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Life in Ambridge
Life in Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
Bridge Farm, Gary ? Thanks, nice one, so much better without all the people.
ReplyDeleteTried to reply about Phoebe, Maryellen, but the blog must have been in the process of closing...anyway, essence of it was that you're probably right, no 'character change'! Can't remember her being annoying before, but this is a post finals reaction setting in - flat & directionless, so grabs at an idea, however half baked & however inappropriate the situation for discussing it
Indeed it is Bridge Farm carolyn...
DeleteSorry Gary and everyone - just realised I’ve put my thoughts about tonight’s ep. on the other new blog by mistake - didn’t realise the were two new ones!
ReplyDeleteAP see my post on the other blog 😂
DeleteDredging back into my memory of one-year-olds' parties, there always seemed to be other babies and their parents. That made me realise that Pip has no other young Mums as friends; that's potentially quite isolating. As a new parent you need more than unicorns!
ReplyDeleteI loved.what we heard of Rosie’s first birthday, and we were told that young mums from the toddler and baby group were there, no doubt with their children, and others from Rosie’s social circle. A perfect excuse for a summer gathering of friends and family in relaxed surroundings and if Rosie doesn’t remember it with pleasure for the rest of her life, others will - and I’m sure there were photos taken, so she will always have those to refer to.
DeleteI specially liked the unicorn version of My Little Pony. Well done, Tobes (after your non-invitation to your daughter’s first Brookfield Christmas, I feared you wouldn’t see this day either) and Rex under your supervision. It was a lovely ending to a sizzling July day and my only regret is I didn’t get to taste the Scruff gin based punch. Glad it’s still flowing!
Thanks, I missed the bit about the toddler and baby group.
DeleteFunny Maryellen, I never thought of you as a My Little Pony fan! 😉
DeleteGlad you enjoyed Rosie and T❤️O❤️B❤️Ys big day though
Archerphile - I am vast, I contain multitudes, as Walt Whitman wrote.! (One of my favourite quotes, makes an excellent riposte in the right circumstances - “Do I contradict myself? Very welll then, I contradict myself/I am vast. I contain multitudes.”
DeleteI really liked the feel of Rosie’s party in the barn as being a village event, like the Fete, not just a close family affair.
That is definitely going to be written into the little book I use for favourite quotes. I like it a lot.
DeletePip did say there were friends from her ante-natal class at the party, and I presume they brought their offspring rather than leaving them with babysitters. But really it was a device for the script writers to get the adults together to update each other on their news.
ReplyDeleteRosie’s first birthday 🎂 party and the only one I have ever been to. I left when Pip informed us that Rosie had filled her nappy!
ReplyDeleteFun it wasn’t.
😂😷
Delete💩😵
Deleteyeeuuch..
DeleteI am already getting frustrated + fed up with the Peggy's Prize S/L. It is known that August 23rd(?) is the date booked at the village hall for projects to be shown.
ReplyDeleteOh well - that means another 4 weeks of this.
Some might like it.
However, I am finding it tedious and almost, unrealistic and unbelievable.
My thoughts only.
I love ginger wine but surely it is more of a winter drink.
ReplyDeleteIf it were drunk regularly in the summer months there would have been at least one bottle at the bar.
Why would Kirsty want that on a hot summer day?
Surely they could have come up with another type of drink.
It is the script writers way of telling us that Kenton is an incompetent who should not have agreed to his wife going off on a road trip or whatever she is on
Another ridiculous story line.
I love Ginger Wine. I have never thought about it with ice - must try it.
DeletePoor Oliver.
ReplyDeleteRecently Lilian suggested he was too slow serving in The Bull. Now Kenton is blaming (unfairly) the lack of Ginger Wine is down to him.
I so hope Oliver reappears soon, not only to defend himself but to also address the upcoming issues with Grange Farm.
I don't think that Oliver working at The Bull was ever realistic, after all there must be plenty to do at Grey Gables if he needs to occupy his time.
DeleteTo give my catchphrase - A good idea at the time. 😣😣
DeleteOliver said that working at the Bull would keep him closer to Caroline who had worked there when she first arrived in Ambridge, so long before his time, I'd have thought he'd feel her presence more keenly at Grey Gables.
Delete"Like it never happened" - but it did Emma and it matters to Ed.
ReplyDeleteThe 'mystery' at the Bull went over my head.
Emma: we’re going to be SO happy.
ReplyDeleteThe kiss of death, if ever I heard one in a soap opera!
And possibly another baby being planned?
DeleteQ. Am I on tenterhooks over:
ReplyDeleteWhether Jazzer spills the beans about Jim’s past
Whether Emma’s balloon bursts as Ed gets done over
Whether Oliver gets the sack
Whether Harrison nails Jim for the bunting prank
Whether Joe names the hit and run driver on his deathbed
Who wins Peggy’s money
A. Sadly, no.
I think it’s a shame the script writers seem to think there isn’t enough drama in Ed and Emma finally getting their house without the frisson of Ed’s illegal activity.
ReplyDeletePhoebe was behaving exactly like a young Pip, who rushed over to Adam with her new ideas when she was an agricultural student.
The pub issues I was confused by, thinking Oliver had filled the gaps, not created a problem. Or did he? Not sure and not terribly interested.
Maryellen ,but I bet you are tenterhooks wondering if the first word that Rosie will say will be either p❤️a❤️p❤️a or d❤️a ❤️d❤️a!
ReplyDeleteRosie should doing a bit more than gurgling and gurning at a year old. Mind I would be gurning if Pip and Toby were my parents. 👶😫
DeleteHas she not said anything yet, then? She's taking her time!
