Life with Nat - EP50: Nats Nieces minus Els Bels

Episode Date: October 10, 2024

Nat and her niece Maria are without Ellia as the baby is coming, Nat can't believe her new profile on Netflix and they talk about those pockets of time you get with your kids that you can't wait for - that get ruined. Enjoy x Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view INSTA: @natcass1 We're also on Facebook now too: https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod 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

Welcome to Life With Nat. We haven't got Ellsbells here for Nats and Nieces today because baby is incoming. It is. Oh, I'm so excited. So excited. So excited. So funny enough, wasn't it? Like we did this last week, right?

Yeah. A week ago. And we were talking about doing a pod again this evening. And her maybe being back home or... Yeah, we were like, we'll get one more in before the baby's here. Nope. Not happened. And I made a joke and said you'll probably be here for another couple of weeks doing pods.

But no, we were wrong. I can't believe it. It's happening. Won't be long now. So next time we'll be able to hopefully share soon the little bub. That's so good. So excited. Put a little picky up. Yeah, excellent. But anyway. We love you, Els. Very proud of you. Yeah, smashed good, yeah. I'm so excited. Put a little picky up. Yeah, excellent. But anyway, I get to sit in the seat. Fantastic. But we love you, Els.

Yeah. Very proud of you. Yeah. Smashed it, girl. Smashed it. Very good. But yeah, I get to sit in the comfy seat, so I'm happy. Happy days. You all right?

Yeah, I'm good, actually. Not too bad. I had a little bit of a cold, but hasn't everybody? Everyone is ill, getting ill. It's the kids, isn't it? Yeah, well, going back to school, germs. And just the weather, isn't it? Yeah, well, going back to school, germs. And just the weather, isn't it? Yeah. Cold, then it's mild.

Yeah. The joys of winter. Oh, no. The burrs. The burr months. But we're all pumped. We've been listening to Spice Girls. It's been so good.

We haven't listened to the Spice Girls for how long? Well, I haven't... Yeah, no, I don't. And now I've realised I should do it more often because it actually gets me pumped up. Feel good. Girl power. So relevant all the time.

I need that. I'm going to listen to it every morning, I think, just to set myself up for the day. What song would you go for, though, if you were going to set yourself up? I'd go Who Do You Think You Are? Oh, would you? Yeah.

My favourite is Viva Forever, but that just makes me want to cry, so that's probably not the best one to start the day. I do love Say You'll Be There. Good song. I like some of the ones they didn't release, do you know what I mean? Some of the non-obvious ones.

Yeah. Holla. I do love Holla. I love Holla. It's about Gerry, which really upsets me, but what a banger. It's a great song. Yeah. Holla. I do love Holla. I love Holla. Although it's without Gerry, which really upsets me. But what a banger. It's a great song. Yeah.

In fact, yeah, it's all great. Love thing, I love. It's very interesting you mention music when you get up in the morning and stuff, because I think it's so important what you listen to determines your mood for the day. Absolutely. It's like even when I used to run all those years ago, there were certain songs I'd have to have a playlist that I know I'm going to be able to run to

because if I'm listening to a random playlist and a song comes on I don't like, that's it. It absolutely messes with my head. A lot of people say they run and they listen to this. I couldn't run to a podcast. The first podcast I ran to was Davina McCall when she was on Stephen Bartlett. Great podcast.

Really good one. And I feel like I've got to be able to, you've got to be able to get into it and keep into it and then I think it just makes the time go fast. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I've always had to have music. But, yeah, I do find music a bit easier. But then sometimes I feel myself like,

how many songs have I listened to? I don't know, it gets in my head a little bit. Yeah. I think that we need to start running. Yes. And I mean that. I'm being serious. Well, it's October.

I've been saying it since January. Well, I don't know if we're going to do it now this year. We're not, are we? I don't think so. Yeah, I need to get into something. But I think we should set ourselves up and have a little target. I really do. A little half marathon.

I think we should do that. A little half marathon next year. Yeah, let's do it. I was going to do one in October, actually, but it never... Materialised. No, it all sort of fell by the wayside. Yeah, I'm up for it. Good.

It'll be good to have something to focus on, won't it? Definitely. Sorry, I'm going to burp. That's all right. How are the children? Yeah. They good? Interesting.

Oh. Oh. I had them all weekend, which was lovely. Yeah. But they're a bit mental. In what manner? Just the tantrums are insane. They can be so well behaved and then it just flips.

So Friday I had in my head, lovely, get them from school. What did we have for dinner? Oh, yeah, I made them. They wanted a chilli, so I did that. I thought it could be organised. We'll have a nice early dinner. Then I thought we can watch a film. We've got popcorn.

All in your head. It's going to be the perfect evening. I bought some Halloween bits so we could decorate the staircase. I'd do some little bits like that. No. What happened? Alfie had a tantrum. Was I trying to get him to read his school book?

Maybe. Classic. Yeah, anyway, absolute meltdown. I was really good. I said, you've got to go to your bed. You can't leave the room. He was exhausted. He was a sparko by half six.

But you have to remember, he's one of the youngest and having a long week now, full school, full on. Yeah. He is only five. And they're not the best at going to bed some nights. They will be up a bit later than they should. I think it's caught up on him. Yeah.

So he was asleep by half six. Oh, bless him. It was cute. I got to spend some time with Ruby. She had dinner. She went to bed like a good girl. That's good. And Alfie was up at half four Saturday morning

shut the front door no half past four half past four what is he a milkman what up up proper up

awake oh wow so I let him sit in my bed and watch TV whilst I tried to sleep a little bit oh yeah of course did he go to bed early

Saturday night then no because then we ended up going... What did we do? Chilled a bit in the morning. Then we ended up going shopping with Mum. No, we went to the hospital to see Elia. Oh, yeah. And then, yeah, went shopping with Mum,

then went for a little bit of dinner in Pizza Express. Oh, that's nice. I love Pizza Express. Yeah, we were saying this. We were like, it's just easy. You just can't beat it. I would never go without the children, though. No.

Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Me and Mark have gone before, actually. Have you? Yeah. We were in like a booth thing. Yeah. But then behind us, there was a couple.

There sat a couple behind us. Oh, no. Oh, I feel so bad. What time was it? No, it was half five, six o'clock. Oh, well, then I don't care. No, I know, but the kids kept turning around, like, looking for...

They had, like, little glass panes. And I could see this bloke was looking at it to say, really? And I did feel bad. I know, but if you're out at half five on a Saturday and you've gone to Pizza Express, I'm sorry, you can't moan. I know, I know. You can't.

But just other kids are sitting there, and I was like bouncing about. We had a takeaway at work. We had a Pizza Express this week because we'd been busy doing this documentary. And me and Tiff, the make-up girl, we had half a pizza each and a little bit of polo salad. It was quite nice.

I enjoyed it. So then, finished at Pizza Express, we were like, should we just pop into Asda? Everyone, I've had so many messages about Asda. So many messages about Asda. People are loving Asda. Loving it. And they're very, very annoyed

about Brookfield Farm M&S with the fridge situation. Yeah, I haven't been. I'm staying clear. I'm staying clear too. I'll just pop into Hartford. Have you not been? No, I've not been. Oh, well, I don't like you. clear too I'll just pop into Hartford Have you not been? No I've not been Oh well I don't like you No I've just been to the little one

Right In Hartford But anyway So we go into Asda Yep I'm going to look at the Halloween stuff I'll look at You know

A few bits and bobs Anyway Kids are just They're on one They're actually in good spirits Lovely They're looking at toys Can I have this for my birthday

I'm like It's a year away It's Christmas before Whack it on the Christmas list Fine Then who walks over With a doll in her hand. So I just look at her, I'm like, you're not having that, Ruby. Oh no. She said, yes I am. I said, no, you're not. Anyway, she's carried this doll around the whole shop. Got to the till, I said, you're not having it.

She would not put it, I was trying to reason with her. Oh no. So then as we're walking out, oh, she even tried to walk out the shop with her. Oh, no. So then as we were walking out... Oh, she even tried to walk out the shop with it. Oh, good. So then I've taken it off of her and just put it on the side. When I say the meltdown, I've never seen anything like it. Oh, prior to that, she was running away from me. Yeah.

She was so good as well, so good that day. And then I don't know what happened to her. She was... You know the water gardens? Yeah. The little pond? Oh, no. And then I don't know what happened to her. She was, you know, the water gardens? Oh, no. Natalie? I would have had a heart attack. No, Mum nearly had a heart attack. When I tell you she was running and looking at me while she was running away,

how she didn't end up in there, I'll never know. I've never sprinted so fast in my life. I haven't run like that in about two years, and then you thought I'd have a heart attack. Oh, my goodness. She's a sod. Oh, bless her. And then after I picked her up, dragged her out of Asda

screaming put her down to walk. She went to walk. She didn't want to walk. She legged it. Tried to leg it back in the shower. No she didn't. What makes me laugh about the doll situation is the kid's got a hundred dolls. What's different about

this one? She would buy a doll every day. I love it, love. It's cute. She was Sparco in the car because she got herself in such a state. Such a state. So yeah, anyway, Saturday night, that was it. And then I put Alfie to bed

because he hadn't been up since half four. And I had an early night. And then Sunday, we had a day at home. Oh. Alfie went for a walk. Well, I had a completely different weekend to you because I was working all weekend. Yeah.

So I worked all weekend. Mark took one for the team. I think Eliza was a little bit grumpy over the weekend, but... What, because you ran around? No, just... No, no, I don't think it was that. Just... Hormonal.

Hormonal, yeah. Was she bored? Probably. Yeah. But loads of homework to do There's a lot going on This is the thing, even like yesterday Because we had a day at home

Then my mum was like, shall I get them out to the park for a bit I know they get a bit ratty But you've got to be able to have a day at home I know, but they do get a bit bored, don't they? Yeah Joni's missed me a lot The last couple of weeks I've been so busy I know, but they do get a bit bored, don't they? Yeah. Joni's missed me a lot the last couple of weeks, but I've been so busy.

And it's unlike me to be away and stay away or be home really, really late and then get up really, really early where I'm not seeing her. She has missed me quite a lot, bless her. But this week's better. I'm around more, so it'll be nice. But like you said, I'm looking forward to it. And then you'll be moaning. And then I'll be moaning within an hour. Because she'll be an

arsehole. It's so hard. Bless her. It's hard. It's just, yeah, it's just trying to, I don't know, sometimes you're trying to do too much, I guess, and then it's a bit overwhelming for them. Well, I think when you're busy working mums like us, I feel like that kind of window that you have with the children,

you just want it to be perfect because you want to enjoy the time. So when they play up, you get the ump about it. Oh, it's just frustrating, isn't it? Yeah. But overall, it was pretty nice, up and down, but... It was all right. You look well-rested, though. Do I?

You do, yeah. Do I? Yeah. Natalie's had to do my hair. Oh, for fuck's sake. That's how bad it is. This is where we've got in life. Becky, our hairdresser, has had her little baby.

She has. Wonderful. When you're back to work, though. But we need you back to work. Mel, was it Mel that tagged me? Who was it? Or Elia? No, it might have been Elia, actually, that tagged me in this thing on Instagram that said,

when your hairdresser's away or had a baby and then you're going to the vet, so I've been crimping my hair and it was like the fur of a poodle. Oh, that is me. But, yeah, all the groomers. No, yeah, Becky, we do need you back. I think I've done okay. I've wet it down a bit, put a bit of product in it.

