Roll up roll up! It's nearly Apple Day in Ambridge. Grab a slice of Borset apple cake and see who's got the longest peel in The Archers.

[PseudoBadger]

I'm so happy with the return to the little things. Enjoy the new thread!

Also two things out of interest:
a) Bertrand, do you think having Rob convicted of an offense and put in prison for a short sentence will help Helen? As in, do you think it will actually make her feel better? Not belligerently asked, just curious and
b) did anyone else submit an abstract for the Archers conference and if so have you had an answer?

Ooooooh Ifti's been mentioned , get dahn the beauticians Lizzie

I don't post much on this thread but follow it avidly and am absolutely fuming about Helen's decision.

I was one of the new listeners brought in by the Helen/Rob storyline - I was gripped and then fell in love with the Archers and learnt all about all the other characters which was a big commitment and took bloody ages

I had to put up with the stupid stabbing story and the crappy way the legal case was handled even though we had months of building up a coercive control case.

I'm delighted we are getting much more of stuff about apple day and the Christmas show and other storylines but my main reaction is essentially - WTF??? OK so Helen prob is exhausted and out of money but are we now to go back to life as usual having done our botched public awareness campaign

The way the whole storyline has been handled from making Helen stab Rob onwards has been offensive to the intelligence of listeners and Helen as a character.

Goodness me. I am so in awe of the way you have all carried on being brilliant and providing me with thought and entertainment when I have barely stirred myself to deserve such riches.

Cecile I felt too diffident to even think of submitting anything this time last year - specifically because I wasn't attached to any institution, academic or otherwise. Now I am the proud possessor of a Postgraduate Loan and a beautiful student ID thingummy - and so terrified of the work to come, particularly over the end of this year and the beginning of next, that I Simply Dare Not.

Helen's said she's not putting a complaint in, so she can put it all behind her and move on. Despite her seemingly quick recovery to normality, she's yet to discover that deciding not to put a complaint in isn't going to be the end of Rob interfering in her life (bar the parental contact visits.) So I don't think this is as over as Helen thinks it is.

Well she doesn't know he's applying to change jacks name yet!!

I think that will be what changes her mind because it seems a bit of an odd thing to do without being a sl changer

Maybe it will be decided that Jack has to have Gideon as a middle name

I think it would have been much better if knobhead chosen a 'non controversial ' name. Or if he was adamant the new baby must be called Henry!

I'm not convinced this is going to be Helens final decision on CC. The SWs may be stringing it out for a few reasons. One, as mentioned is that as mentioned already this law is very new and they'd be who's to wait till a few cases have been completed. Another is to show how hard it is for someone to go through. Also there could be some other action by rob which makes Helen realise she has to try - most likely finding in a year or so that he is indeed starting the same thing again for a third time.

I was wondering if a rape charge\complaint can be bought by two people; Jess and Helen for example. Then she wouldn't feel so alone doing it.

Thanks for the new thread Psuedo.

Ooh, Gherkin, maybe that's the pivot: Rob will go and threaten Jess as punishment for her participation in the trial, Jess will seek out Helen for support, and Helen will feel obliged, for the sake of another woman's safety, to lodge a complaint. Thus mirroring Jess' support of Helen. I think they do have to find a way to come back round to pursuing the coercive control case somehow.

Surely at some point Rob will move on to his next victim. I would hope Helen feels a responsibility to save her.

I'm sure it will run and run. Rob clearly doesn't think the law applies to him; Helen might well have to take out an injunction against him - or he might attack someone, as he nearly did with Emma. He might move onto a new victim. The Sab might read the paper and, sensing the waves of martyrdom emanating from the stables, persuade Shula to testify. Bruce might die and his spell over Ursula be lifted. And what about Stefan?!?

Have we discussed the theory that the Jill of the pony books actually grew up to become Jill Archer? Became more interested in baking than in backing and breakingin? Sorry, will stop now.

&The Sab might read the paper and, sensing the waves of martyrdom emanating from the stables, persuade Shula to testify.^

But Anna already told Shula she'd not have credibility as a witness.

I can almost imagine, though don't want to think about it, that Rob mat try it on with Helen and there may be another attempted rape. After all he does find her extremely attractive, and he did go back and rape Jess after they had split.
Urghh

Also, I don't think Helen knows for definite yet about the boarding school plans does she? She never found out that phone calls had been made etc - Rob brushed it off. It's another skeleton which could come out and swing her mind back the other way.

Maybe there will be another incident with the same sab once Shula is Master? Wonder if Rob will be well enough to ride (if he can get a mount)

Maybe this isn't the end when she realises what Rob is up to.

After I had ranted, DH (a reluctant listener after I started) said he thinks Helen not pursuing it is entirely in character as she always knows best and brushes things under the carpet. So what do I know!

Can I rant about the baby food venture instead? Why is organic baby food such an innovation that needs a scholarship and travels to farms in Canada and Germany? Can they not just pop down to Tesco and pick up some Hipp and Ella's Kitchen

Everyone is thinking the same Wolpertinger. One can only presume Bridge Farm Organic baby food will have special powers resulting in child geniuses and future olympians.

Can't see how Rob will be able to join the hunt this season, even if he has the money, it's physically demanding and only the other day he was making out he could just about manage a bit of cricket. Have a feeling he'll give it a go though. Did he loan one of Shula's horses last season?

So, the baby food. Has anyone mentioned exactly what it is? Is it purée etc, or ready meals? I'm sure Tom has been there before. ;)

I don't even have a baby but know this and that the main trends in baby food are baby led weaning and everyone discovering their baby is CMP intolerant. How does this work for a cheese maker on a farm with a previous E Coli issue?

Whole thing is bonkers. So glad we have the Christmas show to talk about - Linda Snell is my favourite character.

Nothing like the smell of poo in the morning to make Roy feel frisky.

Each to their own i s'ppose...

Bertrand, I love your Cascade - I'm another who grew up with Jill & Tamsin & Rissa (late to the horsey chat but I'm a bit behind with these threads)

I just came across this horse on FB: have you ever seen a performance like this?