This week’s small pleasures #429

Thistles and Kiwis

Well….I heard from the physiotherapist this morning that I have fractured the fifth metatarsal bone, so to say the week has not started particularly well is a bit of an understatement. As I type, I have had a second X-ray and will get fitted with a moon boot at the physio tomorrow, then follow this up with a hospital visit in three or four weeks for a check up to see how it is healing.

Anyway, having Karl home has been a huge pleasure, hearing about his trip to Sweden, where he ate some good food and surprised his brothers in Stockholm by turning up at a dinner party.

I guess we are now in meteorological autumn, though to be quite frank, it still feels like summer. In fact, it is more like summer now than it was in January. This bee on the rather sad oregano plant is certainly enjoying the weather.

In the shopping basket

The Wonky Box delivered up another leek (are leeks the new avocados?), red onions (close second to being the new avocados), tomatoes, more green capsicum, kumara and (not shown) a bags each of green beans and rocket, and a bunch of basil. I supplemented this with two punnets of blueberries, what may be the last sweet corn of the season, flatto peaches, radishes, a small bunch of broccolini and….yes! Feijoas! The season is here for this fruit beloved by New Zealanders. I also could not resist this black truffle spread from Over The Moon, and popped some dill, lamb mince, smoked salmon and chicken into the basket.

Eating

Because of my ankle/foot, there have been no fun outings, though I did have a lunch of eggs Benedict with mushrooms at the café at our neighbourhood library, and we went to out to the local pub for food and drinks with friends on Saturday. I also had my first hot cross bun. Now I think you could only buy these wonderful spicy delights on Good Friday when I was a child, a theory corroborated by an old school friend. Any other folk out there remember something similar?

Anyway, we had some good sausages from our local butcher and potato salad on Sunday, a meal that sings of summer somehow. There was a spinach and tomato salad, and a carrot and radish one as well. I used up one of the smaller leeks this evening, softening them in olive oil, then using them to stuff the chicken breasts along with softened baby spinach, basil, and garlic cream cheese. Very good they were too, with the broccolini on the side.

Simple things

  • Listening to my niece Helen on this podcast from Outrage and Optimism.
  • Appreciating summer days.
  • Going to Pilates on Saturday morning, doing exercises not involving my foot/ankle – it lifted my spirits and got me a good stretch.
  • Hearing cicadas, kākā and of course, ubiquitous gulls.
  • Looking forward to all the cultural events coming up in the next few weeks – moon boot or no moon boot!
  • Spotting another dahlia when I got home from work.

What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life. Also entered in the weekend coffee share hosted by Natalie.

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis.

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

42 Comments

  1. I empathise with you, having broken my foot more years ago than I care to remember! I hope your bone will mend well and that you will soon be able to get around without any discomfort.

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  7. The moon boot will help you get around. I should have sought help when I rolled my foot. Hobbling on it for 8 weeks didn’t help!

    And yes, hot cross buns seem to be on sale all year. No longer the treat they were. Home made are the best though, unless you have a good bakery.

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  9. Oh Barbara I am so sorry to hear about your broken bone. Those bones are so easy to break. I am hoping and praying for a speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing my post. Have a wonderful week.

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  14. The 5th metatarsal is the most common one to break and takes a while to heal . . . you are lucky to live in the era of the moonboot . . . have had three gfs who had no choice but to manage without . . . the fact all were doctors did not count > broken is broken 😦 !

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  16. I am so sorry to hear about your foot. A friend had the same thing happen a few years ago. She was just standing on her tippy toes to reach a box in her closet. Those bones are really easy to break. My sister in law broke her wrist Thursday. Luckily it was not her dominant hand but still such a nuisance. The Hot Cross Bun looks delicious. Have a great week. I’m wishing for you a speedy recovery.

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  18. Oh I love a good hot cross bun Barbara!! My daughter won’t buy them before Easter but I often get them as a treat. I do hope your foot improves, how long do you need to wear the boot for?

    Take care and yes it still feels like summer here too! But no complaints 🙂

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  19. Happiness is starting the day with a tea or coffee in a Moomin mug. Yesterday was (World or National?) Hot Cross Bun day, which I find weird as I would have thought it was Good Friday….

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  21. Sorry to hear about your foot injury. Wishing you a speedy recovery. The oregano and dahlia flowers are so pretty. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.

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