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Life in Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
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ReplyDeleteBasia - November 16, 2020 at 7:27 PM
Oh well, as some predicted. Siobhan lost her first baby, so if Alice does, like Jennifer she can bond with her too. David knows Eddie too well, did he also guess it was his detector?
Lanjan - November 17, 2020 at 8:43 AM
As some of us suggested I think Alice will probably have a miscarriage which will I think the best thing in the circumstances.
Pierre les Corbeaux - November 17, 2020 at 10:26 AM
I whole heartedly agree with Spiceycushion re the anachronisms and poor grammar of modern day writers. I was horrified to hear Miss Marple refer to a "Train Station" They were always Railway Stations at the supposed time and during WW2 men in uniform wore their hair in short back and sides.
I also hate the creeping use of Americanisms which some writers think make them seem slick. "Momentarily" means FOR not IN a moment. Removal of the appendix is an appendicectomy not an appendectomy and to hear a supposedly newly qualified doctor whose father was the Dean of her medical school refer to an anaesthesiologist rather than anaesthetist ruins suspension of belief and spoils a programme for me.
Archerphile - November 17, 2020 at 10:41 AM
Pierre, you have picked up on one of my most hated expressions ‘Train Station”.
As far as I am concerned they were always Railway Stations when I was a dedicated train spotter with my little Ian Allen books .....and they always will be Railway Stations!
Pierre- In the new Archers' book I was railing against yesterday (only about 40 pages to go!) we now have had 2 characters saying 'scooch up' and 'take a right' (giving directions) As far as I am aware neither of these two phrases were in general use in England in 1940. I certainly cannot 'hear' Doris Archer telling someone to 'take a right!'
ReplyDeleteI don't think Alice has given up drinking and is now paying the price. Remember Lilian told her that the occasional drink will not hurt and Alice has never, in our hearing, admitted to anyone (or herself in the monologues) that her drinking is a problem.
ReplyDeleteHopefully it will all be revealed to the families and Emma will be vindicated! Not that I like Emma very much but it must have been hard for her that her mother believed her daughter-in-law and not her own daughter!
When she first found out about her pregnancy she considered an abortion, but wouldn't tell her counsellor why.
DeleteYes I'd forgotten that but she has been saying for a long time that she didn't want children. Then when she talked to Lilian it was mostly about how having children would change her life, not partying etc. I think it was for her own independence that she didn't want children.
DeleteI've listened to some of the above Gary, will save the rest for later, what a hoot!
ReplyDeleteA real classic Dead Ringers, Gary. One of my favourite programmes.
ReplyDeleteI am the opposite, in that I hope that Alice does not have a miscarriage. This is a wake-up call for her, to realise that she does want the baby she is carrying, and needs help.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer she gives birth as planned, and hopefully the baby will be 100% OK.
Then what was the point of introducing the subject of alcoholism and pregnancy? If the baby is born 100% all right then, that is a serious message that TA is putting out.
Delete"Never mind if you get hammered everyday and have vodka for breakfast; your baby will probably be okay!"
Quite an irresponsible message I would think.
Spicy,
DeleteI said hopefully, not that it is a fore-gone 100% outcome. It will not be known for a long while to come.. I am just being positive in the times, we all are experiencing. I think TA are justified in alerting the dangers to Fetal Alcoholic Syndromde. This is fine and accepted, well to me.
Agree to disagree 🤞
On a very different note, and totally unrelated to the current S/L's, I am intrigued.
ReplyDeleteThis is to do with Jennifer + Brian, still renting Willow Cottage. This was a short term rental, which was extended to a year, by the owners. They were renting until, a new property was found.
This time must have now past (I do understand the Covid restrictions have impacted on this), but where is their extra goods + chattels from Home Farm, still stored in the barn.
Perhaps Jenny + Brian might like Philip + Kirsty's Beechwood home.
I bet Joy would love them as neighbours.
To expand, this is my idea. Philip sells to Brian + Jenny, and after contracts exchanged, Philip moves to his new home, at HMP. So it is a house swap, as Kirsty moves into Willow Cottage, next door to Roy, with a lodger (but who?).
DeleteAnything can happen over a garden fence/hedge..😉
I agree with Spicycushion that it would be better for this s/l to end with Alice having a miscarriage. It sounded as if she did not want to lose the baby so this would give her a fresh start on trying for another pregnancy only this time round without alcohol. Unfortunately, due to Lilian's incorrect opinions, Alice is still not fully aware of the danger of alcohol in pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteI think she does, which is why she is reacting...
DeleteThank you for the Dead Ringers Gary. I can always use a laugh.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have been affected by Alice's storyline, for once her acting has been very convincing and that final twist, Spicycushion was right, she's still at it. My prediction may also come true, that she carries full term but it'll be just too much for all of them.
ReplyDeleteI envy Toby, he's always lucky and as he says, come May and pigs may fly!
Plus C19 mentioned twice.
DeleteExactly Spicycushion ,4:22 pm which is why I still think that the best thing is for Alice to have a miscarriage ..
ReplyDeleteI find this whole storyline to be totally unconvincing.
Surely Chris would have smelt the alcohol on Alice and actually noticed when she was drunk.
Gavin did.
Do we really want to hear the same old sentence at the end of each episode..........,,,,,,?
If you have been affected by ...............
I will check again as I did in the summer to hear who is going to be on the programme before I waste my time in listening.
Toby and Rex were pretty boring too.
)
Toby was back to his 'I'm all right Jack' as he was when he first hung around with Pip. Didn't see much concern for his daughter and how he would contribute to her upkeep?
