The dog days of summer are approaching Ambridge. Freddy’s being hounded and Brian is in the dog house - can Jenny take the ruff with the smooth?

[PseudoBadger]

Thanks to all for the dog ideas, and special mention to Ppeatfruit.

Discuss the Archers here!

Tom's swooning was awful, let me show you my gone off milk cheese stuff.

Was it me or did the whole Helen, Tom and Hannah? part seem clunky.

Very clunky.

Tom must surely meet women all the time. It would be nice if we could be introduced to a few ... His relationships are always so portentous and heavy. I suppose that’s the point of Jazzer; not being an Archer all his relationships are light and fleeting - because there’s no farm hanging in the balance. (I mean from the SW’s pov.)

Poor Hannah - she’s only been back five minutes and they’ve mapped out her entire life. (And made it dreadfully obvious why she’s there.)

Most women don't like pigs/yoghurt etc the way Hannah does.

Does anyone remember Hayley's poem which ended "John Archer and his pigs"?

Has Will forgotten about George?

Either the SW have forgotten about George or it is deliberate pending some ruckus about "its not fair" as George resent Will taking the others on expensive trips or Keira will resent Ed'n'Emmur for George et all going on expensive trips.

This will reset the normal level of animosity between Will/Ed.

unfortunately there are no really sound parenting models in TA.

That's why it's a threat.

I was worried that Will would demand George stayed at his more often to stop Poppy being lonely.

You are right about the parenting, though there are some good parenting moments.

Hayley was a good mum. Shame we never hear her and Abigail.

Alan was a good dad to Amy.

How does being a doormat make you automatically not good? I can see that it can have bad effects if people around you take the piss but surely that makes them bad not you...
Asking for a friend who doesn't really understand human interaction.

Grim thoughts.....are we heading for a Tom, Hannah, Helen love triangle?
Please forgive me.

Clarrie works hard and supports the people she loves. They love her. They take advantage of her a bit a lot but I think she enjoys feeling needed. Without her I have no doubt Joe would be in a home and Eddie in jail. It's not the life I would choose but it could be a lot worse (imagine being Shula!).

are we heading for a Tom, Hannah, Helen love triangle?

Hannah would be better off with Jazzer. At least thete'd be some fun.

Being a good parent involves telling your children when they are being an arse. Clarrie hasn't done this enough with Will. Although I have just changed my mind mid sentence and decided that Wills failings are caused by Eddie's influence rather than anything Clarrie did or didn't do.

I think Clarrie's behaviour is entirely natural in the circumstances, even for people who are far less inclined to be self sacrificing than her.

Whilst she may have enabled her men folk to be so rubbish in the past, I think a lot of mothers in her position, watching their son grieving and struggling to hold it together/ navigate life as a single parent would actually make excuses, do more than they can maintain etc.

Interesting that George Barford 'saved' Will and Oliver did the same for Ed. Points to lack of good male support at home but that seems simplistic. You could just as easily blame the lack of opportunities for families like the Grundy's.

How does being a doormat make you automatically not good? I can see that it can have bad effects if people around you take the piss but surely that makes them bad not you.

I can see your argument if we are talking consenting adults but we are talking about parental responsibility and role-modelling.
Clarrie's boys have learned-helplessness, they expect their womenfolk to sort out life's problems. That's not good or healthy for them - as Will has found out.
Clarrie should have taught them more about 'wife work' and persuaded Eddie to be a better example to them. Clarrie hasn't overcome the failings of Eddie and Joe by her doormat behaviour, she merely perpetuated the uselessness of Grundy men for another generation.

So it's Clarrie's fault, because she 'let' Eddie be poor role model?

Hello, you two!

Not at all. Eddie was culpable but Clarrie didn't help, despite thinking that she was.
Don't we teach our DD to choose wisely in the first place so there is no need to 'improve' their menfolk.

Why the jeff is there such loud background music at the restaurant? (Doesn’t sound like a band ...)

We

Without Clarrie Will would be a prime candidate for "within weeks of his wife's passing he died of heart ache." A romantic turn of phrase to describe starvation because as a Grundy male he couldn't even work the blinking toaster.

Thanks for your responses to my question everyone - that was very illuminating...

Whole dressed salmon?

So it’s going to be a disaster then??

The salmon of doom revisits Ambridge.

What an enormous fuss about a 50th. It really isn't that difficult.