Jane. She has a blog which has remained there for a year. Well done Jane,I say.
The reason I gravitated to the About the BBC blog site was that to me it seemed to be the most relevant to The Archers. If they have a highlights blog each week we can provide them with highlights of The Archers. We will be on topic. I can imagine Mr Bell going home to Mrs Bell (or even telling Mother Bell) how thrilled he is to get nearly 40 comments on his blog. His wise lady wife or mother will explain to him why the programme is so important to many folk and he will explain to his superiors and they............... (here my fantasy ended)
I noticed that on the About BBC blog they were asking for ideas for new blogs (how ironic!). So I took up the invitation and actually emailed the person concerned with an idea I had for a blog following the Radio 4 programme “The Long View” which I particularly enjoy. But I made sure to include a paragraph about the closure of our Archers blogs saying how distressed we all are and asking just WHY they want ideas for new blogs when they have closed the most popular one of all! Thank you to Maryellen for help in finding the Jane Austen one - I shall now go and have my say there too....I feel in campaigning mood this morning. 🤨💪❗️
Archerphile, did your email also go to Alistair Smith? I sent mine (copied here on the last blog) last Sunday, using the same channel 'Ideas for a blog'. I also copied it to Richard Bell on the Highlights blog, but have had no reply from anyone. I actually used the word 'ironic' in this connection. I've since noticed this 'Ideas for a blog' feature on numerous other blogs.
Yes HG, to Alistair Smith. I used the word ‘perverse’ about the request for new ideas. I don’t expect a reply but am hoping the constant stream of emails, blog comments etc might eventually bear fruit! After all, the Archers blogs were closed once before (long before I knew about such things!) and were reopened a while later.
Congratulations, Archerphile, on your brilliant debut on the JA blog! It shows that you don't have to like Jane Austen to go there. I don't think it matters how many or which BBC blogs we hijack in order to maintain a presence on the BBC site and make use of their advantages - as long as we all know where we are, which we can do by touching base here (courtesy of Ruthy). This blog also allows for a much-appreciated chat room facility.
Loved Stasia’s comment on JA blog that Ian and Adam could dance the Gay Gordons! Am just hoping that IVF attempts 2 & 3on Lexi fail too so that we can be spared 9 months of Jennifer fussing and also for the sake of the poor little mite having two older Dads! Which surname would it take? I hope Roy sees sense and sees Lexi off after all this angst. I had thought happiness was ahead for him before this business took off! Now I think she is too cool a customer for Roy to cope. With.
maryellen at 29 April, 12.16 and all We are commenting in the Writersroom, Highlights of next week, About the BBC, Tehn. & Creativity and perhaps some I've forgotton - plus the 2 Ruthy blogs. I am finding this very time consuming and also think it is becoming a bit disjointed. I am all for continuing the fight for our blog back, but I wonder whether it wouldn't be better to have a concerted effort on one BBC blog until we get thrown out (!) and then start again elsewhere. At least we got noticed in the Writersroom! What do you all think?
I think we are better on the About the BBC highlights blog ,HG because we can be totally on topic ?There is someone with a name -Richard Bell -who just might take some notice and we were warned on the writers blog by Anon that we were being discourteous. Also nobody but us wants to blog there We are left to our own devices. At the moment there are 38 posts and Ihink they are all from us. The About the BBC blogs appear at regular intervals and the blog on which we wrote our comments is the only one on which there are more than 4. Most have no comments. I would think that Patrick Bell is delighted to receive any comments let alone 38 I intend to comment from now on on that site and Ruthy's. It must have been on Ruthy's other blog that I think I said we have worked so hard to restore our Archers site that we shouldn't give up now. We are writing about the BBC so I think it is the perfect site for us and if each week they want our highlights we can give them. I suggest we stick on the BBC sites to The Archers and go off topic on Ruthy's If we do manage to get our site restored I would suggest that Ruthy would be able to revert to one blog and we can mix and match as we like - Archers/non Archers - which would make it easier for Ruthy.
I have just popped in, and have no idea what this chat is all about and sadly to say it is not what I expected. Off to continue creating a Lasgane, the bechamel sauce is the next "to do".
Miriam please do not get me wrong. Ruthy's is my first port of call. I would not think of abandoning this blog now that Ruthy has been so good as to set it up for us. There are some bloggers ,however who did not decide to join us and we may hear from them if we get our site back.
Agree that if we did get our BBC site back it would be good if Ruthy agrees onto us with the one blog. I am wondering though that the real motive for getting rid of the comments section was that it was too well used meaning that policing of comments was becoming time consuming. It is easier to flick through two or 3 short comments than several hundred long ones. I am not defending the BBC who I think have treated us dreadfully but if they think they have good reasons will they ever consider restoring the blog? I hope so but not very confidently.
Yes I think they should and I am only guessing. I did e mail Robert Bolton to see why we had been axed from Feedback but did not get a reply. I think he was silenced from above!
I think that Pat will find Olwen again, but only when Olwen decides that she wants to be found, and then becomes a resident at Bridge Farm once more. Then let the scheme begin, which will take a long while to evolve.
Was it Dan? Was it Tom? Was it Josh? Could it have been Freddie? No it was Jake . Yet another Soundalike with a clipped way of speaking. Where does the Elocution Teacher live? Are there no young actors with regional accents ? The BBC could save a fortune by letting one actor play different parts. We would know who was speaking because his name would be mentioned by the other person. Oh and while I am at it. When one is talking about a female,Alice ,the word is HER not HAR.
I wrote to Feedback about the lack of young people with local accents in T.A. several years ago, Lanjan. I was particularly upset about Phoebe's lack of some kind of accent when she first started to speak, and felt that a child that had been brought up by Hayley (Birmingham accent) and Roy (local Ambridge accent) would have naturally developed something of the sort herself, but she was being played by a child that sounded as though she had been brought up in a school for elocution. I know she has Jennifer for a grandmother, but she hadn't had all that much contact with Home Farm at that time. I had no reply, of course, and certainly no mention on Feedback. And, now Jake has turned up speaking perfect R.P. despite having lived in the Grundy family for years. I give up!
Plus, Jake's dad, Andrew sounds like the new Chris Carter. Once Mia begins to speak I'll probably think she's Phoebe or Lily. Judging by the few words Keira has spoken, she's a changeling, not a daughter of Ed & Emma.
LanJan -.It was immediately obvious it was Jake from the topic of conversation. I think the days of radio scripting are over, when the conversation started: Hello Dan, how are you, I thought I saw you on the Green yesreday with Walter, I wonder what you were talking about? Good of you to ask, Tom, we were trying to account for the disappearance of two of the ducks from the village pond...... Is it possible that listeners are being credited with some intelligence at last?😀
What do other listeners make of Jake? He seemed almost abnormally polite and diplomatic. Is he a manipulative teenager or just a nice lad and mature with it? I'd be interested in other people's reactions because I'm unsure myself. Perhaps it's too soon to say.
He's 14 (?) so he may be a mixture of any or all of the traits you mention. He had time and space to think about the damage to the laptop and admit his fault. Emma apologised for her outburst; I hope Jake has apologised to Emma for his, or shows her some appreciation. He seemed to get on well with Ed at Grange Farm.
I have a thought, in that are any of the many thatched cottages in Ambridge "listed". This is not of any significance at the moment, but it was something that just crossed my mind.
Not quite sure why Jake was so keen to stay watching the cricket this evening, I don't recall him showing any interest before. I wonder if it was actually something/someone else that caught his attention? A young Button, perhaps?
Haven't had time these last few days to post here or on the other sites mentioned but just to pick out what Ev wrote at 6.09 PM (29th, today), about the manypostsonthedefunct BBC TA blog, and the problem of policing: there is no evidence that policing went on, only an automated programme that responded to the breaking of 'house rules', with occasional reports from bloggers, I suspect not many. On that last blog, as we all know, unquestionable trolling happened and was allowed - no moderation by any stretch of the imagination. The explanation for closure was derisory, there was nothing cleanor honest about it. I like our infiltration into other blogs; yes, let us make as much noise as we want - why not test the sincerity and motivation of the BBC insetting up blogs at all. I did read through the comments on the Austen one today, great, very entertaining, ( Emma = Susan + Lynda, had she not been saved by Knightly in her youth, from a ridiculous middle age ??), but, though tempted, won't join in there because I don't want to use Jane Austen in that way. Maybe just me being precious, but there it is.
I enjoyed hearing Jake tonight and did think his voice was a little different from the sound alikes, but a bit posher that I would have expected. It was lovely to hear Jake and Will getting on well - pity Will nearly blew it with his strop over the cricket but Jake saved the day. I was much less pleased to listen to precious Alice ranting at Adam. She more or less accused him of having everything handed to him on a plate and not having to work hard - that old phrase of Pot, Kettle, Black came strongly to mind. Especially as she lives rent free in a cottage given to her, on a plate!
Alice lecturing Adam as a story line was a little unbelievable. They each have shares in the farm and Brian lost the vote. Can’t see how Alice is blaming Adam.
On the "About the BBC " blog -highlights for this week ( with a picture of Mary Berry and some other people seated round a table) Aesop2 has written. "Please reinstate our Archers blog. Thank you." I have just written the same. If lots of us did just that ,surely they must get the point. There are 41 comments on that blog. Can we make it 50 ?
I have just checked and Rrochard Bell seems to be in charge of all the highlights blogs. He hasn't' responded yet but neither has he commented that we are being discourteous as Anon did on the Writersroom blog. If we stick to that blog as soon as next week's highlights blog comes up we can pop over to that one Most of his previous blogs have had no comments posted on them. He surely must be delighted to get any, let alone 41.
LAN Jan, much as I admire your very dedicated campaign to get the Archers blogs back on the BBC website and show them that listeners are not to be trifled with (and I have contributed to that campaign) do you not feel we are being a little discourteous to Ruthy who has gone to the trouble of giving us this delightful substitute blog? I was furious that the BBC treated us so shabbily and dismissively but am so grateful to Ruthy for administering this friendly place for us to continue our discussions. I think we may be flogging a dead horse as far as BBC blogs are concerned but if you want to keep trying, then good on you, but please can we concentrate on Ruthy’s blog while we are on here and do our campaigning over on the BBC blog you have recommended ? Please know that I am not being at all critical of your, quite justified, campaign - just think that it should be pursued ‘over there’ instead of ‘here’. 🙂
Archerphile 30/4 11.19 - I don't think we are being discourteous to Ruthy and I sincerely hope she doesn't think so either. Ruthy, I don't want to talk over your head, so address this to you, too. As I understand it, you have always wanted the Archers Blog to be reinstated - you were a primary campaigner before it closed - particularly with your interview with Feedback - and you have contributed to at least one other BBC blog to continue the fight. You set up this blog as a lifeline, a place where we could all meet to continue to discuss the Archers, but also to consolidate plans for getting our blog back. Right at the beginning you said you hoped we would never have to depend on this place. Well now we are depending on it, and I am sure you know how very, very grateful we all are. Through your efforts we have not all disappeared into the ether and lost touch with each other. That is 100% good and I think we have all expressed our appreciation and continue to do so. But that does not alter the fact that most of us really want the BBC Archers blog back and also want to relieve you of the not insignificant burden you have taken upon yourself. Ideally it would be nice to have the official blog back and perhaps this one from time to time for in depth off topic discussions.
