My interest in acquiring a piano grew after our granddaughter was born, and when I heard Kathleen's old piano needed a new home this summer, I jumped at the chance when Barb offered it to me. I was honored, not to mention that everyone was happy the piano would stay in the family. My best friend hooked me up with her rock star cousin with the same last name in 1972. Did I mention what a great friend she is.

The piano movers brought it in, and at first I was surprised at how ugly it was. Dirty, dusty and sitting lopsided with awful looking mismatched wheels. 35 or more years had passed since the last time I saw it. Someone had scrawled "Jerome" in cursive on one side that was legible only in the sunlight. In a matter of a few days, my "rock star" had it looking pretty good. He had taken off the horrible wheels and made a new set of wood blocks that sat beneath the ornately carved old legs. He found paint to match the black matte finish for a final touch. The Fischer 1892 looked a lot better than when it arrived. I tried to imagine it's appearance when it was brand new, and thought about the many pairs of hands over the years that brought its chords to life. The piano was still in good tune, and everything worked fine.

I learned the basics of reading music in elementary school when rotating phys ed and music were still part of the regular curriculum, and figured that I knew enough to learn something simple, like Happy Birthday for Shelby and Jesse, or a Christmas song or two. So, I did. Happy Birthday and We Wish You a Merry Christmas were easy, and I even added chords. I didn't have the sheet music, and though they were easy songs, I felt good that my "ear" for music was intact. I was pleased with this minor accomplishment.

I set out on a mission to buy "Anthology" by Joni Mitchell. Barb and I came of age listening to her music, smoking cigarettes in her VW bug and ditching class several times a week. We had all of her albums, and loved her storytelling style of love, loss, and life. Her music could make us feel better or worse about our troubles and triumphs in life during those times, and we loved her for keeping us in touch with our tender teenage hearts. I found the music at Borders, and couldn't wait to get home and down to the business of piano playing. "Both Sides Now" was my first choice. I practiced the first line of notes, and the rest of the song just fell into place somehow. It might sound like an exaggeration, but it seemed as if I were being guided by the perfect teacher and musician; someone looking over my shoulder prompting me, and gently correcting me. My fingers worked in wonderful cooperation that I can't fully explain and my brain converted the notes precisely to the correct keys on the piano. I hadn't expected this at all. I played with both hands, all of the notes and chords almost flawlessly after several attempts. A simple song played on the piano with my grand children by my side. My past and future in perfect harmony.

"Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air"..........