The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong 2025 - Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to Part 2. We Continue our CC journey.

For anyone who has not already had the pleasure, the annual Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles read along is a real time annual MN tradition.
The Christmas Chronicles (Notes, stories and 100 essential recipes for midwinter) book began on 1st November.

We continue to read along and comment with the book which is set out in diary form. I will make a post each day (or let you know if there is no entry on a particular day)

Some regulars to the thread already have the book. For anyone new, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up a bargain. Vinted has come up trumps in the past, as has ebay. A rare and precious charity shop find is always a bonus. Don't forget, you can also listen along to Nigel's dulcet tones via Audible.

So, welcome to old friends and new, and don't forget that reading by candle light is particularly enjoyable. Cire Trudon may be one of Nige's candles of choice, but it's somewhat pricey. We don't discriminate against other less expensive brands - even if they are NVN (Not Very Nigel)

Pull up a chair, light a candle, grab a cosy blanket and join in!

I'm sorry to hear about the new cancer diagnosis @IlovetoKnitandRead I hope that your DS' treatment goes as smoothly as possible.

11 December

Decorating the tree and a lamb roast

The winter I was nine seemed no different to any other. I had taken a day off school to make decorations for the house. A paper chain or two and some foil garlands. Mum, who had no time for pushy parenting, had happily given me a sick note for the day, and we sat together at the kitchen table, needles of icy rain pattering against the leaded windows, cutting, folding and gluing. I made a string of leaves from red and green foil and paper chains from wrapping paper.

Thinking of you and your son @IlovetoKnitandRead , not a good Christmas offering but glad it can be sorted out.

Adding to the general woe, I've had news of a friend seriously ill in ICU but I've decided to be optimistic that she will get the best treatment and will recover.

Christmassiness is postponed until the work frenzy ends - but it will all be over by tomorrow night, after which I am in full festive mode. Downhill all the way now!

@RainbowZebraWarrior there’s nothing quite like a spreadsheet to create some order when all around is chaos. DH is a big fan of spreadsheets. Contrarily, I can produce chaos with a spreadsheet, so stay well away from them if I can.

A rather beautiful start to the day.

@leporello so sorry to hear about your friend. Sending positive thoughts.

Plasterer has rang in sick. I suppose at least it gives me a workman free day and some peace. It means he will probably be with us on Saturday and Sunday instead though and we rely on weekends to decompress. I just keep channelling DDs mantra "We just need to get through this week" and next week now due to delays

Oh what a beautiful photo @RainbowZebraWarrior .
I have finally started Christmas shopping 😅 and am trying to keep myself busy so as not to dwell on sad things but it's quite difficult at times. DDog passed away on Tuesday, he was the best boy and to say I'm gutted is an understatement. He was so lovely and I'm just repeating to myself what a good life he had, but oh the hole he has left in our hearts and at home is huge. I'm so sorry for all of you also going through difficult times, trying to focus on the good times is hopefully helping everyone to get though it. With a bit of luck we'll all be able to find a little solace and hope in something around us, this thread for example cheers me up despite the sad news as I dont feel alone (I'm lucky to be surrounded by loving friends and family but none of them share my love of all things Christmas Chroniclish).

Sweet dreams little dog ❤

Oh gosh love him @AlicePottery What a beautiful boy he was. My heart is breaking a bit here for you. Sweet dreams indeed little one ❤️

@AlicePottery sending my sympathy. Its very tough losing a much loved pet. 💐

@piscofrisco good luck with j9b decision making. If you've already made decision then hope you it is sitting comfortably.

Kitchengate here. Worktops coming this morning.
But the doors had to go for a respray. The doors are not coming today and the fitter is off on hols tomorrow.
So the cupboards and drawers will be open until January. That will make me be super struct about not just shovelling shit back into them I suppose.

Quite calm about it because

1. I can cook Christmas dinner
2. I wasn't flooded in recent terrible floods here and I am not out of my home for months having lost all my furniture like lots of people

I love today’s entry. So evocative and homely sounding.
sorry about your friend @leporello.And your lovely Dog @AlicePotteryHe looked a very smart fellow.

Has the plasterer got the flu @RainbowZebraWarrior? Literally half the staff at the farm and half the co farmers have it now. Must be the worsf flu season on record?

@AlicePottery sorry to hear about your dog.
He did have an amazing life with you guys and you have those memories. Loss is the price of love (better to have both than neither)

Thanks, @RainbowZebraWarrior. I really feel for him at the moment - he is trying really hard but just in all the wrong ways. He has a very fixed and uncompromising view of the world and this can make friends difficult. Part of the issue is that his best friend likes playing with this group and he just clashes with them but he's unwilling to forego it because it took him "two years to find" his BF.

I have never been a "tonnes of friends people" and it's hard in school but I've come to recognise the benefits of it. Hopefully it will be the same for your daughter.

