Hi, how are you coping with all this heat at the moment? I’m attached to my computer getting the new podcast up and running and grateful that I’m working from home as the heat is searing!

I have to say I do feel a tad indulgent, I’ve had two trips away already and still have one more to go. Brian and I had 3 days in Barcelona for our anniversary, and then last week I took the kids for our annual trip to the Isle of Wight for a few days. Typically the weather turned although it wasn’t as bad as last year when I had to by a parka-like coat to wear in the cold, torrential rain. At least this year I managed to wear shorts! The final trip is 5 days in Italy later in August with my daughter for our joint 18th/50th birthday treat - I can’t wait!

On the work front, there’s loads going on. Earlier this week I hosted an Instalive for QVC as part of their Menopause programming. We were talking about physical and emotional pleasure, and of course libido, dry vaginas and self exploration came up. I think we broke some new ground bringing on a vulva puppet though…

qvcuk

A post shared by QVC UK (@qvcuk)

One of my favourite movies is Fried Green Tomatoes and there’s a brilliant scene when the character played by Kathy Bates is in the middle of what she thinks is a breakdown (ends up realising that it’s menopause) and so goes to a class for women empowerment. She is given a hand mirror and asked to view ‘the source of our strength, our vaginas’…

It’s a brilliant movie that I will never tire of, and vaginas aside was hugely influential on me as a young girl struggling to figure things out. I connected deeply with the main character, Idgie Threadgood who didn’t wear skirts, flouted the expectations of what girls should be doing and fiercely stood for what she believed in. I think I learned a lot of life lessons from her back then, and perhaps it subliminally prepared me for what they referred to as ‘the change’.

Ironically, change has been a constant in my life and with 50 looming later in the year, I’m ready and waiting! Each decade I found the 7s hardest, 27, 37, 47 - those are always the ones when I realise it’s heading to the end but when I get to the 9, I’m ready. A lot of my friends are older than me so I’m often bringing up the rear anyway - sorry, a lot of bottoms today!

One big change for those of you who have been listening to the podcast over the last few years is that we are coming out of the wardrobe. The new Women What Whistle podcast starts in September and I’ve already got some wonderful guests lined up. If you already subscribe on a podcast app, it should change seamlessly and you will be able to access it as normal. Additionally, it will be sent like this email, directly to your inbox so you can listen without the app, and if you are a paid subscriber (£4 per month) you will also get the video, so if you’ve not yet subscribed to receive these newsletters/blogs, please click the box below.

Basically, it costs nothing to subscribe (traditionally a subscription means to pay, so the term is a bit misleading), however, there is an option to contribute £4 per month which helps support the costs associated with producing the podcast and in return, you will get exclusive access to the video version of the podcast interview.

One more note on vaginas, just recently the government announced that from September, vaginal HRT pessaries will be available over the counter. Click here to read more about it, it’s topical HRT at an extremely low dose, but can make a massive difference to pelvic floor strength, internal dryness, itchiness, and continence - oh it’s so glamorous isn’t it? We will do more on the podcast about vaginal health at some stage but in the meantime, this is a good article. Additionally to the pessary, is vaginal moisturiser, which I’d never heard of until the last few years. I have a friend who went through agonising pain during menopause and never knew about them until it was too late. They are lightweight gels that make the hugest difference, lots to choose from, but I have found this one from Boots to be just the ticket and is available right now!

That’s it from me for now - can you do me a favour and leave a comment in the box? We’ve not utilised this part of ‘Substack’ yet and I want to see how it works in practise and if we can discuss with each other like on a Facebook group page. So, could you put in the box below the name of a movie which has been influential in one way or another. You don’t need to explain why, but of course if you want to, that will make it even more interesting!

Thank you you gorgeous lot!!

Have a great weekend

Love first, Pipa xx