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Life in Ambridge: Comments week of November 10, 2018
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THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
Perfect Ruthy - I wonder where this is, oh of course it’s St Stephens, and there’s Neil...
ReplyDeleteRe the Lexi story, she said she was fixing a date for the next and last transfer “I don’t break a promise”. Sounds to me like she is going through the motions with Adam and Ian as promised, but her heart isn’t in it any more as she misses home and family. The chicken factory probably suits her whilst she waits for her appointment, as she can earn money without any emotional commitment, unlike working with Roy. I think she will go home after the last transfer - if she isn’t pregnant she will then tell Roy she misses her girls too much, and if she is pregnant, well she already mentioned that she wants to go back home during the pregnancy. I know Adam wasn’t keen and offered her the Home Farm cottage, but she didn’t want that, and anyway it’s probably not an option now they are selling (?have sold) the cottages.
She could even have the baby at home and Adam and Ian could go to her -?
Your speculations seem plausible to me, Seasider. I had thought that under the charm, she harboured dark plans, but it now feels as if she is a decent person, will stick to her word, but being at home with her family has now sorted out her priorities emotionally. What I don't get is refusing a drink twice, suggesting a pregnancy perhaps, in which case she couldn't go ahead with the surrogacy.
DeleteBasically decent she may be, but she owes Roy an honest explanation quickly, however difficult. It's cruel to keep the man in such a state of uncertainty. How sad to hear him assert to Jolene that 'she's settled in like she never left', when it's obvious to him, & also by her own admission, that the opposite is true.
Yes, I agree that it is time for some honesty. Perhaps she is still feeling a bit torn and wanted to see Roy again before she made up her mind. I do take your point though about the possibility of her being pregnant - could it be Roy’s baby but she wants to pass it off as the surrogate?
DeleteOr as someone else said, someone at home but still she intends the baby for Adam and Ian. Oh perhaps I am getting carried away 🤭
DeleteSeasider - your mentioning that Adam offered Lexi the Home Farm Cottage to stay in, set me thinking. If there is a cottage free why doesn’t Kate go and live in it ...... assuming she is still around, of course !
DeleteIf Lexi was pregnant it would surely show up when she went for the next implant session, they must suerly test first. Perhaps another story line.
DeleteFor free, as she has no known source of income ? We've heard nothing about those yurts, wonder if they've been packed up. Presumably, she's still living with the parents. Don't think the SWs know what to do with this character !
DeleteI thought that Kate did own one of the cottages and moved into Home Farm so that she could rent out the cottage in order to get some income
DeleteOh, yes, think you're right about that.
DeleteGreat pic, as ever, Ruthy ! Neil centre, Chris right, Philip left, Shula in short skirt(no!) Behind ?
ReplyDeleteDing dong bell, just in time for the special Armistice bell ringing throughout the country.
ReplyDeleteWell done Ruthy.
Sadly we don’t have any bells in our village church so I won’t be able to hear any, but apparently we have a Scottish piper living here who is going to play a lament at the War Memorial on Sunday morning instead.
So, just how is Elizabeth going to manage without long suffering Geraldine?
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts ?
Lily to the rescue?
DeleteEnter Lily, sigh. E. totally blew it with Geraldine, would she had taken that old style employer's tone with Freddie years ago, but, of course, people are very different in their personal & professional relationships. Still, a bit more steel with that lost lad wouldn't have come amiss.
DeleteLily plus or minus Russ.
DeleteCow girl (1.09 today), I thought that too. She could be playing for time, delaying the confession, but that seems unlikely.
ReplyDeleteWell if Lexi is pregnant the baby can't be Roy's because she left Ambridge a while ago.
ReplyDeleteI just want her to leave Ambridge.
Very timely picture Ruthy - well done.
ReplyDeleteI agree it's time for Lexi to be totally honest with Roy. Sad to hear him trying to pretend everything's OK when it's so obvious it is not.
From the above photograph ,I reckon that Neil has put on a bit of weight .
ReplyDeleteA combination of office work, a bad back and too much chilli con carne.😉
DeleteWell, LanJan, you know that theory that people grow to look like the animals they associate with.........?
DeleteOh Maryellen! How unkind. 🐖
DeleteThe SW s are playing with our emotions again as far as Lexie's situation is concerned.
ReplyDeleteThe story line could go in any direction.
It's possible that the actors don't know the outcome because it has not yet been revealed, but the actress playing Lexie is very convincing in her own confusion at the moment, and Roy too.
I will never see Neil as anything other than a fit middle aged man, so for me he cannot be the one in the middle.
Nevertheless it is an extremely appropriate picture Ruthy. Yet again !
Wouldn't it be wiser for Lily to get her degree rather than going to Elizabeth's rescue?
ReplyDeleteYes, it would, but I don't suppose that is what will happen ! (could just be feasible that she be allowed to defer the course for a year, OR reapply elsewhere, the relationship with Russ having collapsed, so Manchester, or wherever it is, holding horrible memories)
DeleteCould be pure coincidence that Lexi has arrived back in Ambridge just as Geraldine is departing.....
ReplyDeleteAh, now there’s an interesting left field thought 🤔😊. That would shake it all up. Lexi said how grown up her girls are now and there’s plenty of room at LL...
DeleteYes, that is quite a thought. Lexi has qualifications in hospitality doesn’t she? Could be just what Elizabeth needs to get LL back on track......but would Roy have to come too?
DeleteIt isn't a live in job, is it?
DeleteI would so like Roy back running LL, (purely in a platonic, work relationship with Lizzie) with Kirsty taking over Roy's postion at GG. Oliver will approve, as he is one person, who can see the LL problems.
ReplyDeleteI do not want Lily to take charge, she should continue her degree with or without Russ. Freddie will be back in 5 months now - April? He is the one to suddenly realise his responsibilities and will then act accordingly. He will have learnt his lesson, the hard way.
I hope we all hear St.Stephen's Armistice Bell ringing and comments from all the Ambridge generations - young + old.
I expect Lily, Lexi or whoever, would only be filling in while Lower Loxley advertised for a permanent replacement - which is presumably how Elizabeth found Geraldine (and how things work in real life!)
