Archers thread #179: Beavers, livestock, ferrets, but nododo! 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 be happy sharing a hot tub with Mucky Mick, 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.)

The title started life with @JanglyBeads, whose autocorrect turned 'Oh no, nor do I!' into 'Oh no, nododo I!' on the last thread. For reasons of cowardice/prudence/lack of inspiration and the character limit, I haven't included @BeaLola's even more mysterious autocorrect - her phone had her asking Abdul if he'd always wanted children instead of Neil. Perhaps one of the mooted beavers can be Abdul.

For the first time ever I've added a poll to the OP. Over to you!

I thought young people called them the Feds. Annoyingly

Well!

Well well well …

Is Harrison religious? I think he'd be well-suited to heading off to help Shula with her outreach endeavours. I don't really care whether Fallon joins him.

I do love the way that Leonard (and Lee) can simply swan off to another continent without the slightest concern about immigration.

Bravo, Leonard. As someone who works in the Church, I hear a lot of eulogies. Leonard is exactly right that they don't need facts. The worse eulogies are the ones with no personal anecdotes and just a factual biography of 'he started working at Ford's in 1974 and continued on the factory line until they moved to Reigate in late 1987' etc. By far the best ones are all about personal memories of shared experiences. They don't have to be funny, or polished, or even well-structured or articulated, just something that you feel is individual to the deceased person and recognises their humanity.

thwarted badger bombing Are you mixing your mammals? It was beavers that were being bombed

Leonard was great tonight but why were David and Ben both at the funeral?

Really enjoyed that, just the three of them.
I felt sorry for Frank too, such was the quality of the acting.
Live it up in Singapore, Leonard!
I'm thinking Jill will go with him.

Leonard had me in tears tonight. I found out that a friend of my father’s died earlier this year. A lovely gentle man, engineer, who I could talk to at length, though being my father’s friend not mine I didn’t often get the chance. I’m much sadder than I imagined that the world no longer has him in it.

And now we’re losing Leonard.

Supporting Leonard

But you’re right. One would have done

Great episode.

I wonder too how the emigration will work. I expect Simon will be able to claim him as dependent parent, if that's how it works there.

I'm sure they'll let Leonard in as an "elderly relative". I'd give him about 3 months to live if he goes (a lot less if he takes his bike) though at least they'd be more interesting than 3 months in Ambridge. We went to Singapore when I was 8 and the heat and humidity absolutely flattened me for a while. My sister, who was a small baby, thrived on it, though of course she had the advantage of being able to be mostly naked.

I went back for a few days in 2000 (stopover between China & NZ) and obviously the ubiquitous aircon is better than the fans were in the early 60s, but curiously it doesn't work out of doors.

Jill will be FURIOUS, though ... Huzzah!

The son will have to show he can fully support Leonard - including any healthcare needs

Unless Leonard has a large stash

why was he in ambridge in the first place?

is this the sw trying to free up a home? Who for? Fallon and plod when they’re evicted for mortgage arrears?

I think Jill and Leonard would have to marry. Simon should be able get a Long Term Visa for his parent. Clearly Jill isn't his parent but I suppose they would allow parent's spouse.

Does Leonard live in Ambridge?

Re funds, even if he had nothing else (and he will) Leonard can sell his house. That should raise say £500,000 or more.

Today, Sunderland ... tomorrow Singapore? I don't see it, somehow. I'm rather hoping that Leonard's proposed departure will herald the Death of Jill.

Friend went to Singapore on a work trip last year, said she had never sweated so much in her life. Aircon everywhere indoors but apparently as soon as you set foot outside you just have to get used to your whole face and body running with sweat.
Can't imagine that would be great for elderly people who aren't used to it. Has Leonard ever visited his son there?
I can't imagine that Jill, at 90odd is really going to want to completely uproot herself, leave all her family and friends behind, to go and live with a family she's never met in a different country she's never been to.
How would she cope with not being in charge of the kitchen?
Do people keep bees there?
I always thought her relationship with L was unrealistic, too soon after Phil and not the type to want another relationship.

I don't think Singapore allow parents as dependents so Leonard would have to get a visa in his own right (as an investor, possibly, if he's happy to splash the cash). Unsurprising, given the demographics of the place. Unless there's some loopholes I don't know about. I am by no means an expert, I just have to deal with visas for part of my work so entry requirements to other countries are something I get asked about a lot.

From googling tonight they do allow parents as dependants subject to the child meeting wealth criteria.

Singapore Dependant's Pass

Information here.

Leonard met Jill at The Laurels.

Lowfield Sunday 3rd February, 2019
"However, Jill has something to tell them and it can wait no longer. She has made a friend at The Laurels. He’s a volunteer called Leonard Berry. And he is just a friend. But she feels that it’s about time that they knew about him."

Leonard's house is not in Ambridge, so no use to Fallon I don't suppose.

You clearly haven’t heard posh MC kids from nice parts of London who refer to the police as pigs, the Feds and adopt all manner of ‘working class’ expressions. Anyway, her accent wasn’t one of privilege. She just sounded like a normal child. Would it have helped if she spoke like some kind of backward yokel? Ridiculous.

HTH.

Would it have helped if she spoke like some kind of backward yokel?

Mirroring ‘Arrison? Might have put him at his ease.

That information is incorrect, as the official Singaporean government website shows: the Dependant's Pass is only for children under 21 or spouses, not parents. However, there is another way, using a Long Term Visit Pass, if Simon's income is sufficient, or if he's acquired Singaporean citizenship then he could bring his dad over as a permanent resident. I can't remember what he does for a living, but I remember David hinting that it was well-paid, so I assume he'd be ok with the LTVP. The person I knew who wanted to try it was a freelancer, so would explain why it wasn't an option.

Tracey would make a good landlady. Her and Jazzer running the pub would be interesting.