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Liz answers your questions on gluten sensitivity, daily SPF use, supplements for joints and inflammation, and supporting pregnant children.Sasha asks about gluten-free alternatives and getting your gut back on track, and Liz looks at whether daily SPF use is a necessity.Liz also covers glucosamine and chondroitin for joint and bone health, inflammation and immunity for Cath, and shares supplement suggestions for Sarah and her pregnant daughter.Links mentioned in the episode:The Good Gut Guide by Liz EarleA Better Second Half by Liz EarleDo we really need SPF every day? – with Dr Veronique BatailleZita West pregnancy supplementsSave 20% at The Naked Pharmacy with LIZLOVESSave 15% at Wild Nutrition with code LIZLOVESBare BiologyHave a question for Liz? Send a WhatsApp message or voicenote to 07518 471846, or email us at podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com for the chance to be featured on the showPlease note, on some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage and always honestly review. For more information please read our Affiliate Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As one host is still making her way back from holidays, Liz and Carolyn welcome back our favourite super-sub Sue Gaudion who has tales aplenty of her European holiday, including some intell she gathered in Gibraltar about the next generation of international netballers our future Diamonds will expect to meet on Court one day. There's plenty of talk about the Netball Youth World Cup, the Australian Diamonds new leadership line-up, the continuing turmoil over the ditch and travel tales of woe from all 'round.It's a netball podcast, but it's so much more.Listen to the No Dribble Hottest Not Quite 100 on Spotify HEREIf you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HEREJoin the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE (it's a hoot!)If you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HERE (and please, give it a good review when you're done!)Join the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn and nominate your 'Wind Beneath My Wings' hero on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Cath shares an anecdote from her own life about how something her kids wanted to do triggered shame and the desire to people please and what happened. She talks about people pleasing and fawning and the actual nature of people pleasing and what it is really about. If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. Follow Cath on social media here:Instagram: @cathcounihanSubstack: Nurture.Heal.GrowFacebook: Cath Counihan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Meet Cath Possamai, Amazon's Talent Acquisition Director for EMEA, APJC and LATAM. With over 20 years in recruitment and talent management, Cath has worn almost every hat in the industry — from in-house roles to outsourced partnerships — across Financial Services, IT, Telco, BPO, and even Defence. She's a champion of collaboration, believing that great business outcomes and exceptional candidate experiences go hand in hand. Now at Amazon, she's shaping talent strategy across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia — making recruitment smarter, more human, and future-ready. And in this episode of the TA Disruptors podcast, Cath Possamai shares how she is reimagining recruitment at Amazon — blending human connection with AI, tackling talent disruption, and future-proofing the workforce. Sharing bold insights on entry-level roles, tech-driven efficiency, and why the next generation of talent depends on us getting it right.Listen as Cath and host Robery Newry dive in to discuss:
A six mois des élections municipales prévues les 15 et 22 mars 2026, la campagne électorale colmarienne prend forme avec cinq candidats déjà officiellement déclarés.Le maire sortant, Eric Straumann, a confirmé sa candidature à sa réelection. Il revendique une candidature "logique, utile et de continuité pour que cette ville reste sereine et prospère". Fort d'un riche parcours politique (ancien maire de Houssen, ex-conseiller général, ancien député de la première circonscription du Haut-Rhin, ex-président du conseil départemental du Haut-Rhin et actuel président de Colmar Agglomération), il mise sur l'expérience et la continuité après un premier mandat marqué par la crise sanitaire. "Un mandat c'est très court, une commune comme Colmar c'est un paquebot qui prend du temps à être manoeuvré", justifie-t-il. Ses priorités pour un second mandat s'articulent autour du développement de l'attractivité territoriale, avec notamment le rachat par l'agglomération de la gare de marchandises pour créer de l'attractivité économique et de l'économie sociale et solidaire. Il souhaite poursuivre la régulation des flux touristiques, après avoir notamment mis en place une règlementation sur les meublés de tourisme qui a permis de "gagner 500 habitants au centre-ville depuis 5-6 ans". Parmi ses autres projets figurent l'aménagement de l'entrée de Colmar via la route de Neuf-Brisach en "très mauvais état", la révision intégrale de l'avenue Clémenceau, la poursuite du développement des pistes cyclables ou encore l'aménagement de l'entrée nord. Le maire sortant met également l'accent sur la création d'une société publique locale pour gérer le Parc des Expositions, dont la délégation de service public arrive à échéance. Eric Straumann cite comme réussite majeure de son mandat la piétonnisation de la Place de la Cathédrale. "C'était une décision compliquée à prendre que de piétonniser le centre-ville. Aujourd'hui, plus personne ne conteste cet aménagement qui a apaisé le centre-ville", explique-t-il. Lien vers l'article complet :Les interviews sont également à retrouver sur les plateformes Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict ou encore Amazon Music.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Après le terrible incendie criminel du 18 juillet 2020, la cathédrale de Nantes rouvre enfin ses portes ce week-end. Pour les Nantais, c'est un symbole. Retour sur la renaissance d'un monument dont le rayonnement dépasse largement le cadre religieux. Avec Johanna Rolland, maire de Nantes, et Mathieu Lours, historien de l'art, spécialiste des cathédrales, auteur de l'ouvrage "Au temps des Cathédrales", aux éditions du Cerf.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Cath is having a bit of R&R so Liz and Carolyn are joined by a very special guest this week - none other than NSW Swifts Coach and Liz's former team mate, Briony Akle.There's a lot of netball to talk about with Briony, but plenty of time to chat about softball, washing machines and DIY, Liz Hurley's taste in men and the perils of a white pants suit. It's netball - and it's a lot of netball this week - but it's so much more.Listen to the No Dribble Hottest Not Quite 100 on Spotify HEREIt's a netball podcast, but it's so much more.If you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HEREJoin the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE (it's a hoot!)If you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HERE (and please, give it a good review when you're done!)Join the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn and nominate your 'Wind Beneath My Wings' hero on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Cath and Dr. Herman talked about trauma and recovery, justice for survivors, complex trauma, stages of recovery/healing, what helps in the postpartum period according to research and Dr Herman's incredible work in the field of trauma, justice, repair, healing and recovery.Judith Lewis Herman M.D. is Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry (part time) at Harvard Medical School. For thirty years, until she retired, she was Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at The Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA. She is the author of the award-winning books Father-Daughter Incest (Harvard University Press, 1981), and Trauma and Recovery (Basic Books, 1992). She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Guggenheim fellowship in 1984 and the 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. In 2007 she was named a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.Her new book, Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice, was published in March, 2023.If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. Follow Cath on social media here:Instagram: @cathcounihanSubstack: Nurture.Heal.GrowFacebook: Cath Counihan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bienvenue au Mama Shelter Bordeaux, un hôtel urbain et design installé dans le centre historique de la ville, à quelques pas de la Cathédrale Saint-André et des places Pey Berland et Gambetta. Ce lieu, imaginé par le célèbre designer Philippe Starck, propose 97 chambres au confort 5 étoiles, un restaurant convivial à la carte inventive, un bar à cocktails festif et un rooftop exceptionnel offrant une vue panoramique sur Bordeaux. L'atmosphère y est décontractée, créative et chaleureuse, avec une décoration originale mêlant moquettes graphiques et masques cartoons dans un style devenu identitaire.Depuis la mi 2024, la direction générale est assurée par Estelle Lecas, forte d'une expérience variée en hôtellerie et gestion d'établissements prestigieux à Bordeaux et Paris. Sa prise de poste traduit une volonté d'insuffler encore plus de dynamisme et d'innovation à l'établissement, tout en valorisant l'accueil et l'expérience client.Le brunch du Mama Shelter Bordeaux est une expérience gourmande et ludique, très appréciée localement et proposée chaque dimanche de 12h30 à 16h. Il s'agit d'un buffet à volonté avec une grande variété de viennoiseries, entrées, plats chauds, desserts maison et cocktails signatures, dans un esprit familial et festif. L'accueil est particulièrement adapté aux familles avec enfants (chaises hautes, menu kids avec jeux, espace poussette, ambiance bienveillante). Pour les adultes, le brunch se déguste aussi bien au restaurant qu'en rooftop les beaux jours, offrant une vue superbe sur Bordeaux.Copyright : Bordeauxfood / 2025Directeur de publication : Thomas GalharagueHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
durée : 00:59:57 - Les Nuits de France Culture - par : Albane Penaranda - Les cathédrales gothiques, symboles de lumière et d'élévation, sont l'œuvre d'artisans aux savoir-faire uniques. Le maître verrier est au cœur de cette nouvelle esthétique. Villard de Honnecourt, maître-d'œuvre, a laissé des carnets de dessins qui sont un trésor pour comprendre ces bâtisseurs. - réalisation : Virginie Mourthé - invités : Roland Recht Professeur au Collège de France; Roland Bechmann Historien
C'est l'heure des Journées Européennes du patrimoine ce samedi matin, l'occasion de pousser les portes d'hôtels pas comme les autres Des hôtels "historiques" dans des cadres d'exceptions ou insolites. C'est l'ADN de la collection MGallery : plus de 100 hôtels en France et à travers le monde, qui vous ouvrent leurs portes ce week-end, sans être obligé d'y dormir. Ce sont leur Héritage Days : vous allez découvrir l'histoire, les coulisses des lieux grâce à des visites exceptionnelles et aussi des expériences, autour de l'art, de la mixologie et de la gastronomie. Je vous donne mes deux coups de cœur : est-ce que vous avez une idée d'un hôtel historique pas très loin d'Europe 1, où l'on peut d'ailleurs déguster - avec modération - un cocktail, installé confortablement dans un fauteuil club sous des voutes d'ogive, une demi-douzaine de vitraux et sous le regard de 76 statues de disciples ? Est-ce que c'est dans une église ? Presque ! Une chapelle désacralisée. Elle fait partie d'un ensemble d'édifices du 17ème siècle que Jean-Michel Wilmotte a restauré. Vous êtes au domaine Reine Margot à Issy-les-Moulineaux. C'était le refuge de Marguerite de Valois en 1606 quand elle a fui la peste. Des histoires, vous allez en avoir ! Et pour mon second coup de cœur, on file à Strasbourg dans une institution : la Cour du Corbeau, situé à deux pas de la Cathédrale. C'est un bijou d'architecture Renaissance avec des coursives, des balustrades en bois et une façade typiquement alsacienne, qui a vu défiler un grand nombre de personnalités notamment Alexandre Dumas, Mozart et même le Comte Dufour. Je ne connais pas ! Vous êtes sûre que c'est une personnalité ? Normal, c'était le pseudonyme de Frédéric II. Il y était venu incognito dans l'espoir de rencontrer Voltaire. Mais à cause de son éternuement, tout est tombé à l'eau. En effet, ses 2 gardes pas très malins se sont précipités instinctivement pour lui tendre un mouchoir, alors qu'on ne le fait pas à n'importe qui. L'aubergiste le démasque et s'empresse de prévenir la ville. Le roi de Prusse s'enfuit. Cette ancienne auberge est devenue aujourd'hui la chambre 207. Une histoire parmi d'autres qui vous attendent ce week-end. Fiche Pratique Collection Hotels MGallery : www.mgallery.com Domaine Reine Margot : https://www.domainereinemargot.com/ La Cour du Corbeau à Strasbourg : https://www.cour-corbeau.com/ Les raisins de table Ce sont les vendanges, mais pas que dans le vignoble. Les raisins de table représentent 10 à 15% de la production. De nombreuses variétés dont le chasselas de Moissac qui bénéficie d'une AOP. Avec ou sans pépins : variétés obtenues par croisement comme le Muscat de Hambourg (avec ou sans). Quelques idées recette : Une tarte vigneronne : pâte sablée des raisins noirs avec un appareil : 4 œufs, 150 gr de sucre, 30 cl de crème, 50 gr de poudre d'amandes / cuisson 45 min à 180° Raisins et plats salés : salades, volaille, viandes blanches Filet mignon de porc au raisins : faire dorer / échalotes, ail et raisins / déglacer au vin blanc / cuire au four / réduire la sauce et lier avec une peu de crème. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
durée : 00:58:37 - Les Nuits de France Culture - par : Albane Penaranda - Au cœur des cathédrales gothiques, l'alliance entre pierre et bois donne naissance à des œuvres monumentales. Hommage est rendu aux maçons, tailleurs de pierre, charpentiers et forgerons, bâtisseurs parfois invisibles mais au savoir-faire inégalable, dans cette série sur les œuvriers de cathédrales. - réalisation : Virginie Mourthé - invités : Philippe Plagnieux Professeur d'Histoire de l'art du Moyen-Âge à l'Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, vice-président de la Société des Amis de Notre-Dame.
