Roy and Kirsty up a tree, K I S S I N G? Swipe right for The Archers thread and enjoy the Ambridge dating scene.

[PseudoBadger]

Perhaps Tobeee and Pip will get thrown off. < hopeful>

Really enjoyed that episode. I think when I first started listening, Eddie and Clarrie were not long married.

Adam and Brine are as bad as each other: Brine is too much into chemicals, Adam is too much into eco. I seem to recall Adam having a conversation with David about the state of the soil after the flood and lecturing him about sustainability and 'putting back into the land'. David rolled his eyes - Brookfield soil has always been OK because, being a mixed farm, they never really left the old system.
Adam is a typical reformed character - too evangelical.

Is anyone else thinking Rob's copy of the psychological report is lying on the mat at deserted Blossom Hill Cottage, and so he has not seen it yet? Maybe Usha will pick it up when she's doing the inventory and give it to him along with the news that she's keeping all the deposit. I would so enjoy that.

I could only half listen tonight so just read Lowfield to see the bits I missed.

It says they went to Bournemouth - I thought Clarrie said Barmouth? Am I going deaf?

I thought it was Barmouth, too. They wouldn't have any donkeys on the beach in Bournemouth, even if it was summer. Barmouth would be closer, too (although probably not by much, if I google distances from Worcestershire.)

Francis. Thanks for the summary of the psychologist's report!

My earliest memory of TA is being off school (I had a lot of tonsillitis!) and in bed, and my mum bringing up the tranny from the kitchen. She'd sit on the bed and we'd hear the afternoon episode. In those days I think Woman's Hour was on in the afternoons too and we'd hear that too. I was about 10 so the late 60s/early 70s.

It was definitely Barmouth. Bournemouth wouldn't have been Jethro's sort of place.

Well done Eddy, and the rest of the Grundies including the DILs.

And isn't Bournmouth where Clarrie's sister Rosie lives? so there would be no novelty in going there. Or there was some other reason for going to Bournmouth, I think. But I am not sure really. TBF I have never heard of Barmouth - but I accept there are places I've never heard of.

I'm hating the cocklodging Toby storyline - his manipulation of Pip with his "none of the Brookfield Archers like me, they're sooooo mean" is horrid. Not to mention the money requests, freeloading, sexism, disregard for Pip's work and expertise, the illegal still and so on. Shades of Rob and his attitude. I wonder if Helen will clock the relationship for what it is.

Clarries sister lives in Great Yarmouth. Completely opposite direction!

I don't like Toby - he's lazy, thinks with his cock, selfish, thoughtless and so on, but there's no malice like there is with Rob.

It was Barmouth. Anybody who grew up in the West side of the Midlands would be familiar with north Wales seaside resorts like Barmouth

I don't like Toby - he's lazy, thinks with his cock, selfish, thoughtless and so on, but there's no malice like there is with Rob.

I agree - Rob thinks and plans his actions. Toby rushes into his latest wheeze at the expense of everything else and with no research, and doesn't stop to think how it will affect anyone else, partly because he can't understand that not everyone shares his enthusiasm. He doesn't di any reflection, either - I think he still doesn't really understand why Rex is so pissed off with him. He's like an untrained puppy, into everything, chewing it and pissing on it and bouncing around. (And not an intelligent breed, either.)

How old are the Fairbrethren?

The Fairbrethren are mid to late 20s. Certainly old enough to know better. Which really pisses me off.

Wasn't Rex the professional rugby player who had to retire early because of a shoulder injury, which later turned out to have been caused by Toby somehow? Which would mean Toby was the City boy..

It was Toby but that was never plausible

Does it matter if the abuser is conscious that they are abusing? Rob and Toby are the same in that they are both unable to see things from any point of view other than their own.

Toby could easily turn nasty - he doesn't respect women anymore than knob does. Will have to see but this close to the Helen sl I can't see them having another abuse sl

Bertrand I heard that there has been some research done with the result being that women finally grow up properly at age 35 and men at 37 !

I don't think Pip will put up with it. She's already pissed off that Toby's not really pulling his weight, doesn't get out of bed, couldn't even remember she had a talk to give, let alone turn up for moral support, stuff like that. She's not yet at the point of losing her temper with him, but I don't think it will be far off. I think crucially, she will be prepared to lose her temper, because she's not scared of Toby. In contrast, Rob was far more subtle, gave out quite a lot of sweetness that Helen wanted in the early days, and she couldn't put her finger on why she started to feel fear and that things weren't right, so then dismissed it. It's very easy to see where Toby is in the wrong.

I don't think either of them recognise themselves as being abusive in any way. We know Rob thinks the world is conspiring against him and he treats people the way he does because he thinks he knows best. I don't think Toby would want to be so controlling, because it would just be too much effort. I think they're both deluded about their own abilities and skills as business people though.