Everyday Holidays Episode 5 - PLAY

They don't call August silly season for nothing.

The Simple Things’ Wellbeing  Editor, Becs Frank, is back with Editor, Lisa Sykes eating ice cream and lollies and playing big kid games in the park. They’re going barefoot and trying some messy projects in a bid to find the fun and adventure. A spot of laughter yoga, anyone?

Small Ways to Live Well is a podcast from The Simple Things, a monthly magazine about slowing down, remembering what’s important and making the most of where you live.

To subscribe or order a copy of the magazine visit thesimplethings.com

Editing by Arthur Cosslett.

Transcript

Lisa Sykes (00:14):

Hello, I'm Lisa Sykes, editor of The Simple Things, the Monthly magazine about slowing down a little and remembering what's really important. And this is our small Ways to Live Well podcast, and if you are in the middle of that high summer haze of disturbed routines and school holidays, or you're in the middle of going on the trip or coming back from a trip, then just to place you where you are so you know what's happening. You are listening to episode five in our everyday holiday season. Today I'm joined by our wellbeing editor, Becs Franks, to talk about the importance of play, why being silly, finding fun and adventure, and generally having a laugh is a good thing. Are you with me on this? Becs?

Becs Frank (00:51):

Definitely. Lisa. Hello again. Yes, I think it's really important that we remember to make time for play and fun, so I'm looking forward to talking about that today.

Lisa Sykes (01:01):

Yeah, no, I think so. And games are obviously a place to start, aren't they? Park games, rounders, campsite, cricket, water games on the beach. Summer is a great time. And you don't really need any skills, do you? For most of them?

Becs Frank (01:15):

No. I think that's what I love about it really, is that anyone can play. It's great when you can see all generations joining in a game of cricket or something like that. The competitiveness is still there, isn't it? Oh yes.

Lisa Sykes (01:26):

Oh yes. Probably more so if it's your family.

Becs Frank (01:29):

Yeah. And I have really fond memories of big games of rounders and cricket on the beach. Do you?

Lisa Sykes (01:34):

No, definitely. And our family, because we've got young kids in it and teenagers because people being different ages and 20 somethings as well, but who doesn't want to have go at a three legged race? Whatever age you are, you can soon rustle up a few games.

Becs Frank (01:50):

All you need is someone your own size, that's all.

Lisa Sykes (01:52):

Yeah, yeah. It helps if you've got the same leg length, doesn't it really? Because we've done a few pieces about this in the mag, like games you can play that are quite impromptu. And the one I like is football Skittles. So basically you just less than half fill some sort of not very good plastic water bottles and number them and arrange them like Skittles, and then you kick or throw a ball at them and knock them over. And that's pretty easy. There's always some bottles and wash around.

Becs Frank (02:18):

Yeah, that's a great impromptu thing. And of course you can keep the bottles, you don't have to throw them away.

Lisa Sykes (02:22):

No, that's true.

Becs Frank (02:23):

Yeah. Yeah. Skittles is great. And bull.

Lisa Sykes (02:26):

Oh yeah, love a game of

Becs Frank (02:27):

Bulls. Love a game of, obviously you've got to be a bit more organised, but that's good fun, isn't it? On the beach or, yeah,

Lisa Sykes (02:32):

Definitely. You always get those ones. Do you remember when the plastic ones that you've had for years and then you get them out and one's leaked and suddenly there's one that's only got air lit?

Becs Frank (02:40):

Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (02:41):

I mean it's not too energetic is it? Because you can play it in sand on the beach, but we've got a gravel drive and we play it on there sometimes as well, which is easy. Or even a flat lawn's fine, isn't it? Yeah,

Becs Frank (02:52):

Flat lawn's fine, isn't it? Yeah. I

Lisa Sykes (02:54):

Always feel a little bit French when I Yeah,

Becs Frank (02:56):

Well isn't that

Lisa Sykes (02:58):

Well, ah, I looked this up because I wasn't sure either. So apparently bulls is, or bull, sorry. It's actually any game involving a ball being thrown or bold. So it also includes lawn bowling, which my nan was very good at Crown free bowling. I love that. And the Italians play game called Bachi, or Bachi, I dunno how you say it, probably Botcher. But Pang is basically the French version of bowling, right? Yes. And that has metal balls. Oh, I see. So I got you. Because basically bull just means ball in French, right? Yeah, yeah. So Pang is a type of bull,

Becs Frank (03:36):

But it's just good fun, isn't it? And you know what? It's actually really good for us to just be playful. Life can get pretty serious, can't it?

(03:46):

Particularly as we get older, you can just sort of forget to be playful and how good it makes you feel. So I think that's why summer is a great time when we can get outside and we can do a few of these fun games, just make us feel a bit more relaxed to get those happy kind of playful or moans going and just take your mind off other things.

