The Archers Thread September 2015 - The One Where Helen Kicks Rob In The Balls?

[PseudoBadger]

Wishful thinking. I think she's in it for the long haul

I can think of a couple of situations where that has happened TheOne and I don't envy the new partners as they have to follow in the footsteps of a saint.

Northern I had read years ago that Jill was anti private school. I didn't realise that it was not a moral objection to the ethos of private education but something much more than that!

I loved Rob' s "I don't mind being project manager" . Straight from " I can make a couple of phone calls" to taking charge.
How long before he is demanding asking ,in that little voice with a slight break in it when he's being humble , for a salary for all his hard work?

Oh Northern - such memories!

I'm desperately trying to work out whether I would have heard the first hitting the roof. K and S are a few years older than me ... Dunno. I knew Jill wasn't keen on private schools though that might have been because it came up with Shula and Dan but I'm sure I recall something.

Definitely remember hearing the second hitting the roof. The memorial window for Grace sticks in my mind as a particularly tense time for Brookfield - and although Jill was reassured I always felt there was something of the political interview about the words Phil used.

It would be wonderful to hear those episides again for clarity.

D'you think he'd ask Gypsy? I've been anticipating him either sending a bill for his services or showing the family a breakdown of costs for the building works that just happens to have "Project Manager Fees" squashed in a corner. And then, when they splutter and turn pale, he'll bring out the bland, cold, incredulous that you could even question it, blahdy blah voice and they'll all feel embarrassed into paying him.

Oh the latter definitely Gruach.

Then he can do the " well obviously if you don't want all my help I will understand that,after all we are all family now etc etc" . I can hear him being humble with them, embarrassing then into agreeing and then coldly sarcastic with Helen about them not realising how bloody lucky they are he's there to keep them from getting in way above their heads.

How soon before they notice that he's mismanaging it?

And who will notice? Tom or Johnny?

My exasperation with Ruth knows no bounds.
From a convo the other day (was it with Usha or Pip?) it is obvious that she has not thought through how it is going to work when HP comes to stay. Despite being up in Prudhoe for months on end, with nothing to do but work out these precise logistics.
Now she suggests that Pip moves out to Rickyard. That leaves Brookfield containing HP, four blokes ... and Ruth the Undomesticated. It will end in tears.

And there's been no suggestion of any sort of social services involvement for equipment or adaptations or anything......

Well quite. You'd think by now they would have had people come in to adapt the bathroom and fit handrails around the place. Just small things that will make it easier for Heather to move around safely.

I'm prepared to accept that it's a matter of time constraints - but I'd be annoyed if the SWs are not bothering because (as with lack of Northumberland school search for the boys) they know it's never going to happen.

I am rather concerned they are going to kill off Ruth in a car accident between Ambridge and Prudhoe, especially after the warm and loving send off last night. And that HP will survive, probably be to looked after by SuperPip who will fit it in between running Brookfield, mothering her brothers, wifeing her dad, and and taking over the goose business.

I think that when it comes to all these will-they-won't-they stories that they have 2 SW's at war with each other. EG SW1 wants to get rid of Pip so does a few episodes getting her a new job etc, then the scripts get taken over by SW2 who immediately writes her back in.

Agree Annie re the soppy send off

Soc is ex was tenders where I don't think couples have ever been allowed!

Gosh, I hope not Annie, three of the Brookfield Archers widow(er)ed would be harsh. And how would they give voice to Heather's loss? She only has Ruth. (And the grandchildren of course.)

From recent experience, there will be a home assessment to see how the person will move around in the house then the adaptations such as grip rails are ordered. This takes only a few days & is very efficient.
Then there's the adult care package which helps with the settling in and encourages as much independent self care as possible.
I can see there might be a bit of a delay with moving HP into a different county and health authority but, as has been said, Ruth's had plenty of time to set things in motion.
However, if she thinks she'll be able to get on with office work while HP amuses herself then she's got another think coming!

Five if you count both Phil and Jill! (Though at least Jill wasn't widowed young.)

I think killing too many characters off in a "shock" way can very easily become annoying - I used to get so pissed off with ER when yet another beloved character met with a "shocking" death.

I know actors often want to leave etc. but it doesn't seem to have bothered The Archers to cast them with completely different voices thus far! (Though come to think of it Ruth is in somewhat a different league. If Felicity Finch did want to go, there would be no replacing her. Noooooooooo!)

Brookfield bedrooms before the Flood-

1. David & Ruth
2. Pip
3. Josh
4. Ben
5. Spare room which became Jill's.

After the flood.
Josh & Ben now share so Bert could move in.

If Pip's room becomes free because either she goes to High Wycombe or moves into Rickyard then there's room for HP without Jill moving out as long as the boys continue sharing while Bert is in residence.

So why does Jill have to move out?

At the moment Pip seems to be sleeping in the dining room, and I think Jill is in her old room. So HP will be going into her old room when Jill vacates.

I must be missing something here....
30 years ago, Grace died in the fire. Widower Phil married Jill and they had 4 children who are all now 50-something. Given that The Archers follows real time, how the hell does that work out?

60 years ago! 1955

You're missing 30 years selsigfach

Grace died in 1955 - 60 years ago. Hence the current BBC excitement.

See here.

The Ambridge Price of Milk
Ysanne Churchman (Grace Archer) on Women's Hour

Whoops! Thank you! I thought maybe TA ran on super fast-forward in times gone by but that makes a lot more sense. (I'm 29 and have been listening since my student days).

The thimg is TA used to run strictly alongside actual time....until recently, when we had an evenjng that last a week and the best part of a fortnight that vanished

There is absolutely no way that Bert would allow Jill to be forced out of Brookfield is there?

AnnieNoMouse I think you're right about the 2 SWs at war with one another.

It's like that game they play in I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue where 2 players make up a story by adding a word at a time each, and keep trying to put the other's intention off course.

I just don't understand Jill's move. They invited her to live with them happily. There was no discussion about boys doubling up in one room then or of Pip sleeping in the dining room.
Bert is in one of the boys' rooms and I have no idea why Pip is sleeping in the dining room but surely there is room for HP as well even if it means converting the dining room.