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February 10, 2013

if you'll be my bodyguard, i can be your long lost pal | lately

 
  

This week .. a bit of a whirlwind! The weather has been beautiful, the work has been plentiful, and the food has been summery and delicious. L has loaned me her excellent mountain bike, and I've been biking out to the salt water pool at the beach every day for the past five days. I don't (slash, can't) drive so a bike means freedom, being able to get a little further a little faster. I had forgotten how much I love swimming: meditative and peaceful.

It does help that the pool is outdoor, and the water is pumped in from the sea each season and only very lightly chlorinated. The saltiness makes it easier to float.. it's so dreamy that the other day I looked at the clock whilst in the pool (sans glasses, so I couldn't see too well) and thought I'd had a good swim as I'd been in for 40 minutes. It wasn't until I got changed and checked my phone that I realised that had actually been an hour and 40 minutes!

1. Rain clouds at sunset and the one tall tree in our back garden.
2. Tarting it up - this is Hugh's tomato, goat's cheese and thyme tart, made by L. We had friends over for dinner on Waitangi day (Wednesday) and made a feast involving two tarts. You'll see more soon!
3. Not taken this week - but topical: the wharenui (meeting house) at the treaty grounds in Waitangi. I visited on one of the last days of 2012.
4. Simple bulghur wheat salad to use up the last of the haloumi and other bits and pieces from the fridge.

Joining in here

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title from paul simon - you can call me al (on high rotation at the moment)

22 comments:

  1. Oh I so agree with you about swimming, I LOVE IT. Lost under the water is so quite and seems to recharge. I love the feeling after swimming and how well you sleep. I love your pics here and your words. Life sounds sweet dear one xxx

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    1. I also love the outdoor pool too - like swimming in the ocean minus the currents! x

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  2. biking, swimming - perfect. I like your index too haha

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  3. This is amazing - I'm listening to You Can Call Me Al right now! I thought I was seeing things when I read your post!

    Loving these images. That tart looks delicious, even at this stage - I'm looking forward to reading more!

    Have a wonderful week.

    Sar xx

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  4. We have been listening to Graceland all morning here! It's one of our favourite albums, ever. Lovely photos too, it all looks very yummy.

    Gillian x

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    1. it's pretty amazing isn't it - on high rotation in anticipation of seeing him live in April! x

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  5. Your goat cheese tarts looks beautiful and I bet so delicious! I adore swimming in salt water pools - but it's rare that I come across them anymore. It sounds so dreamy to float for nearly 2 hours.

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    1. I know what you mean about salt water pools, they do seem to be fading fast. I probably didn't make it clear - I wasn't just floating, I was mostly swimming lengths but with some stretches in there too.

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  6. Love the look of the Bulghur wheat salad, delicious! x

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    1. it was delicious - I love how quick bulghur wheat takes to cook.. no stovetop boiling required!

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  7. It is so nice to have nice weather that you can make the most of. Salad looks amazing - much love xox

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    1. yes exactly - the weather affects my mood quite a lot I think. x

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  8. You had me at the title...I was instantly humming away. And goat's cheese! What can I say..one of the best foods ever x

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    1. We actually used goat's cheese that was quite firm and not the softer style the recipe wanted - still tasty but not quite as delicious as it could've been perhaps! x

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  9. that pool sounds like heaven...and I can't wait to hear more about the tarts. yum...just curious, where does your interest in food come from?
    x

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    1. I've been mulling over your question ever since you left this comment and as yet I'm still not 100% sure where it comes from... maybe because I love eating? might write about it in the future, thank you for the idea ... x

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  10. Wow, can't remember the last time I spent 10 minutes much less 100 minutes floating in a pool. Sounds divine. Your salad looks divine too.
    Ronnie xo

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    1. Haha I don't think I could float for 100 minutes! but I did swim for that long. xx

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  11. I have nominated you for an award, come along and see...xxx

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  12. Tomato tart.. mmmm.. you're killing me as I sit here surrounded by snow. Spring will come, right? Also- swimming is so therapeutic, physically and mentally. I can't want to submerge this summer.

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