Lisa Sykes (04:06):

And it builds a bit of community as well, doesn't it? My old neighbours started, it was before we moved there actually, and someone had a field, so they basically started getting together once a year in this field. And this thing started off with a small barbecue and ended up being people brought people to stay at their houses to make up the rounders team, and it got into quite a big thing, and it meant you spoke to your neighbours more because you did this thing together every year. And

Becs Frank (04:32):

We do a similar thing actually. And sometimes it's the only time that we see some of the neighbours with the really little kids and everyone joins in. And a friend of mine, they do a similar thing with a big cricket game in there because their parents live somewhere with a village green and they've done that every year. So it's nice to maybe start your own little traditions like that.

Lisa Sykes (04:50):

Absolutely. Yeah. No, I think it's a really good thing. I do love a bit of croque actually as well, and that does get competitive. You can really whack people's balls off the edge of the pitch.

Becs Frank (05:01):

Yeah, that's good fun.

Lisa Sykes (05:02):

And people have their own slightly different rules, so there's always a bit of an argument about the rules if it's somebody you've never paid for

Becs Frank (05:07):

Before. Yeah, I'm not up on the road. What about crazy golf? We've got a great crazy golf course here in Bath, and that's a family favourite.

Lisa Sykes (05:14):

You see, I would've never picked Bath out for a crazy golf course.

Becs Frank (05:17):

It's a really good one. If ever you are in bath head to Victoria Park, and actually in the winter it is glow in the dark, crazy golf. So around Christmas you've got me

Lisa Sykes (05:26):

At glow in the dark there. But no, they're just fun, aren't they? I mean, they're totally tacky, are they? And you have to just accept that, but Well, ours is quite

Becs Frank (05:34):

Sophisticated actually. Lisa,

Lisa Sykes (05:35):

Is it? Is it? Yeah,

Becs Frank (05:36):

Of course this is. Well, but it's probably the only thing that we all do now, still as a family, the five of us, three teenagers still. Well, everyone will come out for a game of crazy

Lisa Sykes (05:46):

Golf. Yeah, no, I could absolutely gather our family for crazy golf, whereas I can't think of another single sport that everyone would take part in. Yeah,

Becs Frank (05:54):

Yeah. And the teenagers can forget to be cool for a while.

Lisa Sykes (05:57):

Yeah, definitely. But actually my probably least sporty daughter who's at uni, she told me they had a wheelbarrow race with a house the other day, and I was quite impressed. I thought, oh, that sounds a bit energetic.

Becs Frank (06:08):

What do you mean? How did

Lisa Sykes (06:09):

They do that? Well, I said, where did you get the wheelbarrows from? But she meant human wheelbarrows where you lift each other's legs up, and of course the race was round their house, their student house, so it sounded carnage. I

Becs Frank (06:23):

Was literally thinking they'd got hold of some wheelbarrows and were going around the garden in them. Oh, that's so funny. We used to do that as kids. Yeah, I know. I bet there was some alcohol involved there, wasn't there?

Lisa Sykes (06:33):

Yeah, no, it sounded terrible, but she couldn't tell me for laughing. And I think that's the thing. Games do make you laugh, don't they?

Becs Frank (06:41):

Yeah. And then that's the thing, kids, teenagers are more playful. We lose our playfulness a bit. We, and we always talk a lot about learning and how great it is to keep learning, but if you think about not every day, the school day, and even if it is, everyone needs playtime, don't they? Even at school, you have important, that's why you have two playtimes in the morning and the afternoon. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (07:01):

Definitely. That you have the break. So why is being playful good for us? I know you're going to have a science bit here, aren't you? I can tell.

Becs Frank (07:08):

Well, I think I've talked a little bit about the dopamine is the neurotransmitter in the brain and when we play and when we're laugh, when we're having fun, that gets released. So you automatically feel less stressed and it's just a kind of nice natural antidote to stress and the seriousness of life.

Lisa Sykes (07:26):

Kids do remind you of that as well, they, because I know you've just had a big birthday and you've had lots of kids around at your house, haven't you, with the whole family gathering, and I bet you've been playing a lot of kids games, haven't you?

Becs Frank (07:37):

Yeah, I've been playing with little ones all weekend and it is great. I could be in the kitchen thinking, oh gosh, is there something else I should be clearing up or making or actually, no, I think I'll just get outside and hang and play a silly game with the kids and just like going on the trampoline, just doing something really silly. Yeah, you wouldn't do ordinarily. Yeah, yeah, no, exactly. And it does make you feel good.

Lisa Sykes (08:00):

And of course I've been spending a lot of time not actually playing games, but watching sport,

Becs Frank (08:05):

Watching the Olympic games

Lisa Sykes (08:06):

Because the Olympics obviously, which is just finishing, but you cannot help but be inspired to do some sport as a result of watching

Becs Frank (08:16):

Elite sport. Yes. And you watch all these different sports that you don't normally watch, don't you? And it is really inspiring

Lisa Sykes (08:21):

And obviously it's a different beast, but if you start doing couch to 5K as a result of watching someone break a world record in the 800 metres, that's a good thing, right?

