Life with Nat - EP232: Scraping the Barrel #45 - Shrinkflation... it’s 18 inches! FOR 7?!?

Episode Date: June 3, 2026

Nat and Marc discuss things getting smaller, including Nat’s eyes with the pollen count. Nat’s yawning away, but you won’t be! Enjoy.Get in touch with Nat, buy tickets for upcoming live shows and find the family on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://lifewithnatpod.komi.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm sorry I look like a boiled egg. That wouldn't be the first thing that came into my mind, actually. I can't really see this evening. Okay. How does that correlate with being a boiled egg? I just look like a boiled egg. My hair's all scraped back. I mean, I usually look like this, but I think it's... Don't you look like a boiled egg.

That is not the first thing I would think of. What would you think of? Not a boiled egg. A boiled egg is like a little round thing with no definitive sort of features. No hair. It's just like a little lump. I feel like a little lump tonight. Okay.

We had an egg the other day. Joni was a bit worried about it and it had like a weird, bubbly kind of texture on the shell. I know what you're saying. Yeah, really weird. And it was a different sort, when I broke it,

it looks fine, the egg looked fine, but she was a bit worried about it. I thought it was a prank. I thought it was like a fake one. She's got a fake one. You know that's the only one that's in there now? Yes.

But that's really, annoying me. What's really annoying you? The fake one. What, would you think it's an egg? Well, because I like, if it's empty, the basket's empty, I'm not saying I won't buy them if there's one in there. Right.

But it just sort of froze me a little bit. Are you blaming Joni's fake egg on you just not going shopping at lunch at the moment? Went shopping today. Did you? Yeah. What we got for dinner tomorrow night? I'm not here. Working.

Brilliant. So. I'm going to make everybody a chicken tray bake. Okay. So hopefully there'll be some left over for you. right, see what I mean? I don't think it's Jamie's fault. Well, if I'm not here, I can't magic up loads of dinners, can I if I'm not here?

No, but just for mere sebelence of some stuff. Sebelents. Sebelents. Have a Google. It's going to be wrong, but I'm going to style it out for the next five seconds while I can get away with it. But the... Go on, here you go. Sebelance.

Sebelance. No, it's not a seblance. Go on try it. The outward appearance are apparent form of something. I think you can give me that. No. Yeah, the outward appearance of the food in the fridge? No.

Isn't going to make a new dinner? No. Rubbish. Just some ingredients would be nice. There's lots in the fridge. Is there really? Yes. I should run down there now.

I have a list. It would literally be like ready, steady cook. Yeah. It would be as random. If you whack all the bits in there, Oh yeah. Chuck that in chat, GPT and come up with a recipe. A bag of parmesan.

Yeah. Some great. What we're going to do now? Hang on. What we're going to do with a pump? There's peppers. There's onions and garlic in the cupboard. All right, okay.

There are potatoes. Yeah. There are tin tomatoes. We've got butter beans and pulses and kidney beans coming out of our ear rolls. There are lentils, giant... In the fridge? No, within the house. Oh, no, no.

Don't start... Hang on, I could have done that. I'm talking about in the fridge. In the fridge. You will open the fridge. What could we make the ingredients in the fridge? That's not the point. You need staples.

No, no. I'm really interesting. though. What could we make at the moment with the ingredients in the fridge? There's chicken thighs and wings, peppers, onions. So tomorrow night I can just whack out the chicken fires. Can I have them with something? I'm making a tray bait. I'll go back to what I just said. You actually are. About five minutes ago. I'm making a tray bake for the children with potatoes, onions, peppers, and it'll all be in there.

And then Elliot can just pop that into the oven. So it's nice and easy. Okay. Lovely. But when you say what have we got, I think people would be really astounded at how much food is in the house. Yeah, possibly.

There's a lot of food in the house. Is there? Yeah. How about you being very bad for the recycling earlier? Oh, here we go. I, do you know how, seriously, it's so boring. Can I explain why that is, genuinely? I'm scared to open the door and go outside.

Look up my face. Yeah. So I just dumped it all in the bin. I didn't want to open the door. It's really bad, that. I'm scared to go outside. I never do that. Don't start calling me out for recycling.

Okay. But I didn't want to go outside. It's really boring. I'm fed up of talking about it, but this week, as a few people on Insta have said, the pollen is really bad. Really bad. Oh, I'm sorry about that,

because you've been all right up until now. It has been very good. It's not been too bad, but this week has been off the charts to the point where I can't breathe very well. And you look like a boiled egg? Yep. So I'm off. Anyway, there we go.

There's nothing we can do about it. Got a crack on. Please, everybody, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Please don't suggest things. I've done everything. And I'm on top of everything. I can't do any more. I can do more, as I say.

Got a message here for you regarding, your dishwasher tablets. I had a few people come back about those, saying you were right again, becoming a bit of a thing, isn't it, each episode of ours? No, sorry, but I have to say. Yeah. What?

It was, I shouldn't laugh at this. I did find it funny listening back. Yeah. To when you were going, you get confused about the quantity in a bag and the price versus. it's the price per gram. And you were sort of saying, well, it's just quite funny.

It was funny. I'm not taking the Mickey. That's what I'm here for. Well, I'm taking the Mickey. But, yeah. I don't know if you can say taking the Mickey anymore. Taking the Michael. Well, it's all to do with Irish, that, isn't it?

Mickey Mouse. I thought it was taking the Mickey Mouse. I don't know if it is taking the Mickey Mouse. Well, someone will tell us, won't they? So taking the Mickey Mouse rhymes with what? Taking the Mickey Mouse. I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know.

Let's have a look. Why not? Yeah, go on. I mean, we could do that about everything each of us say, and that's basically the hour gone. Every other sentence you could do that with me, couldn't you? Look up what I've just said and what it actually means, like you've already done in the last two minutes when I used the wrong word.

I know, but it is good, isn't it, that we can do this? Oh, it's brilliant, yeah. Oh, very interesting. Taking the Mickey is a very British saying, and most likely comes from Cockney rhyming slang. The strongest theory is that it evolved from taking the piss, Mickey Bliss, taking the Mickey.