Join Chay Long and Myself as we look ahead to this weekends game as we visit Norwich City who are looking for their first home league win of the season. There is a chance for Chay to run the rule over Wrexham news from this week also #WxmAFC #Wrexham
durée : 00:30:02 - Les Nuits de France Culture - par : Albane Penaranda - Au Moyen Âge, une folle effervescence architecturale donne naissance à 80 cathédrales et des milliers d'églises en France. Qui sont ces bâtisseurs extraordinaires ? Quels savoirs, quelles volontés spirituelles et politiques ont façonné ces monuments gothiques, symboles de lumière et d'élévation ? - réalisation : Virginie Mourthé
Tá seó eagraithe ag Mainistir na Coille Móire d'Oíche Chultúir.
This week Don hosts solo and brings in “Cath GPT” (ChatGPT) as a "live" guest to explore the rise of AI in personal finance. They cover what types of questions AI is best at answering, its limits for real-time data and stock trading, and the importance of privacy and skepticism. Don emphasizes planning before investing, critiques dollar-cost averaging with lump sums, and fields listener calls on shifting from commercial real estate to the market, Roth conversions, AVGE vs. AVUV, resetting cost basis in a low-income year, and avoiding dubious “legacy funds.” The show closes with reminders about planning, asking spoken questions, and steering clear of high-commission products. 1:02 NYT & Yahoo reports on AI financial advice 1:53 Cath GPT joins live, discusses safe AI uses 3:58 Privacy concerns and data recency limits 6:22 Why AI is bad for stock trading advice 6:50 Don confirms Cath recommends index investing 8:14 Warning about sycophancy — always ask for sources 8:38 Caller Josh: pivoting from commercial property to stock market 10:32 Don: planning first, lump sum > DCA 13:23 Caller Greg: inherited assets, Roth conversions, AVGE timeframe, bond/CD ladders 17:20 Don urges no market timing on conversions 22:50 Caller Brian: small-cap value, AVUV vs. Russell 2000, Merriman strategy 28:07 Don: simplify, AVUV fine but optional 29:43 Caller Jason: harvesting gains in low-income year, Don urges diversification 33:03 Caller: backdoor Roth timing — lump sum beats DCA 34:35 Don jokes about October crashes 37:59 Caller Tim: best annuity is SPIA, avoids “legacy funds” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Liz, Cath and Carolyn cover a helluva lot of netball ground this week, trying to nut out what's going on across the ditch, talking all things Diamonds' camp and team selections, the big news out of Netball Australia with the new Collective Player Agreement AND a certain Grand Final win from the Far North Coast with one host/coach coming home with the trophy. Phew. It's netball - and it's a lot of netball this week - but it's so much more.Listen to the No Dribble Hottest Not Quite 100 on Spotify HEREIt's a netball podcast, but it's so much more.If you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HEREJoin the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE (it's a hoot!)If you enjoyed this episode - FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to No Dribble, share with a fellow 'Netty nut' and shoot us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️BUY Carolyn's book 'We Only Want What's Best' HERE (and please, give it a good review when you're done!)Join the conversation with Cath, Liz and Carolyn and nominate your 'Wind Beneath My Wings' hero on Instagram HEREJoin the No Dribble Facebook Group HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Cath talks about moving away from panic and urgency, the complexity of healing chronic stress and how everything in our body is linked and how she's moving forward in this in her own life.Within the episode Cath mentions 'Rushmead Farm' and their womb balm which you can purchase here www.rushmeadfarm.comIf you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. Follow Cath on social media here:Instagram: @cathcounihanSubstack: Nurture.Heal.GrowFacebook: Cath Counihan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 15The Live Sex ShowGeoffrey performs in public.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.We were sitting cuddling together on the sofa when Colin arrived, with Mia in tow. Angie had offered to cook that afternoon and we were trying to decide what we fancied. I suggested a chilli con carne with rice. Angie decided otherwise."Kids," she called. They wandered in from the kitchen with glasses of milk and a chocolate biscuit each."If I go shopping for ingredients, would you two help me cook tea tonight?" The two teens shared a look and agreed. "Right," she announced, standing up. "Go and sort out your homework with grandad; I'll go shopping."I stood and went to get my wallet. She glared at me. "Go on. Do it," she challenged me. "I bloody dare you to offer me money to get food for the people I care about."I carefully closed the drawer and apologized for my insensitivity. "I just don't want you to think that we take you for granted," I explained.Her expression softened. "And if I ever feel that way, I'll say something, but right now it's my turn to give. Please allow me that."I went and pulled her into a hug. "Sorry Angie. You know I wouldn't deliberately upset you. Am I forgiven?"She returned my hug. "You were never in trouble. I was just reminding you that we're family now and I want to contribute too."She gave me another squeeze, a brief kiss and she left. I turned to the kids, who had watched our exchange, fascinated. "What?" I asked.Colin shook his head. "Not sure about this whole adult relationship stuff," he griped. "They are all weird." Mia smiled at his comment, but didn't argue. To be fair, the lad had a point."Okay." I clapped my hands. "Homework?"It turned out that they were studying climate change. Their teacher had given the class three questions and they were free to choose which one to answer. I suggested that Colin and Mia avoided answering the same question so they weren't accused of copying, and sent them off to the study.Angie was back and in the kitchen laying out her ingredients when the teens finally reappeared. Colin, ever the gentleman, had allowed Mia to use our laptop for her slides, while he had used my tablet. That was fine; it wasn't as though we regularly used our devices to cruise porn sites. Besides, I had made sure that Marie knew to use private tabs if she was viewing adult content. The kids were old enough to start learning about relationships. Images of explicit sex were not on their agenda for some years to come.I sent them in to the kitchen and, with their permission, went to check over their homework. I was reassured. If I had seen job applications written that thoughtfully, they both definitely would have qualified for an interview.I joined the others in the kitchen, only to find that I was redundant. Colin was slicing an onion, Mia was chopping mushrooms and Angie was trimming what looked like a pork fillet. She looked up and shook he head, smiling. "The sous chefs are doing fine," she explained. "I want them to feel confident that they can work without being micro-managed."I watched Colin. He was doing well. Slow, perhaps, but careful. Mia was taking equal care to have all the slices of mushroom a similar thickness."Shall I set the table then?" I suggested. The consensus was that yes, I could perhaps make myself useful that way."Set for a starter, main and dessert, please," Angie advised me. "We have a full menu planned.""Wine?""A nice white, maybe an oaked chardonnay," suggested Colin. "I checked on my phone," he explained, in response to my surprised expression.I grunted and went to set about my assigned tasks, and that was how Marie found me when she returned from work. "That's my job when you're the cook," she observed."I have been supplanted by our wicked betrothed and her evil teen minions," I sulked."That's nice, dear," she said, absently, as she bustled about putting her coat away.We went into the kitchen together once I had finished. My wife walked up behind Angie and gave her a big hug. "Geoffrey is feeling emasculated," she told her friend. The minions looked on in amusement.Angie gave a derisive snort. "It's my turn to cook with the kids because I'm here today. Geoff can take his turn any day.""There you go, Geoff," my wife reassured me. "We still enjoy your cooking, it's just that Angie gets less opportunity." Seeing as how I was only pretending to be upset, it was easy to pretend that all was forgiven. I accepted the explanation with a kiss for both of my girls and went off in search of a bottle of wine.I sat and red, while Marie and Angie caught up in the kitchen. Marie joined me ten minutes later. "Angie's bursting to tell me about her day, but all she dare say in front of the kids is that you and she had a pleasant afternoon."I glanced at the door. "I don't think we should have this conversation here and now. If one of the youngsters walks in, the guilty silence will just be uncomfortable for everyone. So how was your day?"And so we sat and I listened to her accounts of generous donors, sweet natured old ladies and the occasional twat who tried to bargain down the price on the ticket. For Fuck's sake! It's a charity shop. And Marie was clear; the worst offenders were most obviously not short of change. They were just tight bastards. Not that my beloved ever capitulated. She would just smile sweetly and remind them where they were, pointing out that they were welcome to try the same approach in John Lewis with her full support.We made the occasional foray to the kitchen but our offers of help were politely, but firmly, rebuffed. To be fair, the atmosphere was relaxed. I asked about the menu and, after looking to the chef for approval, Mia ran through it. "We are starting with cubes of baked breaded brie on a bed of salad with a lingonberry relish. Then there is pork stroganoff with green vegetables and rice. For dessert we are having individual warm pear frangipane tartlets with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream." She paused. "Oh, yes," she continued. "If anyone is still hungry there's a selection of cheeses as well as olives, and some nice bread to go with dipping oils and vinegars."I did a quick calculation in my head. "At today's prices, I reckon that meal would come in at about £50 plus per head just in a country pub." Mia just grinned at me. I carried on. "Can I afford to get used to eating like this?"I looked around the kitchen brigade and saw three unreasonably happy cooks. Angie was obviously less demanding of the children and seemed thrilled to be able to pass on her knowledge. Colin just loved cooking and Mia seemed to be determined to learn so that she could help her mum.I turned to Angie. "This all smells wonderful. Wendy and Linda should both be here well before six. Is that okay, Chef?"Angie looked at her team. "Starters on the pass for six o'clock.""Yes Chef!" They shouted in unison. We shook our heads and left them to it.Wendy arrived first. Mia had sent her a text to say that they were eating at our place again. Wendy tried to apologize for intruding but we, particularly Marie, were having none of it. "We love having Mia with us. I know she's very mature but, as Colin is here anyway, it makes no sense for her to be at home, alone," my wife told her. "In addition, Angie is doing a cookery masterclass and she is way more tolerant of the kids than she is with me, so it's easier just to let them get on with it."Mia must have heard her mum's voice because she left the kitchen, briefly, to give her mum a hug before apologizing. "Sorry mum, but I need to turn the tarts so they brown evenly." And, with that, she dashed back to the kitchen. We led a bemused Wendy to the living room, sat her down and asked about her day. Her eyes filled as she explained just how grateful she was not to come home to have to start cooking a meal, even