Becs Frank (08:31):

Yeah, exactly. I was quite good as a bit of beach volleyball myself in the sea. In the sea, not quite got the outfit or the skill for the,

Lisa Sykes (08:42):

I've got this vision now. This vision of you playing

Becs Frank (08:45):

Under the Eiffel Tower at Beach Volley. Yeah, I'm definitely about waist length in the sea. Waist high in the sea, sorry, playing it with us.

Lisa Sykes (08:53):

No big

Becs Frank (08:53):

Jumps. No, no big jumps or brief bikini bottoms for me.

Lisa Sykes (08:58):

Oh, I'm feeling hot just talking about sport. Actually no, we need it coolers and for me that's got to be ice cream.

Becs Frank (09:06):

It's

Lisa Sykes (09:06):

The best excuse to eat sugar really? Isn't it?

Becs Frank (09:09):

After playtime? It's ice cream time.

Lisa Sykes (09:11):

Yeah, absolutely. So I mean, we've done a lot of recipes over the years, haven't we, in the simple things about making ice cream at home. And you don't need an ice cream maker, do you?

Becs Frank (09:21):

No, you don't. And in fact, we've done quite a lot of pieces on all sorts of different ice creams, different flavours and ways to serve. Yes, there's one

Lisa Sykes (09:28):

In the August

Becs Frank (09:30):

Edition,

Lisa Sykes (09:30):

There's a lavender one lavender ice cream, which sounds really nice.

Becs Frank (09:33):

Isn't that the prettiest colour? I love it. I think it

Lisa Sykes (09:36):

Just looks too nice to

Becs Frank (09:37):

Eat.

Lisa Sykes (09:38):

It is such an unusual colour as well,

Becs Frank (09:40):

Isn't it? Yeah. And I imagine the flavour of the lavender, kind of like a palmer violet flavour.

Lisa Sykes (09:45):

Yeah, because you just meant lavender sugar.

Becs Frank (09:47):

Yeah, no, definitely.

Lisa Sykes (09:48):

No, really nice. I'm going to have a go at that.

Becs Frank (09:50):

No, so all you need is double cream, and you whip that up and you add the sweet condensed milk. That's a key ingredient for stopping it from becoming too icy. So it gives you the more creamy texture and then your flavouring. So just if you're just doing vanilla, it would be some vanilla extract or vanilla pod, and then obviously you've got wells oyster with flavourings, and then it's just a bit of patience really. Obviously a churner will do it faster,

Lisa Sykes (10:13):

And do you have to do lots of stirring then

Becs Frank (10:16):

If you leave it long enough, you can avoid taking it out and stirring it. If you want to be a perfectionist and you want it to be really quicker, and then you can bring it out, do your own sort of churning, stir it, get it around the edge, just put it back in, that will speed up the process.

Lisa Sykes (10:27):

It sounds like it's best to just eat when it's ready, as opposed for a planned time.

Becs Frank (10:32):

Do it the day before, if you

Lisa Sykes (10:33):

Can think. Presumably it doesn't last as long either, so you have to eat it fairly quickly. What a shame.

Becs Frank (10:40):

Yeah, exactly. And it'll melt more quickly, so yeah, gobble it up and you can make your own sorbet, ice creams, lollies.

Lisa Sykes (10:46):

And I know you fancy doing a bit some moochie, don't you? Because we've Oh, I love, we've got mochi in the August issue.

Becs Frank (10:52):

I love Moochie and that recipe looks, I mean it's a bit involved, but I am going to do that this month, set aside a couple of hours and really have fun making that with my daughter. I think

Lisa Sykes (11:01):

So if you don't know what mochi is, because I didn't, until a more fashionable colleague of mine on the magazine pointed out to me, it's a Japanese sweet rice treat, basically. I think you make poda, aren't you, from Sweet Rice, but you can fill them with ice cream, can't you? Which is kind of a more modern way to do them. Took these recipes from a book, actually we have,

Becs Frank (11:21):

You got the title of it? Yes. It's called Mochi, make Your Own at Home, and it's published by Smith Street Books.

Lisa Sykes (11:27):

Yeah, and it's great. There's some great recipes in there, but it sounds good though, doesn't it? I am. Well, you are going to make some and I'm going to eat them. How does that sound?

Becs Frank (11:34):

I think it's going to be just nice, really nice little tasty mouthfuls.

