Russ&Suzie

Trip Log
2010-07-09 11:23:42 (UTC)

Travel to reunion in Abbotsford, Wisconsin, on July 3

On July 3, Susie and I traveled to Abbottsford a little
north and west of Marshfield, the home of the oldest of
Francis Haines' children. Francis is now nearing 98 and
mostly not that aware of things; has been on hospice but
then taken off, somehow regaining viability. His three sons
seem proud (and daughter too -- saw her for the first time
in many years and enjoyed our conversation as well as with
her husband). Their mother survives too, but also mostly
unaware and much sleeping. My mom and her next sister Beccy
are now gone but the other three siblings were there and
looking good: Glenn 91 Anne and Gene who is approaching 84.

Glenn and wife Nita have seen me on Wisconsin Public
Television give a talk on music that had been recorded when
I gave the presentation last year at the Chaos-Complex
Models Seminar at the University. Glenn interestingly talked
of "seeing it" despite his macular degeneration, his only
health issue, apparently. He's no longer as active but his
once movie star looks still seem apparent. When I was a kid
his graciousness felt such a good model for how to be
gracious myself and I actively imitated him. He took a long
time to get married and dated over many years typically
going to dances. Then he met Nita whose oldest son (Glenn's
stepson) MIke was there with Amy his very pleasant wife. The
problem child of Jon (Glenn's second stepson) didn't make
it: he has Angelman Syndrome a severe form of retardation
and had injured his leg that morning so Jon and Lisa
couldn't come. They have two older thriving daughters.

And the daughter of both Glenn and Nita, Gina, named after
her grandmother Gena, was there and radiant. She has a new
partner in a love that finally could be requited after 15
years. Looks beautiful. She knew and said "joy at home makes
a difference." Work too goes well with change of personnel
both immediate supervisor and that person's superior.

Met Jock McKay, Staci's husband, Australian pilot who tho
unemployed yet in this country seems a very nice man, like
Beccy's Jon, a good listener. Staci a family physician in
the Army, will be deployed to Germany soon. She's a first
cousin once removed which kind of distinction gets clarified
at such events. Her first cousin mom, Gail Goeser
Piotrowski, feels good about her work in a Wausau library
where's she's in charge. That suits her personality. She
also does volunteer work on the Ice Age Trail and gave a
wonderful reference to an Appalachian through hike account
done by and then written by one of her associates; I gave a
chapter of it available on the internet to Beccy when here
later. Dannie her brother and not well nevertheless came but
the youngest brother, Dick, did not. He's received word of a
renewed growth of a brain tumor and although not depressed,
it means that the sisters, Gail and Joni -- also there with
husband Tom -- participated in a sibling reunion near him
giving his significant other support. Such a warm family.
Their mom, now gone for a few years, had been my appreciated
Aunt Beccy from childhood when she'd been very helpful.

And my own sibling, Wayne, was there with wife Ane, both son
Rob up from Miami Beach and daughter Linda from northern
Illinois with her husband, Rick, and two children, Daniel
and Kali, whom she home-schools. Talked at length with Linda
about the legacy of Mom's collection of paintings now stored
in Wayne and Ane's attic -- they've put in a new fan to
help. Rick, an architect, has great appreciation for those
paintings too and was a good participant in our discussion.
I delivered to Wayne the iron assemblage sculpture that Rob
did in honor of Dad (lots of wrenches and machine parts!).
WE drove there in the Subaru as it's heavy and about four
feet tall.




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