Come and play Grand Theft Combine through the quiet Ambridge streets. And by the way, ROB IS STILL MARRIED.

[PseudoBadger]

Bolloxfest is imminent. Will this thread make it to the big day?

[Bluestocking]

Leonie's AIBU could have been "AIBU to think that baby showers happen before the birth, not after? My SM and MIL, both of whom are a a bit dotty in their own way, have organised one for me a fortnight after I gave birth to PFB DS, and expect me to drive to their village alone because DP is working."

[BasketzatDawn]

Goodness, you've all been busy since last night. I cannot get excited about tomorrow's epi - on previous occasions I've been looking forward to some great catalyst and it's all uneventful and humdrum. I will indeed let it wash over me.

I thought similarly about timing of baby shower - and was relieved to hear Leonie was there after all. Did anyone else have to explain to a child that a baby shower does not involve putting the baby in the shower? ds2 who is 21 but has a much younger learning age was very confused by the talk of baby showers.

I can see where Vicki is coming from re-Bethany's education. But I can see how what she wants may not work either. I assume a SW has one friend with a SN child . I do recall a friend telling me about a child with DS being in her DC's village school and 'how good it was for the other children'. Just when we were doing the BigDecision for the boy mentioned above. My response was not genteel. FWIW, ds2 did mainstream nursery (adequate but some awful moments), special school for 2 years(excellent but then we moved areas), village school (adequate with some woeful times), home education (very good), college for youngsters with LDs (excellent). Script team, I could tell you a thing or two.

[BuildYourOwnSnowman]

I think their research is pretty crap. Two examples being organising a festival and general running of a business

How old is Beth? I've always thought they could mention her more. At the moment it does sound like they are treating her as an sn kid when we all know there is no generic child with sn. Not sure they will meet any sort of public education with this which I think is a real wasted opportunity

[WhatSheSaid]

Bethany was born Jan 2013 so is not even 2 yet.

[JessieMcJessie]

I am pretty sure that there was an exchange between Lynda and Lilian where one said "yes I've checked with Leonie and she's fine to come".

I am worried that we are not going to find out any time soon what Jess said to Rob- we will just be left to try and work it out from his behaviour- so we'll know a little bit more than Helen but not as much as Rob. I can't work out if this is very clever drama or just bloody annoying.

[PetulaGordino]

Is it that Vicky is feeling isolated herself as the only family in the immediate area with a child with DS? She talks about her friends in the support group but they seem a bit of a distance away?

It seems a shame if they leave though, as there would have been a good opportunity to portray some of the hurdles that parents of children with SN have to surmount to get what they need for their child. Though if evidence suggests they're not going to get that right then maybe best if they don't try...

[JessieMcJessie]

Isn't one way of looking at it that they are having to give up their cosy country life in order to get the best for their child, and that in itself is a valid storyline?

Mike said as much, quite poignantly I thought- "I've had my life, it's Bethany's turn now".

I really felt for him- all he wanted was companionship in his widowerhood and for a while it was all going so well, and now he has to change everything for a child he never planned to have; he must wonder if he made a mistake taking up with Vicky. [I hope that parents of children with SEN don't feel offended by this, he is a fictional character and really did think his fatherhood days were over].

It's quite funny, what with this being a radio show, that characters who have moved away can no longer feature unless they visit the village- it's not as if they'd have to build a new set to have a scene where, say, Hayley goes to visit them in Brum. There is precedent for out-of-Ambridge scenes- remember Pat and Tony meeting Rich at the Christmas market in (I think) Leeds? Also, I'd imagine that Mike and Vicky would come back to Ambridge often, for country air, catching up with friends and seeing Abbie and Phoebe. Would be easy to keep their story lines live.

[PetulaGordino]

Yes of course. But it seems a shame for that to happen now rather than a few years down the line when we've had more insight into the difficulties of having a child with SN in a very rural community. But if Vicky already feels that the move is necessary then fine

[Hakluyt]

"Mike said as much, quite poignantly I thought- "I've had my life, it's Bethany's turn now". "

Maybe because I'm older than many on here, I thought that was an outrageous thing to say! He's only in his 50s- and he's got commitments to Roy and Hayley too- -apart from anything else has he forgotten they share a house?