ReplyDeleteI was completely mystified about what was going on in the pub last night. Half the time I wasn’t sure if it was Kenton or Toby speaking and I can’t work out why Oliver seems to be getting the blame for not having stocks of wine in - or was it Kenton being blamed?
ReplyDeleteLilian is being an absolute pain and if I were Kenton I’d tell her to sling her hook! 🤬
She certainly was, - he virtually did, but he can't go too far, can he, as she could dismiss both of them ?
DeleteBut Lilian knows Kenton of old, as does everyone except apparently the S/Ws! If the characters weren't being constantly changed to suit 'new' ideas, no-one in their right mind would let Kenton loose on a business. We know it is struggling, hence Jolene's disppearance to allegedly bring in extra money, among other reasons.
DeleteHowever there was the financial fiasco in Australia where Kenton was bailed out by getting his 'inheritance' from Phil and Jill in advance. He then ran into other money trouble which caused him to abandon his pregnant wife and young daughter and arrive on Brookfield's doorstep unexpectedly. (This led to his wife being unable to manage financially and led her to decide to have an abortion.)
He then joined Nelson Gabriel in an unsuccessful antiques business despite having no experience there. Then he took over Jack Woolley's cafe and decided to upgrade itinto a wine bar. Can't remember what happened to that but Kenton didn't hang around.
He 'forgot' to insure The Bull and left Jolene to find money for thousands of pounds of damage to repair.I seem to remember there was something about blocked drains or something which Kenton should have cleaned out, as well as the River Am flood.
I thought Jolene had quite sensible business head on her.
Lilian has every right to protect her share of the business in view of who is running it at the moment.
(Sorry if I have misremembered any of above details.I'm sure other can put me right! 🙂
Had they invited Eddie to Rosie’s party he might have bought a flagon of cider and then rather than gin cocktails they could all have had...................!
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t help thinking that Rosie’s party was a clever device by the SWs to shoehorn in a few characters we haven’t heard lately and update us about the alcohol licence, Freddie etc.
ReplyDeleteSaved them having to write a whole episode on the subjects.
Sceptical - moi?
I was totally bored by last nights episode ☹️
ReplyDeleteI think it was just a dramatic means of conveying 'Pride comes before a fall', hyping up Emma's excitement when Ed is on deep trouble - his nemesis is approaching.
DeleteInteresting about the truck driver's apology, probably a message to Ed to keep him in line until they move on & use some other hapless soul.
Very good Lanjan.
ReplyDeleteChaos at The Bull.
ReplyDeleteDear TripAdvisor. Yesterday we went to this little village for a meal and a drink.
A blond mad woman was running around shouting at an older bartender about needing chalk.
Clearly no one can spell as the menu had misspelled Mediterranean.
A public school sounding idiot had dropped and broken some glasses which caused the woman in charge to sound even more demented. At least I think she was the owner.
We found some old chips 🍟 under our table and the tables hadn’t been cleared.
It took ages to get a drink and they couldn’t find the Ginger Wine my friend had requested.
An argument ensued between the three of them about some other person called Oliver who is slow and not doing his job properly.
It was totally shambolic.
We waited nearly 13 minutes for the Ginger wine, (with ice) but decided to leave and head to Borchester for an Indian.
I give this establishment O out 5.
Dear Stasia,
DeleteThank you for your feedback. I fear you must be getting The Bull confused with some other place. I am a very, very, very, successful businessman of almost 40 years standing and would never in a million years allow such blatantly amateurish behaviour to happen in any of my establishments. Ever. At all. No way. Not me. No sir-ee. End of.
Mr Kenton Archer
Co-Manager
👍🤣🤣 Both of you!
Delete✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️Stasia and Gary.
DeleteTB + babe.
DeleteTB( Holding a platic beaker of colourless liquid to Rosie's open mouth) In she goes, Rosie-posy, down the hatch, lovely scruffy scruff ! Yum, yum !
R. : ( Slurps, giggles, a little hiccup) yum, yum , mummummum...
TB : Dad, Dad, Dad. Sleepy time soon, so all quiet when Mum- mum comes home from milking the pigs or whatever she does...
R. : ( Another slurp+ giggle, she understands more she can say) piggy, piggy
TB : The oldies had their knickers in a right twist today, Rosie-posy, all shouty....I stitched up poor old Oliver, boring away at the bar. The queue growing, so, sure, I said I'd do the orders, anything to get away from the droning. OK, might have missed a few things ( Rosie's head nods forward) one more scruffy slurp, Rosie( slurp, sigh) No probs., the dear old boy won't remember he didn't do the order, will he ? ( Rosie nods)NOW, another little practice : dad, dad, daddaddad !
R : ( sleepily) Adad, adad, adad, ad....
Aw, bless! 👶🏼
DeleteArcherphile.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you. I commented about feeling cheated about the LL alcohol licence reapplication.
This was such a major topic at one stage, to then go quiet, to now suddenly find - normal service has been resumed.
This is down to the SW's who start a story-line.They introduce too many other S/Ls at the same time, which then take over - Peggy's Prize is an example.
I know that this coincided with Peggy Spencers 100th Birthday, but why not announce it then, to leave the planning of projects, plans and final pitches at a publetc until the autumn, such as mid - late September. This then gives the winners, participiants and others, the entire winter to organise whatever is needed.
To end my waffle - I just wish there was more contunity and keep newer S/L's back.
Oops June Spencers 100th birthday -
Deleteobviously.
also... to correct,
Delete..the final pitches at a public meeting..
