Let it snow, let it snow...

Rachel Beth here again -- now reporting from Ventura Co., California, where it's "cold" when it's 60 degrees Fahrenheit out.

In Klamath Falls, however, where Jim is now wintering with Robin and Louise, this has been a season of unusually heavy snowfall. They even canceled church one Sunday in January. How much snow does it take to cancel church in Klamath Falls?

This much:

Jim has been getting plenty of exercise shoveling the snow:

It makes quite a difference!

Memo to Maxsons: Ben and Marcia say, "He needs a hat!"

Spring will come -- someday

This is Rachel Beth again, chiming in from Chapel Hill, NC, where it SNOWED last night. Didn't stick, but still. Seems that the weather suddenly remembered that it forgot to do winter this year, and is making up for lost time, now that we've planted our spring flowers and veggies and bought our springtime Easter duds.

The unseasonably cold weather reminds me of the beautiful frilly Easter dresses my Grandma Willine used to buy for me when I was a very little girl. Since Easter marks the return of spring in Ventura and most of the rest of the Christian world, these dresses were spring- or summertime confections, lovely and lightweight. Since we like as not still had snow at Easter in Klamath Falls, I always had to cover up my Easter finery with a heavy winter coat, which always seemed grossly inappropriate.

This Easter, it will apparently be about 10 degrees warmer in Klamath Falls than it will be in Chapel Hill, so one could comfortably wear springtime clothing there, although it would be a good idea to bundle up if you're going to a sunrise service in either town.

In honor of the chilliness of Easters past and present, here's one of my favorite pictures of Grandpa Jim (admittedly taken closer to Christmas than Easter). He's acting the renegade some 25-30 years ago in Klamath Falls, a couple of blocks from my parents' house. I have never seen a horse on the sidewalk other than the one in this picture, but the signs are still there.

Blessed Easter, everyone!

Happy Birthday!

Hello, loyal readers, if there are any of you left. There has been little news on this weblog because, well, there has been little news to report. That, and the people who would report such news as there is have been busy with other things. For instance, Robin (who, despite the signature tag at the bottom of this post, is not the author of these words) is busy writing at least two books, finishing his doctorate, and leading a church.

So. Jim's latest news is that for about a month he has been sojourning with Robin and Louise in Klamath Falls. He flew from Dallas to Oregon on March 2 with Louise, who was returning from the east coast for a visit with her daughter Rachel (who has hacked into her father's google account to post this update) in Durham/Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Jim's daily routine seems to be much the same in whichever of the three households of his children he happens to reside. He reads, watches TV, putters about the yard if the weather cooperates, helps around the house (next major project: help Robin install a retractable awning over the back deck), goes on outings with the family.

Jim's other news is that he is celebrating a birthday this week: on Friday, he will be 84 years young. Happy birthday, Grandpa!

Lacking any current photos to add to the website, here's one from the archives: Jim and Robin, circa, oh, I would guess 1949ish, probably in Fort Worth. Perhaps you who are in the picture can confirm or correct the details.

Twister

This picture was taken the day after Christmas. My Pastor (Alf Halvorson) and his family came over for dinner. Dad really enjoyed talking with Alf. Later, he became the dial spinner for a rousing game of twister.

Kitti and kids left for Wheaton on Wed. to spend time with the Dodds and the Klosters (good friends from our days in IL). Dad and I stayed in Springfield and kept our routine.

Today is Tuesday. Jim and Rachel Wisehart are in route from Dallas to Springfield to pick up Dad. So that will be it for this visit. I'm not sure what will happen to this blog spot. I may continue to post things from time to time so keep checking when you get the chance. Others may want to take up the blog and post pictures or make comments. If so, let me know and I will forward instructions. Until then, remember:

Right hand red--left foot blue!

What day is it really?

A number of years ago, one of my students reviewed the literature on communication and Alzheimer’s. Her grandmother was diagnosed with the disease so she wanted to know what the communication discipline had to offer in these cases. Very little, it turned out, but the title of her report was instructive: “It’s O.K. if it’s not Tuesday.”

Her paper suggested that if we know anything about communication in general, we can be sure that most of what we know goes out the window when Alzheimer’s (or dementia for that matter) arrives. That is, the things that seem important to most people (like, what day it really is) have little meaning for people with Alzheimer’s. Most of us are bound by time and space as evidenced by our preoccupation with time, appointments, what’s next. People, like my dad, are really living in what ever happens to be happening--right now.

