Cello after all...

One of the difficult decisions I have made recently was to refrain from taking my cello with me on returning to Milagro.  Let's face it: a cello is a very large instrument and it was always difficult to maneuver in the small confines of the boat. It had to be stored in the forward cabin and that meant finding temporary quarters for my baby when anyone visited overnight. The forward bunk was not an ideal spot and at one point I spent a few hours being pretty ticked off at the captain when he dropped a heavy box on top of it and popped a string.
But I found the biggest challenge in guiding the cello, both bulky and fragile, up the companionway and onto the deck and...being a bit uncomfortable with close neighbors listening to my scales and missed notes.

Can't wait to try it out!

Leave it to Larry to come up with a solution. "I really want you to bring your cello," he said. "Nope." I replied, I've thought it over and the cello is just too big to go with us on Milagro. It's like having another person on board, one who doesn't  earn his keep."  That when he showed me  the "silent" cello; it's an electrified version which can be played through a small amplifier (battery operated) or, for comfort in practicing, through headphones! It is smaller, easier to store and we've already chosen a place for it.
The actual cello will be ebony but will otherwise look like the one pictured. I don't expect the tone quality of my current cello but it will be nice to have a practice instrument while my baby sits in a climate controlled storage unit and waits for my return.