The Year Round Nigel Slater Discussion Thread - Part 7

[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

N.B. The Christmas Chronicles thread proper will start on 23rd October, ready for the book beginning on 1st November and will be linked to on this thread. We will follow along and comment on the diary-entry style content as it unfolds over the course of the winter.

Checking in so I can find the cosiest corner of Mumsnet when the other thread is full

Parking myself in the corner with a cake and some embroidery.

Shove up, @Bimblesalong , I’ve got my knitting

Great stuff, @HeinousBeaker I'll light us a Nigelly candle. Maybe an imaginary Trudon (they're not as expensive as real Trudons).

Oh I accidentally changed my name. I think I was Celia the banshee on the previous one although that is pretty dated now. A change is as good as a rest and all

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior for continued threads, here with a cup of tea and a piece of cake 😊

Popping in from the other thread :)

Are you allowed to say popping, given the eye situation @piscofrisco 😁? (I’ll get my coat).

Checking in with a more season-appropriate name change. Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior

Late to the thread this year but checking in!

Morning all.

I've finished off the last thread and left any folk landing there a pointer to this new thread, as well as a reminder that the Christmas Chronicles thread begins on Friday. I have my lovely signed book here, although it does still have leaves pressing among the pages courtesy of DD. Thankfully, I also have another copy (tbough the signed one is meant to be my 'stunt' copy!)

Anyway hope you all are well. Almost half term here. Can't come quick enough!

Haha is HeinousBeaker a rhyme for the famous other beaker a few years ago on MN? 😂

@sueelleker I saw your question about the cashews on the last thread, I've tried the honey and lime ones and found them a bit sweet but I do prefer my nuts with very savoury additions!

Normal work today. Have accidentally signed up to two online events at the same time this evening - one about architecture/ new towns and one about hypermobility - but both are being recorded so I'll catch up on the other later.

Ha! It might be best avoided. I actually said ‘I’ll keep an eye on him ‘ yesterday at work to much hilarity. The best one of those I ever said however was when I was managing a y care agency and I was on the phone to a clients wife who loved with him in a very isolated farmhouse. He was a wheelchair user who had had both legs amputated at the knee. He had fallen off his chair and wedged himself between bed and radiator and I was trying to suggest ways she could help him before the carer Id sent could arrive. After suggesting lots of options to no avail I actually said ‘well I don’t know what else we can try, I’m stumped’. Stumped 🫣 Then to make matters worse I realised what I’d said and got the giggles and had to hand the phone to someone else. It was not my finest hour as a care manager.

Up early and have made a Thai green curry for everyones dinner(feeling guilty about the time I’m not at home doing home things due to Troy Nigel Frisco). Have heated my eye and about to go and see the old ‘oss and move about 50 bales of Hay so he can get in his proper stable before the wind starts tomorrow.

Just realised it’s mums birthday next week and a dear friends and I’ve got presents for neither and no ideas. One is 83 and one is 55 and stylish. Anyone any suggestions? I want to avoid scarf/candle/ jewellery bits as that’s what I always end up giving them. That said I’d be thrilled with any of those things myself so maybe it’s not too bad to stick with the tried and tested. I suppose I will be getting horse related things now forevermore (which to be fair will also be lovely)

Have a lovely Wednesday all

Oh Lord, the beaker!

The ‘Stunt copy’ of CC also reminds me of a thread I was on years ago About people having staged fruit bowls to look nice when visitors came and someone said they always had a ‘stunt pineapple’. I always think of it when I see one.

Oh you've properly made me laugh this morning @piscofrisco. There's a thread in trending on here at the moment titled 'Finger amputation need a handhold' which made me think "ouch, surely you don't want someone holding your hand when you've just had a finger amputated"....

Are there any magazines your mum or friend might like a subscription to for six months? A book, nice tea and fancy chocolates?

Oh that’s a good idea for Mum-Thankyou @martha79
The finger thread! 😂

Checking in to new thread. Thanks as ever @RainbowZebraWarrior
RiopleDog has developed an unhealthy obsession with his backside, as in furiously licking it (sorry if you’re eating breakfast). Need to phone the vet.
Pilates and Yoga this morning, first time since having Covid (?).
@piscofrisco
We are also having Thai green curry tonight but it’s from a jar so NVN at all. Oh, and I’ll be using microwave rice so very very NVN! I imagine convenience food is not a thing chez Nigel.

Morning! Slept very solidly last night, which is usual after my jab and a cocktail of bedtime antihistamines, paracetamol and anti nausea tablets. Let’s see how today goes. Glad it’s in there and cooking though.

yes @martha79 I thought the same for the poor woman’s title. A good friend went through chemo a few years ago and couldn’t cold cap, so lost all her hair. She was back at work hairless but in a wig. She gets on very well with all the team and thought it was hilarious when one of the lads said “keep your hair on!” after an issue and immediately flushed scarlet.

Could RippleDog have worms?

I always used microwave rice @RipplePlease6because I cannot cook rice successfully. I’ve tried many times and it’s never right.

I also remember a thread about stunt teatowels. The ones we all have out for show whilst using the holey ones for everyday.

Oh Lordy at the beaker revisitation and amputated fingers etc. Hehe. When I used to take a blind lady shopping. I was forever saying things like "Watch your step here" "See what you think" (about trying a new product) or "You might Look at it differently now" if it was something she hadn't tried in a while. I felt like the harder I tried not to, the more I said things like look / see / watch. I'm sure she didn't care a fig, but I always felt like a total plonker.

The light is beautiful here today but I still can't quite capture the colours quite right. Here's an attempt anyway.

Oh and chicken curry in the show cooker here which will also be had with microwave wholegrain rice. I've also been to Aldi. Didn't grab the lime ones but have got some hot honey cashews instead.

That's the one! It makes me laugh :)

You really didn't have a leg to stand on with that one did you @piscofrisco

@Bimblesalong I used to work somewhere about 30 years ago where there was a chap that wore a very obvious wig, there did used to be a bit of joking about it behind his back but nothing unkind, imagine how hard it was not to have hysterics when he won a hairdryer in the works Christmas raffle.

@piscofrisco not sure what your gift budget is but I did spot some marbled rechargeable usb lights on someone's Instagram post last night and thought they looked lovely and quite useful for a time when you want cosy atmospheric lighting but don't want to burn a candle. I think they were probably amazon purchases but they may well be available elsewhere. The ones on Amazon that I looked at last night were between £20 and £40.

My other go to purchase is a homemade hamper of little treats. Always seems to go down well.

Hello everyone! Thanks for the new thread @RainbowZebraWarrior

I have a new cross stitch to start. But more complicated than the last one. So we will see