Malta Trip

 I joined the Manchester Friendship Chorus and went to Malta on a concert tour. We sang 4 concerts at different places around the Republic of Malta (April15-25, 2026).  We started off for 3 nights on the island of Gozo and the last 5 nights in Malta. Below is the program for the final concert.

CONCERT IV at Il-Kappella, Hotel Kempinski, as part of Gaulitana Festival OPERA PLUS

Final Program:

Proclamation,                                               Eriks Esenvalds
If Ye Love Me                                              Thomas Tallis
For the Beauty of the Earth                          John Rutter
Psalm 23: The Lord to Me a Shepherd Is     Jean Berger
L-ahhar Bidwi f’Wied il-Ghasel                   arr. Brian Cefai (in Maltese)
Bridge Over Troubled Water                        arr. Mark Hayes
I Hear You (World Premiere)                       Tim Steiner and Ricardo Baptista
Peace Flows                                                 Jacob Narverud
The Road Home                                           Stephen Paulus
When We Are Singing                                  Mexican Hymn arr. Padworski
Vocal Duet: For Good from “Wicked”         Stephen Schwartz
The Storm Is Passing Over                           arr. Barbara Baker
Until I Reach My Home                               arr. Brandon Boyd

We rehearsed for about 7 Saturday mornings until we left for Malta on Swiss Air with a short layover in Zurich. One day was too strenuous for me with my still fractured foot so I stayed at the hotel for a Spa Day! Felt much better afterwards. Swiss Air was great with providing me a wheelchair and just zipped me through all TSA lines and passport control.

I ate a lot of new foods in Malta such as escargot, date newtons, and pistachio cannoli. The pistachio cream I bought to bring home is absolutely delicious.  I found a recipe so I can make more.

Below are some pics....

Prehistoric ruins in Gozo ~ 6,000 years ago

Restaurant in Mdina with the best mushroom risotto ever

St. Publius Church, site of our 2nd concert

Local tour guide, Peter, with a torch bearer in Mdina

One of the mosaics outside on the life of Jesus

Fishing village

Different ruins on Malta

My new friend, Martha Clark, with whom I sang in the St. Cecelia Chorus in NYC, 19733-34

 

Move to New Hampshire

 I see that I have not posted about our move from California to New Hampshire last year. We decided we would all like to live together in one house. We could not find a house big enough for us all in CA so we searched houses for sale on east coast and decided we liked this 1983 contemporary house in Bedford which is a stone’s throw from Manchester NH. I sold my townhouse in Novato for a nice profit and used the resulting funds to purchase our new house in Bedford plus a smallish mortgage.

Last May I flew to Boston while my furnishings and car were traveling across country. Mary Laurel, Robert, and the 3 children all came at the end of July. I spent most of the time before they arrived trying to get the house in ship shape. This included getting the above ground pool cleaned and filled w water, resurfacing the chimney, replacing clouded window glass, removing about 20 dead trees, replacing the posts that hold up the decks, screening the double decker porch, replacing rotten wood on decks, window sills, and front door stoop, etc. we also had to remove a dead hot tub in an outbuilding and learning how to  control algae in the swimming pool.

It turns out that our new home is only 5 miles from Patti and Jeff’s new house in Amherst. I stayed with them before my furniture arrived. We go out to eat about once a week and they usually come to dinner here once a week as well. They moved here to be an hour from Molly and an hour from Sunapee.

I joined the NH chapter of Colonial Dames of America but most of their meetings are in Portsmouth which is an hour’s drive. I also joined St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Goffstown which is a 15 minute drive from home.

We have been enjoying our stream-fed pond and fire pit. I’m looking forward to planting a garden. Robert is working on his ceramics studio in the walk-out basement. The boys take the school bus and get lunch at school. They also do sports and Boy Scouts. Evvy tried starting preschool but was just too young for it. He’ll start again in June or September. Sorry I can’t add pics to this post but you can see the house by googling Zillow art 5 Royal Street, Bedford NH.

While all this was happening Ned and Royal sold the ski lodge in VT and bought a house in Charles Town WV. This is close to Royal’s brothers.

Halloween 2022

 We had a lovely Halloween celebration though saddened by the passing of Robert’s father, Larry. The family here gathered for a party last Saturday, then the boys all went trick or treating on Halloween. The ofrenda was adorned with marigolds and family photos of our dearly departed. We had dessert in there last night.

Easter

 The whole family came for our Easter spread and egg hunt. We had ham, Turkey, empanadas, lumpia, deviled eggs, sausage cheese balls, Filipina bread, potato rolls, scalloped potatoes, green

bean casserole, asparagus salad, and birthday cake for ML. I would show pictures but can’t find the icon to add them.

SMA

 Sim and I rented a 2 bedroom casita in San Miguel de Allende for February and March. I flew to RDU  so I could fly down and back w Sim. We spent a lot of time with his daughter Lee and her husband Richard. She directed a Sondheim revue which was wonderful. We saw several other plays and had several pizza dinners at Lee’s including a Chinese dinner w yummy Dim Sum.

Every day Sim and I walked to the pools which were fed by underground mineral water. Warm and soft!

I cooked a lot. In the evening we watched Jeopardy on YouTube and an episode of the original Star Trek on Netflix. When we returned to RDU I spent some time w Sue Goodwin who came up from BHI. We had dinner, saw a movie, went to Palm Sunday service, and had lunch in Hillsborough. Good to be home in time for Easter.

December Celebrations

 Sorry I’m so long in posting. We had a big party for my 70th bday on December 10. Then a few days later I left for a sojourn to NYC, Maryland, NC, WV, PA, and returned on December 28. I started w Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall with, Ned, Royal, and Christine Souders. In Maryland I visited w Rob Weinzimer, Linda McCaig and Susan Schappert. In NC I visited with Sim and spent a few days in BHI w Sue and Scott. Back to Fearrington then drove up to Ned in Charles Town for Xmas. More families arrived on the 26th for a pasta party. Then on to Sue and Steve in Garnet Valley for one night, then back home. I think I drove 2000 miles, mostly in ice, rain and snow.