Life with Nat - EP250: Nagging with Auntie Linny #29 - hosting and holidaying

Episode Date: July 29, 2026

We forgot to mention that it's the 250th Episode! But Nat and her sis in law are back from Maria's 40th Birthday trip to Italy, and talking all things party hosting. Enjoy! X Get in touch with Nat, buy tickets for upcoming live shows and link to Patreon, all the family's Instagrams, and more: ⁠⁠⁠lifewithnatpod.komi.io⁠⁠⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Life with Nat Today. I hope everyone is super duper good. I've been embarrassed by my sister-in-law. She's put a picture up of me asleep on Patreon. We were sort of both... I don't know what I was doing. I've got my head in my hands. That was sheer exhaustion.

That was only night too, I think. Was it the first night? No, no, it was later than that. Was it? Yes, it was. I'm not sure it was. It was a couple of nights in. Yeah.

But I did find it funny because you put, what did you say? How do we interpret this photograph? So we've had Jessica Smith say both absolutely shattered from being in the sun. With a little emoji. Lou said, post a wine nap. And then you said in that case, maybe. I have to say, I think it is definitely for me an element of the Vino. The picture, by the way, for non-Patriot.

people is me and Linney on a sofa, topping and tailing, just looking absolutely exhausted. It was a beautiful holiday. It was amazing. It was so lovely. Can't thank you enough. No, you're very welcome and can't thank you for all you did as well. A colleague of mine, I was shown us some of the photographs and videos and she said, these are such amazing memories that you're building.

Incredible. And actually, again, we kind of take it a little bit of growth. aren't it, don't we? But it's amazing that we can all go away. The kids are all similar ages. They all enjoy each other's company. They were amazing, weren't they? They were so good. They were so good. And they loved the playing and... The pool is an absolute lifesaver, isn't it? Yeah, but even inside. No, there were, girls would disappear and go and play. And they're playing in the bathrooms and playing games. But it worked because you had Ruby and

Amelia who would play together. Mark, Mark. Mark was playing as well. Joni and Alfie and then the babies. And even they were starting to beat each other up. Oh, bless them. So, yeah, the dynamics were, didn't they? But it was incredible.

Absolutely amazing. Full on. Not sure it was a rest. Well, we did rest. Yeah, but we don't rest, do we? How can you? It's home from home. Yeah.

There is cooking. There is cleaning. But everyone did their beer? I felt, we're all chipped in. The boys cooked, who barbecued, Dave cooked, you cooked, the girls did. I've just cleaned for seven days. I mean, me in the recycling area, even the geckos were coming out and saying hello to me with my first name's time. I must have done.

How many bottles of wine? No, this lock, everyone. You didn't do bad. You had a few venos. Oh, bloody. Yeah. I had a whole couple of glasses of dessert wine. Whoopi a d.

No, in the end, it is a question. If you can't beat them, you've got to join them. No, you, I would get up in the morning. So this is how it goes. My body clock's still waking up at 7 o'clock, really annoying. And instead of just laying there, I thought, no, I'll get up. And I'd come down. There was a table that would accommodate 20 people.

And that table was full of bottles of wine, Empty pots of wine, of course, glasses, platters of half-finished food, napkins, cutlery. I mean, and I'd be like, oh my God. So that was an hour in itself, just clearing that. And I was starting to master doing it with speed, like having trays of stuff rather than individually taking glasses. I've got water, sweeping the floor alone. Yeah, the sweeping of the floor was, I mean, I'd do during the day,

and then you'd say to me, look at the floor, and I'd say, I did it earlier. Yeah. Dishwasher. Washed machine, towels in the air. How many towels do we washed? Oh, I lost count. I reckon I did as many steps in a day as I do of an evening when I walk with my friend Tina. Yeah.

It was mental. But lovely, though. Lovely, because it's not your home. So you kind of relaxed. If that was my house, I'd be like having absolute kittens. So you're relaxed about that. And it's not, you know, you're not dusting. No.

So it's kind of just keeping everything so you go where things are. Yeah. You can get, there's glasses to use, there's plates to use. Yeah, and I wanted you guys to come down to a clean lounge and kitchen. Coffee making Italian coffee. I love it. The smell of the coffee when you get up, everyone's having a coffee. The sauce on, Italian pasta sauce bubbling away first thing.

It was incredible. It was so good, wasn't it? Yeah, it was brilliant. It really worked. And there's strong characters. There's a lot of strong characters. Oh, of course. It's very much alcohol-fueled.

No one was silly, but it was lovely. And our lovely dinner out for Maria's birthday. Oh, how lovely. Wasn't it? The setting. Oh, it was in the Tuscan Hills. Well, we were in the Tuscan Hills. Our villa was in the Tuscan Hills.

And then we had a further drive to another beautiful place, just in the middle of nowhere, just overlooking. We have to put some pictures of it, won't we? The owners were like from my part of the world. It's Alerno, it's southern Italy. They were so lovely. They couldn't do enough. Food was unbelievable.

Yeah, it was outstanding. And then the day of Maria's birthday, the chef. Oh, she was brilliant. She was amazing. Absolutely brilliant. She was fun. She obviously... She just obviously does it all of the time.

She said she's troubled all over the world doing it. Yeah, she was great. She was great company. But even the night before, When we said, where you've got to go bed early, we were all trying to blow balloons up, sticking them up.

