12/14/72 Wayne and I off for NW Bay at 8 a.m. 10o below zero, clear. I caught a good crappie during first 5 minutes and it was followed by 5 more before Wayne landed one at 3:30. We called it quits. A good day, despite cold. Always fun to be with Wayne. We (mostly he) damned worried when he discovered he had lost his glasses. I found them in snow! Home to a warm drink good food. Ain’t Layna nice to come home to!
12/15/72 To Dr. Milroy again at 9:00 a.m. At 9:15 he came puffing up the stairs. He kept me in chair for 1 ½ hour but actually little accomplished other than massaging my gums with a not too clean finger while he said “um, um.” Still don’t know if he will pull teeth. “Come back Monday.” Cleaned the crappies and invited Daveys to share them. While Layna and Bern were working around kitchen, the subject of Florida came up. One thing led to another after Harry and I got into act and before they left, we had a tentative date to meet them down there! We’ll see.
12/16/72 Picked Buck up at 9:00. Tim and Jayme along. We went to hospital where a back specialist, Dr. Boston, gave Buck a thoro examination. It took a couple of hours. He came back saying “The doctor said I wasn’t 25 years old anymore”. Apparently it is normal degeneracy and nothing to worry about at the moment. To Daveys at 4:15 to attend their Xmas cocktail party. About 30 people showed up - mostly old friends. About 7:30 the survivors, John Corrins, Hugh Paveks, John Kalstads, Don Johnson - at the instigation of Hugh - went to Holiday Inn for late dinner. We were joined later by the Dr. Walters. Good company, good food.
12/17/72 A lazy day, probably because of last night’s activity. After finishing paper, we got up enough ambition to clean basement. Quite a job. I worked on Karen’s Kart. About done.
12/18/72 To Milroy again. This was to be the day when he finally took an impression of my teeth. The heat was off so his office was not only dirty, it was cold, 54o. He said the plaster wouldn’t set at that temperature so sent me home. It is a good thing that I am not suffering much. Home to write Xmas cards, then more Xmas cards. We are gaining. Lou Moe out for supper. Cliff fishing on the Manitou.
12/19/72 Again to Milroy and this time all systems on go and he took an impression. I wonder if I will be ready to leave here by February 1. Layna in town later to wind up Xmas shopping. I don’t think her heart is in it. Our astronauts splashed down successfully in Pacific. We are told this is the last moon shot of this century. The average American has been having a hard time figuring out if the 25 billion spent on this project was worthwhile. Peace talks with Hanoi broke down completely. What a Goddamn shame.
12/20/72 Back to Milroy and he took an impression of my uppers. “Do I need all new teeth?” “We’ll see,” sez he. Buck and Dale stopped in with their new VW station wagon. A good looking automobile and I think the whole family is happy with it. On to Buck’s about 4 p.m. for and exchange of presents and a Xmas drink. Good. On to Moes where we were with Moes, Seegerts, Burrocks (the old Johnson Clique) and Gene Monahan. Drank, ate, and talked till 9:00 p.m. All good friends. Moes septic system frozen up. In his usual style, Cliff minimized the whole thing, almost as tho he liked it!
12/21/72 The usual monkey business to get ready to go anywhere. Finally picked Gene at 1:00 p.m. and off for Duluth. Stopped to wish a Merry Xmas at the Judys. They didn’t seem too merry. Arrived in Duluth at 4:30. Roads good. Karen getting along amazingly well. Guests started coming at 7 p.m. A total of about 35 showed up. Many we had met before. None more welcome than the Nelsons.
12/23/72 The Dick Nelsons invited us for lunch and we were glad to accept. They - all four of them, are high on the list of all-time greats that we have known. Much fun when Dick tried (and succeeded a little) to play his musical saw. We left a firm invitation to NWI next summer. There is no one we would rather have. Our two patients - Layna & Karen doing well. Alleluia!
12/24/72 K & R had asked us to come down and help them relax and that is exactly what we are doing. We eat, sleep, talk, play ping pong, watch football - all very lazy. At 4:30 we all went to movie - Sounder. A beautiful theater in west end and we were the full audience. 4 more people came in before it ended. Xmas Eve must mean something to most people. We all enjoyed this rather unusual movie. Tough times for the Southern blacks during the depression. Well, it was tough times for the northern whites about that time, too.
12/25/72 All hands down stairs by 9:00/ Ah-li was Santa Claus. Many, many good gifts exchanged. Fun. At 1:30 the Rudds came to join us in Christmas dinner. A full scale ping pong session proceeded it and the old man more that held his own. A real gut buster prepared by the ladies (Robin baked bread) and a droopy bunch resulted. Byrne called in evening. We had chance to talk to whole family and all seemed happy. The big news was that Byrne had changed jobs - now working for a data processing company in Pittsburgh. He sounded relieved to be leaving US Steel.
12/26/72 Yesterday’s light, freezing rain had us worried. Robin called highway department who gave a rather optimistic report. We decided to wait until sun had chance to work on salt and took off at 11:00. It went well. Some slippery spots in Duluth but clear sailing on highway. On home where a bundle of mail awaited us. Buck and Timmy came at 5:30 and visited until 7:00. Tim off for Chicago tomorrow for a big adventure. Thus ended our Christmas Holidays. We have a great family - in-laws, too!
12/27/72 To town at 9:30 and picked up our Exercycle. Like all other pieces of exercise equipment - punching bag, jump rope, etc. you still have to do the work. It will be interesting to see how much we put into this one. In p.m. I put some time in on Scorpion and got it going. Ran up to island - all OK there, and on to Lynches. John walked with me over to Buck’s island where he is clearing land for disposal field. A major undertaking, but it seems that he is taking it in his stride. His back must be much better.
12/28/72 Harry Davey brought his Indian, Gautam Borhra out at 2 p.m. Layna and I took him in our car up lake. The first time we have driven on lake since first snowmobile in 1964. The traveling was never better. Stopped at Harry Oveson’s and showed our guest how they put up ice in north country. On to Lost Bay then back to Buck’s island where we had coffee and a good visit. Back to #265 where we were joined by Daveys at 5:30. On to Thunderbird for dinner. Much repartee with Gautam carrying his share.
12/29/72 Wayne and I off for NW Bay at 9 a.m. I told Wayne about the good traveling with car yesterday so when we got to Armstrong’s, he said “Why not try car on ice?” We did and it went great. On to Nurses Island and crappie biting as soon as we started. Snow came too, a real blizzard. All in all another good trip with Judy. Vivian Sutch here for supper. Jill & Lisa, too. Johnsons home early but Vivian stayed until 8:30.
12/30/72 A few small snowflakes started to fall about 10:00 a.m. We paid no attention, we have had many false alarms this fall. Gene & Mary Monahan out for lunch. Fun people both and we had an interesting time. The snow accelerated and by the time they left at 3:00 it was in the blizzard stage. It kept right on and by 10:00 p.m. it was 8” deep. We made mental inventory of our supplies and decided that we could live well for a month and survive for maybe 6. Jim Froehlich came and plowed out driveway. How’s that for a neighbor?
12/31/72 Sunday 7 trips to Milroy in December. Snow stopped during night, a total of about 10 inches, however. I shoveled off roof - quite a job for an old man. Wonder how long I will call that part of my job. All set to go to Daveys at 7:30 when Buck called to ask us out for drink. We went. Wagnesses there. A fun, short visit. On to Daveys where we saw 1972 make way for 1973, first with Guy Lombardo in NY, then with Lawrence Welk in California. A good evening with good friends.
