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Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. To listen ad free, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to getsleepy.com support now a quick word from our sponsors.
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Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm Thomas.
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And I'm Heather.
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Tonight's story is something a little bit different. It takes the form of an email exchange between two friends, one in the UK and one in the United States, hence the title, across the Pond. The story was co authored by Joe Steer, who lives in England, and Alicia Stefan, who's based in the U.S. both Joe and Alesha have been writing for us for several years now. If you're a regular listener, you're no doubt familiar with their wonderful stories. We hope you enjoy this one too. But before we begin, make sure you're comfortable. Take a moment to adjust your sheets and pillows if you need to find the perfect position so you can drift off whenever you feel like it. When you're ready, close your eyes and take a couple of deep, calming breaths. In and out. And now it's time to meet our two friends. As Holly writes to Peter, this is where our story begins.
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Apr 27, 2023 Dear Peter, I hope your journey home from the conference went smoothly. My flight was delayed a bit due to heavy rain, but I was grateful it stayed warm enough that we weren't troubled by anything icy. I must confess, after a long and dreary winter, it was refreshing to blow off the cobwebs and get out of town to meet up with colleagues. I find it so easy to get stuck in my own small world sometimes, especially in the winter don't you? I love the small town I live in, and I'm not far from a great city, but between icy roads and the natural urge to hibernate, I find that I probably don't go out as much as I should. What's it like where you live? My town is charming, really. Lots of old homes from the early 20th century. I know that probably sounds very silly to someone from England, where houses are often many hundreds of years old, but I guess what I'm trying to say is there's a settled charm here. I love strolling the leafy streets and waving to neighbors on their porches. There is one really popular coffee shop on Main street where I go to work on my laptop Sometimes they know my favorite drink by heart, and there's a standing meetup of locals there on certain mornings. I guess I've seen just about every season go by outside the window of that coffee shop. Right now I'm home and looking out my bay window. The rain has been coming down steadily but gently. I feel like spring here gets more polite as April goes on. The saying about March that it's in like a lion and out like a lamb isn't really true here in what's known as the upper Midwest. Many years, the ice on the lakes doesn't even really crack until well into April, but people always forget and complain that it's a cold year. They're just anxious to move on to the warmer season. I get it, believe me. I so enjoyed our talks at the conference and was delighted when you suggested exchanging email addresses. I'm really an email person, A relic, I suppose. I don't like to spend much time on social media. It's good to find a kindred spirit in that respect. What else do you like to do in your free time? Read, watch movies, cook. I really must get some new books on my reading list so I have an excuse to go sit in the park during May and June. I love those months here because they're not too cold and yet not too hot. And I'm practically giddy when the magnolias and the redbuds and the crabapple trees are flowering. For just a moment, everything seems green and pink all at once, and blowing petals are like snow. Such a gift after a hard winter. Well, I'm going on and on here, rj. Mostly. I just wanted to send you a greeting across the pond. Greetings from your new friend in the United States and a very happy spring to you. Holly
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May 2, 2023 Dear Hollywood, it's so lovely to hear from you. After our recent meeting, I have to admit that I wasn't much looking forward to the conference. The talks can be rather dull and the small talk awkward, so it was such a pleasant surprise to meet a like minded soul from across the pond. I'm sorry to hear that your flight was delayed. Mine was long and uneventful, but made all the more enjoyable by a good book. That same book is beside me now as I write to you at the desk of my home office in front of a window overlooking the sea. This room is my sanctuary all year round, but particularly in winter when the sea air is bracing, I like to watch the waves rise and fall on the horizon. From the warmth and comfort of my office, I understand the desire to hibernate. If it weren't for Benny, my Labrador, I might well stay inside for the whole winter. As it is, we take at least one walk a day, usually strolling along the beach at a nice gentle pace. We've both calmed down a bit now that we're middle aged, although Benny has moments when he reverts to being a puppy, running in and out of the water trying to catch the waves. Sometimes we wander along