The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2024 Part 3

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Welcome to thread three.

The Christmas Chronicles is the story of Nigel Slater’s love for winter. Taking you from 1 November all the way to early February, The Christmas Chronicles covers everything from Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year to Epiphany. Throughout the season, Nigel offers over 100 recipes to see you through the build-up, the celebrations and the aftermath.

Anyone who hasn't yet joined in, there's still a big chunk of the book to go as you can see from the description above. It's in diary form with an entry most days and is easy to dip in and out of.

Anyway, welcome friends new and old. Pull a cosy chair closer the the fire, light a candle, pour a glass of something warming and settle in.

I'm thinking of your friend's daughter this evening. I know her mother leaves behind an amazing legacy via her work, which her daughter will hopefully be able to appreciate in the years ahead. Right now, I hope she has lots of love and support around her (and I'm sure she does, including you) Sending lots of love to all x

I have lit a candle in memory of your lovely friend

Lots of love @AgathaMystery you have been a tremendous friend and I'm very sure your friends daughter feels very loved by you too.

I was just posting with same sentiment as pisco @AgathaMystery acknowsuching you being such a loving friend and the way you helped your friend over her finish line. Her race is run.

That’s a nice analogy.

Another lovely day here. Some hearty meatballs for dinner tonight I think. I’ve made a tomato sauce - crushed the tomatoes with my own hands - felt mucho Nigel as I did it.

I’m going back to work this afternoon. 2 hrs on a netball court will sort me out won’t it x

Good morning, all. Bright and frosty here. The forecast looks to be the same for the next 10 days or so (as in zero temps at night)

I'm still recording a moment of joy in my diary each day, which I'm quite impressed at since it's the last day of January tomorrow so I've almost managed a whole month! This was yesterday's; DD was making chilli at school and her Home Ec teacher let her make her own veggie version. She brought it home and had it for her dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it (She has never attempted to eat onions, celery or peppers before ever!)

Here it is.

That’s a lovely idea to record a moment of joy daily.

We have bright sun here although briefly have been the only part of the country to have torrential
showers. When it clears we will take the elderly hound on his first constitutional and look for signs of spring. I’m feeling more like myself than I have done in months. It is wonderful! I’m still tired but have a few days off before the next cycle. The end is almost in sight.

Granary bread dough is rising, as am I.

Morning all, I haven't posted for a couple of weeks as life has been a bit hectic. I'm sorry to hear about your friend @AgathaMystery but glad you feel at peace with her passing

I love the sound of your new job @piscofrisco I'd love to do something like that myself, I have done outdoor volunteering throughout my adult life and find it very rewarding.

@RainbowZebraWarrior sympathies re the school situation, as a parent who had to fight for an EHCP and is now a special school governor the battles are all too familiar.

@Bimblesalong I try and record a few gratitudes in my diary at night too, it is a nice habit.

So, in the last two months, we have had my DM breaking her hip, DH's friend moving towards end of life care with no family to support him just DH and another friend and now I have found myself on the two week pathway for post-meno bleeding. Not to mention tax returns (why oh why do I always leave it till Jan, done now anyway), work and all the usual stuff. I have not felt very Nigel-Adjacent that's for sure. However it has been nice browsing this thread, looking at the lovely photos and today enjoying beautiful sunshine, which has been so rare this winter.

My moment of joy today is right now. Sitting in the sun (albeit if a very thick coat and trees) for my lunch break.
Dd2 has her ADD assessment currently. Everything points to her inattentive ADD. I think she will be relieved to have a diagnosis.

Finish line in site @Bimblesalong-great news!
Chilli looks grand @RainbowZebraWarrior. None of my children will eat veg really. I've taken to whizzing them up and hiding them in things ala my old Annabelle Karmel cooking days. All very well but One of them is 19

How old is DD @piscofrisco ? Mine is 19 and underway with the assessment as in all the forms completed and submitted ages ago but no date for the actual assessment yet, she is SO inattentive, I would like to get it finished now because she may be going to uni in Sept (has applied but is undecided) and it would be good to know the outcome well before that, especially if medication is suggested.

17. She has been on the list for two years and today is the day I'm hoping it will help her in terms of some extra support around. Focusing for her a levels. But more that it will just help her feel a bit validated. She has struggled at times with feeling different and frustrated at herself for not being able to do the things she thinks she should be doing.

Yes, we had that when she was much younger and had her assessed for dyslexia, it really helped with self-esteem. She has had a bit of a bumpy ride through 6th form college after excellent GCSEs but things are much better now. No one even considered ADHD for her 10 years ago, it just wasn't a thing apart from "naughty boys"

That sounds so positive @Bimblesalong and great to hear!

Hello @ExquisiteDecorations and lovely to hear from you, although sorry to hear about everything that's going on. Sending huge hugs to you, and hope all turns out OK with your 2 ww (no doubt you're fully aware, but please look into your options if you are to have a hysteroscopy)

@piscofrisco diagnosis is always a relief and a big part of the battle is over. Hope she gets some support going forward.

Incoming rant...

I've just spent a wasted my entire morning at the council offices. The headteacher opposing DDs admission to his school didn't turn up for the hearing. I really dont like the bloke to start with, but DD loves the look of his school so.... <grits teeth> Anyway, it ended up being postponed. Apparently this has never happened before(?!). Both me and DD were prepared for two outcomes (Yes or No) but not this, so I'm going to have to manage this very carefully. I politely had my say with the clerk, and he's just rang me to arrange an extraordinary panel to sit next Friday to hear our appeal.The school have been told they have to send someone.

We have DDs ADHD assessment tomorrow and I'm awaiting the results of her EHCP Needs Assessment any day. It feels never ending sometimes. I just want to be able to move on with one thing. I thought we might have been able to do that today with the school place.