Today the school is having a lantern procession, which should be sweet and Christmassy. The nativity yesterday was incredibly funny (both deliberately and not so) and so I am starting to remember some of the good things about the tail of the year. I have also ordered a photo album for us to fill with our "best bits of 2025" between Xmas and New Year, and I am looking forward to that too.

@AlicePottery my deepest condolences - he looks like a very happy little chappy, and you gave him that.

I have a feeling he probably has. The owner said that he's never off and certainly never known to be off for more than one day. I thought that was a bold statement to make with all the flu and other illness around at the moment. He reckons he will be back tomorrow and if not, we will cross that bridge.

Thinking of what @HannahDefoesSpringFling just mentioned (sorry to hear about your delays too my lovely) about flooding is probably why I'm struggling. I was flooded 8 years ago and lost everything. We are out of our home for 8 months including a month in a hotel over Christmas. I've never had any work done on my house since, as the rebuild was a living nightmare dealing with it all on my own. It kind of brings it all back. That said, I do appreciate that's not what's happening to me now and I'm very grateful for that. It will be finished when it's finished. It's not like we entertain at Christmas.

There's just been a news bulletin saying the flu admissions are unprecedented for the time of year.

Ah the lantern procession sounds lovely @HornungTheHelpful DDs old school used to have one every year and I loved the sound of it, but DD steadfastly refused to get involved every year. (She's also quite rigid like your DS and struggles to 'share' friends) She's been fitting in a bit better since I moved her to an amazing new school (this time last year we were mid tribunal) but the real benefit has been that she is soaring academically - silver linings - She will always struggle socially and does not entertain extra curricular activities or mixing outside of school. I'm seeing little improvements all the time though.

@RainbowZebraWarrior that is lovely to hear!

@AlicePottery so sorry to hear about your dog, he looks gorgeous and very content in your photos, I bet he had the best life with you.

I'm so so tired today after yesterday's travelling. Have managed a little walk in the sunshine and picked up some mince pies to perk me up this afternoon. Had a phone appointment with GP as post-covid things are still lingering - she reckons it's very much "your nervous system is unhappy" which makes sense as I feel like my physical fitness is coming back but much worse with any sort of sensory overload/ stress.

I'm a few days behind with CC reading but looking forward to some quiet time with that this evening.

Hello all. How is everyone this evening?

I'm just back from the GP, and apart from a really bad haematoma on one knee, she also suspects a fractured kneecap. I'm off for an xray tomorrow and then referral to the MSK Dept for an MRI to check for other damage.

Oven chips and gravy for dinner tonight for ease. Definitely NVN. Needs must.

Oh no @RainbowZebraWarrior a fractured kneecap sounds painful.
I need to catch up on Nigel as I fell asleep listening to him last night (it was a longer chapter than I was expecting).

Oh @RainbowZebraWarrior ! Your poor knees!
@AlicePottery I’m so sorry about DDog- he looks a right character! I came across a video from this time last year, my lovely boy getting tangled up in a bag. We do miss him. They leave a big hole.

I’m getting so close to being able to wind up work and concentrate on all the lovely Christmas cooking. So close…

and my sock. I want to finish my first sock.

@RainbowZebraWarrior hope nurse being over cautious and scans show no major damage
I don’t think you would have done all you have been doing with a fracture
but I am not medically trained

I finished my goshawk today. He’s far from perfect but I think he’s nice enough to frame and give to DH, who loves goshawks.
Then the art class Christmas bash at lunchtime so that was all very pleasant
Then came home and made a casserole for Boxing Day, for the freezer. It’s a good job I don’t have a proper job.

DD1 home from uni tomorrow ❤️
Hope knee feels better soon @RainbowZebraWarrior and turns out to be not fractured just bruised. And @AlicePottery I am so sorry about DDog, they leave such a gap when they go.
@HornungTheHelpful I miss all those Christmas things now mine are all teens. Although I’m not sure I was as appreciative as I should have been at the time (those recorders!). We have a school carol service at the cathedral tomorrow though which is always really lovely (for us parents. The girls sigh and roll their eyes and complain about how cold it is).

Oh I forgot to add the picture! I might add a spot of yellow watercolour to the white by his eye. Haven’t decided.

That’s a very noble looking goshawk, @Celiathebanshee

@RainbowZebraWarrior arrrrrgh! Poor you. That sounds particularly nasty.

@AlicePottery so very sorry. They leave a huge gap, the darling souls.

I must turn my attention to finishing the penultimate row on my mum’s Christmas shawl. The final row is a load of picots which will take me a couple of evenings.

12 December

A fine and fruity chutney

Chutney, the ever useful sour-sweet splodge for sharpening up cold roast lamb or a wedge of pork pie, is one of those recipes that changes over time. What appears a little acidic as it simmers in the pot will often as not calm down after a few weeks in a jar on a shelf. Even a week trapped in a glass storage jar allows the fruit, vinegar, spices and aromatics a chance to mellow. Sour, sweet and spicy become one harmonious mixture rather than opposites fighting for supremacy. Best make it now, then.