Category: Everyday life

Everyday life, Style, Thoughts

Something to share: Country Road merino-silk knitwear

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Something to share: Country Road merino-silk knitwear

October, by southern hemisphere standards, is probably the wrong time to be writing about knitwear. In all honesty though, apart from the odd day here or there, spring’s been quite chilly in my part Australia and I’m still wearing quite a bit of my winter wardrobe.

Country Road is a brand I’ve been buying for many years. I’ve had mixed success with their denim, adore their basic cotton t-shirts (they have a great weight to them), and I’ve got a white sleeveless summer blouse of theirs that’s probably 10 years old, that miraculously still looks crisp.

I’ve professed many a time about my love of knitwear and Country Road’s merino silk is just divine…

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Everyday life, Food, Motherhood, Thoughts

Banana and pecan bread

by wattleandash4 Comments on Banana and pecan bread
Banana and pecan bread

Bananas are a very divisive subject in our house. Adam hates them with a vengeance, I don’t mind a ‘lady finger’ every now and again and Paul loves identifying them (‘nah-nah’) but will only eat them at daycare, never at home 🙃. So when I found myself with a couple of small, very over-ripe bananas the other day, I decided the only solution was to make banana bread. I’ll confess, part of my desire to whip up a loaf was the fact Adam won’t eat it and Paul isn’t partial to cake – I knew I’d be able to slowly devour my sweet treat over the course of several days…

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Everyday life, Motherhood, Thoughts

Two

by wattleandash4 Comments on Two
Two

Last week Paul turned two. We spent his actual birthday, just hanging out as a family. There were presents and video calls in the morning, and an afternoon spent at the park. This weekend past we had a little party for him (well, as much of a party one can organise within the current COVID restrictions). There were lots of ‘bloons’, a construction inspired cake created by Adam to reflect Paul’s love of ‘diggies’, and plenty of playing with some of gifts he received from near and far.

He’s changed so much in the last 12 months. Now a boy, rather than a baby. While getting to that first birthday felt like such an achievement, for both him, and Adam and I – it almost feels like this last year has been even more of an accomplishment…

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Everyday life, Food, Thoughts

What’s making me happy: September

by wattleandash4 Comments on What’s making me happy: September
What’s making me happy: September

Well here we are at the three-quarter mark. It’s been a funny old year. At times it’s felt like the ‘before’ with mask-free mingling and interstate holidays, but often, particularly in the last little while, the uncertainty and worry that dominates our COVID era life has been omnipresent.

Still a new season is upon us, and with that brings hope and light. In recent weeks there have been beautiful reunions with friends, great achievements by loved ones and a newfound appreciation of small-talk with strangers.

This is what’s been making me smile this month…

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Everyday life, Food, Thoughts

Chocolate brownies

by wattleandash2 Comments on Chocolate brownies
Chocolate brownies

Sometimes you just have one of those days. Those sorts of days when nothing terrible happens, but little thing after little thing happens and you get to a point where need a bit of a pick-me-up. I recently had one of those days and these chocolate brownies certainly helped. They’re decadent yet easy to make. Chewy, crunchy and goey all at once and can made and baked within a child’s naptime – if that’s when you need them the most ;)…

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Everyday life, Style, Thoughts

Something to share: the iso edit

by wattleandash6 Comments on Something to share: the iso edit
Something to share: the iso edit

COVID lockdown continues in my part of Australia, and will continue to do so for another couple of weeks at least. It means, apart from work and my once a week trip to the supermarket for groceries, life is centred on home and our immediate surroundings: the park in our suburb and the nearby walking tracks we use for exercise and fresh air.

It’s a strange and surreal time, so I thought for this latest edition of ‘something to share’, I’d focus on things that are helping during this period of isolation: comfy clothes, a tipple of something delicious, and a fun social media account to get lost in…

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Everyday life, Food, home, Local sights, Motherhood, Thoughts

What’s making me happy: August

by wattleandash2 Comments on What’s making me happy: August
What’s making me happy: August

August has turned into quite a month. It started with catch-ups with friends and exploring local parks. It’s ending with working from home and shopping for essentials only. The one week lockdown that was recently announced for regional New South Wales has turned into two and it’s anyone’s guess as to when restrictions will be lifted.

Despite the recent onslaught of statistics and information relating to this latest COVID outbreak on Australian’s eastern seaboard, I’m still finding little joys in the every day. Now more than ever, it feels like that’s important and should be celebrated.

This is what’s been making me smile this month…

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Everyday life, Motherhood, Thoughts

Lockdown life

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Lockdown life

After more than 12 months of relatively ‘normal life’, in this COVID era we now find ourselves living in, regional New South Wales was placed in official lockdown this weekend past. It’s a situation many of you know well and with it brings a sense of anxiousness – about what we’re dealing with right now and what might come over the weeks and months to follow.

At this stage the lockdown is set to last seven days, but as recent history has proven these lockdowns often get extended. Last time we were in lockdown at the start of this COVID crisis, I was on maternity leave with a baby a few months old, Adam’s business took a huge hit and it was really stressful not knowing what the future had in store. This time round, I’m an essential worker, Adam’s business has evolved to assist in times like these and Paul is an active toddler full of words, opinions and adventure. In some respects it feels like we’re in a better situation this time round, but with that position comes a whole heap of new stresses too.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the challenges this next week will bring, and also how to go about processing this current state of uncertainty too…

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Everyday life, home, Thoughts

The 2021 project

by wattleandash2 Comments on The 2021 project
The 2021 project

About 11 months ago, Adam and I decided to embark upon building a new house. To be perfectly honest, we probably thought come August 2021 we’d have moved and be settling in to our next home – but we still haven’t actually broken ground yet.

There were delays that were out of our control, which pushed progress back by a good couple of months. At one stage we nearly abandoned the project altogether, it just felt like we were running into hiccup after hiccup. In the end though, we just couldn’t walk away. We loved our block of land and decided we just needed to ride with the speed bumps. And now we’re getting tantalisingly close…

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