Life with Nat - EP222: Scraping the Barrel #42 - Top Trumps & Top Correspondence

Episode Date: April 30, 2026

Nat and Marc dive into the post bag and see who comes up trumps! Is the mystery of the unknown TV show solved? And do we understand maps and weeks now?Enjoy!! xx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody, welcome to Life with Nat on this lovely Thursday. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I'm joined by my other half mark today for a lovely episode of Scraping the Barrel. I feel like we haven't sat in here for ages. I haven't sat in here for ages because I got ahead of myself last week. Right. We had the anniversary episode and I did them all early and I've not been in here for over a week. It feels really odd.

Yeah. And I think someone's been mucking around in here because the table, I'm sure the desk has moved. I'm sure stuff's moved. I don't think anyone's been in. No, no, I think so. There's a reflection over there of a lamp in the mirror behind the curtain and, oh.

There's light coming through the window as well, which is odd. We normally do these when it's dark. Nice to do it during the day. Nicer. I like it. Feel a bit more on the ball, a bit more organised, rather than having a really long day and then sort of slopping up here and sitting here and doing it.

Do you know what I mean? It's nice sometimes to sit down and sort of relax. But it's nice when you're home to get one done during the day. I like it. I like it. You had a nice nap, didn't you, before coming on? Well, you say nap. My hay fever started and it makes me extremely tired at this time of year.

I have different symptoms throughout the year. and the first one is this heaviness and I could just fall asleep at any moment so yes I have been asleep from half past nine until nearly midday I've got loads to do as well but you didn't wake me up

but then you said we had a power cut so we couldn't have done this anyway it was quite lucky actually because when you wanted to do this we had a power cut worked out well there you go but yeah I feel very lazy now I've done that

You shouldn't feel lazy You were out late last night It wasn't late It's in bed by 11 You're out in London I was But in bed by 11 A full eight hours sleep

It's not that I'm tired That's what I mean I don't feel tired It's just like I can just go to sleep at any time With this heaviness Terrible For the listener

Just then That wasn't some sort of weird blip In the recording What was that you just did Oh, I see what you mean for the listener. It sounded very strange. Oh, did it? Yeah, because it is a bit visual, isn't it?

I just sort of went, whoa, I've got to do an audio description of that. I don't think I can. Well, there you go. We've had loads and loads of messages about the program that we couldn't think about. Yes.

And we didn't know the name of. Thank you, everybody. High Nat and Mark, I think the TV program might be Red Eye, starring Richard Armitage. I see my week left to right. but starting on a Sunday. Love the pod, Carol in West Yorkshire.

And Carol, you are right, along with many other listeners, it is Red Eye. Oh yeah, it was? Yes, Red Eye. So there we go. We can get back to watching it, if you'd like. It's 45% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yeah, not great, is it? No, I thought it was good, though.

That's all right. We can finish it if you like. Well, well done. We can finish it. I would have thought the title would have rung a bell when, you know, as I heard it, I thought, no, it wasn't that? And it was. It is that.

But we've had loads of people say that, so thank you very much. We've got so much correspondence that I feel like we should just sort of crack on with it, Mark, for a change. Unless you've got anything to say at all. No, you carry on. Hi, Nat. It's Beth here from South End in Essex. I'm listening to today's scraping the barrel, chatting to Mark about white pepper.

I love white pepper. I think it's beautiful, especially on baked beans. No one's mentioned that one yet. I really love it on my baked beans. I can't really eat baked beans unless I've got white pepper. And yeah, and it's just, yeah, a bit milder, a bit lighter. It's lovely, I love it. So, yeah, white pepper all the way.

If you're a weirdo and that, then I'm a weirdo too. Let's be weird together, babe. Thank you, Beth, for that. There you go, another white pepper lover. How many has there been? Quite a lot, actually. Quite a lot. Lots of people.

Listening to today's podcast and brought up a subject which I always disagree with my husband about. Learned to agree to disagree. I believe a week starts on a Sunday. Sure, that's what I must have been taught at school. Heard you say you just see your day. is on a blackboard starting on a Monday. Isn't it funny?

From Fiona. It is funny. I don't see a week starting on a Sunday, do you? I remember that from school. Really? Mm. And it's funny because it sort of bookends the week, isn't it? Sunday at the beginning and Saturday at the end?

Nah. Strange way I think about it. Not for me. A little bit like the map thing. Well, the map thing you've been annihilated on. Absolutely. Well, you say that. Yeah.

No. I'm finding it. Hang on a minute. There's two points I was making. I said it was weird that we always see a map like that. That's true in this country. It is. Hang on a minute.

My point was, this is important. Yes. We mentioned the fact, and I didn't know this, that in the UK, we obviously have a map with our country, like in the middle, roughly. Fair enough. That's why we always, when I say we, as in the UK, see the map. as we see it. But the point I was making was

you look at the distance between one country and another and you almost look at it like left to right. But when you put it together as a globe, from that end of the map, around that way, going that way around, is sometimes a shorter distance. And I was saying it's funny

because you look at a map and you think it a little bit like talking about the week. I'm very sorry. I know what you're saying now, but you were talking as if everybody has the same map. I did say that. So?

A hand on harp said that. I know I was wrong. So. But I think the point got missed. It's very good for you. Hand on heart. I was wrong. I'm trying to give you some encouragement to do the same.

