Thread #106: Jim’s in a jam, Peggy’s made a pickle and Lexi is blooming - sounds like the entries are lining up for this year’s flower and produce show, but who will be on the organising committee?

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads and @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to LillianGish for the title of this thread.

Holding episode tonight, I thought - not much progress on any current storyline. I was a touch surprised Natasha wasn't offended by the postnup idea but I suspect she's biding her time.

And what’s going on at Lower Loxley? We haven’t heard from them for ages!

Yes, given that when we last heard from LL Kenton had major doubts about its financial viability it's mad that that's been left up in the air. It wouldn't hurt to drop something into the general conversation about what is happening in relation to the licence, at the very least.

When someone on here mentioned Russ recently I couldn’t immediately place him. The business must be about to fold with Kenton busy at The Bull and still no licence.

@Isatis

I am on holiday without a radio, an iffy phone signal and snail-spread Wi-fi (not my choice of holiday rental) so am relying on this for my Archers updates for most of the month.

The scriptwriters seem to have tied all
manner of Gordian knots, but l am past caring what happens to much of the storyline.

Did Phoebe ever get her degree results?

Has anybody tried Helen's cheese yet?

Re Helen's cheese, a while ago, they asked Clarrie and Susan to try it. Clarrie doesn't like blue cheese, but made out she thought it was nice, as did Susan, but it came across that being working class, it was too sophisticated for them. I think Clarrie said she liked a nice mild cheddar.

The SW showing their classism again.

Oh, and we haven't heard anything about Phoebe's results yet.

“Has anybody tried Helen's cheese yet?”

Clarrie and Susan have - but they were too common to like it.

Did Phoebe ever get her degree results?

Oh, but this could be superb! Imagine Phoebe, at 92 years old, the wandering Miss Havisham of Ambridge, answering any salutation with “I went to Oxford you know. I’m waiting for my results”.

C8H10N4O2
Did Usha convert?
She doesn't need to. They shared a religious Christian marriage. If they divorced neither could be remarried in church.

They also shared a religious Hindu marriage, which might possibly be a little unusual. I'm fairly sure that going through the religious rites of a different religion is frowned on for a Church of England vicar. St Paul says that a Christian ought to be happy to be married to a non-Christian so he or she can convert said spouse, but nothing about letting spouse convert them.

LauderSyme
The SWs should read this
I suspect they do, or at least someone on the production team does.

They had their own group, devoted to discussing The Archers, on the BBC message boards. So they closed it. Maybe they are regretting that now.

Also, using the SW favourite trope of someone talking over the other person, so what the other person was going to say, doesn't get said. I'm sick of it.
It is especially ironic at the moment when everyone is desperate for Jim to open up (bet Jim would hate that phrase) but, apart from that, it's the usual everyone talking over each other /at cross purposes. Except for Clarrie giving Willyum what for.

Clarrie was awesome. I do feel that the Nic dying storyline is just too desperately sad though- as was Nigel’s death. I really don’t enjoy storylines with children losing their parents.

A new keyboard? Rather an insensitive gift, I would think.

And I'm tired of Jim's offspring badgering him.

I thought it was an odd present too, because, Jim will still associate keyboards with Harold playing Jim's one. Or I would have thought he would.

Oh, and Fiona asking if their mum knew, while they're having a nice day out. That was not the time or place to bring it up. What was she thinking? Idiot!

What clodhoppers both Alistair and Fiona are. Alistair with his coaxing of Jim. Just shut up and let talk .Or not talk. Agree Fiona is insensitive They're both playing amateur counsellors. The impertinence of assessing Jim as somehow not making progress!! As I've previously posted, is this SWs showing how not to support in such situation, badgering, "days out".

Please let there be a point when Jim tells them to shove their advice, or the keyboard, where the sun doesn't shine.

Actually I think A and F are behaving very realistically. They are shocked and sad and floundering about and trying to do the right thing. And getting it wrong. I reckon very few of us would do any better.. .

I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t manage any better if it was my dad.

I would be completely at sea. They’re not doing so badly.

I wish they'd stop treating Jim like he was a delicate invalid. In his shoes I'd absolutely hate it.

I remember when my mum, who has been a force of nature until she was nearly 90 suddenly turned frail. No deep dark secret- just age. But my brothers and I found it Incredibly difficult. And she got
very cross, and told us to stop babying her. We just didn’t know how to do the transition. And neither do A and F. Cut them down slack!

Re Usha Alan marriage

Yes they had ceremonies in both faiths and that is exactly what I've seen other mixed faith couples do. I'm not aware of there being a prohibition on teh CoE participating - I've seen vicars participate in multifaith religious rites.

St Paul says that a Christian ought to be happy to be married to a non-Christian so he or she can convert said spouse, but nothing about letting spouse convert them

When has Usha tried to convert Alan?

Usha did nothing religious to alienate Shula, she just offended Shula's entitlement to possession of Alan.

Actually I think A and F are behaving very realistically

Yes I agree. I think most people would flounder a bit trying to deal with this and feeling they couldn't discuss further. Its hard enough dealing with a sudden change in someone like this when you can discuss it with professional help.

Please let there be a point when Jim tells them to shove their advice, or the keyboard, where the sun doesn't shine.

The trouble with this is that it would be seen as further proof that Jim needs help. Once one is seen as mentally unwell, normalish things like getting frustrated and venting are seen as symptoms

Actually I think A and F are behaving very realistically
I have changed my mind, yes they are. But excrutiating listening, nevertheless.