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!

Fond reader de lurking....thank you dark and stormy ...three of my favourite things! MN, the Archers and Oscar Wilde all on the same page! Honestly though... Kate! Get over yourself!

I don't think it's ever been a secret that Philip hunts, has it?

I don't think it's ever been a secret that Philip hunts, has it?

No. And didn't he do the building work at the kennels?

I didn’t say it was a secret . I said he had been silent (more than silent actually, as he was never mentioned). What I mean is that the brand new character’s back story was that he had been involved in the hunt for a long time.

Philip has been around far longer than Lillian's bathroom.

Kirsty's spidery senses were tingling yesterday - something about Philip's son just doesn't sit right. Is he racist?

I'm also on Kate's side - her Father sells the land next to her business without any consultation. And I would suspect that Brian pushed ahead when he knew she couldn't make the meetings even by phone. He also sent her deliberately long emails, knowing she wouldn't read it all. If I was her I'd be looking to see how I could rescue my business - move it? Go into partnership with someone else - using her past good will/client list/brand.
Ideally it would move to somewhere like Lower Loxley - which can provide the peace, and it would provide a regular income.

Why do you suggest racist, because it was an Indian restaurant? Or is Kirsty non-white?

I was thinking he was going to try it on with Kirsty. She's probably nearer his age than Philip's.

I thought the same, Fink.

If Kate can't check emails she either needs to employ someone to do it for her or not run a business I suspect Kate's business is propped up by Aldridge money and would not be able to pay rent and costs of located at somewhere like lower loxely.

I got the impression P's son is someone who likes to show his success in life by flashing his cash so he'd look down on a cheap and cheerful yet delicious balti house and want to show off by going somewhere "posh". I also thought that if 4 of you go out for dinner and one of you offers to pay the bill then it is only reasonable that the others meet the tip. Although was Philip there and if not why not?

I also thought that if 4 of you go out for dinner and one of you offers to pay the bill then it is only reasonable that the others meet the tip

Yes , I didn't get what Kirsty was on about. If someone has picked up the bill for the whole meal it is good manners that the others leave the tip.

Shula really is an idiot.

Yes , I didn't get what Kirsty was on about.

I thought her objection was to the attitude that the staff didn't merit a tip rather than paying part of the bill/tip herself?

I thought it was a weird episode - came across as very "Forewarning is Here" but I've no idea what the forewarning was meant to be.

I don't like Philip. I can't put my finger on why but R4's label of a "listener" seems about right to me. He just gives me the creeps.

I thought Kirsty was a little bit uncomfortable with Philip’s son being close to her in her age. How old is she? Early / mid thirties. He also sounds similar to Tom?

I don’t mean his voice by the way, rather his business aspirations.

I also liked Brine giving Josh business advice at open farm Sunday.

Honestly though... Kate! Get over yourself!

She has a point about the business and Brian telling her off for going on jaunts when he told her to go was a classic Brianism.

I thought that Spiritual Home had been doing quite well - wasn't Brian expressing surprise at the fact that it wasn't failing? I'm surprised he doesn't see the diversification opportunity, especially with less land available. It may all be woo but its woo which people want to buy.

I quite like the idea of her upping sticks to a Lower Loxley field - that could make for some entertaining conversations between Elizabeth and Kate

I thought it was a weird episode - came across as very "Forewarning is Here" but I've no idea what the forewarning was meant to be

It was terrible writing. I agree it was forewarning something but not clear what.

I thought the forewarning was that "not everything is right" in Kirsty and Philips relationship. Which to be honest if it was better written would be obvious - I can't believe that someone like Kirsty (who was only last year or the year before having a go at Tom for forgetting his principles) is going out with someone in the Hunt.
I do think some of it was lazy script writing - with a lot of stereotypical attitude to more "working class" characters. Such as the girlfriend "being glued to her mobile phone".

Oh just thought - my feelings towards Philip are like when your friend has a new boyfriend who you just don't like, but he doesn't do anything really wrong...

What's the age difference between Kirsty and Philip?

I thought it was setting things up for Kirsty to break up with Philip so he and Shula can get together. A bit clunky, but I think Kirsty will be instigating the break up so we don’t have another Usha/Shula situation.

What's the age difference between Kirsty and Philip?

Kirsty is 37. The BBC biography doesn't give Philip an age but his actor thinks he is a "jolly, affable chap". I think that he is somewhere near the 50 mark.
Is the 'forewarning' something to do with the compare&contrast to Shugs and Al. She was wibbling something about compromise and not wanting to do it any more. (Goodness knows what she was on about: all relationships are compromise, including her relationship with the sainted Dan.)

I want Ed to name the texel Ram-a-lamb-a-ding-dong.

Kirsty can't break up with Phillip too soon or it will look like she did it because Tom said so. She's stuck with him for a bit.

If the judges ask Ed the reason for the lamb's name and he tells them, he'll be a shoo-in for the prize.

This is such a non-story.

He just gives the lamb an official name ('Grundy's Fortune' or similar) and tells Poppy Peppa Pig is his 'real name'.