Done the babblis, the hot brush thing that I use. I mean, that is the first. That is a first. You've never, ever touched my hair. I've never touched it. It's bad times. Desperate times. Looks all right, though.

No, yeah, thank you. That's all right. It's not frizzy. I found it quite therapeutic. Therapeut though. Yeah, thank you. That's alright. It's not frizzy. I found it quite therapeutic. Therapeutic, yeah, doing it. Good. You've got so much hair. Yeah, it's not mine, is it? No, I know, but it's ridiculous.

But yeah, so this is what we've This is what we've come to. This is what we've come to. No, never mind my hair. It's ginger. All the roots are coming through. It's grey. Yeah, my greys are bad. No, seriously, Becky, when are you coming back to work? Yeah, no, come on. You've had a couple of weeks now and we can just hold the baby.

It's not a problem, is it? And you can do the hair. Absolutely. Yeah, let's get back to work. We're local as well. It's just easy, Beck. Just need to sort it out. Yeah, you're probably just sitting at home doing nothing.

Someone had a really good idea, I must tell you. People were talking about merchandise yes so there's been two ideas so far that i wanted to run by you one of which is a bag for life which says i'm not stealing life with nat because there's been a large debate regarding the shopping bags and trolleys and yeah whether you go into the shop with a bag. Oh, yeah, nice. So I quite like that. I'm not stealing life from that logo. Yeah. And... Oh, my God, where was I the other day?

Go on. I think I was in Asda. No. What? I actually think I saw someone steal. Oh, really? Like, full-blown steal and walk out. No.

And I was shocked. Oh, wow. Yeah. What was the item? I out. No. And I was shocked. Oh, wow. Yeah. What was the item? I don't know. I can't remember. I don't know, but honestly,

I was shocked. I was in Space NK once in Loughton and someone just walked in and just took two aftershaves and walked out again. And she walked out? Yeah, no,

it's weird when it happens. Yeah, no, I was a bit like, has he actually just done that? Like put it in his bag, like backpack, and she walked out. But what are you going to do? I'm not doing anything. No, no, you can't really.

So yeah, bag for life, I like that. Bag for life. Bag for life with Nat. Yeah, get it. Yeah, got it. And also trolley tokens. Yes. People are after a trolley token with life with Nat on.

But you know when the trolley token Yeah It changed What do you mean? Do they ever change the The shape? Shape? No

No it's a pound isn't it? No I know but I remember I had a token One of them blue ones from Tesco's Oh yeah And it stopped working and I had to get a different one Oh really? Yeah Might be alright though I don't know Yeah But yeah I like it You watch it on your key ring and it stopped working and I had to get a different one. Oh, really? Yeah.

Might be all right, though. I don't know. Yeah. But yeah, I like it. You watch it on your key ring. Put it on the key ring. It's all shopping-related stuff. Well, so far. Yeah.

It's because we talk about shopping a lot and food a lot. This is an ad from BetterHelp Online Therapy. We always hear about the red flags to avoid in relationships, but it's just as important to focus on the green flags. If you're not quite sure what they look like, therapy can help you identify those qualities so you can embody the green flag energy and find it in others. BetterHelp offers therapy 100% online,

and sign-up only takes a few minutes. Visit BetterHelp.com today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com. Talking of that, did you see my post? Oh, did you see my post? The Lerpac. Oh, yeah. Can you believe it?

Why is that then? 75p. What's that piece like? But why... But then someone messaged me on Instagram saying... What was the picture for everyone? The Lerpac. Me with the Tesco... Oh, my gosh. for everyone the Lerpac me with the

Tesco oh my gosh club card Lerpac you know who was saying Sainsbury's is two quid yes

in Tesco's it was on offer I was buzzing £3.75 £3.25 yeah so they've knocked off 75p

but someone messaged me saying after listening to the pod yeah sorry I'm useless I'm not going to be able to find who it was, said that off the back of that they went to Sainsbury's

to buy the Lurpac, and it was the same as Tesco's. I think this was a flash offer. I got lucky. I can't find the bloody thing. It was half price. I should have bought loads. Well, no, then Mum text, didn't she? Because Elliot said she bought it in bulk.

Mum said it goes off on the 11th of November. Oh, no wonder. Does butter go... Ooh. There you go. They've found some old stock and they've knocked it out. Is that why? Bastards.

I didn't think of that. They're dirty, rotten scoundrels. That's what they've done. Do you think? Yeah, 100%. But does butter... I've never even looked at her. Of course butter goes off.

It's dairy. Anything that you put in the fridge is... Very true. You know. And if you freeze it, it don't matter. You have to defrost it and then use it all. Oh, I've got a quick story. That is hilarious. I have to tell you this true. You know. And if you freeze it, it don't matter because you have to defrost it and then use it all. Oh, I've got a quick story. That is hilarious. I have to tell you this story. Go on. Very quickly.

I don't think they'll mind. Oh, we were filming and we have two vegans on board doing some filming. Really lovely. So anyway, Dora's gone out to get all the lunch. So off she goes to get our lunch order and what have you.

Come back. We've all got sandwiches, just a meal deal from Tesco, so what have you. Everyone's eating. Sound Man Jack, lovely boy, he's eating his non-duck rack. Oh, no. Oh, no.

And he's come over to Dora and he said, this is real duck, I've just smashed it down. But it was like someone had died. She was so upset. She was so apologetic. Yeah, because that's not great. I know, but she... That's not her fault.

No. And then he was really upset. Why? But why is he a vegan? He just is. It's choice, preference. Oh, so it's not the end of the world. Well, no, but you would have thought it was.

