- Tony has his ways
- Lily even excels at ice skating
- Mystery Highway Man
- Kenton gets in on the Kate-kicking
- Tony makes some sense
Tony has his ways
And sometimes Tony’s ways are actually quite nice.
Miffed that his surprise for Pat was spoilt by her being up early (he had a nice bunch of flowers to take to her in bed. And a card, which he couldn’t find. But that thought was there).
And he’s booked a nice restaurant for later on. Plus he’s driving – which is a very big gesture for rural dwelling folks.
A tad unoriginal, but anything that’s not work for Pat is lovely.
Lily even excels at ice skating
Whereas Freddie is good at knocking other folks over.
Wee toots. He just needs a big hug and a dad who isn’t trying to force him to be something he’s not …
Mystery Highway Man
Kenton’s latest cunning plan is to have a Mystery Highway man popping up at unannounced intervals at Deck the Halls.
Seemingly, it’s a thank-you to Elizabeth and Nigel for putting him up (and putting up with him – his words).
He has the idea. He’ll be one of the staff doing the work. And he’ll help promote it.
Very nice of Kenton indeed.
But I think it’s a flawed plan.
When the Mystery Highway Man pops up, the folks who spot him will get a prize, if they say “your money, or your life”).
Wasn’t that the highway man’s job?
Kenton gets in on the Kate-kicking
Putting his foot in it with Phoebe (how was he to know Kate was going away for 6 weeks rather than four?), Kenton doesn’t hold back on saying what he thinks of Kate:
[Kenton] “Well it par for course where Kate’s concerned though … she’s got form!”
[Hayley] “Don’t say another word, or I’ll be tempted to say exactly what I think of her right now, and that’s not going to help Phoebe”
Still, at least Kenton managed to spot Jill’s seemingly loud body language towards Nigel, and steer clearing of their argument about whether Freddie and Lily should go to boarding school.
Tony makes some sense
On Vicky:
[Tony] “Vicky’s a bit of an unknown … you know, isn’t she … she can be a bit volatile”
(bless – he was being far too polite to say what he really though)
He was also very calm about Kathy and Jamie joining them for Christmas dinner.
Though he is looking forward to a quiet Christmas eve just being for family.
Well, until Pat pointed out that next year would be completely different, due to Helen’s baby.
On the topic of which, Tony can still not find anything positive to say.
Whereas Pat is happy that Helen is at least realising she can’t do everything by herself, in asking Pat to come to her ante-natal class, Tony reckons:
[Tony] “Some else should be caring for her, loving her, getting ready to be a father for the child”
[Tony] “I just wanted Helen to have the same chance as we did”
Which is absolutely fair enough.
What parent wouldn’t’ want that for their kid?
But, that’s all academic when this is happening, happening now and isn’t going o go away.
Time Tony got over himself, and became a real dad himself.
- Jennifer’s stressed over Christmas part 1
- “So fruitful, like a bud that’s about to burst”
- Did Pat really want Vicky?
- Kate really is a warped b**ch
- Vicky gropes Helen
Jennifer’s stressed over Christmas part 1
Oh dear. If Jennifer’s stressed over a mini Christmas for Phoebe, her blood pressure is going to be pushed nigh high for the real thing.
Or, is she just so stressed because she knows Kate will utterly freak out if everything’s not perfect for ‘her’ Phoebe?
“So fruitful, like a bud that’s about to burst”
So says Vicky.
Vicky also says she very jealous of Helen.
Now I know Vicky can be an utter pain, but she is genuinely and absolutely happy for Helen.
And there’s few folks like that about …
Did Pat really want Vicky?
She seemed very unsure at first, but Pat seemed to quickly warm to the idea of Vicky working at Bridge Farm.
Does Vicky have a special gaze that she fixes on folks, hypnotising them to do her bidding?
Or, is Pat just that desperate?
Either way, Vicky seemed to sway Pat with her assurances that she can pick everything up quickly:
[Vicky] “Susan seemed to get the hand of it quite fast … so it can’t be that hard, really”
Vicky pointed out the obvious:
“If you’re so desperate … perhaps I can do that for you”
(that woman really has no dignity sometimes)
Vicky is local, and anyone they got in would have to be trained first anyway.
But Vicky clinched it with her sound argument that she has good inside knowledge:
[Vicky] “And I’m married to a milkman, aren’t I?”
Vicky got the job, but is it bad or good news for Bridge Farm?
Kate really is a warped b**ch
In the first place, Kate wanted an early Christmas so that she could spend it with Phoebe. But expected Jennifer to do all the work.
[Kate] “Mum – don’t stress, think festive”
Then, she buys (what sounded like) a huge pile of presents for Phoebe without warning Jennifer and Brian, and without herself buying extra for Ruairi.
The wee man was quite rightly upset that Phoebe had so many big presents, while he only had only teeny one.
Even Brian was surprised at the quantity of presents for Phoebe (and that’s saying something!)
Kate then kept interrupting Jennifer with saying “let Phoebe decide”. And she didn’t even notice when Ruairi stormed off upset.
[Brian] “Don’t you think it’s wrong for Kate to spoil her like that? …she’s trying to buy off her guilt”
Aye right you are, Brian! You started off this cycle, by utterly spoiling Kate in the first place.
Kate also finally tells Phoebe that’s she going to be away for longer than expected, which Phoebe takes in her stride, but is obviously upset.
[Brian] “Here we go again”
Yup. *sigh*
Vicky gropes Helen
And surprisingly, all Helen says is:
“I guess she can feel it whenever she likes”
Wow!
Helen was a bit taken aback at Vicky having a good feel of her baby, but does seem to have taken it all in her stride.
That’s just not like our Helen.
Great!
- “Decision made”
- Lynda tried to make Ruth be a rat
- Eddie also has a use
- Hurrah! A use for Pip and a use for her survey!
- Jazzer wants to know how to kill a turkey
- “Look out all you lassies, it’s hot lips Harry”
- Was that The Bull that was deid as a Dodo?
- Brilliant. A fridge in the living room
- Call the Police, David
“Decision made”
So that’s seemingly that then.
Pip’s determined to go to Felpersham and stay at home for Uni, Ruth’s not so keen, but sounds like David’s had the casting vote.
Pip reckons Ruth just wants her to move away because Ruth has such great memories of her time away from home studying. Pip’s also worried that folks will think:
“I’ve gone for the easy option … because it’s local”
Why on earth would anyone think that Pip??
Ruth has a good point that it was only a few months ago Pip wanted to go off with that manboy x (he who shall not be named), but she’s young. And at least she can’t go that wrong if her parents are watching her every move
Lynda tried to make Ruth be a rat
But sounds like she was wasn’t successful, which is not like her.
I’d watch out Ruth. Lynda always has a Plan B.
Eddie also has a use
Quite unamused with Eddie’s behaviour over Clarrie’s broken wrist (in short – he’s being an utterly useless and uncaring lump), he manages to help out David and Ruth by snagging a bag of suspicious hay he’d seen being sold in Borchester.
Eddie reckoned to hay dealer looked like “a chancer, and a bit dodgy” (according to Ed), and was not one he’d seen around before.
So how is one supposed to tell where hay has come from? Pip has the answers …
Hurrah! A use for Pip and a use for her survey!
Looks like Pip wasn’t wasting her time when she did a survey of Brookfield’s land. She’s also uncannily proved how useful she is, at a time when she needs to prove her worth to Brookfield (assuming she is definitely staying at home to study).
As she checks the bag of hay Eddie slopped away from the dealer, she finds a seed head that is grass seeded dogstail, which is seemingly a typical wetland grass species. Which is exactly what a lot of Brookfield’s land is.
After closer examination, Pip reckons this suspicious hay is a complete match for Brookfield.
Which spurs on David to call the dodgy dealer, but also Ruth to all new heights of negativity.
What was Ruth’s’ problem? She’s normally such a cheery positive sort of a lass.
Jealous that your daughter knows something you don’t?
(and don’t think we also didn't hear that microwave in the background, David and Ruth. Life has moved on since pizzas yet, then).
Jazzer wants to know how to kill a turkey
[Jazzer] “So Ed tell me, how do you kill a turkey … professional curiosity”
Jazzer is helping the Grundy’s out with their turkeys, but could his curiosity be something to do with being happy in the flat, but not necessarily with Harry?!?
“Look out all you lassies, it’s hot lips Harry”
[Jazzer] “From what Nigel tells me, they’ll have to make it an 18”
[Harry] “Grow up”
Jazzer’s taking the Michael out of Harry for his rather passionate kiss with Fallon at a recent panto rehearsal.
Maybe an 18 panto would actually be quite a crowd puller …
Was that The Bull that was deid as a Dodo?
I hope not. After all our hard work on We Love The Bull.
Come on Jolene. Meet us halfway!
Brilliant. A fridge in the living room
Jazzer invites Ed back to see his and Harry’s flat, plus help him lift up a certain new addition to the living room …
[Harry] “Why’s there an old fridge in our living room?”
[Jazzer, on the kitchen fridge] “No enough room to chill the beers”
[Harry, on the new living room fridge and Jazzer settling into a session] “Is this really should a good idea?”
[Jazzer] “It’s a brainwave … it’s party time!”
It’s like Men Behaving Badly, but when one of them actually wants to behave quite sensibly.
Call the Police, David
David at least called the dodgy dealer to confront him, but oddly seems to be satisfied with only winding that bloke up, and being threatened.
Isn’t the Police worth a shot? Isn’t he worried that there could be more trouble to come now that he’s stirred the hornet’s nest?
- Clarrie’s up to her elbow in it
- Now Will’s birds are being stolen
- Eddie emotionally blackmails Will
- Is Kate going to return?
