The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles Readalong 2025 - Part 3

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to Part 3. 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)

For anyone new, it's a challenge to see of you can pick up the book as 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!

What are you knitting? Sounds like you're trying to make a Christmas deadline ...
My hygge knitting project is a chunky lace shawl and it's really giving me comfort. Even though I keep on making !?@£&!*! mistakes and having to do an awful lot of counting and knitting back.... I'm going to aim to make DH a sort of wrap-around-and-button neck-warmer but not for the 25th, for his birthday which is a merciful 10 days later!

GlomOfNit; would a thin layer of fondant icing under the royal work?

Ah, so much of Adrian Mole has stayed with me all these years. Just wonderful, brightened up my gloomy adolescence no end. Remember him being sent out by his mum to replace bust fairylights on Christmas Eve - no lights in any shops, just desperate rumours being swapped .

I'm back from a fabulously festive day in London with the dds - Marie Antoinette exhibition, buying ballet themed tree decorations at the Royal Opera House, skating at Somerset House. Pricey but perfect.

Today we have lashing rain and dd2 is supposed to be singing Silent Night beside at a pizza truck this evening...random!

Morning all
get those antibodies working those under the weather - I might add ice cube tray to my list of things to do

I am going to attempt to get cash for our annual tips, postie, milkman, papergirl - think that’s all that’s left

bottle of nice red
box of acrylic paints

then it’s just food and that’s easy

I won't touch lace! I can't concentrate for it. Good luck with the shawl though - lace knitting is lovely when it is done right. I'm doing little hooded sweaters for my nephews. The first (and bigger one) is done. Should get them finished, but it's now slightly tighter on time than I would like. I used a navy yarn in the first one which it was just impossible to see the stitches in and I had a major disaster kitchener stitching the hood, which caused a bit of a delay too.

Sorry for all under the weather. I am 1-1 today with a co farmer whose family very much should not have sent them in. She is full of cold and cough. Now they are conveniently not answering their phones as they know fine well she will need to be picked up early and they shouldn’t have sent her in the first place.
Im trying to keep my distance but she is a very touchy feely type of Person so I would give it 24 hours before Im back in the legions of the sick 🫣

Impressed by all the knitting and lace making action. Yet another crafty thing I cannot do but wish I could.

Presents delivered to ex h for the DD’s this morning (they are at his Christmas morning this year and we still as we always have do gifts that come from both of us, which we started to avoid them getting spoiled rotten at Christmas and because for years even post divorce we had Christmas together anyway, for their sakes. We have Carried it in as now it means we can split the cost :) )
Need to do a few repairs on my Christmas decs this Evening and some cleaning as we have our big family Christmas on Sunday (we don’t have DSS’s for the day of this year so we are having them and 16 extended family for full faux Christmas on Sunday). I am out for works night out tomorrow and have treated myself to a night in a premier inn (as it’s too far to come back) which im looking forward to immeasurably. Big comfy bed with no dogs or kids to get up for- bliss!

not long now for those battling through work for the last few days and for all of us with Christmas things still to do. Keep going team! :)

And yes to Adrian Mole Staying with you. Every time I go to Sheffield I think about his mum and creep Lucas

Ah I remember that part so vividly. I have my original book (which I bought and read when I was also 13 and 3/4) in my bedside cabinet. I might attempt to read a bit today. I fear the book is about to fall apart though.

My mother has just apparently raided my Dad's wallet of all his fivers for tips. My tips this year have consisted of Sloe Gin. Love picking them, love making it but can't stand the stuff. My regular waitrose delivery guys have been very grateful for it and I am grateful to have a bit of bench space back!

Silent night by a pizza van might be random, but also sounds rather lovely. I hope the weather brightens up for her performance. The rain radar shows it isn't due to hit us until school rum time, and by 6 / 7pm should be mostly gone from southern England.

@GlomOfNit keep going on that knitting (and start the socks of wonder …). I hope your ds has a lovely birthday today, I’m sure there are things planned that he loves.

I have just finished the crochet shawl for mum, that has taken me a few months to make. I’ll post pictures at some point! I also made it to the local stitch group last night and chatted gently whilst getting back into a crochet project I had shelved to make mum’s gift. I am trying to be super firm with myself and am buying No More Kits or wool until I’ve cleared the queue - which is currently two blankets and a half-finished cardigan using my left-over fair isle wool. There is so much I would like to do, but I only have two rather achy hands, a gift from the drugs I’m now on - they just keep giving!

