Strings...

Every 3-5 months one or more (once every string) Haley's violin strings begin to unravel within the metal of the strings getting ready to snap at the least provocation.

It never happens when we have a day at home planned or a day with only one lesson where is would be easy to make an appointment in the city to have the instrument restrung. It always happens when the kids have a gig the next day or when the weekend is completely full that it would be near impossible to get to the city. Once I raced to Philly at 4pm on a Friday afternoon, through massive rush hour traffic to get to the luthier before they closed at 4:30pm. (I didn't make it but they were nice enough to stay open for me.) The kids had a gig the following day and I didn't have replacement strings on hand.

Last night, I got home from work to be informed that Haley's A string was unraveling "bad." It was in 4 different places and worse than I'd seen one unravel before. My schedule this weekend being completely booked, there was no way to get it in to be restrung and Haley has a violin lesson, a seating audition at one orchestra, a gig with her brothers at our church fall festival, and her other orchestra rehearsal all within the next 48 hours. I did have some extra strings on hand that we'd bought for Ireland and camp. Did I attempt to change those strings myself?

No, I handed the mess to Dylan and let him do it. (The boy has a way with instruments.) Disaster avoided!

My husband wants to know why 4 violin strings cost $50 and 6 guitar strings (which are much longer) cost $15? Sounds like the beginning of a joke, huh? I got to thinking that maybe if I purchase "fiddle" strings, they will be much cheaper. Ha!