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!

Ah @RainbowZebraWarrior im so sorry to hear that about your dad. Too much of that nonsense around with our loved ones.

The book is lovely. It was a favourite of mine as a child. That lovely cover colour and illustration ❤️

@RainbowZebraWarrior
I’m very sorry to hear that you’ve had bad news about your Dad.
Seeing beauty and joy as much as possible is how we all need to live.

Flowers, my VN tea bowl collection and a gift of a drawing of the beloved hound given by my mum.

I'm sorry about your Dad @RainbowZebraWarrior . I had that book as a child too, had forgotten all
about it.

@piscofrisco DD is in the Queen Anne enclosure

So sorry to hear about your Dad @RainbowZebraWarrior . Sending big hugs and virtual flowers. 💐

Our hedgehog is back in the house! I was sitting quietly in the sitting room reading and started to hear a rattling and bashing noise from the kitchen. I knew it wasn't the cat because he was stretched out on the sofa, so I crept in to see what was happening and there he was! He was flipping the cat's food dish over so that he could eat the biscuits. As soon as he realised I was there, he tried to squeeze under the cabinets, but he has grown considerably since last year, and he no longer fits underneath. That made him very easy to catch! I've taken him down to the bottom of the garden and told him that he has to find his own house!

Cheeky boy @Confusedmeanderings !

A few days ago I heard one of our cats yowling very loudly in the house. Found her at the bottom of the stairs standing over a hedgehog. Yikes! I called DS who has a keen interest in wildlife and he rolled his eyes and said "it's a cuddly toy Mum".

Well silly me and silly cat! From behind it looked extremely realistic, from DS's (face) side it did look like a cuddly toy. Turned out to be one that DD had brought back from uni, DCat must have got it out of her bag. We do get them in the garden most night so it wasn't unfeasible.

Thanks all ❤️ Some difficult and busy times ahead juggling appointments etc.

Oh I love your Hedgehog @Confusedmeanderings and always secretly want him to live in your house properly (but I know that actually probably wouldn't be very pleasant)

Loving your Hedgehog story too @ElegantDresses

Lovely photo @Bimblesalong Thanks for reminding me that I have one of those large botanical candles in my conservatory. Best get it moved before it melts in the forthcoming heat.

Rain here today before the heatwave begins tomorrow. I don't quite know what to do as I am trying to think of getting my house in order so to speak before things kick off.

Also. Well done lads for last night's sterling effort!

Have a good day all.

Wasn’t it great last night @RainbowZebraWarrior - I missed the first half picking DD up from the Ascot train but caught the second half. DS went to a pub to watch it and thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Sorry to hear about your Dad @RainbowZebraWarriorsending you lots of love.
I also had that book! Gorgeous.

I hope you shift went well @thebabesavedme.We live opposite a very rowdy pub and it literally sounded like we were in the the stadium last night. Apparently a load of RAF types has come from the base to watch the game on their big tv in the garden. Lots of very loud antics til 1am when there was a fight and the po po turned up to disperse them. One rowdy boozer in our town and we have the great misfortune to live opposite it.

im very envious of your organising @petitpastaour house is nearing getting out of hand as DH is a nightmare in this regard. At some point soon I’m going to have to devote a weekend to decluttering.

lovely tea pic @Bimblesalongvery Nigel worthy.

I’ve slept very badly and feel exhausted. Work today then must come home and pack for France, pack thighs to take to work tomorrow as I am going directly to Harry Styles from there, and do some house bits as we leave early on Saturday morning.
Very muggy here and tomorrow set to be 30 degrees at work . Eesh

have a lovely Thursday

Sorry to hear about your dad @RainbowZebraWarrior, I'll be thinking about you and him.

Lovely flowers @Bimblesalong

What a cheeky hedgehog @Confusedmeanderings. I had one making a nest in my garden a few years ago, took me a moment to figure out what was dragging little branches across the lawn!

Was awake very early but my main task today is house viewing this afternoon so I'm back in bed for now.

We were in the Queen Anne @ElegantDressesin the Furlong restaurant . I hope she enjoys the rest of her time.

I enjoyed the game but I don’t think we will get very far with defence that shaky. We will see.

And the hedgehog! Absolutely love a little hedge pig. Well done for rescuing him @Celiathebansheethough I imagine he would rather the comforts of your kitchen then the woodpile. Saucy little fellow coming in like that.