Dad isn’t suffering from Alzheimer’s (or dementia) the way you hear about in many cases. Jim Wisehart and my brother Robin have helped him get the medical care and medication he needs to hold some of the stuff at bay (for which I am grateful). Still he deals with certain things that make his life significantly different than mine. We live in different realities which make it difficult for us to connect. Since he arrived, I have been impressed with how much of my “talk” has to do with details and planning—what happens tomorrow and the next day and next week and what has to happen so those things can happen the way that I planned. Which is to say that, for me right now, it really matters if it is Tuesday?

This is all very interesting to me because much of this blog has been about time and space and how we are managing it. It is arranged somewhat chronologically around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. And you know what? Dad doesn’t give a flip about what year it is, what day it is, or really what time it is. But, guess what? He knows what is going on right now—mostly—and I am glad for that. So, in that regard, I guess it doesn’t really matter what day it is.

ram

We walk--he talks

There’s no snow on the ground but it is cold enough—35 degrees with a breeze. Dad and I walk around the block. Four laps make a mile. Dad talks while we walk.

I ask if he remembers cold days in Rexford, KS. He says when they traveled from Dallas to candidate at Rexford Comm. Church, it snowed so hard that the roads closed--towns shut down. They (Dad, Mom and, who knows, probably my brother Robin) stopped on the side of the road just outside Oakley, KS. The kindness of strangers with a truck led to an overnight stay in an underground home—sort of a dugout situation, like a sod house or something.

In a phone call to Rexford, decision makers told Dad that they should head back to Dallas; the storm was too strong. Dad decided to make another run at Rexford. So the next morning they followed behind a truck that led them into town.

As he recalls, the meeting with church leaders was brief and an invitation was extended. Apparently, the Rexford group was concerned that a “city boy”from Dallas might not be able to handle life on the plains. So, if the snow storm was a test--Dad passed.

I never lived in Rexford but grew up hearing lots of stories about it. This was a new one for me.

ram

And. . . Christmas

Candle light service at midnight. Stan (Jim’s grandson) is on the left side—top row, right. David (Jim’s other grandson) is assisting with scripture reading and is standing next to our pastor—center, right. Kittilu, Natalie and I were enjoying the view from the balcony.
Christmas morning breakfast. We slept until 8:30 :-)

We didn’t have a stocking for Dad so we used one of the boy’s soccer socks and that seemed to work fine. Among other things, he’s been enjoying peanuts, fresh fruit, and a book of cross word puzzles. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve

Poppy reading Luke 2 on Christmas Eve.
More Christmas carols :-)

David, Natalie and Stan open one gift--New pajamas (but don't tell them)

A delightful pear :-)

Dad enjoys fresh fruit from the Pacific Northwest--sent by Robin and Louise.

Third Sunday of Advent

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished (Luke 1:45). Today’s message focused on Mary’s magificat, reminding us all of the wonder and miracle of Christ’s coming.

Dad’s hearing doesn’t do well in situations that require sound-systems. He enjoys singing, reading scripture, and all aspects of participating in worship but I am afraid that much of the preaching gets past him—because of the hearing thing. I’ve taken to outlining the sermon on a sheet of paper so he can follow the line of thought but that’s got to get old for him.

Poppy enjoys the music and music is often a big part of our Sundays. Today, Kittilu (Poppy’s daughter in-law) played in an atrium ensemble between services. She’s the one in the red top in the photos. Natalie (his grand-daughter) was the “bearer of light” lit the advent candle. Later, Kitti helped lead the congregational singing—mostly carols today.

Mexican food for lunch.

Now we’re home. Poppy’s doing the crossword in today’s paper. Not a bad day in all.

Game On

Dad and I spent the afternoon at Wiser Gym watching the Lady Panthers. Here, they came from behind to beat Pittsburg (KS) State 87-74. Woo-hoo!

We always sit behind the visiting team's bench. Dad loves watching the coach's drama. A couple of weeks ago, one got out of control and was ejected from the game--very exciting.

My Mother's Bible

I love it that my Dad keeps Mom’s Bible. It’s the one he chooses to read and take to church. It may be because he lost his Bible or that it's worn out or something, which is believable, but I’m going with the other guess—that he just likes keeping Mom’s Bible.

