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Life in Ambridge: Comments week of 29/May/2019
Life in Ambridge: Comments week of 29/May/2019
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments' - Episode 8 Life Outside Ambridge Beach Chairs
Re Natasha
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that nowadays that anybody who misbehaves oddly or badly in other people’s eyes has to have a syndrome or disorder fo explain his or her behaviour?
I think that the only thing wrong with Natasha is that she is a calculating nasty piece of work who has found a weak man and now a weak family to exploit.
I am disappointed in Pat.
I thought she had seen through her.
Lanjan. I gave my diagnostic explanation of Natasha’s personality a couple of days ago, but didn’t provide a medical label. She is certainly fulfilling the description.
DeleteWhy would any working FARMER 👩🌾 allow someone totally lacking in knowledge run an open farm day with animals, shop etc. Hasn’t Bridge Farm done these activities in the past?
I suspect she went on line to research what other farms have provided, and downloaded quizzes and information regarding the animals. If I can surmise that, then she is not as clever as she thinks. She does have the gift of the gab, and Pat, especially Tony are so desperate to have Tom shacked up with somebody they will agree to anything.
I am sure it must be something to do with my age but had I woken up to find a stranger in my house calmly eating breakfast I would not have been pleased.
ReplyDeleteIf Josh and his young lady had arrived back late and didn’t want to disturb his parents perhaps a note pushed under their bedroom door might have helped.
I am amazed that the girl was in a fit state to be sitting in the kitchen bright and cheerful early on the morning anyway and why she wasn’t concerned about members of Josh's family finding her there.
The girl was unknown to the family it would seem.
Ee ,I don’t know .Things have changed since I were a lass.
I was me, Lanjan, who at the end of the old blog, put forward the idea that Natasha may have bipolar syndrome.
ReplyDeleteAnd like you, I have been annoyed in the past when characters are instantly suspected of being ill when they behave unusually, ....and have said as much on here.
But listening to Natasha last night reminded me so forcefully of our friend that I couldn’t help but consider the possibility.
It started with great spending sprees, buying lots of expensive items that she didn’t really need and causing problems between her and her husband. Sometimes when she visited she was what I can only term as ‘hyper’, full of extravagant ideas, gushing about future plans for a new job, a house extension, holidays or trying to completely take over in my kitchen when I was making a meal.
Then we wouldn’t see her for several weeks, she totally cut us out, her husband said she was ‘down’, wouldn’t leave the house, didn’t answer phone calls. We later discovered she had threatened suicide on two occasions
Eventually, after a really expensive spending bout her husband insisted she see the doctor and went with her to the consultation. She was referred to a psychiatrist, spent time as a voluntary patient and was diagnosed with bipolar syndrome. She was treated with various medications, eventually including Lithium, and became much better, more level in mood and able to control her actions. She now acts much more ‘normally’ and is not so exhausting to live with, according to her husband. But he has to check she takes her tablets regularly and is still monitored by the hospital.
Natasha’s spending (including that new car), her disappearance, her change of demeanour on her return, her plans for the Cuba holiday, her attitude to Farm Fresh, wanting to take over all the planning for Farm Sunday - all these things reminded me so clearly of my friend that it set me wondering.
Of course, I shall probably be proved completely wrong!
Must say, Archerphile, found your analysis & comparison on the last blog, & above, pretty persuasive.
DeleteShe could well fit the diagnosis !
On the other hand, she may simply be a controlling type of personality, but one who can't control her own spending.
When I had a work colleague staying with me , he brought someone home with out my knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThere were 2 cups on the table when I got up, an obvious sign, a little later he brought down his guest to introduce to me.
Josh should have given some indication he had a guest, for the girls sake if nothing else. She sounds quite brazen, most I think would have felt at the very least a little uncomfortable, even in this freer time.
Ruth and David should give Josh a cosy little cottage, just like they did his sister. Then Jill won’t be startled 😮 by young women making toast.
DeletePerhaps Josh and his young lady/ladies would find No. 1 The Green with Johnny and Bella and Hannah and ? more congenial. I expect Brookfield would pay his share of the rent as I imagine Bridge Farm pays Johnny’s.
DeleteCowGirl, if it was your house and he was a work colleague, he shouldn't have treated it like his home. When our "Josh" did the same as Josh Archer, our dog "captured" the intruder on the landing.
DeleteI rather hope Natasha does prove to have bipolar syndrome or similar, if it means she gets listeners’ sympathy rather than slating!
ReplyDeleteIt could explain some of her actions which folk have found puzzling and if it proves to be the case would surely change attitudes.
DeleteYou are probably right Archerphile
ReplyDeleteI don’t know anything about these syndromes even though I always put in my fourpennorth.
Was I particularly lucky when I was growing up in that everybody to me seemed normal?
Doctors nowadays seem very concerned if they get the slightest thing wrong they may be be sued and therefore possibly bend over backwards to make sure they look at every angle.
I know for a fact that each doctor has to pay a small fortune in Insurance
When my younger son was not quite 17 years of age he had glandular fever but still wanted to do his planned Lands End to John of Groats walk with a school friend .
I insisted that we went to see the doctor.
I remember exactly what he said
He turned to my son and said
“Oh isn’t your mother a fuss pot?
Doesn’t she realise that there are doctors along rather route if you need them”
Would that happen today?
I doubt it.
He did the walk and didn’t need a doctor.
Good for him! And how annoying to be called a fuss pot!
DeleteI have just listened again to last night’s programme of and two things struck me.
ReplyDelete1) Jill and Ruth were not speaking particularly quietly.Doors in our small bungalow are never closed so any conversation in any room would be heard throughout the house .
I presume that all doors are closed at Brookfield even during the summer.
The girl could have come out of the kitchen at any time.
I wonder where Jill and Ruth were?
I thought Jill virtually lived in the kitchen.
2) ...and this really is pathetic
When Jill said “without a by your leave “ she stressed the word “by”surely the word that is usually stressed is the word”leave”
I seem to be picking up all the time about Jill stresssing the wrong words
I really must get a life.
When Patricia Greene was interviewed recently she explained that due to her macular condition she has more pages of script than the other actors and has had to get used to using the larger typed words and still fit in at the right time with the others who have less pages due to smaller print -
ReplyDeleteso maybe that is what is causing the miss hits LJ 🤔
My theory is that the actor playing Jill has become hard of hearing,which would not be surprising given her advanced age, and that affects her vocal delivery. I’d does surprise me that given a) the prevalence of age-related deafness, and b) Ambridge’s elderly population, everyone there has perfect hearing.
DeleteI never thought of that Maryellen.
