Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 3

[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 chair to the fireplace, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

I bought some rose and violet creams the other day, so nice. My husband called me an old lady but I think he just doesn't know what he's missing. I bet Nigel likes them too...

Lordy, I've just spent an hour and a half sitting next to DD sorting some seaglass as she did her jigsaw - we have come to an arrangement that means we have half of the big farmhouse table each - My eyes are now a bit done in. Not all of the 'pairs' match at this point, but I definitely have enough to make a good few pretty earrings, and I have saved my best pieces for sorting during daylight hours.

Finished Small Prophets, too. Rather strange, actually, in the end, I felt (without giving anything away).

Miles Smith - love him! - on Scott Mills in the morning and Alison Limerick on Vern's Piano Room later on in the AM on Radio 2 for anyone interested.

Anti biotics on the way this morning hopefully. Which a good as I really do feel quite rough now as predicted. Therefore I plan on doing very little today and I’m very happy that it’s my day off.
Ive also registered at a different GP as my one really was appalling in terms of actually being able to access any sort of appointment at all and after 5 years there I’ve given up.

lots of lovely seaglass there @RZW.I will probably watch small prophets today.

Lovely to have a nice organised office Bimbles. The office in our house is DH’s domain and as such looks like a literal bomb has gone off within.

he isn’t much better in the rest of the house, where I do try to contain him, but the office is beyond me.

More rain here today by the sounds-haven’t looked outside yet. Ugh

have a lovely Wednesday all

That seaglass is gorgeous. What a relaxing activity to pair things up - have you decided how they will be set?

@piscofrisco I hope you have your antibiotics now. What an almighty pain, quite literally. I also share your pain re DHs and their chaos trails. Mine has a habit of trashing a room with work stuff and then taking over another - which is more complicated now we have empty bedrooms with our boys moving out. One is “done” as a spare and I seem to manage to keep him from seeding it with more stuff. The other is going to need work - I’ve done my usual strategy and invited someone to stay. This one is a corker, as it’s my brother and SIL. SIL is super tidy and works high up as an archivist - to say that the thought of her coming terrifies DH in terms of clutter is an understatement! I can’t even get into DH’s actual office now although it would feature well in an edition of hoarders. The more i understand about ADHD, the more I understand why he is so cluttered. Maybe this is another reason I enjoy Nigel’s pared down approach to home decor.

My day has gone awry. The strain on my back yesterday has been really problematic today and I’ve needed painkillers, ice and a stick to get to the point where I can walk beyond a shuffle. Such an annoyance. Hey ho, hopefully I will be mobile enough later to get to WI, as we have a Japanese lady coming to talk about kimono. Fingers crossed a few days of rest, ice and painkillers will get me back on track - I was so well and mobile on holiday!

Oh sending healing vibes to both @piscofrisco and @Bimblesalong It is the most relaxing thing ever, sitting quietly sorting pairs while the rain drums on the roof. Candle lamp is on and DD plays 80s Tapes through her Walkman as it has a speaker - last night was Erasure - We both love to hear the whirr of the Cassette Tape going round. Its lovely and snug with the oil filled radiator on. Every now and again DD will ask if I can spot a piece of her jigsaw puzzle for her. The best way to spend an hour and a half before bed. Mind, I am no jewellery maker, so I have bought sterling silver posts and backs, and jewellery glue and it will just be a stick on affair. My proper jewellery from the proper silversmith will be ready next week!

That sounds so lovely @RainbowZebraWarrior

Hope the antibiotics and painkillers are doing their respective jobs @piscofrisco and @Bimblesalong

A very mixed bag of a day here - some bad news at work about budgets, and some very frustrating goings-on, but some big problems solved on the other hand. And I've just been for a very slow jog for the first time in ages - I guess I'll find out tomorrow whether that was a good idea.