Mickey Bliss was used as a rhyme for piss and over time people shortened it to just the Mickey. So if someone was taking the Mickey, they were basically teasing mocking or winding someone up. Very good. So in 2020,

I think it's a safe thing to say. I think so. Yeah. I think it's fine. And then chat GPT says, Britain really does love a phrase that makes absolutely no sense until someone explains the backstory. It's a bit rude.

Sorry. Are you using chat GPT? Yeah. You know, that's like 25. Hey? You know, that was like last year. That's the AI that everyone used last year. No one uses that anymore.

It was programmed years ago. I don't know, darling. It's poor. It's getting, it's getting a bit dumb, actually. In fact, there's a bit of a movement. In fact, they're in trouble. Are they? Yeah, they're actually in trouble.

I just read the other day that they're in trouble. Oh. There's lots of other AI things out there. Oh, okay. AI has ruined a Google, hasn't it? Yeah. But you can switch it off. It's very easy to switch off, but it's ruined it.

I don't care about your AI. Just make stuff up. I googled something the other day, and it used to be, it would take the words you've Googled, and it would find the nearest match like an article or a form. So I was looking to how to repair something. But the first things were AI generated content from real articles. Sorry.

I don't know, it's all right. You're just emulating what thousands of people are doing, listening to me. Sorry, just a bit worn out from the antihistamines, you see. Right, okay. But you're right about that. Thank you. You are? You can join the other key.

Join the queue. My fan base who sound right. I hope you're a mark of wealth regarding scraping the barrel, the dishwasher tablets. All supermarkets have offers on as you know. The big, big brands like the ones who make the dishwasher tablets, for example, they put on the offer in the stores. So it's not that particular store giving you the money off. It's the brand, if you like.

So basically, a brand will be on rotation. So these particular dishwasher tablets, one week they'll be on offer at Tesco, then they'll be on offer at Sainsbury's, then they'll be on offer at Waitrose, then they'll be on offer at Morisons. And it just kind of goes around in a circle because it is a brand offer. As somebody who used to deal with customers complaining, saying, I bought these, they're supposed to be on offer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, the brands do it to confusion. There's just, there's no other way around it. The shop workers don't understand it. You don't understand it. It is there to confuse.

So quite simply, there's two ways of making sure you're getting the best offer. One, Mark is absolutely right. It's the price per kilogram or two, it's using your quick check gun. Because if you're using your quick check gun, the price will automatically come up on now. You'll know exactly what one is on offer, what you're getting for it, blah, blah, blah. I hope this helps. I've gone over a minute. Caroline from Wellington Garden. Thank you, Caroline.

Hang on a minute. Quick check gun. What's a quick check gun? It's a little thing you can scan an item with and it does a quick check. My scanner when I'm doing my scanning shop. Is that the same thing as a quick check gun? No, it's an item you have to smuggle into the supermarket yourself. No, I'm just saying, have you heard it be called that before?

What I'm saying is Caroline didn't say, pop, you know, your scanner. have a little check with the scanner. And I have to say, love the message, Caroline, actually. But I don't know if the brands are doing it to confuse us. I think that's a bit of a conspiracy theory. I think they're doing it because that's what they do to rotate it around. It makes sense, Caroline. But I don't think they're doing it to confuse you guys, to confuse us.

So I've just Googled Quick Check Gun. And you're right. It's meant to be a hand-tale. device, well, this is a good subject. How on earth does that better? So is it, so I understand the basics of price per gram or whatever it might be, per unit. Yep. But the quick check gun, the scanner, you scan it, it's on your shopping list, it tells you

how much it costs, maybe it breaks it down, maybe it tells you those information. But then... Break it down. Surely you just look at the cheapest. I mean, I literally look at the badge underneath any item. But then it might be on offer. But it said it the other day. This was my point the other day.

On the offer, there was a packet, which was on offer. And on that offer badge, there was still a price programme on it. Oh, I see what you mean. And I thought, and that was the whole point. I'm sure you remember this. It was the whole point of my point, because it was like 20 quid for this special ultra bag. We're not going for it again, are we on this pod now? No, but on the other bag, which was like a tiny fraction of the quantity.

We're doing it again. It was cheaper. I don't know if you didn't understand what I said. Can we go and through it again? Because you didn't listen. You proved you didn't listen by what you just said. Don't listen to me at all. You're doing it now.

You don't listen. I do, darling. Did you listen to a bit of that voice note where she said I was right? Yes, I did. I did. Did you listen when pretty much every other person said I was correct about the fashion stuff, you know, walking about with a brand name on your hat? Would you like to know the percentage of people on this pod

that think that I'm right over you for most things. Yes. We'll do a poll. Do a poll. Now, how can that happen? I can make a poll. No problem. I'll tell you to someone who doesn't.

Suzanne from Dunstable. What about Suzanne? You never agree with me. Well, there we go. She said it the other day. I never agree with anything he says, and I sympathise you latterly. I mean, that's a strong...

I think you'll find that... Even Suzanne, even Suzanne from Dunstable to scream, I actually mean Suzanne from Durham. Even that was wrong. There we are. Well, actually, that was wrong. So there's two things I've said that have been wrong, Suzanne.

There we go. Lots of messages about my stickers. My sticky labels and the sticker gum. She said that before your birthday. I didn't know what to. Yeah. You've got you one of them machines. Well, we had a message from Michelle in Welling.

And she said, oh my God, just listen to scraping the barrel pod about the sticker gun. felt physically sick. I'm petrified of those labels. I used to have a caravan as a child and my closest friends used to chase me with labels. To this day, I cannot eat an item that has a label on it. So she's the complete opposite of me. Can I, there's a few people wondering this.

Yes. What's the relevance between the caravan and being chased with the labels? Where does a caravan play the part in it? Because her friends down the caravan used to chase her with labels. Oh, like they're in a park, a caravan park. Yeah. I'm with you now.

