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Life in Ambridge
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Archerphile, you did say that you would like to see the card I did for Pip. So here you go....!
ReplyDeleteSO accurate, SO succinct !
DeleteThanks lots, Gary, for sorting us out blogwise, after a long, wearisome journey, following a triumphant wkend !😀😊! Now it's wind down time for you.....with suitable fuel to hand on a tray, both liquids & solids...
Will try to remember from now on to copy the last comment(s) on the previous blogs to facilitate a seamless flow....
ReplyDeletecarolynMarch 2, 2020 at 12:03 PM
Am with KPnuts ( 8.53pm last night), on feeling some sympathy for Lilian. She realized she wasn't the best of mothers, &, though James is a self centred, pretty repellent character( Leonie surely no better), he's not in the habit of communicating much with her about Mungo or anything else.
It's all a storm in a teacup really, along with the fuss about renaming The Bull. I think most of us have had more than enough air space on all of it & it sounded as if Jolene feels exactly the same !
Don't understand the objections to either Lil's character or how she is performed, as she's consistent, no surprises or unconvincing changes to suit a story. I gather from what others have said some time ago, that she wasn't so OTT in her youth, but a rackety life & booze coarsens people....
And before I forget -
ReplyDeleteRuthy, are you there? We would LOVE to hear from you again...
Carolyn - You're right. As far as I remember Lilian was the sweet goody two shoes and Jennifer was the wild one, who ended up a single mother.
ReplyDeleteLilian married a young Canadian pilot (?) who got injured and incredibly died after falling down the stairs in hospital! She attracted much sympathy for being such a young widow but then surprised everyone by marrying Ralph Bellamy, the richest man in the area and who was quite a bit older than her (I think.)
Bit of role reversal between the two sisters!
Spicycushion(previous blog), I was staying with a friend when Mark was killed.
ReplyDeleteI was ,in my room getting changed for the evening meal. (I don’t normally do that) whilst listening to “The Archers .”
I remember knowing what was going to happen but I don’t know how I knew.
I still sat on my bed with tears pouring down my face.
From the archives of the BBC Archers website....
ReplyDelete"Tragically, in February 1994 Mark was killed in a road accident, swerving to avoid Shula’s best friend. Caroline Bone (now Sterling) had been thrown from her horse which had been spooked by a dangerous driver.
Mark was never to know that Shula’s latest round of IVF treatment had been successful. And he was never to hold his son. Daniel Mark Archer Hebden (now Hebden Lloyd) was born on 14 November 1994.
Mark was always a keen cricketer, for many years captain of the Ambridge team. His memory lives on in the annual single wicket competition for the Mark Hebden Memorial Trophy. And of course in the handsome bearing of his son."
Thank you for showing us the Pip card Gary. Just brilliant!
ReplyDeleteRe Lilian - As Spicy said, there has been a big change in Lilian over the years. She was the sensible sister with a great interested in horses who became the tragic young widow. Whereas the somewhat rackety Jennifer shocked her family, Ambridge and many listeners by being the first character to have a baby ‘out of wedlock - something that was considered rather shocking back in those days.
But years later Lilian returned as a widow, second time over, from Jersey where she’d spent a life of luxury, parties, and with a son whom she hardly knew because he’d been sent away to school.
The life in Jersey thoroughly spoilt her in my opinion and she returned to Ambridge a different character altogether.
As well as being played by a different actor.
ReplyDeleteAs Carolyn has said, a rackety life and booze coursens people.
Lilian had a life of luxury with Ralph Bellamy, and found yet another man later, Matt, who was prepared to indulge her.
So from the sweet young Lillian so very keen on horses she has developed into a course shrewish elderly matron who selfishly expects everything to go her way, and with yet another wealthy man in tow.
She has retained her passion for horses though.
I love Lillian, warts and all. Dahlings.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Hic...
DeleteDoes Lilian still own Amside Peoperties, as this hasn't been mentioned for ages.
ReplyDeleteI remember that Justin (or was it Damara) wanted to take it over, did he? I thought that Lilian said No.
One thing that can be said about Lilian, is that she loves a scoundrel, by that I mean some-one with some unscrupious business ideals, such as Matt + Justin. This seems to have influenced her, to just always go out, to get what she wants.
DeleteYes, starting with kissing and canoodling with Eddie Grundy at the back of the school bus!
DeleteYes Lilian does indeed go all out to get what she wants, including married men.
ReplyDeleteI did like her interlude with Paul though.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCan't delete the above muddle of a post ! Just wanted to say, enjoyed it when the writers had Paul & Lil ape the Brief Encounter farewell scene.
DeleteOh, it did work in the end !
Delete“Hannah’s great!” (Quote of the Month from Johnny Phillips.)
ReplyDeleteI hope, that when Linda said, something like "I keep putting my foot in it", it means two things.
ReplyDeleteFirstly her suspicions as to Freddie,
Secondly, her awful behaviour to Lilian and Mungo
She needs to grovel to both, and accept how wrong she was, in both situations.
