Thursday 21 April 2011

The Archers Thursday 21st April 2011: Kathy pulls a sickie

click the title above, of the'read more' link below the bullet points, to read the full post on this eavesdropping episode

  • Elizabeth’s birthday
  • Nice of Joe to let Clarrie take the heat
  • First mention of the cricket season
  • Is less more?
  • The Ambridge take on the referendum …
  • Everyone thinks Ruth is thick
  • Gardeners’ Question Time
  • The yield curve isn’t good
  • Kathy calls in sick
  • “Ian, can you remind Alfie to settle into his heals?”
  • This year, Jill will mainly be gardening …
  • Does Jill just dislike Kenton?
  • There’s a time for cottage pie, and a time for borstal



Elizabeth’s birthday

And she seems surprisingly chirpy.

Probably helped that the kids have gone to a lot of effort (though we didn’t get to hear any of their day out).

Maybe Elizabeth is starting to appreciate what she’s still got.

[Elizabeth] “Kenton got me a huge box of smellies, so I’m feeling very spoiled”

A bit of a sad moment when Elizabeth asked Jill if she could come to lay flowers on Phil’s grave at the weekend (for what would have been his birthday), but Jill’s in top notch mother-nurturing mood:

[Jill] “Your father and Nigel would be so proud of you. I’m sure they’re both looking down with big smiles today”



Nice of Joe to let Clarrie take the heat

Joe’s still giving Keira a lot of attention – so that leaves Clarrie at home, dealing with his angry customers.

Typical.

Clarrie should lock Joe in the stocks on the village green, then head off to treat herself to a pampering, nice food and some new tights. She deserves nothing less for having to deal with those men of hers.

(and I don’t think the green does have stocks, but you get where I’m going. Have gone. Erm …)





First mention of the cricket season

Which, this year, was brought to you by Shula, speaking about Alistair having to plan for the upcoming season.

Hurrah!

It’s been beautiful weather, bank holidays a-plenty, and cricket is on the way.

There’s a slight taste of Summer in the air!



Is less more?

I generally think so.

Shula and Clarrie were discussing Lynda’s leaflet - too much text, in too small print - in comparison to Lilian’s – better, as it had less on it so was to the point.

[Shula] “Possibly due to the fact that she hasn’t got an awful lot to shout about”

Meow!


The Ambridge take on the referendum …

… is that it will encourage a bigger turn out for the Parish Council elections, as both are happening at the same time.

Brilliant!



Everyone thinks Ruth is thick

Chatting about how Ruth is struggling with The Ghost for the book club, Jill felt that she had the answer.

[Jill] “I’m sure it doesn’t matter if you just turn up and listen, even if you haven’t got anything to say”

What a shame on Ruth.

She really gets no credit.

The woman is busy!



Gardeners’ Question Time

Is this Sunday.

Hurrah! Wonder if they’ll edit Vicky out?



The yield curve isn’t good

As Jill’s wittering on about something or other, David seems very distracted.

And he is. He’s worrying about the mile yield. Seemingly they aren’t great – but worse still, they should be better than before, as the grass is better. But they’re actually worse.

Which doesn’t make any sense.

And Jill’s encouraging words (which sounded like she’d got from greetings cards – or those naff posters you buy for a motivational workplace) didn’t help matters.

So – not only is the yield bad, but they’ll also have to spend more money feeding the cows on concentrate, to try and get the yield back as (as the grass doesn’t seem to be working).

Extra cost, means less profit.

Wonder how Ruth will blame David about this one?



Kathy calls in sick

So that she can wait at home to try and catch Jamie.

(we found out in Ambridge Extra that the mess she found the other day was both Jamie and Marty returning to eat, get more kip, then head out again)

She’s also heard from Jolene that he didn’t turn up at The Bull, and missed another shift.

So she ends up sitting in the kitchen all day. Fretting and worrying.



“Ian, can you remind Alfie to settle into his heals?”

Eh?

Horsey talk from Shula. Way over my head.

As was Jill’s mention of tomorrow’s “Walk of witness”. I assume that’s something to do with Easter?



This year, Jill will mainly be gardening …

Broad beans and carrots (with Josh’s help), with an attempt at Florence fennel (which Phil once had success with).

Though the Ground-elder “seems to be coming back with a vengeance”


Does Jill just dislike Kenton?

It sometimes seems so.

She’ll comfort Elizabeth, and excuse her selfishness. She’ll support David, and try and make him feel better about low milk yields.

Yet, Kenton hardly ever gets a nice word said about him.

Jill is now losing sleep over him and Jolene.

[Jill] “He never thinks about the long term consequences of what he does. He just steams on regardless”

[Shula] “I don’t you’re doing him justice. He’s quite hurt at your attitude, you know mum…”

[Jill] “I can’t help what I think. And he doesn’t go out of his way to prove me wrong, does he?”

[Shula] “Look, instead of basing your opinion on past mistakes, isn’t it better to accept the choices that he makes now, and wait and see what happens?”

[Jill] “That’s easier said than done”

[Shula] “I know you just want us to be happy …Well, just let him and Jolene get on with it and find out for themselves if it works”

What’s Jill’s problem? Kenton and Jolene seem happy, so let them be.

Can’t quite believe it’s Saint Shula that’s defending Kenton’s liaisons. She’s not always been a Saint, and Kenton is her twin, but it would seem her moral stance is slightly relaxing. Maybe.




There’s a time for cottage pie, and a time for borstal

When Clarrie pops round to see Kathy, she finds that Jamie still hasn’t been home.

Kathy has made him a cottage pie (for goodness sake!), and still seems to think that she and Jamie could talk things through, if only he’d arrive home.

*sigh*

Haven’t we been at the ‘we need to talk; stage many times before?

At least Kathy does know that Jamie’s alive. She called his friends, and finally tracked him to Marty’s house.

[Clarrie] “At least you know he ain't been sleeping rough, and you know this family”

[Kathy] “To be honest, they don’t seem that bothered about what their own son gets up to, let alone mine”

[Clarrie] “Believe me Kathy, it’s better than nothing. You’ve just got to stick it out.”

[Kathy] “I’m finding it so hard to be patient Clarrie. I just want him home.”

Listen to Clarrie, Kathy. She knows what she’s talking about.

But maybe the time for pie is over. Just lock him up for a bit with bigger and badder lads than he could ever be ...

2 comments:

Miriam said...

I hear Jill - my ground elder's back with a vengeance too. It's a total bugger to get shot of!

Inga McVicar said...

Ain't it grand to share our pain with Ambridge residents.