I HAD A WILD YEAR

I HAD A WILD YEAR. I sang at the Tunisia Opera House and learned how to bargain with locals at the rug market. I also learned quickly that I was not particularly good at this. Vendors were quite aware of this, too and probably pitied me. Started a crazy, wild and beautiful Big Band in Europe, my 2023 adventure, where vocally I am the most colorful and expressive I have ever been. The US Embassy brought me in to work with young, devoted singers in cities such as beautiful Athens (this is really the way to learn about a culture). I sang in Romania (above photo) with 103°F fever (had Covid and didn't know it) but as Bette and Judy say, the show must go on (watch soundcheck in Romania!). Can't summarize the following quickly but: I volunteered at the Poland/Ukraine border cooking food for refugees when the war started last April. This journey was one that stuck with me the longest; still does. I think I experienced PTSD in the weeks that followed and it certainly changed my perspective on just about everything. I learned about bravery, the human spirit and how to make bread pudding for 1000 people (can’t even make bread pudding for 1). I kept thinking I would write about the kitchen but I felt I had to sort of go inward more than outward if that makes sense. Maybe one day.