Johnson Journals part 116

1/30/76 Much more talk about a trip and decided (definitely) to go to Florida near Feb. 15. I think we are both relieved at the decision. To Pickle Barrel Pub with Buck, Dale, Bernice, Terry, Tim & Jayme. Stayed until midnight. Much singing - loud but not bad. Damned cigarette smoke hurts my eyes.

1/31/76 Water dripping off eaves - a sign that the snow should be removed. Once again I climbed up and shoveled it off, wondering how many times I will be able to do it. I read in my 1966 diary that same concern - that was ten years ago which was definitely premature. Can’t believe I’ll be doing it for another 10 years, however. The Moes had us over for a lake trout feed. There went our diet all to hell. It was worth it. We talk freely with these people discussing everything from money problems, in which they are experts, to our kids where we have the edge. A good evening.

2/1/76 It would take a lot of planning in order to do less than we did today. We sure “kept the Sabbath.” Read paper (all bad news) and watched TV. We are slipping into a rut.

2/2/76 38o below during the night for a new record for this date. It must have stimulated our sluggish brains because we made some definite plans. Called Jean Edwards who said it would be fine if we came to Florida early in March. To see Judys in p.m. All still going well. Buck here in evening to give me dope on teaching Coast Guard class next spring. My heart is not in it.

2/3/76 Big deal today. I went to Lynches at 3:00 p.m. and baby sat for little Chad for 1 ½ hours. Layna busy preparing dinner for Buck’s family so I got the job. I came home with 3 dozen eggs. Well paid! All of Buck’s family (except Jayme) for dinner at 6:00. Gene Monahan, too. We had hoped that Tim would give us a good run down on his trip to England but he was about talked out on the subject. Buck and Gene contributed their bit. Fun.

2/4/76 Sally’s birthday, Christopher Robin’s, too. We called both of them. I think of Sally often - what a great child she was and how she developed in a straight line to the woman she now is. Lucky Jim, lucky kids, lucky anyone who comes in contact with her. Christ, I’m getting maudlin. Jayme gave an 8 X 10 enlargement of our family. I made a frame for it. Good.

2/5/76 Layna to Republican Women’s meeting. They are as scarce in Koochiching County as a Protestant in Mexico. She seems to enjoy it. “Better than RLWC,” says she.

2/6/76 At 6:00 sharp they (the guests) arrived. Rudy and Ruby Erickson with Wayne and Opal. Then Myrl & Mary Holt Brooks. They must have had a good time because they stayed until midnight. Layna had cooked our Iowa pheasants, with all the trimmings. It was worth it all to see Wayne getting along so well. Opal too. Brooks the best kind of company. Rudy talks a little too much - not bad.

2/7/76 To Brooks for morning coffee. He gave me the Report on Wolves that had stirred so much controversy in our area. Stayed for about an hour and came away with feeling (not new) that Myrl doesn’t have much love for his opponents in general and Irv Anderson in particular.

2/9/76 Thaw 47o A long discussion after breakfast about going to Florida. No voices raised - nor blood pressure, either. An hour of this and I’ll be damned if I know right now what we decided! We are still “playing it by ear.” Cliff Moe out after lunch. He had some shop work to do and I was glad to help him. He talks about death, occasionally and has me convinced that he is unafraid. I tell myself that I am the same way, so why doubt him? Gene Monahan brought out the photos of our portrait. They are good. We will send one to each of the donors. Earthquake toll in Guatemala up. 15,000 people killed with thousands more crippled and homeless. How does the church explain something like that?

2/10/76 Another warm day and I utilized it by taking Wayne for a long walk, about a mile. Some ice on sidewalks but for most part bare and he got along well enough. I think it did him some good. We decided this evening that we have talked ourselves out of Florida trip and will go, hopefully on the 20th when we can take Sally and girls back to Duluth. Here is the basis for the decision. I am 50 - 50 in favor of going. Layna is 75 - 25. That puts the odds against staying home and we started to make plans.

2/11/76 I think that we both have a screw loose somewhere. After last night’s discussion, I was firmly of the mind that we would go off for Florida when Sally left next week. At breakfast, Layna said “I gave our trip a lot of thought during the night and can’t see why we shouldn’t stay home!” We went on from there - and now we are not going! I snowshoed to island after lunch. Hard crust (result of wind and thaw) so traveling good. I decided to bring some redwood boards back so made a toboggan out of skis to pull them on. A light load according to old standards but a bit pooped when I got home. Lou Moe out in p.m. She laughed when we told her of our decision. I don’t blame her.

2/12/76 Now that we have given up our trip, we have some extra spending money. To help solve that problem, we bought a stove today - $270 worth. A good deal. A letter from Don Carey told of his confrontation with the school board and its administrators. He had resigned. Karen got one too.

2/13/76 We did what we hope will become a daily routine today. Walked around the Point of Pines loop. It was good for us. I then took off for the Falls where I guided Wayne for about 12 blocks despite a rather cold west wind. Back to their house where I read the articles about Minnesota in the National Geographic. Good At 6:30 we joined group of about 30 people at Holiday Inn. It was the annual Coast Guard “changing of the watch.” Buck installed as commander. With my lack of enthusiasm for the whole setup (I am there purely because of Buck) I wonder how much I can contribute. To Bob and Mary Hilkes’ for coffee later. Stayed until midnight. Good kids.

2/14/76 At 7:45 we took off for Bill Martin’s home in Fort Frances. Seven couples, among them Gerry Armstrongs and Bill Kirks - some of my very favorite people. Kirks planning a trip by rail to Churchill next summer and I’ll be darned if we didn’t get into the spirit of the thing and might join them. We left at 2:45 a.m. but not before singing a few songs. What an evening! Many letters to editor defending Don Carey in last night’s paper. He has many articulate friends.

2/15/76 Heard that the Coran boys had had letter from National Park Service to get their stuff out of shack which would be burned in spring. I’ll bet that raised some blood pressures.

2/16/76 Sally in on 9:00 bus. It is great to have her home.

2/17/76 Big deal today. Sally, Nancy, Jean, Layna and I put on snowshoes at Curtice dock and hiked up to island. It snowed hard - almost rain. We built fire in back room, cooked wieners, had lunch, fooled around for an hour or so and back to car. As always, I hate to leave island. It is a strong part of me.

2/18/76 Wrote to Jean Edwards saying that we had called off Florida trip. Also called Etta. Looks like that decision if finally final!

2/20/76 Wayne Judy back in hospital. The “flu” has laid him low. A near epidemic thruout the area. So far, we have escaped it.

2/21/76 Took nap, had supper and was settling in for a quiet evening at home when Francis Einarsons dropped in. A couple of good hours followed. Wayne getting along fairly well in hospital.