I would imagine so. Thank you. Yeah. Understood. We need to watch Danny, the two Danies, Danny Dyer and Danny Dyer's program on caravan parks. Yeah. That'd be good. Yeah.

On a subject of, um, on sticker books. Yeah. Chloe in Andover said, uh, hi-na, hope you're well, listening to the scrape in the barrel earlier, which gave me a pod chuckle as always. There is such a thing as adult sticker books, but not like Mark is thinking. They're made of tiny stickers and you put all the stickers together

to make a picture. Yeah, like a mosaic. I got one as a gift and it was strangely therapeutic. Absolutely. I thought we had a message from someone saying there was an adult sticker book that featured vaginas in it.

Well, you didn't quite read it correctly. Oh. Because it was from Claire. And what's she say? From Beaconsfield. Right. And I'm just listening. into scraping the barrel, where you and Mark are talking about the adult colouring books.

Ah. Did we talk about adult colouring books? I think we spoke about adult sticker books, but anyway, I don't know. Maybe she is not listening properly, or to the point. I can 100% confirm that there are, indeed, adult colouring books. How did I find this out, you may ask. My mum volunteers, I started getting worried when I read this. Right.

You know, when you think, this reminded me of a tattooed penis. Yes. You know, when the story's going off at a time. Yeah, yeah, you're not sure it's going, yeah. My mum volunteers once... What's funny, no, but in my head, there was a joke then, and I'm not going to say it. Painful.

This. My mum volunteers once a week in a charity shop near where she lives in Persia, Worcestershire, in the book section. She happily announced during the family meal the other week that someone had donated a colouring book that was completely dedicated to the ins and outs of a female vagina. I'm not entirely sure about the ins and outs part.

Why? Is that a bit of flourish that Claire's added to the story? Or was it actually literally the colouring? Have you been fucking, I don't know, a toilet paper with words on or something? You know you get toilet paper like a tautaurus? Not really, no. Coming up with some weird shit tonight, flourished.

Flourish? Like embellish. Embellished the conversation. You know what I mean? It's been a long day, that's it. I know, but it is funny, the words that are coming in. out. It's like Susie Dents just turn up.

I'm just trying to improve my vocabulary. Okay, Winston. Yes. A whole book of various images of female bushes ready for the colours of your choosing. Wonderful. That's a really random. I'd get it if it was a bit more zoomed out.

You know, if it was like a couple of people naked to draw, like colour in. But really? That sort of detail on a body part? That's a bit old isn't it? Yeah, but the colour in, you want it to be kind of detailed, don't you? So I kind of get it. Really?

Yeah Really? What's a high-brow subject we're covering here? Oh, there you go I'll tell you what, talking of genitalia and bums and the mighty hoopla at the weekend. Oh yeah. Goodness me. Ah!

Everyone wonders about happy as Larry there. What a great day out. Lots of bums and... What you're talking about? Just... Well, there's people naked? No, not naked, but people are very happy. happy and proud and do you know what I mean?

I just find it, I just think, bloody hell, that's quite something. You're not walking around Tesco's, are you? No, you're at a festival, I know, but it was, I just feel like it's such a wonderful place of sort of freedom, if you like, that just people do what they want to do. Good luck to people. It was a lovely day, and I haven't shown you this picture, I've saved it for you. Okay. You're not going to believe it. Yep.

You won't believe this. And you know when you see somebody out of context? Yeah. Is it going to be my cousin? I didn't see Kate. Okay. Is it going to be Chloe?

Oh, you knew Chloe was there. I did, yeah. Oh, you've spoiled it. Okay. Well, that's annoying. Well, that's annoying. Do me to pretend? All right, go on.

Let's pretend, I don't know. Go on. Oh, it's Chloe. Chloe from the railway. Brilliant. It was great to see her. But no, unfortunately, I didn't see Kate. That it was carnage.

No, it was a very, very busy day, quite frankly. Sorry, how did Chloe find you? Well, she did, I was walking somewhere and she was there. What, in a festival? Yes. You were in like a little section, weren't you? Like out of the back. I was going there.

I was finding my way. That's so random. And she was there. I have to have words for her. What was she doing at that place? What do you mean? All these, like, people wonder about. I've been a great time.

Interesting. Jesse J was amazing. Lily Ellen was great. Yeah. Artful Dodger. Didn't see him? Well, at the same time as Lydia Allen. Really silly.

Really silly. And obviously I went on and Charlie Brooks was there. I got a surprise from Janine. So everyone was, oh, you can imagine. The Queens were dead. There was Janine on stage, Sonia and her trumpet. It was all going on with East Benders. No, it was a very, very, very fun day.

Very good. Well, I'm pleased to hear it. It sounds like a really arduous day at work for you, that. It was very hot. Yeah, well, you were very inebriated from all of the sunstroke that you'd had on the way home. I have to say that I was very, very good. Okay. In terms of drinking, in terms of drinking, I did very, very well.

It was a very long day with a lot of heat. Yeah. But we spent quite a long time in the tent. And when we went to watch Lily Ellen, I sort of didn't drink off. to that point. No, okay. So then a couple of hours with no booze,

which was quite good. You said before you went, you're not going to drink. I did, that didn't happen. No. But didn't drink loads. I'd say what we were drinking, which is a very good choice.

He's a... Hang on. So old. It's good to say, Alka-Seltzer. A seltzer? Have you been on that forsaurus tonight?

A seltzer? So it's like a sparkling water. You're asking me? It's sparkling water with lime. I think you can get them in all flavours, but it tastes like water. It's alcoholic, but it's very, it hydrates you. Sorry, it's alcoholic, but it tastes like water. That sounds like a really sensible drink.

It's like a sparkling water and light, but it's got lots of water in it. Honestly, another thing for you to look up. Have you look. Very, very popular. Okay. Apparently one of the big trends. I bet it is, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Do you want to drink alcohol, not know you're doing it? drink this, it's like water. You can still sort of taste it a little bit, but it hydrates you. It's got a lot of goodness in it as well. But it was blooming hot, I have to say. Very, very hot.