I'll find a moment of joy at some point in my day, but for now I'm allowing myself to be a bit pissed off.

@RainbowZebraWarrior thank you, yes, thanks to MN and BBC Doctors I am aware of the hysteroscopy options. I had my initial appt this week where they carried out a biopsy (painful but not unbearably so) but they didn't say anything about hysteroscopy however I had to go somewhere else for ultrasound so waiting to hear back from gynae. How utterly infuriating about the council meeting, my heart goes out to you, it does seem never ending.

@RainbowZebraWarrior that is A Lot. Good grief it’s hard enough to go through the ehcp process without anything else on top. I have sat through many such meetings and tribunals, always ensuring that everything from the school’s point of view was in place - there was no question that the full school team was united for the child and family’s best interests.

Ds2 has asked for an ADD assessment again today so Im going to research independent options in the North West for young adults. The waiting lists for the nhs are ridiculous, as you flag.

We had a lovely sunny walk and stood for a while watching a buzzard on a branch deciding whether to catch a squirrel for a snack (it did not). I think it’s waiting on the rabbit population in the field to venture out.

Sorry, I missed all the chat about assessments when typing my rant...

Just in case this might help anyone, if you are considering an Autism or ADHD assessment for yourself or any of your family, please think about the Right to Choose option (if you're in England) It means you can choose a private provider via the NHS as the timescales are appalling for NHS assessment.

We've only waited 16 weeks for DDs assessment. I was really lucky and only waited 8 when I had mine. We used the same system when we were both diagnosed with Autism.

Yes, the 'naughty boy' profile really annoys me @ExquisiteDecorations as experts have known for long enough that girls present totally differently. We were originally knocked back twice for assessment, until our GP got involved and listed dozens of traits and examples of behaviours she had personally seen in DD.

Also ADHD.co.uk is an excellent resource. They estimate that around 20% of the population likely has ADHD. So more understanding due to the fact that it's not actually rare can only be a good thing.

Thanks bimbles. Little bit of a cross post there so do look at Right to Choose to get that waiting time down. ADHD.co.uk currently has a list of private providers via NHS RTC and their timescales. Most are done remotely now so don't need to be area dependent. (Ours tomorrow is based in Harrrow and we are in NE England so its via Teams)

@RainbowZebraWarrior DD did use the Right to Choose route, we had to wait till she turned 18 but it is still taking AGES, 10 months so far. I hope it's not just that she has missed a vital email (she is very independent and doing it by herself although I filled in the person-who-knows-you forms.

Oh bless you, i forgot that until recently, you could only get adults' assessment via RTC. DD is only 13 and I jumped as soon as they started offering kids assessments. The adult assessment providers timescales have been getting longer as there's been so many people rightly coming forward. I hope you hear soon.

Here's the current RTC wait times laid out by each provider, but hopefully your DD is near the too of the list for hers.

adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/

@RainbowZebraWarrior such a frustrating waste of time - they should have just given you a place based on the school not being bothered to turn up!
On a different and NVN note having had our Vienna trip cancelled, we are off to Lisbon on Monday and there is nothing in the weather indicating it shouldn’t go ahead. Has anyone been to Lisbon that has any recommendations of restaurants- not fine dining just good Portuguese food? I’m also dithering about clothing as I really can’t think what 15 degrees will feel like and what layers will be best, my poor husband complains about how many options I want to take even when I’m not dithering.

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior I didn't know about that list, wish we had and we could have picked a quicker one, we went with Psychiatry UK as that was the one people kept recommending (probably why they are so busy). Of course it might all have been different a year ago. Our GP was very clear they couldn't refer under RTC till 18 though. We are getting towards 52 weeks now so hopefully not too long and actually she has been OK at college this year after a bumpy start.

@MadMadMad oooh, I like Lisbon, it's been a while though so can't remember individual restaurants etc.

Fingers crossed. I used Psychiatry UK myself a couple of years ago, and they were excellent (and yes this is probably why they aren't currently taking on new patients)

I think the child assessments only came online about 4 or 5 months ago

That's so maddening @RainbowZebraWarrior. Not great the delay hit the wasted energy expended in preparing for it emotionally which now will have to be done all over again.

Dd got her diagnosis and they will start her on low dose medication which all being well will help with her focus. She is elated. Her dad is going mad as despite a social worker, a change live grow worker, a psychologist , a therapist, two teachers at her school and myself (with 25 years experience of working in LD and MH) saying it was nailed on,
he doesn't believe it, as he once watched a panorama which said ADHD is over diagnosed and it's a scam. Which is why she won't discuss it with him and so didn't tell
Him her assessment was today. People ask me why we split up and I just don't know what to tell them 😂

Here is a picture of some very happy pigs that I had just fed some windfall apples to cheer us all up. Xx

And some jolly alpacas for good measure

@MadMadMad thanks. Yes, if I was him I'd be ringing me tomorrow, apologising and offering DD a place at his school. I do hope I wipe the floor with him next week and the panel rule in our favour. I'm so pleased to hear that you're getting away after the disappointing cancellation of Vienna. My mum and dad visited Lisbon a few years ago as part of a Med cruise and loved it. Portugal is one of my Mum's very favourite countries in general.

Thanks for the lovely photos of happy pigs and jolly alpacas @piscofrisco much appreciated, and definitely going down in my small moments of joy today. DDs Dad has a similar attitude to your DDs Dad. It's so unhelpful. We split when she was 18 months old and he's had nowt to do with her schooling, so I don't involve him in our decisions. I believe he's likely got ADHD himself (speaking as someone with a diagnosis myself and knowing the traits) I always say he's got the very worst of those traits. Everyone who's ever met him understands why he's my ex!

It's so cold tonight. I just can't seem to get warm.