I too like to imagine I would never sell my instruments. But if a guitar, viewed by welfare agency as an asset, prevented me receiving assistance that would fill my kids' hungry stomachs three times every day, said guitar simply would have to go. How can one keep or prepare even food bank groceries without electricity? Or run a fan when it's 100 degrees out? The only way it would be feasible to keep the instruments is if one could earn at least as much with music as the welfare I'd lose by keeping it.

On which topic Will Fly makes a darn good point about adapting to the local market.

BBS, it sounds like you've ruled out moving back to the paying job, so that suggests you are okay with the price everyone in the family is paying to give grandkids and grandparents access to each other. Sadly I have to say that wouldn't be the case with my in-laws. But that's another thread for another day...

Are you able to do the old job with your present health issues?