I do agree, Archerphile, that there are too many comments here about other Blogs we are currently invading that take a lot of space. That is why I suggested that we hijack one BBC blog at a time - a consolidated effort on the part of all those who want to continue campaigning - until we are thrown out or that particular blog closes. Then a short comment here by Lan Jan for example would lead us on to the next one.
I would appreciate it, Ruthy, if you would let us know how you feel about the present situation.
I wholeheartedly agree with Archerphile. I feel disgusted by the BBC's attitude but I am afraid I have noticed that they never admit fault on their behalf on any feedback programme. For example the mumbling in "Jamaica Inn" was a fault on the part of viewers!
We have another RED WARNING on the Writers Room blog, which is a more detailed response to our emails - and sounds more testy. Getting up people's noses is always a risk. Suggest we continue any campaigning on the About the BBC blog where we haven't got up anyone's nose ( yet) and carry on with the JA blog in non- campaigning mode as at present. And, obviously, carry on here as now.
I do not feel that we are being discourteous to Ruthy . I do hope she doesn't think so either. If I had thought that ,I would not have continued to fight for our blog. HG you have said exactly to Ruthy what I feel but you have said it far better than I could have done. I agree with everything you have written. By using the About the BBC blog I cannot see how anybody can be complain about what we write as long as we stick to comments about the BBC I don't remember Aesop 2 posting comments on this site and when I saw the simple request to reinstate our blog on the About the BBC blog I thought that was a good idea just to do as he/she had done. Alex commented on the Writersroom site. I don't know who he/she is either so there are people out there,not just us who feel cheated that The Archers blog seems to be the only one which has been closed down. Perhaps we don't need to campaign any more ,just comment on the programme on the About the BBC site as well as Ruthy's..
OK, Lan Jan, that sounds like a good plan. I was getting a bit worried that we might be ‘over-egging the pudding” by commenting on lots of BBC blogs and we have been warned, twice now, not to do so on the Writers Room blog. I was a bit concerned that the p.t.b might just get so fed up with us that they blocked or removed all references to TA. But the “about the BBC ones does seem the most appropriate.
I agree with Archerphile, posted April 30th at 11.19am. I so admire others who wish to re-instate the BBC blog, and how they are trying to go about it. My comment is that the discussion about this, should be on one of the many other BBC sites found, on which communications are now taking place, and not on "Ruthys Sites". I have had my say. The BBC TA site is still there, will all its many comments and links, which can be easily found by others, if they are so inclined to do so.
I have sat back, and thought about the many previous comments, which I have recently read. My thoughts are that those who wish to persue the BBC site, then go for it and Good Luck. But I feel that the constant discussion about it on this site, is filling up the available space on this "blog" so Ruthy has to set up yet another. Is that fair?
Miriam - I take your point about robbing bloggers of space to talk about the things they want to say on here, and/or making more work for Ruthy by lengthening the blog so she had to replace it more frequently- but there is nowhere else that those of us who are still interested can discuss what to do about the BBC blogs, since we can't talk about this on the BBC blogs themselves. It's no disrespect or lack of consideration for Ruthy that makes us talk about BBC blogs here. This dual-purpose blog has advantages that the BBC blogs don't - every topic has a place on one or the other of Ruthy's blogs and the lack of down arrows makes it a gentler place to be. I for one would like to find a BBC blog to use, if we can't get our dedicated one back, PLUS Ruthy's blog as our home base.
It's not just me who's confused about who owns Greenwood Cottage, the tied cottage of head gamekeeper, Will. I've always assumed it was on Home Farm land. Was it not included on a recent tour of Ambridge on BBC TA site? Someone on here said Sammy Whipple, shepherd at Home Farm lived in it before it became the gamekeeper's cottage. Will's predecessor as head gamekeeper and occupant of the cottage was Greg Turner. List of previous gamekeepers in TA: Tom Forrest, head keeper until 1976, returning as part-time assistant later; Gordon Armstrong from 1971; George Barford , from 1973. They all worked for Jack Woolley. Tom worked for Squire Lawson-Hope, George Fairbrother and Charles Genville, Ralph Bellamy and Jack Woolley. Tom lived in Keeper's Cottage, a worker's cottage on Charles Grenville's land. It was demolished to make way for a road in 1960. Grenville had a replacement pair of cottages built, Keeper's Cottage and April Cottage. Tom continued to occupy the replacement Keeper's Cottage after his retirement. Eddie, Clarrie & Joe Grundy lived later rented it from Jack Woolley. Dr. Locke now rents it from Hazel Woolley. Kathy Perks lives in April Cottage. According to "The book of The Archers", Gordon Armstrong and after him George Barford lived at "The Lodge". Brian Aldridge asked Tom Forrest to act as full-time gamekeeper for Home Farm in 1989 but Tom refused. Sometime around 2000 the shoots at Grey Gables and Home Farm were merged under 1 head keeper. George Barford was then Grey Gables keeper and Will Grundy was his assistant . (This event postdates my book.) Borchester Land acquired Grey Gables shoot when Jack Woolley sold his property in separate lots. Caroline & Oliver bought the hotel. The golf course was another part of Grey Gables estate. Kathy became golf-club bar-manager and was undermined & bullied by Martin Gibson. In conclusion, it's not clear to me who employs Will and his assistant Pete or why Martin Gibson has jurisdiction over the cottage.
I very much doubt if it is clear to The Archers Team either H @ H ! As I've said before, they make it up as they go along nowerdays, with little consideration towards Ambridge history. And I am well aware that I am not alone in this opinion.
I am finding the Shula Alistair S L very difficult to listen to. Having decided to take six months to separate in a civilised manner for the sake of our children, I continued living in the family home with those children with husband away working in the week and returning at the weekends and on occasional weekends trying to find a home for myself and daughters, listening to the situation at the stables is painful because of its familiarity.
I have never before considered not listening, but am currently wondering if perhaps I should now.
Mrs P I am sorry to hear you are finding it difficult to listen to at the moment. I have also found aspects of that story line resonating uncomfortably. I do think the balance of light and shade in the programme has gone missing - there were lighter more comical stories in the past to counterbalance the bigger dramas. I don’t think we have laughed since Linda read the Silmarillion and I can’t remember much for a while before that. It would be good if we could now leave S and A to quietly work out their living arrangements without having to eavesdrop on every awkward encounter in the kitchen.
MrsP and Seasider - Sorry the Shula and Alistair story is getting difficult for you. If you listen on Catch Up would it help to just fast forward occasionally? I have done this in the past with things I just did not want to listen to, and found it quite satisfying to decide myself what I wanted to hear and what not!
HG- that’s exactly what I did, often, during the Rob/ Helen story. There were times when it was just too difficult to listen (not because of any personal experience I hasten to add) and the FF button was a real blessing.
I did not enjoyed Monday’s espisode at all. Shula and Alistair why are they living in the same house? Or why has Alistair moved back? I disagree with Alice. Brian lost the trust of the family and therefore he is no longer in charge. Please no more of Lexi/Adam/Ian surrogacy. Enough with all these story lines. Well, at least we got a break from Will.
I was interested to hear Brian and Adam side by side so to speak last night.Brian is a very good actor indeed sounds very natural. Adam on the other hand sounds ... Like he's reading out his lines.😁
I’ve got to the point where I can’t stand to even hear Lexi talk. Find myself shouting for her to go home to her own kids when she starts on about how she is going to do the life changing gift for Adam and Ian.
I have to say I am finding all this marital disharmony very wearing and repetitive. Not only do we have to listen to the antipathy between Jenny and Brian but now Shula and Alistair as well! Are there any happily married couples in Ambridge any longer? ( That was a tongue in cheek, rhetorical question, by the way). The SWs seem determined to pursue the theory that conflict is required to make a drama interesting. However, I was delighted to hear how well Will and Jake were getting on, on Sunday. Apart from Will’s little strop at cricket, quickly diffused by Jake, it was lovely to hear something going well for once and, to me, much more enjoyable than listening to sniping and arguing. Oh, and I totally agree about Lexi, PtbY!
Strangely given Susan’s character flaws, her marriage is the solid one! Maybe it’s because Neil balances her so well and puts up with her foibles! I will never forget the fuss over the family photo and how he reluctantly dressed up for it! Oh another good one is the Lynda and Robert pairing. Again it is his forebearance that keeps it going. They are so comfortable together! Alistair moved back in as there is plenty of room at the stables where he was overcrowded with Jim and Jazzer. Not a comfortable arrangement though. You would think he could afford a flat or something! I can see how this disharmony between S and A makes uncomfortable listening and hope it doesn’t go on too long. Go home, Lexi!
Agree with recent comments regarding unhappy couples in Ambridge. However as annoying these SL may be, Ev 's post describing the solid marriages of the Carters and Linda and Robert Snell is a timely example of the balance of light and shade that we do experience in the Archers much of the time. Thank you Ev !
A number of comments removed from 'About the BBC' (they were there this morning), it looks like the time's up. Grey Gables was a plot device to facilitate bringing Ian as counsellor to Alistair and Lexi. She and Kirsty are housemates now unless she decamped to Philip's, but it was a way of mentioning her name.
My first thought when I read this was 'Alistair and Lexi?!' Now that would be an interesting plot twist, with several noses being put out of joint. But Alistair has coped with enough pregnant animals to be able to support Lexi through her pregnancy - if it ever happens. But where would they live?
Apparently I have had eleven removed. I didn't realise that I had posted eleven comments. Lexi can't leave soon enough for me. I am just waiting for the time when she doesn't get pregnant(hopefully) and demands money from Adam and Ian for the trouble she has gone to for them.
Basia 1.26pm. I sincerely hope we don’t have to listen in to the two remaining transfers! We haven’t heard from Roy for quite a while, I wonder how he is coping with Lexi’s enforcement of the no-sex rule as they are still living together ? He must have the patience and tolerance of a saint. I did wonder if Lexi might become pregnant with Roys baby which would scupper Ian and Adams plans, but now I sincerely hope she does not. I’d just like her to go back to her own country, look after her existing children and leave Roy to find a much more loving and suitable girl/ woman friend.
I am still not convinced about Adams interest re Lexi. I feel he has done what he had to do, to pleases Ian, but is this what he wants? And will Lexi be favourable for another couple of "goes"? I would like to hear her talking to Roy about her feelings. PS The marriages I like in TA are:- Robert and Lynda, Susan and Neil, Ed and Emma and Chris and Alice, not forgetting Clarrie and Eddie. They just seem so normal together, squablling about silly things, but most importantly, seem so comfortable together and supportive.
Why should Alistair be pussyfooting about in his own house, he sounds like a lodger who isn't quite sure what the house rules are. Perhaps they should have a rota about use of domestic appliances, cooking in the kitchen, ablutions in the bathroom, and who does the polishing and hoovering. I think Lexie is having doubts and is using Adam's laissez- faire attitude to manipulate ending the surrogacy. Maybe she and Roy have indulged and this could throw a spanner in the works. She is not a character I warm to, it's the Soviet style of speaking in commending tones.
Freddie's in trouble: lying to Elis, Johnny and Lily. I feel sorry for Jake though who's trying to please every adult in his life. He enjoyed his shooting practice and Will should have taken him home instead of putting pressure on him for his own sake. We don't know what rights if any Will has after ten years but it seems that Andrew is not sure of his either.
As far as we know Will did not go for either adoption or parental rights, he therefore has no rights. As Beverly said if it went to court Andrew would win both children as the natural father who has maintained consistent contact with them, unless of course the children were adamant that they wished to stay with Will, when their views would be considered very favourably
If Tiger-gate ever gets out Will could still be in court for another reason. Perhaps then it would be a relief to know that the children had somewhere to live...
