I finally took the time this week to visit Niilo, after my workday. He was in the Pioneers Home TV room, marginally watching an old movie. Got a few words out while I talked to him about various things. We went to his room and I read the paper and a couple of magazine articles, we did percussion on lap pillows, then I left as he was prepped for bed by his CNA. Dave McReynolds sent a nice group letter and one of us will share it with him.

Dad spent a few hours at the Fair today. He loved the crab he had for lunch and greeted many old friends and new (even DeVonne!) as we toured the grounds. We stopped at lots of fab booths with people working hard for Good Causes.

Thanks to Pioneers’ Home for bringing folks out.
Also, Deborah N was out at Pioneers’ yesterday and related that Brian A had visted with her the previous evening when they came to see Dad.

–Chena  (raincoated at the cabbage weigh in with Dad and staff)

Heather brought Niilo home for dinner and a visit – Heather, Joan, Chena, Gary and Rob were there. Niilo seemed comfortable and enjoyed dinner, though wasn’t really talkative.

Next Thursday, Pioneers Home transports him to the Tanana Valley Fair, where Chena will be taking him around to see the sights in the early afternoon.

Since moving to the Pioneers Home Niilo has visited home several times, mostly to the older kitchen/livingroom, where he can sit at his traditional seat at the round table, facing out the south windows.

Last weekend included the treat of a visit by dear, long-time friend Marilyn Herreid.

Niilo seems to enjoy being home and Joan enjoys having him for these visits. More recently they were made a little easier by construction of crude but functional ramps for the various individual and sets of steps.

At the Pioneers Home, Niilo is frequently wheeled outdoors, which he likes. He also attends evening gatherings such as local music-makers who play in the Ptarmigan Room or the library. On occasion, family have watched a home video or horse race with him there as well, Joan with her knitting. And we occasionally eat with him in the main dining hall.

Niilo still laughs and speaks sometimes. Less often, he looks at his literature. He doesn’t seem so interested in politics, to the dismay of various people who query family about what he thinks of current events. He still likes to attend Quaker ‘meeting’ and makes it there most Sundays.

Thanks to all visitors to Niilo and Joan!
Heather

Niilo took a ride on the Railroad again. Chena and he rolled Niilo’s wheelchair along the trails to Pioneer Park one late May day and happily discovered that the train there now has a wheelchair-accessible passenger car. Chena says he clearly enjoyed the trip.

Joan often ‘drives’ Niilo’s wheelchair around the Pioneer Home, including a trail through woods. In addition to much birdsong and flowers, wildlife enjoyed on these outings have included hares, wild ducks, squirrels, one fox, and evidence of visits by moose. It is an attractive place.

Niilo has made it to Quaker meeting a couple of times since moving to the Pioneers Home, and hopes to visit the homestead in the near future. He has enjoyed visitors, but is sometimes snoozing deeply. His most awake time seems to be evenings.

Heather

Niilo has not made it to Quaker ‘meeting’ since moving to the Pioneers Home. However, with Joan’s help pushing his wheelchair, he convened with Nature Sunday by a stroll around the outside of the Home. They saw 2 hares, 2 squirrels, ravens, robins, chickadees, red polls, and moose droppings. And young green leaves on the trees and greening grass.

They also looked into Niilo’s room from outside, which he enjoyed. When asked who made the pottery train, he said, “We did, quite deliberately.” He also affirmed that, “Yes, definitely,” he enjoys going for walks outside.

Back indoors, Niilo listened to a couple of poems and was in the mood for song, so Joan, Heather & Rob sang a few for him. Joan knew more of ‘I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill’ than the others!

Heather

Thanks to the visitors and writers since the last post: Don, Suzy and Kraig, Don and Ruth, Earl, Dick, Jose, Peggy, Dave, Pat.
Joan is very much enjoying the increased wildlife: redpolls singing, grouse and moose making the best of the crabapple tree, Canada jays, ravens.
Niilo sometimes rolls himself around, enjoys listening to music, and at other times snoozes in wheelchair or recliner.
The big event is a room opening up for Niilo at the Fairbanks Pioneers Home, to which he will move within the next few weeks. He and Joan and others of us went down to let staff know his needs and to see the room and more of the place. He seemed to enjoy the visit, grinning a few times. Some old friends of his are already there, plus it will be a handier location for some other friends to visit. Niilo will still be able to go to Quaker meeting and home to visit; Joan looks forward to visiting him at the Pioneers Home every day.
It’s also a very busy year at the homestead with much weatherization having been accomplished (Thanks Chena and Gary for overseeing this) and more to do – along with other repairs and maintenance.
Enjoying the lengthening of the days, Heather K.

Though still not on his own two feet, Niilo has gotten out more lately.  The Dog Agility Trials were great!  Much like a horse-show Trails class, they navigate jumps, tunnels, bridges, teeter-totters, hoops, and pole-bending, called weaving for dogs.  Joan, having been on the organizing end of shows in the past, appreciated the job of the ring crew.  Niilo didn’t have a lot to say, but seemed to enjoy it.

Weather has been great:  warm to hot with squalls or pummeling showers.  Niilo enjoys the flowers, as do we all.

Heather

Creamer’s Field is the site of an earlier dairy farm in Fairbanks and now more a site to see lots of migrating birds seasonally as they head north and south. Chena and Heather took Joan and Niilo down there.

Of note were young ravens that didn’t know to fly away from Joan.