This week’s small pleasures #464

What a week! A reorganisation ‘shock’ at work (all I will say is our team is wonderful and our manager is fighting our corner) has really affected my mood and thoughts, and it has been so important to switch off and focus on the small pleasures around me.

Anyway, I heard a lovely story on Saturday – my Pilates teacher and her mum spotted a tabby cat looking somewhat the worse for wear in the garden. Clearly not feral, as it was quite happy to make friends in exchange for chicken, they managed to get it into a carrier and taken to a vet. There they found the cat had been chipped, and that it had been registered missing for 6 months! The cat was reunited with its family, and no doubt all were happy that he had been found.

The weather has improved, and there are loads of bees around, both in the garden in the neighbourhood. Here is one busy one spotted on Friday afternoon round the corner from where we live.

Sunshine

As I had to go to work on Wednesday, I took Friday afternoon off, and walked down to Karori Park for some fresh air and a re-charge. There was a lot to spot and enjoy and just to feel the sun and clear my head was wonderful.

In the basket

I took delivery of a Wonky Box on Friday, which had some already past their best but saveable mushrooms (which we had on Saturday with pork filet), a lettuce (not shown), more broccoli, fennel, a red capsicum, carrots, a lovely fennel bulb, asparagus and some of those nasty little red kumara that seem to pop up all the time. I added a couple of aubergines and also a bag of lentils from their grocery top up section.

I added potatoes, more asparagus (it is the season…and it doesn’t last long), this fabulous bunch of radishes, some broad beans, chicken and some sausages for a recipe I will feature in a future post. We also enjoyed more strawberries

Lunch?

I missed my usual café ritual on Wednesday, but did manage one of the fabulous flat bread sandwiches from the library café in town. And then on Sunday – we had the treat that is a mince and cheese pie.

Out and about

On Saturday evening, a friend and I went to see the lates version of The Nutcracker by the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Now, I don’t know how many times I have see different versions of this well known ballet, but this one was definitely a bit different as it was set in 1950s Aotearoa (New Zealand). There was a party on the beach, fish and chips, pavlova and a visit by a dancing tuī and kererū. While the mouse king was his usual evil self, his cronies were an appropriate mix of possums, weasels and stoats, and he was knocked out by Clara throwing a well aimed jandal (or thong or flip-flop). A magical flight takes them to the land of the snow, and from there to the Land of the Sweets. Here again was a very Kiwi take on things with chocolate fish, hokey pokey ice-cream, pavlova and lolly slice. The flower fairies were kōwhai, mānuka and pōhutukawa, with amazing costumes for all. The Sugar Plum fairy was danced by the wonderful Mayu Tanigaito and the Nutcracker Prince by Laurynas Vejalis, who are absolutely perfect together. A fun evening.

On Sunday, we went to see the film Glenrothan, starring Alan Cumming and Brian Cox as two brothers who haven’t seen each other for 35 years. Donal returns to Scotland to make amends with his brother, Sandy, who runs a whisky distillery that has been in the family for generations. It was fine, but a bit too sentimental and, we felt, made for an international market and people who have a romantic view of Scotland.

Simple things

• Doing all my favourite exercises in Pilates on Saturday.
• Going to the pub on Friday with friends, eating fish and chips, drinking wine and laughing.
• Receiving a parcel with our Christmas herring – Julen är räddad!
• Having lunch with a friend on Thursday and chatting non-stop.
• Really switching off and recharging my batteries over the weekend.
• Walking to the waterfront at lunch time

However, there was more sad news too from Jude of Cornwall in Colours. Our thoughts and wishes are with you at this time.

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. 

• Laurie of Notes From the Hinterland celebrates a birthday.
• Go and see a beautiful garden over at Garden Bliss.
• Travels Through My Lens takes us to the fascinating John Day Fossil Beds in Oregon
• Natalie shares her October highlights and favourites.
• Min of Write of the Middle goes to a family reunion.
• The Eternal Traveller goes to church in Skagen, Denmark.
• There are fireworks over at Mr Tootlepedal’s blog along with a long bike ride.
• There are some wonderful sketches over The Travel Sketcher – I really enjoy his posts – so much to mull over.
• And the Glasgow Gallivanter takes us on another three walks in Cumbria.
• Deb reminds us of the importance of regular health checks.
• Meanwhile there are beautiful leaves over in Fred’s French garden.
• Ju-Lyn takes us through the changing seasons.
• Still Reslessjo asks us to try a Portuguese word search.
• And Jo shares more of her time UK trip with a host of golden daffodils
• Do check out the BKD Cookbook Club challenge too!
• ..…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.