Archers thread #197: Runs, Ambridge, runs! 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 find it credible that Kate, who changed continents twice to get away from her own children, has now morphed into Grandmother of the Year, 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.)

Well, Finlay may have made good his escape, but we're all still stuck inside the Borsetshire forcefield. The cricket team is rising phoenix-like from the ashes but will now be The Bull's team, not Ambridge's. Will Alice and Rex make a go of things? Will George cope with a month off the booze? Will the real Brian Aldridge re-appear? Will we hear a bit more about farming? We did get a lambing scene the other night, which was good.

Over to you!

P. S. The pointless new AI title generator MN has introduced in spite of absolutely nobody ever asking for it wanted to call this thread something like Discuss The Archers here, no spoilers. I won't be following its suggestions.

I can't help wondering whether Sean O'Connor was frightened by a cow at some point in his childhood, or maybe his mother was when he was in utero; he seemed keen on getting rid of cows, both the Bridge Farm ones and the Brookfield herd being replaced with a fad breed by Ruth, and he had Tony nearly killed by one. Not ideal for a man editing a programme in which farms with cows on them play a large part.

Who DOES milk the cows at Bridge Farm?

It seems odd that Tony and Helen didn’t make reference to how well/badly Johnny is doing after leaving Ambridge to crew yachts when they were talking about Josh flouncing off to Patagonia.

Madcats
Who DOES milk the cows at Bridge Farm?

The cows remain unmilked now there is no Johnny doing it, no Adam doing it and no George doing it.

I don't in fact believe either Tom or Helen is.

Probably Tony, then.

Who else is there? Pat? Henry? Susan?

Jack will soon be 10 ... surely old enough to milk a few cows before school!

I have a feeling there may have been some talk of getting in a relief milker, but I don't know that anything came of it.

How come Helen can afford to put an offer in on the house?! I desperately need to go find work in Ambridge because the pay there is fab.

When has Helen ever had to pay market rent for anywhere? She probably has loads saved up.

Borsetshire - lived above (Bridge Farm owned?) Ambridge Organics?
Blossom Hill Cottage - moved in with Rob (who probably paid all bills)
Beechwood Estate - Kirsty's gaff so probably mates rates, then squatters rates when Tom/Tash bought the place.

I have a hunch the purchase won't happen or maybe she'll swap with Pat and Tony if his beloved Herefords get sent to market.

Madcats
Borsetshire - lived above (Bridge Farm owned?) Ambridge Organics?

I don't think Helen ever lived in Borchester above the Ambridge Organics shop (which was leased until they were suddenly able to sell it). After she walked out of Bridge Farm she lived in Ambridge over the village shop for a while.

Thought it odd that Helen wanted to go round to Tracy's with a bottle of wine. Would she sit on the settee in-between Tracy's Dad watching the telly and Jazzer swigging from his home-delivery cans of lager?

Lucy Fleming (Miranda Elliott) was on PM today

why, what was she talking about?

A clock. The one that's been returned to Carnforth station.
Brief Encounter clock to return to Carnforth railway station - BBC News

I heard a few words and posted because I recognised the voice at the start of the programme. It's at about 17.55.

I heard that but didn't realise who she was.

I only heard her say a few words and posted. Then I thought I'd look an idiot if I was wrong. She has a sister so it could have been her, siblings often sound very similar.

I knew that LF/ME was the daughter of Celia Johnson.

Lucy also had a famous uncle.

Yes, I think Ian Fleming could probably be described as famous - rather more so than Celia Johnson these days!

My flakey listening, perhaps. Where was the flat (or was it Gamekeeper’s Cottage?) where Helen lived when she was keen to adopt Annette’s baby?

Perhaps Helen will let Tony keep his herd in exchange for a free farmhouse.

It would make sense for Helen to move into the farmhouse while the boys are young and she needs three bedrooms and for Pat and Tony to downsize. Natasha and Tom are happy at Beechwood and I imagine they’ll be even happier when Helen and the boys move on. It would make much more sense than the ridiculous shenanigans that went on with Home Farm and have more in common with my what happened at Brookfield when Phil and Jill moved out.

I think Helen has lived in:

• Bridge Farm with a brief absence while she was at Reeseheath and away learning cheesemaking.
• the gamekeepers cottage with Greg, which I think is what Will and Emma later renamed as Casa Nueva.
• Above the shop, including with Annette at one point. Later this is where Tom & Natasha were, then Chris Carter, until Hazel Woolley got the builders in, who, AFAIK, still haven't finished there.
• Blossom Hill Cottage with Rob
• prison
• Beechwood with the personal trainer whose name current escapes me
• Beechwood with Tom and Natasha

Many of these residences have been interspersed with returns to Bridge Farm.

Lee? (Who wore his personal white trainers for a date involving a walk in the country.)

Excellent summary - that’s exactly how I remember Helen’s residential history.

More of Helen’s story, for new listeners:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3XtJ9HZNYzrBYThlKd0RyRb/helen-archer

Lee! That's it!

I could hear his voice in my head, but no name.

I enjoyed Tony & David's chat. Felt authentic.

Lee was a physiotherapist and also taught a martial art. Can't remember which one.

Oh, yes! Pretty much the only point to him was that he occasionally brought news of The Laurels.

I wonder if Henry and Jack still miss him. (Given that poor Henry despises Tom but is obliged to live with him.)

Over the last week or so there seems to have been a few references to Brian forgetting things. I wonder if the SW are planning to develop this story. Hope not as am caring for my increasingly forgetful DM at the moment and I listen to the Archers as an escape .