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(a cat's) Life in Ambridge
(a cat's) Life in Ambridge
Life outside 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.
Morning all. It’s a Meowing wet day.
ReplyDeleteI’d have one of Hilda’s kittens 🐱, but hope it doesn’t have her murderous behaviour.
*** Gruesome countryside cat story alert - those of a sensitive nature may find parts of this story upsetting ***
ReplyDeleteMy best friend's Mum (who is in her 90's now) remembers a government campaign when she was around 7 or 8 years old all about rabies and what to do if you suspected an animal was infected. Playing in a field she found a litter of kittens, some of whom had "foam" around their mouths - doing what she thought was her patriotic duty, she scooped them up, took them home and duly squashed them all into a large glass jar which she then filled with water and screwed the lid on! Of course, she realized at a later age that the poor little things had obviously just been suckling from their mother minutes before.... Not a good memory to have I would imagine!
Gruesome indeed Gary. These comments about killing kittens brought back an unhappy memory for me. When young I came across my dad about to drown some farm kittens in a bucket of water and I shouted at my beloved father in shock and ran away to my Gran's in the next village (all of half a mile away!). After that all the female cats were gathered up and spayed at the vets.
DeleteThat picture at the top is amusing.
DeleteThis will be the third time I have tried to post this - my efforts keep disappearing!
ReplyDeleteCalling all Hampshire Bloggers.
As you know, I belong to a Facebook group called Ambridge Addicts and we have recently realised that a few of us live reasonably near to each other in Hampshire.
Several members say they are the only Archers fans amongst their family and friends and would love the chance to meet up for coffee and an Archers chinwag.
So we are planning to meet in Winchester in the New Year to do just that - exact date and location to be decided after Christmas.
I wondered if any local bloggers would be interested in joining us - or indeed anybody who would like a day out in our beautiful City to include coffee and an Archers chat?
I completely understand if you prefer to keep the two groups separate, but it occurred to me that we might recruit one or two more bloggers as I don’t think the FB folk know we even exist!
Anyway I’m just posting the idea but I shall be incommunicado for 2 weeks from tomorrow, so will see what you all think when I return at the beginning of December
This old cliche twice over, she didn't marry him for his looks, plenty of money though...
ReplyDeleteSorry Basia, are you talking about Nigel?
ReplyDeleteI assume you're continuing your post about Elizabeth from yesterday:-)
ReplyDeleteNo one ever said Nigel was ugly.
I hope Anisha is happy, the wedding was to advance Chris's career.
To continue on the cat theme. A young woman I know took in six kittens from a charity for a month, to be distributed later. She has two small children and a large sheep dog which took no interest apart from sniffing them over.
Oh right,I had forgotten about Anisha ,Basia.and couldn’t think who else it could be although as you say Nigel wasn’t ugly.
ReplyDeleteYes I did mention Nigel in the previous blog.
Spicycushion - I clearly didn’t explain my drowning kittens story very well. Given my informant’s age this happened In the nineteenth century when children were an i porta t part of the farm and domestic workforce and expected to do the jobs suited to their ability. Drowning kittens at birth ( presumably in a bucket) doesn’t take much skill or strength so. a little girl was able to do it. My informant was totally matter of fact about his mother’s case but didn’t imply that it was common practice to give this job to the smallest girl in the family, or that it wasn’t, come to that!
ReplyDeleteRight thanks . Yes that would fit. Certainly then there was not the sentimentality around animals! 🙂
DeleteMy cat came from a litter of many and I saw them all living in a small flat, they seemed happy and toilet trained.
ReplyDeleteThis is my second attempt to illustrate humane practices.
As Spicycushion said many things seen on farms in our childhoods were just accepted and like her I don't like to revisit it now even if it still goes on, not in Ambridge anyway.
Jill and Leonard were sat up drinking hot chocolate.
ReplyDeleteLilian misses Joe sat at the Bull.
Mia: I'm good.
Is anyone else irritated by this or am I pernickety?
Me, I doesn't see none problem!
DeleteAre we back with Mills and Boon?
ReplyDeleteWhat’s the betting that Big Mouth Freddie tells Johnnie what Lily saw - or Lily does.?
Both should keep out of it.
The most that Lily could do would be to tell Bella that she saw her kissing or whatever with someone.
The photo should be deleted.
As for David .
How pathetic
When Leonard tells Jill that her eyes are like sapphires after he had whipped off her spectacles having taken off the headscarf she has tied round her hair to stop bits of hair getting into the flapjack mixture and after Jill shakes her pepper and salt locks and gazes into Leonard’s eyes and he tells her that he has never felt that way before I am definitely going to stop listening to the programme.
You've missed your calling Lanjan😄😄😄
DeleteOh come on David!!!
ReplyDeleteBy the way you’re children feel just the same way about you and Ruth you know (“mum & dad
still shall we say sharing any type of physical affection - at their age!”)
I thought originally he was thinking of his dad being replaced, but no it was the inheritance side of it I believe.
Why would it affect anything they both own properties both have money all would stay the same and go to their own families.
This has just been the case with a couple we know the husband has recently died and it has been as I have just described.
Does Johnny milk at BF if so hence David saying milk from a certain animal must not go with the rest. J will be told about Bella and mess up in his distress 🤔
Basia 7. 34
ReplyDeleteNo, you are not being pernickity! Those instances of bad vocal grammar irritated me too. I had to correct a letter my husband the other day when he wrote about somebody being sat next to somebody else . I said he should have written ‘was sitting next to’
And I’m afraid my granddaughter Rosie always replies ‘I’m good’ when asked how she is. I’m afraid it seems to be a trend amongst the young these days.
Poor Johnnie. I agree that Lily should have a quiet word with Bella who can then decide what to do if anything. Yes David is being pathetic. Shouldn't he just be happy and grateful that his Mum is so well looked after.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn’t Leonard Berry take Jill back to his place? Then he could give her 24 hour care without getting in Brookfield’s hair - and mine!
