The duo's second episode from The Studio: Charlie introduces her first attempt at a Consommé, and they talk about Bob, their Border Terrier, and their lame attempt at training! Which was more training the owners than the dog... A few rounds of “good boy” descending into “you little s**t”, a bit of Barbara Woodhouse, and they think they might have a dog that is just about capable of doing the school run.
If you enjoyed the podcast check out their other episodes https://funnyfamily.buzzsprout.com/
Follow them and engage on Instagram, email andrew@funnyfamily.com or charlie@funnyfamily.com
And as they always say: they love you.
The duo's second episode from The Studio: Charlie introduces her first attempt at a Consommé, and they talk about Bob, their Border Terrier, and their lame attempt at training! Which was more training the owners than the dog... A few rounds of “good boy” descending into “you little s**t”, a bit of Barbara Woodhouse, and they think they might have a dog that is just about capable of doing the school run.
If you enjoyed the podcast check out their other episodes https://funnyfamily.buzzsprout.com/
Follow them and engage on Instagram, email andrew@funnyfamily.com or charlie@funnyfamily.com
And as they always say: they love you.
[Music] Hello, welcome, I'm Charlie and this is my husband Andrew. Hello. Our podcast Funny Family is a one-stop shop to making you feel your family is actually normal. Whatever normal may be, I cook, we parent, and we most importantly survive the school playground. Ish.[Music] Hi Andrew, how you doing? I'm doing very wellCharlie, how are you?- Not too bad, glass of wine and ham, so all is well with the world.- It is, yes. And today, we're actually doing our first real episode. Last week, past week, we'll cover. That was our sort of intro topic, but today we're doing our first episode from- My studio.- Yes, yes, which is basically a shed.(laughing)- A shed, no, it's a, it's a posher shed- No, it's a slightly posher shed, Although it is actually freezing so that will keep me very sober. But notice it's lovely, it was my Christmas present for me wasn't it and now I think you're expecting great things so let the pressure begin. So we'll start. So in our first episode we'll do a recap of last week so if you haven't listened to Pasta Week what was the key topics that you can remember from that? What was the key outcome from Pasta? The Pandemonium. Pasta Pandemonium is what I remember. Oh my goodness. You didn't get ill, did you? I didn't know, no, no, I was fine, I didn't. But anyway, yes, so I'm writing this cookbook that's for families like us, all about accessible food, of all different budgets, some with, I don't know, greater techniques than some where you literally just bung it in the oven. It's meant to be really accessible and fun. But of course with that I have to refine some of my own cooking techniques and I attempted to make my own pasta didn't I because apparently you can do that, you don't just buy it in a bag and it's all dry. But anyway go listen to that episode if you want to find out what happened on pasta week. The one bit I thought was interesting, you actually introduced the fact that you were going to make for the first time a Consommé , a chicken Consommé The bit I was really interested in, you can tell us about how that went, was the thing that you bought from the shop, and how did that go? What was it that you bought? How did that go? The skimmer, which as we discussed last time, sounds really dainty, sounds like it should just sort of skim the surface. Anyway, this thing is enormous and bigger than all of our pans. So the question should really be, did you actually use the skimmer when you made your Consommé?- Did you actually use the skimmer?- No, I didn't. I used a spoon.(laughing) So that was the complete waste of money. But anyway, it's hanging on the wall. Like I look like I know what I'm doing.- It looks good.- So what on the concept? How did it go? What would you say?- Well, do you know what?- Amazingly well. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, but you've seen the result.- It was clear. - And it's so good. We've actually frozen it. We may never use it. We've frozen it and it will be brought out at some special occasion, but the taste was phenomenal. Phenomenon, wasn't it? I didn't think you could get that sort of taste from a carcass of a chicken and some vegetables, et cetera.- Yeah, it was amazing.- Amazing. And I learnt about the technique of rafting, and that's when you sort the egg-white brought all the fat together, and you get what is called a raft on top. Yeah, it was really long-winded if I'm being honest. It's not something that you just suddenly do in a Monday night post-swimming.- This is definitely, yeah, you've got to be--- This is a learnt skill that you would use maybe only on MasterChef,'cause you can buy it from the supermarket, I believe.