- It’s the Graham Ryder meeting
- Lewis has bronchitis
- Jill’s “honey lyptus might just be the thing”
- Pip’s car is red
- Harry has a pulse!
- Matt has a point about The Bull
- Bert’s holding the hurdle, Ruth’s tying it
It’s the Graham Ryder meeting
Which David comes back from in a very chirpy mood.
Not sure if it will actually make any real difference to Ruth.
While she doesn’t get her afternoon nap, David gets to fall asleep while he’s later opening the wine.
Hmmm.
Lewis has bronchitis
Poor chap.
That might also cause a few more headaches for Elizabeth and the rest of Lower Loxley.
But never fear. Jill is on her way with chicken and ‘other goodies’ …
Jill’s “honey lyptus might just be the thing”
Steady on there!
Pip’s car is red
That’s all Ruth can mind on about the car Kenton’s chosen for her.
David has to be arm wrestled into making Kenton find Pip a car for her birthday, that Ruth can’t even remember the make of.
Nice parents. Lucky Pip will be turning 18, so doesn’t have to utterly depend on them.
Should we be sending a food parcel over to Ben and Josh?
Harry has a pulse!
And then even a pint of Shires.
Who’d have thunk it. At least he’s not an utter lamppost …
Jazzer has decided Harry needs to come on a double date with him, as he’s after a lassie who insists on taking her friend with her.
So Harry has agreed, even though he reckons double dates are a
[Harry] “ … recipe for disaster … Jazz has an answer for everything”
(‘Jazz’? Sounds like a term of endearment to me.)
Harry has scoped out his date (he had a quick look at her while she was working, in a café, on Wednesday), and:
[Harry] “She was really attractive … I’m looking forward to meeting her … I get to go out with a pretty girl, Jazzer wants to line up his next conquest”
Surely this can’t go at all well for anyone involved?!?
Matt has a point about The Bull
Matt’s making his move on Jolene.
[Matt] “I’ve noticed you’ve been worried about the pub …(I asked a mate that) if this pub were ever to come up for sale, what would be the chances of developing it for residential purposes … and it’s very good news for you …”
It would seem The Bull could easily be turned into flats, and the car park into muse cottages.
And clever old Matt – he even manages to make out that Jolene would be doing a good thing for Ambridge if she sold up and The Bull became flats. He reckons that Ambridge has a shortage of housing.
[Matt] “People get very upset, but when a pub business becomes unviable, it doesn’t have to be a total loss to the community”
So – Jolene would actually be helping the community.
And it sounded like she bought into Matt’s pitch. She even checked Matt would be interested in buying.
[Jolene] “But I wouldn’t want anything getting out. Not til I’ve made up my mind”
Course, Matt’s lips are well and truly sealed. He needs Jolene to be kept from harassment so that she concentrates on what’s best for her.
And actually – Matt’s right (though quote devious).
If The Bull is so important to Ambridge residents, why is it so quiet? Would it actually be missed if hardly anyone is in there these days?
[Jolene] “Maybe the village pub has had its day”
[Harry] “Just remember you’re the heart and soul of this community .. .as soon as the weather warms up back in droves … trust me, I’m a milkman”
Eh? When were milkmen ever trustworthy?!?
And, name me one time since Sid died that Jolene has been anything but a moping misery, bringing down the entire spirit of The Bull?
What is Harry on about? Does he have some sort of vested interest in The Bull?
Bert’s holding the hurdle, Ruth’s tying it
(which is all something to do with lambing, my fellow non-agricultural eavesdroppers)
Ah – nice to have the dulcet tones of Bert back in Ambridge.
His back must be better, and in good time too for the lambing.
While some may say that it was Bert who put David to sleep before he could open his wine, I was riveted by the sheer wealth of information I learned from Bert about Gloucester Cows.
They are dual purpose (good for milk, good for beef).
Were triple purpose back in the day:
[Bert] “used them as draught animals in the olden days”
(which doesn’t mean that they were used to keep rooms toasty – it means they pulled stuff. I only know because I looked it up …)
And, the first smallpox vaccine came from a Gloucester cow.
Excellent. That’s a classic Archers moment, thank you very much Mr Fry.
- Ruth knows she’s a farmer
- You need to be fresh, not frazzled, for lambing
- “I’m not one to complain, Roy …”
- The first ‘shut up Kate!’ of 2011
- “I’m not one to make a song and dance about status …”
- Uh-oh – Lewis has a cough
- Who is Graham Ryder?
Ruth knows she’s a farmer
Phew!
That’s a good start, I reckon
You need to be fresh, not frazzled, for lambing
Usha’s popped over to see Ruth, only to find she can’t stop for coffee and is rather stressed.