DeleteJust a reminder: I'd love someone to tell me about 'peas above sticks'. It sounds interesting and I don't know what it means and where it comes from. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteAnneveggie, "peas above sticks" is an expression we always used when somebody thought they were better in some way than they actually were.
DeleteI think we usually used the expression when somebody who was " ordinary " like we were tried to pretend they were "posh" .
Thank you Lanjan.
DeleteDid we ever find out what Lily is studying at University?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think so. Perhaps she will switch to hospitality management part time at Felpersham.
DeleteThanks for the “peas above sticks” question and answer. I haven’t heard that before. I have heard “thoo’s scrapin tha tongue “ for someone not very posh trying to sound posh.
DeleteThe best example of the saying, (I have never heard it either) was the wonderful Hyacinth Bouquet. For me Elizabeth is simply Lady Muck, she is so obsessed with Feddie that she neglected her responsibilities as an employer.
DeleteToo late, Geraldine did the right thing.
I don't think Lexie has Geraldine's management qualities or intellectual abilities to be a general fact totem to Elizabeth. For example, Would she be able to write press releases?
But in the interest of drama, she will most likely get the job.
I fear maryellen is spot on.
My money's on Lily to fill the gap until there's a permanent appointment,which could be Lexi??? Where is Lewis???!
DeleteLewis must be pretty ancient by now, living in his cottage (?) down by the art gallery.
DeleteDon’t suppose he’d be up to managing Lower Loxley but I am surprised he has not been mentioned, even in passing, recently. He could have been some support to Elizabeth and I *think* he might be on the board of LL trustees to which Elizabeth is responsible.
I always had the impression that Lewis lived in Lower Loxley itself, but he's even more come-and-go than the infamous Ambridge extra bedroom. Daft.
DeleteElizabeth would not entertain Lexi working at LL. Unless it was as an underling.
ReplyDeleteApart from anything else if she were to become pregnant she would soon be off work for maternity leave.
If I were Elizabeth-now this will annoy some of you-I would not think of employing a youngish woman in a senior job for that very reason.
I remember when I did some Supply teaching and a new ahead of Maths department was appointed.
She was actually pregnant when she was given the job and was soon off work for maternity leave which was where I came in.
No sooner was she back ,she became pregnant again.
I am not sure that Roy is up to the job anyway and I can't see Elizabeth employing him.
It will have to be Lily.
Why would Roy not be up to the job, he did it before very competently, & does the same now at GG ? He wouldn't even consider it, however, surely, as his liaison with E. cost him his marriage.
DeleteI think because of Roy's previous association with Elizabeth and the way he is feeling about Lexi and all the pieces he would have to pick up because of the last fiasco as well as dealing with Elizabeth's mood swings and forgetfulness,Roy would not be able root cope.
Deleteto cope!
DeleteI think Lexi has the skill, Stasia - didn't she train in the hospitality industry ? I don't see she lacks the intellectual capacity. Perhaps E. Could do the press releases, being English, give her something to do, get some self esteem back, given she's done precious little for her own business these last months. It would only be temporary, whilst a permanent manager was being sought. Same goes for Lily, who would be a good stop gap, I would think & with whom E. would feel most comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI'm for Lily returning, she is competent and can manage her wimpy mother. There could some drama in the future when Freddie returns, having done some growing up whilst away. As he is the heir apparent he just might resent Lily taking over, especially if she returns with Mr. Wonderful and finds a role him.
DeleteMr. Russ, artist in residence, comes with many affectations, curious to behold.
We could all have a day out, flock to LL to sit for a portrait of ourselves.
Carolyn. I am sure Lexie would be able to work in the hospitality business. However, as I recall when she was working temporarily GG she made decisions without consulting, and did upset some of the staff.
DeleteI am not sure she is being entirely honest with Roy. Even thought he is boring, he is entitled to be put out of his misery.
Only Tracy Horrobin thinks Roy is boring, and that because he persuaded her so in self-defence!
DeleteThen why was he so put out when she labelled him boring? I'm with Tracy on this one. Roy's imagination doesn't go beyond cooking Lexi's signature recipe for her return.
DeleteEvery time Lexi tells Roy how kind he is to her I cringe because it sounds so hollow. He clearly adores her, she is not able to reciprocate and he feels it. When he asked to see the photo of the girls on her phone I almost thought there'd be some man there, a cousin, but no.
ReplyDeleteWith Geraldine now gone, it is difficult to imagine Lily would come back to LL to help Mom run the business and drop out of school. I could see Lexi helping during her stay in Ambridge. The type of work, she could be working until the baby is born, if that happens. I did find it strange that she didn't want to show the pictures of her girls on her phone. What is she hiding?
ReplyDeleteI meant she didn't want to show the pictures of her girls on her phone to Roy. Hiding something?
DeleteJohnny was trying to be a friend to Hannah, thinking that she needed company but she got a call from Chad. Tom can try his chances with Natasha.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't Christine want to come back to the Lodge? It's about time the family found out that Peggy is paying for her stay at the Laurels, perhaps on Peggy's birthday.
I don’t think it is unusual to lose confidence after a fall and to be frightened of leaving an environment like the laurels where there are people on hand day and night in case of emergency. Christine knows Peggy couldn’t offer her that level of help. I agree that the family needs to know about the bill, and Christine’s financial situation, however much she would prefer to keep it secret.
DeleteI agree. Why would Chris feel happy about leaving the safe & comfortable set up at The Laurels ? On the other hand, can she really feel comfortable about Peggy forking out to keep her there.
DeleteI think the latter point is significant, Carolyn.
DeleteNasty Hannah trying to imply that Neil isn't the Manager Justin thought he was.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that young lady might get her come uppance soon.
Good.
Think you're right. I hope Justin gets Neil's view on this Duncan character & what HH chooses to describe as his consistent 'unreliability'. Her whole approach was to put herself in a good light. Nose definitely out of joint where Tom is concerned .I wonder if Chad is real ? He seems to pop up at convenient moments...
DeleteOn the contrary, Hannah was defending Carter from any imputation of slackness, turning a blind eye or failing to grasp the nettle, by empasiding that his leniency was a deliberate managerial policy and putting him in a good
DeleteIight in the process. I thought her scene with Justin, though clunkier contrived, was quite subtly written.