(laughing)- Yes, but you can buy everything from the supermarket. I think that's not the point.- No, no, I know, but actually, for your first attempt, I would say it was fabulous. The outcome was fantastic.- Oh, thank you, no, I was really chuffed with that. So that was good. So, yeah, ding, that was a good one. interesting things about school. So this week we had, well we had two things I think we scored. On the last episode we talked about the, the careless conversation.- Oh yes.- But this week I don't know if there's a tariff, but we came out, everyone else has experienced the cold weather, I'm sure. And then we came out, we normally walked work.. to school. It seemed like work. No, no, we walked to school. And we've decided to take Bob with us. We put it up.- Bob is our border terrier. In case we have not mentioned Bob, he's, um, everybody goes, oh, he's so cute. And he does look like a teddy bear, but he is also like a manic toddler, isn't he?- Yeah.- I'm not sure who's harder to bring up him or the children. It's a bit of a close call.- It's challenging and we didn't take it. When we first got Bob, I was very keen that we get him trained properly. So he would walk by the side and we would be able to go out and we wouldn't need a lead. You see these dogs wandering around with that lead.- And they're like looking at them. Unbelievable, I don't know. Have they sent them somewhere or we got a broken one- Or have they just got like a fillet steak in their pocket or something? I don't know.- So we went for training.- We did.- That was interesting, wasn't it? Do you want to?- Oh, interesting. Well, that is a good way of putting it. Yes, well, the training, what can I say? So we turn up and was basically a sort of farm really. And there's this one barn that they use for the dog training in inverted commas. Now this dog training is not cheap, I hasten to add. I believe it was 30 pounds for half an hour.- Yeah, and you had to buy three lessons- And you had to buy.- And we thought we'll do three lessons we'll get a trained dog.- Yes, well, which actually happened is, we came out trained in the art of some sort of Russian dance or something. We're very good at choreography now, I'd say. And the dog still wees shits and does everything that he's always been doing everywhere. and pulls and barks and everything.- And there's a lesson that runs out.- I felt like we had a good, a few exercise sessions.- I've learned how to say good boy.- Good boy.- Give us your best, good boy.- Good boy.- Can you imagine? I have to listen to that all the way to school. He's going,- Good boy.- And I'm going, come here, you little shit. So we're on different ends of the spectrum.- But I would be honest, I think we've adopted. I actually showed Charlie a video of somebody When I was growing up who taught people, very famous on TV, she taught people how to train their animals, primarily dogs, and that was a Barbara Woodhouse. And she is now my role model. And there will be people switching us off as I say it. You can't have Barbara Woodhouse as a role model, she was so cruel, but she did get them to do it. But in the day, I don't know you can buy them now, they had a thing called a choke chain. That's right. but I'd quite like, I think the video you'll find if they got Fifi. And now, do you want to explain how to train Fifi? Because it's, I mean, it was, she was in control at the end.- She was, she was, the dog looked a bit peaky, but she was in control and that was beautiful to watch. Yeah, Fifi was this little, I'm not even sure what it was. It was a fluff ball of some sort, like a little lap dog.- This is from the just context This is probably 80s, early 80s. Maybe even late 70s that she was doing this, right?- Yeah, and the woman, she was a bit older, wasn't she?- Yeah.- And she just basically, she wanted Fifi to walk well on the lead. But Fifi was in fact only a year old or something very young. And so Barbara Woodhouse says,"Oh, I can't believe you have that choke collar on. You can't do that to such a young dog." That's not right. Remember that audience. That's not right. Anyway, so she's taking this dog round and really I said, "Dog is actually a little shit." So then she goes, "Actually, do you know what? I've changed my mind. She's not too young. She definitely is a choke collar." So, "Fifi," the fluff ball, it gets put on this choke collar and lobe a hold. She does act impeccably, doesn't she? She more time, but it's a very, I never heard her use the word "good boy" ever. It was, come along, Fifi, Fifi. And you know, a short sharp chuck on the chain and the dog will heal. I mean, Fifi's very small. I think Fifi left the ground probably three or four times in this process. You have to watch it, it's fabulous. So we've adopted the Barbara.- Can I just put a disclaimer on that? Watch it, we're not saying we condone this. Okay, but for its time, that is how certain people- Taught their animals.