DeleteHe will have the proceeds of the sale of Scruff Gin to tide him over so no need to start showing concern? He’ll probably have to sort out his hapless and frankly unpleasant brother as he has done before.
DeleteRex was the brother who went to look after their father when he was ill.
DeleteOf course i must remember that the admirable Toby slept with the girl he knew his brother was interested in and made a great show in the Bull of loudly cadging change for use in the condom machine in a nauseatingly boastful way.. It goes without saying that makes Rex hapless and unpleasant. Don't know why i hadn't realised that. How much better the world has become since I was a young man.
DeleteRex is hapless because he needs other people to help him run his life, eg. T❤️O❤️B❤️Y who first suggested he should go for the pig job. His jealousy leads him to make unpleasant digs at his brother which T❤️O❤️B❤️Y admirably ignores, eg. tonight’s mean-spirited little dig about “”playing Happy Families at Rickyard”. I won’t rehearse T❤️O❤️B❤️Y’s good points and actions for the umpteenth time because it’s a waste of time when people don’t want to hear!
DeleteCheshire Cheese - - Yes, and didn’t Rex make a lot of it! Toby was the brother who went to help his ex, and who has stalwartly stood by Pip and Rosie - when prejudiced listeners predicted he would scarper,
DeleteThe same listeners predicted that he wouldn’t have what it takes to make a go of his gin business - how wrong they were was proved this evening with the news that a larger firm had made him an offer.
DeleteNot sure about the profit from selling his gin brand to the brewery will pay towards Rosie’s upkeep for very long. Didn’t he say the offer was less than they originally offered for it?
DeleteAnd he will need some (most?) for setting up some new business or other.
I admired Toby for making a success of the gin enterprise against the odds and everyone’s predictions, but he did seem a bit gung-ho about the future last night.
Very Micawbian about ‘something’s bound to turn up’!
In addition to what Cheshire Cheese and I have said his low boredom threshold to continue with his enterprise ( and remember he hasn't agreed a price yet before going off at half cock) I do not see how his character is anything but flawed and certainly not admirable. His inability to stick at most things shows lack of character no matter how many times his unreal virtues are rehearsed.
DeleteStick to your ‘unreal facts’, PLC, and I’ll stick with the genuine ones!
DeleteBasia - here’s another adjective for your list of words describing Rex - negligent - remember how he neglected his goose business in the crucial pre-Christmas period and ended up chucking it in? How different from his brother who stuck at his gin business (we heard how he was flat out) devolved a quality product and marketed it so successfully that it’s reputation has grown to the extent that a larger firm wants to acquire it. Well done, Tobes - looking forward to your next initiative, so much more engaging than the Chris/Alice saga!
I spy strangers! No doubt Gary will remove them swiftly, I am sure no-one will follow the links
ReplyDeleteSTRANGER ALERT GARY!!
ReplyDeleteDeleted!
ReplyDeleteI like the charismatic, care-free Toby.
ReplyDeleteI like the "boring, hapless, jealous, mean-spirited, unpleasant" Rex.
Me too Basia. There are very unlike each other but they both have good and bad qualities which is makes them an interesting pair of brothers
Delete.
And whilst one of our members often complains against people who are, she says, prejudiced against Toby, surely she is just as prejudiced against Rex! 😄
Archerphile - is “one of our members’ me? I do have a name, if it is!
DeleteAnd for the avoidance of doubt, I don’t dislike Rex even though I think he is all the things Basia listed. I don’t feel he is enough of any of them to warrant the intense dislike shown to Pip or Susan for example.
DeleteYes Maryellen, I was referring to you.
DeleteI simply felt it more polite not to mention a name as it might seem too accusatory.
I do not think that Toby has a flawed character, but is, rather, a different character.
ReplyDeleteHe sees life from a lighter care free perspective and it's clear too that his brother, with a different outlook on life as well as the responsibility of being the older of the two,sees life from a more serious perspective.
Neither are right or wrong.
We judge, perhaps because we live in glasshouses.
And undoubtedly something will come along to fire Toby into action yet again.
There is value in responding to what life throws at you.
Not all are willing or have the personality to plan ahead.
And yet life continues, as I'm sure it will for Toby and also for Rex.
I'll second that Mrs P
DeleteI am hoping that Toby will get enough for his gin business so that he can buy a bit of land and then rent it, reasonably, to Rex for his pigs, and also use it as a base for his next business venture. Whatever their virtues and faults I think they have a strong brotherly bond.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a good idea, Janice. - I’ve earmarked the parcel of Brookfield land for it that’s currently rented to the Rewilding Project. It will be an interesting test of Pip’s loyalties!
DeleteAnd of course It would also be a test of Rex’s loyalties.
DeleteAnd what’s more, Tobes could use the same argument to Pip that she used to him about Hollowtree- “I’m doing it for Rosie”! That would be very satisfactory dramatically speaking.
DeleteToby has been very supportive to Pip and Rosie. I think the novelty of this is wearing off, though. I think he wants to try new things in new horizons. He will always be Rosie's Dad, and will continue to keep in contact.
ReplyDeleteRex, is the quieter + the plodder, of the two brothers. I would like him to stay in Ambridge in whatever way. He is Rosie's Uncle after all, and I still think, he has a part to play in this....and then there is Phoebe along with the re-wilding enterprise.
I see Maryellen + self, have both mentioned the re-wilding project, but in differing ways. Our posts overlapped, but it is interesting this project came to mind, re The Fairbrother brothers.😀
DeleteThank goodness Alice has told Chris everything. Alcoholics wont start to get off the booze successfully until they accept that they are one. Then it’s the time they need help and are most likely to accept it. Angry as he has every right to be, I hope Chris has the strength of character to stand by Alice and help her. Her plea for help was painful to hear.
