The Archers #96: Is that a rat I smell or the whiff of Snell? In Chaucer’s famous Tale of Two Torsos, Brian’s ‘still got it’ and Poldark is searching for scything opportunities in Susan’s kitchen.

[NotdeadyetBOING]

Welcome..... I'd concocted a longer title with all sorts of references to bitch stitching and pasta bakes, but was thwarted by the pesky character limit

I was glad Lizzie couldn’t get a last minute table for Lily’s birthday. Getting one this close to Christmas would have been very unrealistic.

I agree the loss of confidence is the big one. It's not even an age thing. My mother was hit by a cyclist and left with a smashed hip on Blackfriars bridge and it took the best part of a decade to get her confidence back. I don't think it's ever fully returned to be honest. How great is Christine's pension if she can afford an assisted flat? Highly implausible. I think not wanting to leave the Laurels is totally fair enough but I detest her approach. She can't afford it, she needs to swallow her pride and talk to Lillian about Matt. Her or Justin's deep pockets should be footing this bill.

Why didn't Lizzie book a table for the next available day? I know she's have a breakdown but this is idiotic. Even if she didn't want to see Freddy she should accompany Lily to support her. Ugh.

I guess that's kind of what having a breakdown is though?1

I was under the impression that Lizzie had cancelled the restaurant booking.

I thought that Lizzie had forgotten to book it, rang for a reservation but, when that wasn't possible, blamed the restaurant rather than admit she was at fault.

You are right carefullydrawn it's just horrid to listen to. It's a long drive and ordeal in itself.

With the restaurant it sounded like she forgot to book it, phoned last minute and failed to get a table.

Anyway RUSS

Did I mention I really, really don't like Natasha?

I mean, a farm doesn't just keep a barn empty in case someone wants to put on a play in it at Christmas!
You forget that this is the farm that had an empty Hollowtree going spare in case someone wanted to raise geese in it for Christmas.

Duh. So it did. My bad.

Hollowtree was pigsties really, or is a pig unit the same as a barn?

I thought Natasha's gift to Tom's parents overstepped the mark, just as the inappropriate cosmetics did. A verbal congratulations would have done perfectly.

Russ has taken his time to come down to Ambridge. However, I think that his timing might turn out to be excellent (for him): he arrived just when Lizzie had done rotten birthdaying and Lily was feeling low after the visit to Freddie. Russ will do some rescuing and general hand-holding, and Lily will be grateful. He will get his feet under the table (just in time for Christmas) and decide that life in a stately home with an art gallery is preferable to his stalled attempt at the artist's life in Manchester.
Lily is stuck with him now, whether she wants it or not.
How long before Russ decides he should replace Glen?

It would make more sense for Russ to replace Lewis who must be about 103 by now.
What with him being "an artist"

Yes it looks like poor Lizzie is really losing it, she equates a treat meal with one from the orangery cafe containing brussel sprout puree! Oh dear) she needs Lily (I'm not sure if they need Russ, he may surprise us) His voice is nice though

Was Lily pleased to see Russ? I couldn't really tell, amidst all her distress over seeing Freddie.

She arrived home, desperately needing comfort and a shoulder to cry on, he was the first person she saw and into his arms she went.

Lily would have done the same thing if it had been Joe Grundy she had bumped into!

I wonder what's going to happen tonight, when she's calmed down?

I wonder what's going to happen tonight, when she's calmed down?
I think that we are stuck in this dynamic (Russ rescuing Lily; Lily rescuing Lizzie) until Freddie is released. There will be no return to Manchester.

Is Ambridge some sort of haven for abusive people ? Rob and now Russ. I have no idea whether Natasha is awful or not but if she is Pat and Tony won't notice because she gave them a hamper.

Poor Lily - Christmas lunch from the restaurant for her birthday treat, and then all her mother got her for a present was a voucher.

Re the restaurant, my take on it is that lizzie had booked it already, and when she rang it was to cancel. Perhaps tnrough lack of confidence, or not feeling up to it.. She then lied lo Lily, telling her it was down to the restaurant, not her.

No, I think it was pretty clear she had forgotten all about her promise to Lily of a meal out. She was aghast when Lily mentioned it and immediately rang up to try to book at the last minute, without success.

My impression was the same as Mike and Silvery's, that the booking had probably been made a while back (when Lizzie was more compos mentis), but she had since forgotten as she has forgotten so many other things, and she phoned to cancel because of her obvious spiralling depression / agoraphobia.

But it could have been either.

I thought Elizabeth had forgotten to book it, the same way she forgot to book an act for Halloween.

So when was the last time Elizabeth left the Lower Loxley.

Yes puddock it does seem as if Lizzie is becoming agoraphobic, she wouldn't go out to see the trees or go to see Freddie (though the fact she thought she'd have broken down when she saw him was a plausible excuse, Freddie would've felt even more awful if she'd done that).

I originally thought she'd just forgotten to book the restaurant but maybe she also couldn't face les Soeurs Heureuse and cancelled it.

Oh yes and she stays on the computer to do her shopping. Lily will notice soon won't she?