Cool Breezes

After more than 2 weeks of hot, humid weather without the slightest hint of a breeze, this weekend brought wonderful respite in the form of a strong north-westerly wind. Sadly, it probably won’t last very long but I’m enjoying it while it lasts. As always, the weekend flew by and a whole week of work looms ahead. But at least I will have some wonderful memories to tide me over to next weekend. Like the surprise party that the Mischief Maker and I organised for my husband’s birthday with a lot of help from my mum. Thanks mum xx

We created this cute card for him. I found the inspiration here. Thank goodness for creative people who come up with these simple ideas. We both had lots of fun doing it.

I also made these lovely blueberry cupcakes. The recipe is here. I dressed them up a bit with fresh cream and fresh blueberries. The sprinkles are the Mischief Maker’s addition. He adds them to every dessert.

Saturday evening the Mischief Maker slept over at my parents’ house so that The American and I could go out on a birthday date. We decided to try out the relatively new Trabuxu Bistro in Valletta. I loved the décor which is an eclectic mix of vintage and modern.

The premises were formerly a piano store and I used to frequent the shop to buy books in my piano-playing days.

On a different note, I very rarely promote a product, as you know, but I have totally fallen in love with Avon’s Overnight Elixir. It has proved to be a blessing during these humid, hot weeks making my curly hair soft and manageable without creating a gunky mess.

Finally, Suze at Girl Wizard sent me on a wonderful trip down  memory lane by writing a post about some of her favourite songs growing up. I can’t stop humming this one by Mr Big. I hope you enjoy it too.

P.S. any time I ‘promote’ anything you can rest assured that I am not getting paid for it. When that happens, you will be the first ones to know.

Wise Words On Wednesday

Source: citygirlchichome.blogspot.com via Lorna on Pinterest

Wednesdays are supposed to be wordless but I love to break the rules.
This quote is just too good not to share. So enjoy every minute. You’ll be glad you did.

Till next time …

xx Loree xx

Blissful Serenity

It’s August. It’s hot. And the humidity is reaching unbearable  levels. Escaping to the beach is the wisest thing to do. But it gets so crowded at this time of year, tourists and locals everywhere, and our beaches are so small.

There are days when peace and quiet are essential for my sanity. So that’s when it’s important to walk that extra mile, climb over those obstructing rocks, make that extra effort – to escape the noise and the chatter and to find a blissful pocket of serenity. Then to let the lapping water soothe the senses while drinking in the silence.

Such are the small pleasures of a Mediterranean summer. While some welcome the thronging crowds with open arms, I always choose to escape.  To calm the senses, recharge the batteries and revive the soul.

Till next time …
xx Loree xx

Taking The Time To Smell The Roses

It’s time for me to take a little break from blogging. I need some time to rest and come back with some fresh ideas; time to recharge and refocus. In the meantime, I will visit when I can. See you all in about 10 days’ time. We’ll see for how long I will actually keep away. Blogging is my little addiction.

And yes, I will be taking the time to  smell the roses.

Roses

Photographed at

The Kitchen Garden

St Anthony Street

Attard

This Week

… things came to a head. I felt like I needed to escape the drudgery of the  whole work, home, cook, blog, sleep schedule. The weeks are whizzing by in a blur. With a full time job, I trudge along my daily schedule – usually, in my case, grudgingly. Every year I yearn for special memories and for little adventures to share with the Mischief Maker. And, invariably, every year routine and my own over-inflated sense of guilt stops me from having those fun moments – because I need to cook; because I need to clean … So this week I’ve decided that what’s left of summer if going to be fun. With a capital F. For us as a family and for each of us as individuals.

*I have made the time to immerse myself in a couple of books again and am currently reading Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber and Tolkien –A Biography by Michael White. Both books are interesting, with Sybil being very thought-provoking and, of course, no die-hard Lord Of The Rings fan like me can miss an opportunity of learning more about the author of such a well-loved book.

*Everyday I am setting a few minutes aside to pin photos to my virtual pin-boards. I have written about Pinterest here and I am finding it to be a great place not only to find some wonderful images but also to introduce me to new blogs that I would not otherwise have found.

*I have discovered that the world of blogs is a strange place and we forge friendships with people all over the globe. When someone blogs regularly and then drops off the horizon, there is always the question in my mind as to what may have happened to my virtual friend. This week I was happy to find out that Carmen Alexandra (formerly of Coco Coterie) is now blogging at The Little Dog Laughs. I am so glad that Alexandra is back. Her writing is delightful and the photos she posts make me dream of girly things.

Image via The Little Dog Laughs

*Yesterday I went out for supper to Lo Squero restaurant with some ex-colleagues from work. The venue was excellent since the restaurant commands an unobstructed view of Marsamxett Harbour. Quite a magical setting, wouldn’t you say?

*Tomorrow evening, one of my childhood school friends has invited a group of us over for a pool party. It should be fun and I am sure giggles will abound. After all, no matter how old we get, we’re all still girls at heart.

*Saturday morning and early afternoon will be spent at the beach with my family and my parents. Looking forward to a super- relaxing time and lots of fun and laughter with the Mischief Maker.

*And in between all these little events, I have managed to fit in some craft activities with my son, a spot of healthy cooking since my husband (who will be referred to from now on as The American) is on a diet and a search for a new washing machine. Mine broke down last Sunday amidst loud groans of disapproval after 8 years of hard labour. In the meantime, I’ve seriously neglected house-cleaning. But who cares? Life is about making memories not collecting dust isn’t it?