I’ll start with today’s adventure to a familiar store…IKEA! I think we might get spoiled having an IKEA within a 20 minute bus ride from our house. Back in Michigan we would have to drive 3 hours to Detroit or Chicago to visit an IKEA. Of course the first place we went was the cafeteria to have those oh so yummy Swedish meatballs! After lunch it was time to explore all the neat little demonstration rooms they had set up on the main floor. We had a fun time meandering in and out of the various displays!

We didn’t need any furniture, but we all agreed that new pillows would be fantastic. The pillows provided in our Airbnb are too thin, soft, and very large! After sleeping on them for 10 days everyone agreed it was time to go to IKEA and get new ones. We also got a few other household items that we need for everyday life that weren’t provided in the apartment…including the yummy IKEA oatmeal chocolate cookies!

Yesterday, 18 February, we went downtown to meet with Anna Wagner the Luthier that is renting us the kids’ instruments. She was very nice. Seamus went first. He’s wanted to get his hands on a cello for quite a while. The last time the kids played their own instruments was 5 weeks ago! He took to the new instrument quickly and she was impressed with how well he played for someone so young.

Faywen was next. Unfortunately her viola is bigger than the one at home, but it looks like a good fit size wise for her. Ms. Wagner was very sympathetic and said that if Faywen doesn’t take to the larger instrument then she will call around to other luthiers in Austria and find a smaller viola. I’m happy to say after two days of practicing Faywen is adapting fine to the instrument. She sounds really good on it and the more she plays the more confident she is where to place her fingers. Because it is a larger instrument, the fingerboard is also larger and she must relearn where to place her fingers to make each pitch. She’s learning quickly and when she starts her lessons her teacher will be able to help out too.

Liam has a very unique looking violin. It’s very old and worn, but has a vey nice tone thus supporting the old adage  “The older the violin the sweeter the tune!” Both he and Robert have enjoyed playing the instrument.

The kids will start their private lessons in early March. It’s nice hearing music in the house again! It’s amazing how simple things that are familiar make you feel at home no matter where you live. In this case it’s as simple as instruments, pillows, and Swedish meatballs!