This week’s small pleasures #460

Thistles and Kiwis

This post is coming to you from a hotel in Auckland. I’m up here for work, going home on Wednesday, so please forgive me if I am a bit slow at reading posts or answering comments.

Anyway, the other pot of tulips has flowered – see the featured image at the top of the post. Lovely to see the pops of red in the garden on a dull day. Also spotted….this bright green stick insect on the front door and these pretty looking fungi.

This week’s sandwiches

On Wednesday I popped into Bond Street Deli for one of their fabulous tuna salad bagels, so full of flavour and masses of filling. A first class lunch! In the office on Friday I had a ham, cheese and pickle sort of baguette (the bread was nice but not the right sort) from Dough Bakery. I also had a packet of crisps with it because, you know, it was Friday.

A plate featuring a tuna salad bagel wrapped in paper, accompanied by a slice of lemon and pickles, set on a wooden table in a cafe.
A close-up view of a sandwich filled with ham, cheese, and green leaves, wrapped in pink and white paper, placed on a brown surface with blurred office items in the background.

Food and cooking

No Wonky Box this week as I’m not at home for a few days, and we also didn’t pick up masses of things from our shopping trip. There was of course asparagus, a couple of oranges, some red curly kale (basis of a Saturday lunch time salad) and coffee along with orange juice, bread, and venison burgers for a quick dinner on Thursday. There was also some first class beef mince from our local butcher which formed the basis of Sunday’s chilli (with leftovers for Karl).

A selection of fresh produce including asparagus, red curly kale, and two oranges, alongside a bag of Radicato espresso coffee, all arranged on a light countertop.

Staying in, going out

The rain was pouring down on Saturday afternoon, so rather than walk down to a book fair, I made scones. There was a pot of Earl Grey tea, a good book and a comfortable sofa to go with them. We watched Wayward on Netflix that was different and surprisingly gripping, the new series of Slow Horses and on BBC through the VPN the police drama Blue Lights and How Are You? It’s Alan (the latest Alan Partridge – which we love).

On Sunday morning we headed out to the cinema to see Holy Cow (in French it is called Vingt Dieux). This is a delightful film, well worth seeing, about friendship, growing up, and, cheese making. As The Guardian review said Holy Cow is sentimental in the best of ways, with its warmth and hope in human nature. Highly recommended.

Simple things

  • Reading – just reading.
  • Appreciating the support of my co-workers.
  • Listening to this fun podcast on crisps (or potato chips or whatever you call them in your neck of the woods).
  • Enjoying Pilates.
  • Getting messages and emails from all corners of the world.
  • Looking at this beautiful sunset on Tuesday.
A vibrant sunset with orange and purple clouds over a silhouette of trees and rooftops.

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 shared to 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.

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

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

36 Comments

  2. Thank you for mentioning my post. ❤️
    It was such an awful experience to discover that my work had been copied, but I really appreciate your kind acknowledgment — it reminds me that most of us here truly value the effort and creativity behind blogging.

    Your tulips look gorgeous, and I love the sound of that tuna salad bagel! Enjoy the rest of your time in Auckland. 🌷

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks Ilze! It will be a difficult two days of work but the hotel is nice at least.

      Yes it is unpleasant when your work is stolen – I don’t mind if someone asks firstv or puts a link in but just using stuff isn’t good at all.

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      1. You are a good example!
        I hope the time in Auckland passes quickly and you’ll be back in no time 🙂
        What do you do for a living?

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  3. I love a good tuna sandwich too. Trying to navigate the Japanese menus at the moment. Now I’m craving some chips after your podcast recommendation. Hope the weather gets a bit better for you.

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  6. Bon voyage! Will definitely be putting Holy Cow on our watch list. Also, Wayward, which I wouldn’t have considered without your recommendation. Love Slow Horses, the books especially, but also the series.

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  8. I have been watching a joint NW & Irish series The Gone – 2 seasons so far which have ended on a cliff hanger. (shown here on BBC)>

    I have enjoyed it but do think it has been drawn out too long and still not resolved.

    Having said that I will watch a 3rd series should there be one.

    Have you seen this? If you mentionned it before I have forgotten.

    Love the Tulip photo.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. big question mark over whether there will be a season 3 of The Gone. But season 2 ended on a cliff hanger.

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      2. Not sure if my reply came over using my phone. There is a big question mark over a series 3 – BUT series 2 did not end properly – a cliff hanger.

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  15. Earl Grey tea and scone = perfect pairing! Beautiful photos of the tulip, fungi and sunset. Thank you for the mention and for your weekend coffee share.

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  16. That tulip is so very beautiful! I’ve recently decorated with Heather in all the boxes at my balcony, I often do that in the fall since they last almost all winter.

    When I read your posts I often crave going to a cafe for a delicious sandwich. There’s a couple cafes in town that make different sandwiches on sourdough bread, and I really like all of them a lot!

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