[CuttedUpPear]

Can I just add one more gripe about the organisation of Loxfest?
The production staff (oh, make that two gripes, they would have had to take on a team of interns at least)...the production staff would have had three days work MINIMUM after the event sorting out invoices, return hires, unistalling non existent plumbing for traders.
One person distractedly rubbing his crimplene thighs would be nose to the grindstone trying to get all this done, it is non stop, believe me.

[PetulaGordino]

Oh Cutteduppear pull the other one - this festival organising is clearly a doddle, anyone who has organised a medium-sized wedding t a stately home could do it. All you need is a local scout group to do some litter-picking, the village bobby to give a bit of advice on security and drug dealing, a cake stall, pony rides etc, and A-list bands will just queue up to headline at 12 hours' notice. I'm not doing anything this afternoon, I might just organise one myself

There weren't even any complaints about heavy traffic locally when people were arriving/leaving iirc

[PetulaGordino]

I'm with basketz and not expecting too much from tonight's episode. I may be pleasantly surprised of course

[PseudoBadger]

Right am I going with a generic title:

The Archers - you must not overthink it. You must just let it all wash over you

Or a specific HellRob or Lizzie title?

[PseudoBadger]

"I think you'd better open this thread Hayley. It's really really urgent. Oh look it's come open. What's that, a locket?"

Or I used to look to books or films for inspiration.

"Roy Tucker and the Black Widow's Locket"

"Ambridge - a wretched hive of scum and villainy"

[GypsyFloss]

"I think you'd better open this thread Hayley. It's really really urgent. Oh look it's come open. What's that, a locket?"

I like that one Pseudo.

[ppeatfruit]

Actually ref. child with SN, IIRC Beth would be 'statemented' and have her own qualified SN helper at school, so if she was somewhere small like a country village, would do better than in a large town surely?

If they wanted to send her to mainstream ed. of course. It all depends on how extreme her SNs are I suppose. I also feel sorry for Mike he's not so healthy now either.

[OddFodd]

Even with a statement, it's access to all the other services - specialist paeds, SALT, OT etc and talking to other parents of kids with Downs. I'm not surprised Vicki wants to move but it does feel like she's already made up her mind without discussion. It'd be worth researching what's available locally.

Am watching the film now - why did Elizabeth make that big I love you too statement and then tell Roy they couldn't see one another? It's just going to lead to him grabbing her by the photocopier even more than he has up until now

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

"It's Autumn in Ambridge; season of mists and mellow faithlessness. Who's going to reap what they have sown?"

is my overly wordy title contribution... (Still prefer Witch & Dickhead )

And I'm more cynical than some about the prospective Tucker emigration; it's always been my impression that the SWs would ship them out of Ambridge precisely to avoid the effort of any research or accuracy as Bethany grows up. But given Mike's ever increasing aches and pains I wouldn't be surprised if, as soon as they're set up in Brum, he takes a final fatal shuffle around the dance floor. Which would effectively cut Vicky and Bethany out of the story for good - only ever visited by invisible Brenda. Job done.

[PseudoBadger]

Just listening to the film, Jess must be pregnant, that's why Rob was made to be so awkward with newborn Mowgli, to show how un-fathery he is?

[Primadonnagirl]

Roy and Hayley don't live with Mike do they??!And what's this film you are talking about?

[PseudoBadger]

They live in a maisonette kind of arrangement I think Prima. And the film is the minibus. Which is the omnibus. Clear as mud.

[OddFodd]

They have divided the house into two so Mike and Vicki live in one half and Roy and Hayley in the other.

We call the omnibus the film - think it was something someone's mum did

[HamAndPlaques]

To go back to Freddie, Hayley, and the locket - may I humbly suggest that if Freddie did have an idea about what was going on that he would DISCUSS IT WITH HIS TWIN SISTER?! Where is she?!

[GypsyFloss]

Ohhh , I like yours too Zero . I think it encapsulates quite a few storylines...including the JennyD/ Carol/ John one. Now are we sure Witch and Dickhead can't be squeezed in anywhere?

[TheOneWiththeNicestSmile]

Mike is nearly 65 btw - not in his 50s - plenty old enough to retire from a physical job.

(Of course Davros sits down all the time )