A Richmond Snow!

For two winters we have wished for enough snow to measure. Each season we would be teased by forecasts followed by just a few flurries. So when they said we could get as much as 8 inches I was a bit dubious . The temperature was about 32-34 Sunday morning when we went to church. As we came home from service there was a grey overcast sky and rain mixed with sleet.

That’s what it did most of Sunday afternoon. I went on Facebook and sister Mary, who lives near Crozet, was excited about a forecast of 10 + inches. Based on past experiences I dissd the notion, hated to disillusion her.

Around 5:30 it started to snow very large flakes. Yes the “web” forecasts were pretty sure we would get significant amounts. The temperature dropped a little and the snow lost its “flurry” pattern and settled into a steady beat that began to stick to surfaces,

We ate leftovers for supper and watched with increasing happiness as the storm began to paint a winter evening landscape. It was a wet and heavy event and clung beautifully to tree limbs and branches. Facebook traffic between a small Kinzie set suddenly burgeoned. Mary reminded me of my negative prediction!

Around 8:00 pm Cathy called and said that she had lost power. Our own lights flickered several times but never died completely. Around 11:30 we went to bed uneasy about how Cathy’s family would cope the night. The flakes were coming down fast and furious..probably 4 inches on the deck.

This morning it was still snowing lightly when we ate breakfast. Could not reach Cathy by either cell or land line. Lib got the itch to get out in it and took a broom to the walk. I took photos and movies of her enjoying her activity. I used some down time to begin work on my taxes and to find out about Richmond Philharmonic rehearsal cancellation. We tried to reach Cathy several times but the circuits were down.

Around two or so after lunch we heard the doorbell. Wondered who it could be..and there was Cathy and family. Her husband and young son spent much of the afternoon widening the path to the road and clearing the driveway. That was hard work as none had melted and there was probably 8-10 inches. Devin watched a little TV, climbed up on his daddy’s lap and promptly dropped into a deep sleep. Little feller was “jus’ plumb wore out” from all the shoveling.

Had a wonderful visit with our young family! They went home and soon called to let us know they had electricity. It is now near 10:00 pm and very little has melted and it will be even colder tonight. Winter has a grip on us. Sometimes the snow brings more than just beautiful cold....warm and thoughtful hearts!

I Believe...

Beliefs are important because they are what steer us through life. Since we age and since we are human, beliefs often change. We acquire our beliefs through experience, education, and psychological predisposition. In our youth we are apt to be quite sure about our limited belief system. For many, who are not disposed for further critical thought or analysis, this is where an atrophy may set in. As we age and life has presented us with its challenges and conundrums we tend to be less sure about core beliefs. That is the wisdom presented in biblical Job.

Now that I’ve arrived at a ripe and reflective age here are a few of my beliefs...

I believe that “reality” as we experience it is real...that we are not just a “dream” in the mind of the Creator. (Not sure we can prove that ...but beliefs should be rational!)

I believe in a Creator. I believe that human life is one of God’s most interesting experiments and that each of us was brought into being for the working out of that vast enterprise.

I assent to the tenants expressed in “The Apostle’s Creed”. It encompasses in a few words concepts that continue to be studied and interpreted.

I believe that love is stronger than hate, though “the wrong seems oft so strong”.

Science is incapable of solving “our problems”. There is always an equality equation. What is solved at one end begets another at the other.

Though I subscribe to “the sanctity of all life” I believe that human life takes precedence over other forms. That said, we’re still required to steward the earth on which we live.

I believe in a sort of “karma”. We shall reap what we sow if not in this life then
in the next.

I believe we will recognize each other in the next mode and that implies some memory of our present earthly existence.

Though I use scientific logic as much as possible...I believe there are either things we don’t understand , or that current knowledge is not capable of explaining. (mental telepathy, prophesy, the meaning of sets of "order" or laws
in the universe we barely know.)


At the end, and there will be an end, something new and different will be. The experiment will continue only in a new mode. A part of us will continue into that new mode.

The Cabin

After Lib and I had been square dancing with the Grand Squares for several years we were invited one Sunday to come to “the cabin”, a hideaway beside a creek, surrounded by mountains, in a nearby county. It was a 45 minute drive from our Roanoke home.

At the cabin there was lots of yard space and the early afternoon was devoted to playing volley ball. We were all younger by ten years then. After volleyball.the men would begin the ritual of grilling steaks or hamburgers and the women would set up the tables for a picnic type supper. There would be 10-14 couples and assorted singles invited.