Home to random bits for tea - the last bit of leftover sausage and bean stew, avocado, ham and bread & butter. I opened one of Nigel's books the other day at a paragraph about how he likes eating cold leftovers at odd times of day so I'm declaring it VN 😄

Not feeling too clever at all but hopefully anti biotics will start to work and miraculously my new dr messaged me after I filled in an online triage form today and said the receptionist would be in touch with me tomorrow to give me a time to come in. What wonder is this?!
Hope you feel better Bimbles
sorry re your bad news at work @Martha79. I have watched more news than usual today as I’ve been on the couch a bit more and everything just seems either rubbish or depressing with the exception of the Winter Olympics which I’ve been enjoying.
I watched the 2005 pride and prejudice film and it made me miss my Dad (he worked at Chatsworth in the kitchens when they were filming it -a job I got him as he was driving us all mad after he retired and he loved it-and they did a special premier for all the staff when it came out which he took me to!). Also spotted a street in the town I live in low doubling up for Merryton and Burghley House as Rosings Park. It’s still no BBC Colin firth version mind.

I'm another lover of rose and violet creams. I have two left from my Christmas box. I've been having them as occasional treats.

@RainbowZebraWarriorthat's an impressive sea glass collection!

@piscofrisco hope you are feeling better

@martha79 sorry to hear your work bad news.

There's some announcements being made at work tomorrow which I know which unsettle my team so I am expecting tomorrow to be tough. I have booked a holiday for April though - to an area of Devon I don't know at all really - Putsborough. It has a beach which is all I care about as I live so far inland!

Healing vibes to @piscofrisco and @Bimblesalong , and good luck vibes to those going through unsettling times at work.

I had a fabulous evening yesterday - a friend who is a member of a local writing group scored us free tickets to go and see Alison Steadman in conversation. She was terrific, full of interesting stories, down to earth and a lovely woman all round. What a treat!

Back to drudgery in the rain today...

Oh I love Alison Steadman!
I live inland too @petitpastaand I get this urge every two months or so to see the sea. I’ve never been much to Devon really-it’s always been Cornwall or Norfolk (which I don’t love but is the most convenient sea for here) but I think now dd1 is in Bristol we will be spending more time that way so any recommendations would be very welcome for the summer.

I still feel rough really and I’ve about 5 minutes before I must leave for work if I’m going. I’m off next week for Holiday so I feel bad not going in but I feel as if I’ve been thwacked repeatedly with a cricket bat across my lower back and decidedly energy less.

Hope you are taking it easy @piscofrisco, look after yourself.

Sorry you also have tough news to deal with at work @petitpasta

How wonderful @leporello! Funnily enough I fell asleep listening to Alison Steadman reading an audiobook last night - can't tell you anything about it, was a free cosy crime sort of thing on Audible.

I'm also about as far inland as you get and 'need' to get to the sea a few times a year. It's the one thing that would possibly encourage me to move if the opportunity arose.

Off work now until Monday. It's yet again very rainy so I think today might be spent tidying up and doing some cooking. I've ended up with a lot of eggs again (had a ham and mushroom omelette for breakfast), some mince and all sorts of veg.

Ooh, Alison Steadman. How wonderful (I feel compelled to say "Oh my Christ!") Here's autobiography keeps popping up as a recommendation for me on Audible. I might have a listen once im done with Jarvis.

Soeey to hear of difficult work news going on.

Sorry to hear you're feeling so crap @piscofrisco going in for one last day or two just because you're off next week really shouldn't be a thing. Especially when you're mainly outdoors and the weather is horrendous. Sending gentle hugs.

Speaking of horrendous weather, it is sleeping heavily here. Due to turn to snow this evening and overnight, then due to freeze tomorrow night. Well thats just Flipping Marvellous as the late Rik Mayall would have said as Richie from Bottom.

Need to ram a sausage sandwich down my neck before dashing back out again. Not something I'd usually indulge in, but I need to fortify myself in some way today for this relentless weather.

Hello @RainbowZebraWarrior and all.

It's your resident, but often absent, Dane here, back for some Hygge with you all.

