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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.
"Just the milk please Susan. Oh, and as much gossip as you can possibly fit into 13 minutes..."
ReplyDeleteForgot to say - a big hello to Guatemala & Sri Lanka!
ReplyDeleteđđđ
DeleteAre these from Archers listeners I wonder or just ‘blog-hoppers’ as I have heard them called. It would be lovely if some more of our overseas readers would post their thoughts too. Especially about how Archers stories and reactions are interpreted in other countries.
DeleteMy sister-in-law lives in New England. She follows TA and we have recently been in contact about current story lines. I am awaiting her latest reply then I'll send her the link to this blog and she if she wants to contribute.
DeleteI heard today that radio 4 listeners are fed up with the sad Grundy storyline to which someone replied that happiness doesn't make good drama! The material girl and her obliging husband will have to think again. There was a time when he bought a tractor, at a bargain price without telling her and they promised each other that from then on everything would be up for discussion. They have both failed miserably in the communications department: I say completion, you say exchange!
ReplyDeleteI heard that that was a comment today’s Sunday Express which carries a piece on TA.
DeletePersonally I am cross that they appear to speak for all Radio 4 listeners, because they certainly don’t speak for me! I am much less unhappy with this story than I was with Helen’s coercion story when I sometimes had to mute the radio for a few minutes in several episodes.
I also heard the piece on Broadcasting House this morning and agree with Archerphile the Sunday Express does not speak on my behalf.
DeleteSir Ron Norris, welcome from yet another listener from the beginning ( almost ) and I still miss Dick Barton, the loss of which caused my father to ban its replacement TA. But a few months later when visiting his brother and discovering that he was an avid fan of TA, we were then allowed to listen.
I'm intrigued to know what has prompted you to join us now.
Did you follow the blog when we were with the BBC ?
Well MrsP, ma'am, I respectfully ask to join now as I've only just discovered you and, yes, I used to follow comments on the BBC. I have a couple of basic questions :
Delete1) Gary is the boss (administrator); yes?
2) Each thread seems to have a life of a week; correct?
And now on to Lillian. Gary made me smile when he said "good choice" when responding to my statement that I fancied the young Lillian. Not only did she have a very slight, yet appealing, imperfection in the way she pronounced her "r's" and a not-unattractive definite hard edge to her voice but she reminded me of a girl in the village I was sweet on at the time. Now I seem to remember that when Sunny Ormonde took over the part there was some criticism that her voice was not right. Well, I disagreed then and I would disagree now. I can still hear the same enthusiasm and vocal edge, although not quite as attractive now - but then all those gin-soaked years of pampered well-being in Guernsey and elsewhere have clearly taken their toll. And, to be fair, I am not the flaxen-haired Adonis I once was.
Just been listening to a mid-1960s episode to ensure I remember her correctly. I do.
Welcome, Sir Ron Norris ! Glad you discovered us.
DeleteYour questions : yes, Gary is the current 'boss', but this blog was started & very well administered by Ruthie, a lady who lives in the States. She is very busy these days, probably little time to look in here, let alone refresh the 2 blogs (TA + 'life outside Ambridge'), but we hope she will look in the she's able.
In theory, yes, blogs will get refreshed every week, but depending on the garrulousness of bloggers, it can change after only a few days, as it certainly has recently, especially on the TA one ! Ruthie used to let them run to 200 posts roughly, Gary favours 170.
I vaguely remember Dan & Doris, but didn't listen for many decades, getting caught up in it again at some point earlier this century.
GG we have a shop just lIke this nearby - except it has a postbox outside instead of a phone box!
ReplyDeleteAlso the village pub is directly opposite đ€
We have our Saturday papers delivered from there and they have 14 paper rounds over a 13 mile radius delivering up to 800 papers a day, many to rural areas and at the same time if desired you can have milk, freshly baked bread / pastries delivered as well! There is the PO which is useful particularly as no yellow lines outside (as yet) also a small area to sit outside for a bean to cup coffee should one wish to.
They sell locally made frozen meals, some groceries, wine odds and ends so quite a godsend for their villagers although they can if able bodied be into town fairly quickly.
Stanley the owners Jack Russell is often to be seen sitting outside or just inside the door and loves the attention he receives.
Not sure how much time Susan would get to gossip if she worked there đ but I expect they manage some all the same....
Such a good village shop you have Lady R.
DeleteMany such in villages throughout the UK, and some in urban villages too I have discovered.
Providing such a valued service to the local community.
Our postbox is outside the Chinese takeaway as it used to be the PO!
DeleteAnd thank you Gary.
ReplyDeleteWe really are taking up a great deal of your time, and we are all so grateful for your administration.
I do like the latest picture.
However I have to comment on the fact that the village gossip has failed to even hear about the latest crisis in Ambridge let alone pass that gossip on.
Personally I wait with glee to hear Susan's opinions on this matter.
đ± I think my cover it Mrs P!
Delete“might” of course đ
DeleteWell Lady R đ & now Sir Ron ( who may well be one!)
ReplyDeleteWe are going upmarket. Emma might have something to say about how privileged we all are. Inheritance speaks volumes in Emma’s paranoid world.
DeleteSir Ron was spot on, her tongue lashing of Ed was driven by an ack ack gun. Ed must have been in agony by the end. If he hadn’t said ‘ Enough, we’re done ‘ goodness knows what would have happened.
Emma isn’t paranoid. Her rebellion against the unfairness of society is entirely justified,. It would be nice to think the sentiment expressed in them verse of All things bright and beautiful that is no longer sung (The rich man in his castle/The poor man at his gate/God made them high and lowly/And ordered their estate) no longer applied in postwar Britain, but comments I have heard elsewhere about Emma being content with her lot, say not.