And it was kind of a circus tent where I was. Right. baking. Yeah, okay. But it was lovely. We had a good day. So that was nice. Denise Welch was there?

Yes. Your mate who invited you over to the, what was it, barbecue, wasn't it? It was a barbecue. I gave her a hug and I said, how were the pizzas? Mm-hmm. She performed its reigning men on stage.

Topical, yeah. Looking extremely glamorous, may I add. Right. It looks great for her age. Was Jane McDonald there by any chance? Jay McDonald was there the day after, and they bought her out on a cardboard cruise ship. I mean, it was a thing of dreams.

It looked amazing, but, you know, I missed that. That was on Sunday. It sounds right up my street this event. It is the most campest, mad thing. But what we said is next year, there is a whole audience of people who don't listen to this pod. No, they've got different interests, I think, to the average listener.

No, you say that. But they're like me. So anyway, Maria said we should get a little life with Nat stand there next year. Excellent. Some flyers, maybe. Fly or QR code. Tony, get a pair of shorts for Tony to squeeze into. That'll be fine.

Absolutely. Get him stood up on a podium with a... Great idea. Lovely. Yeah. And you? Oh, yeah. I'll be straight on. You can put your song on.

Yeah, it does get off. Fishnet stockings. And like a vest. Mm. Perfect. Go wild for you, weren't they? Hey? I don't know.

I don't know who's there. Just lots of people. Yeah. It's quite, I feel a little bit sick, actually, describing that then. But. What's that, darling?

Just maybe feel a bit ill. Thinking of myself wearing. Oh, stop being such a fishnet stockings. You're dressed up as a girl once, didn't you? For your play? Yeah, when I was about nine. Nothing wrong with that? There's nothing wrong with it at any time.

Right, thank you. Careful there. You watch what you're saying. You just said nothing wrong with that. Having a go with taking a Mickey of being worried about that. Well. You can't start complaining about me wearing a dress when I was nine years old. You looked, you had little makeup on it.

You had little rosy cheeks. Yeah. Little high heels. Very cute. Very pretty, actually. Oh, I mean, how do you know that? Because you've shown me the video. Yeah.

A VHS video from like 1991. Which you've sat down and said, watch this. Yeah, and you can see about four pixels of it. I'm like a little pink blob, and you can hear this higher pitch squeal of a voice. I look quite, but you're just saying that for a fact. Very pretty. Charming.

That is meant to be a nice thing. Okay, lovely. I'll tell you what you did look. Better than I look now, which is not hard. We've had a message here from Nessie. George 2003. Why do you think Nessa George 2, sorry,

Nessa George, 2003. Do you think there are that many Nessa George's on Instagram that she had to go for 3,003? I reckon she's born on the 30th of March. Oh, it's not good security-wise, is it, to do that? Same. Bring it back or let it go.

Please, please your opinions. Vianetta. deep fried. Deep fried Vianetta. Deep fried Vionetta. I've had a lot of messages lately on Instagram about, everyone's on holiday, or seemingly on holiday,

having a Maxibon or a Vionetta. But what do you think about, just before we go off paste, of a deep fried Vionetta? That'd be quite large. I'm not sure about that. I don't know. I've never had a deep fried ice cream.

I bet it's right, actually. You're not really. a deep fried fan, are you? Not really. Not really. You know your lady who does the cakes? Yeah, it's all about the cakes. Yeah. Got a message here saying, Hi, Mark, I hope you're well. I felt compelled to share my shock with you.

Not that my vionetta was two pound in Tesco today, but according to the box, it serves seven people. Seven? I mean, funnily enough, look what she said after seven people. Seven? What I just said. It's pretty weird. How big's a vionetta?

About, was it? No, it's like that. It's about what? No, it isn't. 18 inches. It's about that big. I counted the wiggly bits. I'll do that occasionally.

Don't tell me you've broke your phone. That's like it's funny. That would be funny. I counted the wiggly bits on top, and there were 12. If you want people to cut it into seven pieces, then at least give 14 wiggly bits. She's done the maths for you there, Natalie. She saved you a job.

She's a bit like, this is about the, price per gram all over again. I know what she's saying. Gobsmacked. Needless to say, I cut it into four, and we all enjoyed it after dinner. Picture for a proof. But it does indeed, on the photo,

have a serve seven people. But I'm sorry, that is no different. They've done that deliberately. It's like when you buy, like, a chocolate bar and it says it serves for... Who had one wiggly bit, then? That's probably just melted. But you know, like you can buy a chocolate bar,

which is blatantly for one... Or a cookie. You buy a big cookie. And it'll say on the, it'll be like per serving. And it's like the calories per serving. You're obviously going to eat the whole thing. But it's like a large, a wagon wheel, say, or something like that. And it's like per serving. It's so they can break it up.

Does it say that? I've seen products like that. I mean, you get that on a large bag of crisps. You do, but I promise you, I've seen the price per serving on clearly individual little. It's absolutely a joke. It's a joke. It's ended there. It's 20 minutes in.

I'm not doing that on purpose. I promise you. Okay, right. Honestly, I'm not. I am knackered. I know. I mean, I'm really trying to stay awake for you here. Oh.

As am I? Is it warm in here as well? Yeah, it's absolutely roasting. Should we open that window? No. I can't bother to get up. Oh, fair enough. I've just seen a bit of an air might help.

What, help the podcast? What will go back to the beginning? That's a good idea. I'll do that. I'll open up the window. though, we'll start from the scratch. No, no, we're not doing that. Yeah, that might improve things.

What a silly? See if it's raining. Might have cleared the air a bit. Why is it every time we do a podcast, I end up talking from outside the... Oh. Oh, it's lovely. It's a good job I've got trousers on.

Tis. Where were we? You were falling asleep. So I was not falling asleep. Okay. Promise you that. Okay. No, you were talking about the purse servings, and I do see that.

I've definitely seen that on some ridiculous things. Have you? Yeah. Like, just... Do you get it on a pizza? Possibly. That might be, I bet it's in quarters. I don't know.

