The second week of the school holidays is almost done and I’ve been thankful for the downtime. That said, a return to routine will be much appreciated.

I’ve done about twenty loads of washing this week – catching up, clearing out and swapping over linen for the new season. The sun has been wonderful – bright and warm and perfect for drying all the things…including the house. A month of rain in March took its toll and it finally feels like the wardrobes are back to their clean, dry state.

But with wardrobe clean outs come sniffles and sneezes and so there’s been eucalyptus oil diffusing and a vinegar and lemon concoction used to spruce.

And all the while I’m growing a baby that is really starting to get quite big. The weight in my pelvis is so much more pronounced this week and I’m feeling weak and sore. Ouch! I’m getting quite close to the third trimester and the shift in my energy and physicality is noticeable. My iron levels are still incredibly low so my midwife is consulting with a few doctors to see whether I need an iron infusion. Based on the way I ate a roast beef last week (ravenous would be an understatement) I’d say it might be on the agenda.

Despite my aches and slow pace, I’m healthy and well – and grateful for it. And while I’m busy nesting and cleaning and decluttering, there’s also that motherly voice at the back of my mind telling me to sit down and read and drink tea and leave the loungeroom strewn with toys.

I’ve just finished reading Georgia Blain’s final work Between a Wolf and a Dog and my goodness…brilliance! You must read it! Flawed characters, a perfectly ordinary shack in the Australian countryside and a story told over one sodden day in Sydney. What a gem of a writer Georgia was. Surprisingly, her last work didn’t win the Stella Prize that it was nominated for. The Museum of Modern Love took out the prize and I’m smack bang in the midst of it now. It’s good, yes, but not one of my favourites. edit: Between a Wolf and a Dog isn’t Blain’s final work. While fighting brain cancer she wrote her way through treatment and the result is The Museum of Words, released in August. 

I splurged on some super soft merino wool and I’m just about to cast on and knit a blanket for baby; the perfect project for the next few months. I’m so drawn to earthy hues this pregnancy – rust, turmeric, milky oatmeal – and the blanket reflects this autumnal palette. It seems fitting that my baby will possibly (probably) be a Leo…golden and grounded, perhaps.

I’ve been steering clear of social media too…the busyness overwhelming and often, completely unnecessary. A friend sent me this podcast today and I nodded in agreement – all those pretty filters and smiling faces can be a slippery slope, at times.

But inspiring things around the place? While I have no intention to homeschool anytime soon, I did enjoy this post from Retro Mummy (who is currently pregnant with baby number 7). If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you might find this webinar on growing and harvesting herbs for your young family helpful. And if you’re looking for a bit of quiet over the weekend, Paddington is available to watch on iview (you’re very welcome).

Happy weekend!