DeleteGo Emma! You are one of the most interesting and well-acted characters in the current TA cast.
I enjoyed the omnibus this morning, listening to the earlier episodes, knowing how things ended up on Friday. So many things were done + said,and these made so much more sense, as it was the build-up to the inevitable.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to hear that the editor Jeremy Howe, also directed these episodes.
How ungrateful Emma was to her Dad Neil, who offered K15, along with Chris K1.9 and William K3. Tracey giving £320 was so touching.
Sir Ron - do I need to curtsey, My Lord?
ReplyDeleteHow great you have found this wonderful site and please pass a link onto your sister. It is great having 2 sites - one for TA plus the alternative. This is to just have a chat, discuss things not Ambridge linked, and support others through problems, with help, advice + shared experiences.
Beware, it gets addictive!
No need at all, my dear - polite conversation is all I need. I normally don't use a title, but I think Google autofill must have hijacked it. Not for the first time...
DeleteIt seems the "musical house moves" have started - Kirsty + Philip have taken up residence in their Beechwood home, Emma + Kiera are now living with Susan + Neil.
ReplyDeleteWho is next - probably Hannah + Johnny, followed by Eddie + Clarrie, with or without Joe.
Ed + George, will end up living with Will.
I still think Brian + Jennifer will be relocating to Grange Farm, either buying or renting.
DeleteNot unless Brian changes his mind about Kate! And they both manage to stay firm and stand up tp Kate's emotional blackmail! He was determined they would have a house too small for Kate to sponge off them again.
DeleteI don't think Jennifer would like a six bedroomed house again. They would only need the extra rooms if and when grandchildren came to stay.
Surely Emma has signed agreements for credit, and also paid deposits etc for a lot of the furnishings, which now cannot be cancelled. To pay off, Emma will also have to pay charges + interest accrued.
ReplyDeleteEven if she can return the furniture, or sell it for what she paid, then she will still lose money. I am assuming these credit/finance aggreements, are in her name only.
At least she go down the loan shark route.
How annoying, yet so predictable, tantalizing us with unintellible fete nonsense, when all we want is an update on poor, crushed Emma & broken Ed
ReplyDeleteWhat happens next ? The story adicts' cry....
I felt exactly the same,Carolyn.
DeleteI wonder what Emma actually told Susan?
I rather think she didn’t tell her mum and dad what has been going on because neither parent seemed particularly concerned.
Did Ed stay at Grange Farm and what did he tell Clarrie and Eddie?
Got the impression that neither set of parents were told anything much - just that they've split up & house purchase has fallen through.
Deleteđđđ Hello to the United Arab Emirates & Bangladesh! đđđ
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think Neil obviously knows much more about what’s happened than Susan does because he was arranging the loan for Emma. Susan said she couldn’t understand why people were saying that Emma seemed to be short of money - so she obviously doesn’t know about Emma’s begging exploits.
ReplyDeleteI think she’ll be mortified when she finds out her daughter was pestering all and sundry for money!
And all that fĂȘte coverage was a typical TA Sunday night ruse in the middle of a big story .... keep the listeners hanging on until Monday to find out what happens next!
To be fair to the scriptwriters, listeners often say the Fete is a traditional part of village life they really enjoy hearing about and would hate to miss - for me it’s the village panto that’s the high spot of the year (and was in my childhood too).
DeleteNeil obviously thinks Emma should tell Susan the full story herself but would have thought he could forewarn her anyway. She has to know sometime!
ReplyDelete....and she won’t be best pleased Ev that Neil has been involved and kept her in the dark! Oliver will be with us Wednesday night what then I wonder đ€
ReplyDeleteHow do you know that Lady R? Have I missed something?
DeleteSneaked a look at this weeks nightly strap lines on iPad bbc radio iPlayer app schedule as anxious for Oliver to come home and find out about all that is going on Grundy wise!
DeleteI have every faith in Susan to sort the situation. All Oliver could do is throw .money at it (true, that’s .often the answer in real life!) and possibly offer either Emma or Ed or both a job at Grey Gables.
ReplyDeleteWoke up worrying about Ed and Emma - how daft is that! - and decided that in their position what I would do would be to approach Oliver, who is a friend, and ask him to sell them a couple of acres using the deposit money. Then I would seek planning permission for an agricultural occupancy house on the grounds that Ed is farming x amount of acres ( doesn't matter that the majority of the land is rented) and needs to be close at hand for the care of his animals. If they are persistent enough, and I am sure Emma could be, they will get permission. Also I would ask Neil, nicely and gratefully!, if they could keep his bank loan in order to pay for the digging of the foundations to get them started.
ReplyDeleteThey would have to build bit by bit as and when they could afford it, and it would mean a much slower way of obtaining a house, but building even with good materials would be less than half the price of buying a house outright, and much much less than the total cost of buying with a mortgage.
Susan and Neil built their own home so Emma is familiar with the idea of building your own, and it would be far more suitable for Ed who as he is farming needs space close to the house to store machinery etc. and Emma could have fun designing it.
Also Ed with the help of others could do a fair bit of the work himself - but please Em don't nag him to hurry up as he will have his farming work to do at the same time!
That is a brilliant idea, Janice, & you'veco
ReplyDeleteOdd ! Meant add 'you've covered all the deatails
DeleteHonestly !! Something wrong with my fingers
DeleteYes Janice a very sound idea. Would you be prepared to send your excellent plan to the producer ?
Deleteđ€Ł
DeleteYes, Janice, but all that glosses over the fact that Ed is still engaged in criminal business, harbouring illegal pesticides, and faces the twin possibilities of menace/blackmail by Tim and prosecution and sentencing by the Law. His record of joyriding, stealing and cannabis growing won’t help him. So even if Ed and Emma patch up their personal relationship, there is no going back to where they were before Ed went off the rails again. His crime is not going to go away.