I bet when she has done so, she will then disappear, from Ambridge, for many weeks.
In no way should Lynda grovel to Lilian.
ReplyDeleteAs has been said by other bloggers it was not up to Lynda to inform Lilian : either James or Leonie should have told her.
She should not grovel to Johnnie either.
Yes she was wrong to jump to conclusions and she has admitted to having done so but she has apologised to Johnnie
I found their conversation quite moving.
I would hazard a bet that somehow she will try to help Johnnie in some way and apologise to Freddie.
Esscee ,I agree with what you said about Lynda.
DeleteWhat a dreadful spoilt young man Ben is..
ReplyDeleteHowever since Ruth and David presumably remembered giving their older children a car for their 18th birthdays I don’t know why they haven’t explained earlier to their youngest child that at the moment their finances won’t run to buying him a car .
I was given a portable radio from my parents for my 21st birthday.
We didn’t I celebrate our 18th birthdays as special ones I when I was that age
Is it the expected thing these days, that 18 yr. olds claim a car from their parents, if the latter aren't actually on the bread line ? Odd that David & Ruth had to be reminded about the - more fortunate & more favoured - Pip & Josh. Surely this would have been pondered, discussed much earlier, perhaps the promise of a car when it could be afforded. Oh, well, it's only an ill thought out story, I don't know why I'm rabbiting on about it . ...
ReplyDeleteOh, Lanjan, we have been writing much the same things at the same time !
DeleteGood on yer Johnny and should it come to it better to have a bald head and be a kind and honourable person. (Plenty of young men actually shave their heads completely by choice)
ReplyDeleteNow to see how Linda will redress the situation she has created particularly with Kirsty 🤔
I had hoped Ben was going to be better than his siblings but no my right to a car.....
Phillip is said to be snowed under with work! Yet he can always do an Ambridge job at the drop of a hat and the Wedding barn is looking a treat apparently.
I doubt number 1 The Green is detached so between music / parties and no doubt some squabbling be grateful they are not about to be your new neighbours Miriam 😱
Well done, Johnny, for doing the Right Thing; We all knew he would, didn't we ? Particularly brave of him to show Lynda his bald patch, I thought.
ReplyDeleteAs for all the fuss about Mungo - honestly ! It's not as if Robert & Lynda enjoyed the visit to the play pit or whatever it's called. It's all one upmanship between the two women, nothing to do with affection for a child with an outlandish name, offspring of a silly, posturing couple.
Saint Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow.
DeleteAnd he's buried in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral - I visited it again a couple of weeks ago.
DeleteDidn't know the child's name had such an illustrious pedigree ! Still, for a child of James & Leonie, a tad insulting to the saint....
DeleteAh but with a name like that he will no doubt live up to it and turn out far better than his parents.
DeleteI think Mungo’s parents had been considering Mowgli as a name for him, so a saint’s name was welcomed by his more traditional grandparents.
DeleteSo glad that, as Carolyn said - Johnny has done the Right Thing. I didn’t think he would allow his friend to be put in danger of gossip, possible job loss and/or reporting to the police.
ReplyDeleteI’m not quite sure what Lynda is going to do to stop the gossip st Grey Gables but she must do something urgently.
As for Ben, I’m not surprised he expected to be treated the same as his older siblings on his 18th birthday. Ruth & David dont seem to have given his coming of age much thought at all.
They really are very poor parents, treat each of their offspring quite differently, have an obvious favourite and pay little attention to the other two.
And Ben was right - no money to pay for an old banger for his birthday but plenty to spend on doing up the old barn. Not surprised he was p....d off!
Johnny is a lovely young man. Just hope he stays this way.
ReplyDeleteIt sickens me off the way young people assume they are going to be bought a car nowadays.
But I do feel sorry for Ben. He’s like the forgotten child.
Never heard of Ruth/David having to wait months for planning permission for the barn conversion and where has the money suddenly come from. It’s not long since David was wanting his money back from Kenton because they were skint.
I wonder if ,like me ,James or Leonie learned about Mungo Park the Scottish explorer when at junior school.
ReplyDeleteI thought he was great and one Saturday , some friends and I decided to “be him” and explored the wilds of the part of South Lancashire where we lived to try to find the source of a brook.
We would have been no more than 9 or possibly 10 years old at the time.
In a reply to your earlier post about 18th and 21st birthdays. It's down to when you officially become an adult. When we (you and I) got 'the key of the door! we were 21. Then the legal age of majority was lowered to 18 (about 1970 I think) people started celebrating their special birthday on their 18th.
DeleteI had to wait till I was 21 (and got a lovely garnet and pearl dress ring, chosen by my Dad for my 21st.) However my brother who is 2 years younger than me achieved his majority at 18. We both voted for the first time in the same general election!
I cannot believe D&R cannot find a couple of thousand pounds to buy Ben a car. How silly of the SWs to make out that they would not realise they needed to treat all of their children equally.