Lying seem to come very naturally to Freddie. Although I wasn't quite sure if he was telling the truth about revision for exams. Lily having trouble with all there's isms, little Ms Genius is also telling fibs, is that because she loves her brother? All these young men sound alike, except for Jonny. Why does the BBC employ three when one could easily play three different parts. Poor Will, he has absolutely no insight into his own grief, he wants to keep his happy little family together even if it is causing confusion in the emotions the children are experiencing.
Is Mia due to be the first character cast as the Freda Fry Memorial Character? If she and Jake do go to live with Andrew then they'll rarely be in Ambridge and we'll just hear of them from other characters. Jake has at least had his moment in the sun so will simply join the list of The Silent until shuffled off into The Forgotten or The Departed. But poor little Mia hasn't even had a chance to speak : (
More seriously, how is Poppy going to cope if they do live with Andrew. First Mummy's gone, now Jake and Mia, will Daddy be next?
re. MiriamApril 29, 2018 at 5:38 PM I often go a couple of days without logging on to the blog, but always go to where I last left off to catch up with the various "conversations" otherwise I wouldn't have a clue as to what the current chat was about.
Old Woman. You may have hit on the next big issue-how siblings are affected when they are split up from one another. Can anybody place Bev's accent? North Midlands? Does she live locally ?Does anybody remember her being heard on the programme before maybe at Nic and Will's wedding or after the birth of Poppy?
I think Bev's accent is from somewhere in the midlands, and sounds similar to Hayley's. As Ambridge is supposed to be somewhere on the borders of northern "west country" and southern midlands, that seems to be about right. I like her voice a lot, and so nice to hear a vaguely regional accent at last (can't think where her grandson got his rather posh voice from though!). I hope she's allowed to stay as a character for a long time, as she seems to be a very thoughtful and gentle person.
I would like to know more about Ellie. I do not know how long she and Andrew have been a couple, but she obviously is happy to "take-over" Jake +Mia, if the custody battle goes in Andrew's favour, which it probably will. Will does not seem to appear to have any legal rights, and the fact that he could soon lose his job, - it does not bode well.
But don't forget that Andrew lost the children when he split with Nic, and from odd comments we know he has had regular contact. I isn't as if he has just turned up out of the blue demanding their return, he sounds very caring and committed to the childrens needs
I suspect Hannah has been resurrected in order to fill the character slot due to be vacated by Anisha. This may include taking over Anisha's young man and her tented cottage as well. (Q: What do Rex and Hannah have in common? A: Four letters, first letter P, third letter G.)
Ten years is a long time. Will and Nic have had plenty of time to regularise legal share of Mia and Jake with Andrew. If they were not forward thinking enough to do so, then Will is likely to suffer. He will of course then be in a position to see himself as ' the injured party ' !
That may sound harsh, but in the ' scrambled' society that we live in today, it should be common sense. And Will is not a total stranger to the subject of Paternity rights.
I found Lily infuriating this evening, or at least the manner in which she was played. She sounds more like Freddie’s Nanny than his sister the way she speaks to him and was getting quite hysterical. These two just don’t ring true as twin brother and sister to me.
On the other hand, much as I dislike Susan with her gossiping and delusions of grandeur, I did enjoy her dinner party scenes with Neil and Hannah and then Jazzer gatecrashing. It was a very amusing interlude in what has become a somewhat sombre Archers of late! Light and shade is so much more satisfying than permanent gloom.
Yes I agree. I don’t watch Corrie but I heard on Radio 4 they had a male rape and next week a suicide. Is this entertainment? The twins in TA are interesting as Lily is the sensible one and Freddie is all over the place. She loves him but I can see how exasperated she is that he is still being stupid about drugs after the drama with Nolly and of course he has lied about the latest debacle. I hope he comes to his senses but it will take time and maybe a few more crises!
I agree with your comments Arccherphile made just before 11 o'clock last night. I can't be doing with either Freddie or Lily but I find posh ,cocky Lily more annoying. I am not that fond of their mother either. Loved listening to Susan. Hannah is boring.She has no sparkle -or is that just the acting? When I listen to "Jazzer " there is a real person talking. He also has the same "things " in common with Rex and Hannah , Maryellen. I think Hannah would think she is too good for Jazzer.
Lily and Jazzer met in the village shop and exchanged information which served them well later on. I agree, Susan's party was entertaining and the twins hysterical. Hannah said that Jazzer was wasting his time and it crossed my mind that she may be married, but then it wouldn't make sense to introduce her to Ambridge I suppose.
I agree with Lanjan that there doesn't seem to be much personality about Hannah. I didn't like the way she made him look foolish to Susan and Neil after he left either. Susan will have a field day on that! Jazzer was a bit of a fool though, trying to gatecrash their dinner. I also didn't understand why Susan had to make such a fuss about entertaining Hannah anyway.
I didn't like that about Hannah either ,HG. I also wondered why Susan invited Hannah for a meal but now I wonder if she was showing that the Carters are not too grand to invite an underling for a meal. I doubt if she will be invited again though.
I rather enjoyed last night's episode. How is Freddie able to get a prescription of "smart drugs?" Are they readily available in the UK via prescription? When did Freddie go see a doctor and what reason would he have to warrant this prescription? I don't think there's a story line between Hannah with Tom or Rex. She is just added as another character to add interest. Right, Jazzer has no chance with her, though she did make a point to say hello to him at the Bull. That didn't make any sense - unless she is playing it cool?
Ruthy, Smart drugs claim to enhance thought processes for learning. They basically stimulants that can be bought on line. No GP in this country would prescribe such drugs. All prescription drugs in this country have to be given the okay by a body called NICE ( the national institute for clinical excellences). This means that they must have been subjected to rigorous research trials. Freddie is lying and has most likely bought them from another student.
Thank you stasia (in the US it is the FDA federal drug administration). So, Freddie is really lying to Lily and himself. I wonder if he is really studying for the retake.
I believe that so many of these smart drugs can be bought via the internet and so are easily available. I also have seen that there might be an upcoming TV programme about the illegal sale of these types of drugs. All I know is that a TV channel (but I do not know which one), has been filming for quite a while undercover, which shows, qualified Pharmacists who are breaking the law, by selling medications without a legal prescription. I have to say that I do not know if this is totally correct.
There was something on the TV news today about these drugs. The one that was being spoken of was a name that started with an X and finished with an X . Pupils are taking them "to help them with their exams!" and are getting them off the internet.
I am so happy that Harrison + Fallon are now officially engaged and I am looking forward to their wedding. I have been thinking as to whose wedding was the last? I am not sure but was it Adam+Ian or Kenton+ Jolene..I just think that the time is right for an Ambridge village wedding. I would prefer that the happy couple, will be Hannah and Jazzer
I think so very differently I think that Hannah is just playimg things "cool". She has just relocated from the USA and she now has to adapt to her new life and job.
I thought the same as I was pondering whilst gardening today. She’s either gonna be a lesbian or some transgender person. The bbc will think they’ll have to get that box ticked sooner than later.
Yes to Fallon and Harrison. No to Hannah and Jazzer. I get the impression that she thinks she is superior to him. How about Jazzer and Tracy ? I like her.
I imagine Hannah has been wheeled on in order to be paired off with someone, Jazzer just being a temporary diversion, to reintroduce the character. I don't think she was being sniffy to him at all, only being egged on by Susan's arch attitude to say anything dismissive. They don't come across as a natural pairing. So, lonely, drifting males ? Tom and Alistair, I suppose, and I rather like the idea of Alistair finding 'lerv' well before Shula finds her next soulmate or whatever...Have at last caught up with the last few episodes and agree very much with those of you who are finding Lexi hard to take. Is it normal/convincing that a woman in the early stages of a relationship, in this tricky situation of being a citizen of another country where she has family, to be so embroiled in a surrogacy SL ? How weird that Roy accepts it - is he so infatuated or naive or what ? She surely has a hidden agenda.
Re : Lexi. My sentiments exactly Carolyn. I said virtually the same thing on the old BBC blog. Characters accepting everything, as if they were all Guardianistas. This is highly unlikely in a probably fairly conservative rural community. Imo it always seems as if the SW's are trying to wring and thread every possible social awareness situation of life into all the story lines. Real life is much more nuanced, but then again this is a soap so what did I expect....duh!
BB, I think even Guardianistas might balk at turning into Roy style doormats (mainly because They have their Pride), but am sure you're spot on about the compulsion in soaps to be 'right on'. Tedious, innit ? Cuts out any interesting debate and, yes, conflict. Roy was allowed a token grumble at the outset but now he's been silenced. Jennifer had to surmount her customary snobbery and prejudice with the utmost speed, in order to gush over surrogacy threesome and stuff Lexi with pies(mind, that could be largely to distract herself from the awfulness of the rest of her life)
I too am delighted that there is to be a wedding in Ambridge. I’m sure it will rival that other wedding that is due soon - perhaps the Radio Times will produce a special supplement with lots of photos! As for Kenton egging Shula on to buy an expensive, unsuitable sports car - words fail me. It really is about time he grew up. It’s lovely that he wants to support his sister, but he needs to be a bit more grounded with his advice.
So what changed for Fallon that she now wants to marry Harrison? I am glad for it because they seem very happy and compatible. As I remember Shula got 2000? That won't even make the down payment for a new car.
And divorce is expensive. It's hardly time for Shula to be splashing out on a mid-life crisis fancy car that she doesn't even need. Besides, fast cars are a bad idea on narrow country lanes and village roads. It's not just bad for tigers, horses dislike them too. Mark would be spinning in his grave.
Perhaps he saw the BBC1 10 o'clock news last night OWIAS. There was a very instructive item on there about Xanax, although I'm not really sure that Freddy would be tuning in to the news at any time!
Just to be awkward, ho, ho, I found speeding along in a convertible with K. and S. breezy and liberating, literally and figuratively. Kenton does have his genius moments and, anyway, it didn't sound as if she was actually going to buy the car. Look at it this way : it put her in touch with her supposedly adventurous, outdoors spirit so maybe she'll swan off to look after horses in the Carmargue or something, communicate with her solicitor distantly, and wouldn't we all welcome a long, long break from her ?
Yeah I think it’ll take more than a drive in a sports car to bring it out. Someone mentioned a retreat a while ago. Shula herself was talking to Alastair about a trip abroad to work when it all came to a head. Perhaps she needs to work somewhere in a convent (they have Anglican ones as was said) as an alongsider for a good while. It will give her time to think and she can atone for all those guilty feelings and have support on hand to listen to her woes in private without her mother and a goodly number of listeners chipping in. Somewhere a long way from Ambridge.
On the face of it, the retreat idea, Seasider (May 4, 2018 at 9:46 AM), especially if it was far away from Ambridge and a concealed microphone. On the other hand, maybe Shula has done far too much internal thinking and wrestling with her conscience, and has forgotten how to live in the present. The drive in the sports car certainly showed that she had forgotten all about how to take a risk and actually enjoy herself, but then, as soon as she spotted Alistair, there she was - back to solemn and serious Shula. I think that that's what has killed their marriage, and maybe she is suffering from a depressive illness and doesn't realise it.
The tradgedy for Shula is that she no longer has Caroline to turn to for sound advice and support. Kenton, though trying to be helpful is too unrealistic; Jill would be too censorious; Alan and Elizabeth are possibilities but no-one can replace Caroline as a friend in such a crisis for Shula.