DeleteYou are absolutely right Maryellen, but I am still hoping the scriptwriters will give us a happy ending! They must be able to think of some way out of this mess. I don't know how many containers of chemicals there are, not too many if he got them into his van. If Ed could drive them down here there are a lot of old mine shafts which , preferably after watering the chemicals down, could be added to the mix of everything else that has gone down them. đđđ
DeletePersonally speaking I think Tim ought to go down one too.
DeleteInto which, and, they could be. Not very coherent at this time of night!
DeleteThat wouldn’t stop Ed being guilty.
Deletemaryellen. I don’t know the song you mention it wasn’t part of my growing up.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for some life is unfair and as a socialist I would love to see the betterment of the world for all, including the Emma character.
I was not disputing the acting ability of the actor, she is superb as I had already indicated.
I was referring to the character of Emma, who in her anxiety spewed out some vicious words about others. Ed was also on the receiving end her verbal onslaught.
Emma was irrational and evidently distrusts others in her neighbourhood. She was vocally suspicious of those in the village she believed had things handed to them on a plate, and never had to work hard, just like herself and Ed.
Her anxiety and obsession about the Beechwood house has sent her spiralling out of control and driven her to beg money from the very people she distrusts.
In my experience there is always an element of reality in paranoia, but what makes the difference is how the individual understands their perceptions of experiences and attributes these processes to themselves.
Many of the accusations she made are what she actually believes. But for most of the time keeps them under control, and IMO that is a very sad state of being. Hence the use of the word paranoid.
Gosh, what an essay, Stasia! Well done, but I’lll stick with my Up With The Workers stance.
DeleteThe Ballad of Emma and Ed.
ReplyDeleteWill Emma get the house she’s desperate for?
And will she blurt the truth out to her mum?
If Christopher tells Alice it’s for sure
That blabbermouth will not be staying ”stum”
Will Oliver turn up and intercede
To extricate them from their sorry plight?
Will he provide the money that they need
Or say to Ed “You must do what is right
and go to PC Burns and then confess
your part in what is such an awful mess?
Without a doubt ,I ‘m sure I will tune in.
To hear what’s what ,not what was “might have bin”
It'll be interesting to find out how this story unfolds, all in a good time, there are others in Ambridge too, with their own concerns and lives to live.
Deleteđđ» Lanjan - love your ballad! Clever & amusingđ€
DeleteBravo, Lanjan! I think you used to pen the odd poem back in the BBC Blog days didn’t you? I’d love to read more, when you have the time and inclination.
DeleteThe fete was a good idea to show that life goes on, it attracted the young and hopefully they found out that it's not necessary to break with the old traditions and enjoyed themselves.
ReplyDeleteLanjan.đ. For once Susan doesn’t know the:half of it. She will soon thought
DeleteI imagine she will be so ashamed that Emma was going around the village begging for money that she might feel she can never raise her head in the shop again.
DeleteOn the other hand, she will probably brave it out and even privately castigate those who turned Emma away. It will be interesting to see just how she takes the news, assuming that either Neil or Emma tell her the whole unexpurgated story.
Then will come the first meeting with Clarrie - will they each blame the other side or join forces to sort Ed ad Emma out? I do hope so, a row between the two Mums won’t help anyone.
My interest was caught by how silent Neil was towards Susan in her confusion about the situation.
ReplyDeleteHe could have told her about what had passed between him and his daughter, including Eds actions regarding the illegal substances currently stored in the Grundy Barn as well as the £20K he has negotiated with the bank.
He did not.
I presume he feels that it is Emma's responsibility to do so, but I'm not sure that he would have acted so in the past.
Of course it's a better story this way, isn't it ?
Personally I have little interest in predicting the outcome, happy to wait for the SWs to roll it out for me.
Archerphile
ReplyDeleteI didn’t used to write down my efforts but started to do so in March 2017.
I have written down the one I wrote forLilian’s 70th birthday and said that if anybody wished to used it for a 70th birthday they may do so.
Since you asked ,Archerphile ,and I hope others will not think me presumptive I have repeated one that I wrote in March 2018
Ode to Lost love
I do not love thee any more ,she says.
Methinks it is the end .Oh how I fear
It has to be the parting of the ways
Just as for Lancelot and Guinevere
Oh Shula you can not turn back the clock
Mark was your one true love:your one sad loss
Don’t give up hope.You’ve still got Richard Locke
‘Cos Kirsty’s caught the eye of Phillip Moss
It’s time ,I think ,to let your husband go
For Alastair is not your Romeo.
I don't recognise that one. Did you post it LJ ?
DeleteI don’t evaluate either so a welcome new addition LJ đđ»
DeleteI did
ReplyDeleteI started with what I called Rupert Bear verse
Dreadful
Dur dur dur dur dur dur dur dur
Dur dur dur dur dur dur dur dur
Then some kind blogger introduced me to iambic pentameter !
Then after that(was it Maryellen?) someone suggested I wrote an Ode .
I do enjoy doing them I must say.
I have found an ode to some of the vanished.
I also found one I wrote when Jennifer Aldridge was having a Dinner Party.
Won’t bore you with them now but perhaps when England next lose a Test Match I might dig one out if you don’t object.
I can always put a note on the top.
Poem by LJ please ignore if you wish.
Can’t imagine any or our bloggers not enjoying your offerings LJ ⭐️
DeleteOne thing that I have forgotten, is that Ed + Emma saved their "new home" deposist. They have some financial backing, to offset credit cards bills etc.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they could find a suitable property to rent, to provide a family home, and to just re-group in the short term.
Or more simple, they can still pay their share of the Grange Farm rent, so The Grundys will stay at Grange Farm - perhaps this is just too idealistic.
