😱 Archers thread #130: The Fall of the House of Aldridge. 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 look forward to Shula's first sermon, or other unusual things.

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/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-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.)

I went for the obvious thread title this time. Poor Ruairi! We've had a good go on the last thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/a4289334--Archers-thread-129-Casey-Macy-Lily-Alice-Decent-types-or-full-of-malice-Discuss-The-Archers-here?msgid=109858475#109858475 at trying to work out where he's going and what he might be studying, as the SWs have not seen fit to tell us.

Whither now for Alice? Will Jennifer talk to Peggy soon? Good hint from Lilian the other day that at Peggy's age it's not wise to leave feuds bubbling on.

It's been a long time since we last heard from a certain Archer whose name I am not going to mention in case it acts as a summoning charm. Long may she remain unheard in the dairy or out in the fields, or better still somewhere near a sinkhole. That was a storyline that looked promising years ago and wasn't exploited as it could have been. Pah.

Over to you!

We've had lots of rain and some sun. My garden has turned into a jungle, with bindweed galloping all over the place. Seems quite feasible that Shula's has gone mad in a week.

Mine has become a jungle after all the rain.

Mine has, to be honest, been a jungle all summer. It’s pretty much a rewilding project.

Mine is genuinely a rewilding project: we rolled up the lawn and got rid of it, because it was horrible manky grass full of weeds anyway, and replanted with a meadow grass and flowers mixture (six grasses and nineteen flowers) several years ago. Different things come up predominantly each year, and it's a source of never-ending amusement. Also himself has learned to use a scythe, and scythes it twice a year, in spring and autumn, which is good for him and doesn't pollute the area with noise and fumes.

The bees love us, and I think we have field-mice; we saw one very briefly the other day. I'm hoping for slow-worms...

OMG I was wishing for a scythe just the other day. Is it very dangerous and can you actually by them?

And interesting lawn use is there info on how to do this. I am renting u to don't think the landlord would mind very much . The lawn part is scrappy

Meadow plants need poor soil, so taking the lawn up completely is a good plan; the richness of the grass needs to be taken away. Then you level the ground and rake it to get rid of any massive stones, and throw the seed in a random way (we had a friend who had a seed-distributor thingy so that wasn't too difficult) and wait to see what happens.

I got my seed from these people: www.naturescape.co.uk/

You choose which mix to go for depending on the soil you have and what you want. I can't remember which I ended up with. Possibly N14 plus a few extra flowers caused by going around in the area collecting the seed from wild flowers that are happy with the soil round here... I know we had cowslips last year, but those were Official in the seed mix.

You can do it by simply stopping mowing and letting things happen, but that tends to take a lot longer and get more dandelions and couch-grass than you particularly want. There are lots and lots of websites about it now; back when we did it there were very few, because people mostly hadn't noticed about bees dying, in those days, and not everyone hated lawnmowers with the true detestation I have for them!

Anyone can buy a scythe, but it is a good idea to go on a scything course for a day and learn how it is done and what sort suits you, first. Again, there are a fair few on the net once you start looking for them. As far as I can make out you need to be pretty clumsy and careless to hurt yourself; they're sharp, but you don't swing them at your own ankles!

If only any of this information had been provided in TA!

I was wishing for a scythe just the other day
'THERE'S A LOT OF IT ABOUT.'

I thought I'd clicked on a different thread for a minute, but wildlife gardening is an interest of mine, so happily reading the advice above

@KimikosNightmare

I imagine at the time of the sale Usha was doing a bit of everything, criminal, family, property, and in theory (real life) would have started to specialise once she became part of a larger outfit

That scenario in the mid late 90s is highly implausible.

Not implausible, and not common, but certainly still a thing through the 90's. I worked in the legal sector during that decade and was aware of enough of those sole practitioner/jack of all trades set ups to know they were to be avoided - either as an employer or as a provider of anything but the most basic if advice.

@WorriedWishingWell

I thought I'd clicked on a different thread for a minute, but wildlife gardening is an interest of mine, so happily reading the advice above

This normsl. You never know what will be discussed next on this thread...

I've used a scythe and there's a knack to it

@theThreeofWeevils

I was wishing for a scythe just the other day 'THERE'S A LOT OF IT ABOUT.'

You are Death and I claim my £5.

Indeed, Asking

Shula: 'I've already found a buyer for Banjo!' (Let's face it, Binky isn't getting any younger.)

@theThreeofWeevils

Indeed, Asking

Shula: 'I've already found a buyer for Banjo!' (Let's face it, Binky isn't getting any younger.)

But on the other hand he’s probably not getting older either.

Mind if I come in? I hadn’t realised there’s an Archers here! I’ve been listening since about 2009, so a relative newbie

*Archers THREAD, that should read.

Welcome, BrightYellowDaffodil!

So ... Who d’you hate, then? (In Ambridge, not on the thread.)

Thanks for the wild flower link Asking. I am fairly hopeless at growing a lawn but do seem to cultivate no end of wild flowers and moss.

I wonder where Lillian is off to on holiday? Didn't she used to live in Guernsey?

I looked at my lawn mix the other day and realised my lawn hasn’t been relaid at any stage - it still has the local mix of pasture grasses x-Yorkshire fog and cocksfoot don’t feature in any lawn mix. We also have meadow foxtail, bent, crested dogs tail, false oat.

I too have a scythe, and know how to use it.

You’re much more likely to cut off toes with a mower.

@Edmontine

Welcome, BrightYellowDaffodil!

So ... Who d’you hate, then? (In Ambridge, not on the thread.)

This is a loaded question if ever I saw one.

Don't say Brian or we will never be friends.

So ... Who d’you hate, then? (In Ambridge, not on the thread.)
Unfair question! The poor girl will be here all afternoon.
She will be able to give a much shorter answer to "who, if anybody, d'you like?"

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime excellent- I have two 'lawns' that are never going to produce decent grass and no small kids to think about I think I'll make a start on one. Thank you

Lilian did indeed live on Guernsey for a decade or two.

But she has no idea where she is going either; as usual in Ambridge, a man has planned a holiday for himself and a woman without giving her any idea what she needs to pack. They are all completely mad.

It's surprising and disappointing that more of them don't get the Helen Titchenor Perforation Treatment™, really. Starting with Justin Idiot.