Life with Nat - EP28: To Hol and Back

Episode Date: July 24, 2024

Nat and Ellia chat holidays. Ironically, Nat is in a bit of a pickle regarding hers. Enjoy and let us know your thoughts on 07788201919. Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view INSTA: @natcass1 A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: [e-mail] SHOW INFO: Life with Nat - it’s me! Natalie Cassidy and I’ll be chatting away to family, friends and most importantly YOU. I want to pick people's brains on the subjects that I care about- whether that’s where all the odd socks go, weight and food or kids on phones. Each week I will be letting you into my life as i chat about my week, share my thoughts on the mundane happenings as well as the serious. I have grown up in the public eye and have never changed because of it. Life with Nat is the podcast for proper people. Come join the community. ♥️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get groceries delivered across the GTA from Real Canadian Superstore with PC Express. Shop online for super prices and super savings. Try it today and get up to $75 in PC Optimum Points. Visit superstore.ca to get started. Hello and welcome to Life with Nat. I'm not in a very good mood really today. I'm joined by Els Bells. Good morning. Good morning.

Is it a good morning though? For you it's not the best. Yeah, I mean, I'm a bit speechless, to be honest. So let's fill everybody in. This episode's about holidays. And this episode has always been about holidays. This has been in the diary for me and Elliot to talk about holidays, because Elliot is a holiday queen.

And Nat, not so much. Not so much. Not really bothered about going abroad and so really i'm it was you really that forced me into booking an abroad holiday it's all my fault but you know you you encouraged me yeah no i look i always say to you i know you love where you go and i get that i do it you know when you know somewhere it's lovely to go back and familiar faces but I think there's just so much of the world

to explore and especially with children when you do these like hotels all in I just know now for you you would love it

yeah because the kids are at a good age where they'll just play be in the pool there's kids clubs they'll be in the pool all day yeah because it's hot

jumping around throwing themselves in and you the pool all day yeah jumping around yeah throwing themselves in and you look you know drinks yeah chill around the it's chaos but it's lovely yeah and i i know i know your other bits are a bit more active it's doing this walking here there weather might not be great whereas i just think for me and look not everyone loves that but for me i just think you can't get any better. So I very much encourage you to leave the country this year. Yeah, so what I did was I booked a very expensive holiday. I'm very lucky and we've saved

and we haven't been abroad on a holiday for six years. So I went all out and booked something really special in Greece. And my daughter's done a cartwheel at school in the playground and she smashed her arm to pieces I mean smashed her arm to pieces or severely broken it she's broken her arm in two places and we are now waiting for an operation the staff at Harlow hospital were fantastic yesterday they sedated her and tried to manipulate her arm she was in ever such a lot of pain we were at the hospital all day yesterday and now we are awaiting her to go under general

anesthetic and have an operation so i'm now in a position regarding me holiday well i don't really know what i'm gonna do no i mean look we've researched haven't we you've got you've got all the different avenues. You've got the, they're saying it's okay to go as long as this up happens within the next sort of 24 hours, which is very, that's very likely. They're happy for her to fly. Yeah. But then you've got the other hand of your feelings around that happening.

And how do you feel at the same time? You don't know that you can even get your money back or move this holiday and another child that's in a foul mood so we go we're going to be somewhere yeah with four pools kids pool and the sea where joni can't get in so my idea and it's about 36 degrees yeah very hot and mark and i were thinking we could kind of lay on sun loungers having a cocktail reading a book while the kids were very happy in the pool whereas i think i'll have a very very upset seven-year-old who can't get in the water yeah and what is she going to do all day and i know that sounds you know people

tell you're on holiday yeah but at the same time what you know she it's not even like she's got all her toys at least at home she's got all her toys listen you can just play she's in a great you know she's in a very good mood bless her this isn't listen it's not a third world problem right it's just a holiday but i suppose it's just quite ironic because I don't do it. And I've taken the jump to do it. And I just don't think I'm meant to do it. I don't think you're meant to do anything because this sort of happens quite a lot. We've been out.

We've had spa days. Yeah. You've had phone calls. We've had a spa day for my birthday. That was when your dad had a heart attack. No, that was mum's birthday. Oh, sorry, yeah. Excuse me.

That was mum's birthday. We'd all just come out of a treatment. Lovely and relaxed. And got a phone call. You were with mum somewhere. Yeah, we went to a spa and then I got a phone call to say Eliziza had sprained her ankle i went to cornwall a good few years back and dad was yeah going to possibly life-threatening so i had to get a cab back from cornwall for 500 quid to harlow hospital now you can't you can't write it a cab back that honestly that to this

day it was quite funny when i said they said where would you want to go and you said harlow hospital hospital please and mark and i were all dressed up we've got a babysitter and we were going to a mitchell and star restaurant to have a really nice evening out and it was that night and then you left them there and then you flew back didn't you because actually it was okay yeah dad was all right granddad was okay yeah so a lot a lot seems to happen so maybe you just don't do anything and you be your last minute self as you normally are yeah yeah and stay at home which is where you like to be really get the paddling pool maybe get a pool get yourself a pool and then you can just stay here I've got no money to get a pole anyway

I just thought I'd fill you all in because these things happen it's good to tell you there was a part of me yesterday at the hospital where I thought this would be good for the pod terrible really good content but bless her heart

she's in good spirits she was so brave yesterday. She doesn't stop, though. I mean, from yesterday to today, I've walked in and she has not stopped speaking. No. And wants to play. I walked in, I hear the piano. Yeah, yeah.

