Year Round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 4

[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 has been running for a few years, and the contributors 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, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Dozing off listening to this and thought I'd share as I've really enjoyed it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/b09f8njf?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Have bookmarked that for this weekend thanks @martha79

I am just going over the bridge and out of Newcastle. On a train back to Seaham beach. By myself! I came this time last week with DD and she wasn't keen (likes our beach better, still hates trains and people) So I figure I am not going to get back to Seaham once we get to the summer hols as she never leaves my side apart from school. So I am hot footing in down here whilst the tide is in my favour. Return train booked to get me back in time for school run. Fingers crossed for beautiful treasures 🤞🌊 💎

Hope the sun is shining for you all. Happy friday!

Fabulous photo @RainbowZebraWarrior (giving me more Vera vibes). Enjoy your day in Seaham - great idea to make the most of the weather and the tide and get there while you can. Looking forward to more photos! DH shared this photo with me at 3am from his friend’s house in Palm Springs where it was still my birthday with six hours yet to go! 40 degrees - so NVN at all. I’m extending my birthday myself here with a ladies lunch. Happily it is a much more manageable 19 degrees in Paris!

Oh gosh that looks fabulous @LillianGish I am salty, sweaty and sandy and would give anything for a dip in a pool! Enjoy your extended birthday celebrations.

I am on my way home now (I don't get long, as DD finishes school at 2.55pm and it's a bit of a trek) but I have some Beautiful Treasures Including a very rare red pirate glass. I'll share some pics later.

Speaking of sandy and salty. I love my new keyring from our local Spoon Man. It makes a satisfying jangly noise like a wind chime. DD spotted it last weekend and said I had to buy it. She has a 'Howay The Lads' one, which is hysterical as she hates football and cannot do a geordie accent to save her life, despite being born and bred here!

The weekend has begun. Had a really awkwardly timed gp appointment (all good just a check
up) that it wasn’t much point returning to work after. Picture of a wind swept moody Cornish north coast incoming I reckon

Do enjoy, and do post plenty of pictures of windswept Cornish beaches ❤️

Some of my finds from today. Haven't been through the full bag, yet, but a couple of small multi's and a seaglass 'bubble'
You don't tend to find bubbles much on beaches. Most sea glass is fairly flat, so it's always nice to happen upon a chonk. Always nice to come across a red, too, even if it is small.

Last but not least, and the rarest of all; A red pirate sea glass. Looks like an unassuming pebble to the naked eye, but put it in front of a torch and it's beautiful deep red colour shines through like a precious ruby! A decent size, too!

Lovely pics all and what excellent glass finds!
enjoy your trip @CrushingOnRubies. A mizzle filled Cornish beach is one of my favourite places to be so I’m very envious .
A lovey day at work with a nice group of co farmers who all got on so well and helped each other out without being asked to. Too sweet for words.
Waiting for DD2 to get home so we can start her 19th birthday celebrations. This time 19 years ago I had been induced as she was nearly three weeks late, and was labouring in silence like a Scientologist, as the woman sharing my room on the pre birth ward was on day release from prison to give birth and kept going bananas every time anyone spoke or came near her. It was quite the experience!

A Happy Friday evening to us all

Gorgeous glass @RainbowZebraWarrior - there's such a variety.

I have had a bad night/ morning. Found out that I'm going to have to move out of my house - which is never great when it's forced on you, but really awful timing right now (like, I'm managing a walk round the block on good days at the moment, how am I going to do a house move?). My landlord is a friend so on the plus side I'm not being rushed out - though equally I don't want to drag it out for anyone's sake, the reason he needs the house back isn't a positive one for him. On the other hand I have very much been on 'mates rates' here so will almost certainly have to downsize. Maybe a bit of clearing out and a smaller place won't be a bad thing, I guess.

Added stress last night/ this morning by not being able to get hold of my dad - turns out his mobile has died but was briefly panicky about that and had to get other family members to track him down.

Was meant to be at a rehearsal this morning for the little group I run (I was planning to just show up, hand out music, make the tea) but have embarrassingly just cried all over the chap who'd offered me a lift and decided I can't manage it.

It's appropriately dark and rainy here! I think I may hide from everything today then make a plan tomorrow.

Oh gosh you poor thing. How unbelievably steessful. I'm in the cinema at the moment with DD, but just wanted to send you the biggest hug my lovely x I'll be back later.