ReplyDeleteJust hope Alice + Chris together, talk to a midwife and seek the required available help. Chris will support Alice, surely.
DeleteI understand from other sites where purported medical people have said that it is early in the pregnancy and on specific days that FAS 'attacks' the foetus.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea if there are tests that can be done to see if the baby has been harmed. However as FAS is little to do with physical development and more to do with mental development it may not show up on a regular scan.
I suspect that if the miscarriage scare is now past, and Chris and Alice both now know that the baby could be damaged, that they or Alice alone will opt for a termination.
Fetal alcohol syndrome, cannot be detected, unlike Bethany and her Downs Syndrome, via a scan, nor any other test. It sadly, is wait + see, over time, to see if this syndrome develops, or not.
DeleteThis might not show, until going to nursery or pre school, and can be mild.
Why a termination, to lose a viable baby. This would be for no obvious reason, except maybe it might have a problem, then maybe not.
DeleteApologies to all. My thoughts re Chris, Alice along with their situation, are very different to others, esp. about a termination of a pregnancy, in a "just in case" scenario.
ReplyDeleteThat's me for today.
Downs can be detected and the period for termination is longer but a new law is supposed to bring it line with the current 24 weeks as in other cases. Some people do not opt for a termination and claim there is no reason.
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't entertainment.
ReplyDeleteIn a bathroom, the lock is usually on the bathroom side of the door. So how is it possible to lock someone into a bathroom from outside?
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't a fun episode : (
ReplyDeletePerhaps the bathroom has a standard chubb lock, maryellen.
By way of light relief:
Our shoe has chubb locks on the internal doors.
One small shoe-dweller decided to find out which key locked the door from the dining room to the sitting room. Sadly, the same key did not also unlock it! The hinges had been thoroughly painted over and we had t o pay a locksmith £80 to pick the lock.
Fortunately, when another small shoe-dweller locked a guest in the spare room were able to unlock it without problem. (Once guest had phoned us one her mobile to request release!) The key got put on the top of the wardrobe after that occaion!
That’s interesting - I don’t think I’ve ever met a Chubb lock on an internal door in a private house and definitely not a bathroom door,
DeleteI've just been looking at photos of our first shoe. That had chubbs on at least some of the internal doors, including the bathroom. No idea what happened to the keys though, they probably vanished before we bought the place. I think we had a bolt inside the bathroom door.
DeleteIf the bathroom door had a Chubb lock, Alice should have mentioned it (eg. “Lock me in the bathroom, it’s the only room (that, contrary to prevailing custom has a Chubb lock, so) you can lock me in!” and stopped listener’s suspecting the scriptwriters had made a fundamental error.
DeleteHow old is the house? If my pre-war shoe had a chubb on the bathroom door, presumably others could have too. I doubt Alice was in any state to remind Chris the exact make of lock on her smallest room.
DeleteThe only more likely lockable option I can think of is the garage. But a) I'm not sure the house has one, and b) it's not exactly the best place to incarcerate a volatile and desparate woman.
It’s an old cottage, I think, so I’m settling for a downstairs bathroom being a converted outhouse with a door which was originally an external house door with an old-fashioned mortice lock (like Proud to be Yorkshire mentioned) lockable from either side!
DeleteWell I think that was dreadful.
ReplyDeleteWhy the heck didn't Chris dial 999 when she was wanting to be locked in the lavatory?
As Maryellen says the bathroom lock for obvious reasons is on the inside.
I thought she possibly had some whisky stashed in the bathroom.
.........and why oh why did he give her more whisky?
He should have told her to get a grip on herself .
Pity he were not more like his sister.
Janice - 2.59
ReplyDeleteI think that's a very imaginative idea, and it would still be a sibling connection for them to continue in Ambridge.
It would be lovely if that happened.
As I possibly mentioned before if Alice continues with the pregnancy and has a perfectly normal baby that will give out all the wrong signals both to Alice and any younger listeners.
ReplyDeleteChris has always been too soft with her.
He should not give her a second chance.
She must give up drink or he leaves.
I actually think it is too late to save the marriage now.
Addiction is an illness. Alice couldn't even admit to herself that she had a problem. As far as she was concerned, she had the drinking 'under control'. I supsect many addicts are the same.
DeleteNow she has finally admitted she has a problem, she will need all the support she can get.
She shouldn't have been locked in the bathroom all that time. With the distress and physical symptoms she was exhibiting, not to mention the pregnancy, Chris should have called an ambulance straightaway. For her sake and for the baby's sake, she needs medical supervision to help reduce withdrawal symptoms.
I'm with Miriam, I wouldn't want Alice to go down the termination route. But yes, the amount of alchohol Alice has been continuing to consume must, surely, have an effect on the baby. I don't like the thought of even a ficitonal child having FAS. But if the storyline is developed well, perhaps it will attract attention in the same way that Helen's did for domestic abuse. And perhaps lead some real mothers-to-be to modify their behaviours before it is too late.
Telling a person close to the edge as Alice was tonight to ' get a grip' would be worse than foolish IMO.
ReplyDeleteIt was not pleasant to hear, and it's not pleasant to experience.
It was dramatic and I admire the TA team for writing and broadcasting it.
I have experienced and been with another person going through this and the anger and despair that we heard tonight was very close to the realism I have been part of.
I do however agree that Chris should have called the emergency services an awful lot earlier than he did.
I do not have any solutions to Mr and Mrs C Carter current situation, but I do wish them the best, and also hope that the awakening to his own involvement in Alice's downfall stays with Chris to enable him to wake up to the realities of life and living, that hitherto has been, to put it mildly, a bit daffy.
