Melynda Dovel Wilcox is a freelance writer and editor, having previously worked for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine for nearly 20 years. Her blog, portcitynotebook.com, covers education and other topics of interest to Alexandria residents. She and her husband, David, and their young adult identical twins, Laura and Amanda, are all amateur musicians, and their collection of instruments includes a baby grand piano, two French horns, a clarinet, a recorder and a guitar.