the promenade past rows of buildings along the seafront. Some are two or maybe 300 years old, but they've been renovated and turned into houses, shops, restaurants and arcades. They're an eclectic mix, painted different pastel colours. Each building is a different height with its own unique features. I'd describe the architecture as charmingly chaotic, although the town itself is quiet and sleepy. I've never visited the upper Midwest, but I've been assured more than once that I'd enjoy the pace of life, the Midwestern hospitality and of course, the coffee. I love the idea of a frozen lake. It's such a visible sign of seasonal change. Here the sea appears mostly unaltered, aside from an occasional cold mist which swells like smoke above the water. Even when snowfall blankets the beach in white, it's quickly washed away by the incoming tide. I do like the idea of a polite transition into springtime. I think polite might be a good word to describe the British weather. Overall. We're mostly spared the extremes of hot and cold weather, but it can be very changeable. You never know what you're going to get other than rain. It rains a lot. Yesterday I took Benny into the local woodland. It's absolutely gorgeous at this time of year when the ground is carpeted in purplish bluebells. It was blue skies and sunshine when we headed out, but sure enough, the heavens opened halfway along the trail and we were forced to take shelter under a crab apple tree. They're also one of my favourites when they're in bloom. Some of the pink blossoms came off in the rain and stuck to Benny's fur like spring decoration. A day later I'm still finding petals all around the house. I guess I've told you some of what I like to do. I do enjoy movies, especially the old classics, and every now and then I get the train into London and see a play. What kind of movies do you like? And do you enjoy the theatre? I've recently been persuaded to start ballroom dancing and though I'm pretty awful, it's not as unenjoyable as I'd predict. I'm told that it's good for you to get out of your comfort zone even when you have two left feet. I'm definitely one for email rather than social media. I'd say it's because I'm not great at small talk, but I don't seem to have had a problem going on about myself here. I'd love to know more about you and where you live. Wishing you a warm and wonderful spring.
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July 8, 2023 Dear Peter, we had such a great correspondence going for a while. Then I dropped off the face of the earth for a couple of weeks. My apologies. Summer is supposed to be a leisurely time, but it can get sort of hectic here. All the kids are out of school by the end of June, so everyone gets on the road and starts madly vacationing. There's always someone coming through town that I want to meet up with. And then the Fourth of July holiday comes and there are invitations to backyard cookouts and big fireworks displays and things like that. I honestly relish this moment right now, after the holiday weekend has ended. That's when everything settles into a properly laid back pace and I can really enjoy the summer. Well, I should say that I mostly enjoy the summer, but the weather isn't always the best part. Your home on the seacoast with its water views and lovely breezes, sounds absolutely heavenly. At the moment. Here in the landlocked portion of the upper Midwest, it can be surprisingly hot and humid. I will say though, that it's a great time to live in a town where every other house has a spacious front porch. Many of my neighbors have furnished theirs with rocking chairs and chair swings. When evening falls and the crickets are an enthusiastic chorus, I love to walk the streets. Even in the darkness you can see that all the gardens are in full bloom right now. The Hydrangeas are my absolute favorite. Even in the darkness, the white variety seems to glow with such delicate beauty. I have some pink ones in my front yard. They bring me so much joy. Oh, and the best part of summer nights here is the fireflies. Some people call them lightning bugs, which I find wonderfully dramatic. Nothing is more magical than sitting on your porch at dusk and slowly watching as first one light, then another, then five, then ten and a hundred more seem to start winking all at once in the yard. When I see them out there in full force, illuminating the darkness, I feel oddly optimistic about the world. This evening there's an outdoor movie night happening on the town square. They do this weekly in the summer, weather permitting, and it's always a great old classic. That's my favorite kind of film. Tonight we'll be seeing Casablanca. My friends and I are bringing a picnic basket and a feast of cheese and crackers and all our favorite beverages. I don't know what it is about seeing movies outside, but it's more of an event. Somehow. I love a chance to see everyone coming out, to enjoy it together. Before I sign off, I should say I've spent many hours on my own porch reading the wonderful book you suggested. I could hardly put it down. Thank you so much for the tip. I will send along a few of my latest favorites tomorrow. At the moment I'm off to meet some friends for a walk around the lake. As always, my best to you and Benny. Let me know what you've been up to.