There was all that to do as well. We did all the table with our presents on, didn't we? It was just fun. Yeah. Just really, really fun. What on a mate. And isn't Tuscany a beautiful part of the world? Really, really beautiful.

I highly recommend it, guys. If anyone wants to do a family holiday, yes, if you're in a hotel, you're not cooking. You can all escape to your rooms if you want a bit of time out. Although the villa was a decent size, so people could lose themselves. Yeah, people were over on the patio area.

Yeah. Dave had to work sometimes. I had a couple of things to do. Jack was working, you know. Yeah, we all. Yeah, there was a lot of things. Yeah, you weren't, didn't feel on top of each other. Or suffocated or that you couldn't, yeah. I mean, obviously, you could take yourself off for a walk, but you were in the middle of nowhere.

So the car was a godsend. But I really recommend it, guys. If you've come from a big family or even, a small family. Wasn't it lovely that everyone could put the children to bed? Yes. And carry on with their own. And that's the difference with a villain and a hotel that I've always said.

You can have a lovely time, put the children, lovely bath, get them to bed, a nice, not reasonable hour, because it's always late because it's holiday. And then you've just got that lounge space to sit with whoever you're with and have that adult company. Play cards. Mark did a few magic tricks. Well, you could have magiced some house,

work to be plates to disappear and glasses. I just can't get over how much cleaning. A lot. How many bottles I collected during the space of a week? I mean, the poor man who's doing all that he must have all right. Who's turned up here? And then the supermarket trips. I mean, the WhatsApp group people,

the lists of things, me and David go out the first couple of days. Chili, oil, and then it was like rain. Pepper, mayonnaise. We need this, we need that, we need lollies, we need ice. But you smashed that. What's the mean? You smashed it in terms of we had everything we did. I tried my best.

But no, there were a few things, weren't there, that? Overall. Overall, it was a very overwhelming big shop. Yeah, the first one. The first one was overwhelming. Because the supermarkets are so, this one we went in, you know, they're just amazing when you go away. And there's just so much to choose from.

And because of the amount of people, you're thinking, how many cucumbers do you get? Yeah. How much closer? How many things are beside? Yeah. Well, we couldn't keep up with the buying of bananas and water. No, bananas were going to our fashion, wasn't that?

Yeah. But anyway, there we go. But we did it. The quality of the produce. And the price. Royally. It's unbelievable. The quality.

I can't get over the quality. And I think it's more, it was more highlighted to me because obviously when you go to a hotel, it's cooked for you. Yes. When I go and stay with family, they're cooking for us. And don't get me wrong, you can tell the quality is there. When you're actually cooking yourself, and then you think, crikey, just something as simple as pasta with aubergines,

just tastes incredible. It's just different, isn't it? It's the lemons. I know. The pears. Tomatoes, the peaches. What on, it's, why is ours? And if you do get a really delicious peach, you are really paying for it here.

I know, and there you're not. And every peach is delicious. And the wine. The cherries we bought. Dave and I have not eaten cherries since we bought a panace of cherries. We ate a cherry each and we had to throw them away. They were disgusting. Really?

Like, should have been returned but couldn't be bothered. So we haven't eaten cherries since. And then the cherries we ate out there, we were like, oh, my goodness me. Even the crisps are different. The milk. The milk is so good. What is that? I don't know.

But for me... I've told you you need to buy a here. You do. You need to buy gold top. Gold top. Or whole milk. Still not like that. Is it?

I think it might have a different flavour, but you need full fat milk really. The steak. Yeah, the steak was unbelievable. And it wasn't overpriced. And we had to buy a lot of them. It wasn't major. No. And the prices you said are the wines that you bought?

Well, some of the wines, and you know I'm a wine snob, we were picking up wines just for a laugh, because there wasn't loads and loads of choice in the supermarket. And we were saying, well, let's get this rosé for three euros. And it was absolutely lovely. Nothing wrong with it. I bought a voynia, which is a white wine. Here, a good voyeur, I would say.

say it's maybe eight to ten pounds, maybe twelve pounds. I think it was four euros. It is crazy stuff. But yeah, there you go. What can you do? Yeah, it's just a bit gutting when you get home, you think, God. Although I did come home to a marrow the size of you. Yeah.

Which I'm hoping to stuff tonight. Oh, wow, amazing. And funny enough, our neighbour, Maria, was brought in our plants. Yeah. And she said, I was watering your corgette? It was a whopping great big one. I said, yeah, I've seen it in the bridge. Yeah, amazing.

Even our tomato plants, not as big as yours, but they're coming along. Have you got some red ones yet? Getting there. Getting there. Yeah, we've picked a few. They're coming along. And actually, you've got a couple of fresh figs downstairs. Have I?

Really? No, again, if we could grow our own here, but it's so time-consuming. It is time-consuming. I mean, you go to a Liddles out there. Yes. And the food, the chicken and breadcrows. Oh, the chicken and breadcrumbs, guys. I'm sorry, we are going to stop talk because I am starving alive.

The chicken and breadcrumbs here, obviously you get your chicken breasts and they're thick, aren't they fat? So what we do as a family is we will cut them. Or bash them. We'll either cut them or we'll bash them or a bit of both because they're so plump. Over there they sell it all breadcrumbed. Flat. Flat. Or non-breadcrumbed, but flat.

Ready to go. Oh, so good. Why can't we do that here? I don't know. I don't know. Don't get it. There you go. So.