Agree with all others who say that Lynda should NOT apologise to Lilian. Lynda is not to know how often, if at all, James speaks to his mother.
I too am glad that Johnny has done the right thing. Now Lynda will have to find a way to stop the rumours without telling what the pills were for. She was, quite rightly, very sympathetic to Johnny's plight. I do not think she owes Lilian an apology but James and Leonie do. David and Ruth need to find a way to really convince Ben that he's not getting a car for his birthday. This might be difficult, as others have said, since they found the money for the barn conversion without any problems.
ReplyDeleteI wish too Esscee. Good builders seem to be like gold dust, and when they do turn up they have a habit of vanishing to fit in other jobs!
ReplyDeleteBen sounded entitled and demanding but at the same time he has watched both his siblings given a car at their 18th and so feels that it is his turn now.
ReplyDeleteAgree with others that this would have been discussed within the family before now.
Perhaps the SWs had forgotten that his ' coming of age' was on the cards so soon.
Or are they demonstrating what manny have felt, that ' Ben' is of less importance than Pip and Josh.
Not at all surprised that Johnny faced up to Linda and put her in the picture.
He is a thoughtful young man and took his time to consider his explanation before approaching her.
I do hope that the relationship between Freddie and Johnny continues to develop as they grow towards maturity.
I felt that Linda was reflecting on both her recent mistakes with Johnny and Freddie and with Lillian. She sounded quite humble speaking to Shula.
Doesn’t Lynda have some obligation to apologise to Freddy too?
ReplyDeleteIndeed she does Pierre!
DeleteHere, here! Hope she is big enough to specially seek Freddie out and apologise profusely.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe difference being that Freddie was covering for a friend and trying not to betray any confidences! Lynda was just plain wrong...
DeleteHaving caught up on lowfield and mustardland (Archers websites) it seems we have all misremembered about Josh's 18th birthday. He did not get given a car by his parents but he leased a 'flash car' soon after. This is the car he has just sold to repay Rex!
ReplyDeleteI know there are fancy deals where you lease a car for a couple of years then trade it in and get a newer one with, I suspect, an extra payment. However I suspect the production team believe that Josh's car belonged solely to him. Well done S/Ws 🤔
In fact Ruth wasn't even in Ambridge for his birthday and was excused as they said Josh might not be at home anyway?
Only Pip got a car for her 18th birthday which she wrote off when driving off in a temper and colliding with Ruth's reversing tractor just two years later. David declined to pay for a replacement but she stamped her feet once again demanding a newer/better one! Her then boyfriend Spencer found a car which (presumably) she paid for and David paid the insurance which was high because she had written off her old car.
Oh, well investigated Spicy! Yes, I remember that now too. It was in the days when Pip was a real pain, behaved totally selfishly and often treated her parents with contempt.
DeleteShe was a totally unlikeable character then and, sadly of the traits from those days seem to remain!
‘Some of the traits’
DeleteWhen I hear Ben speaking about anything, he reminds me of a man of about 46 yrs. Hence I can’t take seriously this 18yr old demanding a “new car” for his birthday.
ReplyDeleteHis behaviour and his ages don’t correlate To my listening ears.
But never mind he can moan to granny and Leonard and they might provide said car.
More importantly, how does the insurance work?
I can’t take to Ben at all.
ReplyDeleteWasn’t he the cocky one who thought he could pass his driving test easily and then failed?
Of course it wasn’t his fault he failed.
I actually think it is Josh who David and Ruth think is of less importance than the other two.
In the pecking order I would say it is Pip,Ben(when he does something wrong he gets rewarded with a puppy) and then Josh who was trying to run his own Business and who without any help it would seem from his father was still was expected to help out at a moment’s notice on the farm when Pip was too exhausted after looking after her child.
Thinking about it,I think you would struggle to find a really good parent in Ambridge.
To my mind ,Johnnie is the most pleasant of the youngsters but in the main he was brought up by his mother and stepfather.
Chris isn’t bad either but is very weak.
I liked Amy but she vanished.
Lanjan. I have only one correction to make about your excellent comment.
DeletePIP never looks after her child. All and sundry perform that task.
That’s not fair - we have quite often heard Pip either with Rosie or referring to day time spent with Rosie. Her family aren’t involved in night time care, and although T❤️O❤️B❤️Y certainly pulls his weight, there’s no suggestion that Pip bunks off every night, or skips bedtime and breakfast time routines. Child neglect is not a stick to beat her with.
Delete✔️ Got it in 1 Stasia.
ReplyDeleteHow many jobs can a full time farmer do during the day I wonder with a 15 month old toddler in tow? The Brookfield Archers are always complaining how busy they are with two herds, sheep (?) and plenty of arable yet Pip comes and goes as she pleases.
DeleteDoesn’t Rosie go to a nursery these days? I remember Toby going to check some out and thought they had booked Rosie in. That should leave Pip time to do her farm and RW scheme work surely ?
