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!

Great tips! Thankyou!

I hope you get to watch it a bit x

If she falls asleep will you be able to have volume somewhere @RainbowZebraWarrior

That relaxing night away sounds like a nightmare

thatll Do

That'll do indeed!

DD tried to have the TV on, but couldn't. I just quietly watched it on my phone. She never goes to sleep before me these days unfortunately. At least Wednesday's game is an 8pm kick off so I won't have a repeat of the farsical silent viewing.

I still woke up at 5am, so I have celebrated with a pantry clear out and prepping of a date and walnut cake all for me for later. Seemed rude not to after happening upon a bag of dates snd abundant walnuts. The dates are currently steeping in hot water and a slug of Disaronno.

Happy sunday all 😊

Found three of these at the back of the pantry - tbf, I did know they were there. Got them silly cheap in January from Sainsbury's. I have been collecting nice bits of coal from the beach and everyone is going to get a little drawstring pouch at Christmas with a miniature whisky, lump 'o coal and a sixpence in it for NYE. Shame about the ones with labels peeling off. Might have to use those for christmas cake feeding. Or add a slug of whisky to today's bake, too!

@RainbowZebraWarriorOoooh I got that set of whiskeys for my dad one year. We used to do a family advent calendar and miniature spirits went down very well.

Loving hearing about the campervan adventures. A friend of mine has one and has been helping me transport some stuff - I'm amazed at how everything fits so neatly in the back, and constantly admire the tiny kitchen area.

I'm sorry to hear about your tricky times with DD @piscofrisco - not a parent but have seen friends go through similar things with their kids and it's so hard.

I really get what you're saying too @RainbowZebraWarrior about people being aware of/ denying their neurodivergence. I think it's hard if you were brought up with a lot of stigma around it, or the old idea that ADHD was something only "naughty boys" had.

I'm having a quiet day today - would like to say lovely and relaxing, but it's more slumped in a heap through necessity.

@martha79

"I'm having a quiet day today - would like to say lovely and relaxing, but it's more slumped in a heap through necessity."

This is called intentional rest. Good and necessary.

A quiet day is just the ticket. I’m about to take the DSS’s kayaking and after that I plan to lie on the garden sofa and read/watch the Scottish Open and maybe a bit of Wimbledon and do very little else!

I have to admit, I get the gin and port selections...there is something rather marvellous about a glass of port on a Sunday evening in the Winter. So glad that it is not just me who does this.

I made a really strange discovery when sorting out my current batch of hand quilting, the normal pens I bought in WHSmith, or whatever it is calling itself this week, disappears under a hot iron... it really non-plussed me, at first I thought it might have been the starch but it is the heat and steam... it was the Shark Attack felt tip pens, if anyone needs a cheap erasable pen.

Spent a couple of hours this morning, having breakfast at the park with my oldie knit group, we sorted out JD Vance and Catholic maxxing to say nothing of the Tridentine Mass and Archbishop LeFebvre. Next week, The Book of Common Prayer!!! We are an eclectic bunch...

had a lovely walk down through a wood to a beach today and had a refreshing swim.

now home trying out some new garden chairs dpm ordered… very comfortable

also… when I went out the other week with dp my shoe strap broke whilst at the restaurant… wasn’t even dancing the night away. Anyway a love waitress tried sellotape them up but no avail. So tentatively walked the whole way home via train barefoot. So they were nice shoes and not cheap either. So took them to the cobblers who fixed them for a donation to charity. Best £5 spent and he’s so lovely so using them again.

We call it PG Tips now because we can't remember the new name.

I have jist seen a comment om FB saying "the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree may not be up to it's usual standard this year" which made me smile and think of Nigel.

Morning all.

Phew! Feeling quite refreshed this morning and - dare I say - fighting fit (for me) That last pain flare up was a pig and lasted two whole weeks. I chucked everything at it including some gruelling new physio exercises, new magnesium supplements and some hefty self massage techniques. I know now what combo worked best for the hip bursitis. I love it when medics tell you something is quite common. Doesn't stop it being excruciatingly painful though. I've always said soft tissue injuries and spasms can be worse than bony injury sometimes.

Anyhoo. Had a nice rummage at the market yesterday. Stopped off to talk to a chap we know who deals in vintage coins and jewellery. I ended up standing there scratting around his coin boxes as I became fixated with 'needing' a 1966 sixpence (damn you football superstition mixed with Autistic obsessions) I eventually found one after me and DD checked the dates on around 100 sixpences! So that will be my talisman for Wednesday evening.

It also got me thinking about football, support and mindset in general. I keep getting asked "Is that wishful thinking?" when I am out and about wearing my football shirts. It always strikes me as an odd thing to say. Obviously it's to show support. But then my mother often refers to this as Blind Faith and I say every time thay no, it's not blind faith, it's Rebellious Hope. As was used by the amazing late Dame Debra James.

Happy Monday all. Almost there (for anyone else shuffling towards the end of school year)

I agree about the pain of muscle spasms and soft tissue injuries @RainbowZebraWarrior,the most horrific pain I have ever had was a time when I had what I now know was a spasm around my abdomen. Ambulances were summoned and morphine administered. The medics suspected gallstones but, although I have some tiny, tiny gallstones they never could have caused the pain so it was put down to a muscle spasm. It was definitely worse than labour!

Urgent need to buy pillows today as my current one has gone all lumpy and I have had a fitful night's sleep as a result. Also need to book in some appointments for bloods, dentist and eye test. But first the gym! Bootcamp today.