DeleteYou may well be right in which case I apologise for my insensitivity.
Goggle Patricia Greene macular degeneration LJ a recent interview with the society is about her script reading problem, she says the cast etc are very kind to her.
DeleteOnly a couple of weeks now to June Spencer’s 100th birthday. Hope the beeb news acknowledges this fact!
I don't like Natasha.
ReplyDeleteIMHO - she is just playing a part, with Trevor instigating it.
To me the:-
a) New car
b) Expensive Cuba Honeymoon
could be payments to her, for going on with the ongoing scheme or scam.
Another thought is that, Natasha has been "sacked" from her employment, as the manager of the Fruit Juice enterprise and so was given a lump sum of money, which she is now spending.
Also, if she is pregnant, or wants to try for a family, why buy a 2-seater sporty car?
Didn't Natasha say something about not wanting children, or not wishing to be pregnant over the weekend ?
DeleteI don't think she does want to try for a family though. After her comments about Adam and Ian. Can't remember exactly what she said but it was on the lines that there were loads of things to do in life before having a baby to look after.
DeleteI remember being told off very severely by an insurance guy who told me not to self-diagnose when I said that I had osteo-arthritis in one knee and the other was hurting now so just put on the proposal form that I had it in both knees. He was cross!
I now never take anyone's word regarding an illness, unless it is from a qualified medical practitioner. Even nurses won't diagnose but refer to doctors.
Haven't listened to tonight's episode. Will try tomorrow morning. It's been a long day exam marking training then driving home to Kent from Cambridge and after a very disturbed night in one of the most uncomfortable hotel beds I have ever slept in! 😵
Don't envy you the weeks of heavy marking, Spicy. Hope you sleep well tonight !
DeleteOh dear ... Ed and Em ... first dodgy work, now credit card bills.
ReplyDeleteDon't they deserve to achieve their dream after all their efforts?
Emma has fallen for Natasha's advice. Whoops.
ReplyDeleteKate sounded like a regular person tonight, weird.
Stupid to take Hilda into The Laurels, no cat is happy in a strange environment, let alone a very nervy one like H. Has Kate murdered Peggy, or locked her in, gagged, or something ? Surely otherwise, Peggy has enough sense to veto a trip like that.
What were Ian & Adam going on about tonight ? Maybe I'd had one vodka & tonic too many..
ReplyDeleteNot absolutely sure, but think it was driving a racing car round the track at Silverstone, or something similar.
DeleteAdam and Ian back today.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Pip and Toby or Rex tomorrow.
I think maybe the Freddie story might have gone away for a bit now.
I think I might prefer that to Ian and Adam drooling over their future child.
Perhaps a new theme is going to be “Live now, pay later”
ReplyDeleteI find it strange that after a couple of words from Natasha,Emma suddenly decides that she should make more use of her credit card.
Presumably she has had one for a while and again presumably she used it sensibly so why listen to that silly young woman now?
Emma bought a trampoline on credit for the children. Ed was mad so Em got the job at the chicken factory to pay credit card. How can Emma choose curtains for a house which is not yet built/finished? Are buyers given measurements? I don't recall a visit to a show house, only to a building-plot.
DeleteKirsty has her priorities right - plan the garden. Phillip will already have furniture for the house.
Kirsty’s fallen her feet with Philip, hasn’t she? No chicken factory for her. Just utter the word yes and everything’s taken care of, while she gets the fun bits. Piece of non-wedding cake!
DeleteExactly where is this Cuban themed house party going to be held?
ReplyDeleteNatasha seems to be inviting virtually everyone in the village.
I thought the flat wasn’t supposed to be big enough to swing a cat (Hilda?) so how are all these guests going to squeeze in?
The proposed trip to Cuba might not be the dream that Natasha expects.
ReplyDeleteCuba in dire trouble at the moment.
Basic food rationed, low employment and other woes.
Cuba in trouble.
Troubled countries not good for tourists.
I heard a radio report about Cuba's financial crisis since Venezuala ceased sending oil last night as I was getting ready for bed too. Mind you when you look on official government 'tourist' website it has pictures of large painted houses in various stages of disrepair and battered 1950s cars parked around. I honestly can't think what the attraction of Cuba is. Beaches? Lovely according to travel companies. Climate, hot and sticky, hurricanes from June to November, possibility of the Zika virus, regular power cuts so food and drink is tepid? Not my idea of a perfect holiday - a failed Communist state!
DeleteMy daughter lived for 10 years in Tulum, Mexico on the Caribbean coast. They used to spend August closed in their house with the air conditioning on high as it was so humid.
DeleteI know someone with osteo arthritis and she and her family regularly holiday in Cuba because she says the sea water is so warm there that it eases the pain of the arthritis.
DeleteSHOCK/HORROR ALERT
ReplyDeleteFrom the way Natasha is making friends with the villagers, one can only assume she is aiming to take over the Parish Council!
You may have a point there,Maryellen.
DeleteShe is getting on the right side of Emma who would like another woman on the Council I am sure .
Poor Emma if that happened, Natasha would walk all over her.
It would be bye-bye Neil, who could then regroup with his pigs. (I am joking, of course - I think Natasha is simply being sociable.)
DeleteGood point about the flat,Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteAlso didn’t Natasha say that the food was going to be all vegetarian or maybe even vegan and she is married to a man who used to be the Sausage King. (I have totally lost the plot as to whether Tom still makes sausages .In fact I am not sure wha5 he does do on the farm apart from veg boxes )
Perhaps Natasha wants to become
Our woman in Havana !
You’d think she would want to serve up sticky spare ribs or pork brochettes as a way to finish off Tom’s pigs! 🐷
DeleteH@H - I also thought it was strange Emma ordering curtains and blinds for the new house before it is built, much less moved in. How would she know measurements or what colours she wanted. I should have thought it more important to be looking at basics, such as beds (unless they are taking them from Bridge Farm). Ed seemed remarkably sanguine about it, considering how furious he was about the trampoline, but of course he is still relying on his dodgy money from Tim.
ReplyDeleteThey must have beds at Grange Farm. Remember when Eddie dragooned Clarrie and Emma into doing B&B. So they must have enough beds for 9 or 10 people, unless Clarrie and Eddie slept in the cider shed on Caroline's chaise-longue when there were paying guests. Last year the entire Grundy clan lived at Grange Farm after Nic died. Mia may have slept on a mattress on the floor - a doormat-in-training .
DeleteEd said the blinds & curtains were expensive - is he genned up on average price of draperies? He wasn't happy but didn't want to put a damper on Emma's enthusiasm. They should have an agreed budget for new household purchases.