Almost as well written/thought out as your ingenious, if dubious, interpretation of that conversation
DeleteToo subtle for some, perhaps?
DeleteNot for me.
DeleteHannah wants that job and is planting seeds of doubt in Justin's mind re Neil while quickly making sure she is explaining why she thinks Neil makes the decisions he does to keep herself looking concerned about him.She laid her stall out early re Neil over the Housing being built on Justine's newly acquired land suggesting he is a corrupt Parish Councillor!
DeleteWhether Hannah wants Tom or not she appears to want to have "Rob like control" over him and play with him like a cat plays with a mouse and certainly does not want anyone else in the frame!
I worry that Johnnys mood lifted when she said there was nothing between her and Tom because he likes her himself - please no! I also thought H had decided via their conversation that J is still a virgin and she was going to take him home and initiate him in the act 😮 what a thought...
Seems like I am with you on this one Lanjan 😉
If I had to choose between losing Hannah or Lexi from the script I know which of them I would prefer to stay, and it wouldn’t be the pig farmer.🤔
DeleteJustin came across as thick. He should have seen through Hannah. She's turning into a pantomime villain (I know – cliché).
DeleteI am intrigued as to why Maryellen has taken to referring to Neil as just ‘Carter’ recently. It sounds rather dismissive, as if he is just the hired help and not a character who has been in TA for very many years and is so popular with most listeners.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can remember nobody here refers to any character by just their surname.
Is it to emphasis your dislike or disapproval of Neil Carter, Maryellen? It
certainly can’t be for time saving reasons as ‘Carter’ takes longer to type than ‘Neil’! 🤔
I noticed that as I read it Archerphile.
DeleteI immediately felt it to be rude.
And I agree with Seasider.
maryellen is a contrarian! Don't take her too seriously.
DeleteOf course, yes, Bootgums.
DeleteFor reasons of utter distaste, as you mention, Archerphile, I always refer to 'Titchener', unwilling to humanize him ! Same with 'JE', though did unwittingly use 'Justin' a few posts back.....maybe he's not as bad as all that, though dim indeed, Bootgums, not to see through Hannah's little truth twistings. He has a lot of respect for Neil, so I hope he'll take the trouble to check.
I'm just following the trend set by eminent bloggers here in referring to characters. usually male, by their surnames. I refer to Shakespeare by his surname too. However, as bootgums and carolyn concur, my posts can be safely ignored, in the knowledge that they are entirely negligible. My views are nonetheless sincere. How I say I hear characters is how I hear them.
DeleteI think Elliott may have to devise a sideways move for Carter (this is beginning to make them sound like the protagonists in current tv cop/spy series!) to take him out of the managerial role to which he is not well suited ( haha!)
DeleteConsultancy is the usual solution in such cases, so Berrow Farm's consultant in animal welfare would do the trick - capitalise on his real area of expertise and still sound important enough to gratify Susan. Whether Hannah would then be offered the job, or compete against other advertised-for applicants, depends.....
maryellen, I said you were a contrarian, not that your views were negligible. They're always worth reading.
DeleteDo not try to wriggle out of it, bootgums!😀😀
DeleteDon't understand.
DeleteForget it, another misplaced attempt at humour on my part.
DeleteI also think Hannah was trying to paint a glowing picture of herself to Justin whilst slyly undermining Neil. She is after his job. I do hope she and Johnny don't become involved.
ReplyDeleteDon't think there's any danger of that ( unless she wants to use him to upset the Bridge Farm family in some way) to
DeleteWith you there Anneveggie on all points. 👍
Deleteidem.
DeleteHannah is not unusual in the world of management. In her discussion with J. Elliot she was clearly Manoeuvring herself into her bosses job. To my listening ear she certainly wasn't subtle. I did a year long course with a colleague who had decided where he would be in the professional hierarchy, and it would only take him five years. We were all amazed at his arrogance.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that Johnny described men using women for sex, when the S/Ws have written Hannah as the user. He seems to think that she was victim of desire rather than the other way round.
Hannah is being portrayed as arrogant and without a conscience, she will wheedle Neil out of his job by drip feeding J Elliot little bits of information that make his (Neil's)management style sound too relaxed.
I would love to give some of the characters names that best fit how they are written. But I shall refrain for now.
I said the scriptwriting was subtle, not that Hannah herself was subtle. What I like about Hannah is her utter straightforwardness. She wants to demonstrate to the boss that she is committed to and can do her job, which is what every young career person does, either informally as here, or through a formal review procedure. Elliott was pretty opaque, as he is in business matters.
DeleteJazzer told Tom off for using Hannah as if she were somehow subservient.
DeleteTrue, none of the men see through her ( meaning Tom, Jazzer & Johnny)
Delete. . . and Justin, Carolyn. But Lexi does.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSpot on, Suz. But I was a bit worried about Lexi being depicted as awash with feminine intuition while Roy was shown as emotionally unintelligent. Cliché alert!
DeleteHannah obviously has the gift of the gab. This gift means that many people are promoted beyond their ability. Both my husband and my daughter have been the victims of this at their place of work. Whilst Hannah no doubt has expertise with pigs she is not management material as shown in her recent dealings with the man who walked out. Neil (not Carter)has the advantage of getting on with others. He also has plenty of experience with pigs!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Justin took everything that Hannah said as Gospel? He was disbelieving at first and he has known, or known of Neil, for some years. JE has been shown in the past as an astute businessman. Giving Hannah enough rope to hang herself perhaps? I do hope so! Mainly because it is such lazy plot writing to have a contentious character included, in soaps and dramas, to disturb relationships etc.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the referring to characters when writing about them. I used to tell my pupils to refer to characters/authors/poets by either their full names or their surnames only as "they are not your personal friends." Indeed it is the literary convention. I suppose it could be the fact that we regard the TA characters as friends of old?
However it is not anything I have noticed being done here or on previous blog comments, despite assertions that it has been the case.
maryellen. I don't think the scripting writing re J. Elliot and Hannah was subtle. As Spicycushion says. he didn't get to be a hard nosed businessman without sussing out Hannah's hints regarding Neil's decision about buying a £50 gadget, or the manner in which she explained the change of work rota. She is ambitious, and there is nothing wrong with that, but her attitude is all me, me and more me.