Not sure Caroline would have been such a godsend - she urged S. to keep shtum about Rob's violence atthe hunt when it would have served Helen's case to report it, whatever the cost to S. for not reporting at the time. Maybe C. was more cautious/less principled in her later years. What S. needs is not sympathy and hearing what she wants to hear but a lateral approach - that's what her twin gave; doesn't have to be an expensive car, but a wake up call and change of direction.
On the whole, I still don't understand why Shula is made to be so miserable by the script writers. Is there a deep dark secret that will be revealed to us at some point in time. Why has Alistair moved back? Is the point that is being made is to show how dense he is? Or to make Shula even a worse person for it? He should certainly move out, even if it is just renting a room somewhere. I feel very sad that a long marriage has come to this and we are to continue to bear the pain.
Me too Ruthy! Not sure how long you have been listening but, in the olden days (as my dear old Mum used to say) there was far more farming content in TA. In fact it was originally broadcast in order to inform farmers and growers about the latest government advice and edicts on farming in a more interesting format , and one that the whole farmer’s family would listen to. We always knew when various crops were being sown, lambing was taking place, whether the weather was suitable for harvest, when it was time to drench or sheer sheep, what prices farmers were getting for their wheat etc etc. ad infinitum. But over the years more time has been spent on developing family stories and relationships. And much more drama has been introduced too, everything from raids on the post office, ectopic pregnancy and suicide to the Rob/Helen domestic abuse story and Matts financial shenanigans. Sometimes I long for a few more agricultural references, especially those apporopriate to the season, but on the whole, a reasonable balance is usually achieved I think.
I am very much in agreement with many parts of many posts, which relate to Shula. I think that if Caroline had still been alive, Shula would have discussed her feelings with C, and would have gone to the villa in Tuscany for R+R, a holiday and many long chats. It is very sad that Shula didn't have this option, which I feel would have helped her. I wish that she finally decides to follow her dream and she decieds to partake in a volunteer project somewhere. I think that her initial thought was to use her money bequested by Caroline to do this. I really want her to do this as she will then have time to enjoy her own life, to help others and she will also have a lot of time to think.
Ruthy. The nearest we got to farming was Adam sounding bored and boring on a tractor, doing something in a field. Sometime back the Welsh man Philip Moss was Alistair's best mate. So why is he confiding in Ian? Last night we had a boring couple talking about money and marriage, and then we had a boring couple talking about money and divorce. Fallon has become boring and Shula was always boring. Boring is the key word for today.
I have understood why Harrison and Fallon have been discussing wills, "savings" and their monies. It is very important to think ahead. I just feel though that this message will not be heard by those who need it, as they are non Archers listeners. However their parents and grandparents might be and they can make suggestions. I am very lucky in that all the youngsters in my family (27- 40 yrs) have had that advice and help, and they all have understood and umderstand and have put into action.
I am very confused. I thought that there was a Home Farm partnership in place and I do not understand how Brian has been able to do what he has done, without a discussion with the other share-holding partners. I hope some-one is able to explain this to me.
Good morning 🌼🦋🌺
ReplyDeleteGood morning to you too, Ruthy.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why Will is lying about Greenwood Cottage to his parents?
Mistral: I didn’t understanding either - or maybe something transpired that we didn’t hear? (still evening here ). And you are up very late, unless you are not in UK.
Delete(Another lovely picture Ruthy!) I think Will is either in denial or is planning on refusing to leave, and yes I am a uk night owl...
DeleteYes, Ruthy and Lady R, me too. I need to feel exhausted before I go to bed, or else I'm just lying there wasting time.
ReplyDeleteI am also cofused about the relationship between Home Farm and Borchester Land. not quite sure who owns what anymore. I thought Will worked for Brian, not BL.
Martin ?? the new Chairman is the same man who harrassed/bullied Kathy Perks when she worked at the golf club, I think. A nasty piece of work.
ReplyDeleteAh that rings a bell I think you may well be right Mistral
DeleteArcherfile
ReplyDeleteYou asked on the previous blog what could Brian be selling, does my memory serve me right , didn't he buy a farm in in Rumania ?
I have no recollection of one in Rumania, Cowgirl but you could well be right. I’m not sure if he actually owns the farm Debbie runs in Hungary, or if that is a completely different enterprise?
Delete
DeleteI believe Debbie works for someone else as well.
Ruthy, thank you again.
ReplyDeleteMartin Gibson is an unpleasant person and, he has achieved what he was always angling for, the Chair of BL. I was under the impression that Will was employed by Brian, is BL a sort of co operative? Will needs to check the disciplinary policies and procedures and revisit the tenancy agreement. Compassionate leave and the amount of time allowed will also be indicated in the policies, however any decent manager will/should agree a back to work programme. Who is Will's manager and if it is Brian then he needs to discuss when and how Will returns to full time work.
Will also needs to start thinking about the practicalities of juggling work with managing childcare, but instead he is concentrating on getting Jake back, "where he belongs". All is not well.
William is definitely in denial about Jake and his job. As Brian said, he doesn't have much clout now that he's not a chairman of BL, though still on the board, with Martin Gibson as his arch enemy.
ReplyDeleteBesides he's busy selling off bits of his estate, in Hungary perhaps.
If William lost his job and home, he'd have to evict Tom and Johnny, in the meantime he's on a spending spree for home improvements, doesn't bode well.
Mornin’ everyone. Thanks for new blog Ruthy, we seem to be getting into a nice routine now. I too should like to know who this Doug is, and just what Brian could be thinking ofselling. Not Adam’s new super tractor that cost thousands I hope. Must be something much bigger than that, that the family won’t be happy about and that he is able to sell without their consent - any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHis soul?
DeleteThe best thing for Will to do is to go on sick leave, he certainly isn't up to the job at the moment, his emotions are all over the place. That way he scuppers Martins plans.
ReplyDeleteBasia, I think you have it right - Will is in denial, poor man, can't face the threat of losing his job, so pretends otherwise, head all over the place. Jake will feel very uncomfortable at his neediness and back to a safe, supportive home with actual dad and stepmother he will go. Can't imagine Gibson will get away with this, legally or any other way. Brian was certainly sympathetic, aims to help but has much else on his mind....
ReplyDeleteI don't blame Jake wanting to stay with his father and it is the right thing ,in my opinion for him to do that.
ReplyDeleteAndrew sounds like a reasonable bloke.
I can't remember if we were ever told why he and Nic split up.
As for the tied cottage.
Will is working part time at the moment so anybody employed by BL would only need to work part time so would not be entitled to the cottage so Will might as well stay there until he is ready to go back to working full time.
A relative had a lovely tied cottage overlooking the Cricket Field of the Public School where he worked.
When he retired he was allowed to stay there and when he and his wife died their unmarried daughter who had nothing to do with the School continued to live there..
The daughter died about 10 years ago.
I doubt the same would apply today.
As I see it, Will's cottage is tied to the job of head gamekeeper, and, I think that in his letter, Martin Gibson said that unless Will resumed full-time working, he would lose his title of head gamekeeper, which could mean that BL (who, I presume employ Will, as otherwise it wouldn't be a concern of M.G.'s) could employ someone else in that position, with Will as a part-time assistant gamekeeper. In that case, if the cottage is tied to the job of the senior gamekeeper, BL would probably be quite entitled in asking Will to leave so that the new, full-time employee could have the cottage. I notice that Brian seemed to think that they were within their legal rights in doing that, as he only offered to ask Annabelle to plead Will's case - no mention of Will's legal rights.
ReplyDeleteI saw Wills rights in exactly the same way that Suz has described.
ReplyDeleteI think that Brian saw it that way too.
Brian has treated Will in his hour of need in the way that one would hope a long time employer/ employee /would treat another village neighbour and member of a long standing village family.
Martin Gibson, as Stasia has described him correctly, is no such person and as far as we know does not live in the village.
He views the situation as a purely business matter.
Annabelle may plead Wills case. She does sometimes have a sympathetic approach, but also will view a situation from a business point of view on other occasions.
I foresee much change in Ambridge in the near future.
Does Will have a mortgage on his house on the Green? I really don’t like this story line - it’s getting rather dark like the Greg story. Where is Jill and her lemon drizzle cake when we need it? (It would go well with all that tea on the off topic blog) Is she still worrying about Shula and shut herself in her room with her knitting needles and a mountain of baby wool.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he has a mortgage, Seasider, because, as I recall, he bought the cottage on the Green with the money left to him by an aunt.
DeleteThanks Suz I remember the inheritance but couldn’t recall if it was enough to pay for the cottage in full.
Delete👍
DeleteSurely if another gamekeeper is employed Will will not be needed at all .
ReplyDeleteAt the moment he is working part time so really only a "Supply" part time game keeper would be needed.
Eventually ,Will will want the full time job back.
Is he still being paid as if he were working full time?
I don't suppose one is allowed a specific amount of time after a bereavement.
I dare say a lot depends upon the circumstances.
Will needs to find our what actual rights he has and how long he has before he must return to working full time.
It wouldn't hurt Brian to do that for him but of course he has other things on his mind.
You're right about Will filling half of the gamekeeper's job, and BL possibly only needing another part-timer, Lanjan, but I thought that the crucial phrase in Martin Gibson's letter was "Head Gamekeeper" - which Will can't be at the moment, and, unless he is very careful (which he's certainly not being at the moment as he's fixated on having Jake back to live with him), he could find himself out of a job altogether - and out of the cottage that goes with the job too.
DeleteI thought that Will boughr No. 1 The Green from monies he inherited, (a family member, who I cannot remember her name) so there is no mortgage and this property is an investment only. I wonder if Will has been declaring the income he is receiving from this property, for tax purposes. It could come bacj to bite him, and add to his angst.
ReplyDeleteSorry a few typos, but I hope the message has got through. Note to self - use the PC to post properly.
DeleteThanks Miriam I replied to Suz above before I saw your entry. I wasn’t sure if the inheritance had covered the full amount.
DeleteI thought Will's inheritance wasn't enough to buy No. 1 The Green outright, but it went a long way towards it, so he only needed a modest mortgage which, having such a substantial deposit, he got easily. I could be wrong though.
ReplyDeleteWas the inheritance £150,000? Which at the time may have been enough to but 1 The Green 🤔
Delete"Buy" of course....
DeleteI am not sure either if Wills inheritance bought No 1 outright. I just don't remember any talk about Will arranging a mortgage but I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteAs I usually am. 😀
DeleteTo me, there always has been a very strong Justin/Martin alliance and they have been playing Brian along for many months. I wonder if Brian can save Home Farm, from yet another take-over from this manipulative duo?
ReplyDeleteAnd can Brian still cover the costs, as to the pollution/dumping of the toxic waste so thwarts the planned "take-over"? Perhaps, if not, Kates Yurts will be well needed.
DeleteCompletely agree with you Miriam - I have felt for some time that Brian thinks he's a lot more clever than he really is, and that Justin has been running rings round him. Presumably, all will become clear in due course.
DeleteRuthy, what is the bird being shown? It looks like a humming bird, but I am not sure, so would love to learn. The first time I saw a hummingbird, was when I was in Cuenca in Ecuador (and Matt Crawford was nowhere to be seen). It was such a delight to see something new.
ReplyDeleteRuthy told us to look out for a hummingbird at the end of the last blog.
DeleteI did not see that comment, hence my question. I apologise for my so inappropriate post, but I just wanted to learn something.