Possibly. Or half. It'll say served to... You know, listen, we don't need to get into... No one needs text in now and send a load of stuff in, where it's... It don't need to. I'll be rude to people if they want to.

No, I'm saving people to chore. The gist of the story is, the general gist. Well, if they'd like to tell us some... That is so rude. Right. Fulfo-O-7-8, 2019, 19. What is it that you eat? that is quartered or halved when you eat it on your own.

Or short form question, am I right? There isn't an argument to say you're wrong. I agree with you. Oh, you do agree with me? Yes. Oh, okay. I do. I thought you just said...

No, I completely agree with you. But I've never seen it on a biscuit. That's all I was saying. Right. I was saying wagon wheel. Wagon wheel. Do you remember... Please don't say the wagon wheel.

You're not going to tell me that it didn't fit in your lunchbox again, are you? Because I might jump up. out of that window. I mean, genuinely, you weren't going to do that again. I don't know if you've ever done it on the pod. Maybe you haven't. But the amount of times I hear, my wagon will,

it didn't fit in my lunchbox when I was little. Didn't fit in my lunchbox. And now, it's tiny. I must have heard that. How many times? I say, always say, and now it's the size of a digestive. It's not that small, though. is it? It's ridiculous now.

I do think Mars bars. I think all the chocolate's got smaller. Yes. It's all got smaller. Shrinkflation. Shrinkflation. Shrinkflation. Shrinkflation. shrinkflation. Shrinkflation. Is that it just happened to chocolate and stuff like that? Are you suggesting that over time something else shrinks? That's brilliant. What a great thing to say. Are you being serious? Is that actually a

thing? No. I need to Google that. That's my next worry now. Is that a thing? No, darling. I'm just having a laugh. It's only funny if it's like an element of truth in it. Oh my God.

Hang on, I'm looking it up. Why are men so sensitive? Yes. Yes, that is possible. Is it? What does it say? Read it out. It's typically caused by ageing, poor circulation, Specific medical conditions. Hmm. Interesting.

I'll leave everything else to Google that themselves. Fair enough. I mean, you don't even know what I'm Googling. You're assuming. You're assuming and you know what I'm talking about. Your mind might be wandering. You might be thinking something. Could be the brain.

There be many things. Hmm. Do you believe we're in June? I can, actually. I do feel like the last couple of months is definitely, from about April onwards, it's definitely sped up. May always goes quick for me.

Always. And I love May. It's all that, like, I don't know, nothing much happens in May. It's a bit of a nothing month. The weather's not normally great, because normally the sort of April showers that sort of comes in May.

It was nice though, wasn't it? This May's been great. The last week has been like being in the Sahara Desert. Obviously this week, not so much. It's a bit wetter, but, you know. It's raining. Once it's rained. No, it rained on Wednesday.

It was absolutely sweltering hot today. It rained on Tuesday and it rained yesterday and it's raining today. For about five seconds. Right, okay. So sorry. Routine compresses time. When days become similar,

school runs, work, cooking, repeating schedules, the brain stops recording as many new memories. So looking back, months can feel like vanished because there are a fewer distinct moments to anchor them. I don't know if I believe that. Oh no, it's only because Wimbledon drags and drags and it's like groundhog

day. As I've said many times before it's like walking down the hill, seeing the same people, seeing the same security, doing the same coverage, doing the same it's interesting. Tudging up to centrecourt every day to watch the best tennis in the world.

When you could be sat at home watching it in telly with a beer. It's great. On television. You wouldn't watch it if you were at home. No. But the point I'm making with that whole tennis thing is... I know what you're saying. It's like Groundhog Day.

It doesn't go quicker. And any monotonous job I've ever had always seems to take a long time. So I don't necessarily agree with that. I do have a theory. It does say that psychologists have studied this a lot. Hmm. And the common theory is proportion. It's exactly what I was about to say.

So when you're 10, a year is 10% of it. your life. Here you go. When you're 40 or 50, a year is a much smaller slice of everything you've experienced. Your understanding of time increases as you get older. Absolutely. So, you know... Six week holidays when you're a kid.

That is literally like going, right, you're off school now for 10 years. It was ages when it. You were like, oh, see you like, say bye to your mates. You'd be like, see you later. And you should walk away thinking, wow. That was it. It's gone. It was like a brand new...

I know it is a new school year, but it felt like you were off for a year. It was around forever. On and on, the best. Your understanding the time. But as you get older, so the nice thing to think of is as, you know, give it another decade and the days will be going even quicker.

The years will be going even quicker as you're heading for an early grave. It's great. Something to look forward to. Love a perk of getting older, isn't it? It's like someone's hits fast forward on the last bit. It's like watching your favourite film. Yeah. And at the end,

When you get into the bit you really want to watch, someone goes, fast forward. No, no, no, no. That's not true. It's slightly pessimistic view, really, of life there, but it's true. I disagree with you. I don't think that is true. You don't think. I don't think so.

You can fill your life. And it does go quick, but you've got to make the most of it, haven't you? The last five years. Last five years of what? My life? Yes. Or not the last five, the last five years or the last five years or the last five years? years I've got coming. What do you mean? No, for the last five years, aka the last five years of

your life. At the end or now? Well, you haven't got there yet. Well, I don't know you've just talking about my life dramatically coming to an end. We're not in back to the future. We're talking about your life. Now, tomorrow, you haven't lived yet. So your life would be the bit prior to now, sorry. Yeah, okay. I'm not doing about the hypothetical life. Oh, well, you just were, Carry on. Maybe, yeah, might have to rewind and listen to that again, but... Fast forward it even. I forgot what I was saying, huh?

The last five years in my life. Probably just as well. The last five years of my life. The last five years of my life have definitely gone quicker than a previous five years. My understanding of time has definitely increased. The other weird thing about ageing is because all the people you know are aging at the same rate. Yes.

