Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello, all and welcome to this lovely space for our continued chats.

A bit of background for anyone not familiar with this topic:

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, gardening, appreciation of the weather, and sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a deckchair, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

VVN Spotify podcast alert!

A night of wax and gold (the story of Diptyque)

I'm 15 minutes in and can highly recommend.

Sadly no photos I’m afraid , my phone was in my rucksack the entire time. But met up with some relations and did a 6.5 mile walk across some beaches and dunes and coastline. Even sore some seals. Good to catch up, blow away some cobwebs and we were lucky with the weather

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate this thread. I followed along last year but was going through some health stuff so I didn’t post. I wouldn’t want the posts to go silent though because I imagine there are a lot of people relying on the lovely drama free corner of MN to read and relax even if we don’t always have the nerve to say hi! And so sorry to hear about your boy bimbles.

Thank you so much for this. Hope your health situation has improved.

I once read that for every 'active' regular poster on forums and social media there are approx 100 who 'only' scroll or lurk. I always try to bear this in mind.

Busy day today. Have posted in the Christmas pouncing thread about some of this so sorry if you think I’m repeating myself.

firstly went to a pet first aid training course. Learnt a lot and recommend looking into it if you have pets.

then it was Christmas flower arranging, I try to go to monthly and as always the arrangements were beautiful. Would post pictures but don’t want to be too outing and things.

New candle this evening. Neroli and Bergamot from the apothecary range at Tesco. Not tried it before but it reminds of a similar one from M&S

I've had some really good candles from Tesco in the past year or so. Burning an Amber candle by Prices currently. Have to say, there's no real throw, but it was very cheap so not totally surprised.

@RainbowZebraWarriorthis isn’t the most potent candle,. Although it I have only recently lit it, so might take some time to warm up. The last candle I had was almost too overpowering so in a way I’m quite glad if it is the other end of the spectrum

Thank you, in the last year they seem to have ruled out anything of immediate concern but that seems to leave long Covid/fibromyalgia/histamine issues which means that none of the doctors I was originally sent to (mostly gastroenterology) really know what’s going on so nothing is really going forward.

I may finally have to learn to relax and be patient with myself which, while frustrating as I always have hundreds of jobs on the go and I can feel my thinking has slowed down, at least gives me the opportunity to appreciate the present.

DS is now 6 so this may be our last Christmas of believing so I’m trying to soak in every moment this year.

Sympathies @RainbowCrayons
It's tough managing those persistent, hidden symptoms.

A few of us from the Poncetastic thread had a little supportive chat about histamine and Christmas here if you'd like to take a look or chat about it

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5416017-low-histamine-christmas-ideas?reply=147405869

Bless you. Sympathies here as I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which causes pain, chronic fatigue and histamine issues among others. I was diagnosed at 49 and my DD had to be screened by genetics as its hereditary. Sure enough, she was diagnosed at age 10. We struggle a lot and I've not really been able to work since my diagnosis. I hope you get some better answers and some help and support. I completely understand what you mean about needing to slow down, in the end, as much as I kicked and screamed (metaphorically) acceptance made things a little easier. It's still frustrating, but I've adapted and become better at using my 'spoons' wisely.

Edited to add: Has MCAS been mentioned to you? (Possibly not as NHS aren't very hot on it) Worth looking up.

Sending you a gentle hug and I really hope your little one has a magical Christmas. My DD believed until age 11, but then she's Autistic. It was lovely that it lasted so long, but it's also lovely now as we both take turns to put each others presents out in the lounge and cover them over before going to bed on Christmas eve. And we still put a santa plate out!

Thanks for reminding me about the histamine Christmas thread @HannahDefoesSpringFling I need to give it some thought as I've struggled with flare ups recently.

Yes I agree. I'd rather have a subtle candle any day over an overpowering one. I still can't believe how overpowering the WC Winter one was after spending so much and everyone recommending. Nice glow from this Amber one, which I've lit again this gloomy morn.

Sorry to hear about people’s health issues. It’s easy to take good health for granted, lots of love to you all xx on a trivial note by comparison, I ordered my first St Eval candles…a little candle holder and the small candles in Winter Thyme and another, Inspiritus or something like that? Whilst I really liked both fragrances and the little holder is so cute, when lit, I can’t smell anything and I’m so disappointed ☹️ I even wondered if it was due to me having a bit of a cold and maybe no sense of smell and so asked my DD to check and she also couldn’t smell anything.

