Ode to afternoon naps

One of my secret pleasures of these hot summer months 

is taking the time mid day for a siesta, a proper lie down, 

little D sleeps (for hours!), the oldest boy child quietly reads on the sofa and builds lego worlds. 

My magpie middle child and I lay down on my big bed in front of the rotating fan (after ice cold showers) and I read a story a day from her new favourite book. A book given by an adopted grandmother of sorts here on the island (will save that story for another post). 

Here are a few pages of our latest story book (I love the old illustrations and the way it's written). 

* The best part of all though is if by chance she falls asleep before I do, 

I get to gaze for a spell at her sleeping face, something I shall never tire of looking at. 

Is there anything as sweet and peaceful as your child deeply asleep? 

Hot summer nights, 

candlelit bridge bar cafe overlooking the Grand Harbour, 

festa fireworks light up the sky and the sounds of Joao's guitar and smooth Portuguese words waft up over the bastions from the jazz festival below. 

Yes, we discovered that an evening stroll through the streets of Valetta still contains magic.