Everyday Holidays Episode 6 - PAUSE

This episode we take a moment to enjoy the final throes of summer before the return to routine and the start of another season. The Simple Things Editor, Lisa Sykes, and Wellbeing Editor, Becs Frank are taking stock and setting intentions but also working out how to make summer stretch a little bit longer.

Expect a tipple or two and could-do lists for the year ahead. Plus a final original short story to wrap up our Everyday Holidays season.

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):

Hi. Welcome to episode six in our everyday holiday season of The Small Ways to Live Well podcast from The Simple Things magazine. I'm the editor Lisa Sykes, and this week along with our wellbeing editor, Becs Frank, we're looking at how to pause. It's all about taking stock at the end of summer and finding a moment or two before the return to routine and the start of another year. We're going to be exploring how to make summer stretch that little bit longer and carry on those holiday habits long after get home. Plus we'll be setting some intentions and making a few could do lists. Hello, Becs. How are you?

Becs Frank (00:48):

Hi Lisa. I'm really good, thanks. How are you?

Lisa Sykes (00:50):

I'm all right. I'm ready to press pause though, aren't you?

Becs Frank (00:53):

Oh, definitely. There's no rushing headlong into Autumn for me.

Lisa Sykes (00:56):

No, I know. I think that's the thing, isn't it? Summer's actually quite short, isn't it? And we tend to sort of say too short back to school September, that's it. It's over, but it's not true because August bank holiday does not signify the end of summer really, does it?

Becs Frank (01:11):

No, it

Lisa Sykes (01:12):

Doesn't have to be. There's no rush to do it. The season might be shifting, but there's still a lot of summer pleasures to be had.

Becs Frank (01:18):

Yeah, definitely. It is shifting a little bit. We noticed that it does get a bit darker in the evenings, doesn't it?

Lisa Sykes (01:24):

Yes.

Becs Frank (01:24):

But we still get these lovely warm days and

Lisa Sykes (01:27):

Oh yeah.

Becs Frank (01:28):

I just think it's quite a special time as well. It's a bit calmer and even if you're not going back to school or got kids going back to school, September is a little bit like a nice little calm time for pause time for a bit of reflection before the rest of the year

Lisa Sykes (01:44):

And a good time to travel. Right, because warm seas, if you can for sure, quiet beaches, good time for walking and swimming and visiting all those places that get booked up in peak season.

Becs Frank (01:56):

Yes. No, exactly.

Lisa Sykes (01:57):

Even if you have got kids and you're tied to school holidays, you might be able to do a weekend or two, right?

Becs Frank (02:02):

Yeah. I think if you can try and be a little bit spontaneous and grab some nice sunny days if we get them, and then just maybe take a little day trip out somewhere. I really appreciate the kind of lack of crowds, don't you? And

Lisa Sykes (02:15):

Just

Becs Frank (02:15):

Yes, definitely.

Lisa Sykes (02:16):

It's definitely not a time to go out and buy boots. Is it Winter boots? We're not doing that.

Becs Frank (02:23):

You'll be bombarded. I don't know. With absolutely am being with boots and winter clothes and winter coats and things, but no, I'm not going there yet. I'm not putting anything away.

Lisa Sykes (02:32):

No, no.

Becs Frank (02:34):

I might pack a Cardi, but I'm not

Lisa Sykes (02:37):

Till October. Not till October. Do you get your winter knitwear out? Do you? And I should really remind our listeners actually that if you haven't seen our new September issue, it goes on sale next week from the 28th if you're listening to this as we release it, and you can also buy direct from us, and it's very much about extending summer, isn't it? There is nothing or tumble there. We save that for October and November. We do welcome that return to routine though, don't we? After July and August,

Becs Frank (03:05):

I think most of us, whatever our situation is, do end up multitasking through the summer, don't we? Whether that's because we've got kids at home or whether we're going on holiday, which disrupts our normal routine or whether we're covering for other people's holidays at work or we've got people visiting. It's quite a time. We often have house guests coming in birthdays and things. So I certainly kind of feel, and from talking to people, there's a lot of mental kind of flitting around between different tasks there. Yes,

Lisa Sykes (03:34):

Very

Becs Frank (03:34):

Much. That's quite exhausting, isn't it? It's not that good for us either, is it? No, it's not. It's mentally really tiring and we're kind of known to be good at multitasking, but actually the experts will say it's a bit of a myth. We don't multitask. Your brain kind of has switches between different tasks. So the more you do that, the more different things you've got going on at the moment. The more your brain is switching between these different tasks, the less productive you're going to be and the more tired you're going to feel after doing it. So it's nice if we can at this time of year to get some of the maybe a little bit of focus back and just try and focus on maybe one or two things rather than do one thing well. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (04:11):

Exactly.

