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!

Brad Pitt is older than Nigel Farage. Age is but a number.

According to TA website, Kate was born in September 1977, which would make her <er, counts on fingers, wonders where the mental arithmetic skills went and blames wine> 45.

More to the point I am delighted there are so many newbies on the thread.

I'm a rejoiner. For I have sinned. After being a long term virtual Ambridge resident of around 35 years I somehow moved away by mistake during the Philip Moss era (was there also a very long drawn out thing about historic child abuse with Oliver?) and it's only now, in seeing this thread pop up, that I am resolved to move back in.

What has Keeeeeerstie done by the Am and with whom?!

Listened to the omnibus as always this morning.. i'm surprised at Kirsty, always been a bit straight laced imo, but i so would in her position!
Eriks voice is yummy!

Bless you my child, there is more joy in Heaven for the one sheep who strays then returns, etc, etc.

Kirstie had some al fresco nookie after wild swimming with the very recently arrived new character, Erik, brother of the vet Jakob. Jakob, in a relationship with Kate, is away at a vets' conference, but now visiting friends.

@friskybivalves , now a romp with Brad Pitt sounds appealing, but not the other one. I'd need the MN brain bleach.

Kirsty went wild swimming with Erik, then told him coyly that her housemate was away for the weekend so they wouldn't be interrupted and took him back to hers, where we assume they may have got up to all sorts.

Thanks to both you and @echt for this excellent synopsis. Sounds as if I am rejoining just at the right moment.

Welcome back @friskybivalves I’ll probably see you in The Bull Warmbank session. It was the Prof Jim who was in the CSA story. It was very well done but harrowing. He is healed now though by the Ambridge Fairy.

Thank you and doubly so for reminding me about Prof Jim. Of course it was him. And all wrapped up with Shula and Alasdair torment. It was very well done. And then of course it was covid and the weirdness days of distanced episodes. I strayed. Delighted to be on the right path again. Sounds as if Kate is being Kate-like.

Thanks. That bit didn't penetrate my brain and I was at the idea of the cold.

Oh dear, I don't care about the sexy voice, I just can't get past the utter disrespect for Jakob's home - spilling stuff, drinking all his nice wine. If my brother did that while I was away I would be furious. Clearly Rex is uncomfortable with his attitude, I'm amazed Krusty wasn't - clearly he has other attributes but I think he is awful. I wish good things for Krusty but I don't think she will find them with Erik. He is one of thse initially charming but ultimately irresponsible selfish people who make everyone else unhappy and disappear into the sunset with other people's money, belongings etc without a care in the world. Gosh I am grumpy and cynical today!

My heart sank when last night's episode opened with Chelsea and her sniffs. The Horribins need resting and some other characters given airtime.

Oh dear, I don't care about the sexy voice, I just can't get past the utter disrespect for Jakob's home - spilling stuff, drinking all his nice wine

Yes, Erik is not for me either. I was slightly horrified at the thought that there would be rejoicing if Kirsty got pregnant as a result of this dalliance.

Kirsty is known to have a penchant for the older man (though you'd have thought Philip Moss might have put her off) so a 62-year-old Erik is likely to be just her type. They'd been at Kirsty's empty cottage so not quite sure why they'd gone over to trash Jakob's house. Erik is exactly as described by his brother so I don't imagine he'll be remotely surprised to come back and find he's wrought havoc. Not sure how happy he'll be to find out Kate has moved Rex in in the meantime. Counting down now for Nolitando's return - will she move in with Kate and the silent Peggy. I've now realised that Peggy's silence is why the rest of the family are suddenly mysteriously pro the starry window - because otherwise there would be no story (and wouldn't that be a relief all round?)

Roy returned and Jakob's cottage was empty, so the shagathon could continue over there? I don't think K is looking for a relationship, so can happily all the obvious red flags from E.

Surely I'm not the only one who has happily opted for a bit of very short-term fun with someone absolutely bedecked in red flags. As long as those flags aren't about being violent or dangerous to be around, and we know Erik the viking (loved that!) is supposed to be gorgeous, why not? Personally I'd be making sure the man was completely covered in condoms but they're practically unknown in Ambridge (because you'd have to buy them from Susan?!) and Kirsty may not care about gonorrhoea unplanned pregnancy.

I think Kirsty would have exactly what Bridget has in Bridget Jones's Baby - some kind of out of date whale friendly contraceptive option.

@GoldenCupidon , I had a fling with someone when I was Kirsty's age. He was good looking but came with his own red bunting.

I think she would like a baby.

Not all women want a baby, but given the stillbirth, a healthy, happy baby for Kirsty is a nice idea.

During my fling with Red Flag Younger Man, I didn't give a toss if I got pregnant. I'd have quite liked a child. It didn't happen and I'm OK about that.

Did anyone else find it a bit odd that Kate wished a strange man on Erik to share the bedroom with? I get it that Rex needed shelter, but in those circumstances I think it's the sofa that I would have offered.

I think there are two bedrooms in Kate's cottage, whatever it is being called this week/scriptwriter, because when she first moved back into it and insisted that Brian had to pay to have it completely redecorated, one of them was hers and the other was for Phoebe.

I assumed there were 2 bedrooms.
Kate can look superbly generous offering a room to Rex, without putting herself out at all, (and of course without considering that Jacob won't actually approve when he finds out.)