A READER WRITES

Robert,

I know my responses to your posts have dropped quite dramatically. I can't even begin to explain how busy I am with work and school (again, this time for nursing). But do not think for one second that I do not read them every time I get an update. I always have you in my thoughts, as I can not ever forget, or brush aside the one one person who turned my vacation to the one place I had always dreamed of going to, a time to remember. I sometimes have a hard time understanding what exactly has happened to you over the last year....I can't imagine why someone as kind and caring as yourself, could possibly have so much hard times put on him. I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers, and hope to hear more from you soon. Keep yourself well.


Much Aloha~

It is always flattering to get a note from one who has followed my adventures for some time.  Gobsmacked the old geezer at the number of folks who are avid readers.

To answer Marilyn, the answer to my trials and tribulations may well just be due to the simple act of living.  Mind, do not always think out things and have been known to mus-step from time.  Truth be told, the last year has not been with out high points.  Mind, with a few trips round the pity pole concerning medical problems, it did get a wee bit tiring for some.  To the point that one reader reminded the old geezer that my situation was not without my own hand at the helm.  Quite right.

I sorting out things and it appears that there is another journey coming my way.  Like so many others, the old geezer is looking for an affordable safe harbour to pull into and finding has not been easy.  My next stop may not be entirely perfect, but it must might work better than Dunsmuir.  My situation requires a central location, support network and ability to fend for self most of them time.  If one is realistic, neither Dunsmuir or Hilo seems to be able to give me that.

I am working the INTERNET and feel sure that something will turn up. I am quite upbeat on that point.  Truly.

Will keep you posted...

DUNSMUIR SOLITUDE

Robert De Frees - Roughing It

Whatever else can be said of the old geezer, not being willing to rough it is not one of them.  The wee cottage put up at is not without it's drawbacks.  Least of which is lack of hot water.  Did you ever stop to think how grand it is to step into the shower in the morn and be greeted by endless flow of hot water?  Sort of makes for a lovely start to the coming day.

My shower is COLD, tempered only by my boiling water to splash on when the ice starts to form on head.  One learns rather quickly to not keep too long bathing.  One must tell true that it does get the motor running, straight for the kettle and a cuppa of hot tea.

Mind, the sofa makes out into a most comfy bed and a good night's sleep is had.  Removing the hearing device all but guarantees that the whistle of the arriving trains into Dunsmuir will not be heard, or anything else.

My solitude is not a burden, have always been able to entertain me self and there are books to read and NPR on the small radio.  This old geezer has had much to contemplate.  Like where he might land when The Big Kahuna returns and starts to tear up the cottage further.  Daily walks have of yet revealed no diggs that would suit and am beginning to wonder of my travels will take me east and Broadway...

The folks in Dunsmuir are grand, there is no complaint there.  You, who follow me adventures,are 'au fait' with me lame leg.  While greatly improved, it still can carry but so far before it lets me know that it can not bring me back if I continue.  Most of the spots found are out of town and with no vehicle, it it too great of a problem to overcome.  There was on place, a 4 floor walk-up and that simple is not possible.  One keeps looking, but the prospects are not too bright.  I have no desire to live in Mt. Shasta or Weed, as public transport is limited and winter will come sooner than later.

Many have sent emails to wondering why the flow of posts has slowed.  Partly due to library being open a limited number of days and hours.  Partly due to the old geezer not knowing what to impart without coming off as whining.  I do try to keep all happy and am ever so honoured that so many keep peeking and catching up on posts they might have missed in the past.

To sum up,I am completely clueless as to how this adventure will turn out OR where I may wind up next.

The Big Kahuna is of the opinion that the old geezer just likes to keep adding miles to his trainers and can not stay in one place too long.  Fancy that...

DUNSMUIR SIGHTS

Room with View

 The window caught the flash but you can still see that the view is one of being in a valley with many trees looking down on.  Is summer and is all quite green.  Come winter one can imagine the winter wonderland look the snap will have.

Pro-Active City Hall

Attending a garden party one hears of the recent recall of folks in City Hall.  Of a mayor who wanted to plant a 'pot' garden near City Hall.  It may not be the big city but folks took to streets and recalled the lot and put in place more comfy council members.

Dunsmuir Mural

 This mural appears on Dunsmuir Apartments, a place lived some 15 years ago.  Not much has changed save for some fresh paint.

St. John's - Catholic Church

 One has to be thankful for small favours.  Who would have thought there were enough papist to support a priest and church.

Local Merchant

Along with pushing bits and bobs at counter, the local merchant found time to co-authour a book on Dunsmuir.