I haven't read back on the thread as I simply haven't the extra resources to do so this morning...but I hope everyone is well, and for those who are dealing with illness or other difficulties, sending you good vibes.

Dealing with some issues myself, sadly, nothing too serious thankfully but enough to zap the joy a little bit and gets discouraging especially after a night of little sleep..hoping I can settle down here under my metaphorical duvet/blanket and find some gentle rest with you all.

I received my latest bargain order today: a Christmas anthology which was priced at £17 in Nov/Dec, which I got for under £3 including postage.

I'm looking forward to spring and hopefully seeing the sun again!

Wishing each of you a lovely day.

Hello @YourShiningWinterOceanCrashing Lovely to hear from you as always, but sorry to hear about difficult times x

So cold here. Not sure what to expect overnight with all the weather warnings, so I have the alarm set for half an hour early tomorrow, just in case.

Hope you're OK @piscofrisco I've been worried about you today x
Alison Limerick was bloody amazing on Piano Room yesterday if you haven't managed to catch it, yet.

I've been helping MN out with some new features, which seem to be helpful. I've had issues lately tagging folk, but hopefully that seems to be fixed now, too.

Right. Stove needs lighting, and something warming, but easy to be made for dinner.

Hello to everyone else and hope you're all OK

Hi @YourShiningWinterOceanCrashing - are you a Dane in Denmark or living elsewhere in the world?

Hope the weather doesn't get too bad with you @RainbowZebraWarrior

I've made a reasonable attempt at sorting my clothes out today after all the clearing out. Most things are in the cupboards and drawers where they should be, although I fear that minimalism and perfect storage still evades me.

Cooking-wise I've made bolognese with mushrooms, then a Mexican-ish mince thing with black beans and peppers. Also made guacamole and a mango salsa to go with that this evening. And decided to use up some of the black treacle which I think I bought for the Christmas cake, with some experimental flapjack.

Hi @martha79 I've lived in the UK for almost 30 years. 🙂

Hello and glad to have found you all. My mum had a fairly serious health crisis so I had to fly at short notice (she lives on another continent) and haven't been on the year-long thread at all yet. Also dealing with a difficult time at work, and was trying to keep up with developments there while looking after mum. Today was my first day back and I had to break some bad news to my team, which was a horrible thing to have to do.

I've been keeping up with the piano room though - loved Alison Limerick but unsure about Mika - his chat was really good, the old song was predictable, I really liked the new one but didn't like his spin on the cover version.

Had to go into work in person today due to bad news meeting. The snow was coming down quite heavily in my little corner of the world when I left the house but nothing in Edinburgh city centre at all. On way home now and who knows what I'll find ☃

Tonight calls for comfort food, a blanket and a book.

@PricklyBob sorry to hear about your Mum and issues with work. That all sounds very difficult. Pleased to see you back here, though. You've summed up my thoughts exactly about Mika's performance today. His stories were fascinating (and quite heartbreaking at times) but I'm just not sure about his voice. He goes from weak falsetto to deep then back again, which leaves me feeling rather spiky. I want to hear powerful voices that really take my breath away. His choice of cover song I'm afraid did not do the song justice. He said he wanted to do it differently, and it just didn't hit the spot at all, for me, unfortunately.

That sounds and looks amazing! I've decided to have stir fried broccoli and rice with garlic and chilli, just to use some stuff up from the fridge before the weekend's delivery.

I realised that DD and I have not been for a pub lunch for years - I'm taking pre Pandemic - so decided to look at our village pub menu, with a view to taking DD over half term. It was ran by a family friend for decades, but has changed hands recently. I was shocked to see a massive lack of veggie options.

Have been listening to some of radio 2s piano room but have been having the Olympics on in that background at work atm.

daffodils are very much opening in the wild down here now. And there was actual sun and blue sky earlier. Couldn’t believe it

@leporello that is fabulous. What an icon to be in the company of.