I just wondered what you thought about that. It was all a bit awkward. And you know what? Afterwards, I said, Jack, I said, are you all right? I said something about Donald Duck or made a joke. I can't help myself. And I said, you'll be cracking about in a minute, I was just can't help it, but it was fine

he did see the funny side of it but then he said, I'll tell you what I'm annoyed about you know, for seven years I haven't had meat I would have rather it had been like steak and chips or something or McDonald's or something he's ruined it on a duck wrap hoisin duck wrap

I like the prep one yeah I did that once I made I had friends around for dinner yeah and I was doing a tie

and one of the girls is vegetarian yeah and she was like you've gone to all this effort I was like I know because I've done

like a hundred different things yeah and she was like what have you put in it I said well fish, fish sauce. Oh, no. She just said to me. All vegetables but fish sauce.

She was like, no, you can't really do that, but it's okay. So, yeah, it does happen. It's hard, though, isn't it? It's very, very hard. The vegan thing is hard. Yeah. The dairy and... You do feel quite old, though, when you're around the Gen very, very hard. The vegan thing is hard. Yeah. The dairy and... You do feel quite old though when you're around the Gen Zs.

There's a lot of vegans around. Yeah. A lot. I eat quite a lot of veggie stuff though. I love my veg. I could be a bit more mindful, I think, though, and cut out meat a little bit more throughout the week. I am quite old-fashioned that, you know, meat and two veg or...

You know, when I look at my trolley, they'll have bacon and cauliflower pasta one night, then I might do a mince thing and then it'll be chicken. I think, God, there's quite a lot of meat going on and I need to be more aware of that, I think. Yeah. Just for every reason, really. Yeah, I try to...

You love your veg. No, I do. Yeah, the other night I had, like, a fish cake and I did some stir-fried veg with it. We've gone back to food again. What's wrong with us? I can't help it. And Eddie is not even here.

We can't even blame her. I know. You going to Margate. Yes. I've had a really lovely message from a girl called Gemma. She said, hi, I love your podcast, especially love your eps with gorgeous nieces. Sorry about my nose.

Hang on, guys. I mean, I sound like I've got a cold anyway, but this is a joke. I can't help it that your nose is like that. Don't you start with a big nose. Did I tell you that Joanie's changed my profile? Nah. You know how Netflix comes up on your phone? Here are some recommendations.

Comes up on my phone, hey, big nose, these are your recommendations. She's taking the piss or what? She's changed my profile to Big Nose, which is now on my emails for Netflix. Oh, brilliant. Hey, Big Nose, some recommendations for you. Why don't you dive back in, Big Nose? And it keeps coming up, fuming about it.

That's really clever. That's really funny from her is it? yeah brilliant anyway Margate she said hi you mentioned wanting to visit Margate

if you fancied staying at my Airbnb nearby in Deal which is a lovely seaside town with Shingle Beach often mentioned in the Sunday Times as one of the best with lots of Tudor history art scene

fab restaurants, you'd be so welcome. Oh, I love that. So thank you so much, Gemma. I'm going to have a good old look. We will definitely take you up on that. Well, you say that, it's Mark's birthday coming up. Oh, my gosh.

And a good wonder. I think he's sort of dropped off listening to this as well, which is really rude. Oh, well. He listens to our rips. Yeah, maybe. But it is his birthday coming up

and I was thinking maybe having a look at it and just having one night away. That would be so nice. So I'm going to have a little look at it but it looks absolutely beautiful.

Can't believe you haven't sent that to me. I've just got it this morning. She's trying to keep it away from... Oh. That is exciting. Looks good, doesn't it?

But thank you, Gemma. Sleep six. That's really kind. Matt, I will save it then if it's sleep six. I good, doesn't it? But thank you, Gemma. Sleep six. That's really kind. Matt, we'll save it then if it's sleep six. I haven't even opened it. Yeah, no, we'll do that. Right, we'll do it. We'll save it and we'll do it.

So thank you so much. We have to do that. We will. We could even do it, won't we talk about Easter or something? What, next year? Yeah. No, this year.

Oh. Six, though. Yeah. No, this year. Oh. Six, though? Yeah. Where are yous going to go? Me, you, kids. What do you mean? Oh, we'll have to work it out. Six ain't a lot, is what I'm saying.

Someone can get another one. Oh, that's true. Gosh. All right, we'll work it out. But it does look bad. Yeah, that's great. Thank you. We went to Deal.

Mark's friend had a microlight and that was in Deal, the microlight club. And we went flying. It's kind of a plane. You're a geek. A little thing. No, I wasn't a geek up in the clouds. I was shit myself, but I went up. Did you?

Yeah. I can't imagine you doing something like that. Yeah, it was really good, actually. It's quite exhilarating. I've done a sky jump. Don't talk to me about exhilarating. Yeah, I know, I've seen it. I remember it. Were you best ever on your hands?

That's it. I remember it very, very, very well. Yeah. Very, very good. Have you seen any of Ryland's naked dating show? No, I haven't. Oh, okay. That killed that conversation.

I know, I've reviewed it on Off The Tele. But just wondered, because I just, I can't, it bamboozles my brain that people want to go on television. Naked. Naked. But also, it's bad enough being put off people when you meet them fully clothed, let alone when they're naked. The one thing I'd say, after a while, first of all, it's quite shocking.

And then throughout the half an hour or whatever, you do sort of forget. And you go, yeah, why do we all wear clothes? It's weird. Oh, do you know what's weird? This is weird. What? You're fucking weird. Oh, do you know what's weird? This is weird. What? You're fucking weird. Go on.

It's just weird how things just... Oh, yeah. Last night, I was making stories up for him and then I thought, fucking my imagination. It's not going far. So I was looking on my phone for any quick short stories. Guess what story

I started reading to him. We loved it. It reminds me of you. The Imprisoned Clothes. Yes! We loved that. We loved that story. Yeah. How weird though. That was last night. There we go.