- Nic puts Will in his place
Clarrie’s up to her elbow in it
[Clarrie] “Look at me, stood here like a toddler”
Clarrie’s back from the hospital, and is now up to her elbow in plaster. Making life even more difficult.
Worried that she’d have to miss the green’s Christmas lights going on, once again, Clarrie’s nearest and dearest are being utterly selfish prigs.
[Joe] “What about our tea?”
On Clarrie suggesting that they have veg and soup to hand:
[Joe] “Uh, vegetables? … soup … a pie would be better”
Clarrie then points out that if he wants a pie, he’ll have to make it. She’s even generous enough to show him how to do it.
So Joe makes a pie. They all eat it. But it seemingly wasn’t the best of pies.
No food poisoning, but Eddie can still feel it hours later, sitting in his stomach “like a lump of lead”
Now Will’s birds are being stolen
It must be a sign of tight times for all – but first Eddie nicks the Christmas trees, then Brookfield’s hay get stolen, and now it’s Will’s birds.
Desperate times indeed.
Eddie emotionally blackmails Will
True to form – rather than do the work himself to help Clarrie, Eddie pins it onto someone else.
Waxing lyrical about how the family has to step up to help poor Clarrie, Eddie manages to convince Will that he needs to sort the turkeys out.
Honestly. I do like Eddie, but he’s trying the best of patience’s at the moment.
Is Kate going to return?
Will Phoebe sad, but understanding, about Kate going home for a month, I wonder what’s next afoot.
At first, I’d thought Kate was going to take Phoebe back home for good (without Roy and Hayley’s permission).
Now, I’m wondering if Kate is actually going to come back.
Phoebe believing Kate never bodes well.
Actually – considering that Kate and Lucas don’t seem to be particularly solid – maybe Kate will actually return with a few additions to the home …
Nic puts Will in his place
Nic being with Will is starting to make sense.
Simply – she knows how to handle him, so gets the best out of him.
After agreeing to do the turkeys, Will then tries to back out when he realises Ed and Emma will also be there to help pluck.
Eddie’s rightly furious.
[Eddie] “That just ain’t good enough… how can you do this to her …your own stupid selfish row with your bother … I’m ashamed of you son”
[Will] “Think what you like”
It looks like a stand-off, until Nic steps in
[Nic] “Just don’t talk to them … You can’t let everyone down, that’d be plain silly”
Astonishingly, Will whimpers down to Nic’s plain (and quite right) speech.
Maybe there’s hope for Will yet. As long as Nic sticks with him.
- Poop to Nigel!
- Harry’s hairdryer
- The kiss
- Freddie has a friend in Jill
Poop to Nigel!
I said it the other day – but you’re being a very rubbish dad at the moment, Nigel.
Lily and Freddie get home from school, but have to get back to working again rather than use the skating rink.
Goodness me – how to ruin an utterly wonderful time, and potentially scar his kids for life.
Harry’s hairdryer
Harry was annoyed that he’d found his hairdryer in Jazzer’s bedroom.
What was Harry doing in Jazzer’s bedroom? Surely one of the basic rules of flat sharing is never (eve) go into your flatmate’s room?
The hairdryer was in Jazzer’s room because his current lady friend Jackie had been using it. (so that’s okay then).
But Harry does use a hairdryer.
Blokes using hairdryers is obviously quite normal and fine – but it does suggest Harry has a flowing mane of hair.
Interesting. I imagined him with a fastidious crew cut.
The kiss
After sounding incredibly nervous while practising his kiss scene with Fallon, Harry was no more confident when it come to the moment itself.
Jazzer’s winding him up couldn’t have helped:
“Tell the truth, have you ever snogged anyone before?”
(though Jazzer’s offer to do a demonstration with Fallon was probably quite heartfelt)
At the rehearsal itself, the kiss scene is on – then off – then on again. Giving Harry even more time to get even more uptight.
And make no mistake that not having the kiss scene is even a remote option:
[Lynda] “The kiss is a key moment in the arc of the development of the dramatic tensions within the narrative”
(so there!)
Just when I was beginning to wonder if Harry had actually ever kissed anyone before, Fallon takes matters in hand, calms him down, and they kiss.
And kiss.
And keep kissing (actually, by this point, it sounded like tongues might be involved).
[Nigel] “Gosh!”
Once the steam had cleared, Nigel felt it proper to congratulate Harry. And have a good nosey into what that rather involved ‘acting’ was all about.
[Nigel] “I say, bravo! That was quite a kiss … very convincing … Fallon looked quite pink and breathless by the time you’d finished. So, just good friends?”
[Harry] “Get real! Fallon is … she’s way out of my league. I really like her, but anything else … forget it!”
My oh my!
Has Harry’s reluctance to notice Fallon’s signals just been due to a lack of confidence?
Is Harry actually just a really nice chap, who doesn’t realise that he is attractive?
Hmmm. I still think Harry is too good to be true, but it does seem like there’s real possibility he’s simply just a good ‘un.
Freddie has a friend in Jill
He doesn’t know it yet, but Jill is going to be a very important champion for wee Freddie.
Jill is quite perturbed when she hears that Lily and Freddie are working on extra homework, rather than enjoying Deck that Halls:
[Jill] “Surely you could give them a break over the Christmas holidays!”
What’s more, Jill also believes there’d be nothing wrong with Freddie going to a local state school. And, she also thinks Nigel and Elizabeth are actually going to do Freddie more harm than good by their efforts:
[Jill] “ … there’re nothing wrong with Borchester Green … he might even be happier there”
Quite right. And Jill was also right when she pointed out that it doesn’t bode well if Freddie has to be pushed so hard even to just get into the school. How on earth will be cope with work once he gets there?!?
Elizabeth explains that they don’t want Freddie and Lily to be split. As Lily has the brains, Freddie has to work even harder to reach her level.
[Jill] “So why not send them both to Borchester Green?”
Which makes sense.
But Nigel’s determination to get his kids to Public schools isn’t about sense – it’s about proprietary and pride.
Without causing too much of an argument, Jill agrees to differ with Nigel and Elizabeth.
But I’m sure Jill’s not going to leave it at that.
- Tony’s got no sympathy for Clarrie
- Eddie’s utterly useless
- Helen eats venison
Tony’s got no sympathy for Clarrie
[Tony, on what Clarrie should do to mend herself and get back to work at Bridge Farm] “A good night’s rest”
[Pat] “What!!!”
[Tony] “This wrist may not be quote so bad as she thought”
[Pat] “Tony! She’s broken a bone!”
Honestly – that man really can’t see beyond his own needs. It certainly puts his attitudes to Helen’s pregnancy in context.
But, Bridge Farm is already in dire need of extra hands, due to Helen being pregnant, so Clarrie not being able to work is a bit of a disaster.
Even Helen calls to see if she can help out, even though she’s finally twigged that she needs to rest for both her and the baby’s sake. She’s such a Calvinist.
At least Tony can see some good in this situation. He reckons Pat will now be far too busy to see Kathy - which means he won’t have to listen to Kathy moaning about Jamie.
Kathy and Jamie seemingly simply ruined Sunday lunch, with Jamie being a typical non-communicative moody teenager.
Though Pat tries to appeal to Tony’s sense of empathy, as Jamie is still hurting over the loss of Sid, Tony doesn’t quite buy it.
[Tony] “It doesn’t mean he has to come and do a Kevin over our Sunday lunch!”
Then Tony puts his foot down over this coming Sunday. But just before we all had to cower (putting a foot down to Pat is never a good idea), Tony reminds Pat that it’s their 36th anniversary. Which he doesn’t want to share with either Kathy or Jamie …
Eddie’s utterly useless
Clarrie feels useless. She can’t even get the top off of her tablets.
But Clarrie isn’t really the useless one – it’s her feckless husband and father-in-law.
After helping Clarrie to get into her painkillers, Eddie then comes out with:
[Eddie] “So … anything for dinner?”
[Clarrie] “There’s ham and cheese in the fridge”
[Eddie] “I could do with something to warm me up”
Eh? Come on Eddie. Can’t you look after yourself for once? Better still – why don’t you look after Clarrie properly for once.
Sounding very perturbed at Clarrie’s suggestion that he makes an omelette, Eddie then has to be told by Pat to get the flowers she’s brought for Clarrie into water.
Clarrie’s break is an “Undisplaced fracture of the radius bone”. Double ouch!
Even though the pressure is really mounting at Bridge Farm without Clarrie being able to work, even Pat advises:
“You should treat it as a chance to have a holiday”
[Eddie] “Don’t you worry pat. Me and dad, we’ll look after her”
Good intentions, which I somehow won’t really come true.
Nic later pops in with a stew, and to tidy the kitchen. But Eddie still isn’t happy that he will have to get the potatoes sorted.
What a selfish plonker. We all love Eddie and his cheeky ways, but he can be such a selfish arse when it comes to his wife.
So, I think we can expect little to no meals being cooked – no chance of a tidy house – even less chance of Christmas presents – and what about Clarrie’s turkeys?
Oh dear. I can see why Clarrie is so frustrated. But the problem isn’t with her wrist, it’s who she married …
Helen eats venison
It’s a shocker!
Not because Helen is a vegetarian (she’s not), but that Helen has chosen to eat anything other than low calorie green stuff.
As she’s out having lunch with Kirsty, Helen at first swithers between the venison and the tuna, but plumps for the venison.
[Helen] “Oh what the hell, I don’t want to get food envy”
Even though Helen can’t take it as far as having a full pudding to herself (she shares Kirsty’s), her new attitude to food is good news for everyone.
[Helen] “Was I really thinking about the baby – or was it more about me? Was I just being selfish?”
[Helen on being pregnant] “Making me think hard about my priorities”
She’s even asked Pat to go with her to her next ante-natal class. No more struggling alone.
Shall a new Helen emerge, as well as a new life?
