🦈 Archers thread #137: See left - have they jumped it? Discuss The Caseys - sorry, 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 Steph Casey is a wonderful addition to the programme, or similar odd 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/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.)

Too dispirited to add much else. Have we reached a new low?

I suppose the Archer twins will be born before we need a new thread. 👶👶
Any thoughts on names? Patrick and Antonia were suggested before - inspired! Peggy has to be a strong contender.

Over to you!

Am we place bets on when gnasher will go into labour? Will she make Friday??

Am we place bets on when gnasher will go into labour? Will she make Friday??

Course not. Weds at the latest- prob lots of huffing and puffing and wailing tomorrow. Labour scenes are always so overblown and tedious in soaps.

Back to the pizza menu…Rhubarb pizza!?! Is Ian on drugs?? Or is that basically a fruit tart with a pizza, rather than a pastry, base? I’m not sure that’s going to cut it with the WI…

Babies, unless they are your own, are very boring.

Well I suppose rhubarb does get paired with mackerel so it can be savoury but rhubarb pizza sounds disgusting.

Tbh, I think making a song and dance about being given beautifully hand- knitted matinée jackets being blue and pink is worse than the giving of blue and pink matinée jackets.

The rhubarb and mackerel pizza does sound challenging. I can see it as a starter/amuse bouche, but not the full Monty pizza.

Tracy made me hark back to my dad. His only line on jobs was that none of my brothers would end up being a coal miner, as he did when he left school, or "going down the pit" as it was expressed. None of them did.

The rhubarb and mackerel pizza does sound challenging. I can see it as a starter/amuse bouche, but not the full Monty pizza

To be clear , I meant rhubarb and mackerel get paired together, but not as a pizza. Was Ian's pizza rhubarb and mackerel? I wasn't paying attention.

I think Ian's rhubarb pizza was a sweet one. Maybe rhubarb and basil? Sounds horrible IMO

Morning all, hope everyone's coping in the heat?

Belated thanks for the new thread. I am have to say the asparagus and goats cheese one immediately had me thinking pomegranate molasses too (and rocket) but I suppose the honey at least will be local, given the asparagus isn't. He really should have cyclical menu that goes with the seasons.

I've seen on TV that people put basil in puddings now. That would be a hard pass from me.

Glad to see Natasha getting a bit more realistic. Her notion of get into a routine in 2 weeks and back to work was a painful listen (though I've heard similar pre first born notions.)

Probably not the worst thing that Tom still has to work a bit more, he'd drive me up the wall and round the corner.

I don't think we need any will they/ won't they over brads course. My beloved Horrobins have been through enough.

What I don't get is how jobs are short. Isn't there a labour shortage? Depends where you are. Not quite so easy to find a job in the North, it’s not necessarily easy in Borsetshire either.

Surely Brad is capable of taking a bus to the next town and looking for a job in a shop/service industry. Outside the SE buses are few and far between. I’m on the outskirts of a city, and people are scared of losing their jobs because of the frequent cancellations of the few buses. Young people are more or less restricted to jobs they can reach on foot.

Trouble is, student accommodation has risen in price to swallow the entire loan. Goodness knows how people cover living costs if parents can’t contribute

I'm a few days behind (but it doesn't sound as if I have missed much).

I thought gnasher was booked in for an elective C?

I don't really want to hear about the twins until they are about 5 or 6.

I went to uni 15 years ago and a term in halls was more than the student loan and maintenance grant combined.

This was before the gentrification of that city, I later rented a flat with a private garden for less than the price most halls. I never went in to halls despite wanting to, because they were so absurdly priced.

I adore babies. Mind you, I'd struggle now to look after a tiny baby. The lack of sleep is a killer. (Another over-60 here.)

@TeenDivided, so glad to hear your daughter got some good support. I feel we'll be seeing the fallout from lockdown for a long time to come.

Sweet pizza isn't really all that odd. There are plenty of sweet yeast-leavened pastries. Danish pastries are the obvious one. Also, pairing fruit and herbs isn't unknown either. Mint leaves often pop us as a garnish on restaurant desserts.

I expect TA is going to ignore the heatwave. It will (I hope) all be over in a few hours so hardly worth re-recording to get a topical insert in. They haven't caught up with the departure of the PM yet either.

I do a pot roast chicken with rhubarb sometimes.

Pizza is a different matter, but you can get chocolate pizza, and there are plenty of desserts which are a carby base with fruit (pastry, crumble, summer pudding etc,) so there's no reason why you couldn't have a sweet rhubarb and ginger one or something but... but you could sell slices of tart or clafoutis or something instead of bread base. A pizza oven is essentially just an oven, so you could cook things that aren't pizza.

Also,not a chance that Natasha will make it to Friday and a controlled, calm delivery.

Sweet pizza sounds revolting, but chocolate pizza sounds like an abomination.

These recipes look vile.

You may have guessed that I am a carb dodger, but I'd have a clafoutis or bakewell tart if there was one going yes, i know it's bakewell pudding not tart

We have an Indian Pizza place here that uses Naan bread as the base and a spicy tomato sauce. They are exceptionally greasy, but very yummy in moderation.

Rhubarb is surely out of season now, just like asparagus.

I've still got rhubarb in my garden.

There's rhubarb growing in my garden.

Very little growing in my garden but next door has lots of japanese knotweed, bindweed and thistles.

According to the newspaper, about 10% of reception age children are obese. Fat Rosie will have company.

I wanted to yell at Chelsea. I'm sure a "spa day" is the last thing Tracey wants.

I also want to shake Brad- stop being such a doormat.

newspaper opinion piece about childhood obesity

Poppy is not Rosie's cousin

@CaptainMyCaptain @TheLassWiADelicateAir The point about rhubarb is you need to stop picking it about end June a) so it has time to store lots of energy in the roots for a good start next season b) the concentration of oxalic acid increases, and too much isn’t good for you. So, yes, it’s out of season despite it growing in your garden.

Yes. If you don’t have the necessities, then a necessity is a better present than a luxury. What’s upsetting Tracey is she can’t enable Brad to go to his summer school; I can’t imagine how she’ll feel at Chelsea and Brad wasting all that money on a spa day.

I’m feeling increasingly upset at the SWs causing upset to inoffensive young men (first Ben, now Brad) almost enough to stop listening. Must be because I have adult DSs, too close to home