This week’s small pleasures #158

This week’s small pleasures is coming to you on Sunday as I am off travelling for work again on Monday and Tuesday. I’m sure you agree that it has been some week in the news. I believe that at times like this, it is even more important to look for the good things that are in our lives. You don’t need to hide your head in the sand from all that is going on around, but take some time, and look around you for all those little things that make you smile.

It was our 15th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, and we celebrated by having dinner at Wellington institution, Ortega Fish Shack. I started with Yellow King Fish ceviche, which was so full of flavour and just right, and then had the steamed blue warehou (a fish) with beluga lentils, celeriac and clams (see below). Karl had the duck liver pâté and the steak frites which was apparently one of the best steaks he had ever had. It was a perfect way to celebrate.

This Friday saw the Strike for Climate Action in New Zealand (some schools had exams last week). There were far more people, of all ages, than on previous marches, and it was really an impressive turn out. Both the Civic Square and the area around Parliament were packed tight with people.

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It is well known by regular readers of this blog that I love my Saturday morning routine: it really sets me up for the weekend. This week I enjoyed the smoked salmon toast at Squirrel, as well as these gorgeous poppies that were dotted about on the tables. Such a perfect start to the day.

Being visited by our neighbours’ cat again on Saturday was lovely on one level, in that he likes to come and lie in the sunshine, ‘help’ with tidying up the garden, and just look cute. However, he is so eager to get into the house and help himself to Charlie’s food that we need to watch him carefully. Charlie of course does not want him about as you can see below.

It was warm enough on Saturday to sit outside and read for a while – if that is not a small pleasure I don’t know what is!

And that’s it for this week. What were your small pleasures?

Thanks to Mani over at A New Life Wandering for the original idea.

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