Who let the cows out? Moo, moo, moo moo! Will Pip be caught out, and will Matt or Justin bowl a maiden over? Discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

'Ello pusscat!
I am eagerly anticipating Pip's downfall.

Lass - I did think it was well written apart from the bit about meeting on the terrace. Spot on about Pip wanting everything to be about her.

Surely you would have wanted somewhere private for that conversation? The terrace thing makes perfect sense to me........

Meeting on the terrace was surely just to make sure that no one else saw them? Ruth knew she was going to say unpleasant things and didn't want to disturb Elizabeth's party, no? She also needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts (after Pip surprised her in the loo).

And again, x post.

I assume the terrace was quiet where's inside there was music etc

They were in the toilets - why would Ruth want to have that conversation in a semi public area, even if Pip lacked empathy? I would have wanted to find somewhere quiet as well.

I would be devastated if I were Ruth - having backed Pip and protected her and supposedly raised a reliable and honest daughter. The herd was always Ruth's primary concern and now David has screwed up on basic paperwork but Pip failed on basic husbandry and then lied about it causing problems for their friends and family in the area most closely associated with Ruth

I was disappointed that Ifty wasn't at the party. Could have swapped him in for both David and Tom!

Private yes, but surely at home was private, not at a party with 50 guests. Ruth kept it all in for week, then talks at the party. I'd have been more impressed if Ruth had said Noo Pip wait till we get home
but then no one would be able to overhear them

Pip had finally backed Ruth into a corner, having chased her around all week. That's all. Sure, Ruth could have tried to insist that they have the conversation another time...but can you imagine the comments on here!

It sounded weird, whatever the reason. They live and work together Pip could have engineered a meeting at any point. I still loathe Tom more than I loathe Pip.

Oooooooooh! Lily's going to develop a crush on Toby, isn't she?

Just think of Elizabeth's face ...

Was that the same terrace where Helen saw Adam snogging Charlie?

Was that the same terrace where Helen saw Adam snogging Charlie?

Was it the same terrace where Nigel er... landed?

Ruth might have had a drink in her too, so she's more likely to tell Pip.

Bad karma around that terrace, that's for sure 😆

Oh Pip definitely needed to be told off and she doesn't deserve instant forgiven but Ruth has to be over dramatic about everything. Tbh though virtually everything Pip and Ruth do/say annoys me!

Why is Matt still hanging around then...

*forgiveness

I'm surprised anyone thinks Ruth over reacted- I thought she was quite measured!

I think Nige fell on to the front as the banner was over the front door. I imagine the terrace being at the back.

This has been bothering me for some time, but is livestock escaping really so unusual. I lived in a rural area as a child, our house had a field and there were lots of farms around us. Cows and sheep got out frequently. We often found strange animals in our field or garden. They were also moved around a lot on the roads by the farmers. Is it only since the advent of foot and mouth etc that this has changed or did I just live near some rubbish farmers. I understand it's the lying that was pips downfall but was the actual incident that bad.

See I think Ruth's silence and hesitation has been because she is feeling a bit guilty herself. Pip has not been honest with David and Ruth about the cows, but Ruth has not been honest with David about the money from the cows. Ruth is colluding with Pip to keep David in the dark in the same way Pip and Toby colluded to cover up the escape of the cows. The reason David is being so forgiving is because he only has half the story and has fully owned up to his own error of buying dodgy cows. Ruth likes to think of Pip as a chip of the old block - now she's realising they have more in common than just being good with cows. That's why she's ashamed of her and hasn't been able to bring herself to tell her because she can't bring herself to tell David (and like Pip she's left it's long now she doesn't know where to start). I still don't think she would have had that conversation in such a public place - unless it transpires that David was hiding behind a planter and heard it all. She would have told Pip to wait until after the party and spoken privately home.

Birds it's not the escaping that's the problem (though it was as a result of Pip's failure to mend the fence) it's the covering it up. If she had been up front in the first place then as soon as IBR was detected Brookfield could have alerted Home and Bridge Farms and they could have taken evasive action (possibly). It would also have prevented David and Ruth going round the village trumpeting that their cows couldn't possibly be to blame as they had never got out.

Farmers are more concerned by biosecurity since foot and mouth. I grew up on a farm in the 60s and 70s. You never saw tubs of disinfectant for visitors to dip footwear in which are routine now.

I've always imagined Nigel's fall being at the front of the house too. Thank goodness the huge stain faded quickly in all that Borsetshire weather.