It's A Drama: Parenting podcast.

In this episode, we share how we make a year-long trip happen.  Enjoy! Enjoy, say hi in the comments and subscribe and share this podcast!❤️ Liz and Brian x   ✏️Love stories? Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️    Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

People think it's easy to up sticks and travel the world for a year. 1: Rent your house to a complete stranger off the internet. 2: Hand over your cats and your sheep. 3: Pack your bags. 4: HURRAYY!! Only it's not. Easy, I mean. Luckily, we have a list. A list that we want to share with you today. A list that, no matter HOW MANY things we cross off it, the bloody thing keeps growing... Enjoy! Enjoy, say hi in the comments and subscribe and share this podcast!❤️ Liz and Brian x   ✏️Love stories? Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️    Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We've kept you waiting long enough. Today, you will discover why we have been frantically trying to downsize and raise money.  Here goes... Enjoy, review the podcast, subscribe and share, PLEASE, with a friend! Kia Kaha ❤️ Liz and Brian x   ✏️Love stories? Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️    Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's boat has been the bain of our life for the last two months. But now it's gone. And thankfully, Bri is still here to tell the story. Just. Enjoy, say hi in the comments and subscribe and share this podcast! Kia Kaha ❤️ Liz and Brian x ✏️Love stories? Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️    Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The weight is shifting. The winds are turning.Mary is on her way...This is episode 200!!! And to celebrate, we are beginning a new season...This is the first episode in a season of what we might call the couple diaries. Or the marriage diaries. Or just... It's a Drama. At the end of this podcast, Brian and I share a personal diary entry (without the other one knowing).Let us know your thoughts; we'd love to hear your feedback.Kia Kaha,Liz and Brian xx ✏️Love stories? Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️ Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ready to feel uncomfortable?This walking podcast is a taste of the content we publish to our Patreon supporters. We wanted to share it with you, too, to take you behind the scenes and hear us talk about a mistake Brian (and I) made on YouTube and our decision to publish that cock-up to the world.We also talk about feeling super vulnerable when you get hard-hitting comments and discuss the importance of remembering not to take things personally.Let us know what you think in the comments!Kia Kaha,Liz and Brian xPodcast Show Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠Links mentioned in the show:

Friday was a day of love and affection. VD.Not the down-below disease, the day. Of love. Valentines Day.Rather than buy Bri some crappy scented candle and a bottle of cheap rum (that, more often than not, gets thrown into the pepper sauce come April), I tried something new.I booked us a couples "experience".We went last week.Went and did it. That's all I'm saying. Enjoy.xxPodcast Show Page: ⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠Links mentioned in the show:

It was my birthday, so I booked a surprise trip for me and Bri.I googled New Zealand cheap accommodation. Best places to stay in New Zealand. Real New Zealand adventures.Then I put in my whopping budget: $99 a night.This is what we got. This is where we stayed.Sit back, relax and listen to our experience of this insanely cheap Kiwi getaway.And our fondue fiddles.xPodcast Show Page: ⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠Check out the Flying Fox HERE: https://theflyingfox.co.nz/ Links mentioned in the show:

It's the little things, isn't it? The little things in life that give you the most grief.Remove those stresses and...Bingo. Life is wonderful.So why did it take us thirteen years to find this out? This episode shares how we have suffered for the last thirteen years. Been held hostage in our own home.Terrifying.Oh, and we also share how Liz made a complete idiot of herself in a public toilet.Enjoy!Love you guys!Liz and Bri xxPodcast Show Page: ⁠Click Here⁠ Links mentioned in the show:

Liz and Bri are back from their adventures in Canada, but on their way home, they spend time in the USA. Because they have no one else to talk to apart from each other, they couldn't wait to return to New Zealand to share their findings with YOU... Love you guys! Enjoy! Liz and Bri xx Podcast Show Page: Click Here   Links mentioned in the show:

This is a bonus episode that I recorded for our Patreon members. My hope is that it reaches the right person. The person who needs to hear this message. Thank you for listening. FOR MORE BONUS CONTENT LIKE THIS Join us on Patreon   Sign up for my FREE newsletter: The Front Row Newsletter To hear more about the mastermind I mentioned, email me: at liz@itsasdrama.com My heart beats with yours ❤️ Liz x   Click here for the Podcast Episode Page