After supper, the group would divide into those who enjoyed card games or dominos and who just wanted to sit around and make conversation. Since almost all of us were over 60 there was a lot of common history to share. A number of the men had been in the military, so there were favorite stories to trot out.

This tradition of the Sunday afternoon day at “the cabin” continued for us until we moved to the Richmond area. Suffice it to say that in the recent years the game of volleyball. finally came to an end as we could no longer muster enough able bodied players.

Our hosting lady recently broke her other hip, but she and her husband aren’t the sort to let something like that prevent them from enjoying the company of friends,,,so it was that several days ago Lib got a call with an invitation to come to “the cabin”. And so we went.

We left Richmond around 8:00 am and were at the cabin by 11:20. Some of the old timers were already there. Another couple, a former square dance ‘caller” for the Grand Squares, who now lives in Bristol, TN had also been invited and they were there.

It was like a family reunion. What fun to catch up with the lives of people we had been close to for a decade. To see that most of us were still able to muster the energy necessary to enjoy life. Several couples had just returned from trips to Alaska or Ireland and recounted things they had seen and experienced .


A large tree had fallen into the creek behind the cabin and one of the men brought his chain saw and soon had it cut up to wash down with the next big rain. He was one of the younger men there, had fallen off his roof a number of years ago and done a job on his foot that incapacitated him for over a year....and here he was demolishing a rotted fallen tree. Told his wife it was a macho man thing that he would relish knowing that he could still do that kind of thing.

Nearly thirty of us enjoyed a meal together. It was good to see our hostess enjoying the stimulation of being with her friends. What a good time we had reaffirming that life was still worth living even though most of us were firing on less than four cylinders. Among us we had those who were cancer survivors, knee operations, back operations, and other serious losses.

After supper we said our good bye:s and reached home by 9:00 pm. It had been a full and happy day.

On Aging...

“It is to be assumed that if man were to live his life like a poem, he would be able to look upon the sunset of his life as his happiest period, and instead of trying to postpone the much feared old age, be able actually to look forward to it, and gradually build up to it as the best and happiest period of his existence. “
Lin Yutang: The Importance of Living , 1937

The Chinese of yore seemed to have mastered the art of aging and Lin Yutang’s quote seemed to distill that wisdom in just a few pithy sentences. It’s worth passing along.

In past time the problems associated with long life were minimized by the fact that few lived long enough to be problems. An agrarian family centered life style required all family members to be productive, and so those who were able bodied and aged could still contribute to the welfare of the family unit. Those who were seriously impaired were ministered to by the family and their church until their passing

In the present, there are significant numbers of people who have attained retirement age. Retirement is often a time of new beginnings and opportunities, when the system allows choice to be a significant option. “Aging” is now an appellation to be applied only to people who have begun to experience some physical limitations due to chronic conditions. When Lib and I began to be limited to how long we could stand, walk, or square dance due to spinal stenosis we began to understand what it meant to be “old”

Just as the first quarter of life implies birth, the last quarter implies death. One of the tasks of those who have begun to “age” is to make our peace with that event. Some desiring more control at their end have “living wills” that give clear instructions when that eventuality arrives. It is wise to plan for this future event. We plan down to the minutiae for less significant happenings, but put off this one maybe in the subconscious hope that somehow it will bypass us. Having said that let’s go on to more pleasant considerations.

The last thing any of us should want to do is to have nothing at all to do! To have nothing to do is to be irrelevant. The life experience stored in the head of each older person is often of great value, so one of the functions of age is to be in a consultative mode. Men and women who have been parents find themselves to be grand parents and this can be an enriching experience. If one has experience in the professions, this often may be parlayed into a part time job which again is a good thing for most. There is much to be thankful for even when some physical limitations close the door on some very pleasant activities. As one woman told me when discussing this topic “..one can be thankful when one wakes up in the morning to know who you are!”

Because time is of the essence take the opportunity to do some new activities. Travel to new places. Try a new hobby. Look for opportunities to serve in the community. Volunteer. Be a docent. Do activities that bring you in close contact with people. Cultivate relationships with family and friends. Do it with vigor and purpose. This will make your last years much more enjoyable. Financial situations can limit some activities, but there are many things one can do that are free and only require time and mobility.