ReplyDeleteSlightly off topic but concurring in the main with the 'bad' grammar comments my main beef is
ReplyDelete" Can I get a latte coffee please?"
Also mispronunciation of 'harrASSment,' and 'deCADE!'
I don't think there would be an issue with David's inheritance as Brookfield is not 'his' but a limited company shared, by all four children of Phil and Jill and I think Jill has a nominal number of shares too but not sure of that (?)
No, I think David is just being a pain.
Due to Johnnie's gushing declaration of love for Bella it's guaranteed that it will all go pear-shaped!
Spicy, I totally agree with your hatred of ‘Can I get a.......’, and would also add the ubiquitous ‘So.....’ at the beginning of every, sentence, especially by experts answering questions on the Today programme!
DeleteAs for Leonard and David. I cannot understand Maryellen’s antipathy to Leonard.
If I were in Jill’s position I should be delighted to have made such a kind, helpful and caring friend at that time of my life, especially if there were a chance of him relieving me of some of the responsibility of cooking, cleaning and babysitting that my family seemed to expect from me. The sooner he suggested we move in together, married or otherwise, the better I should like it.
David is simply jealous of his mother’s new friendship, because he has been used to her total dedication to caring for everyone at Brookfield for such a long time, and Leonard is distracting her. His attitude is ridiculous, he should be very pleased that Jill has a new interest in her life, not make snide remarks about it. Would he prefer her to die in harness, chained to the Aga, or for her to enjoy her declining years with a caring friend who can bring some fun back into her life? David is, in my opinion, being very selfish.
Now to get on with the packing! Cheerio everyone, will be in touch again in a fortnight!
He bleats (‘Bleatin’ Len’ Berry, I privately call him). His friendship and care of Jill, seems to involve a lot of free meals at Brookfield and use of their resources. (Is he currently cooking and doing the laundry there just for the two of themor the whole family?). He is not entirely truthful.
DeleteMy own son's attitude is quite the reverse: he is keen for me to 'move on' and in the fullness of time, be happy with someone else, but he seems to think I must be lonely, which I'm not. I have been left with a house much in need of repair and refurbishment and have also needed to embrace a vertiginously steep learning curve in gardening skills in which, much to my surprise, I am finding satisfaction and enjoyment. Anyway, there are pension issues involved here and, like me, it might not be in Jill's financial interests to enter into new domestic arrangements - she might have too much of her late husband's careful provision to lose!
DeleteGood point,Maryellen, 8;04am.
ReplyDeletePretty obvious really.
Surely Jill has money of her own.
Didn’t she give Kenton a few thousand pounds so that he could pay David back?
If Jill does have some money and they do get married and she dies before him without making a new Will ,the money all goes to Leonard.
I think that is what David is worried about.
His mother’s happiness doesn’t come into it.
I wonder if Jill ever visits her sister in law in The Laurels ?
After all that is where she and Leonard met .
Didn’t he go there after his wife died to help out or something?
I am irritated by David's attitude as well but can see his point. It's not about the money, he is uncomfortable with their intimacy under his roof, helping her with the buttons and you know etc. Besides, as Elizabeth said he feels he can't sprawl on the sofa in his own living room. As Maryellen said the best solution is for them to live together but at their age it takes time and I think it's building up to that.
ReplyDeleteLily is now behaving like a 19 yr old, more interested in people her own age.
ReplyDeleteShe will soon find Russ’s pathetic Grovelling with declarations of all he has done and undying love boring .
She didn’t even eat his FRITTATA. Anyone else would have called it an omelette with bits of veg.
Supermarkets call that a frittata.
DeleteTherefore a glorified omelette but always better with some Italian thrown in.
DeleteSpanish?
DeletePerhaps as well, but definitely Italian and since I've looked it up it also means to make a mess of things.
DeleteOh,you mean the old English proverb, you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs!
Delete:-)
DeleteReference to Grammar.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I agree with what has been said, this is unfortunately how language evolves .
Maryellen, I find Leonard a bit of a fuddy-duddy but at Jill's age, which I hope I won't reach, it might seem otherwise. I disagree that he's taking advantage of Brookfield, he's there because that's where the action is. He owned up to his deceit.
ReplyDeleteWell, I suppose a farm would be a natural homegor a bleater!
DeleteIf they set up home together, I don't think it'll be at Brookfield, so he'd better bleat on while it lasts.
DeleteSarnia, you have a point, I know a widowed lady who is now trying to sort out the financial side of things with her new long-term partner. I still don't think it's about the money, both Jill and Leonard are quite old fashioned, as some suggested the best solution would be for Carol to vacate Glebe cottage and Jill would feel more comfortable to receive Leonard there.
ReplyDeleteThat as well!
DeleteSo in a choice between old friend and new lover, Jill chooses lover? Nice!
DeleteContinuing with the sex and money theme, there's been a lot of it lately. Anisha not marrying for his looks, but plenty of money. Kate telling Tony that he was rather friendly with Joy and Russ saying the same about Lily and Johnny. David concerned about Leonard helping Jill with her clothes: doing up buttons and things... Just life.
ReplyDeletePretty amused by David's prudish take on the Jill/Leonard dynamic. Time the pair set up home together, where they can do up each other's buttons, indeed take their relationship to whatever level suits them both, in private ! David isn't bothered about inheritance etc., far as I can see, just jealous & filially disapproving ( plus wanting to chill.out in his own home, after a hard day's labour on the farm. Elizabeth understood that.)
ReplyDeleteAlso vastly amused by the way repellent Russ has become redundant at LL - no one had any time for him, poor darling, even Elizabeth ! Lily has clearly had enough of his self absorbtion, fancy omelettes & divorce, though she hasn't fully acknwledged it internally yet. Just a natter of time & she'll dump him.