So now Natasha is a financial expert. Farming open day expert. Fruit🥤juice expert. Mexican 🌱 vegan food expert. For someone who is up to her eyeballs in debt, is not a farmer and whose culinary expertise is to pop a pop tart into a microwave, she is now also an expert fibber. She is suddenly all over Ambridge like a rash. How many people will fit into the flat that she complained previously was too small
ReplyDeleteI am giving up.
And she‘s suddenly friends with everybody. I found it very odd the way she inquired about Ian and Adam at the cricket on Monday, as if they were close chums. I can‘t recall when she should ever have met them. Were they even at the wedding reception in the Bull? I don‘t think so. Next thing she is going to take over the bucket list for Ian and Adam from Kate because - who would have believed it - she is also a natural baby expert 🙀👶🏻
DeleteA baby expert, despite saying she is not ready for babies.
DeleteExactly 😉
DeleteI don't think Natasha has any ulterior motive nor an underlying medical condition. She is just 'a go getter now', advises others accordingly and she eats pop tarts for breakfast. There's no way Fallon will part with any of her bunting after N 'effectively 'sacked' Jazzer. The salsa party will have to spill onto the green since half the village has been invited.
ReplyDeleteStandard advice for parents to be was to get enough sleep and sex before the baby arrives but it's different in Ambridge. Pip didn't go sky-diving (?) in the end.
Gliding, Basia.
DeleteMoney Box is offering a Money Clinic for couples with differing attitudes to money. Tom and Nat are the best candidates and Emma and Ed would benefit too. I was irritated by Emma's jealousy of Kirsty's 'bigger & better' and that she cannot see beyond money.
ReplyDeleteAgree Basia, much as I like Emma, her downfall will be her ' need ' for money and what it can buy her. I do not like this aspect of her personality.
DeleteAgree.
DeleteWhen Ed & Emma viewed their plot and Ed showed concern about the size of same and where would he keep his “gear” Emma brushed his thoughts aside as she was so thrilled with everything but already she is envying Kirsty’s “easier” route to a property bigger and better than theirs.
DeleteIn my gut I wonder if either will actually get to make the move at all for one reason or another!
Maryellen, when Emma lost her cleaning job at Peggy's she mentioned in the same breath that at least she was still on the Parish Council. I couldn't see the connection but you pointed out that if Ed got into trouble she might lose her seat, so whether Natasha is after it or not, this position may become vacant, so it's not a joking matter, though speculation so far.
ReplyDeleteI think Natasha’s supposed bid for world domination is a joke, but agree that Ed’s criminal involvement and its repercussions for his family, if he is caught, is no laughing matter. He deserves whatever punishment the law decrees, but however minimal that may be, his reputation and hisinnocent relatives will suffer.
DeleteI think that somehow Ed will see the light before he is caught in the act.
DeleteI would like to think that Jazzer will cotton on what Is happening (maybe has even done so) and will persuade Ed or possibly Emma what Tim is up to.
On the other hand ,is it already too late and will Tim want to bring Ed down with him too?
I don't think that Ed + Emma will move.
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with finances along with Eds dealings with Tim.
My thought it will come down to the sad demise of Joe, still to be decided how (so I believe) and Grange Farm, with Gem + Bartleby
I still have a thought, which I have "vocalised" before, in that Oliver moves back into his own property, Grange Farm, after being now fed up at Grey Gables.
A proviso would be that Ed + Emma are in control, not Eddie + Clarrie.
Yes, there could be some musical chairs, that's why Hannah and Johnny are staying put at No1 until told who goes where.
Delete...along with either Freddie or Lily, to join them. My bet is Lily.
DeleteSorry but the idea of Oliver living with the Grundys at Grange Farm is a step too far in the absurdity stakes for me. Such a cultured man as Oliver wouldn't be comfortable with Clarrie and Eddie and Clarrie certainly wouldn't be comfortable with him as a house-sharer (was going to use the word 'co-habitant but that means a couple 'living together' as man and wife!)
DeleteBest let Ed run it as a farm once again and Oliver either stay in the owner's suite at Grey Gables or live alone somewhere else in Ambridge.
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ Spicycushion.
DeleteI hadn’t thought of Oliver as a cultural snob, but his character is so undeveloped by the scriptwriters that he could be any number of things I’m not aware of. He may be a food snob too, in which case he’s better off with Ian’s cuisine than Clarrie’s home cooking. He wasn’t socially snobbish when Emma was being nice to him after his wife’s death, and accepted her invitation to the Grundy family picnic, which he appeared to enjoy. Still, an afternoon picnic is a very different commitment to a tually living under the same roof. He is probably best off at Grey Gables where he can chat to the guests as he doesn’t seem to have any special friends.
DeleteI think there is a difference between being 'cultured' and a 'cultural snob.'
DeleteI haven't described him as being any sort of 'snob!'
Nigella Anglophile. I agree Natasha is being over familiar with everyone, I’ll bet she has never made a salsa in her life, never mind inviting so many people to a VAGAN Mexican party.
ReplyDeleteIs Tom providing the 🌶 and 🍅 and all the other ingredients. I suspect it will be a take away purchased from Tomasina Meirs at a large cost. She has a number of Mexican restaurants. Or from Nando’s the cheap and cheerful 😀 Mexican.
VEGAN
DeleteI think Natasha is a personality type, not necessarily pathological at all, though possibly, as discussed earlier, but she needs to be a person of account, in her job, wherever she lives. She wants attention, to stand out, make a splash, have everyone on side - hence all the people pleasing, at Bridge Farm & in the locality generally.
ReplyDeleteStrange that as a vegan Kate has anything to do with flesh eating cats who also prey on eco-friendly birds, but this is Ambridge.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how Peggy + Kate prepare their meals together?
DeleteNo problem, Basia. I've been a vegetarian for over forty years, and I've kept cats for even longer, but my cats have never been terribly interested in catching birds. Much more interested in keeping the rat population under control, and I should have thought that that would have been Hilda's mission in life too. Although I do remember that Peggy was trying to conceal some bird corpses that were down to Hilda not so long ago!
DeleteI don’t want to cause controversy but have always thought that animals eat animals and by our very nature we are omnivores. It is hard though that animals have to die to feed us and at the very least we should ensure they are kept well and killed humanely. I can understand vegetarianism, respect it and I do try to have a vegetarian meal once a week which I enjoy. I can’t quite get to grips with vegan diets. Chickens for instance lay eggs on a regular basis and they need using. I always buy free range though as battery hens are so cruelly treated. At Quarr Abbey they have rescued ones and they have a lovely home there and thrive eventually!
