Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Across the Pond (Bonus)

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen, add free, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to get sleepy.com slash support. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. This spring, denim gets a softer, lighter update. Introducing Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg, a new fit that moves with you. It's everything you want denim to feel like for summer. Easy, breathable, and effortlessly cool.

Starting point is 00:00:36 With a fit that creates natural movement and a wide leg that feels modern, not overwhelming. Plus, that signature, wait, for this price, moment. Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg. Hi, my name is Elizabeth. I'm the host of the Sleepy Bookshelf, another sleep-inducing podcast from the Slumber Studios Network. On the sleepy bookshelf, you'll find a calming library of some of the best works of fiction and nonfiction ever written, narrated specifically to help you fall asleep. Some fan favourites of Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, and Anne of Green Gables.

Starting point is 00:01:18 Everything is designed with your sleep in mind. So if you're looking for another great way to ease into a restful night's sleep, then just so. search the Sleepy Bookshelf on your favorite podcast player. I look forward to seeing you now. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm Thomas. And I'm Heather. Tonight's story is something a little bit different. It takes the form of an email exchange between two friends, one in the UK and one in the United States. Hence the title, Across the Pond. The story was co-authored by Joe Stier, who lives in England, and Alicia Stefan, who's based in the US. Both Joe and Alicia have been writing for us for several years now. If you're a regular listener,

Starting point is 00:02:31 you're no doubt familiar with their wonderful stories. We hope you enjoy this one too, but before we begin, make sure you're comfortable. Take a moment to adjust your sheets and pillows if you need to. Find the perfect position so you can drift off whenever you feel like it. When you're ready, Close your eyes and take a couple of deep, calming breaths, in and out. And now it's time to meet our two friends, as Holly writes to Peter.

Starting point is 00:03:39 This is where our story begins. I hope your journey home from the conference went smoothly. My flight was delayed a bit due to heavy rain, but I was grateful it stayed warm enough that we weren't troubled by anything icy. I must confess, after a long and dreary winter, it was refreshing to blow off the cobwebs and get out of town to meet up with colleagues.

Starting point is 00:04:27 I find it so easy to get stuck in my own small, small world sometimes, especially in the winter. Don't you? I love the small town I live in, and I'm not far from a great city, but between icy roads and the natural urge to hibernate, I find that I probably don't go out as much as I should. What's it like where you live? My town is charming, really. Lots of old homes from the early 20th. century. I know that probably sounds very silly to someone from England, where houses are often many hundreds of years old. But I guess what I'm trying to say is there's a settled charm here. I love strolling the leafy streets and waving to neighbors on their porches. There's one really

Starting point is 00:05:29 popular coffee shop on Main Street, where I go to work on my laptop sometimes. They know my favorite drink by heart, and there's a standing meetup of locals there on certain mornings. I guess I've seen just about every season go by outside the window of that coffee shop. Right now I'm home and looking out my bay window. The rain has been coming down steadily, but gently. I feel like spring here gets more polite as April goes on. The saying about March, that it's in like a lion and out like a lamb, isn't really true here in what's known as the Upper Midwest. Many years, the ice on the lakes doesn't even really crack until well into April.

Starting point is 00:06:32 But people always forget and complain that it's a cold year. They're just anxious to move on to the warmer season. I get it. Believe me. I so enjoyed our talks at the conference and was delighted when you suggested exchanging email addresses. I'm really an email person. A relic, I suppose. I don't like to spend much time on social media. It's good to find a kindred spirit in that respect.

Starting point is 00:07:09 What else do you like to do in your free time? Read, watch movies, cook, I really must get some new books on my reading list, so I have an excuse to go sit in the park during May and June. I love those months there, because they're not too cold and yet not too hot. And I'm practically giddy when the magnolias and the red buds and the crabapple trees are flowering. For just a moment, everything seems green and pink all at once. Then blowing petals are like snow. Such a gift after a hard winter.