- Yeah, and so admittedly, we don't have a chain on Bob, he does wear a harness, he does pull, he can be a little shit, but we have been taking him to school. So we do the walk and we do the school walk and we'll, we have exploits there. And I think at the moment, his nickname is "Too Shit Bob."- Yeah.- Because we have to make sure we carry enough poo bags- He just reliably does two shit.- Yeah, which is, and the other day we went and we saw the same person, we were walking to school. and he did his shit and then as we were walking back I think he did another one and he was which I almost wanted to apologize and say don't take it personally but um yes no and he's actually not bad is he and I like commit we'll go down what um is my softer barber woodhouse technique which you have to admit is working yes does yes and the dog is fine and loved by the way which is um just rolled up soft magazine um just from a newspaper so even softer um and basically what I've discovered because Bob likes to look out of our garden room. He likes to look out onto the path that every time a dog or a and the owner goes past he thinks it's his land. It's definitely not. So he'll go barking, go mad, won't he? So I happen to hold this thing up and brought this thing out. It turns out you don't even have to touch him. He will literally just be like, okay, and then he comes and sits next to me as if to apologise. I've tried it with the children. They're less, they're not working.- No, no, no.- But anyway, he's--- I think tablets work on, not literally those type of tablets. You know, the ones with the screen, right? And the games on, yeah, I don't condone other types of tablets for children.- God, I thought they were quiet, but you could be in after them.- But being a border Terry is very vocal, and he would run round, woo, woo, woo, woo. Yeah, I can't do the best thing, impression of Bob maybe I'll put a sound clip on there of an actual dog making a noise or not. But yeah, very vocal. So it's great that he's sort of crammed out because he was an absolute nightmare. And he is adorable. I have to say that as well. He's absolutely, and he is part of the family, isn't he? Fun, funny family. But this week we did the walking to school. So we do the walking to school. And then we came out in the morning and everyone else had seen we've had cold weather and ice. And we went outside and it literally was an ice rink. It's extraordinary. And we started walking. Even the dog was spinning. And it was, we got to the end of the first bit of the street. meant. Well it was freezing frog, not frogs, it wasn't freezing frogs, they were probably freezing too, but it was freezing fog. So essentially you couldn't even see that it was icy, so it was literally just a matter of stepping out of the door and then realizing that you were ice skating down the road. I felt it petrifying, I think I sent you off in the end in time. I went in the car, once you got on the main road it was fine, but on the paths, absolutely nightmare. So we do the walk to school, we take the dog, if we can we do it you know it's it's you know it's a better way to go and we're not allowed to take him into the playground there's a rule yes one of us has to stand outside well we have to stand outside other people leave their dogs tied up nicely on the gate on this little fence just outside the school and they're sat there very nicely ignoring everyone else yeah quite happily no our dog out to nightmare so who knows maybe it's just border terrors we've asked on many a walk yeah people go, 'Oh, lovely, poor deteriorate and I've asked lots. Do they ever calm down?' Someone said, 'Yes, ours is 11, just calm down, let's say about two, so we're not sure.' And then we think that their lifespan is about 12. So that last year is just going to be absolutely relaxing. But the other thing that happened with school this week, which I've just found extraordinary, we are living, it's like going back to the 80s at the moment isn't it? Because We have the school strikes and all the various strikes going on, which I have to say I don't think the teachers earn enough for what they do. I don't think that the schools have enough money for resources, etc. So yeah, there's a lot of systems failing there. That's my serious side. Now, bearing in mind, we have a strike coming up this coming Wednesday. Last week, the power went out. This has got nothing to do with a strike. There was a power cut in Fairford overnight, wasn't there?- There was.- Throughout most of Fairford.- Yeah, but only in the morning, I don't think it was all night. I think it was just in the morning, about seven o'clock in the morning.- The way they made it sound, it's like, what's that film with apocalypse now? Then?- Apocalypse now, that's like, I mean, be it now. Or is that a different one?- Oh.