Life with Nat - EP259: Nagging with Auntie Linny #31 - Rest in Power Dolly Parton

Episode Date: August 30, 2026

Nat and Linny get into how it feels to grieve a celebrity, or the split of a band. And give some great listener advice too! Enjoy! xGet 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.

Welcome to Life with Nat on this September morning. Can you believe it? Oh, yeah, it will be. Auntie Len is with me. You're right, darling? Yeah, good. Oh, this is Bank Holiday Monday then. It certainly is. Oh, very nice.

Very nice. And how are we feeling regarding the weather change? Yes. Well, it's still mild. Obviously, we're all welcoming the rain, aren't we, for obvious reasons? And the fact that it's so mild, it kind of. have not too bothered really. Although it does feel a little bit one of those like one of those afternoons that you'd like to curl up on the sofa with your duvet and watch a nice film.

Absolutely. I completely agree. I've just walked in looking for Eliza and she's snuggled up in bed. I could have quite easily got in bed with her and it's four o'clock in the afternoon, guys. It's like one of those afternoons, isn't it? You're absolutely right. But no, we were desperate for this rain so we can't moan about this now as well. No, it's good. Like you said, I feel like the grass is coming back really quickly. I've shopped how quickly it's come back. Mad, really?

Yeah, no, no. Yeah, it's good. Yeah. It's very good. Yeah, so by the end of next week, because I think this, or this week, should I say, I think we've got rain every day, so we'll be back to normal. And I wonder whether the hose pipe ban will be abolished. I would imagine there's going to be a while.

Yeah, I would have foresa. I think so. But we don't eat. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Right, crack, it's hot in here, isn't it? Is it? Yeah.

So it is warm, yeah. But I like this where it's hot, warm and a bit of rain. Yeah, I don't mind it. It's quite a nice combo. I popped to Marxes earlier to get our dinner for tomorrow. But even walking in the rain, quite enjoyed it. I know. So now I get my Italian family when they used to, you'd speak to the Madhawk, and they'd go, oh, it's rain today.

They'd be so excited. I used to think, oh, my goodness, Ben, they're getting excited for a rite. I saw it in. Yeah. But let's just hope we get this next year, eh? It's been lovely to have a summer. It's been a... I know it's extreme.

But if we know this is going to happen year in, year out, we'll just gear ourselves up for it, won't we? I think so. At the very least, we all get to sleep. And it just makes everything so much easier in the summer to get up. And we were talking the other day, Elia and I as well. But even for people, you know, haven't got lots of money.

All these days out cost so much. That's just to be able to get out. Go to the park all day. Meet up with friends. It just makes things easier for people, I think. You haven't got to be spending loads of money. No. Taking them to soft plays and wherever.

You can absolutely do that. Go across to your local park. These parks, I mean, the one in Broxbourne's just all being rebamped. Is it? Yeah. Maria's got two that are brilliant near her. We're very lucky. We've got Bartley Park in Hoddismden, which is an amazing.

So lovely park. It's a lovely park. And the kids love it. They do. I love it. I had the girls, I'd take an immediate to the dentist on Thursday. Yeah. And we got back to mine. Dinner was on. Alfie was chilling with Dave.

And I said, to the girls, she'd go and wash Granddad's car. Out they came. We were washing his car. A spongy. Yeah, they loved it. You know, sometimes it is the simple things that they will remember and they enjoy it. It's true. But yeah, once the weather turns, then it all becomes a little bit more problematic, doesn't it?

But no, we've been very blessed this year. We've had a fantastic. But let's hope we don't need to put our heating on for a little while yet. I think we're going to be all right. I think we might be able to long it out till October. Well, I had an email from the school saying due to the heat that is forecasted for September, children can keep their summer uniform. So, I mean, I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Do they expect them to go in with winter uniform come September? Come September, yeah. Even if the weather's sort of quite nice. Well, that's why we've had the email to say. So if you didn't get that email, they'd have to go in in winter? Yes. Really? Yes.

Yeah. Oh, wow. I mean, it is that psychological. I always, I can't ever remember, if I'm honest, the girls going in or Dominic going in with shorts or the girls in, I don't recall. But I felt like they needed to wear their winter uniform when September hit. But now, yeah. Yeah, I mean, if we have Indian summers like we've been having, then. But it does feel weird sending the girls in in their summer dresses.

Yeah. Doesn't it? September is autumn. It's autumn. It's autumn. It's autumn. They've got their tunics on. But they can wear a short sleeve.

little polo shirt underneath and short socks instead of tights. And then they take their cardigans off and losing every day. Yeah, it's good. Which is an absolute nightmare. That's good. I have started with Joni last year. It really worked. I did the, if you can keep your cardigans safe.

Yeah. I'll give you a little gift of some sort. Yeah. And she did. I bet she did. Yeah. She likes the old Sponduli out, her show me how much money she had in her purse earlier. Bundley, love.

Blesser. I bet it's their love costing you more. Her looking, keeping hold of you. Yeah, no, that is. Probably has. I, um, it was lovely having your granddaughters. Oh, of course you had them on. A little sleepover.

Yeah, they loved it. Really nice. They were so good. No, no. They, look, when they're good, they're, but it's the fact that you had Joni. Yeah. When you haven't, you need to break it up with that older child or somebody else's child. Yes.

