How Can I Thank Everyone?

I've received four donations already for my Armenia Building Fund. I don't know quite how to express my gratitude for the generosity and kindness. People have been digging deep into their pockets even during this time of economic hardship. One of the donors told me that her contribution was so little - just a week's worth of fancy donuts at a drive thru.

So I thank those who have donated, those who haven't yet and those who won't be able to. You are all wonderful, loving and caring people and I'm honored to know you.

I'm including a picture here of my friend, Bal Balducci. Bal and I and Rick Thanem would get together to play middle eastern music. Bal was a wonderful dumbeg player who died two years ago right before his favorite holiday, Halloween. I'll carry Bal's spirit with me when I go out tomorrow night as the Hulk.

Little Grandma and the Duduk

For years, a family story has been told and retold. When my mom and dad were married, my dad smoked a pipe. As my dad learned more about mom's side of the family, he became very close with Little Grandma Miriam. When mom and dad would go to Akron to visit, Grandma Miriam would see him and call out "Duduk, Bill, duduk." Or in her accent, "Doodook, Beel, doodook."

For years we assumed that duduk meant "pipe" and it may very well mean that. But as I learned about the Armenian woodwind instrument, the Duduk, it dawned on me that Grandma was making a wonderful joke. She was likening my dad's use of the tobacco pipe to the instrument, the Duduk.

I am so gladdened to think of this and how Grandma's memory comes back to me whenever I play the Duduk. I have the picture you see below on my wall and often play tunes to her. She is alive again...