David is acting like a spoilt brat and I still think that a lot of it is to do with money.
ReplyDeleteIf he didn’t want Jill to use Brookfield as her home then he shouldn’t have invited her to live there in the first place.
I still think it is a mistake.
In many cases 3generations in one house does not work out-4 if you count Rosie who although she doesn’t live there is there often enough to leave her toys around .
Were I Jill,I would prefer to live alone in my cottage -or with Leonard - having suggested to Carole that since she is neither use nor ornament she might as well go back to wherever she was living before.she arrived on Jill’s doorstep.
Perhaps she could join Auntie Chris at The Laurels .
Nobody else seems to visit her now.
What on earth is the woman doing in Ambridge now anyway?
Lily needs to concentrate on Russ and her own relationship, without causing problems for Johnny + Bella. There could be a simple explanation, as to who the shadowy bloke with Bella, in the photo is. Social media has a lot to answer for...
ReplyDeletePoor old Carol ! I'd be happy for her to stay where she is, as she chose to return to Ambridge, & seems to be comfortable there. There's no SL for her at the moment, but she might crop up in future.
ReplyDeleteJill & Leonard are capable of sorting out their living arrangements, surely. She could move in with him, or he could sell up & they could buy afresh - hey, maybe a Beechwood prperty, which would go down like a lead balloon with close & extended family, going by recent comments from some of them ! Can't wait for the fall out...
Poor old Carole ?
ReplyDeleteNo way Carolyn.
We haven’t heard from her for ages.
She is neither use nor ornament although possibly paying rent to Jill.
I was never a member of Jill’s Fan Club but she needs to get out of Brookfield.let Ruth do her own cooking and let Pip do her own childminding..
Re David.
ReplyDeleteI personally think it's a natural reaction in children no matter what age they are. I think few of us would want to think of our parents as sexual human beings..and I think our children think the same of us. We came into the world through ..divine intervention...under the gooseberry bush.. cabbage patch but God forbid through the old fashioned way. I think they call it the Madonna complex or syndrome. .or something like that.
Jill made her feelings very clear tonighf ! Am I imagining it, or was Leonard just the teeniest bit reserved ? Perhaps he just felt overwhelmed ..
ReplyDeleteI think Jill is keener to move forward with their relationship than Leonard, then again he was widowed more recently.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Tony rescued Peggy from an impostor but the knight in shining armour to Joy, I didn't like the sound of that.
I think Poppy is too young for a bereavement group but let them do something together.
No child is too young to benefit from a specially trained, child bereavement counsellor. The child just only knows that they are talking to some-one nice, about their Mum or Dad. These services are specialised and are few and far. This is why I support CIN, who helps fund this type of project, along with children hospices, which get no government funding.
DeleteWell, I reckon Tony was a knight in shining armour to both Peggy & Joy tonight, & Mia is Will's fairy godmother. Why do you think she's too young to attend a bereavement group, Basia ? Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but did form the impression that it ranged the age groups, children included.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but unlike Miriam, I know nothing about it, some like to share, some don't. Perhaps it's for her, as I said, let them do something together as a family.
Deletecarolyn 7.37.
ReplyDeleteI wondered whether Leonard was a little hesitant because his marriage and family life have not been as fulfilling as Jill's. He doesn't seem to talk about it much. Just a thought!
Wow Jill......subtle as a brick!
ReplyDeleteDo we predict a little fling between the two MG enthusiasts, perhaps February time when Tony is finally sick of “only soup” for lunch and fancy’s something that he can get his teeth into a bit more!!! Nudge nudge, wink wink😉🤭🤣
Not ' fed up of' then, PtbY, like what it says on the BBC Archers Catchup?
DeleteI was expecting Jill to propose to Leonard tonight. She was so obvious and maybe Leonard isn't so sure. He does fuss around her though so I am ready for them to move in together somewhere and for us to hear a bit less of them.
ReplyDeleteOn the grammar topic: people now seem to say 'at the minute' instead of 'at the moment'. Have also noticed the 'so' which comes before people speak.
Why on earth would either Mia or Poppy need bereavement counselling?
ReplyDeleteMia is coping extremely well and Poppy has her big sister to help her should she need help.
I agree with Burnham Beeches 8:10 pm last night and I also I wonder if Leonard’s home and Income are rather more modest than he has led Jill to believe .
ReplyDeleteFirst there was Kate saying that Tony put a spring in Joy's step, now he's tinkering with her Madge and saying that thanks to her he managed to save Peggy from an impostor. I don't like the sound of any of it, give me soup for lunch any time.
ReplyDeleteLanjan, I agree about counselling. I know 3/4 groups of people who lost parents, sometimes both and they were there for each other. Counsellors are people and make assumptions, I'd loathe anyone to make assumptions about mine. I also knew a little girl who lost both her parents in a close succession, perhaps it would have benefited her.
ReplyDeleteWas it wise for Nic to be decorating and flicking paint around when pregnant?
An episode of reminiscing about all our yesterdays.
ReplyDeleteLanjan 8.32am. . Mia went back to live with her father in stressful circumstances, Will wasn’t coping and she wasn’t able to grieve as she had assumed the role of caring for him and Poppy.
It sounds like the bereavement group has given her time and space to accept the loss of her mother.
These charitable groups offer, as Miriam says, specialist psychological support when families are experiencing emotional trauma due to the loss of a parent. They enable children to share, without feeling under pressure to always be Okay for the surviving parent, their feelings of loss. Mia has evidently benefited from going to a group and is rightly encouraging Will to do the same for Poppy.
I was, some years ago involved with such a group called Winstons Wish, and the highly trained workers used a broad range of techniques to support the children.
Is Leonard too good to be true? I don’t t think Jill was offering a proposal of marriage.