Dunsmuir Avenue

Rather think Dunsmuir is a wee bit more than one horse town, not much more but still...

Winter on Dunsmuir Avenue

 The snap proves that winter will follow the warm weather and there will be lots of snow to contend with.

Lots of SNOW

Not sure how it all adds up but it gives one pause, all of the white stuff to come.  Did I mention the cold as well?

From all discovered so far, there is more 'there' in Dunsmuir that towns round.  Some how do not fancy having a post address of Weed, Ca...

DUNSMUIR HARPIST WOWS GARDEN PARTY

Dunsmuir Village Harpist - Patty

I pose the question, when is the last time you attended a garden party where a harpist was holding court?  Asked the Big Kahuna and he fessed up to never.  The old geezer must lived a charmed life and has attended many a gathering in UK where a harp was featured. Very big on chamber music they be across the pond.

The garden party was planned by a new neighbour to, Nancy, a lovely lady met at Senior Centre.  She was gracious to invite the old geezer and the thought of meeting more folks from Dunsmuir AND free eats was all it took to get washed up and over the fence.

The party started promptly a 6pm, and the guests were queued up in the drive way when I arrived.  There was a lovely lady manning the greeting table, on the was heavy with platters of ever so inviting finger food and dip.  Nancy rounded the corner and hoped that I would have no problem meeting some of the locals.  I did not.

Truth be told, many were well know to one another and did not bother to get between folks chatting.  I did meet a man and wife, he is on the local city council, another chap who had spent most of work life working in Hollywood and a lawyer.  There were a few others but in the main kept to the four who sat at table I ate at.

The purpose of the garden party was to welcome home a lady who had been living in China.  Seems she is back for a short spell and then returning to China.  Very "Berkeley" the lady seemed and she regaled the gathering with tales of life in China and her ability to order food in the cafeteria in Chinese.  Fancy that.

All seemed ever so clever and was reminded of the days when this old geezer hosted like garden parties in Walnut Creek and London.  Times are different now and the old geezer does not host, he just bellies up to the table and chow down the lovely eats and listen in on conversations.  It works.

Dunsmuir is a constant surprise.  Who would have thought?

My house sitting is til end of September, at which time the wee house will be much put upon and there will be no place to live.  Looking round Dunsmuir has not turned up and possible winter digs and and of the opinion a return to Hawaii might be in the cards.

The end of September is a wee bit off and am not viewing my return to Hawaii as a running away or a search for the perfect place, it is just familiar and might prove more easily settled in.

We will see how the cards fall...

HONOURING THE DEAD - PART II

Final Words

One of Many Military Buried

WWII Pilots - Brothers -

Spanish Flu

Famous Local Family

Headline Marks Grave

Lilly at Work

There are many graves of small children, some but a day old when they died.  Victims of the Spanish flu some, others tragic mis-steps that had the grim reaper come and collect so young.

Lilly makes no exceptions to her TLC, all receive her attention and with over 1000 graves her task is far from over.  Need to commend her son Robert.  Disabled but still helping his mum every day do some good for the community.

With folks like Lilly and Robert, rather think Dunsmuir is pretty special...

HONOURING THE DEAD - PART I

Lilly Jones

 "To understand a place, the people, beliefs and values, examine how they honour their dead"

I met Lilly Jones on my first walk through the Dunsmuir Cemetery.  I was puzzled to see her bending over a rock and painting a name on it.  Curiosity got the better of and I approached the lovely lady and asked if she was remembering a member of her family.  Turns out she was remembering all of the forgotten souls that lie in the cemetery.  They were never promised perpetual care and truth be told, the graveyard was in need of some TLC.

That is where Lilly comes in.  She has many family members buried there and was sure that a little clean up would make her and them feel good.  Local, Lilly and her son, Robert, are known as the duo who tend to the weeds and replace fallen stones and mark the graves where the headstone has long ago been destroyed or worn down by time.

Lilly does this all out of love.  No pay packet.  Just knew that helping discover lost loved ones would make her and others feel better.  She went further and bought flowers and crosses and markers to further bring a little brightness to the graveyard.  Along the way she made some discoveries and made friends of family members who were delighted with her efforts.

Single-handed, Lilly has got City Hall to back her efforts.  Placed headstones on graves that honour fallen servicemen and boy scouts.  Crosses were made to mark military and she places flowers in a holder attacked to.  She has poured through records and found the resting places of many where there was no marker.