Starting point is 00:07:59 Well, I'm going on and on here, aren't I? Mostly I just wanted to send you a greeting across the pond. Greetings from your new friend in the United States. And a very happy spring to you. Holly. May 2nd, 2023. Dear Holly It's so lovely to hear from you after our recent meeting.

Starting point is 00:08:30 I have to admit that I wasn't much looking forward to the conference. The talks can be rather dull, and the small talk awkward. So it was such a pleasant surprise to meet a like-minded soul from across the pond. I'm sorry to hear that your flight was delayed. Mine was long and uneventful, but made all the more enjoyable by a good book. That same book is beside me now, as I write to you at the desk of my home office. In front of a window overlooking the sea, this room is my sanctuary all year round. But particularly in winter, when the sea air is bracing, I like to watch the sea.

Starting point is 00:09:27 the waves rise and fall on the horizon. From the warmth and comfort of my office, I understand the desire to hibernate. If it weren't for Benny, my Labrador, I might well stay inside for the whole winter. As it is, we take at least one walk a day, usually strolling along the beach at a nice gentle pace, We've both calmed down a bit now that we're middle-aged, although Benny has moments when he reverts to being a puppy, running in and out of the water, trying to catch the waves. Sometimes we wander along the promenade, past rows of buildings along the seafront,

Starting point is 00:10:29 summer two or maybe 300 years old, but they've been renovated and turned into houses, shops, restaurants, and arcades. They're an eclectic mix, painted different pastel colors. Each building is a different height with its own unique features. I'd describe the architecture as charmingly chaotic, although the town itself is quiet and sleepy. I've never visited the Upper Midwest, but I've been assured more than once that I'd enjoy the pace of life, the Midwestern hospitality, and of course, the coffee. I love the idea

Starting point is 00:11:29 of a frozen lake. It's such a visible sign of seasonal change. Here, the sea appears mostly unaltered. Aside from an occasional cold mist, which swells like smoke above the water, even when snowfall blankets the beach in white, it's quickly washed away by the incoming tide. I do like the idea of a polite transition into springtime. I think polite might be a good word to describe the British weather overall. We're mostly spared the extremes of hot and cold weather, but it can be very changeable. You never know what you're going to get.

Starting point is 00:12:27 Other than rain. It rains a lot. Yesterday, I took Benny into the local woodland. It's absolutely gorgeous at this time of year, when the ground is carpeted in purple, purplish blue boughs. It was blue skies and sunshine when we headed out. But sure enough, the heavens opened halfway along the trail, and we were forced to take shelter under a crabapple tree. They're also one of my favorites when they're in bloom. Some of the pink blossoms came off in the rain

Starting point is 00:13:15 and stuck to Benny's fur, like spring deck. a day later, I'm still finding petals all around the house. I guess I've told you some of what I like to do. I do enjoy movies, especially the old classics. And every now and then, I get the train into London and see a play. What kind of movies do you like? And do you enjoy the theater, I've recently been persuaded to start ballroom dancing, and though I'm pretty awful, it's not as unenjoyable as I'd predicted. I'm told that it's good for you to get out of your comfort zone. Even when you have two left feet, I'm definitely one for email rather than social media. I'd say it's because I'm not great at small talk, but I don't seem to have had.

Starting point is 00:14:27 had a problem going on about myself here, I'd love to know more about you and where you live. Wishing you a warm and wonderful spring. July 8, 2023. Dear Peter, we had such a great correspondence going for a while, then I dropped off the face of the earth for a couple of weeks. My apologies. Summer is supposed to be a leisurely time, but it can't. I'm get sort of hectic here.

Starting point is 00:15:08 All the kids are out of school by the end of June, so everyone gets on the road and starts madly vacationing. There's always someone coming through town that I want to meet up with. And then the Fourth of July holiday comes, and there are invitations to backyard cookouts and big fireworks displays and things like that. I honestly relish this moment right now. After the holiday weekend has ended, that's when everything settles into a properly laid-back pace.

