I've Got Me A Piano!

I've got me a piano! Actually, not a whole, complete, real piano, but a little electric keyboard thingy. When we moved into our townhouse, I had to give up my piano due to lack of space. It went to my mommy, and I sure missed it.
My history with piano-ownership has been fraught with deceit and a distinct lack of musical talent. When I was in second grade, my parents bought an old upright piano. Half the keys didn't produce any sound, and it had probably never been tuned. I was "encouraged" to start piano lessons. I was "encouraged" for about five years, at which time I threatened to quit unless my parents got me a decent piano. They did, and I promptly quit the lessons anyway. I am not musically talented at all. Sure, I can read the music, but I'm more prone to banging on the keys than actually making it sound like music. But, since I was the only one who played, I got the piano. I loved closing all the windows and doors so no one could hear, and I would bang away at my heart's content. Oddly, the cats seemed to enjoy it. Whatever.
When we moved into the townhouse last year, the piano went to my mom, who plays it minimally. My mother had wanted my niece to start playing, so she bought an electric keyboard thingy. K played it for awhile, but was quickly bored. When I was at my sister's house recently, I asked K if she was still playing the piano, and she said "no." I told her I was going to take the keyboard home with me.
So, that's how I got it. Bullying little girls. Of course, if she decides she wants to resume her lessons, it will be returned to her. Yeah right.
I am quite grinchy.
The neatest thing- it has a volume control, so no one has to hear me.

Assorted Christmas Woes

It's been a mixed bag of things going on lately. Of course, getting ready for Christmas has been the main thing. We bought an artificial tree for the townhouse. We didn't have a tree last year, so this was the first run-through. It became very clear I have way too many decorations. I gave a bunch of stuff to my sister, and will probably give more away. The cats love the tree, especially LOKi. I got a tree skirt for the first time, but I should have thought that through a little better. It's velvet, and so far, it has yet to spend even a complete hour under the tree. It's covered in cat hair that I can't remove, and it's usually in the middle of the living room with LOKi hiding under it. It wasn't supposed to be a toy.

Then there are the Christmas cards, and "The Letter." Yes, I have resorted to writing a computer letter. It's actually pretty sad, because we don't do much. I end up writing a bunch of filler material, and adding a couple of pictures. Then there always a bunch of missing addresses. For some reason, I am apparently unable to write addresses down in safe places. That results in cards that are in a holding pattern until I can get the addresses, or Christmas is over, and darn it, it's too embarrassing to mail them.

Yup, Merry Christmas. Or Happy Holidays (isn't that what you are supposed to say now so you don't offend anyone?)