DeleteYup I forgot about that ! 🤦♀️
DeleteI think Jill or Ruth had heavily hinted that Pip needed to make arrangements? It was for two/three mornings a week?
However if Pip did work 40 hours per week (which was standard agriculural worker's week for my Dad) then David and Ruth wouldn't need to keep calling on the sons at short notice to make up time when Pip is absent!
So that’s fine, Rosie’s parents are doing what many working parents do, arranging professional child care for her while they are working, with grandparents etc as fallback, and looking after her themselves at all other times. Lay off Pip - or criticise an entire generation!
DeletePip doesn't represent a n entire generation in any way..she is the exception Ithat gives young people a bad name. My experience has been that the majority of young people are kind, respectful and very aware of the sacrifices and efforts that their parents have made.Pip is arrogant, rude to her parents, condescending towards her brother's, self entitled and an overall slimeball privy of any personality apart from the qualities mentioned above.
Deletemaryellen - You do not tell me what to say! You are so rude sometimes!!!
DeleteBesides, aren't Ruth and David up to their necks financially paying off the "state of the art " milking parlour that Pip talked them into buying.
DeleteAnd now the conversion for their wedding venue...how much does an inheritance stretch.
My point is, use whatever stick you like to beat Pip with (if you have to) as long as it’s valid. Never personally caring for Rosie is not a valid accusation, the facts don’t bear it out, and it’s unfair to make it.
DeleteSpicycushion - if you mean my ‘Lay off’ comment,I was addressing the universe, not any particular blogger(s) - and the universe hasn’t complained!!
DeleteAs usual, weasel words. However I remember Pip is a ficticious character.
DeleteThis is only a subjective impression, but not so long ago I thought that many new parents did take grandparent help for granted, putting an unreasonable burden on them. However, now that people often aren't starting families until their later 30s or even early 40s, grandparents are no longer so available, being more challenged physically themselves, which leads 40+ yr.olds running themselves ragged trying to manage a job, care for the children & help ailing parents. Pretty tough in a society not keeping up with complex & changing needs within modern families.
ReplyDeleteThe Brookfield family live on top of each other, & work in the same place, so it's a piece oof
cake, by comparison, juggling the farm work, looking after one child, ( 2 years old now, or nearly?) who spends some time in a nursery. David & Ruth don't seem unduly burdened, not more than they ever were, pre Rosie.
The amount of parental assistance Helen gets for her two is something else !
Thing is, in their different ways, neither Pip nor Helen are likeable characters. They are rarely seen to put themselves out for anyone, do take help for granted, feel free to criticise, but don't tolerate any directed at them.
Oh come on there Maryellen .
ReplyDeleteHow many times have we heard Pip tell Toby that he has to look after his daughter because she just has to do -whatever.
I will tell you what will happen.
She will spot Joy in the corner shop(sorry no good as I don’t think she goes shopping) .
Ok then ,she will meet Joy somewhere and Joy will tell Pip how she loves children and used to be a nursery nurse before she got married and will happily look after Rosie and take her to and from nursery school.
I agree with you,Carolyn.neither Pip nor Helen is likeable
Three times at most, LanJan, not nearly as often as we have heard Pip with Rosie!
DeleteYes but didn’t Pip originally not want Toby to have anything to do with the baby or have I made that up.?
ReplyDeleteIt was only when she realised that babies just can’t be left to their own devices that she realised that Toby could be useful..
Also, isn’t she the only young mother on the planet who has had sleepless nights and therefore needed to call in Toby to help her out?
( well at least moan about how tired she was until he felt obliged to help her out)
In a slight defence of Helen.
ReplyDeletePat + Tony are semi-retired, so have more time than Ruth + David, for child minding duties. Also Henry + Jack are much older - 9yrs and almost 4yrs.
Helen works, fully commited to Bridge Farm + the dairy.
Pip is commited to Brookfield, but not to the same extent, proven by her involvement in the RW programme.
That's true about Pat & Tony, they are older than the other two grandparents, don't do intensive work, but it could be argued they have earnt more leisure time, despite the fact that they've always been very supportive, apparently willingly, from when both Jack & Henry were babies.
DeleteHas Helen ever given them any sort of treat, shown appreciation or consideration & is her work at Bridge Farm that arduous ?
Good arguments and very understood.
DeleteHelen's work is not arduous, but to me, is important for the future of Bridge Farm.
I relate this to her work in the shop, her involvement in the BridgeFresh App (I think - but this has gone quiet) plus the yoghurts + her cheese production.
It is very productive.
At least the Bridge Farm lot, seem to work much more closely together and in better harmony.
DeleteThey do, don't they. Perhaps because the youngest, Johnny, is a great contributor to the work & causes no problems, unlike Josh at Brookfield recently !
DeleteAt the moment, but who knows with TA.
DeleteOff topic, but still TA relevant, but only just.
ReplyDeleteMy question is:-
Does Ambridge still have a WI meeting in the Village Hall?
