Archers thread #156: Fireworks in Ambridge! Helen gave Lee a rocket, but Grey Gables is a damp squib. Is the writing on the (church) wall?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're irresistibly attracted to George Grundy, 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 the title suggestion, which I have tweaked a bit. I was strongly tempted by Less GGP (Grey Gables Peril) More GPP (Guinea Pig Plot), which was a plaintive cry from @PuppyPerson some days ago, but if Poppy has found new homes for the baby guinea pigs that may be the last we hear of them for some time, sadly.

Surely in the life of the next thread we must hear more from or of Rob, or Ron as some on this thread prefer to call him? <taps foot> Will Kirsty snap and tell Helen a few home truths? Will Pat's shotgun finally be brought into play? We can only hope ...

Also, will we ever find out who owns the other 60% of Grey Gables? Why is Adil AWOL (to use the other bit of OverArmour's title idea!)? Why aren't we hearing from Roy? Will GG ever re-open and will Emma get her Big Chance at last?

So many questions! Over to you.

Thank you for trusting us. This must make for tough listening.

I think it would be a ridiculous and completely unnecessary SL. Doesn’t change the fact that their conversation was very odd.

Thanks, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g In fact, Rob and Harrison on the traffic island moved me to tears - it sounded like someone understood at last I have been involved with the mh service user movement for over 20 years, and even got paid for it for 3 years in the first decade of this century (then the money ran out). I'm still feeding back into the system as best I can. And as I'm a scientist by training, it has at least been interesting

Peggy’s (and the other’s) behaviour is close to abusive I would say - blackmail in a way. I’m not religious at all but I’m assuming that Alan would probably have helped them all over the years within his role. I thought that even murderers in prison weren’t turned away by the clergy. It’s interesting it’s come not so long after the silly twin’s stained glass window story. As though they think the church is for them only and those who they deem worthy. It’s not that I think Rob is being genuine but that unfortunately it’s not the point.

I found it odd that Tony blanked Alan given the scene on Wednesday

You think it’s odd that Tony didn’t go against Peggy, Pat and Lillian to be merely civil to Alan?

About 20 years ago, the slum-Gothic parish church where I was organist had heating bills of about (translated to £) about 20k each year. Great was the rejoicing when a movie was filmed in the sanctuary, which punted services into the parish hall for month, but easily paid that bill for the year. £200k for an organ might get you a good small-medium pipe organ, which however should last a good while longer than any electronic instrument---depends on how long you think the parish might last...add to the heating the priest, the sacrist, outreach such as the homeless mission in the basement, the organist, and the 5 professional choristers (paid for 60 services a year and an important supplementary income for music students), not to mention needing to replace the roof and myriad other random costs (fortunately, one of the singers was a fashion designer with excellent needle skills, so he could restore the historic altar frontals free of charge). Ouch. We got a new priest just as changes in government policy meant the mission was flooded with mentally ill people booted out from hospitals under the aegis of "care in the community". He couldn't sing (we helped with that), but I had several occasions to be grateful of his skill in figuring out which attendants of the mission (and harassers of the young female organist) were genuinely needing his help, and which were just chancing their arm. I'm imagining him dealing with the Rob situation. I think he'd have eaten the Peggies of this world alive, tbh.

I find the whole shunning of Alan ridiculous given Helen told her mum to wind her neck in and if Pat had any emotional intelligence she would realise allowing this to escalate is going to upset Helen greatly (who I assume hasn’t been told about the vendetta). Tony is not afraid to tell Pat when he thinks she’s being a dick and after his conversation with Alan at the baptism I would expect him to have said something to her.

Oh me too, I was being flippant. It’s all ludicrous.

I can’t believe no one has posted to say how shocked they are at the non silent fireworks!

I mean I couldn’t believe it - it seems so implausible that Eddie would make a mistake like that.

but seriously, Kenton paid extra for quiet ones so Eddie has ripped him off financially as well. I was surprised Kenton didn’t demand a refund. And from Eddies reply he clearly knew they weren’t going to be quiet.

Accidentally posted on the spoiler thread but it can’t be said often enough - imho Eddie's side-splitting antics reached their sell-by date some years, if not decades, ago.

Eddie hasn't been negligent in that deliberately careless way before. He knows what happened at the stables. He knows what Mia was worried about the fireworks.

I hope Kenton has public liability insurance.

Joy ❤️

Why is the silent fireworks thing even a storyline?? theyve been a thing for ages and make so much more sense than noisy bangs. After all, the point of fireworks is what they look like not what sound they make.

I don’t believe a whole community would a) not have already heard of them and b) be opposed to them.

And 100% Eddie needs to refund Kenton. It doesn’t make sense, unless a whole scene of Kenton getting some massive dodgy discount and agreeing to take a risk has been cut.

Bruisername
Tony is not afraid to tell Pat when he thinks she’s being a dick

I don't remember this: when was it?

In the past I’ve heard him ‘stand up’ to her.

I also find the way families pussy foot around each other to the extent they do kind of odd. Sometimes it’s as if they only talk to each other when on air

Peggy and Jill have most unchristian attitudes to take away there church contribution in this manner

Glad Joy is back - missed her

A lifetime of church going but none of it has sunk in. It’s not uncommon amongst people of that generation, they are church goers through habit/expectations rather than Christians.

I love my mother dearly but she is (a) a lifelong churchgoer, (b) a very kind and unselfish person and yet also (c) one of the most judgemental people I've ever met. She'd get on very well with Peggy and Jill, I've always thought.

After all, the point of fireworks is what they look like not what sound they make. Agreed, but not ideal for radio!

Another one delighted to hear Joy again. What a lovely voice she has, and no risk of confusing her with anyone else.

When she, Brian or Linda are on, I know it's going to be good listening.

And as I'm a scientist by training, it has at least been interesting I can relate to that @SequentialAnalyst , DH’s cancer and heart failure has been so interesting. I’ve learned such a lot.

After all, the point of fireworks is what they look like not what sound they make. I dunno. I love the ones which do variations on “wheeee”. I missed TA through being at the local display, which was all bangs and not a single “whee”. Can’t complain. Free display, and less than five minutes walk from my house.

Bruisername
In the past I’ve heard him ‘stand up’ to her.

When? About what? I have just asked another constant listener of many years' standing, and she thought about it for a while and then said no, off the top of her head she couldn't think of an example, adding, "Can't remember, would love to know".

I'm quite certain it can't have been about anything to do with Helen, because if he expresses any opinion to do with her or her doings which is not Helen's and by extension Pat's he is crushed for it.