ReplyDeleteIndividuals like her do exist, however I wouldn't want her as a friend, never mind housemate.
✔️✔️✔️
Delete✔️✔️✔️(stasia and MrsP)
DeleteWell, my acid test is could you bear to be shipwrecked on a desert island with this person, and in Hannah's case yes, I could. It's true she belongs to the me-me generation but don't think she's a me-me herself.
Delete🏝😱
DeleteI am more worried about Christine + Peggy. I just don't think that they should be residing in "The Lodge" together, without "carers". All the grab rails, raised loo seats, comode(?) etc. are in place, but I just cannot see them living normally, without a lot of care. Wasn't there problems getting Peggy in and out of a car, and into the Lodge last week??
ReplyDeleteMiriam,I have mentioned before my friend M and neighbour who is 96 ,walks with difficulty and is the sole carer for her 83 year old sister who has schizophrenia.
DeleteThey have a chair lift and downstairs bathroom .
M and others like her cope remarkably well but can be very stubborn.
Lots of old folk have difficulty getting out of cars.
I think Auntie Chris is better off with Peggy than in a Hone where Peggy will have to go to visit .
Oh well, those were just my thoughts,at the time, be they right or wrong. I just have concerns for both of them, health- + care -
Deletewise but it seems my concerns are totally uneccessary. At least, Lillian, Tony and Pat need now not to have to "step in". Thanks for the "reallity check".
I do agree with you LJ. Too many older people are persuaded that they cannot
DeleteLook after themselves by those who feel that slowing down in life is equal to being unable to cope, thus infantilising them.
I am finding myself to be slow in getting out of a car now when I am a passenger, because my right knee, the new one, will not bend enough.
When I'm driving it's not a problem because my right leg comes out first.
There are other ways and activities in which I am slowing down or find myself unable to do.
But here I am coaching other ' old ladies' to stay mobile.
And today on top of my Tai Chi class I have done a three mile walk with a friend.
( we saw a Buzzard parent calling to and eventually getting her offspring back to her, and tiny deer watching us and the greatest crop of sloes ever seen )
I hope Chris does return to live with Peggy, and continue to ' rub along ' together, since Peggy on her own will be lonely and Chris may well, as Peggy has said ' give in ' if she has everything done for her in the home.
I think it could work with Peggy & Chris. Peggy had family help anyway, so when/if Chris returns, the extended family will be extra vigilant, until Chris feels confident using the adapted features. It's important that she is sensibly active, & does the exercises.
DeleteMy thoughts are based on my late, great father. He had some-one who cleaned his home, did his washing + ironing. Carers went in 3x a day to do his meals, but these were reheating the ones I had cooked for him, and put in the freezer. The Carers went in to help him out of bed, get dressed and do breakfast. A carer also went in to help to get him into bed night.
DeleteI provided all his home-cooked meals, cooked in my own kitchen and then transferred, in individual portions, into his freezer. I gave him a 'list" as to what he could choose from. I also did all his shopping, such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, bread, butter, milk, fruit, biscuits, etc as the "carers" did not have any time to do this for him.
Dear Miriam, what you describe is unfortunately life for many old people now.
DeleteYour father did have your love to sustain him, but many do not have that.
Other cultures incorporate all the generations into the family structure. On the. Whole we do not, and to compound the issue many old people who might have died in the past from a little self neglect, are now kept alive beyond what they themselves consider is their own ' sell by date'.
My 96 year old cousin is one such. Her daughter is in daily contact and lives in the same town so visits on most days, but also still wants to travel with her late seventies husband, and so is away for extended periods. My cousins brain is pin sharp and she is very angry at still being alive when her body will not/ can not function to match her will.
Bring back ' the old mans friend '. Pneumonia.
Yes...... we have discussed this issue before !
the "old man's friend" certainly did for my old dad.
DeleteIf only either Hannah or Lexi leaves Ambridge I would want it to be Lexi because otherwise there will be too much angst with her and Roy and maybe if she stays she will have A and I 's baby and I do not want that.
ReplyDeleteI hate the whole idea and in truth I can't see that happening.
I prefer that Hannah stays and Justin sees through what she is trying to do..
I still think she will get her cumuppance.
If she goes on the way she is ,she will be tp the one holding the baby.
Surely she is a lot older than Johnnie.
He won't be interested in her.
If Chris is in a rehab unit and not just the residential home then an occupational therapist would arrange for her to visit the Lodge for an hour or two to work out how she would manage if and when she moves back there. Going to Peggy’s party might be a more relaxed way to do it without the professionals assessing her. Alternatively it might be more frightening under the pressure to succeed and not spoil Peggy’s birthday. It would be a shame if she doesn’t feel able to give it a try, as long as she and Peggy are realistic about having some help if needed. There should also be a reablement team to come in and help her settle during the first six weeks, and assess with her if she needs continued help at the end of that time. Whether anyone has told them this is another matter.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Roy was mainly trying to reassure himself by telling Adam to trust him because he knows Lexi.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Oliver and the Hunt Ball with Geraldine gone.
It's really come to something, if Adam's seeking reassurance from the surrogate's lover that she really wants to go ahead ! It was very strange from the beginning that Lexi even considered the idea seriously at the outset of a new relationship, & that Roy accepted her decision, however reluctantly. That said, agreed, poor Roy is surely trying to reassure himself.
DeleteOliver has been helpful & kind to Elizabeth, so she should answer his calls, tell him Geraldine has left, & help him with his query.
And perhaps Oliver can help her in kind.
DeleteI wonder if Elizabeth has had a complete breakdown with Geraldine's departure, and is unable to deal with any business.
DeleteChristine does know that Peggy is funding her care, doesn't she? If so, I would have thought she'd be desperate to get back to the Lodge to reduce Peggy's outgoings.
ReplyDeleteI think she does know, seem to remember Peggy told her not to worry, she'd take care of the expense, so it is odd & not like Chris, a giver rather than a taker, I thought. She might be running scared, more shaken by the fall & op. than she cares to let on, AND worried by the thought of manoeuvring her way around the formidable Hilda, whilst so shaky on her pins !
DeleteI thought also that Christine knew Peggy was funding her stay at the rehab. I remembered Christine would have gone to another cheaper rehab since she was short on money.