I would love to know who the Trustees of Peggy's Prize are. What are their qualifications and interests, to enable them to award the money to the successful candidates. I just hope that some of them know and understand Life in Ambridge, and what it means to the residents.
ReplyDeleteAah - Wishful Thinking which is probably too much.
I am confused but that is not unusal for me.
ReplyDeleteThe sausages ordered via the Bridge Fresh App, will now no longer be organic so is this acceptable.
Doesn't this go against Bridge Farm, which is organic so all the produce which go into the new enterprise, are meant to be so - or have I missed something...
I thought that the online shopping business was Tom and Natasha's and they sell Bridge Farm produce as part of it but other produce as well.
DeleteA much more satisfactory episode tonight I thought.
ReplyDeleteRobert knowing how to encourage Jim to take up his birdwatching again ( has Lynda had a word in his ear?)
Jim and Alistair having a heart to heart without voices being raised.
And news that Rex is making a success of his foray into pig breeding - good for him.
The only flat note was Toms attitude to his once sacrosanct sausages - never mind they’ll not be organic any longer, no-one will notice the difference.... and Pat, the one time Organic Queen agrees with him !
My flabber has been ghasted!
It reminded me of when Tony made a single plea for not selling the Beechwood land,
ReplyDelete- prime land, purple orchises etc etc and then caved in, apparently won over by Helen’s vision for using the sale money to build an education centre where they could preach organic farming. My flabbergasted was ghosted then!
I enjoyed the 🦢 bird watching interaction between Jim and Robert. Spotting a reed bunting is difficult and Robert cleverly claimed to have seen it in order to keep Jim in the hide. The rumour mill is working and most residents know Jim is experiencing some sort of emotional difficulty. But not why, but Alistair and Jazzer continue to push for police/counselling involvement. Jim should tell them to pack their bags. Alistair is ignoring the helpline advice.
ReplyDeleteLet’s hope Jazzers returns to the land of his fathers to seek out the aged abuser, gives him a duffing over, and ends up in Barlinnie prison.
Totally agree, also they had to use 'bunting' at the hide.
DeleteI never realised Jim was a Glaswegian! That explains the otherwise inexplicable bomd between him and Jazzer!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI missed the programme last night(was watching on the tele ,Lancashire beat Yorkshire in a thrilling T20 Match .
What a really nice chap Robert is.
Loved his chat with Jim
Couldn’t agree more with you ,Stasia regarding Alastair and Jazzer who keep on at Jim to report Harold to thePolice..
As you say.
“Jim should tell them to pack their bags”
Wasn't it Pat who made the comments and plea about the purple orchids, and all what the land meant to her?
ReplyDeleteThis is why I did not like Tony and his reaction to Peggy's Prize.
He sold that land to Justin, for £1mill, now used as a housing development.
This, to me. is not preserving Ambridge, just lining two pockets.
Rant Over.
An extra thought. Would Justin have had to pay for an ecological survey for plants + natural inhabitants on this land, before planning permission was granted?
DeletePerhaps, purple orchids aren't important - don't know.
Early Purple Orchids are not all that rare and tend to grow in clusters, mainly on chalk downland. Nevertheless I would be very reluctant to plough up a field where they grew.
DeleteJustin would most certainly have had to get an ecological assessment done, and probably an archeological survey as well - at lest if the local planning authority was doing its job properly.
Tick this one off the list? No, a lot of mileage in it. I'm with Adam on this one and William.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure! Adam sacking Ed is undertsandable, at this moment - but I had hoped he would realise what Tim is up to, not only talk to but also alert Harrison, as to illegal chemicals, on his patch. Harrison needs to earn his Sargents stripes.
DeleteMy heart goes out to Emma.
ReplyDeleteYes but ,Maryellen wasn’t it Emma who persuaded Ed to continue working for Tim ?
DeleteShe must have known there was something dodgy involved.
The only person who can help Ed now is Oliver who introduced Ed to Tim in the first place.
Perhaps he will go and have a chat with Adam.
Why is Ambridge so full of weak men?
Ed really wanted out some time ago but when he told Emma about it she said "Everybody does it." She knew it was illegal even if it was originally thought to be avoiding tax or something similar. I wonder though if she will take part of the blame?
DeleteWhen Emma said that, Ed had just told her was doing a delivery job for Tim, and there was a VAT dodge involved. She has no idea it involves illegal transportation of dodgy chemicals, or that some of them are stashed on Grundy land. Obviously she wouldn’t condone it if she knew the truth. I think the discovery of Ed’s deception and the sheer stupidity of his actions will grieve her even more than the loss of her buttercup yellow kitchen and dream of a better life for them all.
DeleteEven shady transactions involving non payment of relevant taxes is illegal! As I said Emma knew it wasn't 'above board' yet encouraged more than once when he wanted to give it up.
DeleteMy son and future dil are in the process of buying their first home together after NINE years of saving. They are and have been working all hours, going without and saving hard from two relatively poorly paid jobs but they haven't resorted to crime!
Ed was stupid and Emma was greedy. She is the one who keeps going out spending for her new home.
BTW the amount of paperwork my son has been completing is phenomenal because of regulations regarding checking no money laundering is going on. They had to pay their deposit months ago.
As I said, Emma doesn’t know the crime of which Ed is actually guilty, or that that was the reason (plus fear of reprisals) he wanted to give up.Therefore she is not guilty of condoning it. If Ed comes out with ‘You didn’t stop me’ ( s I Ellie g wreck that he is - but very well acted), then he will be despicable as well as monumentally stupid and totally deficient in moral fibre.
DeleteShould be snivelling wreck.The Law may give Ed some slack and understanding but why should it, especially given his past history. And on a personal front, it could be the end of his marriage.