ReplyDelete👍👍 Ev !
DeleteIt's the industrial type production of meat that vegetarians disagree with and the cruelty involved. I shudder when I think of Emma going for her shift at the chicken factory, the very name factory conjures up visions of hell. I see chicken trucks regularly and the poor creatures are stuffed into tiny cages in all weathers to be transported to their deaths. I haven't eaten meat for years and do not miss it.
DeleteI am not a vegetarian but I only eat meat about once a week now. In Glasgow there are SO many vegan/vegetarian restaurants it's crazy! And I have been addicted to Quorn sausages for quite a while now - have been over the years substituting Quorn & similar products for their meat counterparts & must say I don't really notice the difference. Still love the occasional (free range & organic!) fillet steak though. Yum yum yum...!
DeleteThe vegetarian sausages in Wetherspoons are wonderful Gary!
DeleteJust how many shares do you own in Wetherspoons Lanjan...? 😉
DeleteGary have you tried making "pork " and apple pies with chopped up quorn sausages? My son is vegetarian and my daughter made some for him when he was home recently. They are very nice, and you can add a few herbs. He has found it impossible to find quorn on Masbate island (Philippines), and also there is an absence of good cheese, just mainly heavily processed packaged stuff. I send him back with a big chunk of Davidstow Cheddar in his suitcase, but last time his suitcase took 9 days to catch up with him! and in the heat it had gone soft and his clothes were reeking!
DeleteAnneveggie I think you would approve of our neighbours chickens. They are more like pets. She sits and talks with them, and they come and sit on her shoulders, and she feeds them treats like blueberries and strawberries, and hangs cabbages up for them to play with. I buy eggs from her because I know they must be nutritionally good because of all the healthy food the chickens get and because I know they have a good life. The cockerel is named Benedict because our neighbour admires Benedict Cumberbatch!
DeleteNot tried that Janice, but am more than willing to experiment! Have had some Davidstow Cheddar twice this week - I eat so much cheese it's terrifying. Not as terrifying as a warm cheese suitcase though. (Reading back that last sentence made me giggle with delight...)
DeleteJanice, sounds perfect. I'd love to buy eggs from such a place. For now I buy free range, outside kept hens certainly not the chicken battery type ones.
DeleteSorry off topic but talking of chickens we haven’t heard how Jill is getting on with hers. Does her new beau help to collect the eggs? It would be nice to hear Oliver again and I don’t think he could live with the Grundys either!
ReplyDeleteShe can show them off on Farm Sunday.
DeleteI agree that we are omnivores. A woman who is also a vet was representing Scottish meat farmers on "Farming Today". She's worried about recent media bias. Farmers are getting the blame for everything. There's a big difference between Tony's Aberdeen Angus for instance and industrial farming. Again, for instance - cattle being blamed for contributing to global warming by methane emissions; the main emitters are cattle housed inside. Another good reason for keeping native breeds which can cope with British weather and which thrive on native vegetation.
..........and what about Jill’s bees?
ReplyDeleteWhere is the honey?
GRUMBLE AlERT
ReplyDeleteEach time I think ‘that was the worst episode I’ve ever heard’, another one surpasses it. Last night’s episode was dreadful and I think that no one here has felt moved to comment on it (yet) speaks for itself. The plot situation ( you can hardly call it a storyline) was humdrum, the ‘twist’ silly and unconvincing, and the dialogue was banal and repetitive (how many more times do we need to hear Alastair and Shula telling themselves/others that they are still good friends, Jim admitting he has been a rotten parent and Alastair saying it’s all right Dad? Jazzer was there in his role as the eternal sidekick ( I feel like telling him where he can put his money but only in the privacy of my own kitchen.) The current Editor is a bitter disappointment.
maryellen. Spot on. I wanted someone to enter the pub just to break the monotony.😶😵
DeleteDo you know Maryellen, that having just read your comment I tried to recall last night’s episode - and realised that I couldn’t remember a thing about it, who was in it or where things happened!
DeleteHad you not mentioned a few things my mind would have been a total blank!
That speaks volumes for me
we forget what we want to forget, Archerphile! I rest my case.
DeleteRather than squirrel it away Jazzer might as well keep what is left of the £4000, it not a lot of money and it won’t accrue much interest.
ReplyDeleteI predict he will turn up at T/N shindig.
Yes, the main point of last night was a plot spoiler when Alistair could no longer stand Jim's obsession about him and Shula and I hope Jim enjoys his birthday 'surprise'.
ReplyDeletePS I do like cats and don't eat much meat but it's Kate's contrary attitude that is strange.
I quite enjoyed last night, though Jazzer was irritating, banging the same drum of outrage & impulsive behaviour all the time. Well, that's him, some like his character, others don't.
ReplyDeleteNo harm in positive reinforcement at times, & it's heartening to see the closer relationship between Alistair & Jim continue to evolve. Now A. can show his exasperation when aroused, & Jim can take it, no harm done. As for Shula & A., at least they show that some kind of friendship can come out of a bitter divorce; they share Dan, the past, the Jim project of course, & there's trust there at some level. All thanks to Alistair moving on, & his forbearance. Shula continues to agonize, as is her wont, & hide what is really going on ( nose out of joint with Alan's measured reaction to her plan) but that's her, isn't it.
carolyn -✔✔✔
DeleteYes, I too agree with Carolyn in her positive analysis of last nights episode, and feel sad for the negative reactions.
DeletePersonally I don't need high drama or a push to forward any particular story line. Treading water in life can sometimes be very calming.
Let it flow !
Nice way of putting it, 'Let it flow !', Mrs P.
DeleteAll the while we are being treated to Shula.Alastair/Jim’s heartwarmingly evolving relationship conversations/unnecessarily repetitive relationship conversations (depending on your POV), we are NOT listening to more interesting/cogent/topical/wider-ranging/witty conversations between characters we hear less of and possibly like better. That seriously annoys me.
DeleteHa, I imagine that's tongue in cheek ? 😉 Puzzled to think of any TA character compellingly witty or cogent...
DeleteWhich begs the eternal question: why listen.....?
DeleteBecause, Maryellen, it is a habit.
DeleteA habit that I am very happy to continue until my last day on this journey of this life.
It is of no importance whatsoever, but it is the stuff of my life.
And I do not need to justify it.
I’m not asking anyone to justify it, Mrs P anymore than I justify it to myself..That was a rhetorical question.(I’ll put (R) after my rhetorical questions in future).
DeleteShould have said.... don't always need.....
ReplyDeleteJust occurred to me that my lack of recollection of last night’s episode might be due to short term memory loss, 😧 or the fact that I was fighting off sleep whilst listening!
