Possible loss of a good friend

She has always been there. From my very earliest memories, she sat in a place of honor in the dining room. She was overlooked in terms of playing, but she was dutifully dusted and always had a shine to her. I begged to learn how to play her. I think I really started asking to around age 4. I still remember the excitement when mom said I could finally start taking lessons. Once a week, I'd get off the bus at my aunts house and she would guide me. I used the little red "Teaching Little Fingers to Play" by John Thompson. It was love from the start. I've had many teachers since then, some terrific inspirations who I try to emulated when I teach now, and some that I learned what not to do while teaching. I truly love the piano. I was the kid who would sit for hours and play. I didn't care what my brother and sister were out "doing" I could immerse myself in song after song and just drain all that adolescent angst right out of me. Every tiny emotion that I was feeling could come out as notes in a song. I was never great at writing, or speaking, but I could express myself in music. My piano was always there. It was my great grandmothers piano. It was built in the 1890's. She traveled all over the U.S., and the piano went with her. My parents gave her to me when I got married. We put her in the back of my dads truck and I played her the entire 8 mile move. I'll never forget the wind whipping through my hair, dad driving and singing along and me just playing away with a huge smile on my face. I started teaching on her shortly after I finished my graduate degree. I didn't like classroom teaching, but I loved the one on one private lesson. She's heard so many student turn into talented musicians. She has been a true blessing. On Saturday I had a technician out to give her a tuning. He came in with bad energy surrounding him and I tried to ignore it at first. He looked at her and started grunting away. I soon moved to another room of the house to get away from his attitude. Shortly thereafter he emerged and stated that she was junk, wouldn't hold a tuning and I should scrap her. I was almost in tears. I asked if I could pay for some restorative work and he was adamant that it wasn't worth it and he wouldn't do it. Then he charged me a service fee and left her with only a few noted tuned and sounding much worse than when he came in. All day yesterday I was on the verge of a breakdown. This morning wasn't much better. I have lessons scheduled for Monday afternoon and she was not useable the way he left her. I did some talking at church and found someone who had a tuning tool that I could borrow. I came home and started working on her. I was doing ok, and then a horrible - BOING - I broke a string. The tears did come then. I tried to pull myself together and got out the list of tuners who I was going to call to come give a 2nd opinion. I dialed the first one who was somewhat local and said they did "piano restoration". A nice lady picked up while I was in the middle of leaving my message. I explained my predicament. I told her what the first man had said and I told her that I really dont want to scrap the piano and am willing to pay for some restorations, but that I really need her tuned for lessons. I even swallowed my pride and admitted to trying to tune her on my own and that darn broken string. She was very nice and she is squeezing me into her schedule tomorrow to get her tuned! She'll have to do the string another day, but it'll work for my lessons and she's got some good energy about fixing instead of scrapping. I truly hope she can help my dear friend. I dont want to lose her

My hubby is the greatest. He went out to get our groceries while I was freaking out trying to tune my friend. He came back with this. I see these every week when we go shopping and I've always said that someday I was going to buy one just because they made me happy to look at. He wanted to cheer me up so he brought this home for me. Wasn't that the sweetest?

I've stopped all my tears and am hopeful that the piano lady will have better news tomorrow. In the meantime, I have gone and played with my friend a few times today to try to release some of the stress I've had build up. She's still there for me and is still helping.