Andy Grammer

I had a rough day today. Just a pile-up of things that I don’t even want to dwell on…so instead I’m going to write about a good memory…one of my very, very favorite ones.

It is late July 2019…Jason and I decided to plan a little getaway. We were feeling a little footloose and fancy-free since we had determined the kids were old enough to be home alone for overnight. One of those times that we were patting ourselves on the backs for having kids when we were so young.

Jason had never been to a concert so we decided to take an overnight trip to my hometown of Wausau, WI. They hold the Wisconsin Valley Fair there every year with concerts every night. As a kid I had enjoyed such musical stylings as Weird Al Yankovic and Deana Carter at the Fair.

In 2019 Andy Grammer was at the Fair. I am a huge Andy Grammer fan…who can’t help but sing along to “Honey, I’m Good”?…so I bought Jason and I tickets and then booked us a stay at a bed and breakfast in Downtown Wausau. One of those really nice old houses with really squeaky beds.

We had the BEST time. I loved being able to share with him how awesome concerts are…just standing and singing along to the music…our fingers hooked on each other’s belt loops. Caught up in the music and the mood.

We met up with a high school friend of mine and my sister and BIL for a couple drinks before walking back to the bed and breakfast. I think we offended the owner of the bed and breakfast by not coming down for breakfast…apparently they have a really good one.

On our way home the next day we stopped at a park right outside of Eau Claire that we had gone to a few times in college. We just hiked around a little bit and I remember thinking how perfect the weekend was. How great it was to have some alone time connecting with each other and just having fun.

This picture was taken at that park

I remember after Jason’s first surgery we had just gotten him home. It was very emotional because Covid was in full-swing. I had to drop him off at the door to the hospital for his surgery and then pick him up three days later. I wasn’t allowed to go in and visit. I was worried about him because I knew that his spirits were pretty low and he wanted to come home really bad. When we were sitting on the couch once we were settled Andy Grammer came on the radio…but it was a different song…one that brought tears to my eyes then and still does now…”Don’t Give Up On Me”. I remember looking him in the eye and saying “don’t give up on me yet” and he promised me that he wouldn’t and was still fighting. Many times in the year and a half that Jason was sick I would “reach my hands out in the dark and wait for yours to interlock” just as Andy sings about in the song…and Jason’s hands were always there for me. Now my hands are empty.

Andy Grammer songs will always remind me of Jason…he continues to be one of my favorite artists.