Selfie at our vacation in Breckenridge, CO the summer of 2014 after Jimmy’s first bout with cancer. The one he called his “little annoyance”. Sitting in the sun in a warm pool is very conducive to healing!
One thing I have been having trouble with since Jim’s death is listening to music. I’m paying for Sirius Radio, but until very recently (yesterday) I haven’t been willing to turn it on. He also had some favorite YouTube videos that will have to wait for later: Eva Cassidy singing “Over the Rainbow” or Judy Collins’ beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace”. He had a little collection of tunes that clued me in to his mood. I could tell when he was down by the playlist on the TV.
But as you well know our Jimmy loved every single kind of music on the planet. He liked classical music, Jazz, Blues, R & R, R & B, Irish Folk, of course, and even Musicals. Yes, he watched everything from “Annie!” to “Les Miserables”. He loved “Chicago” because Elizabeth did, “Beauty and the Beast” because I did! I believe he even got a secret kick out of “Mama Mia”. I don’t believe he would admit that out loud though.
But what he loved more than anything else in the world were The Oldies. 60’s on Six, 70’s on Seven. All the time. So many tunes from our past. From Simon and Garfunkle to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and everything in between. Old timey westerns to Bubblegum. Jay and the Americans to Led Zeplen. And if he could sing along he loved them even more.
He was one of the last people on the planet to own an I-Pod and he had loaded it all those years ago with many of his favorites. Anyone hear of the Austin Lounge Lizards? Jim had them! Jimmy Buffett? He could sing all the words to all the songs.
Yesterday I got brave and tuned in to the Jimmy Buffett channel. Does the music make me nostalgic? Yes, of course, but it also fills me with love and happy memories. And a little weepy, but is that a bad thing? I don’t think so.
Eva might have to wait though. There isn’t enough wine for that yet.