DeleteSo no one knows that Geraldine has quit her job at LL?
ReplyDeleteThat sneaky Emma.
Poor Roy - does he really know Lexi?
I thought today was a good episode - no one shouted.
Re earlier comment Miriam I am not saying I am right .
ReplyDeleteI just think that in the case of Peggy and Christine they will be able to cope at The Lodge with a bit of help from the family
Might Emma be pregnant ?
ReplyDeleteThat thought crossed my mind Mrs P.
DeleteSame here.
DeleteMind you with all Emma’s jobs, 2 kids and living with clarrie etc when have Ed and Emma had time to do the dirty deed!!???🤔
DeleteI must have missed something in tonight’s episode.
DeleteWhy do people think Emma might be pregnant - what were the clues?
Archerphile - I didn't get that either.
DeleteI wondered as well but I remembered she was complaining of feeling tired at karate. Ed’s not been heard for a good while so who’s the father this time?😉
DeleteEmma was complaining about feeling tired so much and asking Lee for advice on supplements.
ReplyDeletePoor Roy, I agree he's trying to reassure himself when talking to Adam and saying 'I know her' etc. I have a feeling Lexi's found someone else in her homeland and is trying to choose between him and Roy (I think someone's already suggested that). It's either that or she's just gone off Roy and is realizing he's not the one.
Sneaky Emma -,just her ploy to get Lee somehow to go see Helen. That matchmaker 😊
DeleteThat's how I read it Ruthy, using the whole supplement and diet thing to get Lee and Helen together.
DeleteI took it all at face value ! Emma isn't pregnant but tired because she has too much to do. She isn't match making but wants to do Helen & Henry a good turn as well as keeping the karate numbers up because she wants the class to continue as she enjoys it, finds it energising & it gives her a little independent grown up time. Could it all be as truly straightforward as that, in contrast to all that isn't in TA lives at present ?
DeleteI think you are right Carolyn. All the complicated scenarios we have been presented with over the past few months are making us see possible ulterior meanings in every sentence a character utters.
DeleteI certainly didn’t pick up on Emma’s tiredness as meaning she could be pregnant - just overworked and very concerned about the meeting about low cost homes this week.
Also, I think she was trying to help Helen and Henry reconnect with Lee, in quite a gentle and subtle way, because she didn’t feel able to tell him about Helen’s history and why she might be missing classes.
🏋✔️
DeleteMrsP. I don't want another baby S/L, nine months +of Pip, Toby and baby Rosie was enough.
ReplyDeleteRoy is a man who cannot see what is happening under his nose, as well as his roof. Lexie's mood swings and apparent lack of enthusiasm for physical contact with him might be indicative of a physical problem, or she is experiencing separation anxiety regarding her children.
She could also be concerned about her status as a foreigner in a foreign land, as BREXIT looms ever closer.
I fear we will have more of Lexie in the coming weeks. 😬💔
I don't want another baby S/L either Stasia, but babies do happen on a fairly regular basis in the real world, and Ambridge is unlikely to be any different.
ReplyDeleteBesides, it was just a thought and I wasn't alone in having it, was I.
ReplyDeleteBut still as yet others have said, Emma is probably just tired.
She is known as three jobs Emma. I would would be exhausted and doing Karate as well?
DeleteMy daughter is doing three jobs and running daily.
DeleteShe also has a husband away abroad much of the time.
She is exhausted.
She sounds amazing Mrs P. When I see how much my daughter fits into a week it makes me realise what an easy life I had when the children were small. Yes, I put in hours on the farm but didn’t actually have to go ‘out’ to work and could easily fit in school pick ups etc.
DeleteToday’s young women have a much more difficult job to do.
I raised my son from 4 years of age as a single parent. I was working in New Jersey and living in Manhattan. The daily routine was bring my son to a neighbor close to his kindergarten, and the neighbor would bring him to school. Then after school, he would get bused to an after school center, and another neighbor would bring him home, since I didn't get out of work soon enough to pick him up. It was a very stressful period for me, but very fulfilling. I was also a runner at that time. I would get up very early and run on our treadmill and during the weekend when my son was with his Dad. My son very much appreciates the effort I took to raise him and generally we had a very good and loving relationship.
DeleteI had brief intervals of being a single parent when my husband was away at sea and my daughter was about 4 or 5. He was away for 3 months at a time and it was hard so I take my hat off to you, Ruthy!
DeletePeggy might have to decide between Christine and Hilda Ogden who seems to be the biggest health and safety issue at The Lodge.
ReplyDeleteVery prescient!
DeleteAgree with you there maryellen. Peggy can have all the gadgets and attachments known to humankind, but Hilda Ogden is a danger to all. Although she does love Peggy, who loves her in return. Hilda resents Christine. Three is a crowd and poor Christine only has two legs, whilst Hilda has four, all the better for getting under Christine's feet. 😄👿
ReplyDeleteOh Archerphile I cannot believe that you think that today's young women have such a difficult job to do.
ReplyDeleteSome young mums who are bringing up children alone are having it tough but I can assure you that life was not a bed of roses for many of us in the 1960s who not only didn't have the luxury of owning a car,Central heating ,automatic washing machine ,dish washer(I still don't have one of those) ,parents living near by,eating out ,one best dress,one best coat one best pair of shoes ,holidays abroad,holidays away from home not staying with relatives-Did you know that Wolverhampton is a holiday destination? I could go on but won't .
I am sorry to say that in those days we did cut our cloth according to our means.
👍 with you on that one LJ
DeleteMe too. Mrs P. Lanjan's expression to 'cut our cloth according to our means' sums up the difference between then and now!
DeleteNo LanJan, we didn’t have central heating either, just open coal fires that needed constant attention; I didn’t have a car; my parents lived miles away and could not help out or babysit; we were once paying 15% interest on our mortgage so no holidays or many toys for the children; I had no washing machine for nappies with my first baby but managed to get a secondhand twin tub that kept breaking down for the second.
DeleteYes, life was hard physically, but at least I could do things on my own time and didn’t have to commute through rush hour traffic, trying to deliver and collect kids from school, hold down an exhausting post in a secondary school, try to juggle voluntary work as a Scout leader as well as running a home and trying to support 2 children away at University.