I'm thinking, what's she doing? Playing the piano. With her left hand? Yeah. Really good. And it is her right arm. And it is her right. Yes, that's good.

Yeah. What's really funny is Laura, I saw, just bought her some, like, word books. She can't write, so. Bless her. Oh, I'm joking, Laura. I know you're doing with her. Anyway, moving on to our holiday ep. Just thought it would be lovely, because it's the summer holidays coming up, started.

I thought it would be lovely to just touch base with Elia because she's a bit of a holiday queen. A few funny holiday stories. You've heard my holiday stories, which aren't funny. So I thought we'd lighten the mood and have a few of Elia's stories. And then I've got some lovely voice notes and messages about packing and your holidays. So tell us a nice story about holidays a nice story oh um well i'd love a holiday yeah i just think there is nothing better than knowing that you have got a holiday booked and having something to look forward to just that countdown the build-up like jack always says sometimes actually that whole build up is even better than the holiday

obviously the holiday is lovely but that packing the night before getting ready and every time is like that that never changes for us we are like children we're so excited what about when you got engaged yeah do you know what

a funny one i was thinking about it just came to me this morning so jack is very you know he's very organized he does it all he's the park in the airport the cab whatever it is he's on it when it comes to packing he is not a you pack for me he will pack all of his stuff perfectly he's quite fastidious oh he is yeah the his case is immaculate yeah pretty much everything's got new tags on it as well which is probably why he does it so that I don't see it's all new yeah yeah um but when we were getting engaged we were we went away we got engaged abroad so obviously I didn't know this but I remember getting back or him coming home starting packing and I never ever do this but I had this fixation with going through his case and I'm like going oh what's this you've bought oh what have you

packed and he's like just leave it Elle and obviously he's getting more and more stressed because little do I know there is a ring in there. Yeah. Well, there wasn't. It was the ring box because he'd put the ring box inside 300 different things and then he carried the ring. You know, it was all done very, very well. And anyway, my phone started ringing. It was mum. So I'm chatting away.

Mum's telling me this whole story about Maria. Maria was pregnant at the time. Yeah. And she's saying how Maria had gone out and she's left the back door open and this whole this whole story that i was very you know concerned about especially being it was to do with the back door being left open so my brain's going to oh my god if they've been burgled right and then after all of this that whole story was a lie. Why? It was just to get me away from Jack. Oh, really?

And mum said that she didn't know what else to say, that she just had to say this story just to get me out of the way. And it just, you know, like you just talk. So Jack texted her to say, Lynn, phone her up, get her out of my way. Get her out of my fucking head. She's doing my nutting and I can't do this case. So it worked well. That's brilliant. And then, yeah, this case so uh it worked well that's and um and then yeah that the rest is the rest is history oh that's brilliant how about the last time you went away

because you went to Vegas not long ago yep and tell please tell everybody the story about what happened with the little parcel no honestly this this still just actually gives me, like, I'm sweating thinking about it. Yeah, go on. So, you know, you're in America as well. So I feel, I always feel American airport is a bit more intense. Well, you wouldn't know. I have been, yeah, I did go, but I can't remember. No.

But, you know, you feel a little bit more. They're, you know, they're quite strict out there, aren't they? So we get to, we're coming home from Vegas. We are standing in the queue for security put my bag on lovely come through i'm waiting i've had to take my shoes off yeah my feet are all dirty on the floor you know you're getting the um i'm like waiting for my bag waiting for my stuff it's not come through and it was it was very quiet my bag comes through and i can see it's my bag so i'm going to get my stuff and I look and I'm

thinking there's something else in my tray so I go up to it and there's this little there's a package like a like a rectangle package kind of a but would you say brick shaped a bit maybe look more like a book okay like a like a normal size reading book and what did the package look like and it was it was wrapped in like white tape yeah with little bits of like bluish writing on it all over it okay and my face i've turned around so quick to find jack my heart sunk and i could see all these people looking at me as well as if to say they could see my panic i'm trying to find someone i'm like excuse me excuse me and there's nobody around and i'm say they could see my panic i'm trying to find someone i'm like excuse me excuse me and there's nobody around and i'm and then i see this woman i said i'm not and i'm

looking behind me and this girl's going oh are you okay i said well i don't know what that is that's not my that's not my stuff that's my stuff but it's not my package am i fair to say this looked like a parcel of drugs it couldn't resemble a parcel of drugs anymore if it tried from what i have seen when you watch these programs the way it was wrapped the whole thing i am absolutely freaking out and i'm thinking somebody has put that in my case and i'm about to get arrested so i thought i'm not touching that thing and i'm telling everyone i'm not touching it it's mine but i'm not touching it so this woman comes on. I'm like, hold on. Excuse me.

Excuse me. That stuff, that's my stuff, but I'm not touching it. But that is my bag. I don't know what that package is. And she just goes, you know, her American accent, which I won't do because I'm not very good at those. Oh, that's just because your tray wasn't heavy enough. So we just put a weight in.