Notwithstanding all the fine poetic efforts, let's just hope for a better episode tonight focussing on what most of us feel is the main story.
ReplyDeleteI reckon Philip should go and see Kate, you have to watch it when you're of a certain age, will he have to take time off work? I must say, the sooner Shula starts her theology course the better, I find her too irritating altogether these days.
ReplyDeletePoor Jakob.
ReplyDeleteWhat is worse - Kate or Hilda's claws, digging in and hanging on?
I thought Jakob sounded “normal” tonight, didn’t he talk in a more stilted and accented way when he arrived or is it just me? I thought “Oh no not another bland voice- who is it?” True to form the nice happy first moments of Phil & Kirsty in their new home had to end in tears as it were. Guess the new house new baby may have to go on hold for awhile now đ
DeleteBit of a nothing episode last night ......can’t remember much of what happened apart from Jakob’s awful moans and groans! Could have done without them, and Kate’s attempts at seduction!
ReplyDeleteI just love listening to Kate’s new age gobbledygook rubbish. Jacob’s questioning of her skills only resulted in more psycho babble.
ReplyDeleteHe certainly is Mr. Concrete.
Philip hasn’t long to go before he becomes geriatric and I don’t imagine Kirsty to be sylphlike.
What a silly thing to do, was that some sort of proposal?
Just in case the SW are looking in we need to suggest some happy / amusing SL for them to drop in amongst all the angst to keep our spirits up. Come on you “clever” bloggers đ€ can you start the ball rolling.....
ReplyDeletePerhaps we need a proper, happy, nothing-going-wrong, Wedding to cheer us up.
DeleteWho are the most likely candidates; I can only think of Kirsty and Phil at the mo.
OR a baby expected, no family complications, no ante- natal crises ; Fallon and Harrison
OR Ambridge Cricket Club winning the local league with an amazing score against Darrington or Waterly Cross.
Or an archeological team arriving for a dig on Lakey Hill where they discover evidence that puts Ambridge on the world archeological map, resulting in a sparkling new Visitor Centre, growth for ancillary businesses and increase in jobs for local residents. The new characters on the team can supply the wedding partners and babies for those who like birth and marriage stories, plus brilliant new players for the Ambridge cricket side for the bat ‘n’ ball fans.
DeleteAlternatively, Kenton undertakes some diy and uncovers a lost play by Shakespeare left behind the Bard when he stayed at The Bull, proving tradition was right and putting Ambridge on the Shakespearin world map (also bringing on loads of dosh when sold to the. British Library, etc. etc, see above.
These are my 2 favourite it-will-never-happen-alas Ambridge stories.
Brilliant Maryellen! I especially like the archaeological dig one (think you may have suggested it once before in the dim distant past?).
DeleteThen Lynda, who loves hobnobbing with famous people, could invite Tony Robinson or Carenza Lewis to do a TV prog about Ancient Ambridge and open next years fete.
Or on a less exotic note, now that Kirsty has joined the staff of the wildlife trust , perhaps we can find some rare animals or birds, still attract visitors to the hides etc, though not your money spinning ideas Maryellen
ReplyDeleteJust listened to last night's offering.Tough luck, Kate, your blandishments misfired. Amusing scene though, two people spectacularly lacking in any sense of humour whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteShula continues to whinge - there's always something to get stressed about with that one. Delightfully ironic that Alistair should uphold the healing power of humour, when the people he seems to see most often, outside Jim & Jazzer at home, his partner & ex wife, that is, have not a humorous bone in their bodies.
Ironic, yes, given Alistair’s own lack of humour....
DeleteI reckon he's loosened up on that front !
DeleteWhat a miserable bloke Jakob sounds.
ReplyDeleteThe amount vets charge he could have afforded to give a huge tip when he was getting the (possibly useless - knowing Kate) massage free.
Lady R. I have racked my đ§ brain and can’t up with a positive feel good story line.
ReplyDeleteAmbridge is populated by clowns, but except for the occasional interactions, dropped in to alleviate our misery with the current ‘issue’ (Kate/Jakob) most are not funny.
Perhaps the S/Ws have a list of helplines they dip into and that is the guide for the next emotional roller coaster.
I would like to see Kirsty creating a wetland habitat for migrating birds. I understand the bird hide (Jim/Robert) is located in a deep pool. Wetland reserves do bring In a huge variety of wild fowl. There is a real reserve not far from where Ambridge is suppose to exist.
This reserve would be managed by volunteers so She could encourage the wild life trust to apply for Pegg’s money. The reserve would called the Peggy Woolly nature Trust.
Imagine the turmoil that would produce.
✔️ sounds good stasia. Having laid down the gauntlet I have to confess I have get to come up with anything, will hope for a brainwave đ
DeleteI think Eddie and Clarrie should win the lottery and buy the farm from Oliver then put aside some of the land so Ed and Emma can build their dream house, far superior to the one they were going to buy! Will would have to have a share of course so he doesn’t whinge too much! He could then afford to be the underkeeper part time so that he can look after Poppy. Pie in the sky but it would be so good to see the Grundy luck on the upturn!
Delete✔great idea Stasia, and if Kirsty creates a wetland habitat perhaps she could plant some milk parsley to attract the rare swallowtail butterfly.
DeleteWhat I would is Mike, Vicky + Bethany returning to Ambridge, also Tom + Kirsty finally ending up together.
ReplyDeleteKate should go back to S.Africa permantley?, just as Debbie returns back to Ambridge, to take up residence somewhere She will be then be in equal control of Home Farm with Adam (esp as babe not that far off).
Pregnancy news - not Fallon yet awhile - but Alice, which will put Susan in a dilemma.
I also, would love to hear so much more from Bert, Oliver + Robert, who are just 3 wise men.
