🐴 Archers thread 124: And they're off! Pip on a high horse, Kirsty champing at the bit to find the lost ‘horses’, Alice on the wagon (or is she riding for a fall?). 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 think Shula would make a brilliant vicar, 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/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, 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 @PoulePouletteEternellement for the equine theme to the new thread title. I wanted to work in Rex being a dark horse and lots of others too, but (you may feel fortunately) there's a character limit for the title.

I wonder if this thread will see us through to the end of February. The last one filled up in under a month, which was like old times. All depends on what delights are in store for us in the coming weeks, I suppose. I'm hoping that Gavin has spilled the beans on Victoria, she's also arrested, and the lads are found. Having said that, I'm not confident that in the real world they would get the support and care they need to turn their lives around and get proper jobs. It was good to hear on the last thread from @Trickyboy, who has professional experience of investigating this vile crime. Any comments on how things turn out in the long run for those rescued?

How do you feel about swapping out toad for "snivelling little shit"? Yep. As long as you make it clear that "snivelling little shits" and toads have absolutely nothing in common.

My favourite amphibian is the newt. Nope. We have too many newts smooth and palmate. They eat all the frogspawn - we have very few frogs now.

They're a protected species, aren't they? Frogs aren't. We have any number of frogs too, although a visiting heron enjoys taking a few for a snack from time to time.

Clearly too many mentions of Shula’s cream cardigans on here - check out my targeted ad!

I am now confused.

The artist had brought samples of his work from Stoke for Russ (and Elizabeth) to see. He left in a snit because Vince and Elizabeth sniggered at him, and them.

Why had he left his work behind when he was shaking the unhallowed dust of Lower Loxley from his feet?

I enjoyed Brian telling Pip how clever his granddaughter is. Pip’s nose is going to be even more out of joint now that Brian is overseeing Rewilding Ambridge.

@BeardieWeirdie

Clearly too many mentions of Shula’s cream cardigans on here - check out my targeted ad!

I got that one too.

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g and the inspiration for the title @PursuingProxemicExactitude .

Place marking until I've caught up with the listening. I couldn't resist finishing off the previous thread.

They're a protected species, aren't they Great crested newts have a high level of protection. Common and palmate newts are protected from being sold under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as are common frog and common toad.

I'm getting horse adverts....

I rather like Elizabeth and Vince together. Wedding bells?

They sound sweet - but I'd prefer if the SWs didn't go any further down the path of presenting Vince as a wide eyed innocent with no knowledge of anything even vaguely sophisticated. He's an apparently well off, middle aged Englishman who must spend a fair amount of time in smart company - not a child raised by wolves.

So pleased to have CMR back...but I can’t believe Lily is still with him! I know lockdown has its limitations but surely she could have started a recruitment drive and logged onto Tinder by now...even her mother has managed to find a new boyfriend!

I enjoyed the flirtation over the wine tasting and was hoping VC would be the one to call out CMR for loafing around LL, sponging off the Pargetters, but then he was actually quite nice to him - and even bought a knitted sparrowhawk!

CMR is so ghastly but always seems to comes up smelling of roses (apart from that time he was stung by a bee in an awkward spot...)

What's Lily supposed to be doing these days? Is she WFH or on furlough?

Lily works for a call centre so it’s presumably one of the easiest jobs to switch to home-working. That said, Ambridge seems to have forgotten all about Covid.

You are barking up the wrong tree.
This is more like it.
and this for going out.

Didn't Lily say recently that, while she was nominally WFH, there was very little work actually happening.

That was why she had time to be prodding Freddie about the Christmas show.

Now I am guaranteed a steady flow of pop up ads for cream cardigans.

I had a look on M&S for a frumpy one but sadly they only had nice ones.

I couldn't find a knitted sparrowhawk. Maybe someone could help me out.

Shula will visit Phil, and as I predicted, will realise that she is not Chaplin material.

Your Dad's made his peace with Rex, so why do you need to go round shouting the odds? But Pip’s relationship with Rex is entirely separate to the one he has with her father. Dave’s giving him the benefit of the doubt (surprisingly so Imo), but he’s still Pip’s business partner and Rosie’s uncle - I think she has reason to feel put out especially as the the rewinding partnership is already creaking at the seams.
Are we actually allowed to say ‘It doesn’t matter, it’s just a radio programme’ on the thread? - I’d just like to say in the kindest way possible that if you need to ask that question then this is possibly not the thread for you

No, no. She'll meet the Prison Chaplain - and realise her new purpose in life.

This would be an excellent outcome as there are no prisons in Ambridge.

Not in Ambridge, but there's an HMP Felpersham.

She could live in ...

Pip’s relationship with Rex is entirely separate to the one he has with her father. Dave’s giving him the benefit of the doubt (surprisingly so Imo), but he’s still Pip’s business partner and Rosie’s uncle - I think she has reason to feel put out especially as the the rewinding partnership is already creaking at the seams

I was also surprised at David's acknowledging fault on their side as well (both the slaves and the taking advantage). However Pip has shamelessly used Rex's tendre for him whenever it suited her for work, babysitting or someone to back her up in an argument. Rex's anger was in large part due to Pip lying to him (or at least misleading him) his sense of betrayal. I find her a whinging manipulator (and a snivelling little shit!)

I’m surprised the kitchen selling business is quiet in ambridge. Where i live everyone and their dog is doing their house up and local facebook groups are drowning in people offering old sinks/kitchen units free to collect. Every single street has at least two skips on it.

Agree that shula is going to get a talking to off the prison chaplain about jesus being for everyone, even super gross people who’ve done awful things.

Vince has probably clocked CMR as the sponging oxygen thief he is, he also has a young adult daughter so presumably will be pretty squicked out by how he and Lily got together. I think he will kill him with kindness though, he’s too clever to go straight into a willy waving contest with him when he’s clearly got his feet so far under the table.