DeleteQuite a compelling episode. I'm not with Will on this at all. Again, it was George, 'my son'. Loyalty to his brother ? Helping him out ? Uh-uh. Of course, we know Ed has been stupid, but....
ReplyDeleteAdam is in a fearfully awkward position, but I hope he thinks further about what he's found out.
For some reason I am wishing Oliver would appear again.. He is now a persona non-gratis at The Bull. To add - he introduced Ed (his protoge) to Tim for extra work, on his reccomendation as to work done at Grey Gables by Tim.
ReplyDeleteHe might not be able to help, but Ed always has been able to talk to him. Also this might change the Grange Farm issue if Ed + Emma cannot move (but surely a contract, or similar, for the Beechwood home, would have been signed by now?).
What a mess with The Grundies as per usual.
Oliver returns next week Miriam! 🤗
DeleteI wanted Emma to get her buttercup kitchen but she dismissed Ed's concerns by saying "everybody does it". She also married William thinking she was pregnant by Ed. It reminds me of the homeless man who helped out at the Manchester Arena but was caught stealing money and phones from the victims, there was 50k for him from crowd funding but he went to jail instead, all down to greed.
ReplyDeleteI really thought Adam might be able to help Ed get out of this hole. He is not helping by not going to the police and sacking Ed. He must see that Ed has been drawn in to something initially he didn’t understand. Am I being naive? Tim is a thoroughly nasty piece of work but one of these people who can pull wool over others’ eyes including Oliver no doubt. I suspect he is in charge of the whole operation and making up the involvement of the vicious ones at the top to compel Ed to go on with this awful business. Time will tell but Adam comes over to me as a self serving uncompassionate person.
ReplyDeleteSubstantially agree, Ev. Ed didn't read the runes, he was taken in by Tim who played him quite skilfully from the start, found out his circumstances & guessed, accurately that he'd grab at a chance to earn good money without probing. Ed was uneasy but it was too tempting. It's not laudable, he made a serious mistake.
DeleteHe deserves some slack & some understanding.
Don't know if Tim is the 'main man' but that''s plausible. I suspect Oliver won't come into it, won't be told.
I absolutely understand where Adam is coming from. He has no option but to put as much distance as possible between Home Farm and Ed, as he explained very clearly. I guess he also views Ed himself with disapproval though he was tactful enough to hide it, and I believe he was genuine when he said he wanted Ed to get his house. I don’t think Oliver can wave his magic wand and make this Grundy disaster come good!
DeleteWow! That was a powerful episode tonight. And unusual for TA in that it concentrated solely on one story with just four actors.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful that the dam has finally bust and tension broken.
I can understand Wills anger at Ed’s deception, having said he was no longer involved with Tim when us clearly was.
I felt Ed sounded rather pathetic pleading for his job and Emma’s house - why should Adam give him a second chance when he has acted so stupidly and put Home Farms reputation at risk?
I am surprised that Adam will not inform the police what is going on, I should have thought he’d want the matter thoroughly investigated.
Finally I am absolutely disgusted at Tim’s attempt to involve Will as well as Ed, he is a totally unscrupulous man who is very clever at inveigling innocent victims into his schemes. The sooner he is banged to rights the better.
Unfortunately that will impact badly on Ed and Emma in the process.
I have 10 episodes to catch up on tomorrow - judging by the comments over the past 2 weeks I have a mix of the boring and the exciting. I shall sit in the garden (see other blog!) with a bottle or two of ice cold wine and enjoy it all...😎🌼🍻
ReplyDeleteYou'll probably need the wine Gary, The Archers is pretty depressing these days
DeleteAnd harking back to when I was telling everyone about where our visitors to the blog pop in from around the world - a warm welcome to our friends in Russia, India and Jamaica! 🌍🌎🌏
ReplyDelete😲 indeed GG - how fantastic 👍🏻
DeleteWe are becoming truly international! I wonder if those folk actually listen to TA or have just stumbled on our blogs and are simply interested in our chatter. It would be lovely if they would log in and let us know
DeleteOliver will help Ed out I am sure since he will feel responsible for introducing Tim to Ed
ReplyDeleteI dare say he will speak to Adam.
I reckon things will be covered up
Ed will keep his job.
They will keep the house.
I am not sure that Ed deserves any loyalty from his brother who stole his wife from him.
He has got more about him than weak Ed who won’t stand up to his bossy wife.
How exactly is Oliver going to make Ed ‘ unguilty’ of the crime he has committed in illegally transporting dodgy chemicals and containing to harbour said chemicals on hi property? Attempt a cover up by paying Tim & Co to remove the chemicals and keep quiet. What would that make Oliver? Accessory after the fact if discovered and liable to blackmail from Tim & Co if not. Best let Ed pay the penalty and give Emma any financial help she needs to move into the new house with the children. That’s assuming Oliver is made of money, of course!
ReplyDeleteEd knew Tim was 'grooming' him when he turned up with a new van for Eddie.
ReplyDeleteWhen Ed said no to the offer Tim returned his tools.
Emma knew Ed always worked nights + VAT dodge and had wads of cash.
Maybe Oliver will buy the property and let it to Ed & Emma. He is going to be devastated on return from his holiday to realise that he also has been duped by Tim and by being so got Ed caught up in the web! Ed & Emma played their part as the story progressed it is true, however as the Grundy’s move next week that is one of my guesses. Of course they may remain at GF with Oliver as housekeeper/ handyman - cattle etc (?) if Ed does not go to prison that is!
ReplyDeleteNiggles:-
Talk of moving in to property within a week (?) but no mortgage confirmed yet - come on!!!!
