Archers thread #115: Johnny's in the gym, Josh is in a jam, Rex is riled, Kate's with child - 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 to share a camomile tea with Kate, 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 excellent Bert Fry tribute title!

I don't think this thread will get us to Easter, but we should be well into Lent before we need a new title. I wonder if St Stephen's will have a new oh-so-interesting Lent initiative this year. When did we last hear from Alan?

I am hoping against hope that they do actually succeed in getting married and live together in great contentment for the rest of their days

You might be due for a disappointment on that front: the Red Kites - carrion feeders as much as birds of prey - will have been mentioned for a reason

I think that it is very rude to leave your post (which Lynda did) and pursue someone into their own place of work (which is not hers) in order to get them on their own (which was what she was doing).

Freddie not being prepared to be put by her through yet another unpleasant interrogation and blame-session was reasonable of him. Going by her previous behaviour, and by her tone of voice, he had no reason to think she was there to do anything other than to have another go at him.

If she wanted to apologise, she could and should have started with "Freddie, I'm sorry" instead of "Freddie! Can I have a word, do you think?" and later "Freddie!" in what was essentially an accusing voice even if she did not mean it to be. (Though why the blazes he was going into the kitchens through reception I can't imagine: we know there is a kitchen entrance because Ian used to sneak out through it to smoke, and if Freddie is avoiding Lynda you'd think he would use it rather than walking in past her.)

Sorry has to sound that way; she didn't.

I thought that was a bit of a character-transplant for Freddie. I get it that he may feel very frustrated about being accused of drug dealing, but he hasn't shown those levels of anger before and has been showing a degree of maturity in admitting to his own mistakes, e.g. re reading Shula's stuff. Whilst Lynda jumped to conclusions too quickly, it's not as if she made them up out of thin air - and Freddie does need to accept that the issue simply wouldn't arise but for his own original criminal behaviour.

I found it very strange to hear "Bye-bye, Love" playing as Kirsty and Phillip's discussed their week-end away and possible wedding venues, knowing that often SWs use background music as a portent.

I agree that Freddie was unprofessional; what he should have done was make a formal complaint regarding Lynda spreading malicious rumours about him. Then she may well have found she preferred a tongue lashing, rather than a disciplinary. She’s getting off very lightly imo.

I didn’t notice Bye-Bye Love, but just wanted to say that I once went to a wedding where the father of the bride sang that to his daughter. Quite odd.

apologies for 's on Phillip, bad proofing.

A reminder that Jeremy Howe will be on Feedback at 16.30 today talking about the Jim story.

Oh, sod it! What does any of it matter? It's not real.

Or is it.... ?

It's Friday afternoon, and I've just cracked open the first of a long weekend!

I really don't care anymore until Tuesday 😉

< skipping outside cackling maniacally to savour the first cigarette of the day >

A reminder that Jeremy Howe will be on Feedback at 16.30 today talking about the Jim story. What was it he said? Something about "story grows from the character"? It all made sense when we though they were trying to shoe-horn stories in anywhere and alter characters to fit, but if they are trying to maintain the character and make the story grow from the character, how do we explain the current storylines?

Admiring your style wherethecatgone.
Not at all bitter, not at all regretting agreeing to do 100 days no alcohol with a friend, day 60, sigh.

Bollocks it stems from the character. He SAID that they decided to do the historical sex abuse story first, and then decided which character to attach it to.

He wanted to have that one both ways, didn't he. It makes me lose respect for him if he can't even get his story straight.

Any ideas what kind of cake Tom might have been baking the other night, which would happily keep fresh till Tasha's birthday on Sunday? Wouldn't most types of sponge be distinctly jaded after a few days in the fridge? Unless it was soaked in syrup, I suppose? But Phil was the one for Lemon Drizzle, wasn't he?
(Questions, questions!)

A pound cake. They need time to mature, don't they? And he'd need to ice it, too.

Madeira cake keeps well,though is a bit boring unless Tom is going to ice it too. Maybe he is- fondant hearts, flowers and apple trees. Isn't it an anniversary cake? so could include some fondant piglets too for balance.

I was amused that the beeper told him it was done - no apparent judgement on his part, just out of the oven and tin in about 5 seconds.

Wasnt it a practice run? Although I often dont listen to Tom properly.

Is it a joint birthday and anniversary cake?

It won't matter, Tom will still be in the wrong and Nocasha will go off on one. Any excuse.

I recall Tash n Tom swearing "no more lies" to one another. (If your relationship involves doing that, you are in trouble, says BuckingFreud.). It may be a "white lie" but still - it speaks to the man's ABSOLUTE USELESSNESS

Lynda!

That sounded like a dedding!

Lynda? Gavin? Lynda and Gavin?

Oh, Lynda will be under the rubble won't she?!

I even listened live!

What WAS that racket, though? Did the entire battery of kitchen equipment self-destruct and explode all over Grey Gables? Or did the soil-pipe burst and flood under Gareth's tender ministrations?

And most importantly, what kind of cake did Tom bake for Natasha?