I don’t know how realistic tonight’s episode was portraying withdrawal, but it certainly wasn’t easy listening. At least now Chris is starting to realise the extent of Alice’s drinking. I think it would be reasonable now the problem is being fully recognised that a termination might be considered appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI agree because they will have a long time of doubt and anxiety even after the birth. Alice also is in such a state that it will take a very long time for her to recover, get over the addiction if that is possible and then to cope with life, Hardly the ideal situation to add a very dependent baby to the mix. I don’t say this lightly but a termination is the best way for all I think.
ReplyDeleteThe decision is Alice's and Chris's, but primarily Alice's. Whatever happens, it's going to be very difficult. We can hope, however, that there is some sort of reconciliation between Chris and Emma.
ReplyDeleteAlice was way past being able to get a grip. Medical help should have been immediately sought for a pregnant woman in her state.
ReplyDeleteThat was a very difficult listen and I found myself see-sawing between anger and sympathy for Alice and Chris alternately.
ReplyDeleteI think it was brave of the producers to air such a dramatically intense épisode and I was not at all surprised to hear Lanjans dreaded ‘if you have been affected’ announcement at the end.
I don’t think the Editor can possibly allow a perfectly normal baby to be born after tonight’s drama and what we know has been going on for months.
If the BBC are contributing to a campaign to warn against drinking during pregnancy there must be serious consequences.
And story-wise, conséquences for the rest of both families as well.
I thought it was a brilliant episode with some decent acting from Alice for once. Chris is a big wet softie. He should have been ringing 999 as soon as he locked her in the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was an old fashioned door lock with a key and he took the key to his side.
I really think a termination is the only option for Alice. She’ll never be strong enough, mentally, to look after a baby and Jennifer cannot bring up yet another one!!
It just goes to show that anyone can have serious problems and it not be just the Grundys!!
As far as the potential FAS goes, a termination would be 'problem solved, now let's move on to the next issue'. Alice going ahead with the pregnancy would allow the Beeb to explore the repercussions in far more depth and, hopefully, raise awareness of the dangers of drinking while pregnant.
DeleteI read once that FAS is probably 4 times as common as autism. Many of the children will end up being taken into care or adopted because their birth parents cannot bring them up safely. At least Alice has her whole extended family close by. I'm sure Jenny will swing into action just as she did when she welcomed Ruari into the family. (If not, there's always Auntie Kate, a beacon of calm and wisdom for the wee bairn. Possibly.)
I wonder what Peggy will have to say? She was worried for years that Tony would inherit his father's unhealthy relationship to drink. Now it seems the problem has simply skipped a generation.
ReplyDeleteThat was so difficult to listen to, very harrowing, but well acted, particularly by Alice. As drinking alcohol has increased apparently under lockdown is this the BBC's way of bringing the issue to the attention of the public I wonder. I hope that Alice and Chris can get through this crisis together. He should definitely have called an ambulance though.
ReplyDeleteWe are rightly concerned about the baby -but what about Alice?
ReplyDeleteIn her state of mind unless something is done soon she is in danger of harming herself.
Chris hasn't a clue.
He needs to get Emma on board ,pronto.
I agree that although I do not like the character of Alice the actress performing the part was excellent.
Incidentally I was once told by a reformed alcoholic that he would be all right as long as he didn't touch ANY alcohol.
ReplyDeleteHe said that the smallest drop could start things up again .
I don't know if that is what happened to him but shortly afterwards he killed himself.
That is the reason why I was concerned when Chris gave Alice the whisky.
Not sure about this one.
DeleteAccording to a website I looked at yesterday, suddenly stopping heavy alchohol intake can cause a huge drop in addrenalin and lead to heart attack or stroke. The website says medical supervision and probably medication would be needed in order to stop safely. So maybe Chris's action was the lesser of two evils, especially as she was threatening to drink mouthwash. He *had* called the ambulance by this stage, hadn't he?
Generally, recovering alchoholics will tell you they are one drink away from relapse. There is no 'safe' amount for them to drink. (Which is why I believe they continue to refer to themselves as 'recovering' rather than 'recovered'.)
Crazily, someone I knew who was recovering from heroin and alchohol addiction was told by a social worker that 'One drink once in a while won't do you any harm'. Fortunately she ignored this little gem of 'advice'.
Alice has got a long, hard journey ahead of her. Let's hope the script writers allow her to receive the help and support she needs. And Chris too - there are support groups for families of addicts.
She did try drinking mouthwash after checking its potency but spat it out.
DeleteI think the mouthwash (showing the extremity to which Alice was reduced) was the reason why the scene was set in the bathroom.
DeleteMaryellen-👍
DeleteFor the record: Alice said, you have to shut me in the bathroom, it's the only room you can lock from the outside.
ReplyDeleteBasia-✔️✔️
DeleteIf Chris had called an ambulance there'd have been no drama and he had no idea, still, what he was up against, he thought Alice was recovering from a hangover. FAS symptoms are not always immediately apparent, so I maintain that they will carry on but it may be too much for everyone involved, by that I mean the rest of the family as well. We'll find out more tonight.
ReplyDeleteI realised last night that Alice was even more of an alcoholic than I had thought. When she listed all those places Chris needed to check for bottles it became more obvious how far down the road she had travelled.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes it all the more surprising that he, and the rest of her family, had no idea what she was up to. That’s something Chris will have to come to terms with.
Only Emma realised the seriousness of the addiction problem and I sincerely hope she gets a heartfelt apology from her brother, and Susan too.