I thought I might be alone in what I think about Counselling and so was pleased to read your comment, Basia 9:43am
ReplyDeleteI am obviously not as knowledgable as Stasia on the subject and agree with the idea that it is good for children who have been bereaved, to be able get together ( much like Young Carers who are able to meet up in order that they can have a Break from looking after sick parents)
However,I do think we have become a Nanny State .
Whenever a dreadful tragedy happens, loads of Counsellors are drafted in.
Why?
Some people may want to talk ,others may not .
I am told that the best thing to do is to be there to listen and I suspect that many ufolk, me included would know who I would want to be there at a time like that.
It would be a friend who knows me and would know when to stay silent and when to talk.
I think that Emma was such a person for Mia .
I trust that there would be no pressure put on any child to have counselling.
LanJan, I think you would find that the childrens bereavement counselling is far removed from that of an adults and possibly your perception of how it operates.
DeleteIt is much less formal, groups, art , play all play their part, with highly skilled and trained staff.
Children are very good at hiding their feelings, especially in circumstances like Mias, often surfacing years later.
Whilst I accept your point about the nanny state, I think it is a matter of scale.
Thanks Cowgirl
ReplyDeleteIn that case I think it is a good idea.
I don’t like the idea of children sitting down and talking about their feelings unless they really want to but interacting with other children who may be in the same position as they are, is I think a great idea as I said before.
I know that happens with Young Carers.
I have a friend whose grandson benefited greatly from attending a 'bereavement activity camp' after his father unexpectedly died at a young age (35). The children had all suffered the loss of either a parent or sibling. Sometimes it can be hugely beneficial to be with people who have been 'in the same boat' as oneself. The grandson enjoyed himself and has asked to go again.
ReplyDeleteIt's the Children in Need Week, so it was inserted in.
ReplyDeleteNow with Joe's passing Nic's secret seems to be buried with both of them.
William and Ed know of course, but I hope the children won't find out.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteEddie and Emma also know, maybe Clarrie too if Eddie told her
DeleteYes, I forgot that William blurted it out in front of them.
DeleteTo answer. LanJan’s earlier question about what on earth Carol Tregorran is still doing in Ambridge - Ambridge has been Carol’s home since 1954, which is several years longer than Jill and a lot longer than some other Ambridge residents we do or don’t hear about - Lewis Carmichael for instance who also has a home in Ambridge which could suddenly be vacated if Jill wanted to move out of Brookfield but keep her only source of income apart from interest on invested money at today’s low rates. I would very much prefer Jill and Mr Berry to move outside the enclave, which would give the team the opportunity to ‘retire’ Jill whose voice is no longer up to it.
ReplyDeletePS. Jill. also has her State Pension of course and possibly a private one. If Alice moves out, Jill can move in there until The Laurelsbecons.
Delete......but you haven’t answered my question Maryellen?
ReplyDeleteWhat is Carole actually doing ?
Does she still enter her chutney in the Flower and Produce Show?
Does she still discuss with Bert the best way to tend the roses?
Did you not once say that if we don’t hear it then it isn’t happening .
We haven’t heard from Carole for ages.
She must have a property elsewhere.
She seemed to turn up for a short Break years ago and then stay on indefinitely.
If we are not going to hear her or even hear about her,I cannot see the point in her staying on.
As you say it is much like Lewis who hasn’t been heard of for so long that the present script writers probably don’t know who he is.
Also ,Maryellen,I can’t see what you have got against Leonard
ReplyDeleteThe storyline is pleasant
I want it to develop into something more.
What makes you think he lives in Ambridge?
Surely Jill would have seen him about the village before they met up at The Laurels if he had lived there.
He would have been able to drive home the other evening or even walk had he lived in Ambridge.
I didn’t say he lived in Ambridge - he lives just outside the enclave where I sincerely hope he will take Jill to spend their twilight years happily together in radio silence until The Laurels clams them.
DeleteAs for Carole, whose Ambridge roots go deeper than Jill’s and many others, she can illustrate her existence there by the references to her outings with Jill, for example, both before and since Bleating Berry’s arrival on the scene. We have absolutely no evidence that she owns a property elsewhere. I like her as a character far more than BB, who, asI explained earlier, I find wearisome ad faintly questionabe. But that’s Jill’s lookout. I understand why Brookfield might find his presence increasingly intrusive
Leonard doesn’t live in Ambridge, in an episode sometime back he gave Jill a tour of his house which is somewhere in a larger town. Felphersham? They met at the Laurels residential care home where his wife died, and Christine stills lives.
ReplyDeleteShe is lonely, (despite living with, and being a skivvy for her family) he is also lonely.
What is more interesting is that he has become Jill’s carer, and now chief cook and bottle washer for the rest of the family.
I agree Stasia but it's also about having something in common with someone of your own generation. That's something you can't do with children, no matter how old they are.
DeleteI think back to last month when we were sharing our memories of primary school..I loved it, it virtually lifted my heart reliving those memories...and I think Jill feels the same with Leonard.
Long may it continue for them in their twighlight years.
Oops..twilight
DeleteI must say, I really enjoyed this morning's omnibus!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maryellen that it looks as if the Leonard story is to facilitate 'Jill's' retirement. I think it would be the actor's choice, made because of her visual impairment, possibly age as well, nothing to do with her voice. She's spoken about the macular degeneration( think that's what it is?), making reading script from normal size font impossible, so, though given pages of large print, she often has to learn her lines & cues. Stress one doesn't need at her age, or, indeed, at any age !
ReplyDeleteLike others, I used to find her vocal delivery off putting - that alarming, soaring pitch which makes her sound permanently surprised, but nowadays, I just see it as an aspect of the Jill character, & don't mind.
The relationship with Leonard will enable her to move in with him or the pair to buy a place together. Then she will be referred to by family & friends but needn't actually be heard again. A graceful & natural retirement achieved ! The Leonard actor is quite busy, isn't he, so he could have been hired on a relatively short term contract in order to bring about the happy ending ...