But why have they made the weight look like a drug parcel? I swear to God, I was... I'm going to swear, I was fucking raging. Because the sweat, I was sweating from head to toe. These three guys, bless them, they were having a bit of a giggle after, but they looked at me as if to say, we really felt for you.

Why would you do that? I don't know. why couldn't it just be or put airport property or 5kg weight no no because then it is like drugs 50 grams i don't even know what that means but yeah no you don't yeah but why would you not make that clearer or not make it look like a package? I have got no idea. It was absolutely horrendous. And the guy, I saw him through the airport. He was like, are you all right? I said, I'm still not over it, to be fair. Couldn't even have a glass of champagne to calm my nerves.

Oh, yeah, cool. So I see you've got a beautiful bump coming on. Yeah, all good. You look so well. Thanks, babes. Blooming, blooming. How long long we got left till i meet this little fella uh 13 weeks i'm 27 this week so fantastic just getting just

yeah holidays are done now so i've had a couple back to back yeah lovely but uh no holidays rub it in anymore or wow i felt bad this morning one our friends is at a resort that Nat's going to, in Greece, but a different resort. And I was like, yeah, yeah, he's been texting me. He's having the best time. And I went, yeah, do you know what? He said he can't fault it. He cannot fault it.

She said, oh, he's out there. He's having an amazing time. It's Motown night tonight. He said the food's amazing. Sorry. I thought, is she taking the piss out of me? I realised when I put the phone down

that I was like, oh shit, I probably shouldn't have said that. I did think. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's alright. I can cope with it.

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Conditions apply. Cathy's got a little story for us. Have a listen to this. Hi Nat, it's Cathy here, all the way from Northern Ireland. I was just looking at your story on Instagram about holidays. Well, my daughter and my best friend decided to take me to Tenerife for a wee surprise for my birthday. And we got there and all excited, had a few gins on the plane to only discover that my best friend had booked our accommodation for 2025, not 2024.

So, catastrophe, credit cards had to come out. Thankfully, they had a room. The booking couldn't be changed. So we get to go again in February 2025. Every cloud. Could have been a disaster, but it gives us something to laugh about love your pod absolutely brilliant so much company on my long drive to work love it bye oh kathy that is brilliant but at least you made the most of it and you thought forget it credit cards are out we're

here we're gonna make the best of it well funny victoria was telling me when we were away yeah that her dad like there was a bit of a story and her dad said now he will never and maybe most people do this but he'll never not travel with a credit card because it is true you just don't know what is going to happen or if your accommodation is absolutely not as it looks or that situation you're stuck there absolutely you know so yeah make sure you take your credit cards this is what i mean it's just a lot of bother isn't it well no no you don't know i i you know look touch wood i've been on two holidays back to back you've been all right haven't you really with all your holidays you know there's not really been we have had beautiful times in cornwall where nothing's happened, may I say.

It's not every time. Over the last couple of years, we've had some really nice times. I have to say, though, looking back, there have been two times when I've been away and I think I've had COVID and I've had to lay in a dark room for two days while Mark's taking the kids out.

Yeah. When we went to Italy six years ago, Joni was projectile vomiting before we got onto the plane and we had to feed her ibuprofen and Calpol for the first three days of the holiday in Puglia. What about the wedding? Because I know we're saying you haven't been away. Obviously, we had the wedding last year.

The wedding was... But it was different because it wasn't... It wasn't a holiday that I'd booked, so I don't think I'd curse that and that was amazing. Yeah. Because there were no problems. Everyone, yeah. You know.

But what is your phobia of abroad? No, genuinely, I mean, because I always say like, This shit is happening now. But even if you were going to Cornwall, you know, you stay in a lovely hotel. Still, you might not get your money back. It's still aggravation to go because it isn't just the flight you're worried about it's the fact you have a week and joni can do nothing where it's the same in cornwall she can't do anything it is but it's still for me it's different because you know you're getting guaranteed weather when you're away the whole point of me booking a holiday this year

abroad because we've had terrible weather and i thought i want to go away for the girls to wake up every day and play in that pool yeah like kids should but at the same time you can't not do anything because you think something bad's going to happen i don't think you live like that so i'm not sure that yeah no you're right i don't think maybe you're you're saying that now because it's happened but also if you if you were like most or like us that go on holiday once a year yeah this isn't going to happen every time it's just unlucky that it's now happened no i agree you've not been away at the country with your fam just your family for six years that's right but what why is it that you just always want to go back to Cornwall and not go on? I think it's familiarity. Yeah.

I think it's an element of control because I can get in the car. I know everything I'm doing. There's no unknown. So I know where I'm going. I know what I'm doing. So I don't have any worry in some ways. Maybe. But do you just not love that feeling of going to the airport once i'm there i do

but having a little shot mooch around you know the plane even the plane yeah not really bothered about the plane because i worry about thrombosis in my leg it's true i've got some socks that i had to wear i've got some. I've got my aspirin ready and that sort of thing. But talking of Cornwall, this is a message from Kate. Hello. Hello, Nat. How are you doing? Just saw your Instagram post asking for holiday stories, so I'll keep it quick and snappy. But it's Kate here. Hello, Kate. um it's kate here hello kate from kind of gloucestershire we also go on holiday to cornwall very near to where you go i won't reveal oh every year lovely and twice in the summer holidays if we can and and again if we can another time in the year as well. Three times a year. We just absolutely adore it down there.

