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