Because it just breaks up. They are generally brilliant. Yeah. You know, as I say, I took media to the dentist and Ruby came with us. They sat there good as gold. You get home, as soon as you've got the three, it's the, you know, I've got the coloured plastic plates, dinner plates. Yeah. So they come in individual, you don't get two the same colour, but they both want pink.

You've got the cups, they both want pink. It's that, and they could argue over, who wants to sit next to Alfie? Who wants to? I mean, they are. It's got easy, of course. They're older. And they're so fortunate. They're so fortunate to have each other.

Oh, lovely. It's lovely. They're like twins. Yeah, they just, honestly. You're always going to have a little argument because they're so close. They're like sisters. Yeah, absolutely. They just, yeah, but they love each other and they, Amelia's forever, Ruby, this, Ruby, that, Ruby, Ruby.

I feel like Amelia does look upon Ruby as her slightly older. sister though. Isn't it funny? I feel like I get that vibe from Amelia because it's whatever Ruby does, whatever Ruby wants, whatever Ruby gets. But they're very lucky. They're very lucky. It's a beautiful relationship. We watched Monsters Inc. which they kept awake the whole thing. I'm sorry if they retired. Yeah, Ruby fell asleep on the way home Thursday. Oh, did she? Oh, bless her. But they were so good even going to bed in the spare room together. How lovely. But they learnt that on holiday, didn't they? So that's a bit of a breakthrough now, isn't it?

Because if any of us want to have them, we know that... They can go together and they can sleep together, which is nice. Yeah. Yeah, I think the beds were a game changer on holiday. Yeah, because now they've learnt that, that they can sleep together. And I'm sure that it'll be hit a miss, but ultimately, I know now, they stay at mine, say, for Christmas, girls can get in together if they want to.

Yeah, it's lovely. Which is lovely for them. Yeah, they're very lucky. See, Joni, she's kick, she moves so much. Yeah. And she kicks and she groans. So it's nice that they can sleep together if they come. She's just better off on her own. Phoebe came. We had Mark's brother and David and Claire and Phoebe.

They came yesterday and they stayed overnight. Oh, blind me. Very last minute, but they had a day off and we're not seen them for ages. So it was lovely. We went up to Hertfordshire Zoo. Lovely. And then went for a meal last night and what have you. But again, we got the airbed out and Phoebe slept in the same room,

but Joni's a nightmare. So she couldn't get in with Joni? She just wouldn't sleep. I don't think she'd sleep. I can't sleep with Joanie. She moves and kicks you and she's a real fidget. Massive fidget, yeah. Whereas I go to bed and I don't move.

Move, yeah, yeah. I'm in one position. I'm not, you know, in a way. Yeah. Yeah, it's interesting. So I had Amelia last week before last, but she's got him with me. And we ended up at the other side of the bed, bless you. We ended up at the other side of the bed.

She was on my side. I was on her side. Really? Yeah, because she too was the hugging me. Yeah, funny. Yeah. Yeah, they're just funny. No, it's lovely.

Them too, as they get older, that's just going to be a common theme, isn't it? And hopefully they remain as close as they are, I'm sure they will. I'm sure they will. And also, they'll go to school and they'll make friends. And then they'll have, be lovely for them to be able to have their own friends. But at the weekends, no, they've got each other. Yeah. It's really nice.

Yeah. Yeah, very much so. Very good. Yep. What about Dolly Parton? Yeah. People might say, oh, it's old news this week, but... Well, no, she's made a huge impact.

Huge impact. More than I actually appreciate, because I will be honest, I wasn't a huge... I'm not. I wouldn't be buying or listening to her music per se. I know her music, and yeah, she's obviously been an incredible artist. I was surprised, actually, how... I mean, even presenters like breaking down

when they were announcing it and speaking about her, I thought it was quite... I think she's, when you look into it, just a real, just an icon. And just has done so much. And talented. Oh, mate, amazing what she's done, her writing, the songs that she produced.

But she was 80. Yeah. But that's... Had a wonderful life. I don't see that as old now. Do you know that? No, no, I know what you mean. And I didn't realize she was ill.

I didn't realize she was ill. No. You think she still looked extremely glamorous and still performing. Yeah. With young women, which was incredible to see, and held her own. I'm more so. Yeah. No, it got me thinking, which is why I messaged you earlier,

it got me thinking about, because I've seen people on Instagram really so upset about it, distraught about it. And I thought, I wonder, I know who it is for you, who you were distraught about who died in the public eye. Diana. Yeah. affected you, didn't it? Yeah, I just, and again, I was a bit shocked how much it affected.

In fact, it's her anniversary. I always remember waking up the morning of my anniversary and hearing the news. And I was shocked as to how devastated I was about it. Yeah. Because I'm quite sort of realistic. You know, you don't know these people. But I just, everything about her, like many people, I feel cheated of seeing her on a screen, hearing about her what she's doing, what she's wearing, the way she was with people, the way she was with children, the way she was with her own boys.

I just thought she was incredible. And I've gutted to the core that I never went to London. Yeah. Gutted. But I had three young children now. Yeah, no, of course. I just remember driving to work. All the radio stations were somber

and constantly playing the same songs that were reference to her and literally getting to work, it's all in tears. It was so moving. Yeah, now that, for me, yeah, is a massive moment, I won't forget, hearing about it, just the phone call, hearing it for the first time, the phone, my brother's next told me, phone me up. He said, have you heard?