Often our aches and limitations become the main themes of our vocal utterances and this makes us boring. More than any other population segment we need to cultivate the attitude of gratitude for what we have left that does work. Looking back over the writings of our little group, I believe most of us are doing the positive things that gerontologists might recommend. We posed a little challenge to ourselves when we answered Verda’s invitation to join a “writer’s” club. I had already begun to write my memoirs, and it is still an unfinished work. Writing takes time and thought, and is an activity that is pleasant for me.

I admit to not being very enthusiastic about our move to Richmond. My blogs of that period show frustration and trepidation. There were friends and activities we were leaving behind. A whole new life would have to be constructed in a new and strange environment. It would be financially costly. And I feared that shortly after all the huge effort and cost one or the other of us would really become incapacitated and a whole new set of problems would have to be dealt with. Fortunately, none of that has happened yet, so I’m trying harder to put a positive spin on it all. Certainly, we have enjoyed the new home. Every day its airy spaciousness buoys the spirit. And it is wonderful to be nearly next door to Cathy’s family and see them almost every day!

We haven’t stopped seeing old friends. There are good reasons to return to Roanoke on some weekends. In two and half hours we’re there. Our church family provides places to stay and more opportunity to visit intensely. The Net provides another way to stay in touch with the lives of a wider circle of friends. Because it is so fast, emails now have replaced regular mail and is more frequent. Here I have joined a community symphony and it keeps me practicing and playing my instrument. We are looking around for another church fellowship ...there are many considerations and I’m sure that in the near future we’ll finally make the correct decision.

I’m thankful each day that I know who I am, that I can still be useful musically, and that there is so much life to savor each day. Fall is one of my most favorite seasons and I have been permitted to enjoy it once again this year in a new locale. Yes, there is some pain to deal with, but it’s manageable. Lib’s sense of humor and upbeat approach to living keeps me from dissolving into an old curmudgeon. Like Verda, I hope that my end comes swiftly. Cheers!

Looping Back

My life of many years is taking a most interesting turn. For whatever reason I’m being allowed to revisit tokens of my very young years. They return by way of activities, people, and circumstances. We have moved to Midlothian, Virginia to be near our daughter’s family and this has added to the “past” experiences.

Yesterday we attended church at West Richmond Church of the Brethren. We have been there several times and this time we also participated in the world wide Christian observation of communion with the “footwashing” and shared meal. Across from us at the meal table were our minister and a visitor from the Episcopal persuasion. Our minister is the son of a good friend of ours when my wife and I were married. The Episcopal visitor in conversation spoke about “Orkney Spring”. That brought back many memories of my orchestral experiences in the conductors’ orchestra taught by Dr. Richard Lert there in summers long ago. In the same church and at the communion service was an Indian friend whose father and my father were friends when I was a missionary’s son in India. Three doors to my varied past all in one place!

Here in Richmond I’ve joined the Richmond Philharmonic. The concertmeister is an Indian and when I mentioned the Bombay Symphony at my audition, think he said he had played in it. Also, he had performed in the Roanoke Symphony, but after the time when I was there. We’re going to perform Beethoven’s “Eroica” and Sibelius’ “Finlandia” both compositions I have played several times with other orchestras. So musically I’m also returning “home”.

Through the web and blogging I have been allowed to experience vicariously Woodstock school, Mussoorie, and the Himalayas. It’s been a hoot to read the experiences of young faculty and employees just being there for the first time! Now they can include pictures and short movies in their blogs which enhances their verbal descriptions. This past winter there was a wonderful and rare snow storm which generated some awesome photos.
Woodstock in Winter
Attending WOSA and class reunions has also contributed to revisiting this important past.

As I teach my young grandson how to “fiddle” I’m reminded of my own frustrations which my wise father guided me through. I’m not sure that my grandson will be a professional musician, but the road to musical usefulness goes through some narrow “eyes” . They have to be negotiated and the adult doing the teaching has to be patient and wise with his young charge. Pray that I have both! I would love to pass on this gift to him.

Before moving to Richmond, we had joined the Oak Grove CoB after two decades in Roanoke’s First Baptist church. That was a looping back to the denomination of both Lib and I. When we left First Baptist we visited several congregations. On our first visit to Oak Grove we were greeted by name by an old friend of my teen years! Several visits later we knew this was “home” and in some sense it will always be our "home" church.

