After 16 years of being together, I can honestly tell you he never ceases to amaze me.  My husband Gary, is not a romantic.  Not much of a gift buyer. I dare say that if you asked him my favorite ice cream flavor, he wouldn’t know.  Anniversaries, not.  Birthdays, maybe.  Valentine’s Day. sometimes.  Support and love. Always.

We’ve had a rough 16 years.  Deaths, illnesses…for better or worse. Who knew that we’d be together 24/7 since the year after we were married. I didn’t sign up for that.  Difficult. You betcha! Worthwhile.  Every minute. And, every day there’s a new surprise.

Saturday, my sweet man made special arrangements to get my beautiful piano tuned.  It’s a beauty.  A handmade Charles Walter concert console piano.  It’s signed and numbered and could put a Steinway grand to shame.  I have not touched it for 12 years.  Like my skis, which were extremely difficult to part with, it’s a constant reminder of something I loved to do and cannot.  So, my beloved piano beautifully and regally sits in the living room reduced to a holder of knick-knacks and at Christmas, a collection of Hallmark animated music boxes. Soon, it will go to our grandson, Sammy. But, this Saturday, it got some love and attention.  The piano technician, “oohed” and “ahhhed” over her while she was lovingly and carefully tuned.  Each string touched and adjusted by expert hands that I watched, like a mama hawk, making sure that those babies were not over stressed.  A bittersweet two hours knowing that she was receiving much deserved care but knowing I couldn’t play her.

My hands have atrophied to the point that my fingers can no longer depress the keys of my beautiful girl.  Nor, are they receiving the message from my muscles to be coordinated enough to play.  Even as I type, I use only my left hand and one finger on my right hand.  My hands get incredibly cold and cramp up. Something I can live with while typing but not playing the piano. It was never an effortless task, practiced for hours and hours on end, but the result was worth it.  And now, I have those memories.

My husband never really knew the quality of the piano…he had never heard me play. Also, he is not musically inclined.  When he saw Dan, our newly acquired “piano man” and friend ogle the piano, he suddenly realized that there might be something to my love for her. When he heard Dan play her, his mouth fell open.  Not so much because of Dan’s skill as a pianist but because my girl makes anyone sound good!

So, the next morning, my prince says to me, “Might want to change clothes, we’re having some guests today.”

“Huh? It’s Sunday.”

My favorite catch up day. Read emails, FB, WordPress, Twitter, jewelry and write…uninterrupted! Not this Sunday.  So, I changed from “more casual,” to just “casual.” About two o’clock, I closed down my computer after writing another 2000 for the “…the Elusive Sea” and the doorbell rings.  In comes my neighbor’s teenager (whom I love) and her two friends.  They introduce themselves and tell me that they’ve come to give me a private piano concert! Gary is grinning ear to ear.

P.S. A violin was thrown in the mix.  It was amazing!