Last month, I boldly said I wanted this family holiday to Canada to "fix" me. Fix was the wrong word. You can't fix grief. But what you can do is decide how you want to move forward with your life after such a massive loss. This episode is for you if you feel stuck, sad, helpless, desperate, scared of never being the person you once knew or all of the above.  Our hope is this behind-the-scenes episode will bring you peace, hope, comfort and inspiration if you happen to be in the same dark place I was in before we left for this trip. Kia Kaha. Stay strong.Our hearts beat with yours - always. With love, Liz and Brian xx   Links mentioned in the show:

Want behind-the-scenes BONUS content? Become part of our fabulous Patreon Community to receive MEMBER ONLY SECRET podcasts, stories, photos and more! Click HERE to find out more! This week, we are in Nelson, BC. And if that wasn't exciting enough, we are bringing you this podcast episode from the slopes of Whitewater Ski Resort! After a year of immense loss (Liz's parents passing within six months of each other and saying goodbye to our beloved family dog), the Deacle family re-grouped and set off for a month in British Columbia, Canada, in search of some much-needed family time, happiness, love, conversation, and togetherness. To make this possible, they are house-swapping. They have traded their Skoda and lovely one-level countryside home in Taranaki, New Zealand, with a family in Nelson, BC, and they now have THEIR car and THEIR beautiful Canadian wooden home in the mountains for a month. Did Canada deliver what Liz and Brian were looking for? Did Bri ever get to finish what he was saying? Why did Liz go up on the chairlift on her own and cry? And WHY aren't husbands born with psychic powers?? PS: Listen to the end to find out! LOVE YOU GUYS!! HAPPY 2025!! xx   Links Mentioned in the show: - Currency card we use while travelling. Travelling overseas and don't want to pay hefty credit card charges? Using WISE means you SAVE money and can relax while you travel. ⁠Check out the WISE card here⁠ for the best rates! - The home-swapping website we are using is Home Exchange! - For more FREE ways to travel, we use (and LOVE) Trusted Housesitters. If you want to join us in using TrustedHousesitters to travel the world, ⁠check out these beautiful houses⁠ and pets currently available & waiting for YOU to HOUSESIT! Once convinced that housesitting is for you, use our exclusive discount code to get a WHOPPING ⁠25% off HOUSESITTING by going here⁠!  - Looking for the BEST Travel Insurance? There is only one company that we use (and only ever use when we travel), and that's World Nomads. Over the years, we've made three claims (sorry, guys), and each time the service has been superb. Check ⁠World Nomads out here⁠! - Check out Liz's book, The Travel Bog Diaries! A hilarious memoir about surviving family travel for a year (on a teeny, tiny budget!!) ⁠See the book here⁠! Sign up for Liz's FREE ⁠⁠⁠⁠email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠. Weekly laughs, inspiration and honest life stories. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  ❤️ Like what you heard? Please rate and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠review the It's a Drama Podcast here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or if you are on Spotify, please review us over there. Your short review helps us massively and encourages us to continue! Want behind-the-scenes BONUS content? Become part of our fabulous Patreon Community to receive PRIVATE MEMBER ONLY podcasts, stories, photos and more! Visit our It's a Drama Patreon Page ⁠⁠⁠ to find out more! Visit the Show Page here:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://itsadrama.com/⁠⁠podcast ⁠⁠⁠ Thank you for listening; you are fabulous, and we love you. Liz and Brian x Follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can now JOIN our SECRET Patreon Community! ➡️ ⁠https://patreon.com/itsadrama⁠ There's a 25% EARLYBIRD discount for the month of December!! It's been quite a year for us.  If you have followed the podcast for a while, you will know that we have suffered two big losses. Both Liz's mum and dad passed within 6 months of each other. And before you know it, it's Christmas time. Which is always the hardest. Determined to celebrate Christmas in a way that we have never done before, in a country the four of us love, we have decided to leave New Zealand to spend a month-long-once-in-a-lifetime family break in...? Did you know we now have a SECRET podcast? Behind The Drama is a fabulous member-only podcast where Brian and I take you deeper into the more personal stories about life as a married, entrepreneurial couple. A couple who juggle travel, family, business, mental health and marriage. A couple who have two adult kids that still live at home. But that's okay. Because they don't mind being slaves. Honest. If you are of a certain age who dreams of throwing conventional life into the air and swapping it for optimism, yes-ness, adventure, and a ton of much-needed knicker-wetting humour, then this is the podcast for you - It is real, it is honest, it is tough, and it is JUST what you need. Trust me, you LOVE this! Find out more by going to https://patreon.com/itsadrama   Thank you for listening; you are fabulous, and we love you. Liz and Brian x We would love you to join us in this new stage of our lives and share everything we're too scared to share in public. You can do that by visiting our page at Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/itsadrama/⁠⁠ Thank you ❤️ PS: We are offering a 25% EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT to all our memberships for the month of December! We would love to have you with us! Visit the Show Page here:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://itsadrama.com/⁠⁠podcast Links mentioned in the show:

You can now JOIN our SECRET Patreon Community! ➡️ https://patreon.com/itsadrama There's a 25% EARLYBIRD discount for the month of December!! It's good to be back in New Zealand. Three things happened to us last week that made us want to fall to our knees and kiss our home soil. Sit back and allow us to share what they were and why we adore the country of New Zealand so very much. PS: Please ignore Brian's face when we talk about the walking man. He's constipated. (Brian, not the walking man) ❤️

We thought the sad news was over. Had floated away like water under a bridge. Babble, babble, babble. Brook, brook, brook. No more crying into a microphone. No more looking worried. No more sorrowful recalls. But no. I'm sorry to say that this week's episode is a sad one. The floodgates are open once more.  This episode was so very hard to record. But record it, we did. Because it is important for us to be honest with you. Transparent. Real. You grant us the space to be who we are, to share everything that life throws at us. Both good and bad. You have given us your trust. And for that, we love you. So, as hard as it was to make this episode, it felt right to do so. We hope you feel the same. Thank you, my friend. Thank you for allowing us, once again, to lean on you this week. We love and cherish you. Liz and Brian x Visit the Show Page here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://itsadrama.com/more-unwanted-news/ Links mentioned in the show:

MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND and want to know more about the country? SIGN UP below for our FREE 5-DAY VIDEO GUIDE! It's all happening in New Plymouth's Pac'n'Save. Mostly around the frozen chicken aisle. Join Liz and Brian this week as they share a healthy dose of New Zealand gossip. Find out what happens when they meet a fan with marital advice, reveal the outcome of be-friending suspicious shoppers, and live up to their favourite label of being scummy! Enjoy! If you'd like to watch this podcast on video, you can do that on Spotify.  Enjoy! Liz and Bri xx Visit the Show Page here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://itsadrama.com/life-in-nz Links mentioned in the show:

So this is the BEST Island in Fiji? Today's episode is brought to you ON LOCATION. We are IN Fijji. Actually there. With the plan trees and everything. I've always wanted to say that. "On location".  It reminds me of Judith Chalmers when she'd stand by a fishing boat somewhere in the Bahamas wearing a turquoise sarong. Flashing her polished dentures at the camera while we all watched through the telly in England. Drooling. Depressed. Wishing it was sunny and not dark at four o'clock. If you'd like to watch this podcast on video, you can do that on Spotify.  Enjoy! Liz and Bri xx Visit the Show Page here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://itsadrama.com/island-in-fiji ⁠⁠ Links mentioned in the show:

Liz and Brian and getting ready to go to a wedding in Fiji. Of course, there are concerns. Just a few. What with those dancing men and crab-racing women? It's all too much to think about...So Liz, thinks about her old pal, Mo. You know, Mo? The salt-of-the-earth mother-in-law. Mo, with no knickers...THAT Mo. Join us as we plan a VERY special (and extra sociable) occasion!  Liz and Bri x Visit the Show Page here: https://itsadrama.com/fiji-wedding-party-here-we-come-oh-fk Links mentioned in the show:   Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠

I am a huge fan of this week's guest. Rachael Herron is a best-selling author who not only moved from the United States to New Zealand with her wife, but also wrote a book about it! I have followed Rachael for a long time. She has a fabulous podcast (link below) about writing, which has helped and inspired me, both in life and on my writing journey, and today, I got to chat with her about her big move down under! I know you are going to love Rachael as much as I do. It's impossible not to. She is frank and open and freely shares the obstacles she overcame when moving to New Zealand from America. Sit back and hear about Rachael's fears and dreams, about being an alcoholic, about meeting friends in New Zealand when you are an introvert, and much, much more. Enjoy! Visit the Show Page here: ⁠https://itsadrama.com/moving-from-usa-to-new-zealand Links mentioned in the show:   Sign up for Liz's ⁠FREE email newsletter⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, ⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠

Feeling is healing. I've read those words a lot while grieving my mum. And it's true; to a certain extent, it's true. But what people fail to mention is that feeling also hurts like hell. And no one likes to feel pain. Not if they can possibly avoid it. In this week's behind-the-scenes episode, we share a personal healing practice that Liz has undertaken to help navigate the grief around losing her mum. Writing. Liz is writing her second book, but what started as a happy, healing book about New Zealand has morphed into something quite different. An unexpected beast. Something that scares Liz to write and scares Brian to stand by and witness. Thank you for being with us and for listening. You are loved, you are needed, and our hearts always beat with yours. Your friends, Liz and Brian x   Visit the podcast page here: https://itsadrama.com/writing-to-heal/ Links mentioned in the show:   Sign up for Liz's ⁠⁠FREE email newsletter⁠⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, ⁠⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠⁠

What's happening? Why, when I was feeling fine, 'doing ok,' and 'coping', do I suddenly feel like I've been hit by a sledgehammer and fallen down a well of darkness? It's been almost five months since my mum passed.  This is a behind-the-scenes podcast. One of those we never expected to record. But record we did. I've never had a public panic attack before. I didn't have a clue what was happening. But I do now, and we wanted to share this podcast episode with you in the hope that it might help you in some small, comforting way.  Thank you for being with us; you are loved, you are needed, and our hearts always beat with yours. Your friends, Liz and Brian x   Visit the Show Page here: ⁠https://itsadrama.com/having-a-public-panic-attack/ Links mentioned in the show:   Sign up for Liz's ⁠FREE email newsletter⁠. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, ⁠THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES⁠

Liz and Brian are back in New Zealand. They flew from Chiang Mai via Bangkok and China and, thirty hours later, were home in Taranaki, New Zealand. Tucked up in bed. But flying home to NZ didn't go smoothly. In fact, it was a sodding fiasco. What started as a dream-come-true-flight ended with wet knickers and tears. And not only that, the food on the plane was sh*t. Sit back and listen to the story of the return flight  Enjoy! Liz and Brian x Visit the Show Page here: https://itsadrama.com/flying-to-nz Links mentioned in the show:   Sign up for Liz's FREE email newsletter. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Trusting our Teeth to Thailand and paying to be pummelled. After three weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Liz and Brian are smiling from ear to ear. Their bones have been pummeled, their teeth nicely drilled, and they have a ton of cash to spend in weird restaurants... In this week's show, the couple share all about having their teeth fixed with a dentist in Thailand, the full Thai massage experience, and eating out in weird restaurants.   Enjoy! Liz and Brian x Click Here for the Podcast Show Page Sign up for Liz's FREE email newsletter. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Combining much-needed dental work with a holiday, Liz and Brian left New Zealand and are in Thailand for a month. Brought to you from their bedroom in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, they are ready to share the story of how they went from feeling utterly stressed and wound up like a screw to feeling chilled and relaxed and floppy like a pair of braless breasts. Find out what Liz and Brian are doing in Chiang Mai to relax, what happened at the airport, and why the smell of sandalwood might probably make Liz sick forever. Liz goes braless; Brian goes commando, and the taxi driver's wife goes without saying. Thank you for being with us in Thailand! Enjoy! Liz and Brian x   Sign up for Liz's FREE email newsletter. This is the best way to get to know Liz and have her meet you. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Love to travel and laugh? Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

This week has been horrible, it really has. I'm sorry, but we have more sad news to share. Thank you for being here and letting us talk about it. We also share the difficulties of being able to rest. I for one, struggle to differentiate between work and rest, and as I made this episode, I realised that I might be using the excuse of "but I LOVE to create" to distract myself from grief.  Either that or I'm a workaholic. The truth is, I'm scared of dropping the balls that I've spent years learning to juggle. If this sounds like you, I think you'll enjoy this episode. This is such a fascinating topic, and I intend to write about it in-depth (obviously not when I'm supposed to be resting with Brian...) for my private newsletter readers. You can sign up for that newsletter here. For now, please enjoy this episode and thank you again for being you. I love and appreciate you. Liz x Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. They are free, inspiring, and personal. And best of all, you'll love them. This FREE email newsletter is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Is it Just Me? Wouldn't every mother be the same?  Our son is on holiday in Vegas. And of course, there've been a few dramas. What was interesting, though, was how Liz and Brian reacted differently to some worrying news. Go on, Bri. Put the coffee pot on...  Enjoy! Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. They are free, they are inspiring, and they are personal. And best of all, you'll love them. This FREE email newsletter is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