Becs Frank (04:12):

Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (04:12):

And also to get a bit of peace and time for contemplation and reflection, don't you think?

Becs Frank (04:17):

Yeah. And it's a kind of time to think about what you want to do with the rest of the year maybe.

Lisa Sykes (04:23):

Yes. It feels a bit of a pivot point, doesn't it? Yeah, it does in terms of planning

Becs Frank (04:28):

And I think if you can carve out a little bit of time, whether that comes naturally with what you're doing, but if not, try and think about how you can carve out a little bit of quiet time.

Lisa Sykes (04:39):

I really liked that piece we ran recently where someone made their own retreat at home.

Becs Frank (04:44):

Oh yes, that was Victoria Moore. So she's one of our contributors and she wrote about creating a self-guided retreat. So I mean we all probably would love to go off and have a wonderful retreat somewhere far.

Lisa Sykes (04:59):

I'm not sure a retreat's my thing, but I like the idea of doing one at home.

Becs Frank (05:03):

Yeah, exactly.

Lisa Sykes (05:04):

Assembling things that you like really, isn't it?

Becs Frank (05:08):

Choosing the things that you feel help you to relax and that you would really like to do with your special afternoon or day or weekend? I mean, I don't know. What would be on your list if you had to create your own retreat?

Lisa Sykes (05:22):

Well, I think it would definitely be a loan. I'd want the house to myself. Yeah, that would be the first thing if I was doing, I mean, I think sometimes it's quite hard to do at home, isn't it? Because you see all the jobs and tasks around you. But I think if you go into it with the right mindset, you can probably do that. But for me it would be about not making any decisions

Becs Frank (05:41):

Because

Lisa Sykes (05:41):

I have to do that all day every day with work and kids and stuff. And so actually I think that needs a bit of pre-planning then, doesn't it? So you

Becs Frank (05:48):

Yes. Well, this is what she was saying, you

Lisa Sykes (05:50):

Get your food and drinking

Becs Frank (05:52):

And plan what you want to do, think about what you want to achieve from it. I mean achieve for maybe the wrong word, but how you want to feel what you are looking for really, whether that's time to yourself, time with someone or a friend or partner or someone that you haven't spent much time with and quality time with. And then I

Lisa Sykes (06:13):

Feel bad for saying I want to do

Becs Frank (06:15):

It alone now. I think it really depends on how busy you are or have been recently, doesn't it?

Lisa Sykes (06:21):

Yeah. What would you do then? What would be on your retreat weekend?

Becs Frank (06:26):

Well, having been on quite a few retreats,

Lisa Sykes (06:29):

I

Becs Frank (06:29):

Do like the ones where you go and your organised and no decisions, all the decisions are made for you, like you said. And I've enjoyed them or kind of got more out of them when I've been on my own, not gone with a friend because then I think I've focused more on myself and what I'm getting out of it. So I think also I like the idea of doing something at home on my own. I think that would be quite hard. So my fantasy would maybe be to rent myself a nice little place for a little cottage by the sea or

Lisa Sykes (06:57):

Something. Yeah, no, I once went to a Shepherd Hook for a weekend by myself, and it was blissful actually. And I'd gone there with the idea of doing some thinking about the magazine actually, and plans, but just almost letting things wash over you rather than have, this is a meeting about X. And it was so restful actually. And of course I did come back with loads of ideas. Well, that's funny you

Becs Frank (07:21):

Should say that

Lisa Sykes (07:22):

Didn't feel like I'd done very much at the time, but

Becs Frank (07:24):

Afterwards, yeah, so that time, that contemplative thinking time, it came about. So this is actually proven that when we pause, stop doing things, reduce the stimulation to say that a noise stimulation, stimulation from things that we're looking at and reading, then we get the signal to noise ratio is better. So all these kind of thoughts that are whirring around in your head that can't really get through into your conscious mind because of all the other

Lisa Sykes (07:52):

Stuff that you're doing

Becs Frank (07:53):

And thinking about that makes a lot of

Lisa Sykes (07:55):

Sense.

Becs Frank (07:56):

They start to come through loud and clear, even if you're not really realising it, those ideas, you've just got to

Lisa Sykes (08:02):

Trust the process, haven't you really?

Becs Frank (08:04):

Yeah, exactly. Sometimes that's relaxing, doing nothing, having baths, having early nights. It might be walking or doing some kind of more routine tasks that help you. So sewing or doing a craft project that you've, something you've not had time to sort of sit and focus on. That could be a lovely thing to do. It

Lisa Sykes (08:22):

Would be, wouldn't it? But actually sometimes being sociable does that as well, doesn't it? Yeah. If you gather your, we just did that gathering in the last issue, didn't we? And we called it a women's circle, but actually it's not hugely different from getting a load of old friends around together.