I always say when I'm wrong. Thank you very much. I've got to find a message now regarding the map. Maybe when I said annihilated. Yeah, I think one person. I got one. Found one. Hi, Matt.

Just listening to your podcast about the maps of the world. So I was told that wherever you live in the world, the map, the paper map, the rectangle map looks different. So if you lived in America, their map looks different to ours. So America would be central. And also on our map, the UK is big. than what it actually is. So I'm told. That's Lisa from Canvey.

Bye. Thanks, Lisa. Thank you. I'd imagine that there might have been a thing in the past to make the UK bigger. But I think these days they do it to scale, don't they? Well, I don't know. Maybe not. It does look quite big, considering we're a tiny little island.

That's interesting. I'm trying to find a USA map now. Hi, you, Natalie. I hope you're well. This is Rachel from Hawley. just listening to your scraping the barrel with Mark from the Monday just gone as I'm outwalking the dog. Sorry, I hope it's not too noisy. It's a bit windy today. No, it's lovely.

But I was just listening to your crush on Jack Wilde, who played Dodger in the Oliver film. I absolutely, that is my favourite film, Bar None. Love it. Love Ron Moody as Fagin. But I just wondered if you saw Britain's Got Talent this year. I don't think this particular clip made it to the live show, but if you search it up on YouTube Shaney Wallace was on there at 92

who played Nancy and she sung the old song that she sung in the film as long as he needs me I loved Nancy in that film I thought she was brilliant actress and yeah she lives in America but she came on Britain's got talent

this year so if you get a chance have a quick look on YouTube and watch it it was I felt quite emotional watch it I think he will as well if you love the film so much But yeah, let me know what you think. Thanks for the pod, as always.

Absolutely love it. Take care, bye. Oh, what an amazing. See, I don't watch Britain's Got Talent, so I wouldn't have seen it on there, but I will look that up because Nancy is a character, it's kind of the dream character to play, isn't it?

And I loved Nancy. I just love that film, exactly your passion for the film. It reminds me of childhood. I watched it all the time. I knew every lyric. So I will look that up. And Shaney Wallace, here's a little something for you.

to school with a lovely girl called Rachel, and her mum was Shaney's understudy for Nancy. Are that mad? Unless she was lying to me, but I don't think she was. That'd be quite an obscure thing to make up. Honestly, her mum, Patty. I used to have lovely, you know, play dates there and what have you. We'd keep in touch every now and again on messaging,

but she travels a lot. I'd love to see her again. But her mum was the understudy for Nancy. Incredible. But I will look that up. and I bet it is quite emotional. 92. She's done well.

What about the other bloat you fancied? Is he alive still? Didn't he die? I think he died of a drug addiction or something. I don't know. I think so. Jack Wilde. I think.

But yeah, there you go. Hi, Natalie. First time messaging. I heard you when you were on Luke Hamnitz pod and now I listen to you all the time. I love all your shows. So funny and relatable. You and Mark were talking.

about long relationships and how they work. I've been married for 33 years. I'm 58 now and I was engaged after six weeks and married the year after. We've also had a jewellery business together for the last 25 years. Oh, that's so lovely and obviously with each other a lot. I'm going to shout out for Cavendish French, beautiful silver and cubic zirconia jewellery. There you go. I've done it for you.

I think being married makes you work harder to get through hard times and not just give up. We are comfortable together and that can. seem like complacency, but we are happy in our lives together. We do make time to go out together, holidays, family time with our two sons, and I also have to find space on my own, exercise classes, coffee with my bestie, and solo theatre trips. We also try to ban work conversations all the time. Waffled on enough, love to you all.

Can't wait to listen again on Thursday, and that's from Anna. That lovely. Very good. Not listen to a word I've said, have you? No, I was reading up about Jack Wilde. died of cancer. Oh, I beg you pardon. In 2006.

Sorry. I rude of me. It was 50, what was he? 50 something? 56. That's sad. That's really sad. 53, sorry.

That's sad. Anyway, just going back to what I was reading out. Oh, I can listen to that when I listen to the point. Well, it's a shame because we can have a little bit of input and we can talk about it. No, no, don't worry. Yes, we're quite comfortable together, just like you, Anna. He doesn't listen to a word I say. Hi, Natalie and Mark. It's Rebecca from Nottingham. Just listening to your Scraping the Barrel episode

where you were talking about how you visualise days of the week and months and then going on to talking about the map. I always wonder whether in, say, America or Russia, whether they, when they draw a map, if they have their country in the middle or whether everyone just to, just has it with America on the left, Russia on the right, like you were saying. I keep meaning to Google it, but I haven't done yet. Oh, saves you a bit of trouble there, haven't we? We'll keep it with the pods, living them all. Thanks.

Bless you. Do you know what I love? I love the fact that people listen to the pod and then they actually think about what we're saying. That's incredible, really, isn't it? No, genuinely, I mean that. Because if I listen to stuff, I feel like I just listen to it and then it's gone.

Yeah. I don't sort of ponder and think, oh, I wonder about, even you talking to me about the map, afterwards I didn't give it a second thought. But maybe that's just because it's a subject. No, I think it just sums up when I speak,

whether you take it on board or not. I don't think you often do. I don't think, I think there's a sort of a habit, in other words. Nah, not really. I think it might be. Well, if I listen to the Chatterbix boys, for instance, and they're talking about something that I am interested in, I still don't finish it and then think about it afterwards.