I still think my daughter has it harder than me even though my life as a young mother was hard physically.
I agree with you Archerfile.
DeleteIn an ideal world I think that one wage should be able to maintain a family, and that one parent should be able to be purely a homemaker, at least while the children are young. I can't understand if this is to do with the Economy of our country having changed for the worse, or whether people have higher expectations nowadays, or maybe a mixture of both.
Ruthy ,it was good to read what you wrote about bringing up your son.
ReplyDeleteI felt guilty because my boys didn't have what I would have liked them to have but they both say that they had very happy childhoods and I have nothing to reproach myself for and your son obviously realises how much you did for him as well .
It is nice to be appreciated.
Back to The Archers.
I hope Emma is tired because she is working so hard and not for any other reason.
So Hilda will stay at the Lodge and Christine at the Laurels, the longer she does the less inclined she'll feel to leave, so nothing's been resolved.
ReplyDeleteWell, as I wrote last night, & several others affirmed, the redoubtable Hilda is the stumbling block (literally)
ReplyDeleteChris just isn't ready, despite being hugely grateful & aware of the expense to Peggy. Did think that Lilian was piling on the pressure rather insensitively.
I don't like predictions but I have a feeling that Christine might be written out, perhaps because I'm getting fed up with this storyline and the secrecy of the financial side, if only most of us could rely on such benefactors.
DeleteI don't want Peggy to get rid of Hilda.
ReplyDeleteI am a hard hearted woman but I would rather have Hilda under my feet than listen to Christine's voice whining on.
She is being ungrateful .
She knew what Peggy would say about Hilda when she complained about the litter tray.
If she stays in the Laurels will she expect Peggy to visit her?
As Basia says,the longer she stays the more institutionalised she will become .
(Don't mind me.
I am just being nowty over something that has nothing to do with The Archers so I am taking it out on everybody.)
Sorry Christine.
I didn't like Christine tonight I'm afraid. She sounded devious and manipulative. Who wouldn't want to stay in hotel-like accommodation with everyone to wait on you than to return home and perhaps have to do something for yourself.
ReplyDeleteShe does have a whiny voice though!
Here here!!
DeleteHave to say, think you're both being a touch harsh on Chris. She knew she sounded like a wimp, it's not her normal self, but she's been more shaken up than anyone seems to realize. It was overwhelming & Lil banging on loudly & insistently about all the mobility aids was too much. Add to that, guilt over the money, worry about dependence. I've been lucky thus far, no replacements, but quite a number of posters have been through this, & surely feeling secure about moving around takes months, not just a few weeks ? It's a very vulnerable time, especially after a fall & a sudden need for an op. A friend had that, no months or years of pain, preparation for surgery, just the shock of it following a fall. A keen walker, very active, but her confidence took longer to come back than the physical recovery.
ReplyDelete✅✅
DeleteTo be honest I always found Chris to be a whiney wimp.
DeleteI am sorry she fell and I am sorry that she was duped by Matt but she would bore me to death if I lived with her.
Peggy is being so kind to her
It is Peggy's birthday so Chris could have made a bit of an effort.
It is a pity that she hadn't told Lilian the truth and then maybe some of the money she lost would have been given to her by Lilian
Lilian offered Christine the money that Mat gave her but of course 'she couldn't take it'. If Lilian knew that Peggy is financing Christine's stay at the Laurels she would step in. It has to come to light and soon please, enough of this charade.
DeleteOh dear, JE is giving every sign of being taken in by Hannah - what's the matter with him, why doesn't he run it past Neil ? He may not know one end of a pig from the other but he trusted Neil's experience & expertise, so surely his word carries more weight. Checking the facts about Duncan should be a priority, & would give Neil a. chance to fill him in about the under stocked van. Neil should contact him actually, but he's in pain & being hen pecked by Susan.....
ReplyDeleteYes, unbelievable that Justin would let a junior get rid of an employee without getting the boss's point of view. Also perhaps unbelievable that Susan, usually so careful of her husband's status, would try to keep him away from his managerial position. He's hurt his back, not his brain!
DeleteBoth characters being manipulated for more angsty drama. 🙁
DeleteAs previously pointed out, Hannah didn't 'get rid' of Duncan, he chose to go - as Justin Elliott realised, he already had a record of poor attendance. There's more to being a good employee than being good at the actual job* and it's possible Duncan was taking advantage of Neil Carter's good nature/reluctance to have a showdown. Justin knew that Hannah was adjusting, the time sheets and why - to improve overall efficiency -so it was an agreed policy, not a sudden high-handed action on her part.
Delete* I sometimes wonder if there was more behind the decision to replace certain TA actors than we know!
I would have thought that Justin could and should have gone to see Neil..
ReplyDeletePerhaps when he does ,Susan will let slip that she told Neil that it didn't matter that the lorry wasn't full of pigs and then Justin just may start to see through Hannah.
I can't understand why Susan doesn't realise what Hannah is trying to do.
Hannah won't succeed though.
So what I heard on my radio ( obviously a different model from LanJan's) showed Neil Carter In s very poor light, desperate to find evidence that Hannah wasn't doing the job properly in his absence, and none of the 'giving people a second chance' leniency for her that he showed to Duncan over his poor time-keeping record. Good for Susan, trying to keep things in perspective again. I wonder if she suspects what's behind it - that her husband knows in his heart of hearts that he's not the man for manager's job and Hannah's management and office skills are greater. There's no evidence that Hannah actually wants job of course. She's keen to show she is senior management material in preparation for applying for a top management job elsewhere, with Berrow Farm just a stepping stone in her career.
ReplyDeleteShould be a 'possibly' before 'in preparation...' Greetings to anyone reading this blog because they are also having a sleepless night!
DeleteSorry for your sleepless night Maryellen - know what it feels like ! ✖️😴
DeleteIt is true that we have not heard Hannah actually say that she wants Neil’s job -yet- but she is obviously not impressed with his style of management. Perhaps things were done very differently where she worked in the USA.
And it is also true that Neil has had no formal training for a mangerial role, very hands on with the pigs and other livestock, but not with accounts, record keeping and man management.
But it would be nice if, instead of grouching behind Neils back, she could have offered to help out with those tasks, explaining she had had relevant experience, so that he could spend more time with the animals.
