I have been an artist all my life, and having to work low-pay jobs or sometimes sell things have been part of that life for as long as I remember. But yes, I do miss it, and now that all those years of thriftiness (no car, no bank loans) has lead to us being pretty well off I have started to consider buying another reed instrument. My wife loves the clarinet, and as she come from a family completely without any traditions for music, she likes to listen to me and the girls (two daughters) play... she enjoyed it even when my eldest learned the fiddle :) So maybe it will instead be a clarinet... Right now I have a very cheap PVC Shakuhachi flute that gives me great joy, so I do have a wind instrument, but something in brass is tempting :)

I enjoy your posts and listening to your playing.