Red Hatters December 2022

December 4th and back to Methuen to see "A Merry Music Hall Christmas" . The performance at this time of year is about the Great Organ.

The organ was built in 1863 in Germany for the Boston Music Hall and was used for 21 years but then it was sold and placed into storage too make space for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The organ was purchased in 1897 by Methuen millionaire Edward Searles. who then built the Methuen Memorial Music Hall to house it. It was installed in`1909 after going mechanical rebuilding. In 1946 a group of Methuen citizens raised funds and incorporated to acquire and preserve the Great Organ and Hall. Since then, the Methuen Memorial Music Hall has been maintained by a volunteer Board of Trustees as a private, non-profit corporation.,

The Organ has five divisions, 85 stops, 116 ranks and 6,008 pipes. The rich foundations, shimmering strings, sparkling mixtures and brilliant reeds provide seemingly endless resources for interpretation of all periods of the organ literature.

If you have not been to the Hall it, in itself ,is a wonderful place to visit and view the interior Hall and the Great Organ.

The performance was outstanding, performed by Ray Cornils who was the Municipal Organist for the City of Portland Maine for 27years. He has concertized throughout the United States and and around the world. Along with Mr. Cornils were two trumpeters, Robinson Pyle and Greg Gettel, that used, between them 15 different horns.

Put this stop on your "wish list".

Our dinner this evening was at Olive Garden in Methuen and food and service, as usual was great; with doggie bags to go.

December 13th was a long day. We left the Stoneham Senior Center at 9:30 am heading for a Yuletide Newport trip.

Two buses full including 8 red hatters on board smiling and excited for the day's excursion.

First stop at 11:30 was for lunch at the Quonset Point O'Club. with an ocean view if we went into the side room. There was another group there before us so the dining room was filled with laughter and smiles all around.

About an hours ride to visit the Marble House Mansion in Newport. The house was built between 1888 and 1892 as a birthday present for Alva Vanderbilt from her husband William.

The 50 room summer residence was still called a "cottage" in the Newport tradition. Some of us walked to the second floor and through the house to see the dining room, where the chairs are made of bronze and covered in god, with silk cut upholster. The side chairs weigh about 75 pounds and the arm chairs about 100 pounds. No quick bathroom break from this table.

We passed through the library, the Gothic Room, Grand Salon and Mezzanine, that was between the private study for Me and Mrs. Vanderbilt.

There were separate bedrooms for Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt, a Memorial Room, guest bedrooms and guest sitting rooms. We passed through the kitchen which usually had a staff of 23 people. The Sculley that had pieces of "Votes for Women" signs on the walls, and china used for Alva Vanderbilt's suffrage rallies .

There were trees covered tastefully for the season throughout the house; and poinsettia plants all around that added a

holiday spirit for the many visitors.

Our next stop was at LaSalette Shrine where we got out of the bus to walk around among the most colorful Christmas light display in New England.

There was room where there were creche carvings from all over the world which made people realize that it is not only lighting and tinsel that make up the holiday.

Back to the bus and make to Stoneham at about 7:45. A long but lovely day.

December 15 and we had our own Holiday Party at Brother's in Wakefield. With our recycled gifts under the tree, we all had our breakfast and chatted with jokes and past fun times. We had a small meeting to decide on 2023 escapades and then to the gifts.

Our gifts must be recycled wrapped in recycled paper and useful, or not, for other members of the group.

There were blankets, a back scratchier, puzzles,tree hangers, and so much more. So ends 2022 as we look forward to enjoying the rest of the year with family and non Red hat friends. We are wishing good health and peace for us and for our readers. HAPPY RED HAT YEAR 2023.

I apologize for any pictures that did not come through..