(08:37):

But I guess what they were using is a few more props. They, so they might have some journals that they're going to work on together or some mindful cards or

Becs Frank (08:46):

 Something to, or some of them brought books to talk about and things that they'd read, articles or something that they thought would be good for discussion. I think the term women's circle can sound a bit woo, can't it? Or a bit worthy. Yeah, a bit worthy. Yeah, A bit intimidating even you think, oh God, what am I going to have to do? What am I going to have to contribute? And I haven't got anything to offer. But actually,

Lisa Sykes (09:06):

Actually the fact that they were just all sat there and they had these lovely crostini and a drink called grapefruit and kombucha refreshers, and I thought, that's a party I want to be at right there. And it just looked so relaxed, didn't

Becs Frank (09:18):

It? It did. It looked absolutely idyllic, didn't it? Yeah, very much. And I think you could do that with a group of friends or you can also do them. There are these women's circles that you can join online and it's gaining in popularity just as a relaxed kind of way to just be with other people and talk about things and if they come up or just share time. Sometimes I once did a writing retreat or a course really, but all we did is we were all online and we had time where we, we talked a little bit at the beginning and then we did our creative writing is what I was doing. And it's something I don't really carve out time to do usually in my day. But because we were all there and we all spent that hour writing, it was probably only about 45 minutes with the beginning and the end. It was actually that discipline to do it was really good and really helpful.

Lisa Sykes (10:05):

That's very interesting, isn't it? You get a lot of pleasure out of doing creative writing, don't you? But finding time, but it feels like an indulgence. Yes. You've got to give yourself permission, I think, haven't you? Yeah. The other thing that I find hard to give myself permission to do is take a nap.

Becs Frank (10:20):

And actually, well, that's a summer habit, isn't it? That actually we allow ourselves to do on holiday probably. Exactly. But then it goes, doesn't it? And why?

Lisa Sykes (10:29):

But I actually really, it's

Becs Frank (10:31):

Only 20 minutes.

Lisa Sykes (10:32):

No, I know. And I do like having a snooze in a deck chair or something, but to be honest, I love my bedroom in the afternoons because the sun comes round to that side of the house and if you want the dapples, you can just draw your curtains a little bit, but actually otherwise the sun hits the bed and there's just something really nice and indulgent about having a small snooze.

Becs Frank (10:53):

Yeah, I completely agree. And probably a lot more restful,

Lisa Sykes (10:56):

But I also feel so guilty when I do it do.

Becs Frank (10:59):

I don't actually feel guilty about having it sometimes. I just really know that that's what my body needs.

Lisa Sykes (11:05):

Yeah, I think you have to listen to your body, don't you? Yeah.

Becs Frank (11:07):

Yeah. But those kind of snooze, they're only like 15, 20 minutes I find. And then you feel much better. Well, I do. I

Lisa Sykes (11:15):

Think it's even better when it's in fresh bedsheets.

Becs Frank (11:18):

Yeah, fresh bedsheets on top of the bed window open.

Lisa Sykes (11:21):

A little

Becs Frank (11:21):

Bit breeze coming through, but sleep is something I can

Lisa Sykes (11:25):

Picture myself there now.

Becs Frank (11:27):

Yeah, yeah. Sleep is something that actually by having a little bit more quiet time, a bit of peace, you can reset your sleep habits because really the best thing you can do for sleep, for quality sleep is to try and keep it consistent. So going to bed and getting up at the same kind

Lisa Sykes (11:43):

Of time and actually as summer starts to get a little bit darker a little bit earlier, we won't talk too much about that. I know a lot of people find that really, but you don't get woken up at the crack of dawn with the dawn chorus and really the early daylight you, so your sleep habits are probably already improving a little bit anyway, aren't

Becs Frank (12:01):

They? Yeah. And it's not as hot, which would disturb sleep. The temperature of your bedroom is really important for a good night's sleep. It's good to

Lisa Sykes (12:09):

See We like this time of

Becs Frank (12:10):

Year. Yeah, we do. Actually, when I was thinking about it for this podcast and talking about it, I realised that actually there's lot to love about this time of year and we shouldn't be mourning so much. No, it's a very good point. So I think, yeah, reset your sleep, get some clean bedsheets on or even better maybe pop out and so you buy yourself a new fresh set from the sales as that's what we were talking about recently. Oh

Lisa Sykes (12:31):

Yeah. Oh, nice. I am so buying new bed lid. That's going to be definitely one of my intentions when we set them at the end of the episode.

