Pondering The Archers: single wicket

Molly Button has a sister

Called Tilly, who also sounds like a bit of a live ‘un.

She went missing at the Single Wicket, to be found sat in a tent “quietly” reading.

Tilly then later seemed to be throwing things at Jazzer.

Good to know there’s be a few choice females for Ben to choose from when he grows up.

“Can you believe it? Bored by the cricket!”

It did seem that most Ambridge residents weren’t at the Single Wicket (or at least were staying quiet).

And of those, most weren’t too bothered about being there:

[Susan – on Chris and Neil making the final] “Didn’t think I’d be stuck here, watching all afternoon”

[Jazzer, on cricket] “Occupational therapy for posh Neds”

A tense final (for Susan)

Alistair went out in the first round (to someone called Barry – who is seemingly “insufferable” – but was then knocked out by Chris, so balance was restored).

Neil put Harry out, even though Kenton reckoned Harry was “on fire”, and Susan was being a tad negative about Neil’s chances.

[Susan] “Your father looks beaten already”

But she has little faith.

Neil does make it to the final – as does Chris.

So it’s an all-Carter end to the Sticky Wicket.

The new Book Club book is “a roistering rural romance”

So Jennifer has chosen Mistress of the Paddocks by Carinthia Heart.

(a book which I can’t as existing beyond Ambridge – or am I being thick?)

It’s even got Emma reading:

[Susan] “As soon as Emma saw it was a roistering rural roman, she grabbed it off me”

Jazzer, lost in translation?

Jazzer’s only at the cricket to try and pull the Polish woman (who is part of Adam's Picking team) with the “long chestnut hair”.

And at least she now has a name – Zofia.

[Jazzer] “Is this patch of grass taken, or is there room for a handsome man next to you?”

He also tried to crash the Pickers’ barbeque to try and get close to Zofia, but Adam chucked him out.

[Jazzer] “I’m guessing there’s a lot more to ya than strawberry picking”

Jazzer then starts to ramble on about whether Zofia likes art, music, massage …

And, hearing Zofia has split from her boyfriend (who is now back in Poland), Jazzer thinks it’s a good tactic to get very personal,

[Jazzer] “Bit of a bother in the bedroom department, eh?”

At which point, Harry interrupts.

(he speaks again!)

Harry thinks Jazzer’s banter is a tad inappropriate.

[Zofia] “It’s alright. I do not understand what he says”

It seems Harry also has an eye for Zofia as well. Jazzer reckons he’s well in, but Harry seems to have had a gentle chat with Zofia

[Harry] “So why did she ask me afterwards if English was your first language?”
Jazzer then challenges Harry to Zofia – which appals Harry as it’s hardly the way that modern, enlightened men should act. That belongs to a previous age, he reckons.

[Jazzer] “Are we going by the calendar or your dress sense?”

But ho hum. Looks like it’s another farcical ‘game on’.

Chris isn’t patronising

So, Chris won the Single Wicket.

Susan is a bit irritated that he didn’t let Neil win

[Susan] “Well you’ll have plenty of chances again, but you know how much it meant to your father”

She reckons Neil’s been taking such a ribbing recently that he’s too old to play cricket, he needed to win to bolster himself and prove to all else that he still has ‘it’.

[Chris to Neil] “There’s no way I’d patronise you like that … I heard you telling me to catch it”

[Neil] “The only thing better than winning myself, is seeing my son do it”

Aw. Sweet.

Though Neil did still claim half of the trophy. He reckons that’s so, because he taught Chris has to play cricket in the first place ...

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

The Archers Wednesday 18th May 2011: Lone Wolves

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

David and Ruth are leaving Brookfield!!!!
Kenton’s one to talk (about bad timing with women)
Does Jolene believe her own lies?
“the baying of lone wolves”
Oliver wanted Jolene to feel a new person
Elizabeth is looking “wild”
Some bloke and a marrow

David and Ruth are leaving Brookfield!!!!

