6/12/72 No Rain. Ground well soaked so I put men folks to work clearing dead balsams from behind guest cabin. Many, many dead trees. What a damned shame to lose so many trees. If they were pines, I would lay down and cry.
6/13/72 Back at the balsam clean up. We cut down enough dead stuff so that the whole area is very presentable. Much fun working with kids. No tree too big for little John to tackle. Some are almost a foot in diameter and he attacks them vigorously with his little hatchet. A dry balsam top broke off and got stuck in a birch 25 feet above the ground. He volunteered to climb the birch and knock it down! I am enjoying this group - but oh, my aching back!
6/14/72 A clear, cool morning and Ruhs decided to stay another day. Jim and Sally off for home - a bit of confusion when we got to landing to learn someone had drained gas from their car. Wind whipped up so that by noon it was up to 20 mph. Clouds covered sun and everyone wished they had gone home, too.
6/15/72 Rick Ruh in kitchen cooking whole wheat cereal by 7:30. Whole gang down by 8 and off for landing at 9. A very efficient family - and damned lovable. Layna and I agreed that they were an outstanding group - not a foul ball among them.
6/16/72 33o A new “first” for us today. After all these years on Rainy Lake, we finally bought a new motor for ourselves. A 6 h.p. Johnson - for Father’s Day. $306.00 - hope we can afford it. I am really a sad sack physically - my back, altho some improved, giving me hell. A doozy of a cold makes my nose run and I sneeze and sneeze. My lower lip a mass of cold sores. Layna listens to my complaining without a murmur. I wonder what she really thinks.
6/17/72 At 5 p.m. we took off to visit Chuck Skrief. There for almost an hour, along with Buck’s guests on to Lynches where we had been invited for supper. Busy people, they took time out for a little relaxation. Buck, Dale, Avis, Ed, Peggy’s folks. Fun. Buck’s cook, Ray, mistook me for Buck and gave me a tale of woe!
6/18/72 There is no doubt but what we have a permanent job just keeping the dead, down trees and underbrush cleared off this island. It is a good thing that we can pace ourselves and do what we want to do.
6/19/72 We worked all morning clearing out on south and west sides of main house. A big decision for me to cut some of the poplars who had been growing so well. I have to agree that it looks better now that they are gone. The mallard who made the mistake of building her nest near our Happy Shack met disaster today. A crow got the last of her eggs. I had the deep satisfaction of calling the culprit in range and plastering him with the 20 gauge. My cold, my blistered lips, my sore back all feel better today. Think I’ll live.
6/20/72 Charlie Skrief and friend from Cleveland here for dinner. Bill Brummer had been Charlie’s roommate for 3 years. A high class young man. They came at 6:00 and left at 11:00. Much talk about Rainy Lake and its people - past and present. When they left we could hear Bill shout to Charlie over the noise of the motor, “That sure was fun!” Well, it was for us too. We don’t meet stimulating young people like that every day.
6/21/72 We cleared our boats into Canada today. Layna in Larson, I in Starcraft. We were gone from home 40 minutes. Now when will we get to go fishing? Met the Daveys at 4:00. They have decided to be with the Kimballs and Ryans for full party. After dinner on a short cruise. Saw Jack Blake’s new diggings - good. On to Les Cleveland’s for a drink.
6/22/72 Well, we finally made it. We went fishing! Out of here at 9:00 a.m. Stopped for minnows and coffee at Spikes. They are doing fairly well for old people. We fished hard from 10:00 to 3:00 and got 3 small walleyes and a jack (small). DAMN! On way home we ran over to landing for mail and then stopped at Amidon’s for a drink. Good visit for an hour. Loons put on finest chorus of all time.
6/23/72 Debbie McLinn out for dinner. A good bit of conversation from a highly intelligent young lady. A bit flighty for our old standards. She has gone to school steady since graduating with Karen in 1964. Now she has decided to become an MD which means another 4 years in school. I don’t think we could afford her for a daughter.
6/24/72 Debbie here until 4 p.m. and I talked with her off and on. Now that she is gone I realize I should have learned more from her. A quick mind but a bit confused. Well, why not, these are changing times and the answers hard to come by.
6/25/72 Stopped to meet our new neighbors at “Brasses Shack”, the Boltes. We were there only about 15 minutes and he told us all about rubber boats (they had one) and also told about their other holdings. These included 3 more lots on Stop Island (with plans to buy more), a camp in Costa Rica, one in the N. Carolina mountains in addition to a permanent home in Florida. As Orm said to Gudermund, “I know you are a great man because you told me so yourself!” [The Long Ships] A nice looking wife and two good looking kids said nothing.
6/26/72 No matter how we plan our time, it seems we run into confusion on the last minute. We went to #265 where I worked on grounds and Layna went shopping. She came back at 3:00 and we were due at Daveys at 4:00. I made run for island with load of stuff and I’ll be damned if the Boltes didn’t take that time for a call. I gave them a 17 minute tour and rushed back. We were late at Daveys. Kimballs and Ryans there. A fun reunion. A great problem in logistics but by 6:00 everyone on island and Harry’s (bank’s) boat at dock. On to Pithers Point dock where we cleared our guests in, had dinner at Rendezvous and home at dark. Everyone (not me) excited about fishing tomorrow. I am pessimistic as all hell.
6/27/72 The usual hubbub getting 8 people organized to go fishing but we were off by 9:30. To Windy Island where we fished hard until noon to get enough for shore lunch. We cooked up on “little Blueberry”. Delightful. It was a hilarious evening that followed. Surely no 8 people could enjoy one another’s company more. Jim a little subdued. I don’t think he is 100% physically.
6/28/72 Karen & Robin home at 9:30. Much to tell about Ohio flood. After other guest to bed we sat and talked about Byrne’s family. I got a better picture than ever but I’ll be damned if I understand it completely.
6/29/72 A leisurely breakfast, packing and by 10:30 we were off for landing. Karen & Robin our only guests, and I am glad. A short nap after lunch and on to look over Lynch operation at Musket Inn. They are battling against time - and right now it appears to us that they are losing.
6/30/72 Karen and Robin left at 9:30 to lend a hand to the Lynches. A darn nice gesture on their part. They came home at 5:00 - overawed at what had been accomplished over there - and more impressed by what was left to do. More good talk with our kids. Very satisfying.
7/1/72 To town in p.m. and did some shopping. My first trip in for couple of weeks. Came home at 3:00 with Gretchen Heath & boyfriend (traveling companion), Dan -----. Very intelligent and interesting people both. Karen very close to Gretchen and I can see why. Gene and Robin came a little later. Karen put on a feast of grilled spare ribs. Fireside chat followed. For once Gene was not able to dominate conversation - too much competition.
7/2/72 It took until 10:30 to get Gretchen and Dan away and we were off soon after. Karen and Robin wore their parkas in forward cockpit - still chilly. On to Kawawia Island with only a stop long enough to throw a red marker where #8 buoy was missing. On to have coffee with Dutchy & Nellie Oveson. They suggested that we go with them either to Mexico or Alaska next year. When we got back to NWI Karen and Robin suggested that they take us all to Holiday Isle for dinner. A good gesture. We went. Fun. Good kids, showing that they don’t take everything for granted.