It feels like home. We get there, we relax immediately because we know where everything is. Yes. Our girls have grown up going on holiday there. They are now 16 and 14, so we can give them a bit of freedom down there because we know that they know the area. I don't have a problem with it but a lot of my friends are just always like what you go there again i know don't you want to go somewhere

else well they're not really so i'm with you on this one i know you're going abroad this year actually we are going away like abroad as well next year but we will definitely still go to our favorite place bye i do like i get that if you're having three holidays in a year or let's say two possibly three yeah if one of those is that same place that you love going to yeah i i really get that i do and i think that's really lovely also the children have grown up i have to say it's very fortunate to have three holidays a year i think a lot of my listeners won't be going on holiday because they can't afford it but you know a lot of people free holidays three holidays isn't not a lot of people are three no but even having one i think the

element of comfort and and knowing where you're going, and as Kate said, you immediately relax because you know your surroundings, that's what I think it is for me. That's what I think it is. And also, going abroad, I think the seasons come into it for me. I'm not overly a summer person. I don't really enjoy buying summer clothes. I don't get enjoy buying summer clothes.

I don't get excited about getting holiday clothes and beach cover-ups. If I do end up going away, though, I need to borrow some of your beach cover-ups. Is that all right? Because I haven't got any. Yeah, no probes. Have you got a couple for me? Yeah, I've got some. Thanks.

If we end up going, I don't know. But, you know, the packing element of it as well. Oh, just... Oh, no, I have to say, I hate packing. Yeah. And I hate unpacking even more. That case can stay. Jack's home, done, unpacked. I get through the door, everything's out, washing's on, I can't wait to unpack everything.

No, I do leave it a couple of days. Yeah. Mm. Yeah. Depends. Vegas, obviously, there was a Big time difference Do you know what I mean you're a bit jet lagged Of course

But yeah roads I did leave it a couple of days But I was being a bit lazy Liz says hi Natalie packing I'm like a frantic squirrel on speed That's a very Interesting Description honestly I've no idea What comes over me.

In my daily life, I'm pretty organised, but then when I pack, I seem to lose all ability to do it properly. Q, my husband, he is a brilliant packer, so I then give him the look and he comes and sorts it all out. Best wishes, Liz. Well, lucky you, Liz. Lucky you. But do you know what, Jack?

Like I said, he's excellent. Yeah. Whereas I overpack. I mean, the stuff that do you know what, Jack? Like I said, he's excellent. Yeah. Whereas I overpack. I mean, the stuff that I take on holiday, I think I come home with more clean clothes than I do washing. Yeah. When we went to Vegas, I put all that Colour Wow stuff, the shampoos, the hair.

Why did you do that? As if you're going to do all your hair out there. Well, because I thought I'll just do it myself. Yeah. Because we were there for, you know, a long time. Yeah, yeah. Bought all the sprays, the mousseousse i didn't use any of it lovely that stuff done that color well beautiful thank you to whoever has sent me a picture of that because a few of you did because my hair is very flat so going back to that thank you it's been fantastic it really does change my hair it's lovely it. It's really lovely stuff. But yeah, the packing for me, you know, but then on the other hand, you've got these people

that pack like in little bags. Yeah, what's that about? All like organised, like I think Mel does it, like all these organiser bags and then, but once it's done, it looks great, but I just, I can't do that. Well, who's looking at it? Well, it's just so when you get there you know you know I do the

toiletries and hair stuff they all go in bags of course they have to in case they leak it's like clothes like old bikinis this nah

no it all just goes in it all goes in for me and outward do you unpack when you get there straight away immediately everything gets packed

all drawers hang it up some people live out the case don don't they, for the week? Yeah, I don't know how anyone can do that. No. I've got a message here. Just wanted to send you a message about packing. Me and my friend are going away for the bank holiday.

We're flying with Ryanair because they charge you extra for everything these days. We've decided to share a case. So I'm going to give packing cubes a go as I've seen them everywhere recently. On the subject of cases going missing, lots of people are also air tagging their cases nowadays if mine and my friend's case goes missing neither of us will have any clothes for the weekend well i hope i hope that wasn't the case well another thing oh yeah i don't even know that i'm funny. But also, I always want to do it. Again, you pack. So, for example, you four are going away. You've all got a case each.

Put a couple of bits in. Mark's put... I know you've said this to me. I'm okay, thank you. Okay, so when everyone's got their case and you haven't, and they can all go down to the beach with their swimming costume and their trunks and their stuff and you've got nothing. Whereas if you'd have put in marks an evening dress,

a pair of knickers and a costume and a fro, you know you've got something until maybe your case arrives the next day. With the air tagging. Yeah. And it goes completely missing. Why do I want to know where it is if I'm never getting it back? That would give me the hump. Well, yeah, it's true.

And apparently they don't really like that people are doing that. Well, no, I'm not surprised. Well, no. Yeah, at the same time, you want your case. What sort of person at the airport are you? Um...