đđđŒđ€✔️✔️
DeleteI would like to have a regular resident in Ambridge, with a disability. This sounds strange, but it is normal life for so many, who adapt to normal life, providing premises have the necessary facilities. This to my knowlege, has not yet been shown in Ambridge, so far.
DeleteI expect I am wrong. đŁ
Gosh, do I feel sorry for the parents of the estranged couple, trying to help, only knowing part of the story, Susan unusually, less than anyone else, running around like a headless chicken. Eddie is going to be the most helpful, on current showing.
ReplyDeleteI think Emma's going to have some kind of epiphany - get her basic values sorted out. Not sure Tracey's the best person to turn to, however ! Good heart, but doesn't engage head too much....
Yes, I was impressed with Eddie, when he asked Ed if he was free of it he could see the shifty look which he invented himself, anyway, must go back to my beef stew...
ReplyDeleteDo Oliver did know the senior Grundies including Joe were moving out of Grange Farm but clearly hasn’t felt moved to:make any rent concessions to allow an old man to die the right side of his doorstep. (Violins? Bit premature, perhaps.....)
ReplyDeleteSo Oliver...etc.
DeleteDidn’t Oliver make a considerable concession as regards rent to the Grundys when they moved in to Grange Farm,Maryellen?
ReplyDeleteThere were 4adults working but I doubt he charged anything like what he would have been able to charge.
I agree with what you say Carolyn
Eddie is showing some common sense.
Now the other worrying problem.
What is Gavin up to?
He did, but I think the hope was that he would make a further reduction in view of Joe’s wishto die in his old home....
DeleteThe only storyline I would wish for would be for the older residents of Ambridge to have some of the afflictions that the older contributors to this blog suffer from.
ReplyDeleteOr even some of my neighbours for that matter.
MS - knee/ hip surgery - the men's condition Prostate - cataracts, or even a younger person with diabetes.
Not to turn into ' issues ', with helplines, but just to be treated as everyday problems that ordinary people suffer from as they age.
✔️ Yes very valid points Mrs P - the only one from your list I can recall is Jill / cataracts and her saying how scared she was and then - as for most of us how well it went, but spot on for her to voice her initial fear.
DeleteThere was the cataract story with Jill and this must have been encouraging for those awaiting surgery. However, Mrs P, agree that more ailments would be realistic! Just remembered Brian’s epilepsy and he was told at the time he couldn’t drive but it’s all forgotten now as he was out on a tractor after Ed was sacked! Maybe modern drugs have solved his problem!
ReplyDeleteI didn’t like the sound of Philip on the phone.....”just do it”. I now think he’s the Me Big behind Tim.
ReplyDeleteThought Eddie and Clarrie took it well.
I thought the same PtbY.
DeletePhilip Moss is Tims boss.
I was so glad to hear that Susan and Clarrie are on good terms and trying to solve the Ed/Emma problem - though I don’t think booking a table at The Bull is going to do the trick!
ReplyDeleteAlso that Clarrie and Eddie are being so supportive of Ed, even now he’s told them the whole truth. They are going to stand by him and Eddie is trying to get Ed work. But I just hope he doesn’t incriminate himself trying to get rid of the insecticide stored in the pole barn. If only they would tell Harrison what’s been happening and attempt to get Tim banged to rights. I do hope Tom is not just going to slip away and escape justice.
Agree Archerphile, but as far as we know, Ed has only Tims mobile number and this seems to have been deleted or disconnected.
DeleteIt might not be possible to find him.
PTBY - Phillip Moss - that's exactly what I thought. The facade is slipping.... Also he has bought a new camera, large t.v. and possibly more expensive gadgets. If he can't work, he too may have financial problems.
DeleteDoesn’t Tim not eiscaping justice also apply to Ed? I think so.
DeleteStrictly, yes, though his culpability is less than Tim's so presumably sentencing less severe. Enough to make a bad situation infinitely worse however, & we are all involved in his fate & Grundy fortunes generally !
DeleteI have never liked Phillip Moss but I don’t believe that he is Mr Big.
DeleteI think his son,Gavin is Mr Big.
I don’t think Kirsty took to him when she met him.
I do think that Phillip knows what is going on though.
I don’t think that he would have done his dirty work in the village where he has bought a home and would be living on the same estate as one of his “employees “
He suddenly appeared when Lilian was having her bathrooms altered and then quickly became an expert on marriage advising Alastair what to do.
PtbY -I think one of us will be right.
I think he appeared earlier when Shula was Maser of the Hunt and needed to get the kennels repaired. He was concerned about the owls nesting there which put him on the side of the angels!
DeleteGosh, I hope you are wrong about Philip, PtbY & Mrs P, but can see how you got there !
ReplyDeletePutting on my Vera hat and Miss Marple tweed suit I can’t recall hearing anything that connects Tim with Philip Moss. I’m not saying he isn’t Mr Big, he might well be, but we need hard facts to back up and substantiate our claims.đ”️♂️đ”đ»♀️ Didn’t Philip say he had sold his house to buy the new one?
ReplyDeleteEddie’s support in disposing of the evidence in the barn is surely a hint that the situation will end in more misery for the Grundys. We listeners need to gird up our loins and be prepared for more hardship.
Oliver might know how to get hold of Tim, I don't make the connection between him and Philip, though there's definitely something about him being 'close' to his son.
ReplyDeleteI can’t help feeling that people are wrongly conflating (is that a word?) the stories of Tim’s illegal activities with Philip’ building business and his sharp response on the phone last night.
ReplyDeleteWhat real evidence is there that Philip has had dealings with, or even knows, Tim?
Last night’s sharp response might simply have been frustration with an employee who had not finished part of a building job, or had forgotten to order some materials.