@PricklyBob that sounds a trying day. I hope the home comforts are soothing. We have a weather warning here in Cheshire but nothing to what you’re experiencing.

loving the colours in that meal @martha79

sending ohms to those who need them. I’m cracking on with the painkillers and ice packs. Managed to ease up enough to get to a VVN WI last night, where a lovely Japanese lady showed us her kimono collection and how to dress and tie an obi. It was a very special evening to share in her culture.

That sounds fascinating @Bimblesalong !

Sorry to hear of your trying day @PricklyBobwishing you a more soothing one today. And a lovely day off for you @martha79
I’ve always fancied a proper kimono @Bimblesalong. I got a sort of Knock off one for Christmas from 100 stars but it’s really just a fancy light jacket with a nice print not a kimono proper. That said probably more wearable on the high street :)
Hello @YourShiningWinterOceanCrashingI don’t think we’ve met here yet :)
It was vaguely sunny on the farm yesterday too for about half an hour @CrushingOnRubies. I went in in the end as felt too guilty. Felt a bit rough and still do I think though it’s early yet, but was rewarded with the sight of open Daffs, a colleague giving me a book of short essays by Hilary Mantel (who we both love) and-day of days-the arrival of some orphaned lambs! We take them every year from other farms for bottle feeding and rearing activities for us and for the paying half term public. Such dear little things.

I still haven’t located my summer clothes. Think they must have been inadvertently skipped :(. So have done some last minute ordering and will take a trip to big M and S in the hope they have some winter sun things. I shan’t need that much really as we are only away for 7 days. Bit upset by the loss of some of my summer things though. There was some vintage Topshop bits in there circa 2002 that my DD’s were after nabbing from me and a beautiful skirt that I had for my first honeymoon in 2004 that I dug out every year and loved. So annoying!!

A lovely Friday to all. Chilly here so back to the long johns for me.

Sorry to hear about your mum @PricklyBob, hope she's doing ok.

That is a terrible lack of veggie options @RainbowZebraWarrior - "here, have a cheese sandwich"!

The talk sounds so interesting @Bimblesalong

What a shame about your summer clothes @piscofrisco - early 2000s Top Shop was excellent.

Lots of us seem to have difficult stuff going on at work ☹️ I dreamt about work last night and that never happens! But maybe partly because I had a disturbed night - got woken up about 1am by an alarm going off, then my doorbell rang and the 'remote control' light in my bedroom switched itself on... then I could hear the printer clunking about. So must have been a power cut followed by everything switching itself back on.

My mission for today is to venture a bit further from home - I've not been on public transport since the start of December (when I was feeling horrific on a train home from London). I've got some work travel next month if I feel ok doing it, so rather than going straight from being a hermit to a few hours' journey I'm aiming to ease myself back in. It's amazing how much of a big thing it feels right now.

"Here, have a cheese sandwich" totally sums up that menu @martha79 Hope the venturing further afield went well for you today.

Oh @piscofrisco that's a nightmare. A friend of mine remembers 'sorting and moving' all her summer clothes at the end of summer. She was due to fly to Lanzarote in January and went to pack two days before. All missing. Realised they must have all gone to the charity shop 😱 Nowt in the shops either. Had to go to charity shops and beg them to rummage for some summer shorts in the back for her.

Snowing here. Ive just pulled up outside school to pick up DD and I have the dog with me. Half of the teachers said they were going to come out to see her when I mentioned this morning that I would br bringing her. They all absolutely love dogs.

My day was knocked a but awry after having my Mum's food order confirmed as picked and packed at 6.30am followed by a text at 10am saying it was cancelled. I had to end up doing a click and collect which was a bit stressful. The guy came out shouting my name wheeling my 3 crates with a huge bouquet of flowers on top. How lovely, I thought. Nice gesture to make amends. He then picked the flowers up and shouted someone else's name and a bloke came out from behind my car to collect them. Hmph!

Anyway, I feel like I've gotten nowt really done today, but then I didnt have much planned thankfully.

Happy half term for all who this applies to.