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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

That really is setting the bar pretty low, Brian. #TheArchers

Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I think that a lot of the problem is because Anna is extremely jealous of the fact that Carole would turn to Alan for help, rather than asking her. That, plus feeling guilty for all the problems in her relationship with her mother. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Alistair, and the rest of that practice, has always been dreadful at any of the admin that makes a practice work well. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

As an aside, I was very taken with the stream of rottweilers in the waiting room, who had been called in as blood donors!

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I remember, some years ago, taking a cat to see a cardiac specialist. She was running very late, having been performing open heart surgery on a dog. Obviously I don't know any details but it was clear that she was worried that it hadn't really been in the dog's interests.

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Whether it was chemotherapy, or diagnostic tests where the results were unlikely to change the course of treatment, the vet was very much in agreement that it wasn't in any of the cats' best interest. #TheArchers 2/2

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

One worry is that the pet's opinions aren't always taken into consideration. I'm lucky in that the vets at my (now corporate) vet are as keen as I am to think about whether my cat would actually want the treatment. #TheArchers 1/

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

And remember that that's what you gave Carole your account details for. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

They, or at least the Ambridge practice, is also very far from being a well run practice. The individuals who work there may each be good at their job but they are completely shambolic and don't meet modern standards for things like out of hours cover. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I'm getting frustrated by the SWs suddenly trying to portray Lovell James as a big, corporate vet. It isn't (or, at least it never has been, up till now). It's a small to middling local chain of vet practices and is, clearly, still run by Don James. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I quite like it, if I'm getting salad greens. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I think he did notice the lights. He made a rather scornful comment about Fallon having left the lights on again. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

So did I. Not even a mention of what might have passed between them. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

More than likely! Failing that, they had a dig through the archives to find a suitable candidate for her. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Yes and, IIRC, Fallon thought he was pretty sexy then, as well. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Depends how much contact they've had, over the years and why there haven't been any face to face meetings. Nowadays, it's much easier to maintain, or even build, friendships with online contact. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Yes, that'll be interesting. At the moment, I think it would be a deal breaker for her. I hope that will still be the case, when Harrison raises the subject. I also hope he does have a proper discussion with her, rather than manufacturing excuses for unprotected sex. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

No, nowhere near ready for that - nor for motherhood, for that matter. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Lily is still young and wants to be out, partying and having fun. Harrison has been sliding comfortably towards middle age, contemplating baked potatoes. When the immediate sexual buzz subsides, I think they'll both find the other rather boring. #TheArchers 2/2

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I largely agree with you. I think the main problem is that they're in different (and not very compatible) stages of life. #TheArchers 1/

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It must be communicating with the booking system though, to allow the user to be given the correct code for their timeslot. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Assuming the code is a fresh one for each user, that's what I mean by an automatic lock. I take it that the owner doesn't have to keep going down there, to manually change the code, multiple times per day. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

How do people gain access, if there is neither an automated locking system nor anyone running it in person? Is it just left open, to run on the trust system? #TheArchers #DogField

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Plus CCTV both to check for any damage and to monitor how many dogs are using the field at once, and checking that that matches the number who have been paid for. With someone able to go down there to evict extra hounds, when necessary. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Another cost missing from that, I'm not sure how much of this would be up front and how much ongoing, is the software to run their website and booking system, communicating with the field locks, so that people could be given a one time code. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Yes, I agree. I think to make a dog field, somewhere like Ambridge, attractive to large numbers of dog walkers, they'd need to have additional features. Maybe a dog agility course set up or other forms of enrichment for the dogs. All this would add to the costs, of course. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

An additional ongoing cost will be commercial waste disposal, unless they're hoping the council will fail to notice all the extra rubbish in their domestic bins. Come to that, as a B&B, they should be paying this already. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

That would be the theory, although I'm sure the walkers would expect a poo bin to be provided - and regularly emptied. The reality though would include a fair number, who either didn't bother or, because the dogs are off lead, didn't notice, so someone would need to do poo-picking duty. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Lynda seems to think that that investment should be the responsibility of their landlord. I'm sure she expects the rent to be pretty minimal, as well. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I think that's the normal way, although they will need checking regularly, I'd have thought at least once a day, plus quite an investment in automated booking systems which can manage a remote lock. I doubt those are very cheap. They'll also need a fair level of CCTV to monitor it. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It sounds as though the scales are starting to drop from Amber's eyes about the Grundy family as a whole. On one hand, living in the house with all of George's family, no longer feels quite so delightfully warm and loving. On the other, she's seeing Eddie's scams from the other side. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I do hope that Freddie hasn't been reading Ben Aaronovitch, when he produces a unicorn for Pip's wedding... #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This probably means that there's a compare and contrast storyline planned. Probably with two, very different, single mums, when George is locked up again. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I'm still expecting things to be going wonderfully for George, Amber and NotJoe, when the truth comes out about Clonkgate, and George finds himself back inside, for his second go at Perverting the Course of Justice. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Pretty standard for Ambridge though. Jill used to regularly treat The Bungalow as her own territory, when David and Ruth were first married. Jenny also walked in on Alice and Chris, on occasion. I have a feeling there have been other examples, as well. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Thanks, that does look interesting. I don't think The Names sounds like the right book for me, at the moment. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Is it good? It's been on my radar to read but I haven't got round to it so far.

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Either that or something which works with Bare... #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I think you're probably right. Not least because George's involvement in the cover up is likely to be considerably more serious, if he's still on license when it comes out. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Yes, I think you're probably right and if they have some fields which are otherwise unproductive. I suspect it also helps if you're rather closer to population centres. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I suspect it also requires a significant investment from the owners, as well as the fencing, and considerable work maintaining it. More than a pair of octogenarians are likely to be happy with. They'll probably end up employing Khalil, but that will eat further into the profits. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I'm sure there would be some takers but I'm not convinced that the population around Ambridge is large enough to make it profitable. People from outside Ambridge, visiting for a dog walk are more likely to want to go for a walk, with the dog, rather than use a dog field. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Yes, but it would mean that the landowner was taking a large chunk of the risk. If the business failed to get off the ground, the landowner's down by a five figure sum, with no rental to collect to pay it off. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It certainly gets the occasional reference, although generally in passing. I don't remember anything more specific than that though. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Given the population density around Ambridge, I doubt they'd have enough take up to get anything like that level of income though. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Yes and, IIRC, Alice gave Martha the middle name of Jasmine, in Jazzer's honour. #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

According to legend, my mother was born in the commode! #TheArchers

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Serena Blanchflower @allserene.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

They mentioned that there was a £700 excess on Brad's insurance. #TheArchers

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