Yes. you all kind of carry on, but you don't really notice it. Whereas someone... So, for example, when you're 20, and you look at someone who's 40, you're immediately look at and think,

you're 40, and you're a lot older than me. When you're 20... I never spoke about it. I never thought of it. You weren't ever conscious that someone who was 20 years older than you looked 20 years older than you.

Never. You weren't conscious of... The only person, I would say, a couple of people from work, would be kind of when, But that's probably 40. Sorry. That's sort of 40 years older than me.

I never looked at Patsy Palmer or Lindsay Coulson, who played my mum, who was definitely 20 years older than me, and thought, oh, you look 20 years older than me, ever. I'm not going to go there of what I was going to say. It doesn't work. Why? Well, I can't compete with that. It's true. But maybe that's...

You're genuinely saying you've never, at any point in your life, looked at somebody and thought, you're a lot older than me. Oh, yeah. You didn't go to a care home as part of your documentary. Of course. You were talking about when you were 20. I was just making the point. Fine.

When you're 20, yes. Okay, I chose the, this is so boring. I chose the figures for two reasons. I said 20 and 40 because 40 is double the age of 20. I got a hair coming out my chin here. And he's picking out. You have to do that for me later before I start looking at the Grinch.

It's really annoying. Sorry. It's all right. I forgot what I was saying. I was really enjoying that. No, you weren't. I was. No.

I absolutely could look at someone like John, who played gym, my granddad, June, Wendy. Genuinely, if it was about 20 years difference, when I was sort of 15. I was about being double your age, not 20 years difference. What's double or 20?

40. Right. So when someone's double your age, you're telling me you don't know. No, you do know. I think you're doing. What was a waste of time. I've gone full circle.

I'm not going to, I can't be, I'm not having the Mickey taken out of me. You carry on. Not having the Mickey taken out of you at all, my darling. I had a really good point to make about that as well. It's completely sidetracked me. I think it depends who you're... I don't know what it was.

Go on. That's right. I think it depends who you're talking about and if you share interests with that person and if someone is as passionate about something as you are, I think age goes out the window. So if I'm sat with your mum having a really brilliant debate about something in the lounge when we're having a good chat,

I never think, oh yeah, but you're older than me, so do you know what I mean? I haven't suggested for one second that in that context you would do such a thing. No, but I'm just... The point I was merely trying to make was, I think because you age as everyone else around you, you aren't aware of your self-aging and your appearance and your aging process as much. I mean, yes, obviously you look different. Obviously, you compare old photographs to now and you've seen you've aged. Obviously, you might have grey hair or getting grey hair.

The bit I'm saying is is everyone around you is ageing at the same. same point. I often think about this. This is only just my, this is just my thoughts that I'm sharing with you. But you think about, it is interesting because you think about these things a lot more than me. But going back to what I was attempting to say,

that, what I've just said, is amongst people you know and spend time with and see regularly. Yes. But if you fast, if you rewind to being a lot younger, if you saw someone double your age, which for convenience,

sake, I'm just saying is 40. I'm saying you're 12. You could, all right, do you know what? You could be 10 and see someone who's 40. You'll see where I'm going to this if you're allowed to breathe a little bit. Yeah. 10 year old, looks at a 40 year old. That person's really old.

Right. They see that as that. Yeah. But when you're actually 40, when that 10 year old is that age, and they're looking in the mirror, they don't have the same feeling as when they're 10, looking at someone who's 40, did I? No.

And I'm just saying that's because you've slowly seen that change. And everyone around you has done very slowly the same change. So you don't see it the same. So when I now look at people who are like 40 years old, they don't look how I used to see someone who was 40 when I was a kid. Of course not, but also things have changed. As well as your perception, life has changed. And women and men, when they were full,

when, if you look back, a 40-year-old, but darling, even us, if you look at the 80s, men and women at 40, it looks a lot older than they do now, without a doubt. If I look back at my mum and look at pictures of my mum when she was 50, she looked like a nan. I've got a magazine somewhere over 40s. To like get it out and compare it.

Hi Nat, I listen from Kefalonia, a little Greek island. As I'm going from hotel to hotel, I'm listening to your pod and it makes me feel like I'm home in the UK. I have lived in Kefalonia for 27 years. I had to go and see on YouTube a video of life with Nat as I was thinking to myself, what do you all look like, apart from you, Nat, as I used to watch EastEnders. I love the YouTube. Thank you for always bringing a smile throughout the day. I will continue to listen.

Listen to your pod and loving it I am now in the debate at 42 Do I change my career When is too late Well that's very interesting Isn't it from Kefalonia over there Mercedes How do you spell Kefalonia?

Are you got it in front of you I had no idea how Kefalonia was spelt I didn't realise it wasn't a K It's spelt here with a K And the lady is put a K Is that not Chefalu That you've got up No, I've put in Cephalonia

I spelled it like the top And when I googled it, that's what came up I believe that I do believe the way K-E-F-A-L-O-N-A Oh no, hang on I think it's right, darling It is

Yeah But there's a place called Cephalonia In Cephalonia Oh, there you go Oh, there you go You never know I was just I was only Googling it

Because I thought we might have gone there before But we didn't did we? No, we didn't know I get very confused with Greece. There's too many islands. So Mercedes said, should she change her career? She's 42 and is it too late? Well, obviously it's not.

We've had these conversations and discussions in the past, but as we're talking about age, age is just a number, Mercedes. If that's what you want to do. Depends on a career as well, really. Oh, I don't know. She's in Greece. I wonder what she's up to.

No, I don't know. There's a few careers, which would be perfect. Perfect age for starting. And then there's a few other careers. you might think maybe you're a bit older. Like if you wouldn't start being a professional footballer, would you, at 42? It's not going to happen. Not going to happen, no.

You see what I mean? Yeah. There are vocations that are more suited to a change. Yes. You don't get people working in, like, Citizens' Advice bureaus usually, until they had a bit of life experience. Is that true? Yeah.

I don't know. Yeah. I think they're often volunteers, actually, but you know what I mean is. Oh, interesting. Yeah. Another train of thought for you there. Just what I need. I haven't got enough on my brain at all.