Ruth hasn’t had a break in 5 weeks, and was astonished to find out from David that Elizabeth had managed to persuade the trustees that she didn’t need a professional manager to be brought in.
While Ruth says she understands that David wants to support Elizabeth, she also needs some support from David herself before she collapses.
[Ruth] “I feel so mean going on like this. What are my problems compared to what Elizabeth is going through?”
Usha does manage to get Ruth to stop for a coffee, and gives Ruth her
[Usha] “You’re not on your own remedy”
Which basically means giving Ruth space to relax and have a friendly ear.
“I’m not one to complain, Roy …”
[Lynda] “I’m not one to complain Roy, you know that, but I do feel I’ve been rather shabbily treated in all this … I’m supposed to be senior receptionist here … so I’m rather concerned I wasn’t given advance notice of next week’s special visit”
[Roy] “It wasn’t possible, for security reasons”
[Lynda] “I’m, very disappointed I must say”
[Roy] “I presume this about you not being on duty that afternoon”
[Lynda] “Quite”
Lynda is very (very) sniffy about not knowing about Camilla’s visit, which has led to her not being on the rota.
And now no-one will swap their shift with her.
To make matters worse, Caroline actually suggested to Lynda that she could simply stand at the gate of Grey Gables with the “rest of the village”.
Oh dear. Did Lynda not appreciate the very idea that she’d have to be one of the great unwashed!
[Lynda] “I won’t be doing that … well, really!”
Lynda continues – appalled that her being in charge of the rotas really doesn’t mean that at all. She’s not allowed to change them in this instance, so that means she’s really not in charge at all.
Dear me. Lynda is in full toddler tantrum mode today. Lots and lots of sniffing.
The first ‘shut up Kate!’ of 2011
Interrupting Roy’s ‘chat’ with Lynda (which I suspect he was actually quite glad about), Kate’s on one. Again.
[Kate] “I’m getting really fed up of Hayley calling me up and implying that I’m a bad mother”
[Roy] “Why do you think that is?”
[Kate] “ … because I’m taking Phoebe on the trip of her life, because I’m enriching her life with a new culture and new relationships”
[Roy] “No, because you won’t think things through before you make rash promises … what’s so difficult about talking to use first? We could avoid all these traumas …”
[Kate] “What don’t you trying thinking of Phoebe for a change!”
(big pause while Roy gathered his anger – I was right there with him!)
[Roy] “Meaning what, exactly!?!?!”
Kate was stupid enough to try and make out that Hayley and Roy only cared about her missing some school – and that they should be thinking about the horrific time she’s had as Lily and Freddie’s pal (really? I didn’t know they were so close).
As Roy pointed out, Hayley’s been spending a lot of time looking after and helping Lily and Freddie, as well as Phoebe.
So it was a bad argument for Kate to pick.
Not to be outdone, Kate then picks on Roy not wanting to pay for Phoebe’s trip. Which he didn’t say, but cost is obviously an issue – especially as neither Roy nor Hayley seem to be that well off.
As Roy tells Kate to leave, she tells him that they won’t have to pay a penny.
Hmmm.
Either Brian’s going to have to pay, or Kate will yet again break another promise to Phoebe, but will blame Roy and Hayley.
Is it too late to turn Kate back into a silent character?
“I’m not one to make a song and dance about status …”
Robert has taken Lynda to The Bull for one of Freda’s pies, and to get away from the stress at Grey Gables.
[Lynda] “I’m just feeling undervalued … you know me Robert, I’m not one to make a song and dance about status …”
[Robert] “You’re the last one, I’d say”
Ah bless Robert, and his Lynda coloured spectacles.
Robert then has a moment of sheer brilliance in its simplicity.
Instead of trying to swap a shift, surely Grey Gables needs to increase their staffing on “an important occasion like this”
[Lynda] “Oh Robert, I’ve said this before, but you really are a genius!”
And so it came to pass. Lynda told a sniggering Roy, and a slightly bemused Caroline, of her plan – and that she would “step into the breach” without pay.
Caroline tells her she will be paid, but one does wonder if she ever regrets hiring Lyndee in the first place …
Uh-oh – Lewis has a cough
Well, quite a “horrid” one, according to Caroline.
With things slightly slipping at Lower Loxley (Roy will have to organise most of a forthcoming event Grey Gables is holding there), Lewis having to go off sick really would be disaster.
I see Ruth ever inching further towards Brian’s arms …
Who is Graham Ryder?
Seriously – anyone know?
It would seem he’s Ruth and David’s last hope of a normal life – the last chance they have of Elizabeth seeing sense and bringing in a manager.
Who he???