The dam fete every year it is pulled together days sometimes only hours before the event - daft, still at it next week and it is only a week tomorrow grrr 😡
If looking for someone to blame other than the obvious culprits, look no further than Peggy Woolley whose capricious sacking of Emma from her cleaning job imperilled Ed and Emma’s finances and put Ed back on his old dodgy path.
ReplyDeleteI think Ed was involved with Tim before Peggy sacked Emma so she cannot be blamed.
ReplyDeleteI doubt Emma was earning a fortune as a cleaner and she was often ospending the money on trivia rather than saving it
I do however think it was a nasty thing for Peggy to do.
I still think that somewhere along the line there will be a cover up and I still think that
Oliver will become involved and help out in some way.
I still think that they will get their house .
The only person at fault is Ed apart obviously from Tim.
He must have known it was dodgy but didn’t dare tell Emma.
Yes, Ed was in totally legitimate employment with Tim (fencing) before the offer of the non-legit driving job was made, coinciding with Peggy Woolley sacking Emma - Peggy W. - with half a million to spend on a vanity project - presumably trying to save Emma’s wages by getting Kate to clean free. Peggy W. knows full well that every little counts, - and why, in the junior Grundys household. Just shows what one mean actioncan lead to.
DeleteIt was Ed’s decision, which he knew was indefensible.so he repeatedly lied to Emma and Will and everyone else by default. If he utters the words I only did it for you, ( so transferring the blame to Emma) I shall strangle my radio!
I hope that that Iain advises Adam to tell the police - giving the objective view. It would clear Adam &, ultimately, would help Ed, if he confesses & Tim is arrested. He wouldn't go unpunished, of course, & the new house certainly jeopodised. ( I understood the deposit was paid, the mortgage payments agreed, it's a question of meeting those payments, btw) The building society might withdraw their agreement as well. Maybe Neil & Susan can help out financially ? Others vouch for Ed's good behaviour over the last 20 years or whatever ?
ReplyDeleteI meant 10 yrs., am aware he's got a past.
DeleteIt's Will's cold, relentless selfishness that gets me. Emma got hit by a truck ? Oh, no, that would give Bev amunition to get Poppy put into care ! Then George was in the car, my son ! How about the danger to Emma, who, forget the past, has been so good to him & his family since Nic died ?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if Oliver has any close relatives of his own? He has always been fond of Ed and taken an interest in his progress. I wondered if he might feel so bad about introducing Tim to Ed that he might either accept a reduced rent for Grange farm, or come to some (legally drawn up ) arrangement whereby Ed could, instead of paying rent, gradually buy a share in Grange Farm - and maybe even with Oliver willing the unbought remainder to come to Ed in the future.
ReplyDeleteIf you look on the Characters page of the BBC TA it will tell you. He could have gone to his daughter in the US after his second wife died but opted for a mostly silent life at Grey Gables with eqiually silent stints behind the bar at The Bull.
DeleteJanice I am thinking along the same sort of lines.
DeleteI fear for Ed.
ReplyDeleteI fear for his sense of responsibility to his wife, children and family.
I fear for his sense of self and his guilt at his stupidity in allowing himself to be duped by Tim.
I fear that he will not feel able to carry this emotional load.
Remembering his past disappearance I fear for his life.
I think your fears are justified, Mrs P.
DeleteTotally agree, that's what I've been asking myself, what now for Ed?
DeleteWilliam had disappeared too.
Depends on Emma’s reaction - will she stand by him or give up on him? She’s his missing backbone.
DeleteEmma will stand by Ed.
ReplyDeleteOliver will come to the rescue.
Adam will give Ed his job back.
It will take time though.
(Maryellen,the only reason that Peggy sacked Emma was so that Kate could earn her keep by “so-called “ becoming a live in Cleaner.
I am sure she wasn’t trying to save on Emma’s wages.
She is a very old lady and just didn’t think things through.
Still, she can sometimes be an astute old lady ( NOT always !), & she knows full well how much paid work means to Emma, & the good value she gives, alongside being very aware of Kate's shortcomings. She gave her somewhere to live, a fresh start, reasonable to expect some return, but cleaning, housework from a woman who leaves a mess wherever she goes ? Better to give her very specific jobs, such as shopping with a detailed list, loading & emptying the washing machine etc.
DeleteHow can Oliver ‘rescue’ Ed without incriminating himself? How can Adam reemploy Ed without tainting Home Farm? What happens while all this is taking time?
ReplyDeleteTime will tell as to what will happen next, be it good or bad. Who knows - I don't.
DeleteIn fairness to Ed, he thought he was initially, just doing a delivery job, not knowing it was illegal. When he realised, he did try to get out of it, but Tim then threatened both him with Emma etc.
ReplyDeleteAdam was too hasty. He should have "suspended" Ed, found out more, esp. as Tim offered him dodgy chemicals.
I still think that all is not gloom or doom, and Tim will be caught.
All it needs is for Adam to arrange a delivery from Tim, and the police then catch him in the act.
Just my idea. 🤣🤣😋
Ed knew that the deliveries were underhanded, a VAT avoidance scheme which is a criminal act
DeleteI can’t see Adam being involved is a sting operation. The police 👮♀️ might arrange one involving Ed, as a means of breaking up a scam involving a lot of money. This might lessen any conviction Ed could receive by having cooperated with the investigation.
Not such a bad idea
Lanjan 8.43am. How does one steal a wife.?