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July 30, 2023 Dear Holly, now it's my turn to apologize for disappearing. I decided to join some friends for a fortnight in the Lake District, far north from where I am. It's close to the Scottish border. I'm not usually one for spontaneity, but so I'm not really sure what got into me. I suppose I didn't realize I fancied a change of scenery until the opportunity presented itself, but my friends didn't exactly need to twist my arm. The lakes are beautiful, particularly in summer. It's a dog walker's paradise. Lots of rolling green hills, lakes and waterfalls, and quaint stone villages nestled in valleys. My friends brought their dogs to Benny's delight, so the pair of us had old pals to catch up with. I think Benny enjoyed the break even more than I did. Most days we went out walking along the trails, refueling on cake at cafes along the way. We finished each day with a hearty pub dinner before returning to the cabin to play card games. I know what you mean about summer being rather busy. As much as I adore life by the sea, when the schools break for summer in late July an influx of tourists flood the beaches, keen to make the most of the warm sunshine as it is, I've managed to miss all of that this year, and though the town is still busy, it's calmer than it was. The temperature begins to cool slightly during August, and summer showers keep many people off the beach, but it's still warm enough that you can walk without a jacket, and on days when it's hot, the rain feels like just the antidote. Summer evenings on the porch swing sound wonderfully relaxing. Sadly, we don't have any fireflies over here, but the lights of seafront funfairs and amusements along the pier are almost hypnotic where they're reflected on the waves. I've grown to love the scent of donuts cooked fresh along the promenade and the sound of clinking coins from machines in arcades. I've seen outdoor movie nights advertised here in recent years, but I haven't actually been to one yet. I have a feeling that I might enjoy Casablanca a little more on my couch rather than beneath an umbrella, where I'll inevitably end up. I did see a play in late June at an open air theatre in Regent's park in London. Thankfully, the rain held off and it was a wonderful the play was Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. It was very well acted and funnier than I remembered. Perhaps next time I'll suggest a picnic and we'll enjoy some cheese and crackers during the play. I'm so glad that you're enjoying the book. I can only imagine the experience is improved by a chorus of crickets singing in the background. I've just finished a great tome that I've been reading for some time. I'm looking forward to starting something new and trying out one of your recommendations. Let me know how the outdoor movie goes. Perhaps I'll give Casablanca a rewatch with Benny, although he is prone to snoring rather loudly during films. Here's to good movies and cooler days. No doubt it will be autumn or fall before we know.
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October 5, 2023 Dear Peter, well, we're at the heart of fall. Honestly, I think October is my very favorite month. Americans refer to this part of the season as peat foliage. New England gets a lot of the attention, being a great place for leaf peeping, as we call it, but the upper Midwest is no slouch right now in wooded areas around town. The whole countryside is a glorious blaze of orange, yellow and red. I get out two or even three times a day just to take a walk because I know how fleeting it will be. The nights are much cooler, and it's not unheard of for us to get some snow by the end of October or in early November. Winter is coming, but not quite yet, and this is a fleetingly perfect moment. When I'm outside, there's a light scent of warmth, wood smoke in the air. Every time a breeze blows, it seems to rustle a thousand leaves. Most of them will hang on for another week or two, but a few fearless ones have let go and started to drift down. I see them ahead of me on my path, swinging gently from side to side as they float to the ground in the sunlight. The pumpkin farms are in full swing. You know we're obsessed with pumpkin over here, right? I'll confess I'm as susceptible as the next person. I've already got numerous pumpkins and a ridiculous pile of ugly squashes that I bought at the farmer's market and piled on my porch steps. I'm quite proud of my fall bounty. I love to sit in my chair outside with a hot cup of cider, admiring my own work. It's insufferable, but in a really festive way. Of course, the big game here is Halloween. Our neighborhood is really jammed with trick or treaters and the house is all good at the spirit with elaborate displays for the children. It's a perfect conclusion to this wonderful season. The last night of October is such a bittersweet moment because it's not the unofficial end of proper fall. But hey, we've always got Thanksgiving to look forward to in November. I'm sure you've seen it in the movies. We are about to cook an unbelievable amount of food here. I must brush up on my pie crust. Something reminded me recently of the pervasive donut smell you mentioned last summer floating over to you from the pier. A familiar scent here in both summer and fall is that of fried dough. And I mean, it's basically a big donut. They serve it at every state fair or craft fair from July to November. I can't go to a fair without eating the stuff. I guess it reminds me of my childhood. I am more likely to abstain from the carnival games at these events. I learned long ago they are designed to take your money. At best. You win and then you're loaded down with a pastel colored stuffed animal, so it's best to avoid them altogether. I'll stick with the fair food. All this discussion of snacks has made me ravenous. I realize I need to get my dinner into the slow cooker. I'll have to sign off for now, but I look forward to hearing all about how your October is going. These messages have been a highlight for me ever since the conference. Not to be sappy, but I'm so glad we became friends this year. Talk to you soon.