DeleteI saw some humming birds in Alaska. We had a very successful whale watching trip followed by a crab feast and at the restaurant there was a feeder at the window with honey in it and two humming birds having their own feast! Happy days!
ReplyDeleteMy post 40 on the Writersroom Ling blog has been reinstated without comment after 5 days!
ReplyDeleteSeveral people have mentioned writing on the ‘Jane Austen’ blog but I can’t find it! I go to ‘all bbc blogs’ and scroll down through an alphabetical list, have seen the About the BBC, the Writers blog, Strictly, Archers, and several others but no Jane Austen. Can anyone help me locate it please ?
ReplyDeleteArcherphile 10.53,
ReplyDeleteGoogle 'BBC blogs Jane Austen' and it will appear.
Archerphile - you have the best credentials of all of us for appearing on a Jane Austen blog, living where you do. It's Jane Austen 200 (being Jimmishly pedantic!) Cow Girl has just made me splutter cornflakes in all directions with a vision of Jazzer dancing a quadrille.
ReplyDeleteHG-(9.38 PM 28th)The same thing happened to my Post.
ReplyDeleteI see Ruthy's as a Private Club where like minded folk are able to say what they like (within reason) which is great.
Unfortunately we have lost some of our friends because of the closure of the BBC blog.
I would have accepted the closure better had all BBC blog sites been closed down.
I have just checked the About the BBC site .
Comments for the last ten blogs are
0,0,0,38,4,0,0,1,0,0.
Interesting.
I have no credentials at all for posting on the Jane Austen blog.
ReplyDeleteI think I am a bit of a Philistine
I am the sort of person who will say that 'I don't know much about art/music/ literature but I know what I like."
I don't even see that saying something like that is wrong .
To me that seems logical.
Last week I went to a concert.
The music was by Elgar(loved it) ,Ravel (didn't) .
Maryellen I don't much like the books by Jane Austen.
Lots of silly women
I much prefer Wuthering Heights .
Have I been crossed off your Christmas Card list now?
.
LanJan - you could go on the JA blog to say why you don't like JA but do like TA. Give it a whirl! ( Who said you were on my Christmas card list? 😀 😀)
DeleteWell I might,Maryellen.
DeleteIf isn't you then I don't know who the Christmas Card is from which is always signed by Jane and Maryellen.!
Oh, that Christmas card list - sent to my business clients! Jane is the office feline (a common or garden English tabby) ) named after the other Jane.
DeleteSorry, my reply to LanJan above was verging on cat chat. Back to TA, do we know exactly when the new editor starts work and we can expect any noticeable changes of direction? It soon became obvious that his predecessor wasn't going to be the answer to the listener's prayer.
DeleteThere is one thing about Jane.
ReplyDeleteShe has a blog which has remained there for a year.
Well done Jane,I say.
The reason I gravitated to the About the BBC blog site was that to me it seemed to be the most relevant to The Archers.
If they have a highlights blog each week we can provide them with highlights of The Archers.
We will be on topic.
I can imagine Mr Bell going home to Mrs Bell (or even telling Mother Bell) how thrilled he is to get nearly 40 comments on his blog.
His wise lady wife or mother will explain to him why the programme is so important to many folk and he will explain to his superiors and they...............
(here my fantasy ended)
I noticed that on the About BBC blog they were asking for ideas for new blogs (how ironic!). So I took up the invitation and actually emailed the person concerned with an idea I had for a blog following the Radio 4 programme “The Long View” which I particularly enjoy. But I made sure to include a paragraph about the closure of our Archers blogs saying how distressed we all are and asking just WHY they want ideas for new blogs when they have closed the most popular one of all!
ReplyDeleteThank you to Maryellen for help in finding the Jane Austen one - I shall now go and have my say there too....I feel in campaigning mood this morning. 🤨💪❗️
Archerphile, did your email also go to Alistair Smith? I sent mine (copied here on the last blog) last Sunday, using the same channel 'Ideas for a blog'. I also copied it to Richard Bell on the Highlights blog, but have had no reply from anyone. I actually used the word 'ironic' in this connection.
DeleteI've since noticed this 'Ideas for a blog' feature on numerous other blogs.
Yes HG, to Alistair Smith. I used the word ‘perverse’ about the request for new ideas. I don’t expect a reply but am hoping the constant stream of emails, blog comments etc might eventually bear fruit! After all, the Archers blogs were closed once before (long before I knew about such things!) and were reopened a while later.
DeleteCongratulations, Archerphile, on your brilliant debut on the JA blog! It shows that you don't have to like Jane Austen to go there. I don't think it matters how many or which BBC blogs we hijack in order to maintain a presence on the BBC site and make use of their advantages - as long as we all know where we are, which we can do by touching base here (courtesy of Ruthy). This blog also allows for a much-appreciated chat room facility.
DeleteLoved Stasia’s comment on JA blog that Ian and Adam could dance the Gay Gordons! Am just hoping that IVF attempts 2 & 3on Lexi fail too so that we can be spared 9 months of Jennifer fussing and also for the sake of the poor little mite having two older Dads! Which surname would it take? I hope Roy sees sense and sees Lexi off after all this angst. I had thought happiness was ahead for him before this business took off! Now I think she is too cool a customer for Roy to cope. With.
ReplyDelete👍✔️
DeleteTravers-Macy-Craig, of course. And Victor or Victoria as a middle name in honour of Lexi.
DeleteWe have a phantom downer on the J.Austin blog.
ReplyDeleteJust like the olden days of archer blogs.
We had one on the Ling blog too last week, but it seemed to get tired and went away when no one commented on it.
Deletemaryellen at 29 April, 12.16 and all
ReplyDeleteWe are commenting in the Writersroom, Highlights of next week, About the BBC, Tehn. & Creativity and perhaps some I've forgotton - plus the 2 Ruthy blogs. I am finding this very time consuming and also think it is becoming a bit disjointed. I am all for continuing the fight for our blog back, but I wonder whether it wouldn't be better to have a concerted effort on one BBC blog until we get thrown out (!) and then start again elsewhere. At least we got noticed in the Writersroom!
What do you all think?
I think we are better on the About the BBC highlights blog ,HG because we can be totally on topic ?There is someone with a name -Richard Bell -who just might take some notice and we were warned on the writers blog by Anon that we were being discourteous.
ReplyDeleteAlso nobody but us wants to blog there
We are left to our own devices.
At the moment there are 38 posts and Ihink they are all from us.
The About the BBC blogs appear at regular intervals and the blog on which we wrote our comments is the only one on which there are more than 4.
Most have no comments.
I would think that Patrick Bell is delighted to receive any comments let alone 38
I intend to comment from now on on that site and Ruthy's.
It must have been on Ruthy's other blog that I think I said we have worked so hard to restore our Archers site that we shouldn't give up now.
We are writing about the BBC so I think it is the perfect site for us and if each week they want our highlights we can give them.
I suggest we stick on the BBC sites to The Archers and go off topic on Ruthy's
If we do manage to get our site restored I would suggest that Ruthy would be able to revert to one blog and we can mix and match as we like - Archers/non Archers - which would make it easier for Ruthy.
I have just popped in, and have no idea what this chat is all about and sadly to say it is not what I expected.
ReplyDeleteOff to continue creating a Lasgane, the bechamel sauce is the next "to do".
Miriam please do not get me wrong.
ReplyDeleteRuthy's is my first port of call.
I would not think of abandoning this blog now that Ruthy has been so good as to set it up for us.
There are some bloggers ,however who did not decide to join us and we may hear from them if we get our site back.
Agree that if we did get our BBC site back it would be good if Ruthy agrees onto us with the one blog. I am wondering though that the real motive for getting rid of the comments section was that it was too well used meaning that policing of comments was becoming time consuming. It is easier to flick through two or 3 short comments than several hundred long ones. I am not defending the BBC who I think have treated us dreadfully but if they think they have good reasons will they ever consider restoring the blog? I hope so but not very confidently.
ReplyDeleteThis auto correction is maddening! I meant to say if Ruthie is willing we could then carry on with the one blog here!
ReplyDeleteEv , they should at least tell us why we have been singled out .
ReplyDeleteYes I think they should and I am only guessing. I did e mail Robert Bolton to see why we had been axed from Feedback but did not get a reply. I think he was silenced from above!
ReplyDeleteDid you get his name right?
DeleteI think that Pat will find Olwen again, but only when Olwen decides that she wants to be found, and then becomes a resident at Bridge Farm once more. Then let the scheme begin, which will take a long while to evolve.
ReplyDeleteI just hope that Olwen was not a 9 day wonder, and that she will appear again, to create havoc, upset and to just be annoying.
DeleteWas it Dan?
ReplyDeleteWas it Tom?
Was it Josh?
Could it have been Freddie?
No it was Jake .
Yet another Soundalike with a clipped way of speaking.
Where does the Elocution Teacher live?
Are there no young actors with regional accents ?
The BBC could save a fortune by letting one actor play different parts.
We would know who was speaking because his name would be mentioned by the other person.
Oh and while I am at it.
When one is talking about a female,Alice ,the word is HER not HAR.
I wrote to Feedback about the lack of young people with local accents in T.A. several years ago, Lanjan. I was particularly upset about Phoebe's lack of some kind of accent when she first started to speak, and felt that a child that had been brought up by Hayley (Birmingham accent) and Roy (local Ambridge accent) would have naturally developed something of the sort herself, but she was being played by a child that sounded as though she had been brought up in a school for elocution. I know she has Jennifer for a grandmother, but she hadn't had all that much contact with Home Farm at that time. I had no reply, of course, and certainly no mention on Feedback. And, now Jake has turned up speaking perfect R.P. despite having lived in the Grundy family for years. I give up!
DeletePlus, Jake's dad, Andrew sounds like the new Chris Carter. Once Mia begins to speak I'll probably think she's Phoebe or Lily. Judging by the few words Keira has spoken, she's a changeling, not a daughter of Ed & Emma.
DeleteLanJan -.It was immediately obvious it was Jake from the topic of conversation. I think the days of radio scripting are over, when the conversation started: Hello Dan, how are you, I thought I saw you on the Green yesreday with Walter, I wonder what you were talking about? Good of you to ask, Tom, we were trying to account for the disappearance of two of the ducks from the village pond...... Is it possible that listeners are being credited with some intelligence at last?😀
DeletePerhaps the cathedral school teaches local youths to talk proper in order to justify its charitable status.
ReplyDeleteSome progress with Will this evening, but Jake is coming across as the more grown-up of the two at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWhat do other listeners make of Jake? He seemed almost abnormally polite and diplomatic. Is he a manipulative teenager or just a nice lad and mature with it? I'd be interested in other people's reactions because I'm unsure myself. Perhaps it's too soon to say.
ReplyDeleteHe's 14 (?) so he may be a mixture of any or all of the traits you mention. He had time and space to think about the damage to the laptop and admit his fault. Emma apologised for her outburst; I hope Jake has apologised to Emma for his, or shows her some appreciation. He seemed to get on well with Ed at Grange Farm.
DeleteGood job Johnny is still around.
ReplyDeleteOr is he ?
I expected a new batch of characters this evening.
Wrong again.
I have a thought, in that are any of the many thatched cottages in Ambridge "listed". This is not of any significance at the moment, but it was something that just crossed my mind.
ReplyDeleteI am sure someone has access to an Archers Encyclopedia which will tell all and answer my thought.
DeleteA related question might be: do any of the thatched cottages ever need re-thatching? I believe it's quite expensive.
