This week’s small pleasures #213

So here we are on a rather grey, windy and rainy Monday, and time to recall the small pleasures of the week and ignore the weather outside. First up, of course, we have to mention Jacinda Ardern being elected for a second term. The results are still preliminary, with special votes still to be counted, but The Electoral Commission is aiming to release the full results of the election and the referendums at 2pm on Friday November 6. There was 82.5% voter turnout (yes really!) and 55% of the Labour seats are now held by women.

For the first time this year, I took a work trip, and flew up to New Plymouth. The photo below was taken at Wellington Airport on Tuesday while I was waiting for my flight, hence the reminder of 5 days to vote (elections are held on Saturdays here). You may wonder why I think going on a work trip is a small pleasure, but it was great to get on a plane and fly somewhere after many months.

Of course, no TWSP post would be complete without some mention of food. I had a lovely Dahl Makhani with kidney beans and coconut at Arranged Marriage in New Plymouth, an avocado toast on Saturday at Squirrel, and of course, Thursday’s wonderful meal at Field & Green that you can read about here. On Saturday I picked up some aubergines (eggplants) to make moussaka, asparagus because it is the season, and another kohlrabi. There was lemony goat cheese to slather on bread, and pecorino to go in the sauce on top of the moussaka, and of course, bread from Arobake, delivered fresh on Saturday morning.

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The weather has not all been grey, as you can see below, with a picture taken on Friday from the window of the Cable Car as I went into town. However, the dull weather has meant time to spend reading and relaxing, catching up on podcasts and, of course, blog posts, all of which are small pleasures. The Botanic Gardens look lovely whatever the weather as you can see from the featured image at the top of the post (provided you can see it on the device and browser you are using). So all in all, not a bad week at all.

Anyway, that is my quick round up on some of this week’s small pleasures. Here are some of my fellow bloggers small pleasures:

• Notes From The Hinterland‘s Friday Favourites and wish her well with proofreading.
• Purple Pumpernickel’s Small Pleasures from Singapore – art, nature and chocolate
• Little Pieces of Me Grateful Fridays

Wherever you are, take care and look out for those little things that bring you joy. What were your small pleasures of the week just past? 

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram@thistleandkiwis.  As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days.  If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com