Starting point is 00:15:44 And I can really enjoy the summer. Well, I should say that I mostly enjoy the summer. But the weather isn't always the best part. Your home on the sea coast, with its water views and lovely breezes, sounds absolutely heavenly at the moment. Here in the landlock portion of the upper Midwest, it can be surprisingly hot and humid. I will say, though, that it's a great time to live in a town where every other house has a spacious front porch. Many of my neighbors have furnished theirs with rocking chairs and chair

Starting point is 00:16:32 swings. When evening falls and the crickets are an intense. enthusiastic chorus, I love to walk the streets. Even in the darkness, you can see that all the gardens are in full bloom right now. The hydrangees are my absolute favorite. Even in the darkness, the white variety seems to glow with such delicate beauty. I have some pink ones in my front yard. They bring me so much joy. Oh, and the best part of summer nights here,

Starting point is 00:17:14 is the fireflies. Some people call them lightning bugs, which I find wonderfully dramatic. Nothing is more magical than sitting on your porch at dusk and slowly watching as first one light, then another, then five, then ten, and a hundred more seem to start winking all at once in the yard. When I see them out there in full force, illuminating the darkness, I feel oddly optimistic about the world. This evening, there's an outdoor movie night happening on the town square. They do this weekly in the summer, weather permitting, and it's always a great old classic. That's my favorite kind of film. Tonight, we'll be seeing Casablanca. My friends and I are bringing a picnic baskets and a feast of cheese and crackers and all our favorite beverages.

Starting point is 00:18:30 I don't know what it is about seeing movies outside, but it's more of an event somehow. I love a chance to see everyone coming out to enjoy it together. Before I sign off, I should say I've spent many hours on my own porch reading the wonderful book you suggested. I could hardly put it down. Thank you so much for the tip. I will send along a few of my latest favorites tomorrow. At the moment, I'm off to meet some friends for a walk around the lake.

Starting point is 00:19:11 As always, my best to you and Benny. Let me know what you've been up to. July 30, 2023. Dear Holly, Now it's my turn to apologise for disappearing. I decided to join some friends for a fortnight in the Lake District, far north from where I am. It's close to the Scottish border.

Starting point is 00:19:46 I'm not usually one for spontaneity, so I'm not really sure what got into me. I suppose I didn't realise I fancied a change of scenery until the opportunity presented itself. But my friends didn't. didn't exactly need to twist my arm. The lakes are beautiful, particularly in summer. It's a dog walkers paradise. Lots of rolling green hills, lakes and waterfalls, and quaint stone villages nestled in valleys. My friends brought their dogs to Benny's delight. So the pair of us had old pals to catch up

Starting point is 00:20:37 with, I think Benny enjoyed the break even more than I did. Most days we went out walking along the trails, refueling on cake at cafes along the way. We finished each day with a hearty pub dinner before returning to the cabin to play card games. I know what you mean about summer being rather busy. As much as I adore life by the sea, when the schools break for summer in late July, an influx of tourists flood the beaches, keen to make the most of the warm sunshine. As it is, I've managed to miss all of that this year. And though the town is still busy, it's calmer than it was.

Starting point is 00:21:42 The temperature begins to cool slightly during August, and summer showers keep many people off the beach, but it's still warm enough that you can walk without a jacket, and on days when it's hot, the rain feels like just the antidote, summer evenings on the porch swing sound wonderfully relaxing. Sadly, we don't have any fireflies over here, but the lights of seafront funfellings and amusements along the pier are almost hypnotic, where they're reflected on the waves. I've grown to love the scent of donuts, cooked fresh along the promenade, and the sound of clinking coins from machines in arcades. I've seen outdoor movie nights advertised here in recent years,

Starting point is 00:22:49 but I haven't actually been to one yet. I have a feeling that. I have a feeling that I might enjoy Casablanca a little more on my couch, rather than beneath an umbrella, where I'll inevitably end up. I did see a play in late June at an open-air theatre in Regents Park in London. Thankfully, the rain held off, and it was a wonderful experience. The play was Shakespeare's Much Adieu About Nothing. was very well acted, and funnier than I remembered. Perhaps next time I'll suggest a picnic, and we'll enjoy some cheese and crackers during the play. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the book. I can only imagine the experience is improved by a chorus of crickets singing in the