When Lilly and Robert first started cleaning up, large parts of the graveyard were buried under mounds of debris.  Many of the dead were forgot.

Born when US was very young

 I took to this stone as the chap had been born in 1837, making him and one other the oldest buried in the cemetery. Long lived as well.

Colourful Headstone

 Lilly scours news accounts to find some of the graves.  The local newspaper gave no much more that the name and one wonders what sort of lady she might have been to gain such a moniker.

No Name but Details

Weed Kills

You Think?

My Final Resting Place?

Stay tuned for Part II...

PROBLEMS POSTING

The old geezer must have been knackered, or the bloody websaite, the last post had to be fixed.

There is now text to go with the snaps taken and hope you will re-visit the post of 2nd.  It is a good read.

There is so much to come.  Want you to meet Lilly who tends to local cemetary, Robert, her son, Bill and Margie and Nancy and Brett.  So much good neighbour policy here.

Last night, Margie brought over a potato lasagna (bloody lovely) and rumour has it she is going to do potato pancakes in days ahead.

It is not London or Honolulu but ever so lovely all the same Dunsmuir is.  Rather think you will enjoy the stories to come.

ARE WE THERE YET?



Handful of 6 and 4 year olds

Not thirty minutes into road trip and it was loo time and thirst and hunger questions.  Mind, we did set out mid-afternoon and it was meal time for the children.  Gobsmacked I was that a few bites and sips seems to quiet them down.

Filling up - James in Command

James is most excellent driver and with the every lovely Chandra as co-pilot, the journey was over in 4 hours.  It was getting dark when we pulled in front of the house I was to 'house sit' for a spell.  The sleeping bags were unloaded and the front door unlocked to reveal my new diggs for the next couple of months.

The old geezer had been to Dunsmuir some 15 years back and not much seemed changed.  The folks were ever so friendly.  Lovely couple cross road have been married 62 years and they were holding the fort down until my arrival.  Quite nice they were.

Quick stop at local market showed us more lovely residents of Dunsmuir.  Much ALOHA in Dunsmuir.

Robert - knackered but happy

James, Chandra and the two children joined the old geezer on floor in living room to have an indoor camp out.  Haley and Jimmie made short work of soft drinks and liquid lollipops bought.  James and his wife joined me in tasting the local beef jerky and some chips, washed down with 'aged' diet Pepsi.

The night passed quickly, James and I never really slept, keeping watch out so the two wee ones did not go near the large windows.  Round half 3, I put on the kettle and we talked story until the sun came up.  It was a good chat and had much to do to my thanks for taking time in busy schedule to drive me and settle me in.  Mind, that is the sort of folks James and Chandra be.  Lovely.

Flooring reminds of unearthed Pompeii

Hard to believe what one finds in an old home.  Actually think this floor has something...

Best Mate James

James is quite the best mate to have.  Given a packed schedule, he still wanted to be a part of my adventure and see me safely arrive.  I would put a snap up of Chandra, his ever so lovely wife, but she does not like to have her snap posted all over the internet.  They make a good team and seem more happy today than when last visited.  Very strong union.  James was a bit knackered from the drive and not much sleep but he still got up early and had a cuppa with and we just shared stories.  You know you are connected to folks when you just pick up right where you left the chat when you departed.

Old Time Sink

You can well believe that more than pots and pans and dishes have faced a wash up in the old sink.  Check out the heavy duty faucets.

Old Kitchen

Room With A View

No doubt the old geezer will have to remember to not walk round in underpants.  Would not want to reveal me short-comings to whole world.

Comfy Sofa

When all is said and done, the old geezer is not without comfort.  The couch opens into a rather comfy bed and provides a lovely lie-down.  What with all of the walking about, it is rather grand place to sit and rest.  For some reason, well could be me lack of computer skills, this post had to become an on-going work in progress.

There is loads of time to collect thoughts.  And there are many.  Bugger the past, it on to the future which holds so much more promise.  You agree?


The wee DunsmuirHouse

"Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find."  The old geezer could do no better for a quote to guide than WaltWhitman...

Contacting Ron in Hawaii cleared up his comments made.  Many thought he was mean but he was just reminding the old geezer that it was time to move away from banging on about lame leg and failing hearing.  He reads avidly and does not tune in to get the latest medical report, rather to have a good read.  Point taken.  By way of update, Ron has moved on in life and turned out his houseguest.  Seems the old behaviour of the chappie tried to help was still in place.  Sad, as Ron does so try to 'save' folks he cares about.

Keep stoppingby there is a truly brilliant post coming about a most interesting lady and her passion for the community.