Becs Frank (12:39):

But another thing that's very good for sleep of course is walking and if you can get or just being outside in the daylight, in the fresh air

Lisa Sykes (12:47):

And an early evening walk is lovely, isn't it? This time of year. But actually that leads nicely on Becks to our short story, this episode and in this story it's two people who are taking a pause in their everyday lives and they take it every year in summer. So I'm going to read this now and we can see what we think of it. The Ramblers Association by Helen Paris. How many is it now as Thomas as they stride side by side through the grass. Goodness. As Margaret slowing to hoist her rook act to a more comfortable position, I can hardly remember. Must be almost 30. 30. Impossible. Tom shakes his head. I turned 36 when we did the lakes and next year I'll be eligible for your bus pass. Smirks Margaret. He holds out his hand as Margaret passes him as sticks and clams over a style, the path via uphill towards the cops.

(13:48):

That was our first time. Remember the lakes? Of course. I remember a smile teases, Margaret's lips, all those breakfasts at harness house. He catches her eye, smiles back, those endless rolling wa Wrights the endless bloody rain asks Sads Margaret, your boots leaked. I lent you a pair of socks and you kept them. He reminds her the path is steeper now narrowing towards the trees. Margaret slips ahead, Tom falling seamlessly in behind his boots, pressing into the tracks made by hers following year was the cumbrian way. Then the Isle of ankle sea, that sand Tom remember so soft and the sea, those moonlit swims for just a moment. There is the sound of their footsteps. You missed one. Melvin Hills. Melvin Hills of course. And I remember you adored the cot, worlds, all those lovely grassy fields smiles, Tom, all those lovely cream teas. You mean he chuckles guilty as charged, had Adrian's wall Snowdonia Dale way.

(14:51):

No, not Dale. Margaret sticks stab into the grass. Really? I'm sure it was Dale next because I remember being grateful for that fleece lined Parker I'd got for snowdonia. Summer was like winter that year. Margaret quickens the pace. I'm positive it was Dale Tom pants slightly. Didn't we go birding at goth weight reservoir? No. The thrust of her sticks sends up a spray of earth. I mean, yes, it was Dale. I thought so I didn't go. They're at the trees now. Sudden shade after the bright sun of the day, Margaret stalks on then stops a few paces ahead her back to him. Richard got called to do that keynote in Amsterdam at the last minute I stayed home with Maddy and James. Tom remembers now shivering alone in the hide another whole long year to get through before he'd see her again allowed rustling and a lanky man plunges through the undergrowth.

(15:47):

First one backs to camp is the winner. He races by and disappears through the trees bloody Jeff says Tom, it's a rambler's association, not a ruddy couch to 5K club. Ramble means amble. He says meander and range roam and rove, drift and stray. Margaret turns to him. Her jaw tense Ramble means not making a decision, not choosing away. He comes towards her, takes her hands. It is the most he's ever taken enough because it must be a ramble is harmless. He says A moment out of time, a space in between sunlight, water falls through the leaves, she sighs nods. They fall back in step the lakes again next year. I see he says after a moment. Yes. And on the adversary then in a way. In a way, yes. They walk on through the trees.

Becs Frank (16:52):

What a great story. It really makes you think, doesn't it? I'm picturing their lives and these two people. And what I love about it too is just how it makes you think about how lovely these things are that you do regularly, annually perhaps that mark the passage of time and how important it's to have these kind of little rituals in your life.

Lisa Sykes (17:11):

I know they're like punctuation marks in the year, aren't they? I mean clearly we're not advocating people go having an affair for the weekend.

Becs Frank (17:18):

Yeah, that's what I've been thinking. What is

Lisa Sykes (17:20):

Going on though? Yeah, I know, but it's such a gentle thing, isn't it? And that whole point about how it supports between times of the rest of their lives and just really lovely.

Becs Frank (17:31):

Yes,

Lisa Sykes (17:31):

Really well written as well. But that is the thing about someone. Do you remember we talked in the first episode of this season about when we were doing unwinding and we talked about how summer has such high expectations and they're not always delivered on. And I've been thinking about this while we've been making this season. I think we see summer as the pinnacle of the year. And so that's why it's all expectation about it. But actually it's really the sort of winding up of the year, the pauses at the end of the year because before your autumn busyness and your planning and then winter, your dormant and springs almost the zenes of the year, isn't it? And then summer is this sort of wind down and that gives it a whole different, you just reframe it, don't you?

Becs Frank (18:14):

It does give it a different perspective. I think it's a really nice way to think about it as well, so that if you are thinking about your summer now and Oh, did I do that? Did I do this or have I been as many places I wanted to or was the weather as good as I hoped it would be? It kind of helps you to just reframe it a bit.

Lisa Sykes (18:28):

Yeah, no, I'm now billing August Bank holidays like New Year's Eve, but with better weather because I think it's that time you look backwards and you look forwards on New Year's Eve, don't you? And I think we could do that on August Bank holiday.

