Malta

I was scheduled to go to Malta and look after my Mum whilst my sister took a break and had a holiday in England with her family.  But Mum needed an operation a couple of weeks beforehand and I decided to head to Malta early.  There was concern on how the anesthetic would affect a ninety year old.  So off I dashed and got the first plane out of Grenada, leaving Daryl on the boat, with Luxor, a local guy that was helping with some of the maintenance jobs on the boat.

Daryl with Luxor on the foredeck of No Rehearsal

Mum and I in the hospital in Malta, we are both glad that the operation is over and she can begin to recover. She was allowed home after five days.  Her first request on getting home was a gin and tonic!  Good old Mum!

My sister, Jane with her children Ashley and Gary                  

Mum and I visited one of the local markets, which was great fun and good to see all the local vendors.                          

Whilst I was in Malta there was the fiesta of Santa Anna in our village of Marsascala.  Here is the statue of the saint being paraded through the streets of the town, being carried by the locals in white robes.  We watched it all from the restaurant and later moved along the quay to watch the firework display.

My sister has a whole menagerie of animals, two horses, a donkey, a mule, goats, rabbits, cats and loads of dogs.  She also looks after dogs for people when they go on holiday.  So whilst I took care of Mum in her absence, her friend Polly and husband looked after the animals.  Here is Polly with Jane's dogs!  One day when I was there, I counted 17 running around.  Utter chaos, but the visiting dogs love it and don't want to leave!