Managed to get a lovely bedside table for DS from our local FB recycle group yesterday. People pass on some lovely things and I am always happy to save things from landfill. Some people have some very odd ideas though. An acquaintance recently commented that she can't imagine bringing anything second hand into her home because "you don't know where it's been". Almost like cleaning products haven't been invented.... She was horrified that 90% of my wardrobe is from Vinted. Ah well, nowt so queer as folk as my grandpa used to say 🤣.

Photo of (perfectly fine) rescued bedside table that DS is delighted with:

Rainbow; At least half my clothes came from charity shops, plus a good part of my home furnishings.

Lovely bedside table @petitpasta

As a mostly factually-minded person (superstitions aside) I always think the " you dont know where its been" argument just doesn't stack up. Clothes we buy may have been tried on by other folk, hotel beds we stay in have been slept in by other people, baths and showers the same. Sitting on a seat on a bus, train, plane etc. Maybe some folk worry about bed bugs in linens or woodworm in old furniture which would at least make some sense.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I agree. I do get concerned about bedbugs as I stay in hotels a lot for work. I always keep my case zipped up and off the bed and always wash everything in it even if it's unworn. This acquaintance has a rather sneery way about her (which is why she's never made it across the friend line with me) and likes everyone to know how much she earns (a lot less than me, but she'll never know that!), and how much everything costs. A somewhat naughty friend takes great delight in finding her purchases on vinted and telling her how much it's worth second hand!

Bootcamp done and my trainer is going to take a look at my diet tomorrow as I have plateau'd on the weight loss. I keep reminding myself that I have lost 8 stone...but I would dearly love to shift another 3.

It's a lot cooler today so I have just sorted out the water bottle cupboard as it was becoming a bit of a head injury hazard! It was such a simple job but I have been so sapped by the heat that I haven't been able to muster the energy to do it.

I quite frequently have a port and lemonade. It’s due a revival as a drink I think.

a good half of our furniture came from fb marketplace. Chalk paint covers a multitude of sins I’ve found. Lovely bed side table! Excellent shape.

glad you are feeling a touch better RZW

and how nice to get something you like fixed rather than having to throw it away. I had a cheapish Casio with a bracelet strap-it’s probably worth £100 or something but I love it as wa sky dads. The wrap broke recently and I can’t find anyone that can fix it, and everyone I’ve been to just advised buying a new one as to get it fixed by actual Casio will cost loads-but I don’t want a new one as it’s got sentimental value. It’s so annoying.

a touch cooler on the farm today so far, though it says 29 later. We are preparing a shed for some Turkey Chicks who arrive later (from Bernard Matthews of all places), and I’ve just nettled my ankles a treat.

book club later which I can’t be bothered to go to at all (it’s The Girl With The Louding Voice which I finished but didn't get on with at all) and I’ve to give the woman-I-don’t -like-but -lives-near-me a lift. She is quite racist so I can imagine what she thought of the book :(

Happy Monday to all

Only 18 degrees here, so I was very surprised earlier when I was chatting with Dad in the garden we heard the combined harvester start up. Sure enough, harvest some has begun. This is the earliest I have ever known it and my parents have lived there for 45 years! We haven't even had any really hot weather, although as I stepped into the field the cracks in the earth really give away the dry summer we have had.

Sympathies re the book club @piscofrisco it sounds... trying. Also the 29 temp. Still such a huge 10+ degrees difference between those in the south / mid section of the UK and us in the 'North' North.

I have just made firm friends with a lady outside Sainsbury's after she asked me to help with her trolley. She had a stoma hernia like my Mum so we chatted for ages and I found out her life story. She's a singer and at 73 - with rather a lot of health issues - she went out all day last Saturday with pals, did an open mic event on the Saturday night, and upon getting off the metro at five past midnight, noticed the knees-up going on in our local hunting lodge so joined in the football party until 2am. She insisted we become facebook friends so I sent her a friend request. I've just seen that she has herself down as a content creator with thousands of followers. Amazing lady.

If anyone has a Sparks card, worth checking your offers, I had a £2 cashback on a Peanut Butter and jelly munch tin which is also cureently down from £10 ro £6.

28 here again too, I am at work and glad of it (aircon). Had a very busy and tiring weekend, mostly enjoyable.

That's a really nice table @petitpasta, great find!

Gosh that looks really dry @RainbowZebraWarrior. My garden is probably the same, I haven't had the energy to water the last week or so.

It's not been quite so hot today but still feeling quite stuffy now the sun's been on the back of the house for a while. I have ordered pasta to be delivered from Bella Italia which feels extremely lazy but it's too hot to cook in the kitchen and I feel like I need something substantial.

Had an interesting chat with my counsellor today about the house move and how it's nice to be choosing things like new furniture intentionally, with a plan, rather than having to buy in a rush, or buy the cheapest or end up with a load of things people have kindly donated (or in this house, having a mix of my own and the landlord's furniture). Went on a bit of a tangent about why I love mid century modern design... she's probably read something into it 😂

A coolish 23 degrees here with cloud cover. Feels thunder stormy. Sports day tomorrow so 🤞 for fine weather for that and not too hot

Oh and Sainsbury’s has a lush smelling candle. It’s in clearance so be quick (I know NVN!) but it’s gardenia rose citronella so helps keeps bugs away at night when sitting out on a balmy evening