This post was supposed to be completely plant-free, but I can’t resist directing you here, because I’ve just planted up a pot of erysimum and they look bloody awful right now, but I SWEAR they hold such undone, ombre promise…absolutely worth a go, together with gaudy primroses and ready-grown muscari (which are just the most perfect instant joy for February, without even getting your hands dirty.)
I’m reading this on an Italian train (Rome to Venice). Some people are talking normally to the people beside them, but quite a lot are bellowing into their phones, comfortably settling in for a three hour over-sharing chat. Last time I was on this train one man was obviously getting all the office gossip from a colleague which he mainly relayed back at her with expressions of disbelief. At one point he said loudly, “of course this is just between you and me…” At which everyone in the carriage turned to stare at him, and he guiltily lowered his voice for a couple of minutes.
I've never saunaed, not been a saunee, rarely felt saunaceous, but there is one right by the beach just up the coast so I may have to now, and if I do I shall say 'BLOODY HELL IT'S HOT'
I absolutely LOVE eavesdropping - such a good insight to other people - some may call it nosey but I like to call it being curious about other people and always so reassuring to know others don't have it all sussed. If you haven't seen it you must go and see the new Bridget Jones - I feel sure you will love it.
B Jones 2 absolutely on my list and yes, I no longer agonise about whether it’s right or wrong because I never overhear anything I don’t like. People are amazing! X
Laetitia, I love all of this. If you could be so indiscreet as to let me know where you sauna in West London, I will listen intently, pretending that I'm not. And my idle sauna chat would definitely reveal that I swim throughout the year in the swirling Thames. The secrets revealed as we bob downstream are a delight, even if they are heavy with worry, and we are always laughing by the time we nearly miss our exit. There is no better way to admire the riverside gardens of the lucky and extremely wealthy, to note the changing of the seasons and the wild menagerie that let's us pass by their habitat. Hoo ha. X
Thames swimming is next level! Where do you start and finish? And do you have someone TRULY EXCELLENT to decipher the tide times so you don’t die? My father used to swim very regularly at Richmond. The sauna is at a club called Riverside… it isn’t a very good sauna as it doesn’t have a cauldron of coals that you can splash water on, but it IS large… so you get more chat
l LOVE a good sauna! I know I have no Finnish DNA, but I pretend. But have disregarded the pleading “it’s midnight and it’s time to jump in the very cold Finnish lake where ice was present last week” - a coolish shower maybe and back into the sauna. Looking forward to an Airbnb with a sauna, in Portugal of all places! Why hasn’t the UK adopted the home sauna idea?
Love a bit of saua talk - never forget in the late 80;s a chap doing press ups on the top bench, what's a girl to say/do/look at? I kept my head looking at the floor!
Another thing about saunas is that you can’t wear your glasses (see also, steam rooms), so those of us with shockingly bad vision feel even more one step removed and ∴ freer to yak! It does although also mean that I’ve failed to conclusively recognise people I know well who are sitting literally three feet away!
I am looking forward to experiencing the St. Anton saunas next month. I hear they do a very good Titanic reenactment though I am not sure how they recreate the icebergs 🧊. I will keep you posted 😆
I am the type of person that doesn't even discuss the film we've just watched until we have exited the cinema! I find it baffling and intriguing that other people can be much more open. I am also the type to wait for the sauna to be empty before going in but now I discover I am missing out on all the chat I will have to rectify that.
I have never cold plunged (sounds heart attack inducing!) but I quite like the ice room where you rub little nuggets of ice all over you. Weird?
I’m reading this on an Italian train (Rome to Venice). Some people are talking normally to the people beside them, but quite a lot are bellowing into their phones, comfortably settling in for a three hour over-sharing chat. Last time I was on this train one man was obviously getting all the office gossip from a colleague which he mainly relayed back at her with expressions of disbelief. At one point he said loudly, “of course this is just between you and me…” At which everyone in the carriage turned to stare at him, and he guiltily lowered his voice for a couple of minutes.
Italians do it better 👏👏👏👏👏👏
I LOVE that train trip - hours of over-sharing heaven!
I want to go!
I've never saunaed, not been a saunee, rarely felt saunaceous, but there is one right by the beach just up the coast so I may have to now, and if I do I shall say 'BLOODY HELL IT'S HOT'
Clifftop sauna will turn you into a LIFELONG SAUNEEEE! Report back pls. 😻
I shall!
I eavesdrop for England! Delicious - thanks LM x
We’re on the same team!
I absolutely LOVE eavesdropping - such a good insight to other people - some may call it nosey but I like to call it being curious about other people and always so reassuring to know others don't have it all sussed. If you haven't seen it you must go and see the new Bridget Jones - I feel sure you will love it.
B Jones 2 absolutely on my list and yes, I no longer agonise about whether it’s right or wrong because I never overhear anything I don’t like. People are amazing! X
Laetitia, I love all of this. If you could be so indiscreet as to let me know where you sauna in West London, I will listen intently, pretending that I'm not. And my idle sauna chat would definitely reveal that I swim throughout the year in the swirling Thames. The secrets revealed as we bob downstream are a delight, even if they are heavy with worry, and we are always laughing by the time we nearly miss our exit. There is no better way to admire the riverside gardens of the lucky and extremely wealthy, to note the changing of the seasons and the wild menagerie that let's us pass by their habitat. Hoo ha. X
Thames swimming is next level! Where do you start and finish? And do you have someone TRULY EXCELLENT to decipher the tide times so you don’t die? My father used to swim very regularly at Richmond. The sauna is at a club called Riverside… it isn’t a very good sauna as it doesn’t have a cauldron of coals that you can splash water on, but it IS large… so you get more chat
l LOVE a good sauna! I know I have no Finnish DNA, but I pretend. But have disregarded the pleading “it’s midnight and it’s time to jump in the very cold Finnish lake where ice was present last week” - a coolish shower maybe and back into the sauna. Looking forward to an Airbnb with a sauna, in Portugal of all places! Why hasn’t the UK adopted the home sauna idea?
I keep hearing talk of many mini saunae on cliff tops in uk… we will get there in the end!
Love a bit of saua talk - never forget in the late 80;s a chap doing press ups on the top bench, what's a girl to say/do/look at? I kept my head looking at the floor!
Poor chap - it was obviously for your benefit!
Poor chap - it was obviously for your benefit!
Another thing about saunas is that you can’t wear your glasses (see also, steam rooms), so those of us with shockingly bad vision feel even more one step removed and ∴ freer to yak! It does although also mean that I’ve failed to conclusively recognise people I know well who are sitting literally three feet away!
My vision is slowly ebbing away so I’m getting ready for this very thing!
I am looking forward to experiencing the St. Anton saunas next month. I hear they do a very good Titanic reenactment though I am not sure how they recreate the icebergs 🧊. I will keep you posted 😆
Ok I need to understand ALL of this 🔥
I am the type of person that doesn't even discuss the film we've just watched until we have exited the cinema! I find it baffling and intriguing that other people can be much more open. I am also the type to wait for the sauna to be empty before going in but now I discover I am missing out on all the chat I will have to rectify that.
I have never cold plunged (sounds heart attack inducing!) but I quite like the ice room where you rub little nuggets of ice all over you. Weird?
So many new things in these comments! I now need to find my nearest ice room!
What this post was supposed to be is everything it is. Always - Cleverly observed funniness.
Hilarious - I LOVE them all