Reed Organ

My family has an old reed organ that was orginally my great grandmother's. It was built in the 1890's, I believe. It's old, anyway. My dad refinished it a handful of years ago. I saw one identical to it in an antique store in Buffalo last year. I really like antique stores and will probably rummage through it again this year some morning when I'm awake and my travel mates are still sleeping.

A person must pump pedals with their feet to blow air through the reeds to create the music. As a kid this was a lot of fun. As an adult, not as much fun, but different. The sound is a little bit irritating, too. I prefer the sound of a piano. Very unique instrument, however.

I took piano lessons for 10 years and got pretty good at it. I don't play much (at all) anymore but would like to have a piano again to pick it back up. I also played clarinet in band for many years through high school and got pretty good. I don't want to pick that back up. I donated the clarinet to the Lupus foundation a move or two ago. Maybe someone with Lupus or their offspring is playing it as we speak.