Right. But I think that, again, is kind of the way I live, which is not great. Well, it's nice that someone listens to this and, you know, I like it when we talk about the nostalgia things, like the stick of the dump thing or, you know, stuff like that. It is lovely. That's different, I think, than nostalgic things. Because again, like the Nancy and the Oliver thing,

if it's something that means something to you, I don't know if my Oliver sort of love is the same as your Stig of the Dump. What do you mean? Well, I think mine's a bit more meaningful than the Stig of the Dump. Possibly. I think you have more nostalgic things. Oh, absolutely. You know what I mean?

That's what I mean. Sorry, I see what you mean. Yeah. How are the tomatoes and the cauchettes and cucumbers this morning? I haven't looked at them. I need to pot out for chilies, don't we? We've got the tomatoes. I might do that after here.

So at least I feel like I've done something today because I feel really lazy. That would be good to do the chilis. I might do that. Although it was funny, wasn't it? Should we tell everybody the story of what happened? Okay. So you were, we started to do the potting out together.

But actually, you kind of did it. And I was there on the side. And I did a few. So I was with you. And maybe I did five or six on my own. Yeah. And the five and six that I did, when we took them back inside, because it was quite a chilly day, wasn't it, a couple of weeks ago,

when we took them back inside, as well as all of yours being a little bit droopy, mine were very droopy. And you decided to blame my potting out on the plant being droopy. No, the reason it was droopy was for temperature. It was just a bit cold. But you said. What was that for? What was that?

What are you laughing? They did all shrivel up a little bit, didn't they? They did, yeah. But they'd put it right up again, didn't they, once they warmed up? They did. And now they're strong as oxes out there. They're doing all right now. In fact, I think they're doing better than previous years.

Agreed. Because they've not been planted out yet. Usually, by now I would have planted them out. Early May. We've done it. I know. I'm just saying they shouldn't go out until early May. No, maybe, but yeah, no, we shouldn't. Not maybe.

But we've been all right for like six years, doing that. Yeah, but I think they are going to be really strong and very robust. And I think if we keep the cucumbers inside, that little brown glass thing we've got, I think we'll get more cucumbers this year. I don't think we had any, did we last year? We had two, and they were really delicious as well. The cauchettes went well last year. Yeah, they were good.

They'll be good. But I do want to get the fruit. flowers and I want to stuff them with the ricotta. I want to deep fry them. I really want to do that. So, yeah. Well, something I need to ask to the listeners is, please, could you help me

and have a little think about what I could get Natalie for her birthday, please? So you can contact me on Instagram. It's at camera underscore mark with the C. Please send me a message. Any, I mean, not, you know, not like a pair of socks or, you know, I can't get at me again.

Have you not asked the girls? I have, yeah. No, no. Well, no. Actually, I've asked one of them. Okay, fair enough. The other one I'm speaking to you later, hopefully. Darling, honestly, you haven't got to worry. Well, no, I am slightly worried because usually over Christmas you sort of suggest things

and I'll get you a Christmas presents. And then I always think, oh, I'll get that for that at his birthday, or that's good. but you didn't really suggest much for Christmas either because I really don't want for much I was saying to the girls you know I'd like to see the reaction if you didn't have anything no not have anything we don't want to do that obviously but listen I love peonies

it's a week I'm very lucky May the 13th peonies are in season I would love a bunch of peonies only that honestly makes me so happy and then a nice couple of of little bits and pieces. I thought you were going to say you wanted like a pack of seeds. No, just a couple of bits.

All right. Need some new summer sliders. Okay. They are knackered. I'll show you later. All right, I've got a couple of ideas. Yeah, no, yeah. Sounds like, I mean, I wanted to go out today.

I thought it would be quite nice to go to London. I've got my voucher, I need to spend, my birthday present. I still need to do that. I'm looking forward to that. We could have made a day of it. Maybe next week. Might get a chance before Joni. Joni's off.

Monday, maybe. And it's always quiet. Bank holiday. Yeah. Oh, no. I don't think that'll work. It's talking about. Tuesday maybe.

Yes. We'll have a look. Maybe Tuesday. I'd like that. We could have lunch. Yeah, we could have a little bit of lunch. We'd love to do that. It would sort of squeeze into a nice...

Yeah. It'd be good. All right. And we can actually have a browse for some things and you might think of stuff you like. I know. But honestly, if on the shopping, I'd like everything. I know, but it'd be nice to do that.

And I like, I don't really like online shopping. I don't really... It's not very pleasant. It's horrible. being given a list of things to shop. Hate it. Yeah. No, that's fine.

Yeah, okay. We'll have a look at that when we go downstairs. And I'll check the diary, see if I can get Elliot to help with Joni's pick up. Because if then Joni's picked up, again, you're not rushing back for that quarter past three. You know what I mean? I don't know. I don't know. It was just very, you've never talked to me like that.

It was like this sort of very organised sort of Alan Partridge's look going on. to think that you want to come shopping. I don't think we've ever been in a department store together. We've certainly never been to self-fuge together, ever. We've not been to self-sure. My favourite shop, we've never been together. Well, I'd like to go. Well, very up for it.