Never been? Oh, we have. We went to Lake Garda, didn't we? When Eliza was little. That went well. Yeah, it was a lovely trip. It was really to Lake Garda Didn't we When Eliza was little That went well Yeah That was a lovely trip That was really lovely

Eliza didn't sleep The whole time Oh that's true We had to I think at one point Put her in the bathroom Or something In the cot

Because she didn't sleep Yeah she didn't sleep at all Did she That was pretty poor How old was she Oh she was little She was I remember she was on the reins

18 months Mate yeah Even And she did not sleep That night How old was she? Oh, she was little. I remember she was on the reins. 18 months? Yeah. And she did not sleep. That night we tag-teamed, do you remember? I do remember tag-teaming. And then one of us went down for breakfast. Yeah. And we swapped.

That was so bad. She just didn't sleep. Wasn't that when we both drifted off and we found her on the floor with a packet of cigarettes? She had the whole contents of our bags out. I think at one point she had a fag out of her mouth. It's where you dozed off. Oh, it was so bad.

Oh, bless her. But yeah, what sort of airport? Are you chill? I'm getting there very early. Like me? I want time. I don't want to rush anywhere. Yeah, so I'm there early.

This is very depressing, talking about this. Well, look, listen, we don't know. We don't know what the situation is. What's the situation, Spooky? That's not right. That was meant to be from Newcastle. Baker Grove. Never mind.

But, yeah, so you're getting there early i'm getting there early always have to buy something i have to buy something yeah a bit of lip gloss or a little perfume something i love going to wh smith yeah i love getting our own words i get my crossword books yeah i love that i might get a couple of magazines that i never get. But just nice to have them. So like a nice Vogue and treat myself to some mags. Love it. Maybe even a new book. Not bring the 1,500 books that I've got at home. Oh, you've got to buy a book.

But buy a new one. Get on the plane. Have a little drink. Sleep. I love that. I do. I'm quite chilled at the airport. Yeah.

Quite chilled, but I enjoy it. When that gate comes up, are you, bang, gone? Because we are very much, I can't even finish a sip of drink. That gate number's up, we're gone. No, I'm a little bit more chilled about that

because I know you've got time. I wouldn't say order another drink. No, but you'd finish up and head over. I'd finish up and head over. I wouldn't rush. But, I mean,

you know, some of these gates these days can be further than you think. I know, the other. I wouldn't rush. But, I mean, you know, some of these gates these days can be further than you think. I know. The other thing I was thinking, though, Jodie's got her arm in a plaster. Get a little bit of help. A little upgrade. A little upgrade.

Don't you think? Ooh. I feel like we might be treated well with a girl in a plaster. I mean, it's worth a shot. Got to get something out of it. Every cloud and all that. i'm just trying to think positive what about waiting for your case nat are you so very aggravated to the belt i'm at the front at the like where they fall out uh maybe a little bit round but i'm continuously looking through

that so me and me and jack often have a fight about what way they're going to turn so they're going to fall out and are they going to go left or right it's like being in Vegas and when it's my side I'm absolutely buzzing he's like round the other way and I know he's fuming and I'm like no you wait there

no problem but the case thing is it comes out why do you need to be there to grab it immediately because it's going to come back round No problem. But the case thing is, like, it comes out. Why do you need to be there to grab it immediately? Because it's going to come back round. It's going to come round. It is going, yeah, it's going to be there.

But you stand right there, do you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, for sure. That is very funny, I have to say. Here's a lovely packing story. Hi, Natalie. Me and my husband were moving countries from UK to Bali. Long way. My husband decided to get rid of almost everything he owned. Jeans, t-shirts, socks, underpants, possessions, the whole lot. Wow. So over a period of a

month, we were going backwards and forwards to the charity shop with most of his things. The last two piles were left, a pile of precious things he did want to keep and the other pile which he didn't want. You guessed it, I took the wrong pile. So we came to Bali and in my husband's bag were a few t-shirts that had had their day, a few pairs of underpants and no socks. Fortunately, it's hot here, Lynette.

Oh no. Oh, Lynette. That's a massive error. That is a shocker. To not ask him what pile. There's a communication problem there. I hope you sort it out in Bali. Lovely, though.

Move to Bali. How lovely. Is it, though? You wouldn't like that. No, for people. I can see why. Oh, absolutely. That's an interesting one, isn't it?

Getting rid of all your possessions. Just going away and not having anything. No, never. It wouldn't happen. What do you mean? I can't even declutter a cupboard. Well, I'm just saying Lynette's husband has done that. Oh, no, absolutely.

I think it's something quite free. I think there's something quite freeing. I don't know how. And you must feel very, very light and free. I guess as well, if you're moving abroad, there's an element you have to do that. you're not going to start taking because you know going off subject but no you get all of these lovely knickknacks and yeah you know but there's just stuff it's all stuff i was sort of doing that yesterday i was like i feel i've just got so much stuff in here it needs to i i would

love a declutter. But then you don't want to get rid of it or, you know, thank you cards. No, no, no. Or like I'll have them all pinned up and then it's like, how long do you have them up for? And it is lovely and people have spent time creating them or writing them. Yeah, I think it's a bit like when I do my fridge out. Mm. So...

