*The Archers No.95* *Welcome to the 'real' world Ben and Ruarhi, the bad boys of on roading and welcome to the cereal cupboard little Rosie *!

[ppeatfruit]

Thanks to witchmountain for the last thread and to dadx3 for Godfathering them! Also to any other posters whose ideas I have borrowed for the title.

Admittedly I was at university in the Dark Ages, but even then I wouldn't have had to contact anyone about taking a couple of days off - due to the fact that no-one would have really noticed if I failed to turn up to lectures. In fact there was someone in my year who used to go home regularly on Thursday evenings and come back on Tuesday mornings.

Not TASWAMA; drama Bert Now TA is called a drama, people's characters are changed to fulfil that premise.

Ref. Lexi, the SW's also forgot that she was in charge of the pickers in the summer and would definitely have noticed Freddie's sheenanigans with them.

I still call TASWAMA-no woman character ever has a personality transplant for the better.........

Helen is sounding happier than usual atm.

I don’t actually find it that mysterious that Lexi has gone off Roy. The way I see it, absence far from making the heart grow fonder has had the opposite effect. In her months away it probably dawned on her that she was only with Roy because he was there. I really felt for her when she was moving out and he was wanting to move her into GG. It’s because she’s such a nice person that she doesn’t want to tell him straight. There’s no mystery - she’s just not that into him anymore, but is too nice to say that.

Does no one else think Lexi's behaviour is fairly realistic? Even the most together people feel conflicted sometimes!

DDD I can't imagine she called her tutor because, as Mis has said, it would take a hell of a lot longer than a couple of days for anyone to be concerned about non-attendance, especially in the first year. You could conceivably be ill.

I'm quite enjoying the similarities between Elizabeth's and Lily's characters and seeing how that plays out in different contexts.

Yes witch Both well acted too.

I always enjoy their similar intonation too. They are really well cast.

Roy needs to either offer to move to Bulgaria and back straight off or just back off. I found insensitivity around her arrival too vexing for words.

I can't offhand think of any men in TA who have personality transplants for the better. Look at Matt and Knob, for instance.

Does no one else think Lexi's behaviour is fairly realistic? I think it's totally realistic. She's been home, stayed for ages, been speaking Bulgarian and in the cold light of day is probably wondering why she ever thought things could work out with Roy. He's never going to move to Bulgaria or learn Bulgarian is he? He only half knows her really having only ever seen her away from home speaking a foreign language. Lexi's 'real' life is back in Bulgaria. It is indeed complicated.

** We had a lecture at 9am on a Saturday. The lecturer was begging us to turn up. He felt such a nit in an empty lecture room. I don't think anybody did. I certainly didn't.

I predict that Lily will help Elizabeth to turn things round at LL and get her out of her funk about Freddy. Then just as Elizabeth is waking up and telling Lily how much she owes to her and how she has been a tower of strength, Lily will finally break down and admit that she knows she’s made a terrible mistake with Russ. Elizabeth will hit foot it to Manchester to retrieve Lily’s stuff and be there for her while she gives Russ his marching orders, Lily will take the rest of the year out and reapply to a new course next year, or decide to stay and take Geraldine’s job permanently.

Yes, I assumed that Lily was lying about the course tutor call.

I take the point about not being missed for a few days - although some of us went to universities where you were required to be resident a specified number of nights in order to complete the year, which meant not much scope to be elsewhere. Anyway, maths lectures were pretty essential to cover the course and they were 9am Mon-Sat, so it was pretty full on.

Where did you go Daddaddad out of interest?

I was thinking that Roy could conceivably move to Bulgaria and that it would be a Brexit storyline in reverse (UK citizen’s rights in EU) as it surely doesn’t matter so much now Phoebe is off at uni. But then I remembered he does actually have a younger daughter who is barely mentioned!

Also I’m confused as to Susan’s feelings about Hannah. She seemed quite on the fence in yesterday’s episode.

Mention of Roy’s other child reminds me she featured at the Halloween fiasco. Did anyone think Roy was talking to/about Abby as if she was much younger than she is? Not that l know her age - l guess 11 or 12, maybe 13, but l’ve forgotten where ppl go for all the character’s DOBs. And presumably l’m too lazy to search.

I found Susan’s defence of Hannah really odd. She is normally the first to leap to defend Neil and encourage him to be a Manager and The Boss.

Abbie was born July 2008.

I wasn't sure about Susan's attitude at first but it does seem plausible. If you remember, Susan was very keen for Neil to rest whilst he was off work. She wants him to be able to delegate to Hannah and not set off his back again.
I think that she also doesn't really understand his job: she thinks that management just sit at their desk and don't do anything. Maybe have important meetings with Justin, but not run round checking on underlings.

Setting my deckchair up on the new thread.

Sounds like the cure all Jill casserole and scones are heading for LL.

Thinking a bit longer term are they setting up a conflict between the twins at LL? Agree Lily will stay as the new Geraldine. But when Freddie gets out he's going to need a job and won't have much chance of a decent one because of his conviction. Job at LL would be the answer (heir apparent etc) but it cant support both of them.

Will the rats (or someone's overreacting to one) spark the fire at Brookfield? Rat poison in the interval ice cream making the play a disaster? Agree the Christmas show every year is tedious unless it really is a disaster this year

Freddie’s got a proven track record in sales though!

I found Roy's panic about the damaged shoots unconvincing, and it seemed to be merely a vehicle for Brian to say he's "still got it" in that low growly voice that makes me think he'll be chasing Jennifer round her lovely kitchen for his birthday treat.

echt I think you meant Will's panic, unless the manager at GG moonlights as a gamekeeper!

He tends to be a comlpainer \panicker does Will!

Exactly, R4, but Susan infuriates me because she often rubbishes what Neil is saying, and then 'puts him right' by spouting absolute twaddle pontificating about things she knows nothing about. With the total self-delusion and conviction that she couldn't possibly have got it wrong.

She actually makes me shout at my radio sometimes 😡 🤬

Neil must be blessed with the patience of a saint.

Wasn't it Will who was panicking about the shoot, echt?

Where did you go Daddaddad out of interest?

ambridge by the C