Starting point is 00:23:58 background. I've just finished a great tome that I've been reading for some time. I'm looking forward to starting something new and trying out to one of your recommendations. Let me know how the outdoor movie goes. Perhaps I'll give Casablanca a re-watch with Benny, although he is prone to snoring rather loudly during films. Here's to good movies and cooler days. No doubt it will be autumn or fall before we know it. October 5th, 2023. Dear Peter, well, we're at the heart of fall.

Starting point is 00:24:53 Honestly, I think October is my very favorite month. Americans refer to this part of the season as peak foliage. New England gets a lot of the attention, being a great place for leaf peeping as we call it. But the upper Midwest is no slouch. Right now in wooded areas around town, the whole countryside is a glorious blaze of orange, yellow, and red. I get out two or even three times a day just to take a walk, because I know how fleeting it will be. The nights are much cooler and It's not unheard of for us to get some snow by the end of October or in early November.

Starting point is 00:25:47 Winter is coming, but not quite yet. And this is a fleetingly perfect moment. When I'm outside, there's a light scent of wood smoke in the air. Every time a breeze blows, it seems to rustle a thousand leaves. Most of them will hang on for another week or two. but a few fearless ones have let go and started to drift down. I see them ahead of me on my path, swinging gently from side to side as they float to the ground in the sunlight.

Starting point is 00:26:35 The pumpkin farms are in full swing. You know we're obsessed with pumpkin over here, right? I'll confess I'm as susceptible as the next person. I've already got numerous pumpkins. and a ridiculous pile of ugly squashes that I bought at the farmer's market and piled on my porch steps. I'm quite proud of my fall bounty. I love to sit in my chair outside with a hot cup of cider, admiring my own work. It's insufferable, but in a really festive way.

Starting point is 00:27:19 Of course, the big game here is Halloween. Our neighborhood is really jammed with trick-or-treaters. And the houses all get at the spirit with elaborate displays for the children. It's a perfect conclusion to this wonderful season. The last night of October is such a bittersweet moment because it's the unofficial end of proper fall. But hey, we've always got Thanksgiving to look forward to in November. I'm sure you've seen it in the movies.

Starting point is 00:28:00 We are about to cook an unbelievable amount of food here. I must brush up on my pie crust. Something reminded me recently of the pervasive donut smell you mentioned last summer, floating over to you from the pier. A familiar scent here, in both summer and fall, is that a fried dough? And I mean, it's basically a big donut. They serve it at every state fair or craft fair from July to November.

Starting point is 00:28:36 I can't go to a fair without eating the stuff. I guess it reminds me of my childhood. I am more likely to abstain from the carnival games at these events. Learned long ago, they are designed to take your money. At best, you win and then you're loaded down with a pastel colored stuffed animal. So it's best to avoid them all together. I'll stick with the fair food. All this discussion of snacks has made me ravenous.

Starting point is 00:29:17 I realize I need to get my dinner into this low cooker. I'll have to sign off for now, but I look forward to hearing all about how your October is going. These messages have been a highlight for me ever since the conference. Not to be sappy, but I'm so glad we became friends this year. Talk to you soon. October 11th, 2023. Dear Holly, your last email was such a pleasure to read.

Starting point is 00:29:54 I feel like it found me at just the right time. I'd been feeling a little gloomy after a fortnight of rain, so heavy that even Benny, the intrepid outdoorsman that he is, refused to go outside for more than a few minutes. I love being inside, as you know. And certainly, there's no weather that could detract from the beauty of the sea view through my office window.