DeleteBootgums@7.24 You are right! He’s Roger! Have sent an e mail to apologise!
ReplyDeleteHurray. Have you reciprocated by apologising for getting his name wrong?
DeleteNot quite sure why Jake was so keen to stay watching the cricket this evening, I don't recall him showing any interest before. I wonder if it was actually something/someone else that caught his attention? A young Button, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteOr Miss Pargetter? That could explain his refined speech; he won't want to be regarded as a country-bumpkin.
DeleteHaven't had time these last few days to post here or on the other sites mentioned but just to pick out what Ev wrote at 6.09 PM (29th, today), about the manypostsonthedefunct BBC TA blog, and the problem of policing: there is no evidence that policing went on, only an automated programme that responded to the breaking of 'house rules', with occasional reports from bloggers, I suspect not many. On that last blog, as we all know, unquestionable trolling happened and was allowed - no moderation by any stretch of the imagination. The explanation for closure was derisory, there was nothing cleanor honest about it. I like our infiltration into other blogs; yes, let us make as much noise as we want - why not test the sincerity and motivation of the BBC insetting up blogs at all. I did read through the comments on the Austen one today, great, very entertaining, ( Emma = Susan + Lynda, had she not been saved by Knightly in her youth, from a ridiculous middle age ??), but, though tempted, won't join in there because I don't want to use Jane Austen in that way. Maybe just me being precious, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed hearing Jake tonight and did think his voice was a little different from the sound alikes, but a bit posher that I would have expected. It was lovely to hear Jake and Will getting on well - pity Will nearly blew it with his strop over the cricket but Jake saved the day.
ReplyDeleteI was much less pleased to listen to precious Alice ranting at Adam. She more or less accused him of having everything handed to him on a plate and not having to work hard - that old phrase of Pot, Kettle, Black came strongly to mind. Especially as she lives rent free in a cottage given to her, on a plate!
Alice lecturing Adam as a story line was a little unbelievable. They each have shares in the farm and Brian lost the vote. Can’t see how Alice is blaming Adam.
DeleteOn the "About the BBC " blog -highlights for this week ( with a picture of Mary Berry and some other people seated round a table) Aesop2 has written.
ReplyDelete"Please reinstate our Archers blog.
Thank you."
I have just written the same.
If lots of us did just that ,surely they must get the point.
There are 41 comments on that blog.
Can we make it 50 ?
I have just checked and Rrochard Bell seems to be in charge of all the highlights blogs.
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't' responded yet but neither has he commented that we are being discourteous as Anon did on the Writersroom blog.
If we stick to that blog as soon as next week's highlights blog comes up we can pop over to that one
Most of his previous blogs have had no comments posted on them.
He surely must be delighted to get any, let alone 41.
Richard Bell of course not Rochard!
ReplyDeleteLAN Jan, much as I admire your very dedicated campaign to get the Archers blogs back on the BBC website and show them that listeners are not to be trifled with (and I have contributed to that campaign) do you not feel we are being a little discourteous to Ruthy who has gone to the trouble of giving us this delightful substitute blog? I was furious that the BBC treated us so shabbily and dismissively but am so grateful to Ruthy for administering this friendly place for us to continue our discussions. I think we may be flogging a dead horse as far as BBC blogs are concerned but if you want to keep trying, then good on you, but please can we concentrate on Ruthy’s blog while we are on here and do our campaigning over on the BBC blog you have recommended ? Please know that I am not being at all critical of your, quite justified, campaign - just think that it should be pursued ‘over there’ instead of ‘here’. 🙂
ReplyDelete✔️
DeleteArcherphile 30/4 11.19 - I don't think we are being discourteous to Ruthy and I sincerely hope she doesn't think so either.
DeleteRuthy, I don't want to talk over your head, so address this to you, too.
As I understand it, you have always wanted the Archers Blog to be reinstated - you were a primary campaigner before it closed - particularly with your interview with Feedback - and you have contributed to at least one other BBC blog to continue the fight. You set up this blog as a lifeline, a place where we could all meet to continue to discuss the Archers, but also to consolidate plans for getting our blog back. Right at the beginning you said you hoped we would never have to depend on this place. Well now we are depending on it, and I am sure you know how very, very grateful we all are. Through your efforts we have not all disappeared into the ether and lost touch with each other. That is 100% good and I think we have all expressed our appreciation and continue to do so. But that does not alter the fact that most of us really want the BBC Archers blog back and also want to relieve you of the not insignificant burden you have taken upon yourself. Ideally it would be nice to have the official blog back and perhaps this one from time to time for in depth off topic discussions.
I do agree, Archerphile, that there are too many comments here about other Blogs we are currently invading that take a lot of space. That is why I suggested that we hijack one BBC blog at a time - a consolidated effort on the part of all those who want to continue campaigning - until we are thrown out or that particular blog closes. Then a short comment here by Lan Jan for example would lead us on to the next one.
I would appreciate it, Ruthy, if you would let us know how you feel about the present situation.
I wholeheartedly agree with Archerphile. I feel disgusted by the BBC's attitude but I am afraid I have noticed that they never admit fault on their behalf on any feedback programme. For example the mumbling in "Jamaica Inn" was a fault on the part of viewers!
Delete✔️
Delete✅✔️☑️
DeleteWe have another RED WARNING on the Writers Room blog, which is a more detailed response to our emails - and sounds more testy. Getting up people's noses is always a risk. Suggest we continue any campaigning on the About the BBC blog where we haven't got up anyone's nose ( yet) and carry on with the JA blog in non- campaigning mode as at present. And, obviously, carry on here as now.
ReplyDelete
DeleteI do not feel that we are being discourteous to Ruthy .
I do hope she doesn't think so either.
If I had thought that ,I would not have continued to fight for our blog.
HG you have said exactly to Ruthy what I feel but you have said it far better than I could have done.
I agree with everything you have written.
By using the About the BBC blog I cannot see how anybody can be complain about what we write as long as we stick to comments about the BBC
I don't remember Aesop 2 posting comments on this site and when I saw the simple request to reinstate our blog on the About the BBC blog I thought that was a good idea just to do as he/she had done.
Alex commented on the Writersroom site.
I don't know who he/she is either so there are people out there,not just us who feel cheated that The Archers blog seems to be the only one which has been closed down.
Perhaps we don't need to campaign any more ,just comment on the programme on the About the BBC site as well as Ruthy's..
OK, Lan Jan, that sounds like a good plan. I was getting a bit worried that we might be ‘over-egging the pudding” by commenting on lots of BBC blogs and we have been warned, twice now, not to do so on the Writers Room blog. I was a bit concerned that the p.t.b might just get so fed up with us that they blocked or removed all references to TA. But the “about the BBC ones does seem the most appropriate.
DeleteI agree with Archerphile, posted April 30th at 11.19am.
ReplyDeleteI so admire others who wish to re-instate the BBC blog, and how they are trying to go about it. My comment is that the discussion about this, should be on one of the many other BBC sites found, on which communications are now taking place, and not on "Ruthys Sites".
I have had my say.
The BBC TA site is still there, will all its many comments and links, which can be easily found by others, if they are so inclined to do so.
This site is so lovely, and long may it comtinue.
ReplyDeleteI have sat back, and thought about the many previous comments, which I have recently read. My thoughts are that those who wish to persue the BBC site, then go for it and Good Luck. But I feel that the constant discussion about it on this site, is filling up the available space on this "blog" so Ruthy has to set up yet another. Is that fair?
ReplyDeleteMiriam - I take your point about robbing bloggers of space to talk about the things they want to say on here, and/or making more work for Ruthy by lengthening the blog so she had to replace it more frequently- but there is nowhere else that those of us who are still interested can discuss what to do about the BBC blogs, since we can't talk about this on the BBC blogs themselves. It's no disrespect or lack of consideration for Ruthy that makes us talk about BBC blogs here. This dual-purpose blog has advantages that the BBC blogs don't - every topic has a place on one or the other of Ruthy's blogs and the lack of down arrows makes it a gentler place to be. I for one would like to find a BBC blog to use, if we can't get our dedicated one back, PLUS Ruthy's blog as our home base.
DeleteIt's not just me who's confused about who owns Greenwood Cottage, the tied cottage of head gamekeeper, Will. I've always assumed it was on Home Farm land. Was it not included on a recent tour of Ambridge on BBC TA site?
ReplyDeleteSomeone on here said Sammy Whipple, shepherd at Home Farm lived in it before it became the gamekeeper's cottage. Will's predecessor as head gamekeeper and occupant of the cottage was Greg Turner.
List of previous gamekeepers in TA: Tom Forrest, head keeper until 1976, returning as part-time assistant later; Gordon Armstrong from 1971; George Barford , from 1973. They all worked for Jack Woolley. Tom worked for Squire Lawson-Hope, George Fairbrother and Charles Genville, Ralph Bellamy and Jack Woolley.
Tom lived in Keeper's Cottage, a worker's cottage on Charles Grenville's land. It was demolished to make way for a road in 1960. Grenville had a replacement pair of cottages built, Keeper's Cottage and April Cottage. Tom continued to occupy the replacement Keeper's Cottage after his retirement. Eddie, Clarrie & Joe Grundy lived later rented it from Jack Woolley. Dr. Locke now rents it from Hazel Woolley. Kathy Perks lives in April Cottage.
According to "The book of The Archers", Gordon Armstrong and after him George Barford lived at "The Lodge".
Brian Aldridge asked Tom Forrest to act as full-time gamekeeper for Home Farm in 1989 but Tom refused.
Sometime around 2000 the shoots at Grey Gables and Home Farm were merged under 1 head keeper. George Barford was then Grey Gables keeper and Will Grundy was his assistant . (This event postdates my book.) Borchester Land acquired Grey Gables shoot when Jack Woolley sold his property in separate lots. Caroline & Oliver bought the hotel. The golf course was another part of Grey Gables estate. Kathy became golf-club bar-manager and was undermined & bullied by Martin Gibson.
In conclusion, it's not clear to me who employs Will and his assistant Pete or why Martin Gibson has jurisdiction over the cottage.
I very much doubt if it is clear to The Archers Team either H @ H !
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, they make it up as they go along nowerdays, with little consideration towards Ambridge history.
And I am well aware that I am not alone in this opinion.
I am finding the Shula Alistair S L very difficult to listen to.
Having decided to take six months to separate in a civilised manner for the sake of our children, I continued living in the family home with those children with husband away working in the week and returning at the weekends and on occasional weekends trying to find a home for myself and daughters, listening to the situation at the stables is painful because of its familiarity.
I have never before considered not listening, but am currently wondering if perhaps I should now.
Mrs P I am sorry to hear you are finding it difficult to listen to at the moment. I have also found aspects of that story line resonating uncomfortably. I do think the balance of light and shade in the programme has gone missing - there were lighter more comical stories in the past to counterbalance the bigger dramas. I don’t think we have laughed since Linda read the Silmarillion and I can’t remember much for a while before that. It would be good if we could now leave S and A to quietly work out their living arrangements without having to eavesdrop on every awkward encounter in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteMrsP and Seasider - Sorry the Shula and Alistair story is getting difficult for you. If you listen on Catch Up would it help to just fast forward occasionally? I have done this in the past with things I just did not want to listen to, and found it quite satisfying to decide myself what I wanted to hear and what not!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip H G. Might be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteYou could read the synopsis and then decide whether to listen to a particular episode, listen to parts, or give it a miss.
