The Johnson Journals, Chapter 202

• Layne has slight case of pneumonia

• Rainy Lake reaches flood stage

• Don attends party at Les Cleveland’s

7/18/68 One of our big white pines leaning badly across path to guest cabin. We (Art, Jim & I) hooked onto it with “come along” and straightened it out. To see Owen Miggins who gave me a piece of brand new cable. We have tree back in place. Also had enough cable to put on breakwater. Sure hope we get opportunity of entertaining Miggins family this summer.

7/21/68 Vivian had David take her to landing so she could go to church. Said she “had to go.” I wanted to tell her she would have got there for sure if her body had been dragged out of lake — along with poor David.

7/23/68 Layna finally went to doctor. Sat from 11:30-1:30 before seeing him. Then another 1/2 hour of treatment. Told her that she had a slight case of pneumonia. Go home and take care of yourself. She is full of dope tonight but cough seems somewhat better. Took the guests out for dinner on houseboat. Jill and Vi along to serve. It worked out well.

7/25/68 Layna and I took party to town. Did a little visiting and home to find Jane and kids here. Stayed only a short while and off to see R.L. Playhouse put on Barefoot in the Park. Excellent — the best yet.

7/26/68 Bumsey and I repaired 4 broken boat chairs this a.m. He follows the pattern established by our other Indians — Jim, Snowball, Ray, Art in that he works well with his hands, and head. If drink does not lay him low I am sure he will help us forget Art. Layna’s cough much better. Jane and kids here much of the day. I enjoyed them.

7/27/68 Met Jim Pullar at dock at 4 p.m. He put new pump on Jim’s boat. No better. He worked on it for another hour and it is OK. What a relief. To Clark’s after supper. Waves threatening to break their $6000 boat. We towed it over to harbor on Dahlberg’s where it sat mighty snug. Dan an impatient man. Must be a bugger to live with. I wouldn’t want to try living with Eileen either, for that matter. What a pair. Will this damned wind never let up?

7/30/68 A relatively calm morning. About 10:30 Hall Templeton came rowing his little boat. He is staying at R.L. Lodge and invited us over for dinner. Stopped at Moes’ for drink. Lou getting ready to go to Regina. Cliff sitting watching TV and cursing the weather. Well, he is not the only one. Home about 4:30. Our boys still out fishing. They did not show until 6:00. Bernice in a tizzy. We went to Templeton’s dinner anyway. We thoroly enjoyed it. He is almost as inspiring as our little bird. [Hall Templeton was a director of Boise Cascade. He was a paraplegic and traveled alone in a customize van with a 12’ row boat on the top. While at Rainy Lake he would row many miles in a day. At the end of his last trip to Rainy Lake he gave the boat to Don who continued to use it for several more years.]

7/31/68 Change over day at NWI. Nordbye, Davis and crew left and a new gang came. All strangers. This new group will come and go and pass into oblivion. I am sure there is no one here outstanding. So it goes.

Special Data — July

Our Little Bird

There is no doubt but that July will go down in memory as one of the worst of all time. The lake reached flood stage early and there was a constant battle to save our docks. Violent storms almost every 24 hours. Strong steady winds from every direction when not storming. Bernice was off sick for two parties. Layna cooked. Art Lee missed 3 parties. I guided. Through all this, we had our little bird. She built her nest 6 feet from our window. The winds tore at her and her’s from the start. She laid three eggs, hatched them out, and raised her brood. Her mate made hundreds of trips with bugs to keep this operation going. Some nights I would stand by the window, the lightning flashes so constant I could watch the little mother hanging perilously to her home. At times the nest was almost vertical. In the morning she would sit and drowse, utterly exhausted. I know that man is supposed to pray for strength to an Almighty. I got mine from our little bird.

8/2/68 Picked up Dick Dougherty and off for Silver Island Narrows where we met George Amidon and party. The best day this summer. We even caught fish. 12 good WE. Hall Templeton rowed his little boat all the way to our smooth rock campsite (about 18 miles) to join us at lunch. He rested about an hour then took off for Bears Passage. He made another 5 miles before George picked him up at 4 p.m. What a man!

8/4/68 Bumsey and I decided to tear planks (cat walks) off main dock. As is always the case when I tear something apart, I think “Why in hell did the guy who built this use so many nails?” In this case he was me. Hall Templeton rowed to our place for lunch. He came via Ranier, Rusty Meyers, Vern Jones and the causeway. He arrived at 2:30. George Amidon and I checked on him before he finally got here. A pleasant visit with him and I returned him to R.L. Lodge. On home, took Layna to I.V. Lodge for dinner. It is not jumping there like at Brascugli’s.

8/5/68 No guests but we keep plugging along. We finally got nerve enough to take 9 barrels and Cadillac boat off of the main dock. I then scrubbed the whole thing with broom. It looks normal.

8/6/68 When we met party at airport, we discovered that 5 came and 5 left in Mpls. I rode back with Ferguson. What a thrill for an old man. Gone less than two hours. On way down, I sat on jump seat between the two pilots. Harry Bean the host. This looks like a good group.

8/7/68 Only 3 fishermen. They took off with 2 guides at 9 a.m. Layna and I took rest of people to smooth rock for shore lunch. Lots of fish - and did they eat! I finally decided to take lines off from south dock. Water dropping about an inch a day. Got Brian’s boat back. It sounds good. This is first repair on any of the AlumaCrafts. Good rigs.

8/9/68 Change over day. Ed Cahan, an outstanding guest, rode to town with me. When the Sabreliner landed we drove out to it. When the new guests walked out he said, “I hate everyone of them. They are coming and I am going!” I liked that.

8/11/68 I had grand rush to get to Les Cleveland’s by 5:30. A good party there. Bill Bruggemans, Berenbrinkers, Clevelands, Johnsons. Highlight of evening when Les went down to wash out coffee pots and fell in lake. Said Marie, “What did you do that for?” - Les told her.