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!

Good news on the joints @RainbowZebraWarrior. I'm impressed you can get Mr D into pyjamas, my two would shred my hands if I tried that 😂

Sorry about the rats @piscofrisco - there are loads round here but thankfully they've stayed out of the house (as far as I know).

Gosh, I'm exhausted. Didn't sleep well last night and I think I am now coming down off all the adrenaline of the last few weeks. Anyway, new house! It's a terraced house that's been converted into flats, the landlord owns them all so it seems like a nice little community - there's a WhatsApp group, mainly it sounds for figuring out whose turn it is to put the bins out. They also own a construction company and did all the renovations, and they're really nicely finished. The kitchen is small but lovely. There's a bath (not in the kitchen... I was going to say 'obviously' but nothing would surprise me with some places I've seen online). No garden but we can't have everything! It felt very peaceful inside. They not only were fine with the cats but asked me their names 😁

Up a side street, far enough from the main road to be fairly quiet but close to lots of public transport. And a huge park a few minute walk away with a lake and lots of ducks, moorhens etc. There's also a library in the park, which feels rather Nigel. And a cafe and community centre that does yoga classes and some craft stuff I think.

I've got the whole of this month overlapping the two places so can take my time with moving, which is good because there is SO MUCH to do.

@martha79 you had me at library in the park 😍. How wonderful! And great that you can move in over a month. It sounds perfect.

Not surprised you are exhausted @martha79 Good to know you can take your time, but it must still feel like you have a mountain to climb, bless you.

Right. Come on England!!

So a little bit of good news: fairly sure I have a mated queen. Didn’t spot her but plenty of larvae and eggs in a good pattern. Will check back soon to see how things are developing.

Great news on new flat @martha79 it sounds ideal. Love the thought of a library in a park. I'm sure Nigel would approve.
Our house is a bit upside down at the moment. We have a decorator in doing kitchen and utility room. We're having the walls yellow and I'm so pleased with how it's looking, really light and sunny. My dad popped in and described it as 'custard yellow' which doesn't sound very nice but I think it looks great! Also I love custard so it's all good.
In the middle of this our 2 showers have mysteriously stopped working so had a plumber in, with me following him around going 'mind the paint! Mind the paint!!' He's not sure what the problem is so we are stuck with cold showers until he can work it out. I know cold water is supposed to be good for you but I could do without it first thing in the morning.
Sorry to those who are having tough times at the moment. Loving all the little moments of joy though @RainbowZebraWarrior, I can add a couple - a beautiful red sunset last night just glimpsed out of the window while watching Eastenders (NVN!) and a punnet of the juiciest peaches bought at Aldi yesterday - delicious.
Oh and England have just scored!

In a week where Andy Burnham has been lorded a King and a Messiah. Oh No, no, no. <wags finger>

Ladies (and possibly some) Gentlemen. I give you England's absolute Lord and Saviour: The Immaculate and Extremely Talented Mr Harry Kane. A True Footballing Messiah tonight.

Phew. Blood pressure has through the roof, but coming down now. What a roller coaster!

@RainbowZebraWarriorglad I’m not the only one who had their heart in their mouth. Not really got into this World Cup mostly due to the time difference. But blooming heck

Great news! ❤️

Here too. They were a bit rubbish until the stern talking-to in the second hydration break, weren't they!
One advantage to a Scottish husband: he made dinner while the rest of us watched

Huzzah @martha79 , it sounds a good fit and I look forward to hearing of new friendships.

@RainbowZebraWarrior re AB, I concur. We are not a political thread so I won’t go further than saying that treachery against a decent chap frustrates me. We’ll be back to square one in a few months.

@Celiathebanshee absolutely love that video. The little open mouth!

I have been wafting around entirely Nigelly today, despite having been sat at the dining table for most of the day in an online conference. I found a tiny little sample spray of melograno and have been a mobile pomander on my way to and from the kettle. VN.

urgh @piscofrisco just urgh! Hope you can relax a bit this evening.

marvellous news @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset I love how you can recognise the right configurations.

Oh it sounds lovely @martha79and great you will have time to move.
excellent news on your queen @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset.

Terrible first half, better second. But I don’t think it’s coming home if we play like that in general. Great goal though, you are right re Harry. Declan Rice looked knackered I thought.

Guanciale is apparently the very thing for authentic amatriciana sauce @RainbowZebraWarrior - DH makes it sometimes, it is lovvvvely so I’d be going back to Aldi to buy some!

Plus well done @martha79 on finding a new home - it’s awful when a landlord gives you notice and you’ve done really well to find something so quickly….

I’ve never even heard of Guanciale!
woken to rain here! Though it’s still warm ish and says 25 degrees later.
trying not to panic as DD’s phone is showing as being in a coffee shop in Taiwan for the last 14 hours when she should be at mandarin school. sure she is fine 😕. I hate this!

It’s Dh and I’s 6 year anniversary today. He completely forgot until he saw the card I left out for him last night. Bit fed up but it’s also very funny watching him attempt to pretend he’d actually remembered.

A lovely day to all

Sunsets, juicy peaches and yellow walls sound gorgeous @Markknopflersheadband Hope the upside down-ness is all sorted soon.

Honey deliveries for me today, so I am just working out logistics / my route (mostly to still allow maximum beach time) One takes me past my favourite NT property, which I tend to avoid in summer months, but if I go early enough, it would be rude not to pop in.

