Archers thread #173: The Fall of the House of Grundy? 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 wish we were hearing more of Pip, 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 https://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.)

I chose the thread title to echo one I used three years ago, which is here if anyone fancies a trip down Memory Lane: www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4320618--Archers-thread-130-The-Fall-of-the-House-of-Aldridge-Discuss-The-Archers-here. That was the thread where I caused all sorts of confusion at the start by not starting it before the old thread filled up, but others stepped in, fortunately.

At that point I see Ruairi was heading off to London to start his degree, which he has now finished, with none of us any the wiser about what he studied or where. Perhaps this will finally be mentioned now he's graduating.

And now, over to you!

I strongly recommend Patum Peperium Gentleman's Relish, if you've not already tried it.

So what’s Eddie’s plan? Stand outside Borsetshire Crown Court in a “Free the Ambridge One” t shirt?

And what course of action does he think is available to the Brians/Justins of this world? Because money and influence can’t buy your way out of jail, just ask Jeffrey Archer, or Martha Stewart, or Harvey Weinstein…

I was only recently wondering why Adam was working as general dogsbody at Bridge Farm these days. I'd completely forgotten that Adam's departure from Home Farm was precipitated by him taking an unauthorised 'loan' from business funds. I remember now that he quit his job in a fit of pique when Brian dared to suggest this was not a very honest or professional thing to do.

Thirdly, as much as I dislike Jazzer I don't think he'd cheat.

I don't think he'd deliberately cheat, but he said he was disqualified from the man's loaf of bread class, because he didn't realise he couldn't use a breadmaking, and he doesn't seem to have understood he needs to have grown the sunflower himself.

Surely the main sunflower related question is:
How the chuff do you move one without breaking the stem - even if securely tied to a bamboo cane, I’d think very likely to be deaded? And then return it to its original position. 😲

Dig it up? I don't think they root deeply.

Emma is being wonderfully acted at the moment. So vulnerable and frightened.

Ed is such a prick. Putting himself in danger (and getting my hopes up) by going to answer his wife's phone because he thought it might be someone calling about a job. They'd leave a voice mail!

And telling his sobbing wife that he'd try to forgive her. He's the reason they're living in a trailer at 40!

Loathe Ed.

Hang on though … Wasn’t it Emma who pushed him to carry on working for Tim (because they needed the money) even after he’d begun to doubt the wisdom of the venture? If so, she’s the reason …

I couldn’t loathe anyone in The Archers, apart from Rob obvs.

Or indeed Freddie Pargetter (sp?).

Or even Freddy.

Edit: Beaten to it!

The sunflower stem would surely get broken in the uprooting?

Eddie really is thick. He's going to rush off and try to put the menaces on some court officials and then get charged with trying to pervert the course of justice.

I really hope that he goes down for it. Nasty little man.

That sounds quite good, if you leave out the tuna.

They can buy you a better solicitor and barrister, and access to expert witnesses.

@JanFebAndOnwards is wondering about the practicalities of moving 6ft of plant stem with a heavy lump of soil on one end and a heavy lump of flower on the other, without snapping it in the middle.

Come friendly Herefords and feast on flowers . . .

Is it the Flower & Produce this weekend? I do hope so.

A tin of anchovies worked wonders in some minced beef meatballs last night (thank you "Marvellous Meals with Mince" by Joceline Dimbleby). Jay Rayner has some anchovy and sage fritters that we might attempt if it carries on pissing it down with rain this afternoon (the idea of heading out to pick blackberries has somehow lost its appeal).

Not only the expensive lawyers - the MC presentation in court will also garner a more sympathetic response.

surely the best way to enter a giant sunflower in the modern age is with a photo with some sort of measure in it. That would also highlight that it’s the same sunflower

True, but they're pretty solid stems. I have just had some in a vase, which weren't giant ones, and they wouldn't easily snap. You'd have to be careful- but in Ambridge, I assume there might be plenty of people with long vehicles to put it in - maybe lie it on a ladder or something for support.

Dad once got a prize for the longest kale stalks (4) at the local show. He just checked them in the back of the landrover.

In our village the sunflowers are measured in situ and can’t be moved.

Yes we have someone who goes round and measures all the entries where they are growing, releasing results on the day of the show.

In our show, the competition is for the widest sunflower head, and for CHILDREN ONLY.

Though I do sympathise with the transport problems, having been involved in the biggest marrow class. I accidently "forgot" to get mine out of the car, when I saw that the next biggest belonged to a 5 year old.

@TherapistInATabard , Freddie Pargetter is correct.

@MereDintofPandiculation , it does,

They can buy you a better solicitor and barrister, and access to expert witnesses. Reminds me of when 3 local youths got done for GBH.
Lad 1, not being mean but 'a bit simple', worked as a labourer, parents on benefits, went to prison.
Lad 2, farmer's son, and Lad 3, parents with a successful agricultural business, both got barristers and were acquitted.
I know the families, and Lad 2 would definitely have been the ringleader

Fortunately for Lad 1, his lovely employers kept his job open for him so he resumed his job when he came out of prison.

Lads 2 and 3 just carried on working for their families.

Lad 3 has turned out OK (fortunately, he's like his mother not his father)
Lad 2 is still a shit (unfortunately, he's like his mother not his father)

Eddie has a point.

Even if they go to prison, like Freddie - he's not come out to homelessness and no chance of finding somewhere to rent, no chance of getting a job because NFA and no one will accept a criminal record - he has a (very comfortable) home, he has connections to give him chances with working and so on. (I don't think Jeffrey Archer or Martha Stewart are quite on the breadline either.)

George would have a home, but it's a pretty precarious household, especially financially, and he's got a work history already of being sacked from places. No one's likely to take him on as a management apprentice.