just for one night. She had a decent job in the Civil Service so money wasn't too much of a problem. She just struggled finding time to be the wage earner, housekeeper and mum. She felt guilty too that Mia seemed to feel obliged to sacrifice her spare time to help around the house rather than being a teenager.Marie glanced at me. We're not telepathic but I was certain we were thinking the same thing. Wendy was so caught up in being the perfect single parent, she had forgotten how to be Wendy.We never really got the chance, that evening anyway, to pursue that thought as we heard the front door open to herald our daughter's arrival. What followed, by then, seemed oddly familiar. Hearing his mother greeting us, Colin emerged from the kitchen, hugged his mum, and promptly departed, shouting over his shoulder, "Sorry mum. Got to dash. I can't let the rice overcook. Love you."Linda appeared as flummoxed as Wendy had. "I don't know what it is about this house, but there always seems to be something odd going on just lately." Wendy looked at her in surprise. "What?" my daughter retorted. "How many other throuple weddings have you been invited to? Even more particularly, how many with a Star Wars dress code?" She shook her head. "Christ, I hope it isn't genetic; otherwise I'm well and truly fucked!" She put her hand to her mouth guiltily and checked to see that neither of the youngsters had overheard. "Sorry all. That just slipped out," she apologized. "I've had a weird day at work too. Some half-wit manager wanted me to;” She did the 'air-quotes' with her fingers. "; Expedite a delivery to an important client in Nice.""Let's sit down and you can vent in comfort," I suggested. I led our daughter through and Marie followed with Wendy. "Now, go on. Story so far, idiot, big words, France. New readers start here."She explained that, in order to cover his ass for something that his team had screwed up, said half-wit tried to make it Linda's problem to solve. The vehicle in question was already in France and the driver had to observe French law. The only way to 'expedite' the delivery would be to exceed his permitted hours or fly another driver out to take over; neither was going to happen. Being Marie's daughter, of course she just picked up the phone and asked the operations manager for a cost code for the air fare from Gatwick to Lyon. Apparently the idiot had just assumed that Linda, being a woman could just, who knows? Make it go away?Ops manager had obviously queried the request and Linda, quite disingenuously, told him. It was not well received. She sighed. "On the upside, I got the problem back where it belongs. On the other hand, now I have to watch my back in case he tries to retaliate." She took a deep breath and sat back. "Thank you." We must have looked puzzled. "For just listening and not telling me what I should have done," she explained. She thought for a moment. "This place is still weird though."As she finished that thought, Colin appeared from the kitchen with a white napkin over his arm, to invite us take our places at the table. Linda looked at me. "See?" She mouthed. I could only grin in reply.We took our seats as directed and were joined by Angie and Mia. Colin disappeared to the kitchen and returned with the bottle of wine I had selected and placed in the fridge earlier. Handing it to me to open he returned to the kitchen. Angie cleared her throat. "Wendy, Linda; would you be prepared to let Mia and Colin have a small glass of wine with their meal? They have put their hearts into preparing it; it seems unfair that they miss out on that one component."Mia sat, apparently startled, and watched as her mother considered Angie's request. Wendy nodded slowly. "That seems fair. I'd rather she experienced alcohol in a civilized setting like this." She looked around the table. "Rather than getting hammered at her first student party at Uni."Linda nodded in agreement. "I'll get some glasses for them." Colin reappeared carrying three plates that he placed in front of Angie, Marie and Wendy. He made the journey again, this time serving Linda, Mia and me. He made the final trip for his own starter. As he sat, I reached across and poured a half measure of wine into his glass. He looked to his mum for reassurance. She smiled in acknowledgement. I poured a similar glass for Mia and then shared the remainder amongst the adults.I picked up my glass. "Ladies, Colin, a toast to the Chef and her crew." We four non-cooks raised our glasses in tribute; the cooks acknowledged our compliment and then joined in the toast. Then we attacked the food. The brie was delicious and matched beautifully with the sweet fruit jam. I watched surreptitiously as Colin finished a mouthful and self-consciously took a sip of wine. His brow furrowed as he reconciled the flavors of the wine and the food. He went back to his food looking thoughtful. We finished the starter and complimented the cooks on the flavor and the presentation. It had looked as good as it tasted.We moved onto the main course. Angie and Mia plated up in the kitchen, while Colin worked 'front of house'. Again, the meal was delicious. Angie's version was discs of pork in an onion and mushroom sauce made with crème fraiche, Dijon mustard and smoked paprika, finished with a hint of lemon juice. The plain white rice was perfect for soaking up the sauce.Colin sipped his wine again. "It tastes different with this course," he commented. "It still works but in a different way." He looked to Mia for opinion."Is it because the lingonberry was so sweet that the wine tasted sharper?" She asked me.I shrugged. "Probably. It might even be something to do with the lactic acid in the crème fraiche. What matters is whether you like it.""I do," she smiled and turned to Angie. "Thank you;” She hesitated. "I'm sorry. But I don't know what to call you.""Grangie," offered Colin."Or Angie," suggested our fiancée.Wendy seemed uncomfortable. "Isn't that a bit familiar? Wouldn't Mrs. and your surname be more appropriate?""Technically," interjected Linda. "If you were going to insist that we stand on ceremony, Mia should address Angie as Professor Weston." She frowned at the thought. "Nope. This place is weird enough already. Angie or Grangie. He's Geoff or grandad; that's Marie or grandma and I'm Linda. We want you and Mia to be comfortable here."Mia considered. "Thank you Angie for getting mum and Linda to let us have wine with the meal.""You both earned it dear," Angie assured her. "Now. Desserts, I think."Again, the two girls plated as Colin served. The tartlets looked amazing; a light short crust pastry filled with an almond flavored sponge topped with poached pear cubes. On each plate there was a swirl of chocolate sauce over a generous quenelle of vanilla ice-cream, starting to melt where it touched the still warm tart. I knew where Angie had gone shopping for the ingredients for the meal, and the small fragrant black specks confirmed that she had not economized on cheap ice-cream. This was made with actual vanilla pods. The aroma from the plate was amazing; it was all that I could do not to dive straight in. Still, manners required that I wait until everyone was served, so that's what I did.Once Colin was seated, we began. The taste was amazing. I glanced towards Angie in inquiry. "Star anise as well as cinnamon," she clarified. I nodded, impressed, and turned back to my dessert and savored the remainder. I watched as Colin took another sip of his wine and then Mia as she followed suit. Colin actually shuddered. Mia merely looked disappointed."Have a sip of water," I suggested. "And then wait a couple of minutes after you've finished eating."After the seven plates were all but polished clean, we thanked our catering team. It had been an absolutely lovely meal and the final course had been a triumph. Linda and Marie stood to clear the table, but returned immediately to sit with our guests and chat as we finished our wine."I've never eaten like that before," Wendy admitted."At home, you mean?" Asked Linda.Wendy shook her head. "Ever. My husband didn't like 'fancy foreign muck' so it was fish and chips, takeaways or just ready meals." Her voice cracked with emotion. "Even now, most of our meals are out of the freezer. I can boil potatoes and grill sausages and reheat tinned or frozen veg. My dad just liked the same old stuff too, so that's all my mum taught me. That's about my limit. At this moment," she admitted, sadly, "Mia's almost certainly a better cook than I am."Angie surprised me. She isn't always the most diplomatic of us. "Being untutored is not the same as being a failure." She reached for Wendy's hand. "Tell us how we can help, and between us, you have a group of capable cooks here who are happy to teach you whatever we can."Marie and I finished our drinks and Linda joined us in the kitchen. The brigade had washed and tidied as they went so there was only really the crockery to deal with. That went in the dishwasher. We cleaned the hob and worktops and sorted out the saucepans then returned to the living room. The teens had disappeared, leaving Angie and Wendy talking about food.When Wendy confessed that she would struggle to even shop for a meal such as we'd just had, Linda made a contribution. "A girl I work with wanted to branch out from the same old stuff she always cooks, so she orders from one of those on-line delivery companies. She swears by them now." She picked up her phone. "I can call her and if you decide to do it and say she recommended them to you, then you'll both get a discount."Wendy looked uncertain. The poor woman had no self-confidence at all. Linda left the room and returned two minutes later scrolling on her phone. "Here," she said, passing her phone to Wendy. "Jan told me how to install their app. Pick four meals for two people from this menu list and you'll get everything you need delivered next week, along with recipe cards. Jan said the instructions are dead simple and she's actually learning to cook from doing it."Wend called for Mia to come and choose with her and, together they picked four meals that they thought they might enjoy cooking together. While they did, Colin and I chatted about his first experience of wine with a meal. "It tasted nice, except with dessert," he told me. "Would a sweeter wine have been nicer?""Probably," I acknowledged. "There's a lot of snobbery and nonsense about wine, but some types do go with some foods better than others. I didn't find it clashed to the extent that you did, so personal preference and experience play a part too."At that point Mia called him over to see what she and her mum had chosen for the following week. He pointed to one selection. "Grandma makes that sometimes. It's ace."Wendy passed the phone back to Linda and the pair completed the sign up and the first order, making sure to claim the discount. Wendy seemed conflicted. "I'm a bit nervous about having to make something I've never done before," she confessed. "But I'm excited at the same time.""Think of this," my wife suggested. "As long as you have a loaf of bread, a tin of baked beans and some cheese in the house, even if it all goes horribly wrong, at least you won't starve."The conversations about food carried on until Wendy looked at her watch. "Oh goodness," she exclaimed. "Look at the time!" And after collecting Mia and thanking us for our hospitality, within ten minutes they were gone.Linda pulled me into the kitchen. "That poor girl's husband did a proper number on her: the bastard," she spat. "She copes okay at work because she knows her job. But as a person;” She paused, speechless."I know, sweetheart. We all do. And she's such a lovely woman too."She stared at me, suspiciously. "Are you three planning something?""No," I answered, sort of honestly. "But if an opportunity presents itself, we would probably try to help her see what a worthy person she is."
Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 14Geoff The ModelGeoffrey's Cock Immortalized.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.We had paid for the J and W Rum and left the store when a rather naughty thought occurred to me, and I freely admit to being both deeply ashamed and inordinately proud of it at the same time. "Why not ask Tony if we can rent the upstairs room at The Black Swan for a couple of hours," I suggested. "That way you can have a proper birthday party in private and we could see how it might work for our wedding.""Isn't a bit big for just us seven girls? Or, I suppose nine if Wendy and Jane come along too.""I was thinking of popping along as well, if I'm welcome," I told her, mischievously. "I thought that I might also invite some friends. You know, for a bigger audience for the birthday girl's special treat." I gave special a very sleazy emphasis."You wouldn't!" She gasped in astonished horror a moment later, as she realized what I was proposing."It's her fantasy," I reminded her. "At our age, when would she ever get the chance again?""She'd be mortified. What if she gets stage fright and can't go on?" Marie protested. "Then she'll feel as though she's let everyone down.""What if she doesn't, and she gets the chance to give a live sex performance in front of total strangers as well as her friends," I countered. "This has been her fantasy since she saw that one in Amsterdam when she was in her twenties. You and I, along with our friends, could make it happen, this week. Her life-long unfulfilled dream; why would we not?"I understood Marie's reluctance. Despite my enthusiasm, I wasn't oblivious to all the things that might go wrong. Our audience needed to be discreet; the setting private and the atmosphere warm and intimate. If this was going to happen, I had three days to arrange it. Grand: I enjoyed a challenge."Who would you invite?" Marie asked. Aha! She was considering it."All your friends will be there, of course, including Margie and Sue, Charles if he can make it, Wendy and Jane, Ken and his wife, Mike and his two ladies and our student friends. Not quite twenty in the audience.""That's a lot of people," she mused."All the better," I countered."What about you?" It was a reasonable question. A solo performance was okay in principle, but that wasn't Jo's fantasy. She needed a sex partner, a performing cock, me."I think I'm okay with it," I replied. "I've given business critical presentations in front of important clients, academics, ministers. Some to groups of a hundred or more. This, in front of friends, actually seems less intimidating; for now at least.""Just when I think I have your measure, my love," she smiled at me. "You surprise me once again." She touched my cheek, fondly. "Don't ever stop."I was slightly distracted driving home, making a mental list of what needed to be done by Friday. Then something Marie had said registered. "You said that Jo should have been with us tomorrow," I recalled. "Who will be coming, then?""Well, it should have been Jo and Kate. Then Megan and Sam, then Angie and Lucy and then, of course, we have to fit in Margie and Sue." She frowned in frustration. "But you sleep with Angie and me regularly. And Lucy almost as often, it seems. You only just fucked Megan this afternoon and Margie and Sue over the weekend." She tutted to herself. "Angie's getting quite vexed at the way your random copulations are messing up her spreadsheet." She gave me a wry smile across the car. "Little Geoffrey's been a busy boy just lately. Not that I'm complaining," she added quickly, in case I misunderstood. "I'm more than content that you're not neglecting me.""Wednesday night?" I reminded her of my original question."Well, that's the thing; isn't it?" She squirmed uncomfortably. "The obvious two are Kate and Sam."She was right of course. In Jo's absence, Megan would have been the obvious substitute. Megan whose bed I'd just left. The next in the sequence was Sam, the forty-something paramedic; Kate's daughter."Oh," I contributed, rather unhelpfully."Exactly," Marie replied. "But we knew that it could happen. We even decided that we would be prepared to invite them both on the same evening, but not to have our open-door policy afterwards. I think that encouraging incest, even lesbian incest, is a step too far." She smiled to herself. "Even for us."When got home, Marie was going to speak to Sam and Kate to explain the situation and find out how they felt about it, and then ring round to tell the others about our plan. I made some calls of my own.First was Tony, the landlord at The Black Swan. We'd just seen the room, but if it wasn't available, the whole prospect became more difficult. It was and I agreed to call in that evening to discuss the arrangements. That meant that I was free to invite guests. Like Marie, I shied away from involving family. As tempting as it was, Peter, Linda and their partners were not getting an invitation to see me banging one of Marie's best friends.Mike, my friend from my rugby days called to his wife when I told him my plan. She shouted back that they would all be delighted to come. She wanted to meet the people who had made the idea of their own formal three person relationship seem possible.Next was Adrian. He seemed to be the core of the group of students we'd met in the pub. He and Emily, his very submissive girlfriend, were close to Angie and me. They were both eager to come and he was sure that the others, Mark, Tabbie and Alice, would too.Our favorite taxi driver, Ken, seemed keen but he needed to speak to his wife, Cath, before he accepted for both of them. Personally, though I'd only spoken to her on the phone, I was sure that she'd agree.I had left it to Marie to speak to Wendy and Jane and also to see if Megan thought Charles might be able to attend. We met up about an hour later in the kitchen. Everyone we'd spoken to was on board, we merely needed confirmation from the others. I asked Marie how she'd described the plan to Wendy and Jane.She looked a little awkward. "I invited them to the pub to meet the girls. I told them that it was a surprise birthday party for one of my friends and, if you could arrange it at short notice, there might be some adult entertainment. I think that they are expecting a male stripper or something. They both seemed very enthusiastic."Sam had been on duty when my wife called. She had explained the situation to Kate who had promised to talk to her daughter and get back to us.We were deciding what to have for tea when Colin joined us. This time without his friend, Mia. "Hello, sweetheart," his grandma greeted him. "Where's your friend?""She does art club on Tuesdays after school. Her mum will pick her up.""Grandad was thinking about making a lamb keema for tea. Does that sound okay?""That sounds amazing," he replied. He's an easy lad to feed.I sent him off to start his homework while we prepped the meal. In ten minutes the onions were sliced, the garlic grated and the spices measured ready to add. I finished chopping the wilted spinach and checked the recipe. "All done, just twenty minutes cooking from start to finish."I left my wife to amuse herself and went in search of Colin. He was in my study frowning at my laptop. "Problem?" I asked."I have to give three examples of something called 'Entropy' and I can't really. I sort of understood in class, but it's just gone out of my head."A passage from a Douglas Adams book came to mind; something about the Tribesmen of the Cold Hillsides, the Princes of The Plains and the Dwellers in the Forest. The first two would wage war with each other in the forest and the latter group would suffer terribly as collateral damage. When they asked why the war had to take place in their forest, the answer, The Reason, seemed so obvious while it was being explained but less so when they returned to the smoldering remains of their villages. Most folk would recognize the feeling. I tried to help. "Imagine this. Your mum has spent all Saturday morning cleaning and tidying your bedroom. What does it look like the following Friday?"He looked uncomfortable. "Not great," he mumbled."That's entropy," I explained. "Your mum expended energy to put things into an ordered state but, over time, that order decays towards randomness. Can you think of similar examples?""Like ruined castles?" He asked, uncertain."Exactly," I replied"Or copying a copy?""So describe what happens," I prompted him."We still have a copier at school. If you copy a new document, then the copy is pretty cool, but every time you copy a copy, the background gets greyer and the text gets paler. Eventually, you have to guess what some of the words are.""So now you have two examples of your own to submit, and you can use mine too. Is that it?" I checked. "Shall I leave you to type that up?"He looked uncomfortable. "The talk; About sex;”I waited."Is it bad?" He asked."Not really," I reassured him. "There's stuff you need to know now and things you really don't need to know in detail for a couple of years."He didn't look convinced."Okay," I began. "We'll start now so you don't get hung up worrying about having to have this talk later. We'll talk about how your body will change, how girls' bodies change and what utter bollocks your mates at school will tell you when they try to show off how much they know about sex."He seemed to relax and we sat talking quietly for forty minutes or so, me taking a break for a coffee part way through. He coped well, though he admitted that periods sounded gross. I pointed out that girls would probably agree, but they weren't, by and large, optional. He also seemed to understand my main point; that nature had come up with a simple formula: cock plus cunt equals pregnancy. Until we had our next talk, in a couple of years, dealing with the mechanics of sex, if he took nothing else from our chat, he really had to remember that straightforward equation.He obviously understood what I was telling him. "So girls can get pregnant doing it standing up?""Absolutely," I agreed."Then it sounds like some of the Year Elevens are gonna be really deep in the doo doo.""If they've been getting their sex-ed exclusively from someone's big brother who has a porn site subscription, then probably, yes.""Thanks grandad. That wasn't so bad." And so saying he went back to his physics. I left him to it and went off in search of my wife.Marie smiled up at me when I found her, reading in the lounge. "You are the total package aren't you, my love?"I looked at her, quizzically."Sex, my dear," she clarified. "I heard part of your tutorial with Colin. You seem to excel at the theoretical as well as the practical aspects. Now, if you ever manage to actually figure women out too, you could be a Nobel Prize contender."The very thought made me laugh out loud. "Now you mention it though." I lowered my voice and sat next to her. "I could do with talking to you about Lucy.""Before you begin," Marie responded. "May I say this?" I sat back and she continued. "Megan and I talk. She and Charles agree that Lucy is in love with you. Her first husband died, her second husband is a treacherous twat and you, my love, represent the closest thing in her life to a constant male source of support."She saw me struggling to understand. "Megan, Kate and Jo, Margie and Sue too, they just need sex. They like you and, more importantly, they trust you, but their feelings go no further than trust and affection."She carried on, while I listened, fascinated. "Sam needs your intuitive grasp of how to help her deal with her demons. She really needs professional help but she appreciates the way you empathize with her struggles.""Angie needs help dealing with the world. I'm not convinced she's actually neurodiverse but she does have issues with some social interactions. Personally, I wonder if it's just because she's so much more intelligent than the rest of us that she sees these social niceties, behaviors that are apparently so important to everyone else, as meaningless nonsense." Marie gave me a hard stare. "You, dear husband, are her bridge. You speak her language but you are connected to our world too. You give her confidence and, when you command her, you allow her to shut down all of her defenses and trust absolutely in you. She cherishes those moments of peace.""I, on the other hand, need a partner. Someone who shares my goals and values but with a different perspective. You and I together are greater than the sum of our parts. I can hardly believe how close we came to destroying something so perfect but it will never," her voice hardened, "ever, happen again. Adding Angie to what we already have extends our partnership in another dimension, one I'm looking forward to exploring."She took my hand. "And now back to your original point: All that Lucy needs from you is your love. Knowing that you feel the way that you do about her gives her value. She knows that she's a capable artist, but Eddie made her question herself as a woman. You love me; and Angie. You think Jo is gorgeous. But you've never been embarrassed to admit that you think Lucy is sexy. That does wonders for her self-esteem. Yes, you tease her about being a blonde dingbat, but that doesn't hurt