Are the tealights better? Just with people seemingly raving about them it really surprised me xx

I don't think st eval candles have the best throw @LovesAutumnLeaves I think they are rather subtle. Especially inspiritus. This is why I only buy them in the sale as I don't really consider them worthwhile at full price. The only other thing you could do is light a couple at the same time and make sure they are in a room with the door closed to maximise any scent.

My absolute favourite candle of the moment is The Country Candle company's Fireside Tale. It has an excellent throw and the perfect scent for this time of year. I'm currently buying them from anywhere I can find them!

Ah ok, so it’s not just me. Yes maybe I’ll light a few, or just use them for effect. Just seems such a shame when the wax fragrance itself smells lovely, but I wouldn’t know there was a candle lit from scent alone as there’s just nothing xx

Thanks for this, I love the M&S one but it seems to come and go from their range and I worry they will discontinue it.

Happy November 1st!
I've just caught up and will head over to the CC thread later.
I'm so envious of the scented candles, St Eval and Neom are so expensive over here, that I just can't justify it.

We have been having very heavy, hard frosts this week. Here are some pictures from Tur og Prat (walk and talk) this week. The white on the trees isn't snow, just heavy frost. We had a delicious vegetable soup for lunch too with the group.

The studded tyres are on now ready for winter weather. It was my turn yesterday to host Fredags Kaffe (Friday Coffee) at my work. I decided to give a little English education and made Sticky Toffee Pudding with extra warm toffee sauce and took some Yorkshire tea too and showed everyone how to make a proper brew. It was a very cosy last hour of work.

Forgot to add my pictures!

I always love your posts and pictures @IngenTing so thank you as they fill my soul with joy.

If you are comfortable with private messaging me your address, I'd like to send you some St Eval candles. I bought a lot in the sale at the end of last winter and would be more than happy to share some with you.

@RainbowCrayons glad you found your nerve to say Hi, sorry you're going through it.
@LillianGish I'm also struggling with the pace of the CC thread, but suspect it will quieten down at some point, but RZW I have no idea how you are managing.

Things aren't as I would like them here, but last weeks work took me to the New Forest, which was lovely, all the horses are recently drifted and wearing fresh cut tails to prove it. Lunch break resulted in a little communing with mushrooms.

Still harvesting the last courgettes here, and I don't remember ever having a glut of them (or other things) so late on, but we're also growing everything in poly-green houses instead of glass (VNN but increased yeilds) in a different position from what was the normal site.

Tonight's dinner is going to be almost entirely foraged or home grown, which will do the Christmas budget no harm at all. 😋

A relaxing afternoon spent mooching in the peaceful Musèe Cernuschi at the gates of Parc Monceau examining (among other things) a selection of Chinese tea bowls. I feel sure you will have already been here @Bimblesalong - it was very Nigel indeed.

I really need to start taking more photos of the purposes of this thread.

yesterday it was a whole 6ft wall devoted to St Eval candles in a shop.

today views of the Cornish north coast, as we went on a 6 mile coastal walk.

haven’t kept up with CC im afraid. Been too busy and not sorted out a cosy area and been in the right frame of mind.

Actually my dad just sent me this photo of a tin mine from today. Sums up the walk perfectly

That's an amazing photo @CrushingOnRubies Don't worry about not keeping up with the CC. Sending you a gentle hug. If you aren't quite feeling it for whatever reasons, then there's no benefit in forcing it. I'll always be here on this thread if you just want to post here x

That sounds and looks incredible @LillianGish I feel the need to share some news with you. DD enjoyed Copenhagen last Christmas, but struggled badly with our trip to Amsterdame this summer, so I removed all pressure and we haven't booked anything else. She has just shared with me that she wants to take French as a GCSE and would like to go to France to practice the language. She's said that Paris might be too much for her (we have worked out that busy cities are just too much) We have settled on a trip to Nice in early summer next year, and I'm over the moon with this. It's one of my Mum's favourite places in the world and we can easily get flights from our local airport.

@EphemeraleEudemonia i think I only took on these threads because of my passion for the subject. I do have quite a lot of spare time, and I enjoy it. If it became a chore, I'd bow out. I think my Autism means that I do hyperfocus on the things I love. Amazing photos as always. Love the concept of drifting the horses. One of your pics actually made me think it was an upside down mushroom candle holder and got me thinking of another project that I probably won't get round too

What a lovely thread! I wonder if you were in St Agnes @CrushingOnRubies