We love Charlie. But we want Adam and Ian to get married. What will happen in Ambridge in the pre-Christmas thread?

[PseudoBadger]

Just listened to Friday - we are 2 weeks from Christmas and David didn't even ask whether Ruth will be back by then?

And yy to Ian revealing Rob as a monster but I doubt it will happen. Ian isn't going to be doing Helen any favours for a while as she didn't tell him about Adam's deceit.

Can someone please explain why Caroline and Oliver are in Italy, and for how long? And who's running Grey Gables?

Also why are the Grundys moving in there?

Grange Farm was badly damaged in the floods and builders moved in for the duration to refurbish it. I imagine C and O put some of their own things into storage to give the builders a free hand. They decided to take a long break and get right out of the way while all this was happening and appointed Kathy to run GG with Roy. This is all going so well and they are so flush with cash (suddenly) that they are going to stay on for several more months. They've decided that it would be better for GF to be occupied rather than empty for security reasons, so now that the decorators are just about finished they've invited the Grundys to move in until they return. They had a break in recently, which is what prompted this - or so they say. We all know the real reason is so that we can have a happy story for the Grundys for Christmas, but I'm not complaining!

Thanks Gasp.

A heartwarming story about the Grundys would entice me back to listening but the horrors I read on here about Helen and Rob keep putting me off.

Compounded by Pat (really, Pat?) being oblivious.

The whole thing is so contrived it's painful

Also, why would Susan be proud to have a child at grange farm? I can't imagine she thought highly of it when the grundys were there before

By it's belonged to aristocracy since then!

(I'm anticipating Ed and Emma owning or effectively owning Grange Farm. Would be different to when the older Grundys were poor tenant farmers.)

And the whole point of Ambridge is to belong to the secure landowning class rather than the tenant class. Neil and Susan have done well for themselves but they would never have imagined that descendants of Horrobins might have a foot in two major village farms.

Ah I'd forgotten that Grange Farm was badly damaged in the flood. So makes sense that there is space. Agreed that is is heartwarming that the Grundys have a home to go to at Christmas!

Hmmm maybe Oliver and Caroline will have some dreadful accident on an Italian mountainside and Grange Farm will be bequeathed to Ed n Emmur in O's will?

The Grundys' good news will be on Feedback later.

And Eleanor Bron on Women's Hour.

Woman's Hour. (Stupid title, just one woman?)

Problem is that Ollie and Caroline have other family so are unlikely to leave the house to ed. also, didn't they mortgage themselves up to buy the hotel?

Woman's Hour. (Stupid title, just one woman?)

Probably not so stupid these days. I don't listen much; it doesn't seem as interesting. I'm afraid that I haven't bothered to analyse why I think that it's wrong, but it ain't what it used to be.

Maybe we should draw straws to decide who has to listen

Loved Lynda's reference to the shop's "Wall Of Crisps" -- a quick google has reminded me that she's pinched it from Fags, Mags & Bags which was on R4 a while ago.
It's a brilliant description of the stock layout in the newsagent's/corner shop I used to work in as a youngun .

Also - new Robert?

Same Robert according to Keri Davies on Twitter. But lots of people were questioning it so he must sound different or not have been on for so long we've forgotten what he sounds like!

Grrr. It's all so plot driven. O and C make no sense. I'm sorry, but I would fly back from Italy if there had been a break in and would sit down and work out the terms under which I would have the grundies stay.

thanks elpth

Ah, thank you trevor. "Wall of crisps" rang a bell but I couldn't think why.

Not a new Robert - KD had to keep repeating that on Twitter yesterday.

As far as I recall Oliver has two adult daughters both living in America. (His ex wife is also there I think.)

Caroline has never to my knowledge revealed anyone who might have a claim on her estate. A brother I think? Of her wider family I doubt any of Lord Netherborne's offspring will arrive to demand a share of Grange Farm.

Caroline sold The Dower House (and moved in with Oliver, prompting him to propose iirc) to raise the money for the Grey Gables purchase. The Grundys will regain Grange Farm, it has to happen.

I have no doubt it will happen gruach- still totally farcical though!

I took one for the team and listened to WH

No mention of her not returning to TA
I am pleased as I love Carole!

JM mentioned how 'we are all shouting at Rob' - yep you could say that ...

Stupendous!

She enjoyed the train journey?

Murdered with faint praise.

You're right, nags. I love the fact that Italy is now being posited as some incredibly remote place from which it's impossible just to pop back when your house is burgled. Maybe they're only permitted to travel by donkey? My neighbour popped over there for just one night the other day to sort out something!

To be fair, wasn't David Willey saying just the other day how he fell into the trap of visiting Rome for a fortnight ... and ending up staying for years.

I love the idea of O&C travelling by donkey - very Christmassy!

I don't know about them not coming back, but I never bought into the idea in the first place that you appoint builders and then leave them to it. It's asking for shoddy workmanship / the wrong spec / overcharging / the work taking forever to complete (any/all of the above).