You never ask me. I'll tell you what I'd really like to do, but you never seem interested in. Go on. Go on. Go into, like a nice art gallery with me. Well, that's lovely, because I like to do that. I like to do that.

However... Into the tape modern, haven't we? Yes, we have. But I do... When I go to my art gallery, I do... It's quite a solo project. for me. So I'm happy for you to come. Sorry.

Why is that? I just don't like being spoken. I like to immerse myself. I don't want anyone talking. I've done it a couple of times. And there's nothing wrong with it. It's lovely. And if you go with someone who gets it

and you're just looking at the art and whatever, but if you've got someone with you and you're nagging away and I think, I'll have a coffee with you in a minute in the cafe. Leave me alone. Wait a second. So if you're with someone who gets it and enjoys it, it's fine. Yes. So you'll be fine.

Yeah. Honestly. Very well recovered. No, I promise you. No, I'm just saying I have had instances. Okay. Well, I've maybe met someone. A mom?

No. How rude. She likes to have a chat. She loves a chat. No, absolutely not. Who did you mean? I can't remember. I'm going back a bit.

I can't remember. Right. But, for instance, I went with Ali. Yes. The other day. Yes. Got it. We're in the art gallery, but we're not together.

We're just looking all round. Then we had a nice cup of coffee. That's nice. Right. Anyway, that would be again We all want to know someone now who annoyed you Can't remember darling I don't know

Could be anyone Oh this was funny wasn't it So our lovely friend Callum from Scotland treated us to some top trump cards gifts So mine Are UK Huns Top Trumps

You're on the front cover of the box I am on the front cover of the box And do you know what else is really interesting? And it made me very proud. Not that I don't love being known as Sonia. Don't get me wrong. But within the box, there are EastEnders characters. But character names.

Yeah. So Sharon, Pat, Cat. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Whereas I'm Natalie. And I thought, I'm really pleased about that because it means I've made a name for myself. My name.

What are you nodding at now? That just amages me. You don't think people are going to know what your name is. And I got... Oh, yeah, go on, you do yours. The Great British Railway Station's ultimate guide to the nation's top rail terminals. I'm looking forward to playing those, and I'm not taking the piss. I'm going away to Dorset this weekend.

I might take these with me. I might take both packs with me. You're not taking my pack. What's that? Because me and Joni like to play, and Joni always keeps me. Right. And she cheats. Okay.

Because once you've stopped fiddling about, can I just tell you? Right? Yeah, come on. So you've got people like Adele, Theresa Mays in here. She's a bit of a hun since her dance. Cat. Just going to find me, hang on a minute. Deirdre Barlow, Gail Platt.

I was blown away with my scores. I was so happy. Go on in. Fashion three. Don't get me wrong. That's fine. Okay. I think they've sort of mixed Natalie and Sonia with a fashion thing.

Well, there's a green cardigan on there, yeah. So it's a bit Sonia, isn't it? So that's fine. That's also your podcast colours. I know. Iconique. Iconic status. Nine.

Wow. Very good. Drama, two, which I love. I'm a dramatic person. There's no drama. There's no agro. Katie Price is a 10. Do you know what I mean?

Kerry Cotoners. up there, but I'm not, I'm two. Yeah. Lovely. Relatability, 10. Wow. Massive score. What did Kerry? No, I haven't got them, but I've got Adele out because Adele is amazing.

Yeah. And her iconic is nine like mine. So I couldn't believe it. I think every week on the pod, well, actually no, twice a week, because of the two episodes, we should have a little, you could incorporate this, I think. A bit of content. What plan's up trumps? I think that, we'll pop that on Patreon when it starts, shall we?

Not like a niche. Yeah, I don't think everyone needs to hear that. And naughtiness is one. Right. Which is, I don't think that's true to you, darling. I don't know in terms of what, what we're... Quite naughty, aren't I? This is bizarre.

Not one to blow her own trumpet. Natalie is an icon. We heard she's going to play the brass section in a supergroup indie band with the Kaiser Chiefs and Cheryl, because you know Cheryl loves her indie. Don't really... Oh, lovely. Lovely.

I don't really understand the blurb, but okay. I do you. All good. Do you know, Reading Station, has 17.1 million people go through it a year. Wow. They're good, aren't they? Because they're a bit more factual. If you want a little laugh, you do my cards, won't you?

With a little Vino. And yours are quite... You know, you can learn something from them. It's a bit of a random. Thank you. Lovely. And then what Mark did, he went on to chat GPT. And he made his own card.

So what we did was we kind of got bored playing trumps. Yeah. We were playing it at work, you know. So what I did was I put in different cards into chat GPT. And Venn said, here's a selfie of me. Yep. Please can you make me a card? Yeah.

In the same style. So your fashion is four, higher than mine. Yeah. iconic status is six drama is seven more of a drama queen about right relatability eight

naughtiness nine DIY heartthrob and resident tallastic t's in equal measure Mark what did you tell him you must have told him that you did DIY I showed this to everyone at work while we were doing it

and people were coming up to me said I absolutely don't believe you didn't tease chat GPT to do this. Well, I don't know what you've been asking chat GPT beforehand. Who knows what you've been saying to chat GPT?

It clearly doesn't know me very well. DIY heartfrob and resident tall-tastic teas in equal measure. Mark is the go-to guy for banging and screwing. Whether it's... It still makes me laugh. I mean, honestly.