In my opinion, all this speculation that Philip is a bad un is completely unjustified so far and he is being unfairly connected with an out and out criminal.
And as for going on to implicate his son Gavin - well really, Lanjan, how could you!
On the other hand I could be wrong, but I have always liked Philip and don’t want to mistrust him.
I'm with you on this, but there is some story/trouble about his son .it was signalled months ago; Kirsty didn't like the guy.
DeleteI am pretty sure that Gavin is involved,Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteWhy else would he have been mentioned last night?
I might see if P tbY will have a private bet on to see which of us is right!
Father or son.?
On the other hand, unlikely as it may seem neither of them might be Mr Big.
Righto...Lanjan. What you betting!!!
ReplyDeleteI’m betting £10 to Alton Cardiac Rehab Group ( who have helped keep Mr A alive after his quadruple heart bypass op 17 yrs ago) that it’s neither of them!
ReplyDeleteOh that’s shamed my bet. I was gonna say, if I’m right, and the you know what hits the fan by meet up time......you owe me a lump of cake Lanjan.
ReplyDeleteWell I’ll still say it in fact.
Dont worry PtbY, I shan’t be able to come to the meet up so it had to be something not involving cake!
DeleteLanjan will have to keep her fingers crossed đ€because she said she doesn't like cooking! đ°
DeleteOh I won’t be baking anything Janice,I will buy P tb Y a slice of cake of her choice at our next meet up - but I feel confident!
DeleteI feel confident too. May the best blogger win!!!!đ
Delete✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️đ
DeleteYer on P tb Y .!
ReplyDeleteEither way Archerphile will be coughing up I think.
Well, I might be wrong .... but at least Alton Cardiac Rehab would be pleased!
DeleteI am sure I had a bet with Maryellen about something I was “sure” about but time passes so quickly it might be one I have already paid up on!
ReplyDeleteThinks đ€.....should we be encouraging betting?!
DeleteI think I was sponsoring your blogging, LanJan, with double the money if it was in verse and the total going to Refuge - and you were donating the same total to a charity of your choice. Whatever it was, I’m sure we paid up!
DeleteIf Phil is Mr Big, the chemicals in the Grundies’ pole barn are rightfully his and
presumably worth something to him......
Anyone who loves Michael Cochrane’s voice will not only be able to hear him in TA tonight (as predicted by Lady R a few days ago) but he is also in this afternoon’s play on Radio 4, an episode of Rumpole of the Bailey.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up for this afternoon Archerphile, I enjoy Rumpole.
DeleteArcherphile......I hardly think a lump of cake is encouraging betting.
ReplyDeleteLost $20 playing roulette in Las Vegas last year, nearly killed me.
Year before I won $66 dollars on a slot machine , no idea how, just pressed start and it did it itself.
The $20 loss has put me off for life.
Goes to prove I’m a tight Yorkshire woman!!
Oh I love a little bet .
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed though if I don’t win.
I do not gamble.
DeleteI do occasionally buy a raffle ticket but never win anything.
I had a boyfriend who was a gambler.
One night he took me to a club and put one hundred pounds in notes into my hand. This was around 1960.
I played the game, can't remember what the game was, but I won.
I do remember the rush of euphoria.
When I told my father the following day about the experience he told me what a mugs game gambling was.
I thought long and hard about how I had felt winning and decided that I would NEVER go down that road again.
I have not done so.
Have to come in on this one and sorry I do read and appreciate everything you all say and feel I've little to add. BUT NOW This whole storyline about Ed and Emma and the house isn't in the real world, in my opinion. It's a story and plausible but, unnecessarily upsetting. Can we not have a decent, hardworking couple - and my goodness they are - coming good without ridiculous 'Deus ex machina' in reverse happening.
ReplyDeleteAND Kirsty deserves happiness after so many failed 'loves of her life' If Phil is not the man she thinks he is. Kirsty - in the real world - would surely not survive emotionallly intact.
HELP this is not Eastenders.
What do you all think? Am I wrong?
In reply, Janet, I found this interesting snippet on the BBC website over the last day or so:
Delete'Why do British soap writers always want to ruin the relationships of our favourite on-screen couples?
New research shows couples in Australian soaps are more likely to stay together whilst British soaps favour doomed relationships. Out of top six most famous soaps around the world, Emmerdale has the least successful marriages at only 32%.'
Thank you Suz, That is a very interesting statistic but the only soap I listen or watch is The Archers and i've listened mainly on, but occasionally off, for 40 years and however upsetting the storyline, it was valid and important - Helen and Rob - Sepsis recently.
ReplyDeleteThere needs to be light and shade, to my mind, in drama and in the Archers so that not too many people are involved in huge, emotional journeys at the same time, as is happening here?
Jim, Freddie, The whole Grundy and Carter Clan and maybe now Kirsty and Phil
Janet, if it’s any consolation, I think Kirsty and Philip are alright. I don’t think the neck strain is going to stop him working forever, and I don’t think he is into anything dodgy.
DeletePlus, I don’t think the SWs would have two stories at the same time about couples breaking up and having their new houses scuppered!
Yes, we have had Roy and Lexi breaking up, Shula and Alistair divorcing, Jim’s problem and now the ongoing Grundy saga, but surely they won’t pour any more cold water on Ambridge for a while ...... or have a plane crash on thĂ© village Ă la Emmerdale!
I am optimistic for the future !đ
I have no argument with you Janet, I agree with what you say, although my experience of life is that difficulties come in clusters.
DeleteClusters around a group of individuals or around a family or a group of friends.
However like most of us on this forum, i do find the scriptwriters laying it on thick with TA, and it has been so for a long time now.
Welcome Janet to joining us as a contributor as well as a reader for however long you have been.