I said, don't be, I said, that's a really sick joke. I remember saying to him. That's a really sick joke. He went, no, it's not a joke. Put the telly on. Never forget that. Really? Yeah, just really upset me.

I was in bed with my friend, Zara. She'd had a sleepover. And I remember waking up and... And hearing it. And was she? Yeah. It touched everyone, I think. And what were your thoughts on that?

Because you were young. What were you? 97. You were young. Yeah, I was about 15. No. I remember watching it. I'm full.

I'm false. Oh no, I remember being stuck to the television and, yeah, finding it awful, horrible. And for me, the other one that really upset me, and Alisa broke it to me, Christmas night. Oh. She came in, she was with, her and Dominic weren't married, probably not even engaged. And it was Christmas day, and she'd obviously spent Christmas day at home and then was coming to us in the evening. And I was washing up. Shock.

And she came over and she gave me a big hug, I went on. That's lovely. I said, I hope you had a lovely day. She said, have you not heard? So I just looked at her. I said, heard what? She went, oh, I went, what's happened? George Michaels died.

Yeah, I thought that's a shocker for you, isn't it? Oh, my God. That was sad. He was wonderful as well. Just so sad. He was lovely. I met him. Yeah, did you?

Martin Kemp's, This is your life? It was lovely. Oh, Maria, took me to sit, thank God. I did see him life. I did see him. Oh, whenever I hear George, I think of you. Do you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, you've very much fun. I just felt like a bit of a connection because he, you know, I guess he had that Greek, you know, Greeks, Italians are all very similar backgrounds and the way we are as a family unit and so on. Obviously, he was a bit troubled and his sexuality. That must have been so hard for him.

Absolutely. Coming from, you know, Greek community. And I just felt like, I remember Dave saying he was in a restaurant in Hampstead and him being in there. And I was so jealous. And when I went to Ibiza when I was 18 and they'd just perform the club Tropicana. At Pikes. At video there. Wow.

And I just literally, I mean, not that I would have seen it, but he was out there while I was out there. So there was always these little connections with him. I just loved his music. Yeah. Yeah. And I was gutted. I remember Frank Sinatra dying. Do you?

And I remember Daddy coming home from the shop. With the evening standard. Ah. Which I still have. I was going to say, these are the things you should be keeping. You kept it. I didn't keep it. But it's in the bureau or whatever.

Yeah. And it'd be in the legend or whatever it is. And it wasn't upset as in crying. No. But I remember that evening him sat with the records on, very somber. Funny, isn't it? It's just incredible. What an impact.

People can have. These people that you do not know. You don't know them. You may have, if you're blessed, you may have met them in passing or got to get a selfie or an autograph back in the day. She's what used to happen. You don't know them. But yet...

Yeah, it's massive, the impact. Pain? Like Diana, I had pain. Yeah. I felt devastating. I felt extremely sad when our queen died. Yeah. And I know a lot.

people did. But I didn't, I just think what an incredible woman. And it's such an end of an era. She was there for such a long time. Yeah, she was. As our queen. Yeah. You know, that's quite an amazing thing that we've lived through, you know.

Well, about her grandson and great grandchildren coming back. Oh, they're coming back, are they? Yeah. Yeah. Which I'm glad. I'm glad. I hope it means that, you know, they can make a lot of them. I think I get the vibe that maybe with his dad, the king, they've formed a relationship again.

Also, his brother, be nice to see brothers. Again, for me it's for Diana because she would be absolutely turning in her grave if she knew that they weren't close. Yeah. Funny that. Interesting that they're coming back, but that's a whole different conversation, is it? Of course, the queen, absolutely end of an era. Just a huge, huge thing. But it's just mad, isn't it, how you could have these emotions.

About people you don't know. Well, it's no, it is different because it's not a death. But when bands broke up, you know, so I'd take that broke up, there was a helpline and the people were, you know, the Beatles, you know, people just get, they have a complete adoration of something and they don't want that to end. Yeah, it's incredible, like you say, the impact people have, I remember ISIS breaking up, I was heartbroken. Was you?

Heartbroken. See, I don't really actually remember that kind of upset with bands I followed or don't really remember that. Individuals, possibly more so. But I kind of a band breaking up, you think, well, that's good. I get it. I totally get it. The power of. And also the elation when they got back together.

I'm going to see him again. I sobbed. Sobbed throughout that concert. Not a joke. Like true feelings when I saw them together again on stage. Even though they had, have they made amends? I think so. The documentary's coming out soon.

Don't look back in Angelo doing a big, yeah. Oh, that's going to be huge. Yeah. But just seeing them on stage again walking out, it was just took my breath away. I was so happy. But what lovely emotions to be able to experience, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely. And I think if you're not, you've got to be a certain way to feel those things.

And you've got to be passionate about something. haven't you? Yeah. Whatever that may be. So to all of you, Dolly Lovers, I feel for you. Yeah. Yeah. I love all the country music though.

I do like Donnie songs. Not me too. But I wouldn't buy them, right you? I haven't down, they're not on my Spotify list. If I hear it, Jolene or working 9 to 5. And she's obviously they're all the ones that fans would say are they're probably the worst because they go deeper into the realms of what she does. That just shows we're not fat.

And she said, didn't she write, I'm going to be so wrong with all this, aren't I? Go on. I think she wrote, did she write, I would always love you? She sang a Whitney Houston. And I don't know if that was hers before it was Whitney Houston's. I will always love you. Yes. It certainly was.