Susan will go on about what a saint Chris is, sticking by Alice. She will also feel quietly smug that her own children have remained on the strait and narrow whereas the priviledged offspring has succumbed to the demon drink. 'It just goes to show, money and fancy airs aren't everything.' Of course, she'd be far too discrete to gossip about Alice's problems. ('Though she might feel the need to express her concerns for her latest grandchild, and her pride in Chris's loyalty and fortitude.)
ReplyDeleteA message for Carolyn
ReplyDeleteDear Carolyn, if you are still reading these blogs and listening to The Archers, I, for one would love to read your thoughts on the current storylines. You always had a very interesting take on situations and made a great contribution to the blogs.
I understand that you might have felt in a minority on the non-Archers blog and suffered some criticism for your different opinion but that certainly doesn’t mean we don’t want to hear from you anymore.
So please do consider returning, even if only to this one and let us know your thoughts.
I miss you, and I’m jolly sure I’m not the only one. 😊
Archerphile -
DeleteTo confirm.....Your not the only one !
✔✔✔
DeleteStasia too. 🤗
DeleteThoughts on last nights episode are:-
ReplyDeletea) The extent of Alice's alcohol withdrawl was sudden and severe
b) If 999 had been rung, then Alice might not have had the immediate help + counselling, she desparately needs. She would surely, just be given sedation, as a short term baby
c) Chris did the right thing, under the circumstances, in giving her the whiskey. He knew that a GP appointment was made for the following day.
d) Was the "baby" undergoing withdrawl as well?
e) It was well acted, with just the two of them.
At least on seeing the GP, she will be urgently seen by the Community Alchol and Drugs Team. These will do the withdrawl, in a controlled way, along with the fact that she is pregnant. The CDAT have an expert Doctor to oversee this, using specialist Nurses and counsellers.
I think that Chris needs counselling also, to fully understand the situation, and how to help.
My ideas, are mine and mine alone, but imagine have similarities to others.
What a typo....a short term baby...I meant a short term treatment.
DeleteI was obviosly thinking ahead.
The withdrawl process can be done in the home enviroment, but it needs the commitment of the person/s involved.
DeleteI thought it was unwise of upstart Freddie to dismiss an old hand like Eddie, if he doesn't have a role for him, create one.
ReplyDeleteThat's the sort of wisdom that comes with experience.
DeleteAfter struggling to get *anyone* to sign up, Freddie is chuffed now to be spoilt for choice.
Unlike Lynda, he does not realise Eddie's role in creating a team ethos amongst the cast. To be fair to Freddy, I'd not picked up that in previous years either. But perhaps we're both inattentive. Anyone here able to back-up Lynda's assertion?
You may well be right,Miriam.
ReplyDeleteI am no medic but I still think that Chris should have phoned 999 and not given Alice the whisky
We do not know what happened after she took the whisky before she saw the doctor.
I can't believe that she went to bed and had a good night's sleep..
In the real world even if one goes privately I doubt if there would be an available place for Alice .
What would happen if she could not pay for the treatment?
What would the doctor have suggested then?
I have been told by my son never to google illnesses so I won't
but something seems wrong to me.
We are talking about the life of a baby here not just its mother.
I did not need to "google" anything. I just posted as to my own personal knowledge, the liasion with the CDAT, and how I helped with the supply of the meds.for this situation. It could be due to alcohol or drugs
DeleteAs have said before, babes can be born with an addiction, and so need to go through withdrawl as a newborn, which I was involved with.
Chris + Alice are at least are now getting help, but there is a long road ahead of them.
I so hope that all goes well.
Sudden withdrawal of any toxic substance is always dangerous, be it drugs, legal or illegal, or alcohol.
ReplyDeleteChris did the right thing though he presumably did not know this at the time.
Not convinced Miriam and Mrs P that Chris did do the right thing in not dialling 999 .
ReplyDeletebut you both obviously know more than I do .
Very pleased Mrs P that your 12 month worry is over.
Mr LJ met Dr K ***'s Elderly medicine team today and actually saw Dr K herself.
Most impressed .
She was lovely.
Fortunately Mr LJ has had conversations with his my son, his step son from across the Atlantic and we had an idea of what would be suggested so all went as we hoped it would.
The all round trip only took 2hours and it would have been less had Inot insisted on giving more than enough time to ge5 there.
I also doubt that Alice could be admitted for treatment immediately, there is probably quite a waiting list for places at one of these establishments. But for the sake of the story I expect she will be found one straight away.
ReplyDeleteThen we have to hear how the news will be taken by the Aldridges, the Carters and especially Emma. Alice has a great many apologies to make to her sister in law. I hope she makes them with sincerity when she is able to,
I think the best way the BBC. could mark TA’s 70th anniversary is to give us back the blog, or something similar. It’s bound to be a bit of a Yorefest, with voices from the past etc and how interesting it would be to read or even hear listeners’ memories of the programme and hopes for its future and the future of its characters. I’d certainly like to propose a more community-centred approach, perhaps with the parish council as its focus, rather than the present stream of individual relationships (although I appreciate this may have been dictated partly by the constraints of lockdown recording).
ReplyDeleteWhat I’m trying to say is that I’m losing my sense of Ambridge as a location and as a village community - and I’d like it to be restored! Even the village’s traditional Christmas show (now basically a Lynda+Freddie story) doesn’t carry conviction - what is it, who’s volunteered, is it in the village hall, or courtesy of Lower Loxley, etc.
DeleteI definitely understand what you mean Maryellen. We used to pick up a lot of news and sense of what is going on in the village via conversations in the pub, chatting in the street, gossip in the shop. Hearing what was going on at Parish Council Meetings, even the good old WI and, of course, the Cricket Club in the summer.