Lisa Sykes (11:38):

Yeah,

Becs Frank (11:39):

Little morsels. Really nice. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (11:41):

It's interesting, isn't it though, because ice cream still feels quite magical even now. Imagine how it felt when they first discovered how to ice cream. It was the 16 hundreds when they first started building these brick lined ice houses because obviously they already knew how to make salted ice,

Speaker 3 (12:02):

But

Lisa Sykes (12:02):

It was keeping it until it was summer. That was the problem because obviously you want your ice cream in the summer, and so they started building these ice houses and then they could chill cream. And of course it became quite a huge status symbol to bring them out at the end of a dinner of un things. Of course, yeah. But it wasn't un til, I dunno, we did a piece about this, I should just say we have a looking back section in the magazine where we explore a bit of history, each issue, and this one was all about ice cream. And in the 1850s, someone started selling penny ices to the masses, but it wasn't the most hygienic. They basically used reusable cups and then they just dunked 'em in some dirty water and then gave them to the next person. So I think health and safety took over, and that's how we ended up with cones because they started using edible biscuit cups to put the ice cream in as opposed to fascinating germ really. And glasses

Becs Frank (12:56):

And walls then were the first two

Lisa Sykes (12:58):

Main, they started doing effectively ice cream vans, horses, and carts going round to mobile selling because they were butchers and they thought, well, let's sell a summer snack. So they started selling ice cream from horse and cart. Mr. Whippy arrived later with the Green Sleeves. You may remember the iconic tune that was in the sixties.

Becs Frank (13:19):

There's got to be the happiest sound of summer, hasn't it? I

Lisa Sykes (13:22):

Think it is nostalgia straightaway, isn't it? It takes you back to, everybody remembers where their childhood ice cream van used to come and

Becs Frank (13:31):

What they used

Lisa Sykes (13:31):

To get. Yeah, exactly.

Becs Frank (13:32):

Yeah. Do you remember the ones with the gob stock on the bottom?

Lisa Sykes (13:36):

Oh

Becs Frank (13:36):

Yeah, they

Lisa Sykes (13:37):

Were probably hot. Well, I don't know. I can't even remember they were called. But yeah,

Becs Frank (13:40):

I remember we used to get those from our ice cream

Lisa Sykes (13:42):

And apparently there's lots of debate about nobody really knows or the origin of flakes in ice cream and stuff.

Becs Frank (13:48):

Oh, okay. Although

Lisa Sykes (13:49):

I'm sure someone's probably going to tell us now

Becs Frank (13:50):

The 99 has mysterious origin. Exactly.

Lisa Sykes (13:55):

I like a retro ice cream though. I love another ice cream float with lemon in lemonade. Right,

Becs Frank (14:01):

The banana split.

Lisa Sykes (14:03):

The reason I love the ice cream float though is because we were allowed to walk down the beach with my cousins with money in our hand when we were little and we didn't have money and to go to the cafe to buy these when we were on holiday, and it made me feel so grown up. So there's a whole memory attached to it.

Becs Frank (14:20):

Yeah, well, I just like it. We've got some really nice Sunday glass, quite retro Sunday glasses at home.

Lisa Sykes (14:25):

Oh, love those. You've got to do it properly, haven't

Becs Frank (14:28):

You? Yeah. Yeah. It just makes a bit of ice cream feel so much more special, doesn't it? Add some fruits, add some, yeah.

Lisa Sykes (14:33):

Long

Becs Frank (14:34):

Spoons,

Lisa Sykes (14:35):

Straws, spring

Becs Frank (14:36):

Cut all the bit. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (14:37):

But jelly and ice cream and apparently, which I only discovered this when we were just looking at what we were going to talk about and we talking about jelly and ice cream were, but did you know that any liquid can be turned into jelly with a sheet of gelatin and just a little bit of maths apparently. Oh, there you go. So, which sounds too easy, but do you remember that one? We did it, which is a pims jelly with a cucumber sorbet.

Becs Frank (15:00):

I think that recipe is actually, is that recipe still on the blog?

Lisa Sykes (15:03):

It's on our blog. It's on our blog, which is for anyone who hasn't been there before. The blog is the simple things.com and if you search for jelly in the search bar, this will come up. Yeah, we've done quite a few jellies actually. But that PIMS one, it was like a sort of preserved glass of pims, wasn't it? But in jelly form. Yeah. Delicious. Because you like a sorbet, don't you?

Becs Frank (15:24):

Yeah, I do. I think probably would choose more of a sorbet than an ice cream if I'm in an ice cream parlour, particularly on a hot day. I think it's just so nice and refreshing. What about an

Lisa Sykes (15:35):

Ice cream sandwich though base?

Becs Frank (15:37):

Yeah, so I was saying about when I was in Sicily a couple of years ago, I was fascinated by the ice cream brioche. So it's brioche conal that they have for breakfast. So it's basically a briosh burn with an ice cream warm bri burn with an ice cream filling, so it starts to melt. And then this is a common breakfast that sounds full on. I know. Delicious though, right?