- Torture for Lily and Freddie
- Fun for Elizabeth and Nigel
- Joe is trying to ‘stop global warming’
- Ouch!
- Quite Christmassy indeed
Torture for Lily and Freddie
Can you imagine being a kid and having your own skating rink – yet being forced to watch others enjoying it while you have to do homework.
Poop!
I really do think Nigel is taking all of this far too far. The wee bairns shouldn’t have to do practise papers on a Sunday. Especially when they have the rather marvellous Deck the Halls happening all around them.
Practise papers on a Sunday for Lily and Freddie – haven’t even got on the skating rink yet (torture!)
Fun for Elizabeth and Nigel
Relenting to actually let everyone have a bit of fun, Nigel is quite quick to let himself and Elizabeth enjoy the ice rink.
[Elizabeth] “It’s nice to think I can still do swan if I try”
[Nigel] “I feel like more some kind of duck”
[Elizabeth] “I think you look handsome and distinguished”
[Nigel] “Gosh – how romantic!”
And fun, Nigel. Fun.
Indeed – fun for all the family (you child slave driver!)
Joe is trying to ‘stop global warming’
Well, that’s his reason (today) for the seasonal trap rides with Bartleby.
Nothing to do with earning a few bob then …
Joe never does mean any harm with his scams, and I do feel really quite sorry for him with the utter failure of this one. He’s out in the cold all day, without much to show for his efforts.
Still, it sounds like Joe is about to expand out in kissing boughs and mistletoes. So maybe those will prove more fruitful.
But Saint Clarrie brightens his day by buying a ride off of him home – which will get both of them back out of the cold (if utterly missing the point of earning more for the Grundy household).
Ouch!
Now that really was ironic.
After having a marvellous time with Eddie on Decks The Halls’ skating rink, and then telling Joe to watch is steps on the icy path at home, Clarrie herself slips, and goes crashing down.
Joe and Kathy take Clarrie off to hospital, with Eddie rushing from Lower Loxley to then find out that Clarrie’s actually broken her wrist.
[Eddie] “Marvellous ain’t it … you goes skating … then slips on the path”
[Clarrie] “I can’t believe I could do such a stupid thing!”
[ Clarrie] “I’m going to be in plaster for 6 weeks … right before Christmas… how am I going to work … Christmas shipping and the dinner to cook and a house to clean and the turkeys to pluck”
Phew! And she only has her Grundy menfolk to depend on, so we can only hope Nic, Emma and the rest of the Ambridge women can manage to fill the massive vacuum that is Clarrie.
Very old fashioned indeed, but the fact remains Clarrie does for all, with the men in her life only creating grief.
Quite Christmassy indeed
I know the carols, ice skating and talk of lovely decorations and markets will have struck horror into those who can’t abide this time of year.
But I love it.
- Take good care Lewis
- Nearly a topical insert – University fees
- Poor Bartleby
- Tamworths are not suitable for the nativity
- Eddie’s very versatile
- David’s an afternoon drunk
- Brookfield burgled
- Flu in Ambridge
Take good care Lewis
“If Lewis breaks something, what will happen to the schedule for the elves!”
Elizabeth and Nigel are utterly dependent on Lewis for the success of Deck the Halls at Lower Loxley. So it simply wouldn’t be on for Lewis to go ice skating and chance breaking something.
I had to remind myself who Lewis Carmichael was. He’s a retired gent, who was an architect and was courting Julia Pargetter just before she died.
Nearly a topical insert – University fees
Seemingly Tom had mentioned the other day that if Brenda had gone away for Uni, she’d have graduated with £20,000 plus in debt.
David and Ruth are talking today about how they couldn’t have afforded to have gone to Uni if debt and fees had been as high in their days.
Poor Bartleby
I’m sure Bartleby is happy to even just spend some quality time out and about with Joe, but Joe’s efforts to sell trap rides all sound a bit depressing.
[Ruth] “It’s Bartleby I feel sorry for … poor old thing gets harnessed to the trap every day .. then he has to wait about on the green with bits of tinsel in his bridle trying to look festive”
Still, at least their Ben bought a ride (then made Ruth pay for it). Though I doubt taking a child home has made up for all of Joe (and Bartleby’s) effort.
Tamworths are not suitable for the nativity
According to Nigel.
Eddie’s very versatile
During a chat to Nigel about the Panto, Eddie says that he’s to play both of the rats (after Nathan stormed off).
[Nigel] “A one man double act?”
[Eddie] “I’m very versatile”
I don’t quite see how that will work (how can Eddie chase himself, but I’m sure Lynda has a cunning plan.
David’s an afternoon drunk
It was obvious yesterday that David wanted to let loose at the NFU Christmas lunch, and he seems to have managed. Well, in a calm and safe David way.
He sounds a tad squiffy as Ruth drives him home, and is bemoaning that he got cornered by one of the NFU cronies:
[David] “Steve Pratt … of course, if anyone lived up to their billing”
Ruth seems to have also had a good time:
[Ruth] “Had a really good conversation about food security”
(bless).
Brookfield burgled
David and Ruth return from the NFU Christmas lunch to find that someone nasty bugger had stolen all of their hay (several tonnes of it), and, to add insult to injury, they used Brookfield’s own loader to shift it.
They can claim from insurance, but that will mean their insurance premiums will increase and they will now get less fodder for their money (due to escalating prices).
It’s all a bit suspicious that the robbery happened while both David and Ruth were out together – a very rare occurrence. So, it must have been someone who knew the NFU lunch was happening, and that they would be attending.
Could it even have been an Ambridge resident?!?
As David said, it’s like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted, but he’s going to start the local group he used to run with other farmers to help improve security.
Who you going to call … Farmwatch!
Flu in Ambridge
Here we go.
Elizabeth has lost her choir, and also one of her Santa stand-ins has gone down.
Wonder who is next.
- Pip’s begging for slaughter
- Eddie puts one over on Brian
- “What I wouldn’t give for a rotary milking parlour like that!”
- That lecturer sounded a bit like Jude …
- Brian’s missing the point
- Problems for Lucas and Kate?
- We all need to move Christmas forward for Kate
- Does chopping a windscreen washer work?
- Will can count
- Amy’s coming home
Pip’s begging for slaughter
(well, she wants to go to the slaughter house, Crowthers)
But all credit to her. She really does sound serious about learning “what happens at every stage”.
She really does seem to be enthusiastic about having a future at Brookfield. Which includes dismissing Colleges which are a mere 2 hours away …
Hmmm. Is Pip more scared about leaving home than serious about wanting to stay?
Eddie puts one over on Brian
Eddie seems to be on a roll at the moment.
First he pulls a whopper of a trick on Nathan at the Race Evening, and now he sells a Christmas tree to Brian, without Brian realising that they were stolen from him in the first place.
The crafty old(ish) fox!
[Brian] “A very nice tree, and quite a reasonable price. Where did he get them … probably best not to ask.”
Tee-hee! It’s not often that any can claim to have ripped off Brian Aldridge twice without him noticing.
“What I wouldn’t give for a rotary milking parlour like that!”
*sigh* Ruth does really need to get out more. I know that great farming equipment will get any farmer excited, but it’s a tad sad when you’ve really got nothing else to actually get excited about …
Later on, Ruth also managed to be completely unaware that David is actually angling for some time out at the NFU Christmas Lunch.
But no. She’s rather not drink herself,, and get them back home in time for milking.
Come on Ruth. Take some time off with your hubby.
That lecturer sounded a bit like Jude …
Pip wasn’t impressed by one of the staff at the College she was vising (the one a whole 2 hours away from home, so it never really stood a good chance anyway!).
[Pip] “He was one of blokes who try to talk street to be down with the kids … even older than dad”
[Ruth] “You expect that sometimes with marketing times”
Maybe it was just me, but I though Pip had a pit of a penchant for older types who tried to act hip ….
So it looks like Pip’s mind is made up about going to Felpersham. She’ll even re-sit her exams if she doesn’t get the grades.
But Ruth really sounds keen for Pip to go away.
Of course, all Ruth really wants is for Pip to have a chance to see life beyond Ambridge – but maybe, just maybe, Ruth is starting to think of how peaceful her empty nest could look like.
Brian’s missing the point
Maybe Ruairi did tell Brian that he loved that laser thing, but Brian could be a tad more supportive of Jennifer’s view.
It really wasn’t right of Kate to take the wee chap there and leave him by himself.
But when it comes to Kate, Brian never sees any sense.
Problems for Lucas and Kate?
When Kate was mentioning all the folks she missed back home in South Africa, Lucas didn’t even get a look in.
They really don’t sound like two happy bunnies in love.
We all need to move Christmas forward for Kate
No worries Kate. I’ll just nip down the shops to buy a ready-made Christmas dinner for ten, rather than have the time to create one from scratch, and we’ll all make merry. Just for you.
Kate’s starting to feel the ‘guilt’ (not sure if Kate ever does feel guilt, but it’s the closest ‘normal’ human emotion I can use) about crashing into Phoebe’s life, than nipping off again. So she wants to have an early Christmas to ease that guilt.
What’s more, Kate’s promised Phoebe that she can join her in South Africa for Christmas next year.
Does that woman never learn? Maybe better to check with Roy and Hayley before making promises to Phoebe?
Does chopping a windscreen washer work?
Not sure if I heard that right, but it sounded like Eddie said he was ‘chopping’ his windscreen washer.
Anyone know what that involves and does it work?
Will can count
Will is simply not amused with Eddie, after finding out Eddie had sold Brian a Christmas tress that he’d stolen from Brian in the first place
[Will] “You’ve got a nerve”
[Eddie] “There’s nothing dodgy about my Christmas trees”
[Will] “You flogged Brian Aldridge one of his own trees … and you call that legitimate!?!”
