Knob throttlers form an orderly queue at Blossom Hill Cottage! Discuss the Archers on the Official Thread

[PseudoBadger]

Do you know that I was 3 months pregnant when the first thread started - DD was 2 yesterday

That must also mean that Poppy Grundy's 2nd birthday has passed by unremarked upon...

Bring AmEx back for Helen you mean

He said court, I think.

That wasn't a booking visit, was it? It's 22 years since I last had need of obstetric services but back then the procedure was:

1. Do a test at home. Repeat several times to be sure, if you're as incredulous as I was both pregnancies.

1. Go to see GP for referral to hospital. In and out in two minutes. The first time I was sure the GP would examine me, do another test etc etc and it came as a huge shock when the conversation went like this:

Me: I think I'm pregnant.

Dr: Have you done a test?

Me: Yes, it was positive.

Dr: When was your last period?

Me: [whenever it was]

Dr: OK, do you want me to refer you to Guy's or Lewisham?

I nearly fell off the chair. I was gobsmacked that he would just take my word for it like that. I could hardly believe myself that this had happened. I suppose Rob might be in a similar state, helped of course by the fact that Helen is a woman and therefore an airhead in Robworld - how could a doctor possibly put so much reliance on what she says, unverified?

1. Booking visit at hospital, around 13 weeks. We didn't have scans till 20 weeks back then.

How's it done now?

Gasp0de I think we must have been pregnant at around the same time and place!

I had earlier scans because I was a recurrent miscarrier, but there certainly wasn't anything like the early pregnancy stuff that happens now.

Gosh, no! I think there may have been a very brief chat about foods to avoid, probably initiated by me, not the doctor. It was before routine prescription of folic acid, so that wasn't mentioned. I didn't smoke or I suppose that might have come up. Can't remember what the official position was on alcohol at the time. Long before the internet, so all my information came from a book I bought. There wasn't a huge amount more after the booking visit, to be honest.

I had remarkably little info at well - I think not over indulging in soft cheese and liver was mentioned but that was it. Otherwise, it was go away and don't bother us unless something goes wrong.

The line about "fix your hair" was so subtle yet chilling. They're handling this story line so well.

Does anyone have any idea why they might be bringing Mike back? Is it to take over Rob's job? I thought the plan was Vicky would go back to work and he'd be a sahd so where's all this "time on his hands" coming from?

Oh dear squeaver I thought the same thing about Mike, is he qualified to run an enormous effing industrial dairy unit?

No idea what's in their minds squeaver - but I do think someone is taking the title of the prog literally.

They're quite keen to cull anyone having no connection to an Archer who hasn't been in Ambridge at least half a century.

Archer surname? Million ticks.

Archer blood? Almost a million ticks.

Shagged an Archer? Hmm ...

Non-related offspring of someone who shagged an Archer? Ditto.

DMIL of an Archer? A fixture.

Best friend of an Archer? Stick around but don't be surprised if your contract isn't renewed.

Mike is the grandfather of an Archer (and a good contrast to the other grandpa) so I guess he needs keeping partly to maintain background story possibilities for Phoebe - (who'll be major if she survives her driving lessons).

Boop point for Helen actress. Summats up. Wonder what it is?

Listening again to Jim and Jazzer brought a tear to my eye. Pure friendship and appreciation, juxtaposed with that nasty shit Rob.
Helen is a shadow of her former self.

Haven't listened yet but I assume the Dr was a man? Would be great if it was a female Dr, Rob would hate that and could blame her for anything going wrong early on

GaspOde. Mine was like that. I did one pregnancy test at home with DH and then booked a doctors appointment. We went together and told the doctor, who basically said "why are you telling me?" Had to rebook with the midwife for another day. I was also shocked that there was never another test done at the doctors which led to me sitting before the first scan thinking "they're going to tell me I have imagined everything and I am not actually pregnant" (mind you, when I turned up at hospital 7cm dilated in labour, I thought they were going to say it was just stomach ache from last nights dinner and send me home!).

I wonder if Helen is pregnant (or more likely, we will never know if she actually was or not), but is going to have a miscarriage (possibly in 2 weeks time...) and Rob will accuse her of lying about the whole thing.

I am also betting (hoping) that Hel isn't actually pregnant and that she will have a " miscarriage" quite soon. But if this is the case, she's weaving a complicated lie isn't she ?

What if he blames her miscarriage on the Borsetshire Blue?

That is why she doesn't want anyone else to know. And why she was so vague to Pat about when exactly she found out.

Yes Gruach and ppeat, it must be something to do with Phoebe. And I suppose he's slightly more qualified for the job than Pip...

Meanwhile, Pat really has drunk the Kool-Aid hasn't she?

So if H does miscarry, even if it's faked, there will need to be another attempt. That has made me quite sad for her. If I were her I'd feel trapped. All this LTB is easier said than done.

But if this is the case, she's weaving a complicated lie isn't she ?

I've had my fingers in my ears over all your preposterous "she's not pregnant" SLs. But now I know you're all right. Because Helen lies. Quite happily. Not just over big things like drunk driving, but over little things - like jewellery making classes. Anything to get what she wants.

I want to empathise with the poor woman but really, she is almost as bad as him.

Glad you've seen the light Gruach!

Thanks everyone for toddlebadger's birthday wishes

Oh, it was a female Dr. That may come home to roost - should have done another of test etc

I think she is pregnant and all the, very good, 'not like Helen' at all acting is down to how trapped she is starting to feel.

She's not in a good place, she really wasn't ready to have another child yet and is still really concerned about Henry.

She doesn't have anyone to turn to as she must feel she's backed herself into a corner.

I think it's all frighteningly believable, apart from the fact that no one is b*tching about Rob in the background. I can't believe Adam and Ian won't have some raised eyebrows when they hear about the pregnancy and see her muted reaction to any congratulations.

Pleased you now support my assumptions Gruach but don't blame me if we have a twist in the tale......

Still rooting for a hunting accident too.....

I'm in Crosbybeach's team. Actually don't they 'palpate' even early on in the pregnancy? I think they can tell how many weeks you are then. (I may be wrong) it's 28 yrs since I was pgn OMG!!!

I love the thought of Helen pretending to be pregnant to get one over Rob, sadly I don't think she's clever enough.

True seisigfach and she was throwing up with regularity. it didn't seem fake.....