Archers thread #144: Window pains again! Light relief or dark times ahead for Ambridge in 2023? 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 volunteer in the shop with Susan, 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.)

New year, new thread. Many thanks to @LillianGish for the window pains pun! Hoping to hear a lot less from the Caseys this year and a good deal more about farming and how Ambridge is coping with Brexit, cost of living crisis, ageing population and all sorts of credible character-based storylines. Yes, I know, but one can only hope.

Over to you!

Tbf he's not trying to stop her going. He's trying to stop her taking the girls.

but that is no better. And if he's an EOW father, he will be imposing even more change on them than the ex. And at their age? I know what i would rather have done, and that would be to go to California.

I wonder if the younger one will go and the older one will stay because of eams?

Assuming they do go, and stay for several years, missing GCSEs is really no big deal. The US education system is different and (as far as I know) has no equivalent, but they could always take IGCSEs if they really wanted to - or, more likely, if their father insisted "because FOREIGN!!!"

I dunno, maybe I missed some bits (as I tend to be nearly asleep when I listen), but I thought Helen was pretty immune to Lee's obvious distress. She wasn't very sympathetic, and seemed to expect him to just get over it. Agree that Alesha has presented this as a fait accompli, and Pat and Helen seem inclined to take it as such. Despite the fact that Helen has herself experienced someone try to take her child(ren) away. This is a family who have been going on for months because they aren't allowed a bloody church window ffs.

I thought it was strange that anyone thinks it's odd Lee wants to consult a lawyer - at least to know where he stands even if they then go to mediation and sort it out outside of court. I think it's weird of Alesha to not have involved Lee in the decision at all despite all other indications being that they have an amicable relationship. Even if it were my brilliant career option and their dad was coming with us I'd have doubts about moving two teenagers at this stage in their lives and schooling. And I can understand Lee being completely blindsided and angry at being told, incidentally, on the phone, when he'd rung Alesha to ask about taking the girls on holiday - if he hadn't made that phone call when would he have found out? Where were the conversations about "this is a great opportunity for me, the girls are excited to come (assuming they are), how can we make it work?"? It's all very well saying that they have long holidays etc but trans-Atlantic flights aren't free and soon enough the girls will no doubt have friends and activities in the States that aren't conducive to a three month trip home to the UK.

I never think that Helen's reactions to anything demonstrate her history of an abusive relationship but I take the point that she may have been nervous due to Lee's reaction in part. But still, I find the whole thing ridiculous and I feel sad for Lee - apparently much more so than Helen does.

Surely at their age, the daughters would have their own views? Has anyone asked them what they want?

I have a friend who relocated to US at 14. We thought it was cool but she had a terrible time. She said high school was brutal. She was pretty stylish by our standards but she could not fit in and she hated it. Helen is being Helen (a condescending twat)

Is Lee's ex called Alicia or Aleesha (sorry for the pedantry)?

And of course their views should be considered in all this. That should have been Helen's advice to him - ask the girls what they want before rushing to judgement.

I’d like to know how her name is spelt, too. I’d assumed Alisha or Aleesha.

Alicia to me sounds like Alice-ee-uh.

I heard it as Elisha. Which, now I think about it, is a name I’ve not heard since I was at school (where I had three classmates named it) so perhaps it’s not very common in the wider world.

I'm hearing Aleesha, and I was assuming the spelling Aleisha.

I've never been to the US, and I've always assumed until recently that if I did ever make it across the pond, San Francisco would be one of my top potential destinations. But then I heard or read, last year, I think, that SF is currently having great difficulties (crime, antisocial behaviour, drug-related problems, really not a safe or pleasant place to live at the moment) and people who can leave are leaving in droves. Does anyone know if this is true? I'm afraid that was the first thing that came into my mind when SF was mentioned in that conversation. Maybe Aleisha is planning to live a bit further out and commute in.

[Where's that overinfested emoji?]

I see the ex-judge from SCD is Alesha, btw.

I remember reading Malory Towers books as a child, and Alicia rhymed with Patricia. The author's (very old Welsh) first name was said as Ennid not Eenid.

A friend of mine has an Alesha, which is why I spelt it like that. Agree that Alicia would be Al-i-see-uh (to me anyway, I have heard others pronounce it Alesha).

I have heard similar about SF recently @Gasp0de. Sadly not a city on the up atm, which is a shame. I visited in about 2003 and loved it.

I had a nanny from S. Africa called Alicia and she pronounced it Aleesha, hence my question.

We have a friend called Alicia. She most definitely pronounces it Al-i-see-uh.

But then I heard or read, last year, I think, that SF is currently having great difficulties (crime, antisocial behaviour, drug-related problems, really not a safe or pleasant place to live at the moment) and people who can leave are leaving in droves. Does anyone know if this is true?

I think this is true of a lot of big US cities at the moment. Certainly Chicago and New York, so probably also SFO...

Bacon that is how I would expect to pronounce it.

I had a momentary lapse there and wondered who on earth would pronounce "Alicia" as "Bacon".

I pronounce Patricia as Patrisha so I wouldn't rhyme Alicia with that. It would be Alissia.

@CaptainMyCaptain , I can see why Alice-y-a but not Aleesha. I think i assumed at a young age that Alice->Alicia would be like Patrick->Patricia or Mortician->Morticia.

Do you say Patricia with a /s/ or a /sh/? I say Alicia with a /s/ and Patricia with a /sh/.

Pat-risha.I know a few Pats and Trishas, so that's not an issue.

@CaptainMyCaptain , I only became aware of the Alissia pronunciation when Alicia Silverstone became famous, and the Aleesha pronunciation when Alicia Keys was in the charts. Is Felicia Feleesha, Felisha rhyming with Trisha, or Felissia?

Alicia is Alesha for me - a bit like Niamh is to Neve (a question of spelling rather than pronunciation).

@LillianGish , I thought Niamh was Nee-uv. It was fairly popular where I grew up.

at the CA
Apologies for derailing. We need Lee's XW in the cast list. We know that Lee is Lee not Leigh, Lea, Legh, or Li cos we've seen it written in the cast list.

Helen is all me, me, me. Hope Lee gets custardy not home made custard, of course

It's not called custody any more, is it, it's residency IIRC from sundry MN Relationship threads.

At first I was alarmed at Lee's anger, partly because I thought Helen would be alarmed. But it didn't really seem to bother her. Then I was dismayed at yet more "drama" in the offing. But I'm enjoying Helen wrestling with the situation she now finds herself in.

Hope Kirsty is pregnant

What did the CA say, I've only just caught up on BBC Sounds?