Archers thread #112: Quelle beau de lollox! And yet we stick with it. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

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 Alf to stay around, 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 @DoctorTwo for the thread title! I was strongly tempted by R4's suggestion of Wildlife on Four: Jonneh is wild at Lily, Phoebe rewilds by Occam, Joy is in the wilderness and David is bewildered by a marriage proposal.

So we did make it past Joe's funeral at last. Are we heading for a Christmas octogenarian wedding now?

[BertrandRussell]

I use a food processor for things like pâté sucrè - but a knife for ordinary shortcrust. Don’t know why- that’s how I get the best results.

[inkysplatter]

My mum went to Leiths and was taught by Prue herself. She's never used a food processor for pastry, neither have I, but I was taught by her.

I always made pesto in my pestle and mortar until I had kids and realised how much quicker it is in the fp.

Belated and surprising boop for Kenton. David shouldn't be anywhere near the hospitality industry. Ben's about the only one of the Brookfield lot who wouldn't be awful at it. They're grouchy, unpleasant and entirely incapable of putting on a smile and managing issues in a comforting manner.

Going to miss this thread title but loved the earlier suggestion. Don't believe Lynda wouldn't have given Robert a cuddle for a moment. Whilst scaredy cat Robert is annoying, I'm glad it's a man who's been given the enfeebled position.

Whilst I'm on a rant, why don't they know the sex of the dummy? Does it have hips or not? It can't be that tricky, especially if it's old.

[5000MincePiesofJillArcher]

All this baking talk has prodded me into a seasonal name-change

I have to say that although I have a food processor (and a Kenwood Chef, for that matter) I very rarely make pastry other than the traditional way....partly because I like doing it but mostly, I suspect, because it’s less washing-up to do that way: just my hands and the bowl to clean rather than food processor bowl, blade, middle twirly bit, lid, and then the getting it all out of the cupboard, assembling and then dis-assembling

[CaptainMyCaptain]

The Kitchen Aid isn't fiddly, though, just the bowl and the beater.

[MollyButton]

Well did anyone else get concerned about how much time Russ is spending rooting around in the Attic - in case he finds an interesting/valuable painting. There was a number of them stored up there when Freddie showed Leonard around.

[5000MincePiesofJillArcher]

I wouldn’t make pastry in a Kitchen Aid, though, Captain (apart from the fact that I don’t have one). It seems....wrong, somehow. But I’m an old gimmer, so to me pastry is something you make soothingly and mindfully by hand.

[SilvoTarnishGuard]

I don't post often but enjoyed that episode. David's such a pain. Elizabeth is annoying but was offering good advice. I suppose it's a sibling-y hair-triggery thing, he can't hear what she's saying because he's too quickly bridling.

And I was also relieved about Justin supporting Neil. I was surprised how glad I was. Foolish? Probably. I suppose he can't have got to where he is without being canny about human nature and can see she's stitching Neil up. If Hannah was in a position of power, he'd happily go along with the stitching up, I expect. I don't think he's being nice, just pragmatic.

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

It was great to hear Justin put Hannah in her place. I do wish he’d explicitly threatened to fire her if she’d kept it up though.

Elizabeth did give David good advice, and he’d be mad not to listen to her, except for one thing- I don’t think barn weddings are quite as fast as she suggested, and not really comparable to hot air balloon or underwater ones. When we were researching our wedding venue in 2014 there were loads of barn venues about and they tend to be big spaces that you can customise however you like- the basic idea of having your wedding in a large, reasonably-priced, easy-to-customise venue is not going to change, just as the idea of having it in a stately home/country house hotel is a standard option that will not date.

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

Fast= faddy

[NewName73]

I make very good pastry in my Magimix.

For mince pies, I always add some ground almonds.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

Electric mixer for cakes, and anything requiring beating, yes, but I really can't see that pastry for 24 pies is hard work. Rub fat into flour, then mix in cold water with a knife, done in minutes - in less time than it takes to dig out the electric beater and fix the beaters to it.

Should we be thinking about new titles? Only 38 posts to go.

[LillianGish]

Well did anyone else get concerned about how much time Russ is spending rooting around in the Attic - in case he finds an interesting/valuable painting An excellent point that had not occurred to me, but might go someway to explaining the point of this otherwise torturous storyline. I can think of no other reason why an old bloke reading spooky stories in the spooky attic (one who already happens to be rather good at it and in a space that is already very atmospheric) would need so much intervention from so many other people.

[StVincent]

I had no idea she was a gadget demonstrator. Now that would have made a hilarious soundscape, just loads of engine noise.

[SurpriseSparDay]

Right.

I did warn you all about Joy.

See now?

Although ...

[LillianGish]

And now there is going to be a huge misunderstanding no doubt involving more interrupting and talking over one another - sigh. I still don’t feel it has been fully explained why Joy moved to Ambridge and where she got the cash. The implication was she’d up-sized from Shieldfield so she must have had some spare cash sloshing around from somewhere.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

33 messages left on this thread. Titles?

[HatingTheBigShow]

Tony, you absolute arse.

[StVincent]

Tony you lying dog!!! Urgh

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Ooh, new thread needed? Spar suggested a cracking title. I'm up and watching the results programme, so could do it now - too soon?

[SurpriseSparDay]

Hello - little light relief from the devastation! I’d be replacing ‘Leonard and Jill’ with ‘Tony and Joy’ if I could go back in time a day or two ...

But the Tories will be shutting down the BBC - so we’ll have to crowd fund TA ...

[R4]

Archers thread 113: featuring the ghost of Christmas Past (Joe), Present (Jim) and Yet To Come (the precocious Rosie Ruth). God bless us every one.

[StVincent]

Surely Rosie Ruth Grace. (Is that the right order?)

“Joy to the World (of Beechwood)! Discuss the Archers in our pop up shabby chic medieval barn.“

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

I'll knock something up now. Good to have a distraction.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

thread #113: Who’ll find some Magic Time this Christmas in Ambridge? Share the glad tidings (and bad writing) in The Archers! Election-free zone so far ...

[MereDintofPandiculation]

That link didn't work for me - hopefully this will: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3767506-Archers-thread-113-Who-ll-find-some-Magic-Time-this-Christmas-in-Ambridge-Share-the-glad-tidings-and-bad-writing-in-The-Archers-Election-free-zone-so-far