Out, damned SOC! Out I say! When will Ambridge be free? Discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

A once-great soap is going down the Beverley drain.

It was utterly ridiculous for Susan to think Emma could ever keep it a secret from Pat and Tony. Henry could mention her to them at any time. If she has any sense she'll tell them herself.

Would be nice if Emma ends up being key in Knobs downfall since she was one of the first he looked down his nose at and cut off from Helen.

Rubbish writing if she doesn't tell Pat and Tony though, Emma would never agree to keep secrets for Rob.

Telling Henry they only want to see him on Sunday's

Rubbish writing if she doesn't tell Pat and Tony though, Emma would never agree to keep secrets for Rob

Yes, and in Ambridge, no one is going to see her there anyway, and Susan won't talk about it to anyone, and Henry won't ever mention it to his grandparents on access day, and Emma won't mention it in passing in the tea shop or anywhere, and nor will Ed. Exactly how does Rob think it will stay between just the two of them?

Don't actually see how she'll fit it in with everything else anyway.

Rob's horrid little laugh was back,

I suspect Rob's inherent snobbery is going to make this go wrong anyway. If his argument in the custody battle is that he has reliable, experienced help on tap then Emma walking out because he's such an arsehole won't help his case one iota.

I don't want rob to be master of his own downfall - I want him to be outwitted by all those little women that he sees as beneath him

Girls Anti remember how he always insultingly calls them girls

he didn't say she mustn't tell Pat and Tony, did he? I think she might not for fear of appearing disloyal, but I hope she does!

Also: 'Look Maggie! Look at this waif we have taken in and how much good Bridge Farm has done him! Think on!'.

Yes, and in Ambridge, no one is going to see her there anyway, and Susan won't talk about it to anyone, and Henry won't ever mention it to his grandparents on access day, and Emma won't mention it in passing in the tea shop or anywhere, and nor will Ed. Exactly how does Rob think it will stay between just the two of them?

Because this is TA and it has to fit in with the SL?

I could have cried when Henry was told PatnTone didn't want to see him. So, so cruel.

Rob may be underestimating Emma. She's much stronger than Helen and has her own opinions. She also made clear she is loyal to Helen.

He does keep coming out with the line about Pat n Tone only wanting to see him on Sundays. Surely Henry will mention something soon. I do find it incredibly annoying that they always do things where Rob could turn up, but they deliberately seem to avoid being anywhere where Henry could be on the other 6 days of the week. Set up CCTV and start monitoring his movements, for goodness sake!

Isn't he chained in the basement and only allowed out for batting practice?

the thing is Pat and Tony are STILL being reasonable/mature....so they wouldn't say 'what a shame we can't take you on a lovely holiday abroad because your areshole father won't let us' because that would be unfair on Henry, confuse him, divide loyalties etc. They will need incontrovertible evidence (like hear him say it themselves) of 'they ONLY want to see you on Sunday' before they can counter it.
Is Emma having Henry at BHC? He must be desperate to have his son looked after by the plebs, unless he has some very Machiavellian scheme.

Maggie the solicitor sounds nice. Why didn't Pat introduce her to Susan ? I noticed a lack of introductions earlier (last week?) and I can't remember when or who it was.

Anti He was offered batting practice earlier, but turned down the opportunity because it was raining. Kerplunk was considered a viable alternative.

Pat probably knew that once introductions to Susan started, at best Maggie would never get away and at worst Susan would start on about what a hero Rob is....

nice one that maggie and pat managed to avoid telling ambridge broadcasting corporation aka susan motormouth who she was. susan would tell rob faster than anything.

Henry was being a wimpy kid .. fancy not wanting to practice cricket outside in the rain, It would 've been good for him, made him a man. Surprised his manly 'father' allowed him to get away with that.

You do have to be a bit careful about getting proper willow bats wet, though. Rob wouldn't like it if Henry's new bat got damaged........

Perhaps Henry will tell Emma that PatnTone don't want to see him, and she'll say that's nonsense, they fought to keep him, and Rob will duly go ape - preferably in Susan's presence.

mmm, but,

Henry- Grandma and Grandad don't want to see me
Emma-Really, what makes you think that?
Henry- Daddy said so
Emma- still mistaking Rob for a reasonable human being oh, no, Henry, you must have made a mistake, Daddy wouldn't say that because it's not true, now let's go to the swings shall we instantly forgets whole exchange

Bert Oh that's why 'rain stops play', I always wondered (not really I'm not a sporty type) give me dancing any day .

I'm thinking that Emma will have Henry at her house otherwise she'll have to find someone to look after her kids.
Rob really must be desperate to ask her but he would never take up Pat's offer to help out during the holidays.
PatnTone have to find out about this and get it across to the court that he's unable to cope and denying them access unnecessarily.
Rob probably figures that finding out about it would be so hurtful to them that it's worth it.

would it be hurtful to them though- won't they just think- aha, as we thought, he can't cope- result!

Rain stops play for a wide range of reasons.
Rain normally means low light levels which are dangerous. And trying to run on the wet grass of the wicket would be dangerous. Crickets don 't have studs unlike footballers as it would damage the playing surface. Etc. Etc.
I did like the discussion of whack a mole verses bash the rat before the fete.

Thanks for that mummytime My education is enriched by it . I just remembered the one cricket match I've been to was at Lords where all these toffs everyone was getting totally blasted. (it shocked me, I don't drink much at all). They wouldn't have noticed if there had been a tsunami !