ReplyDeleteBut thanks to your discussions here, I do now recall the fact that Jim knows he is in for a surprise on his birthday, and I did feel Alistair’s frustration with his Pa going on and on about Shula. I’m sure I would have cracked too!
I love TA regardless of the current S/Ls esp.Tom + Natasha, but love the bunting.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't like though, is how so many characters disappear for many months at a time.
I understand LJ's 5 week recording schedule, and realise that actors have other theatre + radio work, in which they are engaged with, but I do miss many of the, so- called, regulars and their work places eg. Home Farm, Grey Gables + Hollowtree. I need to put Justin + Lilian, the Dower House, along with Robin + Lynda, Ambridge Hall into my thoughts.
How large is T+N's new home? I wouldn't imaging it was big enough to hold a salsa dance party for the entire town.
ReplyDeleteIt's not large, as is it the 2 bedroom flat over the shop and not very spacious.Helen + Henry lived there, for a while.
DeleteWho now owns it?
I thought Hazel Woolley now does, so is she Tom + Natasha's "landlord"?
What was that about Molly Button and the cigarettes?
ReplyDeleteBasia, as far as I could make out (because I could hardly bear to listen to such rubbish), Jazzer was bribing Tilly Button with cigarettes to let Jim and him ( are that pair real?.) have the bunting so they could play a prank on Harrison. I would be very happy to have got this wrong and there is a rational explanation.
ReplyDeleteWell, thanks for the explanation, I sort of gave up the will to live...Jazzer, Jim, . Harrison, Alice getting all indignant about FB pictures of Chris, Chris taking it in his stride ( hobbling, I mean) yaw 😚😙
DeleteMaryellen, thank you anyway, what with the bunting watching, testicles on youtube and a tarantula thrown in it really felt like falling off a cliff.
DeleteI didn't understand what was going on either.
DeleteBut none of it was very serious and I couldn't give a cuss for the bunting personally.
But Miriam's comment has given me some food for thought.
In the beginning it was Dan and Doris, Jack and Peggy at the Bull and the Squire at the Manor House plus associated friends and family.
Thinking back it must have been a very small cast in comparison to today, and far fewer activities going on.
In those far off days story lines had greater depth, ( I think) and more significance. They probably had greater length over time.
Also, as I remember, much of what happened in the village was told second hand by Doris telling Dan, or talking to her daughter in law Peggy.
Now most events are dramatised for us and very little is given in the form of gossip.
I leave others to describe the how and why if they agree that what I feel is shared by other long term listeners.
Can't comment usefully. Certainly heard some early episodes with Dan, Doris, Peggy + alcoholic Jack, but main memory is Uncle Tom, Prue, the Gabriels & Tregorans. Picked up a few later, after David appeared but decades went by without listening at all. Not at all sure what prompted me to start listening again !
DeleteAs for 'why bother?', feel similarly to you Mrs P., it's a habit, a sort of comfort blanket. Don't like the expression ''rdinary people' because I don't think anyone is ( though some qive a pretty igood impression of being being just that that, but it's an undemanding ramble through everyday life in a particular country community, with some drama thrown in. Hardly challenging, deep or thought provoking, that's for more serious drama, yet, that said, quite effective in showing how folk respond to serious issues. Thinking of recent mental illness SL; E.'s confusion, fatigue & avoidance seemed realistic, & the aggression, though not everyone reacts defensively. The coercive control was realistic too - the way the woman can't believe it is happening, tried to convince herself otherwise, & the way those close to her don't see what is in plain sight. Even the divorce was convincing - Alistair's reaction, obviously, & I imagine there are women like Shula, who want out but can't articulate what is going on in them.
Sorry, that was rather a ramble...
DeleteI think it is a shame that Alastair planned on giving Jim a surprise party..
ReplyDeletePart of the pleasure is the anticipation
How much better it would have been had Jim ,Shula and Alastair got together to search for former friends.
There might be some that Shula and Alastair don’t know but who Jim would have liked to have been invited.
I wonder why Jim didn’t suggest that Jazzer put his money into Premium Bonds?
ReplyDeleteHad he done so today he could have become a millionaire in July ?
Lanjan, but Jim said he didn’t want a party..... that’s why it’s a surprise one.
ReplyDeleteI quite enjoyed tonight’s episode. Light relief for a change.
If Jim didn’t wan’t a party then he shouldn’t have one.
DeleteI wouldn’t want a party either.
Why give him something that he doesn’t want?
I quite agree, Jim wanted to go on Yorkshire moors, but was overruled.
DeleteWe had a surprise party for my sister with a great success but she knows that'd have hated the same.
As for Premium Bonds, yes Jazzer could have put at least a thousand in and with a month out he'd have probably a small profit with his capital intact.
Well that revelation about the Bunting was a real damp squib as far as I was concerned.
ReplyDeleteI had a strong feeling it was going to be a jackdaw picking up colourful scraps and distributing them around the village , as jackdaws often do.
But I really found it hard to believe Jim would become involved in such a ridiculous enterprise , even when egged on by Jazzer!
And as for the constant referrals to Chris ‘s unfortunate injury, I have heard more than enough on the subject now, thank you!
Yes Archerphile, when I heard of Harrison going to the hide I thought they might combine birds and bunting, but they are too much 'down to earth' with no flights of fancy.
DeleteArcherphile - a jackdaw! that's a great idea. Would have been more fun too. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteDaft S/L IMHO but harmless I suppose and light-hearted.
They should both get done for wasting police time - not to mention wasting this listener’s time. Jazzer’s daft anyway, and Jim’s clearly in his dotage, but that’s no excuse for dropping to Tilly Button’s age level.
DeleteI am glad that other bloggers didn’t understand what was going on with the bunting.
DeleteI am not really interested but did Tilly Button steal it and Jazzer found out, bribed her with cigarettes and then planted it round the village with Jim’s help?
Why did Jim meet Harrison?
Who engineered the meeting?
I guess the editor and his team of SWs have been trying to inject a little humour into the programme amongst all the heavy stories of late.
DeleteBut the whole bunting shenanigans has been pretty feeble.
I wonder if it was prompted by so many fans, on various sites, complaining that the bunting story was one of those many loose ends that needed tying up?
Perhaps it will teach us to keep quiet in future ! 😂
I have never understood why listeners went on and on about the bunting, or what they were trying to prove. LanJan - Jim lured Harrison to the meeting place with a supposed message from the thief, then turned up as himself in his role as a boring birder. Harrison went along with it, realising from the mad gleam in Jim’s eye that he was the thief but not letting on, so Jim thinks he has successfully fooled him. All very Boys Own.
