Yesterday, the 11-year-old was notified that she’d been accepted into band at the middle school to play clarinet starting this fall. Recently, she went through an afternoon of trying out different instruments at her school to see what instruments might best suit her and had narrowed her choices down to clarinet, saxophone, and I forget what else. The school made the final choice for her, based on their needs, but she’s happy. The clarinet was first on her list. I played clarinet in middle and high school band. How I wish I still had that instrument. We’ve looked into buying and renting, and man, they’ve gotten expensive.

It’s kind of auspicious that today is “Buy a Musical Instrument Day.” It got me thinking about the instruments we already own in this house: an old organ, an electronic piano, multiple guitars and ukuleles, and a harmonica. For me, the piano was my first love. I started lessons when I was seven, I think, with a woman who had polio that affected her left hand. She played beautifully with her right, and she was a great teacher. My father brought me a Yamaha guitar home that he’d bought when he was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. I got it for my ninth or tenth birthday, I think, and played it all the way through college. Carrying around a guitar everywhere you went was a thing in the late 70s, as was singing folk music and songs from Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Yes, I was that cliche.

Anyway, I’d love to hear about any of your musical experiences. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then let me know whether you played (or play) a musical instrument (kazoos count! LOL).