Whether it's Woodward or... It's so good. Can you let me finish it? Hang on, hang on. This is 2026. The bloke who started AI resigned from the company, or one of the pioneers and said,

I apologise to all of humanity for what I've created. And it does this. I don't think we've got anything to worry about. But there's definitely something. I mean, it says carry on in the speech bubble. But it's got the idea that it's a bit camp, isn't it? It's learnt from the card. I've given it.

That it's camp. And said, can you do what? But please let me just finish this. Mark is the go-to guy for banging and screwing. Whether it's woodwork or whatever's cooking in the oven, the cheekiest bit of rough you'll find. This charmer is pure dirt with a twinkle in his eye. Fois.

I mean, I'd be, if I was you... You've put something in that. I mean, I'm thrilled. If I was you, I'd be a bit jealous of chat, GPT. He's obviously got a bit of a bit of a... Quite like it. you. That is funny.

It was funny. Anyway, Callum, thank you for our gifts, bringing us hours of enjoyment. Love a top Trump. Always playing with Joni. She's got the horrible history ones, dinosaur ones, bloody. I just think they're such a simple,

lovely game. So thank you very much. It was my old muckers birthday on Monday on the other side of the pond, my Sophie. Yeah. So happy birthday week.

I did send her some flowers, but it was really, really annoying. There was a bank holiday. I was going to say. It was a bank holiday in Australia. And I wanted to do a next day delivery. But I couldn't do it on Saturday, obviously, because Sunday they don't deliver.

You see, but I just didn't work, so she got her flowers on Tuesday, which was fine. And I had a chat with her yesterday. But yeah, happy birthday. She sent her some pictures from the beach. Did you see them? No. You haven't seen them? Did she send them to me?

They are in our group. Oh, did you? She was on the beach. Oh, it's her. Yeah. Oh, oh, Maxie Bonds. Oh, look, when we go and visit, there's a nice stock of them, Beth? Loads of them.

Can I just also say, when I go to Dorset this weekend, thank you to Frankie at New Forest Ice Cream, who gave me and Tim some Max Chocks, I believe, the last that they've got. I know. Because they can't make them anymore. Tim sent me a picture of his fridge. Yes.

With a placeholder. A placeholder with a spot. So you're going to have a lovely weekend, aren't you? We will if we take the top trumps, we can do that. Top trumps, maxi chocks. Trains? Got a train, yeah. Looking forward to taking Joan on its little holiday.

It will be really lovely. I'm pleased for you. And I'll get a rest, get a bit peace and quiet for a few days, which is nice. House will be clean. There'll be no cloths on the side or nuts and bolts or sprays or paints. Yeah, make a change. How did you find sitting in the audience Not going out? Oh we haven't done one since not going out

I loved it I thoroughly enjoyed it I thought it was brilliant to watch And I'm gutted actually that I've not been more Yeah it's a shame that It is quite long isn't it Well it depends we did one all in one So it rang quite quickly

As we did it you know it's half an hour And then we sort of did it again But no it's fascinating The only thing I would say is I'm sat in the audience watching a sitcom being filmed, thinking I'm bit gutted, I'm not in it. Yeah. It's a little bit annoying. You did ask Lee, though, about maybe in the next series.

Yes, I was quite forward, I believe. I said, Lee. Why am I not in it? Why am I not in it? Why am I not in the next one? Yeah. And he was like, okay. Yeah.

However it will come to fruition, I'm not sure. Yeah. But, you know, best to be honest, isn't it? Yeah, I suppose so. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I always love watching your work. You're so talented at what you do. And all the boys there, everyone.

And girls. And girls, you know what I'm saying. I was talking about you and there's Dave and there's Marco. There's people I know from Eastenders. Just nice to see everyone. And I did nip into the studio to say hello to my old family. Oh, you did? Yeah, Tamika was in there.

Tomeka, Zara. You did? Just sort of pop my head in. They were quite loud screams. But that pleased everybody. I know. It was 10 to 6 on a Friday night. Yeah.

I said, honestly, Bish, I've not come in here to, I know you want to go home. I've had a long week. but I just nipped in but it's so funny isn't it that it's just

I don't know I need a few more words because there's no change time stands still there oh I see what you mean so it hadn't really nothing

you just walk in to wherever yeah you see the same people doing the same thing I could have been there three years ago five years ago it's always been that way

when I had eight years off you walk back in and it's just there it's like a comfort But it was nice to pop in. It didn't make me want to go back, which is a good thing. Why's that a good thing? Well, because I could have gone in and thought, oh, God, I really miss it.

Really terrible and what am I doing? And I really want to be back there. But I just went, oh, home, my comfort. Lovely to see everybody cracking on there. I think Sonia should just pop in now and again. Yeah? That would be nice. You should just go in.

I would love to be able to pop it. I would be very happy. every six months. Just go and do a couple of weeks. That'd be perfect. It would be nice, because then the character kind of is alive. I know.

You haven't just... They do all that stuff where... I mean, Sonia's been mentioned numerous times, you know, being away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you think, oh, it'd be quite nice to sort of see that rather than just talking about it. Well, they're not going to get a film crew out to Bali, are they?

With me and Patsy. Probably not. And Jasmine. No, no. No. Lovely, great. Fancy a little location shoot. But you know this whole TV malarkey, this whole filming stuff?