Becs Frank (18:41):

Yeah, I think I do do that. Yeah.

Lisa Sykes (18:44):

Yeah. No, I think we do it with it subconsciously almost, don't we? And of course our ancestors did this because this was the end of the agricultural year. The harvest begins in Lamo at the beginning of August and that's the start of the harvest season. And they'd make the corn dollies and bless the harvest and all of that stuff. And then it goes right through until MICUs at the end of September, which closes the harvest season. And that's really the start of autumn. You've got the Equinox when light and dark are the same and then it turns towards autumn and MICUs gathering the what's not to like about that. We've got one in our September issue.

Becs Frank (19:19):

I It's really nice that isn't it? Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (19:21):

I know traditionally you would eat goose and plums, but goose is a bit hard to get hold of at that time of year apparently. So we've gone with a duck salad and a sticky damson sauce. Really nice.

Becs Frank (19:33):

Do you know what there, I think we have got some of the nicest recipes in the September issue. There's a one with venison and pickled blackberries and I just think, oh, how delicious does that sound?

Lisa Sykes (19:44):

So that's from our veg patch series, isn't it?

Becs Frank (19:47):

Yes. Because it's all about preserving the veg and you kind of think, oh, the summer veg will have gone, but actually there's loads of, it's still around. And I love that these ideas with the fresh herbs that you've still got the mint and the Basel and those summer herbs that are still going strong.

Lisa Sykes (20:02):

Yeah, no, they're all still thriving aren't they? And the things like, although we think Autumn's looming, things are really far from over in your veg patch. If you grow tomatoes outside or even in your greenhouse, they don't often ripe until September. I mean I've usually got them still there in early November in my greenhouse. So I think it is actually a time of bounty in your garden

Becs Frank (20:24):

Really, isn't it? And things like the corns as well and all

Lisa Sykes (20:28):

These kind,

Becs Frank (20:30):

You still cook outside, cook on the barbecue, cook your corn on the carbs, make a delicious tomato salad and add all these herbs if you've got them. So I think it can make,

Lisa Sykes (20:41):

I think it's my favourite time of year for food. This I think it really is Blackberry of course, because in fact I just ate some blackberries before we made this episode. Some just ripened the first ones of the season and when you pull them off and they're not quite right, but you can't resist it anyway. And we've got a lovely piece in September. Sorry, I feel like we're plugging September issue, but it's just all come together in that issue to wrap up this time of year, isn't it?

(21:07):

Lucy Brasier who writes our Honesty box series, but she's done a piece about the nostalgia of Blackberry

Becs Frank (21:13):

That really resonated with me, that piece because she talks about when they first moved out of London and I think they moved down to Dorsett, didn't they? And suddenly they were surrounded by all these blackberries to harvest and it was something that really marked the change in their new life. And that

Lisa Sykes (21:29):

I know. And everybody's got blackberry hunts they've known and loved. They're like family tradition memories, aren't they? Yeah.

Becs Frank (21:35):

Well I had ones as a kid and now I've got the ones that we do around here and it's a great thing to do, isn't it? And most people can find a blackberry brush near them.

Lisa Sykes (21:44):

Definitely. I really like Lucy's home spun approach as well when she talks about making blackberry jelly and she just cooks all the berries to a mush and then puts them in what she calls a muzzling knapsack and hangs it from an old broom hang and then just lets it drip for a few hours and then boil it with sugar. Yeah, I have a real image of that.

Becs Frank (22:02):

Do you?

Lisa Sykes (22:03):

Yeah, I know totally. And also just is, there's no fancy kit,

Becs Frank (22:08):

There's nothing, but then you don't get all the seeds you see, which I quite often don't do that stage and then I get something quite bitty and seedy. But

Lisa Sykes (22:16):

See, I actually quite like raspberry jam and blackberry jam with seeds. I dunno the but

Becs Frank (22:21):

In a nice compote. I like making a berry compote and having it with yoghourt and that's the kind of thing that can be lovely to get out in the

Lisa Sykes (22:29):

Autumn. And I think if you don't grow your own, there was a really nice sentiment that came up in one of our issues last year I think it was, that was about, it's not just about preserving for your pantry, but there are other forms of harvest that are really nice to mull over at this time of year. And it's more like work you've completed or courses you've finished or progress, you've

Becs Frank (22:49):

Made your own personal harvest.

Lisa Sykes (22:53):

And I love that idea. And she uses a great line in the piece and it's what will you cultivate next year and what will you let life fallow? And we've talked about the value of fallow before, haven't we

Becs Frank (23:05):

Have? And letting things go.

Lisa Sykes (23:07):

I love this idea of holding things lightly and instead of seeing things as not getting done, it's more that you're just pausing them for a while. It's interesting, isn't it? We have our routines, we, you go to certain classes or you kind of do certain exercise and you get bored with them. And actually why not just drop doing that for a year and try something else? And you can always go back to it, can't you? And I think that's really resonated with me this year for sure.