Ooh. Lidl now added to my places to go @Comtesse (why didnt I just pick some guanciale up the other day) Actually, I know why. I was expecting longer use hy dates (the ones I saw were early August)

Tired and tender this morning, so a very slow pace will be required. No hurrying about. Actually, wafting about Nigelly sounds quite good @Bimblesalong I feel I must pop a One Hundred Stars frock on today as they very much enable wafting rather well.

You're right there @piscofrisco We were pee poor in the first half. Better teams would have destroyed us. We can't rely on luck and the heroics from a couple of players to carry us through. Still, it will be interesting to see how it all pans out this weekend. I wrote my GCSE English exam essay about a certain game in the Azteca stadium that happened 40 years ago!

DD is following France in the tournament. Her reasoning is because her beloved Italy didn't qualify. Fair enough.

🙄at DH forgetting your anniversary @piscofrisco - I hope some nice treats appear for you later.

I've not had guanciale for years - I remember buying some from a nice Italian deli for an ex's 40th birthday - I made up a hamper of 40 'fancy' food things, including a bottle of 40 year old wine, which never got drunk and is probably still in the cupboard (likewise he never used the good wooden chopping boards I got him one Christmas because they were 'too nice'). I do seem to remember it took us ages to get through the big chunk of guanciale...

You've reminded me to check the football scores - I got Bosnia in the work sweepstake, but that isn't very cheerful news😂

Spent last night looking at furniture online, I'm going to need a few new bits. And pondering minimalism because I really am going to have to do a massive declutter. I feel like that could be quite therapeutic though.

So happy about the flat @martha79 - a good location and nice neighbours are so important. Decluttering is the way to go and my advice would be to do it before you move so there is less stuff to move! Minimalism is a great aim, not only is it very Nigel, but you'll start accumulating things soon enough once you move in, so good to have somewhere to put them. We've lived in this apartment longer than any of our previous homes and I'm actually thinking we could do with another move to prompt me to ditch some of our stuff. In fact maybe I should just pretend we are moving, but it's much harder to persuade anyone to part with anything when we are staying put! The park near your new flat sounds sensational - can I ask which city you are in? Thanks so much for posting the robins @Celiathebanshee - that nesting box must go down as the best gift ever!

So pleased about the new flat @martha79 it sounds lovely.

@Bimblesalong and @RainbowZebraWarrior I concur re AB too but here we are.

@Markknopflersheadband we have had a banana yellow living room ever since we moved here (20 or so years) and I love it, so cosy.

Football. Ooof. Well, my DF ended up being admitted to hospital so I had to visit, left at 5, rush hour traffic, listened to the first half in the car with my head (metaphorically) in my hands. Got home for most of the second half, that was a bit nerve-wracking! Poor DD has to work the Sunday/Monday small hours shift in her pub now. Anyway I had a bit of a snooze before turning on the telly again to see what was happening with Belgium-Senegal (supporting Belgium after Senegal's antics in the AFCON). What an ending! I have Cape Verde in the work sweepstake, can they get past Argentina I suspect not but you never know.

@LillianGish here's my new back garden 😁https://www.welcometosheffield.co.uk/content/attractions/hillsborough-park/ - it's not a part of the city traditionally associated with being lovely (and I will be grumbling at the football crowds some days, no doubt) but it's got the balance between affordable and friendly for me, and some great quirky cafes/ delis/ independent shops sprung up in recent years (also a massive Home Bargains, which is always handy, if NVN).

How fabulous to have that on your doorstep @martha79. My parents are from South Yorkshire and I myself was born in Leeds so I have a very soft spot for that part of the world. This was one of my favourite birthday cards this year (from someone who went to Sheffield University).

Ooh @martha79i can call to see you after I’ve been to the match!

Hope your dad is ok @ElegantDresses

In my next house I’ve vowed to have a straw coloured kitchen units. I’m very on board with the yellow!
Perfect weather on the farm today and I have my very favourite co farmer, so all is well with the world. The chickens we got in April have fattened up and settled in and started to lay. We have been down to have a chat to them whilst we cleaned their sheds out and collected the eggs and they seem very content.

this time last week I was in beautiful Menton (on my own), which already seems an age ago

Are you moving far?

Memton does look and sound absolutely gorgrous. I couldn't deal with the steps, so it's been nice to see the photos shared here. I also realise that I can't do people on beaches (or crowds in general), so I am a bit screwed for a lot of places on that score.

We have 40mph winds here, and I am jiggery pokeried - I also have more smashed terracotta pots - (I give up!), so I am having to have a 30 minute lie down. I have two folk who haven't answered texts from this morning, so their honey will have to wait now. DD is helping me with the biggest delivery after school.

I've taken off my wafty dress after being billowed and whipped around the beach in it and have reverted back to my usual comfy light trousers and t shirt. It definitely wasn't VN having sand whipped painfully against ones legs and face. My beach was still relatively deserted, though, which is the main thing for me. I lost myself among a bit of a sandstorm for two hours just picking through the shingle

That looks absolutely lush. It all sounds really lovely and I hope you settle in well.

Sending hugs and hoping your Dad is ok @ElegantDresses Sorry I have dropped off the flylady thread this past couple of weeks. Not a lot of housework has been done. Must get back on it nectarines week before it slides further.