Sorry about your dad @RainbowZebraWarrior, must feel weird seeing all the Clarkson stuff in the media at such a time. Thinking of you.

I've just walked to the station through a blanket of thick fog (go back to autumn ffs!) and from the gloom a crowd of pastel colours and big hats suddenly materialised - a lovely mood changer. Hope they all enjoy Ladies' Day.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Will be thinking of you. That book looks lovely, and your light up walking stick is just great.

We’ve had a tricky time of it here and I’m feeling rather worried and tired out. My dd is displaying some difficult behaviour (she’s awaiting a SEN diagnosis) that’s hard to manage and leaves me feeling all sorts of not great things. On the up side she’s starting reception in September and had her first visit to school yesterday, and really enjoyed it. She sat really well for story time, which her nursery says she struggles with, and she didn’t want to leave at the end, so that’s all good.

Have managed to catch the thread up again. Apologies that I can't keep up properly at the moment.

@RainbowZebraWarrior Great stick. Sorry to hear about your neighbors daughter and your garden, but most especially, your Dads diagnosis. Fingers very crossed.
Welcome back@MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset and a belated hello to
@PeachMelbaRose Nice to see you@Seasidebubbles and good to hear you're on the mend @Bimblesalongand@leporello.
@piscofrisco am quietly so glad you're keeping the job, and @martha79 wishing you luck with the new home hunting.

Things are very complicated here on several levels, including a scary total dearth of work, and a lot of unfun medication and monitoring, but it's lovely to see and hear about travels, quilts, sculptural crochet, music, cats, bees, honey, art installations, Ascot, books, hedgehogs et al.

NVN but some of what's going on around while he's being splendidly minimal:

Photo's don't do justice, but it's is an annual (mainly Sri Lankan/Malaysian) Hindu Chariot festival, happily taking place on a main arterial road into London, and around the side streets. London traffic and buses mainly manage, to just get on un-directed with going round it. (Police come and hold traffic for a very short moment, after which it's left to get on with it)

If it interests anyone, from a non devotee's perspective: the first part of the event takes place in the temple, before deity Lord Murugan (top center) God of war and wisdom, (Ganesh's younger brother) is ceremoniously brought out of the temple and after his consort joins him, and rituals (that I don't understand but are clearly important) have taken place, placed in the chariot.
They're then heavily garlanded, lots of incense, many coconuts broken, (to do with putting aside human ego) and many offerings made; the chariot and occupants gets hauled round the block by the crowd with two ropes. One pulled by men, the other by women (impeccably folded saris remaining un-crumpled!) with lot of chocks for the slopes and slight dramas avoiding clipping parked cars.
Traditional musicians and instruments accompany it, along with prayers, mantras, sung praises and many blessings.
Once the Lord Murugan and consort is back in the temple, lots of good vegetarian food is served roadside.
It's quite tame next to some of the larger temples celebrations, but very real, and non devotee, non Tamil speaking, vegetarians, are most wonderfully welcomed.

Still on a high from the football last night! What a match and what a second half.
It’s already hot here.
Lots to do for MIL’s surprise 80th birthday party on Saturday…

@EphemeraleEudemonia I'm going to come back and read that properly later, sounds fascinating (I live in a very non-diverse part of the UK). I'm sorry things are difficult generally at the moment, this thread is indeed a source of comfort.

@PeachMelbaRose my DCs are 22 and 20 now but are both ND and I understand you feeling anxious. I've been on MN since the eldest was about 5 and have had so much support from other parents of ND children on threads like this as well as info from the SN threads, although they are much quieter now. My eldest (DS) was diagnosed with autism and dyspraxia aged 8 (it being obvious there was something since about age 1) and we went through the EHCP process, he has now been away to uni and is at home again working, youngest (DD) with dyslexia diagnosed at primary school and ADHD aged 19 - she's the one working at Royal Ascot this week. Happy to talk, as I am sure are others.

Not such a bad thing seeing all the Clarkson stuff on the same day @leporello Made us all feel a bit less alone in it all. The medics these days love to tell you all the worst case scenarios though eh? Dad just needs a bit of a bloody break (we all do, tbh) as I hwve to have him to hospital at 7am on Monday for a much needed and far too long waited for operation. I then have to race back home to take DD to school at 7.45. It always makes me laugh when hospitals ask about your support network! We need him to have some recovery time after that. He's booked to talk things though with the GP tomorrow as quite honestly, the person from hospital yesterday was just a robotic arsehole.

