In honour of how The Archers threads began: Why are the SWs allowing this to happen?

[PseudoBadger]

The very first thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/a1740045-Why-is-Lillian-allowing-this-to-happen

40k posts later....

Lynda 👏👏👏👏👏👏

From not over-infested at all DS (18) while listening tonight:

"Kill Rob! Kill Rob! Someone needs to kill him!"
and
"Helen! Kirsty is the only one that can save you!"

You raised him right, CuttedUpPear :o

What I particularly liked about tonight's episode was the way Helen "overstayed" at the spa because she was so plainly having good time; not to score points over Knob, not even, I think, aware of the utter bliss of being out of twat range.

Of course she will pay for it

cup your work here is done! While driving around over Christmas we caught part of the one where Helen had that stinking cold and Rob was being all 'Rob' with her, insisting she stay in bed and all that. I was seething and muttering under my breath and I got a right telling off from DD(10), who said he was being 'nice'. I tried to explain why, in this case, he was not being nice and it was really difficult. That's the problem with EA isn't it? So hard to explain without sounding like a paranoid idiot!!

I don't think he'll be able to bamboozle Kirsty because she's predisposed to distrust him. If he turns H against her she'll be all the more suspicious but he'll give it a jolly good try.

I think she'll talk to someone, perhaps Pat. If she talks to Ian then she might remember her own feelings about Helen not telling her before the wedding that Tom was wobbling. But she might see that Rob has lied to Ian and that Helen was already under Knob's spell when she let Kirsty down.
The pair of them, Ian and Kirsty might then 'save' her.
I hope so. I can't bear waiting any longer for the bastard to get found out.

@OliviaMumsnet

Hi, posting from the app now not officially here but I'll do this in the morning, of course.

Apols for the delay, RL got in the way and I'm afraid I plain forgot
Done now, hope tis okay.

In other news, in my RL interrupts MNing weekend, I received a belated and fab Christmas present of an Archers calendar from my lovely sister.
It lists everyone's birthday. (e.g. like Pat's today) I look forward to boring thrilling you all with random anniversaries.

RL got in the way and I'm afraid I plain forgot

Tsk. Someone needs to reevaluate her priorities.

I reckon if Kirsty finds herself blocked by Rob she'll talk to Pat. She's clearly copped on to things not being 'right'.

I think her best approach will be to point out the weight loss.

Thanks for the thread, Pseudo.

Definitely seemed to be a glimmer of hope for Helen tonight!

Thanks Olivia, although I misread that as swallowings. too much tapeworm thread brings new meaning to over-infested

I have a nasty feeling that things are going to get much worse for hellin before they get better

I was listening on the way to work tonight and nearly crashed the car when Helen's phone rang just as she was about to confide in Kirsty. It was almost as though he was listening in, he timed it so perfectly. Kirsty has the measure of him, no doubt about it.

Lynda - loved your poem - pure genius!

How ridiculous of Rob to claim Henry was missing Helen after she'd been out for two or three hours - surely even he must have realised that in a child going to school all day that was hardly likely? And it was interesting that Helen just brushed that aside: I suspect she was strengthened by Kirsty.

Also, how bizarre to say she had to "focus" on the new baby. At this stage Helen's focus will make sod all difference to the baby.

Also, how bizarre to say she had to "focus" on the new baby. At this stage Helen's focus will make sod all difference to the baby.

You're thinking like a normal person, not Rob.

Yes, even a short time with Kirsty was enough to remind Helen of the person she used to be. And even if Kirsty wasn't certain of the source of Helen's trouble while they were at GG she knew as soon as she walked into Blossom Hill cottage.

One thing is odd and the SWs have been, I dunno, manipulative with facts. Looking back to Jess and Rob's party it was Fallon and Helen surely who were setting up as caterers? But obviously that wasn't convenient for the story so somehow Helen was written out and Emma was written in. I'm still a bit puzzled about how that happened.

Yes Helen provided the food and turned up and it was all awkward. That was the whole point of Jess asking her to do the food wasn't it!!

Kirsty got the measure of rob during the panto and no amount of charm will undo that opinion

How did Kirsty get the measure of him so early on? Was that a tip off to the listeners that he was a wrong un?

He was a total jerk to her during the panto and also she judged him badly because he had an affair! I think she was the only one who saw the wood for the trees

Rob was incredibly rude to Kirsty last night as well-I wonder if Helen will say something to him about that.

Interesting that it was immediately obvious to Kirsty that Helen's looking awful, and not apparently to anyone else. I know it would have been evident to her if she hadn't seen Helen for some time, but you'd think her loving parents might have noticed something - and Ian also, though I can see he may not have been paying much attention. Surely we can rely on Radio Susan to spread a bit of gossip about how she was in tears at the shop?

Must have missed the "focus" on the new baby?
Who said that?

@BertrandRussell

Rob was incredibly rude to Kirsty last night as well-I wonder if Helen will say something to him about that.

He is rude to lots of people - she doesn't seem to notice at all.

I can't remember the precise situation about the panto - how long ago was that? 2 years?

Olivia I think everyone in Ambridge must also have that calendar. It's the only explanation for the fact that everybody knows the birthdays of everyone else, leading to opportunities for filler material galore intense cross-questioning about parties, birthday teas, presents, outings, dinners at Grey Gables and drinks at the Bull (I can barely remember dh's birthday, quite frankly, let alone someone who lives 10 houses away).

Interesting that it was immediately obvious to Kirsty that Helen's looking awful, and not apparently to anyone else.

Susan and Clarrie said that she was looking 'peaky' when they had that big hoo-ha in the shop. But they put it down to pregnancy.

The Panto was in 2013 (thanks Lowfield).

I would have liked Kirsty to make some passive/aggressive remark to Rob. When he was saying " bugger off Kirsty it's dinner time", she should have said "it was lovely to see you again Rob. There's always such a warm and welcoming atmosphere at Blossom Cottage." Probably would have passed Helen by, though.

Why hasn't H's own mother noticed how awful she looks? I know CowPat is now a bot, but quite honestly, even a bot should be a bit more aware.

Olivia, Rob said that about focus when he was ranting about Ian. IIRC, something about how dreadful it was that he'd upset Helen, and the last thing she needed right now is to lose focus on "our baby".