Archers thread #151: A Fête worse than death or a reverse ferret? Helen’s got the Borsetshire Blues, Tom’s talking shiitake, George is a rotten apple. 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, 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. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Helen and Tom would do well on Dragons' Den, 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.)

Thanks to @OverArmour for various title ideas! I would have liked to incorporate the suggestion from @Fleetress, which was

‘Do do one Ron, Ron, do do one Ron’

(Rob is Ron for many on this thread now)

Possibly a bit obscure for newer posters, though!

Anyway: we got through that last thread in no time at all. Combined effect of Rob and George, I suspect. I wonder if Rob will have made it to Ambridge by the time we need a new thread. I'm still waiting for Pat's shotgun to feature. That can't have been mentioned for the first time ever for no reason at all.

Over to you!

I think he got a bit of praise for being reliable but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. My washing machine is reliable but I don’t want a long-term relationship with it

I thought about Pip moving into the bungalow but that throws up issues of Stella paying the rent to Pip’s parents while Pip is fannylodging etc (I can’t see Pip wanting to pay rent when as the golden child I’m guessing even her utility costs and council tax are covered by her parents)

I've had my washing machine 17 years. That's longer than any of my (or Helen's) relationships.

I like Lee. Comparing him to a wet wipe in unfair and mean. He's kind and stable.

Maybe Hannah could rent a room from Stella.
it would make sense for Pip and Fat Rosie to move to Brookfield's 2 spare rooms and they let Rickyard. It housed Mianed and the mini Mianeds for a while.

A B&B costs rather more than ordinary rental.

I would have thought the question is not whether the Brookfield Archers would be happy to have Hannah paying through the nose to occupy their spare bedroom, but why on earth Hannah would be even remotely interested in moving into a residence with no bathroom of her own, no kitchen for her use, no laundry facilities for her use, no living-room available for her to watch television in if she wanted, and absolutely no privacy, with Ruth and Jill watching and judging her every move.

They’re going to lose the B&B money and the tearoom income in one go.

@OverArmour , The Tearoom is owned by Bridge Farm not Brookfield.

Wasn't Rickyard a holiday let at one point?

Completely agree about not wanting to be a lodger at Brookfield, or indeed anywhere. From time to time I read threads about difficult lodgers on AIBU and the whole thing seems fraught with problems.

The agreement says I will pay all the utility bills, but I didn't anticipate that the lodger would want the heating on 24 hours a day, especially as he also insists on having his bedroom window open all the time ...
My lodger never washes up and all my crockery and cutlery has vanished into her room ...
My landlady only provides the cheapest possible loo roll and not enough of it. She also refuses to have the hot water on in the evenings, even though I have to leave for work at 6am and it would be much more convenient for me to have my shower when I get home from work ...
My landlord is obsessed with his toy farm and is giving me the silent treatment because I assumed it belonged to his granddaughter ...

(OK, that last one is TA specific)

Just realised that. They’re all throwing money away!

I think that Rickyard Cottage was B&B, not let as a holiday home.

I've stayed in a B&B for a few months and it was OK. I've also been a lodger for a few months and I didn't like it. The B&B was more expensive, but the family was lovely. The landlady at the lodgings had too many rules, and would leave annoying little notes. She seemed to have an issue with my parking most days. I parked on the street.

I called Lee a snivelling simpleton on the last thread and stand by my description😭

Fingers crossed he wins the Green Card lottery in the US and stays in San Francisco

He's a qualified physiotherapist so won't be a simpleton.

"I don't need a lawyer. I'll just tell them the truth."

Sorry, he's stupid.

I feel sorry for Lee!

Lee left to fart in San Francisco…

Lee has had the good fortune to never have encountered anyone abusive in his life this far, I suspect. He believes the best of people.

Just caught up. That escalated a lot faster than I thought it would. But REALLY didn't like how Helen reacted. Saying things to Henry like "why can't you understand?!". Er, because you've never explained any of it to him properly Helen!

I think we need an episode where Helen sits down with Henry and talks it all through with him. Obviously not every single detail, but just explain the past and how it all got to where they are now.

There's a lot of truth in that, but he's heard Helen's version of events. He underestimated Rob. So did Tom, who had far less excuse.

Possibly me @JanglyBeads! I think he’s lovely!

Didn't Helen tell the Court that Jack was conceived as a consequence of rape as part of her defence? So most of the village must know about it.

Oh yes. The original Wet Wipe was a friends boyfriend (actual name, Justin) a very naïve public schoolboy who believed the best in everyone because he'd gone through life in a very privileged bubble.

Nice bloke but very much a wet wipe.

Don't know what you mean or to whom you're referring?

If you're replying to me, I originally called Lee a wet wipe in human form.

I was agreeing with you.