DeleteThe house Philip is buying from Justin must be enormous if Kirsty was contemplating shipping in fully grown trees 🌳. Most new houses have small gardens, even the large four/five bedrooms. Creating a wild life habitat, including pond sounds very ambitious. We have quite a lot of new housing developments around the villages in Worcs/Glos and none of the gardens would accommodate Kirsty’s plans.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Justin has done something bespoke for Philip?
I didn't like Kirsty's qualms about upsetting Emma who's had two husbands and two children, so why can't Kirsty get what she wants, never mind the logistics.
DeleteHere, here Basia. Get fed up with everyone tiptoeing around Emma and her new house plans. Kirsty should go ahead and create the garden she wants. I expect her and Philips house will be on a different part of the development anyway, not right next door to the Grundy’s so Emma won’t be leaning over the fence with a green eye!
DeleteI can't class a spider as pet.
ReplyDeleteIt can't be cuddled, sleep on the bed, cause mayhem around the house, chewing objects, or scratching + hissing at visitors.
A spider lives in its own tank (sorry don't know the correct term) - until it escapes. This is bound to happen at Greenacres.
Kirsty needs to think - trees grow, and need a lot of maintenance. They can also block light, from neighbouring properties, causing angst/problems.
ReplyDeleteAs to the pond, this can be done - simply, cheaply, on a small scale, yet can still provide a good, natural enviroment.
I would prefer that Kirsty concentrates on bees + butterflies, and concentrates on them when designing her garden.
Does Jill still have her bees and the new chickens, which were replaced, by Josh (?) after the fox attack..
DeleteI think the stupidity is explained by the scriptwriters allocating Jim and Jazzer the role of village clowns. Nothing else explains their recent behaviour. I am definitely not accepting my invitation to Jim’s party!
ReplyDeleteJazzer took The Bunting as a joke to Fallon, which then back-fired, at the time. I bet he kept it, somewhere with the Bridge Farm pigs which is why it was so dirty, and why it has only just re-appeared (due to his departure from that establishment).
ReplyDeleteGood on Prof.Jim - for finding this, humorous solution to the problem.
I bet Harrison will spoil Jims Bday do.
I think you are right about the spider. Miriam. Like a gun has to be fired, a tarantula has to escape - and Jim’s surprise birthday party is the so obvious time for it to happen. How can the scriptwriters resist? (R)
DeleteIts been very quiet on the Western Front today! Only one reply from Maryellen to a comment this morning.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that none of the current stories are quite grabbing us, we are losing interest in the doings of Ambridge folk .....or just that everyone is busy with outings, gardening and enjoying the lovely summer weathet?
Perhaps something exciting will happen tonight to revive interest!
I am loving the TA stories - but then I always do!
DeleteSome irritate me intensely - Tom/Nat with Cuba + the new App. plus Adam/Ian + the Babe.
However I can accept these, give my thoughts accordingly and move on.
I am enjoying Ed/Emma and Philip/Kirsty, both (hopefully) moving into thier brand-new Beechwood Homes and thier different priorities.
Well, we know Lynda will always succumb to flattery & wasn't it laid on with a trowel tonight. Of course, she'll speechify, she loves the sound of her own voice. Have read ' My Name is Red' , & Orhan Pamuk is quite a challenging writer, but absorbing as well, another world - Turkey in Rennaissance era, yet religiously & culturally so different.
ReplyDeleteThe team can't seem to make up their minds about Alice : today, efficient, not angry with Kate, together in herself, not drunk ....yet she did move very swiftly away from the topic of giving birth herself. An SL to come, clearly, been signalled for a while now.
Happy no cricket today. Not happy Lynda is back.
ReplyDeleteNot only Lynda but lovely Robert too - I sometimes wonder how he stays married to Lynda, she must be the most frustrating person to live with!
DeleteNow all we need is the return of Brian and Jenny, Neil, Hannah and Lilian and Justin and we’ll have a full house again!
Oh, and also Helen who has been very quiet for a while. I’ve been hoping to hear of a rapprochement with Lee, but no signs yet.
I don't think Helen will be visiting the Lee option again. Or any other option to do with men for a very long time Archerphile.
DeleteShe is not anywhere near ' over it '.
I really enjoyed hearing Lynda again as she's been gone for a while. Robert seems to adore his wife Archerphile, even though she must indeed be frustrating to live with. Some women get lucky with their husbands and she's one of them.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good to hear how Neil is faring in his new job with the pig unit. I always thought sitting behind a desk wouldn’t be his bag and there must be a lot of paperwork. As someone said nowadays there is a big cast in TA so we are rather left dangling until SL’s are completed or more often forgotten!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the Lower Loxley crowd will be put on the back burner for a while so the programme can concentrate on some other stories.
DeleteI should like to how Jenny & Brian are getting on with their house hunting, and also what’s going on at Home Farm with the new owners.
Which other stories, that have been neglected for a while, are we keen to follow up?
When I did the experiment a couple of years ago to test out the 5 weeks in 8 days theory (what a waste of time that was.I must have been mad,) there were 42 characters who actually spoke.
DeleteThe ones who appeared most often we re Lilian,Justin and Brian and Jennifer
We haven’t heard from them for a while now .
We haven’t heard from Neil either or Pip Toby and Rex.
I think we may be in the second week of the five week period now.
We are hearing people like Robert,Kirsty ,Kate and Phillip who have been absent for a while.
Lanjan - I for one think it was a useful experiment, if only to test a theory and we keep referring to it, so please don't beat yourself up about it. Numbers are your game.
DeleteThanks Basia
DeleteThat is kind of you to say so.
I am not sure that I heard correctly - but aren't Brian + Jennifer's landlords, staying in Strasbourg for another year, so their lease has been extended?
ReplyDeleteI recall that Roy was not happy about it - nor will he be when Kirsty moves Philip into Willow Farm (or is it cottage?).
I wonder if Kirtsy will love living with Philip, or will she realise, that it is not what she expected. Will she have doubts about the Beechwood home, with all it entails?
It is possible, but not probable.
The characters I am missing are:-
ReplyDeleteHannah, Johnny, Lilian, Neil + Oliver.
I have to put The Gills into my thoughts, as to why have they never appeared and been heard from. I recall that they have teen-age sons, so surely these would have met up with the likes of Ben + Riuari, Johnny or even George.
I say Hannah. Since The Marriage, has she crossed paths with Natasha and had a chat, as Natasha seems to have done with every-one else.
