Thankful Post 14

Another thankful post about two of my very best friends, Stacy and her husband Dan. Stacy is one of the elusive Cranies(side note: Cranies are students from the Crane School of Music at Potsdam- aka the frozen north) that I ended up meeting and becoming friends with AFTER college graduation, despite being classes and bands together. Go figure. She ended up moving to my illustrious hometown with her husband, Dan. Thomas worked in the Poughkeepsie City School District with Stacy and friendships were formed. Dan was at Crane too, and again, we never crossed paths. How does that happen??
Stacy is an elementary music teacher and she loves her students and her lessons. You know this just by listening to her describe her lessons or concerts. She is the Kindergarten music lesson expert. Being a music teacher is the perfect career for her. She takes on quite a bit throughout the year; many music teachers pale in comparison to her, but she does it with a happy heart most days. She called to tell me that she was honored as Teacher of the Year in her district along with another colleague. Whoever decided that award-you made a fantastic choice and Stacy truly deserves the accolades.


Stacy's husband Dan is an amazing pianist and piano teacher-in fact I took lessons from him during my time in New York to better my own classroom playing. He is one tough teacher and I learned a lot, although I still curse that sightreading. Unfortunately, I still play quite a bit of boom-chuck and Chicago-like arpeggiated chords at school. He accompanied my choruses while I taught in NY, which was a lot of fun. My favorite was the kids being in awe of his playing or being completely confused when they heard him play the accompaniment the right way (somehow I have faked my piano skills well enough that my students think I actually can play) Of course, he accompanies Stacy's concerts too, because it is probably written in the marriage contract. He also plays with a rock band and can play any tv or movie theme tossed at him. Trust us, we know. One night several years back, Tom, Stacy and I kept shouting out songs and he would just play them. "Josie and the Pussycats!" "Transformers!" "Star Wars!" on and on and on. Dan also played piano for our wedding, including our Star Wars recessional theme. (yes, folks, Star Wars recessional. Not me, all Tom) And of course, Stacy was there to turn pages, again one of those musician marriage contract deals.

Stacy and Dan have visited us in Arizona-took them up to the Grand Canyon where it was freezing cold and snowing and in the very same day, we headed back to Phoenix where it was a balmy 90 degrees. In one day! We also went to our college reunion at Potsdam together, stayed in the dorms and had a lot of fun being the youngest alumni in attendance. Stacy and Dan play in the Big Band Sound-Stacy plays euphonium and trombone- and they also play for local musical theater groups. And if that wasn't enough, Stacy is now a member of Clarinuts, a group of clarinetists and clarinet enthusiasts who read and play different pieces for fun-usually ending with the Stars and Stripes by Sousa, if I remember right. The highlight of the Clarinuts evening is the dessert time and the passing of the pan with the magnetic words on it and a group poem is created.

Whenever we visit New York, Stacy and Dan open their schedule and their home to us. They met us for dinner in New York City near Rockerfeller Center a few Christmases ago. (I almost wrote Rockafeller-wow!) This past summer, we ended up staying with them for two nights (sans children!) and we got a lot of time to catch up.

Stacy and I don't talk very often, but when we do, it is usually a three-hour phone call! I miss them terribly but I am discovering that these thankful posts are going to be a snap with all of the amazing people who have walked into my life from all different places. Stacy and Dan were right under my nose the whole time! I could look back and say "what if we had actually met in college, wouldn't that be great?" but instead I believe friends walk into your life not a moment too soon. Stacy and Dan were and are the perfect friends at the perfect time and I have to be thankful for that!