That is a lovely outcome you have painted carolyn, and I hope it comes true for Jill and Leonard. I can’t imagine how they can continue, at the age of nearly 90yrs, being general dogsbody to six adults and a child. I include Toby Borebrother as he seems to moved into Rickyard permanently.
DeleteLeonard could sell his house and he and Jill buy a retirement flat in The Laurels complex.
My theory is that the actor has a hearing impairment, not surprised given the sheer prevalence of age related hearin loss, and this makes it difficult for her to pitch her voice to meet the particular demands of reading radio-style dialogue in a recording studio. It would explain why.listeners have described Jill’s voice and intonation as sounding unnatural in the past two or three years.
DeleteSorry Maryellen, you were talking about Lewis not Leonard as living in Ambridge .
ReplyDeleteHowever to return to Carole.......
I didn’t realise that she had lived inAmbridge since 1954 .
I thought she used to live in Ambridge, went away and then returned a few years ago when for whatever reason Jill decided to let her rent her cottage.
I had never heard of Carole’s daughter who turned up to defend Helen but would never have won the Case had Eileen Atkins not been on the jury and amazingly managed to persuade everyone that Helen was not guilty.
(Good actress that Dame!)
Surely Carole’s daughter would have been heard of if she was growing up in Ambridge.
I do not see why we have to look for any reason for the introduction of Leonard.
It may well be more difficult for the actress playing Jill because of her eyesight but the actor playing Jazzer is blind. Dame Dench has macular degeneration .
They seem to cope very well.
If “Jill” can read large print, she doesn’t actually need to learn her lines.
If the actress wants to leave the programme but doesn’t want to be written out permanently she could as you suggest Carolyn, move in with Leonard and be referred to from time to time by the family.
I hope this doesn’t happen.
I find this a heart warming story.
I like Leonard .
There are very few characters I really take to in The Archers and he is one of them.
I misunderstood, LanJan, but the opinion here when Lewis was discussed a few blogs ago was that he was still at Lower Loxley. We certainly haven’t heard to the contrary. When he retired from the and Russ was appointed to the job with the salary and accommodation that went with it, Russ may have had his accommodation in the main house in lieu - in which case Lewis may still be living in the flat or cottage that went with the job. If not, it was felt that Lower Loxley was the sort of place that would have other living space available.
DeleteCarole’s entry on the Characters page explains that she came back to Ambridge where she had lived longer than anywhere else in her life and where her husband is buried - seems good enough reason to me! Renting Globe Cottage from Jill and keeping the garden etc in good trim is doing them both a favour.
Maryellen(2.42pm), hearing impairment in the older person is indeed widespread - I am one of those people ( like mother & maternal grandmother before me), but this does not lead to vocal peculiarities, though it does in the born deaf, or those who become profoundly deaf at an early age. The forebears mentioned spoke as they'd always done & so do I - there's plenty of family & friends who'd make no bones about telling me if I didn't !
ReplyDelete'Jill' did say in some interview that rather than manipulate unwieldy sheets of script in large font, she tended to learn her lines, pretty much.
Lanjan(2.36pm), I think Judy Dench doesn't do radio drama often, so she has to learn lines, & the totally blind have found ways through their lives to cope in the sighted world - it's different becoming sensorily limited in one way or another in the later years.
I'm with you in not wishing to say goodbye to Leonard, or Jill, cone to that, as it's such a satisfactory outcome for them & it's so pleasant to listen to a couple who get on with each other so well & are mutually supportive. Few of them in Ambridge !
What you say about the effect of deafness on the voice for both prelingual, profound deafness and acquired heating loss is true. In the case of the latter, , it may lead to speaking too loudly or quietly but not often to a significant change in intonation,because auditory memory steps in. But that applies to “normal” speaking circumstances. My point is that reading/repeating a full script of choppy, episodic dialogue is not normal speaking circumstances. You have to be able launch into what could be an emotionally charged couple of lines from standing (as it were), which means pitching your voice appropriately on the first syllable and maintaining it. Jill is not doing that. Any other theories why not? Incidentally I heard the actor speaking ‘normally’ in a radio interview and the problem was not nearly so noticeable.
DeleteStasia, like your idea of the pair buying a retirement flat in the Laurels. It would be company for Chris as well !
ReplyDeleteI thought that The Laurels was an Old Peoples Home not a Retirement Complex like the McCarthy Stone places one reads about.
ReplyDeleteI also thought but I may have imagined it ,that Leonard is younger than Jill.
I don’t want them to go there.
Let them get a nice little bungalow and live among younger people .
Many years ago I visited a new estate in Bracknell ,Berkshire where young friends of my age had just rented a Council House.
The Council had interspersed family houses with bungalows for older people rather than have property for pensioners all in the same area.
An excellent idea in my opinion.
The best way for an older person to stay and feel young is to have some friends who are not themselves pensioners.
I can vouch for that.
My theory is that 'Jill's' delivery is caused by anxiety stemming from her macular degeneration when she has to read her lines. Perhaps she's directed that way. As Maryellen says, she does sound 'normal' outside the Archers, also I thought that her delivery was quite even and calm when talking to Leonard in last Friday's episode.
ReplyDeleteRemember. Ryan Kelly aka Jazzer, is totally blind.
ReplyDeleteHe learns his lines by heart and does a wonderful job in TA
Seems like Phoebe has learnt something at Oxford, calling in favours from family is certainly one way of achieving your goal.
ReplyDeleteI feel for David, dealing with parents changing relationships is always tricky, my parents divorced when I was in my teens, and they were both in late 40s. They both entered new relationships and it was never completely easy, especially at the beginning.
