It was a week of wild weather, working out of the office (but at least still in Wellington) and getting a good progress report from the physiotherapist. We also put the heat pump for the first time this season, dug out sweaters but also enjoyed some calm, sunny weather. The picture below was taken while I was waiting for the bus to go to Pilates on Saturday morning – quite a contrast to Thursday and Friday, and featured image at the top of the post was taken at 5:45pm this evening.
In the basket
The Wonky Box delivered up potatoes, carrots, some more of those little red kumara, 2 small leeks, a large purple kohlrabi (need to decide what to do with it), broccoli, a couple of aubergines (eggplants) and red capsicum and a bunch of basil, which had pretty much had its best by the time I opened the box. I topped this up with a tin of butter beans to go into Sunday’s dinner, a tin of sardines with lemon, a bunch of cavolo nero and bag of Brussels sprouts, 2 types of pears (the red ones are piqa boo), some chicken and a jar of Fix & Fogg almond everything butter with hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flaxseed and chia seeds just for a change.
Out and about
On Saturday evening, a friend and I went to the theatre to see the latest evening of work from the Royal New Zealand Ballet. It was a double bill, and two very different pieces. The evening opened with a My Brilliant Career, a dance interpretation of the famous book by Miles Franklin choreographed by Cathy Marston. To be honest, although it was beautifully danced, this piece left me cold. However, Loughlan Prior’s The Firebird is a wonderful piece full of energy, great choreography and dancing and is thrilling from start to finish. This is the second time I have seen it and enjoyed it as much this time around.
Simple things
- Enjoying a hot chocolate on Friday morning (and being served fabulous home made soup for lunch at the institution I was visiting).
- Hearing from an old friend I haven’t seen for years.
- Keeping cosy.
- Finding a really nice black wool sweater with 30% off.
- Spending time in the kitchen roasting vegetables for work lunches and something for a future blog post.
- Eating another fabulous BLAT at our local library cafe.
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.
- Anne of Something Over Tea shares some plants…and a donkey…before going on leave.
- Deb of Deb’s World embraces her word of the year.
- Meanwhile Sue reminds us to check for melanomas – something I need to do.
- And Natalie enjoys some gorgeous tulips.
- Travels Through My Lens takes us to Cannon Beach, Oregon.
- It is spring in Fred’s garden in France.
- Donna reminds us to use it or lose it over at Retirement Reflections.
- Mr Tootlepedal takes it (fairly) easy with lots of gorgeous photos.
- The Glasgow Gallivanter goes to West Yorkshire.
- Meanwhile The Travelsketcher enjoys life in The Pearl.
- Mr Platypus of Now I’m 64 visits pre-fab post-war housing.
- Jude of Cornwall in Colours shares little things in her garden.
- And…Jo shares more of her trip to the UK over at And Anyways…
- ..…and all the other lovely bloggers out there. Sorry if I have missed anyone…..
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.
Thistles and Kiwis 
Had to drop by and read your Small Pleasures post. I love them so. It’s fun to read how you are preparing for fall while I am a gardening fool. Stay warm and cozy and eat plenty of soup.
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Cosy and soup are the order of the day here! Yes I am planting bulbs and you are looking at the results 🙂
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Using it for breakfast right now!
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I have exactly the same design of black teapot that I can see behind your sandwich!
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It is nice isn’t it?
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We are going back down to nearly freezing here tonight, so keeping cosy is on our menu too.
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A cold snap for all!
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It could have been worse. Our local weather station says that it stayed half a degree above freezing.
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Congratulations on your good progress report from your physiotherapist.
You have a local library cafe? Seriously, what could be more perfect?!
Thank you for the shoutout! ❤
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Thank you! Yes – there is a little cafe next to our local library – such a lovely thing. The library in town has a cafe too – seems to be a thing here.
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Small pleasures are so important, they make the rough parts easier. I love Wellington, still remember my first time there many years ago, and of course multiple trips over the years. You get to work and live in such an amazing place.
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They do indeed! It is a great city in a beautiful part of the world.
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It sounds like a lovely week, but too bad about the ballet though. It seems like it should have been a highlight. I guess it’s always hit and miss with live theatre. Thanks so much again, Barbara for sharing my post!
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Half the ballet was very good – The Firebird – but disappointing first piece. Still, lovely to go to the theatre.
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We are still enjoying warm weather for May. Looking forward to cooler weather so we can light the fire place – simple pleasures.
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It was nice today with no need for the heat pump 🙂
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Like your list of Simple Things very much, specially the idea of hot chocolate on Friday morning. Happy to hear that you got a good progress report from the physiotherapist.
-Soma
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Thank you! Slowly getting there with my foot.
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I am dreaming of your hot chocolate and envying your cavalo nero; both of these remind me of my time in London. It is just too hot in Singapore for a hot chocolate, and there is no cavalo nero in sight! I have found a local grower who sometimes have rainbow chard (which I tried also in London, thanks to you) so that is something I look forward to.
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I can imagine it is too hot for hot chocolate having been to Singapore! Oh nice you can get rainbow chard.
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It started out a cool-ish rainy morning so Younger Child and I jumped at the chance to hot chocolate!
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Your veggie boxes always look so good as does that sandwich you had! Wild weather always makes one appreciate the good days so much more.
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Our little local cafe at the library is really good – the BLAT is excellent.
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