Accordion Concentration

A picture can be worth even MORE than a thousand words.

Hero Midget

Several years in a row Ms. Cook gave me Hero Midgets for Solstice (diff colors!). Once, in an effort at finding instruction, I attended the local gathering of accordionists; a bunch of elders it turned out, playing, at the time, Christmas carols. They derisively dismissed the Midget as a child's toy, not EVEN an instrument. Unperturbed, I practiced while driving, mostly at red lights, but often when traffic was sparse, while steering with my knees. Eventually I worked out Ms. Cook's ovarial ode to cats -- C.O.R. (Cat Odor Review). 

The song's title warrants an explanation: Early in our relationship, Ms. Cook's bias inspired me to compose songs to her cat and mine, Sophie, a tabby that moved in with me after my Mom died. (Having co-signed her 2nd mortgage to enable her to buy out her roommate, I inherited the house 3 days later when she died of a heart attack.) 

In her inimitable and discerning way, Ms. Cook had noticed that cats use pee-mail instead of email. And as you've no doubt noticed, the first thing a cat does when it steps outside is sniff at nearby plants...checking their pee-mail. 

Gary Larson (artist)

Of course, cat communiques are FAR more than Facebook-esque trivia. Since most are mergers-and-acquisitions specialists well-versed in hostile takeovers and similar entertainments, their pee-mails contain exclusive content similar to that found in peer-reviewed publications such as The Yale Law Journal, Bloomsbury Review and The Oxford Review of Economic Policy. But it's all conveyed in the ODORS. Thus, the name.

Suitable For ALL Occasions

(That's me on the HERO at the end)

After years of searching for a small instrument that would travel well, I found this full-size one on Craigslist for $300.00. It being in better condition than any other I've seen for the price, I figure I'll jettison something in order to fit it into Phoebe.

Concentrating

And check out the snazzy cap-toe Kenneth Coles I picked up for 10 bucks at a local thrift.

And then there's this....from The Accordionists Forum