Apparently there's a big Italian shop that Annalisa was telling me about in Bedford. Bedford. I need to go. Do you reckon they do that gear? I don't know. Doubted it. Anyway, there you go. But overall, yeah, it was an incredible.

I think Maria had a lovely, lovely, lovely time. Oh, the Saturday night and her actual birthday was really nice. It was very special. Yeah. It was amazing. We're just so blessed to be able to reflect back. And, yeah. Like you say, all those lovely videos and photos.

It's incredible. Really good, really nice. But we had an interesting experience coming home. Can never just do the whole... The whole thing without a little hit. Weird. I mean, the last few days I was a little bit on tenter hooks. I was thinking this has all gone too smoothly.

Someone's going to hurt themselves. I'm just really worried about the kids jumping. In the end, the kids were throwing themselves in the deep end. But the confidence. Oh, no. Brilliant for them. Incredible, especially the girls in Alfie in particular. unbelievable. So I was thinking, oh, something's got to go wrong. And yeah, coming home,

we had a bit of a shocker. Although again, Sorry, everybody, just so you know, there's an ice cream van. Whether you hear it or not, whether Emma can get rid of it. But in case you can't, there is an ice cream van outside. It's too hot to close the windows, as you all know. I've given up with it. How can you hear it? So it's probably over at the pub. Oh, never mind. There we go. So we're all packed up. Oh, yeah. So everything, didn't we? Yeah, so you've got Natalie, who I've learned is actually, you panic.

You're a panicker. And I get it, because I'm a bit like it, but you're to a different level. So everyone's got... Compared to Jack, I'm not. I know, Jack's to a completely different level. So you've got to imagine all these characters. We've got to be at that airport, three hours before the flight. Pisa's a very small airport.

It's 40 minutes from the villa. But anyway, Dave was doing the same. But to be fair, today he had the higher car. And we had to get back. check the car in, it's got to be checked. You know, we didn't know how long that would take, blah, blah, blah. So off Dave and I have gone. And he did amazing driving out there.

It's not easy driving abroad. Anyway, we all reach, we all get to the airport, don't we? About two and a half to three hours before I fly. Which is a lot, actually. Which is a lot with a very small airport, half the size of Stansford. We get our duty free. We then decide to all go through passport control and... No, we went through security.

Security. And then we were, it was so busy. So we go through security. Bear in mind, I've been PISA Airport a lot because my son and Lisa got married there. Yes. So we had to keep busy in the venue. When we got through, I was like, what's going on here? The volume of people in an airport that wasn't air-conditioned.

There was nowhere to sit. No. Now where to eat. No way to. And we were like, what's going on here? And then we slowly started to discover that flights were majorly delayed, like 10, 12-hour delays. Imagine if that was our flight, someone said. Well, we nearly got there, didn't we?

Next thing we know, it was four-hour delay, isn't it? So we were at the airport for seven hours. However... You played a blinder? No, well, Elia played the blinder. She said, why don't we try? and ask if we can go back through security so at least we can be outside

because there were places to sit. I've never heard of this being allowed. I would never have done it. She said, go and have a go. And then one went, yeah, sure, no problem. So we've all walked back out with all our duty free and everything. Yeah, because it's all sealed up.

They said, as long as it's sealed, that's okay. We all walked back out. We pitched ourselves at a seating area, was able to eat and drink. Kids were playing on the grass and... Basically had another afternoon in Italy. I mean, it saved us, didn't it? Because it didn't feel...

I felt like we were just out for that. Yeah, me too. I didn't. I didn't feel like right now. It probably was hard for the girls with the little ones, but... Yeah, but they were still. And they ended up in the... So Jack even tried to get into the BIP lounge,

which they did eventually, three of them, the ones with the babies. But even the BIP lounge had a cue. Yeah, it was mental. But where we were, we were, we were. fine. I played cards with the kids. They were running around. Everyone took their turns again. I actually felt, I was fine. I felt like I'd had another few hours there. And then when we went back in, we had to go through security again, didn't we? I mean, don't get me wrong, it is an inconvenience. Imagine if you've got something to do and that happens. This happens all the time, all those people.

Yeah, of course. I mean, luckily for us, no one was, other than a few of us having to go to work the following day, there was no, we weren't missing weddings or christenings or funeral or any. It was just, but, I are now going to compensate us or so we believe. Oh, so they should. And rightly so. Yeah. But we still don't know what happened. I even, because we were sitting at the front on the plane, Dave and I, I even asked.

Oh, did you? Yeah, yeah, I asked her. I said, what caused this delay? She said, I don't know. She goes, we were on an alternative flight and we were asked to come and get you. Wow. So they weren't saying. That's funny.

I don't know what it was. And also the chap sitting next two lies are on the plane being asked to move. What was that all about? I don't know. They said something about the weight of the plane. We need to balance the weight of the plane. Again, never heard of that. No.

So it would be interesting anyone that works for airlines to enlighten us. Yeah. Yeah, I've never seen that before. No. People have been asked to move to balance the weight of the plane. Quite a small plane, I don't know. I don't know how it works. It's interesting.

So, yeah, so we had a bit of a me. Makes me all a bit nervous, all that. Well, it's in the plane. I'm thinking, what's going on here? Well, just the fact that you've... Well, it's one person. Yeah. And you've paid for that to sit at the front.

Yeah. And you're being told to go and sit at the back. Yeah. He did kick him. off actually. Fair enough. So yeah, that was a little hiccup. But I don't feel like anyone we've not left anything.

