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!

What an absolutely stunning walk @CrushingOnRubies .

Not sure what I'm doing today - not much, it seems. We had a good weekend, a visit to a local garden then a great charity shop rummage in the nearby town. Everyone scored lots of new clothes and jewellery - except me. Well, I don't need anything, I suppose...

Wondering what to do with the wall of chocolate on the kitchen worktop now.

Good Morning all -and what a glorious one it is. very jealous fig your walk @CrushingOnRubieswhat a stunner!
back to work today and how beautiful everything looks in its spring green. Lambs everywhere, piglets to coo over, and blossom in the orchard. Perfect!

A fabulous day here but strong winds mean that poor dd2 (pale-skinned redhead) is getting windburnt to pieces working in her beach hut. She won't use vaseline on her face because she's embarrassed by the shine...trying to think of an alternative...

As I am at the beach for a couple of hours every day, I get a lot of windburn as it is always windy here on the NE coast. I use La roche posay factor 50 with some Clarins beauty flash balm over the top as an added layer of protection.

Does she / is she able to wear a baseball hat or sinilar? That at least partly protects the forehead and some of your face.

The one thing I have learned is that I must never use any exfoliating products on my face once I have windburn (not even a sponge or flannel) so I gently clean my face twice a day with nothing but a water wipe then a splash of cold water followed by a vit c moisturiser or facial oil at night.

This is also massively calming: Again, it is largely roche posay. I am a big fan.

www.boots.com/la-roche-posay-cicaplast-balm-40ml-10189518?traffic=paid.shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19965642474&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq9mz4fPbkwMV4ZRQBh1I8wjBEAQYAiABEgKpYvD_BwE

Oh, fantastic recs, @RainbowZebraWarrior , we were looking at La Roche Posay in Boots earlier as I swear by it to keep the rosacea at bay. She does wear a cap but the wind fairly whistles through that hut, which is open on all sides, so its efficacy is limited. I knew you would have ideas, thanks so much.

That beach / coastal walk does look stunning @CrushingOnRubies

We thankfully don't have a wall of chocolate. DD has never liked Easter Eggs but everyone always ignored the "no eggs or chocolate please" when she was young. Now she is 14 and veggie, perhaps folk don't like to take the chance with sweets and stuff, so she has ended up pocketing £100 from cash in Easter cards this year. Not an egg to be seen!

I was down the beach early this AM. I like to go at high tide and follow the tide out. This has several advantages; nobody else goes and they usually aren't totally sure if its still coming in or going out, and also, the sea reveals it's treasures to you in real time. It was bloody glorious, Just Me And The Sea. In fact, I started humming that little ditty to myself as I was wandering and picking. Such a wonderfully therapeutic chant along with the view, the sunshine, and the sound of the waves. Then you have the added bonus of pretty, shiny glass catching your eye.

I also have a collection of hag stones, and as I knew I would be visiting my best pal today, I chose one for her. Apparently it has a great personality and many different 'faces'. By the time I left hers, she and "Rock" were great friends, very much in the vein of Shirley Valentine!

Lovely coastal pics 😍

It's very sunny here too. Back to work today but it's pretty quiet. My gardener has been and mowed the lawn and tidied up, and I've planted some of my herbs from last year out from pots into the beds - fingers crossed for a good supply of rosemary and sage before too long.

It's my birthday today and DH had obviously been listening to me raving about seaglass jewellery as he took me to a silversmith to choose some jewellery and then he told me he had booked a lovely afternoon tea in a gorgeous hotel overlooking the sea. This is what I chose, muted colours so I can wear it with a lot of things

Happy Birthday @petitpasta your new jewellery is beautiful. Enjoy your afternoon tea.

it was a stunning walk.

thankfully we don’t have a wall of chocolate either. Whilst I like chocolate I find a massive egg a bit daunting to eat and i am a bit fussy about the chocolate I like. Last year was ridiculous and felt so wasteful.

another nice day here so nice walk to ware the dog out with. Not as nice views but a good workout nonetheless.

Happy birthday @petitpasta - lovely jewellery!

Happy birthday @petitpasta. I’m loving all the seaside pics - they’re getting me in the mood for my trip south on Thursday. Absolutely glorious here at the moment and forecast to be 25 degrees tomorrow so I’m packing my sandals!

Happy birthday @petitpasta !

I see I still have a world to wake up to - delighted to have our Nigelistas to help focus on the things that are important.

Looking forward to piccies @LillianGish We are due a goodly temperature today before tomorrow’s drop. You’ve reminded me that I must crack on and book a few hotels!