It’s a genuine Schofield, leather bound Bible with F. Willine Maxson stamped on the front. Now that’s a narrative all by itself. (I want to insert something here about a God, Schofield, and Mom trifecta that informs and empowers Dad’s ministry but I probably shouldn’t.)

I’ve always thought that, together, Mom and Dad represented what is good about American Evangelicalism. Dad studied at Wheaton, Dallas, and Fuller. Mom went to Moody Bible Institute. In short, it's like Luke 10:27 (Love God with your heart, soul, mind, strength and your neighbor as yourself) was institutionalized and then operationalized through Jim and Willine Maxson. I still think about that whenever I see him with her Bible.

Second Sunday of Advent

Lot's of activity today. Dad started the day in Sunday School hearing about Christmas in Holland. Then Christmas choral music in the atrium with coffee and bagles. We gave our Christmas musical during the worship service. Dad sat with our son David and some good friends (the rest of us sang in the choir).

Lunch at the Bread Company.

Natalie's Christmas piano recital followed by cookies and punch. We're home now and Dad's in his room.

On Remebering Stuff

For Dad (and all of us to a certain extent) memory is an issue. It’s always interesting to notice what he remembers. He may not remember, really, what happened from one day to the next but sometimes something will trigger a memory. For example, it’s Christmas season now so there’s lots of seasonal music playing—lots of references to “joy.” Dad heard “joy” and said “joy, joy. . . Joy Baker. Joy, June, Jeff Baker and Jeff Baker Jr.” and off we went into a series of stories about good friends from our days in Ventura, CA. You know? I haven’t thought about the Bakers in years.

A more recent memory has to do with Jim and Rachel Wisehart. Jim and Rachel have been attending lots of weddings lately. Apparently, Jim created an elaborate structure in the back of his truck (a wooden frame of sorts) that would allow the entire wedding party to climb into the truck bed (wearing formals) and be transported from the church to the reception hall. This is a vivid memory for Dad and he tells the story in great detail.

Yesterday we went to the Christmas parade in Springfield. This evoked memories of Dad’s marching days in Fort Worth. He thinks they positioned the trombones in the front of the band. Christmas lights remind him—again of Fort Worth, TX—when they used to drive around to see Christmas decorations. I chimed in with my own memory of “Candy Cane Lane” in Ventura but that one didn’t scan. Oh well. I could tell you more stories but that’s about all I can remember right now.

ram

Dixie's "Arrangement"

Our dog’s name is Dixie. We have an arrangement. She stays outside during the day and sleeps in the back hall during the night.

Poppy and Dixie have another arrangement.

Eggnog Shakes!

My Fair Lady

I meant to post these photos earlier--Dad arrived just in time to catch Stan in his high school's version of My Fair Lady. Stan played the part of Freddie--the love sick bachelor who sings "On the Street Where You Live" (among other things--tenors are always in demand). There is a dramatic strain running through the Maxsons that can be traced as far back as Papa (Jim Maxson's father) or further. Until a cure can be found, it will continue to pop up from time to time.

ram

First Sunday of Advent

It was a cold weekend in Springfield. Lots of snow and ice. As you know, from the earlier photo, Dad and I spent some time on Saturday shoveling snow.

We had a good Sunday of worship and music. Our son Stan is quite musical so Dad got to see his grandson play French horn in a brass ensemble in the atrium between services. Later, Stan played in a bell choir during the worship service. I played for communion later in the service. I think Dad enjoyed his time in church.

After church we went out for Mexican food and got home to relax for a little while. In the afternoon, Kitti took the kids sledding and I took Dad to Drury for Vespers—mass choir with string quartet, harp, and brass choir. It’s the big event for our concert choir. It was well attended in spite of the weather. Then back to church for choir rehearsal. Dad enjoyed some time in the church library while we rehearsed.

Today is quite cold and everyone has left for school. Dad will be home with Dixie. I think that Dad’s time in our house must be like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. It’s either all on or all off. Dad is enjoying the blog. I printed off Charlie's post--he's read it several times.

ram

Snow Day

If you follow your weather news you know that Missouri got a bit of winter weather--enough to consitute a snow day! Here's the "before picture". My camera froze up before I could get the "after" picture but you can assume that it looked great when we were through.

Navy Pilot

Thought I'd add this picture of Dad next to the Waco, Navy Trainer. His time in the service fell somewhere in the middle of his college career at Wheaton College, IL. He spent some time training in St. Louis and Texas A&M. Later he served as an air traffic controler on Guam before returning to finish his college degree.