I have mine sitting on the instrument table. I bought it when I was getting radiation. I found that the force required was greater than I use on a euphonium or baritone, so I lost interest. However bear in mind they burned all my 'throat' and oesophagus from my stomach to my nose all the way through, which required a hole to breath through and another to eat through, (the latter in my bowel of course).

The advantage is that I know brass fingerings, so I could pick it up and play. But not until everything 'healed'.

Now I can play the instruments again, in my brass band(s). And with my wife I play keys and she plays flute so I have little need for it. I have a son who plays the whistles, (i.e. recorders, tin flute, penny whistle etc), so I'm considering giving it to him. However I have another son and daughter and I've tried to treat them all fair and I'd have to cash a bond or something to give them an equal value 'thing'. Then the musical one might prefer cash and it gets too messy to think about.

I am probably going to give it a go, but I'm trying to score a bunch of stuff for our duo and my photography, dog lessons (she is teaching me) and other things are eating up my time.

Heck my wife goes to a 6 a.m. fit class, comes home for breakfast and shower, I make food and then her lunch and drive her to work for 7:45. Then I read the paper until noon. Mostly with my eyes shut wide, until the puppy makes me take her for a walk. Then I educate the people living around me about politics, walk the puppy and make supper.

I'm fading thinking about it.

There is no saliva in a horn or the Akai. It's condensation from warm air, which if not replaced dehydrates you. Matt would be the expert on that. Try playing a winter parade with a marching band in Canada. I put chemical handwarmers around the valves and the drains to keep it from freezing up. Sometimes it's a lost cause and the drummers take the lead. Then I wave at the kids.

I loved doing those, but alas, chemo got my long nerves and I can't walk any sort of straight line without a cane. Just try and play and walk with a cane, and finger the valves. It just won't work.... sigh.

John Conley
Musica est vita