😱 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!

@theThreeofWeevils

So he probably would do all right Up until they actually met him

Roy is an AAM - an Attractive for Ambridge Man. I realise that with men like Kenton and Russ the bar is low.

writing to the Borsetshire Water Company to say they need to put something in the water
Cue complaints from fish when they find a dead Kirsty in the Am (if only)/

I listened tonight while trying to cook dinner, and shut my ears as soon as I heard a Lily and Russ love-in - but I'm SO CONFUSED. Why was Russ being nice? Why has Lily decided she's desparately in lurve after almost making her escape? Why is Roy so tired? (I refuse to believe it's because he's Ambridge's #1 Tinder stud).

My brain hurts, I'm begging the producers to please bring gentle produce show related comedy or llama-related drama to soothe.

Why has Lily decided she's desparately in lurve after almost making her escape?

Because of the portrait of her that CMR painted.

Unable to sleep, I find myself pondering on Fallon's announcement (a few weeks ago) that she doesn't want children. I imagine Harrison will find this a cause of heartache in years to come.

Tracy has access to lots of excellent local produce. She's bright and a quick learner. I hope she produces an excellent meal. Doesn't Elizabeth usually get her meals sent over from the Orangery? Very much hope Russ isn't looking for a new teenager, but unfortunately it has some plausibility.

Lily is feeling guilty and desperate to make up to Russ for the infidelity he doesn't know about. Her bar is scarcely off the floor.

Tracy’s teenager doesn’t come with a stately home attached, though ...

Lily is feeling guilty and desperate to make up to Russ for the infidelity he doesn't know about.

Oh,how could I have forgotten about Ollie already? (It was Ollie, wasn't it?)

Having watched a good deal of Fake or Fortune?, Flog It!, Antiques Roadshow, Repair Shop etc etc I wouldn't put it past the TA team to have Russ admire a painting hanging on Tracy's wall which she bought from a car boot sale for 20p, but which he thinks might be a lost Vermeer. Should such an improbable SL actually happen, I would of course want Tracy to be the lucky beneficiary, not Russ.

I'm in two minds about Russ. OTOH, I want Lily to ditch him and get on with her own life. OTOH, he's a wonderfully awful character and very well acted.

@EBearhug

Lily is feeling guilty and desperate to make up to Russ for the infidelity he doesn't know about.

Oh,how could I have forgotten about Ollie already? (It was Ollie, wasn't it?)

Sol.

I’m moved to wonder exactly what point the creative team wish to make ... At a moment when virtually every teenager in the country is striving towards either a degree or an apprenticeship - the two most privileged offspring in Wider Ambridge are both at home doing relatively unchallenging MW jobs - with no thoughts about anything more. I know neither of their parents was / is a great intellectual, but Elizabeth isn’t so isolated that she won’t see her friends’ children making academic strides.

What must she feel? And why have the SWs so arranged things? Are Pargetters too grand to need mere qualifications?

And Russ / prison are simply not good enough reasons. They’re incidental. Why hasn’t Elizabeth pushed either of her children into some formal study / apprenticeship? Not even something that would help them manage LL.

Elizabeth herself is as near to unqualified as makes no odds; five O-levels or so, and I think she eventually managed to get an A-level, before going into tele-sales, playing at being a journalist for a year or so, and then marrying a man who had a job for her running his house for him. She probably sees no need for Lily to bother with that education stuff when she herself did all right without it. And she decided when Freddie was about twelve that he was useless at school, and has never altered her opinion of him, so she wouldn't think of him being able to achieve anything in the way of formal study.

And consequently every Tom Dick and Harry will be able to run rings around him when he comes into his inheritance. She is completely failing to prepare him for taking on the responsibility for LL.

And Lily ... Not exactly swept off her feet by a passing Duke. Elizabeth is having to house, employ and feed the vampire Artist. How can she let Lily waste her brain like this?

She's young. She can still go to university.
Given that every Tom, Dick and Harry go to yooni these days, will they necessarily run rings round Freddie?

Maybe Vince's mother said Widderbeth couldn't go to the wedding.

Elizabeth herself is as near to unqualified as makes no odds; five O-levels or so, and I think she eventually managed to get an A-level, before going into tele-sales, playing at being a journalist for a year or so, and then marrying a man who had a job for her running his house for him

All the more reason to make her push her children academically. Look at Tracey.

Elizabeth did a marketing course by correspondence, IIRC. She recognised that she needed some vocational training.

The SWs ought to push Freddie towards some sort of practical training in something relevant to LL, e.g. catering, viticulture, care of rare breeds, falconry, arboriculture, events management. I agree he's not well placed at the moment to take over management of the place. What does he know about bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, HR issues, budgeting, costing, etc?

I thought it was promising that Freddie mended a toilet shortly after episode reduction began. But they have made nothing of this.

Thought this thread might be of interest.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_tack_room/4326852-Contacting-your-farrier

@nettie434

Ooh I agree with ThreeofWeevils. Justin is revolting but then I never imagine Lilian being able to manage on her own without a man. It's like that quote - possibly by George Bernard Shaw about Sidney and Beatrice Webb - saying that it was just as well they married each other, otherwise it would make 4 people unhappy if they'd married someone else. Not having much luck finding the actual quotation.

Hello BrightYellowDaffodil!

OR was it about the Carlyles? Samuel Butler said it.

It was indeed Oneglassandpuzzled (good name). AskingQuestionsAllTheTime put me right charmingly. Hope I won't forget it again again as it is a very handy quote!

catering, viticulture, care of rare breeds, falconry, arboriculture, events management.

Lost myself for ten minutes or so recalling my own youth and realising (wryly) that even with his prison record Freddie is better placed to make progress in any area he chooses than I was.

Any one of the practitioners thus employed at LL could have offered Freddie (and his Ma) guidance on the best place to study / train - or, even, possibly, taken him on officially as an apprentice.

And I’m sure there must be a catering college in Borchester for whose students Grey Gable might offer work experience, or a period of training. The SWs aren’t even trying ...

Lily’s university saga all happened during the 97 Editors era didn’t it? Which may be why they sent her off to Manchester with a headshakeingly strange combination of A’ Levels, to do I know not what, when it’s perfectly clear she would have wanted to study History of Art. Which would also have been some use at LL. (Was it English, German and Biology? )

I am still struggling to understand why somebody living in a stately home would think that a night in a 4 star hotel (where her brother peels spuds and half the village work) would be a treat. I hope that they discover Kathy Perks under a pile of towels.

I am exceptionally excited about the forthcoming dinner party (will Chelsea and Tracey's Dad and brother be there too)?

Yes, surely part of the appeal is going away somewhere new, and not be given a duff room by your DM’s ex squeeze.

A meal out with Jazzer and Tracey would probably be a hoot, but maybe not in Casa Horrobim with Bert, Chelsea et al in attendance too.

The Cheesemaiden isn't there -- yet. I suspect that it may be soon! That would be a good way for BurningTheToast to be made welcome, I feel.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime - you're very kind.