Neither venue nor this group, have been mentioned recently, well to my knowledge.
The last time I recall the WI, was with Clarrie and Nic.
That sounds about right Miriam.
DeleteKirsty, you are not the only one who thinks there is something dodgy about the way Phillip is behaving.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
When did Phillip start doing work at Berrow Farm and what is the work?
DeleteKirsty, I hope, keeps her eyes open and sorts it out long before they get anywhere near a wedding date!
We know Gavin is not a 'nice' person because we heard him being aggressive with Kirsty. I think the 'poor little me' is his way of getting Emma's attention. From what she was saying tonight I suspect all those who said Ed was well rid of Emma are right.
No Phillip and Gavin are wrong 'uns!'
The clues given previously - 'Just do it' ; computer in the bedroom wardrobe and now a made up appointment at work. Wonder where Phillip really was this afternoon?
Not sure about Emma either and her line under the past.
ReplyDeleteKirsty had Philip's phone, I thought she'd intercept some of his calls, she did confide in Roy though.
What are the SW's doing to us listeners?
ReplyDeleteThere was Joy, a strange female with an unknown background, which so many had theories about (me included)
Philip appeared, so suddenly, to help Shula with the hunt kennel roof repair, the day after the event.
Since then, he has become a regular in many Ambridge places (eg. the Dower House, Brookfield, the playing fields etc) and won Kirsty over, moving into a brand new home together.
I suddenly feel, that Philip is not as he seems and there is more to him, to be revealed.
Gavin is just doing what Philip says, as his Dad + employer, and is not the "bad penny", as I originally thought
The SW's are certainly messing with my head...😣😲
So which is it Philip a loving surprise for Kirsty or unlawful goings on? I wish one Ambridge relationship could go smoothly for at least a year what a novelty that would be!
ReplyDeleteEd is still in love that’s for sure even though he shot himself in the foot with Emma. When are we going to hear about the indoor changes at The BULL?
I don't seem to have the problems that others have with the sharing of childcare at either Bridge Farm or Brookfield.
ReplyDeleteAs a young child I was exposed to all round family closeness and shared care. My mother being the youngest of sixteen I had many aunts and uncles and lots of cousins and we were all spread over SE London and beyond into Kent.
That stopped when I was somewhere around nine or ten, and I have yearned for it ever since.
For whatever reason both my parents withdrew from most of their family connections.
I look back now and see the damage that was done to me, and perhaps to my sister.
The Archers I now realise took the place of that close and wide family unit as a symbol of what had become diminished in my life.
So for me the expectation of sharing and working as a team in all family tasks including the raising of the very junior members of that team seems to me perfectly natural and to be admired, not criticised. For that was the best of life for me.
As an illustration of this, I watched an old ' Midwives' episode last night which featured a canal family, who as water travellers, worked as a team with the older children working alongside the parents and including the care of the younger ones all being part of the team work.
The team being the family.
I think this was what attracted Jill when she married Phil and what she has recently tried to explain on a couple of occasions.
Can kind of see what you found so attractive about that familial way of life, Mrs P, though completely alien to my early experience.
DeleteTrouble is when things go wrong in large families, they can seethe for years, until.the death of one or the other, no breathe of fresh air coming from outside the clan, quite toxic.
With childcare, I think it's the objection to grandparents being seen only as useful minders, not having an interesting adult life of their own outside the narrow family confines. In TA, Pat spread her wings a bit with the homeless woman, in quite a crass way, it transpired, but Helen was distinctly sniffy about it when it wasn't her business !
I wish Ed would get a grip & sweep Emma off her feet, instead of hovering around helplessly !
ReplyDeleteAs for Gav, no mystery there : nose out of joint because he was dumped, but not so broken hearted that he won't try his luck with what seems to be an available bit of skirt .
Still, he's not stupid, can now see how the land lies with Ed & Emma, so may not take the pub chat much further....
What's all this with Kirsty confiding in Roy twice recently ? Are we meant to draw conclusions ?!
Hope so carolyn.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn
ReplyDeleteMrs P, I have never had extended family care as my DD was from Glasgow and Mum from the Black Country and we lived in Crewe. We saw the Scottish relatives once a year and the Brummie clan once a month. In my adult life being a Naval family we only lived near family for about 4 years, my husband’s family. As his Mum was ill all that time and his brother and sil ran a business and had six children there was no help with childcare. I can see though that in a family like the Archers living in the same village and sometimes in the same house or farm there is room for shared childcare and for grandparents and others it can be a pleasure. Just as long as it doesn’t become a burden! Maybe we judge Pip and Helen too harshly then but sometimes it does seem they are taking the family care for granted although they are of course used to it being there. Looking back I would have found child rearing far easier with a bit of support!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad was from Glasgow!
ReplyDeleteHello Ev, Bravo Zulu fron R.N. Retd.
ReplyDeleteYours Aye, Pierre!!😁
DeleteContinuing with the Scottish theme.