Sauces and stuff. Yeah. Some of the chutneys And bits and pieces They're okay But I think Well they've been in there A long while now

Yeah But it feels a waste To keep empty in the fridge All the time I do go through Like stages though That I can be in a mood Where I just will throw

Bang Like it just goes Yeah Yeah I could look in a cupboard I mean my tin cupboard I don't know the last time I opened a tin So everything in there

Needs to just go straight into the bin I was going to say Baked beans or kidney beans But that's not really an option in your house It's not because they're not consumed By me they are but not very often No Yeah that's a good

But the old tin cupboard And what's crazy I guarantee you There'll be this um yeah that's a good but the old tin cupboard oh the tin and they like and what's crazy i guarantee you there'll be something in there that's like six months out of date and they last for seven years forever yeah yeah i think i've got some little um red salmon tins that were dad's oh i don't know why i've put them in my cupboard because i don't eat it they'll be out of date well I'll tell you something the only person that will win this is mum and dad you know we have a little running game when we go there see what we can find in the larder what was the last thing you found

there was actually like a bottle of baileys that was really old I'm just going to say something here. We are talking here, by the way, about the cleaning goddess that is Aunty Linny. No, but that's not mum. This is dad. That's what I was just going to clear that up because she'll listen to this and go, don't start talking about my larder as if I never do it out.

No, no, no. Because she does. Oh, no, it's not. It's just, you know, people, I'm the same. You think, oh, it'll be all right. Well, you might look at it and go, oh, it's only a month. It'll be all right. If it's in the tin, it's been in the people i'm the same you think oh it'll be all right well you might look at it and go oh it's only a month it'll be if it's in the team it's been in the team for four years sure another month saving things again isn't it yeah i am like that daddy is like that i know

we buy things we don't i i have got christmas presents yeah shower gel like lovely ones that jack's bought me shower gels that I have not opened yet. But I'm going to buy them. But these are nice ones, so I'm not just using them every day. I know. Well, we've had this conversation. You've got to crack them open. You've got to get going with it.

No, I know. What am I holding on to it for? I don't know. We are, I think. It's like the fridge on the outside. So the kids will do pictures and stuff or they get a certificate. That's another one. How long do they? How long do they go? The they go the other day i went right they've been up their ages that one can go in the bin the certificate can go in the bin sort of sports person of the day you know we're

in a sports club that's been on the fridge for three months yeah that's long yeah go in the bin that's our week and then there's some nice pictures that joni's done but i think if it's a really nice one that will go upstairs. And that will go in a memory box. Yeah. But most of it gets binned. It's like birthday cards. I know.

And you don't really keep them up longer than what? Three weeks? I know, but I have got a box of birthday cards. Oh, yeah, me too. From my first birthday. Oh, wow. I've actually got some cards. Yeah.

From when I was a baby. I keep the, like keep the special personalised ones and the ones from the kids they're nice to have but you can't keep all of them every year you just need a couple to look back on you should sort of rotate

family members and stuff absolutely you're not good in the heat and that are you? The heat, sand, sea water No There is actually a term for it A name Oh okay

I'm going to find it for you But do you want to While I'm finding it Tell the story about when we went to Ibiza Oh yeah Because that was actually more recent Than when we went to Lake Garda Yeah so that was for my 21st wasn't it? You all done actually more recent than when we went to um to Lake Garda yeah so we went that was for my 21st wasn't it you all done that that's right and we went I think

everything we did it didn't involve any sort of sand apart from one day we went to this beach club that's right yeah and I mean what you were stood in the sand for probably all of about 20 minutes or half an hour but when it's hot I'm getting it up but it's sand and then the heat possibly the water maybe the sun cream your feet just my feet and legs balloon up as if i've got elephantitis it is a form of cellulitis which means i'm basically allergic to the beach so that also throws a bit of a spanner in. Yeah, I'd not thought about that on this one. It's a bit of a curveball.

As I'm weighing things up, I forgot about that issue. Maybe the drinking, you know, it's a different holiday. I don't like the beach. Right. Let's talk about that. Beach or pool? Pool all day long, especially if there are children. Oh, kicking sand in your face.

But kids are like eating it. It's all in their hair or that. No way. No, thank you. It is an uncomfortable... I don't like the sea. I don't like being in the sea. What's all going around your feet?

Yeah. I can imagine you're not really one to be... I can imagine Mark likes the sea. You're not really a sea. I would say I like the sea getting in it more than Mark. Mark likes sailing on it. Whereas I, in Cornwall, will put a wetsuit on and we will get a bodyboard and we go into the sea and we bodyboard and stuff like that. Yeah, but that's different.

