Culvert operations in Ambridge - discuss The Archers here. It's not his baby by the way.

[PseudoBadger]

Is Ed's wedding very soon?

Jolene could also remind him that maxing out all your credit cards on the promise of money you haven't seen yet was an incredibly stupid thing to do. But I suppose she is culpable because she didn't rein him in at the time.

in her shoes I'd be heavily tempted to suggest that putting all this energy into hating David isn't helping anyone.

It's rather more than "isn't helping". I though that David was trying to get in contact to offer them some money!

Yes ici - I thought that was very cheap detective novel in its signposting (rob and flood I mean)

Kenton won't take the money from David through pride (and stupidity).

Not sure why they are struggling so much - did anyone mention that they had inadequate insurance and I missed it?

Don't get me started on Business Interruption insurance - or lack of - again.
[square root of diddly squat emoticon]

I suppose Rob had been handed a public info script about the operation which they all get from time to time and he did it rather well.

It also gave a little more balance to his character after all the villainous stuff but I couldn't help thinking with a shudder that he was keeping his hand in, so to speak, using his charm on a single young woman who just happens to be the daughter of the man who showing an interest in the culverts.

I don't think we've heard anything about repair work starting at the Bull, have we? Seems incredibly slow.

Hi, I've been lurking on the threads while catching up with TA. Completely going with everyone else on pretty much everything - Fairbrethren ugh, Pip ugh, Carol's back ugh, poor old Ed, Knob - well played sir etc.

But, I HAD to come on to comment on pathetic self-pitying Kenton and the utterly unbelievable J'lene. Yes I know money's tight doom and gloom etc etc, but I cannot believe that she would be as petty as Kenton over David. The J'lene we know and love(ish) would be geeing him up, trying to reconcile them. Kenton needs a bloody good talking to by someone but who's going to do it? Jill I suppose, but everyone knows David's her favourite (or is it weak little Elizabeth?). Shula should be having stern words, it's ridiculous. Although I have to say David is being particularly insensitive at the moment - I'm happy and I'm going to pretend everyone else is lalalaaaa. GAH! and Lillian - yet another woman being turned into a parody!

Jolene and Kenton - they'd get short shrift on AIBU.

Even if Dave hadn't had his epiphany, JE wouldn't have gone through with the deal after the flood. And they have no-one but themselves to blame for lack of insurance.

Just catching up with this thread.

encoch - loving your culvert detective work (are you a culverctive? Nah, doesn't work). Charlie's going to end up knowing/working out everything and then it's going to be a case of does he side with Knob or does he make Ed the sacrificial lamb for breaking the confidentiality clause?

Really hope it's the former - there are so many potential Grundy-misery storylines at the moment. I'm not completely convinced that Will will agree to be best man (which would be a more realistic outcome, even if Ed does ask him). I'm worried Hazel's not going to give them their home back and maybe there will even be some dispute with the insurance company about their bill at Grey Gables.

To say nothing of the Sideboard of Doom...

In the meantime, everything seems awfully sloooow at the moment. This bird-watching rivalry is just blood boring and about as comical as the Aldridges' kitchen non-drama.

Oh it's boring at the moment. I haven't even listened to the film from last Sunday and keeping up with this thread is proving easy. Does that mean the posting rate has slowed cos everyone else is bored too?
Ridiculous that Ed's only male friend is not asked to be BM.

Agree it's unspeakably dull. But just thought I'd chip in desperately trying to think of something nice to say about JD's famous kitchen. Yes, I agree it was rather patronising (silly woman 'making' husband pay for absurd kitchen). But I have to confess I rather enjoyed it. Highlight for me was when she found one of her workman off his head on E or whatever he'd been taking. V. v. funny. I'd take that story line again any day over the current tedium and yes to whoever said how gutted they were by reappearance of Carol

Sorry, what I should have said is does Charlie get rid of Knob...?

Several threads ago I mentioned an exchange between Helen and Rob regarding a cow with retained placenta being unrealistic, and said that in our house we would talk about ancow who hadn't cleansed and needed a washout . Last night when Rob was showing Pip around he talked about a cow with metritis needing a washout ! Coincidence? or should I be claiming credit as agricultural advisor

I've been meaning to say, regarding the Enderisation of the Archers, that I was lurking on the EastEnders thread in a bid to understand what is going on in Walford these days. They too are complaining about history being rewritten to suit the plot. Its Kat suddenly having had twins all those years ago rather than historical milk rounds, but it's not just us!

