9/25/72 Another great day with the Rays. To Daveys place on Bigfork and on to Littlefork and down #65. Had lunch in grove of tall Norways. Dug up several beautiful small trees for replanting. On to #53 and to -V- Ranch. Dan there alone. He gave us the grand tour. They have accomplished much in the past year, but obviously not sure they are on right track. They are spread too thin with Tucson, Ranch and Rainy Lake island.
9/26/72 Layna put on first duck feed of season. A real gut buster. Rays and Daveys joined us. A great occasion when we could have two of our best friends (couples) here at same time. Much talk about the articles by Kimball, Davey, Upson and Johnson.
9/27/72 Planted a couple of trees at island, also at #265. Sure look good now, how about a year from not?
9/28/72 Drained plumbing at big cabin. We are almost ready to call it quits for this summer, at least no more guests.
9/29/72 To Rays in a.m. and they said they had decided to call it quits, and I don’t blame them. I agreed to take their boat from Carlson’s to Finstad’s. Had lunch with Harry, (Bern in Mpls.), and off for Gun Lake. We drove down #65 and stopped in at Buck Lake. Our old home grounds in pretty bad shape. Kimballs at their place. Jim asked me if I would like to open duck season with him on Sunday. We had planned on going home that day but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Said “Yes.”
9/30/72 To Kimballs for steak feed. More good talk, then a red hot game of “Oh, Hell”. Fun! Jim concerned about getting his weekly column done. Hope he makes it before tomorrow’s hunting.
10/1/72 Jim Kimball and I in rice paddy by 11 a.m. Damned few ducks in area. We stayed until dark - 7 p.m. and came in with 7 ducks - 3 mallards, 3 wood ducks, and a hooded merganser. That doesn’t tell the story. We chewed the rag almost constantly for the full seven hours. He is a great hunting companion. Full of interesting information and anecdotes.
10/2/72 Off for home at 9:30. Stopped at G. Rapids for breakfast. On to Long Lake for short stop and home by 1:30. Surely this is the prime weekend for fall color - and an exceptional year, too. Spectacular! We went to island about 3 p.m. and picked up a few things.
10/3/72 My greatest accomplishment today - I cleaned 7 ducks & a partridge. Bern wanted her 3 ducks skinned. If I had to skin all the ones I shoot, I would quit hunting. What a damn wasteful mess! I got started on my ping pong table. I hope to play a lot of it next winter if I can find opposition. Layna and I to Buck’s at 6:00. We had a couple of drinks, good talk, and on to Thunderbird. It was a belated birthday gift to Buck. Hope he enjoyed it as much as we did. What a positive joy that son has been in his 46 years - and all his family, too. We are lucky people.
10/5/72 Made good progress toward draining plumbing. Hauled a load of stuff and back to #265 by noon to wait for Dan Clark. He didn’t show until 2:00. He came pulling a 12 foot trailer to use on pulling out his $4000 18 foot boat. I told him it was nuts. He listened. To Holmsteads where we borrowed a good outfit and had no trouble. We took the boat to Jim Pullar who will winterize it. My suggestion and reluctantly agreed upon by Dan.
10/6/72 We hauled a big load of stuff. We are about moved. Lou Moe to Minneapolis – her brother, John [Patnaude] died. What a shocker! Harry & Bern out to tell us they had received telegram from Nixon inviting them to Washington. Big deal. They are excited - and why not?
10/7/72 Harry picked me up at 7:45. On to Bohman’s Airway where we were joined by Harvey Veeder, Doc Banen, Ron Jonson and Mike Johnson. The flight to Lawrence Lake was spectacular. Fall coloring at its height. 6 men - no fish. I caught hammer handle jackfish to beat Harry out of $1.00. Good food, good company - to hell with fishing!
10/8/72 All boats in at noon - skunked - and frozen. We decided to call it quits. Called Doug Bohman and he picked us up at 2:00 p.m. Harry and Bern out to help eat our trout. Much, much fun talk concerning forthcoming trip to Washington. Said Harry on leaving “Even after eating with Nixon, we won’t forget the common people.” Layna answered “Neither will we!”
10/9/72 To island alone after lunch and did a good stroke of business. Completely drained rest of plumbing. Now I can worry if I got it all. Sure hope I don’t run into a mess next spring like I had last spring.
10/10/72 The Daveys off for Washington and Harry asked me to write his column for Friday. Today was the first time that I sat down and pounded out the full bit on typewriter without a recess. Was finished at noon. Not bad, but not exactly what I wanted. Jim Kimball tells me he has same trouble so I’m not alone. Peggy Lynch stopped in. They plan on living on Redcrest Island again this winter. Tough kids.
10/11/72 Buck here for coffee and talk. He has been to Walker to inspect a sewage disposal setup. Gave a very comprehensive report on same. The ecologists are after all of us (who says they shouldn’t be?) and some radical changes are about to take place.
10/15/72 Layna called to say Warren had died this a.m. at 4:00. We were unprepared for this. Now we have reason to feel guilty for not making more effort to visit with him. To Willie’s farm at Red Lake by dark. Rayman & Williams pulled in shortly to say big lake covered with ducks. Full of anticipation. A good visit with our Mexican friends (George will soon be one).
10/16/72 On river by daylight. Put in at bridge. George Rayman at the helm. We should have stood in bed. Very few ducks. We got 4 and 2 partridge. Wind gusting up to 40 mph. We were 3 tired men when we pulled in at Willie’s at dark. Layna, Maria and Velna had hors d’oeuvres all made and it didn’t take George long to get martinis fixed. Troubles of day soon forgotten. Tomorrow just has to be a better day because we saw a lot of ducks on big lake that should move down river and play with us.
10/17/72 Set out decoys and birds began coming back immediately. It could have been one of the most exciting shoots of all time except for one thing. Our guns were frozen up! It took some doing but big flight was over before we were in action. We picked up our limit, 12 ducks, and back to Willie’s. A short nap and back we went. Rayman cleaned our guns. We got 12 more by 5:30 and had sense enough to call it quits. A good happy hour, good dinner, good company. To bed by 10:30. Beat, but happy.
10/18/72 Layna and I left Willie’s at 7 a.m. Pulled into Cobb’s driveway in Duluth at 11:15. Most of family there. Four fine looking sons had things pretty much under control. Off for mortuary at 1 p.m. We, immediate family, were herded into a stuffy little room where we heard service thru microphone speaker. It could well have been a recording, it was so impersonal. On to cemetery where we could identify voice at graveside service. Knowing what Warren thought of it all (religion), I had to feel it was all a sham, which it will be when I go. Back to house along with rest of survivors. I don’t think we were much comfort to poor Frieda, who must have desired passionately to be alone. All gone by 6:30. To Karen’s.
10/19/72 Up at 7 a.m. in time to see Karen off for school. Robin up to his ears in homework. Our kids are busy. On home by noon. Jayme had stayed at house so all under control here. I took a short nap and when I got up decided to go down in basement. I was in my stocking feet and slipped on top step and off I went. What a fall. I laid on basement floor, got nauseated from pain, and was afraid to move, thinking I must have broken something. To Dr. Talsness where he x-rayed me (after 2 hour wait), taped me up, no broken bones, and sent me home. I am sore as all hell tonight.
10/20/72 My shoulder much better but still pretty sore. I felt sorry for myself but tried not to be too obnoxious about it. I was cleaning 6 ducks when Timmy & Jayme came along. They had 4 more. We made it a “bee”. Fun - good kids.