Oh, Jack left his stand hiccup on the plane. That was the one thing. Did he really? And Elia left her handbag in the villa, I understand. Had to go back for it. No, I think they found it in the end, didn't they? No, it's in the villa. Oh, it was in the villa?

Yeah. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah. Oh, so Jack left his sit there. Dimes. But I think I've come home with everything. Yeah. Even chargers and stuff, sometimes you leave.

You know, travel plugs in the wall. And that was, that was up my concern, that I was leaving before you guys, leaving the villa, and I would have done the final record. Yeah, I had a good old wrecky round. But, yeah. There we go. Yeah. Absolutely brilliant.

Yeah, it was really good. Really, really good. But it was like a week of just hosting. It was. And my family from Italy weren't in the end. Didn't come. Can you imagine if we'd had another five bodies, how would we have done that? We would have done it.

Of course, we would have. And Federal, Chon, we are gutted. As you know, I was devastated. But it's all right, me and Anthony Lee have hatched a plan for next year. We're going to be coming over. Federal, get ready for us. Yeah, absolutely. So basically my family, I've got family in southern Italy.

Five of them were coming for a couple of days, not staying with us, but we're going to join us at the villa every day. And sadly, my cousin Marina, her parents, both of them had a little bit of a mishap. And they couldn't leave. They couldn't leave them. Yeah, very upsettingly, they couldn't join us, but they probably dodged a bullet because it was kind of a huge. But yeah, hopefully we'll see them next year.

Absolutely. I will leave Natalie to. Oh, it's going to be amazing. We're going to, we'd like to go out and look at the produce and look at the things that are near Linda's village and do some pods over there and just meet all the family. There are some fantastic stories. So we are going to absolutely.

organise a few specials in Italy, which I think will be superb. And we can work those around, hopefully, when they make their tomato sauce, when they make their olive oil, when they make their wine. When they make the mozzarella. The mozzarella.

Yeah, so it's, yeah. It'll be really, really good. Let me know what you think about that. 077-8-19-19, I think it'll be fab. It will be mostly audio-related, but we can put lots of pictures in and do a few videos and stuff as well, but I think it'll go down a storm.

mentioning hosting, we've had a message about that today and obviously I popped up what do people think about hosting but this was the first message that spurred me on to do it. Hey Nat, Daniela here, I've got a pod topic for you. I was born and raised in Italy where kids basically live at each other's houses. They wander in, raid your fridge and before you know it, they've unofficially adopted.

It's completely normal. I've brought my own kids up in the same way so our house is always open. Their friends are here all the time and play dates are almost always at hours because, well, the invitations never seem to get returned. My house has somehow become the neighbourhood HQ and I genuinely love that the kids feel comfortable and happy here.

What does make me scratch my head is it's never really reciprocated. We'll happily have extra kids for a whole weekend but the other parents never seem to say it's my turn now. So what's the deal? Is it a cultural thing? Are people just busier these days?

Anyway, love the pod, chow for now. Thanks, Daniela. Love the message. Interesting, Daniela. Because my house, as you know, Natalie, was very much the same, as was the house I grew up in, my mum and dad's house. Yeah. I remember when we moved, there was an Italian family living there prior to us.

And when we've moved in, and literally within 24 hours of living there, it was like kids just coming, like we had a side door because it was an end of terrorist house. And kids in the road were just coming in. It was just coming in. And even I found it strange. And I'd sort of grown up in that environment, even in our previous house.

But this was like a little coldies sack. All the children played out, as did my children, as they got older. As did I there. As did you. And they would just come in. And I remember thinking, God, this is strange, but they were used to doing it with the previous family. Yes. They didn't knock on the door.

Perhaps they didn't even know. They'd moved. Perhaps they didn't. Probably just fall off. coming back to... And then it sort of evolved from there. It was much the same for us. So I do think it is a cultural thing.

I do. I also think probably in today's world, people are more cautious, aren't they? Yes. Leaving back doors open and all that. And even, you know, you inviting someone over or them inviting you if they don't know you or... No, I'd say I've got an open house

in terms of people I know. welcome here at all times. Yeah. But if I had a couple of kids that I didn't know, coming into the garden and walking in, I turned to fuck off. Yeah, it just wouldn't happen now. That would be weird to me. It just wouldn't happen.

But, you know, again, much the same for me. When my lot were growing up, my house, because I think a lot of it is location of the where I live. Yes. I was close to the school, close to a station. And interestingly, I saw it. Where did I go the other day? I can't.

I went somewhere. I had to go somewhere. Oh, I think it was the lovely land. lady who did the bridesmaid dress for me, a listener of the pod who helped me with Sonia's bridesmaid dress, whatever of you. But there I saw, there was a few bikes out, and it reminded me of where you used to be.

There were sort of more going on, whereas where I am now, you haven't really got that, but I think when you're in a cul-de-sac and you know it's quite safe, I think kids do still play out, which is lovely, actually. I like to see that, that old-fashioned. It's lovely than they're not sat on the phone or an iPad. You do get an element of that still, probably,

if you're in a road, There's no passing traffic. The only people that live there are going to drive there, people that live there all visiting. But even where I am now in Brockbourne, as the kids got a little bit older, it was very much the party house, the go-to-house,

the be picked up from house, the meet all congregate there and will go out from their house, the staying overnight house because it was easy to get to. But also it's lovely, isn't it? Look, we've got this message. I'm so glad.

