Gratitude: Old pianos and older friends

Santa came early to our house yesterday - well, sort of! My good friend Ali (whose been a friend since I was a Brownie!) had our old piano delivered to us yesterday morning. My Grandma Osborn gave us this piano when I was six or seven years old and I immediately became addicted to playing it. I took lessons for several years, but soon realized that I got more enjoyment from just playing by ear - like my Dad does. I loved going down stairs in my parents basement and always having that piano there to welcome me. It has got to be at least 100 years old and sounds horrible compared to a good piano, but I never cared. It's the perfect piano to have with little kids around because there's nothing they can do to hurt it, and besides, I think it's charming!

When my parents moved about 10 years ago, they no longer had room for it and gave it to me and Eric. Then when Eric and I moved into our Sugarhouse home about eight years ago, we didn't have room for it either. Ali, who needed a piano at the time for her darling little girls, helped us out and gave it a home. I honestly didn't think we'd really ever need it again and didn't think too much more about. I was happy that it was in a good home with little girls who loved playing it as much as I did.

In the midst of the financial roller coaster that we've been on over the last seven years, Santa brought me a beautiful baby grand piano several years ago, which later had to be sold to help get us through some difficult months earlier this year. We were hoping to be able to get another, less expensive piano in the near future, but I wasn't holding my breath. So it was such a blessing to get Ali's phone call last week telling us that they were buying her Aunt's piano and wondering if we wanted my old one back.

If I didn't know any better, Ali (my friend on the left - Nic's the one on the right) probably got wind of our "pianoless" state and decided to buy her Aunt's piano in order to have a reason to give ours back. She's always been a wonderful friend to me, and even though we can go months and months without contact, I always feel like she's there for me - through good times and bad. Thanks a lot Ali! Now I need to stop crying and go over there are start playing that piano!