What are you thinking about? I don't think you should. Hey? Sitent's Vice Bureau. No, I'm just, you said another thought for you. Oh. I said, thanks very much. I need some more thoughts.

I haven't got enough going on up here. Oh, really? Is there a lot going on? There's constant stream of things that are happening at the moment. Really? Give me a little five minute insight. Five? Cool. What streams of insight?

Making sure tomorrow morning, Joni's got piano, so we've got to make sure we're back at the school for 815. but I need to be home, showered, hair wash because Becky's got a blowdry my hair. Then I'm thinking once the hair's done, I need to really go to the nail shop because I'm doing a program tomorrow night, which is quite nice.

Sorry I can't mention it. It is quite special. But I think, do I really want to go on with chip nails? Not really, so I should really get to the nail shop. I mean, also that program is well known for its close-ups of fingernails. You don't stop seeing them, do you? I don't know.

Do you? Depends, doesn't it? What you're doing on there? So anyway... I don't think there's going to be a... close up a fingernails. However, do I want to turn up like that? Not sure yet. By the bye. Then I'm thinking in my head, okay, we've got to do that. And then I'm thinking, do know what I do really need to do? I need to email the school for Joni's application for

secondary school, which has not been done yet. And I need to find out all the information and get that sorted. At the same time, I was thinking about Joni's swimming on Thursday. Should she go swimming? I'm not sure, because her arm, she can get it wet now, but is that a step too far? Is it a step too far? Agreed. I've heard. I agree with you. That's why she didn't do that bill today. That's one less for. With light and below.

I can continue. A problem shared is a problem hard. Would you like me to continue? Please do. I'm so envious of this. Envious as what? Be careful. Just knowing what I'm doing.

Here we go, girls. Oh, hang on. We've immediately decided to draw a line down the middle there, haven't we? We've just, we've divided into girls and boys, have we? Just for a minute. No, that's not fair. Why? No, you can't do that in this day and age.

You can't do that. You can't tell me it's all right for me to wear a dress and then go, here we go, girls. Suzanne from Durham will be agreeing with you. But you could be saying that the sky is purple. And she would agree. Yeah. Carry on.

I'm really interested in what else is there is. Because I can help you with this stuff, you don't know. It's just continuous. Goes round and round and round. I haven't done any exercise this week. That would be nice. I wish I could fit that in. Could I do that tomorrow?

No, I can't. I can't have a nice hour as well because I've got to get my hair done for work, which is annoying. Something that you will never understand, and it's really annoying, is when girls get ready, you can't then exercise. You can't, because your hair's done.

Yeah. You could do whatever you want, blokes, with short hair, jump in the shower, five minutes, you're ready. It's such an enormous thing that. When are you going swimming? I'd like to go swim, but my hair will be wet. I can't sit in a steam room, can I, if I've got something to do? Because I've done my hair.

It's all stupid little things, but you would never know about them. Surely the sensible option is not to do your hair, and you can do whatever you want by tons of things. So then what happens? Just to go on the telly, like that looking like a bull deck? Whoa, hang on a minute. Hang on a minute. You can't just throw that in.

That's what I'm talking about. Oh, hang on. I'm on the telly tomorrow. For most people, going on the telly is a big deal. So, yeah, okay, fair enough. Or if people are going out in the evening or they're going to a bar and they get their hair down?

I'm sure any listener who's been on the telly or is about to be on a telly will go, do you know what, Natalie, actually, when we're gone on the telly, we just do our hair and that's fine. We just can't go to the gym back day. Yeah.

But the rest of the time we are not on a telly. Oh, look at me. I'm not high maintenance, am I? Okay. I'm just saying, look at me. I'd be forgiven for thinking if there was some major issue because you were just saying that you can't...

You're scratching that hair on your chin. Sorry. Chin chin. I wonder how many people who listen to this podcast have been on television. There's a subject. Well, we've had a few on some funny old quiz shows. And we've had a couple of competition winners that I think have been on a video. But I've not heard about anyone, I don't know, being an extra in something or...

That would be good. That would be quite good. Have you been an extra in a big film or that'd be quite fun? Did you enjoy the experience? Or what else could we say? Been interviewed by the local news. Yeah, that's quite good. The news thing's good.

I've been on the local radio, probably, maybe that's a bit much, maybe. Yeah. TV. Tele stuff is good. What's the phone? We need to get the phone on. Or something that has anyone been on the Antiques Road Show?

Yes. I would love that. Really? Yeah. Or any family members got there. And you know, they go, how much is it worth? We're not interested in selling. Of course you're not.

Hmm. I always, when I was younger, used to think, when I used to sort of, like, as a kid, he used to play in the loft. I used to see stuff in the loft. The loft, sorry to interrupt. Frighten the life out on me today. Yeah. Crash bang wallop, came down again. Flaps opened.

The flaps opened. Why do the flaps keep opening on their own? I should say flap. It is a flap, yeah. But why does it keep opening? Because it's so loud, I felt like someone was up here. Give me a heart attack. All right.

It's not a very good catch And I think there's a bit of Sorry, your camera's over there What cameras do you just look at? I wasn't looking at a camera You looked, raise your eyes and side out I did it over there I didn't do it to the camera, thank you

No, no, you're directing me now Or which way to look, Emma, you've got that I mean, I haven't got to say a word I've got it all on record I wanted to look that way, not that way But why would you look over there Because I'd like to They wouldn't look very good though

I'm not thinking of the cameras all the time darling The flap Opens up and gives me a right old shock Is it to do with the wind It's got to be, isn't it? Draft Yeah, it's just a draft Is it? Can we try and sort that out

Because you're very good at these things It doesn't happen often, is it? It just means that there was a door open somewhere Window, maybe Yeah Fair enough. You know the conversation we had about time moving too quickly? Yes.

The last five minutes of this podcast have remedied that for anyone worrying that their life was going quicker. We have just helped them as if their life has come to a grinding. It might have been in reverse now. But actually thinking has it. So. Time probably has stood still. It's so riveting the conversation we've just had. Just a...