Lisa Sykes (16:04):

We did do a Raspberry Ripple ice cream sandwich, which were in shortbread rounds and I think that sounds the business actually. Anyway, look, we could spend the next 10 minutes just ice creams I've known and loved, but probably for a little change of mood now we've had to run around in a cooling lolly. I'm inviting everyone to sit back in a deck chair and be inspired by our story this episode. So I'm going to read aloud a story. And this one, they're heading to the sea and doing something spontaneous full circle, A short story by Harriet Dario. As soon as I saw the little red car swing round the corner, I began to feel better. Kaia stopped radio still blaring, grinning her familiar gappy smile, wearing a gingham red sundress that tied in bows on her shoulders to match the car. Her skirt rucked up over her knees to feel the breeze.

(17:01):

She was unchanged from when we were kids, borrowing her brother's car to skip six form and spending illicit day at the beach. It was a relief to see her. I threw my straw basket into the back and took my seat by her side. She looked at me steadily. Eyes locking with mine. What's up? She asked. Nothing. Nothing. Well just I do know that's why I'm here. We need a day at the beach. I've got this. She tossed me a huge floppy hat with ribbons. Took your skirt into your knickers. Let's go. I sank back into the chair, tied an enormous bow into my chin and began to list what I had brought. Cosy towel, sun cream, white shirt, bottle of white wine in a chiller magazine cake in a tin. Are you worried Brown Owl is going to check our kit list? She interrupted. We sang as we drove, twisting and turning through the Dorsett lanes following black and white finger signs and memory more than the sat nav.

(17:57):

We circled back for a while, took an accidental detour through a watercress farm and arrived at the beach. Late into the afternoon, we lay in our causes and chatted as the sun moved across the sky, we ate hula hoops from each finger, the cake from the tin, and opened the wine lying on our bellies, our fingers trailed in the sand, sifting, arranging pebbles into circles and piles. And we talked about the other versions of us that we had known over the decades. We talked until the sun was setting in pink and gold on the chalky cliffs catchy pointed to the stone spiral that had been idly constructing full circle. She said, we've come full circle, we have survived it all careers, kids divorces, deaths. But fundamentally, we are still those two little girls on the beach more than ever these days, except we keep our causes on now and wouldn't dream of skinny dipping.

(18:47):

I laughed, but yes, you are right. Full circle phosphorescence, she said, staring out to sea. How could I forget? I've only ever seen it once. That night at fish come cove, I sighed, lying back to stare at the sky, our bare skin in the salty sea, hair, fingers, and toes, radiating luminous beams of light as we swirled magical creatures with superpowers. Look phosphorescence, she repeated. I sat up the evening, sun was almost gone and the moon bathed the cove in yellowish light. Ripples of bright light danced in the water, illuminating every wave with flickering stars. The waves rolled back and so did the years. I stepped out of my cos and into the sea, catch it incredulous for a moment. Did the same, an elderly couple walking their dog on the headland above, spotted our abandoned costumes and stood for a minute to see us diving and swooping in the Spangled waves. Just look at those kids in the water. They said we were like that once.

Becs Frank (19:58):

I love that story. It just really reminds me of my oldest friend and how when we get together we're just really silly. And just like when we were teenagers again,

Lisa Sykes (20:07):

I know and there's something about your old friends, you don't need any warmup, do you? It's kind of straight away. And you also regress to your silliest times, don't you?

Becs Frank (20:17):

And you don't need to say things do you don't need to explain how you feel or what you need. Your friend just kind of knows. Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (20:24):

And they know what makes you laugh. And so they tell you the stories that they know you like and vice versa.

Becs Frank (20:30):

And obviously one of the girls in the story, the women in the story I should say, as something's been going on in her life, hasn't there? And that's the thing, having a laugh, doing something spontaneous, something a bit silly, a bit playful is the best cure often.

Lisa Sykes (20:45):

It really is. And I just think sharing those memories and also with your oldest friends, you knew each other before you had those responsibilities, didn't you? So it's easy to revert to being a big kid. You were kids together or near as.

Becs Frank (21:03):

So all those inhibitions go and you're there, which is kind of a bit like what it's like when you hang out with children as well. You go back to, that's your childhood. Your childhood self comes out.

Lisa Sykes (21:14):

It's hard, isn't it, to find that spontaneity and fun with everyone because you might not see those old friends very often or all the time. Yeah, of course. And I dunno about you, but I am feeling really lacking in fun. I feel like I've left fun behind. Do you remember that? We had that article, didn't we? And it really hit home with me because one of our contributors, ally McClintock, she felt the same. And she said her teenagers had described her as a fun sponge. And I remember sitting there at the dinner table with our kids that night and going, am I a fun sponge? And without any hesitation, they all said yes, it's awful. And I think you just get so preoccupied, don't you, that you do forget to be fun with the people you have the most to deal with, whether it's your partner or your children or your parents or it's true. You don't do the fun thing with them as much. So what do we do about it, Beck? That's the question.

