The Red Accordion

My husband and I made another trip to Ebensburg on this day. We had a lovely breakfast at Eat 'n Park in Altoona, and then he dropped me off in downtown Ebensburg while he ran errands. Rain was expected later in the day, but in the morning, there was sunshine, and it was really sticky out.

The last time I was there on a Monday, and I grumped about the fact that the huge, three-story antique store, the High Street Emporium, is not open on Mondays. Well, it was open on this day and I spent more than an hour inside, perusing the goodies.

I was looking for a specific item - a set of vintage Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments I spotted there last spring, when I visited for the first time. Somehow, I didn't buy them when I first saw them, and I could kick myself for that now. Of course, they were gone. I can't say I really expected they would be there, but I was disappointed, nonetheless.

They did, however, have lots and lots of other things! You may see one of those items in the photo above: a glorious bright red Scandalli accordion, so colorful and shiny that it practically emitted its own light!

Now, I do not play the accordion, but I have an aunt who does. She is in her late 90s now, and I don't know if she still plays. Back in the day, she could really ROCK that thing, despite having lost a finger in her youth.

I did not buy the accordion, but I admired it greatly. And when I put the picture on Facebook, an old friend of mine who plays the ukulele and I decided I SHOULD go back and get it, so that we may start a Hawaiian polka band!

(Also, wouldn't this be a great treat while backpacking? Imagine the faces of the elk and coyote and all the other wild creatures in Quehanna when I whip this thing out and start playing "Midnight Polka for Elk and Coyote"? With the bugling of the elk as an additional accompaniment, of course!)

Anyhow, a third friend has agreed to learn to play the tuba, to give our music that proper oompa-loompa vibe. Among the three of us, I think we have great potential for making buckets and buckets of money. For surely, people will pay us NOT to play!!!

Tomorrow I'll show you the items I actually bought. :-)

The soundtrack song for this image MUST be polka music. Here's the Lawrence Welk crew with the Pennsylvania Polka, with the marvelous Myron Floren on accordion.

P.S. Can you polka? It's so easy! Full step on the right foot. Quick tap of the left toe (it's almost like a skip/hop). Full step on the right. Good!
Now full step left. Quick tap/hop of right toe. Full step left!
Right left right! Left right left! Right left right! Left right left!
BOUNCE A LITTLE. Kick up your heels! Turns must be done with a GREAT flourish! Yes, we're having fun now!  :-)

P.P.S. And let's not forget that baby llama who wanted to move to The Big City and learn to play the accordion! Apparently, here's the accordion he wished for!