DeleteAlso, Johnny + Helen, surely must have thoughts about Nat. now in charge of Farm Sunday. Could this be her, subtle, take-over bid, for Bridge Farm.
I still can't work out if Nat. is genuine - or not.
Trust me ,she’s not.
DeleteI trust you Lanjan.
DeleteKate’s challenge to swim naked in the Am! Have they all forgotten that the river was contaminated by Brian and all the wee fish died. Adam and Ian will catch their death etc. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThought about the contamination myself, Stasia, but then remembered it has been cleansed.
DeleteWild swimming is fantastic. Don't do much myself, but if river and heat coincide, I'm in.
It must take a while for the natural habitat to regenerate but all much swifter in Ambridge.
DeleteXanthe, Sadia, Liberty - a few names and characters to attract the younger audience...
No one seems to have anything to say about last night ! Wasn't that dreary, was it ? I rather liked the Lynda/Jim exchange, the way she steeled herself to be conciliatory &, even more difficult for her, admit he might know more than her on a literary topic.... then, what was an act became real, & she genuinely found what he had to say interesting.
ReplyDeleteMe too carolyn. I read that book a year or so ago, and I also found what Jim had to say interesting. Could be a basis for a real bond between him and Lynda when they manage to get beyond their antipathy for each other.
DeleteQuite ! & their egos, especially hers...I was taken by 'My Name...' but gave up.on 'Snow' - must try again ! Read another, by Pamuk, not a novel, about Istanbul. He writes so feelingly about that wonderful.place.
DeleteI also enjoyed the intellectual exchange between Lynda and Jim, although I have never read the book. I found Adam very irritating.
DeleteI am given Natasha the benefit of the doubt, as to is she genuine or not.
ReplyDeleteMy gut feeling, is that she isn't and has plans afoot.
I am prepared though, that she just might be genuine, loves Tom, wants to become a true Mrs. Archer and a stalwart in Ambridge.
I will definitely keep listening to try and work her out.
You are a nicer person than I am Miriam.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t give Natasha any benefit of the doubt.
As I may have said before ,I bet her smile never reaches her eyes.
Anyway we may have a few weeks without hearing her hopefully.
She's here for a while, whilst organising the Bridge Farm, home farm Sunday, which I bet will be aimed towards the Bridge Fresh enterprise. Cheap advertising springs to mind.
DeleteHowever, she could just show how an Organic farm works, with the dairy with the cheese, yoghurts, ice-cream, and home produced produce.
It's a 50/50 scenario - which way will it go.
Did Josh imply that Leonard was having sleep overs at Brookfield because otherwise how could Josh compare his presence with that of Liberty.’s.?
ReplyDeleteAnd turning up for breakfast in Jill's dressing gown and no pyjamas?
DeleteAnyway, it looks as though Jill is prepared to hang up her apron and let Liberty take over, so she can savour some of her own.
I'm glad things are moving at Lower Loxley.
Shula making appropriate noises, oh dear and it didn't go according to plan for her.
Pet tarantula/poisonous snake, when is Jim going to put his foot down?
Having had a week off from The Archers and not really missing it I'm now struggling to regain any interest in the programme. Hopefully something will happen in the near future to rekindle my enthusiasm, fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteWell CC, I’m ready to bet there will be fireworks on Friday night at Jim’s party.
ReplyDeleteI bet one of his old colleagues turns up ready to get revenge for some sort of falling out with Jim, years ago, over some arcane point of philosophy!
Or Jazzer might let loose his tarantula and it causes havoc among the guests !
Keep listening - being The Archers, something is bound to happen!
Hooray for Natasha! Ruth was genuinely impressed by her preparations for Bridge Farm’s OFS and I hope they have s good day there. (Ruth sounds so much more relaxed these days, unlike David.). Boos for Jill putting love before duty and deserting Brookfield in its hour of need. Is it the result of Leonard Berry’s influence or a clumsy plot device to bring Liberty to the rescue? She is clearly the new Jill - once she’s found her voice. It was tactful of her to produce a lemon meringue pie that fell just short.of Jill’s. I like her already.
ReplyDeleteWe agree on one thing,Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of Liberty.
Well done Jill for letting them get on with things without her at Brookfield.
Let the younger ones pull their weight a bit more.
She’s doing a bit of baking for them .
That is more than I would have done.
What more do they want?
As for Natasha......
I wouldn’t trust her to make a cup of tea.
She is all talk.
She tries to buy people’s affection .
If she pulls it off at Bridge Farm -which I doubt -it will be a “one off”
Natasha has only one thing on her mind and that is
“I am doing what I do for Natasha and it doesn’t matter if people get hurt along the way as long as I win out.”
I foresee great money problems looming .
Could be interesting.
LanJan - I think it would be unwise to allow ourselves to get too fond of Liberty in case she disappears - I’m worried that the budget hasn’t stretched to a voice for (same with Bella the.Barmaid). I know Ambridge has a long tradition of non-speaking wives but I feel, as Jill’s potential replacement, she merits a voice of her own. So the fact she hasn’t been given a voice could mean she isn’t meant to be around much longer.....
DeleteFake cow udders dispensing milk. Nothing new there, have seen them at various shows and tried my hands at pulling real ones.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe Helen would let her take over the dairy products. What does Natasha not know about anything?
Cheshire Cheese. Everyday I ask myself why did I listen 👂 to what is sometimes a load of rubbish? I must be a sad nerd.
Talking of cheese, I bought some wonderful Blue Cheshire Cheese. Made in your part of the country and can recommend it to everyone.
I see Josh’s Mum is doing a splendid job at the D Day commemoration in Portsmouth this morning. A beautiful reading.
ReplyDeleteTA doesn't attract much comment these days, does it. It's ambling along, not necessarily a bad thing. Well done, Jill getting a life & not serving tea this year. Liberty sounds like good news altogether, noted how David & Ruth were happy that the signs were promising for them not to have a re-run of Pip style angst. Perhaps this will encourage them to be nicer to their sons ?!
ReplyDeleteBert is helping Natasha to promote Bridge Farm, perhaps they exchange favours.
ReplyDeletePart of me is glad Jill is breaking loose from the Brookfield chores but I also think she should have given them more notice and she didn’t apologise for pulling out so abruptly. However she has been taken for granted in the past and I still haven’t forgiven them for turfing her out to accommodate Heather Pet! Is Liberty going to remain silent forever like Pru Forrest? Hope not, she could be a wholesome character in the younger generation at last!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is "Well Done" Jill.
ReplyDeleteIt is time she has more time for herself, with or without
Leonard. The next step is she moves back to Glebe Cottage.
Will she evict Carole T?