The tree is up, the lights are on (to my horror, they are coloured lights, made the mistake of leaving DH alone with it!). I have a few hours in the office and then can focus on pottering in the house and reallocating the piles of stuff to their proper place / bin/ charity shop.

how is the knee today @RainbowZebraWarrior ?

@piscofrisco fingers crossed that your immunity holds up. I use a squirt of Vicks first defence up each nostril if I’m doing peopley stuff these days and also use an n95 mask in shops and indoor places. I appreciate you can’t mask in work. My ongoing drugs knock my immunity, so I have to be extra careful. This growing up business is complicated at times!

"Sorry for all under the weather. I am 1-1 today with a co farmer whose family very much should not have sent them in. She is full of cold and cough. Now they are conveniently not answering their phones as they know fine well she will need to be picked up early and they shouldn’t have sent her in the first place."

This is shocking and very much a pet hate of mine. I think some parents / family just see it as they would prefer not to deal. So selfish.

I've just had a marvellous and very positive update on the phone with DDs key worker. When I compare where we are this year compared to last year I am so grateful we moved. This time last year I was preparing to do battle with the headmaster at tribunal to get her moved to his amazing school. This year I am about to drop him an email congratulating both himself and the rest of his team. I have never met a more supportive and innovative bunch of teaching staff. Even the reception team are fabulous.

@GlomOfNit If you're still without a panettone (and pandoro) the OH has just scored one of each from Lidl (aka LiDel to the SiL). The ingredients are fairly decent (limited additives, emulsifier was all I think) and they were about 6 quid a pop. They had a tiramisu panettone but I stuck with the 'classico' versions of each for a first go. :D

Ah thanks for asking @Bimblesalong both are being troublesome today, as is my worst hip, which I'm putting off having replaced for as long as I can. I think the falk has just exacerbated everything (as does the damp weather) codeine works well to get me through most things though. Hate taking it, but needs must. Hurrah for the tree being done! I've embraced coloured lights more recently after being a white lights only gal for so long. It actually pleases the inner child in me. I only have white lights on the tree this year, but we have retro coloured ones in the hallway (Pickwick?) And I have just put some Firework style flashing monstrosities in the front garden 😁 Oh I am alllll about the rainbow bright colours this year. I shall treat you all to some pics later when it's dark.

Where is Nigel's tree photograph?? (If you're reading, Nigel... we are waiting patiently if you please)

I have sent my thank you email to the Head teacher. I have a few things on my to do list, but that was one I really wanted to make sure I got done.

@Bimblesalongthe only good thing about this incessant rain is that I’ve an excuse to wrap my lower face in a very high necked cagoule which is serving as a mask. But I fear we will be confined indoors this afternoon in a very small shed and because sick she is very grabby with her snot covered hands 🫣 not her fault in the slightest of course but I will be having words at pick up.

Most of our parents are very good about not sending in when sick but this lady lives in supported living so it’s staff from there that send her and they have form in this case . The co farmer can have some behaviour that challenges and I appreciate it must be quite hard being stuck in with her if she is sick (and her behaviour is heightened as a result) but it does take the biscuit a week before Christmas and when she has a high temperature and a hacking cough!

you have done so well @RainbowZebraWarrior and DD! I remember this time last year and what you went through.

and a happy birthday to Glomofnit junior

Hope everyone under the weather makes a speedy recovery. This time of year is so busy and we all push ourselves to the limit. Sending big cups of tea to all.
Pouring with rain here and looks like it will last all day. DD3 is at my parents decorating their Christmas tree at the moment. Ive just been to tesco which was absolutely heaving already! And I'll still have to go again before Christmas. I'll pick DD up in a minute and we're going to have a nice cosy cooking afternoon which she loves. We're doing Nigel's ginger cake from his Kitchen Diaries, then I'm going to have a go at braised red cabbage to go in the freezer for Christmas day. Never made it before but always love having it when eating out this time of year.
Also a big Adrian Mole fan here, haven't read those books for years but used to love them. I wonder what today's teenagers would make of them? The eighties are like a different world now.

Sliding into a corner with not VN flu, but finally something close to compos mentis to try to catch up thread.

@RainbowZebraWarrior if the teenagers are happy at school it’s all the present you need

how is everyone feeling this evening? Worse/better?