- No.- I'll come back to you. Oh my god, I'm gonna do that.(laughing)- Whole other film content. Whole different dream. I do this all the time. And I bring these things up and people go, I don't think she means that.- I love the smell of napalm in the morning. I don't think that's what we were getting at.- Yeah, that wasn't it.- Okay. Anyway, you explain then. So we get an urgent text message. School is closed. Do not bring your child to school and until we tell you otherwise, likely to be nine o'clock we've been told.- Yeah.- So we wait. Now the problem was this day, I had an appointment in Oxford to go and see a consultant And I needed to be in Oxford, which is a bloody nightmare to get to a traffic, for, 10 o'clock. So I was keen to drop off the children at half past eight So we were determined to go to half past eight So we went and just ignored them. Luckily, the electric had come on about 20 past, we got messages, but then nothing came on the message of about 29 minutes past eight where it said, "Power's back on, please bring your children at nine o'clock."- Yeah. - And no, at half past eight Now bring them a half eight, and people are at home going,- How? I was aiming for 9. - Yeah.- So we got them in. Luckily, they were the first ones in. Very quiet that morning, managed to get away, get to the consultant, which is great. Then there was an email, wasn't there, from the school? I think the day or two after, just advising people of their children should be in school on time. Because I think on the Wednesday, lots of people turned up late.- I think the word advising there is really kind. I think it was a bollocking, if I'm allowed to say that. It was a really blatant bollocking And you kind of imagine that the school office wanted to actually write a few names in at the top, but they're not allowed to. So it went to all of us. We're not too bad. We have had some moments there when we're flying down the road and coming in the last minute. To be honest, it's quite hard because you know to get your children out of the house dressed, smelling vaguely fresh, having brushed their teeth, well that's all you're lucky if they've got that far. And basically just looking kind of normal, you know, not half dressed,- It's a challenge. - It's a challenge. So some mornings will go much more smoothly than others. And speaking of Bob, the boisterous border terrier he has now just clawed at my, excuse me, Bob, his clawed at the door of my garden studio in inverted commas. Oh, he's sitting there like butter wouldn't melt on his mouth.- Yeah, I think you're cold.(laughing)- Oh God, I tell you something. One thing you'll learn over our podcast is Andrew's quite soft with this dog. He makes out that he's got this really like disciplinarian side to him, but I've heard him talking to the dog at night and it goes something like this. I'm just doing this Bob. I'm just gonna put another log on the fire. Is that okay? Oh, are you warm enough? Blah, blah, blah, and I'm like, oh my God.- Wow, so yeah, hit this dog's fine, by the way, he has looked after.- Yeah.- Yeah, so that happened the...- But the bit's going to school though, so and I get, there's some people leave it to the last minute, but I bet everyone else has the same, how do you drop your kids off to school, right? Do you take them in the car? If you can walk very lucky if you're able to walk, but when you have to take the car, it's an absolute nightmare. the people, the way people park, trying to get to the school. And if you turn up a few minutes late, because you're then against the on-floor traffic, two minutes the wrong side, and it can take you 10 minutes to get to the school. It's an absolute nightmare, and I'm sure everyone else is the same.- Yeah.- And now we've got the dog looking outside.- Now he wants to go out, honestly.- Okay, yeah, no, it's true. It is an absolute nightmare, and you can't really win, but you know, I have to say all parents there, they try their best to be fair. It's a bit of a hard challenge that time in the morning.- And then when you get to school, I'm sure like others, do you, how does, well I think the playground probably goes in two different ways, right? So, I must admit, I'm male. You may have gathered, I don't know. I don't know in this day of age, I live at the end of the year, I could be a two-spirit penguin to see his Morgan, right? But today I've decided that I will stick to my birth sexuality and stay male. I might change it actually. Would she tell me as male? I think she does. Yeah. Yes. But yeah, so I go to the playground. I nod. I ignore most people. I say hello. It's a no, but it's fairly fine. There's I think as a man, you don't really get the politics. You sort of go, all right, how are you? How does work? conversation every time but it's great it's fine it's so true and it's so true as a man you can walk in there and just sort of grunt and