Will has managed to count the estate’s stumps, and:
[Will] “If there are any more than 26 stumps, I will tell Brian”
[Eddie] “You wouldn’t shop your old dad”
[Will] “So you admit it!”
[Eddie, furiously back peddling] “You surely wouldn’t shop your old dad for something I didn’t even do”
Will would, so Eddie better cease his clandestine Christmas tree sourcing.
Amy’s coming home
She got a job at Felpersham Hospital, so will be staying with Alan and Usha for at least a while until she gets herself sorted.
Here’s guessing she delivers both Emma and Helen’s babies.
- The current list of charges against Kate
- Helen can do no right by Tony
- Tony gets his new refrigeration unit
- Is Ruairi taking the michael?
- Phoebe’s going to end up like Kate
- *groan* Kathy’s on about Jamie …
The current list of charges against Kate
Kate was previously hassling Jennifer to ‘break’ Ruairi’s routine to come out with the rest of the family, then she’s an arse to Jennifer when she was asked to take Ruairi out with Phoebe
The charge: being inconsistent, always suiting herself, harassing others and being a petulant child when she doesn’t get her own way
Kate dragged wee Ruairi along to a laser quest thingy. Then left him by himself. In the dark, With people shooting at him. Ruairi is only 8
[Ruairi] ““it was dark … and I didn’t know where you were”
(oh – ya wee lamb!)
The charge: Kate is a bad half-sister, and is cruel to little boys
When Jennifer later confronts Kate about:
[Jennifer] “Poor little thing is in a dreadful state!”
and having nightmares, Kate just won’t take responsibility.
[Kate] “I promised Phoebe we’d do whatever she wanted”
Kate – look at what you’ve said, weight it up against wee Ruairi having nightmares, and work out whose fault this is.
Kate also sounds like she’s about to let down Phoebe, by going back to South Africa for longer than Phoebe expects her to.
The charge: Kate has yet to grow up, doesn’t understand that kids can easily be upset/scarred for life and is once again about to be rubbish to her daughter
The sentence: Ruairi pucking was a start
Helen can do no right by Tony
As Pat was talking about how Helen might have “turned a corner”, and she was mentioning names for the baby – rather than be happy that his daughter is doing better, all Tony could come out with was:
[Tony] “Nothing too outlandish, I hope”
Oh for goodness sake Tony. It can’t be undone now. Get a grip man!
Tony gets his new refrigeration unit
Maybe he can show some fatherly affection to it. He certainly must be storing up plenty to spare.
Is Ruairi taking the michael?
I know he’s still wee, and it’s unfair to criticise wee ones, but what on earth is Ruairi’s accent about?
It sounds like Dick Van Dyke trying to do an Irish accent.
Very, decidedly, odd.
And quite difficult to eavesdrop on.
Phoebe’s going to end up like Kate
Kate’s only been back a short while, but Phoebe’s already showing signs of taking after her (birth) mother.
Phoebe would rather be with Kate over Christmas – Phoebe wants a laptop (with camera and microphone) for Christmas – Phoebe wants to go to a laser quest thing.
And Kate grants Phoebe her every desire. Phoebe even manages to use crafty techniques to ensure she gets what she wants. The laptop has to have a camera and microphone so that she can speak to Kate when she goes back to South Africa for Christmas … hmmm.
*groan* Kathy’s on about Jamie …
I do feel for Tony, having to put up with Kathy having yet another moan about Jamie.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard it, but I still *shudder* when I hear Kathy says the J word.
Seemingly he’s still grunting, and still not doing any school work.
Pat tries to reassure Kathy by saying that Tom got fairly rubbish Grades at school – then completely went off the academic track when his brother John died – but then went onto a day release course at Borchester College. Which led into his arrest for the GM Crop destruction ….
So, not a lot of comfort for Kathy there then.
[Kathy] “You never imagine how such a little scrap of humanity can take over your life … treat you with contempt”
*sigh*
As Tony tries to rush Kathy into her coat and out of the door, Pat invites Kathy and Jamie to Sunday lunch.
[Tony, when Kathy had accepted and finally left] “She’s here the whole bloomin’ time! If I have to sit through one more whinge … do you have to be supportive so often?”
- “Little Sid will see what a lovely person big Sid was”
- Quite right Kenton!
- Fallon’s dicing with death-by-Lynda-Snell
- Jolene’s sewer of a mind
- Helen in eating shock!
- What more do we have to give?
“Little Sid will see what a lovely person big Sid was”
Ah, a nice idea to give wee Sid a nice photo of a happy big (now dead) Sid.
Funny that. I don’t remember him ever being that jolly …
Quite right Kenton!
It’s not often I agree with our Kenton, but he was quite right to step in and harass that antiques dealer if he was being dodgy
[Kenton] “I couldn’t just stand by and watch my dear poor aunty be ripped off”
Of course, it’s probably the way Kenton went about it that’s set Elizabeth off on one again. I can just imagine his macho posturing.
[Kenton] “I am now persona non grata at Lower Loxley until the end of the Antiques Fair”
Poor chap. He also can’t get anyone to go to lunch with him, and even resorts to begging Helen and Ian to let him join them.
Fallon’s dicing with death-by-Lynda-Snell
Cripes! Fallon has some nerve saying that Lynda’s panto script is a “bit rubbish in parts”
I would even utter that if I was on a different planet from Lynda. She has her way of hearing these things …
Jolene’s sewer of a mind
Jolene mistook Fallon for saying she’d been doing something rather more intimate with Harry than rhyming couplets
[Fallon] “Then we got a bit carried away … one you start you … once you get into the rhythm of it, it’s hard to stop”
Come on Jolene – keep up! Fallon and Harry are starring together in the panto.
Still, it’s nice that Jolene even registers when someone is speaking to her. It was oh so different just a few months ago.
Helen in eating shock!
Ian’s been a quiet as of late, and certainly wasn’t around to berate Helen for getting too anxious about food and exercise while pregnant.
But now that Helen’s a bit happier – up he pops.
Hmmm. Smacks a bit of ‘fair-weather friend’. Which I hate even thinking, as we all do love a bit of Ian.
Anyhoo, Ian’s offers to sort the nursery will at least stop Helen painting the flat again.
[Ian] “I’m not having this baby come into this world without a properly equipped nursery”
Aw, sweet!
Which is the exact opposite to Tony’s behaviour. I really do feel for Helen about Tony still not accepting the inevitable:
[Helen] “But no amount of disapproval will make this baby go away … I so want him to celebrate his grandchild, but he just won’t … it makes me so sad”
Despite her problems with her dad, Helen does seem a bit perkier. A chat with Amy really seems to have done wonders.
[Helen] “I really am going to try and relax some more … and eat”
*thud*
And, she’s also even though of some names – Henry for a boy, Megan for a girl.
Henry Archer or Megan Archer – we await you with eager anticipation! And we’ve started a fund for the therapy you’ll need to untie those mother’s apron springs …
What more do we have to give?
That’s gratitude for you.
Harry makes a website and a Twitter profile. I even created a bloomin; Facebook cause (now at 540). The residents come up with ideas, do a lot of the work AND put money through the till. Even the BBC made t-shirts (though I doubt The Bull say any of that income!).
After all that, Jolene is still thinking of “jacking the pub in”.
Ya boo to you!
Well, actually, to be fair, Jolene was talking to Kenton about how
[Jolene] “Every bit of it (the pub) still reminding me”
But Kenton came back with some very sound advice (eh? Kenton???)
[Kenton, on running away to sea and Australia] “It wasn’t Ambridge I had a problem with … it was me”
[Kenton] “Why would you want to go somewhere that didn’t remind you of him?”
He has a point. Jolene doesn’t want to forget, just be able to move on.
By the way – if Kenton and Jolene are to ‘get it on’, can they do so quickly and quietly, please.
The Archers: Panto misery … Helen’s misery … at least Fallon and Harry are having a laugh
- “I suppose we could have guitar playing rats”
- “If it was up to her, she’d have the baby in the stockroom …”
- Fallon doesn’t understand her motivation
- Phew for Amy!
- Tony makes good?
“I suppose we could have guitar playing rats”
Lynda really has lost the plot.
Having lost Nathan Booth to a “lack of professionalism” (his words), Lynda’s becoming increasingly erratic.
After ignoring Fallon’s plea for a bit of understanding over her lateness due to Jolene wanting to do a bit of Christmas shopping (come on Lynda – Jolene interested in anything is something to be nurtured!), Lynda’s after Fallon's band-mate Rolla.
But he seemingly won’t go on stage without a guitar.
“If it was up to her, she’d have the baby in the stockroom …”
“ … and be back behind the counter an hour later”
So says Kirsty about Helen.
Tony’s also having a pop at Helen via Amy
“Do you come across this often? Young women having babies on their own … I think it’s crazy!”
On hearing that Helen is finding things a bit tough, Tony is even less sympathetic:
[Tony] “If she’s cracking under the strain now, what’s it going to be like when the baby arrives?”
Come on Tony. You’re going to melt eventually …
Fallon doesn’t understand her motivation
And she’s also brave enough to take on Lynda about her script@
[Fallon] “Alice is supposed to be quite a demur young woman, isn’t she? She's not the sort to go picking up men on the street!”
After questioning Lynda over Alice falling for a bit of a dirty Dick (fnar!), Fallon then gets far over excited about Harry’s ability to do rhymes.
Goodness me! Ask him out properly, Fallon. All of this giggling and mooning doesn’t become you.
And watch your back. Lynda was sounding very sniffy as you were tittering and rhyming away with Harry.
[Lynda] “We are not here to have fun … we are here to put on a show! Christmas shopping and general joviality take priority over their commitment to me”
All of which would be quite amusing, if Harry and Fallon hadn’t actually driven Lynda to tears.
Phew for Amy!