You couldn't write it. You couldn't write it. So yeah, exactly that. He's naked, isn't he? Yeah, but after a while... You just get used to it. You just don't really... Oh, no, obviously, if we all did it, it would be normal, but... But it's because it becomes normalised on there, where they're all like it.

But it's when they're in the diary room type bit. Oh, you've watched it, proper watched it. But there's no need for this, is there? They're all sat back with their legs open, chatting. Like, what are you thinking about? And it's like, I don't need to see all of that. Just sit together. You'd have to be very confident with your body, obviously.

Yes, you would. But what I do like... No, I'll tell you what I like. That sounded horrible. No, they look awful. They all look normal. Normal. Really normal.

You know. Normal shapes and sizes. Really nice. All different shapes and sizes. Well, it's like Naked Attraction, isn't it? It is, yeah. But I tell you what, when I watch that and it all lifts up, I think I'm not too bad.

Sometimes I think actually there is hope. There's hope for me, yeah. Hope for what? I don't know because I just look at myself in the mirror and think what a state but then I watch that and it just makes me feel a little better.

Maybe I'll need to watch that. Put it on on a loop. Before bed every night. Oh my goodness. Spice Girls in the morning Naked Attraction at night and everything will be fine.

Oh God. Jo said that M&S Brookfield is 10 weeks until it's finished. She sent me a message. What's the date? Oh, darn. Now, Don. October. Huh?

10 weeks. No, it can't be. 10 weeks. That's Christmas. 10 weeks. I also heard that the people doing it have gone bust and they're not going to do it at all what are you going to do? I don't know what I'm going to do, I'm going to have to go to Stevenage

it's a very large one I've got the giggles but Stevenage is too big, have you been there? no, I'm being serious we do need to go there was that the one that it's about five floors is that the one that opened? it's huge, is that the newer one?

yes, it's huge. Didn't they want you to do something? Yeah, yeah. It's because the one in, what do you call it? Colney Hatch? That's all you're doing. We need Elia back. I've lost it.

No, fuck. Welling. That's gone, isn't it? Oh, that's gone, yeah. When ages go. I haven't been to Stevenage. Stevenage is meant to be. I've not been.

It is meant to be unbelievable. The cafe, the restaurant. It's three or four floors. It's huge. Honestly. Oh, gosh. A little message here. Have a listen to this.

Hi, Nat. I'm message here. Have a listen to this. Hi, Nat. I'm just listening to episode 49, KBS kick bollock scramble. I have never, ever heard that. I live in Essex. I don't know if that makes a difference because it's regional. But obviously not that far from you. I don't work in the arts, so maybe that's it. But I don't even fully understand it.

I know you said it in context to making the kids like a quick, easy dinner. Is that right? Can you explain it and maybe give us a couple more examples? Thank you. Did you? When did you say that? OK, KBS is from Mark. I got that term from Mark and I do believe it's some sort

of television thing when you're running out of time and it's a KBS. But you can use it in all manners of your life because all it means, kick, bollock, scramble, means when you are, you're up against it. You're up against it. So dinner, you're throwing something in, you're doing it quickly. All KBS means is rushing. That's all it means. Free for all or panic situation.

As the project came to an end, it was all a bit of a kick-bollocks scramble. That's a good name for a game show. What would we do on it? I don't know. We'll brief it out. Football naked? Scruple scramble at the end?

Kick-bollocks scramble. Does Alfie play with his scruple scramble? Yes, he did play with it the other day. Oh, that's good. It's aggravating though. Why? It's annoying. It's hard.

Oh. I was going to say something. Oh, yeah. We need to, the mash divide. Oh, there's been a massive, massive divide. I've had people messaging me from work being like, this one girl messaged me oh she'll love this

because she's obsessed with the pod hi Liv and Adie the pod the avid pod listeners oh hello darling so Liv messaged me

saying that Adie asked for mash with their roast lamb she said absolutely not I said babes if you're doing a shank let's be frank

you've got you've got to do it. She said, I don't love him that much. I said, that's fair enough. Oh, no, listen, a lamb shank, slow cooked, with a red wine jus, a few onions and a little red wine sauce gravy with mashed potato. Some fine green beans.

Fantastic. Isn't it? But, yeah, apparently, and I've had loads of messages on Instagram, and it does feel like a northern thing Yes Lots of people have said, yep Northern

We're northern, we do it But I've had a few people send me menus Sunday carveries No way With mash in there No way Yeah, bundles We're wrong

How have we never come across this? I don't know. We've missed it. We've skipped it. And we're wrong. So I am going to do a sort of truffled mash at some point with the roast dinner. No. We should do.

Go on. With the Cote de Berf. Oh. Now you're talking. Could you imagine? Really nice. A creamy, buttery truffle mash. We'll do it.

When are we going to do that? 28th, 29th. We've got to wait for the other kids, see what they're up to. Okay, so we'll do that. Yeah. That's going to be insane. That'll be lovely. Okay.

So anyway, yeah. Oh, talking of Christmas. Go on. I had quite a good message. Have a listen to this. Hi Nat, it's Sally. I'm calling you, well, I'm always noting you from Manchester. Excuse the voice, I've got a horrific cold.

Haven't we all, love? But hasn't the world and his wife. I'm just wondering, obviously you sound like you've got quite a large family and lots of friends and lots of obviously nieces nephews cousins things like that how do you do christmas do you buy for everyone do you buy just for the kids it's carnage we've just been having this conversation with um my family about potentially scaling down and not buying for all adults and possibly doing something like a secret Santa for

the adults so that we're not buying loads of tats and buying one sort of made present it's so expensive and so complicated but yeah just interested to know your thoughts on Christmas present etiquette take care bye

oh we're the wrong people to ask because we're nuts present etiquette. Take care. Bye. Oh. We're the wrong people to ask because we're nuts. Every year we say we're going to scale it back. Yeah, we're going to. We are going to scale it back this year, aren't we? Adult wise. We have to. There's so many children now.

