Archers thread #177: Will Bridge Farm get a PassiveAggressivHaus? 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'd love to have a moribund camper van parked indefinitely outside your home, or other unusual views.

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Over to you!

Gavin, not Blake.

Anybody I've heard of IRL, who has tripped/slipped (maybe not off a bike) has tended to break a hip or collarbone.

A single broken wrist isn't a huge problem, I imagine?

Still, it gives me something mundane to be cross about.

People I know who have broken both wrists and legs (in separate incidents) say loss of a wrist is more debilitating as it effects your balance, as well as ability to wash, dress etc. It isn't unknown for people with broken wrists to fall and break the other one.

If proximity makes Jill and Leonard realise they can't bear to be parted again and they have a hastily-planned marriage, that would invalidate Jill's present will, wouldn't it?

Whoops, sorry! I understand why I made that mistake, though, because that abuse originated with Philip and was sort of passed down the chain of command. (Plus, obviously, I had forgotten both of their names and was paying only the usual amount of (in)attention.

The thing is, Leonard sounds like a very fit man in his 70s (do we know how old he is?) whereas Jill seems to be about 103 and unusually old for her age. I know this is partly the actress's deafness, but from how she sounds I wouldn't give either of them much of a chance of survival if they moved into Leonard's home together.

Does Jill actually have any money to leave?

In yesterday’s episode, Leonard was said to be in his eighties.From the way he has been written, I would have put him at fit mid-seventies, which is probably why I noticed.

I know there’s a lot of love for Leonard, but I can’t abide him. It’s partly the voice, which grates on me, and partly his creepily ubiquitous omnicompetence. There was a phase when he was everywhere, and welcomed everywhere, for no good reason, and I decided then that he was probably a paedophile (ret’d), but no such luck.

Given a badly broken wrist, though, will he ever repair a barometer or trouser press again?

I'd forgotten that she owns the cottage Carol lives in, and that made me wonder what else she has - shares in Brookfield maybe? It could be a very enjoyable disruption - remember how vicious Lizzie gets whenever anyone tries to get between her and what she thinks is rightfully hers. .

yes! it would indeed!
I thought Leonard was being uncharacteristically needy and demanding I'm not surprised David was pissed off

@RegimentalSturgeon I know there’s a lot of love for Leonard, but I can’t abide him.

I liked him when he first appeared, as he was a bit of a change, but familiarity has bred utter contempt. The absurd relationship with Ghastly Jill started the rot, and the more recent nonsense with the bike has finished him off for me.

We had shades of the old Robert tonight, but it was all too heartwarming/ pissboiling. Not at all clear where this redemption storyline is leading. A vivid reminder of Lynda's scars, but why?

SWs like to play god, don't they? Hence Leonard being thoughtless and demanding, whereas IME when someone is temporarily disabled like that they tend to be more gracious than usual.
But David was in character. Such as it is. Leonard being a fixture at Brookfield is going to lead to plenty of friction. And Jill still in the kitchen, making shortbread, wtf?

I think Jill has life tenure of the cottage she lets out to Carol Tregorran, and on her death it goes to Shula and Elizabeth under the terms of Phil's will rather than hers. If Leonard tried to get it then the fur would fly, I expect, but I don't think he would: he has a bungalow of his own far more convenient than Glebe Cottage with its steep stairs.

She doesn't have shares in Brookfield; she and Phil were bought the cottage out of farm money instead of getting or keeping shares.

@MereDintofPandiculation there are many fine posts for me to respond to but I have plumped for honouring your DH's commitment to the cause. Excellent!

I've noticed in recent weeks he's getting much more infested. Lots of shouting at the radio happening.He doesn't like illogicality.

Yes.

Ooooh predatory marriage storyline.

Newsnight was pondering if the proposed changes to planning laws might fuel future Archers plotlines

The thing is, Leonard sounds like a very fit man in his 70s (do we know how old he is?) whereas Jill seems to be about 103 and unusually old for her age.

This is what makes their relationship so implausible. He has spark and vitality, Jill just sounds tired and very, very elderly.

I don’t dislike Leonard but I’d rather he’d been introduced some other way. If the SWs had made him younger he could have been a credible suitor for Joy. They would be quite a nice pair actually, busying themselves around the village helping everyone whether it was wanted or not.

It would be Duplo at that age.

Is it not a bit similar to Lewis at Lower Loxley?

I'd forgotten all about Lewis at LL, but @LillianGish, you're right! He brought different skills and Jill is a much diminished foil compared to the dowager.

I think that Jill and Leonard were more on a par when he was first introduced. Then Patricia Greene the actress aged quite a lot and quite quickly and started to sound very old in her scenes. I don’t think Jill was written that way, so they are making her sound more active when referred to off-air, now that she’s unlikely to appear again. However can’t unhear what we heard.

Patricia Greene has been fabulous over the years but radio is very unforgiving of voices.

PG was brilliant as Jill for so many years, but there has been a marked change in her voice and to me that impacts on the character. Radio is quite brutal in that respect, it’s the nature of the medium.

Im sorry but if David can geta Barn ready for strangers to stay, why is he moaning about helping poor Leonard, and why couldnt he help with the top button. I do think Jill should have had a word with David and Ruth its there home as well but David is acting like he is a bit jealous of Leonard. I expect Leonard hates being a burden but also he is set in his ways so he would want personal stuff around him if he is staying for over a month.
David used to really Like Leonard but I suppose as long as he is at arms length.
Poor Lynda, this Gavin thing has opened up old wounds for her.

Yes, had they made Leonard just a bit younger, he would've been an excellent partner for Joy rather than Mucky Mick.

I don't mind listening to Jill's age ravaged voice. We complain that Ambridge is full of unbelievably well and spritely old folk and then object to Jill sounding old.

And the Dopeys were such pillocks to toot their horn at a cyclist. I bloody hate tooters!