She was a very talented. She wrote more than 3,000 songs. Wow. Yeah, see, I don't know enough about it. No, absolutely. But unbelievable. She was definitely a bit of a legend, wasn't she? Absolutely.

And she gave hundreds and millions of dollars away. She would have been a billionaire. Wow. They say. What's a charities and stuff? Charities and helping people and amazing women. Incredible. Yeah.

That would be out in the theatre. That would be a 100%, right? Definitely. Yeah, and they should as well. A bit like they did be Tina Turner. Oh, 100%. Yeah. Yeah, they will do it.

It'd be nice to know about a story. Yeah, I'd love to know. I'll look forward to seeing that. They'll definitely do it. Yeah, I think so. Our last pod was all about women. And it really went down well. People loved it.

That's just talking about the power of friendships and stuff like that. But I thought we must read a few out and listen to a few people because sometimes we forget and we just move on. But it was a special one. Morning Matt, what a gorgeous pod to listen to with you and Auntie Lenny this morning. just the power of female friendship and others in our lives is just so underrated by so many. And yet we really do get each other through so many struggles in our life. You know, when I had my second child and I just found it really hard because it was a small age gap, the women around me not even realizing in some ways just how much they helped.

I had a friend who was in the same situation and we just got each other out. as many days as we could. We don't live really close, probably about 20, 30 minutes drive. So it's not like we're on each other's doorstep that we can knock on, but we were going out so much. And we really helped each other get through. And I had a friend who was in Cambridge and we were just on WhatsApp to each other most days, you know, just leaving voice notes and calling each other about everything. And it just really helps. But it's kind of made me think, I need to say some words to people that you don't always say. So this morning, in between points of listening to the podcast,

I have left voice notes for some special women in my life who I know they're special to me. I think they know that they're special to me as well. But there are words that we don't always say. We just hold on to them. So I've shared them. So thank you for being the prompt for that. Oh, love that.

Isn't that lovely? Thanks, Kirstie, for. that. We had a lovely message here from Laura. You are also lucky to have wonderful women around you. There are so many women that do not have this support, including myself. I listen to the pod and it makes me so happy, but at the same time, I feel so envious. You're probably going to think I'm nuts. I've had to stop listening to this episode because I'm so full of envy that I have none of this. I'm here sobbing that I have no one. Oh, goodness. I don't mind if you read this out. Maybe there are people that feel the same. Love you lot from

Laura. And I message Laura, just so you know, to say you have us and listen to us and I message every now and again. But there are lonely people around and that's why we make this so people have a little bit of company and can join in and be part of our family. Absolutely. And that's exactly what the pod is about, isn't it? More than anything. Yeah. And the thought of anyone feeling envious of something that, you know. Also very, very honest. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love her honesty. I love her honesty. And that's, and that in itself will help her because now we understand that.

If ever you message in, we will be sure to respond to you. Of course. Yeah, we don't want anyone to feel isolated. But again, we've said this before. We're like, you know, I know we're repeating ourselves. Look what the pods created in terms of groups of people haven't got, you know, got to know each other. And, you know, girls coming to the brunch that you're having in October. These people that didn't know.

other. I know. I know. And I get it. Not everyone has got a massive circle of friends or family. And so to be able to then come to something whereby they're not going to know anyone, but they kind of do know people through this pod. Well, I would also say, and again, you know, the Patreon stuff, that's a lovely little

community because everybody on there are really huge fans of the show. And I thank everybody because I know that it's, you know, money, that you're spending. and it does not go, honestly, it does not go on notice for me. It really doesn't. But people on there and they're sharing their pictures and they're talking to each other. And it's lovely. And I'm sure that there are lonely people there that find this a little something for them to do a little hobby. And, you know, it's really special, really special.

And just it's amazing that we've said this before, the fact that these pods can be company for people. Absolutely. Because the winter months are approaching. Yeah. You know, the summer's so much easier, isn't it? Yeah, and everyone's out and about and they're busy. Sunny, it's light till late. You can go out for a walk of an evening, even on your own.

You know, if you don't have a friend to go with, like, Tina's been away, went to a family wedding in Spain, and I walked on my own when she wasn't here. Now, if it was winter months, I wouldn't be doing that. No. So the winter is harder for people that... Well, we've just got to make sure that we make everybody laugh and do some lovely pods. Oh, and I'm sure we will be. I'm sure we've got lots to do still, haven't we?

There's so much more material. So much more. And then I think we forget, honestly, people just like us having a chat. I think sometimes we can overthink it. And I overthink it, don't I? I'm like, what are we going to talk about? We've got to have structure. Got to have a talk about it.

I've not seen you. No, I know. I've been away. Yeah, of course. And I think just that catching up and having that two sisters having a chat is also sometimes. And when we do see each other now, there's just so many, like, Alfie's birthday, there's loads of us. You don't really get to have a conversation.

No. You know, it's not a proper conversation. No, it's fleeting. How are you? You're all right. But yeah, it's chaos. Because that's something as a family we've noticed more now, don't we? The fact that you don't get that one-on-one, even with adults. No.

Certainly not with the children. No. You know, I had a media a couple of Wednesdays ago on her own. It was lovely. Yeah. Even with us as a family, it's rare. You're just with one person. There's normally a crowd of you.

