28th June 2010

Business is booming at Lower Loxley … topical insert alert! …Brian and Annabelle hatch their plan … Elizabeth and Nigel v. David and Ruth?

• Jelly people, Methodist ministers with karaoke and Paper plate men
• Just how exciting can celery be?
• Nigel sums up England’s 1-4 loss to Germany
• Brian takes the easy approach with Alice
• Nigel’s on a roll: now he sums up Jude
• Who does own that strip of land?

Jelly people, Methodist ministers with karaoke and Paper plate men

Life is never dull at Lower Loxley …


Just how exciting can celery be?

Quite exciting indeed, if everyone’s reaction to Jill’s latest cookery demonstration is to go by.


Nigel sums up England’s 1-4 loss to Germany

“Quite dreadful”

Indeed.

Freddie is seemingly now a lost soul, and even Elizabeth (who said herself that she never watches football) knew about Lampard’s goal not being given.

Still, Nigel does have high hopes for the England cricketers.

But I am a bit surprised that there’s been little to no mention of Wimbledon (though there was a slight ‘I need to catch up with the tennis’ today).

Surely tennis is more of an Ambridge sport than football?


Brian takes the easy approach with Alice

Never mind whether Chris is suitable for Alice, Brian just wants them both out from under his kitchen table.

As he said himself, Brian’s far from being a relationship guru, but at least he’s letting Alice just get on with her own life.

But it does sound like Jennifer’s not exactly on-side.

More trouble to come? Jennifer and Susan – handbags at dawn?


Nigel’s on a roll: now he sums up Jude

“29 and still can’t finish college – not very impressive”

Spot on old chap!

And at least Nigel’s’ providing a bit of common sense for Elizabeth, not that she’ll take any notice if she does make her mind up to not “reject” Pip “as well”.

While I still don’t understand why Elizabeth feels the need to be so involved with Pip (don’t aunts just pick out the fun bits, leaving the real problems to the parents?), she does seem to be the only one who sees Pip’s side of it.

As Pip’s so smitten with Jude, the thought of him travelling by himself for a year is more than enough reason to give up College and join him. Quite simply, he wouldn’t come back still her boyfriend if he want alone.

So no A levels, big fallout with her parents and a desperate drive to make enough money to at least get to Europe. All utterly against any common sense which might have survived Pip’s hormonal tsunami.

Considering Elizabeth also sees David and Ruth’s point of view (that Jude isn’t exactly the most reliable of folks, yet Pip would badly need him to step-up if anything went awry), what should she do?

Refuse Pip more work so that she’s not seen to take sides?

Give Pip work, supporting Pip’s wishes, yet damning herself to David and Ruth?

Try and persuade Pip that this is all mere folly?

It’s all academic depending on whether David and Ruth do choose to fund Pip’s travelling, but this might just end up with a rather nasty stooshy between the Pargetter’s and the Archers.

My money’s on Nigel …



Who does own that strip of land?

So Annabelle and Brian need to find out who owns a strip of land, if they’re to pull off a big deal for Borchester Land.

Has Matt beat them to it? Was it the one he and Lilian were looking at a few weeks back?

Or is there a wee windfall about to fall into the lap of another Ambridge resident?

23rd June 2010

Alice sells more strawberries than Brian … Very groovy ‘topical insert’ about the World Cup … Kathy, Jamie and Fallon arrive home … Jude might go away

• Defoe scored, Rooney hit the post
• Kenton remains oblivious
• Now don’t tease us. We’ll all put in a fiver for Jude to go travelling

Defoe scored, Rooney hit the post

I will fully admit that I was utterly delighted about the football chat tonight.

That was a very groovy moment, worthy of much Twittering.

Jolly good show, folks.


Kenton remains oblivious

Just when is the penny going to drop?

Kenton didn’t get it when they first found out when Sid had died

Still didn’t get it when he chose to put Jaxx above going to New Zealand with Kathy and Jamie

Give them a lift to the airport? Nope, Kenton didn’t work that one out

Call them on the day of Sid’s funeral? Don’t be daft, they should have been calling him about the re-opening of Jaxx

Be appropriate/tender/supportive (and on) when collecting them from the airport? Mais non – still didn’t get it.

And when Kathy made slight digs about the lack of people at the funeral and the lack of support she had – did Kenton even notice?

Did he Jaxx!!!

Jamie’s obviously in pieces after an “awful funeral”, and all Kenton can think to bang on about is the traffic and the football.

I know – that might just be his way, and he did sound nervous – but surely enough’s enough?

How come he doesn’t have a clue about his step-son’s life (forgetting that Jamie watched the football with Sid at The Bull), and can he not actually hear Kathy when she was talking?

And adding insult to injury, he then heads off to Jaxx when Kathy and Jamie have gone to bed.

You know what. I can accept that some folks just can’t cope with grief but, as I’ve said before, can Kenton not even muster enough empathy to realise that Kathy and Jamie just need him to be there?


Now don’t tease us. We’ll all put in a fiver for Jude to go travelling

There’s a surprise. Jude’s Head of Department doesn’t like him.

Chris also seemed to find Jude a bit of a dud:

“It’s like talking to a depressed undertaker”

I think Jude has missed the point about College. It’s a choice and a privilege, quite unlike a prison.

Can’t say I’m surprised to hear he’s going to quit. Isn’t that what weak-minded control freaks like him do when they don’t get their way?

But thrice hurrah! His plan is to go travelling. For a year. Which means that Pip couldn’t go with him, and she’d be bound to find a better young chap while he’s away.

Or, will she chuck her College in as well and head off with him? Would she manage to even make it past Borchester without David shooting the tyres off of Jude’s car???

Mind you, had to *snort* over Jude’s idea of ‘real travelling’. Seemingly Europe is too small minded, but it’s real in Australia.

Idiot.