Fine, it is for one evening, but it’s as shocking as if we’d heard they were selling up to buy a whore hoose.

[Ruth] “I think you better brace yourself … more good news …we can cut the supplementary feeding”

Which means they’re finally turning a decent profit.

With David in an increasingly chirpy mood, he then suggests that they get Pip to babysit Friday, so that they can go out for a meal.

Wonder what “really pushing the boat out” looks like when you’re David and Ruth.

Kenton’s one to talk (about bad timing with women)

Kenton reckons Jamie starting to see Natalie during his exams is ‘bad timing’.

Hmmm.

I don’t ever recall Kenton particularly timing his dalliances with the female gender particularly well.

Does Jolene believe her own lies?

I don’t make it a month since Jolene had her last cigarette.

She was sneaky a crafty puff right up to when they went to Monte Carlo – then has managed to stay clean.

So it won’t be a month for at least 3 or 4 more days (if not more).

Kenton doesn’t know that, of course. So he’s gone and got her a nice surprise.

Jolene also seems genuinely chuffed that she's managed to do a month.

But she hasn’t.

Cheeky.

“the baying of lone wolves”

Kenton’s surprise for Jolene is a “deluxe beauty treatment” at Grey Gables.

I had to check with fellow eavesdroppers on twitter when I thought that Kenton mentioned Jolene will be relaxing to soft music, and

[Kenton] “the baying of lone wolves”

My fellow Twitter eavesdroppers concurred that Kenton did say that.

And later, Kenton asked Jolene how she got on with the lone wolves. She said she had to “imagine them”.

Is this normal during a beauty treatment?

Are baying wolves a relaxing sound??

I have no ken.

If so, I wonder if my hounds could earn me a few bob if I took them into a local beautician to bay at their customers.

Surely the live thing would be better? Less stress than to imagine them …

(I know a hound isn’t a wolf, but all dogs are actually wolves at heart. Even the teeny handbag ones)

Oliver wanted Jolene to feel a new person

That Oliver is quite crafty, really.

Kenton asks his advice as a mate, and Oliver manages to turn it into a sale for Grey Gables.

Nice.

That poor man.

He’s so (so) bored.

Elizabeth is looking “wild”

According to Freddie.

So she’s going to get her hair cut.

Finito.

Some bloke and a marrow

(tonight’s eavesdropping episode was quite slow, by the way).

Chatting about the Single Wicket to David (who is going to get Josh to sign up), Kenton told some story about a bloke – who lived next to another cricket ground – had a cricket ball crash through his greenhouse – into his prize marrow – reckoned it was deliberate (as it would indeed have won prizes) – so took the cricket stumps in case they also tried to get his courgettes.

Not exactly the funniest tale Kenton has ever told.

Ho hum.

Saturday, 14 May 2011

The Archers Tuesday 10th May 2011: Ed put his foot down

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

Ed’s not having Will have his will be done
Meriel is 10
Bye bye blackbird
Single Wicket!!!!
Nic’s never bored working in The Bull
Ed’s a coward
Shula is in the ménage all afternoon
Puppy Show
Nic wears the trousers

Ed’s not having Will have his will be done

Ed’s a very unhappy chappy about George spending more time at Will and Nic’s.

As he tells Oliver:

[Ed] “It’s not good for him. He’s not spending enough time at home to get to know his baby sister properly”

Ed reckons he needs George at home, as he wants George and Keira to be a “proper” brother and sister. Oliver agrees that them spending time together is “essential”

[Ed] “Should I put my foot down?”

[Oliver] “You should do whatever’s right for your family”

So, off Ed trots, to sort it all out. For the family. Which doesn’t include what his brother may want. Who is family …

Meriel is 10

Wonder if we’ll ever met her or hear from her mum?

They both are surprise guests at Kenton and Jolene’s wedding? (if they ever do get married).

Bye bye blackbird

Well – bye bye hawks (and co.), to be absolutely correct.