This message here. Let me play these two. from lovely becks oh yeah hi love i just saw your story about hosting parties and things i love hosting although when you're doing it so i don't know if this is the same but i always love the idea of hosting and love getting it already and stuff and then do you ever when you're in the midst of it you're like why did i say i'd do this because actually i never actually sit down and talk to anyone and enjoy the time because you're just busy making sure everyone's okay but I do love it. And I am fortunate enough to live in a house that is perfect for socialising and entertaining.

So that is what we do. And actually, that's nice, isn't it? Anyway, I just wanted to say hi, really. And hi to Auntie Linney. And I hope you all have the most fabulous time away, which I'm sure you did. Anyway, lots of love, love. I'll see you soon. Oh, and also, when you've got kids, I always want to be the parent that the kid doesn't mind having their friends over because, you're Your house is cool and it's like it's okay to hang out there because I'd much rather Henry be here with his mates than somewhere more I don't know where he is. So that's another bonus for being a little bit of an open house and being free and easy. Yeah, come round. That's another reason why I'm quite like that.

Anyway, happy hot Saturday. It is a hot Saturday. It's a hot one. I'm with Bex there. Completely with her. Many a time we've instigated a gathering for anything. Oh, what have I done this to myself? And she's absolutely right.

When you're hosting... You don't get to see anyone, do you? Really? Really get to... And I have like, when we've done, whatever gathering I've done, even if it's just a small dinner party, they'll be like, and I know people say it's really rude,

but if we're like entertaining in the kitchen, because you know the kitchen's kind of the hub of the house, I do get up and start washing up, I put in feet loading the dishwasher up, and they're like, oh, come and sit down, just in you. But I feel I've got to get up to this tomorrow, morning I don't want to.

Or equally, I've then got to stay up after you've left. For two hours doing it. So I'd rather just get it done. I know, but it is a bit rude. No, I know. I'm the same. No, I know. But I think it depends who it is.

If it's someone you're comfortable with. I know, but also that's, they want to see you. No, I know. I'm the same. Poor Mark, he's not finished his dinner. I'm up on my plate. Yeah, I know. It's terrible.

He says it is bad trait. He said, I've not finished yet. It's rude. So I am, I need to remember. that and be mindful of that and you sit for a minute and have a conversation. Because again, we're on the go, we want things done. But like the full-on hosting, so next Sunday, yeah, week tomorrow, I'm hosting 30-ish. I was going to ask how many.

Yeah, I think we're 30-odd women. I don't know if you know, but Maria's turned 40. So just have a little gathering at mine in case she hasn't done enough. You know, afternoon thing, but it's a lot of work goes in. even though I'm trying to be like very low-key about it because it is just a to toast her. It's still a lot of work involved. And then everyone says, oh, sit down.

I do think you should get plastic cups out. Oh, really? No. I've got, yeah, maybe. Still got wash them. Don't frown wise. No, it's true, actually, because we've got good ones. Plastic plates.

I haven't really thought about it. We'll have a nag. We'll have a chat. We'll have to sort it out. But ultimately, I'm still got to host. It's all well and good, everyone's saying, oh, just sit down. But no, because glasses have got to be replenings.

drink's got to be poured, food's got to be moved. I help you. When you're hosting, and I love it, and I still enjoy it. I feel like I kind of, lots of my friends say,

you're very clever the way you sort of just sort of mingle and tidy things up and you do it really discreetly. And then you sort of look around and think, blammy, how she gets all this in order? So I think over the years I've just mastered doing it. I had a friend, Jan, bless her, She loved tidying up and she was someone that would always, if ever I had a party, she would get stuck in. I think she just felt comfortable doing it.

Sally's another one that flitters around, helping. So it is nice to have those few friends that just don't mind doing it. I'm the same. If I go to a friend, I don't just sit there. It's so difficult, isn't it? Because you don't want to be a party pooper. No, you want to enjoy yourself, but it's nice to help also, isn't it? be forful.

Yeah. Even if it's a little bit. I love it. Yeah. I think as the children... You do more now than I... I mean, I don't do... I can't do it as much.

I really struggle. Because of all the little children, it's such hard work. Yes, and what I was going to say is I feel like that's getting easier now. Is it? I think so. Yeah. They're getting that bit older, right? In terms of getting every toy out or...

You know, Joni might have nice things and I'd like to hide them because you don't want to... It's not their fault. It's different ages, but, you know, they love to sit now and play with the mousehouse together. Or they're playing with their adults together. And the older children do take themselves off now. Yes. So, yes.

Yeah, you're absolutely right. And you're not, but when I go into the spare room or the playroom, it's not World War IV and it's going to take me four hours. Right. So that's, how you was about James yesterday? No. Oh, go on. He found some pastels. Oh, dear.

And the wall before you go into Grandad's Lounge Oh, what are yours? Yes. Oh, good. It was covered in a wonderful green motif. He had drawn all over the wall. You said you wanted a wall. I know, I did, yeah.

I said earlier, yeah. Here you go. And then I said, we can't tell him off because we were in the kitchen and he'd gone in with Joni. And he's been left to his own devices. And I said, no, we can't tell him on. And she said, that is someone's wall.

I said, when you get home, take the past, she was winding her up, I said, and when you get home, but do you know what, got it out? Oh, it all come off. What, sieve? The pink stuff. Oh, yeah. Pink stuff, cloth, went over it.

