Don't look a gift piano in the mouth?

A few weeks ago Mr. Ranch's law partner asked him if we would be interested in a free piano.  The partner is moving and the new house won't have room for the piano.  I keep asking for a piano but taking one without hearing it concerned me (a lot).  I hemmed and hawed, and then said, "ok".  After all, if I accept it as free, then someone else will in the future, right?

The piano apparently has quite a history--it has a stamp on it that says it was built in 1903. It also has a "I was tuned" sticker from 1976  in the small South Dakota town where my parents now live--weird! It is an upright grand and looks very pretty.  You can watch the innards if you play without sheet music and it has a harpsichord petal with makes it sound a lot like a really old harpsichord.

 Also in an interesting turn of events, The Girl has decided to teach herself to play the piano.  Every afternoon this week she has dutifully sat in front of the piano with the beginners book and practiced.  I think she has practiced piano more than drums this week.  Mr. Partner's daughters left all their books in the bench, so combined with all my books, The Girl has quite a selection to practice.  Alice  is helping by keeping the top from raising.

 Inside the piano--a 10 year guarantee that expired over 100 years ago if it was really built in 1903.  Crazy.

Some pretty interior details...









Now that we have it moved in, next on the agenda is to have it tuned--I should get to work on that this week!