Orange Is The New Black in Ambridge. Just ask Helen. But will anyone in The Archers ever ask her WHY?

[PseudoBadger]

I reckon this thread will see us through the Euros, both footy and referendum. Await the clunky topical inserts here.

I missed the beginning. What was Clarrie complaining to Pat about?

Rob goes to Bridge Farm. Points out it's Father's Day on Sunday. Helen won't let him see his son, Gideon - 'Jack! His name is Jack!' snaps Pat - so he wants to spend the day with his other son, Henry. Would they swap days with him, just for this one week? They can pick him up from school and have him overnight. It's left that they will let him know, but Pat is adamant it won't happen.

Meanwhile, Tony has just been up to see Helen and Jack and reports that she is looking a lot better. Good news: he can take Jack out for a short time and that means that Pat can see him. Pat overcome with delight.

Clarrie is complaining that Susan is bossing her around in her new capacity as shop supremo. She then goes home and finds that Joe has let the bath overflow and Grange Farm is now in an awful mess. She and Emma try to clear up.

Tom has taken a day off to go shearing with Ed and Jazzer. He has a nice chat with Ed about what livestock venture Ed might try next.

Thank you very much.

Someone needs to send a whole battalion of cleaning fairies round to Grange Farm. Heck, I'd go.

You should work for lowfield gas

That was a dirty trick he played about Henry's reading book.

Now Pat's eyes have been opened I'm with her on not accommodating Rob's wishes because he was such a stickler about them not seeing Henry except on Sundays. OTOH, I would use an opportunity to do the school pick-up to have a word with the teacher, explain the reading mishap (and probably find out that Rob was lying about H being in trouble for it).
But, Father's Day is only 3 days before the review of H's living arrangements so it is a tricky dilemma. Are they preparing for that in any way? You can bet Rob is.

Thanks gasp

So Pat has found her backbone at exactly the wrong fucking moment........

Typical rob though. Has to get a dig in.

Surely the obvious question is 'well why didn't you do it on Saturday if you're such a good dad'

Yup, Pat has found a backbone and is going to refuse - without consulting. It will be the wrong decision again. Why have a solicitor if you never talk to him?
They could reasonably say why did Rob ask less than a week before Fathers' Day - the date is not exactly a surprise. Take it to the judge and let drop that Rob has been awkward and intransigent previously so they want a ruling. Just to be reasonable, you understand.

Grundy overflowing-bath-mess is lazy, lazy writing.

Pat......! The drugs must have worn off.

Maybe the actress turned round and told the sw if they didn't start writing her character properly she would do a silent protest. Or mimic pip.

A few of the actors have started overdoing it. Clarrie for example.

And if I were Pat and Tony I would grabbing the chance for a bath time/bedtime chat with Henry and a word with Mrs Thing at school.(And incidentally, as if a teacher knowing the circumstances would be cross with a 5 year old for missing a day's reading!).

But they are going to hand Rob the chance to make sure Henry's upset on Sunday and not wanting to go to Bridge Farm because "daddy's sad and it's all grandma and grandpa's fault- I did ask, Henry, but they said no"

To paraphrase a well-known song: if it wasn't for bad luck the Grundys would have no luck at all. It really has descended into farce now!

Actually yeah - the Sterlings would surely have had that bathroom floor sealed/ waterproofed/whatever ...

BYOS I do have a rather horrid feeling about Jack. Were they planning to take him all the way to Ambridge - or just for an afternoon at the nearest hotel to the MBU?

It's dreadful to now anticipate that the most melodramatic possibility is the one most likely to have been chosen by SOC.

Welcome back ppeat! I hope the SWs know as much about hen psychology as you do. That would be a magnificently brutal outcome to Josh's - I forget the German word ...

I can imagine knob skulking in a rental car in a disguise. He will pull up as Tony leaves the prison and ursula will jump out and grab baby jack before jumping in the back seat shouting ' go go go'

Then Tony will explain to pat that they mustn't over react

Surely the prison has a room the baby can be 'met' in

The babies have to have time outside the prison to get used to noise, people, traffic etc. So that is why H gets to nominate people to take him out.

Oh I see. Interesting. He's still so little though. And he's being exposed to all that birdsong and cheery cockney.

Is caz the secret lovechild of dick van dyke and Barbara Windsor?

I can imagine knob skulking in a rental car in a disguise. He will pull up as Tony leaves the prison and ursula will jump out and grab baby jack before jumping in the back seat shouting ' go go go'

Then Tony will explain to pat that they mustn't over react.

But, you see, all of this will happen.

Yes. Tom and ed will track knob down to an isolated cliff top. The wind will howl and jack will be crying. 'Stay back' rob cries. Ed holds Tom back. Then a seagull screeches and rob is startled and loses his footing, dropping Gideon into toms outstretched arms before he plummets to his death

Helen will be released because rob was clearly a nutcase.

Enjoyed the garden party, poor Carole though, seemed a bit unnecessary!

Was good hearing Pat sounding like she has relocated her senses a bit but agree with R4, why does it never seem to occur to them to consult legal advice before making decisions!

They need to make a deal with Knob but work it to their advantage, but I think they are too dopey to ask H or his teacher the right sort of questions. Can't believe for a second H is having a very nice time living with Knob and Arsula, hoping at some point he will say something significant but he seems weirdly happy considering all the trauma he has been through.

arse.

dd was sent leaping across the room to turn the radio off.

not sure from your description whether I can bear to listen or not.

OMG place marking but I am a WEEK behind.....

When am I going to find an hour to LA??!?

Just do it at work, Olivia. Priorities and all that.

checking in too. Thanks Pseudo. I haven't actually listened for a good few weeks now.

Shall we have a word with Justine, Olivia? You really do need to get up to speed.

Although having said that, I've started listening to it like I listen to R4 all day long - background noise where I pick up the odd snippet rather than avid listening.

I really really hate this Grundys can't take proper care of things SL. Whoever said it was lazy writing is bang on.