OK - this shows this year's TA threads, with starting date and the average posts per day:
06 Jan... 94
16 Jan... 54
03 Feb... 69
17 Feb... 92
28 Feb... 87
11 Mar... 41
04 Apr... 30
06 May... 40

So, even the discovery that Rob is not the father did not lift things in April, and we continue to be running at a much lower rate than earlier in the year. Although to be fair, we had similar dips in the first half of 2014. (2014 averaged around 48 posts per day).

It's so boring at the moment and so depressing. There is no light relief and no shagging at all. And the only womance is dull dull dull Plod and Vintagebore. Oh God. And Ruth assessing Pip's application to geofarmworld made me want to drown in a lake of slurry. It's like it's written by dead radio writers from the Past.

I mean Why Can't Something Interesting Happen?

Charlie's going to end up knowing/working out everything and then it's going to be a case of does he side with Knob or does he make Ed the sacrificial lamb for breaking the confidentiality clause?

at which point Rob brings out his blackmail info.

I think Rob's ex will rise out of the culvert mud like Carrie at the end of that film and maybe she'll kill lots of the dullest characters.
I'd love that, she can start with Helen.

What we need is The Vengeance Of Scruff:

A terrible hell-hound, with huge red eyes, is glimpsed prowling the village at night. Jazzer is the first to spot it but folk just think he's back on the ketamine, then Joe sees it and the scrumpy gets the blame (spin out over several aeons episodes... )

Eventually someone sober and upright - I know, Shula! - Shula is pursued by it on more than one occasion. The Vicar summonses an exorcist who discovers the HH has been sent after S because of her lying to cover Knob's hunt-sab thuggery. S confesses all to PC Plot. Knob is reviled by all and sundry. He is also charged with assault. Helen is conflicted.

Knob is found guilty and awaits sentencing but, the evening before, as he trudges dejectedly homeward after an evening spent being shunned in The Bull, the Hell Hound of Ambridge catches up with him...

Several villagers witness the HH carrying off a screaming Knob in the direction of the Culvert of Doom. One of those who saw Knob being carried off was Lynda. The HH of A saw her, paused, and wagged its tail at her. Lynda knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was none other than the spirit of her poor dead Scruff, returned to wreak vengeance on the murder of not only himself but also Freda Froi.

Next day the C of D is dragged and Knob's lifeless body is found, with his throat torn out. They also find Scruff's collar.

Hellin attempts to create a commemorative cheese but inadvertently drowns herself in a vat of it.

Jess adopts Henry and they move to Canada.

From time to time, Lynda slips down to the C of D at midnight, to whisper the names of miscreants to the ScruffSpirit...

*murderer

How the culvert thing plays out depends on how dramatic the SWs want to make it. (Not very on current form.)

If Ed were sacked I should think he could go to the NFU and claim unfair dismissal for being a whistleblower on a clear case of wrong-doing by a BL manager and subsequent threats. But BL is treating him as an unpaid lackey anyway.

Even if BL does get arsey with Ed what can they do? If BL terminates his lease Ed's better off. If BL stops employing him on contract work he's only doing it to work off his lease anyway so there's no money involved.
I know Ed's interested in future paid contract work for BL but surely if that went down the tubes David would make sure he gets other work - but BL has too much to lose by escalating this.

I don't think it will go the legal route as far as Ed is concerned. Charlie is, I think, a good guy. At the moment he's hoping to keep a lid on the situation but if it all comes out then I think Rob will get his P45 and, rather than being seen to have been involved in a cover-up himself, Charlie might choose to be generous to Ed.

Ed hasn't said all that much really. David's knowledge that the culverts were clear in November is the damning bit and Adam can be a witness to the fact that at least one was blocked on the night of the flood. David and Harrison know how oddly Rob behaved that night and Harrison can quiz him on where exactly did he go with the boat in the time before he got to the stables.

But the SWs don't do logical stories which is where all the above falls down!

Bore's scenario is MUCH better!

Commemorative cheese

It was, of course, to be named after Knob.

Ambridge Organics Commemorative Knobch...

No! Sorry! Couldn't help myself. I blame Mumsnet.

Are we allowed to BOOP an unofficial SL? I do like BOW's.