Becs Frank (22:10):

Well, you need to kind of flex your fun muscle again. So I guess, yeah, mean, I'm guessing they're going to tell me how they're doing things that you find fun, but it's also just triggering your kind of, if you think about when you last properly belly laughed, and it's not that often, is it? When you're adults

Lisa Sykes (22:30):

That

Becs Frank (22:30):

Not you really, really giggle until it hurts. I mean, think about things that really make you laugh. It might be the film or a TV series. As a family, we all sit and watch Modern Family and it just always makes us laugh. But there's always some programmes aren't there that really get to you. When I was a kid, it was faulty towers. It might be the comedian that really just pushes your buttons and makes you laugh.

Lisa Sykes (22:55):

I love a bit of ptk that would always send me into absolute giggling frenzy. Really?

Becs Frank (23:01):

Yeah. So just putting that on and getting you in the mood again, can just lighten your mood. Just doing things as we've sort of touched on before, but just because they're fun, just because it's like, we call it the pursuit of pleasure. So everything doesn't have to have a purpose. Everything doesn't have to have an end game. It's just enjoyable and fun.

Lisa Sykes (23:20):

No, no. It's important to remember, isn't it? But I know our contributory wrote this piece. She tried laughter yoga. She did. Which just because I know what laughter yoga, a little bit about what it involves, it's already making me smile a bit. But it is quite strange. I think

Becs Frank (23:37):

It is strange. I mean basically it is a series of exercises and some of it's not all laughter. So it's breathing exercises, it's a bit of chanting, a bit of clapping. It's all things to get your, you are getting your adrenaline going, you're getting your heart rate up, and you're kind of taking yourself into a bit of a different physical state.

Lisa Sykes (23:55):

So this is the time when we invite listeners to participate with us.

Becs Frank (23:59):

Okay, let's do a bit

Lisa Sykes (24:01):

Do of, I feel like this is a communal experience. Here we go live Laughter yoga on our podcast.

Becs Frank (24:08):

So one of the things that you'll often find in a laughter yoga class is chanting. So you chant ho ho, ho ha. I'm

Lisa Sykes (24:22):

Laughing already. So lemme have a go. Lemme have a go. Ho ho ho. Ha ha ha. Ho ho ho. Ha ha ha. I really hope everyone else is doing this, otherwise I'll start to feel very foolish. And then what do you do? Take a deep

Becs Frank (24:38):

Breath in. So then take a deep breath in and then take a couple of breaths maybe, and then try this one where you take a deep breath in and as you exhale, just laugh.

Lisa Sykes (24:50):

You see

Becs Frank (24:50):

It started

Lisa Sykes (24:50):

Off as a bit, ha ha. And then it becomes a proper laugh, doesn't it? I'm going to do that one again. And

Becs Frank (25:00):

It does get deeper and more

Lisa Sykes (25:01):

Inside you as you go.

Becs Frank (25:03):

And when you are in a group and you other people do it, even just you and I doing it together, I think it's probably a bit harder if you're just doing it on your own, but you'll get there. It might just take a little bit

Lisa Sykes (25:13):

Longer. You told me about something called lion pose that you do in laughter yoga.

Becs Frank (25:18):

Oh yeah. So in yoga, this is a

Lisa Sykes (25:20):

Facial. This may not be quite so well on a sound base medium, but go on, give me the pose and I'll try and describe it.

Becs Frank (25:27):

Okay, so you ready?

Lisa Sykes (25:28):

Yeah. So okay, imagine a lion laid in the Serengeti, it's a bit hot and it's got his tongue out and he's just looking a bit daz my life, I think. I think that's pretty much what you just look like, but that's good. But it certainly made me laugh.

Becs Frank (25:48):

And when you're in a group of people and they're all doing that, believe me, laughing. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (25:53):

There's a touch of the hacker about it I think as well. It definitely has that.

Becs Frank (25:58):

Yeah. Yeah. And it's really good facial exercise. It stresses all your facial muscles. And that's what laughing does as well. So it gives you core workout, it gives you facial muscles a workout. It gets your heart rate going. It's basically physiologically there's a stress and laughter, a physiological opposites. So you can't be stressed while you are laughing because

Lisa Sykes (26:17):

Well that is something to take away right there isn't it? That if you laugh, you can't be stressed. And it is true, as Bex knows, it was been a particularly stressful day because our office had some problems and I was pretty stressed before we got together for this podcast. And I'm feeling better. There you go.

Becs Frank (26:35):

I'm definitely, you can feel yourself. I feel warmer. Do you? I feel warmer and lighter and I'm smiling and I can't stop smiling. So I think it's important to think about the little things that really make you laugh but also laugh at yourself. We can take ourselves too seriously, can't we?