At last – Helen has someone to talk to who she actually trusts and believes (though I still don’t know why Helen won’t listen to her own, or any other, mum. Amy is only recently qualified)
[Helen] “is there any chance it’s something I’ve done – like not eating enough, taking too much exercise … could I have been depriving the baby of nourishment?”
Amy explained, reassured, relaxed.
Just in time for Helen (and the rest of us).
Tony makes good?
Popping round to drop off a casserole for Helen (which she froze rather than ate), Tony seems to have slightly mellowed towards Helen. Maybe Pat has got through to him. Maybe he realised that, like it or not, his daughter needs him.
[Tony] “Any time you do feel a bit down, for no matter what reason, … we’ll always be there for you”
The Archers: All at Church ... Kenton's not wanted ... Lynda needs to get a grip
- Waiting for a Wonder
- Alan takes his chance for a guilt trip
- Amy’s being interviewed
- John: gone but not forgotten?
- Kenton’s not welcome at the Lower Loxley Antiques Fayre
- "Dick Whittington takes priority over Cheltenham!"
Waiting for a Wonder
Jill was certainly surprised to all her clan turn up for church – and even more so to hear Pip play Phil’s favourite advent hymn, Waiting for Wonder.
Where I normally have a moan about Ambridge only letting us eavesdrop in on ‘fillers’, I thought hearing the residents singing this hymn was a very fitting, and moving, tribute to our Phil.
And despite Pip reckoning she had:
“managed to stagger through without too many mistakes …it was a bit approximate”
I reckon, she did him proud.
Alan takes his chance for a guilt trip
Wasn’t Alan just revealing in giving all of those part-time church goers a hard time!
[Alan to Pat] “to what do we owe the pleasure?”
But he did soften at the sight of so many of Phil’s nearest and dearest paying tribute.
[Alan] “It’s lovely to see the church so full of archers”
Amy’s being interviewed
A return to Ambridge considering she’s being interviewed at Felpersham?
It could be perfect timing. Maybe Helen will listen to a qualified expert (though why other mums aren’t experts, I do not know).
She really does seem to be a chip of the old Alan-block. Immediately after hearing that Helen wasn’t having the easiest of times with her pregnancy, Amy makes practical and comforting sense:
“Babies are usually made to fit their mums”
John: gone but not forgotten?
My word – Pat at his graveside was the first mention of John Archer in many a moon.
Amy offers help
Kenton’s not welcome at the Lower Loxley Antiques Fayre
Bless. It’s because he ‘thinks’ he knows it all. And then starts arguments.
"Dick Whittington takes priority over Cheltenham!"
Oh dear.
Lynda is starting to lose the ‘plot’ a bit (see what I did there!)
Furious that folks have a life out with the Panto, Lynda is starting to relax her grip on reality.
Still, there is hope. According to Elizabeth, there’s plenty of time for Nigel to practise his prat falls …
The Archers: Tony’s got to scrape the yard … Helen’s making a batch of Borchester Blue … seemingly it isn’t okay to eat takeaway for breakfast (I beg to differ!)
- Kenton and Jolene off to lunch again
- “walking the path of sinfulness”
- Helen’s baby is too small
- Eddie is innocent
- Is Tony coming round?
Kenton and Jolene off to lunch again
Kenton and Jolene happen to bump into each other. Kenton suggests Jolene goes to lunch with him at Jaxx, and Jolene agrees.
Doesn’t sound like the start of a steamy romance, but you just never know …
I must say that Jolene does seem to have a high tolerance for Kenton’s rather dated and rubbish sense of humour:
[when Kenton was pretending to be a guitar, Jolene:] “You’re a natural”
Hmmm. I’d have other words for it …
Anyhoo, Jolene was saying to Kenton that she feels she got more energy now.
Just in time for a steamy time with Mr K Archer?
“walking the path of sinfulness”
Kenton has a slight concern that he’ll be struck down by the Almighty as he tries to enter His house on Sunday (for the advent service).
Carrying on the religious theme, Kenton also calls David:
“my angelic little brother”
Interesting.
Is Kenton developing a conscience?
Helen’s baby is too small
I found it very odd that Pat didn’t notice Helen was close to tears at first (maybe that’s why Helen tends to hold it all in, in the first place).
But at least we now know why Helen was being a bit off after she had been to see the midwife.
Seemingly her baby is small for the stage it is at.
And Helen’s worried it’s her fault, for doing too much exercise.
[Helen] “For once in my life I just wanted something to go right for me”
[Pat] “Babies are really robust little things – they can hope with a lot (p)
[Pat] “You just have to realise, you can’t control everything”
[Helen] “I’m damaging it before it’s even been born”
Cripes. And there was me thinking Helen’s kid would only need specialist treatment from a psychiatrist.
Eddie is innocent
Eddie’s still protesting that he knew nothing about the gloop in the bucket he threw over Sabrina.
Nathan’s demonstrating his guilt by quitting the Panto.
Nathan claims he “couldn’t work in such an unprofessional environment”, but I think we can guess that he knew Eddie would do anything and everything to get him back. So probably best he wasn’t on stage in front of an audience when that happened.
Still, Eddie’s had to pay £45 to get Sabrina’s top dry cleaned. Which surely Eddie will get back through Karma – after all, Eddie only stung Nathan for trying to rip off a charity.
Is Tony coming round?
Pat’s talking to Tony about her concerns over Helen:
[Pat] “I think there’s something a lot deeper going on … she’s terrified that something awful is going to happen … because it always does, she said”
[Pat] “When you think how many things have gone wrong in her life … she’s desperate for something to go right at last … she’s pinning so much on this baby”
[Tony] “But it’s alright, we’ll look after her … both of us”
Does Tony really mean that?
The Archers: The day after the night Eddie chucked ‘gloop’ at Sabrina … Pip’s pondering Uni … Deck the Halls still in its planning stage
- Ambridge is ablaze with talk of Eddie and Sabrina
- How did Ruth escape the Panto?
- Should Ruth wear jeans?
- Only 2 bullocks to slaughter
- Welcome back Alistair!
- Does Jill even know what “lame brain” means?
- Nigel brings Bavaria to Borchester
- Elizabeth’s after penniless students
- No Joe Grundy at Deck the Halls
- I can’t believe that worked for Jazzer!
Ambridge is ablaze with talk of Eddie and Sabrina
[David] “Sabrina gave Eddie a right old whack round the chops”
[David] “Lynda came over all Alan Sugar .. she fired him on the spot”
The biggest question of all: how do you get the gloop out of a sequined top?
How did Ruth escape the Panto?
Maybe Ruth has too strong a ‘regional’ accent to slot into the Panto, but she does seem to be one of the few residents to have escaped Lynda’s attentions.
But now that Eddie has been fired, Lynda’s going to be desperate.
[David] “Be careful if she descends on you with that determined look in her eye”
Should Ruth wear jeans?
I don’t know – Ruth gets a chance for a day out, and still she doesn’t grab the chance to live a little.
Thought it’s only accompanying Pip to an open day at Felpersham Uni, it’s still a day off the farm.
Go on Ruth. Slap a frock on.
Only 2 bullocks to slaughter
Cripes – there really is a lot of work Pip can do to help Brookfield become a more profitable farm.
They only need to slaughter two bullocks to fulfil their Christmas orders.
Pip’s probably going to do an agriculture with farm business management course. All she needs to do is get 2 B’s and a C.
Easy enough. ???????
After pushing Pip to College – then pushing her to go to Uni – it looks like Ruth is now going to push Pip to study a bit further away from home.
So that she can “step onto independence”.
True enough.
But David thinks it’d be less expensive and can also get into helping makes decisions at Brookfield if she stayed closer.
Tricky.
I’m still keeping my eye on young Josh …
Welcome back Alistair!
Not sure where you’ve been (or Shula … or Jim, for that matter), but nice to hear you again.
But it’s all a go-go for you.
First to look at a Brookfield cow, then onto Lower Loxley to look at a lame shire horse.
Maybe he should pop up again when he’s less busy, as his brain doesn’t seem to be engaged.
Why on earth did he tell Nigel that Daniel isn’t a good skater when Daniel’s trying for a job at Nigel’s skating rink?
Bad Alistair. Bad, bad, bad!
Does Jill even know what “lame brain” means?
I doubt it, let alone think it of her granddaughter.
Nigel brings Bavaria to Borchester
Wow! Lower Loxley’s Deck the Halls sounds quite marvellous this year.
Elizabeth’s after penniless students
Is Nigel not performing as he should?
(just jesting – Elizabeth’s only after students to work at Deck the Halls).
No Joe Grundy at Deck the Halls
What a travesty!
Joe has been replaced by a lantern maker.
*Sniff*
That doesn’t sound half the fun.
I can’t believe that worked for Jazzer!
David’s retelling the tale that Harry got a text from Jazzer (…keeping up?) saying that he had “one satisfied customer”.
Ah come one! What’s Jazzer’s real secret?!?
The Archers: Lynda buys a bar of chocolate for Robert … Jazzer in Ambridge Organics shock … Jazzer cooks (!) … Revenge is sweet
- Jazzer’s cooking for his “wee lassie”
- Pelvic exercises upset Tony
- Christmas trees aren’t just for weans
- Helen sounds odd
- Sabrina makes even more audible noises
- Just a filler?
- The rats have lost their chemistry
Jazzer’s cooking for his “wee lassie”
My goodness – it’s a real surprise Jazzer gets any ladies interested when he has such a caveman grasp of language.
[Lynda] “So much nicer for your … ahem … lady friend if you’ve taken the trouble yourself”
[Jazzer] “It better have the desired effect … [Harry’s] staying at a mate’s the night in case it does, you know what I mean”
[Helen] “Too much information!”
(and Lynda quickly exits the shop to avoid hearing any more of Jazzer’s leering).
