July Chat

Feeling hot, hot, hot.

There are lots of bad things about living in an old, stone farmhouse. Drafts canter through it as if it were a shortcut directly to my extremities as soon as Winter starts to bite. Spiders adore it’s undulating cervices and due to a few mild Winters rats think it’s a darling place to see out Christmas and New Year. I presume a more enterprising rat has whacked it on airbnb for the festive period and expects us to entertain the interlopers.

I am very grateful to live in my ramshackle house in this prolonged heat because oh boy does it stay cool. I’m not the only one who’s realised this as many an animal has been strutting into the kitchen to take advantage of the mushroom cave-like ambience we have in here. The baby dog loves to whack her gusset straight on the slate tiles, her little legs point directly out behind her, she looks like a hairy mermaid’s purse (new euphemism just dropped). The chickens, who love a good sunbathe, wing outstretched like a maitre d' showing you a wine, have started to come inside and peck about despite the kitchen’s natural gloom. It turns out that livestock and parties are similar, the kitchen is always where it’s going off.

Anyway, all this is to say the prolonged heat has really given me the heebie jeebies about what’s happening with the planet and the news is not helping. It feels hard to snatch a bit of joy and while I’m not an advocate for putting our collective head(s?) in the sand I do think that things that bring hope are really valuable. So, it’s the perfect time for Best Medicine to be back. If you haven’t listened before Best Medicine is a Radio 4 panel show I’m lucky enough to host. I have a bunch of clever guests (scientists, researchers, journalists, historians etc) and some not clever guests (comedians).

They all come on and pitch what they think the “Best Medicine” is and we have a laugh while we’re doing it. But, we also learn absolutely loads and I go away from every episode feeling so optimistic about the world. The good guys are out there and they’re using their brilliant brains and kind hearts to fix some of the problems we’ve created or are negotiating. So, if you need to feel a bit hopeful and you like learning things then you can listen live on Radio 4 every Wednesday at 6.30pm or listen whenever on BBC Sounds. There’s two previous series to binge on too, if you’re new to it. The more of you that subscribe/listen the more chance we have of making more. Go and have a listen and thank me later. I’ll thank you now; thank you.

I’ve had a nice time introducing various young people in my life to horse riding. I was so lucky that I grew up with horses. Before my parent’s started farming my Dad was a Welfare Inspector for a equine charity and Mum was a riding instructor for Riding for the Disabled Association so we had various horses and ponies they’d collected over the years. Oh and a Donkey. I really miss having and riding horses and one day I hope my life makes room for it again.

In the meantime I can get far too much credit for taking lots of young people horse riding at a local stables. There’s a lovely video above this of one of my favourite people learning how to trot and I think it’s just magic.

All Killa no Filla.

If you’re new here/to me I co-host a true crime podcast with Rachel Fairburn called All Killa no Filla, it’s heavy on the Filla.
My favourite part of the whole machine that is All Killa are the live shows we do, they’re so fun and daft and we’ve got three huge ones this year.

August 25th - Edinburgh Fringe, Pleasance Grand.

It’s an enormous venue and we haven’t done the fringe in a few years but we have loved doing these shows so much we couldn’t stay away. We’ve also picked a doozie of a case to discuss.

October 25th - Manchester, Aviva Studios.

I keep hearing amazing things about this venue and the show’s nearly sold out already so it’s going to be a great night. Also, our listeners go EXTRA with the fancy dress so can’t wait to see what they have planned.

December 9th - Birmingham, Alexandra Theatre.

It’s been far too long since we did a live show in Birmingham so I’m glad we’re kicking off the festive period here. Have I already picked what I’m wearing, who can say?

We’re also doing a Valentine’s special in Glasgow next year if you like to be organised.

---

Recommendations.

Here are some things I’ve enjoyed this month:

To Watch - Survival of the Thickest

This is the third series of Michell Buteau’s sitcom on Netflix and it’s super easy to watch and has fantastic outfits. It’s like if Emily in Paris was as funny as it thinks it is. Fun is actually really central to this show, even though it deffo deals with the big stuff, the series is such a nice place to spend time. Also, series like this - and Nobody Wants this - make me love my fiance more because I realise how like the romantic interests he is. Essentially, I think my partner is so wonderful it’s like a woman has written him.

To Listen - Record Retrieval Service

I’ve always valued friends in my life who can sniff out cool art and waft it in front of my nose. I love all the joy of new delcious cultural aquisition with none of the legwork. I’ve even got two people I follow on instagram specifcally because they share painters they love.

My go to for music is my pal Henry’s radio show. It’s called the Record Retrieval Service and it’s thoughtfully made with love and no ego, like all the best things. This latest episode has given me two new songs to love deeply and as he asks the listeners to spread the word, this is me fulfilling my side of the bargain.

You can listen here.

To Read - The Trauma Cleaner - Sarah Krasnostein
I’ve read eighteen books so far this year and this isn’t the book I most consistently recommend to people but it is the one I think about the most.

The headlines are it’s a non fiction book about Sandra Pankhurst, an impossibly glam woman who goes into people’s houses when they need an industrial clean; after a murder, extreme hoarding, some large and life changing event for the inhabitant(s). We meet her clients but Sandra is the real story, her life is extraordinary and I think about her so much. I listened to the book on Borrow box - audiobooks you borrow for free through your library, how amazing is that?- and I was so sad when it ended even though a lot of the story is very hard work. Can you read it so we can talk about it, please?

Thanks for reading my nonsense and if you want more from me I’ve got lots of new stuff going on instagram and my live dates are on my website.

Oh and if you have any ideas for merch for my tour please tell me! I don’t know what people like to buy/collect from shows they like and I don’t want to have to fashion a spare bed out of unsold mugs.

Diolch.

x