There's been a bit of a to-do in New Zealand this week. A shortage of HRT. Scary stuff... Talking about taking hormone replacement, Brian shares why he takes Testosterone, and the couple discuss their battle to stay true, keep it real and refrain from hitting the delete button whenever they make a mistake. Enjoy! Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. They are free, inspiring, and personal. And best of all, you'll love them. This FREE email newsletter is the best way to get to know Liz. I look forward to sharing my words with you ❤️  Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Stay. This week we were given a huge reminder. Something that changed the way Liz sees things. The stars aligned. Questions were answered.  On one sunny morning in New Zealand, suddenly everything made sense. This podcast is sent to you with love. We appreciate you always and hope this simple kiwi reminder brings you the comfort that it brought us. Our hearts beat with yours, Liz and Brian x With special love, respect and thanks to The Mutton Birds Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. They are free, they are inspiring and they are personal. And best of all, you'll love them. Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. When we booked our month-long trip to Thailand back in May, it seemed like a grand idea. Get away. Change of scenery. Leave the kids. And now, when it's almost time to leave, we're having second thoughts. Or Liz is. In this week's episode, Liz and Brian chat about the realities of going overseas when one of you doesn't quite feel up to it. Fear, dread, excitement. Fear again. We're feeling the lot.  We also discuss the effect of probably the best birthday present we have ever given our daughter and Liz's simple fix to one of her nagging microstresses. Enjoy! Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE 5-day LETTERS. They are free, they are inspiring and they are personal. And best of all, you'll love them. Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Sign up for Liz's Five Letters here. Be the help you needed. That's always been my motto. My blueprint. My words-in-guiding-armour that help me forward whenever I feel stuck. Especiaslly in these terrifying times of deep grief when I hesitate to share my sadness and struggles for fear of losing subscribers or upsetting those here for the laughs. But. What I have today has to be shared. It has to be. Last week I experienced panic and hope in a way that I never expected. Or knew how to cope with. But I did cope...and by talking about these things I felt empowered and obliged to share.  I wish I'd known about the physiological side of grief. I wish someone had warned me what it does to your brain. Your mood, your thoughts. I hope by sharing my experiences, I can be the help for you.   Thank you for listening and watching. We love you. Arohanui Liz and Brian xx Links mentioned in the show: Liz's 5-Day Letters These five letters are from my personal journals. I wrote these five letters in the days and weeks after my Mum's passing. During the darkest and hardest of times. When I needed hope instead of gloom. Light in place of dark. Laughter instead of snot. When I needed my mum. I would love to share these letters with you in the hope they bring you the comfort, love and inspiration that they brought me. It is my honour to share them with you. Sign up for Liz's Five Letters here.   ❤️ Like what you heard? PLEASE SHOW YOUR LOVE by rating and reviewing us!  You can leave your review for the It's a Drama Podcast here  It only takes a minute and helps us reach more people. Scroll to the bottom of your podcasting app to review.   Follow us on: YouTube Pinterest

It's the first time in eight weeks I've left the house. Apart from getting groceries, walking in nature, and spending an hour or two working at our local cafe, my safe place to grieve has been at home. Alone. In this episode, we wanted to share our first overnight trip away since losing Mum. We went to see our son, Sonny, in Hamilton, New Zealand. In the real world. Filled with grief but determined to do something normal, this is what the experience looked like.  Thank you for listening and watching. We love you. Arohanui Liz and Brian xx Links mentioned in the show: Liz's Front Row newsletter. The best of my writing is shared in my weekly newsletter. Join my inner circle for free, and let's get to know each other better. Sign up for the Front Row Newsletter here. ❤️ Like what you heard? PLEASE SHOW YOUR LOVE by rating and reviewing us!  You can leave your review for the It's a Drama Podcast here  It only takes a minute and helps us reach more people. Scroll to the bottom of your podcasting app to review.

Lately, when I drop into bed at night, I find myself asking how on earth I got through the last twelve hours. Quite often, I don't remember what I did or half of what I said. Yet, if you passed me in the street, you'd think I was a normal, everyday person going about her day, coping. Doing grown-up stuff. Making videos. Living without a mum. This episode was inspired by you. It is made in recognition of all those who have reached out to me, people who have shown their love and support and shared their grief journey stories. People who, from the outside, look happy and sorted and appear to have it all together. But, like me, they don't. Not always. And that's okay. As a good friend said to me, "Grief is a journey, not a destination".    My friend, Brian and I are here today, so neither of us has to make that journey alone. Always remember, our hearts beat with yours. Arohanui Liz and Brian xx Links mentioned in the show: Liz's Front Row newsletter. The best of my writing is shared in my weekly newsletter. Join my inner circle for free, and let's get to know each other better. Sign up for the Front Row Newsletter here. ❤️ Like what you heard? PLEASE SHOW YOUR LOVE by rating and reviewing us!  You can leave your review for the It's a Drama Podcast here  It only takes a minute and helps us reach more people. Scroll to the bottom of your podcasting app to review.