Happy birthday for yesterday @petitpasta Smashing jewellery and it will also always be a lovely reminder of your trip. I call that shade of seaglass Seafoam.

Speaking of birthdays, I wonder what Nigel has planned for tomorrow. He will be 70 so I hope he is somewhere marvellous, celebrating in style.

Ooh sandals and 25 degrees sounds heavenly @LillianGish I am just browsing some new merrell sandals in the sale, thinking ahead of hopeful warmer temps. Enjoy your trip!

Indeed it is wonderful to have a world to wake up to @Bimblesalong Crazy, crazy times, and all the more reason to enjoy the simple pleasures in life eh?

It feels cold here, but the sun has just broken through the cloud. I am just pondering wether to head to the beach, or save my energy for gardening. Who am I kidding? I'll do both and knacker myself most likely. High tide calls in around 20 mins...

Got some smashing books yesterday at the book table. The farmhouse one was sitting right in the middle waiting for me (I have been after it for ages!) It's a proper old 70s style one, but has some cracking recipes.

Happy birthday to you @petitpasta.
we also have a wall of chocolate and there is only really me that likes it. I will take some to the farm to make crispy cakes with, and do some chocolate dipped strawberries here. It has to go or I will keep picking at it.
yes @Bimblesalongsomewhat relieved we have avoided Armageddon for now. What a world we live in.
Day off today and it promises to be lovely.weather so a long dog walk and a trip to a care centre for a few bedding plants is in order.
A lovely Wednesday to all

Happy birthday @petitpasta and happy birthday Nigel! I'm sure he is somewhere delightful eating wonderful food - at least, I hope so.

Sandals weather here today - a balmy twenty degrees. The neighbourhood DIY enthusiasts are a-drilling and a-hammering in their gardens but my cherry blossom is finally out so yay!

Dd2 back to uni today, not so yay (but yay for her because she loves it).

Great book finds @RainbowZebraWarrior

I don't have a wall of chocolate either - my mum sent me some (incredibly rich) dark chocolates which are very much one at a time sort of treats so they'll last a while.

Such a lovely day!

I GOT THE JOB!😁

Love to all x

Oh well done @thebabessavedme 🎉🤩💐

Great news @thebabessavedme - congratulations!

And happy birthday Nigel - I wonder what he's doing today.

Last day at work this week for me and it should be another quiet one. Then I'm off until Wednesday - my dad was meant to be visiting but he's got a horrible cough/ cold (I suspect he picked it up in the hospital) so we've postponed for a few weeks. Considered cancelling my leave but think the rest is probably a good idea before work starts to get busy again.

Fab news @thebabessavedme !! Yay!!

I’m on my last day off so we are getting the train to Liverpool to have a look at arty stuff. Back in the office tomorrow to tidy, prep and proof read. Clients due next week - I love it but I’m finding I’m getting very tired on these meds so need to have a think about whether I cut back any more.

WI was good last night. We had a talk about cheese with some tasting. On the bookclub swap table was a copy of Butter, so I get to see what that’s all about once I’ve finished the one I’m reading for bookclub. It’s Ruth Jones’s By My Side. I’m struggling with it tbh as there’s a lot of death and funeral directors in it. The person choosing can’t have checked as two of our book club members lost their husbands in very traumatic circumstances in the last couple of years, as well as others in the group with other bereavements.

Yes @thebabessavedme! This is great news!!!!

Thank You all, I'm a little fragile this morning having partaken of quite a lot of wine😂

Hope you all have great days today, the sun is shining here, temp set to get round 25, I'm out for lunch with my parents so more wine will be drunk, very needed when with them😂

Love to All x

Enjoy Liverpool!

I picked that book up from the book table last week then took it straight back the next day as I read the first few pages and didn't fancy after all. It does sound rather off for the chooser to have picked it in the circs as you say. Sounds to me like it's been a case of 'popular author of the moment'

Congratulations, @thebabessavedme , enjoy your meal today (and the wine).

Off to check out a recently refurbished local museum with dd1 today, weather should be nice enough for al fresco lunch on the quayside so I'm looking forward to that.

Enjoy Liverpool @Bimblesalong and the museum @leporello

I've just had my tea break in the garden and am impressed with how the plants I transplanted the other day are doing. I had a peony that I bought as a dead-looking stick in B&Q (bargain shelf) a couple of years ago, and stuck it in a pot, which is now a healthy looking plant out in the flower beds. I've just had an email from Suttons with an offer on peony plants and I'm now very tempted to get some more. And maybe another rose. And some tomatoes...