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

Just have to say I hate surprises!
There's actually no need at this point to protect Linda from potential disappointment. She's having to rethink everything for nothing. It's just creating more work and pain. Surprise parties in stories always have the birthday person feeling neglected and forgotten and it's just horrid.

I like some surprises, just not these.

But there was still the chance that the Brookfield barn could not be readied, even with a load of volunteers.

Where was Robert in all this? He usually helps backstage, doesn't he?

How might Knob (wherever he is) be describing Helen to any new women in his life with her flat refusal to let him see Myson?

Interesting point. If he tells women his full marital history from his point of view, there's still a risk that they might wonder a bit about a man who manages to marry not one but two insane, deluded women, and who isn't seeing his son or making any effort to do so. So I wonder if he just scrubs Helen out of his personal history?

Doesn't the internet exist in Ambridge? Surely Lee would've googled Helen once he started getting 'friendly', just to check her out, and found some link to her case?

I know silvery but she's a grown woman. I feel she could cope with the suspense and actually it would cause her less stress trying to plan reconfiguring all the staging and the props. I don't understand why she said it would effect the costumes though. Just how big is this comedy faux bottom?

Doesn't the internet exist in Ambridge?

Yes - Elizabeth got Lily's Amazon vouchers there.

ebearhug I thought they were iTunes vouchers - the ultimate in entirely thoughtless for a young lady of her age.

Might have been - I may have glazed over and missed the details. Nonetheless, still something you buy online.

I keep forgetting to say that I agree with DerRosenkavelier's comment after Sunday's episode: "I’m just delighted that someone finally articulated that the fact that it’s Kate’s fault that Home Farm has to be sold and that she’s a feckless waste of space that fucks off when things get tough." I'd been thinking this for a while, and wondering why no-one else in the family even mentioned it. Which brings me to: "They are so not moving." I think you're right, LilianGish - and the only solution I can find for them to get themselves out of the financial mess they are in is by selling Kate's holistic yurt land* whilst she's in South Africa. That should do it, the Ambridge Finance Fairy to the rescue
*I can't remember the name of her business.

Helen was about to tell Lee about Rob, wasn't she, that was what the pause and then the 'I've got to go soon' were about after his tale of woe the other day. So he obviously doesn't know (at least as far as she knows) and she's looking for a way to tell him.

SELL SPIRITUAL HOME!
What would the world do.......

Checking in, awfully late

So I wonder if he just scrubs Helen out of his personal history?

And makes up some bullshit heroic story to explain the scars.

I doubt Knob as the self awareness to realise that one mad ex is bad luck but two mad exes and you are the common denominator. I also think that he probably really believed that much of what he did in that relationship was for Helen and Henry's own good.

I do imagine he would be with someone already, men like that don't like being alone.

Helen could also google Lee and put us all out of our misery.

Just have to say I hate surprises!
I totally agree with you, Inky. Surprises are vastly overrated. What is it anyway? - a nano-second of "ta dah!" and then we all get on with our lives. I would much rather have weeks of pleasant anticipation.

Besides, all this will-they / won't-they with the barn is a bit silly when we know darned well, from the trailers, that BBC Outside Broadcasts will be there.

Lee may have already found out all about Helen and is taking it slow, waiting for her to be ready to tell him. Might also explain the clumsy references to his ex - establishing some common ground?

Regarding surprise parties going wrong I vaguely remember Sid arranging one for Lucy and everyone going to such lengths to hide it that she thought she'd been forgotten and the next thing we knew she'd run off to New Zealand to be heard of but never seen again.

It must have been mentioned before but what actually is Natasha's surname? surely not Gill

I did look her up but can't find her on the Archers 'who's who' list. There's a reference to her on Twitter but only as 'Natasha' (where she's also described as a 'juice magnet' )

Lee may well be the loveliest person in the world who married and had children with someone very unreasonable, he may well just be trying to bond with Helen over the fact they both have terrible exes, it just doesn’t ring true to me that Helen would accept this as fact without at least questioning it. Knob appeared on the surface to be lovely and caring towards Helen and Henry - everyone in the village thought he was wonderful. He was also, according to him, the victim of a terrible and unreasonable ex-wife - who Helen and others had actually met (and so must have known at some level that he was exaggerating). I can’t believe she’s just going to fall into the arms of the first single man who turns up when he’s telling her exactly the same story. I’m not saying Lee is like Knob or that they shouldn’t get together, just that surely Helen would be asking him more about his ex or at least questioning herself or talking to someone. We had the whole thing about not bearing to be able to be touched, but this seems even more fundamental to me - a man who appears to be entirely lovely, but whose wife is trying to stop him seeing her children. Surely, having been through what Helen went through, you’d at least want to get the other side of the story before jumping in. Why is she not at least questioning her own judgement?

I still like the barn being a surprise for Lynda. As to her anguish, it's not for long - and think of what she's put her casts through over the years.

It's going to be heartwarming, and I'm a sucker for heart warming

Totally agree with LilianG. Has Helen learnt nothing?

Also - was it just me who found that whole clumsy flirting scene between the two of them rather painful and almost vomit-inducing? Not sure why, exactly; I imagine it was intended to be charming and gentle.

To be fair to Helen that sticks in the craw she may be seeing Lee through the prism of Henry and the other junior judo-ers. Lee does seem to be gentle, patient and understanding with them so maybe that's the on-going view that she has of him.

Russ is sounding and behaving more and more like Rob and I'm not sure about Lee either. Hannah's horrible and Natasha nauseating.

I suppose a normal newcomer to Ambridge would be out of the question?

Just a thought - when Ed n Emma move to their new affordable home, how will the other Grundies afford the rent on Grange Farm?

Oh dear. If Ed'n'Em are short of their share of this month's rent on Grange Farm then how are they going to be able to afford a house of their own.

Can we be around to hear Hannah's reaction when she learns about the Affordable House. Please.