You know that you don't actually have to go abroad to make it look like those sort of places? No, but they've gone to Bali. It would be nice for it to be realistic. Well, it would be nice. You can imagine Bianca can't you on the beach? She's got a stall, selling stuff. Be good. Do you remember when we met Stephen Mangham after a play in London?

Yeah, we went to watch him in a play, yeah. At that time. Lovely. He invited us to go. Well, invited me. I brought you along. Of course. At that time,

we were quite big on watching episodes. Yeah, loved episodes. Set in the States. And Jim, I was like, oh, that's great, isn't it?

How long do you stay over there for? Is that we film it in, in Wimbledon. I did feel a bit stupid. Well, you know. Being in this sort of business. I enjoyed episodes. That was Matt Leblanc,

wasn't it? It was good. I enjoyed that. We could watch that again. And the other one, loved, which always reminds me of you and I getting together was coupling. You didn't love it. I did enjoy it.

You watched like one episode once. You came around. The first time you came around my house, you watched. We watched the whole series of that in our old house. Did we? Yes. Did we? Yes, we did.

I don't know if we did watch the whole. We definitely did. The leg. Oh, brilliant. When he's got to pretend he hasn't got a leg. It's great. And the funeral one. That is, I have to say, Stephen Moffat, good writer.

That, I'd say one of the better more, I mean, it's not recent. I think it was like 2005 the last series of that, but very good sitcom that. However, it's not appropriate now if you put it on. What way?

It's just all very sexualised and they're talking about the women, yeah. It is really dated. No, it is. Really? Yeah. I'm not saying that's wrong because it's fine.

You know, I'll watch things and take it with a pinch of salt. But if you showed that to Eliza now, I reckon she'd be like, what fuck is this? Very derogatory to me. I hope she wouldn't be like that. I think she would. She wouldn't swear, would she? I just got a little something to ask, because people enjoy it.

They like to, they like to peer into our lives. You just unpeel that curtain, and they like to go into the private lives of us, you know? And I took a little picture to remind myself. But why do you leave your washing, bag and all of your things in between on that ledge. Because that ledge, we have our perfumes and aftershaves on each side. That space should not be filled. Okay. That's to be left. But your bag and all your stuff, it does go in the cupboard underneath. So I just wondered why you left it there. I don't know, really. I don't often, to be honest, I think Eliza goes in it more to take

my razor out more often than anything else. And can I just say just for anyone listening to you thinks that's weird what he just said. No, there's been an issue. There has been a bit of an issue. I don't think it's happened since, but my razor kept disappearing. Disappearing. It's what teenagers do. And I've bought her some, but she said yours are better. But I'll why don't you just buy other one? Well, to be honest, she then went missing, didn't it? She's lost it. So I've had to buy a new one. In fact, I haven't actually checked that lately. That'll be the first job out of here. First job. A little look. That's gone missing again. Because I mean, it could be Eliza that's leaving the bag up there.

No, it's definitely you when you have a shave. Just put it away. Okay. Okay. Now. Nice photo, by the way. Thanks for that. Doing a photo of it and everything, a bit of evidence.

That's okay. It's good. It's important. Again, perfect for the 85% of people that don't watch a podcast. They'll see it. I'm going to pop it on Instagram. Don't worry. I'm making notes of this.

I'm getting better. I'm getting better at shaving bag. When I say I'm going to post something. Someone might not be on Instagram. They don't want to sign up to Instagram. No, I'll whack it on Facebook. There'll be somewhere they can find it. All right, well, then that's up to them,

and they can just listen to it, and they can envisage a shaving foam and a little travel bag that sits in between on my ledge where nothing should be. You're not missing much, missing the photo. By the way, hopefully by now people might have thought of some present ideas for your birthday. Maybe.

Once again, please, could you send them to me? Yes. On Instagram. They might not have Instagram. Oh yeah. They'll send them off onto me. On to Natalie. 07-8-19-19.

And if they're any good ones, I'll pop them in our group. What if they've not got WhatsApp? Then they're bollocksed. Right. We had a lovely poem, didn't we, for the two-year anniversary? In fact, we had so many, we did. We did. We had so many lovely messages.

I didn't get through them all. How could I? It would just be a whole episode, like an hour and a half of you guys. In fact, that would have been quite good actually. I could just put all the voice notes together. But anyway, truly appreciate it. But obviously our friend George, Georgina, did a poem and she forgot Mark. Well, she's absolutely come up trumps here.

I've sent this as an apology. I wrote a grand epic, bold and bright, about life with nat, pure lyrical delight. With rhythm and flare, each line just right. A masterpiece crafted, well, Mostly tight. There were laughs in chaos, teagone cold, inside jokes that frankly never get old.

Dramatic moments both brave and bold. Honestly, poetry gold, solid gold. But wait, what's this? A gap, a crack, a missing piece? Oh no, Mark. Poor Mark are raised from poetic fame, not even a footnote, not even a name. While Nat got stanzas dripping in praise,

Mark got absolutely zero phase. No cameo line, no subtle hint, not even a typo or accidental print. It's like he's vanished mid poetic spree, a ghost in the rhyme scheme haunting me. Did he offend the muse somehow? Forget to bring snacks? Is that it now?