ReplyDeleteMy mum was born on Glasgow-Scotstoun.
I should have loved some help (and guidance) from family when my two were born.
ReplyDeleteWe had moved into a brand new estate (houses still being built around us) near Oxford, having moved there just before our daughter was born and knowing nobody at all in the area.
All four grandparents were already in their mid seventies and living far away. Neither of us had siblings or friends who had children and, frankly, I knew absolutely nothing about how to deal with a baby. It was very much a case of learning on the job. I had to give up work to look after our children full time (something I have never regretted) BUT we could just about afford our mortgage without me working which is so different from today’s young couples.
I should have loved to have close family around to help out occasionally but we managed without.
Small world, eh ? All these connections, past & present, there's something special about these discoveries that crop up on the blog, not sure what ? Maybe it speaks of a global truth about humanity : positive, intrinsic mutuality on the one hand; tragically evident enmity on the other hand.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a tad too reflective this morning...
Carolyn.9.12am. Given that your brain cells are working overtime, and so early in the morning, I would suggest reading the following as an insight into ‘family’ in Ambridge.
DeleteThe Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. F. Engels.
It explores the base form of the concept of ‘Family’ and all its forms from prehistory to the nineteenth century. Exactly where TA is stuck.
Ah, Stasia, now you've told me the Archer clan are stuck in the (19, I don't need to wade through Engels, do I ?!
DeleteCome on Ed (as Carolyn says "Get a grip") faint heart............etc. You know you (and Em) are stronger together than apart! 😐
ReplyDeleteI wish Ed would cast his net a bit wider than Ambridge! There must be loads of single women in Borsetshire that don't come with all the baggage and bitterness that Emma has.
DeleteAgreed Gary. But you know what would happen if stranger was introduced as Ed’s new girlfriend? Loads of contributors to Archers sites would criticise the poor girl, say she wasn’t good enough or had some scheme to con Ed and his family, or was too loud or or too pushy or had a funny accent! She would come in for a barrage of criticism before most of the audience would accept her. Perhaps Ed is better either sticking to Emma or remaining as a batchelor! 😉
DeleteSoooooooo true AP!
DeleteI think that Philip is hiding something, which Gavin thinks he knows about. He is trying to find out if he is right.
ReplyDeleteWhat it is - I am not sure.
It might be something financial concerning the business, or perhaps more Philips previous life.
My thought is that, he is not yet divorced from his wife (Gavin's Mum) and is frantically trying to sort this out.
I believe that Philip, really does want to marry Kirsty. He went Awol from the new Berrow Farm outside project, to try + sort things.
Justin will not be pleased as to his absence, so Philip will be penalised, in some way.
Mike, also won't be happy, as it is his new outside pig unit, which is not progressing.
DeleteMeant Neil obviously!!
ReplyDeletecarolyn. No, perhaps not, you might be bored rigid, in bits. Just like the Archers, at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think J Elliot would ever have read Das Capital, certainly a nineteenth capitalist. Hunting, shooting and fishing lord of the manor
......& perhaps a French aristo in the (18, ideal fodder for Madame Guillotine !
DeleteIf we're not going to get back together - why don't you do just that.
ReplyDeleteBad idea telling Tom about little white lies.
I'm glad that Susan and Neil made it to Lanzarote.
No time away for Kirsty and Philip.
Let’s hope they aren’t in that hotel in quarantine 😱
DeleteGive me strength !!
ReplyDelete'Do you want to?'; 'Well, do you want to?' We know, you both know, that neither of you want to ( divorce) !
Emma gave him every chance to retract, as she'd much rather they were together again, but not only did he not anticipate such a conversation, he was too slow to take advantage of the moment. Can we really bear to go through the weeks, maybe months, for them to sort themselves out....
...or even a year?
DeleteIt gives the SWs something to do, besides, it reflects real life, people don't communicate.
DeleteAlso, as you say Ed is slow on the uptake, when Emma made her feelings clear before he still said no but was back the same day.
There is something that I don't understand.
ReplyDeletePhilip (supposedly) found Gavin drunk, after Kelly told him to move his things out.
Why didn't Philip take him back to his + Kirsty's home, where Gavin is now living?
I can't work this out.
Where did Gavin end up. I must have missed that.
No you don’t want a divorce Ed so why didn’t you say so when Emma asked you?
ReplyDeleteTom I bet your ring is in the cake - who knows Nat May even think it a romantic moment 🙄
Nice to hear Tony & Tom having a chat about how Tony & Pat started life together.
After all that drama when Emma left William for Ed she and Ed now on the brink of divorce! Give me strength!!🤔
ReplyDeleteLady R you beat me to it! I was going to lay a bet that Tom’s ring turns up in the Birthday Cake...perhaps even that Natasha will break a tooth on it and Tom will be in the dog house for months ! 😂
ReplyDeleteOoh yes! 🙄
DeleteWhy else would Tom making a cake be in the script 🤗
That was my first thought too - the ring's in the cake. Lying about it is not a good idea Tony.