And then sponged it, and I've obviously done the good paint where you can take things off. But yeah, good as gold, it's all come off. He's a funny one. He's so into, he's determined. He's into everything. Oh, he just doesn't know where to go. He's so intelligent.

pulling plugs, sticking, switching sockets on and off, just anything he can like get his little hands. He's so... What's the word? Inquisitive.

So inquisitive. Just because he's so clever. Yeah. He's a character, an absolute character. Oh, so... And Frankie, I went to Marxist yesterday

and he loves Paddington, doesn't he? Loves Padd-Pads on holiday, he likes his little pads, didn't he? To have a little watch every now and again.

There's a great big Paddington with a little Eminest ticket on it. Stop it. So I've texted on Elise, I said, I had to buy it for him, thinking, oh, Betty's bloody got one. I said, as he got one, is it going to clock you up? She went, no, he hasn't got a Paddington. I was so, but I was so happy. Oh, he loves Paddington.

So I can't wait to see him to give him that. He just says, hiya. Hiya. So now James, we go to James. What does Frankie say? Hey ya. They're funny little things, are they. Gorgeous.

Although it has definitely made me realize that I don't want another child. Oh, God, it's such hard work. What is it? Is it, have we forgotten? Must have. I don't remember it being that hard. Not me. I've got to be honest. And I mean.

And I had 14 month gap between two of mine. And I do remember that year being hard. It's not going to mind. Maybe we just, maybe you don't realize. Maybe you forget. And they're so clingy to their moms. Boys and their mummies, isn't they? I don't feel like my girls were like that with me.

So maybe it is boys. A boy thing. Because Toby's clinging to Jen. Dawn was the same. So there you go. Boys and their mum, isn't it? his little ones are saying. Yeah, I feel like he's, as soon as she goes to make a water or whatever, he's at the door,

where is she, where is she, mummy? Yeah. Yeah, I think boys are just, I love their mums, don't they? But yeah, going back to the whole hosting thing. Oh, loads, loads of messages here. It's lovely to do. You've, no end of parties have we had at our house. And when I say hosted, I've hosted parties like 200.

Maria's 21st, there was about 240 people. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. With the bigger parties you have the caterers in, but there's still loads of work to be done. But how lovely when I look back. Well, again, it's all memories.

It's lovely. All memories. All memories. They'll talk back, but getting ready at mine. It's lovely. It is lovely. It is, everything is about making memories, isn't it? Because genuinely, that is what you are going to be loved with.

I think about that with this sometimes. How lovely. Oh. For all the generations to come. Can you imagine having material? No, it's incredible. But it'll be here. in four generations.

But will they be able to listen to it? Because, you know, it's like us saying we've got things on videos that now you can't play. Yeah, or a silly film. How will this all evolve? But ultimately, it's the material's there. And it's...

I love it. No, it's incredible. I do think that quite a lot. I think, God, I wish I don't... Imagine having hours of mum and Debbie sat talking or... I know. I know. It's good, isn't it? Yeah.

Lucky Devils. And you lot. You're a bit lucky as well. Louise Taylor. She said, I'm not a hoster, lull. I like to have my get-out plan sorted so it's easier for me to go somewhere else and I can leave when I want to.

My in-laws are so loud, I can't bear it. The drunken they get, the louder they get and I can't cope. I'm much happier sitting in my own company. Well, I tell you what, Louise, don't come around dear love. No, don't ever come away with us either. I mean, I think I had to disappear one night as well. Oh, dear.

Eliza did a little disappearing act, but I get it. Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah, it's a lot. There's a lot of us. And again, I know I bore everybody. Everyone needs to do what they want to do. Wherever anyone wants to go, whoever wants to stay up, whoever wants to go to bed,

don't make people stay up. Just let people do what they want. And we did. And we did. And I think that's why it worked so well. Because no one felt under pressure to not be able to just say, I'm going to bed. Yeah. Or I'm lying in.

Or they're, yeah. Exactly. Or someone doesn't come down for an hour. Yeah. That's how it should be. Yeah. That was absolutely brilliant. I also think it's where we've all been away together as a family. We've kind of, you know, it's like anything, isn't it? When you do it the first time, you're all a little bit more aware of each other.

Yeah, and I know I'm going to get cursed for saying this. God. But I'm going to say it. Go on. I just love spending time with Dominic. Oh, so, so the Nat's nieces? No. No.

Nagy with Aunt Illini. No, you know what I mean? I just because I don't see him at a lot. And we just, I feel get on very well and he makes me laugh so much. But also have lovely conversation. I just love his company. So it was just very special to spend a little bit of time with him that I don't usually get. I completely agree.

I'm completely agree. I'm the golden boy. But yeah, I'll be hammered for it. But it was just so nice to be. But even Jack, having that, I know Jack wasn't with us that long. Yes. He didn't do the whole week. I feel like I see Jack a little bit more maybe.

Yeah, maybe. Not that much more, but I don't know, maybe it's because he's around the corner. We don't see. It's no different with me. Dominic, unless I ring him, I don't hear from him. No. I can go a month without talking to Dom. Easy.

And then all of a sudden you're living with him. And then we're cooking together and we're having a lot. It was just really nice, quality time. Agreed, agreed. Enjoyed it. No, it was special. Our golden boy, everybody. Don't tell the girls.

