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!

After I dropped DD off this morning I stopped at the big Tesco near the station (it’s not our usual station which is on a different line but one about half an hour away and we haven’t got a big Tesco near us. I enjoyed a flat white and bacon roll in the cafe then had a little wander (I love supermarkets) and found these beautiful napkins and paper plates that I just had to buy even though I don’t need them

Scream away @RainbowZebraWarrior , it's so cathartic! And this is just the place to come to when bad stuff is happening and you need to rant. It's such a supportive corner of Mumsnet!

@EphemeraleEudemonia what fantastic photographs! It was fascinating to read your account of the festival.

Thanks @Confusedmeanderings ❤️

Those plates and napkins are so pretty @ElegantDresses I have a bit of a thing for both. I do use the napkins sometimes for decoupage.

Really want to hop on the train to Seaham this morning as the next few weeks are going to be manic, but then again I feel so tired.

Hope it doesn't get too hot for you all today.

Happy Friday!

Those are lovely @ElegantDresses

It's already feeling quite warm and I'm somewhat dreading next week. I've ordered a neck fan as a few people have said they're really good.

Had my Long COVID clinic appointment this morning which was helpful - have a plan to do more of their various rehab courses/ activities over the rest of the year. And very impressed that she talked about remembering to do nice/ fun things in the midst of everything else. I'm being referred to the English National Opera's 'Breathe' programme as we've realised that my woodwind playing and singing background means my breathing has seemed 'normal' but actually isn't back to anywhere near where it was pre-COVID.

Got some washing to hang out, a music lesson to teach shortly, then a few bits like online yoga to drop into during the day.

Enquired about a couple of houses yesterday - one has a 1970s/80s pink bathroom which is somehow both wonderful and horrendous 😂

Good news about the long covid clinic and options going forward @martha79 I filled in a questionnaire about a forthcoming appointment I have. It's about my knee primarily, but have made it very clear that I have been deeply disappointed that I was discharged in general despite my many ongoing problems after Rheumatology decided that they "don't deal with EDS anymore" (and neither does any other Dept apparently)

I love me a 70s bathroom. I saw one once with a turquoise basin, pink toilet and mint green bath. It was epic! Less attractive is the avocado green, or, like my ex's bathroom, Maroon!

Thanks for The Island recommendation with Stephen Mangan (Again I have forgotten who) I am listening on the train sniggering out loud.

I know someone with a dark brown 70s bathroom suite, where you have to step down into the bath. It's glorious.

Have just been out to water the garden before it gets any hotter. Hydrangeas and honeysuckle are looking lovely.

Fabulous photos @EphemeraleEudemonia and lovely garden pics @martha79. Good luck with the house hunting - I'm a great believer in what's for you won't go by you, your house is out there somewhere and you will find it. In the meantime, sorting out stuff sounds like a very therapeutic way of doing something when there is not very much to do yet. The more you can do now, the less you will have to do when the move finally comes around. A pink bathroom is NVN, but if you google pink bathrooms there are some surprisingly attractive ones so I wouldn't let that put you off - you can Nigel it up (actually he has a rectangular wooden tub and an armchair in his so I'm not sure that's his most aspirational room anyway!)

Wonderful photos @EphemeraleEudemonia and thankyou for sharing so much knowledge.

keep going, @martha79 when we were looking for our first house at the end of the 80s, we happened upon a black and pink bathroom (black suite). Put us right off!

Stay cool, all. I have ds arriving later and have made a decision I may regret later to strip the sofa cushion covers and wash them. I figure they’ll dry fast, have a quick press and ds can help me put them back on.

meanwhile, here’s the latest progress on my blanket. I love it! A few rows to go, then blocking.

That blanket is astonishing @Bimblesalong - simply stunning! I wouldn't know where to begin. And so beautifully photographed too, among the roses. A tense day here as DD finishes her Masters thesis and true to form she is going right up to the deadline having worked through the night. I can't relax until she presses send. DS and I have been tiptoeing around - he arrived back home from Berlin in the early hours after his plane was delayed by thunderstorms so it was a very strange night. No one has slept properly and DD not at all. To cap it all, it's 34 degrees here.

@Bimblesalong that blanket is simply stunning! I can sew ball gowns but crochet is a dark art to me.

@RainbowZebraWarrior sorry to hear that the hospital staff were ar$es yesterday. No need for that, healthcare people should aleays remember that their world reality is someone else's new and horrible world reality.