So Jazzer doesn’t know how to talk about, and to, women – plus his knowledge of food is far from impressive:
[Jazzer] “Gelatine – is that something you can eat?”
[Jazzer] “Pan-a-something”
[Kirsty] “Oh – panacotta”
And later, as Jazzer attempts to cook the food he so clearly doesn’t understand:
[Jazzer] “How will this no stay on … this flour and paparazzi?”
(bless!)
Pelvic exercises upset Tony
Tony nips into Ambridge Organics, while Helen’s there, to drop off the veg.
He and Helen sounded quite cold with each other – which Helen didn’t help by ta;lking to Tony avout her ante-natal classes.
The poor man really couldn’t cope with hearting about Helen’s pelvic excercises.
But he’s not letting go of Helen being wrong for having the baby by herself. He asked her about whether anyone else at the class didn’t have a partner there – which two others didn’t.
Is it just me, or is Tony more worried about Helen than angry?
It sounded like he just hates the thought of Helen being the odd one out – alone – different.
Isn’t that just him being a dad?
Christmas trees aren’t just for weans
They’re fur big yins an all!
Helen sounds odd
Well, odder than usual.
Back from her appointment with the midwife, Helen sounds a bit forlorn.
Oh dear.
Sabrina makes even more audible noises
What’s going on?
Is there going to a rash of ‘silent’ residents making noise?
Or is Sabrina building up to an actual word?!?
Sabrina sounds like she’s dolled herself up to the nines.
[Harry] “Sabrina’s pulled out the stops with her outfit”
[Lynda] “Oh that … it’s not very practical”
Seemingly Sabrina’s all dressed up as she’s joining Richard later on for drinks with his clients.
But hark – is that Sabrina’s shoes I hear a-clipping? And did she say “oh”, and also sighing when she had to exert herself while sharing a very small space onstage with Eddie and Nathan.
My oh my. Come out into the light, Sabrina Thwaite.
Just a filler?
Was is a really slow day in Ambridge?
Must have been. We were subjected to at least 5 minutes of Lynda giving stage instructions to the spound of shuffling and that odd ‘okay’ from Eddie.
The rats have lost their chemistry
Earlier on in the day, Eddie was being a bit too cocky about putting one over Nathan.
[Eddie on Nathan] “He’s been beaten by a master you see … he knows who is boss”
Well, we all know that pride comes before a fall.
As Eddie throws what is supposed to be a bucket of confetti over Sabrina, we hear Sabrina shreek, sob, then slap Eddie.
(again with the audible noises from Sabrina!)
Eddie has aeemingly just thrown something akin to wallpaper paste over Sabrina.
And then Lynda fires him.
Ah Eddie. Nathan was not a man to underestimate.
The Archers: Pip has plans … a fruitful day at Mart for all … Pip’s caught at church
- “He’s a good looking beast”
- Pip reckons the future is in beef
- “Look no further for your seasonal requirements”
- Should we worry about Joe’s cough?
- “He’ll look even better after a bit of titivating”
- Jill and her coconut bra wearing men
- Phew! That was a nail biting finish
- The “unaliterated” truth
- Farming is unemotional
- Jill catches Pip at church
“He’s a good looking beast”
[Pip] “I’d love to see him in the ring”
[Pip] “Wonderful straight looking back”
[David] “And look at those legs!”
Nope, David and Pip aren’t eyeing up a potential new boyfriend for Pip – it’s only the steer they’re entering for a prize at the market.
Pip won’t be able to see him in action, but at least David, Ruth and Jill will get a nice day out.
Pip reckons the future is in beef
Unlike Tony’s reaction to Tom’s ideas for Bridge Farm, David seems more than delighted to have Pip gearing up to help make Brookfield more profitable.
Well, I suppose we’ll only really be able to tell when Pip really gets stuck in.
The only way Brookfield can support another adult is for income to go up – and David’s even thinking ahead to when the farm has to support Pip plus her family
(goodness me, that makes me feel so old!).
Pip reckons the money is in beef, and beef marketed well. She’s thinking a better website, more Farmer’s markets, selling to specialist shops … anything that means Brookfield can sell more beef direct, meaning a higher profit margin.
Heady stuff, but at least it got David smiling.
[David] “It’s just great that you’re so ambitious for the farm … you’re a chip off both of the old blocks”
“Look no further for your seasonal requirements”
So says Eddie, on behalf of himself and Joe, who have a stall at the mart.
Selling “traditional” mistletoe, holly and trees, they reckon on even managing to see a tree to Ruth and David.
[Joe] “You don’t want no fiddling collection of twigs lost on the corner!”
Should we worry about Joe’s cough?
Just as an aside, Joe seems to have a rather nasty cough at the moment.
I do hope all’s well …
“He’ll look even better after a bit of titivating”
We’ll take your word for that, David.
(he’s talking about his steer)
Jill and her coconut bra wearing men
Jill recognised the judge at the mart.
Seemingly he’s the butcher from Ashton’s on Bell Street.
[Jill] “The last time I saw him he was wearing a hula skirt and a coconut bra”
Each to their own, indeed.
Phew! That was a nail biting finish
That was so tense.
I really didn’t know what to do with myself when Brookfield’s steer looked like it might be getting moved down to third place.
But wait … the steer was getting moved up to first.
Hurrah!
Well done David, Ruth and Pip.
The “unaliterated” truth
Bless Joe.
He’s had a cracking day with Eddie at the mart.
[Joe] “Looks like we both had a good morning, David Archer”
(and on his sales technique)
[Joe] “From me you’ll always get the pure unaliterated truth”
Joe and Eddie sold every tree, with a very high profit margin (not paying for trees + selling tress = 100% profit).
[Eddie] “I might make a return visit to ted Fernley in Penny Hassett ... know what I mean … avail myself of more of his trees”
[Joe] “But there’s a but … Clarrie … you know she’s a bit dubious about the man from Penny Hassettt”
[Eddie] “What Clarrie don’t know won’t hurt her, an you can't argue with 300 smackers, can ya?!?”
Oh Eddie. Even as you said that, you know it can’t be true.
Farming is unemotional
David got a certificate and a rosette – but what on earth did the steer get?
It was sold it into the judge. Who happens to be a butcher.
To add insult to injury, David then celebrates ‘his’ win by treating himself to a steak pie.
All that work, care and attention for nothing but money.
It’s like a lamb to slaughter …
Jill catches Pip at church
Cripes – it’s easy to see why David and Ruth were so appalled at Pip’s behaviour over Jude – she’s a model goody-goody!
Jill catches Pip at church, when Jill’s come to polish the lectern and Pip has her hands on the organ … poor Pip even has to pretend she doesn’t know how to switch it off.
[Pip] “I’ve come to dust off uncle Tom’s crib”
[Jill] “We’ll have you on the flower rota next!”
Bless. It’s all in a good cause. Despite the double entendres …
The Archers: Eddie’s latest scam … Selling for teas?!? … Food labelling
- Eddie’s ‘found’ some Christmas trees
- Will “can’t complain” about the shoot
- “Only 3 weeks and we’ll be killing the turkeys”
- Why does Ed get out of plucking turkeys?
- The Muesli strikes back
- Can someone explain “selling for teas”?
- Jennifer walked right into that one!
- Food labelling’s a hot topic in Ambridge
Eddie’s ‘found’ some Christmas trees
Hmmm.
Eddie got up very, very early to get the trees.
He changes his tune from saying he ‘found’ them to Clarrie, to saying he’d actually “found a supplier” when he realised Will was in earshot.
The name of that supplier sounded like it’d been made up by Eddie on the spot:
[Eddie] “Fern … Fernie … Ted Fernie”
Will had never heard of this supplier’s tree nursery.
And Will reckoned that the trees looked like they’d been cut that very morning, and noticed there is a:
[Will] “chainsaw … in the van … with the trees”
[Will] “You’ve been helping yourself to someone’s trees!”
[Eddie] “William … I’m hurt … that my own son should be so suspicious … I’ve never heard the like!”
And later on:
[Eddie] “That’s the trouble with being a keeper …spending all that time on your own, it makes you paranoid”
[Will] “You bought them fair and square?”
[Eddie] “As I’m standing here”
[Will] “You’re sitting down”
[Eddie] “You know what I mean”
Even later still, Will was still on about those trees:
[Will] “Dad came home, all cocky like, with a bunch of Christmas trees … I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d nicked them … off of the estate”
[Nic] “Has he been tree rustling (tee hee!)”
[Will] “He’s cheeky enough … or is it stupid enough … he sees it all as fair game”
And to top it off, Will has a look round the estate, finding plenty of fresh stumps to suggest Eddie had indeed been tree rustling.
But can he prove it?
I reckon Eddie better watch his step.
Will’s not the most reasonable of blokes at best of times. With Emma pregnant, Nic getting a social life of her own and the prospect of Christmas day with Ed, he’s not a man to annoy just right now.
Will “can’t complain” about the shoot
But can complain about Nic going to the WI that evening.
Later on, he seemed to changed his tune and genuinely seemed quite happy to look after the kids so Nic could go out.
Is Will relaxing?
“Only 3 weeks and we’ll be killing the turkeys”
Cripes! Clarrie really knows how to make us panic about just how few days there are until the shops shut …
Why does Ed get out of plucking turkeys?
I think that’s a bit unfair on Will. And likely to only create yet more tension between the two.
Do Clarrie and Eddie favour Ed over Will?
The Muesli strikes back
Angela broke her tooth on her muesli, so Jean Harvey has had to cover her shift at the Village Shop.
Be careful out there.
Can someone explain “selling for teas”?
The other day Joe was seemingly hiding any profit from selling trap rides with Bartleby by saying it was for ‘teas’.
And not the shop has a “tea cosy”, which seems to be a table with stuff folks are “selling for teas”.
