It's been an unsettling end of 2024 and beginning of 2025. If I wanted to be morbid, I'd call it "Death Takes (Steals) A Holiday."
About midway into December, a dear neighbor passed away.
On Christmas morning as we prepared for guests, we got a phone call from an old friend and newspaper colleague, Andy Jokelson, that his wife Susan, my partner in our book of haiku and art "One Set of Footprints," had died that morning.
A day later, we got word that another old friend, Barre Phillips, a noted jazz bassist who recorded for ECM and lived in the south of France for decades, had passed at age 90.
Meanwhile, one dear friend whom I managed to reconnect with in 2024 is in hospice and another is having very serious long-COVID health issues. Both were band mates in the second rock band I was ever part of, Jack Ruby & The Romantics, circa 1978. The fourth member, the late, great George Estrada, died some years ago of pancreatic cancer.
So, it became a darkly shadowed holiday season with unavoidable undertones of life's big truth, that we are just passing through and our only earthly immortality is the love we pass along to succeeding generations. In that vein, I rediscovered some cassette tapes of the band that I am digitizing and sharing with my fellow survivors. I hope to share them more widely before 2025's end.
Concurrently, I'm thankful that our band Blue-Eyed Grass completed its self-titled album for Save Mount Diablo. Our album release party at Luigi's in Martinez was a success and huge fun. It looks like we'll be playing at Two Day Town in May in addition to our private, volunteer dates for SMD. Thanks to band mates Ted Clement, John Gallagher, Dave Schneider and Rich Silveira for all the work and fun. Thanks also to my Irish Newsboys band mates for keeping our regular bit of monthly joy alive!
There was some holiday cheer. On Christmas Day, after the stunning news about Susan, friends Dave and Chappell Holt and our son Devin helped relieve some of the shock of the string of passings with a warm and loving Yule visit and dinner, complete with great food, lots of good stories and laughter.
Currently to the good, my scalded right foot seems to be healing well as does the lingering sinus infection I've had since just before New Year's Eve.
Beverly and I have been taking this one day at a time. We embrace the New Year with as much hope and enthusiasm as can be mustered under the weight (and we'd like to think the wisdom) of 80-plus years of life in this miraculous, but often harsh world. Music and art and good books and movies help. Friendship helps. Laughter helps. For me, primarily so does the companionship of Beverly Byrd Loomis, my wife of 62-plus years, and the presence and assistance of son Devin in so many ways as we age.
We are not able to get out and around as much as in younger years, especially if it involves driving at night, but we have many fond memories and want to thank and express our love to all of you who have been a part of the fabric of our lives. We look forward to the rest of the New Year! May it improve with age, especially for those caught in the turmoil of war, violence, poverty and famine.
I'll close with the cover of my and Susan Jokelson's book. Copies may still be available at Mrs, Dalloway's books in Berkeley or from Red Moon Press at:
https://redmoonpress.com/product/one-set-of-footprints-haiku-of-bob-loomis/
