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 ...

[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 Hannah 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 @SurpriseSparDay for the title. I haven't heard 12/12 yet so must catch up now, seeking relief from the outside world.

Does anyone know when Jim’s ghost stories are being broadcast (yes, I am too lazy to google, but thought that maybe someone would already know).

In Australia, we have the hard rubbish collection where twice a year you can put out stuff, e.g. mattresses, fridges, etc. phone the council and they'll take it away. Once it's the nature strip it belongs to the council. No-one takes a blind bit of notice and people can be seen slowing down to have a dekko at possibly useful stuff. At this time of year when people with more more than sense are upgrading their outdoor settings, you can pick up some good garden furniture, or things that will at least last a few years. I've furnished four seating areas in my garden entirely from nature strips.

I think the ghost stories will be aired on new years eve

I haven't heard them advertising Jim's ghost stories yet, so it must be around the New Year, as Stripey says. They've been advertising something that's on Christmas Day (a Neil Gaimon story, or was it Philip Pullman?).

I've enjoyed a bit of skip diving over the years when I lived in London, but around here, skips tend to just be full of builder's rubble. We have benefited from people putting bits of furniture in their front gardens, or on their drives though. We got a nice pine corner wall unit, that's now in our kitchen (we left the matching bathroom cabinet that was also there), and DH got a leather reclining chair (that one did have a For Sale sign on it, but they only wanted a fiver for it, so it was almost free).

Right, I’ve given up on Philip’s imminent demise - now Josh and the police are providing alternative entertainment.

However, all that My Dream House furniture still in store does rather suggest that Ed n Emma will eventually buy a house together ...

(Delurking)

The legality of the skip diving is irrelevant because they’re Grundys and don’t care about such things. And the fact that Emma was so happy to dive in too shows that she is at heart a Grundy. I predict reconciliation by New Year.

I think the illegality of the skip dive is the fact that the Gills could come home, find stuff they want is missing and then pursue the Grundies for them ( having spotted Emma wearing the shoes). Then the Grundies have to go around trying to reclaim them.

That is the storyline that I hope doesn't happen!

I leave things out in the street. Usually they are decent stuff that someone can just carry away. They usually disappear in less than two hours.

The stuff in the skip is the Gills' property. If the Gills leave things lying around their garden that doesn't mean they no longer want to own them. I can't see in law that the skip has magical transformative powers any more than if the items were left on the ground or in an outhouse.

The skip is just a convenient collection point for the contractors who will be removing the goods. The only people with permission to remove the goods are the skip hire company or the Gills who can change their mind about getting rid of the goods.

Someone mentioned a scenario that the goods belong to the skip hire company. I doubt that unless it was something like lead , copper or other recyclable material where the company had bought the materials.

I'm greatly enjoying the Josh as a criminal storyline !

Chemenger
Does anyone know when Jim’s ghost stories are being broadcast (yes, I am too lazy to google, but thought that maybe someone would already know).

Yup. 6.15pm, on 30th December (The Room in theTower), 31st December (Lost Hearts) and 1stJanuary (The Monkey's Paw).

Thanks!!

Harrison is totally a bit thick, but I've never had him down as particularly stalky or creepy.

I think when he first got together with Fallon there was some sort of slight abuse of his position wasn’t there? I think he arrested her for something (was she drunk and disorderly at a hen do?), or got her phone number via policey type means, i can’t remember properly. ANYWAY we were all clearly supposed to think it was cute and romantic and all that.

Oh, yes, and refusing to take no for an answer when she said she didn't want to go out with him, and kissing her against her will on a public stage (I forget why they were both there, but he took advantage) and arresting her and putting her in a cell then letting her out and cautioning her -- which is something the arresting officer doesn't do in any case, and certainly shouldn't if the person arrested is a personal friend. He stalked her and it made her thoroughly uncomfortable. I absolutely hated it when she then caved in to his importunity and TA gave the message to women that behaving badly in the way he did was the way to woo a woman you fancied and they ought to go along with it. Yuck.

And the fact that Emma was so happy to dive in too shows that she is at heart a Grundy. I predict reconciliation by New Year.

Only problem is that it was Ed who dumped Emma, not the other way round.

Asking I do agree although I'd say it's more concerning that the message would be picked up by men 'this is an example of romantic behaviour.' 'No means you just haven't convinced her yet.' 'The Archers guide to wooing. As well as tour point about it telling women to tolerate creeps.

So Josh is just as quick as his sister to be duplicitous.

What a nasty, selfish piece of work he is.

Please don't let Rex be so stupid as to back date an invoice.

Why are the scriptwriters so obtuse? Why don’t they give anyone a normal way of behaving? When someone honest is implicated in a crime their normal reaction is to tell the truth as completely as they can to reduce their involvement. Josh knows who he loaned the digger to, the paperwork is irrelevant unless he is actually somehow involved in the crime. A normal person would tell Rex who it was and and Rex would tell the police. A normal person would then return the calls he has had from the police and explain. A normal person wouldn’t get deliberately get himself and his friend deeper in trouble. Why do the SW’s insist on introducing ludicrously convoluted storylines that don’t stand up to any scrutiny? We’ve had “foolish young man led astray, ends up in prison” already.

The story doesn't stack up at all. As far as I can see you don't need a licence to operate a minidigger so if Josh's company decides to loan a digger to Josh's mate at a reduced rate then I can't see what the problem is (TA has form for this: they seem to think that every small-time business has to operate to Government-level code of ethics/disinteredness. They don't; if they want to do mates-rates there is no problem). Why do they need to fabricate an invoice? Is there some other H&S rule that has been contravened?
Also, why did Josh 'Scrooge' Archer lend at mates-rates to someone he hardly knew. He barely does that for his employee so why would he do it for some random?
Also, Josh seemed remarkably calm about the machine being potentially trashed.
It's another QBL.

The signal died before Josh gave Rex the password so hopefully he won't (can't) do any stupid forged invoice.

Did anyone hear Farming Today? Sarah Swadling was on it.

I was shouting at the radio during that conversation. Very frustrating, as it's totally unbelievable, and signposts the obvious "drama" that will ensue.

I can’t even think of anything for the intern to say about this, it’s so stupid. There is a better “every day country folk” story here- theft of farm equipment is a real problem. So the digger could have been stolen and Josh implicated then cleared of involvement when he got back in touch. But no, we have to have a dodgy friend nonsense story instead.

josh must have had a big favour from him to return a dodgy favour like that. wonder what it is...

What sort of cookies and coffee are the SW's getting at their planning meetings?

Peacocks looking for mates in the middle of winter!

Nobody thinking it a little odd that the Grundy tombola shifts from offering the chance to win assorted tat to knock-off designer gear.

Josh being uncontactable. Don't people use messaging in Ambridge.

As for the "do an invoice" farce, Josh simply needed to drop his mate in it. I thought Josh had "promoted" Rex a couple of weeks ago, so he must have noticed a machine wasn't there/done a bit of paperwork (since Josh was expecting to be away fo almost a 1/12 of the year).

And quite how a village like Darrington has a functioning cash point machine.

As an aside, anything I have heard Sarah Swadling cover on Farming Today tends to feature in Ambridge sooner or later. Not sure I want to listen to today's....