Archers thread #191: Mulligan: stew made from odds and ends; second chance after poor shot. Both fit the bill. 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 like George you like your steak very well done, 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.)

Mulligan mostly makes me think of John Finnemore's Souvenir Show. This is good, and tenuously connected to a recent TA storyline

Over to you!

Thanks for that, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. I’ve forgotten it all to such an extent that I wondered if I’d missed it first time around. But I was definitely in England then, so must have heard it.

I always felt it was a shame that taking on Grey Gables meant that Caroline and Oliver gave up fostering.

What I do recall is Oliver’s first, piss poor attempt at a proposal - prompted by the big, important merging of their finances and fortunes for the GG venture. Caroline was not best pleased - so Shula gave him a good talking to and he tried again, with more effort and romance.

Goodness - what a drama llama Esme is being.

And I really don’t think Chris owes Alice any long explanation. I’m sure she wasn’t as considerate regarding Whatwashisname? Recovering alcoholic shag.

@TottersBlithely , it was her father's funeral.

Ah Carly was in my listening lacuna.

Chris is a really cringey flirt. I’m pretty sure this is supposed to be on purpose because really for a man in his mid thirties he’s only had about 1.5 relationships (made up figure) so it makes sense he’s never honed his dating abilities.

He manages to get them in the sack though. Hope he used a condom.
As pp, 🐇boiler.

You're right, I can't read. Sigh.

I would have thought hazel would be keen to get the work done asap so she can keep collecting the rent from Chris. Or are they going to find she’s turned it into a luxury house to Airbnb🙄

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g , we all have off days. They were babies at the same time, and Susan was struggling to bond with Kristiffur.

Was it beyond the wit of Susan and Alan between them to put up a notice saying 'funeral in progress, shop access closed until 3.30, in case of emergency ring 0123 456789' .

I hope the awful revelation about Chris doing sex with someone Alice clearly regards as a bit low will drive her to drink. The castle sounds like a place that will benefit from a crazy woman in the attic.

Or at least heard of the morning after pill if it was all as unexpected as he said.

I have a horrible feeling that all his talk about taking it slow, not having Carly staying while he has Martha, being responsible etc, is all going to go up in a puff of smoke- Carly will get pregnant, will turn out to be anti abortion and they will stupidly rush ahead to make a blended family, with plenty of opposition from Alice.

Carly has got children hasn't she? Where were they last night?

@Buxusmortus i believe she has one son - River? - who was going to a firework display with his dad.

I'm surprised Chris told Alice that he slept with Carly, why didn't he just say I might be seeing Carly but it's early days. Why did he have to tell her he slept with her. It's not as if Martha was in the house. Chris seems frightened to even go to the loo without telling Alice. If they didn't have Martha I bet he would still tell her. Does Alice think he is not going to meet someone and move on for heavens sake. I wonder if she will start knocking back the drink again. Im sure we are going to have a drunk Alice very soon.

How many children did Oliver & Caroline foster?

I know the prospect of rich parents leaving wealth to their children is too shocking for the SWs (e.g. Freddie P now 25 and Peggy’s daft will), but is it possible that Oliver will leave some of his estate to the foster children as well as his daughter?

For Carly to have been brought back in after nearly 20 years implies quite a strong bond with her multi-millionaire foster father.

Annoying voice aside, it would be quite fun to pair Carly and Chris up and have them inherit Grange Farm in a few years’ time.

01234 is a Bedford 'phone area code. The number you wrote is almost a relation's number!

TBF I can believe the oblivious bread delivery guy. I was playing a lunchtime organ recital once, and in the middle of the most delicate of pieces played on the sweetest of flute stops, when two removal-company mannies noisily tromped down the aisle and deposited a large harpsichord (there was another concert at some point) in front of the chancel steps with an almighty crash, and then noisily tromped out again. Were they deterred by a sign on the door? No. Were they deterred by an audience sitting in the pews, holding programmes, and staring at them in shock and disapproval? No. Were they deterred by the music recital clearly in progress? No. They had been told to move a harpsichord from A to B (though presumably not at that precise time), and so they moved a harpsichord from A to B.

Future moving of that harpsichord was undertaken under my direction. Gently.

Given the short time frames delivery drivers are given I can see why he was in a rush! Was this not foreseen as a potential issue when the shop set up there

@outofideas2 , @Buxusmortus, 2 children, Lauren (10) and River (12).

@MinnieBaldock , I thought Martha was there.

So are we agreed we have an Archers version of the Traitors about to happen up in the Scottish castle??

Is this a way to get a celebrity appearance by Claudia🙄

i swear if Claudia Winkleman and her flippin cloak turn up i am going to pop an artery

I thought Martha was there. @MinnieBaldock , I think you might have been right.

@girlwhowearsglasses , yes, unless they re-enact The Scottish Play.

Will Phoebe’s baby be born there? (No idea at all of her due date.)

So did Chris shag Carly with both Fallon and Martha in the house? I thought it was a very small house and I’m surprised it has 3 bedrooms!

So Esme didn’t write a eulogy nor organise a wake. Exactly why has organising the funeral taken up all her time and energy?

Chris took Martha back to Alice and was pleasantly surprised to find Carly still there when he returned.

@TottersBlithely , yes. The Aldridge baby will be born there.
@ExitPursuedByABare , thanks. Forgotten that Chris had taken Martha. Carly is probably upduffed already.