her. She knows it's affectionate."You've seen her recent work. That's down to you; you let her rediscover the woman she was fifteen years ago and she wants to repay you. So let her. She would never do anything to harm what we have: so you and she may have the same freedom as you and Angie. Love her and let her show her love for you."I sat, quietly impressed by Marie's comprehensive analysis of my sex life. "Jane and Wendy?" I prompted her.She considered for a moment. "With the benefit of hindsight,' she conceded. "I should have let you sleep with Jane five or six years ago. She needed you, and Ben would have benefited from growing up having you as a role model. But;” Here she dipped her head in reluctant acknowledgement. "We just weren't ready.""Jane has had a thing for you since before her husband passed. An innocent enough crush at first, but your," She stared accusingly at me, "Your supposedly innocent flirting has given her hope of some sort of part emotional, part physical relationship."She sighed. "I think she needs to get laid; she needs to be reminded that she's more than a widow and a single mum; she needs the confidence to rebuild her life so she can move on."I nodded slowly. That sounded like a fair summary.My wife graciously accepted my agreement and carried on. "Wendy is more damaged. While Jane lost her husband to illness, she ought to realize that she's still an attractive woman. Wendy has been hurt, though, just like Lucy. She's convinced herself that her husband abandoned her, because she's; what did she call herself? "A great heffalump". You, in fact we, need to show her what a striking girl she actually is."Marie frowned as she chose her next words. "It's possible that we may have to have you date her.""Christ, Marie!" I exploded, taken by surprise. "I know we keep bending the rules, but this?""No, dear." She disagreed. "We keep ignoring the rules, especially when they interfere with what's needed. There should be only one rule; 'Primum non nocere'."I looked blankly at her. "First do no harm," she translated for my benefit. "Supposedly part of the Hippocratic Oath, but it seems just as relevant here. If we can help Wendy at no risk to our marriage, what is the point of an arbitrary rule, however well intentioned, that prevents us? In fact." I got another hard stare. "Isn't this similar to the argument you used to persuade me to go along with your scheme for Jo?"Well, no not really: perhaps a little. Okay, quite similar in a way. She went back to her book while I considered her words. Nothing she had said changed the way I viewed our friends. She had reminded me what an amazing woman I'd been lucky enough to marry though. I was still savoring that thought when Colin joined us.He explained his homework to his gran while I listened to make sure that he'd understood just how fundamental the concept of entropy was. When he said, "And grandma, it applies to everything, mountains, stars, even people." I stood; my work here was done. My work in the kitchen, however, was just about to start.We had a civilized, if spicy, meal with Linda and Colin then, once they had left, I reminded my wife that I had an appointment at the pub. She decided to send me on my own, saying that she would look for a suitable way to wrap Jo's birthday present while I was gone. She did suggest that I might like to limit my beer input and hurry back, as she fancied an early night. I still had a few hours' worth of my erection pill coursing through my system, so that sounded like a most excellent idea.It was still fairly quiet in the bar when I arrived. I ordered a pint and Tony pulled one for himself and joined me at a table, leaving the barmaid to cope on her own. I explained that it was Marie's friend's birthday on Friday and that I intended to invite some additional guests to their usual 'girly get together' as a surprise.He looked levelly at me. "I believe every word," he told me. "But you're not telling me everything. Go on; spill."I gave him one last chance. "Plausible deniability," I explained. "There may be some adult entertainment involved. If you were prepared to let us have the room with a locked door, you couldn't be accused of being complicit."
Labhraímid le hEoin Ó Catháin faoi stampa Westlife, buairt faoi go bhféadfadh cogadh domhanda tarlú, marú Charlie Kirk agus an scéal is déanaí faoi na Murdochs.
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Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 11Going DancingThey meet Mia's mum and rethink their terms and conditions.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.My name is Geoff. If you are reading my stories in chronological order you will know that my wife and I are both retired and involved, sexually, with several of her friends. One in particular, Angie, is so close to us that we have invited her to be a third person in our relationship and, to that end, we are planning a Star Wars themed ceremony to celebrate our union in front of family and friends.Gone Dancing.This account begins one Thursday, when our grandson had invited a friend's mum to visit us after school. Colin, said grandson, had asked us if he could invite Mia, a school friend, to our wedding as his plus-one. I agreed, on condition that her mum was okay with Mia attending and approved of her choice of outfit. As we were having our costumes designed and made by students at the local university's fashion design faculty, at our expense, I had veto rights and I thought Mia's choice was fine. But still, if Mia's mum thought that her daughter's costume would be inappropriate, they would have to agree on something else. That was why I wanted to meet them both.Mia's mum, well, she had told Colin that she wanted to talk to us because she was a little confused. I assumed that was because Colin had asked her daughter to accompany him to a wedding involving three people, with the participants and guests dressed in Sci-Fi characters' costumes. I respected the lady for wanting to know a little more about us under the circumstances, before she consented.Anyway, that was only one issue I faced that Thursday. The other was that the previous evening Lucy, an unhappily married artist in her early sixties, had offered herself to me as a free-use fuck-toy. Oddly enough, it took the three women to persuade me to accept her offer; I know; You would have snapped her hand off if it had been you; I'm a worrier, so I didn't.The thing is, the girls (their words) suggested that Lucy wanted to help me to explore my inner self. As a retired materials science researcher, that wasn't something that came naturally to me: as an artist, it was what Lucy tried to do whenever she could. Eventually, of course, I caved and the following hour or so found her bound and gagged, tortured with vibrators, nipple clamps, heat, cold and whips before I finally had sex with her, twice. Fortunately, she loved it. Unfortunately Marie, my wife, found my apparent excesses disturbing. That morning, she seemed as though she was still trying to come to terms with why.Marie seemed subdued as we ate breakfast. "Are we okay?" I asked, hesitantly, uncertain as to whether I'd strayed over some obvious boundary the previous evening."WE are fine," she tried to reassure me. "I, on the other hand, am finding that I'm not nearly as sexually secure as I try to try to pretend."I took a leaf out of Ronan Keating's book, or his songbook anyway. Oh, come on; 'You say it best when you say nothing at all'. Surely? Never mind. I sat quietly waiting for my wife to gather her thoughts.Her eyes filled with tears. I stood, took her hand and led her to the living room. I sat her on the sofa and cuddled up next to her. "When you're ready, I'm here for you," I told her. "You don't have to, but I hope you trust me enough to share whatever it is that's troubling you."She gave a brave little smile as she took a tissue from the box on the coffee table. "It's such a long time ago. It felt like it happened to someone else, until Lucy described what you did to her: Then something just felt so wrong. I realized, only this morning, what it was."I didn't feel so flippant now. But she was happy to talk without prompting, so I let her set her own pace.Taking a deep breath, she resumed her explanation. "We were both about ten or eleven. My cousin Paul and me. We were just playing together in the garden one summer and he found some twine. We were comfortable with each other so I let him tie my hands behind my back and he tickled me. It was awful. I cried. Then he touched me, because he could. I couldn't stop him. I was bound and totally helpless. I started to scream and he let me go. I never told anyone and, by the time I met you, he was dead. He had joined the forces; a Para. He died in the Falklands."Marie wiped her eyes. "It was wrong but, if he'd said he was sorry, I'd have forgiven him. We were only kids. But, without realizing it, I've carried that memory, buried, for years." She look apologetically at me. "I'm sorry, Geoff. When Lucy described how helpless she felt, it reminded me of that experience. I don't think I can do it."I shook my head. She didn't understand. "Marie. What I did with Lucy was for her. Yes, I went further than I would usually have been comfortable with, but I made sure that she had opportunities to back out or stop at any time. She didn't." This was important to me. I knelt in front of Marie and looked her in the eye. "If I never do that again, I won't care. If it disturbs you, it will never be repeated. But I will never ask any of you to let me do anything that would hurt you. Lucy wants to do it again. Angie is desperate to try. Sam might enjoy something similar, so might Megan. But you, my love, you don't, so I don't want you to. It's that simple.""You aren't disappointed?" She seemed surprised."Not at all." I thought for a moment. "Well, yes; a little." Marie's eyes started to fill up again so I carried on, hurriedly. "I'm disappointed that you think I'd feel like that. I will never expect you to do anything you don't want to. I will always accept "No" as a complete answer. No need to justify or explain. Are you reassured?""I think so. I think that I feel better for telling you too.""What about the others?" I decided that while we were having this conversation it was the right time to set boundaries.She understood. "I think I was worried that you doing this, with them, would normalize it. That you'd do it to me without thinking, or worse, resent me for rejecting you." She looked at with genuine concern. "You wouldn't; would you?""Never. I know who you are and I think I've come to know what you like. By all means let's test our limits, but never to the point where one of us is unhappy. Are we agreed?"She seemed much happier. "Agreed. And, to be clear, you are free to do anything the other girls ask you to. It was Lucy who bragged about what you did, not you. And she obviously relished every second." Marie pondered for a moment. "Well, afterwards, possibly not during," she grinned.We sat for a little while then went back to the kitchen, where I made us both a fresh cup of tea to replace the drinks that had cooled while we'd talked. We were just finishing the washing up when my phone rang. It was Mike. I'd offered to pay for him to take his wife and sister in law to the pub the previous night to spy on Lucy's fuckwit husband. I'd forgotten that he'd promised an update that morning. I told my wife that I'd explain later and hit the 'Answer call' icon. As Lucy was Marie's friend it seemed only fair she heard our conversation. I switched my phone to speaker."Good morning Mike. Marie is here with me and you are on speaker. Hung over at all?" We heard a snort of laughter."You should know, when you're involved with two women then obviously you get twice as much supervision. So no," he replied.Marie looked enquiringly at me. "Mike, Marie is just finding out that I asked you to do some spying for me. Tell us, was Eddie there?""He was. And the group he was with were an obnoxious crew. Loud, foul mouthed boors the lot of them. Not just the men either."Marie and I shared a look. "So he plays darts with women too?""Darts?" Mike sounded surprised. "Who mentioned darts? They don't even have a dartboard in The Fox and Hounds.""Well," I explained. "Eddie told his wife, a friend of ours, that Wednesday night is now his darts night.""Sorry Geoff," Mike replied. "The only double top your mate was interested in was bulging out of the low cut blouse belonging to the tarty looking slapper he was buying drinks for all night."Whatever vestiges of guilt I'd felt for including Lucy in our 'language classes' evaporated instantly.I needed to be certain. "Are you sure it was Eddie?""I thought you might ask, so I took a photo of my two best girls and made sure that my target was clearly visible behind them. I'm sending it now." A picture of two pleasant looking women in their forties popped on my screen. Marie and I both recognized Lucy's husband in the background. We didn't recognize the plain, big titted woman with her arm around his neck."Asshole!" Marie growled. I was puzzled. Lucy was admittedly at least fifteen years older than the woman with her arm around Eddie but she (Lucy) was slimmer, prettier