The Archers. No need to share the thread with anyone else darling, we can have a lovely time just us together. It must be Henry's bedtime.

[PseudoBadger]

New thread for the Omnibus.

I really hate how Lilian and Jenny expect Lilian just to continue living at HF. I am not convinced either that Brian and Jenny would be letting Lilian smoke in the house ( or that she'd insist on doing so) so unless these overflowing ashtrays that Brine keeps coming across are in the garden it was an unrealistic complaint.

I know Brine has done some bad stuff in the past, and perhaps Jenny wants revenge for having Ruari foisted upon her, but he doesn't really deserve a cuckoo SIL when she is still young enough to look after herself. And you'd think Jenny would want to spend time with him as a couple; despite their rocky past they seem happy with each other now. Once again character being sacrificed to plot.

But it's a big house!

The line about discarded laundry was ill conceived and tasteless. As if a grown up woman of Lillian's "type" would do such a thing. It's not as if she's sharing a bathroom with Brian (impossible that Home Farm has only one) and he's unlikely to be spending much time in her bedroom. Nor is she conducting a torrid affair and flinging garments carelessly about. So where would he be finding these things to object to? Utterly ridiculous and shame on whoever wrote it.

OTOH the Aldridges are pretty old school - they probably like smoke filled rooms (secretly).

I agree that it's absurd for Lilian to just assume it's fine for her to move in with Jenny and Brian indefinitely so she can make a bit of cash out of Justin. Would never happen like that. Perhaps (at a push) she might have been tempted by the offer and gone to J & B to discuss things (i.e. - could she pay them some sort of rent).

And NO MORE GROSS SNOGGING from Pip & Matthew. Please. It's really too revolting. The flirting is stomach turning enough as it is.

We should start a 'no to radio snogs' campaign. I am referring to Justin as 'Smarm on legs' in my head. Smarmite, love him or loathe him.

Interesting. In my world BOING house guests (particularly family) are not invariably regarded with horror. And the word "rent" would never pass anyone's lips.

As the Aldridges are considerably older than me and not short of either money or space I'd find it rather odd if the SWs made them have that sort of formal conversation. (But I'm prepared to be unpleasantly surprised.)

In my world Gruach married couples, regardless of the size of their houses, like to be able to wander around semi naked and not have to take the movements of third parties into account in their daily marital lives .

Lil is not wanting to be a guest, she is wanting to be a permanent resident. Agree about the laundry though.

Nope! Not buying it JMJ - not for Home Farm at least. Brian and Jenny have probably spread themselves into an entire wing of the place now all the adult children have flown. And apart from Ruairi popping back every two and a half weeks the house must be dreadfully quiet most of the time. After a lifetime of looking after people poor Jenny must long for a bit of noise. Also, and I hope the SWs won't forget this, Brian is actually rather fond of his sister in law. He'd probably think renting out the Dower House makes good financial sense. And be grateful to have someone around who sees the point of Kate.

So, while he might grumble, I'd be disappointed if the SWs make an uncharacteristic issue of Lillian staying longer. Nineteenthly, we still haven't heard Lil's other reason for wanting to stay have we? Perhaps she'll need her family badly quite soon. (Or was that the money problem? I forget.)

And he can hardly wander around half clothed while his teenage granddaughter is living there!

I love it when we get At Home with the Aldridges.

Meanwhile, who's tracking Helen's dates? She must be due another midwife appointment, surely?

But Phoebe will be off soon - some summer travelling before Oxford probably, Oxford or another university in September at the latest so the end is in sight.

As for the other reasons, each to his own I suppose but I can't see Brine being massively keen on the idea that Lil makes money out ofthe DH at his expense.

"Just as long as she replenishes the drinks cabinet now and then." (Says Brian.)

But it's not about money - it's about Lilian not wanting to live alone.

Re. Earlier in thread about his praise and low expectations. Yy. They really want to try coming on MN with some of that.

Posters who point out their dp is good because he does some housework, cooks occasionally and isn't horrible to his stepkids usually get a big bucket of cold water thrown over them and told to raise their expectation of what another adult eho isn't a tosser can manage

The only person MN massive would probably like is Lil.

MN massive is a very mixed bag though SmallLegs

I know ppeat and deeply divided over loo brushes, laundry issues and dummies. But there is a fairly consistent mood on some issues (as in the majority of posters on a given thread on a given day) including a lack of tolerance for having low expectations of your partner. (Because it is always easy to say how you would ideally like people to behave when you're not the one that has to assertive). And a fairly high tolerance for gin drinking.
If the 'massive' didn't like Lil maybe sge'd fot in at MNHQ

Oh cripes and good moaning. ^Maybe she'd fit in.

Just popping in to say how I was about Lilian's dirty underwear. As if!

Well there are some mucky people about HaveYouTried We're not there It wouldn't surprise me actually, there is a definite streak of 'entitlement' about our Lil. I can see where Kate gets her gene from.

Just read last few pages as a kind of quick catch up. There's been a lot on in TopazTowers lately, and I've barely glanced at MN, though life does stop for TA usually. I love the thread title BTW - Boops for that. What appalls me most is that i am going to have to have my radio AND brain switched on on Sunday AM as I seem to have missed so much - despite thinking I'd heard the episode. I seem to have missed emmur's strop, the wedding (did the rabbit attend?), and other bits.

But I agree with a previous poster about why Helen needs a maternity top - can't she wear some baggy jumpers/shirts of Rob's. esp as she is allegedly very slim. And why can't Henry get the school bus? Is he too precious for that? So Helen could take him to the pick up point, in her PJs if necessary!

I am with others that Matthew is less bad that the Fairbrethren. Not that it says much really. Oh well, only just over an hour till the next episode ...

Isn't the "why" of the maternity tops the fact that she still has a teeny, tiny bit of fight left in her? When he banned driving she asked him to take her to the shops and he refused. So she gathered her last bit of independence and ordered online. Stamped upon, naturally. But she sounded pretty fed up about it.

I don't think she sees it as he stopped me driving so he can control my movememts and spending. Somehow she still thinks he was right. But I think her online shopping was her saying I am fed up of having to ask to go places but look I can still do some stuff for myself.

So he has not done anything that she say openly, look you are financially controlling me but she is feeling the effects.

Pat is going to tell rob about this ....

Come on Pat. Keep going Jennifer. Noooo! Not Rob.

eh what vitamin A???
argh no 'leave it to me' nooooo

Pat is a fucking idiot