DeleteHG- that’s exactly what I did, often, during the Rob/ Helen story. There were times when it was just too difficult to listen (not because of any personal experience I hasten to add) and the FF button was a real blessing.
ReplyDeletePlease see my response to how I feel about hosting this blog. Please, if possible, reserve this post for TA comments.
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoyed Monday’s espisode at all. Shula and Alistair why are they living in the same house? Or why has Alistair moved back? I disagree with Alice. Brian lost the trust of the family and therefore he is no longer in charge. Please no more of Lexi/Adam/Ian surrogacy. Enough with all these story lines. Well, at least we got a break from Will.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to hear Brian and Adam side by side so to speak last night.Brian is a very good actor indeed sounds very natural. Adam on the other hand sounds ...
ReplyDeleteLike he's reading out his lines.😁
I’ve got to the point where I can’t stand to even hear Lexi talk. Find myself shouting for her to go home to her own kids when she starts on about how she is going to do the life changing gift for Adam and Ian.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I am finding all this marital disharmony very wearing and repetitive. Not only do we have to listen to the antipathy between Jenny and Brian but now Shula and Alistair as well! Are there any happily married couples in Ambridge any longer? ( That was a tongue in cheek, rhetorical question, by the way). The SWs seem determined to pursue the theory that conflict is required to make a drama interesting. However, I was delighted to hear how well Will and Jake were getting on, on Sunday. Apart from Will’s little strop at cricket, quickly diffused by Jake, it was lovely to hear something going well for once and, to me, much more enjoyable than listening to sniping and arguing. Oh, and I totally agree about Lexi, PtbY!
ReplyDeletePtbY...... ?
DeleteProud to be Yorkshire, in post at 7.37 today, just above mine. Sorry just me being lazy instead of typing out whole name !
DeleteThat's OK. Thanks for explanation, I should have realised !
DeleteStrangely given Susan’s character flaws, her marriage is the solid one! Maybe it’s because Neil balances her so well and puts up with her foibles! I will never forget the fuss over the family photo and how he reluctantly dressed up for it! Oh another good one is the Lynda and Robert pairing. Again it is his forebearance that keeps it going. They are so comfortable together! Alistair moved back in as there is plenty of room at the stables where he was overcrowded with Jim and Jazzer. Not a comfortable arrangement though. You would think he could afford a flat or something! I can see how this disharmony between S and A makes uncomfortable listening and hope it doesn’t go on too long. Go home, Lexi!
ReplyDeleteAgree with recent comments regarding unhappy couples in Ambridge.
ReplyDeleteHowever as annoying these SL may be, Ev 's post describing the solid marriages of the Carters and Linda and Robert Snell is a timely example of the balance of light and shade that we do experience in the Archers much of the time.
Thank you Ev !
Please sign me up as a member of the "Go home Lexi" movement. She really is a pain in the backside.
ReplyDeleteA number of comments removed from 'About the BBC' (they were there this morning), it looks like the time's up. Grey Gables was a plot device to facilitate bringing Ian as counsellor to Alistair and Lexi. She and Kirsty are housemates now unless she decamped to Philip's, but it was a way of mentioning her name.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought when I read this was 'Alistair and Lexi?!'
DeleteNow that would be an interesting plot twist, with several noses being put out of joint. But Alistair has coped with enough pregnant animals to be able to support Lexi through her pregnancy - if it ever happens.
But where would they live?
Apparently I have had eleven removed.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise that I had posted eleven comments.
Lexi can't leave soon enough for me.
I am just waiting for the time when she doesn't get pregnant(hopefully) and demands money from Adam and Ian for the trouble she has gone to for them.
LanJan, Lexi is to have two more transfers, so we'll just have to wait it out.
ReplyDeleteBasia 1.26pm. I sincerely hope we don’t have to listen in to the two remaining transfers! We haven’t heard from Roy for quite a while, I wonder how he is coping with Lexi’s enforcement of the no-sex rule as they are still living together ? He must have the patience and tolerance of a saint. I did wonder if Lexi might become pregnant with Roys baby which would scupper Ian and Adams plans, but now I sincerely hope she does not. I’d just like her to go back to her own country, look after her existing children and leave Roy to find a much more loving and suitable girl/ woman friend.
ReplyDeleteArcherphile, Two more is the plan, but we should be spared the details as even Ian is becoming superstitious about too many people present.
DeleteI am still not convinced about Adams interest re Lexi. I feel he has done what he had to do, to pleases Ian, but is this what he wants? And will Lexi be favourable for another couple of "goes"? I would like to hear her talking to Roy about her feelings.
ReplyDeletePS The marriages I like in TA are:- Robert and Lynda, Susan and Neil, Ed and Emma and Chris and Alice, not forgetting Clarrie and Eddie. They just seem so normal together, squablling about silly things, but most importantly, seem so comfortable together and supportive.
Why should Alistair be pussyfooting about in his own house, he sounds like a lodger who isn't quite sure what the house rules are. Perhaps they should have a rota about use of domestic appliances, cooking in the kitchen, ablutions in the bathroom, and who does the polishing and hoovering.
ReplyDeleteI think Lexie is having doubts and is using Adam's laissez- faire attitude to manipulate ending the surrogacy. Maybe she and Roy have indulged and this could throw a spanner in the works.
She is not a character I warm to, it's the Soviet style of speaking in commending tones.
I always have had a thought that when Lexi is confirmed pregnant, who is the father - could it be Roy.
DeleteFreddie's in trouble: lying to Elis, Johnny and Lily. I feel sorry for Jake though who's trying to please every adult in his life. He enjoyed his shooting practice and Will should have taken him home instead of putting pressure on him for his own sake. We don't know what rights if any Will has after ten years but it seems that Andrew is not sure of his either.
ReplyDeleteAs far as we know Will did not go for either adoption or parental rights, he therefore has no rights. As Beverly said if it went to court Andrew would win both children as the natural father who has maintained consistent contact with them, unless of course the children were adamant that they wished to stay with Will, when their views would be considered very favourably
DeleteIf Tiger-gate ever gets out Will could still be in court for another reason. Perhaps then it would be a relief to know that the children had somewhere to live...
DeleteLying seem to come very naturally to Freddie. Although I wasn't quite sure if he was telling the truth about revision for exams. Lily having trouble with all there's isms, little Ms Genius is also telling fibs, is that because she loves her brother?
DeleteAll these young men sound alike, except for Jonny. Why does the BBC employ three when one could easily play three different parts.
Poor Will, he has absolutely no insight into his own grief, he wants to keep his happy little family together even if it is causing confusion in the emotions the children are experiencing.
Is Mia due to be the first character cast as the Freda Fry Memorial Character? If she and Jake do go to live with Andrew then they'll rarely be in Ambridge and we'll just hear of them from other characters.
ReplyDeleteJake has at least had his moment in the sun so will simply join the list of The Silent until shuffled off into The Forgotten or The Departed. But poor little Mia hasn't even had a chance to speak : (
More seriously, how is Poppy going to cope if they do live with Andrew. First Mummy's gone, now Jake and Mia, will Daddy be next?
re. MiriamApril 29, 2018 at 5:38 PM
ReplyDeleteI often go a couple of days without logging on to the blog, but always go to where I last left off to catch up with the various "conversations" otherwise I wouldn't have a clue as to what the current chat was about.
Old Woman.
ReplyDeleteYou may have hit on the next big issue-how siblings are affected when they are split up from one another.
Can anybody place Bev's accent?
North Midlands?
Does she live locally ?Does anybody remember her being heard on the programme before maybe at Nic and Will's wedding or after the birth of Poppy?
She must live locally as she came to be there for Jake when his Dad and Stepmother went to sort out his Mother. I for one cant remember her
DeleteI think Bev's accent is from somewhere in the midlands, and sounds similar to Hayley's. As Ambridge is supposed to be somewhere on the borders of northern "west country" and southern midlands, that seems to be about right. I like her voice a lot, and so nice to hear a vaguely regional accent at last (can't think where her grandson got his rather posh voice from though!). I hope she's allowed to stay as a character for a long time, as she seems to be a very thoughtful and gentle person.
DeleteI can't remember her prior to Nics death.
ReplyDeleteSo a new character, and speaking !
Therefore a supposed S L.
Presumably about custody of the children.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteI would like to know more about Ellie. I do not know how long she and Andrew have been a couple, but she obviously is happy to "take-over" Jake +Mia, if the custody battle goes in Andrew's favour, which it probably will. Will does not seem to appear to have any legal rights, and the fact that he could soon lose his job, - it does not bode well.
ReplyDeleteI feel so sorry for Will. Especially as he has had the children for 10 years.
ReplyDeleteBut don't forget that Andrew lost the children when he split with Nic, and from odd comments we know he has had regular contact. I isn't as if he has just turned up out of the blue demanding their return, he sounds very caring and committed to the childrens needs
DeleteYes you are right. It is so hard on all concerned.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I have to post another comment. I find Freddie and Lily are very irritating and I think that they are very unrealistic.
ReplyDeleteI suspect Hannah has been resurrected in order to fill the character slot due to be vacated by Anisha. This may include taking over Anisha's young man and her tented cottage as well. (Q: What do Rex and Hannah have in common? A: Four letters, first letter P, third letter G.)
ReplyDeleteTen years is a long time.
ReplyDeleteWill and Nic have had plenty of time to regularise legal share of Mia and Jake with Andrew.
If they were not forward thinking enough to do so, then Will is likely to suffer.
He will of course then be in a position to see himself as ' the injured party ' !
That may sound harsh, but in the ' scrambled' society that we live in today, it should be common sense.
And Will is not a total stranger to the subject of Paternity rights.
I found Lily infuriating this evening, or at least the manner in which she was played. She sounds more like Freddie’s Nanny than his sister the way she speaks to him and was getting quite hysterical. These two just don’t ring true as twin brother and sister to me.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, much as I dislike Susan with her gossiping and delusions of grandeur, I did enjoy her dinner party scenes with Neil and Hannah and then Jazzer gatecrashing. It was a very amusing interlude in what has become a somewhat sombre Archers of late! Light and shade is so much more satisfying than permanent gloom.
ReplyDelete👍🐖
DeleteYes I agree. I don’t watch Corrie but I heard on Radio 4 they had a male rape and next week a suicide. Is this entertainment? The twins in TA are interesting as Lily is the sensible one and Freddie is all over the place. She loves him but I can see how exasperated she is that he is still being stupid about drugs after the drama with Nolly and of course he has lied about the latest debacle. I hope he comes to his senses but it will take time and maybe a few more crises!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments Arccherphile made just before 11 o'clock last night.
ReplyDeleteI can't be doing with either Freddie or Lily but I find posh ,cocky Lily more annoying.
I am not that fond of their mother either.
Loved listening to Susan.
Hannah is boring.She has no sparkle -or is that just the acting?
When I listen to "Jazzer " there is a real person talking.
He also has the same "things " in common with Rex and Hannah ,
Maryellen.
I think Hannah would think she is too good for Jazzer.
But she may yet end up with him.
DeleteLily and Jazzer met in the village shop and exchanged information which served them well later on.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Susan's party was entertaining and the twins hysterical. Hannah said that Jazzer was wasting his time and it crossed my mind that she may be married, but then it wouldn't make sense to introduce her to Ambridge I suppose.