Absolutely. And it's just hard. I remember Maria did it when we went to London. We had a day. We haven't done that for ever. Ever. And we just loved it. Yeah.

We just had a lovely day one-on-one, like you say. But again, we are very fortunate. Like, you know, going back to my friend Tina who I walk with. Yeah. She's gone to her nephew's wedding in Spain. She's one of four girls. Yeah. Two of the sisters live in England, two live in Italy.

They've all met up in Spain with all their children and grandchildren. Oh, lovely. have the grandchildren. How lovely is that? Oh, fantastic. And they're coming from different countries. They try and make it work and they're close and they have each other. And even if they're not in the same country, they're there.

They're communicating, yeah, the FaceTiming, you know, the voice notes. When I even said it to Claire yesterday, we get on so well, all these people. And I said, it hasn't got to be all the time. I said, but we never phone each other. We never text each other. Do you not? Never. No.

I said, it's Matt. We were just talking. I said, I don't, you don't, why? She said, I think life and this, and she's got her sister, and I've got all my family. But just every now and again, we should just go. Hello. Or a little video of Joni for Phoebe, because they get on so well. They're so alike.

You've got to make a little effort sometimes. And I think it's habit as well. I think when it's something you start doing, your relationship will become closer because you'll talk about things that you're doing. work or the Joni's done I've said it to Annalisa, no different

Annalisa I can go age it but now I'm very aware that for some reason there's no reason no rhyme or reason for it

but I said got a ring and text and it's important and it doesn't take that long and it doesn't have to be every week

I speak to Ellie 15 times a day yeah do you yeah all day long do you what voice noting

text is or text. Well, because then it's, you know, me and the girls about this. But then we're all on together. But then Elia's, you know, she'll just call me if she's on her way here or on her way there. I think only, again, you can't do that with everybody. No. Time as well.

Remember, and Lisa has a 9 to 5 job. As does Maria. Yeah. As do you. So again. Elia's at home, it's a little bit easier, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, I try and check in with the girls all three of them every day. Every day. So don't talk to Dominic, like I do. No. I think that is a boy thing. Massively. It is a boy thing. I'll get all excited if I get a text from Dom.

Lovely to hear from you. The old golden boy. We had a message from Joe Berry. Joe's a long time listener and she said, The pod has been going for two and a half years. Well, all I want to say is thank you. Oh. And I thought that was really lovely.

Two and a half years. How? crazy stuff. Nah. It's crazy. I'm flies. It genuinely does. How have we done two and a half years of this?

Crazy. And before we know, it'll be third year anniversary. Wow. I love the pod with Auntie Linney today. I've always struggled to make real friends until more recently. I'm 53 now and I met my best friend when I was 48. Completely bizarrely, we had lived 50 yards away from each. other for 20 years and yet we only met through an online Facebook group.

Oh. How mad's that? I'm so lucky to have met her. She's been such a support to me. We've just returned home from a girly weekend with another friend and we all feel so lucky. There's so much to be said for online connections as I met my husband online 22 years ago and we've been married for nearly 20 years. Finding friendships later in life has been such a blessing and our really true connections,

love from Becky. And hard to do when you're older It's hard to connect with somebody when you're older But I think when you do connect with someone when you're older You really connect You know that's a genuine friend Because it's like anything, isn't it? When you meet someone when you're young

You don't, it's a different What am I trying to say? It's like when you meet a guy when you're young Yes You don't see thoughts in them You don't, because you're young, you're naive Life's just full of fun and blah blah When you're older it's a different

so your mindset is completely different. So to then make a friend at 48, she's going to be a friend for life. Yeah. You choose your friends wisely. And I think because you've been through so much, your life experience of people you may have met that have upset you, have hurt you, you just know you've got a filter of who you want to spend time with. And time is precious.

So you want to spend it with people that enrich your life and you can enrich their life. Absolutely. Or that you just simply enjoy their company. Yeah. Because they're a great company. Yeah. And good fun.

Yeah. Lovely pod again. Many are true words spoken and what a lovely message to Auntie Linney from our goddaughter, Amy. How special. Lots of messages saying how special that was. That was lovely. Lots of messages.

And again, there's an age gap between me and Amy. Oh, of course. But it doesn't matter. No. It doesn't matter the age of a friend. They don't have to be your age or close to your age. or close to your age. Debbie was my dear, dear friend.

I mean, you've always had older women in your life. I have. I have. I think that you would call a friend. Yes. Wouldn't you? Very much so. Or June.

Yeah. June was a dear friend. Yeah. I could talk to June about anything. We'd sit up. We'd talk and talk and talk. I'd ring her. We'd have two hours on the phone.

Isn't that amazing? And that we were, you know, there was a lot of years between us. My dad was my dear friend. You've said that before. Yeah, because I just enjoyed it. his company. I would happily sit with him all evening and just talking about his past, about his life in Italy, whatever it could be about his greenhouse in the garden and many tomatoes it picked.

Yeah. I just found him really good company. And he was older than me. Yeah. Substantially older than me. Dad was an old dad, you know, he had us late on in life. You know, my cousin, who's my godmother. she's 80 something.