Trust for David and Leonard to have this conversation with his trousers down, why does he need his consent, he and Jill are both consenting adults, besides, he sounds as if Jill was forcing his hand. Then there's another relationship on the brink of a disaster, I agree, best not to interfere but then you're damned anyway, remember Ian blaming Helen for not alerting him about Charlie.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, Phoebe has yet to learn that her grandfather doesn’t have much clout at BL these days!
ReplyDeleteWell I never thought I would say it but -well done Pip.
ReplyDeleteKPNuts,It must have been hard for you as a teenager when your parents divorced but In the case of Jill and that of Leonard there was no divorce involved and David is 60 years old.
On the other hand Leonard didn’t exactly sound that enthusiastic.
I think he feels as if since Jill expects it ,he must go through with it.
As for Phoebe ,what an absolute **** she is.
How did she expect Johnnie to react.?
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DeleteWhen Johnny cools down, I expect he will appreciate that Lily chose the lesser of two evils - better he learns about Bella now and in this way than later and probably in more painful circumstances. Imogen shared the photo and others may have drawn the same conclusions. He will come to thank Lily for putting him in the picture and apologise for badmouthing her.
DeleteTake your point, KPnuts, very unsettling in your teens, but David is a grandfather, & one would hope might have a different perspective on his widowed mother's situation, & why did Leonard and have to be so awkward & apologetic ? It was like a bad sitcom tonight, him stammering away with his muddy trousers down, David emarrassed & at a loss, confiding in his daughter who is notable emotionally gormless, for goodness sake !
ReplyDeleteIt's not even clear whether Leonard actually wants to marry Jill instead of surmising what Jill wants, he'd do better to reflect on what he wants from the relationship.
As for Pheobe, irritating enough in her own way, she is trying to find a solution to getting the rewilding project off the ground, & at the same time, herding squirrels : Mr--give-up-at-first-hurdle Rex, & flakey Pip, always distracted by her oh so multi tasking life.
Who'd have thought it, Johnny handing out some home truths to Lily ?!
ReplyDeleteYay! Yes indeed Carolyn 🤗👏🏻🤗👏🏻
DeleteJohnny spoke the truth. There is no lesser of two evils. I know a son to whom the father confessed 'the evil' but he didn't alert his mother thinking she'd find out. She did and didn't blame him.
ReplyDeleteThe only "honourable" (hm) way *in my opinion* would have been to approach Bella, I didn't like Lily saying that she might have done it before.
But Basia, you yourself quoted Ian’s reaction Helen didn’t choose the lesser of the two evils and left him in the dark about Adam and Charlie. Knowing other people knew an intimate detail about your life which you didn’t know is one of the most wounding things. Ian accused Helen of betraying their friendship by putting him in that position, and cut off all communication.
DeleteWhat has Phoebe been doing since coming down from Oxford with her brilliant degree? Looks like it has taken her four months to arrive at the perfect solution to rewilding, based on the theory of Occam’s Razor. That is, the simplest way forward is to ask someone to pull strings. What Occam was also suggesting was that a simple hypothesis was more easily testable.
ReplyDeleteWill BL under the chairmanship of M. Gibson just hand over 300 acres to to Brian? Their business relationship was fraught with difficulty, and I can’t see MG handing over a large quantity of land to the three stooges.
Why hasn’t ‘My Brain is too big for my girly voice’, got a proper job or gone to be an intern to some
MP.
Bella could easily claim that it isn’t her in the picture, and she doesn’t know whose hand 🖐 and 👄 lips are pressing against her fragile body. After she left The Bull she went to Borchester for a pizza so it can’t possibly be her.
ReplyDeleteIt’s all fake news. The picture has been doctored and it’s Imogen’s fault. Blame social media.
Yes, Maryellen, but I also said that you're damned anyway, whether you do or don't tell and however things pan out later the messenger of bad news bears the brunt. Kathy didn't know about Jolene but realised that others knew before her. Debbie asked Elizabeth about Siobhan and then confronted Brian, forcing him to confess to Jennifer. I cannot imagine that Ian in heat of the moment would have been grateful to Helen and it was easy to blame her afterwards. Perhaps Johnny will be grateful to Lily, time will show.
ReplyDeleteI guess Lily was thinking what was likely to be best for Johnny, to be told or left to find out, rather than what was likely to be best for their friendship and her.
DeleteNo way should the interfering Lily have said anything to Johnnie.
ReplyDeleteThe lesser of two evils,Maryellen.
That was certainly the greater of the two if the other one was not to do anything .
It was also the greater of the two if (and I think this is what she should have done) she had told Bella what she saw and left it at that.
She should not threaten her with telling Johnnie .
Surely at the party of Johnnie’s great grandmother where his relatives would be attending she would not have been acting inappropriately.
You would rather Bella & Co were sniggering behind Johnny’s back while she played him along?
DeleteStasia,9:56 am ,that was brilliant.
ReplyDeleteVery topical.
Not sure what you mean ,Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie has been”going out with ” Bella for a while now.
Surely he would have had some form of indication if she had been cooling off.
She sent flowers to Peggy.
Would she have done that if she were two timing Johnnie?
Would she have made a show of herself on purpose at The Bull?
Who are the “and co.” ?
I grant you that things do mot look good but she should be given the opportunity to speak to Johnnie if she does want to end things with him.
I repeat .
Lily had no right to interfere.
She should never have shown him the photograph.
I am glad Johnnie told her what he thought.
As for her brother, he is just as bad -no he is even worse.
A right sneak.
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DeleteLanJan - you think Lily was wrong to show Johnny the photo from those Imogen shared on Facebook, I think she was right, even though it meant putting herself first in the firing line when he let fly. Let’s leave it there.
DeleteLanjan, just a minor point, the photograph was taken by Imogen, when Freddie's party moved to the Bull, but Johnny was left drunk and fell asleep at the Stables, that's how I remember it.
ReplyDeleteAh yes,Basia.
ReplyDeleteI got the wrong party.
Of course it was Freddie’s party.