and, from personal experience, a sexual dynamo. Why the Hell was Eddie rejecting sex with Lucy while he's all over the pooch in the pub?I reminded Mike that he and his ladies were invited to our wedding and suggested that they look on-line for costume ideas. I warned him that some had already been chosen but they had all of the film and TV franchises to choose from, so duplication shouldn't be an issue. He promised to send me images once they'd made their minds up. Becky, his wife, was excited to be invited and wanted to do something similar for their shared lover, Ruth, though Harry Potter was more their style.I reminded him to text his bank details so that I could pay my dues and, after we said our goodbyes, I turned to Marie. "Why?" Was all I said. She understood perfectly."I know Lucy is my friend but; That other woman, she's;” I was impressed. It takes a lot to render my wife speechless.I had to ask. "Has Lucy ever said anything to make you think that there are some er, activities, that are off limits?""For God's sake, Geoff!" She retorted. "Only last night she offered herself to you as a free-use fuck-doll. She's always been sexually adventurous." She looked puzzled. "I can't begin to imagine what that busty blob has that Lucy hasn't."Neither could I, so we shelved that conversation for later and turned our attention to preparing for our guests that evening. After changing the bedding from the previous evening's entertainment, we sat and decided on our menus for the coming week. A quick check to see if any store-cupboard items needed replenishing and we were off to our local supermarket. Marie hit the sea-food counter while I dawdled in the wine aisle. There was an offer on, so I loaded up on some old favorites and added a couple of bottles I'd not tried before. An Alvarinho vinho verde from Portugal caught my eye. It seemed an ideal partner for that evening's seafood dish. Into the trolley it went."What?" I tried to look innocent when Marie caught up with me. "There's twenty percent off. The more I buy, the more we save." She shook her head and guided me gently, but firmly, to the produce aisle. We returned home without further incident.Angie joined us after lunch and we worked happily together prepping for our evening meal. There would be six of us at the table, but we made sure that there would be some leftovers for Linda, our daughter. She was taking the opportunity to use her early finish to get her hair done while Colin ate with us.Short grain rice, seafood, onion, peppers, garlic and peas. Fish stock, tomatoes, chorizo and a pinch of saffron. All laid out ready for Marie to cook. It was her turn, once we'd had a chat with our visitors."Angie?" I asked, to get her attention.She looked up from cleaning a piece of squid. "Yes dear?" We were being unusually domesticated so her mischievous grin was probably warranted.I know you helped me cook breakfast, but you've never invited us to eat at your place. Do you cook or what?"I noticed that my wife was now concentrating very intently on de-veining a prawn, suspiciously so."I can cook," Angie admitted. I could tell that there was a 'but' about to make an appearance. "Quite well, in fact. But." Yes! I knew it was coming. "I get really bitchy if someone is helping in my kitchen and they don't do exactly as I say.""But you're okay doing this?" I persisted."Of course." She seemed to find the question rather ridiculous. "You ask me to rinse this; I'll rinse it. We're fine. But: In my kitchen, if I ask you to brown some onion in a pan, I expect you to use the correct pan, the right amount of the right sort of oil and to produce perfectly sliced onion cooked to precisely the right color exactly when I need it. Otherwise I tend to get a bit cross." She looked a little uncomfortable. "I know. That makes me sound like Gordon Ramsey with tits, but it's how I am."Marie was trying to keep a straight face but eventually surrendered. "I once tried to help her prepare a meal to impress her first husband's boss and his wife. I was slicing some carrots and the julienne were slightly different sizes. She threw them in the bin and we nearly came to blows. In the end I just did the washing up and let her highness rule the kitchen. It wasn't worth the grief." Marie reached across and hugged her friend. "I still love you though. Even after that." They were both laughing as we finished off and tidied up.We sat and watched some more of our Star Wars episodes while we waited for Mia's mum to arrive with the two teens. Exactly on schedule, the front door burst open and Colin bawled, "Hi everybody. We're here!" Marie went to greet our visitors while Angie and I turned off the TV and stood ready to meet Mia and her mum for the first time.Colin booled in first, dragging a tall, pretty teenage girl by the hand. "This is Mia," he informed us. "This is my grandad," he pointed me out to his friend. "And this is Grangie," he said proudly. "They're all really clever, but Grangie is especially smart." He dropped his voice to a hoarse whisper. "She's why your mum wants to meet. I think we're best off keeping out of the way." He dragged her away to the study giving her little chance to say anything but a squeaked, "Hi" before they disappeared.Marie ushered a buxom woman in her late thirties, an amazon, think Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones, into the room and they both stood for a moment, presumably wondering where the kids were. Marie collected her wits. "Wendy, this is my husband Geoff." I nodded a welcome. "And this is our special friend Angie." Angie copied my greeting. "Obviously, this is Mia's mum, Wendy."Now the introductions were done, Marie asked if Wendy wanted a drink and we all decided on a cup of tea. Angie was anxious to help, she isn't at her best in situations like this, so it fell to me to entertain our guest. We chatted about the two kids and I took the opportunity to size up our new acquaintance. That was probably a rather Freudian slip. Wendy was a big lady. Not obese, even plump would be a misdescription; it just seemed as though there was a lot of her. She seemed to relax as we spoke. Colin was obviously comfortable in our home, the noises from the kitchen were reassuringly domestic and I made it a point not to stare at her magnificent bosom.She was, in fact, a rather attractive woman. Pleasant, open features, a nice smile, long brown hair past her shoulders and, as I may have implied, spectacularly large tits. I made a mental note to ask Marie what cup size she thought Wendy required: purely for reporting purposes, of course. The other thing of note was that she was at least as tall as me; probably an inch or more taller.Marie bustled in carrying a tray with four cups and Angie followed with a plate bearing biscuits and cakes. Marie excused herself for a moment while she went to remind Colin to make sure his guest was properly catered for. Apparently they assured her that they were fine and would raid the kitchen once homework was done.Marie looked to me. Right; I was elected spokesman. "So Wendy," I began, settling back in my seat to seem less intense. "Colin has invited Mia to be his plus one at our ceremony and you are wondering what's going on. Is that a fair summary?"She took a sip of her tea before she replied. "I'm sure you can see why that is. I don't mean to pry but Mia's welfare has to be my priority."Neither of the girls seemed inclined to contribute yet so I soldiered on. "Angie here has been my wife's closest friend, since before we were married. I've always been fond of her too. But recently," I looked at the girls, they seemed happy with my approach. "Our feelings have intensified and we both regard her as being more than just a friend. We realized that we are both emotionally attached to her, and her to us." I paused to make sure that Wendy was on the same page, or at least not stricken with horror. In the absence of any expression of disgust, I continued. "We want to declare our affection publicly and formalize, as best we can within the law, our new relationship. Marie and I have already had a traditional wedding; so has Angela; twice, in fact. We decided that a themed ceremony might be more entertaining for us and our guests."She seemed interested rather than appalled so I kept going. "Hence Colin's invitation to Mia to accompany him in a costume to fit in with our Star Wars theme." I decided that was a good place to stop for feedback."So this 'ceremony' that Colin has invited my daughter to is to acknowledge you two, a legally married couple, inviting you, Angela, into your relationship?" She paused, gazing thoughtfully at us all. "That's so lovely. I wish more people would open themselves up to their feelings like that." Her smile as she spoke illuminated the room."Does that mean you are okay with Mia attending with Colin?" Marie asked. "They will be the youngest ones there."Wendy was dismissive. "Colin is a lovely polite lad. His mother seems nice and I'm not getting any worrying vibes from any of you. I'm happy and Mia seems keen to be there.""Has she discussed her outfit?" That was me."Her dad was a fan of the films, so I think I've seen them all. Most of the costumes are fairly tame, and the one Mia showed me, the white stretch suit, is no more revealing than the tight joggers and crop tops girls her age wear every weekend to go shopping." She looked a little wistful.I glanced at my wife and got an almost imperceptible nod in reply. "Wendy. If you'd like, we'd be happy to extend the invitation to you too; if you don't think Mia would think you were being a third wheel on their date.""Who would I go as?" She snorted. "Jabba the Hutt? I mean, look at me."We did. She was tall, broad shouldered but proportioned, with an actual waistline. Her long hair and feminine features rather mitigated her size. Did I mention her boobs? She had a lovely complexion too. All in all she was a big sexy woman who didn't see what we did.Angie said what I was just beginning to consider. "Cara Dune," she blurted out. Then, putting her hand to her mouth, she looked to me to rescue her. Wendy seemed nonplussed."We're part way through watching some TV spinoffs," I explained. "Angie and I admit to being Sci-Fi nerds. One of the female characters, Cara Dune, is a powerfully built woman. Let Marie show you the costume she has chosen already while Angie finds some Cara images. Meanwhile, I'll go and check on the kids."I left the three women scrolling through their phones and sought out the two teenagers in the study. I made sure they heard me coming; I wasn't trying to catch them having a quiet cuddle. In reality, they were both reading studiously when I opened the door. I smiled to myself. Colin's book was upside down. I pointed and made circle motion with my finger. He looked puzzled then down at his book and blushed. "Drat! Mia, we've been busted."I shook my head and tapped the side of my nose. "Be sensible and be discreet. That's all we expect. Now do you want anything in the kitchen?"They both declined so I left them to their 'reading'. I left the door open, just to make a point.Back in the living room, the three women were happily comparing notes. Wendy loved the idea of Mia in white and Colin in black. She was amazed at the warrior costume Marie had chosen and how similar in principle it was to Cara Dune's. She was obviously intrigued by our idea."The thing is," Wendy said, hesitantly. "I'm not sure that I can really afford two costumes. Not this intricate, anyway.""Sweetheart, that's not your problem," Angie reassured her. "I'm paying for everyone's costume. We're having them all individually made at my expense. You just have to turn up to get measured."Wendy wasn't convinced. "You don't want
In this episode of Waterfall, Cath and Karen are joined by Stuart Sampson, National Drought Manager at the Environment Agency, to explore what really happens during a drought. Stuart explains how droughts are defined, why they differ from dry weather, and what Temporary Use Bans (TUBs) mean for households. He also shares the role of water companies in drought planning, the environmental impacts of prolonged dry spells, and what practical steps we can all take to save water. Full of expert insights and useful tips, this episode highlights why water resilience matters for us all. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to the episode and guest 01:08 – How dry has 2025 been compared to past years? 03:58 – What officially defines a drought? 09:59 – Understanding Temporary Use Bans (TUBs) 15:19 – What should water companies do during droughts? 21:17 – Environmental impacts of prolonged drought 26:22 – Key messages and practical steps for the public Show notes Environment Agency
durée : 01:59:16 - Le Bach du dimanche du dimanche 07 septembre 2025 - par : Corinne Schneider - Pour ouvrir la Saison 9 de l'émission : les 90 ans du compositeur estonien Arvo Pärt ; l'orgue flambant neuf de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame à l'écoute du nouveau CD de Vincent Dubois ; les débuts parisiens de Jan Čmejla (lauréat du Concours Bach de Leipzig 2025) et une nouvelle rubrique : « Blue Bach » - réalisé par : Anne-Lise Assada Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.
