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?

An earlier poster mentioned EU sanctions on cheese to Russia. Actually I think Putin has banned all EU imports as a reaction to whatever EU has done to Russia. So no more Red Leicester to Red Square
(825 - I know PB has the power to start a new thread early but I haste to see waste in an existing thread)

Happy to help thread fill as the alternative is getting up and cleaning out the fishtank. Don't really like Red Leicester!

I know PB has the power to start a new thread early but I hate to see waste in an existing thread

I know how you feel.
Except that I make you 827 so I am 828.

Ha ha ha.
Fernie did

sorry - I'll go do the fish tank as penance

Who is Jean Harvey? Perhaps Pseudo could let us know what time she's going to start the new thread today?

I demand some Rob backstory now. < makes placard >
Filling thread nonsense post.

FernieB - yes, Rob was scared of being looked at too closely. Even if his CRB check was clear they would have wanted to talk to family members, I believe, possibly including Jess. And Rob would not be happy having to co-operate with a bunch of Guardian reading, lentil weaving (in his eyes) social workers.

Jean Harvey has been brought in at late notice to fill the role Carol Tregorran was supposed to take in CG. Carole has gone to her daughters to help with a domestic crisis.

And Rob would not be happy having to co-operate with a bunch of Guardian reading, lentil weaving (in his eyes) social workers.

But he was married to one. Perhaps that's the back story? And the Bridge Farm mob are about as lentil-weavery as you can get!
It's authority he doesn't like because he can't bully them.

Agree with bigbuttons, it is feeling too far fetched how easily she gives in to everything now. She obviously really wanted to be at her parents for Christmas but barely made a protest. Surely there would be the odd argument, I don't see why she would be this passive already but i suppose they are using the fact that she has a bad cold to make it easier for Knob. I was really poorly one Christmas and didn't care what we did as long as it involved lying on the sofa and chocolate!

Will Christmas day be a day of contrasts? The Grundy's will have a good ol Grundy Christmas compared with Hellen feeling isolated and Henry missing his grandparents whilst Knob tells them all day this is the best Christmas ever.

Any suggestions for Rob's Xmas present to Helen?
I reckon over-sized PJ's and slippers.
I saw a calendar in Waterstones last week along the lines of "Words of Wisdom for Women who do Too Much" - that would be ideal too ;)

And when he discovered Ursula with Helen, he was worried and asked several times what they had been talking about.

Was the issue about going over on Christmas Even discussed when Helen was in bed with her cold? If so I could understand her not arguing.

The perfect gift for Helen: www.surrenderedwife.com

Cornish (former) Methodist here. I finally broke out of the Mrs X & Mr Y thing a few years ago, taking the plunge in a radical set of Christmas cards to the elderly and calling them by their Christian names.

We had the same names going back for 150 years in our family, except in 1848 when my ancestors ran out of inspiration for DC no. 10. he was obviously a weakling, because they gave him the middle name "Coffin" according to the census. He'd disappeared by the next one.

Secretly hoping Knob will fall down the forgotten sink hole whilst out on the Boxing Day hunt. Maybe he'll use Christmas Day to suggest sending Henry to boarding school to toughen him up.

Why is Hellin ill all the time? She's so un life-like.

Stickerrocks, I assume from your NN you're from Sticker? I stayed there once and iirc there was a jolly village show that put me very much in mind of TA thread-filling duty accomplished

I keep banging on about it, but the impression they're giving is that Hellin really is virtually imprisoned by Knob now. I just can't believe this SL, it's become ludicrous. And as for Cowpat.........words fail!

RE the Joe first name - last name check, I have known an elderly farming couple who did this! Lots of first name repeats so good for me when they were chatting about/to people they knew and I didn't. (I miss them very much and Joe reminds me so much if them)
i am pissed off that Helen didn't confide in Knob about Ian. And why wasn't he questioning her about the conversation?? He usually wants to know EVERYTHING she has done/said ...

Helen's sick all the time because she's so stressed and scared of Rob - he has raped her. And now he has some responsibility for Henry she's frightened he'll take Henry from her, citing her poor parenting - bonfire incident, car accident etc. Robs building up quite a case against her.

Knob doesn't need to ask about Ian. He engineered it so Ian would break with Helen.

If she does talk to cowpat though - and I agree it's unlikely, but maybe in extremis? - her mother's siding with rob would be a real nail in the coffin.

She seemed to come home thinking 'well, Ian hates me so now I have no friends, better concentrate on how much rob and I love each other and need nobody else' rather than 'rob has fucked my friendship with Ian: we must have words'. But maybe they're saving that for tomorrow night.

R4 i think The fAct he was married to a SW means he will see them as his social and professional inferior, as he does the Bridge Farm lot - he desperately wants to be in charge and to drag them into what he sees as the correct farming practices.

More thread filling: I didn't know there was a racecourse at Felpersham! Wonder if we will hear the day out at the races.

Helen should have had bloods at 16 weeks; that would certainly have checked if she was anaemic if nothing else.

Still catching up - it really is horrendous that Helen feels the need to thank Knob "for being so patient with Henry". What father needs to be thanked for being patient with his child? There's a clear expectation that he won't be.