Finding inspiration, preparing for spring, and celebrating the '90s

The Ins & Outs

In this season finale, Jojo Barr and Polly Wilkinson discuss a range of lifestyle topics including personal health challenges and spring gar

Key takeaways

• Jojo Barr shared her recent diagnosis of onset rheumatoid arthritis at age 43.
• Oka is promoting their new garden collection, specifically the Vedandi range.

Main topics

• Rheumatoid arthritis management
• Spring gardening and seed sowing

Notable quotes

It's almost like you turn 40 and then everything starts breaking down.

Conclusion

A multifaceted guide for transitioning into spring through gardening,

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Green, the color of true elation I know Speaker 2 (0:05) that some girl been waiting for you Speaker 2 (0:12) Welcome to this week's episode of The Ins and Outs with myself, Polly Wilkinson. And me, Jojo Barr. In this week's episode, we are talking about boot rooms. We're looking at where on earth you start when you don't have the creativity or vision. We're getting into what seeds to sow now and what you can be doing in the garden in April. And saunas. And we're also going to be diving into our love of all things 90s. So let's get into it. This week, we are sponsored by our friends at Oka, who have just launched their absolutely beautiful garden collection. And it's full of unique design. And obviously, as you know, with everything Oka, beautiful craftsmanship. The pieces are so robust and they're lightweight and they're easy to move. And to highlight one of our absolute favorites this week, it is the Vedandi range, which you need to go and have a look at. It's a really playful collection. And they've got this, Jojo, you will be obsessed with this. I feel like this is right up your street, this daybed. Like four poster vibes, but outside. Speaker 1 (1:09) Yeah, it's basically like you're in Ibiza. You're basically just living your best life in Ibiza, in your own garden. What's not to love? Get some banging tunes on. Banging tunes. Get the old GMTs on their bass. Hang Speaker 2 (1:22) out on your daybed. Speaker 1 (1:22) Yeah. Get some rosé. Get some rosé flowing. All Speaker 2 (1:26) three. Speaker 1 (1:27) So you've got that, but they've also, Speaker 2 (1:29) they've got a sofa version of it as well. It's all in teak. And you know, my feelings about teak is definitely my preferred when it comes to timber outside. It's so hard wearing, really beautiful quality. So go and check out that. And obviously, I mean, we've talked about it so much already, but their outdoor cushions. Speaker 1 (1:46) Yeah. They've got a stunning one. I will say from what I can see and what I know about Oka, the quality is really unrivaled. It's really high quality. They do make products that are built to last and withstand all conditions. So brilliant, brilliant stuff. Can't encourage you enough to go and have a look at their collection. Speaker 2 (2:03) Very chic and timeless as well. You're not going to go off it. And I think that's one of the tricks with, well, with all furniture, but with garden furniture, I think if you're going to invest, then it needs to stand the test of time. Agreed. Which it does. So go and have a look. Thank you so much, Oka. Thanks, Oka. For sponsoring Speaker 1 (2:18) our pod. In these realities, Oka have given us a lovely cheeky little discount of 15 % off. which is Ochre Garden 15, which will be active from the 24th of March through to midnight on the 23rd of April. Enjoy. Speaker 2 (2:34) Hello, Speaker 1 (2:34) old Speaker 2 (2:34) girl. Speaker 1 (2:35) Hello, my darling. How are you this week? I'm well. How the devil are you? Speaker 2 (2:40) How the Speaker 1 (2:40) devil are you? Well, I've got some, I've got, I've got, I've got a niggle. I'm going to have a little, I'm going to have a little niggly moan. Good. Speaker 2 (2:48) Jojo's moan of the week. Let's start with that. Let's start on a negative. Let's go for it. This Speaker 1 (2:52) is actually a real time annoyance. I'm actually really cross about this, but as when I, I, anyone out there like over like. But gosh, this is actually just going to back up what I'm actually about to say. It's almost like you turn 40 and then everything starts breaking down. So your body starts breaking down. And I Speaker 2 (3:20) have Speaker 1 (3:21) onset arthritis. No word of a lie. I know. What? Which I didn't realise. How do you know? Because I've got, I've had it for... It's sort of when I say onset, it's been slowly but surely creeping up on me over the last couple of months, probably a few months. I think you sort of start to feel niggles. The knuckles on my fingers are starting to sort of swell a bit. And this is exactly what happened with my dad. So my dad, it runs in the family. My dad had it very badly and his mother had it very badly. I mean, there's a lot more I think we can do with it now. And there's more things that can be done. But when my grandmother's, you know. however many years ago, she had literally hands like claws. Yeah. And it sort of affects the knuckle joints and it also, you get this sort of swelling and my fingers are starting to change shape. So that's the first thing I noticed. And then I started to get this sort of pain in a