DeleteAs you say, nowadays it is mostly two, or at most three (as in the scene with the doctor last night) characters conversing together and no sense of place or effect on anyone else. There is very little linkage between families or village institutions.
I am sure this must be because of present recording restrictions, but I do hope that once these are over we shall resume a more rounded view of Ambridge and it’s inhabitants.
Goodness (or perhaps Gary 😉) only knows what they are cooking up for the 70th Anniversary but hopefully not a death this time.
I agree with Maryellen on this.
DeleteSpot on maryellen! I hadn't realised until you said it that the 'village' is the thing that is missing these days. I think this was before Corona-virus too. Thus the complaint of 'Where are the farming stories etc?
DeleteToo much emphasis has been placed on messages and relationships, and not enough on the 'essence of village life.
I wonder whether it is because few, if any, of the writers and producers have ever lived for any length of time in a village?
Nail on the head Maryellen!
DeleteYou've cracked it ,Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteHope the editor takes notice.
You've certainly put the loss of 'Ambridge' itself into focus Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteI agree along with all other voices.
Thank you for drawing our attention to what it is that we all seem to know what we have lost.
I also agree with you Maryellen.
ReplyDelete👍
ReplyDelete✔✔✔
ReplyDeleteToo true Maryellen
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Maryellen. As Mrs P said, you have highlighted what we hadn’t realised we had lost. Unfortunately the loss of community is being felt in some villages. My village has no shop or village square where people would tend to bump into each other and chat. The next village to us has a thriving shop, doctors surgery, little bakery/cafe doing Take Aways, all set near a bit of grass where they’ve just erected a small war memorial. It has a very different feel to it which has been accentuated during Covid. I know more about what is going on in my neighbouring village than in my own because I use their shop and pick up the latest gossip. Ambridge has a village Green, a farm shop, tea shop etc all the necessary ingredients for a strong community based drama. Apart from difficulties caused by Covid restrictions, I think that when “issue led” drama has dominated, the SWs lose sight of the rich community in which the story plays out.
ReplyDeleteTotes agree Maryellen.
ReplyDeleteOf my poems here's the worst.....
ReplyDeleteSurely this must be A FIRST.
But Maryellen it is true.
We seem to agree with you.
Make the most of it because
Archerphile, Pierre and Soz.
Janice ,Parsley or Esscee
P btY and Mrs P
May have another axe to grind
So soon ,I think that you may find
That Anneveggie and Spicy C
Cheshire Cheese and Gary G
And even that sweet soul who's me!
When T❤️B❤️Y's mentioned we don't see
That same young man in the same light.
Keep trying though.
Persuade
You might.
Future poet laureate ???
Delete🤣
DeleteI don't know how you do it Lancashire Janet !
ReplyDeleteWhat a shock for the nation!
ReplyDeleteSuch a novel sensation!
Oh, the thrill and elation,
When bloggers agreed with me!
But the rapid deflation,
The feeling of desolation,
At LanJan’s declaration
That soon they wouldn’t agree!
It seems that my reputation
For undisguised admiration
Of Tobes (that divine creation),
Means I am agreement-free!
Glad you found your quill again, LanJan!
Both of you worthy cast members of Freddie’s Christmas show
DeleteOh no,, we isn’t!!
DeleteLanjan and Maryellen, what a joyful repartee, is there more to be?
ReplyDeleteTwo brilliant poems! I think Maryellen’s takes the prize for rhyme and scansion ( Sorry Lanjan), so here is a prize for this week’s top poem.
ReplyDelete🏆
Sorry Archerphile ,I am happy for Maryellen to take the prize for the better poem because it is really good but I do pride me self (as says it as should'nt )on me scanning and rhyming ability
ReplyDeleteI do not think a poem is "proper" unless it scans and rhymes
It's the way you are reading it!
De dum de dum de dum de dum
👍😁
DeleteThis solution I devise:
DeleteLanJan and I can share the prize!
Brilliant solution Maryellen
DeleteSo here’s another one for Lanjan to put on her mantlepiece
🏆
I have to say your rhyming couplet reminded me very much of the Rupert stories and annuals. And he celebrated his 100th Birthday this week!
The same thought occurred to me, Archerphile! Shakespeare was keen on rhyming couplets too!
DeleteWell done ladies for putting a smile on our faces with your poems!! Thank you!
ReplyDelete✔️✔️😁
ReplyDeleteTesting .
ReplyDeleteSomebody on the blog -was it Soz?- told me about iambic pentameters.
ReplyDeleteI love them.
I was told to remember
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day"
I also think of "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day"
Each line rhymes with the alternate line
day, lea ,way, me
Sight, holds , flight, folds.
Well done Mr Gray .
Some of the poems that have been written today seem to me that thjey are a collection of words written by someone with a copy of Roget's Thesaurus on his or her lap.
Some modern poems don't have regular rhyming schemes but then a rhyme jumps out at you and surprises! I think sometimes in an effort to rhyme the sense is lost. Like in 'Rap' lyrics the constant rhyming makes nonsense of the whole lyric.
DeleteIt certainly has to be an excellent poet. My favourite modern poet is Carol Anne Duffy and of her poems - 'Hathaway.' It comes from a fantastic collection called 'The World's Wife' which gives the woman's perspective of all sorts of well known incidences in history, literature and mythology. Hathaway's poem is based on a line from Shakespeare's Will "And to my wife I give my second best bed."
I taught it for A level Eng Lit and have loved it ever since.
But I also love Shakespeare's sonnets, Keats, Hardy and of course Gray's Elegy!😀
As written in the churchyard of the village where I went to school Spicy!
