In just a few days, 400 bentos (Japanese lunch boxes) will be delivered to my condo building for its annual holiday party, the first in-person gathering since 2019. For the last 7 years, I’ve served on the Christmas party committee for this building of 437 apartments and 1000 residents, but this year I’m serving as… Read More Hostess with the mostest ?
Yesterday was Thanksgiving and as I survey the stemware that has to be washed this morning, I am reminded of when we started having such elaborate holiday dinners. Back in 1992, my husband Carl and I attended a conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians in Portland, Oregon, where the featured speaker was Jeff Smith,… Read More “We have forgotten how to feast!”
In Loving Memory of Daniel Lee Dirksen1943-2022 Written by his daughter, Lauren Muñoz My dad was born on February 6, 1943 in San Diego, California to Daniel and Hazel Dirksen. His father was a minister and he grew up very involved in the church. At a young age, he found his love for spiritual music… Read More Remembering Dan Dirksen
Tributes are pouring in for our dear friend, Dr. Frederick Swann, who passed away last night. Here’s what was posted on the American Guild of Organists Facebook page: From the Diocese of Orange, California and Christ Cathedral: GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2022) — It is with great sadness that the Diocese of Orange and Christ… Read More RIP Fred Swann
Due to jet lag, I’ve been in a cocoon the last ten days after having returned from my European tour. It was a glorious two weeks of seeing magnificent cathedrals, stunning organ cases, eating scrumptious food, getting acquainted with new and old friends as well as enjoying time with family (my two sisters.) Each day… Read More Pure joy!
Yesterday was a super long travel day, and I’m not home yet—I’ll be spending a couple of days in California with my family before returning to Hawai’i. I set my alarm for 4:45 am but I woke up at 1:30 am to hear other members of our group putting out their luggage for pickup. We… Read More Quicksilver—early music rock stars!
Over 8 million people visit Fátima in Portugal, and I’ve visited TWICE this year, once in May and today. The story began on May 13, 1917, when three peasant children saw five apparitions of the Virgin Mary, on the 13th of the next five months. The three children were Lúcia dos Santos (who became a Carmelite nun… Read More The Fátima miracle
Yesterday was a transfer day, meaning several hours on the bus. We left at 9:00 am and didn’t arrive in Fátima until 5:00 pm! However, I’m grateful that our tour director planned a three hour stop in Porto, one of my favorite cities in Portugal. When we arrived in Porto, we walked across one of… Read More We are in Portugal!
Up to now, I really haven’t said much about the food we’ve been eating. It has been absolutely fabulous, starting with sumptuous breakfast buffets every morning. You name it, they have it: eggs, toast, croissants, pastries, deli meats, sausages and ham, cereals, and fruits of all kinds. Every hotel has been a little bit different,… Read More Eating our way to Compostela
Our tour director, Manuel, had good news for us. Someone had already paid the 300 euros to sponsor the botafumeiro at the pilgrim mass we were planning to attend at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. Otherwise it would have cost our group 20 euros each to sponsor the botafumeiro, which is only used on certain… Read More Botafumeiro