The Year Round Nigel Slater Discussion thread

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello, all.

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong usually takes place here between November and February each year (the Christmas Chronicles being a book written by Nigel Slater full of winter recipes and anecdotes) It's been running for a few years, and the contributors have collectively decided it would be nice to have it running all year round.

So here it is. It is a place to appreciate all things Nigel-esque. Think seasonal food and recipes, enjoyment of nature, sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a chair, grab a cuppa and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Yes please to the code @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense SR have just started a dahlia promotion with % off, but your code should work on top.

Oh @AgathaMystery that's a difficult one.

From a personal perspective, I spent 20 years working my arse off for the civil service and made myself utterly miserable. The minute I took control and started taking risks was the minute my life became amazing. (I took a gap year, went back, left to open my café, went on Masterchef then retrained as a Sports Therapist all in 10 yrs) However, I didn't have children at the time. I guess it has to come down to would the mortgage get paid, or could you find another job instantly / quickly at the end of the 3 months if need be?

I’m innovative, flexible and I’ve never not worked or not been able to work. So I think in July if it all fell apart I’d be devastated. Truly. And then I’d start again.

@RainbowZebraWarrior try SS25369

Thankyou all. I'm not starting to feel a touch green so that's ideal 🙄
Well done on your walk @Bimblesalong that feels like good progress and is heartening to hear.
Your biscuits look lovely @RainbowZebraWarrior
@AgathaMystery I think you should gamble. Life is far too short for what ifs and sometimes things come along for a reason. The times I haven't taken a chance are the times I've ended up unhappy largely. But when I have, mostly good things have happened. (And even where it's not paid off, something else has eventually come along-life is like that isn't it? It's just one big wheel of fortune, and it keeps spinning). You have had a tough time of it lately, and something positive for you is deserved I reckon!

@AgathaMystery I agree wholeheartedly with @piscofrisco and as you say, if you're flexible and hard working, then there will always be work for you. I adopted a 'feel the fear and do it anyway' approach many years ago and it's not let me down so far.

Thanks for the code @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense it took 15% off my non sale items 😊

I also meant to say well done for your walk today @Bimblesalong Onwards and upwards ❤️

I have a moment of joy to share with you all from today. I won this Diptyque Etincelles candle on ebay yesterday for £11. It was listed as a 70g candle, but it arrived today(!) and is 190g. Total bargain. The smell is described as wood fire, coffee and chocolate and is absolutely sublime.

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Mmmmmm! I can “imagine smell” that candle - what a terrific win. I would translate étincelles in this case as more the fairies in the fire smoke, rather than just sparks. One to put on my “sniff list” when I next go near a diptyque supplier.

@piscofrisco I hope things are not going downhill or at least pass quickly.

@AgathaMystery some wise words - you’ll have all of these Nigelistas in your pockets whatever you decide.

End of treatment positives: The chemo-induced awful giant tonsils have retreated. Huzzah. I still have a mouth like the bottom of a budgie cage (chemo 🙄) but am dealing with it by snacking on crisps and guacamole as well as giant slices of fruit pie. I’ll need to get walking again or will assume sphericalness and roll into the canal. I am hopeful that tomorrow, my usual “upwards” day might yield good things.

There is a super lovely non Nigel positive - my eyelashes are growing back at last. I have about 2mm and today popped some mascara on for the first time since last June. Spring is springing!

@Bimblesalong thats great news! Congrats on the eyelashes & RIP budgie cage mouth pls.

I’m going to take a punt on the job. Why not. It’s just financial security and my reputation on the line. C’est la vie!

@AgathaMystery I know you've already decided, but my rule of thumb for these things is to choose the option that will expand my life. It's totally stolen from an old Oliver Burkeman piece where he says "When stumped by a life choice, choose “enlargement” over happiness."

I've found it to be very helpful. Actually the whole piece is great!

Excellent news @AgathaMystery Life really is too short to wonder what might have happened.

My Libby app has yielded this month’s copy of Gardens Illustrated, which has an article by Nigel discussing the clothing he uses for gardening. A meditation on comfortable, elderly, repaired clothing. I should like an ode to the secateur next.

Yes @AgathaMystery this is very exciting!!

