Tell Me Over Tea Podcast Episode 8: Dear Nan |Treasures Inside a Pale Green Soap Box

Show Notes Episode 8: Dear Nan – Treasures Inside a Pale Green Soap BoxIn this episode of Tell Me Over Tea, I open a small pale green soap box — once home to Cashmere Bouquet soap — and find a lifetime of stories tucked inside. Letters written by my Nan, her siblings, her sister-in-law, and her dad, all on one autumn day in 1949, after a family trip to the Sydney Royal Easter Show.These simple, handwritten notes were quite possibly, never meant to be kept, yet somehow, they survived — passed from hand to hand, house to house — until they found their way to me. Reading them feels like sitting in the middle of a bustling kitchen decades ago, hearing the chatter of everyday life: ironing, washing, missing someone far away, laughter over burst balloons and new bicycles and a day out in the ‘big smoke’.What I love most about these letters is their ordinariness — and how, over time, that’s become their magic. They remind me (and maybe you too) that the words we think are “nothing much” often become the most precious keepsakes of all.So pop the kettle on and settle in for a quiet cup of tea with me as we step gently into the past, one letter at a time.I also read the actual letters I find inside the box, in this episode, just so you get the full experience, the way I did when I first opened them. In this episode, you’ll hear:* The story of a pale green soap box filled with family letters* Five voices sharing one day in 1949 — from the Sydney Royal Easter Show to home in Camden* Glimpses of ordinary family life that have become extraordinary over time* Reflections on the value of letter writing and simple storytellingA little thought to take with you:Your everyday stories matter — the tiny details, the daily routines, the small kindnesses. They are the heart of a life remembered. Please don’t ever think your story is too small or not worthy. xPour yourself a cuppa, settle in somewhere quiet, and come with me back to an autumn day in Sydney, Australia, in 1949. Listen to more episodes of Tell Me Over TeaYou can find all of my episodes here or wherever you listen to podcasts.You can find me on Instagram @bettymaewrote or send me a note at [email protected] — I’d love to hear what memories this episode stirs for you.Until next time,Keep noticing, keep writing, and keep holding close the stories that made you.Kim xIf you enjoyed this episode I would absolutely love it, if you would leave a review wherever you enjoy listening to these episodes. It’s the bestest way for us to get these precious stories into the homes of fellow story lovers and memory keepers.Links & Resources✨ Grab my free guide to starting your personal life story . It just starts with one memory and before you know it, you will have a beautiful compilation of stories to hold, share and treasure. It will take you 5 - 10 minutes a day and you will feel so good once you get started. I promise! Grab the guide here: Free Guide to Turning One Memory into a Written Treasure✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter. It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast.✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories, you can do that here: Little Life Stories✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewroteMusic: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also KimProduction and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again!Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com