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Archers thread #145: The glue that held the Aldridges together is gone. Will they fall apart? Discuss The Archers here.

978 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 29/01/2023 22:36

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

Archers All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it.

Archers 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!

Archers 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.)

Lillian and I both made the glue observation, so I thought that would be as good a way as any to kick off this new thread. We raced through the last one, for obvious reasons. This one may last until the funeral. Will Tamsin Greig find time to attend? I do hope so.

The poem Jennifer quoted in her journal is here: www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43775/rabbi-ben-ezra It's doubtful whether the last of Jennifer's life was the best, but she had plenty to contend with all the way through.

Over to you!

OP posts:
Iloveabaconbutty · 29/01/2023 22:48

My I be the first person to post on this new thread to say it's great to be part of this MN community of Archers fans and I look forward to all sorts of views, thoughts and observations to come over the next couple of weeks as Ambridge life without JD unfolds.....

BoreOfWhabylon · 29/01/2023 23:09

Thanks Gasp0de Flowers

EBearhug · 30/01/2023 00:32

I understand why Lilian feels hurt, but feeling angry - well, I suppose it's part of the grief process, but it won't change anything. She century the clock back to make Jennifer or Tony tell her. So she needs to find a way to make peace with it.

Prestissimo · 30/01/2023 06:39

Thanks @Gasp0de

Lilian is behaving entirely in character. I agree with whoever said on the last thread that she'd never have accepted Jenny's decision in life so I'm not surprised she's taking her time in death. She's had a bad week. Making peace with it will take her quite a while I would think. And I can't imagine that Justin is a very sympathetic partner.

DadDadDad · 30/01/2023 07:19

Thanks, Gasp0de. @Iloveabaconbutty and others might be interested to know that the first thread in this sequence of 145 was posted in April 2013 so we are approaching ten years of this community.

TeenDivided · 30/01/2023 07:50

Thank you as always for these threads.
I'd like Ruairi to visit Ben.

Taswama · 30/01/2023 08:11

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g .
Wow TEN YEARS @DadDadDad , so many changes in that time.

Poppins2016 · 30/01/2023 09:13

EBearhug · 30/01/2023 00:32

I understand why Lilian feels hurt, but feeling angry - well, I suppose it's part of the grief process, but it won't change anything. She century the clock back to make Jennifer or Tony tell her. So she needs to find a way to make peace with it.

I can see why Lillian feels so angry and emotional... she's just been through what she feels is preventable trauma. If she had known about Jennifer's condition she would have been prepared for the possibility of illness (or worse) during the spa break, or she could have decided not to risk going. The decision was taken out of her hands and I can see why she thought that was unfair. The shock factor could have been prevented and it wasn't.

Hopefully the anger will simmer down and she'll come to realise that the only person truly to blame is Jennifer (not Tony or Brian) and then make peace with it as the children seem to be doing.

Bubbylana · 30/01/2023 09:25

Thanks for the new thread.
I think Alice should leave Ruairi alone cant she take a hint. Lillian is being a bit nasty to Pat Its always no matter how long you have been married into a family your still on the outside as an in-law. Tonys a bit wet why didnt he want to explain what happened to lillian. He wouldnt have said a word if Pat hadnt said something then she got a mouthful from Lillian.

LillianGish · 30/01/2023 09:53

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g - not least because I find it increasingly hard to load the thread as it comes to an end which has been very frustrating in these fast moving times. I also feel for Lilian and agree with @Poppins2016 that it is understandable she feels angry at being left out of the loop since she was the one confronted with the sudden death of her sister - a shock that might have been slightly mitigated if she had been forewarned. Brian was clearly on eggshells judging by his recent phone conversations with her. At the same time it's understandable that Jenny was reluctant to tell her because she knew exactly what her reaction would be. Interesting also that Alice clearly didn't realise what she was seeing on her late night dash to see Ruairi - she thinks Julianne is his girlfriend. It made me realise that we don't yet fully understand what is going on. Would she really be paying for such a swanky flat for him just so he can accompany her to business functions with a few "extras"?

TottersBlankly · 30/01/2023 10:09

Thank you @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . Star

Wonder if we can arrive at #150 just in time for our 10 year anniversary?!

I’m strangely unmoved by Lilian’s wailing - but desperately want some sort of emotional relief / resolution for Ruairi. We need Paul and Ben back pdq to hold his hand and reassure him.

ILoveShula · 30/01/2023 10:24

Thanks for the new thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . I agree that Lillian is making it all about her, but I'm not sure I blame her.
I'm also hoping that Alice and/or Ben will get to the bottom of Ruairi's setup.

FallonsNewCoat · 30/01/2023 11:23

I agree that Lillian is making it all about her, but I'm not sure I blame her

Lilian is such a spoilt child. For whatever reason - possibly because her own mother is still alive - she has totally failed to grow up.