She's about 20, yeah, she's 18 to 20 years older than me. Again, great company. Great, isn't it? So it doesn't, you know, there's no rules. There's no rules about the age. Definitely not. Definitely not. Oh my God, listening to the latest pod with you and Auntie Linney

and you talking about girls' trip. I've never had one and I was saying to one of my closest friends that next year we should do it. I'm 50 next year and I think I should celebrate with a few big things. So you bloody should. Lots of love, Lainey. And then she put, oh my God, now I'm crying listening to Amy. We met her when we came to the grief pod.

Lovely lady. Oh, bless you. Now this message, I think she wants a little bit of advice from us. It's from a lady called Natalie. So hello there, namesake. Morning, I will spare you all the details. But my partner and I have had a shocking year. The hardest part is my partner's dad passed away in January 2026,

totally unexpected. One day here, next day gone. Not only has it knocked us all for six, but we get married on the 12th of September. And as it is getting closer, the nerves, worry and grief is feeling suffocating. Your pods keep me calm and give me a chance to escape for a bit. But if you had any advice on this loss and the emotions of the big day, that would be amazing. As a side note, my partner's reached out for counselling and it finally starts on Thursday. Well, that's really good that he's... Yeah, I think it's amazing that your partner's starting counselling. Yeah, I mean, that's a step in the right direction.

I think it's very, very new. That sort of... It's raw. It's very raw. And I think it's the shock, because they weren't expecting it. Yeah. It's come as a huge shock. So everyone is probably still in shock.

Yes. I mean, Natalie, I can only draw on... I mean, my mum had died. So my mum died when I was just turned 16. I got married at 22. So six years, I got married six years after she died. And trust me, Natalie, I cried a lot prior to the wedding because it just heightens the loss of that person.

And obviously you, your husband to be, probably many other family members that are going to be at the wedding, are going to feel a very similar kind of... It's such a huge occasion a wedding, and it's a happy occasion. occasion and a celebration, but it will bring to the forefront that he is missing. Yeah, massively. And I've been to so many weddings where someone very important has been missing.

And you do kind of see all sorts in terms of a photo in a frame. It's been placed, if not on the top table, it's been placed somewhere, you know, I don't know, in the reception, just somewhere, it's marking that that person should be there. I've seen where the seat where that person should be sitting, no one's been, they have that seat, but no one sits there. It's to recognise that people do so many things to bring that person into the day.

But for some people, that might be too difficult, too raw and heightened the fact that that person's not there. You're so right, it completely depends on the person. Yeah. If you might want to make your wedding all about him. Yeah. You might want to talk about him and live. leave a seat for him and have a cry.

Have a mention in the speech. Yeah. And to a toast or, you know. And Natalie, I will say something. Very rarely do you go to a wedding where there aren't tears. Agreed. And that doesn't necessarily mean the tears are because someone's passed or not there. It could be for whatever reason.

A special song comes on or the speech just hits a nerve for whatever reason. So, you know, highly emotional days, aren't they? Oh my gosh, massively. I mean, Elia did something for Maria. which was beautiful, actually. It was a cream ribbon and with all little photo frames, ornate, and photograph of all her grandparents, which was so beautiful.

I can't recall if it was meant to be wrapped up in her bouquet. I don't know if it was. But ultimately, it was just something to acknowledge. No one else knew about it. We knew. She's got photos of it. It was just to acknowledge some very special people that were not there. And I think you've just got to remember this day is about you and your husband to be.

And his father, your father-in-law, would not want you to feel that the day is consumed with grief for him. He wouldn't want that for you. No, it's right. So you've, honestly, if you want to do something right by him, you just have the best day. You dance, you laugh, you cry, you cry, you. drink, you just celebrate it, try and remember it, and enjoy all your family and friends that are there and then, yeah, you're so right. And then you're doing right by him. He wouldn't want it to be somber or you'd be nervous or anxious. Yeah, he just wouldn't. He'll be looking down on

you and thinking, oh, what a cracking day. I wish I was there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's hard. It's so hard. And yeah, if you want to cry now, just get as much of your emotions out before the big day, which is... And don't beat yourself up if it happens on the day and you can't stop crying. It doesn't matter. All the people that love you are there. You can't be on a better day with, hopefully, all your nearest and dearest that you've invited are going to be there to look after you. But, yeah, Linda's absolutely right. You've got to really try and enjoy yourself. Yeah, 100%. That's what he'd want. And that's all you've got to keep reminding yourself of. That's what he would want. So have a wonderful day.

because it's only days away. Absolutely. And I hope the sun shines for you. Hi, Natalie. I have only recently discovered your pod, so I'm quite behind, and only on February 2025. Oh, got a lot of catching up today.

Really enjoyed the Masked Singer Rep and had to watch it again. You were very good. Thanks for this pod. It really cheers me up, and that is from Karen in Eastbourne. So welcome on board, Karen. I love getting the new ones in.

Newbies, yeah. So special. But one of the girls, She, I'm believing, hang on, I'm going to find it. It's interesting how I wonder how people stumble then across a pod that's been going for X amount of years. I don't know what's happened again this week. I don't know. I don't know if it's been advertised somewhere or they've come across an Instagram post.

I've had a good few. What, newbies? All my days, how have I only discovered your amazing podcast so recently? Where have I even been? To be honest, I'm only just getting into podcasts really And that's another thing people are still discovering You're so relatable and it's so great to listen to, thank you. I feel like I'm a big fan of yours

As I'm roughly your age and I grew up watching EastEnders I have just listened back in your podcast about grief. It sounds a bit random but thank you for doing such an important topic. Like you, I was 18 when my mum died. She was 47 at the time And I could relate to everything in your podcast. It gave me the opportunity to reflect, have a little cry and then smile and laugh. Although it's been almost 25 years, it still needs to be done.