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t a regular listener when the eternal triangle of which brother to marry was taking place, but I understand Emma made a choice and what a choice. Two dimwits, one with a paranoid temper and other unable to think for himself. She choose the latter because the controlling nature of her personality must have someone who is malleable. Hence encouraging Ed to carryon delivering chemicals at night with the ghastly Tim.
Tim is someone I wouldn’t want to bump into at any time. He is creepy and sinister and sounds more like a London gangster masquerading as a jobbing fence builder.
...but did Emma know Ed was delivering chemicals? Didn't she just think, that Ed was only working overtime, so encouraged him, due to the extra money being earned.
DeleteI bet I am wrong.
Emma knew Ed was doing deliveries for Tim at night, so the VAT could be avoided, she said "everybody does it", she didn't question what was being delivered.
DeleteStasia, a brief outline: Will asked Emma to marry him, she accepted. She had a fling with Ed but chose to marry 'boring Will' (Ed's words). They met just before church and he was reluctant to go ahead because of sth she'd said but she convinced him that he should because she was pregnant, thinking (wishful) by Ed, he was in Hungary. At some point she went back to Ed and told Will George was Ed's. Will demanded a paternity test which showed George was his. Emma and Ed split up, at some point Will thought he had a good chance of getting back with her but she went back to Ed and Will nearly killed him. It was he who said 'he stole my wife', he was persuaded to be Ed's best man. Riveting stuff.
DeleteEmma slept with Ed the night before the wedding!
DeleteThat is the wedding between her and Will!
DeleteI am presuming that Shula will have to undertake a degree in theology in order to be ordained - I lasted 3 months of my theology degree. I was the only person on it NOT doing it in order to become a minister of some kind. Without fail every single person on the course was insular, self-centred and wilfully ignorant of anything that interfered with their views. Even when confronted with scripture. Eye opening in extremis as Jim would say...
ReplyDeleteI too hope Jazzer gets arrested for trying to dish out some kind of vigilante style justice. It's not about you Jazzer, simmer down...
Oh Ed, Will, Tom, Toby and Kenton! You're all just rubbish aren't you? If you're all not trying to fling someone else under the bus you're just being inept - and in reality you are all pretending that you are grown ups. Not a single one of you are capable of standing on your own two feet. You have to be guided/controlled/reliant on or by someone else. Simpering duplicitous fools the lot of them!
Did the wine help Gary?
DeleteReading back what I've written, apparently not!
Delete🤣🤣
DeleteOne of the most ridiculous things about the Emma,Will,Ed triangle was that at Emma’s wedding to Ed ,stupid ,insensitive Clarrie made Will be Ed’s best man .
ReplyDeleteQuite, but that's the 'soapy stuff' for you.
DeleteI think, one way or another, the Grundy family has one of the most complicated histories I have ever encountered. Not one of them has led a straightforward, normal life, apart perhaps from long-suffering Clarrie . She has had to put up with all the dishonest scams of her husband, the deviousness and irascibility of her father-in- law, the drug-taking and near suicide of her younger son and the complicated and tragic family life of the older one.
ReplyDeleteOf the two boys I very much supported Will in the early years, when he rescued his awol, suicidal brother and brought him home. Then I felt so sorry for him over what Ed ad Emma put him through. I was delighted when he settled down with Nic and eventually had his little family around him and a good and responsible job.
Then I felt better disposed towards Ed, who got his act together after marrying Emma, worked hard to keep his family together , even putting up with living at Susan and Neils for years. He has the patience of a saint to put up with Emma sometimes but owes her a lot too.
Now I feel like giving up on both of them. They are both acting stupidly and thoughtlessly; one has no backbone, the other has a vile temper.
What a family! Is there no hope for them?
I also remember Ed and Eddie looking for and finding Will, who'd run away.
DeleteClarrie told Emma once that she'd made both her boys unhappy.
Can't be doing with either of them now.
Will also has Nic's hit & run hanging over him.
Soapy stuff.
I do remember Jethro Larkin being very upset when Clarrie told him she was going to marry Eddie Grundy! Jethro could see what he was like and what a 'difficult' family he came from.
DeleteWe’ll just have to pin our hopes on George and Keira!
ReplyDeleteI have been scanning one or two other Archers site to ascertain the general feeling about this current story.
ReplyDeleteI have been amazed at some of the almost vicious comments made about Will - how he is selfish, only thinks how Ed’s actions will affect him, etc etc. Few seem to blame Ed for being stupid and easily led astray by Tim or by Emma’s nagging.
One poster went so far as to say she hoped Will’s anger on Friday would get back to Joe and kill him off, so Will would get the blame for Joe’s death! How nasty is that!
I think many of these very anti-Will posters have only ‘known’ him in recent years and are not aware of the long standing antipathy between the brothers
and what happened in their early years.
I don't get the vitriol at all, & like others I wish Joe a peaceful end in at Grange farm, unaware of the latest Grundy crises, but I'm with the first part of your comment, AP, Will IS totally self centered & dismissive of anyone else's situation. If he was more likeable in the past, life has warped him.
DeleteI am hoping that Joe will die peacefully and not suddenly on hearing of this shambles.
ReplyDeleteMe too Pierre, drifting off in his favourite old armchair at Grange Farm. Much as Phil did at Glebe Cottage many years ago.
DeleteI imagine that Joe’s death has been planned before this latest storyline involving Ed so I think your wish will be granted ,Pierre.
DeleteIt’s interesting that Ed - like Freddie Pargetter - is only being criticised for his stupidity. That’s the only word of criticism Freddie’s mother ever applied to his drug-dealing, ignoring all the lying, and the downright immorality, not to mention illegality of his behaviour. I feel it’s rather the same with Ed. Listeners who think in black an white don’t want their nice brother/nasty brother stereotypes destroyed and are reacting accordingly. As for the unpleasantness of the attacks Archerphile reports, better it’s unleashed on fictional characters rather than real ones!