Or did I just completely forget? Yeah, that one, I'd place a bet. Imagine Mark reading along. Oh yes, this seems like a lovely sort. on, wait, where am I? Did I blink too long? Is this intentional? Is this wrong? Fear not, Mark, this poem's your stage. You're long overdue justice-filled page. You've gone from missing to headline act, a comeback story, a poetic pact. So here you are in comedic glory, late to the poem, but stealing the story. Next time I'll check, do a headcount maybe, before accidentally ghosting

somebody. It's very good, that. Very good. I can't believe how long that is that poem. It is long. Tighten it up. And I don't think that's a chat GPT thing. How dare you suggest? I know, but people do do it.

How dare you suggest, Fitch is... No, I agree. You know Georgina. I know. I'm very talented. It's a very long poem. Very... I like it a lot.

And I love poetry, so... I'd like a birthday one, please. If you can knock one out. Yeah. Might not knock out a birthday poem for you. No, I was talking to Georgina. I know, but I might do one. I had a lovely poem.

I've got my favourite birthday poem from Rowe, Roe, my 40th. I remember it. Which is downstairs. That was very good. It was amazing. And it's downstairs, and I need to get it framed. That's nearly three years ago now. Do you know how many pictures I want to get framed?

Quite a few. There's lights to be changed. There's lamps to be done. It's a nightmare. Hang on a moment. It's not your fault. I'm more than happy to help with this thing. No, I know, but I don't do anything.

But no, just tell me what I... I know. I just fill my days up with stuff. Like sleeping for two hours. What I was going to say? Terrible. Ah, what about Alison? Oh yeah.

I bumped into lovely Alison in where? Mm-hmm. Where? And she was so happy to see me and she's been for a bit of a time of it and we had a nice photo and she said how kind you'd been because she has a son

and you were saying go to the BMR, go to Barnard's Railway, he'll really enjoy it. So that was really lovely and she was honestly so, pleased and then she messaged me after saying it really made my day so I'm really pleased to have met you

Alison, it's fantastic Kirstine That's a nice name, isn't it? Not Christine, not Kirsten Kirsten Kirsteen Hi Nat, just a quick one Following on from your pod about white pepper

I realised that I had forgotten it existed I was on my way home after listening to the pod at work and stopped to get petrol and white pepper No idea what I'm using it on, but I feel my life is complete knowing I have white pepper in the house. My daughter thinks I've gone mad. Keep doing what you're doing. Love every single pod.

Now, Kirsten, can you send me a little message? Let me know where you've used it, because this was kind of a few weeks ago now. Where have you put it? Have you enjoyed it? I'm really keen to know because for me, white pepper really elevates a meal depending on which one. So I'd love to hear from you, please. Hi Nat, this is Jessie from Gloucestershire. I'm just listening to your latest episode,

and you and Maria are talking about TV shows and what you've been watching. And I've been meaning to message in for a while to any of you, all of you really, to see if any of you have seen Riot Women. It's on Eye Player, and there's only six episodes. And if you haven't, can I implore that you please watch it

and discuss it on the pod? Because I saw it, and my husband actually stayed awake throughout. it which should shout volumes as to how good it is. But it is the most emotive and powerful piece of TV program I have seen in years. And I would really love to hear all your thoughts on it. And I think the conversations range massively with everyone you do your pods with. So it doesn't matter whose opinion, I think it will be valid. But yeah, look forward to hearing your thoughts. Have a good day. Bye.

you for that and I really loved that. I loved the fact that obviously we were talking about tele, me and Roro, what have you. But if you say this would be good for everyone, I am going to implore that everyone watch it so you get a view from everybody. I don't know if that's going to happen. It might be a couple of episodes, but Mark, I've put it on our list, what to watch. And I think we should watch it. It's only six episodes. Let's try and get through it. So thank you for that recommendation. Lovely Jubbly. You won't believe this. I've had a text in, whilst with recording this, from The Barber. Yeah. I was meant to be there like 20 minutes ago.

It's like, is everything all right? It's nice, I suppose. Oh. Right. Unfortunately, I'm doing a thing. Oh, you forgot about your barber. You don't need a hair cap, do you? I felt like I did.

But, never mind. Hopefully I'll be able to go this afternoon. That's the first time I've ever done that, to be fair. It's unusual for me. It is unusual. It's been a bit of a funny old morning with a power cut and me having a sleep. That lady Maria, who I referred to as Maria,

and you got confused. What, Mia. She is Maria, but it is Mia on... Yeah, but she's changed it now on Instagram. She's put her name as Mia right now. Has she? Not Maria, yeah. Funny, isn't it?

I don't really know why. I thought I'd report back on that, just because... That's lovely. I get about two messages every sort of four or five months, and it's just nice to mention them. Perfect. Both of them, really. Fantastic.

Ha, ha, ha, ha. Stick of the dump. That just made me laugh while sorting out my washing. My youngest did that during the first lot of... down and she is now mentally scarred. However, I found it really good. Each time we see it in a bookshop, I point it out as I know it winds are up. I should get it one day as I realise we never actually finished it, Helen. Oh, and talking of places like Blue Water being built and at the time, possibly ruining it for the residents who were there, I live in a village right next to the fields that Universal

is being built, not sure whether to ride it out or escape while we can. What's Universal? I would imagine that Universal here, they're doing a big... Film studio? I don't know whether it's a theme park or something. Yeah. It's hard, didn't it? Yeah. But we did have quite a few comments saying that Blue Water wasn't a good thing.