I'm talking in a swimming costume going in yes you're walking in like the girls on holiday they were in they got they were jumping in yes jump it i do not want my head underwater in that sea salt no i understand but it's very good for you oh but it makes all your skin dry yeah it's it's not for me. I'm just having a look at the sand allergy skin reactions. So it's contact dermatitis characterized by redness, itching, inflammation, skin irritation. So you can be, you know, allergic to sand and the sun. And with it all together, it becomes pretty dangerous really well yeah i can yeah and if anyone's gonna have it it's gonna be you isn't it yeah but yeah i don't i don't like the sea i don't i think just sit around the pool you're jumping in and out i think for your brain

i think there's something about being by the sea listening to the waves that's very calming yes and it's sort of i'm with you on the cleanliness side no yeah uh the pool is easier you know you haven't got sun cream sticking to the sand and all that all sand on the towel and then you get up and then you go back to the room and you've got all sand in you i can't i do understand but yes it's lovely but also when you go to the sort of place you're going you're on the beach so you could be sitting having lunch on the beach even where you are by the pool you sort of get that sea breeze still do you i'm doing it again oh my god i'm sorry because i in my head i'm being positive you're going but yeah you've got the sea air and one thing I would have to say and I think you will agree one of my most favourite things to do

on holiday yes is go for a lunch not where you've got to be you know dressed up just stick a dress on whether whether you're in a hope resort and you do it or if you do go out yeah but it's chill and you just sit oh and you have a lovely long lunch there's no time constraint you just sit you pick the wines flowing i feel like you have your best conversations i absolutely agree and when we went as a family and we all went to Greece every day and what because there were so many it was like oh we're gonna go to this one yeah I'm doing it again no it's all right go on um but you know there was always someone that wanted to do lunch and if you did you did and if you didn't you sat around but it was just that is that for me is one of my favorite things even when me and Jack have gone away and we've gone and sat just you have a lunch for me on holiday bottle of wine can't beat it the

best i have to say controversially but for me lunch going out to lunch would be my favorite as well so if you if you and i were going for a dinner that's lovely but if you've got a whole day and you get somewhere at 12 and you can actually, you know, babysitters are booked and you sit there. But there's no limit. No, there's no limit. If you're there from 12 till 6 o'clock, it doesn't matter. Yeah, yeah, I agree. And there's something about that time

which I think is the most special. Yeah, I think lunch in the sun, crisp bottle of wine, can't beat it. Let's hope it's sunny in England next week. I'm joking. Do a nice bottle of rose, don't they? The old all-inclusive I was going to. Yeah.

Lovely bottle of rose. Unlimited. Yeah. At least you can drown your sorrows in that. Oh, look, it could be worse. It could always be worse. It could always be worse. and i thought of it yesterday she's broken her arm no one's poorly no her arm can be fixed and yeah again as long as she's all

right as long as she's fine actually nothing matters it doesn't matter it doesn't i'm only talking about this really no but look we're humans it's of course it's like anything it's you know you go to leave the house and you get in the car and you drive five minutes down the road and you've remembered you've forgotten something. That's right. You still moan about it. You still...

It's aggravation. It could have been last week when I was working with Ricky Gervais. Yeah, that would have been a shocker. Could that? Can you imagine, though? What would you have done? Would you have cancelled? I had thought about it in the hospital yesterday,

and I thought, what would have happened? Well, I would have had to cancel it, wouldn't I? Really? Well, was I not going to be at my daughter's operation when she's going under general anaesthetic? Yeah, it's not good. That would have been a hard one to swallow. There's been a lot of that in the paper, Elle.

What's that? I've been quite embarrassed about it. What? Oh, saying that you meet your hero and all that. Well, they've picked out what they've done. I was going to keep that whole thing a secret, obviously. Like, not, you know what I mean? Not shout about it.

I feel like it's a really cool thing to do. It was only a tiny little bit for me, like, not loads. And I was going to do it. Obviously, I've told family because I'm shout about it I feel like it's a really cool thing to do it was only a tiny little bit for me like not loads and I was going to do it obviously I've told family because I'm excited about it but that was it and then Ricky posted a picture so I've reposted it obviously

because I thought oh it's out there that's great that's so lovely but then like the Daily Mail they've picked up on it and they've obviously gone back because I've said

he's my god in the past which I have they've picked up bits of interviews yeah so they've picked stuff up and then there's like a picture of him and a picture of me and it's like ricky to work with and it makes me cringe it makes me feel ill well what can you do i know it's not me is what i'm saying i'm just going to get that out there well of course it's not i know but it makes you panic yeah i know but but i've done that it was papers will say what they want to say. It was an amazing experience. Soaked it up. It was lovely.

But, you know, I just don't want to make a massive thing about it. It is a massive thing, but it's not. Yeah, no, but you're not. Yeah, but you're not. The papers are. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Yeah, I wouldn't worry. No.

They're all going to make stories, aren't they? Yeah, that's true. Good, though. Yeah, really good. Buzzing for you. Still good. I'm just waiting to see if we can get him out for dinner

or something have a very long lunch yes in Hampstead in Hampstead yeah lovely sounds good to me oh dear

here's another message from Daryl about packing hey Nat it's Daryl I thought I'd send you a packing memory of mine basically one of my best friends

um was so bad at packing that on the night before we were meant to go on holiday he had packed his suitcase well half packed his suitcase then got a bit tipsy and fell asleep on top of the suitcase i turned up at his house in a taxi and yeah he was still asleep on top of his suitcase only half packed we had to throw all of his stuff in a suitcase with just 20 minutes to spare absolute chaos well daryl has your mate got a drinking problem because if he's halfway through his packing and he's got so obliterated that he's fallen asleep on top of it, I hope that you've had a chat with him. Yeah, it's quite concerning.