We weren't going to release this podcast episode. The original plan was to discuss whether, after losing her mum to cancer six weeks ago, the deep sadness Liz is feeling is normal grief (as one would expect) or a worryingly worsening depression. And while that's what we did end up discussing, the route we took to arrive at the conclusion was different to what we anticipated. We were ready to scrap the episode and start again. But. We changed our mind. On reflection (and a large red wine later), we agreed that these authentic, unscripted, messy conversations are often the most valuable. We certainly hope so.  You are incredibly important and cherished by us both. If you are suffering in any way, please talk to a professional who can help. You are loved and you are not alone.  Until next time. Kia kaha. Arohanui Liz and Brian xx Links mentioned in the show: Liz's Front Row newsletter. The best of my writing is shared in my weekly newsletter with the people I care about the most. Sign up for the Front Row Newsletter here. ❤️ Like what you heard? Please rate and review the It's a Drama Podcast here it only takes a minute and helps us reach more people. Scroll to the bottom of your podcasting app to review. The podcast episode that made us laugh! Job Seeking and Cocktails

No description. No words. Just a story. And a thank you. A huge, huge thank you. Thank you for allowing me to share the intimate details of such a sad and heartbreaking time. And for confirming that no matter who we are, where we live, what we look like, or how we spend our days: Our hearts beat as one. And now, a tribute to the woman who made it all seem so very easy. I love you. Liz x  

Wrong. Wrong. And wrong again. You'd think that I'd have learned by now. I've had fifty-three years to practice, after all. But no. Still, I make the mistake of thinking that to make things 'better' and 'easier', I must look outside of myself. Go far afield. Spend a ton of money and wrap my mum and me up in cashmere rugs, then sit alongside Rose and Kathy Bates in first class on the Titanic. Way off, Liz. Not even close. This week's podcast update is brought to you with love, tenderness and gratitude. And a few tears. We wanted to share three things that happened to us in the past few weeks. Small serenities that brought unexpected comfort and respite while we attempt to navigate the imminent loss of my lovely mum. Thank you for allowing us this safe space to share the intimate details of this challenging time in our lives. You are wonderful. Yours,  Liz and Brian xx PS: If you enjoy the podcast and would like to show your support, please consider leaving us a short 5-star review. It only takes a minute. You can  review the It's a Drama Podcast here  Thank you x    nks mentioned in the show: If you aren't yet signed up for Liz's Front Row Famous Newsletter and would like to receive weekly emails, sign up for free here. Tessa's show in Wellington (she's the girl on the poster!!) Natasha, Pierre &The Great Comet of 1812  

This was one of the hardest podcast episodes I have ever recorded. But it was necessary. I won't watch the recording back because I know for a fact that I'll get cold feet and tell Bri to delete it. So. I hope it's okay and that it isn't too upsetting for you—my sincere apologies if it is. My intention was never to make you feel sad, only strong. Hugged. Confident. Brave enough to speak your truth. To always say what you wish to say to the people who matter the most. Because the world needs truth. The world needs real. The world needs people like you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening. Yours, Liz x  Links mentioned in the show: If you aren't yet signed up for Liz's Front Row newsletter and would like to receive weekly emails, including the email that Liz and Brian talked about in today's episode, sign up for free here

Another behind-the-scenes podcast where Liz and Brian share their decision to discuss such personal details about their marriage and life in public (including talking about Liz's mum, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer). The couple talks about how their family is (trying) to navigate the "new normal", addressing guilt, wrestling with emotions and lastly, the importance of not assuming to know what others are thinking or feeling. You never know. Not ever. If you doubt this statement, just remember what I told you about the Spitfire. This podcast is my and Brian's outlet: our escape, our therapy. And we really, really hope it feels the same for you too. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving us your ear and allowing us into your life each week to chat. You are incredibly important, cherished and loved by us both.  Links mentioned in the show: Liz's Front Row newsletter. The best of my writing is shared in my weekly newsletter with the people I care about the most. Sign up now for The (FREE) Front Row Newsletter, and let me connect with and inspire you. And if I don't manage to do that, I promise to have you peeing your pants with laughter. There/How's that for an offer??  Sign up for the Front Row Newsletter here.