Jen said, hi, I much prefer to be the guest. I want to end my day and night when I want. I don't want to be nice to everyone, which you have to do as a host. I don't want to check everyone is having a nice time, meaning I am not. I like the idea of an open house and being the hostess with the mostess, but it just isn't me. Love to you both, that's Jen. I love your honesty, Jen.

Yeah, and it isn't for everybody. No. And Jen's right. If you're not hosting, you can leave when you want to leave, whereas if you're the host. Well, I'm the opposite. I'm the host, and I'm like, don't go home. No. Yeah, we're like, please let us go.

I'm not going yet, are you? Yeah, I know. But she's right, though. Yes. You know, as a host, as a guest, you can, when you're done and you've had enough, you can just up and go, whereas if you're hosting, and your guests aren't going, it can be, I mean, I've been to one of the day's friends where he would always drag us back to his for an after party.

I mean, poor partner. at the time she'd just, there were times she would just have to crash. She'd just pass out. Because it's a long old evening. And then you're going back. We're all going back. He doesn't want anyone to leave. Yeah.

It's a lot on it. Hello, Nat and Lynnie. Hope you've recovered from your holidays. Love, love, love hosting, any occasion. I love the pomp of it all. And more importantly, watching people enjoy the food you've cooked for them. It's lovely. I even take requests from people for what they would like,

certain cheese, or trimming to go with a roast. I do Christmas every year for 13, my in-laws, etc., fab. I'm from a very small family that isn't close, so I've been given a marvellous family from my husband, and I enjoy spending time with them. We were having a small get-together recently.

I thought 31 people, and it was 11. I had the sons done in my head wrong, and I carried an extra one. Love to you all, Carla. I'll imagine I've been thinking you've got 31 people and cooking for 31 and 11 turn up. No. I hope you went out into the street, Carla, gave your food away.

Dobby bags galore around there. And that's sometimes so hard, isn't it, as well, because you always overdo it because you don't want to run out of food or you don't want to run out a drink. That's the problem when you host at home, isn't it? Like you said about the holiday, because of our numbers, you just had no concept of how much of everything do I need. Okay, in our case, you could just keep going to buy it.

But when you're hosting a party, and then you tend to over buy, and... I've never very... really cooked for over our amount. I don't know what it would be like to cook for 30, say. I'd like to do it, I'd like to try it, but just the numbers to keep sort of... Yeah, I'm in a family of foodies, so I'm so lucky. Because I just couldn't do that as well. I just couldn't.

No, you couldn't do it. You couldn't. It would be impossible. You know, you, Elya, Maria, DeHave. Dom. Brilliant cooks, all of you. I did say that we're missing a tree. trick.

I've been saying it for a long time. We should do a supper club. The only problem with supper club is you've got no disrespect to anyone listening. Have to invite people into your home. I'd happily do it. Would you? I've always said it. I'd love to use my house to host.

Tracking. Another conversation to be heard. Honestly, guys, the food that was cooked this week we were away was better than many a restaurant I've been to. Truly Natalie I agree Absolutely Every plate of pasta Every sauce

You know beans with garlic and olive oil To die for I know It's very simple No there was some lovely stuff That's amazing The Bristol and rocket salad With the Parmesan that we made

Incredible Yeah it was good Very good Again Something you should all consider Food for thought As they say There you go

Hello Nat It's Emma from Nedworth I hope you had the most amazing holiday. You looked like you did because you're falling asleep on the couch and was exhausted. So sign of a good holiday, I'll say your pod, you're doing with Auntie Linney about open house or not. I'll tell you what, when I was younger, I have to share this. I had everyone around at my house. I had parties all the time.

I had family around all the time. The more than merry are. Something's happened. I don't know what. I don't know, again, whether it is to do with menopause. I don't want anyone around me anymore. I think it might be since COVID as well since we locked down. I feel now if there's more than three or four people in my house,

I get a bit anxious and antsy and I don't want them here. Yes, I have moved to a smaller house. We had no choice. As you know, I rent and we had no choice. So that's another story. But it's a very small house now. And it's not just that fact that makes me not have parties and invite people around.

I just don't want to. There's nothing nice out than sitting with my mark on the sofa, watching something we like, or sitting in my garden with a lovely cup of tea in my next mug, and just relaxing after and work. You can't feel guilty that the dynamics of how you live now have changed. Age plays a big part in it. Yeah.

I agree with probably the menopause is a contributing factor. You get older, everything becomes more overwhelming. to do. More overwhelming. You get tired quicker. It's an interesting one though. Because now when I reflect back to all the hosting I've done from when, from day one, Natalie, from having my wedding. Yes.

Look back and I think, how did I do that? I hosted a small birthday gathering when I gave birth to Maria because my brother and your brother turned 21. And I come home with a newborn baby and did a little family gathering. I mean, that was the start of it. Yeah. There's a reason you do these things when you're young, because in your later years, it becomes harder. And for many of us, we're still working.

Yeah. You know? Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. Yeah. I'm hosting next Sunday. I'm going to work on Monday. And my lot are all going to my colleague Mark, who works with me. He's hosting, I don't know if any of you know, but we're just turned baldie.

So he's hosting a little gathering. for her tomorrow and he's into making his own pizzas. Yes, yeah. And Mark's 40 as well. They're in the same school year. His family friend as well as my fellow director. And, you know, bless him, he's hosting. There's a lot of them.