That's the thing. Before there wasn't, you think, in the past five years. Yeah. but we are it's hard though isn't it because we buy for you we're not going to

not buy for each other it's not going to happen never going to happen every year we go we're just buying little something I love giving Christmas presents

it's sort of a hobby for me so to say that I'm not going to do it is absurd. Yeah, I remember one year when you said, I'm really cutting back this year. I mean, Natalie's cutting back. Do you know what I saw the other day?

Go on. I really wanted to, we should do it. What? Fuck, what's it called? I saw someone from some TikToker. You go in Dunelm, there's it called? I saw someone from some, some TikToker. You go in Dunelm, there's a tree thing. Right. And you, oh, what's it called?

I'm so useless. What is wrong with me? I can't retain any information. But there's like little tags on the tree. Welcome to my world. And you pick, take the tags. Yeah. And it's like, you can buy them presents for people.

So there's like an old buy them presents for people. So there's like an old girl who wanted like some cream creams. No way. Yes, no, it's so good. And then you go, you buy the gifts, put them in little gift bags and take it back to Dunelm and they'll make sure they get these presents. You are joking me. I'm not joking. I want to do that.

Yeah, we should do it. Let me look on TikTok what it's called. How can we do that? Just go Dunelm, babe. No, I'm saying can we not do our own one? What do you mean? Oh, yeah, there's loads of things. The girls do it.

Wish Tree. The girls do it at work as well. We do like a shoebox. They did it last year. Oh, I've always done shoebox with the girls. Yeah, look. Wish Tree. Fantastic.

So should we do that? Yeah, definitely. Let's go to Danielle and do that. Okay. Brilliant. This weekend we could do that. Yeah, definitely. Let's go to Dunhill and do that. Okay. Brilliant. This weekend we could do that. Yeah, we could. All right.

All right. Yeah, sorry. So what do we do? So now we've just added to our present buying, by the way. This is what we do. I know, but that's different. No, it is different. That's really good.

Me and the girls have always done, from primary school ages for Eliza, shoe boxes that you have to get sent off early. They go all around the world to different places. You put a little hairbrush, pens, paper, and I usually save up my shoe boxes and do a few of those. That's really, really rewarding. We have done, with the grown-ups, like the siblings now, the past couple of years, we have done a secret Santa. Oh, you have? Yeah yeah how does that work out oh stupid ridiculous oh because we end up just spending well no it's fine but you still end up

spending because you can't buy anything anymore either nice no so you still if we're saying like secret Santa's a hundred pound that's a lot of money as well yeah oh then yeah it's a lot isn't it and even that we end up going you end up I always spend over that. Yeah. But then so this year

we did say because everyone's got kids now Yes. We'll just buy for the children. That's good. But there's no way

I'm not going to get But you can get something small. Yeah. A little something. But you should. I can't if I could speak

that'd be good. I can't not have anyone open a little something. Agreed. It's nice. It's Christmas. Yeah, it is good. But we do, yeah, I do godmothers, family friends.

Yeah. Yeah, we are quite... Neighbours. Excessive. Hairdresser. Yeah. I'll get my best friend a little something. Me and the girls have stopped though

with the kids it's far too many we said we'd rather do something together we're trying to go out instead that's a good idea with the girls my girls see I'm very very good and there's a lot of people that I know over the years that will say oh we're going to pop to

Smith's or Argos because it's Friday night and they've been good for the week so I'm going to get them a present. I've heard that off of people. I've never, ever done that really. For me it's birthdays and Christmas. It's very, very rare that the kids get a gift when it isn't those times. Yes, we're quite bad at that.

So I do go over the top, but for me, that's the treat, that's the time. Joanie is very tight with her money, everybody. I don't know if I've told you this story, but she likes to save all her money up in her purse and she will not spend it. There's cobwebs in there. She's funny. She's so funny.

But she's obviously had birthday money and she wanted this doll. Rainbow High, they're called. I don't know. It's like a new, I'll show you them, but they're kind of make-up glam little dolls.

Like the LOL dolls used to be. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, I said you can have it, but it's £36. Yeah. And you need to get

the money out of your purse. Give it to me. Honestly, she was going through the purse. I said, you can give me a 20 a 10 she went I'm not

giving you a 20 I'm saving those oh she's so funny but she got it all out for me then I know I ordered it for her

she's got to use her money that she got I said mummy is not spending 36 quid it's Christmas soon I'm not doing it

it's true see I just put their money into their premium bonds though Alfie was cracking me up because I told him that he won the other day bloody you won 200 quid See, I just put their money into their premium bonds. Alfie was cracking me up because I told him that he won the other day. Bloody, you won 200 quid. Did he?

Yeah. And then my mum was like, then mum was like, well, I won more than you, Alfie, and told him and he must have been thinking about it. Yeah. Because the other day he came in and he went, Mum, how many quids have I got compared to Nonna? So I told him and he was like, so if I get another, if I get 400, then I'll be beating her.

I was like, yeah, bless him. But yeah, well, this is the thing. He got like some Smith's vouchers for his birthday. Is it bad if I use those to buy Christmas presents? Absolutely not. Because what's he going to do? Well, he's five. He doesn't know anyway.

And also, what's he going to do? Go, he's five. He doesn't know anyway. And also, what's he going to do? Go in and just buy more crap that we don't need? I'd say save it, definitely. That's what I was thinking. Yeah. I thought that was a bit harsh, but I also think it's quite sensible. It's sensible and it's a lot of stuff all the time. Well, this is it.