Who is sneaky Imogen or was she just taking photos of everybody?
However,Bella would have expected Johnnie to be there so unless the bloke in question was someone she didn’t really know and was a chance encounter ,Bella would hardly have suggested he should come to the party.
If she is playing fast and loose with Johnnie then he is well shot of her.
Bella the barmaid sounds more like a rather plump middle aged woman with her sleeves rolled up ready to change the barrels in the cellar rather than a young woman.
I presume she was christened Isabella.but possibly not.
I suppose Isa would sound like a tax free way of saving money.and not a name a young woman would want to have.
I have gone right off her anyway unless she comes up with a reasonable or even unreasonable explanation like Stasia suggested earlier
Like a identical twin sister? 🙂
DeleteSo Lil didn't 'learn ethics' ( at University or anywhere else). No surprise there.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bitty13 mins. Couldn't much sense of anything else that went on, let alone summon up any interest.
Has Alf made away with something in his bag?
ReplyDeleteHow could Pat stand listening to Joy praising Tony? Hands off.
Good for Brian, telling Phoebe to grow up.
With you there,Carolyn.7:22pm.
ReplyDeleteI used to get mixed up between her and Lily but this evening the “gifted “ Phoebe sounded ,to me ,
younger than Lily.
I bet Justin comes up with some land from somewhere.
I think Joy is calming down.
I don’t think shewould be interested in Tony apart from someone to talk to or talk at.
She is basically a lonely woman .
Hope Alf stays away for good.
To clarify : when I wrote 'Lil', 7.22, the ref. was to Lilian, who had no problem with pulling strings for Pheobe !
DeleteCan't get worked up about this Bella, from whom we've heard nothing. In fact, that may be the point, the storyline being about Johnny's first, doomed, experience of falling in love, what effect it has on him, how he copes.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that could turn out to be completely wrong, the girl could conceivably be innocent, as some surmise.
Mainly, I was glad that it was Johnny, probably the most tolerant, kind & considerate person in Ambridge who called out Lily on her behaviour, the only character who has !
If I were Eddie I’d be doing a reccie round grange farm and outbuildings straight away. Bet Alf has gone with something. Good riddance to him though.
ReplyDeleteJoy is on the prowl.....watch out Tony. They’ll be bonding under a bonnet soon.
Surprised those goats could still move about and that they haven’t exploded.....don’t think Pat has milked em in months!🤔🐐🥛
Oh P tbY.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you are wrong.
Joy is just lonely.
We have had enough of extra marital flings-haven’t we?
🤞 Lanjan
DeleteInteresting that the Grundy family are now planning to be at Grange Farm until after Christmas. Could be all change in Ambridge in the new year, as Brian and Jennifer’s stay will be a year on, and I think that means they need to move. I also predict Emma and Ed will get back together at Christmas/New Year. Not sure what all of that would mean for who lives where, but the local removal companies could have a busy time, or Bartleby will have to come out of retirement.
ReplyDeleteAs for Jill and Leonard, I heard Paddy Greene interviewed a year or two ago and she said she doesn’t intend to go on and on in the Archers, and contrasted herself with June Spencer, so perhaps she’s thinking of retiring and we will see Leonard and Jill go off to pastures new.
As for Joy, Pat might welcome a new friend now Kathy has fallen silent, and Tony might not moan as much when Joy comes to supper. Everyone happy (hopefully not too happy).
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting mention Kathy, Seasider, because she came to mind last night when listening to Joy talking to Pat. She and Joy strike me as having a very similar way of speaking. I wonder if that’s deliberate?
Delete“You hang on to him Pat”. ???? But not before he finishes delving into my engine.
ReplyDeletePtbY. 🐐🤣😂
🤣🤣
DeleteWhy is Eddie so unsettled, because he lost Joe and Alf is gone?
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't want a big party with a lot of noise but he's been very negative since Alf left.
Head & Heart?
DeleteHead -Joe died a quick and peaceful death at a good age but Eddie has still lost his dad and no matter how old you are it can leave you feeling quite disbelieving that it has actually happened and vulnerable now it is just you and your only close blood relative is your rogue of a brother. Then even he decides to leave (thank goodness for us) but I suspect Eddie is feeling the weight of being head of the family now and is lashing out at the boys accordingly (for now)
Well, it makes a change, the 2 sons trying to help the family out instead of causing problems, & Eddie being negative & out of sorts, instead of the dad who jollies everyone along. The tables have turned !
ReplyDeleteElizabeth is behaving more sensibly than ever before, EXCEPT in her continuing Russ delusion. A man of straw, woman - wake up !
If Ed and Will go round from house to house selling their wares, won’t they have to have a hawk er’s licence?
ReplyDeleteWhy isn’t Will looking for a job?
How many bedrooms are there in No1 The Green?
I would think there are only three
There will be one for Clarrie and Eddie,one for Poppy and another one for Ed and Will to share presumably .
Back to what it was like when they were growing up.
Russ has ade a good job of everything he has done for Lowr Loxley so is natral choice for the (presumably unpaid) job of directing the ghost stories. What’s the betting Jim has one of his hoity toity moments and Russ has to take over?
ReplyDeleteDavid should be thanking his lucky stars to have a living, physically healthy mum who still has all her marbles at her advanced age, plus the ability to find happiness again.
ReplyDeleteHurrah! Leonard Berry is back in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, as head of the Wrigglesworth clan, waging his never-ending war against Sheffield City Council while working on ever more ingenious schemes for.the betterment of the universe. Radio 4, 6.30pm, Monday. Highly recommended!
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny and Paul Copley is just briiliant.
DeleteLucky Jill. I listen on R4ex.
carolyn. Russ, a man of straw? I hope he is dry as I have a match handy for a Christmas 🔥 bonfire on the allotment.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Eddie’s anger against The Grundy Christmas World thing is down to his conversation with Alf and persuading him to stay, because he is “Family”.However, during the discussion Eddie noticed Alf’s packed 💼 bag.