I ordered some new pretty knobs for a set of drawers I have and they've arrived but the screws are too long so I need to find somewhere to buy some more. Think I will need to brave B&Q.

On a more positive note, I went to the gym this morning and ended up being the only one there so I had a PT session all to myself. The bad news is that there was nowhere to hide so my trainer pushed me and i went up on all my weights. Ouch!

However on my return the postman had delivered a beautiful Vinted find. Aren't they gorgeous? Tag says £40 and I paid £10. They're a beautiful navy blue velvet and will be perfect for winter events.

What an incredibly beautiful blanket @Bimblesalong You are very talented indeed!

Also stunning shoes @petitpasta I love a loafer. I had a gorgeous burgundy leather soled pair from Next circa 1990. Saw someone selling some on Vinted recently, but they are understandably a bit old and worn looking.

Actually, the blanket and the shoes match rather well.

Hope you can all relax and enjoy the weekend once that Send button is pressed @LillianGish

Shattered here. I really shouldn't have pushed myself to go to Seaham. Everything hurts so much. Still, at least it's the weekend.

I’m delurking to tell you all what a lovely corner of the internet you’ve created. @martha79 please can I have honeysuckle do’s and don’ts.

I’ve been to the garden centre today and I’m already looking forward to going to bed with the scent of the very hashed together hanging baskets wafting in the window.

Thanks all, it’s by an amazing designer, Janie Crowe. I love working with cotton yarn in the summer.

welcome @MaryasBible - I’m also looking forward to honeysuckle guidance.

@LillianGish I hope that button has been pressed and you’re all celebrating with something cool. It sounds impossibly hot / rainy there (my friend is there for a few days working, gathering experiences to write about for the blog he writes for one of the rive gauche hotel groups).

amazing shoes @petitpasta what a gorgeous blue! It’ll be lovely to hear about the places they take you.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I hope you can relax and cool off. Long term health conditions are a bugger. I’m minding my spoons ahead of a trip out tomorrow, which may include some VN viewing. It’s close and humid here and set to be warmer.

DH has helped me with the sofa covers, so that at least smells fresh and is helping with relaxation!

That really is a lovely blanket @Bimblesalong

Really nice shoes @petitpasta

Welcome @MaryasBible - I'm no honeysuckle expert, it was there when I moved in, but I believe they like their flowers in the sun and some shade around their roots. I think mine is in a bit too much direct sun and needs a lot of watering.

Had various bits of food to use up tonight and ended up with sort of tapas - there was some fried chorizo, new potatoes from the garden, some leftover chickpea and tomato stew sort of thing, avocado and roasted peppers.

Had some sad news from the quilt group last night, one of our members was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about six weeks ago, died on Monday. In first world problems we were running a Chinese Whispers Quilt block project... Quilter no1 receives a topic and makes a block,Quilter no 2 receives the blook and makes another inspire by the block they have received. I took her slot when she was first poorly and obviously she was not well enough to make hers, so I have just finished her block tonight. She was as neat as a pin, and I hoped that I would be be as soignee and elegant as her when I grew up...

I have to hoick my sewing machine on the bus up to Blackheath tomorrow, so think of me with my machine, quilt kit and 2 pints of milk as I am on kitchen duty tomorrow... we have been sent some choc biscuits, but I will have an emergency lemon drizzle cake and a ginger cake... just in case they biscuit are in bloom!

I’m very sorry to hear this @LatteLady I hope that the meeting is full of good memories of your quilting friend. Her loved ones will have tangible items for memories that she has made with her own hands.

It’s a beautiful day here. The scent of the roses across the front of the house is wafting into my bedroom.

Morning all

That's very sad @LatteLady, it's such a brutal disease. Sounds like you will have some nice memories of her.

It's not quite as hot as I was expecting this morning, breezy and a bit of cloud. I've got my bedding washed and out on the line and have been to the parcel lockers to drop off a couple of Vinted sales. The local city farm have their summer festival today and would like to pop round there for a while, but will see how energy levels go. Sometimes I can hear the music just as well from my garden!

Have booked to go early morning outdoor swimming again tomorrow with a friend, which I'm really looking forward to.