no one goes oh god he was really unfriendly today or god what did he mean by that grunt it was just literally like turn up like a Neanderthal go oh that's me grunting in case you wonder what that was I think the wine has run outand I haven't bought a bottle with me but Oh god, that's more of an emergency, but yes it's true. You can turn up and just grunt. Now women, and I don't think I'm the only one who feels this because I've had some chats with friends over the years. There is this undercurrent of competitiveness or secrecy that loads of cliques. I'm not really a massive fan of the clique. So I just find it all a bit painful. actually I sometimes come back from the school run just knackered my adrenaline's gone up and down I always have a story don't I? I mean how you can think there can be a story behind picking up your children or dropping them off there can be you know it's like little things like they're well you you know you have different categories of parents don't you? I think the ones that are probably irritate me the most, are the "holy of the now". That is not, by the way, a digger religion. It's the "holy of the now" as in their children can do no wrong. They basically do all of their children's homework so they look like they should actually be running the country already and not in a primary school. And everything's just sweet and lovely and oh, shall we get together and do a, I don't know, like some sort of bizarre or something because we just love hanging around with each other with cold coffee and stodgy carrot cake and it just makes me want to cry actually. Andrew switched off, he's so used to be going on around this. And I think it comes from when part of it comes and when they're toddlers babies and you go to these parent toddler bit, right? Basically you have to stay with them, right? So you build these relationships up often with people, you probably wouldn't normally have a relationship I mean the only thing and it was I don't know who said it once it was fun and the other comedian some way said The only thing you have in common with these people typically is the fact that you had sex at the same time As they did and you happen to have children now and therefore you go through this school bit I mean that's that's generally the only thing that you have in common with them is Andrew loves to tell me that one It always, we could be stood in the middle of the playground and I'm going, "God, I'm feeling a bit awkward," or whatever. And he goes, "Well, the only thing we have in common," and I'm like, "Oh, graphic, okay."- Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. - I'm moving on But I mean, the one thing we have is, so we're slightly old, so that you have an age group, right? And I think nowadays, actually lots of people are in children older.- Yeah. - So I would say we're older, with regards to our children being at school. And what we do find, which I find quite odd, is that often there are grandparents there that are the same age, maybe younger than me, which is very disconcerting. But yeah, you do have an age range. You also have, you know, people that have grown up in the area that are...- Gone to that school.- Gone to that school and they know, so they've got friendships and they know the school and they've gone through there. You do have a lot more people moving into areas with more mobile now. So, but I'm with you, different roles, different jobs, different backgrounds, it is all quite different.- I think it's a man, I just ignore it.- In my former life, or I should say, my current life is well,'cause I'm technically writing a cookbook, but in my former life, I have written romantic comedies, haven't I?- Yeah, it's true, very successful.- But thank you, I was writing for Harper Collins, and the little cottage in the country has quite a few scenes that basically reflect on playground politics. And yeah, but how women in particular can just become so competitive. And also, you know, like if you're like me and you like your food and you're less keen on the exercise, and then I don't know, the three, you know, the yoga three turn up basically doing downward dogs into the playground and out. I mean, it does make you look at yourself and go, oh my god, I'm such a fatty. But as I said to you the other day, I love food and I love eating.- Are you two? I know, and it's...- And we watched that film, Julian and Julian, and she says that to the Stanley Tucci character. And he says...- You're so good at it, darling.(laughs)- Where do I think could be aimed at me? So I take that as a real win.- Yeah.- Yeah, so yes, but yes, my book, The Little Cottage in the Cartagena.