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October 11, 2023 Dear Holly, your, last email was such a pleasure to read. I feel like it found me at just the right time. I'd been feeling a little gloomy after a fortnight of rain so heavy that even Benny, the intrepid outdoorsman that he is, refused to go outside for more than a few minutes. I love being inside, as you know, and certainly there's no weather that could detract from the beauty of the sea view through my office window. After a while, though, I felt my mood begin to dip. I needed to get out and breathe the fresh autumn air, and that's what I did. After reading your email, I put on my raincoat, leaving Benny on the couch, and walked out into the pouring rain. In my gloomy state, I'd been focused on all the wrong things, but you reminded me that there's so much that I love about this season. I took myself off to a local park and indulged in a little leaf peeping, as you'd say. I do love to see the trees changing color, maybe even more so when the leaves are dripping wet and the colours are so bright they look almost painted on, although I don't think the change is quite as intense over here. Autumn in the UK seems to grow longer in every year, especially after a wet summer and before a winter that starts out rather mild. It's a long winding down from July onwards, a transition so gradual that it sort of creeps up on you. Drinking hot cider on the porch sounds anything but insufferable to me, though admittedly I prefer eating pumpkins to carving them. I'm famous among my friends for my peanut and pumpkin soup and my Sunday roast Dinner never gets any complaints, although I doubt it's anywhere near as elaborate as a Thanksgiving feast. All that talk of donuts and pie crust has got me thinking. I'm going to have a go at an American classic and see if I can make a pumpkin pie. It will be a challenge because I've actually never tried one, let alone made one. Maybe one day we'll meet again and you can tell me if I've succeeded. America's enthusiasm for Halloween must be catching on it never used to be as big over here. There have been kids trick or treating for as far back as I can remember, but never the kind of decoration outside houses that I've seen pop up in the last few years. The festivities fit in nicely with bonfire night on November 5th, when we celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes and his friends didn't blow up parliament back in 1605. An effigy of forks is set alight on a bonfire, a rather distasteful tradition, but one that we're used to, I suppose. I usually go to my local pub where they have a huge bonfire and a firework display. We munch on bonfire toffee made of dark treacle and keep ourselves warm with mugs of hot chocolate, sometimes warm cider too. Hopefully I haven't made you ravenous again. I do seem to enjoy talking about food. I'll sign off by saying that I reciprocate your words, sappy or not. For me too, Our correspondence this year has been a breath of fresh air. I often find myself thinking of you, wondering where you are and what you're doing. I'm always looking forward to your next email.