I'm also very sorry to hear about such sad news @LatteLady

I spent a happy half hour in the garden at ridiculous o clock this morning. Just me and the birds, exactly how I like it. Had to put the garden bin out and it wasn't quite full, so did some more pruning. Agree about the scent of the roses this morning @Bimblesalong I cut a few for the hallway. They are so abundant this year!

It still looks beautiful out there, and my washing is now happily swaying in the breeze, but nothing beats the light just after sunrise. Can't believe it's summer Solstice tomorrow!

Sorry to hear about your friend @LatteLady, pancreatic cancer still has one of the very worst prognoses, I know 2 people who were taken by it rapidly and far too young. I do know that a lot of research is going on, with some encouraging results.

Two weeks since my keyhole surgery and I should be officially 'back to normal' but I haven't got rid of the persistent back pain. Soon, I hope!

Just about to head to my favourite shop for a leaving gift for a colleague who is retiring - the challenge will be to leave with just the gift and nothing else!

Sorry for your loss @LatteLady. That was the Diagnosis that took my dad, aged 59. Such a brutal disease. I hope your quilting day goes well. I love the image of you womanhandling a sewing machine on to a bus.

I completely forgot we have tickets for Karl Jenkins tomorrow. The Armed Man too, one of my favourite pieces. Could have been an expensive mistake!

It's an odd day here, cloudy, constant threat of rain but hot and humid. Nor helping my mood. Also not helping my mood is my book club read. Not my cup of tea at all and I am at the resentment reading stage where I just want it finished. It's Verity by Colleen Hoover if anyone wants to avoid it

Really glad people liked the festival photos. London is a huge cultural melting pot and sharing each others festivities, especially with food, makes for cohesion.

My brain's always been split between liking muted colors and elegance, and multi colored and shiny excess!

@LatteLady sorry to hear about your quilting friend, life can be so cruel. Good luck with that lot on the bus.
Hello to @MaryasBible and @Bimblesalong as always in deep admiration of your crochet. That blanket is amazing.
@leporello hope your back gets better soon. @RainbowZebraWarrior Nice news about DD's writing and your video.

Oh dear, @petitpasta , I thought the Colleen Hoover madness was over - very summer 2024. What next, 50 Shades of Grey? NO shame in not finishing a book you aren't enjoying, better luck with the next choice.

Right, I am back from quilting, we were doing Foundation Paper Quilting... it has fried my brain. However, I am now feeling a bit grown up, J who died, helped M one of our 90yr+ quilter's with hand sewing and when were told she was poorly, I said to M, that I would love to help her. Well, she has brought me in a quilt to do the binding on... it is lovely. M has an eye condition, can still work with a machine but the finer sight skills are no longer possible. I feel like a proper quilting grown up... M is a quilting treasure, she did a trunk show a couple of months back and showed us quilts she had made over the years, but each month, she still shares her new work at our quilt days... she now makes them mostly for family and the Linus Project.

Tomorrow will be the first day of the lawn mower getting its run out... have just topped up the patio ponds, and there is a fabulous iris flaunting herself and the tip I had seen about using store bought packs of water cress and scattering it in the ponds is paying dividends in keeping the algae in check... not gone but much reduce. I might spends a few hours sewing in the garden, with a cold glass, there are kids playing a few gardens away and their laughter is just nourishing.

It stayed overcast but warm and muggy here till about 5pm, so having sat around the house and garden all day I randomly decided to go to Ikea and had a nice drive out (it was quiet both on the roads and in the store).

I did some baking this morning, which was nice, banana&choc chip and date&walnut loaves, will be taking the latter round to my Dad tomorrow for Father’s Day

@LatteLady that sounds a wonderful and meaningful session. How your lives have intersected.

We have had a VN day. Ds2 is back for the weekend and joined dh and I on a trip I’d planned for DH’s Father’s Day treat. I managed to get an extra seat for the concert I’d booked so Ds sat close-ish to us. We started with an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints at The Whitworth. Terrific exhibition , very well curated, including a copy of Hokusai’s Wave as well as some astonishing hand sewn work on a kimono. Ds loved it. Then we took him for tapas at a place I enjoy in the gay village which was very lively. We split up for a bit for shopping (& a great haircut for Ds at a barber he likes), after which we met up for a concert by Arooj Aftab at the Bridgewater Hall. South Asian music with pared back jazz themes and lyrics inspired by Sufi philosophy (although in Urdu). She was accompanied by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Vvvn day!! I love that Ds was very content to join us for our trip - never a dull moment with us!