This week is a behind-the-scenes podcast where Liz explains why she shared a very personal journal entry with three thousand people and the outcome of doing so.   Links mentioned in the show: If you aren't yet signed up for Liz's Front Row newsletter and would like to receive weekly emails, including the email that Liz and Brian talked about in today's episode, email Liz at liz@itsadrama.com, and she will send it to you, gladly. Thank you for being you, for listening and for adding your beautiful smile to the world. Stay safe, and Kia Kaha. All love, Liz and Brian     Follow us on: YouTube Instagram  Pinterest Facebook TikTok  

Yesterday, Liz experienced floatation therapy. Spent the day floating in a tank of salt water. Alone. No lights. No sounds. No Bri. This week, the couple discuss the experience and Brian voices his very strong opinions on 'Crotch Eye-balling' and other weird and wonderful alternative therapies. Sit back, nod, relate, and giggle while the couple talks about whacky stress relief, disastrous Greek hotels, and listener holiday laments. Enjoy! We want to hear from you! Drop us a comment below or email liz@itsadrama and let us know what alternative therapy you have experienced! How was it??  Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

In this week's podcast, Liz shares a recent scary memory loss experience on her solo vacation in New Zealand, Brian gets jealous about a bloke named Bernaaard, and the husband and wife couple explores why people love to visit swanky-pants places but are always too embarrassed to complain when they are treated badly... Enjoy! Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

In this week's show, Liz and Brian dive into the world of negative reviews and comments. Brian shares a lifelong criticism, and Liz is irked by her husband spending their millions without asking...   Enjoy!   Links mentioned in the show: You can very kindly REVIEW Liz's Book HERE! Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Get Liz's book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

I don't know about you, but I get the feeling that people are ready for a change. I'm not sure what that collective "change" is, but I know there is one. I can feel it. Deep in my bones. Under the bits of orangey, saggy flesh. In this week's podcast, as well as bringing you bang up-to-date with what's been going on in the the world of La Deacles, we wanted to share a few personal "ins". Ins for 2024. My 'ins' are deep and meaningful. Brian's are...well ...they're... very Brianish. All this to say, this week's show is blinkin' hilarious.  Enjoy! Don't forget to leave us a review on your favourite podcasting app (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us! ❤️ We want to hear from you! Drop us a line and let us know where in the world you're listening from. Please email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com  Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

It's jobs, jobs, jobs in our house at the moment. Honestly, it's all we can talk about. We've got a son who needs one, a daughter who's juggling one and a woman in Australia who's jumping over the tins of baked beans to avoid one... In this week's episode, Brian and Liz discuss what is and isn't acceptable in a job interview, disagree about mardy men on building sites, and recall a few white lies they told to get where they needed to be... Enjoy! Don't forget to leave us a review (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us! ❤️ We want to hear from you! Drop us a line and let us know your embarrassing job interviews! Please email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com    Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and then beat yourself up for days (or years) because you were convinced you said something rude or inappropriate? In this week's podcast, Liz and Brian talk about distorted marriage memories, Liz roasts Brian with a Mandella Effect quiz, and together they try out some proven America conversation starters in an attempt to stop being so sodding anti-social. Don't forget to leave us a review (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us! We want to hear from you! Drop us a line and let us know where you are listening from! Please email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com    Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row, now! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Liz and Brian's morning routine has changed drastically. Just when they thought they'd discovered a nice quiet hidey-hole to indulge in some golfy meditation, a bunch of rude gatecrashers (and a soggy beast) forced Liz to act quite strangely. Talking of strange… In this weeks husband and wife we discuss the glorious habits of the Queen's alkie sister, why Brian feels inferior to a hunk who never sleeps and what on earth we will tell our 19-year-old daughter, Tess when she comes home for Christmas and is faced with a lucky bag. Don't forget to leave us a review (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us!  We want to hear from you! Drop us a line and let us know where you are listening from! Email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com    Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row now! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

In this week's episode, husband and wife Liz and Brian set out to discover if it is healthy for a couple to spill the beans about personal stuff online. Reveal all. Is it really necessary to wash those filthy sheets in public, or should 'things like that' be folded neatly into a square and rammed into the top drawer with the flowery hankies? Let's find out... While we're at it, you'll also hear about rabbits, breasts, and Michael's best friend, Viagra. Enjoy! Don't forget to leave us a review (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us! ❤️ We want to hear from you! Drop us a line and let us know where in the world you are listening from and if you think we overshare?!" Email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com    Links mentioned in the show: Sign up for Liz's FREE newsletter, The Front Row now! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES

Sonny, our son, is now 22. (I still can't quite get my head around that one).  It has been two years since Sonny last joined me for a chat on the podcast (the podcast that he and I started together), and A LOT has changed in his life since then. Sit back, listen and enjoy as Sonny and Liz talk about breakups, the damage of social media, making money online and how it feels to be the main character in your mother's book... Links Mentioned in the Podcast   Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES  Earlier podcasts with Sonny:  Sonny at 20. How to deal with rejection (when all you want to do is bawl your eyes out) Sonny's TikTok (Sonny Deacle Minecraft - please go and follow him!!)   Thank you for being here. Your support means the world to us! Please share this podcast with a friend, and if you could find it in your heart to leave us a review, we'll wet our pants with gratitude. Not a nice thought, I know, but completely true. You can email Liz at liz@itsadrama.com Drop her a line and say hi. She'd love to hear from you.

