Open-hearted joys開開心心 № 30

Capturing the tiny details of my everyday mundane and the moments that weave poetry to my days.

Sundaze Book Café is the home of everyday magic, joyful living and conversations likely to be had over a hot drink with a friend in your favourite café, capturing the syrup-slow feel and glow of a Sunday. I’m Michelle, and I’ll be your host today.

Happy Friday, my loves!

I’m writing to you between two British heatwaves, that is to say, I’ve been in the armpit of hell for about a week. Seriously. I grew up going to Hong Kong and Malaysia most summers, where the mercury comfortably sits at about 33°C and 90% humidity most days. I even lived there for two years. And nothing feels as unbearable as being glued to a fabric sofa in an insulated house where air-conditioning is a distant dream. I digress.

I actually quite like sunshine-y, balmy days, but even I have been slowly melting this summer, and waxing lyrical about why we all need to do more for and lobby more against the government’s refusal to do more about climate change. Between stiflingly warm mornings and sweat-slicked afternoons, I’m quite enjoying that break in the evening when I can sit and pen my silly little Substack essays with a bowl of fruit by my side.

There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer, details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite, open-hearted joys, the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this week.

一. Our sunshine-soaked stay in the Cotswolds. I’d forgotten how beautiful some corners of England can be. We stayed in the loveliest cottage, and enjoyed many a village wander and pub lunch.

二. Blissful rain after the most recent heatwave.

三. Taking Dad out for breakfast on his day off work (using my annual leave wisely!).

四. A short week at work.

五. Stretches of blue-skied days.

六. Girls’ night mid-week with delicious food, a therapeutic catch-up and celebrating engagements and marriages! I truly feel so grateful for the women in my life.

七. Being forced to slow down while my car is poorly. Yes, my car is still not back, and it’s really quite the adventure to spend three hours running an errand that’d usually only take me 45 minutes or so. Small town living, eh?

八. Unboxing treasured copies of the (physical) magazine I ran and edited in 2012/13. For context, a friend and I created a fashion and culture magazine for our final year university final major project. Since I was in my peak blogging era, we continued the project after graduation and sold 2,000 physical copies per issue. I feel so nostalgic and proud for my younger, wildly ambitious self, and over the moon to see these copies! Paid readers, I’m sharing some photos in our thread!

九. The sound of matches striking.

十. An evening reorganising my wardrobe and colour-coordinating everything, plus listing pieces on Vinted. My wardrobe has never looked more minimal and glorious.

Share a joy from your week in the comments, and I’ll see you again next Friday.