What was in the bag?
Has Alf gone of with an heirloom or two?
Did he steal the lottery tickets and win some money?
Did he nick Poppy’s piggy bank?
Alf was certainly in a hurry to disappear!
That was my comment, has Alf made away with something in the bag and William asked the same last night but was dismissed by Eddie, Alf - a lone wolf.
DeleteBang goes my theory that Alf had been brought back to replace Joe as head of the Grundy family! Just when I was beginning to warm to him too. Oh well,I guess there’s always Tracy Horrobin to replace Joe as the local ‘character’.....
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was that Jim doesn't want publicity because someone undesirable might hear of it.
ReplyDelete✅🚷
DeleteI initially thought Elizabeth was in bed when Mr Strawman brought her coffee. She is certainly giving him a lot of management responsibility, so when Lily dumps him what then?
ReplyDeleteStasia, I also thought Elizabeth was being brought coffee in bed by Russ. Is that what we’re meant to think? It was mooted on here some time ago that they might get together. Also Elizabeth indicated to David, in the same episode, that she would be open to having someone in her life, and hopes her children will be happy about it. Recent scenes with Russ have been a lot more positive when he speaks to Elizabeth than those with Lily.
ReplyDeleteLady R, your comments about Eddie yesterday sum it up perfectly in my opinion.
Seasider (1.57pm), likewise, I rate Lady R's comments about Eddie's feelings. It's so understandable, for all those reasons. Also, it's heartening to see his sons trying to help, even if their attempts to cheer him up misfire right now.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, E. gave out signals that she's ready for another relationship, without feeling guilty, but I don't think she'll hit on the Man of Straw( maybe that's just me hoping, though !), given he's with Lily. Somehow, surely, please, the man will be exposed for what he is ? His feet of clay, sorry about the mixed metaphor, but he sort of invites anything tasteless, have been signalled so loudly for so long !
Why does Lizzie need a producer for her Christmas Ghost Stories - and why Russ.
ReplyDeleteJim just sitting in a chair, in the attic, can surely tell his tales, in his own way, without instruction.
Lizzie probably needs help with the health + safety aspects, so is this what she wants Russ to do, but thought Glen would sort this out.
Some sound and lighting effects would be good, maybe some mood-enhancing video effects too, and maybe a few well-timed temperature dips!
DeleteQuite agree, Miriam ! Low lights, Jim sitting down, dressed in black, face lit by by candle from below, leave the rest to his voice & delivery !
DeleteMight get by with that for one story but too same-y for more than one - and I’d want something a bit more professional for my money!,
DeleteA good ghost story, well told, doesn't need the support of many special effects. Jim did it for Robert, with only the dusk, & an owl for back up.
DeleteRobert wasn’t paying!!
DeleteMy point was that it worked. Robert was spooked = result
Delete.My point is that the fee-paying crowd at Lower Loxley are a different proposition to Robert Snell acting out of character in unlikely circumstances , and will expect more than a solitary candle and a bloke just sitting and spieling. I expect Jim will clash with Russ like he clashed with Lynda last year = drama.
DeleteMy post on the off topic seems to have worked.
ReplyDeleteSo....
On here I agree with Lady R and think she summed up Eddy's current mood beautifully.
I'm with you too Miriam, Jim and Lizzie herself can produce the Ghost Stories very well between them.
Thank you Mrs P 🙂
DeleteRemember, Elizabeth thought it was entirely reasonable to charge £15.00 for a tour of an empty attic, held an entirely age inappropriate event last Halloween that terrified children and went the best part of the year attempting to market a venue that had had their alcohol license removed due to drug dealing. And now she is asking her teenage daughter's married lover (an adult male who was in a position of authority at her college no less!) to organise Lower Loxley's latest venture!!!! You almost couldn't have a company with a worse local reputation!
ReplyDelete"Hey family! Anyone want to pay a fortune to go up to that crazy big house again? Remember, the one where the guy fell of the roof, where that South African girl had an overdose with the drugs and that weirdo near-paedo from the college? You know, that place where the kids got the shit scared out of them last year? No? Didn't think so....."
Because that would be the response in the real world. How much money has LL lost in the past year? Is Elizabeth so rich that it's all just a big vanity project?
So damning, Gary, but everything you say is well grounded in fact ! Elizabeth doesn't really belong to the real world, so many irreconcilable inconsistencies. She can speak sense about their mother to David whilst sympathizing with how he feels, but then turn a blind eye & deaf ear to all that is going on around her.
ReplyDeleteAnd with the little amount of information we have about Russ, all I know is that based on the absolutely shockingly appalling decisions he has made in the past year I wouldn't entrust him with a jar of jam!
DeleteI agree with carolyn - Gary, you are spot on about Elizabeth. Is Russ a smooth talker or what and Lily and Elizabeth just fall for it every time.
ReplyDeleteI think Phoebe is going to be in luck. Justin will be able to appease the eco warriors opposing the building development by offering to free land up for rewilding.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking Janice!
DeleteSeems it was Bella’s identical twin sister Issy in the photo after all!
ReplyDeleteYou could be right Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteShe obviously thought of something to placate Johnnie.
I am with Stasia.
The photograph was doctored and Bella was at Pizza Express
GG. 9.02/10.01pm. So true! So true? The arrogance that just because one has a semi stately pile, one may assume that the plebs would be champing at the bit to pay over the odds to gawk and visit. (Well I guess some people do!).....Makes Grundy's World of Christmas look (almost) irresistible!! 🙄.........I imagine all the goings on will one day make compelling historical copy, but I think they may have to wait 50+ years before that is so!
ReplyDeleteI must admit to being one of the plebs who has paid to go and gawk at (semi) stately piles. Leonard Berry too, at Lower Loxley pre-Jill.
ReplyDelete