Aldridges Assemble! Await the return of the prodigal daughter to Ambridge with the rest of The Archers audience

[PseudoBadger]

I can't resist alliteration

It's weird these days and I don't listen as much. It used to be a nice programme with the odd drama thrown in. Now there's too many new characters with too many old ones leaving while some are ignored, like Usha, Kathy and Alan. There's no mention of Darryl or Amy. Some of the established characters have gone weird. I can't take to Pip. Kenton used to be a laugh but is now childish. Matt and Lillian were fun. Jill is odd about those geese boys and sounds a bit sinister. Some people's reaction to Helen's wedding doesn't sound right. Pat has always hated Rob understandably but now suddenly approves!

Pip laugh in Friday's episode was just weird.

HP didn't want to be at Brookfield when being in her own home was an option but surely she might change her mind now it isn't you think R would say she was at lwast having another go at persuading her.

Sheltered housing was discussed and I think she was coming round to it after her friend moved there and liked it. However, I think the stroke put paid to that (although they have not been explicit). SH will usuallt onky take someone while they are still independent. Once you are in you can stay but if you get past a certain point they are less keen (based on experience if relatives who left it too late and got pushed from one care setting to another therafter).

Stayanotherday, do you know the history behind Jill & the geese boys?

The Laurels is so nice Christine was actually thinking of moving in there as a housing option so why Ruth hasn't at least considered it I can't imagine. Heather is supposed to have loads of friends up north, but there is absolutely no evidence of them. The whole HP scenario is just continuation of the tedious and entirely unconvincing unbelievable Great North Move - the sooner she SOTMC and we can forget the whole sorry tale the better.

scary do you listen to the dumteedum podcast? A couple of weeks back they were in hysterics singing herbal ley to the tune of purple haze. I heard purple haze the other day and was mentally singing herbal ley!

Kenton really was wallowing in his misery last night, I can't quite see where the sw are taking this storyline, there seems no way out for him and Jolene at the moment.

Kenton.....hmmmm. We haven't had a suicide since Greg, have we?

Ahhh ... Was the SW who had Kenton throw HWMNBN out of the Bull playing a long game?

Jolene sounded so fed up with him yesterday, I'm not surprised, he hasn't contributed much to the business she & Sid built up.

Sid and Polly built it up. ()

Not sure if Cathy contributed much.

I know Jolene has put in a lot of effort and new ideas - but she's also to some extent coasting on other people's investment.

And Kenton has no right to the continued moaning. Lillian has just offered them £26k to stay at home ...

I suspect quite a few of us on this thread are undergoing situations rather like Ruth's atm, I certainly am. I can sympathise with her feelings of helplessness and panic over what seems like an impossible dilemma, but she's so shrieky and over-the-top that I can't bring myself to be completely on her side.

I was yelling at the radio when Pip'n'Jill (I think) were discussing the HP problem and Pip declared there were no feasible options. I'm sorry, but instead of haring hundreds of miles up and down, just WHY exactly isn't Ruth at least bringing HP home with her for an extended period of convalescence, where there can be people to keep a constant eye on her, help at hand etc etc? That would at the very least buy them some time and stop Ruth constantly moaning and bleating. HP's millions of 'friends' mysteriously don't seem to be around to actually look after her in Prudhoe, do they?

I do agree about the mysterious friends. When we had a similar issue with an aunt living 200 miles away, her local friends were absolutely invaluable, both in visiting her and keeping us informed and, in particular, in being able to give us local knowledge about which of the care homes in the area had the best reputation.

Why doesn't Ruth just insist that Heather moves in with them FFS ????

So sick of her mithering

What happened to 'Jacks'? Did Kenton sell up and put money into the Bull?

Kenton was the manager at Jaxx, he had put no money into it. He swapped jobs with Fallon, as family members so often do . She was manager for a while and then the owner sold up, as far as I can recall.

I don't remember exactly but I'm fairly sure Kenton had no stake in Jaxx. He was employed as manager by the owner - who was latterly in partnership with Jim.

When K and J married he decided to commit to the Bull - and Fallon got the manager's job at Jaxx. (Hasn't it since closed - leading to Fallon upcycling everything in sight?)

It wasn't that long ago, but the details are very hazy - however, I think Fallon resigned rather than stay on under the new management.

I thought of Fallon yesterday. We walked past a parade of shops not far from home which as long as I can remember has always had a couple of secondhand furniture/bric a brac shops. I've never understood how they paid their way as (a) the stuff in there was pretty awful for the most part, (b) it was all very cheap and (c) there were rarely any customers to be seen. Not greatly to my surprise, I see that these shops have now changed hands. The same old tat is being sold but there are signs calling it all 'vintage' and some of the gravy-coloured utility chests have cheerful pictures painted on the front. Well, that must have taken time and paint and some skill, I suppose. Prices are now unrecognisable.

I assume this is the kind of thing Fallon does.

Why doesn't Ruth just insist that Heather moves in with them FFS

How many of you saying things like that could actually insist your DM did anything?

As to other options, care at home can be very expensive, and not everyone finds the idea of 'strangers' in their home at all acceptable.

HP hasn't come to terms with the reality of her situation. Hopefully this escapade will focus her mind and result in her making some sensible choices - but I wouldn't bet on it.

Fallon also does 'mad hatters' tea parties and the like so she must be making a packet. (what with her upcycling as well)

If anyone can explain why Elizabeth needs Fallon and Emma to cater for Glyndebourne/Garsington/Grange Park on the Am when she has a full wedding catering team in situ I'd be most grateful ...

Have I misunderstood the nature of her business? Surely each wedding group doesn't bring in their own caterers?

I think it might be a special add on for the opera - Fallon and Emma do nice hampers which I suppose is slightly different from normal catering.

Things I would like an update on:

Fallon's crowd-funded tearoom

Shula and Dr Dreamy

Lillian, generally, but also in the business sense. How come she's suddenly got £26k to chuck at The Bull (first time any mention of her selling up the rentals has ever come up)??

When everyone is going to move back (or not) to their homes, plus exactly what Evil Hazel's intentions are.

Scruff.

Roy and Pheebs.

Hi it's PseudoBadger here (under my The Wire name as I've got a bit obsessed). Please roll up with your title suggestions, i'm off to listen to last night's episode....

Well Halsall HP sounds too frail to stay in an old fashioned house like Brookfield, she'd be falling over the steps\down the stairs etc. (it would probably be unfeasible to put in a stairlift etc.) Only jill is PERMANENTLY there and it's unfair to expect her to do the caring at her age.

Where IS scruff??

Surely he will return, we need a happy ending for Linda.

Free the Northumberland 1! Come and donate to Heather's escape fund here.?

Hi, my name's Toby and I'm addicted to landowning women. Please help! Join my thread!?

Love Archers gossip? Come take a gander at the heartbreaking new thread.?

Helicopter! Talk quick!?