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?

Oooo a star. Fanks. < wrenches crystal ball from whoever had it last.

I was about to offer the same star - but then Charlie declined the invitation so we'll be deprived of that fun.

And if Charlie is now being categorically rejected by Adam it does look as if he's on his way out.

OK mini now you've got the crystal ball, tell me what's happening with Ruth. Is Ruth having a mid-life crisis in NZ. Or has Felicity Finch done a Kim Durham and is leaving the programme?

Mystic Bore could answer your questions R4

But she chooses not to, since mini has run off with her crystal ball.

Olivia that 'Peggy' from Clarrie clanged with me too - she has always said Mrs Woolley

Isn't it entirely correct that Clarrie would have instantly regained masses of pride and confidence once returned to her real home?

Why did Joe call her 'Helen Archer' the other day, when she corrected him to 'Helen Titchner'. Is it Joe's way of saying that the wedding wasn't proper. (Does that make Alice still 'Alice Aldridge' or has he reconciled to that one.) Or was it a commentary on the fact that Helen is so invisible these days they've forgotten she got married and is expecting.

Didn't Joe call Shula 'Shula Archer' for years after she married Mark?

But I'm sure Clarrie would never have said 'Peggy' to Mrs Woolley, even when they lived at Grange Farm before

What wonderful clue-spotting in names!

I did notice Clarrie saying Peggy and assumed it was because she's able to invite them into the Grange Farm kitchen instead of being a supplicant but I didn't spot Helen Archer from Joe.

[fgrin[

That's just a general festive grin brought on by how much I enjoy this thread and having just had a couple of glasses of Oyster Bay. Also, I need to do my bit to fill up the thread so we can see Pseudo's new Christmas title.

I must away to Masterchef now.

I see more Oyster Bay has been consumed than I thought, looking at that emoticon fail there.

I, on the other hand, will have to waste time here until iplayer is ready to deliver Masterchef to me.

I think most people have trouble switching from a name that someone's had forever - but Ambridge names mean blood to Joe. An Archer is a special sort of human being; not just above him in material good fortune but an archetype of honourable land stewardship and people he's prepared to recognise as inheritors of generations of tradition. He's known every native Archer since they were born and observed most of their growing up. So when he calls Helen or Shula by their "maiden" names he's reminding them, and himself, both that they are mere children and that, like generations of Archers and Grundys before and after, their current status means nothing; eventually the earth will cover them.

(Perhaps I should have made each clause a separate post?)

Unless rob gets bashed over the head with an iron tomorrow I can't see us filling the thread before Xmas!

The will she won't she of Ruth making it back for Xmas is yawnsome

I thought it was decided that Ruth wouldn't be back for Christmas but would be back before New Year (flights permitting).

I'm in bed with a cold.
Normally I wouldn't trouble you with such things but in the spirit of thread-filling. ...

Now, now, CUP. You shouldn't be posting if you have a cold. You should lie down and have absolute rest. We are only concerned about what is best for you.

I thought she said ASAP- wasn't really listening mind you...

Just to help thread-fill a bit:

How desperate did Shula sound? Are her and Alistair having trouble? Is Doc Locke really that irresistible?

Shula is going to be gutted when he turns up with lizpot on his arm

If you're a good girl, Cutted, you may have a little soup.

Ah! Missed that Helen has texted Ian. Worse than I thought!
Fascinated by the Archers name use by Joe, he does insist on using it but I hadn't really noticed before that he doesn't use married names. I remember some caustic references in the past to Archers basically thinking they own Ambridge but Gruach is right, it's more complicated than that.
Just trying to help fill the thread!
nice to see Doc Locke back on the scene - Shula seemed a bit put out when he started talking about Elizabeth!

Did anybody else see the Dad's Army programme tonight?

Oliver was playing Arnold Ridley

So - Lilian and Justin in the Pear Tree?

You do realise that there is no way this thread will be full by Christmas, even if the rate of posting doubles from normal levels, unless you all cheat in some way.

Or why not simply start a new thread early? there's no rule surely that Pseudo has to wait until we get to around 975 posts to create a new one?