DeleteLovely to be associated with something famous! My claim to fame is I played tennis against Virginia Wade at school!
Delete(Sorry not TA related!)
I am enjoying the poems!
DeleteI recommend Stephen Fry's "The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking The Poet Within". It is great fun and informative too, encouraging anyone to try their hand at poetry and surprise themselves.
Thanks for the recommendation, Hilary - I’ll put it on my Christmas list!
DeletePS. I wonder if Freddie P. could be a poet-in-waiting?
DeleteI can recommend 'How to be Well-Versed in Poetry' edited by E O Parrott (of ''How to Become Ridiculously Well-Read in One Evening' fame). Very entertaining and it contains a huge variety of verse formats (many of which rhyme, LanJan).
DeleteIncidentally, I gather we have Chaucer to thank for poetry's need to rhyme. Before him the fashion was for alliteration, a la Beowulf. Perhaps Bert Fry could have a go at that style for a change.
Oh, I had forgotten all about Bert and his ‘poetry’. Just about the most boring and tedious verse I have ever heard!
DeletePhilip sounded especially nasty this evening. I’m not sure what to make of Gavin at the moment. He can’t shop his Dad without incriminating himself but I think he genuinely cares for the workers.
ReplyDeletePhilip is a horrible swaggering little man enjoying the power he has over those poor unfortunates. We all crave his comeuppance! Agree about Gavin. He suffers from a controlling father which begs the question about P’s hold on Kirsty. On the surface he doesn’t seem to dominate her but the same could have been said about Rob before he married Helen.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that Peggy hot a mention tonight, in connection with Freddie’s Christmas production. It was nice to know she is still around in Ambridge,
ReplyDeleteeven if we don’t get to hear her in person.
What a nasty horrid man that Philip is. He took pleasure in exacting punishment on Blake. Can't wait for him to get what he deserves. Gavin does seem to feel genuinely sorry for Blake which was good to hear.
ReplyDeleteI was quite amused that the dreadful-sounding punishment turned out to be nothing more than PlayStation deprivation! It sounded like parent and teenager.
DeleteI think that it was meant to sound like that to emphasise the vulnerability of the physically grown men whose main pleasure is not to go out and get drunk, play sports etc but they are like ( not just teenagers but even younger) children who are addicted to playstations!
DeleteJust very sad, especially for those who of us who have worked with 'vulnerable' adults, that they should be exploited so.
We have the book by E O Parrott. We inherited it from Mr S's dad, Ernest Arthur, which should amuse Maryellen if she casts her mind back... ...
ReplyDeleteYessss! What a coincidence, Sarnia! When shops reopen, I shall try our secondhand bookseller (or ‘vintage and collectible’ as they prefer to be known.)
DeleteDo you remember what a dreadful person Gavin was when he first set foot in Ambridge?
ReplyDeleteHe was found snooping in Kirsty and Phillip's bedroom, made insinuations about Kirsty and Alastair and bullied his father into promising to make a large donation for his forthcoming wedding in way off Bali or somewhere
Suddenly the tables have turned.
A scriptwriter has been reading his or her bible because it all started when the Gavin the Samaritan found the drunkard on the road to Fephersham...........(two stories in one)
Phillip, the likeable affable friend and confidant "I know how you feel Alastair .
I have been there ..." has become the nasty ,evil bully some of us thought he was in the first place.
The only puzzle is
Why has the usually astute Kirsty not seen through him?
Kirsty isn’t astute when it comes to people, though she is good at practical solutions, eg. the mobile phone for trapped Helen, Christopher’s jacket for best man Jazzer (and Susan to alter it), help for supposedly addicted Gavin, etc.
DeleteMy prevalent thought last night was that Gavin may take the lads' side against Philip, but as KPnuts says, how can that be done without incriminating himself. It's like the Ed vs Tim scenario.
ReplyDeleteNot knowing much about these things, I understood police station, thinking Philip would lock them up which he does anyway, but it turned out to be a games console.
Is the final downfall/arresting of Philip going to be our 70th Anniversary treat?
ReplyDeleteI’m rather hoping it will happen before Christmas.
I'm afraid we are heading for a true 'soap' episode where some great disaster befalls one or more characters on what should be a happy, comforting occasion i.e.Christmas! I don't think anything will happen right up to the last episode before the Christmas weeken break! 😥
DeleteTo go back to Alice's storyline; the BBC have a new blog about Alice, and reading it I think that Alice will go on to have a perfectly healthy baby.
ReplyDeleteMany, many people on the two other Archers' websites I follow, state that they are surprised that no mention has been made of a termination, because the damage would have been done during the first three months of her pregnancy.
Despite this, the blog says, " If she is to avoid harming her unborn child," and goes on to say she MUST give up drinking. So the 'well-researched' storyline does not appear to have had any consultations with the medical profession and we will have yet another petering out of the treatment of an 'issue.'
I do hope I am wrong though.
Trust me,It won't be too long-maybe a month!- for Kirsty to work out what is happening.
ReplyDeleteShe has done a bit of questioning but seems to be taking her time in realising that Phillip is not the nice old man she thought she was going to marry.
I could not understand the way she accepted the move to Wales so easily.
There never used to be a Christmas Break as there was always an episode on Christmas Day but this year Christmas Day is on a Friday so the big scene could take place on the 24th and we will have to wait until the 28th to find out more.
I hope you are wrong too,Spicycushion.
ReplyDeleteLanjan and Maryellen, Kirsty found the phone for Helen because she could sense that something was not right between her and Rob and shouted words of encouragement in his hearing. I think it's this old truth that we tend to recognise inappropriate behaviour in others but not when it's too close or prefer to disregard it. Just like Helen telling herself that Rob's rape didn't matter because he was her husband and they had sex anyway.