Becs Frank (23:37):

It's traditionally a time, isn't it, of starting new things. And I think also of things coming to an end. I was thinking about this with my daughter, funnily enough who I know we've both got daughter of the same age who have just finished school, no more school, and they're about, I know they've become adults,

Lisa Sykes (23:52):

Haven't they? Yeah,

Becs Frank (23:53):

They're off to uni or off to do different things. And you have this sense, don't you, that there's a cycle is kind of completed, although obviously they're still your children, they're still going

Lisa Sykes (24:02):

To

Becs Frank (24:03):

Be very dependent. They're adults and

Lisa Sykes (24:06):

We're sending kids out into the world and there is a certain completion to that somehow isn't there?

Becs Frank (24:13):

And that comes this time of year, doesn't it? And work-wise as well, it always seems to be that one project kind of comes to a bit of an end and another starts again. And I've got that happening this summer at this autumn. How about you?

Lisa Sykes (24:26):

Yeah, no. Well we are finishing our podcast, aren't we? And then Bex and I are going to be working on the Flourish, which is our wellbeing book scene that we'll be working on in the autumn.

Becs Frank (24:35):

And that'll be out at the end of the year,

Lisa Sykes (24:37):

Wouldn't it? Yeah. I mean for me, I think I was thinking about this and I was thinking one thing that I feel like it's obviously an ongoing process, but I do feel my dog training, so my dog's going to be two in the autumn and I can now for the first time.

Becs Frank (24:52):

I'm so pleased to hear this. I'm not there yet.

Lisa Sykes (24:54):

No, but I can see the difference in the dog from a year ago

Becs Frank (24:59):

And

Lisa Sykes (24:59):

It feels like we've made progress and certain things she used to struggle with, she now does. And you never stop training your dog, really. But

Becs Frank (25:06):

You've invested quite a lot of time in that, haven't you?

Lisa Sykes (25:09):

Yeah, she wasn't the easiest dog to train. And actually it's felt like a journey we've been on together. I sound like I'm on strict now. I we've been on a journey.

Becs Frank (25:20):

Well, well done flow and well done, Lisa. That's, that's quite an achievement, isn't it?

Lisa Sykes (25:25):

Yeah, we've been encouraging people throughout this season and to try new things and I think there's quite a lot of summer habits that we might have formed that we can take forward with us into prepare for next year, but also into the autumn and beyond.

Becs Frank (25:40):

Yeah, exactly. They don't just have to be different ways of doing things in the summer when we're a bit more free and easy and some things we'll be delighted to kind of bring back the order and routine. But other things we might think actually this kind of way of doing things has been really suited me

Lisa Sykes (25:56):

Going barefoot more. I mean, not in the middle of winter obviously, but just that it's nice

Becs Frank (26:01):

And you only, well, why not? Yeah, I mean in your house you don't need to. I remember interviewing a podiatrist once for a feature. We said we wrap up our feet and shoes and socks all the time and how much of our time do we actually let our feet just breathe and walk and bare foot because that's really good for the

Lisa Sykes (26:16):

Feet. And it does feel different, doesn't it? And also going outdoors earlier in the day, much earlier, first thing in the morning and things like that. I've really enjoyed doing that this summer.

Becs Frank (26:26):

Yeah, well I got into a nice little habit and came about through something not very nice, but I've had a bad neck. And so through the summer I went to see an osteopathic, gave him these exercises to do. So you must do them twice a day. So I think the only way I'm going to manage this is if I do them in the morning when I get up and then bed before I go to bed because then I'm, that's just becomes a habit. So I sit down on the side of my bed and I do my neck stretches and then it sort of evolved into a little bit more like a few deep breaths and then just that little bit of time.

Lisa Sykes (26:53):

Okay. A bit of a ritual.

Becs Frank (26:55):

A little bit of a ritual and just having that time and making myself do it, but now actually wanting to do it and missing it if I don't do it, just shows how something becomes a habit. And I was thinking, I wouldn't do this.

Lisa Sykes (27:06):

No,

Becs Frank (27:06):

Definitely when we're back to doing the school run and getting people up and going to, I would think, oh, I haven't got time for this. But actually I do. It takes five minutes, so I'm going to keep that

Lisa Sykes (27:16):

Up. No, I think so too. And what about other things? I know you've been trying to find things to do on your doorstep.

Becs Frank (27:23):

Yes.