ReplyDeleteYes, Thank goodness! One or two posters do actually say it’s the character they hate, not the actor. Others don’t seem to know the difference!
DeleteI was thinking more of the poster’s nearest and dearest being spared as well as all the other real life targets!
DeleteA hasty ps to say I am not criticising unknown listeners for thinking in black and white because that is how fiction, with its heroes N pvillains poften encourages us to think. But I think, on the whole,, TA is more subtle than that.
ReplyDeleteMy main criticism of Ed is that he is weak.
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced that his parents are the best of role models for their sons although poor Clarrie has a kind heart ,means well and always does her best
Rousseau said All wickedness comes from weakness, and I can see the truth in that in Ed’s case. More difficult in the case of Tim and Matt Crawford, though.
DeletePerhaps the message Rousseau was trying to give got lost in translation.
ReplyDeletePerhaps what he really said ,should have translated as
“In many cases wickedness comes from weakness”
It still doesn’t exonerate Ed!
DeleteI don’t think Ed is wicked but certainly weak and not the sharpest tool in the box.
DeleteWill is to me, just hot-headed, and opens his mouth, before putting his brain into gear.
ReplyDeleteI admit, I can totally understand his reaction to Ed - the fact he is still involved with Tim and the storage of the pesticides. His reaction was to be expected and rightly so. But to go and confront Ed whilst he was still at work, was not the right place nor the right time. As a result of his haste, he is the cause for Ed losing his job.
I thought Ed was very "clever" in how he handled Tim + Alistair a short while earlier.
PS I know Ed has done wrong, and I am not approving his actions. I do think he is still genuinly scared for Emma + family,
I hope I am not a black+white poster. I dream vividly, in glorious colour...
Gillian Reynolds, writing in today's Sunday Times, speculates that Leonard may be after Jill's dosh and not her flapjacks! Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteIsn’t she the one who went off with J Winterson and caused a literary scandal. Maybe she was after her words. 🤗
DeleteNot just me treating him with caution, then!
Deletestasia, it was Peggy Reynolds who went out with Jeanette Winterson!
DeleteOh, thanks for that Gary. I have read Gillian Reynolds columns for many years and I couldn’t understand why she would be associated with Jeanette Winterson. They don’t seem at all alike to me and there is a rather large age difference. It would be rather an unlikely partnership I think.
Deletemaryellen. Rousseau also believed in basic human rights and equality and that citizens and those who govern should have a social contract that outlines right and responsibilities. Like Karl Marx he was a philosopher of his historical time and that is reflected in his language.
ReplyDeleteEd is weak and this could be the consequence of a number of factors and I think Rousseau was referring to education and knowledge. He adds that “he who knows everything” is essentially good because they have knowledge to make the right social choices. Of course we in the ‘real world’ who are educated would know the difference between right and wrong.
By the same standard Emma is also weak because it is her desire to be one of the “ house 🏠 owning democracy” that sees Ed in this predicament.
In other words it is always the woman’s fault. The curse of Eve tainted by sin and greed.
It’s all bollworms and I don’t know what they are. It came up when I typed another word beginning with B.
I must also be weak, as like Emma, I fought hard to get a mortgage for my 1st home, to buy + then furnish it. I did everything I could, do get the deposit + afford the mortgage.
DeleteEd did not know what he was delivering to begin with, and Emma still doesn't...
Adam told Emma exactly what Ed was doing And the fact that he had broken the law by transporting illegal chemicals. So she certainly does know now!
DeleteStasia - I wanted to own my own house, and I imagine other readers did too. We weren’t in the position of inheriting like some lucky Ambridge residents. Does that make us all weak?
ReplyDeleteI bought my 1st home, purely by my own hard work, saving as much as I could. I certainly had no help, nor an inheritance. It was hard as the mortgage interest rate was 18%.
DeleteI could hardly afford to eat...but I survived.
I cannot understand the general opinion that 'poor' Ed and Emma deserve sympathy. Even if Ed did not know it was illegal chemicals on that first job he knew it was illegal! When he decided that he would complete that first job and do no more it was Emma who encouraged him to carry on. Her words? "Everybody does it." Then Ed gave way to the blackmail and threats.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot have something that is a little bit illegal! It is illegal or not! Ed knew it was wrong and didn't want to do it, Emma knew it was wrong and thought it okay.
Emma is not 'poor.' The only reason she has three part-time jobs is because she wants to have her house. She has a good work ethic like her mother and father but those £ signs keep flashing in front of her eyes. What does she do when she gets some cash? Immediately goes out and spends it on fancy furniture.
There is nothing wrong wanting your own home. I emigrated (with a broken heart leaving my parents, sisters and Nan) but managed to return to England three years later with enough for a deposit for a house. Later when the children were little I shelf-filled at night, whilst bringing up four children and doing a degree. I survived on 4 hours sleep at night and power-napping during the day for five years. I did not break the law!
You absolutely correct something is either illegal or not and I think Ed thought it was only a minor misdemeanour, as did Emma, who as you rightly say encouraged him to continue. He then discovered it was chemicals but carried on working with Tim. It’s a bit like people telling white lies, most people do it, but a lie is a lie, is a lie!
Deletemaryellen. I also own my own home 🏠 but as a student lived in council housing which was deemed undesirable. However these very same properties were (under Thatcher) sold thus creating the housing problem we have today. Everyone was then expended to buy whether they could afford it or not.
