Though Niilo has been pretty droopy since Saturday, Monday afternoon he stayed awake and enjoyed an hour outside with Joan and Heather helping him around the driveway and watering the flowers.  Perhaps another time he will do the tour walking.

Niilo went to Friends meeting Sunday, after which Friends wheeled him out toenjoy the traditional tea outdoors in the sun.  Several phone calls and visitors  brought more variety to the day.

Heather

Sneezes and less energy go along with clouds and rain. 

But Niilo was very glad to talk with his childhood Finnish Cooperative housing friend Lauri (pronounced lou-rie, a male name in Finnish) by telephone.  “Mita kuluu?”  What’s up?

Heather

  Niilo is definitely getting stronger:  More transfers from wheelchair to car for medical appointment (“Looks good!”), walking with the walker from the car through the entry to the dining table,  out around the driveway in the wheelchair, and standing without assistance several times.  He looks forward to going to Chena Ridge Friends Meeting Sunday morning.

  His brain is improving too, though still very confused.  However, he remembered his Wilberforce College (now Ohio Central State) classmate Otha who called and talked with him for some 25 minutes.  It turns out they had both been very involved with education and both served in their state legislatures.  The last time they were in contact had been at the Democratic National Convention at which Jimmy Carter was nominated as candidate for President.

Heather

As the sun came out in the evening – after hard rains last night – Joan & Heather picked a second batch of rhubarb and planted potatoes.  With Nancy D.’s help, Niilo also came out to the garden in his wheelchair and enjoyed the sunshine, the company, and being part of something that is part of his identity.

Nancy noted that Niilo was much more vibrant this week than last, even initiating a short conversation with, “Where are you from?” and asking where Joan went when she left the garden to make rhubarb tapioca.

Thank you Nancy!

Heather

How many organizations?  How many committees?  How many boards? 

How many subscriptions?    How much can one keep in one’s head?  and still be able to access the information?

Dad could read very fast – though not a whole book in 10 minutes with total recall as someone recently claimed – and related knowledge of scientific and linguistic research to environmental, economic, anthropologic, and political issues.  He figured  that the more he learned, the easier it was to make sense of and retain, because each new fact related to something else he was interested in.  Everything was tied to something else, “like a spider web.”

Niilo’s Causes and Committees…the list will be too long for any one person, but I’ll start it off for all to add to:  Community Building,  Community Self-Reliance

Healthcare – access for all

Neighbor Helping neighbor – one of founders of:

            Chena Goldstream Volunteer Fire Dept

            Northern Schools Federal Credit Union (now Spirit of Alaska FCU)

            Head Start in northern Alaska

Local Agriculture – Niilo harvested hay, had pride in the family garden

….

There are many many more, but Heather is too tired right now, so please add to the list via Comments!

Sunday evening Dad joined visitors with Mom in the old part of the house again, obviously enjoying the familiar atmosphere.  Folks talked, and Ron gave Dad a much-appreciated neck massage.  After about an hour, he stood up from the wheelchair totally unaided with intent to go to bed.  Walking, though, seemed more problematic, so we took him back outside and around to his new room in his chair; Thanks to Rob, Caitlyn, and Dave for the help up the walkway steps. 

Niilo did walk a few yards with the walker in the remodeled part of the house, where there is less to trip on.

Also Sunday evening, the family was treated to the company of Steve Sayer, longtime family friend and neighbor, recently back from Massachusetts.

There is often music on, often in Finnish, and sometimes we sing.    Dad takes interest in the garden and expressed, “Oh, well!” when told of the recent frost on the new plants and of voles nibbling on some tender tips.  It’s been beautiful clear weather during the days lately.

Heather, Monday evening, June 2nd.

Dad and Mom sat side by side in the garden for about an hour Saturday, soaking up the bright sun and offering mild words of encouragement to Heather as she rearranged garden beds and to Chena as I snipped away at the crabapple and lilac at the head of the garden. Peter’s lovely burial marker is adjacent to the lilac, but I wasn’t able to get down to the brass yet today. Heather and Mom have put in quite a few transplants and seeds, so I am hoping for quite a few more days like today when Dad and Mom can enjoy the garden.

–Chena

Note: Peter G. was a much adored family friend, and when next his brother Tom visits, I wish he’d give some pointers on handling the lilac!

Perhaps the excitement of more activity wore Niilo out for a bit; After getting out of the house on Saturday and Sunday, Monday Tuesday Wednesday had a lot of sleeping.  But Joan joined him for movies (Jewel of the Nile, Avengers 1967) in the evening.

Because more fatigue could also be an indirect side effect of an increased dose in medication, he was returned to his former dose.

Visits and cards from Chena-Goldstream current and former volunteers were appreciated.

Heather

Hi Nonni also! He is one super duper brother, who calls several times a week and is always ready with an open ear. Dad LOVES to hear from Nonni, and Nonni is so good about talking and listening, even when the listening is waiting carefully for Dad to form his thoughts.

I am grateful we have this means to communicate with those of you, like Nonni, who live so far away but feel so much. Sometimes we don’t know what to say, and sometimes we say too little or too much. But so what?

I even live here and see Dad and Mom just about every day. Yet I logged on this morning eager to read if Dad had gotten to sauna. Aww, no word. When I was on the Ridge, I read the log–we’re keeping a log for Dad just as we kept one for Mom for over a decade–and saw that YES! Dad had schmoozed at sauna. Heather and Jose and Dave (if I remember correctly) helped him move from the new level down to the old part of the house and visit for almost an hour.

Dad’s sleeping habits had changed over the last few years and he often went to bed before sauna started. I think probably sauna continued on much as it has for decades, but he wasn’t there so much. My hope is that people still found answers for why their car was acting up or still argued about any number of political issues….and went home as tolerant of others as they came, and perhaps understanding a bit more of this issue or that.

In many ways I would like to say that a lot of people who were part of the sauna family and otherwise, are family: but that can never be true. There are seven of us bound by blood and experience sharing an amazing bond.

My delight is in having a family tolerant (or not, at times) of sauna, of the diversity of individuals…and learning how interconnected we are by masses of different things. Some people seemed most interested in getting clean in prep for the work week. Others needed to fill their 5 gallon jugs of water. Big talkers loved the platform. Listeners could sit in the steam and soak it all in. Whatever.

Me, I love Nonni and my immediate family the most. We were there the rest of the week. Thank you Nonni for checking with us on line and by phone, because I know you’re there in your heart all week long.

Love, Chena