No need to evict Carol. Jill can join Leonard Berry in his house.
DeleteI am fascinated as to how, why + when Josh met Liberty, as to what happened, that she suddenly appeared in the Brookfield kitchen, and is still there.
ReplyDeleteI am loving the mystery + intrigue about her, so may it continue.
I watched the D-Day programme this morn. by accident! I was meant to go + buy plants, but decided to have "elevenses" before going out. Whilst slurrping + munching, I flicked the TV on.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I did, and admit that tears came to my eyes on more than a few occaisions.
My grandfather was a RN ships Captain, who was co-opted into the RN intelligence, but I have no idea where he was on D'Day. He never told anyone. I wish I knew.
Archerphile - who is Josh's Mum?
Also a great- uncle, the brother of my grandfather, was a sharp-shooter/sniper in the British Army. This was only found out, after he passed away, when medals, commendations etc. were found. Again where he was on D'Day is not known, as it was never told.
Delete‘Josh’s’ Mum is the actress Celia Imrie. Josh is played by her son Angus Imrie.
DeleteSorry. Wrong page - should have been on the "off topic" one.
ReplyDeleteIf it really is the last time for both of them, then that's a good way to resolve it.
ReplyDeleteWell that's a bit more like it! So the SW's can come up with something a bit more lively if they try. Skinny dipping and illegal pesticides all in one episode. What's not to like. Kept me awake anyway! ☺
ReplyDeleteBit more drama tonight, eh ! Bros Grundy in trouble, but, as you say, Basia, the unlikely meeting & angry confrontation could well get both of them out of the holes they've dug themselves....I wonder how much Iain & Adam got to see ?
ReplyDeleteThey were more concerned about not being seen themselves and the same goes for the Grundys. Ed might end up babysitting Poppy!
DeleteSo who is going to come down with either an infection from something nasty in the river, or poisoning from contact with pesticide?
ReplyDeleteCan’t believe all four of tonight’s protagonists come out of this evening’s escapades Scott free!
Hopefully the damage to the van will stop Ed from doing anymore deliveries for Tim. But somebody is going to notice the spilt chemical when he tries to get the van repaired and the cat will be out of the bag!
And what’s Tim going to say/do when Ed tells him he wants out - in addition to the bungled delivery......
DeleteInteresting ep tonight I thought. Nice to hear Ian and Adam actually having some fun instead of worrying over baby-to-be.
ReplyDeleteI feel for Will, being so scared of Poppy being taken away from him. He needs more help obviously How will this accident work itself out I wonder and what sort of pesticide would Ed be carrying? Something that's banned so who's buying it?
A cannabis farm in a warehouse in Borchester ?
DeleteFor farmers to buy pesticide to day they have to have a licence, which means going on a course and passing the test, so it may simply be farmers buying it who don't have a licence. Though like most things you can buy it on line, perhaps not in the quantity required
ReplyDeleteAs much as I enjoyed hearing Adam + Ian having fun, - skinny dipping in the Am just left me cold.
ReplyDelete😨😂
DeleteI imagine Ian & Adam were pretty cold as well Miriam
DeleteJim wanted to go on Yorkshire moors but his family had other ideas, I hope it works out.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Ed's made up his mind, as long as Tim doesn't hold him back.
I would so like Ed to talk to his mentor, Oliver. After all, it was Oliver who reccomended that Ed contact Tim, due to his good, honest and hard work, done at GG and elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteHow wrong this advice has been.
I do agree with you Miriam.
DeleteI think the SWs are missing a trick here. Ed needs to talk to Oliver.
I suppose it's not happening because Oliver is ' unavailable ', but surely a conversation with Emma relating his conversation with Oliver would suffice ?
Natasha seemed to be getting lots of praise tonight.
ReplyDeleteHelen is obviously not bothered about her new sister in law taking
over Open Farm Day and Bert is well in her pocket too.
What has happened to the Welsh Witch? Has she really reformed or is this new sunny disposition all part of a greater plan. She seems unable to do anything wrong in most people’s eyes at the moment, but I wonder how long it will
last.
No 75th D Day anniversary in Ambridge then? So many characters that would be full of it by virtue of age too!
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right Lady R.
DeleteI would have thought somebody would have made even a brief reference to the anniversary, or raised a glass in The Bull in memory of the event.
We never hear if any of the characters forebears took part in the war do we, although I have a very faint memory of dear old Mrs P having been in the WVS or some other voluntary group.
Seeing that the BBC has covered all the D-Day commemorations over the past two days so splendidly, I would have expected a tiny acknowledgement in The Archers. I’m sure they could have squeezed in in somewhere, it’s not as is it was an unexpected event.
Ed was dishonest with Emma last night, about the real reason for giving up his work for Tim and Poppy being in William's car, he is too tired working day and night.
ReplyDeleteWell! I wonder how much the open farm day will cost? Was Natasha really erecting a marquee unassisted, and is the chef giving her cooking demonstrations for free? Bert is an elderly man 👴 and he has managed to make a milking 🐄 and created a large snakes 🐍 and ladders. She surely hasn’t expected Bert to pay for all the materials, and how has she suddenly become his close friend? I wonder, did the chef make all the little jars🏺 of salsa she has given away to the hundreds invited to the 🎉 party.
ReplyDeleteAs she merrily said to Helen, “I pinched the idea”. Have none of the farmers in Ambridge ever heard of the internet? I could order a pretend cow and have it delivered tomorrow.
She might have fooled Helen etc, but she doesn’t fool me.
Nor me Stasia.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that Ambridge folk are so gullible.
Why indeed would Bert ,who can hardly know Natasha,,spend time and money making things for her?
How many folk has she invited to the party and how will they all get into the flat?
While she is dipping all this for Open Farm Sunday,who is running her Business ?
Incidentally,how much does it cost to attend these events ?
I
It never used to cost anything to go to an open farm event, in our day. The whole purpose was to show and inform non- farming people what we were all about, where their food comes from, how it is produced and to increase support for the farming community.
DeleteIf you were going to charge entrance, you’d have to provide some big entertainment like fairground-type rides, bouncy castle for the children etc.
Usually the most popular thing was the tractor and trailer rides around the local farms, sitting on straw bales...very useful for seeing what the other farmers were growing in their fields and how their stock was doing! The town folk loved the rides and the tea and cakes provided at the end (probably not up to Jill’s standard though!)
“doing “not “dipping “
ReplyDeleteLanjan. Dipping is an appropriate word. She is dipping into her many credit cards. Is this spending on Tom’s card. Has he learnt his lesson, not to question spending money or Mrs Archer will have a hissy fit.
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