Adam should have pulled rank and said his mother has just died and that she should just leave and stop making things harder for them all than they are already.

DadDadDad · 30/01/2023 11:25

TottersBlankly · 30/01/2023 10:09

Thank you @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g . Star

Wonder if we can arrive at #150 just in time for our 10 year anniversary?!

I’m strangely unmoved by Lilian’s wailing - but desperately want some sort of emotional relief / resolution for Ruairi. We need Paul and Ben back pdq to hold his hand and reassure him.

We'd have to average about 60 posts per day to burn through to thread 150 by 24 April (the anniversary of the very first thread - why, yes, I do have the link www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/1740045-Why-is-Lillian-allowing-this-to-happen ).

Although Jennifer's death increased traffic here, the average rate in recent months has been around 40 posts per day.

Brefugee · 30/01/2023 11:33

I'm left vaguely wondering why Ben hasn't been over to see Rauri. I can't remember did they part of bad terms? Also Ben has a lot to deal with on his own, so i wonder if he would be up to offering a shoulder to cry on.

Grimchmas · 30/01/2023 11:36

I am a fairly regular name changer but have been in these threads before so thought I'd jump back in on this one as I haven't for a while!

Ruari is behaving like a knob and i have very little time for it - it wasn't just Alice who he missed calls from (Adam and Kate rang him too) and no matter how hurt he is still feeling about Alice's words and his place in the family nor his precarious situation with his sugar mummy, she doesn't seem to be alienating him from them and he should have rang them back. More to the point he should be adult enough to make more of a truce with Alice, even if he can never forgive her. I know Brian shouldn't have taken that call, but that doesn't entirely explain his behaviour.

Grimchmas · 30/01/2023 11:44

@Brefugee does he know Ruari is back?

I think they may have had a falling out last time - wasn't it Ben who Ruari confided in about (I can't remember her name - rich sugar mummy), and I think Ben expressed some concerns last time he saw him, which didn't go down very well. I wouldn't have thought that would keep Ben from Ruari, but then again a lot has happened for Ben since then, and he might just not feel up to a hostile reception.

Grimchmas · 30/01/2023 11:47

That's the other thing while I'm moaning about Ruari. He wasn't there for Ben when Ben needed a friend the most.

(I do have sympathy for him that he's in an abusive situation with Sugar Mummy and for his feeling lost and like he doesn't belong in the family, honestly).

Brefugee · 30/01/2023 11:50

I remember Ben saying something like "face facts, you're a prostitute" which didn't go down well.

Agree Brian shouldn't have taken that call, crass of him.
But i think that at least Kate and Adam should be talking to Ruari directly more, and telling Alice to back off since she obviously upsets him.

GoldenCupidon · 30/01/2023 12:37

Just checking in to say thanks for the new thread, for @DadDadDad and his stringent record keeping, and to echo @Iloveabaconbutty's comments about this excellent community.

Bit behind with listening so will be back when I've caught up. Am I the only one that sometimes likes to read the thread for a preview?

Brefugee · 30/01/2023 12:41

@ILoveShula (to carry on from the other thread)

Maybe having had struggles with her MH (the drinking), she is more likely to spot that something is wrong with Ruairi. Maybe the same will be true for Ben.

i can see how Alice might think that. But i wish she could see that now is the time for her to take a small step back and let him come to her? She was being genuinely kind and trying to help when she suggested Julianne come over - and then she couldn't know why Ruari would suddenly put the blockers on again.

This will be an interesting reveal, i think

KeepingTheWaterOut · 30/01/2023 12:43

Jenny collapsed, presumably someone at the Spa phoned for an ambulance, someone fetched Lillian.

Lillian was with Jenny in the ambulance.

Would it have made any difference if Lillian had been able to say "She has aortic stenosis" or would the ambulance have known that because they could access Jenny's medical records?

Is it an issue that the first medical personnel on the scene weren't given the information, because Lillian didn't know it?

I think if I were Lillian that's what worry me most - would knowing have changed the outcome?

iratepirate · 30/01/2023 12:48

@KeepingTheWaterOut I'm quite sure it would not have made any difference in terms of response time etc.
Particularly at the moment, if we’re supposed to believe that the Archers live in our current world and times.

StillWeRise · 30/01/2023 12:55

I'm not sure that Alice doesn't have more of a clue about Ruaris situation, more that she is acting as if she doesn't. Was she around the Helen/Rob situation much, I can't remember?

KeepingTheWaterOut · 30/01/2023 13:21

iratepirate · 30/01/2023 12:48

@KeepingTheWaterOut I'm quite sure it would not have made any difference in terms of response time etc.
Particularly at the moment, if we’re supposed to believe that the Archers live in our current world and times.

I didn't think it would have made any difference in response time, but would it have speeded up the initial triage if they knew Jenny had aortic stenosis?