During the day it is very quiet at my parents' house.
Their living room was empty without the piano, which went to the shop to get its guts replaced.
The night I arrived home, my dad convinced my mom to give him a haircut. I guess DIY haircuts are a genetic trait. But my mom was reluctant--I think she is scissors-shy ever since that time she snipped my eyelid when she was trimming my bangs years ago...But the haircut came out just fine.
I went with my mom to Aardvark Prints to pick up giclee prints of some of her botanical illustrations.
And I finally caved in and began sorting through my boxes of junk in the basement. But I didn't get very far. There's a lot of stuff down there.
High school for me was mostly about music and swimming, although I think these are all track ribbons from the one year I ran track.
Sophomore year school photos.
There were lots of funny old school computer graphics.
I was once a fast enough swimmer that the Army tried to recruit me!
Brigid was once in the musical Guys and Dolls. I played saxophone and clarinet in the pit, while Brigid was a "Hot Box Dancer" on the stage. Whooey...I think parts of that gold costume came off in the dance.
Little Ross.
For a short time I lived next to the railroad tracks in Ft. Collins. When the train went by, the windows rattled, and you certainly could not talk on the phone. This was my highly ergonomic desk. Boo lived next door to me there, for a while, and he took this photo. Then he moved out, and bats started coming out of holes in the walls. So I moved out, too.
I met Boo for some pizza. He's been in Denver for years now.
The piano came home after four months of work. These two guys move 12 pianos a day.
My dad received this piano from his dad, who inherited from Uncle Barry. The story goes that Uncle Barry lived in a tiny studio apartment on the west side of Chicago. He had a Murphy bed and this piano. Every night he had to move the piano to get the bed out. My dad says Barry was an inventor, though no one is clear on what he invented. He was the life of the parties--all the family gathered round the piano while he played.
The piano is nearing 100 years old. The insides were all replaced.
The piano sounds mellower now--really lovely.
Ross and I saw a great movie last year: Note by Note--The Making of Steinway 1037. More than documenting the making of the piano, it offers a glimpse into a culture, a neighborhood, and a group of people who know and love these pianos in a way no one else does.
Of course, it was good to see Anni Dog.
And Ross and I met Lora for breakfast.
My mom invited the family over for a barbeque.
Bryce came with his pup, Lucille.
Caitlin came with her dog, Fiki.
Jane and Garrett came down from Fort Collins.
My dad did the grilling.
My mom made a bunch of delicious salads.
My aunt Sheila came from the Springs, with Uri, the youngest of her many sons.
Her oldest son, Tony, played an Ultimate Frisbee game in Boulder that day, so he was already nearby.
Uri!
And Danny, her second oldest son, has been living only a few blocks from my folks this year. But now he's on his way to Omaha for med school. We missed her two other sons, Mike and Dominic, and my Uncle Sam.
And of course, Ross was there.
But we all missed Brigid.
Sheila played some Chopin for us.
The next day, Ross and I infiltrated my parents' tandem bike club on single bikes.
My parents were the ride leaders that day. It was very hot, but a beautiful ride down to Boulder.
Then it was Monday. Ross and I had to hit the road. Dad had to go to work.
Lora had to work, too, but we stopped in the Fort on our way north and she met us for coffee and a walk to the Poudre.
The rope swing gets cut down each year, I think. It is always in a slightly different spot. I used to live a few blocks from this fantastic swimming hole. I stuck my toes in the water while Ross and Lora talked on the bridge.
During the day it is very quiet at my parents' house.
Their living room was empty without the piano, which went to the shop to get its guts replaced.
The night I arrived home, my dad convinced my mom to give him a haircut. I guess DIY haircuts are a genetic trait. But my mom was reluctant--I think she is scissors-shy ever since that time she snipped my eyelid when she was trimming my bangs years ago...But the haircut came out just fine.
I went with my mom to Aardvark Prints to pick up giclee prints of some of her botanical illustrations.
And I finally caved in and began sorting through my boxes of junk in the basement. But I didn't get very far. There's a lot of stuff down there.
High school for me was mostly about music and swimming, although I think these are all track ribbons from the one year I ran track.
Sophomore year school photos.
There were lots of funny old school computer graphics. 
I was once a fast enough swimmer that the Army tried to recruit me! 
Brigid was once in the musical Guys and Dolls. I played saxophone and clarinet in the pit, while Brigid was a "Hot Box Dancer" on the stage. Whooey...I think parts of that gold costume came off in the dance.
Little Ross.
For a short time I lived next to the railroad tracks in Ft. Collins. When the train went by, the windows rattled, and you certainly could not talk on the phone. This was my highly ergonomic desk. Boo lived next door to me there, for a while, and he took this photo. Then he moved out, and bats started coming out of holes in the walls. So I moved out, too.
I met Boo for some pizza. He's been in Denver for years now.
The piano came home after four months of work. These two guys move 12 pianos a day.
My dad received this piano from his dad, who inherited from Uncle Barry. The story goes that Uncle Barry lived in a tiny studio apartment on the west side of Chicago. He had a Murphy bed and this piano. Every night he had to move the piano to get the bed out. My dad says Barry was an inventor, though no one is clear on what he invented. He was the life of the parties--all the family gathered round the piano while he played.
The piano is nearing 100 years old. The insides were all replaced. 
The piano sounds mellower now--really lovely. 
Ross and I saw a great movie last year: Note by Note--The Making of Steinway 1037. More than documenting the making of the piano, it offers a glimpse into a culture, a neighborhood, and a group of people who know and love these pianos in a way no one else does.
Of course, it was good to see Anni Dog.
And Ross and I met Lora for breakfast.
My mom invited the family over for a barbeque.
Bryce came with his pup, Lucille.
Caitlin came with her dog, Fiki.
Jane and Garrett came down from Fort Collins.
My dad did the grilling.
My mom made a bunch of delicious salads.
My aunt Sheila came from the Springs, with Uri, the youngest of her many sons.
Her oldest son, Tony, played an Ultimate Frisbee game in Boulder that day, so he was already nearby.
Uri!
And Danny, her second oldest son, has been living only a few blocks from my folks this year. But now he's on his way to Omaha for med school. We missed her two other sons, Mike and Dominic, and my Uncle Sam.
And of course, Ross was there.
But we all missed Brigid.
Sheila played some Chopin for us.
The next day, Ross and I infiltrated my parents' tandem bike club on single bikes.
My parents were the ride leaders that day. It was very hot, but a beautiful ride down to Boulder.
Then it was Monday. Ross and I had to hit the road. Dad had to go to work.
Lora had to work, too, but we stopped in the Fort on our way north and she met us for coffee and a walk to the Poudre.
The rope swing gets cut down each year, I think. It is always in a slightly different spot. I used to live a few blocks from this fantastic swimming hole. I stuck my toes in the water while Ross and Lora talked on the bridge.