- And you're just, we'll do the plug while we're here. And you're named for that, is it? I write under lottie phillips for that one and I'm thinking of the other spectrum. I write psychological frillers Yes, a lot of people have questioned my sanity when I tell them those two opposites And I write under Louise Stone for that Very successful or published available on Amazon or any all good bookshops. Yeah But fab go check them out. I think they're wonderful. I read them all so I yeah, she has But we did us so going back to food then so we did the Consommé I think and she was a success Yeah, actually this week I think it's been successful. So there are two other things that you've cooked So one you did earlier in the week which you tried which you mentioned before was the beef Wellington So do you want to talk about how that came out what it is and we will put pictures of these on I don't what do we put them It's what we haven't got an Instagram, but we will get something there will be up I don't know, we'll put it on our Instagram. Yes, yes, beef Wellington, well as I say in the last episode I don't think many people actually have to massage their cut of beef dry for two hours That was a bit of a waste of time and I've never seen that happen on MasterChef But dare I say this was a really good to know as well and I'm going to put this in the cookbook which is sit-eat. And basically, I was really worried that this cut of beef was cheap. I mean, not that anything's cheap at all. It was top-side. It was top-side. No, nothing is cheap. Let's be honest, any more. But of course, you normally would be using tenderloin, wouldn't you? And there's a reason for that shape-wise... Or fillet steak, right? Or something like that. But you just want that delicate, and you want to have to cut through it, it has to be umptouous and I thought oh this isn't going to work. Now by browning it off first and letting it rest for a good time and then having I'm going to use the word the balls to take it out when I did I think it was cooked really well. It was really nice. It was really nice. I mean it was how you'd want to be put to it. So that does show that you don't have to do these dishes with outrageously expensive food which of course so many people are struggling with now aren't- Yeah, I know this is really good. Supermarket during the beef was fantastic. What you would do for a normal Sunday roast.- Yeah.- Absolutely fantastic.- From Asda, I don't think we're allowed to mention shops, but I just have, yeah, but it was very good. So that was something I did. And then today, today's Sunday, had some having wine at this time. And I've made, 'cause this was one of my things, I said to myself, 'cause if you watch MasterChef as much as I do, the chocolate fondant it's a challenge right? Because basically you get this from the judges they say oh oh oh you're making a chocolate fondant that's risky that's risky the simplicity there is risky and you want it to come out with that lovely baked layer and then you then you chop into it cut into it and oozing us of the chocolate and they really do bloody stare at that fondant don't they? So I was like"Okay, I'm gonna have to, this is my new challenge." So it was pasta panda, but obviously pandemic. Well, it was a bit like that. They probably did need some sort of help and safety. Pasta last week, chocolate fondant today. And I go over to you.- No, I think so. And this is timing issue. This is one where you're trying to work out timing. So you did four, 'cause we got five in the family. So when I was asked to buy little cases for fondants, I bought four and then I questioned why you didn't get four plates out earlier today because I had any bought four of the cup. And anyone who's listened to last episode knows that I look at him as if to say it's your fault that I don't have the right tools. Obviously it's never my cooking. And again these work quite well so we will list these on the website at some point in the future. As I say so you can tell me. By the way it's from Asda or Tala are listening. We are really glad we have that conversation. Yes. But anyway, so I think you went through that the flavour was fantastic and I think actually the fondant as you went through the timing So you started off a little bit early, which is a bit gooey Clapsed on the set and then the next one the next one but by time you got to the fourth one that came out the final one Yeah, it was perfect. You know lovely cooked on the outside runny in the middle it was perfect So just yeah, that's the hard bit is getting that timing, understanding your oven, what cooks But actually just going through and trying it No, it was it was amazingly good and served it with some Frozen fruit which I think is lovely because by the time you actually get around to eating and once it's gone through that hot chocolate It's just as perfect. It's got a nice little crunch to it and then cream But I think we agreed that vanilla ice cream or something like that would be even better. Yeah, so that was a bit of a success Sorry, and why did and the other thing you did was you've got this when you pull a pizza stone I used to own a pizza stone many years ago and it was surplus to requirement apparently. Well no, let me wait a second folks, I'm going to come in here. So let me explain our family. We are a blended family, I think that's what they call you. I'm having literally put us in a new trouble, but we have come together. So Andrew has three children, you've got Jack, your eldest, but he's left. He's 25, left, right?