Well, we've done them a favour then, haven't we? Service, yeah. That's good. I've got my trunk out. Possibly the fucking funniest thing Mark with the sea has ever said. A bit of we actually came out.

I laughed so hard. No bank holiday here. It's next week. This is Marie in Galway. My wife got me a barber wax jacket for Christmas one year. It's like it's been tailor-made for me. Every time I wear it,

I feel so good. I'm not really into brands as a rule, but this jacket is pure quality. Handmade in the UK so you can understand the price. That's lovely Marie, regular messenger in. Is that the first person that agreed on that subject? I think there was a couple, just a couple. Okay.

But that I get. It's a barbe coat, you know what I mean? It's different. What if it's the same as your one? Oh, I don't think so. Love my coat. I've got an Instagram message from Mrs Pilks. Mrs Pilks?

Yeah. That's a nice name. Not sure. Hello, Mrs Pilks! Sounds right out of World War II that. I just pop around Mrs Pilks to see if you got any milk for me. My mother was asking. He's done taking the Mickey out of one of our listeners.

Just Mrs. Pilks. It makes me feel nostalgic. Well, Mrs Pilks said, Hi Mark, I'm a huge fan of a pod of you and that, just messaging on behalf of my husband today. He has asked me to pass on that the engineering team he works with in Sheffield a building a new steam locomotive

Hengist Hengist. Hengist. Google Hengist, H-E-N-G-I-S-T. Mm-hmm. It's progressed massively over the years. You'd love to share

more pictures and more information. Right. Well, I've wrote back and said that's really nice. I am aware of that. It's like a new build steam engine. So you knew already? I knew of it.

Yeah, it's a new build steam engine. Lately, they've got to raise a lot of money, like a lot of money to build it, and it's going to be more efficient and it's sort of using more modern design techniques. Why are you looking at me like that? So you were talking about our conversation? Yeah. Time going slowly.

Yeah. How many people do you think are interested in what you're talking about who listen to this pod? Okay. Tim? Yeah. James. Mrs. Pilks's husband.

Aunt, his name is. Maybe Mrs. Pilks. Well, I'm talking about Mrs. Pilks. So, yeah, so that's five. Five, so far. Oh, there are some people from the railway that listen. Yeah. General fans from the railway.

Right, so it's maybe, you know. Six or seven. But anyway, at least you've said that. That's lovely. I've been interrupted. Oh, is there more of it? Yeah. Just very kind.

I won't go into the details. Basically, a nice kind offer for a little tour because also they've got a B-17 in the workshop as well that they're working on. If you ever fancy popping in, there is an open invite for Monday before 4pm to see the locomotives. There you go. Oh, that's not. You reminds me of this, and this is very important.

Okay. Lovely Michael message me a couple of weeks ago, and then I said to him, please remember to message me so I can do this for you. So Michael, this is for your beautiful wife, Laura McEwen, on a happy 41st birthday. on the 6th of June.

So there you go. I didn't forget, Michael. Have a wonderful, wonderful birthday, Laura. And I believe... Oh, do you know, I won't... I'm not going to say that, but in case I spoil the surprise, there might be a little surprise coming your way, Laura.

But he said, thank you so much, and she'll be shocked and extremely happy if she hears this when she listens. So there you go, Michael. I've not let you down. Well, I hope that when you're... she listens, she does hear it. Fingers crossed.

She'll just stay for the end. She'll hang on after your bit. What about the other bit where time sort of stood still? Not sure. We were talking about the flap of the loft. Perhaps Emma could swap the birthday message, put it earlier for me, or something she could do. What Emma could do is we could have the opening title music.

And just put that on. The birthday. And that's it. Sorted. Sorted. Make sure that that's been heard. Oh, that sounds good. To be honest, I'd listen to that. Yeah

Well it's absolutely pouring now I might go and stand in the garden Wash my eyes away with pollen Okay I'm going to go and pluck my chin And thank you so much for doing this And I'm sorry I look the way I do with a hay fever Because it doesn't make me feel very attractive

So my apologies And to anyone who's watching on a telly It's absolutely crazy Maybe save it for Halloween or something Thank you I don't think that it's fair I mean It is absolutely absolutely

terrible. I mean, I'm someone who doesn't mind what I look like, but this is one step too far tonight. I don't mind. I go on Instagram and whatever, but my eyes are so sore and swollen. They're like piss holes in the snow. You can't say that.

That is appalling. That's what they look like. Kiss holes in the snow. Have you never heard that? No. My dad said it all the time. Look at his eyes. Look at his eyes. It's a great reference. But they don't look swollen. That would look like they were really swollen.

But they look really tiny, but they look really tiny my eyes. Oh, I see. They're swollen. But the rest of it's all puffing. Yes. This hell's in the snow. I don't think you look that bad. I've got to say.

Thank you. That's very kind of you. Gosh, you need to go to a glasses shop. Well, I hope you've enjoyed this one. I hope everyone has an absolutely lovely weekend, whatever you're doing. What are we doing at the weekend? I'm working. What a weekend?

Yep. What am I doing? Probably not working. Oh, hopefully just at home. Fingers crossed. I'll have to have a look. It's all gone out of the window this week. 077-88-201919.

Follow, subscribe, tell your friends about us. Thank you so much for all of your messages about the care documentary. They've been so lovely. It's a bit overwhelming, actually. And if you haven't seen it, it's on BBCI Player. And the more watches it gets, I might get a series too. So maybe you could just leave it roll. rolling on your telly overnight or something.

And actually, while you're at it, do the same with a podcast. Well, yeah, just put a telly on, radio, phone. Yeah. Just anything with me in it, just keep it on. Just keep it rolling. It's all good. All right, lots of love. Thank you very much.

Thank you, darling. You're welcome. I speak to you soon, yeah? Yeah. Oh, no, we're going to go, sorry, I don't know why I said. We're going on what, sorry? Oh, we're going to come out of this room and talk to each other. I don't know why I'm saying to speak to you soon.