Cath explores what it means to have joy from the Spirit, and how we are called to a people of unexplainable joy.
Cuimhní cinn ar Eamonn de Valera i gCorca Dhuibhne agus i gCléire ar chomóradh a bháis a tharla cothrom an lae seo 50 bliain ó shin ar an 29 Lúnasa 1975.
Chief Executive Officer at Thriving Investments Team Cath joined in January 2023 to lead on increasing funds under management alongside the delivery of social impact, augmenting the existing fund management platform across high-quality affordable housing, private-rented residential and urban regeneration strategies. She was previously Executive Director for Strategy and Investment at property development and investment specialist Quintain. Cath has 30 years of real estate experience across private equity, fund management and investment banking. She has an MBA from INSEAD and is a Member of the BPF's Living Council, a Member of the RICS and Trustee (and former Co-Chair) for the Creative Land Trust.
This week on Crime Wave: Cath Little—34, cautious, and firmly rooted in Buffalo—discovers two tickets to a “Murder Week” getaway in the England's idyllic Peak District tucked among her late mother's belongings. Because they'd been estranged for years, she's stunned to learn the tickets were for the two of them. Hoping to understand the woman she never truly knew, Cath travels to the English countryside where she's drawn into a staged whodunit alongside two unlikely cottage-mates, Wyatt and Amity. As the fictional mystery unfolds, Cath begins to unravel a very real one about her mother's past and the bond they never had the chance to repair. But after a life constrained by secrets and lies, how much truth Cath is ready to uncover? Connect with Karen: https://karendukess.com/ #podcast #author #interview #authors #CrimeWavePodcast #authorsontheair #podcast #podcaster #authors #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors #thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers#writersinspiration #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #BonnarSpring #BonnarSpringBooks #bookouture #thrillers #KarenDukess #WelcometoMurderWeek
« Je ne suis pas venu mettre la paix sur terre, mais bien plutôt la division » (Lc 12, 49-53)Méditation de l'Évangile par le père Sébastien AntoniChant Final : "Je suis venu porter le feu" par la Maitrise de la Cathédrale d'AutunRetrouvez tous nos contenus, articles et épisodes sur rcf.frSi vous avez apprécié cet épisode, participez à sa production en soutenant RCF.Vous pouvez également laisser un commentaire ou une note afin de nous aider à le faire rayonner sur la plateforme.Retrouvez d'autres contenus de vie spirituelle ci-dessous :Halte spirituelle : https://audmns.com/pMJdJHhB. A. -BA du christianisme : https://audmns.com/oiwPyKoLe Saint du Jour : https://audmns.com/yFRfglMEnfin une Bonne Nouvelle : https://audmns.com/afqCkPVConnaître le judaïsme : https://audmns.com/VTjtdyaEnfin, n'hésitez pas à vous abonner pour ne manquer aucun nouvel épisode.À bientôt à l'écoute de RCF sur les ondes ou sur rcf.fr !Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
This week, Casper and Vanessa explore the theme of Peace in Chapter 19 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! They discuss Ron's return, the destruction of the trio's first horcrux, and Hermione's anger! Throughout the episode we consider the question: how do we set the stage for peace?Thank you to Cath for this week's voicemail! Next week we're reading Chapter 20, Xenophilius Lovegood, through the theme of Purpose with special guest Micaela Blei.Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is a Not Sorry ProductionFind us at our website | Follow us on Instagram--It's two sickles to join S.P.E.W., and only five dollars to join our Patreon for extra content every week! Please consider helping us fill our Gringotts vault so we can continue to make this show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With rising costs and the need to save energy and water, it's a great time to rethink laundry habits. In this episode of Waterfall, Cath is joined by Natalie Mathie from Uswitch to share easy ways to wash clothes more efficiently. They talk about common laundry myths, using eco-wash cycles, and caring for your machine so it runs well. There's also advice on saving energy when drying clothes and tracking usage with tools like the Utrack app—simple changes that can help your bills and the planet. Timestamps: 00:00 – 02:52 – Introduction & guest welcome 02:52 – 05:44 – Common laundry myths 05:44 – 08:37 – Eco-wash cycles & benefits 08:37 – 11:29 – Caring for your washing machine 11:29 – 14:21 – Drying clothes efficiently 14:21 – 17:14 – Tools like Utrack & final tips Show notes: Uswitch
One way that AI can save you from expending massive amounts of blood, sweat and tears is a way that a lot of people aren't using. And that involves its incredible ability to analyze, find trends, and organize information. On the face of it, all that sounds pretty boring and hardly applicable to copywriters and business owners. But today's returning champion, Cath Reohorn, has used her impressive imagination to come up with some incredibly simple, smart and powerful ways to use AI that are VERY interesting… and could be useful to you as well. You probably remember Cath because her podcast, titled Selling Them With Kindness, got a lot of engagement and some heartfelt comments from listeners. Cath's business is called Kind Copy. She lives in Wales in the UK. She has a true family business, since it employs herself, her husband, her sister and 2 other team members. What's even more impressive, they grew with organic marketing to over £1m/month before she ever ran an ad. Today, we dig into Cath's personal, practical AI innovations. – Cath's website: https://kindcopy.co.uk/ Cath's social media links: https://x.com/kindcopy https://www.instagram.com/kindcopyuk/ Download.
I can't quite believe it, but here we are — the 800th episode of the Tough Girl Podcast! In this special solo episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes for a personal catch-up and reflection on everything that's happened so far in 2025 — from January through to August. I talk about what life has looked like lately (yes, still living at home with my parents!), working part-time at AIM Health, the adventures I've been on, the challenges I've faced, and the exciting things coming up next. This episode is a bit of everything: gear chat (flat-lay photos and a new Atom Pack!), health updates (peri-menopause, gut health, strength training, and more), financial planning (Patreon, pensions, broken laptops!), plus reflections on my time walking the English Camino, Snowdonia Slate Trail, and tackling the GR20 in Corsica — which was honestly tougher than the Marathon des Sables. I'm also talking about my motivations for taking on the GR10, what I've learned in 10 years of podcasting, and why the mission — to increase the amount of female role models in the media especially in relation to adventure and physical challenges— is stronger than ever. Thank you for being here with me on this journey. Whether you've listened from the start or are just finding the show now, I'm so incredibly grateful. This is a celebration of us — of consistency, resilience, growth, and dreaming big.
In this quickfire bonus episode, we're back with the brilliant Cath — skateboard coach, soulful northern lass, and walking proof that you can take a few knocks and still show up fully you.Diagnosed with epilepsy but never one to sit out the ride, Cath has lived a bold, messy, and empowering life on and off the board. Today's episode is just a little slice of her realness, featuring fun questions, big truths, and that signature no-BS warmth we love her for.Expect:Soul-healing superpowers (and why she'd use them on herself too, thank you very much)A billboard message that might just save your brain cells: put your phone downA love/hate relationship with London and the power of going homeWhat she'd say to her 12-year-old self (grab a tissue, just in case)Her challenge to women everywhere: Stop apologising. Start being fully, fiercely you.No fluff. No Instagram quote therapy. Just raw insight, a bit of cheek, and one woman's mission to get more of us living without filters — literal or emotional. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ógánaigh atá páirteach i bhFéile Lios Póil i mbliana.