Thank you for your imput . I was there on the original bbc blog and recognise lots of you from there.
ReplyDeleteYou give such insightful posts. xxx
I agree, Janet, it would be too crass to have yet another couple in crisis AND another new build lost. I do think Philip is in some kind of trouble with his business & his son, but that needn't be a cause of strife between him & Kirsty, nor bring about loss of home. If money is tight, maybe some beleagured Grundys could hunker down there for a while, paying some rent ?!
ReplyDeleteWell if I am right and Gavin is the problem then Phillip will tell Kirsty and she will support him
ReplyDeleteand I will get my slice of cake so it will be a win win situation.
Scriptwriters please note!
Oh no, no, no, SWs. Don’t listen to Lanjan......listen to Janet and me! đđđ
DeleteTracy Horrobin
ReplyDeleteBorn to be a barmaid.
Indeed yes ! Quelling hen party viragos, with no blood spilt - some achievement. She'll be an asset to The Bull. Since when has Lilian become so classy ? They'll be rivals at voice projection & cackling...
DeleteThat two-faced Lilian, she wanted to get rid of Oliver, well she can have Tracy instead.
ReplyDeleteI think Oliver's contractors will have to wait till Joe departs and will Emma and Ed go back to living with their respective parents?
I thought Oliver had sold the villa, perhaps the market is unfavourable.
Since when has Pip become such an expert ? Why does Ruth kow tow ? The usual undermining of Josh...
ReplyDeleteWhat a bitty 13 mins. It beggars belief that Susan really thought Ed & Emma would show up.
A quickie - the SWs have decided that Tracy is a real person. She was originally Susan's completely hopeless sister, only talked about in jest and she's been turned into a superb cricketer, and a true help to her niece Emma. I hope, after the last few weeks that the lady finds a bit of cheeriness for herself. She's turned, from an unpleasant character/ugly duckling, into a swan?
ReplyDeleteI really like Tracy.
ReplyDeleteYou get what your hear with her.
Was Oliver thinking of recruiting her for Great Gables.?
Lilian is “common “ I am afraid .
She looks it and acts it.
While I am on the subject I think that the absent j’lene (as Lilian calls her) is “common “as well.
This stupid story line about J’lene being on Tour is unnecessary .
If the actress is unavailable Kenton only needs to say she is in the cellar checking the beer barrels or in the kitchen .
They have got away with Kathy being unheard of for years.
I wonder where Jamie is?
Jamie is probably up a tree somewhere.
Deletesorry not heard this pms prog yet
ReplyDeleteWow isn’t Pip just marvellous juggling all those balls by herself since having Rosie đ says devoted mum Ruth - ooookaaaaay, and I thought it was all down to Great Grandmother, Grandmother/ Grandad & of course Tobeeee and even uncle Rex at times.....đ
ReplyDelete“Hard to get” specialist decorators are now at the drop of a hat able to slot in as and when Eddie & family are able to move, this delay is no doubt so that Joe can die at Grange Farm.
Tracey & Lilian at The Bull together đ±
Yes, as the comedy double act.
DeleteAbsolutely agree Trace and Lil are sisters under the skin - one (the one who kissed and cuddled with Eddie Grundy at the back of the school bus) married money and one didn’t ...
DeleteDon’t mess with our Tracey! I love đ Tracey and hope she gets the job. But what will Kenton and Jolene say about Lillian’s replacement of Oliver.
ReplyDeleteGetting rid of Toby would have been a better decision, he is sneaky and underhand. He did try to blame Oliver for the failure to rotate the drinks fridge. He is also lazy And doesn’t have the dynamic personality of a woman who can handle difficult clients. Tracy is a natural and has the skills to deal with difficult customers.
Sounds like the S/Ws are getting ready to let Joe die, hence the the flooding of Will’s house and the return of Oliver. What a kind man he is in allowing them to stay. Just cancel the specialist decorators! It’s all too simple. Consequences, consequences.
✓✓✓ Thumbs up to all of that, but if Kenton & Jolene can tone Tracey down a tad for regular bar work, her style may not work with all the customers, she'd be a great asset !
DeleteI was surprised to hear the time for entering Peggy’s competition is almost up!
ReplyDeleteI should have thought it would take much longer to come up with a plan, do the necessary research, work out costing etc etc. Months rather than weeks, considering most of the applicants are working farmers at a busy time of year.
Perhaps the famous Ambridge fairy has been helping them!
We should know in a couple of weeks and I'm quite pleased about that, otherwise we'd lose the momentum. Oliver may want Tracy to work at Grey Gables, the receptionist's vacancy is to be filled by the end of month.
DeleteShe will definitely need an in-depth induction, it’s not exactly the same as working in a petrol station or managing drunks.
DeleteMr/ Mrs Double-barrel, nose in the air, might not take to being sledged. Will she get on with Lynda?
How long has Ruth been a đ©đŸ farmer? Thirty plus years and she allows her daughter to treat her like she knows nothing! I personally don’t take to Pip and the actor’s delivery certainly is irritating.
ReplyDeleteI am loving that Tracey is becoming a more sensible Ambridge character.
ReplyDeleteShe lives in a house on The Green.
When she moved in, didn't Neil or another, revamp the property to have a downstairs shower room? This was so that Tracey's and Susan's Dad, could live there.
Is Dad still there - as there has been no mention of him for a long while.
My memory might be playing tricks, as to am I right or (more probably) wrong?
There's every reason to believe that Kate and Jakob will have 'a bit of extra on the side'.
ReplyDeleteOliver obviously didn't think Ed up to the job but I think his vote will go to Tracy, she'd take Lynda down a peg. What will Jazzer do next?
Oliver might take on both Freddie P and Tracey H as a job share to give them both some work experience.