Lisa Sykes (26:54):

No, you do have to be prepared to feel foolish, don't you? And there's nothing makes you feel foolish than trying to learn a new sport or a new activity, a skill, isn't it?

Becs Frank (27:05):

Are you talking about my surfing?

Lisa Sykes (27:06):

Well, it did come to mind as I was saying that, but I didn't want to make you talk about it. Go on to talk about it a little bit.

Becs Frank (27:16):

Well, if my friend Susie is listening, she would vouch for this. So she suggested we went surfing at the Wave, which is a very cool place near Bristol where you can go and do simulated a beach with big waves and or small waves for the beginners like me. And I had a lesson and it was an all women group, so it was all very friendly and very lovely and fun. And they said, we guarantee we'll get you up on the board. And it was an hour lesson. And I think in the 59th minute I did actually stand up on the board for more. Yes, well actually went on my knees a few times, but oh my God, I laughed so much because I was up and down off that board so many times and I could have got really stressed about it and could have felt a bit, maybe I wasn't the best in the group, but I just had such fun and I just forgot all my inhibitions and didn't

Lisa Sykes (28:06):

No, it's funny, isn't it? Because I am not confident about water sports at all. And we were doing this family paddle boarding thing and of course we were going to West Water, which is the deepest most, it's kind of got a look of doom about it, the lake. I love it up there, but it is quite a scary place. And I'm thinking, I'm really not happy about this. I'm going to fall in, it's not going to be nice. And I was really

Becs Frank (28:27):

Like, and paddleboarding it looks easy, but it's not. Well, surfing doesn't look easy, but paddleboarding you kind of think it's going to be, don't you? Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (28:34):

But trying to get your balance takes a little while. And of course what happened is the moment I stood up, I fell in and once I'd fallen in and the family were laughing at me and I was laughing at myself, I realised that was the worst that was going to happen. And it was a total change of attitude from there on in. And I'm still not an expert obviously, but you do achieve something, don't you? And then it is about stretching yourself out of your comfort zone because it would've been the easiest thing in the world to go for a walk or a bike ride, which both of which I like doing and can do or

Becs Frank (29:03):

Sit on the side and watch the family and say, I won't join in this time. Which is that's the fun sponge in You can, yeah,

Lisa Sykes (29:09):

The fun sponge right

Becs Frank (29:10):

There. Yeah, exactly.

Lisa Sykes (29:11):

But making things a little bit more adventurous gives you so much, doesn't it? A sense of satisfaction. I've written about that funnily

Becs Frank (29:17):

Enough. I in the August issue

Lisa Sykes (29:20):

You have,

Becs Frank (29:21):

I thought I queued you up quite

Lisa Sykes (29:22):

Nicely there to talk about your own piece in the new August issue.

Becs Frank (29:25):

Yeah. And actually I was kind of inspired by a couple who have written a book called Achievable Adventures and they have a great Instagram account as well. And they have set themselves this challenge of doing a small adventure every day for a year. And they have now just recently published a book called Achievable Adventures, which is all the different places in the UK from tiny little adventures to bigger things and found it really inspiring. And we've got some of their beautiful pictures in the magazine this month, haven't we? But I had to go at coast steering again, another water-based kind of adventure. Most of it was fine, but I just had this kind of fearful moment of where we all had to jump and it got kind of higher and higher and we had to jump off this cliff into the sea in Cornwall and I had a real wobble and I wasn't going to do it. And in the end I did. And I felt absolutely incredible afterwards. And it was that just sense of achievement and pushing myself a little bit, facing my

Lisa Sykes (30:15):

Fear. And it's kind of taking something you do, for example, we go camping a lot, but actually going wild camping,

Becs Frank (30:26):

Which you've done, haven't

Lisa Sykes (30:27):

You as

Becs Frank (30:27):

Well? Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (30:28):

Something else instead. Yeah, a few times. And we've done it with the kids and without the kids and I mean there's been some disasters where I got eaten by mosquitoes, but just finding a little spot and being in it and I've done it by myself as well and that's pretty special. Yeah, that

Becs Frank (30:46):

Is adventurous

Lisa Sykes (30:47):

And just, I dunno, you just feel quite sort of intrepid. Yes, that's the word. Exactly. Exactly. And actually it's a lot easier to build on something you already do with

Becs Frank (30:58):

It

Lisa Sykes (30:59):

And take it further than it is from starting something entirely new that you don't have to do at all, isn't it?

Becs Frank (31:04):

Yeah. Someone who doesn't like camping, they've slept in a tent, isn't going to want to go and do that.

Lisa Sykes (31:08):

No. So

Becs Frank (31:08):

Yeah, so maybe if you are somebody who likes walking walks the dog every day or something and they could try doing a more adventurous hike or getting up early and

Lisa Sykes (31:17):

Doing

Becs Frank (31:17):

A sunrise hike or going somewhere they've never been climbing a mountain.

