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

I’m told we have a few faithful readers of the blog, one of whom is Karjala, aka Nonni. Apparently the highlight of the day is reading this, thus informing him know what his dad Niilo is up to. He’s disappointed if there isn’t anything written up daily.

Neither Karjala, his sister Sanni, grandson Max, granddaughter Katya or step-grandkids Peter and Danny have their picture on the top of the blog because they don’t current live in Alaska, to everyone’s mutual loss. The other reason is that WordPress limits the size of the graphic at the top and we would all really be squished more than we already are.

So here’s one of grandson Max and Karjala, the latter doing what he does best (:-).

Gary

  Saturday, as Niilo came in view of puffing 109-year-old steam Engine 1 as it drew out of the station, the conductor, engineer, and coal-shoveler waved enthusiastically to him and blew the whistle for their fellow train devotee.  Given first-class treatment by Bill Stringer, Bill Schecter, and crew, Niilo and family rode the little narrow-gauge Tanana Valley Railroad by the Chena River.  Bill Stringer sat next to Niilo as Bill Schecter, in the next row, explained to all passengers the history of the little train (see http://www.fairnet.org/agencies/tvrr/history.html).  Niilo clearly enjoyed being with his old buddies and surprised some of us with how well he was able to transfer from wheelchair to train and back.  Thanks so much, Tanana Valley RR crew!

  The trip wiped him out for hours but after sleeping Niilo walked a few yards almost unassisted.  Today (Sunday) he says he will feel up to going out to the front yard in the evening to visit with sauna-time guests.

  Thanks to Sherry Lewis, former fellow Chena-Goldstream Volunteer Fire Dept volunteer and Board member, for her visit today bearing jams hand-delivered from Marty Betts in Idaho!

  Heather

Scott C. has done great work this week making the greenhouse more safe and useful, as well as some other other jobs around the house. We sure appreciate it.

–Chena

Dear Friends,

Thanks for keeping us posted with news from the Koponen Homestead. I will definitely be making a trip to Fairbanks this summer, perhaps in mid July. I hope my car starts up after being parked for more than a year! So far, I have had good luck with doing this. In any case, I look forward to seeing you guys.

Luke and Deborah are doing well. Luke is finishing up 8th grade. The next three weeks are full with awards assemblies, a recital, and celebrations.

We just got a border collie from a rescue group. Tam is about 15 months, and very willing to learn new tricks. He is most attached to Deborah, and most happy when he can herd all three of us.

Our love to you all –

Brian Allen

2008/05/21 at 9:20 AM

Dad was talkative during the time I was with him today. He explained that he would like to ride on a railroad, so I called Bill S. to ask about the Tanana Valley Railroad. Bill said it would be running on Saturday. I relayed this to Dad, but asked him if he would prefer the Alaska Railroad. He said he thought not, that the Tanana Valley Railroad would be better.

I really don’t know how we are going to get Dad to Pioneer Park. We don’t have a car he will fit, that I know of. Van Tran, the Borough wheelchair bus system, does not come up to Chena Ridge, that I know of. If anyone has a solution, please call me at 488-2001.

At Pioneer Park, we hope we can get Dad–weather permitting or maybe who cares?–to the train in his wheelchair. Don’t know if we can get him in the passenger part–kind of narrow little doors if I recall–but at least it’s a thought right now.

Amazing and with a huge amount of volunteer work over the years, the Tanana Valley Railroad group has taken the little engine that I played on (in park position) in front of the Samson’s Hardware area many years ago. And then my kids played on it as it sat in a new place at Pioneer Park. Dad’s love for that train goes way back further than me, and he is a lifetime member of the group that has worked so hard on its restoration.

Dad talked about other things too, today. Dick came by for a nice long visit. Ron is helping with the homestead, and says Frank will be up later today to see Dad. Frank went to the same high school in New York as Dad (as did Alaska Supreme Court Justice Rabinowitz and others. Come on, drop some names!). Dad clarified for me this afternoon how LaGuardia and the high school of music and art were the same/different, and I believe it is that in Dad’s time (& Frank’s & Jay’s) it was The High School of Music and Art and has since changed a little and become LaGuardia.

At the homestead, there are several paintings around that Dad did when he was a kid. Mostly he painted trains, and loved perspective. His doodles of people and his comic strips are things I remember from later on, and I’m sure some of us have some wicked stuff from the legislative years. Perhaps it was in the 1980s that Dad did some clay sculpture, and a bust he did and gave to Max is sitting in our living room.

–Chena