The Archers: Discussion #84. New Year and some of us are still listening even if we don't know why.

[DadDadDad]

New posters welcome - with your fresh views and burning questions.

Old posters welcome - with your jaded views and knowledgeable answers.

But new posters feel free to be jaded, and old posters feel free to ask questions!

How is the Pip storyline going to play out and do you care?

As usual, if you want to mention the advertised storylines for future episodes, there's a separate thread for that - no spoilers here, please.

Just imagine we're all sitting round a table at The Bull -->

Hi all, lurking newbie here

I have a question...why would being Ian and Adam's surrogate allow Lexie to stay? She is an EU citizen so doesn't need anything immigration-wise, and she would still need a job because they can't legally pay her. And if she just needs an excuse to stay, I'd have thought a serious relationship would be a better one..! I must be missing something...

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused about the whole Lexi thing.

Why does she have to go back to Bulgaria and why did they give her the job at Grey Gables if she couldn't stay in UK?

I don't think Lexie will like how Roy spoke to Ian....

Mootsie the grey gables job was definitely temporary initially, I'm assuming it will change to permanent, but who knows?!

I can’t remember WHY GG needed a temp Maitre d’ ,and not a permanent one though, can anyone? Someone stormed out I think but was rubbish anyway.

(Surely all farm children will have tried animal feed at some point, if there's livestock around? My sister and I certainly did.) When I was in the first year of Secondary School in 1966 we went to visit a farm owned by the parents of another pupil. We were handed round cattle cake to taste, I can't imagine being allowed to do that now. There were no ill effects on anyone as far as I can remember.
I have a question...why would being Ian and Adam's surrogate allow Lexie to stay? She is an EU citizen so doesn't need anything immigration-wise, and she would still need a job because they can't legally pay her. And if she just needs an excuse to stay, I'd have thought a serious relationship would be a better one..! I must be missing something* I was going to say exactly the same thing.
*

I think Lexi needs a really good reason to stay in England leaving her own kids at home (she’s not Kate after all ) It’s not so much a question of being allowed to stay, but having a good reason to do so.

Pip was dopey enough NOT to mention to her parents that she's already nearly had an abortion and they're both dopey enough to not take her word that she "really wants it"

Roy really loves Lexi and doesn't want Ian to pressure her. I quite like that exchange of words between them, it rang true.

Amb. (well , Roy) may well end up hosting Lexi and her daughters

Possibly their granny too

It's a depressing thought that in 9 months' time the Dopeys are going to be treating Pip as if no-one's ever been a single parent before and she's an unbelievable heroine for coping with only their and Jill's help.

Ppeat I enjoyed that exchange between Roy and Ian too, although ideally it would have been Lexi delivering the message that she's not a commodity whose use is to be discussed between Ian (for breeding) and Roy (for fucking).
I fear that the next development will be Lexi telling Ian that actually she is very happy to bear his/Adam's child.

Has any worked out a due date for when Pip pops her pup? I know some of us like to keep track of these things. (I still have Helen in a spreadsheet that's now telling me she's 125 weeks pregnant ).

She told Jolene she was 10 weeks, which would make her due at the end of July, i.e. right at the height of harvest, which is pretty poor planning...

(I know it's not planned.)

Good news for the Grundy's, though.

Dad You work it out Always remembering that nature is not classifiable!

Right, off to calculate the LMP of a fictional character while trying not to appear too creepy...

Ruth and David reached peak Dopey in even contemplating the possibility of trying to keep the pregnancy quiet a bit longer when they know full well word's got out around the village and their relatives.

The more accurate dating is from 15th December when in the abortion clinic, the staff member told Pip that she was 'just over 7 weeks'.

I would say 'just over' is most likely to be 7+2, or possibly 7+1 (on the grounds that 7+3 or 4 would be said 'around 7 and a half weeks', 7+5 or 6 would be 'just under 8 weeks'). That means her LMP would be around 25th October, conception around 8th November. Lowfield says that Toby stayed the night with Pip on 8th (it was when Elizabeth asked him not to leave his bike against the tree). That was the last time they were on air together before breaking up on 17th November.

Thanks for the new thread, DDD.

I'm another one who loved Ruth shouting at David on Friday.

You see, I'm nasty enough to have wished Alice to cackle in response to Pip's "It's my private business!', "Well, not for much longer is it, Pip dearest?? when are you likely to start showing? Fat chance of keeping it quiet round here, luv!"

Does anyone remember The Snapper? the great scene where up-duffed Mary tells her friends about her pregnancy and they look hushed and awed for a nanosecond before rallying with (imagine strong Dublin accents), "Congratulations Mary - ya t'ick bitch!" I wish someone would respond as robustly to Pip.

And good luck to Ruth trying to broach the subject of whether her 25 year old single daughter has considered an abortion - without sounding as if she rather wishes Pip would take that route. I suspect a might flounce from Pip is in the offing.

Shall we start a sweepstake on how long it takes for Pip to proclaim that she "can't handle" the discussion? My money's on around 30 seconds.

Thanks, WandT. I must have fallen asleep missed the bit about the job being temporary.

Fink - your detective work is more comprehensive than mine, but I guessed the same conception date, giving a due date of 1 Aug 2018. 1.8.18 is an easy date to remember!