couple of my knuckles. Speaker 2 (4:14) Yeah. And Speaker 1 (4:15) so I immediately was like, right, because you can't, once you got it, you got it. So it's really important to get to it early as possible. Okay. And you almost have to change your entire diet because of certain things that cause inflammation and worsen it. So I have been to the doctor about it and it looks like I have onset rheumatoid arthritis, which is a real bastard. At the age of 43 years old. I don't know anything Speaker 2 (4:37) about this. So what can you do? Speaker 1 (4:39) And Speaker 2 (4:39) of course I've done loads. Speaker 1 (4:40) You know me, Paul. I love a good research. I've fallen down so many holes, like literally deep, deep, deep holes researching. And you can't prevent it, but you can assist it essentially. But it really, red meat is one of the worst things you can eat. Red meat, processed food, high salts, deadly nightshade vegetables, which you'll know are like peppers, aubergines, things like that. And so there are certain foods that can really inflame it, even like tomatoes, bizarrely. So I've just got a lot of education to do around it. And there's obviously various things you can, I'd rather go down the slightly holistic route with it and diet than change it. And I don't want to go down, you know, sort of having. injections unless it gets really bad but bearing in mind I'm only 43 years old soon to be 44 feels young but then it from what I understand it starts between 40 and 50 so it's not you know there you go and I now really sympathize with my my dad Because I remember so often he'd sit on the sofa and he'd constantly be doing this. And I feel myself doing it now. I'm doing these hand exercises permanently now because there's lots of palm strengthening exercises you're meant to do. But anyone, please, lovely listeners, if you know of anyone or can help in any way or you know of any little, you know, tips and tricks with arthritis, I would so appreciate any advice and help. How Speaker 2 (5:54) rubbish. I'm very sorry to hear this. Speaker 1 (5:56) I know. God, it's a sign of me. Sign of... I mean, I'm literally middle-aged. I don't understand how that can be a thing. I didn't think arthritis came on that early, but it can happen even in your thirties, apparently. Speaker 1 (6:09) And I say I'm healthy. All shit seems to come on. Yeah, and I don't smoke. I don't like, you know, I don't eat shit processed foods. It seems really unfair. But anyway. It does, Speaker 2 (6:18) because I don't exercise and do eat loads of shit processed foods. So it's sort of that. Does it run in your family? Yeah, that tracks. Do you have it? Speaker 1 (6:26) No, see, that's the thing. I think it's hereditary. I think it's hereditary. Oh, Speaker 2 (6:30) I see. Speaker 1 (6:30) Most Speaker 2 (6:30) things are. So it doesn't matter whether you eat the processed foods or not. It's coming. No, Speaker 1 (6:34) probably not. It's coming. It's coming for me. Yeah. I inherited my dad's arthritis and shit teeth. Do you know how many fillings I've got? Speaker 2 (6:44) How Speaker 1 (6:44) many? 14. I've got 14. Good Lord. I know. I've got terrible teeth. Are they the Speaker 2 (6:51) black ones or the white ones? No, they're white ones. But I think probably my Speaker 1 (6:56) teeth will probably all end up coming out and then I'll have them, you know, I'll have those like fake set of gnashers when I'm older because they'll all be, they'll have to keep going and I'll have bridges and all sorts. Speaker 2 (7:06) We'll look forward to that dentistry. Speaker 1 (7:07) Good stuff. Speaker 2 (7:08) Have you got a little Renault update for me? Speaker 1 (7:11) Have I got a reno update? Well, I do because we're going to be moving out in two weeks' time. OMG. I Speaker 2 (7:16) know. We're Speaker 1 (7:17) renting one of those little site cabins to sit outside the cottage because we figured that there isn't really enough space in the cottage for all of our stuff. So we're going to have a site. So what's Speaker 2 (7:27) going in the site cabin? Speaker 1 (7:28) I think it's going to be like clothes and clobber. So I figured if we keep the clothes in there because we're doing it over the summer months, right? So it feels like, you know, it feels really weirdly. It just feels... It doesn't feel real. It's so bizarre to think this is going to be happening. I'm so... How Speaker 2 (7:45) exciting. I love that you've Speaker 1 (7:47) gone Speaker 2 (7:47) straight from the cottage into the house as well. Like, bring Speaker 1 (7:50) it. I know. Well, if I don't do it now, then I'm not going to do it over the winter months. It has to be done over the summer. I just can't bring myself to do it over the winter months. So I really want to be back in the house. Like, I'm going to put this here now. Putting this here now. Oh, Speaker 2 (8:05) yeah. What's your deadline? What's the deadline we're giving the builders? Well, there's a deadline. Speaker 1 (8:08) Obviously, I'm telling the builders and there's a deadline that it's like I've got in my mind as being the absolute cut off. Is it Christmas, JJ? No, I'm not doing that to myself. No, I'm saying to the contractors at the end of October. It's the sixth month. This is a six-month build. Six-month build. So