It might help too, if she went to see Neil at home (providing Susan would let her in the door!) to discuss work with him, check if he needed any action taking over certain issues and discussing any staffing problems with him. It would help him feel in the loop and that things were running well in his absence and give her the authority to take any major desisions , like disciplining staff.
After all, Neil has only hurt his back, he is not confined to bed with some dreadful disease, he can still be consulted, and kept up to date with the goings on at Bertow Farm.
Maryellen if I owned a small business and my Manager were incapacitated I would make a point of going to see him 1) to see how he was doing and 2) to keep him informed of how things were going in his absence.
DeleteI would not be wasting my time going for paper napkins(£2.50 outrageous price) when Peggy would have linen r cotton ones -I have or failing that they could have used a bit of kitchen roll.
Would not have taken the word of an employee who caused another employee to leave.
Justin must not be very bright if he was unable to see through HH.
Dreadful woman.
Hannah has no management skills whatsoever.
She will trample on anyone who gets in her way.
She can't think on her feet -Re the lorry which could have contained more pigs.
As for Neil-he knows what Hannah is trying to do and should make sure he gets to speak to Justin pronto.
Question-Has Neil seen a Specialist?
Has he been to an osteopath?
Has he considered acupuncture?
I would have thought that Susan would have suggested something.
Her main concern is Neil's welfare
To be honest he seems to be making a meal of it .
Sitting around without treatment is unlikely to cure his bad back.
When Susan realises what Hannah is up to then we may see a bit of action!
I look forward to it.
Yes, Neil Carter still has the use of his brain and voice, so why isn't he supervising Hannah from home, rather than expecting her to contact him (if he is)? And, more to the point, why doesn't he have a work plan and written policies in place which his deputy and other employees can adhere to, whether or not he is physically present? Hannah has helped him out quite a bit, sorting his IT problems, running him home when he damaged his back ( why was the manager shifting pallets for goodness sake - and in a suit? Oh, perhaps it was one of Duncan's no show days!)
DeleteNeil probably does have a work plan which Hannah chooses to ignore.
DeleteWe don't know that Neil hasn't tried to contact her but maybe her'phone is switched off when she is otherwise engaged.
How many people are employed at Berrow?
They are now without two employees.
Is the super capable Hannah doing it all by herself with a bit of help from Jazzer?
Quite apart from the job issues, Neil should not be sitting in an armchair for extended periods. If he is resting his body in that position for more than five minutes he will be having pain trying to straighten up again.
DeleteIt would not let me reply to your comment above Archerphile but briefly !like your daughter I too had a full time job teaching in a Secondary School .
ReplyDeleteNo more on the subject because I was making a general point initially about then and now.
Onwards and upwards.
Now to respond to Maryellen's point about Neil and Hannah.
Do we know Neil was 'lenient' with Duncan over his timekeeping? I have only heard that Hannah said he was but admit I may have missed Neil saying something. They would be the only to characters who would know.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't need Hannah to say she's after Neil's job! By her comments and action she wants to make trouble for Neil and possibly oust him. That is obvious the way the plot has been depicted. It may be that she wants the job or it may just be the editor's 'dramatic device' , as Burnham Beeches says. Who else has she been making trouble for?? She has treated several other characters with rudeness bordering on contempt so she could just be 'stirrer.'
Archerphile I disagree that Neil has had no experience of record keeping. He has run his own pig breeding business for many years, buying and selling the animals ever since he left working for Brookfield and inherited the land at Willow Farm. He knows all about the legal documents, as well as management to get the best profits.
Second line typo correction ! "only two characters"
DeleteIt has struck me several times, but I hadn't got round to commenting, that we haven't heard Neil Carter taking any interest at all in what is now his hobby herd of pigs at Hollowtree, where they are in the care of the totally inexperienced manager Carter appointed solely on the grounds that he was a nice chap. Not even when said manager was careless with the fencing and some of the pigs escaped. Carter's experience of managing employees is zero, and - if Hannah is indeed as ghastly as listeners (other then me) say she is, he is no good judge of character since she was his appointee too.
DeleteIt was a joint decision, JE & Neil, to hire Hannah
DeleteArcherphile, don't think it would have been nice, or desirable for Hannah to consult Neil, it was necessary as he's the boss. Neil is saying there was no need to change the roster which worked perfectly well, reinforcing that it was just done to assert herself & encourage Duncan to 'walk'.
As Spicy says, Neil is hardly a dope at keeping records, understanding accounts, as he was quick to spot H.'s error in failing to fill the lorry with pigs.
As for handing over his pigs to the capable Rex, Maryellen, what's the problem with a few mistakes, i.e the fence when he's just started the job ? No harm ensued, & no complaints since.
Maryellen, I don't know if you have ever appointed staff, but however careful you are, there is the odd person who slips through the net. When I worked for social services I probably had the most vigorous interview process in the authority, but I made mistakes.
DeleteI see - so "a few mistakes" is okay for some characters, (like Rex, labelled reliable and staying that way even when so obviously not) but not for other characters. Hmm! Seems Elliott and Carter are equally poor judges of character, then.
Delete'So obviously not ' ?? Don't see a basis for that assertion. The issue with Hannah isn't mistakes ( thought the lorry load might have been, or lack of thought, inefficiency), it's deliberate actions to rock the boat, undermine, in order to achieve her own ends, whatever they may prove to be.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes, Cow Girl, I have - and I take your point. I would not have appointed Neil Carter as manager because of his lack of relevant experience (running small one man outfit not equivalent to managing mega outfit with large workforce) not because of his nherent character weakness which wouldn't have shown up at interview. I have often wondered why Justin Elliott didn't harness his pigmanship some other way and concluded he needed the Chair of the PC well and truly on side ata time when anti Berrow feeling was running high. That's no longer the case, now the village has taken the pig unit in its stride,as it did the dairy, and even Kirsty has piped down.
DeleteI would certainly have appointed Hannah because of her demonstrably relevant experience and ability - and I think I would have detected at interview that she would be good at making difficult decisions which is a management essential. And if I'd got Neil Carter as manager, she would be well equipped compensate for his inexperience in some areas of management while benefitting from his true area of expertise with high is hands on pig stuff.
