Wednesday is my non-working day of the week, and I normally go out for lunch, pick up bits of shopping, meet people and make appointments. But not for the second week in a row. It hasn’t been easy this past week in lockdown, and I know a lot of other people are thinking and feeling the same. But…we will get through this, and in the meantime, we stay safe in our bubbles. I don’t know about you, but at times like this, I think it is important to stick to a routine and plan out the day. So today I was up at my usual time (thanks to Charlie needing breakfast), and managed to capture this picture below of the moon at 6am.
Breakfast was the perfect combination of a boiled egg, Kalles kaviar (that Swedish fish roe paste), a toasted roll and of course, tea. I went to a Zoom Pilates class in the morning – good to stretch, good to see other people from my classes and good to switch off from everything else going on. Even better, it was a lovely sunny day, and even warm enough to sit outside for a while and read (a rather strange murder mystery).
As usual, my ‘lockdown walk’ was to the Botanic Gardens. I can’t tell you how grateful we are to have this on our doorstep at this time. Today I walked up and around the Magpie Lawn.
I also spent a bit of time in the kitchen, making soup for dinner, using a broth mix with barley, lentils and split peas. Onions, carrots and some spinach for greens went into the soup, making a perfect combination for a cosy evening at home. Again.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
A lovely photo of the moon! Having Botanical Gardens close baby is a huge advantage! Our nearest one is about 20 minutes away, but we often visit for a short walk, and to rejuvenate ourselves! Hopefully your lockdown will end soon.
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I know – it is just so lovely to have the gardens on our doorstep. We will know at 4pm today what will happen to the lockdown situation,
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Yes, I agree you have to have a few projects ready to do during Lockdown, and stick to routines, and I’ve stopped listening to the news for a while. How lucky to be near the lovely Botanical Gardens, we stayed in a hotel nearby when we were in Wellington, and really enjoyed a walk around there, (once the rain stopped) lovely to have it on your doorstep. That soup looks delicious.
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I try to avoid the news in the morning at the moment, picking up things later on in the day. I will tune in at 4pm today to hear about lockdown levels though. I love the Lady Norwood Rose Garden in the Botanic Gardens, and the view from the herb garden on a good day that is!
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Yes the roses are beautiful
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Hope the lockdown is soon lifted! Yes, a routine helps. And so does soup. Lentil is one of my favorites.
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We will know at 4pm today ie Thursday about lockdown. Fingers crossed! Soup is a great healer.
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I’ll be waiting to hear.
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A lovely day, even under (particularly under!) the circumstances. Thanks, as always, for sharing your day and your hope.
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Thanks for stopping by!
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I want to have soup at your house! Your reference to ‘a rather strange murder mystery’ relates to a strange one I finished reading this afternoon: ‘Dark Waters’ by G.R. Halliday, set in the Scottish Highlands. It is well constructed, but that I didn’t read it in bed tells you it was frighteningly strange. An excellent read, nonetheless.
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Oh I am tempted to look out for that book post lockdown! You would be welcome to a bowl of soup at mine any time 🙂
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Have just looked him up, and will definitely try to find the books when lockdown is over (we can’t buy books at the moment and I am not too good reading on my iPad).
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I am making vegetable soup in Covid overrun Florida..self imposed lockdown. Also reading a weird book!
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There must be something in the air!
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Oh my – Kalles Kaviar. I love it – and I am the only one in our family, so I get to eat it alone 🙂
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I’m lucky the Swedish Viking doesn’t like it (really!) so I also get to keep it all to myself 🙂
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Well, here I am again reading a post that the person has something gorgeous in their neighbourhood to walk about in. Twice Lake Rotorua and then a walk in Auckland Domain – and now you’ve in the Botanic Gardens. I on the other hand has only a grassed small sports field with the playground taped off and just concrete streets and housing…
I seem to recall that in Mar/April of last year after the big lockdown, my thoughts were “must move…” but somehow I still seem to be here. I don’t know why I’m feeling the pressure more this time, maybe it’s because I’m within a major hotspot as such in West Auckland – with all the high schools around here “location of interest” and therefore as an elder am using my long concrete driveway as my exercise walk…at least until things simmer down.
Of course Auckland region already knows we are locked in until August 31st but of the rest of the country, n/a.
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Well, we will know tomorrow afternoon what level we are at. I do find it a bit strange that there haven’t been any cases in Coromandel or the South Island, but also good of course. I have a colleague who lives in West Auckland and she feels a bit like you, sort of stuck in the hotspot. Fingers crossed things get better soon….
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So far I haven’t minded being under lockdown, I’ve been trying new recipes such as new york cheesecake and thai fishcakes which have both been yummy. Be interesting to see what todays’ update brings.
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So Level 4 until Tuesday midnight for us….I somehow thought it would be that. I think we are all better organised this time around! Stay safe.
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