As are your lashes @Bimblesalong
Huzzah!

Jel of your candle @RainbowZebraWarrior I've asked for the hay one for Mother's Day. DD's laughed their heads off at the price.

I've kept nothing down since yesterday at 1pm, not even water. I beg of you. Kids are on the mend though so hoping it will be similarly short lived for me. On the upside it will help me fit into one of the two dresses I've ear marked for my nephews wedding which will be quite a spiffy affair at Litchfield
cathedral and also some corporate wife-ing I've to do at Ascot and Henley this year. I need to lose a stone or so for all of the above so time I made a start-though wouldn't necessarily have chosen this way to do it 🤢

My mother got me some secateurs for Christmas bimbles...I used them last weekend to dead head my hydrangeas-they are quite fancy floral handled ones and a joy to use.

Just had a wander down to TK Maxx on my lunch break and there were lots of small St Eval/TK Maxx colab candles reduced to £2 each. Christmas scents of course, but worth it if you will be able to stash them away and find them again!

We’ll be going in to a town with a TKMaxx on Friday, I must persuade DH that we need to visit so I can look at their candles. DD is at a job interview today, she messaged at lunchtime that she had passed the assessment morning and been invited to stay for the afternoon interview stage so fingers crossed.

Well if TK Max isn’t a good incentive to ease back into driving I don’t know what is! Our “big” TK is near an artisan baker and excellent coffee provider, further incentives.

We have had a wonderful double rainbow here today. I sat outside looking at it and listening to birdsong.

Fingers crossed @MadMadMad

Stunning rainbow bimbles. Think we've had all the weather here today. Sleet to bright sun.

I would translate étincelles in this case as more the fairies in the fire smoke, rather than just sparks I love this @Bimblesalong

Lord, it’s now actually snowing 🫣

We had that yesterday and the day before. Quite unsettling, but brief thankfully.

There was a red alert for Aurora at 7.30pm last night, but as 93% of the UK was covered in cloud, it was poor timing.

I'm trying to find a cottage holiday for myself and DD for May half term. She doesn't like trains, but will tolerate around an hour journey. I'd love to go somewhere like the Isle of Skye but I simply can't drive that far. It's very frustrating and limiting.

I meant to say @Bimblesalong that I also found your definition of étincelles rather enchanting, too.

How did dd get on @MadMadMad ?

How are you doing @piscofrisco ? The socialising sounds great. The enforced diminishing less so.

When we were talking in our preparation Nigel thread before Advent, today seemed far away (it is wonderful to have companiable community where we try to find a pocketful of happiness in every day).

Another milestone in that I finished my immune boosting injections today - aided by the power of disco, swears and party poppers. To celebrate, I took my first drive in months which was to the doors of a favourite artisan bakery, opposite a great coffee shop. Fresh coffee and croissants were had, with loaves and pastries purchased to treat friends. Then I went to the big TK for the first time. No st eval but some rugs and Easter twiggy shit were purchased. I happened upon linen bargains in the clothes - a pink linen shirt in my size, with the preposterous “before” of €230 down to £29 quid and a lovely pair of high waisted elasticated cream linen trousers for under £20. Nectar of the Nigels. They fit! A promise of wafty linens for holidays in warm, honeyed air or just general swishing in the garden on balmy days.

The hound has already deemed the new washable rug to be acceptable, the dresser is polished and the dust elsewhere revealed by these delightful low sunbeams is ignored. There has been burrata and a trip to a garden shop has yielded the most Nigel of brush displays.

@Bimblesalong DD thinks she messed up the interview bit as she went blank on one of the questions, they said they’d let them all know by the end of the week and she hasn’t heard yet. It’s so good when you see something you like reduced and it happens to be in your size isn’t it!

@MadMadMad well no news is good news and I guess she won’t be the only one to have a moment. They’ll be busy going through paperwork and candidates. Fingers crossed for her. Ds2 has been applying for months, it’s brutal out there.

Much better thanks @Bimblesalong managed to eat something today and not throw it back up. Progress. And you sound like you had a brilliant day! Lovely pics!

@Bimblesalong I love Burrata, so delicious. What an excellent day!

I love your blue patterned china, my aunt used to have some - what is the name of the pattern please?