Well, there go all my plans to be the cello champion of Australia. And with the Cello Championships coming up, as well…I was so close! I know I won’t be able to afford a new one by then, so I guess I’ll have to focus on learning a cheaper instrument. See, this is why I should’ve gone with the recorder from the start. Nana said, she definitely said that I should put my efforts into learning something that can be more easily be carried around. Still, I had no idea that leaving my cello outside for a couple of days would lead to it being eaten by termites. And now we’ve got the Dandenong termite control people in to have a look at the house, so actually…maybe this all turned out pretty well. Maybe. Just maybe.
Still unfortunate. I took it back from practice the other night, realised I forgot my key and had to go round the back door. My back door key had mysteriously vanished from my keyring (it later turned up in the washing machine…which explained the metallic clinking every time I put a load on), so I had to pry my bedroom door window open. Got a call as soon as I came in, which made me forget that I’d left my cello outside next to the wood pile. Didn’t have cause to use the back door for the next couple of days since I worked a double shift and don’t even use that door much anyway. And then I remembered. Came out, and…well, those little termites had migrated from our old wood pile so some quality Canadian pine. My cello was still sort of in-tact, but only barely, and it certainly doesn’t make nice noises any more. Shame, because I’ll now have to save up for a new one and get used to it all over again, etc.
So, the moral of the story is…termite control is important. And when you leave a piece of expensive wood sitting outside for two days, nature will begin to reclaim it. Still, like I said, Dandenong pest control have now done a rush through and confirmed that the little critters aren’t starting on my house as a second course. So…peace of mind. Peace of mind, but no more cello.
-Andrea