Nonni says to write something.  Dad danced his feet and sang the other morning as he got ready to get out of bed.  He seems pretty happy, or at least doing fine.  On Mondays Diane gives him a massage.  I don’t see him fiddle with his mail so much anymore, but maybe I just don’t watch so carefully.  When I see him, he is at the table eating in a slow and detached manner, or sort of watching people do puzzles, knit, talk, clean, or otherwise do the business of not so busy living.  Or he is snoozing in his comfy chair.

Meanwhile others in the household do laundry, wash dishes and floors and clothes, or try to keep the house warm.  This winter we are doing another round of insulating, starting with some of the log walls with old Fairbanks Exploration Co. windows, and hopefully soon getting on with the breezy basement.  We have moved a mass of toy trains from the furnace room in order to add R value, and wow did Dad love trains.

I particularly enjoy the 2 page paper (exquisite handwriting)  I came across in the basement:  “Details of Hornby ‘O’ Gauge Railway Equipment sold to N. E. Koponen….sent from Leeds, Yorkshire, to Godaluming (sic?), Surrey, by Bristich Road Services, 17th Nov. 1958.”  My own memories of our year in England (I was three) are slight, and mostly from Mom recalling that the kids ran the taps (water from a spigot?!  oh my!) in such awe and abstraction that the floor below was subjected also to the awareness of water’s availability…and Nonni returning to Fairbanks with a British accent (much to the delight of school mates).

Dad’s love and interest in networking (as we say these days) between groups has been remarked upon by friends we have seen recently during the elections.  He seemed to do it not to enjoy political advantage, but in genuine interest in furthering understanding and compassion among people in forwarding a growth of our condition.  We hope that the commitment toward bettering our world is renewed once again.  This has been–and remains as elections have still not ended here in Alaska–a very exciting fall.

–Chena

This has been a more active weekend for Niilo and Joan: A morning visit by Etuk and Nana then a zero-degree but sparkling, sunny, snowy ride on the Tanana Valley Railroad steam Engine No. 1 (built in 1899), followed by cookies and cider in the railroad museum on Saturday; then Max and Rob sharing breakfast, Potluck Sunday at Friends Meeting (Quakers) for Niilo and Heather, and a movie for Joan and Alex.  

Niilo laughed when the little engine had trouble with a frozen brake on an uphill grade, not at all distressed by the unplanned stop.

We have discussed elections lots, and Joan has marked her sample ballot;  Niilo hasn’t figured out Proposition A nor the retention of judges, but he is voting too.

Heather

Niilo has been talkative lately…He recently observed, “The Civic Railroad Lines are still in existence.  They run past the…east of the Kentucky…east of the RedTop Railroad.”  It seemed that the music that was playing, a Celtic Confusion CD, reminded him of this fact.  Does anyone know these railroads?  (For those who don’t Celtic Confusion, we love their music…You probably would too!)

Moose cow and twin calves and others have been recurrent visitors lately, trimming the wild rose hedges, grass, and crabapple tree.  Niilo, Joan, and all here delight in their visits right outside the window.

We have about 3 inches of snow.

Chena Ridge Friends Meeting Quakers have been building a wheelchair ramp and other accommodations to the gthering cabin, and are glad that Niilo’s need has been an impetus to getting it going.  It is great so far! though not yet complete.  (If anyone cares to donate to the cause, it would of course be welcomed.)

Heather

About a week ago, Joan and Heather had the treat of watching and hearing 4 moose for half an hour – in and right near the garden.  Within minutes after the last cabbages were harvested, a cow, two calves, and a young bull discussed their bad luck in missing the choicest meals but worked away at the stalks of broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and a few bites of other vegetables and wild rose bushes.  “Better than a movie,” Joan said.  Although she has been enjoying the garden and bringing in the harvest, she does not begrudge the moose some treats.

One hard frost so far, and much gorgeous clear weather; Niilo has spent time outdoors some days.  Dane’s dog, Shijaa, probably 15 years old and mostly deaf and of poor eyesight, got herself under a car wheel, so there are now no family domesticated animals.

Niilo and Joan had 3 visitors from Finland: Olavi, Eva, and Markus.  Although he didn’t talk much Finnish with them at the time, Niilo enjoyed telling Nancy D. in the evening about their visit.

Niilo is doing pretty well this week, talking a bit sometimes and sleeping less than some periods in the past 2 months; however, his body often doesn’t cooperate for transfers and it’s been weeks since he walked with the walker.  Sometimes he needs more than one person to help him transfer from bed to chair, et al, so a hoyer (mechanical) lift has been ordered to help.  Despite cranberry pills and lots of fluids, he has another urinary tract infection, so we’re offering more yogurt to off-set the potential side effects of the antibiotic.

Ben Newman is in Ohio for a semester at Kent State; his brother Max is back in Fairbanks through the November election, working on a campaign more than full-time, so family don’t see as much of him as they would like.  Dane has been back from wildland firefighting for a few weeks.          Heather

Dad got a nice package today in the mail.  Thanks!  It went to his Post Office box, which is currently in forwarding mode to Chena.  We will, we think, close down Dad’s P.O. box in December when the next fee is due.  So all of you nice people who send Dad mail, please change his address to 710 Chena Ridge Road, Fairbanks, AK  99709.

