🦈 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!

I love getting flowers. My friend sells flowers from her garden on a market stall and life would be very dreary without her glorious bunches. Sad to read that PP find flowers onerous to deal with. I think Tracey would be actually be very happy with a box of chocs and a bunch of sunflowers.

iRL, Jill would have put up more resistance to Pip’s request she cut down on feeding Fat Rosie sweets and treats. All I can think about now is Millionaires Shortbread btw. I have been on a strict pre-50th-birthday diet for five months now and one piece of MS would require me to wire my jaw for the rest of the day. All I can say, is lucky Rosie! I wonder who will be making me a chocolate hedgehog cake?

I agree with you about the flowers. I love getting them.

I used to make my daughter a hedgehog cake for birthdays. I made one for one of the grandchildren once and they were a bit underwhelmed. I blame Bake Off.

@TheLassWiADelicateAir, Casa Lynda is Ambridge Hall.

@BeaLola, I agree, Alice needs a job, and she'd like it. Bit of a waste of two engineering degrees though.

I think Tracey would be delighted with a box of chocolates and a bunch of sunflowers.

Flowers aren't that much of a faff, I can't arrange flowers so I just cut the ends off, fill a vase and that's it.

Seriously, who'd give a 3-year old, millionaire's shortbread? Or an ice-cream making kit for a 4-yr old?

Having missed a couple of weeks worth of episodes while in the UK moving DS into his new uni accommodation, I was very grateful for the distraction of a long catch-up and pile of ironing while DH was enduring a lengthy heart op last week. The surgeon had promised to text me when he was finished and I honestly can't imagine anything else that would have taken my mind off things quite so effectively. So hurrah for The Archers (despite all its imperfections and my endless nitpicking). DH back home now and making an impressive recovery so enjoying returning to the cosy normality of this thread. It's not really vintage Archers at the moment is it? It feels as if its lost its way a bit with random irregulars like Steph Casey and the chicken factory crew, but I shall stick with it because it's so comforting to spend 12 minutes (or however long it is) in Ambridge every day and then pop over to here for a catch up.

Sorry - so busy waxing lyrical I forgot to add does anyone else think we might be building up to Alice taking on a role at the stables while Shula goes off to do some hard-core vicarring elsewhere?

@LillianGish , yes, of course. Hope your DS enjoys his new accommodation and that your DH continues his impressive recovery. Hope you are ok too.

Well, after two weeks away (and skimming the lovely new thread first) I was going to ask if it’s even worth bothering with the two Omnibae. But Lil’G has persuaded me. I shall listen as a thanks offering for MrGish’s continued recovery.

And it does sound as if this week might be an improvement?

I did vaguely feel this username seemed unfamiliar here … Ho hum. Guess I’m stuck with it for this thread - which will surely race by with guffawing over twin naming.

Is Alice working at the moment? Just wondering how she managed to save money to pay Shula back with.

Thanks @ILoveShula and @MuddlerInLaw Mr Gish and I are both touched by your good wishes (he always refers to MN as my imaginary friends so he's quite taken aback to be referenced )

I know it’s a personal thing but I can’t face having cut flowers around the house ever since I lost my dear mum 18 months ago and we had bouquets of condolence in every vase available. I used to love flowers but - no more. I’m afraid I’ve surreptitiously put flowers in the garden waste bin when people have kindly sent them to me. I just can’t 😥

Agree about Lynda being an absolute nightmare. I’m not much of an Adil fan but he’s being remarkably patient with her Fawlty Towers-level rudeness.

A relative was working in London a few days after the death of Lady Di, and said that the smell from the floral tributes was nauseating.

I don't like the smell of some flowers. Lilies in particular smell unpleasant indoors. My feline companion means that lilies are a no-no anyway.

I'm sorry to hear that, @Octothorpe.

Delighted to hear about Mr Gish's excellent progress! Long may it continue.

I wonder if Adil finds Lynda's rudeness amusing &/or a challenge. He's clearly very thick-skinned or he'd have hotfooted it out of Ambridge months ago.

I'd give a 3yo Millionaire's Shortbread, but I am Scottish and come from a long line of compulsive bakers and feeders, as my waistline attests. I wouldn't give it to her every single day, though.

To be clear, I do like getting flowers. They are always from DS via Moonpig, and cos I am his mum, they are large bunches.

Jill daunted by a hedgehog cake? I think not!

I wouldn't give a 3-yr old millionaire shortbread - far too unhealthy. I am partial to a decent bit of shortbread though. When I was putting away some groceries yesterday, I came across some forgotten about MS and am eating some right now. It's quite tasty, but being me, I don't think that the total is better than the sum of its parts.

@MuddlerInLaw , It's ok to have more than one username in a thread

This just popped up on my Twitter feed. I've never heard of Russell Kane but this is great: www.nec.ac.uk/russell-kane-scholarship/

I do hope Brad gets to go to his Summer school

Thanks Gaspode

What a brilliant thing for Russell Kane to do. He is still quite young himself.

It is rather fascinating. My school exam years were somewhat disrupted, but even decades later it’s never really occurred to me that scholarships might help others in similar situations.

(Still haven’t listened to the last two weeks …)

Brad hasn't cancelled the course and Gently Benolivent will fund it.

I dislike hearing people use the informal form of you when people are addressing their elders.

they not people

How rude of me to not send my "steady recovery" wishes to Mr LillianGish. Let's hope he has some calming storylines (at least he won't be upset when characters change into caricatures)!

I"ve not caught up so might be missing something. What do you mean informal form of you to elders? Was tonight's episode French?

I was wondering that.