Oh. I guess Tori mentioned that yesterday, didn’t she? Well. It’s STILL hot. HOT in July is tolerable if not enjoyable. To be expected, you know? Even in August it’s just the way it is. But in September? It’s getting old. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content, but I am READY for COOL.
Tori covered the week pretty well. No digging to watch, no appointments, no errands, nothing abnormal. Ahhh, blessed routine. One thing she didn’t mention was the used piano I bought off Craigslist on Tuesday (or was it Monday????? I forget. I hate it when I do that). Anyway. So after looking and looking and looking, I found a good piano. I thought. It plays beautifully (except for one key which no one in my family could find (and I didn’t tell them) but I knew A. Sarah would find right away (and she did, in about 10.3 seconds)(heehee)). It looks beautiful. Better than my Yamaha even.
But.
It pains me to admit this, because my pride I guess doesn’t want me to confess to stupidity, but I was stupid (not a lightly used word in this household. Actually we don’t use it at all. At least the kids don’t.). I walked into this house in Creve Coeur and it smelled like cigarette smoke. Horribly. Being the polite person I try to be, I didn’t turn and walk out but checked out the piano anyway. And, as I previously mentioned, it played beautifully. I became accustomed to the smoky smell and it didn’t seem so bad after a few minutes. It never ONCE occurred to me that this piano had been absorbing this smell for years. It never entered my mind that this piano would forever KEEP that smell. So I made a downpayment on the piano with plans for it to be delivered that evening. When I called Dad about it, he, being the incredibly intelligent Dad that he is, immediately asked if the piano was going to smell like smoke.
Smell like smoke?
A piano?
Well, I don’t think so. I mean, the HOUSE smelled horrible, but a PIANO would not DARE smell like smoke, would it? A piano just wouldn’t do that, would it? Once out of the smoky environment, it would smell like - - well, like a piano, right?
Wrong.
Wood absorbs smells. News to me. (duh)
So we did what any technologically savvy person would do – we googled how to get smoke smell out of a piano.
No problem! Spray with vinegar, wipe down. Rub with lemon, wipe down. Wipe down with lemon-scented Murphy’s oil soap. Whew, that’s easy.
Not.
Many wipe-downs later, with the beautiful finish starting to look non-so-beautiful anymore, the smell hasn’t dissipated much. The basement kitchen which was the landing place for this beautiful-but-deadly instrument (yeah, deadly. Now I’m thinking we’re all being exposed to second-hand smoke, which as everyone knows is WORSE than actually smoking.) smells like a bar. Thankfully the smell is contained only to the kitchen. But it is NOT lessening. All the straps, hammers, action, pads - - all those soft materials are NOT going to give up their smell easily. I haven’t given completely up; I’m going to give it a thorough dose of baking soda before I throw in the towel (which I’ll sweep up after we return from Nebraska), but my original enthusiasm about this instrument is GONE. I am NOT excited about this piano anymore. I’m dreadfully disappointed and extremely irritated with myself because I was so dumb.
Well, let me clarify. I’m not excited about this piano in the house.
But IF I can get my men (and some strong friends, perhaps) to get the piano UP THE STAIRS again (might I add it was NOT an easy feat to get it down the stairs in the first place)(and my men let me know it very clearly), my original vision of a piano in the red shed might actually come to fruition. Seriously. When we planned the red shed, part of my dream was a piano out there for practice and singings. That dream kind of faded as a tractor and stakes took over, with their accompanying grease, grime, and sawdust, but this piano might just fit in nicely with said grease, grime, and sawdust. My boys aren’t thrilled with the idea: “It’s going to be worthless!” My response: “It already IS worthless!” Will it eventually lose its tune? Well, yes, obviously a lot sooner than an inside piano, but the shed is insulated and rain/snow proof, so it will be awhile before any major damage is noticeable. And anyway, how can a piano still play well after years of smoke abuse?! Surely cold/heat can’t be much worse than that, can it? And, back in the old days, houses got REALLY cold in the winter (I know; I grew up in one. Seriously, once it was 60 or so in the house in January)(that house was destroyed about 30 years ago; no surprise there). And they got REALLY hot and humid in summer. That was life. That’s the way it was.
So.
My piano in the red shed might fare just fine. I might have to get it tuned once a year, but I do that anyway, so that’s no big deal. And frankly, I’m thinking the kids (and I!) will like practicing outside with the shed doors open on the coming beautiful fall days!
Anyway.
I guess I got kind of rambly. Sometimes that just happens. Sorry about that.
I meant to mention it and post a few px of the week. No pictures of the new piano yet. I stay away from it as much as I can. Maybe once it has a new home in the shed I’ll take a few.
Remember previous post about ripe watermelon? Disregard it for this year. It’s been an odd year – very late planting and very hot. Later than normal and hotter than normal. So the yellow bellies just weren’t coming, although the curlicues were dead. Finally we picked a few anyway – and they’re ready. And delicious. Go figure.
Ain’t he fine!
