As Frilly stress Lizzy out, did the SWs forget her heart defect? Will there be long term llama drama karma in The Archers?

[PseudoBadger]

Thérèse Raquin is the only Zola I can recall enjoying! (Though I don’t really remember any others.) I recommended it for a 15/16 year old a while ago and people did these faces. I refused to be .

But, yeah - I too no longer have the energy for the literature of my youth. Mostly involving evisceration while the Don flowed quietly by ...

Neither do I, QuaterMiss, although I am thinking of re-reading A Dance to the Music of Time soon, as I do about once a decade ever since I read it well over 30 years ago. Not much of an Ambridge crossover there, unless someone drops a Widmerpool reference into conversation.

Just me that thinks of Zola as a footballer then

BOOP already. This is brilliant!

tiger I'm with you DTTMOfT - am currently rewatching it too and plan to get the books out again.

Anything with the Don and distant, or not so distant sounds of battle, is a must for me.

Germinal, not so much!

I've started the Rougon-Macqaurt series in French, very very slowly. I might be able to join in this conversation in another decade or so.

In the meantime, what on earth was that ridiculous smoking bit last night? I can only assume it was meant to show Philip's nasty side, since 'stop smoking, it's not hard' is scarcely good public service broadcasting advice. It's one thing to give your twopence worth when someone has indicated they're struggling to give up (even then, 'I just got on with it' probably isn't the most helpful thing to say), but Jazzer had expressed zero interest in giving up smoking so why would anyone sane think it was appropriate to start a lecture on the subject?!

I think I must have read Germinal for A level and now mostly read more popular fiction (in French). I still have lots of Marguerite Duras from my degree but doubt I could stomach her now.
Alasdair and Phil’s conversation yesterday seemed to be saying why isn’t there a no-fault divorce which is topical with the lady who has been refused a divorce because her husband won’t agree to one.

I’m worried for Jazzer and his cough.
I am enjoying the development of Alistairs character though, I bet Shula is going to fall for him all over again, and he will say her ‘Nay’ or maybe ‘Neigh’

Someone, maybe Fallon, said something (I forget what) that definitely ... Remembered! Fallon said how super Shula was being with Freddie - in a way that made Alistair re-consider his wife’s good points.

Enn Oh Argh Tee Aitch umber ...

I always thought Alistair was a bit of a non character but I’m really starting to like him. He’s flawed but is trying to work out a new life and seems to be making new friends etc. Whereas Shula is stuck in the same old same old

I missed the mention of Germinal in TA - but (unless I've got my French classics muddled), isn't that the book where the women, enraged at the shopkeeper's exploitation of their need to buy stuff on tick, take a rather bloody revenge on him?

Can't see that happening in the village shop in Ambridge!

Going back to last week, WTF was Shula muttering "Alastair!" for in an exasperated tone after meeting him on his run? - yes, that puzzled me too

Boop for Johnny.

And BOOP Freddy and Alastair too.

Shula is fixated on his one night stand and when he said he had a fantastic time on his birthday she immediately assumed he'd been shagging again, hence the disapproval. Quite revealing about Shula, actually!

Eastpoint I'm not sure that Lizzie, who runs a Stately home with a cafe|restaurant, staff, and no doubt, plenty of people visiting every day could really qualify as someone 'Living on her own" .

Yes I bet that the new slimline, happy Alastair is annoying Shula, serve her right , he SHOULD be shagging that "dog dancing" woman!

I when Philip criricised Jazzer's revolting smoking habit. Because I do that too!

It is horrible. To passers by and the smoker.

I reckon that Carol was taking the pee with her kumquat chutney fgs!

I think we are getting hints of a reconciliation between Alistair and Shula - reference to her being a pretty amazing woman with regard to the way she’s looking after Freddie to get Alistair thinking (note this has to be spelled out because to listeners she seems as dull as ever - that line stood out for me because I wondered why else would the SWs put it in there?) That might also go some way to explaining Shula muttering “Alistair” in a mysterious way - not clear what it was there for otherwise.

Oh, please no reconciliation! Alistair deserves so much more than Shula and her cream cardigans. And, actually, Shula ought to be noticing that her STBEx (I hope) is finding new horizons and taking the lesson to heart. She thought it was him making her feel dull and all along it was her - or them together. She should shake herself up.

Agree that Carol is way too fly for Piggoi and Brine and that the kumquat chutney is, er, moonshine.

Definitely Lil’G. But Shula’s pronouncement about having provided a father for her son will be much harder to forgive than Alistair’s mis-spent night. (Perhaps her harsh words are supposed to be weighed against all the years of keeping his gambling secret?)

There haven’t been many on-screen Archer divorces. Helen, of course. Debbie’s was apparent - but I have no clear idea of Kate’s marital status. (Nor of non-Archers like Roy/Hayley.)

I assumed the muttering was just in a 'I really haven't the energy to bump into him and feel I have to make small talk' kind of way, nothing more than that.

I think if I saw someone apparently trying to get fit to run a half marathon and they were coughing/wheezing from smoking I might suggest they stopped / tried vaping too.

“Lil’G” makes LillianGish sound like a rapper

This article from my local rag today!
www.edp24.co.uk/business/farming/radio-4-archers-plot-suffolk-link-1-5703646 Vair funny line about the SW doing their research.

Isn't Kate's ex now married to someone the in-laws like a lot better? But Nolithando hates her?

Those are very cute cows. But the kids should be wearing more waterproof clothing.

Witchmountain