Jessica from Lower Loxley’s Falconry needs Elizabeth to invest more in the Falconry to bring it up to scratch.

Elizabeth had been avoiding the Falconry, as she had a suspicion that it wasn’t paying for itself. As one of Nigel’s pet projects, she didn’t want to have to make a financial decision about it.

But there’s no avoiding it now that Jessica has spoken up.

Elizabeth goes through the books, and finds that yes – the Falconry is a money pit. Nigel has been shielding it.

So, despite Eleanor (Nigel’s favourite bird – a Harris Hawk), all the other birds and Jessica – Elizabeth has decided.

[Elizabeth] “the birds will have to go”

That’s a shame. I bet Jessica will wish she just made do, rather than asked for more money to refresh the falconry …

Single Wicket!!!!

Hurrah! Single Wicket time is back with us.

Shula’s putting up posters, and Nic reckons that Harry is “dying” to get signed up, so that he can defend his title.

(where oh where is Harry? He’s been quiet for so long, one does wonder if he and the currently also silent Jazzer have eloped).

Nic’s never bored working in The Bull

I quite like Nic, but one does have to wonder at her enjoying The Bull even when it’s deadly quiet.

I suppose anything is better than an evening in with Will. Especially when he wants to procreate.

Ed’s a coward

Ed putting his foot down, and sorting out matters on behalf of his family, is to go and be form with Nic, rather than Will.

What a wuss!

Of course, Nic is very understanding. She can see that Ed wants Keira and George to be close:

[Ed] “I think it’s best all round, don’t you?”

[Nic] “Actually. Yes. Yes, I do”

So after gaining Nic’s vote, Ed then asks Nic to tell Will.

She’s a tad reluctant, but agrees. Nic can be too nice for her own good sometimes.

We all know what can happen to the bearer of bad tidings.

Shula is in the menage all afternoon

That sounded like a wife-swapping session to me, but seemingly it’s something to do with horses.
Puppy Show

Oliver is organising the puppy show.

What puppy show?

I recall no puppy show from previous years.

Anyone else know what he’s on about?

Nic wears the trousers

On telling Will that Ed has said George had to spend more time at home:

[Will] “He said what? What right has he got to go marching into The Bull giving you orders …who does he think he is …”

[Nic] “Oh please don’t take it personally”

[Will] “Of course I’m going take it personally when it’s my life he’s interfering with”

[Nic] “He really didn’t come over as someone who wanted to interfere or stir things up”

[Will] "Don’t you know him by now … and why are you sticking up for him”

(at which Nic slightly loses her temper, and shouts at Will that she was only trying to pass on what Ed had said, and she agrees Ed should have done it himself)

[Nic] “I do think he had George’s interest at heart”

I agree that it’s important that George does have a home. I agree that he shouldn’t be passed around. And I agree that he needs stability.

But why does that have to all be with Ed and Emma? Surely he could have all of that by staying at Will and Nic’s?

Considering Emma is such a selfish wee madam, why not let George stay with his dad?

Anyhoo – Will does eventually agree that this is all in George’s best interest. But I think we can hardly expect it to end there.

I’ve said it before – where there’s a Will, there’s a way.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

6th May 2010

On your knees mister – I want to see you grovel

When Fallon met Harry

So did Joe vote?

The ‘must have’ addition to any household

A new strategy for the Single Wicket must be found!

On your knees mister – I want to see you grovel

Oh that could have led to a whole new storyline between Fallon and Kenton.

When Fallon met Harry

How fast did she want Kenton to disappear when she saw Harry?

And again a mention of his surname – Henry Mason – looks like he won’t be disappearing anytime soon … more’s the pity for Jazzer.

So did Joe vote?

We must be told!

That hung parliament could have been tipped away by Mr Grundy Senior

The ‘must have’ addition to any household

Is seemingly an old mangle.

Humpf.

A new strategy for the Single Wicket must be found!

Here it comes again – I still have to check what it is – and numbers signing up are low.

Again.