The Archers - Freddie is getting OUT: will Russ hop it? Helen is falling DOWN: is Lee still in the frame? Tom is heading UP: will Natasha be the boost his sausage needs? (Thread no. 101

[DadDadDad]

We're still here and still discussing TA (The Archers). We welcome newcomers and old hands, so if you have a question or a point of view, please dive in. No spoilers - if you've seen info on future storylines, there's a separate Radio Addicts thread for that.

I loved all the name changes on the last thread. Don't forget to change back! (If you want to).

Who's going to get Russ out of LL? Freddie? Lily? Elizabeth? Or is it Freddie who will head off?

Doesn’t that make him a typical teenage boy?
Yes and no. Freddie's thrashing about felt/feels believable. Ben's sounds like the SW haven't decided yet which personality he's going to have.

But isn't it about self image for Ben? As for the majority of late teenagers?

His image of himself as a cool, kickass sextoy aligns with minor law breaking and atheism and sticking one to the man. And an opportunity to turn down his smug sister would be too good to miss.

Danascully and Mike Ref. deep breathing Yes I agree, dh has asthma (totally under control now) due to doing NOSE BREATHING which really works to calm people down too. It's the right way to breathe

So far Ben is sounding intriguingly austere (at least when he's not with Ruairi) and rather modishly rejecting of everything his parents' generation understand.

I loved his retort to Ruth about the Anti-Valentine's day party "It's 2019 - no one tries to impress girls any more."

Just to add to the christening debate - isn't it one of the rather nice things about the Church of England that they will baptise your child even if you are not completely devout. Pip herself is christened at St Stephens, used to play the organ there occasionally when grandfather Phil was indisposed, her Aunt is St Smugula, Peggy and Jill are pillars of the church etc etc. She's not exactly unconnected to the church - a large proportion of those present will be regulars and Smuggle herself is reading the sermon. Rosie may grow up to be a complete atheist or may in time join her family for services there - who knows? Good on Alan for not rejecting her before she's old enough to make up her own mind. Fair enough that Ben does not want to be a Godfather - I think Pip was just trying to be nice in asking him. More to the point who is Xanthe the other Godmother? Have I not been paying attention?

at auto-correct which renders Smugula as Smuggle.

I thought Ben's line to Pip about it just being for the Party or something was bang on and I loved that he stuck to his guns with Ruth. In fact I thought Ruth was awful.

We actually didn't go to DH's granddaughter's christening because we thought it was totally hypocritical as neither parent or any of the god parents believed in God and it was more about a "look at me" Party. I read the Catholic baptism service beforehand when trying to make a decision whether to go or not and it was all about the church getting a new recruit rather than anything about the child/person which we just couldn't condone. It was a difficult decision and it has caused a lot of trouble but I think we made the right decision.

I do wish a few Ambridge residents would consider putting pen to paper.

Rather nice Guardian article here about a Northumbrian farmer and the farming diary book she's written.

Have I missed the reason why Pip didn't ask Josh to be godfather?

We actually didn't go to DH's granddaughter's christening because we thought it was totally hypocritical as neither parent or any of the god parents believed in God and it was more about a "look at me"

That makes you sound awfully judgemental and unpleasant. I hope your step family has been more understanding towards you.

Ruth suggested Josh and I think Pip said something like ‘Really?!’ And that was the end of that!

When was the last time Pip made an important decision and stuck to it?

"I'm going to get a job off the farm -- oh, no, I shan't after all, they were Nasty to me."

"I'm going to abort this unwanted baby -- oh, no, the nurse says the pills might make me feel unwell for a couple of days."

"I'm not going to have the baby christened -- oh, no, her grandfather who has no particular interest in her says it has to be done."

Of all the wishy-washy people without a mind of her own....

Pip muttered something like "You know what Josh is like around Rosie" I think that he's a bit jealous of her (or Pip thinks he is) maybe asking him would be a kind gesture that Josh might take up. Pip should ask him anyway.

The real purpose of the christening of course is to get Robin Fairbrother back in Ambridge and also to enable a dramatic reveal on Rosie's middle name. In fact I find the idea that Jill doesn't yet know her great-granddaughter's name far more unlikely than the fact that someone like Pip might christen her baby. I think the whole is she/isn't she being hypocritical business has been drummed up to explain why it didn't happen routinely anyway (for cake baking opportunities if nothing else).

Lillian I was coming on here to ask who the second godmother is, I thought Pip said “Bunty” which sounded unlikely
Could Xanthe be one of her uni friends?

Yes, Lillian, total over-infestment on my part, but it just keeps niggling: Ruth, David and Jill see Pip daily, and they dote on Rosie, who is their first grandchild / great-grandchild, and yet none of them apparently has wondered whether Rosie has a middle name, because I don't think they would be shy about asking?!

But she does have a middle name- Ruth. They would not have expected her to have two!

Ah, OK, I'd completely forgotten about the other middle name - I've been fixated on Grace.

You are no doubt channelling Jill DDD.

I agree with Ben, and am loving his emergence from the cereal cupboard as a fully-formed atheist

Just found this. Be warned: pictures of actors, though they look OK to me.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2019/apr/01/archers-far-more-sexist-than-james-bond

My godmother had very little contact with me when I was growing up. The odd birthday card appeared until I hit my teens and then that stopped as well. She reappeared when I was pregnant (she'd been living abroad for a while and moved back to England), was a huge help when DD was born and now absolutely dotes on her.

Poor Alistair. Jakob seems hard work.

His image of himself as a cool, kickass sextoy aligns with minor law breaking and atheism and sticking one to the man. And an opportunity to turn down his smug sister would be too good to miss

I thought his atheism was serious.

MUM God you're so right about Jakob. Prickly or what? I'm guessing he'll be around for a while some can see hime develop. Or have a personality transplant.

And while I'm here, how does Freddie cop the blame for Elizabeth ditching her counselling session? She didn't tell him what she was cancelling.

Still, gives more room for inter-sibling angst.