From Agony Aunt to Starbars
Heads & Dovetails
It seems Gill's turned into an Agony Aunt for Jamie in this episode! Jamie had several things, problems he wanted to ask Gill about to see if she could help him work out what was going on in his brain! They talk about the possible reasons for Jamie's washing up obsession and how he's been training not only his brain but his family! His family are now expecting him to do certain tasks - Dad's jobs - like the washing up, emptying the bins etc. Whilst he doesn't mind he wants to know ho wto stop the family taking it for granted they are 'his' jobs! Gill explains, in very basic terms,...
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From Un-ironed pineapple shirts to plastic in compost!
Heads & Dovetails
Jamie has been pondering on the chat he and Gill had in episode 69 about ironing and had an 'Aha' moment about why he doesn't iron his shirts. He realises it goes back to his days of working on boats and having to be in meetings with management one minute whilst also working on boats the next. An unironed shirt seemed to cover both situations well - smart enough for a meeting but not too smart to have the Mickey taken out of him when woking on the boats. Gill goes on to talk about compost and her recent experience of finding a LOT of large, small, solid and thin bits of plastic as well...
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From Freud or Adler to 'updating' ourselves.
Heads & Dovetails
Jamie had sent Gill a link about Freud versus Adler and had society been following the wrong theory? They chat about the differences in approach to helping people - Freud looking back to childhood traumas and Adler looking forward. After chatting about the various types of therapy they both decide they're more in the Adler camp but recognise that what works for one person may not work for another. Gill talks about how she suddenly realised that she had an updated, better solution to carrying the bird food into the garden than she had been using for years as a result of learning to willow...
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From ironed bedding to an abundance of fruit.
Heads & Dovetails
Jamie and Gill wanted to start the episode by giving a big shout out and dedicate this episode to Alex Holden for no other reason than they found out he has listened to every single one of their episodes! If you are a maker, listened to our podcast and would like a mention let us know. Gill had a couple of big questions for Jamie as part of her 'research': Did Jamie use a top sheet on their bed? Did they iron their sheets? Gill explains why she likes a top sheet and why she likes ironed bedding. Jamie explains why he doesn iron although admits he does like sleeping in ironed sheets....
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From obituaries and eulogies to change your life?
Heads & Dovetails
This may sound like a dark episode but it really isn't, it's more about taking stock of your life and who you are. Gill and Jamie define the difference between an obituary (the written word usually in a newspaper announcing someones death with a bit about their life) and a eulogy (usually spoken at a funeral / memorial service about someone's life but can be written down). Jamie had read an article - link here: which got him thinking about how he wanted to be remembered and writing his own obituary! As Jamie explains he doesn't want someone to stand up as his funeral for example and say...
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From Hot, hot, hot to micro weddings.
Heads & Dovetails
Being British of course Jamie and Gill have to comment on the weather which has been hot in the south for quite a while. Luckily in the South West where Gill lives it's not been too bad whilst others, particulary in the South East have been melting! Jamie and Gill share various tips they learnt or heard of over the years to help keep cool from putting your feet in cold water to opening up your attic hatch at night. Jamie raises the topic of less is more and somehow this leads them to talking about weddings. They discuss the vast sums of money people spend, that they don't have, on a wedding...
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From watering cans to 'bugbears!'
Heads & Dovetails
Jamie has been suffering stomach type cramps and tells of his search online for a natural cure and how his family nag him to drink more water! Gill and Jamie chat about how various aches and pains can be as a result of something you've been doing or not doing (like drinking water when hot!) the previous day. Gill tells Jamie about the GillHB & Friends podcast she did a few years ago in her 'gardening mini series' with Rich Pennock from Haws Watering cans and a piece of good advice he gave her to help prevent back and posture issues. Changing subjects Gill wants to talk about...
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From weddings and ChapGPT to alcohol
Heads & Dovetails
One of Jamie's daughters recently got married in the Lake District and that involved Jamie hiring a car, which he was not impressed with and taking various grand-parents with them. It was the first of his daughter's weddings for him as father of the bride and was held in a hotel overlooking Lake Windermere. It was a small wedding, 20 people in total which these days is apparently known as a 'micro- wedding'. Jamie describes what a wonderful day it was and how his duaghter had removed a lot of pre-wedding stress with the arrangements. He was worried about his speech which he had started...
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From Chelsea Flower Show to a view from the garden.
Heads & Dovetails
Gill loves the Chelsea flower show and has been lucky enough to go a couple of years ago. However reading a post on Instagram made her consider things from a different point of view. Firstly she asks, how did she get to her get and not realise that the RHS was a charity?! Jamie and Gill chat about the positives, not so positives and maybe areas that could be improved around Chelsea. They both agree that a lot of work and effort goes into making Chelsea happen but to what extent are younger people from the local area involved? Running events takes a lot of effort and Jamie tells how The Ruskin...
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From VE Day Celebrations to Just go with it!
Heads & Dovetails
With the VE celebrations last weekend Jamie went to see his Mum who had her 6th birthday on VE Day and she shares what she remembers of the day. Gill went down to join in the village celebrations on the green with over 300 people, sandwiches, cake, scones and a cuppa. Clive was also playing with his village ukulele band and it was freezing! It was so cold the ukulele players could hardly feel their fingers and playing in big coats wasn't quite the plan! Jamie also went to 'Yoga in the Park' and describe what it was like doing yoga in the rain, including lying on the mat for the...
info_outlineJamie has completed a letter engraving project in a font the client wanted and explains why it could have been so much better but ultimately it was what the client wanted and they were happy with the result. Gill says it's the reason she asks the experts/trades who are doing something for her what they would suggest. She can then decide to take their advice or not but can at least make an infomred decision.
Jamie has a pair of Bose hedphones he loves but the ear pads are worn out so he's decided to repair/recycle them. He's found a 'cool 1970's' brand for 99p on Ebayand is going to amalgamate the pair by taking the Bose workings and put them into the 1970's external covering.
Gill has a moan about the filthy state some properties are left in when they've been sold. The contracts state properties 'will be left clean and tidy' which is very often not the case! As she and her husband found out when they moved into their current home and her son has just found out on his first home purchase last week which took the edge off the excitement of moving in. The oven was unuseable caked in baked on grease and grime and the shower was in a simiiar state! As Gill found out when buying their house there appears to be no real comeback on the seller if they don't agree to refund some monies and she knows from other friends it happens a lot! When you've cleaned the house (including appliances) you're selling and have to spend hours cleaning the one you're moving in to!
The only option appears to be, if the seller won't agree compensation, is to take them to the small claims court and who wants that hastle! But it ruins the excitement of moving into a new home when it's filthy and the first thing you have to do is clean it! Jamie and Gill chat about what other possible options there could be in this situation.