Johnson Journals part 228

• Don visits Pithers Point in houseboat

• Don and Layna attend Janet Burrock’s wedding

7/5/70 Took guests in at 1 a.m. Another successful party. We are knocking them off. Crew in good humor, even Bernice. Jim and I in to see The Grizzly King. We both got a charge out of Jim interpreting Ojibway for me.

7/6/70 By 6 p.m. we had the Moes, Boyds and Les Cleveland here. A great fish feed put on by Layna. Good people all but took too much time discussing our new Holiday Inn Motel. None of these experts could see how they could possibly make it.

7/7/70 Jane and kids here when I got home. A helluva storm broke about 3 p.m. Layna had houseboat at landing and I was quite worried. No need. She sailed in with no trouble. Jane stayed for supper, we had good music fest and we took them home in our boat.

7/10/70 Les Cleveland had us and the Sheldons over for cocktails at 5:30 and then over to Gwanatchewan for dinner. As we left Cleveland’s, Gertrude said “This could be one of our very worst eating experiences!” She was wrong. Everything fine. What a goddamn pessimist she is! Back to Cleveland’s for a night cap and a discussion of Mabes Anderson. Not very complimentary.

7/11/70 A new “first” for us in that traffic on bridge so heavy that we took gang to Pithers Point in houseboat for clearance. An early dinner and all out for bass. Jim hit jackpot in Jakey’s Bay. Others not so good. I went out alone and caught 6 fish. Great!

7/12/70 The usual “should we?, shouldn’t we?” decisions by the entire party so no one knew what was what until it happened. Layna and I took this mixed up day in our stride. Not so with our kitchen help, altho Joan doesn’t get too nervous despite her mother.

7/13/70 We gave houseboat a good workout today. First went for shore lunch in Swell Bay, then on it of dinner in evening. John Daniels took about 3 minutes in proposing a toast to Don & Layna Johnson. Very touching and I am sure he meant it. The rest agreed. Very satisfying. Back to island at 8 p.m. after guides had picked up guests. I tore out for bass alone and got 4, one a 3 1/2 pounder. No net so I had to play him until he could no longer kick. A fun experience. Lt. Banen called from Duluth to say Canadians are taking over 7 buoys in Kettle River. Loving God, what next?

7/15/70 At 7:30 we picked up Boyds & Blisses and were joined by George & Ardys. Off for 1 ? hour cruise on houseboat. Saw moon come up and sun go down. The most beautiful evening imaginable. Hattie Bliss now ranks #1 in the gushy gal category. She bubbles over at the smallest stimulus. Don’t think she would wear too well on a long haul.

7/16/70 Met Irene MacKellar at landing at 4:30. We had planned on doing something for Irene before she took off for Europe and this worked out very, very well. She feels very keenly that some of her old friends have forgotten her since Fred died. Well, I hope she never has cause to think that of us.

7/17/70 Layna asked Timmy to make a list of what he considered his duties as dock boy. He did, very complete, and wound up by saying Misc.: A. Help people as much as possible. B. Carry groceries. C. Be helpful. D. Be courteous. E. Keep room clean. A great kid for sure!

7/21/70 Etta here all day. Much horse play - she likes to fool around but real fun. Walleye fishing slow. Gang in at 3 p.m. and out on houseboat for dinner at 6:00. A good group who like one another and they have a great time.

7/23/70 The Rays here at 5:30. We had a drink and off for Island View for dinner and on to R.L. Playhouse to see Luv. The usual excellent performance and the usual small crowd. What in hell is wrong with our community when it cannot support an effort like this one?

7/24/70 Our usual “break” activities. No complete rest for the Johnsons. Maybe we should just take off one of these times. Maybe we should just tend to business and forget time off until October.

7/25/70 I took Tara and Sheila home and talked Jane out of building a breakwater across their bay! Layna and I in for Janet Burrock’s wedding. The damned priest droned on for more than an hour. I awoke now and then to see others nodding so it wasn’t just me. A great cookout on island attended by 14 people. Buck & Dale came later, so did Val Boyd, so did Joan. Karen faced a great dilemma and finally decided to go alone to see Luv. I helped her. I took rest of gang, including Buck & Dale on a cruise on houseboat.

7/26/70 Layna and I to Island View for dinner with Harry and his sisters Vella and Doris. Good gals. They got Layna alone and tried to cross exam her concerning Sally Jensen but did not get much satisfaction, I am sure. Poor Harry. He has woman trouble for sure, Sally, his sisters, Nancy and Pammy. We had a song fest of sorts in evening. Jim on guitar and me on mandolin. Layna & Bernice singing. Hard for any of us to find right key.

7/27/70 Layna and I met Harry and his sisters at dock at 11:30 in houseboat and brought them to island for lunch. Took them back on round about route. Don’t think we ever had more appreciative guests.

7/28/70 The lack of rain and hot weather is taking its toll of the birches. In some places the leaves along the islands look like it was late September. We need rain desperately. Blue berries look like raisins.

7/29/70 We took our guests in at 12:30. As we rounded Boyds Point, I saw two moose come off Dr. Mary’s Point. They took off across Jackfish and we were able to run right up to them. When it was all over a guest said, “That was really a thrill for me.” “Me, too.” I answered, and it was!

7/30/70 It has been hot and dry for more than two weeks. Temperature up to 90’s with strong SW wind at times. Dead calm at others. Reminds me of 1936 when peninsula burned. I worry about fire on island. It clouds up, we hear thunder in distance but no rain. Bruce Anderson stopped in to say that Clarks had been broken into and all the fishing gear gone. Damnation. Took Tim and Bradley fishing. Brad never shut up once. He said “Grandfather, do the loons holler to call in the fish so they can catch them? If not, why do they just sit there and blab?” “They are just like you,” I told him. Layna and I to see David Seegert. He has developed diabetes and at the moment his world has ended. Vi’s too, also Norman. A tragic situation. We tried to cheer them by telling of how Wayne Judy has licked the problem all these years. It could have done some good.

7/31/70 Rain! The thunder and lightning during the night finally meant something and we got .33 inch of much needed rain. Walleye fishing picked up at NWI. Brian has fished weeds of Porters Inlet twice and did well in about 5 feet of water. Ed LaFave called to say that he was at Holiday Inn and wanted to take us to dinner. We went. He had his two grandsons and Joey Oliver with him. We spent a very interesting hour or so gabbing about Dr. Oliver, Carl, and the old days.

8/1/70 Strong NW wind as we took guests to town at noon. Stopped at house and picked up Layna’s cousins Ray & Ethel Palmer, their kids Pat & Joe Giamfortune, and their 2 girls, Debby and Missy. Missy an 8 year old live wire. Ethel has a raucous voice that would drive me nuts over a long period but not too bad on a short haul. She doesn’t show any other great defects so I should be able to settle for that one - for a few days.

8/2/70 Ray is Bernice’s cousin too and Layna decided that she should spend some time with him. To me it was obvious that Bernice could not care less. At any rate, I braved the waves and went after her.