This week’s small pleasures #65

I’m writing this on Sunday evening while feeling a bit under the weather… that blocked head, itchy eye feeling when you know you are coming down with a cold. It is time to sniff on the sofa with a large box of paper tissues and drink lots of tea. Despite this, there have been a few small pleasures this week.

Pre-dinner treat

With Karl away, it is important to treat myself to wee things like a glass of sherry in my favourite Iitala glass with a little bowl of crisps (or chips if you use that word, which to me is something quite different).  I love sherry, and think it a much underrated pre-dinner drink.

A glass of sherry before dinner

Movie time

Netflix + sofa + not feeling 100% = time for films.  On Friday I watched Haute Cuisine, the story of Danièle Delpeuch and how she was appointed as the private chef for François Mitterrand, and then went to cook for scientists in Antarctica, and on Saturday Blue Jay, about two high-school sweethearts who meet up again by chance in their home town.  I really enjoyed both of them, and they were just the thing for weekend viewing.

Food

I’ve been mostly eating plants this week, though not completely as you will see below, but I have done pretty well I think.  I had eggs for breakfast twice, and also enjoyed some halloumi, but otherwise have enjoyed mostly plant based foods.  This week’s shopping included some wholemeal tacos, kumara, lemons, oranges and carrots (pretty standard), coconut yoghurt, beans, broccoli and a rather large aubergine, which I used to make a pot of ratatouille with some courgettes that had to be used.  Not really an early spring dish, but, well, it is always good.

Some of this week’s shopping

Taco wraps with hummus, cucumber, carrots and salad leaves for lunch

Sunday morning

I got up really early for a Sunday morning (like…6am…), and so made an early breakfast in bed with endless cups of tea, did some Pilates stretches before showering and getting on with a few chores.

Leeds Street Bakery 30% rye bread with Marmite, vegan gouda and cucumber

A few small things

I love the smell of The Body Shop’s Moringa shower gel on a weekend morning.  I also rediscovered the amazing Coconut Chai tea from Storm and India which is the most wonderful smelling and tasting tea ever.  Scented candles help to make things cosy – this one is the very fresh smelling Coney Island from Glasshouse. And my little Dalarna horse reminds me of all things Swedish (including Karl…). Oh and I also found my choice dice, which landed at ‘lunch’ – always a good idea.

A few small things that bring pleasure

Sunday brunch

Thinking a walk in the Botanic Gardens might clear my fuzzy head, and also wanting a treat, I combined the two and had brunch at Hillside on Tinakori Road.  I had been wanting to do this for some time, and was not disappointed. Although I broke my mostly plant eating plan, it was well worth it.  The wild pork baked beans were amazing – one of the best things I have had to eat in ages, and they went so well with the roasted mushrooms and well buttered toast.  It was really excellent food and good service in such a really busy place on Father’s Day.

Fantastic food

Spring?

The birds and flowers certainly know it is, but not the weather.  Oh well…

Spring time

And there we have it…this week’s small pleasures.  All at the weekend.  Which says a lot.

Thanks to Mani over at A New Life Wandering for the original idea.  What brought you pleasure this week?

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @blof678.  As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days.  If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com