Music World is Small

Was getting settled in for our second rehearsal when a young woman asked if she could share the stand with me. Since our positions have not been settled yet, I was happy to have someone on the stand with me. Shortly, in small chit-chat we discovered that she also was from the Roanoke area (Franklin county) and had played in the Roanoke Youth Symphony. She also had been a student of a stand partner of mine in the Roanoke Symphony. She is a very competent instrumentalist and we could make a good team. We both are competitive and she is willing to try my suggestions for smoother and more accurate ensemble playing. She is preparing on her CPA certification as she works for a local firm. Also, noticed the name of a cellist that played a few weddings for me before moving to Chester on the email roster. Not sure if she still plays with the orchestra, but it’s interesting that she is on the list. Will check it out.

Getting so I feel less and less isolated as I connect with people who do what I do and know friends that I know. Took a different road out of the parking lot when we were done at 9:20 pm. Both the GPS and I were momentarily lost....and then the GPS knew where it was and got us back on the way home. Thank goodness for GPS!!

Camping, Friendship, and Memories

Linda loves people and she enjoys showing them some of the great recreational areas surrounding her West Virginia home place. This past weekend Lib and I were privileged to be part of a group that visited these spots.

We left Oak Grove CoB around 1:15 pm. There were two vans in the convoy and six couples making the trip. We were retirement age or near, so we're people with long histories, just the recipe that make for interesting conversations. Linda also arranged for a scheme to mix us up so we weren’t with the same people all of the time. I greatly enjoyed exchanging views with Linda who was my first seat partner on the first leg of the trip.

We arrived at our motel in Beaver, WV several hours later, got settled in and then ate supper at a Bob Evans restaurant nearby. Our first place of interest was the Crab Tree Cob, the church that Linda attended as a child. She also showed us her home nearby and regaled us with stories about family and church life there. Her father was a coal miner and life was not easy for them. Looking back one can appreciate the long journey and the myriad experiences that make her the interesting caring woman she is today. It was obvious to all that she enjoyed sharing vignettes from her young life...a life that wasn’t always easy, but one in which the family loved its members and took care of each other. Perhaps it was the uncertain life of the miner who spent so much time in the dark bowels of the earth that made them relish the light and beauty above!

Next we went to nearby Grandview. There is a fantastic lookout point that surveys a great loop in the New River. We were there just before dusk. What a magnificent panorama of beautiful mountains, curving river, and off to the left, just a little town snuggled between hills and river. One could thank the Creator for making the scene, for West Virginia government that made access easy, and for the Creator giving us eyes and senses to enjoy the visual feast before us. Then we assembled at the open air theater for a presentation of "Honey in the Rock".
It is a finely crafted tale of the differences that caused the America’s Civil war and how it created the inevitable rift that resulted in the state of West Virginia. For discerning folk, it was also a strong statement about the futility of war as a means of settling differences. Much was made as to how war was glorified, divided families, and made those who lost sons, husbands, and brothers question if another way could not have been found. Lincoln’s "Gettysburg Address" was a focal point of the quest for unity in a new nation. It was a moving story.

The next day we visited Hawks Nest State Park. It is a smaller brother to Pipestem State Park We took the tram down to the river and enjoyed a boat excursion up to the famous arch bridge across. It is a beautiful structure that safely transports thousands of vehicles each day over the New River gorge.

We had tasty lunch in the park dining hall and then drove to Sandstone wayside. In the auditorium saw a brief presentation about the New River and its importance to the area. Next we drove to the Sandstone waterfalls. We travelled for forty some minutes, up a very narrow valley alongside the river. It was truly amazing to see how many folks are into the camping/fishing lifestyle. There were numerous places along the river where there were whole communities of trailer homes, motor homes, or just temporary camping tents. Some were amazingly extensive to be in such a remote place. Just as one is impressed with the large number of beach homes, so it seems the fishing/camping community has its aficionados. The New River attracts from all over.

Linda explained how her father would take the family down to the river for two weeks each summer to enjoy this life style. It helped me understand why so many Brethren support so strongly their church camps. It’s in the blood! They wish for their children the unique experience that comes from being "in the woods" or "close to Nature". As the camps become more commercial, with more of the amenities resembling home, the more difficult it will be to realize an authentic "camping" experience.

After our skilled drivers Buddy and Garland returned us safely to
Oak Grove, Lib and I who had recently moved to Richmond, spent the night at Buddy and Linda’s. It gave us time to visit further and learn more about each other and the place of the church in our lives. I have been allowed a long and interesting life lived in numerous places and varying circumstances. I'm so thankful and grateful that Lib and I are healthy enough and have the resources to still do these sorts of activities when invited. I really, really, REALLY am!!