I have contacted multibit to see if it could possibly be a software issue.     

I was busy doing research on this forum, to cold store that wallet.  I looked at the wallet to check something, and closed it .... I read some more on here ... perhaps half an hour ... and looked again to look at the help files.  And there was no wallet, and there were no transactions, and there was no bitcoin address ... and there was nothing - balance 0 BITCOIN.  Multibit software sans wallet.  There is no .wallet file anywhere to be found.  Of course, I've got private keys in a backup.  I restore those and there is still nothing.  The software connects fine ... it is online ... It synchronizes fine but it does not replay the blockchain because the wallet is gone.  No, I did not delete it by mistake ... been in software for many years.     

I of course messed about a little ... to see if I had lost my mind ... but seemingly my mind is intact and my wallet and coins are gone.

https://blockchain.info/unspent?active=1LVRoNFddLmBpt7n2MFVUWqt5u5vFghstZ&format=html

So, how can I be more sure?  (grins).    I'd really like to know whether to cry in my beer or just drink it.