Our modest little The Archers thread has its very own radio celebrity! Join us for the hottest chilli in town, and await the impending doom as all plans go into reverse in Ambridge.

[PseudoBadger]

It's all getting rather delicious. I feel sorry for Kenton the fool

Haklyut - yes I agree about that. Never really bought into the idea that he'd be prepared to up sticks like that. But at least the two of them had prolonged discussions about the pros and cons of going/staying. Regardless of which is the 'fairest' decision surely the point is that one person in a relationship can't just make a major unilateral decision without even consulting the other. That's my point. IYSWIM. Quite agree the idea was madness in the first place.

I have been trying to read a deeply tedious work document all morning and struggling to keep my eyes open. Even considered a cheeky nap. Strangely a quick perusal of this thread has perked me right up again. Hmm.

We don't have to worry about June Spencer being ill, surely? Haven't they got Patrick Troughton's mother waiting in the wings ready to take over?

Ooh, did Rooth say "naice cup of tea"? She did, didn't she?

I can see in part why Rooth is entitled to be angry, because it is incredibly late in the day for David to be changing his mind. But the point is that the whole idea was mainly driven by her, for all that he agreed, and to a great extent for her convenience: in other circumstances if they'd felt they had to move they almost certainly wouldn't have looked at going so far.

What really stops me from sympathising with her is that it was always such a stupid idea for all the reasons we've ventilated - her mother clearly doesn't need them that much, it takes the entire family away from their friends and relatives with the one exception of Heatherpet who could SOTMC within days of their arrival for all they know, there was no guarantee of a milk contract, it means seriously disrupting the children's education, and it's an overreaction to the road threat which may well never happen. And yes, she has underestimated how much the land means to her husband. I agree he should have raised all this months ago, but it doesn't mean he's totally in the wrong now.

Of course Ruth is entitled to be incandescent. But David also has the right to change his mind. And yes, he should have discussed it. But it wouldn't have made any difference. And Ruth blaming Jill is equally natural and understandable. But irrational.

It was always a bloody stupid idea. Looked to me like a bit of a flounce in reaction to the road thing and Ruth managed to harness to to suggest moving up north. Can't think why it took so long for it all to come grinding to a halt. And no, she shouldn't have been surprised.

I agree re Ben and Josh. That two teenagers could be happily - in fact enthusiastically - uprooted from their friends was completely unrealistic.

Also why didn't R&D have their blazing row BEFORE he called everyone up to cancel everything?

I also think Matt will come back. I am hating this storyline. Not consistent with Tiger and Pusscat's characters. Not realistic (really Lilian - you hadn't checked your account before now??)

Still, we've got the Ambridge Organics Closedown Showdown, plus the No Horsey Swimming Pool Showdown to still look forward to this week optimistic face

Maybe Kenton and Jolene will have to cash in their return tickets due to the lack of sale funds and will be stuck in Oz forever!

Thus leaving the way clear for Lilian to move back to the Vic Bull and start a new life as landlady. Cue next Xmas episode - "'ello Princess pusscat" as Dirty Den Matt makes his glorious reappearance.

Now, if Peggy's moggy fell into a decline we'd immediately think something sinister was going on and Rob had poisoned it.
A routine trip to take an old lady to have a hair-do is a prelude to a trampling by bull. Now if a hair appointment were mentioned I would assume she's going to encounter Jess at the salon.
Every little detail is now dripping with sinister portent instead of being routine stuff of village life. IYSWIM.

ISEWYM. Too often now, the spell of an episode is broken by me thinking "why did they do that, what drama is that likely to lead to?" It's just a rubbish way to carry on with character driven drama (unless it's something like The Wire (please let this last comment of mine not get back to SOC)).

Can't think why it took so long for it all to come grinding to a halt

Because SOC and his cronies wanted to drag it all out till the very last minute before the Dopeys would be absolutely committed to the sale, supposedly in the interests of making the U-turn even more dramatic and SATTC. I suspect they envisaged we would all be listening to our radios absolutely gobsmacked at this totally unexpected turn of events, and mentally applauding SOC and the SWs for such a fantastic bit of plotting. Plot ahead of character, yet again.

Except that, of course, it comes as a total damp squid because we none of us believed Brookfield was going to be sold anyway and it was just a matter of wondering what reason they would find to put the kibosh on it. And David's attitude over recent weeks as taken the suspense out of that one, too.

I look damp squids.

Well, that makes me look like an arse (rather than a squid). I meant I love damp squids.

Another frustrating aspect of the Brookfield saga is that so much is coming to us second hand. They really could have produced a good episode giving us the reactions of Peep, the children and JE first hand but we just get it from D and R. With a big storyline like that you'd think they could have stretched to a few more actors' salaries.

I am loving your squid damp squib nauticant. I needed to smile and it made me laugh.

I look damp squids.

Don't we all? May the blessings of St Muphry, patron of pedants with autocorrect be with you.

Lilian's financial worries will be over when she remembers that (Old Master) painting she bought with Paul.... That's if Jolene will give it back.

sinkholes overinfested.

Bet they just conveniently forget that plot too.
Or else poor hapless Ed will fall into one.

ok so that is largely a made up by this thread plot speculation.
It could just be rain. Rain and harbingers.

Look, damp squids is another phrase in this thread's Lexicon. Damp squibs are banned.

what what was the time gap meant to be between the initial oh no deevid and stropping in the lambing shed when Deevid was updating ruth?
COs surely she would have said "Hang on a minute - let's discuss this together. are you sure etc?"
He would't have just rung up.
Surely???

@TopazRocks

Yes, we are very honoured to get our own very special 'box interventions, aren't we? Does Olivia use the 'ahem' with Peace and Love and sibs too, do you think?

The reason I have to cough for MNers is cos I'm hoarse from shouting at my children

Brilliant. I never thought I would see the phrase look damp squid once, let alone twice on one page I too love squids. Damp is generally better. David Attenborough did a super programme called squib and octopus. They were all damp. As were the cuttlefish.