Life seems sweeter when things are going well.. but even when it’s not – there are always those simple pleasures that one can look forward to and relish..

• I enjoy getting up early in the morning, being the first one up – the best time is when it is slightly dark and the sun is gently emerging.. to me this is the most refreshing time of the day. When most people are still in bed or pressing snooze on their alarm clocks.. It’s almost like a pause in the day. I relish this pause. I love nothing more than to have time up my sleeve in the morning to pour over the newspaper, with a cup of green tea in my favourite world-map pictured tea cup and know what is going on in the country and the rest of the world before others have even arisen.

• Nothing tastes better than a short black after a large plate of fresh pasta at lunch time.

• Cheese platters. Say no more

• Watching my dogs eyes get progressively more sleepy at night time.. waiting for everyone else to go to bed, but not wanting to miss any of the action while we’re still awake.

• Making coffee in my Bialetti, Moka pot and watching the coffee trickle out from the top and fill the house with a delectable aroma.

• I love the smell of new books – being the first person to open and read that book and slowly making it mine.

• When in a jumbo plane – nothing beats the feeling of watching the runway slip past at an increasing pace and then that sinky feeling in your stomach as you take off. I’ve flown countless times and this feeling still excites me. On the flip side – I’m always very anxious at landings (especially in Norway on ice!)

• Farmers Markets – there is something magical about braving the morning fog and bumping shoulders with other shoppers, squeezing your way into an opening so you can pay for the fresh vegetables you’ve already put in your basket. Drinking that warm latte at the local mobile coffee vendor and then having a farmers breakfast of cooked eggs in a freshly baked roll.

• The smell of freshly ground coffee that has been roasted only a couple of days ago.. Hmm a lot of my pleasures are coffee/food-related.. What does this say about me!?

• Non food related: Seeing old people walk dogs, and the dog is patiently plodding along slowly. There is something sweet about this that makes me smile.

• Getting a High Distinction for a piece of work I didn’t expect to get that kind of mark for.

• Being told things you would happily pay for anyway are actually tax deductible for work purposes.

• Meeting someone who ‘gets’ your nerdy interests.