I've had real issues with my grief and keeping too much in, so thank you for giving me that much needed reflection time. I'm really looking forward to listening to many more of your episodes, love Katie from Kingslyn. Oh, it's lovely, Katie. So that's really, really nice. Yeah. Again, the grief pods for us, it just feels like we're giving back something, aren't we?

and, again, a new bee that's, yeah, it's really good. Really good. Have a listen to this one. Hi, no, I don't know if you remember me. I messaged you literally on the 31st of July saying I'm a new listener. I've found you anyway. I'm a posting. My name's Rachel.

I'm from Plymouth, Neil Devon, there. I've just listened to the 110th episode, which is your year anniversary. That means I've done 100 episodes in literally a month. Wow. So I am loving it. I'm not listening to anything else until I've caught up. But I'm really pleased myself for doing that. I love your family.

They're all fantastic. Love everything about the pod. It's just lush. Like everyone else has said, it's like you're all my mates. So I probably will message in a few more times when appropriate. But anyway, keep on doing what you're doing. Fantastic. Love it.

Rachie from Plymouth. Love you, bye. Oh, brilliant. I mean, she's binging. But how lovely to be able to do that, because you're enjoying it that much and you think, oh, my God, this is all I'm going to do now. I'm just going to binge listen or watch.

It's crazy, though, that. Us in her ears, every minute of every day. God, she must be sick of the sound of your voice. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I said, thank you. And she said, oh, my God, you've messaged me. I so want to send more voicemails,

but they're relevant to the poddies I'm listening to. So I'm reframing at the moment. I'm on episode 114. Another month and I'll catch up, yay. She sounds good. She sounds like good fun. I think she might end up being a bit of a fun listener. Hi, Nat.

Rhonda here from Maine, USA. I'm just listening to your pod with Auntie Linney talking about Italy. it's always been my dream to go and I finally just booked my husband and I to go in April next year for I think 10 days, maybe 14, I can't remember. Either way, it's probably going to be extended. We are flying into Rome and spending the first night in Rome and then we're just going to travel and pick places to stay and then obviously stay the last night in Rome so that we're close to the airport. My question is, what are the things that I really should do, or we really really, should do, being our first time going, places that we really should see and places and things that we should try and avoid. Anywho, yes, just looking to add to what my agenda should be for while we're there and really would like to know what your must-do places and things to do are. Loving the pod, love and listening to you guys. feels like I'm right back at home.

Keep up the good work and hope to speak to you soon. Thanks, Rhonda. I love that name. Rhonda. It reminds me of friends. Yeah. Ah, Rhonda. And these aren't real.

Ronda, Rhonda. I mean, that's an impossible question to answer. There's nowhere not to see in Italy. There isn't. And we can sound so biased. No, there isn't. You're never going to go anywhere and say, oh, that's a load of shit. You're not going to. I mean there's places, obviously, like I remember when we went to Naples,

we flew to Naples and we were going to Iskia. It's an island definitely worth going to Ronda. And we were having to loiter around Naples, sort of near the airport part of Naples, because we were waiting on, I can't remember, cars or what we were doing. And it was a bit scary. That was a little bit scary. I remember getting into the transfer. And the driver said, Anyone speak Italian here? And they all went, yeah, mum does. He goes, you sit in the front. Oh, God.

So I sat in the front, and I had a bag on my lap. And he went to me in Italian. He was saying, you haven't got Gold Watch. Because you haven't got Gold Watch on, have you? And I was like, oh, I thought, do I say, speak or something? He said, just be careful with you about, he frightened the app. Really? I thought he was going to mug me.

But actually, he was just trying to give me, he was being genuine. Right. I was so frightened. I was holding on to my bag. But he was just, so there's pockets of Naples. You've got to be very careful. Of course. But that's like anywhere, isn't it?

Big cities. Of course. And also I would say, Ronda, some of it. You've got to go to the Troubles. You've got to go to the places that no one's heard of. But where do you even start? But equally, you can't go to Italy. We're not going to go to Rome and not see the Trophy Fountain.

I was just going to say that. Or the steps. Correct. You know, you're going to do those things. Exactly that. If you've never been, you've got to do the touristy stuff. But I just think, don't spend too long there. If it's too busy, just, you know, go down the back streets.

If you're in Rome, be directed to Roma Bechia, it's called, which interprets old Rome. Amazing. People don't know of it. It's an incredible thing to see if you're in Rome. I would say if you are driving, I don't know how much. of Italy you're seeing. Where are you going?

You've got to go to Florence for me. And you've got to go to Venice for me. Venice is beautiful. But equally, Tuscany is stunning. The lakes, incredible. Oh, yeah, I loved Lake Garda. Caserta, which is Naples, the Royal Palace in Caserta, which I don't know if people would know about it, it's incredible.

Honestly, we'd have to do two hours. We'd have to get Linda's family on. Yeah. And go to a little village called San Dandjol. I mean, you're not, Ronda, you're not going to go too far wrong in Italy. And I would always try and go to little cafes. Yeah. The traditional places to eat.