ReplyDeleteTracey could continue her P/T job at the garage, and Freddie if working under sixteen hours a week at GG could still be signing on until he has enough experience to apply for something else.
Although I think he should be working with a small salary at Shulas yard.
Tracy was made redundant and she has children to support and if Oliver wants to help Freddie out, there must be plenty of jobs at GG, still, they'll have to be interviewed first.
DeleteDid I hear correctly?
ReplyDeleteI am sure I heard Oliver say he wanted Lynda do something for”Roy and I “
Indeed he did! When I was at primary school in the 1950s we were taught a simple rule: remove the other person or people from the sentence and then it's obvious whether you should use "I" or "me". What Oliver said then becomes "do something for I" - complete nonsense that's neither grammatical nor colloquial! (Sorry, I'm in grumpy pedant mode.)
DeleteWith you all the way, Lanjan and Ex-Londoner. That's one of my major 'bugbears', and I hear it all the time on the BBC. You'd think they would know better - grrrrrr!
DeleteI thought Oliver’s autocratic management style was appalling. If I were Lynda I would quit before he undermines the business, and makes her job impossible,by insisting on employing unqualified instead of qualified staff.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember Caroline Bone being un qualified for anything and inexperienced other than a stint as a barmaid at The Bull when she started at Grey Gables.
DeleteAnd look where she finished up !
She did have a posh voice though.
Oliver will be telling Lynda that the situation they are in is almost unique and they may have to revert back to having less than two people tidying the towels in order to save money.
ReplyDelete“What a pity”,I hear him say ,“that Kirsty has gone part time .She could of doubled up as one of the Receptionists.
He may possibly mention that none of the other Applicants were as good as Tracy and Freddie but
that in order to please Lynda ,he would inform them that they would be interviewed with her and himself or being the gentleman he is he will probably ask Lynda to kindly write to tell them
(I hope Lynda was sat down whilst all this is going on!
OK: almost unique, revert back, less than two people, could of, himself, sat down (my favourite!) will/would? What else please?
DeleteSeriously ,I am surprised that even if the scriptwriters were never taught correct Grammar at school, the actor playing Oliver surely would have known that what he was saying was grammatically incorrect and that Oliver would never have said that.
ReplyDeleteIf you listen/watch American TV you will soon find out that Americans have no clue when to use I or Me!
DeleteSince the current discussion is about grammar, may I point out that the word revert does not need to be followed by back.
DeleteBy saying' revert back ' you are effectively saying 'back back '.
I can be pedantic too !
Ah, but I think you'll find that Lanjan's 9.51 contribution is a piece of grammatical satire containing several our bĂȘtes noires.
DeleteReading it again, yes she is ! A number of favourites ' could of', adverbs before verbs....
Delete'Revert back' brought to mind other oft used tautologies, which make me laugh & sigh - 'New innovation', 'Over exaggeration' stand out !
'almost unique'
DeleteRe. ‘Revert back’, I grind my every time an air steward(ess) or tour guide says we will ‘return back’ to Heathrow or Southampton or wherever, when that is exactly where we started from.
DeleteDoes anyone remember a radio quiz show of many years ago where the panelists had to correct grammatical errors in a piece read out by the chairman, Roy Plomley? I remember that one of the contestants was the redoubtable Eleanor Summerfield who always pounced on ’tautology’ ......it’s where I learnt what the term meant!
I was sad to hear that Eddie Grundy had decided to not enter Peggy's competition. I would have loved for the committee to have chosen his idea and they had to give him the money, which he could then use to secure a home, for Ed, Emma, and the children, and look down on the rest of the village for awhile. I was very disappointed in the people of Ambridge, in the way they treated Emma, last week. She wasn't begging, she was asking for a loan from people she has known for years. When one begs, they don't offer to pay it back with interest. Peggy might like to attend church but apparently she doesn't listen to the lessons.
ReplyDeleteYes, pity about Eddie not entering, but he has some dangerous chemicals to dispose of. I said earlier that Emma was not crowdfunding for a sick child and I disagree with the idea of *anybody* looking down on others. I always wanted Emma to get her buttercup kitchen but it's not be for the sake of drama.
DeleteI think there are eight grammatical errors in my earlier post!
ReplyDeleteLanjan. Not to worry I understood you and Oliver. I suspect Lynda and Jim are both pedantic when it comes to grammar and language. Personally I’m not bothered as long as I understand the message.
DeleteStasia ,I am not worrying.
DeleteI meant them to be there!
I am pleased that there are other folk who don’t like bad grammar but sadly the teachers nowadays were not taught it so how can they tell their pupils how to write grammatically?
Incidentally,I still have a notebook I had when I first went to Grammar School.
I have written on the front of it “English Grammer” (sic) - so there you go.
At least in the 60 odd years since then, I have learnt to spell the word!
Oh, I do wish Kate would go back to South Africa! I find her harsh voice and agressive manner very unpleasant. And I do wonder exactly where all these treatments are being carried out - in a yurt at the edge of a field or has she managed to have some proper accommodation built.
ReplyDeleteThis attempt to bring Jakob into the story seems a bit desperate to me, and I think a good veterinary story would have been more believable and interesting than Kate trying to get her claws into him.
Archerphile. It’s being set up as a M/B romance. I agree badly ✅ done. Would a new Vet really approach a policeman he doesn’t know and discuss an email in the pub?
DeleteThat's precisely why I think they'll end up having 'a bit of extra' because it's so clumsy.
Deletejarrett. You have a point regarding the word Beg. Emma was asking for large amounts of money which she claimed would be paid back with interest.
ReplyDeleteThere is also a slang/urban definition which refers to individuals who want to be seen to be more than their social status would indicate. Usually individuals who want to identify with celebrities or powerful people.
Are you new to this blog? If so welcome.