I have an ice cube tray, the reason we don’t is because the clever freezer makes ice cubes (oh it’s the best particularly during this summer) but I want to grow and freeze herbs this summer so this is the start of the ice cube trays.

We are 2 days “behind on advent candle, so after having to collect both teens from school (missed train stop because was yapping and bike locked behind gates) only just settled for the evening so can light it now, read and gently cook brown rice.

Oh I can’t wait for them to finish tomorrow, will meet eldest off train with youngster and take a card game down to local for an end of term wine out. Easy old pub, steamed windows, trains going past, warm yellow white fairy lights, the start of feeling really festive.

I have decorated (it’s quite minimal) the rest of the house, just the tree but having a debate about the extension lead required with H first.

There's so much lurgy about, isn't there? I hope everyone feels better soon. I know all the activity and busy-ness at this time of year is partly to distract us from the gloom and dark, but I do sometimes wonder if we should just hibernate away and stop trying to do too much.

I've been planning my Christmas food shop today - I think I'm going to get Waitrose's slow cooked turkey thigh which just needs heating up, plus lots of veg. But also a selection of party food bits and olives etc so I can just do snacking if that's what I feel like.

And answering the door to very soggy delivery people - it's been dismal and rainy all day. I put the tree lights on about 1pm to brighten the place up a bit.

Oh yes, and come on show us your tree Nigel!

SO much lurgy, and in extremely NVN fashion I now have 'there's so much lurgy this Christmas' to the tune of 'Lonely This Christmas' as a brand new earworm. Gah.

Sending love and light to everyone who's poorly, weary, or just absolutely knackered.

"There's so much lurgy this Christmas, lurgy and flu..."

You could sell that to Vicks or someone for their marketing campaign….

That’s a chunky advent candle, @frozendaisy ! It will take a while to catch up! I’ve been fairly consistent, I think I only missed one, though have been late with a few- on the sofa on my own after dinner rather than with our meal.

However, today I realised the they printed ‘Prince of Peace’ in between the numbers 18 and 19, so we had an extra long burn to keep an eye on!

I’m feeling rushed as well. I had a lovely day yesterday doing some creative repurposing of cushions and covers while teaching a young friend to use the machine. Sadly it jammed, so we finished on my other machine. I’d wanted to give her my simpler one. Any tips on fixing a sewing machine?

I don’t seem to have time to do the bits I want to do, mainly because I’m fuzzy brained and everything is taking too long! Hmm.

19 December

Sour Pickles. Sweet comfort.

It isn't cold enough. We are almost at midwinter and you would barely know it here in London. The occasional frosty morning, some fog delaying flights at the airports, but I find myself envying the North of the country, with its early morning frosts and 'persistent' fog.

"There's so much lurgy about, isn't there? I hope everyone feels better soon. I know all the activity and busy-ness at this time of year is partly to distract us from the gloom and dark, but I do sometimes wonder if we should just hibernate away and stop trying to do too much."

@martha79 completely agree that we exhaust ourselves. I'm slightly horrified sometimes by how much some folk I know try to cram in at Christmas. It actually makes me feel rather ill. We are not built to live our lives at this frenetic, non stop pace and certainly not in the winter time. I get that some folk enjoy being busy and doing activities every evening or weekend, but the person I know irl who does this most is constantly ill including serious infections requiring hospital admission. So much stress on the body and not enough rest.

On that note. I have entirely forgotten to light either of the two advent candles (but they look nice!) None of my advent calendars have been opened (but will be lovely to do so in January!) DDs Pokemon aside which has been marvellous. I was also wrapping presents yesterday and came across the brand new Christmas planner I bought myself months ago still in its cellophane. It rather proves I never needed one! 😁

Going to check the weather forecast and if dry, I think we are going to attempt NT property when I pick DD up at lunchtime. If I can't make the steps, no matter. We spent some time together at the table in the conservatory last night. It's lovely and cosy in there now with the oil filled radiator on.

@PrizedPickledPopcorn I can fix my sewing machine

It’s a very old chunky Singer so can take a bashing (although when it gives up the ghost I want a new modern one I might live to regret)

But depends what is wrong, you say jammed, I assume lots of threads in spool area?

@frozendaisy the needle is jammed in the down position, along with some fabric. Nothing to see at the bobbin area.

I watched some videos last night where they removed the side of the machine, the plate (which I can’t do with the needle jammed down, presumably) and the actual bobbin holder area held in by the little black paddles. So I will start with the two I can access and see what’s happening there.