Don't bother looking up the best restaurant or the poshish restaurant. You don't need to do that. Anywhere there is good food. Try and find little cafes, tritorias, just pop in. I would say that. Don't spend a lot of money on food because, Everything is good. You don't have to do in Italy.

No. As in many other countries, you don't have to spend an obscene amount of money so that you can say you've eaten in, you know, I don't know, by the Trevi Fountain, you don't need to do that. Because the food will be equally as nice in a little back street. Yeah. La Toriya where they dish up the best plate of pasta. Yeah.

So, yeah. Oh, you're going to have a wonderful time. Yeah, you're going to have the best time. Fantastic. Love to do Italy by getting the car and do it. I would like to do it for a long time. Oh, you'd like a month. Yeah.

Just tour. And you'd like, you can pick up the language as well if you're there. I will do that in my lifetime. I will. I say it all the top, but I would love to do that. With Mark, I would like to do a month when the children are busy and got their lives. So, right, we're going away for five weeks. It's getting in the car.

Five, six weeks, let's go. Off you go. Stop. Yeah. What an adventure that would be. I'd love to do that. Yeah. Very good.

I'd have to find a couple of railways when I ski. Keep him, help you hide. Get a few trains. Well, we've got a lovely dinner tomorrow, my angel. Oh, thanks. It's a bit of a tree. I should be pulling out some carrots. We're going to have some lovely honey roasted carrots from the garden.

You've still got lots of carrots? Yeah, loads. Oh, my goodness. Oh, well, we'll have... Put a pet rabbit out there. And now with the rain, you're just going to have... I think it, yeah, it's going to explode, isn't it? Well, she's got tomatoes.

The tomatoes are ridiculous. I'm doing meatballs tonight with the sauce. I mean, chilies, we've got bags and back, we're freezing them, bags of them, all those plastic little, you know, the bags. Have you started freezing stuff then? Yeah. You're doing it with the carrots? I've got to do the carrots, but I've got, I've frozen some tomatoes. And, you know, all I did.

What did you do? Make a sauce. No. All I did was peel them all. I put ball ball water in. Yeah. Pealed them. Yeah.

Just, tonight, I don't know. How did you do that? That must have been. The large tomatoes or... Little ones. What, you've individually peeled them? Mark did it for me. Guys, are you listening to this?

I peeled them. No, Mark did it for me. Mark peeled them. What, the mark that did the ironing today. What, he's six shirts. Oh, I said he did all the ironies. Oh. We've got that.

Six shirts. No, we've got a lot done this morning. He put a load of washing on. No, he was on one this morning. So he individually peeled the cherry tomatoes. Yes, and a few big ones. but a big, big bowl, and then we've just frozen them. Whole?

Whole. Why have you peeled them? Can I, may ask? Because sometimes... You don't like the skin. Not so... I don't mind it. Kids don't like it.

Tonight, I've done it as... I've done it with all the skins on, but I think with the meat bowls and I can pick a bit out for them, they're not too keen on the skins of kids. No, I get it. And if I wanted to do, the reason I didn't make a sauce... You need one of those.

I've got one. Oh, have you? Bloody moolie. Yeah. I've got it. Have you? I've got a little moly. Is that what I need?

Yeah And then I just Yeah What, and you can leave the skin on Of course you bloody can Yeah Because the skin doesn't Yeah

Oh the bastard He stood there and peeled them No don't say anything Sorry I've done it before though I've stood and peeled them I've never thought of using that Anyway

The reason I didn't do garlic and a sauce or onions And then boil it And then freezing it Is I can use them now For anything for anything. A chili.

So rather than it just being garlic sauce. Yeah. So therefore, but I've got so many more. I can't tell you how many smart as we've got. So I've got a good doing it. I'm going to get you tomatoes. Oh.

Yeah. Oh, but that's good. At least you're making good use of them. And you're going to be so happy in the winter months when you open your freezer and you go, oh, I've got all fresh tomatoes. So true. If you look online, it says you can just freeze them, pick them and freeze them.

Can you? What, without even. Obviously, what they say is when they're defrosted, they're going to be more mushy. But you're putting them in things. You're not using it for salads. Yeah, right. Yeah. You can wash them and just freeze them.

So I might even try that. Yeah. Why not? Just do a bag. If you've got that many, it's not going to hurt, is it? See how they come out. Wow. Need to get yourself a free.

Oh, you've got a freezer in the... Granddad's freezer. Oh, you've got that freezer as well, haven't you? Yeah. Brilliant. So yeah, there we go. Well, that's nearly an hour. Can you believe it again?

Yep. Nagging away. Time flies when you're having fun. Guys, O-7-8-21919. Please send me your voice notes on WhatsApp, your messages. It means the world to us. What else is there to say? Remember, patron if you fancy it, super bonuses over there.

Lots of live shows on there. Interaction from us. It's really good fun. What about Bishop Stalkford? How's that going? Fortford is going really, really well. That is October the 18th. It's doing really well.

Good. It's doing really well. You find people now going back to school, they start booking things. So come on. Get your tickets. Get going. We've got Bishop Stortford, the Fortune in London, and also the Demby and Tring. All the dates are there on Instagram for you.

And they're always underneath the podcast. So have a little look. Thank you so much. No, pleasure. It's been lovely to see you. and I'm looking forward to you and my brother tomorrow. Lovely. Have a great week, everybody, and we'll speak to you very, very soon.

Cheers. Bye, everyone.