Lisa Sykes (27:23):

And you were telling me about that amazing museum that you

Becs Frank (27:26):

Yeah, exactly. So we have a great museum. I mean it's called the American Museum. It's very close to where we live and we used to go quite a bit when we first moved here, but I dunno, it's just kind of gone off my radar. And we had visitors over the summer and we were thinking about something we could do friends on a rainy day and they were like, oh isn't, what's that American museum though? So a sign for it. I said, oh my gosh, yes, we should go there. And it was such a nice day out. And the gardens are beautiful and they've got the incredible collection of quilts.

Lisa Sykes (27:53):

I know you do ignore the things that are right in front of you sometimes, don't you?

Becs Frank (27:57):

Yeah. So I think that's a nice thing to kind of keep reminding yourself to do.

Lisa Sykes (28:01):

Yes.

Becs Frank (28:03):

And

Lisa Sykes (28:03):

Of course summer food is so different from the rest of the year

Becs Frank (28:07):

And

Lisa Sykes (28:07):

There's no reason at all. You can't keep going with that for a lot longer, isn't there?

Becs Frank (28:11):

I'm a hundred percent keeping going with that because

Lisa Sykes (28:13):

Tap past and things that remind you of holidays. But also, do you remember we did that great piece on canned fish and it was more than the Una sandwich. We did mackerel, burgers, didn't we? And a summer panzanella with anchovies and

Becs Frank (28:30):

Yeah, I think this is because you get this, I was thinking about this because we have some lovely fish when we're on holiday in Greece this year and we bought it fresh and we cooked these lovely dishes. And I'm thinking it's harder to get that when you're not on the coast or I haven't got a great fish mon close by. Hard to get that. But actually when I was looking at those recipes, the thought of making up some salad, like sardine pasta or something with capers and Well, that's kind of a bit like having clams or,

Lisa Sykes (28:56):

And so store cupboard ingredients, isn't it? Yeah, exactly. You could easily picture yourself in Greece.

Becs Frank (29:02):

If I can bear to open those beautiful tins that actually just look really, really nice on my shelf.

Lisa Sykes (29:06):

I know you just want to keep the tins really, don't

Becs Frank (29:08):

You? Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (29:09):

But I mean they're just some foods that don't translate orella, sorry, always tastes better in Italy than when you bring it home. Of course. It never, ever tastes as good back home. And even the fruit as well.

Becs Frank (29:22):

Oh, the fruit. A hundred percent

Lisa Sykes (29:23):

Tomatoes and nectarines. And

Becs Frank (29:27):

We always buy so many peaches and nectarines and avocados this year we had, when we were in Greece were so lovely. They were every record, you never got a bad one.

Lisa Sykes (29:36):

They're just much riper, more ripe, aren't they? Yeah.

Becs Frank (29:39):

But I think it's that thing of focusing on the ingredient and getting a kind of hero or an ingredient that really sings and whatever that can be, whatever we can access for the time of year and where we live, and then kind of basing a simple meal around that really. I'm still up for assembling some salads and simple dishes rather than, I'm not going to

Lisa Sykes (30:00):

Be, we just don't eat as much processed food, do we in the summer?

Becs Frank (30:04):

No, I think that's it, isn't

Lisa Sykes (30:06):

It? There's a lot more putting things on the plate and going, this is, but what we do do in the summer is we like a tipple, we like a long cool drink off something.

Becs Frank (30:16):

Yes. But we're good for, we actually, I think we're,

Lisa Sykes (30:19):

We carry a tipple recipe in most months of the magazine. And actually I looked up a few before we made this podcast. We've got a few on our blog actually, which you'll find@thesimplethings.com, and there's a recipe on there for a Cornish wrecker, which was actually served to the Lake Queen on a visit to the Eden Project.

Becs Frank (30:36):

Oh really?

Lisa Sykes (30:37):

And it's a sugar syrup with gores flours, that's actually basic syrup. And then you use coconut rum, lemon juice, soda water, and then ridge garnish. And that sounds so nice. It looks, sounds really refreshing. It really does. But I also found that peach g and T, which is a nice twist on a GT or a turmeric ginger aid, which is a bit sort of blyton really, but with a modern twist.

Becs Frank (31:04):

And actually sounds really good for you as well. I think turmeric and ginger.

Lisa Sykes (31:08):

Yeah,

Becs Frank (31:08):

I know. Just the word turmeric, it

Lisa Sykes (31:10):

Just go and ginger, you're right.

Becs Frank (31:11):

Yeah, yeah. That would be good for your digestion. It's practically medicine. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I found, I just thought, well, what's summer tipple sangria? Right, of course. But this is quite a cute quirky little mason jar sangria that we did. So you take a couple of, however many you want to make your mason jars and you put some fruit, I think it has strawberries and grapes, just halved strawberries and grapes in the bottom, pour over your white rum and white wine. And then you leave that for 24 hours. So that really takes on the flavour of the fruits. And then you top it up with lemonade or soda, water and ice.