- It's very successful. Then you've got Rhodri, who's coming up for 12 in May.- Just on secondary school.- Just started secondary school. And you've got Ari, who is in the same class as my son, and they are both eight years old. And that's how we met. So we were single parents, and we came together like that, and it's been all the beautiful.(laughing) Yeah, so that is a bit about our families. I just need to explain why we have so many.- Yes, I mean children. Yes, because I think people look at me although I do quite feel like quite heroic like I've just like you know Produced for in fact, I've only produced one so I'm dragging them up, but no, you know No, we survived Can you remind me of? Pizza Stone. So why I had one? Oh, yes, sorry. Oh, yes, because you'll find Andrew comes says these things a lot. Yes, so of course if you bring two I would say mature families together blend them you also blend a lot of furniture a lot of kitchen equipment a lot of everything So I won't name the company, but if anyone wants to get in touch I would they really should sponsor me because I should have shares in the description of them So anyway, I would regularly put out a lot of stuff for them to remove from the property and Andrew this was in the early days and Andrew would be looking out of his office window and be like Why is that out there? Oh my god. Oh my god, that's my peace sister. Why is what I love that and I'm quite ruthless I'm sorry. Who is it that does this whole declutter thing? There's somebody that does it famously Declutter Maria Marie condo Mary condo. Yeah, I think you oh, yeah, but she's no, no, I think you do Better I would say I'd like to think I do Mary condo but with some soul. Yes. Yeah, yeah She doesn't just you just shut everything out. Yeah, I mean and admittedly I did have clutter, right? So I do, I'm not totally a hoarder, but there's definitely some genes in there that that require me to keep hold of stuff. If you go to the garage, which is sort of in my domain, there is... I think you could talk about genetics. Genetics. Genetics. I was just like going like what genes? What genes? You have to have to find out. But yeah, so I did have a lot of stuff, right? So, and as a blend of our, we needed to get through and just reset, right? Start again. So... Absolutely. So you've come to the Pizza Stone bit, which you used with the fondant, so the bit I was going to was why was the Pizza used when you were doing your fondant? Oh, I didn't even know you noticed. Just because it heats up evenly and it meant that the base was getting an even heat. So it didn't retain this heat, so rather than Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because I'm trying to keep the Sorry, I'm so shocked he was actually watching that closely. I don't know what to say. I've gone off funny Yeah, it was just about trying to keep an even heat throughout the the Fondant yeah, but but I'm going back to our blended family thing I will just quickly say as well So you have a bit of background on on how we came together. So yes, but we we met obviously because our my son Finn your daughter Ari in the same class which is fantastic because it's like having naughty twins now and we met just not long after your wife had very sadly died yeah yeah yeah yeah 12 months I suppose from diagnosed to dying of stage 4 which is cancer yeah yeah and then I came from a relationship which was far from healthy so I left the family home or whatever and but anyway we've since met each other come together and I'm gonna go this far and I'm gonna go this far I believe you're my soul mate I believe so too I think I'm giving him the look like you I am aren't I and I think I'm all talk about that more because I think they're interested it's interesting right we talk about this is funny families and how you come together and I'm sure other people have got similar experiences we know one of some friends that are going, recently going through things. Absolutely. And it happens and actually I think it's good to talk about these things. Totally. And actually when you're bringing up children as well and that impacts the children, we're very open about what went on both from Charlie's side and from my side. So we will talk about that but actually the, I think the key for us is, you have to live. That was one of the things we talked about, right? So I talked about before just moving on with life, enjoying life, right? And actually, I think