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January 2, 2024 Dear Peter, oh my goodness. I have been lax with our communications throughout the holidays. I'm so glad you received my card in the mail, though. There's something special about sending a message the old fashioned way. Although very few of my friends seem to bother anymore. I got your charming letter on New Year's Eve. What a delight it was to see a handwritten message like that. I can't think when I last received one. Thank you so much. We were very lucky here and had snow in December, which doesn't always happen these days. Many of my friends celebrate Christmas, so there were all kinds of festive events to attend, ranging from cookie exchanges to evening parties. One of my favorite things about living in a colder climate is ice skating outside. By December, the lakes here are sometimes frozen solid. There's usually a place where you can simply show up with your skates and take to the ice. The kids get into the action too, with informal hockey games. The sledding was fantastic this holiday as well. We have a fair number of gentle hills around here, which is perfect for a little fun on the toboggan or the plastic saucer or even a sled with runners, but those are few and far between these days. At any local sledding hill, you'll find adults clustered at the bottom with cups of steaming hot chocolate or coffee, and people of all ages hauling their sleds up and down the slopes. It just seems like one of those wholesome good things in life when the world has otherwise gotten so complicated. I always decorate a Christmas tree as well. I put one in the bay window of my living room where it's visible from the street, and I cover it with as many white lights as I can fit. I'm still stuck on getting a real tree. I love the whole experience of it. My friends tell me I'm crazy. They prefer wrapping up their artificial one at the end of the season and stashing it for the following year. Some of them don't even remove the ornaments, but it wouldn't be the same to me. My sister visited with my niece and nephew on Christmas. We had a wonderful time, opening gifts and lolling about. It's one of those few days of the year when doing absolutely nothing seems quite respectable. I try to be productive during the week leading up to New Year, but I confess that I was not entirely successful. It's such a strange time between the old year and the new. I'm never quite ready to look forward, even though I have an urge to let go of the holiday. But here we are. It's 2024 and I'm on the case. I've tidied up the house, made a pot of chicken stock, and I'm ready to embrace the new year. I thought of you often this month and wished I could share some of my favorite things about December. Skating, of course, and Christmas markets and baking cookies and reading by the fire. The list goes on and on. Alas, you were miles away enjoying the delights of the seaside. I hope the holidays were kind to you, and I'm eager to hear what you've planned for January. Don't keep me in suspense.
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January 10, 2024 Dear Holly, I'm so glad that you liked the letter. Old fashioned though it is, and far slower than email, there's a certain magic in putting pen to pa. It's just the kind of cozy activity that matches my mood and the slow pace of the seaside in winter. I wrote it in the living room to a soundtrack of logs crackling in the fireplace and orchestral carols playing on my new record player. This year's gift from myself to me, it sounds like you've had a wonderfully busy Christmas. Busy and adventurous. I'm not sure how I'd cope on the ice, as I've never been skating, although I did my fair share of sledding when I was a boy in those winters when we were lucky enough to have snow. There was a giant hill where my friends and I would meet and race each other down the slopes. I usually went down on whatever was close to hand, which probably explains why I never came first. Nowadays my adventures are a little more low key, mostly dog walks in the crisp winter air, either along the coastline or local nature trails. At the risk of sounding a little Grinch like I think I like January even more than December. While I thoroughly enjoy the festive season, I find myself eager for the new year to begin. Maybe it's because I'm a creature of habit, but I enjoy the return to normality and routine. Once I've polished off the last of the mince pies, I try to get back into healthier ways. I batch cook winter soups and hearty stews and bake a loaf of bread every few days. The smell wafts throughout the house and it's just divine. It's the perfect meal to come home to after I've been out walking. So far we've had a mild winter over here, though it's certainly been cold and the sea breeze makes everything feel cooler. I've no doubt I make for an amusing sight when I'm out walking on the beach with Benny. I put on nearly half the clothes in my wardrobe, complete with hat, scarf and gloves and a long padded coat. I actually got Benny a fleece lined jacket to keep him warm, but his habit of chasing waves renders it useless on the beach. He gets it sopping wet in a matter of minutes and then it freezes and has the opposite effect. Now I save it for when we're not near the water, for when we're strolling about in the park or on a nature trail. I adore the woodland at this time of year. It's blissfully peaceful, as if the bare trees are sleeping. When I hear my footsteps crunching on the frost covered ground, I'm almost afraid that it will disturb the woodland. It's the peace and solitude that I love most about January. Whether I'm at home or out and about, it's a chance to recharge my social battery. I read lots of books and listen to music and spend a whole lot of time watching the world go by. Or rather the rolling waves going up and down. Speaking of socializing, I can hardly believe that it's almost a year since we met. What a pleasure it's been to get to know you this year. How funny to think that the same conference I was slightly dreading last year is the same one that But I'm now excited to attend. I suppose I can sign off by saying that I'll see you soon and that I'm wishing you well. Until then.
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February 28, 2024 Dear Peter, just a quick message to say that I registered for the conference and booked my hotel. Please tell me you'll be there. It'll give me something to look forward to while the bitter end of winter drags on.
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February 29, 2024 Dear Holly, My hotel room is booked and I wouldn't miss it for the world. I know that we've been talking for a year now, but somehow I feel that I've known you far longer. I am so looking forward to catching up in person. See you soon. Sa.