6/6/73 The deck on big cabin showing signs of rot and some day will be a big problem. Today I replaced a couple of planks. Should last out the summer.
6/7/73 Picked up Froehlichs and Jim’s mother at 2:00 p.m. Bright and calm and Layna prepared a picnic dinner. We built fire in fireplace and just chewed rag. The kids put on quite a show. They are a couple of winners. We are trying to show these good people how much we appreciate all they have done - I hope they understand. They are not very demonstrative toward us - or their own kids, for that matter. We like them.
6/9/73 Off for Duluth about 9:15. Bernice with us. She is good company and the time went fast. Glad to be with our kids - especially on an occasion like this. A special meal set for just the family. Gene & Jean E., Mary, Bernice, Don, Layna, Karen, Robin. Great! Much good talk. We all realize what has gone into making this day possible. A lot of good planning, a lot of guts, a lot of cooperation from many people, and a helluva lot of plain hard work. I am proud of all who participated, particularly the two most vitally involved.
6/10/73 The big day finally arrived. Karen, Robin and Jean E. took off for early festivities at school about 11:00 a.m.. All of us off for school by 1:00 p.m. An outdoor ceremony. We were in our seats by 1:30 and sat until 4:00. Much happened in between. All of it good except the main speaker talked too damned long. Rain threatened thru out but only a few drops fell. Mercedes McCambridge recited a poem of her own composition that brought tears to sensitive eyes - mine included. Back to house where about 40 - 50 people came to help celebrate Robin’s big day. Good people all. Our kids know how to pick friends.
6/11/73 Karen still teaching so all hands up by 6:30. After she left we sat around chewing rag but off for home by 8:30. Bernice in front seat, me in back. Fine with me, they have more to talk about than I have. No one had been on island that we could tell. I ran into a mess when I decided to fix leaking joints under big cabin. So it goes.
6/12/73 I have put off launching our Starcraft hoping that the water would come up putting it closer to the lake. No go. Picked up Vivian Sutch at landing at 10:00 and at boat soon after. I knew it would be a tough assignment alone but the commencement speaker last Sunday said that that was the only way to attain fulfillment. Well, it was one helluva job. Vivian stayed until 9:30. She and Layna have much to talk about - about 11 ½ hours-worth! I think it was good for them both, altho I could have used another hand a few times on the boat.
6/13/73 Off for home at 4:00 in time to get ready for Eileen Clark’s birthday dinner. We met them at Island View. Hazel & Walter, Ray and Lilith, Bruce and Judy, Johnsons and Clarks. A couple of drinks, a good meal and on to Thunderbird for a nite cap. Home just as sun went down and moon came up. Beautiful.
6/14/73 Woke up to see out of our window, a mallard hen go by herding seven young ones ahead of her. An interesting sight. I checked my plumbing job of last Monday and saw that a couple of joints were dripping. Damnation. I spent most of day under the building fighting mosquitoes, poor light, dust, dirt and close quarters. By 4 p.m. I had it licked, and a good job, too.
6/15/73 Karen and Robin here about 4:30. I helped Jim & John put their fishing gear together and that was my only contribution. Not much. Robin told tale of woe concerning his entry into chicken business. Dick & Joan here in evening.
6/16/73 Raining at 2:00 p.m. when we went to Buck’s island to party in honor of Agnes Gilchrist. What a time we had. Buck, Dale, 4 kids, Ray (cook), Ihrigs, Moes, Johnsons (us), Lois Beyers, Lynn Minter, Bernice, Agnes and Avis. Agnes on guitar and Avis on piano. What a performance! We all sang until we were hoarse. Not too much drinking, much good eating, ping pong, pool. When Layna and I alone, I said “Never in my life have I enjoyed a party more than at Buck and Dale’s tonight,” - and I meant it.
6/17/73 Robin and I loaded gas tank in Cadillac at 7:30. Off he went to take Karen to airport. At 10:00 he returned with the gas - another worry off my mind. Rain off and on all day. Took Jim and John fishing. We caught 2 WE and a 3# jack. Robin off for canoe trip. Sure hope it doesn’t rain where he camps tonight. I changed spark plugs in Starcraft. It runs better. Lake came up about 2 inches overnight.
6/18/73 Kimball, Davey, Ryan group here tomorrow and I went thru the annual ritual of last minute performance. Pick up, clean up, weed flowers, etc., etc. - cut grass, etc., etc. Place looks ship-shape. An interesting incident when Little John began crawling across table and I slapped him - but good. John super friendly rest of day - holding no grudge.
6/19/73 To town in a.m. to do late shopping for Davey, Kimball, Ryan party. Met Harry & Bern at noon, had lunch at Bridgeman’s, did shopping and back to Daveys to find rest there. A good reunion. Home at 8:30 for drinks and dinner. What a group! Brains, talent, personality. Not a dud or foul ball in bunch. Each one telling how proud and happy to be with us. My cup runneth over.
6/20/73 At 5:00 it cleared enough so that Joe, Jim & Emmy Lou and I took off for bass. Stopped at Water Narrows where E.L. caught a 2# walleye and began to put on heat. Off for Allen’s Bay where we lost a couple of small bass - and that was it! DAMNATION but it is hard to get fish for these people. Back to Water narrows where E.L. caught 2 more good WE. Even the loons couldn’t match her laughter. Back for cocktails and dinner at 9:00. A long day - but good!
6/21/73 Strong NW wind greeted us in morning. No rush to go fishing so much good talk at table. Jim posed Joe, E.L. and I for picture to be used in article - much kidding. We then cleaned and wrapped fish, packed up and by 11:00 they were on their way. Layna and I home to our little island. Chewed rag about events of past few days, agreeing that we are lucky to be exposed to such good people. Decided to row over after mail.
6/22/73 We bought a $100 lawn mower. Jim Froehlich has shown less and less interest in our lawn for some time, beginning last summer, so we decided it was time to do it on our own. It took 2 hours of steady going, a real mess, but new machine performed beautifully. Layna did a lot of trimming. #265 looks like someone cares now. Sally had given me an electric glue gun for Father’s Day and I played with that. Dr. Talsness x-rayed me and said “Come back in 6 weeks.”
6/23/73 At 7:00 we took off for dinner at Bill Martin’s. Gerry & Lil Armstrong there. This is the first time in years when our 3 couples have been together without a bunch of outsiders. I was alone enough with Gerry to learn that he was not too happy with Boise but he didn’t complain too much. Damnation, but that company has done much toward making its employees unhappy.
6/24/73 A strong south wind but I rowed over for paper anyway. A good workout. Lazed around reading paper rest of morning. When we checked on Rays place, a few days ago, we saw a dead jack pine had fallen over path. I took the axe and Swede saw and cleaned it up. My good deed for the day. At 5:00 p.m. I picked up Gene & Robin at landing. Robin full of talk about his canoe trip and Gene still enthusiastic about her pottery. Ted Hall dropped in about 9:30 a.m. and stayed about an hour. Good visit, mostly about Oberholtzer. Ted cruising lake in his old lobster boat and apparently having a ball.
6/25/73 Never have I seen such a downpour, hail too. We sat at landing for an hour, running pump on Starcraft much of time. Plenty to worry about as to how things were at island. Fears justified. The Larson was sunk at the dock, what a mess! In looking over the whole situation we decided it could have been much worse.
6/26/73 We got a partial break in the weather altho it was on again, off again the whole day. Several downpours interspersed with sunny periods. By a great stroke of genius, I raised Larson high enough so that water could be pumped out of it. Used electric pump. Took time out to watch Watergate hearing on TV. The Canadians are enjoying it immensely.