these experiences really teach you to just embrace it and enjoy it. So that's what we're trying to do. That's why we're talking about it. That's why we have fun. Yeah. And it's... Yeah, I don't want to say it, but yeah, no, that's what we want to do. That's why we do the podcast. That's why we drink beer. That's why we drink wine. That's why we don't. That's why I cook food. Why we do food. Yeah, exactly. So... But yeah, no, I think it's fab. So we... And we'll keep talking about this. And if you've got any ideas, anything that you want to talk about that you'd like us to cover that you think we've not covered, then let us know, you know, comment or whatever on the podcast or... I think the biggest thing that you can perhaps take from that is because I remember looking at you and I hadn't met you before and you were so smiley. My God, you know, you always so cheery, always just so... When I look back and out and realise what he was going through, so confident, so seemingly altogether. But of course, since I think you were, but I think deep down you also went through some horrific struggles and have seen some horrific things as have your children. But people have said the same thing about me. They said you're always smiling, always laughing. And I think that you get this idea that people's lives are perfect and ours are so not perfect, hence the podcast. But I think it's about being relatable and it doesn't matter where you live, how much money you've got, how much money you don't have, whatever, we all have that shared vulnerability and we need to start talking about stuff.- Yeah, talking's key. So, and I agree, but also just live, right? And I think one of the key things is, so the politics in the playground, we go back to that.- Yeah.- You have no idea that people that come up there, that either they're putting on a front or a brave face or they're going through an abusive relationship or they've got illness in the family actually they're in a wonderful place they've just had a promotion and everything's great. You have no idea what's going on and... No, I mean one of the yoga trio doing the downward dog across the playground may be going through a really shit time. So when I profile people like that, I'm doing it tongue in cheek because I actually know how much depth there is to every single person stood in that playground wherever, or whatever sort of setting you are in the life. So yeah, you have to be really open to that idea that actually some people might be going to their private hell and just be kind. Yeah, yeah, no, and have fun. And have fun. And have fun, and have fun, and love. And I think we should probably bring this podcast up close. The reason being is I'm looking across in the glass of wine that Charlie has has been empty for probably half of the podcast. I don't have a night in my mouth. You don't have to be well. So, but anyway, it's been great out. We've got more stories to talk about next week. There's more food planned.- Yes.- We'll cover health again, right? So I've had some, I'll talk about health'cause this health scares that I've had recently. And I think it's useful to talk about what, and again, I'm fine, I think I'm fine. So we're gonna see concerns. I think okay. But again, health, Tim, we'll talk about that. I think that can be quite funny.- Yeah.- When you relate it, we'll talk about food, we'll talk about children, we're everything.- So what are your plans for the week ahead? Anything? Interestingly, I've got an appointment at the consultant tomorrow. Oh, that's another story, guys. But we'll cover that. We'll cover that one. Yeah, but I don't have many plans. I think you've got plans for the following weekend where you're... Yeah, and this week I'm going to be throwing myself into my cookbook again. I've got loads of new ideas and it's coming together really nicely isn't it? So I'm very excited about that. And yes, next weekend I'm seeing two of my bezies from school. I know one of them since I was nine, which makes me feel incredibly ancient, and we're having a night, I'm having a night away people. I know. Fabulous. I know. And what food are you cooking? Have you got a plan? Do you know what food you're going to cover? What can people look for to you next week on the episode? Well, let's have a think. So I'm going to go, I've done a roast chicken and I've done the Italian roast chicken. I'm going to probably do a roast chicken with an Indian twist. off the back of what I did this week which was another recipe I'm going to put in the book and it was it was with the filo pastry yeah I did like engine samosas but with filo pastry it was really yumm wasn't it but anyway I'm really keen to get behind all those Indian flavours which are frankly fantastic and you can't beat them so that's where I'm at yep we'll look forward to next week can you get a perfect see you then see you love you bye[Music]