買TISA(台灣個人投資儲蓄帳戶)基金,就到基富通!【基富通TISA好享投】,千元起投,0手續費、低經理費、專家嚴選,資產累積超有感投資一定有風險,基金投資有賺有賠,申購前應詳閱公開說明書。https://www.fundrich.com.tw/event/TISA/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=2025TISA- —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— 爬山新手也友善的非洲第一高峰吉力馬札羅來啦! Only One Travel https://tw.onlyone.travel/tours/mountkilimanjaro8days-skilissr/ Instagram @cathleeleelee @onlyonetravel.tw - → 喜歡解鎖地球嗎? 一鍵支持,讓我們繼續產出優質節目:https://open.firstory.me/user/unlocktheearth → 在社群上 follow 我們:https://linktr.ee/unlock.the.earth.podcast → 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法: https://open.firstory.me/user/cjzryn64q34i607580oyblh1u/comments → Cover photo credit: Cath Powered by Firstory Hosting
Don takes a fiscal detour into the world of AI, introducing his ChatGPT co-host “Cath” in a strikingly lifelike discussion about the future of jobs, the role of artificial intelligence in our lives, and how we can adapt to massive changes already underway. The episode blends curiosity, caution, and practical insight—with a historical twist that ties today's tech upheaval to the Luddite resistance of the 19th century. It's a deeply personal, slightly spooky, and forward-looking edition of Talking Real Money. 0:04 Don opens solo and explains how AI (Cath) became his creative partner 1:20 What ChatGPT is, how it works, and how Don uses it for image creation 4:21 AI and the threat to human jobs—especially white-collar roles 5:16 Is creativity really safe from AI disruption? 6:31 Which U.S. jobs are most at risk (customer service, admin, legal, finance) 7:30 Why current AI customer service sucks (and why Cath doesn't) 9:05 How young people can future-proof their careers through skills and mindset 10:15 Education technology as a “human + AI” job model 10:33 Hands-on and empathetic jobs that AI struggles to replace 11:47 The difference between mimicking and actually being intelligent 12:06 Specific industries most ripe for AI displacement 13:15 AI's surprising takeover of journalism and nonfiction writing 13:52 Should we be alarmed by how fast AI is replacing human tasks? 14:55 AI 2027 report: Doomsday prediction or useful wake-up call? 16:22 Ethical concerns, adversarial use (like China), and global AI regulation 17:36 What kids (and grandkids) can do now to stay ahead of AI disruption 18:06 Should we still teach coding if AI can write code? 18:56 Is GPT-4.0 helping write GPT-5.0? 19:40 How AI voices became so eerily realistic 20:46 Ways everyday people can use AI subscriptions for personal growth 22:07 Do users own what they make with AI? (Yes) 22:31 Did AI “steal” the content it was trained on? 23:58 Final thoughts: from Luddites to large language models—adapt or get replaced 26:21 A call for thoughtful oversight and a little healthy skepticism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this season of MID, we are answering the dilemmas and questions that you, our listeners, have sent us. This episode is all about the excitement, fear, insecurity and orgasmic joy of MID dating. Who better to enlist to answer your questions than the very funny and very smart Cath Mahoney, who herself is currently ‘between boyfriends’ - so trust us, she knows the good, bad and ugly (and the great) about all things dating. The dilemmas that Cath & Holly tackle in this episode are: I’ve reconnected with my Facebook ex - he’s not NOT married - and I’m feeling like maybe he’s the one that got away…but my best friend is telling me to let it go. I’m on the apps…and I’m thinking about dating younger men. Do I? Should I? How? I’ve been having the best sex of my life since my divorce…but now my ex wants me back - I’m tempted - but I don’t want to give up the hot sex! Is it bad to want to date someone with money? You can follow Cath here and get her book here. THE END BITS: Share your feedback! Send us a voice message or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au Follow us on Instagram @MidbyMamamia or sign up to the MID newsletter, dropping weekly here. CREDITS: Guest: Cath Mahoney Host: Holly Wainwright Executive Producer: Naima Brown Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman Audio Producer: Jacob Round Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Cathédrale de Cantorbéry, en Angleterre, 29 décembre 1170. L'archevêque Thomas Becket, plus haut prélat du royaume, est frappé à mort par quatre hommes d'armes qui l'ont poursuivi. Pour le second volet de la série d'été « Un meurtre, une société », Fanny Madeline, maîtresse de conférences en histoire médiévale à l'université Panthéon-Sorbonne, décrypte les enjeux de cette mort violente à relier aux affrontements entre Église et pouvoirs séculiers initiés par la « réforme grégorienne ». Pour aller plus loin : Lloyd de Beer, Naomi Speakman, Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint, British Museum, 2021 Une série de Paroles d'histoire, podcast créé et produit par André Loez, distribué par Binge audio. Contact pub : project@binge.audioMusique de générique : Neil Young, Cortez the Killer.Titre de la série en référence au livre de Bernard Guénée sur 1407.Un podcast créé, animé et produit par André Loez et distribué par Binge Audio. Contact pub : project@binge.audioDistribué par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
In this episode of Terror Talk Podcast, we're diving deep into the wild, weird, and wonderfully low-budget world of Roger Corman, the godfather of indie horror and cult cinema. From gothic Edgar Allan Poe adaptations to biker gangs and blood-soaked exploitation flicks, Corman did it all—and on a shoestring budget.We chat about Corman's signature filmmaking style, his unapologetically fast shooting schedules, and the way he could turn a dime into dread. We explore his most iconic horror films, his love of dramatic lighting and moody monologues, and how he shaped the future of horror by mentoring legends like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and James Cameron.
What's at stake when a child has their first meal in a new home? For children entering care, especially those who have faced food insecurity, that first plate of food can be a big moment. In this programme, Ruth Alexander explores how food and mealtimes can help children feel safe and give them a sense of belonging. She meets Jessica-Rae Williamson, a 21 year old care leaver from Manchester, England, who still remembers the first meal she ate with her foster family, aged 13. In Wrexham, Wales, Ruth meets long-term foster carers John and Viv, Cath and Neil and Rosemary, who have opened their homes to dozens of children through Foster Wales. They discuss their strategies for dealing with picky eating and hoarding. Dr Katja Rowell, feeding expert and author of the book “Love Me, Feed Me: The Foster and Adoptive Parent's Guide to Responsive Feeding”, gives her counter-intuitive tips for avoiding mealtimes becoming a battleground. And Melissa Guida-Richards, author of the book “What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption”, shares her experience of being adopted from Colombia by Italian and Portuguese parents living in the US and her subsequent search for her Colombian heritage through food. This programme contains discussion of food poverty and insecurity, and disordered eating. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised and need support, speak to a health professional. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk Produced by Beatrice Pickup. (Image: a partly eaten plate of spaghetti bolognese sat on a child's knee.Credit: Getty Images/BBC)
Don and Tom take on the ever-persistent phrase “This time it's different,” as Bloomberg and NYT articles suggest AI, financial fragmentation, and inflation have permanently changed the investing game. The duo questions whether these changes actually warrant different investing behavior—or if they're just the latest in a long line of panics dressed up as paradigm shifts. Along the way, they debate market melt-ups, the logic of diversification, and why equities pay more (hint: it's not because they're safe). Listeners call in with questions about ETFs in IRAs, Roth conversions later in life, and tax-savvy asset allocation across accounts. 0:04 Perspective from aging: we've heard “this time is different” before 1:58 AI panic, financial fragmentation, and inflation—Bloomberg's argument 3:31 Don and Tom challenge claims of “new” market conditions 5:08 AI voice cameo: Cath makes her show debut 6:05 What should investors do if things are different? 9:00 NYT's Jeff Sommer warns of a potential market “melt-up” 10:08 Irrational exuberance: unprofitable stocks soaring 12:57 Why risk still pays: stocks go up and down 15:02 Smooth ≠ profitable: bonds are boring, stocks reward fear 18:23 Listener asks: Why own international if U.S. wins? 20:34 Diversification vs. chasing past performance 23:42 Call: ETFs vs. mutual funds inside retirement accounts 29:36 Call: Should a 79-year-old convert to a Roth? 36:53 Call: Asset location strategy and inherited IRA cash flow 41:36 Don's final advice: no tax tricks—just make a plan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode Cath uses Polyvagal Theory to shine a light on how discombobulating things in parenting can be (and why), the shift in being the default parent and how this relates to our nervous systems. She talks about how we can learn to send ourselves signs of safety and how we can use PV to support our families.If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. Follow Cath on social media here:Instagram: @cathcounihanSubstack: Nurture.Heal.GrowFacebook: Cath Counihan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Contributor: Taylor Lynch, MD Educational Pearls: How do we risk-stratify chest-pain patients? One option is the HEART score This score predicts a patient's 6-week risk of a major adverse cardiac event. Ex. Cath procedure, CABG, PCI, death H stands for History Ask 1) Was the patient diaphoretic? 2) Did they have nausea and/or vomiting? 3) Did the pain radiate down the right or left arm? 4) Was it exertional? Yes to one = one point. Two or more = two points. E stands for EKG One point for left ventricular hypertrophy, t-wave inversions, new bundle-branch blocks. No points for first degree AV block, benign early repolarization, or QT-prolongation Two points for ST-depression A stands for Age >65 gets two points 45-64 gets one point R stands for Risk factors Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, family history, smoking, previous MI, previous CABG, stroke, peripheral arterial disease 1-2 risk factors get 1 point More than two risk factors gets two points T stands for Troponin 1-3x upper limit of normal gets one point >3x upper limit of normal gets two points This gives you a score between zero and ten 0-3 points, patients have a ~2% chance of an adverse event These patients likely go home 4-6 points, patients have a ~20% chance of an adverse event These patients get admitted or expedited outpatient stress test/echo 7-10 points, patients have a ~60% chance of an adverse event Admit and call cardiology. These patients likely get catheterized References Backus BE, Six AJ, Kelder JC, Bosschaert MA, Mast EG, Mosterd A, Veldkamp RF, Wardeh AJ, Tio R, Braam R, Monnink SH, van Tooren R, Mast TP, van den Akker F, Cramer MJ, Poldervaart JM, Hoes AW, Doevendans PA. A prospective validation of the HEART score for chest pain patients at the emergency department. Int J Cardiol. 2013 Oct 3;168(3):2153-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.01.255. Epub 2013 Mar 7. PMID: 23465250. Laureano-Phillips J, Robinson RD, Aryal S, Blair S, Wilson D, Boyd K, Schrader CD, Zenarosa NR, Wang H. HEART Score Risk Stratification of Low-Risk Chest Pain Patients in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ann Emerg Med. 2019 Aug;74(2):187-203. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.12.010. Epub 2019 Feb 2. PMID: 30718010. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/1752/heart-score-major-cardiac-events Summarized by Jeffrey Olson, MS4 | Edited by Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/