It's like, and now he knows when he wants something, he goes, Mummy, can I have this for my birthday? He keeps saying his birthday birthday but I'm like baby's Christmas before then so that's fine we can put it on your five o' Christmas Smith's catalogue is out

had one posted oh how did you get that it got sent through the post oh ok but how from the debacle a few years ago they just sent me one

now every year I'm on the mailing list oh I want one but Joni's looking through. But it's weird. I feel a little bit sad because they're both getting older. So I think Joanie, you know, I don't know

what she'll want this year. Maybe a few toys, but I've got every board game under the sun. I feel like I want to get them something which we can do. Go somewhere and do. It is hard, isn't it? Yeah, and she don't need loads. It's hard. But this is it and you just run out of ideas.

Well, even I did my list thing. I've got an app. Elia told us about it, to be fair, last year. It's good, everyone. What's it called? The gift list, isn't it? The gift list or something. Yeah, gift list.

Yeah. So it just tracks them and you can write down ideas, then you can tick off what you've bought, then you can keep track of what you've spent. Budget. Exactly. That's good. And I would like to get ahead a little bit this year. Like I say, every year. It never happens.

But I was sitting there thinking, this is the problem. What am I going to get? My stomach's rumbling. Can you hear that? Is that you? Yeah. I thought that was the drains. That was so loud. What did I eat? I haven't really eaten today. No.

Yeah, this is a problem as well. It's what do you buy, which is mental, because you are just buying for the sake of it. Yeah, you've got to do things that are needed. Luckily with the girls, they're getting to an age now where Eliza just wants clothes or what have you. But even that

she'll want something. And then she decides she don't like it. And then she don't like it in two weeks and I said we can't do that. She's given me a Ralph Lauren cable knit jumper.

She loved that. The cream one which I bought her last Christmas. Don't like it. Why? Don't want it. Why? Because no one's wearing them

and they're all like sheep. That's why. She can put it on vinted then? No, I'll keep it. I'll squeeze into it, no problem. Oh, fair enough. So I'll keep it. But yeah, that's the problem, isn't it? But in terms of presents, going back to the question,

I really like doing stockings. I'm filling up a nice sack for all the children. You know, kids listen to this. I'm an auntie. I'm not Father Christmas. Oh right. I'm saying for your kids. Oh sorry you get like the big sacks. Yeah and I like filling it up and I

just want when it's my great nieces great nephews I just can't help it. I want to spoil them. It's Christmas to me that's the time for children to be spoiled and they should have loads of stuff. Great big boxes. I know it's a pain in the arse, but that's how I feel. No, I think, but it is, sometimes it is just, it's that, isn't it? It's the, sometimes it is the quantity.

You like them having lots, they love opening. They just get so excited, don't they? So actually you could just go and buy a few little cheap bits and bobs. It always reminds me of earlier last year, because she said, Joni just likes opening things. I'm just going to go and team her and buy just a load of shit. Yeah, yeah. So she can unwrap loads of stuff.

Yeah. Which probably isn't the best. No. But then what? Big presents. What? What do you buy? I know.

They've got mine. They've got their Amazon Fire iPad things. Yeah, yeah. You know, the house, you can't... Joanie could do with her own iPad this year. That's a good present. She could do with... Because she's got...

My iPad's 10 years old. I mean, it works, but it'd be nice for her to have her own little one with all her little games on. But at the same time, she's since breaking her arm and being a little bit more, having to sit down and being a bit more relaxed and not as nutcasey,

I've found that she is more addicted to the iPad now. Really? So actually, I don't know if I want to do that. It's hard. It's, yeah. But, yeah, we are nuts, though. We buy, yeah, parents, siblings. I buy my brothers, sister-in-laws.

You still do all that. All my nieces and nephews. The kids. All their kids. Extended, bit of extended family, I do do. Yeah. It's relentless. And every year you think, oh, yeah, I'm going to tighten it up.

But do you know what? I just like buying things that are a bit un-new, just something nice. Well, that's why I like shopping. I don't do... Oh, my God, Natalie, there's a new shop in Harlow. Go on. Oh, my God, I went there on Saturday. What is it?

I don't really... What is it? I think it was where, you know, opposite River Island? Waterstones? Next to Waterstones. It's like a habitat. No. No, no, no, no.

I'm telling you what, it's coming up. What? Waterstones there now. No, it's true. I'm in this shop, so I bought a little candle. Yeah. You know, it's got all the days of the month, so you can burn it. But just everything was not...

I bought myself some new chopsticks. It's not a tiger tiger. No, it's not a tiger tiger. It's so lovely. Really? All knitting stuff. You could get, for Jackie, you could buy lovely little bits in there. All gifting, all gift bags, candles.

But reasonable, yeah? Really reasonable. And just lovely. Just loads of lovely little house bits, all the little silicone spatula, just all lovely little gifty bits. Oh, it sounds really nice and I think maybe Saturday we should do Dunelms and pop there. Yeah, it was really nice.

Whack into Asda. Have a wag of mamma's. Or not. Pizza dress. No, it was cute. I got some little bits for Ruby's dollhouse, some little fairy, really sweet shop. Oh, that's really good. Yeah, it's new though. No, it was good. I got some little bits for Ruby's dollhouse, like some little fairy, yeah, really sweet shop. Oh, that's really good. Yeah, it's new, though. No, it was good.

Good. Mark's cracking on with the railway, you know? Is he? Yeah. When's that going to be done? I reckon there'll be trains running round it for Alfie to see. I reckon, if not by the end of the year. Oh, really?

It won't be fully done, but it won't be long and Alfie will have something to play with out there. It'll be really good. Then we can just do our own little Christmas stuff. Yeah, definitely. Out there. Yeah. I just want to come round.

But yeah, so yeah, in other words, we are mental at Christmas. Yeah, we do go a bit nuts. Advent calendar time soon. Oh, I won't be getting one. Well, I emailed a few companies saying that I wanted to do a bit of a test of them because I love it so much.

