- Schmallenberg
- The return of Clarrie
- Brian bought Clarrie for Jennifer
- Clarrie’s not gossiping
- David’s being mean
- Chris owns his own business
- Long term recovery for Tony?
- Brian uses Tony to grind down Adam
Schmallenberg
The Schmallenberg virus has really passed me by.
Clarrie came across Ruth feeding a lamb. Though it was a bit shy from eating, Ruth was just glad it was healthy.
Which was when they started talking about the “nasty virus”. Seems Bill Oldfield has even told Pip she can’t go ahead with the Hassett Lamb project (celebrity lamb and such) until next year.
Seems the Schmallenberg virus doesn’t affect humans, but does damage unborn lambs, causing deformity or death. In adults, it causes diarrhoea, fever and a decrease in milk yields.
(more low milk yields at Brookfield – though also in the lambs is a bit much)
Seems the virus has come from Germany, and will cause problems for some time to come.
Who’d be a farmer …
The return of Clarrie
Ruth was telling Clarrie that David was at Bridge Farm helping out again, and that Tom and Helen are just about managing.
Clarrie’s just worried for Tony.
[Clarrie] “I thought about going in to see him, but didn’t want to be in the way”
Adam’s over at bridge Farm later on offering to help drive tractors and the like. He was also surprised to hear that Brian had been helping with the veg boxes.
[Pat] “From what Helen says, I think he quite enjoyed it … he’s offered to come and do it again”
Helen and Pat are later talking about everything they have to work at. There’s the café launch, so Tom will need to get his ready meals sorted, and they the Ambridge Organics produce.
[Helen] “We’ve managed so far, but only by the skin of our teeth”
Seems Susan is also working evenings, but can’t keep that on indefinitely.
[Helen] “I don’t see how we can do it mum, not with things the way they are”
Especially with Tony not able to work, and Pat having to spend most of her time looking after Tony. Helen reckons they need extra help.
[Helen] “Someone who knows what they’re doing and can get straight back to work”
[Pat] “You mean Clarrie … we can’t just ask her now, out of the blue, after everything that’s happened?”
But Helen’s quite right that Clarrie hasn’t got work yet. And it’d make sense for Bridge Farm to ask Clarrie first, rather than having to hunt down someone completely new.
[Helen] “It might be easier coming from me. Less complicated”
(meaning that Pat treated Clarrie abysmally over the e coli outbreak)
So, Helen goes round to see Clarrie, who is delighted to see her.
[Clarrie] “I’ve been thinking about you all, wondering how you was managing … poor man … I can’t tell you how glad I am Helen.
(that Tony is okay)
“It was such a shock when I heard. And then waiting for new, I just didn’t know what to think … I wanted to ask, do you think he’d mind if I popped down to seem him?”
[Helen] “I wanted to ask you a really big favour … do you think you’d be able to come back and help us out … it would be p great for us if you could, but only if you really feel you’d like to …”
[Clarrie] “Helen, you don’t have to ask, well of course I will. Of course I’ll come back”
Clarrie is desperate for work, and we know she’s not one to hold a grudge, but there is something distasteful about how Helen and co treated here, then take her back when it suits them.
And how are they going to afford the extra wages again? I thought they were still skint? Or does Tony have insurance (can claim off the Government as well?)
Brian bought Clarrie for Jennifer
As we know, but Clarrie now has to do some swotting with Bert to make sure she knows what she’s talking about to Jennifer.
Just like Eddie.
Making only half a promise auction …
Clarrie’s not gossiping
Clarrie’s telling Ruth and David that Sabrina paid £85 for Harry, and that Sabrina wants harry to wait until the weather gets warmer to do the work in her garden (as we already know).
[Clarrie] “And we can all guess why …”
But Clarrie suddenly stops talking, and rushes away.
[David] “She’s done it to, given up gossip for lent!”
David’s being mean
In my humble opinion.
He’s on at Ruth again to talk about the farm. More specifically, he wants her to agree with them that they have no choice but to get rid of the dairy herd.
[David] “We’ve got to sort out this stalemate”
[Ruth] “Sorry David, I haven’t got time for this”
But David later corners her again.
[David] “Every hour, that you spend working with the cows, you’re doing it for nothing. Making a loss even. You’re gaining us one step closer to going bust … so we need to stop and make some time and come up with some answers”
He gets a bit aggressive, though also sounds upset. He wants Ruth to tell him what their plans should be, as she doesn’t want to sell the herd.
[David] “So what is the alternative … where do we go from here?”
[Ruth] “I just don’t know what to do”
[David] “Okay, we’ll take some time and have a think about it but we need an answer soon. You say you can’t live without the cows, alright, so you tell me, how can we afford to live with them?”
As much as David is right to force Ruth to make a decision, I don’t see how harassing and shouting at her will help.
Chris owns his own business
Though we didn’t hear it direct from Chris or Alice, Chris signed the contract today to buy out Ronnie.
Will that mean they can stop scrimping? Or is it only just the start?
Long term recovery for Tony?
Pat reckons Tony will have to just get used to sitting and being waited on.
Adam later tells Brian that he also thinks Tony is in for a long haul recovery.
[Alice] “From the way looked this morning, sat in his chair in the kitchen, I’d say it’s going to be a while before he’s back to milking twice a day … I really felt for him. And after all they’ve been through”
[Brian] “I suppose there’s a lesson there for us all somewhere .. .life’s too short. I mean a thing like that, it could have been any of us, it could have been me,. So make best use of your time while you’ve got it”
Brian uses Tony to grind down Adam
Brian again asks Adam to “bury the hatchet”
(sure Adam would be delighted to if it was a real ‘un!)
[Adam] “If it were that simple …”
[Brian] “It’s just like I said to you the other day. All we have to do is respect each other’s opinions and agree to differ”
[Adam] “You can't just wish these things away, Brian.”
[Brian] “But surely we can agree to shake hands, declare a truth, or whatever you want to call it. Come on, for the sake of the family!”
[Adam, obviously fed up with being badgered by Brian] “Okay … yes, if you want”
They shake hands.
[Brian], ever patronising] “Good man, Well done. It wasn’t so hard, was it? ... It’ll make life so much easier for the both of us,. And your mother will be thrilled when I tell her”
4 comments:
It really bugs me the contrived way that Tony's heart attack has been used as a deus ex machina to solve all these pleasantly festering problems.
It's conflict that makes The Archers interesting. I was thoroughly enjoying the feuds between Tosser Tom and his dad, between said dad and the endlessly irritating and patronising Jennifer, and between Adam and Brian, but Tony's heart attack has, at a stroke (pun intended) potentially destroyed all of these enjoyable little battles.
All I can hope for now is that Annabelle will overcome her natural disinclinations toward Brian and give some substance to the gossip - it's been far too long since there was a decent affair in Ambridge!
'at a stroke'- snigger!
I absolutely agree.
More annoying still is Pat who goes into battle at the drop of a hat not taking her awful son to ask for the way he treated his father.
You're right - there hasn't been any extra marital foolery for a while!
Though I reckon Jennifer will soon enough fall out with Tony again (Super Dairy), and Tom won't be able to stop being a selfish w*nker for long ...
Quite right LG about Pat and Tom. Peggy also seems to see no wrong when it comes to Tom. Helen notices, but doesn't really do much.
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