It is a concern for me. I mean, I know we get excited the night before holiday and we might have a little gin and tonic while we're packing, put a bit of music on, but... What about not waking up, though? That gives me... Now... That gives me the fear when that alarm clock needs to be set for half past two in the morning that worries me

oh you how many times do you contemplate do i just stay up now a lot yeah because let's face it the night before holiday i'm not going to bed before half ten eleven yeah but at the same time I don't get organised so you can get in bed no I know but it's just I'm thinking of everything and I'm a good sleeper

as you know but I don't feel I would be getting to bed at nine o'clock the night before my holiday so then we're talking about five hours five hours sleep no the it's doable it's just your body's not used to getting up at that time so you're permanently worried that you're missing a lot I get so scared especially if I'm not going away with Jack even if yeah he's there I will like like when we went away I text the girls can you just make sure you text me to make sure I'm up

yeah I'll get so panicked what about I got home from my holiday which one Greece we were delayed we had a late flight anyway

we were delayed I we landed back about half one I got home at 2.30 yeah ish

and then Jack left at 3.30 to go to Germany. What about that one? There's a lot of holidays flying about. He just did a little 24 hour. But literally I'd been away for six days, got in, didn't see him. And then he went off to the other airport. He had a great time though because he went to see the semi-final, didn't he?

He did, yeah. He said it was excellent. The best match of the tournament for England. Yeah, no. And that's what he said. Being there was a brilliant moment. Oh, that's really good. And what about the flight on 9am on Sunday morning to Berlin that was cancelled from Stansted?

What if you were that person to watch a final? Why was that? No, but there was a flight. We had friends at the airport and then we checked it. 9am flight to Berlin was cancelled. So all them people that had got tickets... Couldn't go. Well, you wouldn't have got another flight.

I don't know what you'd have done. Could you get the Eurostar? Well, no, everything was... Booked, fully booked. People were flying to Poland to then fly somewhere to get trains in. But that is heartbreaking. Heartbreaking and that's why I'd rather sit in front of the telly and watch it. Or drive to Cornwall. Not to watch the football. No babes I'm talking about just a flight in general because that's

the other thing delays cancellations. I just get in the car that is hot that is yeah that is another thing I mean I don't know if you'd prefer it on the way out or the way home they're both just as bad as each other they're both as bad as each other because on the way home

it's over and you just want to get home well and on the way out you can't wait to get there so 50-50 isn't it yeah

I feel like I'd rather a cancellation over a delay at least really well because at least you know because there's nothing worse than what a four hour I know but what delay what delay are we talking about yeah no I'm saying rather a cancellation over a delay at least really well because at least you know because there's nothing worse than what a four hour i know but what delay what delay are we talking

about yeah no i'm saying it's an hour of course oh okay hour or two delay i'll take that but a long delay or when it's delayed two hours and then they cancel it that that's when that's what we had coming home from when we got engaged right our flight was cancelled and I was like well let's just stay another night obviously I didn't know that they'd planned a little surprise the next day yes Jack was freaking out again I was ringing mum I was like well just stay she was like no you need to come home I remember that very very well because we were all ready to surprise you yeah and I wanted to. And I wanted to stay out there. Yes. But yeah, I think, you know, that is the other thing you battle with is these delays, cancellations. All in all, all this has made me do is think I don't really want to go on holiday anymore.

No, you don't. No, you're in a bad mood today. Yeah. And I get it. Yeah. We can tell. You're not yourself. Do you not think so?

No. But I sort of get it because I spent all day in hospital yesterday. Yeah. We can tell. You're not yourself. Do you not think so? No. But I sort of get it because I spent all day in hospital yesterday. Yeah. You've got a lot of, you know, you're actually trying to prepare for your holiday now. Yeah. Not sure what you're doing. Because you're thinking, right, I'm going to, you know, go to Boots, get the sun creams and that. And Eliza would like a new case case which i think she deserves because my cases

are really old and i'm thinking get a nails done you want to do your hair you need to do your nails i want to get all prepared she wants to get some bits but what you know are you preparing what am i preparing for but then you have to prepare because if you do go you're quite limited on time you've got a whole day potentially tomorrow well you have with joni in hospital absolutely so it's quite a lot running out so it's just quite a lot of my brain yeah but what i didn't want to do is not get an episode out to you dedication dedication professionalism always comes first so even if she is a misery no i'm joking never i think i'm taking what's happening extremely well. You absolutely are.

I mean, can you imagine? I'd be absolutely freaking out. You would be freaking out, wouldn't you? No. No, listen, take every day, every hour. You never know what's going to happen. And there's always someone worse off than you. Absolutely.

That is my advice and my little nugget of information for you this week. I hope you really enjoyed this episode. And I will speak to you next time and I'll let you know if I've been away, if I've been to Greece, if I've been to Cornwall or if I've just stayed in the garden. Thanks, Els.

Thank you. See ya. Bye. Hi, this is Chris McCausland. And this is Diane Boswell. And we've got a new podcast, haven't we, Di? We do. What's it called? Winning.

Isn't. Everything. Every week, me and Diane, we're going to be having a little catch up on the back of Strictly, aren't we, Di? We are. I've missed you, Chris. I've missed you too. We're going to talk some nonsense, so why not tune in? Available everywhere you get your podcasts.