ReplyDeleteI felt sorry for Ed tonight, he sounded so sad and taken aback as he'd thought things were going well between him and Emma.
It was interesting to hear Tony on the tempestuous early years of his marriage - I thought he was going to refer to the time Pat disappeared with the children and reappeared 3 weeks later without ever telling him why or where. I can see how tempting it was for the scriptwriters to present that account with the parallel account of the junior Grundy’s marital history. I felt sorry for both of them. Ed sounded solimp. His problem is that he can’t rake any form of pressure, he either gives way or runs away..
ReplyDeleteWell a bit of boring, all our yesterday’s by Tony. I nearly fell asleep 💤.
ReplyDeleteI support the prediction of Natasha swallowing the ring and having to wait for it
to exit over the following days. Will she force Tom to extract it from the .......?
Tony has made a decision, without discussing it with Pat! Spending a lot of money on moving Natasha into Bridge Farm. More work for Phil the Builder?
On top form this morning, I see, Stasia !
Delete🤣🤣🤣 re the possible dates for of the missing ring.
Also drifted when Tony was reminiscing, but I suppose telling Tom about the ups & downs of a long marriage might have been useful, if Tom was actually listening...
Tch, tch 'possible fate'...
DeleteYou could also be correct about dates, especially if it becomes lodged in her esophagus. I think a visit to hospital will be necessary. Tom will definitely be pulp in the ‘cider press’.
DeleteLady R re Lanzarote - you're right, it may be their way of mentioning the virus.
ReplyDeleteThe hotel is in Teneriffe
DeleteI think that the only interesting story at the moment is the one about Dodgy Phil.
ReplyDeleteP tbY ,Spicycushion and I (there may be others of course ) have said all along that we don’t trust him or his nasty son.
Where was DP when he said he was supposed to be at Berrow Farm?
After a long absence Roy has turned up again.
I reckon we will hear a lot more from him when he helps Kirsty get through another little pre wedding problem
Lanjan. Perhaps the pre wedding problem will be Phil diagnosed with some terrible physical (down below) problem.
DeleteIf so then I definitely will give up listening.
DeleteFor those like me who read the trailers and cast list in the Radio Times, they are being very mysterious this week. Obviously I can’t say any more.
ReplyDeleteI think the scriptwriters have deliberately come up with this B @ Ambridge rubbish & Johnnie's hair nonsense to lull us into thinking that nothing much is happening and then BAM...!
DeleteI hadn't realised that Tony was such a creaky old dinosaur! Looking after your own children isn't "babysitting" - I think the word he was looking for was "parenting"!
ReplyDeleteAh but ,Gary there was not such a thing as “parenting” when Tony’s children were growing up.
ReplyDeleteWe didn’t have “bonding” either.
Parents just got on with their daily lives and did their best without having to ask for advice all the time.
I would do enjoy The Mirror and the Light, published today, to get a mentor on TA. I think Linda, Helen or Jenny would be a likely purchaser as we know they are all readers.The Waterstones assistant said one customer had inspected every one of the piles of pristine copies on display before choosing one to buy. What stamina!
ReplyDeleteMentor = mention. Naughty iPad!
DeletePlenty of mentions of the book AND the author over on the other blog at the moment maryellen - very differing views to say the least!
DeleteThanks, Gary. I’m even more delighted that the RSC is going to stage The Mirror and the Light as it did with the two earlier novels - and Stratford-upon-Avon isn’t too far from Ambridge! The stage version was much better than the television adaptation (imo) which was all long fathomless looks from Mark Rylance and miles of National Trust corridors!
DeletePierre, what I meant was that Susan and Neil are out of the country and not too far from T island, so it'd give the SWs a chance to mention, if only in passing what dominates the world news.
ReplyDeleteHello Basia, Roger your last. ✋👍
DeleteAnd the same from me, even if it is only Emma or Chris, asking about whether they are, at risk.
DeleteIt's not the destination, per se, but the airport on return. IMO.
I didn’t think that’s what I meant but’nuff sed.
DeleteEmma is on the verge of having married & divorced TWO men from the same family!!!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how often a woman has divorced two brothers - or t’other way around. It reminds me of Oscar Wilde’s play ‘The importance of being Ernest’ when Lady Bracknell says something about losing one parent is unfortunate but to lose two is just carelessness “!
DeleteHa! Literally was just saying that exact quote elsewhere!
DeleteI know someone to whom it happened but I also think of that couple (some ten years ago) who one after the other jumped into the river trying to rescue their dog and both drowned, leaving an orphaned little girl, the dog must have perished too, life stranger than fiction...
DeleteShe hasnt just divorced 2 brothers but also 2 brothers in law.
DeleteI think I've got that right...it's too bizarre to be true.
She hasn't divorced yet for the second time, I don't think she will.
