Archers thread #163: Too much aggro, not enough agri! 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, 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 @LikeTalkingToLassie for the thread title idea! She and @LillianGish had fun with this theme on the last thread:

More farmer, less drama
More ploughing, less rowing
There's mileage in silage.
More sheds, fewer beds.

All good points. Fair to say nobody on the last thread was delighted to see the return of Harry. I think we all agree that Alice is a blithering idiot to get involved with him again. Most of us also think that Miranda is up to no good. Other storylines in play at the moment:

Alistair and Denise, with the massive complication of John and Paul
Ed and Emma - another doomed Grundy enterprise? Does Will still have the will to wang them some wonga?
Whither George - YouTube sensation or Borchester Magistrates' Court?
Will Markie cause mayhem at The Bull?
Will Harrison haul him in to Borchester nick?
Will Hannah get off with Chris?
Will we ever get used to the new Robert?
Will there ever be a new Roy?
Why do we hear so little from Brookfield now? (Although if we never heard Pip again, I for one would be delighted)
Will Stella dump Pip?

There are probably others I've missed. Over to you!

@UnintentionalArcher

Very loud Snork

I think it's simply that the whole Harry thing has been stressful and upsetting, as it would have been for a non-alcoholic. Drink is her go to when stressed. OK it didn't happen when her mum died but it has this time.

That plus it's all to close to home of course

*too close

Right now I'm seriously irritated by Ed agonising about the sodding tree surgery. He's a country man very used to working on the land, FGS, he must have been 100% aware of the potential dangers from the moment the idea first popped into his head.

If I were Em, I suspect I'd end up pushing him out of a tree at the first opportunity. Not only would she be able to stop him constantly dragging her down to his level and make a successful career for herself, she could also do very nicely on the insurance. Definitely win-win.

I think I might be out. I don’t think I want to listen to Alice’s downfall again. Too depressing and stressful.

Also, Alistair and Denise are the most passionless pairing ever. He’s a wet lettuce and she just sounds annoyed within him, it’s like she’s his boss. I don’t care if they get together or not.

Stupidly I feel a bit sad, The Archers is a needed distraction from life at the minute but listening to this is worse somehow. I know it’s realistic from an alcoholic perspective, but not sure that’s bothered them in the past.

Would a daughter of Jenny Aldridge have a tin of tomato soup in her larder?

When DH and I decided to pack up smoking we didnt have a fag in the house, too tempting, so why would Alice have a bottle of alcohol hidden at the back of the cupboard, surely she would have pulled it out before now.
Ed is a big fat coward and dosnt stop moaning and feeling sorry for hisself, I agree I hope Em throws him out of a tree.

It is puzzling about Ed not realising that cutting trees is dangerous. Even if no-one at the Bull had awful stories, surely Clarrie would have said 'do be careful, remember what happened to my dad'.

It’s thoroughly bizarre that they went to the bank for a loan before checking whether or not they can deal with heights or the danger element. Emma has clearly been preparing for the physical side so has put some thought into that and they must have discussed it

Presumably it was vodka. Sounded like a whole bottle, rather than a half. I’m guessing she will have finished it. She’s going to have a mighty headache this morning…

I actually don’t mind the lapsing SL. It’s totally realistic and she’s a good actress so can handle it.

Was Martha with Chris?

Lololol @UnintentionalArcher

No @Bruisername she was with Lillian at Alice's before Alice got back 🙈

I assumed Martha was elsewhere. If that is the case she will lose her if someone finds her drunk.

Ok. So relapsed whilst home alone with her 3yo.

not sure I can bear a custody battle ontop of hearing her relapse

Were you only half listening? There was a full explanation of how the whole evening had gone while Lilian was babysitting Martha, including second helpings of dinner and a performance of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, with Lilian asking who Bruno was.

Was it talking about Bruno that pushed Alice over the edge?

Yes @Bruisername because we don't talk about him... AND THIS IS WHY!

I may have asked before but what’s happening with The Lodge?

Has it already been sold to unnamed buyers?

Or might it be a possible place for Azra, since she’s said she’s looking for somewhere in the village? Was she the person contemplating Beechwood recently? (Stressful week; memory wiped.) I guess a new-ish build might be more convenient for a busy professional person with children. And it might expand the Beechwood story if we got to hear about other residents through Azra’s family making friends, or enemies.

@TottersBlankly I think she was talking about Beechwood IIRC

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime , if I were, for example, needing to lose weight, my attitude might be 'Starting tomorrow, I'm not going to eat chocolate, cakes, biscuits, crisps or stodgy food until I've lost 2 stones' then I'd think 'I'll have feast tonight'. Tomorrow comes and I feel horrible so decide it's not the best day to start a diet.

If instead I thought 'OK, I'll get a pack of my favourites and tuck it away in the back of that cupboard I can't reach so if I feel like it I can have some', I might feel far more inclined to think 'I can have it but I choose not to'.

I appreciate that my analogy isn't quite the same as alcoholism. It would make far more sense IMO to not have had the alcohol in the house.

Quite possibly.

I find it much easier not to eat chocolate if I have a small bar in the cupboard - it's easier to know I could and choose not to that to obsess about there not being any and whether to go to the shop.

However, I have a couple of friends who will eat any chocolate there, so they have eaten birthday and Christmas presents meant for others, which I just wouldn't do, knowing it's for someone else. It doesn't really matter with chocolate (they bought replacement chocolate buttons, box of chocs, Easter egg.) But it's the same mindset.

Another friend vapes. She's got a back up vapes at home, at work and in the car, because she knows if she didn't have a vape in her hand at times, she would be straight off to the shop for a packet of fags.

Alice thought she was the first type, turned out to be the second. Everyone has to find their own way of managing things like this, and Alice realised she hasn't got there after all, but she has done 3 years, which is still good.

My own mother was dry for decades between times when she wasn't (which mostly involved her ending up in hospital.) I think Alice is probably doing better in that she goes to AA (pretty sure Mum never did,) and she acknowledges she's an alcoholic. I think there is hope for her, but it is realistic to me.

I've got some chocolates within reach. I can have one if I like. I'll have it tomorrow or some other time.

OverArmour I feel your pain. I made a brave effort to give up again and didn't listen for 3 episodes, it felt good!
But it left such a hole I came back and found I was less out of sorts if I skipped through any scenes with Harry.

Alice was triggered, I get it girl😣

We had signals that Alice would have a relapse - the lying.
Will she have turned up for work today? What will she do when she wakes up and wants more vodka? Will Martha miss nursery etc.

Would the nursery contact Chris and Joanne contact Lillian?