<HTML><HEAD></HEAD> <BODY dir=ltr> <DIV dir=ltr> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <DIV>First of all, Ed, kudos on the creative writing piece  ...... prefaced by an equally creative title.  It’s a literary goal I hope to come close to some day although it will be a lengthy journey for me.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Secondly, it will take 8 hands and legs to remove the silent musty beast.  It goes a lot faster that way.  Practice your mother’s arachnal announcements to relieve tension.   Practice spitting as well.  You’ll have ample opportunity.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Like a fine string bass, it burns quite well and keeps the ones nearest the fire quite warm.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It sure is sad to see these things pass.  I’ve grown calloused to the process as each detailed cabinet from the 1890’s joins the heap.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have a customer that is about my age and has inherited the home of her great grandfather, General Anderson.  It’s the officers retreat cabin from the Fort Vancouver days.  She has an Ampico in her M&H grand.  I’ve managed to barely keep it working, although not all that well.  It’s old after all.  On our first visit, she showed me the life size likeness of her great grandfather hanging on the wall and filled me in on her family’s history.  We then turned to the view of the Columbia River and noticed a sizable barge going by at the moment.  She proceeded to tell me how she sometimes gets the captains to blow their horns/whistles at her by lifting her top and flashing them.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Yep.  Makin’ a living tuning pianos.</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>