I agree with Lanjan that there doesn't seem to be much personality about Hannah. I didn't like the way she made him look foolish to Susan and Neil after he left either. Susan will have a field day on that! Jazzer was a bit of a fool though, trying to gatecrash their dinner. I also didn't understand why Susan had to make such a fuss about entertaining Hannah anyway.
ReplyDeleteI meant I didn't like the way Hannah made Jazzer look foolish, of course!
ReplyDeleteI didn't like that about Hannah either ,HG.
ReplyDeleteI also wondered why Susan invited Hannah for a meal but now I wonder if she was showing that the Carters are not too grand to invite an underling for a meal.
I doubt if she will be invited again though.
I rather enjoyed last night's episode.
ReplyDeleteHow is Freddie able to get a prescription of "smart drugs?" Are they readily available in the UK via prescription? When did Freddie go see a doctor and what reason would he have to warrant this prescription?
I don't think there's a story line between Hannah with Tom or Rex. She is just added as another character to add interest. Right, Jazzer has no chance with her, though she did make a point to say hello to him at the Bull. That didn't make any sense - unless she is playing it cool?
I like Hannah. I really hope that she has been introduced in order that Jazzer will have found his "soul-mate" at long last.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, Smart drugs claim to enhance thought processes for learning. They basically stimulants that can be bought on line. No GP in this country would prescribe such drugs. All prescription drugs in this country have to be given the okay by a body called NICE ( the national institute for clinical excellences). This means that they must have been subjected to rigorous research trials.
ReplyDeleteFreddie is lying and has most likely bought them from another student.
Thank you stasia (in the US it is the FDA federal drug administration). So, Freddie is really lying to Lily and himself. I wonder if he is really studying for the retake.
DeleteI believe that so many of these smart drugs can be bought via the internet and so are easily available. I also have seen that there might be an upcoming TV programme about the illegal sale of these types of drugs. All I know is that a TV channel (but I do not know which one), has been filming for quite a while undercover, which shows, qualified Pharmacists who are breaking the law, by selling medications without a legal prescription. I have to say that I do not know if this is totally correct.
ReplyDeleteThere was something on the TV news today about these drugs.
ReplyDeleteThe one that was being spoken of was a name that started with an X and finished with an X .
Pupils are taking them "to help them with their exams!" and are getting them off the internet.
It's Xanax.
DeleteBut sadly, there are many more similar drugs available.
DeleteI liked Fallon's 'proposal' to Harrison, it was right up his street.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that Harrison + Fallon are now officially engaged and I am looking forward to their wedding. I have been thinking as to whose wedding was the last? I am not sure but was it Adam+Ian or Kenton+ Jolene..I just think that the time is right for an Ambridge village wedding. I would prefer that the happy couple, will be Hannah and Jazzer
ReplyDeleteWhen Hannah said Jazzer had no chance with her, it could of course mean that she is not interested in men !
ReplyDeleteI agree about Harrison and Fallon, a lovely scene.
I think so very differently
DeleteI think that Hannah is just playimg things "cool". She has just relocated from the USA and she now has to adapt to her new life and job.
I thought the same as I was pondering whilst gardening today. She’s either gonna be a lesbian or some transgender person. The bbc will think they’ll have to get that box ticked sooner than later.
DeleteYes to Fallon and Harrison.
ReplyDeleteNo to Hannah and Jazzer.
I get the impression that she thinks she is superior to him.
How about Jazzer and Tracy ?
I like her.
I imagine Hannah has been wheeled on in order to be paired off with someone, Jazzer just being a temporary diversion, to reintroduce the character. I don't think she was being sniffy to him at all, only being egged on by Susan's arch attitude to say anything dismissive. They don't come across as a natural pairing. So, lonely, drifting males ? Tom and Alistair, I suppose, and I rather like the idea of Alistair finding 'lerv' well before Shula finds her next soulmate or whatever...Have at last caught up with the last few episodes and agree very much with those of you who are finding Lexi hard to take. Is it normal/convincing that a woman in the early stages of a relationship, in this tricky situation of being a citizen of another country where she has family, to be so embroiled in a surrogacy SL ? How weird that Roy accepts it - is he so infatuated or naive or what ? She surely has a hidden agenda.
ReplyDeleteRe : Lexi. My sentiments exactly Carolyn. I said virtually the same thing on the old BBC blog. Characters accepting everything, as if they were all Guardianistas. This is highly unlikely in a probably fairly conservative rural community. Imo it always seems as if the SW's are trying to wring and thread every possible social awareness situation of life into all the story lines. Real life is much more nuanced, but then again this is a soap so what did I expect....duh!
DeleteBB, I think even Guardianistas might balk at turning into Roy style doormats (mainly because They have their Pride), but am sure you're spot on about the compulsion in soaps to be 'right on'. Tedious, innit ? Cuts out any interesting debate and, yes, conflict. Roy was allowed a token grumble at the outset but now he's been silenced. Jennifer had to surmount her customary snobbery and prejudice with the utmost speed, in order to gush over surrogacy threesome and stuff Lexi with pies(mind, that could be largely to distract herself from the awfulness of the rest of her life)
DeleteI too am delighted that there is to be a wedding in Ambridge. I’m sure it will rival that other wedding that is due soon - perhaps the Radio Times will produce a special supplement with lots of photos! As for Kenton egging Shula on to buy an expensive, unsuitable sports car - words fail me. It really is about time he grew up. It’s lovely that he wants to support his sister, but he needs to be a bit more grounded with his advice.
ReplyDeleteSo what changed for Fallon that she now wants to marry Harrison? I am glad for it because they seem very happy and compatible.
DeleteAs I remember Shula got 2000? That won't even make the down payment for a new car.
And divorce is expensive. It's hardly time for Shula to be splashing out on a mid-life crisis fancy car that she doesn't even need. Besides, fast cars are a bad idea on narrow country lanes and village roads. It's not just bad for tigers, horses dislike them too. Mark would be spinning in his grave.
DeleteIf Freddie wont listen to Lily then perhaps he should look at the BBC website from time to time: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43431453
ReplyDelete(Perhaps while he's at it he could complain that the closure of the Archers blog has cut off his main contact with life outside Borsetshire.)
:) :) You miss no opportunities, OW !
DeletePerhaps he saw the BBC1 10 o'clock news last night OWIAS. There was a very instructive item on there about Xanax, although I'm not really sure that Freddy would be tuning in to the news at any time!
DeleteJust to be awkward, ho, ho, I found speeding along in a convertible with K. and S. breezy and liberating, literally and figuratively. Kenton does have his genius moments and, anyway, it didn't sound as if she was actually going to buy the car. Look at it this way : it put her in touch with her supposedly adventurous, outdoors spirit so maybe she'll swan off to look after horses in the Carmargue or something, communicate with her solicitor distantly, and wouldn't we all welcome a long, long break from her ?
ReplyDelete,,,supposedly 'adventurous outdoor spirit' - didn't she find that she hasn't actually got one?
DeleteIt's there, but repressed...
DeleteYeah I think it’ll take more than a drive in a sports car to bring it out. Someone mentioned a retreat a while ago. Shula herself was talking to Alastair about a trip abroad to work when it all came to a head. Perhaps she needs to work somewhere in a convent (they have Anglican ones as was said) as an alongsider for a good while. It will give her time to think and she can atone for all those guilty feelings and have support on hand to listen to her woes in private without her mother and a goodly number of listeners chipping in. Somewhere a long way from Ambridge.
ReplyDeleteOn the face of it, the retreat idea, Seasider (May 4, 2018 at 9:46 AM), especially if it was far away from Ambridge and a concealed microphone. On the other hand, maybe Shula has done far too much internal thinking and wrestling with her conscience, and has forgotten how to live in the present. The drive in the sports car certainly showed that she had forgotten all about how to take a risk and actually enjoy herself, but then, as soon as she spotted Alistair, there she was - back to solemn and serious Shula. I think that that's what has killed their marriage, and maybe she is suffering from a depressive illness and doesn't realise it.
ReplyDeleteThe tradgedy for Shula is that she no longer has Caroline to turn to for sound advice and support. Kenton, though trying to be helpful is too unrealistic; Jill would be too censorious; Alan and Elizabeth are possibilities but no-one can replace Caroline as a friend in such a crisis for Shula.
ReplyDeleteNot sure Caroline would have been such a godsend - she urged S. to keep shtum about Rob's violence atthe hunt when it would have served Helen's case to report it, whatever the cost to S. for not reporting at the time. Maybe C. was more cautious/less principled in her later years. What S. needs is not sympathy and hearing what she wants to hear but a lateral approach - that's what her twin gave; doesn't have to be an expensive car, but a wake up call and change of direction.
ReplyDeleteOn the whole, I still don't understand why Shula is made to be so miserable by the script writers. Is there a deep dark secret that will be revealed to us at some point in time. Why has Alistair moved back? Is the point that is being made is to show how dense he is? Or to make Shula even a worse person for it? He should certainly move out, even if it is just renting a room somewhere. I feel very sad that a long marriage has come to this and we are to continue to bear the pain.
ReplyDeleteI would like to hear more farming and farm animals stories. It is spring time and farmers must be so busy doing all sorts of things :))
ReplyDeleteMe too Ruthy! Not sure how long you have been listening but, in the olden days (as my dear old Mum used to say) there was far more farming content in TA. In fact it was originally broadcast in order to inform farmers and growers about the latest government advice and edicts on farming in a more interesting format , and one that the whole farmer’s family would listen to. We always knew when various crops were being sown, lambing was taking place, whether the weather was suitable for harvest, when it was time to drench or sheer sheep, what prices farmers were getting for their wheat etc etc. ad infinitum. But over the years more time has been spent on developing family stories and relationships. And much more drama has been introduced too, everything from raids on the post office, ectopic pregnancy and suicide to the Rob/Helen domestic abuse story and Matts financial shenanigans. Sometimes I long for a few more agricultural references, especially those apporopriate to
Deletethe season, but on the whole, a reasonable balance is usually achieved I think.
I am very much in agreement with many parts of many posts, which relate to Shula. I think that if Caroline had still been alive, Shula would have discussed her feelings with C, and would have gone to the villa in Tuscany for R+R, a holiday and many long chats. It is very sad that Shula didn't have this option, which I feel would have helped her. I wish that she finally decides to follow her dream and she decieds to partake in a volunteer project somewhere. I think that her initial thought was to use her money bequested by Caroline to do this. I really want her to do this as she will then have time to enjoy her own life, to help others and she will also have a lot of time to think.
ReplyDeleteRuthy. The nearest we got to farming was Adam sounding bored and boring on a tractor, doing something in a field.
ReplyDeleteSometime back the Welsh man Philip Moss was Alistair's best mate. So why is he confiding in Ian?
Last night we had a boring couple talking about money and marriage, and then we had a boring couple talking about money and divorce.
Fallon has become boring and Shula was always boring.
Boring is the key word for today.
I have understood why Harrison and Fallon have been discussing wills, "savings" and their monies. It is very important to think ahead. I just feel though that this message will not be heard by those who need it, as they are non Archers listeners. However their parents and grandparents might be and they can make suggestions. I am very lucky in that all the youngsters in my family (27- 40 yrs) have had that advice and help, and they all have understood and umderstand and have put into action.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't you think that Anisha would be doing the veterinary work at the stables?
ReplyDeleteI thought she was the one who knew all about horses .
I am very confused. I thought that there was a Home Farm partnership in place and I do not understand how Brian has been able to do what he has done, without a discussion with the other share-holding partners. I hope some-one is able to explain this to me.
ReplyDelete