What does it all mean?
Jennifer walked right into that one!
Susan’s becoming a real master at snaring Jennifer into social evenings.
During a wee chat about how Kate was getting on (University, not College, by the way), Jennifer mentioned that Kate was going home to South Africa for Christmas.
Faster than a speeding bullet, Susan jumped in with:
[Susan] “Are you doing anything on … Christmas eve, say?”
[Jennifer] “No …”
(then realising what Susan was really aiming at)
[Jennifer] “ …um, well, I expect something will crop up”
[Susan] “We’re having a little do at our place, Just drinks and nibbles, you’d be ever so welcome”
[Jennifer] “Thank you Susan. We’d love to come. Obviously.”
(you could just hear the pain Jennifer was in as she said that!)
At the WI, Susan again corners Jennifer to make absolute sure.
[Susan] “Of course, you’re more than welcome to extend the invitation to the rest of the family”
[Jennifer] “I must remember to tell them …”
(sense the sarcasm in that last comment from Jennifer)
So there it is. Christmas Eve with the Alridges and Carters.
That’ll be great festive fun.
Food labelling’s a hot topic in Ambridge
Will did take the Michael out of Nic for going to the WI when the talk was about food labelling, but Nic reckoned it was at least a nice night out.
And despite appearances, the food labelling talk seemed to go down really well.
[Jennifer] “Excuse the pun … A great deal of food for thought”
[Nic] “If you buy a pie or something … if it says British on the label … you’d expect it to use British ingredients”
(Susan then waffled something about Neil saying it was an important issue, as the Brits do treat animals better)
[Nic] “I was just saying that I though British meant British”
All agree that while local produce has more information, it is more expensive.
But, that the practise of labelling the food in the country where the last substantial change was made is misleading. For example, bacon can be called British bacon even though it was only cured here. It says nothing about how the pigs were treated.
[Will to Nic] “Looks like it’s got your dander up … good!”
[Nic] “It’s made me think a lot more about cooking and things”
And with Ian doing the next talk, it looks like all things food are set to continue as a WI theme.
[Will] “Maybe I could come along”
[Nic] “I’ll lend you a skirt”
[Will] “… maybe not”
Ah come on Will. Pop a skirt on, and you can keep a proper eye on Nic.
The Archers: Helen is working … Kathy’s drunk herself asleep … Freddie is a bit dim … Jill is thinking of Phil
- Helen’s spreading
- I’d never heard of Mrs Miniver
- Kathy’s round again
- Poor Freddie isn’t the brightest spark
- “Do you remember last year, when granddad helped us?”
- The heifer is ready for AI
- Tony won’t listen
- Neither will Helen
Helen’s spreading
After trying to first work off those crusty bits (round the edge of the pie dish), Helen’s idea of spreading the workload (to take things easier, as everyone is nagging her to do) is to do a stocktake. On a Sunday.
*sigh*
[Pat] “Tony – you don’t feel this is a good idea?”
[Tony] “Well, you know what I think”
Helen has also decided that she’s going to work up to 2 weeks before her due date.
But all Tony can think to do is ask if Helen has a coat to wear back to the shop.
He’s still not accepting that Helen decided to have her baby by herself.
But, from the way Helen’s behaving, I somehow think Tony will have to step up to help, whether he likes the situation or not.
I’d never heard of Mrs Miniver
But it’s seemingly a classic that won 6 Oscars.
Kathy’s round again
So Tony’s off out to work rather than have to sit and listen to her moaning.
He later complained that she canned a while bottle of red wine.
Well, at least that made her fall asleep!
Poor Freddie isn’t the brightest spark
We’d know that for a while now, but Freddie’s lack of academic prowess is now proving to potentially block Elizabeth’s and Nigel’s plans for his education.
[Nigel] “Have to have a think about Freddie … he won’t pass the entrance exam”
[Elizabeth] “Such a shame it is all about this exam – such a sweet child”
Well and truly putting his nose up at the thought of Freddie having to go to Borchester Green if he fails the entrance exams, Nigel’s determined to make sure Freddie doesn’t fail in the first place.
[Elizabeth] “Why are you being so pessimistic?”
[Nigel] “I’m trying to be realistic … Freddie will have to work with Rosemary over Christmas”
[Elizabeth] “A fun maths lesson is hardly as fun as a snowball fight!”
Indeed Elizabeth!
And wait until Lilly finds out that she has to suffer maths throughout Christmas along with Freddie.
“Do you remember last year, when granddad helped us?”
As Elizabeth gets her two ready to go to Jill’s for their traditional Stir-up Sunday, he points out that his family missed out on such homely traditions:
[Nigel] “The only thing my mother ever stirred up was trouble”
For us Ambridge Eavesdroppers, Stir-up Sunday now also holds a special significance, as it was the last time we heard Phil Archer speak.
A poignant day, but one still enjoyed by the family.
[Jill] “Do you remember last year, when granddad helped us? He found a sixpence with the year of his birth … we’ll put it in the pudding today … and every year”
Later on, as everyone makes their wish as they stir (wee Freddie was the slowest, bless him):
[Elizabeth] “I can expect you can guess what my wish is, mum”
[Jill] “Yes, it’s probably the same as mine”
Aw. Gone but very much not forgotten, is our Phil.
And at least Freddie had fun:
[Freddie] “Grandma let me lick the bowl”
[Nigel] “ Was it nice?”
[Freddie] “well, I felt a bit sick after …”
The heifer is ready for AI
Do you think Pat will make sure Tony checks the heifer is okay with being made pregnant again? She should, what with all her feminist principles. And considering that the heifer seemed to having quite a nice time with another heifer …
Or will Tony give the heifer a hard time for having a calf sans bull? I think not …
Tony won’t listen
Amongst the heifer-on-heifer action, Pat tries to talk to Tony about Helen. But he’s just not interested.
[Pat] “I just wish I could get her to talk honestly about how she feels inside … she’s always got this brittle shell on”
As Tony tries to wander off again, he comes out with:
[Tony] “Come on Pat! Helen’s done this whole baby thing exactly as she wanted. She hasn’t listened to a word of sense from anyone. “What on earth makes you think she’ll start now!?!”
Neither will Helen
Pat calls Helen to check she’s okay. She’s found still in the shop, still doing the stock take, at 8pm (on a Sunday).
Helene seemingly had an idea about how to recognise the spices, but it didn’t work, so had to put them back again.
As Pat starts to work herself up into a rant, but Helen basically hangs up on her.
I’m telling you. Force Helen into a small room with all her nearest and dearest, and don’t let her out until she sees sense.
Otherwise … we’re heading for yet another Helen disaster.
The Archers: Pigs with colds … Pip’s a fast driver … Jazzer wants something … Joe’s got a new scam … Helen’s getting worse
- Jazzer’s still worried about wheezing pigs
- Is Jazzer also coming down with something?
- Eddie doesn’t like to boast
- Pip’s a Boy Racer
- Team Jazzer & Harry
- Would Bert really abuse those cows?
- Joe works for tea?
- David wants a freebie
- Cobwebs behind the cistern
- Tony’s decisive, but his kids are too driven
Jazzer’s still worried about wheezing pigs
Seemingly a second has come down with a bit of a wheeze, but Jazzer’s managed to get them both put inside for a bit of RandR.
Maybe we should start a knitting to group to get those pigs some toasty jumpers.
Is Jazzer also coming down with something?
“Get a time machine - go back and start your life again – but this time, pay attention”
What?
That was what Jazzer said to Tony when Tony tried to get the inside info on the forthcoming quiz answers.
How decidedly odd.
Eddie doesn’t like to boast
But he goes ahead with it anyway.
“I don’t like to boast . Linda virtually declared me and Nathan the stars of the show”
Oh far too cocky! You know that pride comes before a fall …
Pip’s a Boy Racer
Or, at least that’s what you’d believe if you listened to David.
Team Jazzer & Harry
[Jazzer] “My natural instinct is to be a team player – we’re shaping up to be a pretty good team”
Jazzer’s waxing lyrical to Harry about how good they are together.
They’re working on the quiz together, and Jazzer even cooked tea for Harry last night.
[Jazzer] “It was good scran tae …all the extras bits were my own as well – the chilli sauce, the grated cheese on top …”
[Harry, rather sarcastically] “Those were some of the nicest beans on toast I ever had”
Later on, Jazzer even rushes to Harry’s aid (unasked) when something at the milking needs fixing.
Despite losing Harry’s wee screwdriver (let’s hope it didn’t cost as much as his knife or pan did!), Jazzer’s determined to make sure Harry knows that he’s making a real effort.
Especially on the shared cooking front.
Not that Jazzer wants to do the cooking every day:
[Jazzer] “I still want to enjoy ma food”
But he is quite keen to share the duties. As long as Harry cooks tonight. Because Jackie is coming round (ah ha!)
[Jazzer] “I do the cooking, you get the credit … She cannae decide whether to stick or twist yet … They just blame you for filling them with wind (beans)”
Harry doesn’t completely fall for it, instead suggesting that he can talk Jazzer through the cooking.
Not very amused by this suggestion, Jazzer reckons:
“You’ve got a long way to go before you get the idea of this teamwork thing, Harry”
Would Bert really abuse those cows?
Telling David that he can’t work on Christmas day (yikes – a full Grundy is taking shape), Eddie snorts over the idea of Bert handling the milking
[Eddie] “Bert manhandling them wouldn’t have been the best present for the cows!”
Poor Bert. That’s a horrible slut on his character.
Joe works for tea?
Did I hear that right?
Did Eddie say to David that Joe was giving folks rides on the green (with Bartleby and his trap) for teas?
David wants a freebie
Honestly, is David ever positive about anything his siblings do?
Elizabeth and Nigel are doing a lovely open day at Lower Loxley for the family, but David’s already moaning as it won’t include the ice rink.