DeleteIn the typical Archers fashion we knew that Lynda wouldn't manage to apologise to Freddie, so perhaps Johnny will tell him that she knows and he'll apologise to her.
ReplyDeleteIf a roof is required why don't they get married in the hide?
After tonight's TA, I just feel that the SW's are dangling, quite a few "red herrings".
ReplyDeleteI was appalled by Freddie’s behaviour
ReplyDeleteHe was extremely rude to Lynda.
He should have given her time to speak and not assume that she was going to have a go at him.
I thought that in the circumstances she behaved impeccably.
I hope that Kirsty has a word with him and that he has the grace to apologise.
(It does look as if I might have to do that to Phillip but I still have a feeling that he is not quite what he seems.)
Freddie should be sacked immediately! How dare he speak to my Lynda like that!
ReplyDelete(And if you don't want to be thought of as a drug dealer Freddie, don't get a prison sentence for dealing drugs. The damage is done son - that's what happens...)
Lanjan I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when Phillip had a good excuse for the secrecy yesterday! That's bad of me isn't it ?😁
ReplyDeleteFreddie and Lynda confrontation was classic soap writing but as you say perhaps Kirsty will tell Johnny and he'll tell Freddie.
Thought this post from mustardland website might interest people here
ReplyDelete' Hedli Niklaus wrote on the Archers Addicts Facebook page a couple of weeks ago:
"I’ve had a number of queries about ‘Kathy’ Thank you for your concern and comments. I’m not ill, didn’t quarrel with the BBC, nor did I want to leave the programme. A previous editor didn’t use Kathy, perhaps unaware of her history or her friendship with Pat. It was a shame as Pat could have done with a friend! However, I have moved on and am enjoying my life outside Ambridge enormously. Would love Kathy to be written out properly rather than be the butt of jokes, though" '
Can absolutely understand her feeling like that, thanks for telling us, Spicy.
DeleteKathy’s death from coronavirus would kill two birds with one stone - it would please the listeners who would like coronavirus to feature on the programme (and could spread some of the public information is now available, which would fulfil TA’s original aim to inform the public), and it would also please the ex-actor. Sorted (as LanJan would say!)
ReplyDeleteOh Maryellen, that’s a bit naughty but would be the perfect solution!
DeleteOf course Grey Gables would have to be put into Lock-down, all the staff and guests put in quarantine - what fun. And think what a field day Susan would have, giving dire warnings to anyone who came into the shop!
I felt the same as you did Spicycushion regarding Phillip.
ReplyDeleteHowever even if he has not been lying to Kirsty surely he can’t be very bright can he?
This is a man who apparently is very overworked and yet he has the time to go to see Stephen to ask him if he knew if he knew of a suitable wedding venue.
Very kind of him I am sure but why not discuss it with Kirsty first if he is so busy?
Why must everything be a secret?
(In the background was an Everly Brothers tape playing.
I heard “All I have to do is dream” (number 1when I took my A levels ) and “ Bye Bye Love.”
They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
.
Lanjan - you really dont like Philip do you? Even when the poor bloke does something nice you have to criticise or make some disparaging remark.
DeleteI’m not at all sure the planned wedding will go ahead without some sort of hitch, too many possibilities for something to go wrong, but at least I’m happy to give him the benefit of doubt and I still think he is a genuinely good man and loves Kirsty to bits.
Snap!
DeleteLanjan. I think you are spot on about Phil, the builder, Moss. I’m not sure if I dislike the character or his accent. Perhaps there something dodgy about the Welsh accent because I would include Gavin and Natasha in that scenario.
DeleteI have had this confirmed by watching the BBC 4 drama called HIDDEN. They are all definitely dodgy and they do it in Welsh. Other BBC Welsh dramas have also confirmed my opinion.
stasia - 😅
DeleteI stand up for the Welsh ! They are lovely, friendly people, the English are buttoned up by comparison, & they have music & poetry in their souls ! Their language is beautiful !
DeleteRe Freddie and Lynda. She has spent weeks “knowing” that she was right and nagging at him. She let the rumour loose amongst the staff at GG. Why on earth be surprised that Freddie is somewhat pissed off?
ReplyDeleteThe stupid soap script method of conversations being cut short does not help. I am sure that Lynda would have blurted out her apology to cut through that stonewalling.
Let’s get this piffle over and done.
Absolutely Pierre.✔️☑️
DeleteDitto, ditto...
DeleteCan understand Lynda's original reaction, not unreasonable actually, & believe in her current remorse. Like wise, of course Freddie is aggrieved, the fear of being sacked hanging over home for days, just when he's started to get his life on track.
He's not mature enough to be objective about people's continuing suspicions - am with Gary on that.
'hanging over HIM'
DeleteAs we know this is the soap/Archers style, let's drag it out, Johnny tells Freddie and he makes peace with Lynda, she in turn with Lilian - it's worth at least two more episodes.
ReplyDeleteBesides, Ruth must have said "mud sticks" at least twice and as Gary says this applies to Freddie.