Emma and Ed are not in stable employment and now they may never achieve Emma’s dream.
Exactly Stasia the house ie the mortgage will not be it Emma! Buildings & contents insurance money for repairs even though with a new house there will be a 10year warranty for anything major. The utility bills which you will now have to pay in full yourselves as well as food etc, which is why buying is not for everyone but many plough on because they do not want to be perceived as second class citizens / failures amongst their family and friends. I believe it is a very British thing and that in Germany for instance there is not the same stigma in renting. Of course decent landlords are to be hoped for and decent tenants for them and in later years rent still to be paid.
DeleteBut what about the illegal chemicals still harboured on Grundy land ( unless they were removed when I wasn’t listening, which would explain why Eddie strangely hasn’t spotted them)? There’s a continuing link with Tim and his outfit there, as well as an ongoing legal trangression by Ed. It’s not over yet,
DeleteI agree with Gary about the standard of acting, imo, Ed and Emma are two of the best actors in the show.
Ed should take up Will's offer, he lost his pride along the way, so nothing to hold him back.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Emma said all the rest. It was quite well scripted I thought.
Well that was an action packed episode! I normally wait until bedtime and use iPlayer but was tempted to listen live tonight. Come on Ed grab Wills offer quick at least you will have some money coming in. If he doesn’t do that they will be in a real pickle lying to the mortgage company that he is currently in work. Although I guess as Ed rightly says they should probably come clean anyway as I fear it may well all end in tears at this rate! Emma will not budge though so he may well be drawn into breaking the law again for the sake of the house...
ReplyDeleteOh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.
DeleteI enjoyed that! I thought it was both well written AND acted. Maybe it's because I had listened to 10 episodes yesterday and therefore cared a bit more due to it all being fresh and and slightly more intense. I do like saving up some episodes exactly for that reason.
ReplyDeleteAnd when it comes to blame? Ed HAS to shoulder most of it, but Emma has to realise how much pressure (both conscious AND unconscious) that she places on the both of them to achieve her dream. It's really not healthy...
Gary. You are right. I just couldn’t remember the Christian name.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I picked up on in the Omnibus this morn. is that Ed holds the tenancy for the farmland at Grange Farm.
ReplyDeleteIs this significant with the ongoing S/L ??
I don't have a clue...
And now Emma is encouraging Ed to be deceitful again - by not telling the mortgage company about his loss of employment. How long does she think they could keep up that lie? It could be weeks before Ed is in regular employment again and how are they going to meet the payments until then.....or, as Lady R said, any of the other costs a householder has to budget for. And one hefty bill not mentioned was that of council tax which they will have to meet on their own without help from other Grange Farm residents.
ReplyDeleteEmma is quick to suggest breaking the law, then harangues Ed because he got found out and lost his job. Not very clever, Emma.
Well said, Archerphile. Emma is so blinkered by this goal of owning her house she cannot think straight any more. I do understand her fervent wish for their own independent space but I wonder if her children wouldn’t prefer to be running around in a big farmhouse and having a little more time with their Mum and Dad. I hope she doesn’t look back and regret that.
Deletemaryellen. I don’t think Tim removed the chemicals from the barn. He has probably scarpered after attempting to involve Will into buying these illegal goods. However he could implicate Ed by anonymously ringing the police with a tip off about the scam. I can’t see how the police would be involved as no one else is about to blabber.
ReplyDeleteTim will want to get back at Ed.
You're probably right !
DeleteTwo highly charged consecutive episodes - well done TA ! Found everyone totally convincing, true to character, & the ghastly situation they're in.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel inclined to cast blame, of course wrong decisions made, the whole Tim saga snowballed. Ed was stupid but, given the threat to Emma & family, he felt he couldn't get out when he obviously wanted to. Blackmailers count on fear.
Concur carolyn. Brilliant acting. Emma character especially.
DeleteIs anyone here thinking of giving up listening to TA because of this Ed/Emma/Will story?
ReplyDeletePerhaps because they find it too depressing and upsetting and that the SWs are just loading more and more misfortune onto the poor downtrodden Grundys?
I ask, because on FB’s Ambridge Addicts page that’s just what listeners are threatening to do!
I could understand that reaction during the coercive control story when many listeners stopped listening (most temporarily, I think) because it was a long, drawn out, very personally painful story for some. But I certainly wouldn’t switch off because of this tale, I’m finding it interesting and I want to hear what happens next.
I think we Archersfan Bloggers are made of sterner stuff, but perhaps some here are finding it too difficult to listen too as well?
I'm just starting to enjoy it again!
DeleteFor a while I've only been half listening and not bothering to catch up if I miss any episodes because The Archers is so depressing these days.
DeleteArcherphile I will continue to listen as always - and the house disaster theme of this year has also hit Jennifer & Brian because of illegal goings on from years ago and they have now had to downsize big time...
ReplyDeleteI do however still wish (as I keep saying) that the SW would drop in some more happy / funny moments - nothing mega just heart warming moments which do happen in real life.
This morning I had an earlier than expected repair call which put me behind breakfast wise so I then sat with same and turned on the tv and on Channel 5 “The Jeremy Vine Show” was just beginning (with Anne Diamond as hols relief host) and the main guest on the panel today was “FIONA” so an interesting few minutes as the actress explained her role in TA, Anne and Lowri Turner being Archer listeners were up to date with her synopsis! The actress who was born here said that on radio it does not matter that she is black because no one sees her and of course she has a naturally British voice whereas I wonder if a white person were to play say a Jamaican character would that be considered ok - for me it would not matter as that is what acting is but some I’m sure would say no racist get a Jamaican actor to play the part......🤔