The Archers 27th August 2010: The Carter and Aldridge supper

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The Archers: The Carter and Aldridge supper ... allotments and boarding school

• The Aldridges prepare ...
• The Carter's prepare ...
• "The Aldridges not Albert Pierrepoint"
• The supper begins ...
• "the natives are restless"
• Lilian and her gin
• Elizabeth says 'yes' ...
• ... and then 'no'

The Aldridges prepare ...

Popping on a "dull grey tie" for the occasion, Brian sounds in a jovial mood ahead of their supper with Susan and Neil.

Jennifer just sounds suicidal.

"we'll race through the pudding and refuse coffee home, then be home in time for the evening news"

The Carter's prepare

"The starter looks ... very ... interesting"

Oh dear. That's not a convincing noises coming from Neil.

Neil also gets the music wrong (though I would have personally preferred The Phantom of the Opera over the Three Tenors)

And Susan has had to resort to Bert Fry's "cast off veg" in making a vegetarian lasagne rather than the Lamb Tagine she'd planned.

Safer ground, but not quite the hint of sophistication she'd been looking to create.


"Aldridges not Albert Pierrepoint"

What?

I must have heard that wrong.

If not, what a very odd thing for Neil to say.

A hangman? for dinner? Which would be worse than having the Aldridges?

Eh???


The supper begins ...

Brian compliments the veg lasagne:

"I appreciate a well cooked meal made with fresh ingredients"

Neil likes the wine, but makes the mistake of thinking Brian got it from the Village shop (as if! Of course Brian has a bloomin' wine merchant on hand!)

Neil and Brian have a discussion about the Cap Reforms while Jennifer insists on Helping Susan with the dishes (if at all interested - Neil thinks it's only big farmers like Brian that benefit)

And when's all done, Jennifer asks Susan for the "anchovy starter".


The post-Supper Analysis

Neil:

"Phew!"

Susan:

"You were fantastic, Neil Cater" (for standing his ground with Brian over the farming discussion)

and

"tonight went really well"

Jennifer:

"that was absolutely ghastly"

"what was that fish pepper starter thing?"

"we won't have to sit through for a very long time to come"

So - no change there then. Susan thinks they're all the best of chums, Jennifer can't abide this whole situation, Neil just doesn't want the stress.

More of this to come then. I only hope that next time, such a supper is worthy of such a massive build up. A few quite amusing moments, but not the hilarity we'd all expected ...


"the natives are restless"

So says Brian, due to rumours about The Bull closing.

Rather than seeing Lilian as its savour, he reckons Jennifer will have no ready funds to buy out Jolene (due to Amside Property).

Closure shall surely not come to pass ...?

Either we'll see another shareholder of The Bull, or it could go the way of the majority of village pubs these days.

Turned into flats.

By Matt???


Lilian and her gin

And on Lilian, Brian reckons she's no longer susceptible to spilling all of the inside information on Matt after a few gin and tonics.

Nope - she hasn't stopped drinking.

Lilian has just got a real vested interested in Matt's dealings. If he fails this time, he'll drag her down with him.


Elizabeth says 'yes' ...

to allotments at Lower Loxley.

Nigel wasn't letting his allotment idea go, so Elizabeth has consented.

Seemingly Nigel feels "privileged" for having his land, and feels this would be a good way to help the community.

(not a hint of the Laird providing scraps of land to stop his peasants being completely wiped out from starvation. No, not at all ...)

All very nice. And they really should call Hugh to get signed onto his Landshare scheme.


... and then 'no'

to the twins being sent to boarding school.

All Nigel could initially muster was "gosh", but managed to pull himself together to drag out all the usual arguments of "tradition", "opportunity", "advantages".

Elizabeth seemingly heard Lily saying that while she wasn't bothered about going to boarding school, Freddie is already dreading it (with a whole 12 months to go).

"doesn't feel right anymore"

"i can't bear for them to live so far away"

"we will lose touch with them"

Nigel's comeback of

"surely you don't want to deny them"

Felt like it was being said to a mum who has already made up her mind. "Tradition" won;t stand a chance.