Come on David. Where’s your festive cheer?!?
Cobwebs behind the cistern
What on earth is Helen thinking?
She gets forced to take time off of work to rest her hurt ankle, so uses the time to paint her flat. But it’s okay, as it’s mainly the skirting boards. Which are scuffed. Which, of course, the baby would be very upset about (!).
Pat catches Helen as she takes round a cottage pie (which is unlikely to be eaten by the ever calorie conscious Helen), and is rightly indignant.
[Helen] “I won’t get a better opportunity than now – I want the flat to be perfect when the baby comes … come on mum, you know how untidy this place gets … there was cobwebs behind the cistern!”
[Pat] “Can’t you just read a book instead!”
Helen really just gets worse and worse. If cobwebs behind a cistern upset her, just imagine what a kid smothered in mud (and goodness knows what else) will do to her sense of calm.
It’s almost as if she expects her baby to sit quietly, without making a mess.
Well, at least it won’t be offended by wee bits of crime.
More importantly, during her wee argument with Pat, Helen is forced to sit down.
Tony’s decisive, but his kids are too driven
[Pat, slightly smouldering, on Tony saying ‘yes’ to Tom’s energy saving ideas] “I was very impressed how decisive you were about that Tony”
[Tony] “Yes. He’d worn down my resistance … he’d done a good job … and is determined to put us on a better footing, so why not”
[Pat] “I do sometimes wish our children weren’t so driven … she’s been micromanaging organics online … running around the flat tidying up and painting … she’s washed the walls of the shower room top to bottom”
[Tony] “… unless she was silly enough to stand on a chair …”
(course she has been!)
[Pat] “Her whole body is telling her to slow down and be careful”
[Tony] “she just doesn’t know how to stop”
It’s time for an intervention!
The Archers: Josh is playing by himself … Pip wants to be a farmer … Patrick can play the piano … Fallon plans to be alone with Harry … Eddie’s crowing
- “Jamie’s gone all weird”
- “His stance needs working on”
- Patrick to the Rescue!
- Pip, please don’t tell us what Jude taught you …
- I think that counted as Sabrina speaking
- Sabrina’s treasure chest
- How desperate is Fallon!!!
- Nathan, not any trouble? I very much doubt that Eddie
“Jamie’s gone all weird”
Sounds like David and Ruth might need to get Tom over to have a check on their yard lighting.
Josh was found by Eddie playing football by the floodlights.
And the poor wee mite had to play by himself.
[Josh] “Jamie’s gone all weir … hanging out with a rubbish crowd at school”
Eddie had a wee kick about with him, but sounded out of breath within a few minutes. Many days since Eddie was on a pitch, then:
[Eddie] “Wizard of the wing, I was called”
“His stance needs working on”
After Eddie had to wheeze off of the footy, Josh had to make do with helping his sister Pip work on the Hereford Steer that they’re putting into the primestock next week.
“Great topline … it’s his stance which needs working on”
We’ll take your work for it, Pip!
Patrick to the Rescue!
That Patrick’s an odd one.
He’s forever popping in and out of Ambridge, with seemingly no agenda (or staying power!).
But he’s not Lynda’s man of the moment (I wonder if Harry’s okay with that?!).
With Fallon now in the Panto, she doesn’t have time to pre-record the background music.
But along comes Patrick, as he’s apt to do. While Lynda was in a busy Ambridge Organics:
[Lynda] “In the hiatus, while Derek fletcher swung between yoghurt covered brazils and a blueberry flapjack …”
She got chatting to Patrick.
[Lynda] “If you ever get him on the lifecycle of the large butterfly he’ll open your eyes!”
Putting large butterflies to one side for the moment, Lynda also found out that Patrick achieved Grade 7 piano when he was a mere 17.
[Lynda] “The moment he revealed his talent … the poor man’s fate was sealed”
You said it Lynda!
Patrick and Harry in the same room? Just when I’d started to think they were one and the same …
Pip, please don’t tell us what Jude taught you …
(*shudder*)
No – it’s okay – all Pip said to Josh was that
“At least I learnt one thing from Jude … find something you're good at and stick to it – that’s what he was so useless at”
Pip looks like she’s considering staying out at Brookfield as a farmer.
[Josh] “So you going to stay here all your life?”
Of course, that all depends on whether Brookfield can manage to support adult Pip rather than Pip as one of David and Ruth’s kids.
But Pip has a cunning plan.
[Pip] “The market is changing all the time Josh, that’s why important find a good course to help us keep up”
Good planning Pip.
Wonder if we’ll be hearing similar arguments between Pip and David/Ruth as we currently hear between Tony and Tom.
I think that counted as Sabrina speaking
Okay, it was just a “meow”, and I reckon she also signed later on, but it was made by her vocal cords, therefore it was speech.
How utterly thrilling!
Sabrina’s treasure chest
[Lynda] “Prop yourself up a little more dear … that top’s a little lower cut than perhaps you realise”
[Lynda, later on] “Henchman are meant to be staring in covetously at the treasure chest!”
How desperate is Fallon!!!
That’s it.
Either Harry is asexual, gay or completely oblivious.
Did he not notice Fallon’s rather unsubtle efforts to get him to spend time alone with her?
The Panto is giving Fallon the perfect excuse to get 1-on-1 with Harry, but will he even react when she makes her move?
Nathan, not any trouble? I very much doubt that Eddie
Lynda is simply simpering over Eddie and Nathan’s revelatory panto performance this evening.
[Lynda] “your timing and teamwork was almost faultless … and I’ve never seen such sinister lurking … the sparkling chemistry you displayed this evening … tell me, what’s turned everything round?”
[Eddie] “We had a bot if a showdown earlier this week … he just needed taking a peg or two down … now that he accepts I’m top dog, we won't have any more trouble … I’m sure of that”
Hmmm. Speaking too soon, methinks.
The Archers: Lamb and veg … the postman might slip … Helen’s heading for a fall
- “Is it wise to have braised lamb on a bed of mash with all the veg?”
- The first Mart meeting
- Ian’s menu is sparky
- Peggy worries for the postman
- Hilary Noakes won £6
- Helen’s in agony
- Tea and a sandwich
- Topical Inserts ahoy!
“Is it wise to have braised lamb on a bed of mash with all the veg?”
Brian seemed to think so.
But I’m with Annabelle.
A large lunch does not make for a productive afternoon.
The first Mart meeting
Despite Annabelle’s ascertain that
“Inaugural meetings barely amount to much”
Matt (via Lilian) didn’t want to let anything pass without comment.
[Annabelle] “Anyone else feel we were at an old fashioned séance … with Lilian busily channelling Matt”
Seemingly the phrase “I broadly agree” is a very Matt phase – which generally, when uttered by Matt, meant that he actually want to trash the plan he was ‘broadly’ agreeing to.
Lilian reckons she’s already constantly being “steamrolled”, and is making sure Amside’s issues are being recorded.
But it’s only going to get more and more complicated as Matt tries to control the project while not being able to be directly be involved.
Despite Lilian not actually managing to get the results Matt wants (so far), she’s at least having a go. And Annabelle also appreciates Lilian providing a dissenting voice. Even if that voice is actually Matt.
[Brian] “If she takes out a large Havana and playing with a cigar cutter, we’ll know she’s completely possessed”
Ian’s menu is sparky
And he seemingly did a grand job as the Great Magini at Ruairi’s birthday party.
Do we foresee a career change?
I’d not be sure about how Adam would look as Ian’s glamorous assistant. I don’t picture him as being able to pull off a tasselled bikini …
Peggy worries for the postman
Nabbed by Lilian outside (in the cold) sweeping up the leaves, Peggy’s worried that if left, the postman might slip.
As, bless her wee cotton socks.
Peggy was also passing the time after Lilian didn’t turn up in time for lunch.
How rude!
Hilary Noakes won £6
At the Race Night.
And her bragging contributed to Lilian being late for Peggy’s lunch.
See the dangers of gambling!
Helen’s in agony
[Lilian] “Silly girl has been dragging herself in … she can barely stand up”
Helen still isn’t taking it easy.
Goodness know why. As a self-employed person, I’d be more than delighted to have a real reason to take time off.
It’s also strange that Helen can be so aware of her body (in terms of calories), but so unaware of when her body is also craving rest.
Lilian did persuade her to go home – and then also followed her home in her car to make sure that she’d be able to drive okay (big tummies and steering wheels don’t mix).
Oh dear. You know when Lilian takes notice, something has to be wrong.
Tea and a sandwich
Helen took the tea, but refused a sandwich.
Which is surely a shame. I think Peggy would make a cracker of a sarnie.
Worried about Helen after hearing from Lilian that she was in a bad way, Peggy popped round to try and help.
Helen’s actually sat there, tracking the shop online.
Take five minutes off, for goodness sake lassie!
As much as Peggy is a dear for taking the time to check Helen, she isn’t quite ready to be wholly supportive of Helen having a baby by herself:
[Peggy] “Oh … it’s such a shame … I do wish you weren’t going through all this on your own … I remember how exhausting and difficult being pregnant can be”
[Helen] “It’s all been easier than I expected … I seem to be managing perfectly well by myself”
Are you Helen? Are you, really?
Topical Inserts ahoy!
The BBC are claiming credit yet again for putting ‘topical inserts’ into tonight’s ‘episode.
Peggy mentioned to Helen that she’d be watching daytime TV, which is not a normal habit for her, but she’d become hooked on the announcement that there’s a soon-to-be Royal wedding.
[Helen] “They look quite comfortable together”
[Peggy] “He seems quite romantic … She seems a very level headed girl, and a very good age to get married” (hint, hint Helen!)
Then Peggy even managed to notice the flooding in Cornwall. Which, my fine fellow Archers folks, is not even in Ambridge.