It's all the cousins and my lot and their partners. He's making pizzas for everyone. I think Jamie's doing something as well. I tell you what, though, the pizza thing, making fresh pizzas for a lot of people. It's stressful. No, and I could tell today he was panicking a little bit because the weather's really warm and he said, you know, I've got to put, I've never put the dough in the fridge. I'm going to have to put it in the fridge because the temperature's too warm.

And I'm looking, I'm going, I'm sure it'll be fine, Mark. And he's doing it from scratch. Bless him. And, you know, I bet they'll be fantastic. Oh, no. I've tasted them. They're brilliant. But again, you know, it's a lot of work.

And also it's pressure, because if you fuck up the pizza, no one's got anything to eat. Which is why he's got Jamie doing a backup risotto, I think he's doing. Oh, very good. He's learned to make cocktails. He's going to do cocktails. Oh, no, it's lovely because you're going all out. But there's a reason you do these things when you are younger. And also a reason that you have to do them few and far between.

You can't be doing it every week. A, it wouldn't be special. Exactly. And B, it just wouldn't, you wouldn't be able to do it. And the cost that comes with it. Of course, the cost, of course. I think his main concern is that he's got enough alcohol for all of them. Should be.

It should be as well. It's all right, Mark. Obviously, I can't come, so you'll be all right. Yeah, certainly have, mate. next time. Vicky said absolutely love hosting and last weekend we hosted a family summer gathering for 30 people loved every minute of it.

We casted the net far and wide and had people seeing each other that hadn't seen each other for 20 years plus. We did some nice special touches including a photo book with lots of old family photos from years gone by and we got customised cups made so everyone could work out who was who at a glance. Now planning the next. Think we've set a precedence.

Yeah, but lovely. So isn't that nice? But hosting can be like we've got a couple coming over in a few Saturday's time that we haven't seen in a while, Mel and Gary. Yeah, yeah. Oh, Gary? Yeah, Dave was the best man for work. And they're coming over and spot a dinner with us.

That's nice. It's lovely. See, now that's lovely. That's nice. There's four of you. There's four of us. You can have some really nice food, nice conversation. Yeah, that's nice.

A couple of drinks. That's lovely. Yeah. As soon as the numbers start to grow. I agree. We don't do it enough. We don't see people enough for me and Mark, that sort of thing. But life unfortunately does get.

Or my friend Elliot Grover, lovely Elliot, he's coming up with his partner, Laura. They're coming up in a couple of weeks' time. What, you're hosting? I don't know. I mean, I don't know whether. Pressure. I know.

But, no, he would like to try the pub in the village. Because he actually knows he went out and he bumped into the owner of the pub and this and that. We may just go to the pub. Oh, lovely. But yes. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, it is nice. It is nice.

You've become good friends. Really good friends. Yeah. Really good friends. And this is all through you doing... Cooking with the Stars. Really nice. Funny, isn't it?

How you just connect with people. Yeah, and I knew I connected with him in about 10 minutes. Why? Don't know. I said, me and you're going to be friends. Like that, straight away. What about us bumping into James Alexander at the airport? I mean, the poor sods were all throwing ourselves.

Hello, James! Oh, no, but he was so happy to see us as well. How random was that as well? The most random thing. When did you last see James? I haven't seen James. Last time I saw him, we went for a bit of lunch at EastEnders. He came up, I think he was doing something to do with directing or whatever,

and we had a little bit of lunch, and I saw him. But, yeah, I mean, I've not even met his wife. It was, you know, to say hello to her, but... I didn't realize he was married, James? In the middle of an airport. Yeah, I know. Apparently, Elle's heard someone going, that's mad, isn't it? Like, Sonia and Martin, like from the old days meeting at the airport.

That's crazy, isn't it? Oh, how funny. What about me in the queue? when we're going through past. Oh, yeah, go on. Well, I put the message. I think that got overlooked. So I'm standing there with Dave,

and obviously Dave is oblivious. And there's two guys and a girl behind me. And they were talking about EastEnders, which is what made me listen. And then he was going, yeah, yeah. I don't know, I don't know if she's still in it, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They can't get paid much then.

She's trapped in Ryan. I really wanted to turn around and say, And what's wrong? We try and were trying there? She's with her family. It's a little funny though that people think that you're not going to, I mean... You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't. If you've been travelling business class, whatever, whenever there would be an answer.

Yeah, I'm going. Yeah, you can't win. I was so tempted to turn around and say, that's my sister-in-law. I'll have you know. I won't retire it. Also, it doesn't matter what you can. It's about where you're going.

What time you want to fly. It doesn't, you know, it's about convenience of where you're going. There's two-hour flights really. I'm uncomfortable, though, the seats, didn't they? Do you know what? You said that, and I said on my way out, it was absolutely fine. I mean, I fell asleep coming home, thankfully, but that first 20 minutes where I wasn't asleep, very uncomfortable seats. And I had the leg room, but why do they have them so upright?

I don't know. More room, maybe. Oh, maybe, but if everyone's just... Oh, God, yeah, not right. Anyway, there you go. Yeah, yeah. We'll get a private jet next time because I've got so much money. So I treat everybody, you know.

I love you know, this holiday was on, Auntie Linney. So there you go. Yeah, so I won't be flying business class anywhere anytime soon. She's on her knees. Oh, that note. Oh, that note. Love you, Loads. Please get in touch, everybody.

07-8-1919-19. Thanks so much, Lynn. Pleasure. Cheers, everyone for listening. And I'll speak to you soon. Bye. Bye. Bye.