Went to the beach this morning, but it is too busy for me now and I just feel unreasonably resentful that people seemingly are in my place and my face. Quite frankly I really CBA with speaking to people. Limited spoons and mental / physical energy at the best of times mean that I limit interactions. I just wanted to scream at the ocean (makes a change from the Sistine Chapel, eh?) I might need to find a deserted hillside instead.

I am sitting in KFC with a sodding England shirt on. They are playing Three Lions and I am just sitting here crying alone. FS.

Ooh. Apologies. Bit dark, ranty and slightly sweary, but cathartic for me.

<composes self>

Lovely to hear from you @EphemeraleEudemonia and what amazing photos. Sorry to hear of general work and health crap-ness though. Sending hugs and the best possible vibes from me. I shall ask the Universe to send you something positive.

@PeachMelbaRose I've been through it all with DD (and myself) assessment and diagnosis wise (oh we have alllll the Neurodivergent boxes ticked here) Sending hugs and strength. My best advice would be that if school are supporting, that's great. If they aren't, don't waste two years hoping they might step up. Don't beat scared to move her if you think it isn't the best fit. Above all else, it is a scary and exhausting time / process so if you want to rant, please do. I agree that the SEN boards are quite quiet here these days, but there are still some useful threads here and there, including DLA should you ever need to apply.

Huge hugs to you @RainbowZebraWarrior. I think it is totally acceptable to scream at the sea, or into a pillow, or in the woods or something.

That looks so wonderful @EphemeraleEudemonia - thanks for sharing with us.

House viewing cancelled as the tenant has "refused access" (which they are entirely within their rights to do, but it's frustrating it was on the day). They're going to phone me back when they have another date. I should narrow down my long list to find another few to enquire about though.

Have spent the last couple of hours clearing out clothes instead and putting some stuff into the bags I can post back to Oxfam and some on Vinted (although if that doesn't sell by the time I move it'll also go to charity).

Fab photos @EphemeraleEudemonia would love to see that in the wild!

Oh gosh, so many good and bad things going on for you all! Being a proper grown up is so tough. And you never feel that you are ready for it.

I hope nobody minds me saying, but in a very gentle way I had a fantastic career experience today. It is (in what is now a reasonably long career) the first time I have ever been in court on an amicus brief. It was so exciting, and I genuinely felt I was doing something useful for a change (in my specialism the work can feel very Sisyphean and you don't really feel like you are doing any good). I'm so glad I got the opportunity to do it.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I used to walk my dogs in a park in London which was beautiful, deserted in winter but in summer you couldn't swing a dead cat. I always thought there should be a system where you could use it as many days in summer as you also used it in winter. So if you didn't go in the winter you couldn't hang out there in summer.

Hey @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset absolutely shout from the rooftops about your brilliant career experience. All positive stories very welcome and it's also great to share. Very pleased for you.
I used to joke with another beach goer about similar in that we used to say to each other back in November, December and January that we should get 'beach credits'

That sounds so frustrating @martha79 I remember booking to view a flat years ago and the tenants refused access at the last minute. I ended up buying the flat directly across the road. Their flat was up for sale for the whole four years I lived there and nobody ever got access. Hope something lovely comes up for you soon. Again, I shall ask the Universe.

I will now balance out my earlier woes with my own positive news. DD received a letter today from Young Writers that her poem will be published in a book called I Have a Dream 2026 - Future Worlds, a copy of which will be sent to the British Library where it will be kept forever. She's also still in with a chance of winning one of the top prizes. All of this came about as she signed up some months ago for a creative writing course on Friday lunchtimes at school. To date, she is the only pupil attending, so is essentially getting one to one tuition. School have said they will be buying a copy of the book for her to keep.

I also got a lovely email saying that my videos for Disability Pride were amazing.

@RainbowZebraWarrior so sorry to hear about your dad. Mine had a tough diagnosis just before my DD was born. Thankfully he made a pretty good recovery after some brutal treatment and surgery. He's a very special dad and it sounds as though yours is too. Scream away if it helps. Sending tea, cake and hugs xx