Lisa Sykes (31:22):

I love the fact that when, sorry, I'm just going thinking I'm already in my world camp again here and now I've left it mentally. But that whole sitting around in the dark, looking at the fire, talking, staying out later at night and that sort of confessional thing. Well you can do that in your garden even, can't you? Yeah, no. And it doesn't matter. You could wild camp in your garden. It's still an adventure. I think that's the point, isn't it? It's about being brave. It's about not being an observer.

Becs Frank (31:51):

But you know that thing that you were just saying about sitting around the campfire and talking actually studies have shown that people are more open and honest in the things that they talk about when they're round a fire. So that's why all those stories come

Lisa Sykes (32:04):

Out. Yeah, they're just made to be, aren't they?

Becs Frank (32:07):

Maybe it's the darkness, maybe it's the slightly magical kind of setting. But you are sitting Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (32:13):

And this time high summer, the ideal time to do it, isn't it? Because the nights are starting to just get a little bit darker again.

Becs Frank (32:20):

Exactly. Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (32:22):

But they're warm. So you want to be out there. You're not having to wrap up in everything are you? Exactly. But actually it's important to say as well that to be more adventurous. It's not about sport or camping outdoor activities. It definitely doesn't have to be.

Becs Frank (32:34):

No.

Lisa Sykes (32:35):

It could be something at home. If you're into craft, for example, indulge in bigger messier crafts. Do you remember that thing we did on ice dying? Which is like you couldn't do that anywhere but outside. And it's quite simple, isn't it? You just put ice and dye into it and clothing

Becs Frank (32:52):

Dye and then yeah. So you do need to be out in your garden really? Cause it is really messy and you just need a big tray. And the results were, I think it was Karen who made it, wasn't it?

Lisa Sykes (33:02):

Yeah, yeah. Made a duvet cover, it would look really beautiful.

Becs Frank (33:05):

Yeah, really beautiful kind of tie dye effect. But yeah, sort of marbling effect. It was lovely. But

Lisa Sykes (33:11):

Also things like learning a new language or going on a solo trip somewhere or trying a new food even. There are loads of ways to just push yourself in different directions, aren't they?

Becs Frank (33:23):

Exactly. Different people's adventures will be very different for them. But

Lisa Sykes (33:27):

I'm kind of feeling from our chat today that in order to play a little, you do need to plan a little bit, don't you? I think the thing you need to plan to do the most is to prepare to be open-minded really and willing to try new things

Becs Frank (33:40):

And leave room for spontaneity as well. Because I

Lisa Sykes (33:43):

Think yes, throw yourself into the moment. Yes.

Becs Frank (33:45):

If we plan everything too much, then we have no space and no time for those moments where you just think, oh, it's a nice day or warm up early.

Lisa Sykes (33:53):

No, I guess I was thinking more of planning as in setting some intentions, which we like to do in every episode, don't we? So I've got a couple of things that I feel are important. One is a more practical one, which is going to be to organise my freezer to make room for homemade lollies. So have you got a bulging freezer? It is a very old secondhand chest freezer that does not have freezer baskets. So everything's just dumped in there and it's time to sort it out because then I can actually do things and make things properly. Yes.

Becs Frank (34:26):

Ice cream and lollies. Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (34:29):

Yes. So I'm going to do that. But then before the summer ends I am going to take our family to the beach and we are going to have a silly sports day.

Becs Frank (34:37):

Yeah, do that. Definitely.

Lisa Sykes (34:38):

It's happening. Yes. How about you?

Becs Frank (34:41):

I think just to say yes to things more and as a counter to that kind of fun sponge idea, don't find a reason not to do things. This is double negative there. And just do things because they're enjoyable and why not?

Lisa Sykes (34:56):

Definitely. And of course because in a few weeks it'll be back to school time. Yes, back to work time. But that doesn't mean have to mean the end of playtime does it? Absolutely not. No, I think that's the thing. So do it in the summer and make that habit. That's what we need to do.

Becs Frank (35:10):

Yes, exactly.

Lisa Sykes (35:12):

So thanks as always people for listening and to Becs, always good to have a chat. Nice to see you again, Bex. Thank you. See you again soon. Yeah, well the last episode, you'll see me very soon actually because the last episode of our everyday holiday season going to be released on bank holiday weekend when Becks and I will be enjoying a pause. We're going to be taking stock, aren't we, before the return to routine. Yes. A bit more reflective. Definitely. And we're going to work out how to make summer stretch that little bit longer. I think we can definitely expect a tipple or two and some could do lists for the year ahead. So do follow us so you don't miss an episode. And you'll also be alerted when we're back with season four in the autumn. Thanks very much. Bye.