It was an absolute nightmare for people that live there. They don't like it. No, that's fair enough. So that is fair enough. I had a lovely message from my friend Sam, who's been a long-time listener of this pod. Actually, used to message myself and Joanna on off the telly a lot. And Sam said, loved, loved you on James O'Brien.

I was painting in the garden listening to you, very refreshing. So yeah, I did think, I'd give that one a little shout out. It's me talking to the wonderful James O'Brien on his full disclosure pod. And it's just a sort of bit more of an insight into sort of my history and life that I don't really do on here. And he's such a good interviewer that I really enjoyed it. So you can catch that on a global player, I believe, or wherever you get your pods. Two major plugs they've had now. I'll do the same for yours.

They probably won't, but... We spoke about it for five minutes on our last one. Well... Very lucky. There you go. I hope global are good to you. Hopefully. Your backhand would be good, isn't it?

20 quid. A little radio show won't go miss. Be good, isn't it? Would it? I don't know. You're very good on the radio. No, then I lose the ability to... More chatty.

speak. No, but the radio you did was sort of some links, which you were obviously fine with. But I think you'd be great. I found it very nerve-wracking, to be honest. You're great. Out of my comfort zone. Last time you were on the breakfast show, that was really good.

I would be very, I'm very happy to be on the breakfast show and nagging away, but it's not your, I'm not you. But you are talking. No, but you're guessing, it's not your thing. It's very different that. It's very hard. Could you do, like, LBC? No, I could do...

No, you've got to be super intelligent to do LBC. I could do a mundane show at sort of 2 o'clock in the morning for LBC it would be brilliant I'd just talk about white pepper all night long You know Boris Johnson's sister was on it for a bit She's still on it Rachel No, I'm just saying it Okay

No, you don't, she writes for the bloody darling She writes for the financial times or something Don't she? Have you listened to her show? Yeah, it's not one of my favourites, I must say It was quite funny when people were phoning up complaining about her brother and it was winding her up

and she'd referred to Boris as her brother and I thought, poor woman. You can't help who your brother is, can you? What a character. Character? I can think of another word, beginning with C, that he is. Good morning, Nat and the gang. I'm just sat on my beach,

watching the sunrise and listening to the two-year anniversary pod. It's my go-to. It's my safe place. It's the only pod that I've ever got into. Try to dab win others. Just not the same. I feel like I'm catching up with family and friends. And yeah, it's been a bit of a crappy week. So thank you for making me smile and feel in the love. Because you all individually bring that to all of us. So thank you so much. long may it last. Have a great day. It's going to be a good one. Jade and sunny pagan. I love that noise of the wind.

It reminds me of Cornwall. You know when you're on the beach and you've got your dry road on. I've really missed not going to Cornwall this year. Me too. Me too. We'll go next year. I really miss that. Maybe we'll go in February.

Because it doesn't really matter about the weather. Well, I was so discombobulated. by going to a warm country. And I've said this before, but it was so strange. I mean, lovely. It was brilliant. But I found that so odd. To come from a freezing cold England,

and suddenly it was like we're on a beach. Winter sun. It's like lost six months of my life. That was lovely. That fast forwarded. Keeping you up again. Just absolutely washed out. I know.

The old hay fever. Anyway. How does it feel, having completed, now, you know, your celebrations are over from last week, what have you, but you're well into now your second year of this podcast. Yeah, it feels good. Long might continue, I want to be sat in 10 years, saying, I wonder what everyone will be doing in 10 years.

I don't know. It would have been incredible. The listeners? Everybody, the listeners, us. Oh, hopefully we'll be doing this. Hopefully. Do you mean, I see what you mean. More children in the family or...

Ah, I think there will be. Where our girls will be, 10 years time. 10 years. It's a long time. My lives will be 25. Amazing. She might... Joan, yeah, yeah, that'll be...

Well, Joni will be like in Thailand. I don't know what she'll be doing. I don't know what's happened to her. Doing something or other. I don't know what's going on with her at the moment. By the way, I've got to say, she does look like she's dressed up as Michael Jackson at the moment. We need to get her some longer trousers.

She's got... It's not a good look. No. Really. But can I just say, I said, shall I buy you some trousers? Yeah. in the shop. She said, I don't want trousers.

It's Easter now. After Easter, I wear dresses. It's so cute. And now she's got the trousers on that don't fit her. Fair life four inches above her. No. She has had a growth spurt. Oh, it's so cute, though. Well, it's not. It looks ridiculous. And it looks like I don't buy her new clothes. Well, I just thought...

But she bought the dresses and she said, no, mommy, I don't want any trousers. I'll get them in a minute. They're swinging about. Don't. Drives me mad. Drives me mad. Right. She's got to start shuffling. Like moonwalking. Moonwalking into school.

I know. Well, it is quite relevant. The new biopics out now. Is it now? Yeah, Marissa, it was excellent. Oh, it's good to sit. Yep, sure it was good. Well, I can't believe that's been an hour.

We've got through some subjects again, haven't we? We have. But I love having so much correspondence that you flip from subject to subject to subject. So please keep sending it in. 077, 08, 20, 19, 19, have a fabulous bank holiday. And, yeah, I'll see you on Monday with Tony Talks. Bye. See you later.

Bye.