In the five years that this podcast has been going, this week's episode was the hardest one to record. For those who have been with us for a while, you will know we try our hardest to promote honesty and transparency. We like to keep it real. Sometimes (for those who have read my book) maybe a little too real. I'm not one for tricking people. Making things look better than they are. So, as hard as it was to make this episode, it was necessary.  You see, we are the same, you and me. We laugh at the same things, and we cry at the same things, too. And knowing that you are there for me and I for you makes us both feel stronger. Thank you for allowing me to lean on you this week. Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES  Tessa's (our 19-year-old daughter) latest podcast How's Life Alone, Tessa? Thank you for being here. Your support means the world to us ❤️ You can email Liz at liz@itsadrama.com  Drop her a line and say hi. She'd love to hear from you.

Looking back, I was so wet behind the ears I'm surprised I didn't drown.  Two years ago, I announced to the world that I would be writing, publishing and marketing my first-ever book with no clue what lay ahead. Ahh...isn't ignorance bliss...  But as challenging as it has been, writing and publishing my book is STILL the best thing I have ever done.  In this week's special edition podcast, Brian and I are celebrating something we have been working on for months: the AUDIOBOOK of the Travel Bog Diaries (narrated by me and produced by Brian) is now ready and available to purchase! Links to the book: If you are in the USA and are new to Audible, use THIS LINK and get your FREE copy of The Travel Bog Diaries Here! If you are in the UK and are new to Audible, use THIS LINK to get your FREE copy of the Travel Bog Diaries Here! You can also get the Travel Bog Diaries from Spotify, iTunes, or your favourite audiobook retailer! To mark this special occasion, Brian is steering the It's a Drama Podcast ship as Liz takes you behind the scenes and into the life of a first-time author and audiobook narrator by answering personal questions that close friends and long-time listeners have kindly submitted. Questions include: Did writing this book and making the audiobook affect your marriage? What was the hardest part of the audiobook process? How did the kids feel about being so exposed in the book? Was making this book anything like you expected? Enjoy! Where to buy the Audiobook: If you are in the USA and are new to Audible, use THIS LINK and get your FREE copy of The Travel Bog Diaries Here! If you are in the UK and are new to Audible, use THIS LINK to get your FREE copy of the Travel Bog Diaries Here! You can also get the Travel Bog Diaries from Spotify, iTunes, Amazon or your favourite audiobook retailer!   Special thanks to: Madison (New Zealand), Jenn (New Hampshire), Talitha (New Zealand), Suzanne and Randy (somewhere on the long and winding road), and Renata (Canada). You are all amazing x  (Links and photos of the barn and the little wooden boats from the famous chapter in Croatia are over on the website)

You leave your home to go "away" for a few weeks and believe that everything will be Puuurfecct. You tell yourself you'll relax. Take massages. Eat out (without complaining). Wrong. Join Liz and Bri this week as they open a can of sausages (small ones) and share the highs and lows of being away from home for 5 weeks. They reveal the gourmet and gross food they've eaten in New Zealand, the things they've ditched and discovered since being away, and Brian blurts out his problem with little dogs... Enjoy! Don't forget to leave us a review (PLEASE!!) and share this podcast with a friend! Sharing is caring, and your support means the world to us! ❤️ We want to hear from you! Do you have a question for us that we could answer in the next episode? What did you think of the "new jingle and format??" Email us at liz@itsadrama.com  or brian@itsadrama.com and let us know! We answer every single email!   Links mentioned in the show:   NZ Ahead Podcast (our other podcast about moving to and living in New Zealand)  Yoga Nidra  (Sleep Meditation that we talked about!) Magnet Cafe (the one on the Shoreshee) If you want to join us in using the BEST travel hack in the world, use our exclusive discount code to get a WHOPPING 20% off TrustedHousesitting by Clicking here! Liz's latest book, THE TRAVEL BOG DIARIES