The Year Round Nigel Slater Discussion Thread - Part 5

[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 on Mumsnet 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!

Not many folk stupid enough to be on the beach this morning. Apart from me that it. It is properly wild and I love it. Most of the thunder and lightning is out at sea now anyway

We were promised a lovely thunder storm but not even a single raindrop fell. I lay awake at 3am sweating quietly to myself. We are going to a (no air con) gig tonight and I am really not looking forward to it. I wasn't fussed anyway, just said I'd go to keep DH company, and now regretting my choices.
But look at the baby robins!

Oh that photo is just darling! ❤️

Oh dear about the no air con gig and the no rain. The thunderstorms seem ro have mainly been Scotland / Northern England / NE England and are still currently raging in the North Sea. I cant see anything on the rain radar for the next 24 hours for more southerly parts of the UK. We are due another thunderstorm here this evening so at least that will take care of my watering duties!

Mind, thunderstorms can pop up out of nowhere, so fingers crossed for you. It has definitely cleared the air here. Not that it was even that hot anyway 🤷‍♀️

"Like a Victorian lady with an attack of the vapours" 😆 @petitpasta That's brilliant and reminds me something of my Great Aunt who used to get the smelling salts out at any and every opportunity!

Best of luck with Queen eggs @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset and sorry to hear about the wild bee encounter. Hope you are all better now. I dug up (by hand, I was weeding) a bumble bees nest a couple of summers ago. That was fun. I have the unfortunate side effect of bee stings making my joints completely seize up.

Sorry to hear about DDog. He sounds like a real character. Sending gentle hugs x

We had lots of thunder and lightning last night. Never seen anything like it. It went on for ages and it took ages before rain actually started falling.

I was woken by the sound of pouring rain and a couple of rumbles of thunder this morning, it was a brief respite and has now completely burned off to leave us with 36 degrees (so slightly cooler). I am going to look at your windswept beach and think cooling thoughts @RainbowZebraWarrior. I went for an early morning swim and then strolled home down tree-shaded boulevard, but already feel like I need to return to the pool. I love your robin @Celiathebanshee and I like the sound of your lunch @Bimblesalong - I need to dig out some Nigel summer salads which require nothing that might cause the temperature to rise in any way. Your dog sounds like an absolute star @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset - I think we deserve a picture.

Well, our brilliant thunderstorm shorted the fire alarm system at work and they weren't able to fix it, so home we were all sent. An early start to my weekend and I'm not complaining...

Love the little robin beaks @Celiathebanshee

Good luck with the bees @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset and I hope DDog is Ok, he sounds wonderful.

It's 33C here which at least I think is the peak of it, although it can currently only be described as disgusting. I've mostly been eating crisps and ice lollies but made a nice tuna salad for lunch.

I'm not convinced the cats are being very sensible with where they're sitting and one of them rarely drinks water - she did enjoy the fishy spring water from the tuna tin though!

Think cooling thoughts indeed @LillianGish We are due another thunderstorm aylt 4pm and I am just watching it heading out eay now on the rain radar. I might go and stand out in it.

Yes, we had that where the thunder shook the house, but the rain didnt come until much later @CrushingOnRubies . Everything is now bone dry again and our melons and cucumbers have had to be watered for the fourth time already today.

Enjoy your early start to the weekend @leporello

DD was informed this morning that the whole school would be missing their last lessons and going outside to have an icy treat instead. She was most put out as it meant she would miss Art. I arranged for her to sit in her key workers office and do some sketching for an hour instead, so hopefully she will be happy when she comes out in 10 mims time.

The school posted a lovely story about her becoming a published poet past night on their socials. I was amazed (and proud),she let them take a photo of her. She's come so far.

Tuna salad is what I have planned for tomorrow night @martha79 after ny long day at the festival. It's also forecast to be our hottest day so far.

For this evening, I have already prepped chicken with patatas bravas. I have mostly been living on meal deals and Nuii ic cream this week.

I made caramelised banana icecream this week, that was very nice (now all gone).

DH is whizzing up a batch of mango sorbet, the machine is struggling in the heat (aren’t we all, darling)……

Most VN thing I’ve done for ages….

Oh that ice cream sounds amazing and I love sorbet @Comtesse

It is darker than night, here. Utterly crazy. I am not sure why we are getting the thunderstorms when we haven't had particularly extreme weather. Seems to be fairly localised, as I can't see much else on the radar / lightning map. It dropped 11 degrees between 4 and 5pm from 26 to 15. We have all the lights on and candles lit.

No doubt most of you are still sweltering. If I could waft this rain your way, I happily would.

Temperature has dropped dramatically in the last couple of hours, it is 23 now, but with a breeze so it feels like a very average Jun evening thank goodness. It’s still very hot inside the house though. Both DCs are out working tonight, DD at a pub and DS at one of his gardening jobs (doing evenings instead of daytimes due to the heat as it stays light so late).

I’m a bit behind on the thread, but enjoying reading back through. @RainbowZebraWarrior I am SO pleased things have worked out so well for your DD at that school

I’ve been watching the storm intermittently through the day. It has seemed very slow moving. Glad you’re ok @RainbowZebraWarrior

There’s a lovely cold breeze here now but the house is holding on to the heat.

thunder cleared the air last night. Lot less stuffy and fresher today. Just a nice and lovely normal summers day with temperatures in the low 20s and a warmish breeze.