Starting point is 00:30:29 After a while, though, I felt my mood begin to dip. I needed to get out and breathe the fresh autumn air. And that's what I did after reading your email. I put on my raincoat, leaving Benny on the couch. and walked out into the pouring rain. In my gloomy state, I'd been focused on all the wrong things. But you reminded me that there's so much that I love about this season. I took myself off to a local park

Starting point is 00:31:12 and indulged in a little leaf peeping, as you'd say. I do love to see the trees changing colour. maybe even more so when the leaves are dripping wet and the colours are so bright they look almost painted on although i don't think the change is quite as intense over here autumn in the UK seems to grow longer every year especially after a wet summer and before a winter that starts out rather mild It's a long winding down from July onwards. A transition is so gradual that it sort of creeps up on you, drinking hot cider on the porch sounds anything but insufferable to me.

Starting point is 00:32:19 Though admittedly, I prefer eating pumpkins to carving them. I'm famous among my friends for my peanut and pumpkin soup, and my Sunday roast dinner never gets any complaints. Although I doubt it's anywhere near as elaborate as a Thanksgiving feast, all that talk of donuts and pie crust has got me thinking. I'm going to have a go at an American classic and see if I can make a pumpkin pie. It will be a challenge because I've actually never tried one, let alone made one. Maybe one day will meet again, and you can tell me if I've succeeded. America's enthusiasm for Halloween must be catching on. It never used to be as big over here.

Starting point is 00:33:29 There have been kids trick-or-treating for as far back as I can remember. But never the kind of decoration. outside houses that I've seen pop up in the last few years. The festivities fit in nicely with bonfire night on November 5th. When we celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes and his friends didn't blow up Parliament back in 1605, an effigy of Forks is set alight on a bonfire, a rather distasteful tradition. But one that's that we're used to, I suppose. I usually go to my local pub, where they have a huge bonfire and a firework display. We munch on bonfire toffee, made of dark treacle, and keep ourselves warm,

Starting point is 00:34:32 with mugs of hot chocolate. Sometimes warm cider, too. Hopefully I haven't made you ravenous again. I do seem to enjoy talking about food. I'll sign off by saying that I reciprocate your words. Sappy or not, for me too, our correspondence this year has been a breath of fresh air. I often find myself thinking of you, wondering where you are and what you're doing. I'm always looking forward to your next dean. mail. January 2nd, 2024. Dear Peter, oh my goodness, I have been lax with our communications throughout the holidays. I'm so glad you received my card in the mail, though. There's

Starting point is 00:35:35 something special about sending a message the old-fashioned way, although very few of my friends seem to bother anymore. I got your charming letter on New Year's Eve. What a delight. What a delight it was to see a handwritten message like that. I can't think when I last received one. Thank you so much. We were very lucky here and had snow in December, which doesn't always happen these days. Many of my friends celebrate Christmas,

Starting point is 00:36:07 so there were all kinds of festive events to attend, ranging from cookie exchanges to evening parties. One of my favorite things, about living in a colder climate is ice skating outside. By December, the lakes here are sometimes frozen solid. There's usually a place where you can simply

Starting point is 00:36:34 show up with your skates and take to the ice. The kids get into the action too with informal hockey games. The sledding was fantastic this holiday as well. We have a fair number of gentle hills around here, which is perfect for a little fun on the toboggan or the plastic saucer or even a sled with runners. But those are few and far between these days.

Starting point is 00:37:05 At any local sledding hill, you'll find adults clustered at the bottom with cups of steaming hot chocolate or coffee and people of all ages hauling their sleds up and down the slopes. It just seems like one of those wholesome good things in life when the world has otherwise gotten so complicated. I always decorate a Christmas tree as well.

Starting point is 00:37:34 I put one in the bay window of my living room where it's visible from the street and I cover it with as many white lights as I can fit. I'm still stuck on getting a real tree. I love the whole experience of it. My friends tell me I'm crazy. They prefer wrapping up their artificial one at the end of the season and stashing it for the following year.