ReplyDeleteI don't think for one moment that Helen thought or believed that Rob's rape didn't matter! Her tone of voice at the end of that almost infamous episode when he was ignoring her refusals and her attempts to distract him, told me that she was 'giving in' under extreme pressure.
DeleteI hated that episode because I can still hear her voice saying 'No.'
Helen, like many other people would not have told anyone because she was mentally brow-beaten into having no 'voice' of her own. You can add to that, perhaps, an old-fashioned belief that it is no-one else's business what goes on in the marital bed.
I agree, deep down Helen knew, but she was only able to tell the counsellor that 'he makes me do things I don't want to'. Later in court she said she tried to rationalise by telling herself he was her husband.
DeleteI'm thinking of listening to the afternoon drama and have just noticed that Emma is in it.
ReplyDeleteI thought tonight was a bit of a waste of time listening to ( gosh, can’t believe I’ve written that!)
ReplyDeleteTracy & Roman taking over Freddie’s Christmas show; Eddie getting in with the nighthawk treasure seekers (watch out Eddie) and David being his usual boring self at the rehearsal.
The only good thing about it was hearing Oliver again, and hearing him more animated and enthusiastic than he has been for a considerable time.
Great to hear Oliver but he did say "train station" (Cringe)
DeleteIt’s not an anachronism in 2020. I think it’s now used in parallel to bus station.
DeleteFunnily enough this very change from Railway to Train Station was mentioned this morning on our other blog, by Hilary, one of our bloggers who now lives in Italy.
DeleteI really grates on us oldies , as does ‘Outage’ instead of Power Cut which I have been discussing there too.
You are quite right Maryellen it is not an anachronism any longer but it is not natural for us oldies. “Uni” gives me the gears too as does the system of “fulness” being used to reconvert an adjective back to a noun. E.g. successfulness = success.
DeleteTrue, PLC. I expect the Globe Theatre in Shakespeare’s day was full of venerable theatregoers shaking their heads at what they were hearing from the stage! I think success and successfulness imply different things to me, but I’m on the wrong blog to go into it.
DeleteI quite liked hearing the acting profession taking itself off! It’s only a poetry recital, after all. My sympathies were with David.
ReplyDeleteI found it humorous and well acted, hence not many comment here. My only complaint was that we had a real life broadcast about lockdown, so unusually I listened with a 15 mins delay, these always coincide with the Archers and sometimes it is they who win!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about "Uni" Pierre but the one word which annoys me even more is when children are called kids.
ReplyDeleteIt was a light-hearted episode which I welcome these days. Eddie - take care, you don't know what you might be getting into.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely is it a trap!
DeleteIt most probably will turn out that way and the silly bugger has netted himself!
DeleteElizabeth and Vince accepted by Jill and David.
ReplyDeleteEddie's with the in-crowd.
Alice's in rehab on the quiet.
Rex to become a tenant farmer.
Where's the drama in all this? Quiet before the storm?
It's an everyday story of country folk..... in my book, still is, and welcome for all that.
ReplyDeleteRex to become a tenant farmer ? Yes and why not, just as Mike and Betty I seem to remember.
Drama ? Yes, now and again, but I certainly don't want it to be more often.
MrsP, I'm certainly glad of a welcome respite, it's just very unusual.
DeleteVery quiet on the blog as well.
It will be another example of someone else sorting Rex’s life for him, should he get the tenancy. I think Neil said the Farm was at Lower Loxley - is that right? If so, it’s outside the enclave so we’d be saying goodbye to Rex.
ReplyDeleteHave just had a look at TA website and there is a zoom session between Brian, Jennifer and Siobhan and Rhuari. If you haven’t seen it, have a look as it is so good and gives the actors’ reaction to the CD as well as showing what a lovely sense of humour Charles Collingwood has!
ReplyDeleteI had seen it but won't listen as the memories are disturbing.
DeleteI thought about it when I said 'no drama' but much preferable to that.
Thanks Ev - I've just listened.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed hearing Neil's voice as he's been missing for so long. Also nice to hear Jill again.
ReplyDeleteI predict that now Freddie has thankfully given up the hands on directing of the Christmas show, the Tracey/Roman bid will fall flat on its face, and (after a dramatic pause, of course) Lynda will be compelled to step in.......
ReplyDeleteI think you may well be right Maryellen. I can see the “trust” games providing too much information for Tracey to keep to herself.
DeleteOh for goodness sake Maryellen, give Rex a break! Someone else sorting his life for him??
ReplyDeleteNeil was just passing on a bit of good news that there is a Council Farm up for rent (an unusual event these days). What’s wrong with somebody passing on a bit of news like that and what’s wrong with Rex acting on it and going for the farm?
All power to his elbow if he pursues this bit of news and is successful in taking up the tenancy.
It would suit him and his pigs perfectly and it’s the way most young farmers get a start these days (unless you inherit one, as Pip will, eventually).
I could say: Oh for goodness sake Archerphile, give Pip a break!! You’re putting words into my mouth (or fingertips in this case). I didn’t say any of their conversation was wrong, just observing that Rex tends to react to or act on other people’s suggestions, be it Anisha, his brother or Neil. Correction: I think he got the taxi job on his own initiative.
DeleteRex is a former professional rugby player who sustained an injury.
ReplyDeletePeople have always used contacts, most have their lives sorted by parents, teachers and employers.
Exactly, Basia.
DeleteWhich is what makes Toby’s personal initiative so remarkable!
DeleteWhy must they be compared, they are two people in their own right.
DeleteWhy should people be compared/defined by others.