Archers thread #143: In the Bleak Midwinter, Ambridge Folk Make Moan. Best Christmas ever? Probably not! 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, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd love to be in Jolene's choir , or other unusual 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/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-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.)

Well, we made it through Stir Up Sunday without bloodshed, but poor Ben is now in the grip of psychotic depression. Not going to be a happy Christmas at Brookfield, sadly. When will Jill swallow her pride and go and give him the abject apology he deserves? Would it be a good idea anyway for Ben to see his gran at the moment?

Will Jazzer say yes? I hope so. We could do with a Horrobin wedding to look forward to.

Will Emma and Ed end up in court if they go ahead with this idiotic scheme to nick the logs from Peggy's Folly?

Will the two choirs put on a joint concert at Christmas? I assume so, and also that the BBC will continue to fool nobody by using recordings of what is clearly a really good well-rehearsed established choir, not a scratch choir of half a dozen novices.

Over to you!

I always confuse Brenda with Hayley, though not often as they're rarely mentioned these days. It's easy to remember that Emma is Chris's sister: both their names end in -urrrrr, as does Carturrrrr.

Well, thank the Lord for that! (Her voice sounds stronger, too.)

Now all we need is Jenny.

(Hope Amy is comfy on her donkey … )

Phoeble drove up to 'north of Glasgow' so presumably she'd be driving.

Well at least the turkey won't be dry now.

On the other hand I'm preening my self for predicting that Adil's good voice, so unreasonably criticised by Lynda Snell earlier this year, would come in useful at Christmas.

SWs still being annoyingly annoying with all the last minute dot com stuff. As if LL, via Lily, would only be mentioning Jill being welcome there for Christmas today!

I'm not sure that Elizabeth even remembers she's got a mother most of the time. But if Jill were my mother, I'd be leaving it to the last minute while keeping my fingers crossed that she'd made other arrangements.

Why is Jakob with Kate? He seem barely able to tolerate her most of the time.

'Merry Christmas Foxy'
Did I mishear or have I missed some pet name?
Could anyone explain? Thanks

It's a mystery. Jakob should clearly be with ME.

I heard the same, but have never heard that before (that I remember) and have been listening for around 50 years. In that 50 years there have been some really poor storylines but the last year has been particularly dire. I just keep hoping it will improve, perhaps next year.

I’m confused.

So Kate, Alice (and Debbie?) were given a Home Farm cottage each. Presumably Kate lived in and rented out hers, so how did that particular cottage become the one that was given to Chris in the divorce settlement (for Jacob to move into).

Jakob

Kate gave up rights over that cottage in exchange for her one-thirteenth share in the entire farm, when the new share arrangement was organised by Brian back in May, 2017. It even got mentioned on air:

Lowfield, Sunday 7th May, 2017
"Kate has a bit of difficulty when she realises she won't own her cottage but it will be part of the farm estate. What if Adam or Debbie turns against her? She would be homeless and lose her business. Kate seems to be the only one who is suspicious of her family members but Alice asks what would happen if she wanted to become more involved in the farm; would she receive an increase in shares? Kate jumps in, too, and argues that her business is also part of the farm. Brian just wants to have the issue of shares decided and he declares that all these details will be ironed out later. He hopes everyone will participate in the spirit of compromise. The family meeting is adjourned with no details ironed out but everyone is expected to sign off without knowing the consequences because Brian wants them to."

(I still want to know why Home Farm Ltd or whatever it is seems to be is giving Christopher a cottage that belongs to Home Farm Ltd, as part of Alice's divorce settlement.)

Well yes, AskingQuestions - there is that! Is its current value being deducted proportionally from Alice's share in Home Farm and if not, why not? And if so, is Alice aware of this?

Oh woe! And now my brain is whirling with over-thinking. Or is it being treated as a loan to Alice of the value of the place at the date of the divorce, to be deducted from her payout when the place is inevitably sold ... and if so, was the interest rate fixed?

None of this matters much in the scheme of thing, except possibly to Ruairi, who I hope can be relied on to take his revenge for Alice's nastiness in due course.

Yeah: "...Foxy!
Dum de dum de dum de dum...."

It was lovely and I had a tear... then, that!
🦊

I don't recall Ben ever calling Jill 'Foxy'! It was a sweet moment, though.

Also confused by foxy here, but very pleased to hear the reconciliation. And Paddy Greene sounding better.

Can anyone tell me when the Christmas light switch on is? It feels very late, or have they just skipped it this year, or is it always Christmas Eve or somesuch implausibly late date and I just haven't noticed before? I wonder if that's on Friday with the choir-off? I'm feeling a bit disorientated without the usual Ambridge Christmas milestones.

I think that's easy.
Alice is a part owner of Home Farm Ltd, so Chris is entitled to a share of that in the divorce (assume Alice is overall richer than Chris).
Obviously they don't actually want to split the farm, or have Chris, now non family & non farmer, to have a share or minor say in it going forwards. So giving him a cottage has much less of an impact.

I do miss Jenny. I'm a newcomer (think I started listening around salmongate time) and for me she is the heart of the Archers.

Kate is sounding more like Liz Truss done by the Dead Ringers every time I hear her.

Yes I assumed the cottage was the apportioned chunk of Alice's share of the farm.

I have a vague memory of a previous iteration of the farm settlement where Alice and Kate had a cottage and financial package each with Adam/Debbie taking on the farm. However that was before Rory was factored into the shares. Can't help wondering, with Debbie effectively gone and Adam moving into pizzas, will Rory have a farming personality transplant and suddenly discover an interest in the farm.

Oh, @C8H10N4O2 , your spelling of Ruairi is hurting my soul!

Will he suddenly develop strong emotions about the farm? … Bears … woods … Surely the entire reason for his existence is to cause massive, epic disruption to the Archer/Aldridge Home Farm set up? Either by devouring it or by trying to sell it off, causing heart attacks all around.

Hah - I'd blame autocorrect but that is entirely down to my pre Christmas denuded brain 😄

Agree, his roll is to cause turbulence at convenient intervals. I'm sure the prostitution story will bust up into some great drama next year. Perhaps he will drop out, discover a love of slurry and get stuck in with the winter barley