Lisa Sykes (31:49):

And because it's in the mason jar, it's portable, right? You're ready to serve. Yeah, you

Becs Frank (31:53):

Are ready to serve. Yeah, you could take it out on a picnic or something, couldn't you?

Lisa Sykes (31:56):

Definitely. And

Becs Frank (31:56):

Then just add a little straw. And I thought that's just summer in a jar. Isn't it

Lisa Sykes (32:00):

Really perfect? Oh no, not perfect. We don't use the word perfect. The word perfect for any new listeners or readers. It is bound in the simple things. And it wouldn't be

Becs Frank (32:10):

Perfect because I've made it.

Lisa Sykes (32:12):

No, it wouldn't. That's the whole point. It would not be perfect. We don't do a sort of, it's not showpiece cocktails is it?

Becs Frank (32:19):

No,

Lisa Sykes (32:20):

It's home spun cocktails.

Becs Frank (32:22):

But what I like about them is they've got a little twist normally and they're quite inventive and they often use a seasonal

Lisa Sykes (32:27):

Ingredient.

Becs Frank (32:29):

So I get lots of inspiration for

Lisa Sykes (32:31):

Tickles. No, there's lots of experiments, isn't there? So it's time to set our intentions bes. We're at the end of our everyday holiday season and I feel we found a fair degree of every her day holiday vibe you.

Becs Frank (32:41):

I've really enjoyed this season and I think it's really kind of summed up. I know all the great things about summer, but also reminded me of what to really relish and what to also bring into next summer and to things I want to carry on for the year, but also things that I've, well you're going to do that I've learned. So I'm going to do, well, I'm starting a new book club as I think I mentioned. So that's going to carry on my summer reading, which I've really enjoyed and that's going to give me the discipline to carry on doing that. And so we can just read more in an evening as well, rather than just put the tell on, which is kind of my,

Lisa Sykes (33:14):

I like that. It's a simple achievable thing, isn't it? You just have to sort of state that you're going to do it.

Becs Frank (33:19):

Yeah, less telly, more reading. What are you going to do

Lisa Sykes (33:22):

Then? Well, mine's slightly different because I've been working really hard this year and my veg patch in my garden has sort of laid fallow, but I've missed being hands-on with my garden.

Becs Frank (33:34):

It takes a lot of work though, doesn't it?

Lisa Sykes (33:36):

But the thing is, I think it's partly because I had the puppy and actually now she's now better. I would like to grow more. And I think what's making me sad is that there are no tomatoes currently ripening in my greenhouse. And literally in about 20 years, I've probably only missed one or two years. And so the autumn is the time to plan your patch. So I'm going to surround myself with garden books and modest ambitions and

Becs Frank (34:03):

Yeah. Got it. Great idea.

Lisa Sykes (34:05):

And that's going to be my project, I think.

Becs Frank (34:07):

Yeah, good. I like that one. Yeah,

Lisa Sykes (34:08):

It's good. So yeah, as we said in this everyday holiday season, we've kind of tried to help people unwind and relax into summer. We help the people unfurl like a flower in episode three. And we shed a few clothes and inhibitions along the way.

Becs Frank (34:23):

We put on our summer dresses, we

Lisa Sykes (34:25):

Did

Becs Frank (34:26):

Sunglasses

Lisa Sykes (34:27):

And some, yeah, because the weather was really quite poor back then, wasn't

Becs Frank (34:32):

It?

Lisa Sykes (34:33):

And then we enjoyed wasting time and pottering and indulge in some deck chair dreaming before we embraced our silly side with fun and games and adventures and finally pausing to take stock before the return of routine. And I dunno about you B, but I've learned a few things about myself along the way.

Becs Frank (34:47):

Yeah, definitely.

Lisa Sykes (34:48):

And I think I've embraced some new ideas and some small ways to live in the moment. I think we should take this inspiration forward as we were saying, into future summers. So thank you Bex, for your insight. Always good to have a chat.

Becs Frank (35:01):

Thank you. Always a pleasure.

Lisa Sykes (35:03):

And thanks to you, our listeners, for joining us in the third season of our podcast from The Simple Things Magazine. If you missed any of the earlier episodes, they're all still available to download. And if you enjoyed our conversations this season, then maybe give the magazine a try. We go into much more detail. Of course, it all looks so beautiful in print with words and pictures and the subscription details are in the show notes or on our website. And I'm going to be back with both Becks and Joe in the autumn when we're going to be your companions from when the clocks go back. We won't talk about that just yet though, right through to. We're hoping we're going to do a live stir up Sunday special at the end of November, but as we've been saying, it's far too early to start thinking about Miss and Miller Fruitfulness just yet. So in the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer and we'll see you soon.