🦈 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!

They're out of the flat now, aren't they, and in Kathy's old cottage?

Yes, they're in April Cottage.
I can't remember how big or small it is. I thought it was a semi, and attached to the one the Grundy's used to live in, which would have been a cramped home for Eddie, Clarre, Joe, Wiwyum and Ed. When Ed's girlfriend stayed there, Beth was in Ed's room with Ed on the sofa.

The Grundy's lived in Keeper's cottage.

According to
ambridgereporter.org.uk/Ambridge_Residences_and_Occupiers.html
Richard Locke lives there now, so that will be handy should Pinky and Perky or their mother need medical help

Oh yes of course, I’ve blanked so much from my Ambridge memory recently! Substitute small flat for small cottage. I’m going with the cottage being small based on what they’ve said. Certainly it only has two bedrooms, and the ‘babies’ room’ is small from what Natasha said. If they’ve put proper cots up already they could dismantle those and borrow a single bed from Bridge Farm. That makes far more sense.

I also loved hearing the Welsh (I live in Wales), but fear they’re just setting up tension when Caitlin arrives.

Given that Tomasha are almost certain to choose names reflecting the twins' Welsh heritage, can someone tell me how Pinky and Perky would translate please?

Coo …

Absolute BOOP for the Working Horrobins s/l last week. I know the SWs can be a bit clueless on most aspects of ordinary life, but I found the scenes with Tracy, Chelsea and Brad - all a bit snappy and exhausted, with conflicting loyalties and anxieties - really refreshing. (Particularly as they were given space to expand without Jazzer.) Excellent.

Conversely, it’s hard to believe that George, surrounded by so much ferocious love since the day he was born, could have turned into such a monster.

Perhaps because I have first hand experience of throwing away a hard-won professional life, I mind quite a lot about what the SWs did to Alice. But whoever said she’s a natural to take over the stables must surely be right. Her combination of science, empathy and articulate persuasiveness would be a winner for a 21st c remaking of such a traditional set-up. And she hasn’t sounded so engaged since … forever.

Now … Can I consume all of this week before 7pm?

@BoreOfWhabylon , Pinci a Phyrci. The Ph is because it's after an a.

Caitlin is an odd choice of a name for a middle-aged or older Welsh-speaker.
Catherine or Catrin maybe.

Thanks @WhoppingBigBackside

Pinci a Phyrci it is!

Pinci Patricia Caitlin Thomas Archer
Pyrci Anthony Dylan Thomas Archer

Nova and Celyn? Think I prefered Pinci & Pyrci

Why is thingy the vet nurse delivering the twins??

Ho hum - congratulations to Natasha.

Can’t help feeling the SWs struggled for names. Perfectly nice but I’d have preferred something more … twinny, sound-wise.

So - who’s going to be pregnant next?

Fallon?
Lily?
Chelsea?
Mia?
Beth?

Although really the only important question is - which of the twins gets to wear the blue cardigan???

Wasn't one of them Seren (star)?

Yes, I posted too early. Not keen on either name. Nova makes me think of a small Vauxhall, and will be Nover Archer, and Seren is too modern.

Yes. They changed the name when she turned out to be a girl.

@KirstenBlest , Seren's not modern, it's Welsh

I like Nova, made me think of the actress Eva Pilbeam., and a very nice teacher in my first school in 1978.

I know Gnasher and the sausage boy are new parents, but I found their conversation after the birth entirely unlifelike.

Nova is a ridiculous name. Babies really are boring.

Oh how I loathe Lil.

So the babies are called Star and Star?
Isn't it a bit strange to use the same bame in different languages for twins?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova I'd heard of supernova before, but not nova, in an astronomical context.

People do sometimes use very similar names for their children. Elizabeth and Isabelle, for example, which I think are etymologically the same name.

Seren Archer is a good name. Nova is bound to be pronounced like Nover by the yokel-accented Ambridgeites. That's what's happened to Brenda, Lynda and Emma.

For me Nova will always be a wonderfully glamorous and exciting magazine we used to have delivered with the Sunday papers when I was small. The other seems a second-best name by comparison - the good and dutiful daughter rather than the one causing trouble on five continents.

Well, Nova doesn't mean star, it means new, novel, I assume. The surgeon or whoever was talking to Natasha said "like the star", so maybe supernova is the connection in most people's minds? As if you named your daughter Ursula and people said " oh like Ursa Major" ( seems unlikely I admit). The people I know called Nova are all students who have changed their names to this as they are non-binary and perceive it as being gender neutral (clearly Novum would be better!).

Well it sort of does mean star too.

Seren is lovely. If they wanted Star and Star, "Stella" is much nicer than Nova.

(rather unfortunately Star and Star has reminded me of The Rolling Stones Star Star which really isn't appropriate)