You can't just go and buy a big horse like that!

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Shula! What a cow!
Love the passive aggressiveness of 'now how much spaghetti shall I cook' though.

[R4]

I was willing her to say "How dare you carp about me spending a few thousand pounds when your gambling addiction nearly cost us the roof over our heads"

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

But he's stopped that now!

[R4]

He may have stopped racking up new debts but they are paying monthly for the re-mortgage that they had to take out to cover the £60,000 (IIRC) that he gambled away.

[blackeyedsusan]

ahh yes. I was thinking that he was pushing his luck having gambled so much away. she is right, it is herr business.

[jodevizes]

Do we hear divorce bells ringing ??

[blackeyedsusan]

oh dear, he is sulking, not a good sign.

[Noellefielding]

Yeh, she was well on the verge of saying that R4, on the tip of her tongue that was.

But why is she so bothered about her nephew's grieving, I mean if blardy Elizabeth can't afford it than who can? And shouldn't Elizabeth have forked out in the first place?

[R4]

I had the same thoughts noelle. It might tie in with jodevizes idea. Shula is pissed off with Alastair and still holds a candle for Nigel. The outcome is to buy Topper.

[PattiMayor]

I find it really odd how she's obsessing over how Freddie is coping with Nigel's death but Lily never gets a mention. I think if I were Elizabeth, Shula's behaviour would make me feel distinctly odd

[PattiMayor]

Everything is odd, clearly

[R4]

See my previous theory.
Freddie = Nigel, re-incarnated.

It is distinctly odd and creepy.

[Noellefielding]

I like the twisted way your minds seem to work!
Yes! Years of listening to the Archers has made you think in this gnarled and scary way!

[R4]

Guilty as charged.
I really should get out more.

[Olbasoil]

I wonder if he charges her for vet bills, if he doesn't I bet he does now, after all it is her business !

[stealthsquiggle]

So Topper has already been sold once (by Elizabeth, to bloke who had him at livery with Shula), yes [confused occasional listener]?

Seems to me, apart from cost of buying him, incremental cost of one horse isn't going to break them, is it?

[PattiMayor]

Yep, you're on the money stealth. Elizabeth wasn't desperate to keep him apparently.

I reckon it costs around £2k a year to keep a horse, excluding livery and vet costs. And presumably Shula only has to pay cost for any treatment so that must be pretty cheap. Have they got people clamouring for an available stable? I didn't think so

[Noellefielding]

I can't cope with any more dreay marital discord, they all love playing it I bet but it's depressing to listen to.
Also I'm ashamed but who is Kylie? she's summat to do with John's child Richard, a sibling of Rich's?
(pause for swelling violin music)
Why is Sharon such a humungous beatch?

[stealthsquiggle]

Kylie is Sharon's daughter - so Richard's stepsister - and used to hang around Bridge Farm with Sharon as a small child. No idea who her father is, though.

[choccyp1g]

Kylie's father is Clive Horrobin, Susan's (wicked) brother; that's why Kylie came to Ivy Horrobin's funeral.

[R4]

Kylie is Clive's child. Remember the scenes at Ivy's funeral?

So Sharon went out with Clive (=> Kylie), then John (=> Rich) and is now with Eamonn (long term relationship but no children of their own)

[stealthsquiggle]

[duh] of course she is. Sorry.

[Noellefielding]

Please promise me that Neil is not going to decorate awful Gary's bedroom.
AHHH Clive's child! ahh..... that sort of rings bells but thanks.

It's all going wrong for Adam and Brian though, I like the anything with a real meaty family dispute in it.
xxxxxxxxx

[ahandbag]

Sorry to be pedantic but can I just point out Kylie and Rich (real name John not Richard ) are half brother and sister not step brother and sister, but Eamonn is their step-dad.

crawls bank into box

[Acekicker]

The irony would be too clunky even for Ambridge if someone gets killed riding Topper wouldn't it but they do seem to have devoted quite a lot of plot to it recently.

The other thing I was pondering would be if this is where the whole Alistair and Erin stuff comes out into TA rather than just being forgotten about in Extra? Building resentment over money, Topper, gambling debts etc and the Erin bit comes back as well...?

[CuttedUpPear]

Shula holds a candle for Nigel?????? What?

And why have I never heard of Bert Horribin before and why has he the same name as Bert (the poet one)? FGS it's only make believe, surely they could have called him something different?

Answers please, I consider myself an avid listener but clearly I'm not paying enough attention.