Not heard back from no one. Can't believe it. Can you not? The most popular items that are bought at Christmas, you can't believe it. Yeah, I thought if I email a few, get four or five, then we'd all have one. But it's not really worked out.

No, I don't think that will somehow. Shame. But again, that's like a present in itself. That's got mental, isn't it? Yeah, but I would rather that as part of my present. Yeah, I use it so much, especially the Diptyque one. All year round, all the candles get burnt. I know it's really boring.

I use all the little perfumes in all my handbags. Yeah, they are handy. They're amazing. Yeah. It's just perfect. Yeah. I didn't like the Liberties one, for me, because I don't use a lot of product and it's about testing lovely products and it's not really a bit of me. I don't do loads. But as candles, you're just going to use them

so it's worthwhile, isn't it? And the perfume yeah but yeah i think that's probably one of my favorites i did like the liberty one when i had it did find a few little things that i like oh no but did you use it all no probably not no it's a good deal but the candles yeah 100 i have got the kids one already oh what you got gone for looking for the Lapland one. What do you mean? Lapland UK have just done one. Oh, have they? Yeah.

Oh, lovely. It's got like... It's beautiful. It looks beautiful. I think it's just got like old coins in it. I've seen one for Ruby that I might have to get her. Oh, is it? It's all little miniature dolls every day. Oh, my God.

She'll rip the whole thing up and it'll be done. Day one't it? It's all little miniature dolls every day. Oh, my God. She'll rip the whole thing open. We're done. Day one, done. It's all dollies. Oh, now we've got all the elf debacle as well. They're back soon. What do you mean, soon? Well, they're flying back soon, aren't they?

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, shit. Flying back soon. Can we talk about this? Eh? We're not going to be able to talk about this. We can, but we've got to do a massive, massive...

Yeah. Ears, little we've got to do a massive, massive... Yeah. Yeah. Ears, little ears, switch off now. Little ears, little ears, switch off now. The fucking elf. Oh, my gosh. I always start it with good intent. Me too. And then it just peters off by the end of it.

He's just fucking sitting in the lampshade for like a week it's really bad gathering dust I feel like this year I'm going to have to this year's a biggie for you and there's a mum

at the school I won't name her name I don't know if she listens but she goes all out like she's good but she goes all out and I know

Alfie's going to come home and go mum so I've got to last year a company sent me Like, she's good, but she goes all out, and I know Alfie's going to come home and go, Mum! So I've got to... Last year, a company sent me some cards and props. Oh, really? I can't remember the name. I might have to do that.

I will find it, I will show you. I have kept it all, but I'll put it all in the Christmas cupboard. Yeah. But it does actually help. Help, yeah, just for some ideas. Very, very good. I see some ideas on Instagram and stuff. I need to just save them down so I can remember.

Yeah. But mine usually consists of it just hanging in different places. Well, I'm sorry. I know that we're being seasonal but I'll tell you something else. I need to make my Christmas puddings. Already? It's October. I've got no time.

I need to get out. I need to get all the ingredients. Does anyone eat them? them yes your mum likes it oh I don't go mad I'll just do a couple but if I make more I can do small ones

and they're really nice handed out as presents oh good yeah I'd be fuming if I got that I know you would I'm grateful bastard can we have mince pies

yeah I've got all my mincemeats done well before we go to Christmas this is what I did yesterday for Halloween. Oh, that's nice. That's lovely. My kids don't want anything up. And on the front door. I can see.

Why? Oh, what is that? Legit not happening? They don't want anything up but I've got two boxes of stuff in the garage and I think I'm going to get it out anyway. Oh, that's sad. Sad, yeah. We're not going to do something trick or treating.

Yes, definitely. I'm around for sure. Okay, great. So I think we should definitely do it. Yeah, that'd be nice. It's nice here as well. We'll do it here, yeah.

I feel like Ruby's going to be quite a Halloween kind of gal. Yeah. Which would suit her because she's the devil. Yeah, I think it's a good idea. Get her a little devil outfit it'd be cute

yeah we'd do that I wonder if Ellie's baby's going to be made to be put in a pumpkin outfit might not have a choice might buy him one anyway that's what I mean oh I know it's going to be his first Christmas it's going to be lovely

yeah so we've got a new little bubba well it's been lovely having his first Christmas. It's going to be lovely. Yeah, so we've got a new little bubba. Ah. Well, it's been lovely having a catch up. Was that it? Hopefully I'll see you the weekend, maybe. Yeah, I'd love that. I really would like a little Strictly night. Yeah, let's have a Strictly evening. I'm into it.

Well, Jamie was saying, when am I going? Oh. But because I'm busy this week, this is my first weekend really of sorting stuff out at home and doing stuff. But he has said, when are you coming along? So I just need to give him a date and go. Oh, you've got to. Yeah, for sure.

I loved going to watch you do Strictly. Did you love it? We used to have such a laugh, didn't we? Yeah, it was really good. It was a really nice experience. It was very, very good. It's a shame you've done it really. I know, I'm gutted I did it then. I'd be better now, wouldn't I? Yeah, I think so. Well, I'm a four stone lighter so I might be able to be picked up by someone, possibly.

I wouldn't be picking up the dancer. You were Monica. Oh, bless you, Nat. Maybe they'll do a second time special. No, they just don't. The disasters of the last 15 years, 20 years. You didn't do too bad, did you? No, I did well.

You went to Blackpool, you said? After Blackpool. Maybe I'll get on it. Week after Blackpool. Yeah, get you on there. I'd love to do it. Well, if we crack on with this and sort of build up the old momentum, who knows?

Yeah. All right. I love you. Yeah, you too. Thanks. Thanks all. Thanks for listening and we'll speak to you really soon. See you later.

See you. 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 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