The Johnson Journals, Chapter 200

•  Don enjoys time on a houseboat

•  Don writes about roadblocks in Karen’s wedding plans

•  Group goes to Sandpoint for supper

6/11/68 I finally hooked up our other water system. Also started the old light plant. We can survive an outage from REA now. And speaking of REA. Curtice without power to his new house and I am perverse enough in my thinking to not give a damn. He has been a damned uncooperative neighbor and my heart refuses to bleed when he suffers any discomfort. If it were not for Buck, I might be tempted to wish him all kinds of bad luck.

6/12/68 Many odd jobs around NWI. I am trying to earn my keep, and some days do.

6/13/68 Up at 4:30 a.m. so I could get on early plane to Duluth. An interesting morning followed. Mr. Banen and I went over and over charts and finally got facts and figures together well enough to call Mr. Hall. This goddamn setup still not settled. Banen, a nice guy, but doesn’t have the stuff of our old Mr. Farmer. Parker by far the better of the two but he is leaving. I look for much more trouble before this deal is over. Back to Falls at 2:30. While I waited for plane in Duluth, Harold Stassen flew in and was interviewed by TV cameraman. It is 20 years ago, 1948, when he was guest on houseboat, running for president. Well, he is still running - further behind each try.

6/15/68 Robin’s letter to Karen said that his preacher brother-in-law advised him to wait until Xmas for the wedding. He said that it would give more time for “insurmountable difficulties” to show up. Well, the good man of God apparently thinks it a good idea to sow seeds of doubt in young minds. The faith that he preaches on Sunday does not apply to something as earthly as a marriage. In God we trust, but not in one another! No wonder our young people are all mixed up. So are their advisors.

6/16/68 Layna and I took in Jay Rainey’s party and picked up Erv Olson’s - all family. We were at the airport two full hours and had a good chance to watch the American traveling public. For the most part, they seem resigned to their fate. “Hurry up and wait”. After dinner, Layna and I took Karen to town. A big adventure ahead. Will see Robin and proposed in-laws in Hartford. Then on to Florida for Cheryl Harrison wedding. She has my best wished in both cases.

6/18/68 Whole party out fishing. At noon, Layna and I met them with houseboat in Blind Bay. After dinner we took Erv in so he could fly to Chicago. This may be his last trip. He was a much better host on this one than on any of the previous ones. He has decided that the world of business will go on without him and Mr. and Mrs. Olson need him more. Called MacKellar. He is not 100%. I lied about my health telling him that my legs ached something terrible every morning. I think that cheered him up.

6/20/68 Karen called from Hartford to say she had decided to get a job there after Cheryl’s wedding and not come home. I asked her why she called seeing as how she had made up her mind. She said she wanted our blessing. Well, she got it, for ever the hell it is worth. Robin’s sister and her preacher husband have decided that our children must “get to know one another better” before they make the final step. My fear is that if they get to know one another too well they won’t make it. Layna greatly upset over the whole deal. I had my crying spell on March 24. Layna had hers today. Is it to be ever thus with Karen?

6/21/68 Karen’s situation hashed and re-hashed off and on all day. I have a strong feeling that we fumbled the ball badly in her case but not too sure exactly where. It could be that we gave her her own way too much. Well, so far she hasn’t done anything that she couldn’t recover from. Some of her experiences could have been tragic. Time (and not much of it) will tell about this one.

6/23/68 Stopped Art Lee, Sr., out on lake and he came aboard for a good visit. I told him how good Art had been and there were tears in his eyes. A dead calm evening and I could hardly wait to get at the bass. Others the same. It was rotten! I caught one good fish and a few small ones. One bass caught in each of the other boats. We still don’t understand those damned fish. Stopped at Buck’s where Layna and Bernice were at a small song fest. Short but fun.

6/24/68 Layna and I loaded whole gang on houseboat and off for Sandpoint for supper. More talk, talk, talk. Guides came at 7:15 and we came home alone. These are really moneyed people. They talk of giving $25,000 to their old Alma Mater, Yale. They even mention one old grad who gave $800,000! I am glad that Hibbing Junior College is financed by public funds.

6/27/68 I can still find things to do at NWI. Finished putting transom on Cadillac and spliced new ropes. Over a period of years I have had occasion to do some splicing and each time I start I realize how dumb I am. Somehow I muddle thru, but it takes some doing. To see Rainy Lake Playhouse put on Funny Girl. Well done. Entire cast of local people. We have much talent in the area.

6/30/68 We fished for an hour, catching one WE and a 4# bass. Then the rains really came. We hit for home. I laid down for a nap and Layna woke me to say top of main dock was loose. In a moment of brilliance, I figured the only way to hold it down was to put our two Cadillac boats on it and fill them with water. At the moment all secure. Not so with our lawyer guests. A noisy gang tonight. Me - too worried about high water and high wind to be concerned with high guests.