Re Rex - in what parallel universe could failure to maintain fences resulting in stock escaping be construed as reliable? You can rely on Rex to use T❤️O❤️B❤️Y for his life support, though!
DeleteRe Hannah - in what parallel universe is Hannah deliberately rocking the boat for Neil Carter in order to achieve her unspecified ends? There's no evidence she's deliberately (or inadvertently) doing it here,and as I said earlier, there are echoes of faked DNA tests and murdered migrant workers in the fabricated accusations being made. Witch hunting fictional characters is still wich hunting!
DeleteHands up those who would rather live in above mentioned parallel universe where regular listeners of a radio drama follow the character & narrative devopment, making sense of what is on offer OR the alleged real universe, where chaos reigns, the baddies win, & turn out to be goodies after all ?
DeleteI'm with you there Carolyn!
DeleteI can't understand why Christine doesn't have a zimmer frame for walking with. I'm sure I heard someone mention that she had a stick, so no wonder she doesn't feel very safe with just that. If she were walking with a zimmer, it would have shoved Hilda's litter tray out of the way before Christine had any chance to almost trip over it.
ReplyDelete👍👍
DeleteThe Physios would have provided her with sticks and a walking trolley with tray attached. That's what I went home with. The trolley to help move around downstairs and the tray to carry various items with. Drinks, plates, spectacles, mobile, and the like. And yes it would have dealt with the litter tray. And Christine would have these with her in the nursing home.
DeleteExactly, MrsP, so there seems to be a bit of manoeuvring going on on the part of the story planners, it seems to me.
DeleteIn as much as I don't like Christine taking advantage of Peggy's generosity, that's how I see it, since she was coming to a party she just took the stick, a zimmer isn't very decorative.
DeleteI still want it to come out that Peggy is effectively supporting her whether at the Laurels or the Lodge.
Yes, & I think it was you, Basia, who said Lil needs to be made aware that Chris is hard up, & why.
DeleteGosh, we all seem to be getting into a great state about Neil/Hannah and Berrow Pig Unit.
ReplyDeleteIn my earlier post I was, admittedly, trying to put both sides of the argument;
trying not to paint Hannah as all bad and angling for Neils job, while at the same time;
trying not to paint Neil as the perfect manager who gets everything right and can do no wrong.
It seems I have failed, because there seem to be two very different opinions on this particular story.
My own feelings are in favour of Neil, though I do think he mainly took the job because of being flattered by Justin’s offer and Susan’s prodding. I still think he’d be much happier just looking after pigs and leaving the office work involved with such a large enterprise to someone else.
As for Hannah, I admit I have not taken to her at all, but more for the way she treats people (such as her outburst at Emma) than her pig unit activities. I think she had experience of the American way of running a such a large stock farm and finds Neil’s methods less businesslike, which is understandable. But it is totally out of order to speak about him to others in the way she does and shows a lack of loyalty. Something that even Lexi noticed.
Personally, I think I will now spend more time thinking about other stories going on in Ambridge at the moment e.g. the fate of Lower Loxley, Bridge Farm’s future, Brian and Jenny’s accommodation and how Ben gets on with training his sheepdog!
✔️✔️👍
DeleteRe Lower Loxley, could it be Oliver to the rescue? He did say he has a new project in mind and he has already been helping out by hosting something (I forget the details) at Grey Gables then meeting Elizabeth to debrief, and he was aware of her inattention to business matters. If it is a bit of temporary support she needs he could be perfect for the job and probably would offer it gratis.
DeleteWas the whole idea just to introduce LGBT to Ambridge, very clumsy.
ReplyDeleteIn 'my opinion' both Helen and Tom were very neglectful of their customer, I was also surprised that his shopping only came to £8.20.
Mince, steak, aubergines, onions.
DeleteEnough for one person, spread over 2 nights. The man's single, ok, SWs, we got it.
DeleteAnd a mango for dessert, so a fit man who eats healthily.
DeleteDid anybody else think that Lynda had a cheek going on about the state of the barn to Ruth and David ?
ReplyDeleteI also thought that Helen and Tom were incredibly rude to Lee a customer in their shop ,visiting for the first time ,when they decided to look at photographs of the cow on the iPad instead of helping him by suggesting some choices he might wish to make.
Had I been him I would have wanted to turn to Helen and suggest that she might like to ask for a refund
A refund for what,you might ask-indeed so might she.
A refund for the Course she went to at the Charm School she attended.
They failed her completely.
Had I been Lee I would have wallied out and when Helen queried why I was going I would have sarcastically said " I didn't want to interrupt youconversation which was obviously of such importance to you both that it came before serving your customers so I think I will go elsewhere for my produce."
ReplyDeleteOf course that couldn't happen because Lee is presumably going to be Helen's new love interest.
What a pity.
I don't think I would have wallied out.
DeleteI would have walked!
Ha Ha !! That made me smile!
DeleteYes I thought Linda was damned outrageous. She really does go too far on occasions.
ReplyDeleteTom and Helen were very rude.
Had I been Lee I would have made a comment or walked out and gone straight to the tea room where he would have been warmly welcomed by Fallon or Emma.
But at least we didn't have Lexi ( though apparently she is going to drop a bombshell tomorrow) or Elizabeth and GG.
Presumably Geraldine has gone to Brum to register with some employment agencies.
Actually, on second thoughts she is probably at home doing it on line.
I wonder if Lee's shopping basket was enough to cook for himself and his daughters?
ReplyDeleteAs David pointed out the barn is very authentic, wouldn't there have been rats in Chaucer's era?
I thought Lynda was appalling, too but even more, was puzzled that David & Ruth kowtowed to her. What is that about, they've kindly loaned her the barn, why can't she do her own cleaning ? They even roped in Ben, it's nothing to do with him. Can only think it's the village habit, it's easier to do what she wants than to refuse or argue the toss.
ReplyDeleteDon't agree Tom & Helen were rude. It can be irritating & off putting to be pestered with help or advice when you're browsing. If you want something, you can ask. In fact, it's the first time I've heard Helen sound human, I think, & it was quite sweet the way she followed him to the tearoom. Yes, the next romance has been signalled.
I loved when Lynda said to David “ You May go!” How headmistress like!
ReplyDelete