There’s still no phone nor internet 17.01.12

The Archers Tuesday 17th January 2012

• Christine’s birds look like they’re in for a treat
• Stolen cabling AND floods
• Scrap metal? Who was after that a wee while ago?
• Caroline’s disturbing her guests
• That’s why Ambridge is a nice place to live
• Is Ruth going to sack Emma?
• Gary’s useless once more
• Facebook withdrawal
• Ducks have it made?
• Lower Loxley bucks the trend

Christine’s birds look like they’re in for a treat

So says Jim.


Stolen cabling AND floods

Ambridge really isn’t having any luck

Seems it was a large amount of cable that was stolen.

(though why the size of it means it’ll take longer to fix, I don’t know. Surely the Council just buys a larger length?)

And flooding has slowed down the repairs.

Scrap metal? Who was after that a wee while ago?

[Jim] “It’s appalling that the thieves are willing to create havoc like this, and all for a bit of scrap metal”

And who do we know was trying to steal scrap metal a wee while back …

Neil was also saying that ‘they’ (whoever ‘they’ are) are putting measures into place to stop dealers buying stolen scrap metal.

That’ll be Clive and his dodgy mate Bernie might be up the swanny without armbands.



Caroline’s disturbing her guests

Caroline really isn’t having a good time at the moment.

Though they have brought the pen and paper out in swathes to try and keep track of who is supposed to be where, they still can’t take payment.

She can’t even find her old ‘clunk clunk’ card readers.

And to top that, she’s starting barging in on guests.

[Caroline] “Luckily when I opened the door there was nothing untoward going on, but the woman looked pretty shocked when the door flew open”

Caroline has misread Oliver’s writing – saw a 17 to be an 11 – and tried to show someone in a room that was already being used.

And Caroline sounded quite upset about it.

Maybe this will give Caroline the push to get another manager, and finally retire properly.


That’s why Ambridge is a nice place to live

People actually give a hoot for each other.

Jim’s in the shop, where they can’t open the Post office bit.

[Jim] “Not being able to give people their pensions is very unfortunate. We’ve seen some distress today”

Bob Pullen is (we are told) very upset that he has no phone, and that his personal alarm (which he wears around his neck) can’t be used.

(don’t those things have batteries? Why an internet connection?)

So Jim decides to do something about it.

He has a chat to Neil and Chris about getting a rota together to go round checking on vulnerable folks, especially as they have no means of raising the alarm.

They’re more than happy to help out, and get others to also do so.

And Chris has the idea of rounding up old mobiles, get some sims and get a collection together to put some money on them. AND he and Alice will help folks of the 3rd generation to use them.

None of that would have happened in a city.

Or in a village where folks don’t like each other.


Is Ruth going to sack Emma?

She was in asking about what ‘cleaner for hire; cards were up in the shop. When Jim pointed out that she has Emma, she didn’t exactly utter any words of denial or that Emma was doing her grand.

Interesting.


Gary’s useless once more

Neil’s made a start on redoing Bert’s house. He’s called in Christopher to help.

Seems Gary is well and truly back to being a chocolate fireguard.

[Neil] “He’s being worse than useless. I think he’s doing it deliberately … if you get reputation for being rubbish,. No-one makes you do anything, do they ?”

Ah – is that’s Gary’s secret!

Anyhoo – Neil is also annoyed that Bert and Gary sat there watching the telly while he grafted – then had the cheek to ask him to keep the noise down as they couldn’t hear their programmes.


Facebook withdrawal

[Ruth] “Josh is having Facebook withdrawal symptoms”

And he wants to go round Freddie and Lily’s to be able to get onto Facebook, to talk to friends he’s just been at school with all day.

[Caroline] “Maybe he’ll read a book instead”

Aye, Ruth’s not hopeful of that.


Ducks have it made?

Ruth’s taking time out to:

[Ruth] “watch how the ducks go about things”

[Caroline, also trying to take a timeout] “Look a rather enviable life, doesn’t it, on the surface anyway …”

[Ruth] “Of course they’re paddling like mad underneath”

Which, as Caroline says, is just what she and Ruth are doing.

(I think we understood that without Caroline spelling it out)


Lower Loxley bucks the trend

It’s on a different exchange, so has internet and phones.

Elizabeth called up Caroline to see how they were coping – but the way Caroline retold the call, it sounded like Elizabeth was ever slightly crowing …

Seems she has lots of people turning up with their laptops to get online. She’s been giving them complimentary coffee. A “roaring trade”.

Caroline really needs to tell Elizabeth to stuff herself. It’s been a year. She doesn’t need to be nice to her anymore.