I will bring up the package to the Ridge soon.  Mail is fun for all of us.   Dad gets tangible mail still, but it is unknown to me how much of it he processes.  Dad doesn’t check his electronic mail at all anymore, so that should also be deleted from your sendings.

We sure appreciate Dad’s afternoon caregiver, Dot, who loves the outdoors and is so good to all of us.  The new morning caregivers Rachel and Nancy seem to be wonderful too.  I like them so much, and am so appreciative of how helpful they are.

The time of year is splendid.  Love, Chena

Niilo has not had major events lately, but less energy and alertness, possibly but not necessarily related to: A recent urinary infection, antibiotics, side effects from antibiotics. 

He gets outdoors in the wheelchair most days now that it’s been sunny much of the time for a while, and lets us know he enjoys it.  He also still looks at news and magazines a bit, but has more to say about family photo albums.

No, Niilo did not have comments about the primary election today.  And for the first time he didn’t vote, because he has not been able to read, write or to answer questions clearly lately.  Sometimes he says something to indicate he understood an item of conversation, but not predictably.

Thanks to you who call or write or visit. 

Heather

Is it due to the ongoing overcast and rain and subsequent fewer outings that there seems to be a little less energy, or something else?

Thank goodness Joan and Niilo chose to homestead on top of a hill rather than along the river – despite the problems for horse carriages and trains – At least the house is dry…whereas numerous families along the local rivers have been flooded, as has the whole town of Nenana.

Koponens have made it past bad colds and are carrying on with puzzles, knitting, meals, news, occasional outings,  and Dad stayed for Friends Meeting with Attention to Business today.

Niilo enjoyed wheeling out to the newspaper box and sitting perusing the paper in the welcome sunshine this evening.  And he very much enjoyed the raspberries and carrots Joan and Heather picked while he visited with Nancy D, whose new farm he visited last week.

Other outings have included visiting the Pioneers Home along with Mom, Quaker meetings and potluck.  Thanks for visits from Dick, Nancy H.D., Brian, Caroline, DeVonne; continued stimulation, meals, and other help from Marilyn, Dot, Chena, Alex, and Heather; and calls from Nonni, Sanni, Dane, Harry, and occasional other Finnish-American friends.

Niilo communicates that he would like to be more mobile and self-sufficient and finds it frustrating that his brain and body are still lacking the organization and strength for greater progress.  Still, he sometimes smiles and laughs and usually enjoys conversation and having news read aloud. He transfers well to and from the car, sometimes drives his wheelchair himself, and walks with the walker some every day.  Things may get better.

Heather

  Last evening, Dad spent 2 hours outdoors.  With numerous trips to the ends of the driveway to transport tools on the wheelchair handlebars, he supervised the digging of a new hole for the mailbox and transfer of mailbox and newsbox to the lower end of the loop driveway.  He enjoys seeing the flowers too.

  Today, steeled by a nap and juice, Dad walked some 15 feet with the walker.  If the clouds don’t turn ominous, Joan, Niilo, Chena and I will soon go down the hill for a stroll at Creamer’s Field.   We are so lucky in Fairbanks to have citizen-sponsored wild areas such as Creamers!

  Heather

Yike, Dana and Kotty and many others who are tuned to this station….this–where Dad’s head and body are–is such an unknown place for a lot of us.  Dad calls to me “Chena….” and then says things I just don’t understand.  He tells Caroline, a dynamic & fascinating woman who has spent decades living all over Alaska and most recently Fairbanks–and then volunteers to come into our home weekly to do she probably doesn’t know what but to Heather and me is giving us a few minutes in the “off” mode–about trolleys in New York and seems participatory in the discussion of handicapped issues before the legislature during “his day.”  Caroline tells us about his work for the handicapped parking signs and curbless slots in the sidewalks.  Gosh, I wish I could listen in all day.

But there is laundry to do and floors to clean.  The fields are growing up with lovely grass and the dandilion have turned from beautiful yellow to “let’s spread ’em” white.  Alex spends time getting the mower charged up and a new belt put on, only to find out the tire is flat.  No problem: use the air compressor to fill it.  Shucks, the air compressor trips a breaker.  Now what’s wrong?  Two machines to fix.

Can’t tell you how much good it does us, Dana and Harry and Bob to hear your voices when you call, read your words when you write.  We take it day to day and week to week and every-too-soon things are different and just as scary as before.  Nonni calls often and it is such a period of normalcy to hear him, from Vermont, talk about his life (he doesn’t think it is normal at all, but we know better).

Kotty, your grandpa’s stories are incredible and immense.  Almost no one is telling them but I guess that is the way of life.  Just live  yours to the fullest you can.

Dad did OK today.  Not big on the avocado I made him for lunch (gosh, I almost am over getting offended people don’t like how personal I make their food!) but strong on his transfers.  The old egg salad on dark rye was acceptable, and he was so thirsty.  I can’t tell so much how much he integrates from what we try to communicate with him.  I also don’t think I understand all he says.  It must be frustrating for him.  Hugs and love is what we end up with.

Chena