We never thought we’d feel sorry for Will. Although of course it should have been Pip! Discuss The Archers here (Titled edited by MNHQ)

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome all! I was really touched by the potential for Ed and Will to reconcile. But wonder if Will can accept Ed’s support.

As ever, no spoilers here (there’s a thread for that) - discussion permitted as soon as the pm episode is broadcast.

I'm glad Clarrie put Susan straight. She's right; S has very little to complain about at the moment, and Alice's behaviour was appalling.

Yes Clarrie was magnificent. And Susan was being incredibly tactless.

It's probably my inherent Pip aversion, but I was a bit sceptical about the wondrousness of feeling Pipsprog's movements. My recollection with pregnancy no. 1 is that the initial wriggles felt like little more than a very quick fluttering and I really wasn't sure that that was the baby at all.

Absolutely. And there's no way anyone could feel them from the outside by putting their hand on.

I don't understand this business about the Brantford (?sp) Brothers. Just supposing that they are still alive and supposing that they can be tracked down, then what? If someone says "did you dump at Low Mead?" are they really likely to say "it's a fair cop, guv" and land themselves in trouble. What can anybody prove, 40/50 years on?
Or was the TCE dumped in barrels neatly stamped 'property of Brantford Bros'?

Would Ruth be so gung-ho if there was the slightest suspicion that Phil Archer also allowed toxic waste to be buried at Brookfield?

Do they have anything to gain by the fall of the House of Aldridge?

I'm bemused by the rather muted reaction of Brian and JennyDarling to Alice's behaviour at the funeral. Surely if your daughter had been drunk and behaved inappropriately at the funeral of the wife of your employee, to the extent where she had to be escorted out, you would be questioning as to whether she had a serious drink problem at the very least? I know they have other things on their mind ATM, but surely you would do more than feel embarrassed and "hope she had learned her lesson?".

I've been angrier with my kids than that for forgetting to feed the guinea pigs once!

I am struggling to recall the detail but didn't Brian drive in to Borchester recently to look for somebody he had done business with in the 1970s. That person had advanced dementia and was in a home so couldn't give him any information. Was that a Brantford? I am sure I am not imagining this.

I was on a course this week where the presenter kept talking about "spread shits". I thought of @DadDadDad the whole time.

Isn't it Brantsfield?

Bertrand

This thread is filling up fast. Any ideas for the next title?

I'm a bit concerned about @AlecOrAlonzo spending a whole course thinking about me...

Were they calling them spreadshits to disparage them or are they a MNetter? A good spreadsheet is a fine thing - when my DW talks about creativity (she's a musician), I point out that there is plenty of creativity in developing a spreadsheet that elegantly solves a problem and present the results.

Isn't it Brantsfield?

I went back and ListenAgained but Ruth's mangled accent is not helpful. I thought it was Brantford or Brantfort. Lowfield goes with Branford.
Who knows?

New title suggestion Brian is over a barrel, Alice has drained the barrel and Shula has given it to Alistair with both barrels - The Archers is not exactly a barrel of laughs at the moment .

Isn't Pip 20 weeks? I felt DS kick properly for the first time the night before the 20 week scan and so did DH from the outside - you could see my tummy move.

Like that Lilian

I believe the conclusion was that Pip's due date is 1 August, so that means she's gone past 21 weeks.

Yes, DDD, wasn't there some reason she had her scan a week later than usual?
TopoftheCliff - that's what I thought, too, didn't Brian actually tell Jennifer that he had to lie to Ruth about knowing whoever they were? (I just remember the surname began with a "B"!).

I was initially puzzled by Susan defending Alice to Clarrie - she's quite happy to put her down to Chris. I then realised that it wasn't anything to do with loyalty to Alice but simply that Susan is more concerned about how Alice's behaviour reflects on her as her MIL than about Will and Clarrie's feelings. Typical Susan. I would have loved to hear her slagging off Alice though.

Did anyone else think Alice sounded exactly like Kate when she was whining the day after the funeral?

Yep, all woe is me, how was I to know Bev was her mother? How could they not accept my apology? Total brat. She needs to drink-drive herself into a wall and do a proper job of it.

Not wanted to defend Alice, but she had been trying to cut down on drinking recently and Chris has been badgering her “just one to relax”, “I’m having a beer, you have something too” etc.

I wonder what is going on with this “nightmare” colleague of hers she talks about.

I love the fact that Kate and Alice sound so alike! Can’t think of any other Ambridge siblings they’ve managed this with.

Totally in awe of LillianG’s barrelling title, btw.