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

Would Russ dare come to LL? What are his Christmas plans? Should Lily just defer already. It used to be if you did it in the first term you didn't have pay fees for the year so she should get her skates on.

Would Russ dare come to LL? What are his Christmas plans? Should Lily just defer already. It used to be if you did it in the first term you didn't have pay fees for the year so she should get her skates on.

I don't know why that happened twice

Is there a nasty winter bug in Ambridge called the Not Coping Disease?
Helen is daunted by France, Tom by planting a few trees, Will by Christmas decorating, Lizzie by anything-and-everything, ...

I'm out of patience with Lizzie- all that sighing and wasting away- she's not in a badly written Victorian novel.

The BL Christmas tree decorating story line is ridiculous. BL will have oodles of far more qualified office staff (probably of the female variety) who are the obvious choices.

As for Tom and the trees? He didn't agree a delivery date ? Really??? Or for that matter a forester to supervise the planting? Or equipment for the planting?

Completion on the house sale by Christmas means Friday 21st. Most solicitors will be closed on the 24th (up here in Northern Britain many won't be open/ skeleton staff only until 3 January)

Found you! Place marking, need to catch up...

Lily was going to ask Elizabeth for some money at the beginning of her visit, was that needed to pay for the rent on her and Russ's flat do we know? I'm glad Lily's staying longer at LL but surprised she didn't want to go back just for a couple of days, not the worth the hassle perhaps?

I’m giving Geraldine’s replacement a week tops.

Russ will be there soon and before long he will be off the scene. His sole purpose was as a plot device to give Freddie a hold over Lily so she would keep quiet about his drug dealing. Without him Freddie’s dealing would have been nipped in the bud, LL would still have it’s alcohol licence, Geraldine would still be manager and Elizabeth would not be having a nervous breakdown. He can now be dispensed with - plot over character never ends well.

I think Lily’s relationship with Russ is in character - part of the pseudo-grown up thing - as is the way she won’t back down on it now, but I do hope he becomes unattractive enough over Christmas for her to see sense.

Lily arrived back in Ambridge on Friday 16th November, alerted by a message from Johnny about Lizzie's health. That was nearly three weeks ago. A quick google tells me that flu should only last for one to two weeks so Lizzie is well beyond flu now. It's time that someone, who isn't a teenager who thinks that Lizzie is an unstoppable super-mum, called the doctor again.
I have a horrible feeling that they are going to dead her, perhaps on the anniversary of Nigel's death. Or, alternatively, there is some foreshadowing about the twins' birthday (next Wednesday). argh. How do you get to Freddie's prison, do you go past Trowell Services?

Inkysplatter I agree about Helen but feel that she won't be going on her own, I have a sneaky suspicion that maybe Lee the karate teacher will be free!

Oh and who was it said how hard could it be to buy cows in France at the moment? les jaunesgilets are making things very difficult.

I was thinking Helen might have a last minute panic due to her loss of self confidence and not feel able to go to France alone, but yes! Lee may well step into the breach and onto the Eurotunnel!

Russ will be there soon and before long he will be off the scene. His sole purpose was as a plot device to give Freddie a hold over Lily so she would keep quiet about his drug dealing. Without him Freddie’s dealing would have been nipped in the bud

I really dislike Lily. She is a silly, spoilt little girl. She could easily have told Lizzie about the drugs. What would/could Lizzie have done re Russ? Exactly what she did do when she was finally told- nothing.

Although I don't think the dealing would have been nipped in the bud. Freddie would just have tried, and failed, to be more careful.

Are we supposed to assume the scales have already fallen from Lily's eyes re Russ but she's too vain to admit to Lizzie and Phoebe that she has made a mistake? There was an enormous elephant in the room during Lily and Phoebe 's shopping trip - namely where is Russ spending Christmas? It is implausible they wouldn't have discussed that.

where is Russ spending Christmas?
Didn't he go from the marital home to his parents' place. So he has that available to him.

InkySplatter
Would Russ dare come to LL? What are his Christmas plans?

I'm sure he will. He has nowhere else to go and presumably no money. He hasn't got a job and he doesn't strike me as someone who would have savings.

where is Russ spending Christmas?
Didn't he go from the marital home to his parents' place. So he has that available to him

But didn't his parents take Lara's side and were horrible to him?

When they split didn't Russ say his wife has stopped their account so he could'nt get any money out or something? It may be released for him now. He could afford to buy pasta

We''ll have to see what the SW's decide to do with Helen howdyho

Listening to last night's now. Harrison makes me yawn.

Titchener would encounter the same problems as Matt were he to attempt a return, would he not - both are persons of interest to the police.

I don't think Lily is spoilt and silly, but she is covering up her mistakes with all this coping and rescuing. She's out of her depth with Russ, her university experience is shite, she knows she's made a stupid error but doesn't know how to get out of it (guilt at breaking up a marriage then dumping the bloke, pride preventing her from admitting her mistake and moving on) so she's hiding at LL where she is at least useful to her family. I think a deferred year would be good for her capacity to make a fresh start, and for the plot! - she'd be in situ when Freddie is sprung from chokey and there could be an interesting interlude where the twins battle it out.

It's intriguing the way in which each twin has failed to make a successful transition to independent adulthood and leave the home. Freddie scuppered his travelling plans with idiot criminality (the bad boy, breaking his mother's heart). Lily's little lapse from grace is unknown to most isn't it? so she manages to appear the good supportive daughter, returning to bail out her mother and 'selflessly' putting her own plans aside.

God! adolescents are exhausting (heartfelt wail from current lived experience).

Yes I agree about Lily and adolescents Cromer There aren't many who make a smooth transition into adulthood. You have my sympathy But we're lucky in England because education can be resumed later. In Germany (when our ds was flunking formal education) a friend said that you get one chance at the BACC and that's it.

I remember wondering how long Lizzie's " wonder twins" would remain problem free

Lily's silly playing housey with Russ is going to land her mother with the bill for the rent on the expensive flat.

I find Lily insufferable. I think I dislike her even more than Pip. She is vain, silly, snobbish and selfish.

Yes I agree about Lily and adolescents Cromer There aren't many who make a smooth transition into adulthood

Really? I would say the vast majority manage just fine - unlike this pair of spoilt brats.

Oh I love Lily! I think she is responsible, loving to her mum, hard working, conscientious, straightforward, loyal, and mature. I'd be really proud of her if I was her mum.

(Now someone's going to tell me that back in the day Lily was a gunslinging terror at Ambridge Junior School)

It's going to take a lot of inner strength for Lily to dump her father-figure boyfriend, when she admits to herself her mistake.

And yes, Team Lily here too!

But she will admit her mistake, or make the best of it - she's not a whiner or victim.

Lily's strength is her weakness. She's a perfectionist, with all the troubles that it brings on herself and other people. It's easy being a perfectionist at school (brains+hard work= A Grades) but the transition to (messy, not so ordered) adult life can be difficult.