Oh @martha79 that does sound stressful. Don’t feel bad about taking your time if your friend is telling you not to rush. As a veteran of numerous house move - including a major downsize from our house in London to our Paris apartment, my advice would be that it’s never too early to start chucking stuff out. Starting early helps you get ahead of the job and you do it in bite size bits - I used to aim to take out a couple of bags every day (to the bin/ the charity shop/the tip). It’s actually quite therapeutic and you feel like you are doing something when you can’t do very much (if that makes sense). There will be another lovely place out there for you and once your slimmed down stuff is in there it will feel like home only more organised. Don’t think of it as one huge unachievable task - think of it as a series of small tasks (and break those tasks down into even smaller tasks). Sorry if that’s not remotely helpful, but didn’t want to read and run. Glad your dad is OK. You will be OK - keep posting on here for moral support.

Oh @martha79im so sorry to hear it. Sending you lots of love. I’d be happy to pop over when I’m at my mums to help you pack when needed. Seriously! Happy to help x

Just popping back on to echo what @LillianGish said. I know I would find it near on impossible to do a house move, too so I am wondering if there is any way of enlisting the help of a charity or some such. I feel like that's probably a useless suggestion, as I am not sure where one would start looking. However, it may be worth mentioning to your new therapist in case they have any useful advice @martha79 Sending much love to you my darling.

Also, that was a lovely offer from you there @piscofrisco ❤️

We went to see the Amazing Digital Circus at the cinema. If you've never heard of this before, imagine a fever dream on Acid! That said, it has some great moral parallels with modern day life (it's broadly about AI)

We also stopped off at a lovely local lady's new cake shed. Much fun to open the shed door, select your goodies then pay with the little sum up machine inside. Love supporting a local business. She also had some wonderful roses in her garden.

I have created Thread 5 for us when we are ready to ship over. There are around 30 posts left on this one, so it might last another couple of days.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5539211-the-year-round-nigel-slater-discussion-thread-part-5

Thank you lovely people. You're absolutely right @LillianGish, it needs to be one little step at a time. I've registered with a couple of rental sites today and saved a few properties to come back and look at, but mainly been resting.

And thank you so much @piscofrisco - I may well take you up on that (or even just a cuppa depending on how the timings work out!).

I'm not sure either whether there's anything like that @RainbowZebraWarrior. It's almost funny that one of the things that already came up with the therapist was around feeling safe/ having somewhere to call home. This is my sixth house in ten years, and not because I enjoy moving around!

I've had so many offers of help, it's been really nice - and a friend brought me the leftover cake from the rehearsal - French Fancies are at least a temporary distraction🙂

County show cancelled due to the yellow weather warning. So got up super early on a Saturday for nothing. It was pretty foul the weather and wasn’t looking forward to being all soggy. But it has cleared up this afternoon so went to the beach .

I’m not sure of your area, I’m about 30 min from Stonehenge if I’m close enough to help?

About 200 miles north of you, but thank you for the thought 🙂

Sorry to hear about your bad day @martha79 house moves are stressful especially when they're forced upon you. Sending good wishes and a glass of wine - I'm having one right now! We're in a holiday cottage for the week in a very windy and chilly Wales. Have packed for all weather eventualities!

Really sorry to hear your news @martha79 . It’s perfectly understandable that you were upset, there’s a lot to take in. Gah. Absolutely echoing @LillianGish ’s sage advice, and I’m so pleased you’re not being rushed too.

I have finally managed to put a thumb on DH to sort out a doom corner, our hall stand. I emptied the whole thing out and found that he had stuffed so much there over the past couple of years that it covered the entire hall floor (including 6 1/2 pairs of shoes!). I’ve helped him edit it down and we have two entire bin bags for the charity shop! It’s also had a really good clean, which makes me feel much better! The next challenge is under the stairs. For the last 6 weeks we’ve had his tool bag in the dining room so that he can access things when he needs them. I’ve suggested under the stairs in the little cupboard - which is apparently full of bits of cardboard that he’s saved from amazon packaging. Why, I don’t know, but it feels a little like steptoe’s yard at times.

That’s a dramatic beach, @CrushingOnRubies , I hope you also have some wine to go with the wind - enjoy your hol, @Markknopflersheadband

I’m going to nip over to the new thread now … thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior

We met this little chap on our evening walk yesterday. We all stood and stared at each other for a few minutes before he trotted away.

You might also like to see these beautiful fragrant roses in my garden, I’m hoping the wind will spare them.

available as needed @martha79 just say the word
Smashing wind swept beach @crushingonrubies.very Jel.
Dh and I have been to look at a campervan today! Have worked out that we could lease one of those vw I buzz thingies for the same price as his man car BMW waggon. He is surprisingly on board with this so maybe it will be a goer. I’ve dreams of doing the NC200 and of driving around Europe so hoping it comes to fruition!

A silver fox indeed @Bimblesalong!