Starting point is 00:38:05 Some of them don't even remove the ornaments. But it wouldn't be the same to me. My sister visited with my niece and nephew on Christmas. We had a wonderful time opening gifts and lolling about. It's one of those few days of the year when doing absolutely nothing seems quite, respectable. I try to be productive during the week leading up to New Year, but I confess that I was not entirely successful. It's such a strange time. Between the old year and the new,

Starting point is 00:38:48 I'm never quite ready to look forward, even though I have an urge to let go of the holiday. But here we are. It's 2024, and I'm on the case. I've tidied up the house, made a pot of chicken stock, I'm ready to embrace the new year. I thought of you often this month and wished I could share some of my favorite things about December. Skating, of course, and Christmas markets, and baking cookies and reading by the fire, the list goes on and on.

Starting point is 00:39:28 Alas, you were miles away, enjoying the delights of the seaside. I hope the holidays were kind to you, and I'm eager to hear what you've planned, for January. Don't keep me in suspense. January 10th, 2024. Dear Holly, I'm so glad that you like to the letter. Old-fashioned, though it is, and far slower than email, there's a certain magic in putting pen to paper. It's just the kind of cozy activity that matches my mood, and the slow pace of the seaside in winter.

Starting point is 00:40:18 I wrote it in the living room to a soundtrack of logs crackling in the fireplace and orchestral carols playing on my new record player. This year's gift, from myself to me, it sounds like you've had a wonderfully busy Christmas. Busy and adventurous. I'm not sure how I'd cope. upon the ice, as I've never been skating. Although, I did my fair share of sledding when I was a boy, in those winters when we were lucky enough to have snow, there was a giant hill where my friends

Starting point is 00:41:07 and I would meet and race each other down the slopes. I usually went down on whatever was close to hand, which probably explains why I never came first. Nowadays, my adventures are a little more low-key, mostly dog walks in the crisp winter air, either along the coastline or local nature trails, at the risk of sounding a little grinch-like. I think I like January even more than December. While I thoroughly enjoy the festive season, I find myself eager for the new year to begin. Maybe it's because I'm a creature of habit, but I enjoy the return to normality and routine. Once I've polished off the last of the mince pies, I try to get back into healthier ways, batch cook winter soups and hearty stews, and bacon.

Starting point is 00:42:24 a loaf of bread every few days. The smell wafts throughout the house, and it's just divine. It's the perfect meal to come home to after I've been out walking. So far, we've had a mild winter over here, though it's certainly being cold, and the sea breeze makes everything feel cooler. I've no doubt I make for an amusing sight when I'm out walking on the beach with Benny. I put on nearly half the clothes in my wardrobe, complete with hat, scarf and gloves, and a long, padded coat. I actually got Benny a fleece-lined jacket to keep him worn. But his habit of chasing waves renders it useless on the beach. He gets it sopping wet in a matter of minutes, and then it freezes and has the opposite effect. Now, I save it for when we're not near the water, for when we're strolling about

Starting point is 00:43:47 in the park or on a nature trail. I adore the woodland at this time of year. It's blissfully peaceful, as if the bare trees are sleeping, when I hear my footsteps crunching on the frost-covered ground, I'm almost afraid that it will disturb the woodland. It's the peace and solitude that I love most about January. Whether I'm at home or out and about, it's a chance to recharge my social battery. I read lots of books and listen to music and spend a whole lot of time watching the world go by. Or rather, the rolling waves going up and down. Speaking of socialising, I can hardly believe that it's almost a year since we met. What a pleasure it's been to get to know you this year.

Starting point is 00:45:07 How funny to think that the same thing. conference I was slightly dreading last year is the same one that I'm now excited to attend. I suppose I can sign off by saying that I'll see you soon and that I'm wishing you well until then. February 28, 24. Dear Peter, just a quick message to say that I registered for the conference and booked my hotel. Please tell me you'll be there.

Starting point is 00:45:52 It'll give me something to look forward to while the bitter end of winter drags on. February 29th, 2024. Dear Holly, my hotel room is booked, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. I know that we've been talking for a year now, but somehow I feel that I've known you far longer.

Starting point is 00:46:27 I'm so looking forward to catching up in person. See you soon.

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Across the Pond (Bonus)

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