Johnson Journals part 282

12/18/73 To Earl Belangers for dinner. The Daveys and Lloyd Ovesons there. a couple of old fashions before a lobster feed. Wow! Much talk - energy crisis, Canadian situation regarding property owners (American) - not good.

12/19/73 Got the power saw going and cut down a couple of poplars. It went well. Read from Immigrants. Quite a book. The movie followed it closely.

12/20/73 I steamed up power saw and finished cutting up downed trees. Split same and pulled home on toboggan. My God, what memories that revives, all the way from Buck lake to Norway island. A bit concerned over Byrne’s plans so called and said “Happy birthday.” Learned that they are leaving Chicago early Saturday morning - without Jane. No surprise there. Finished reading Moberg’s The Immigrants. Truly a great book. I will not get involved in its sequel until after Xmas. Sally sent them.

12/21/73 Cut a little more wood, great to be out in clear, crisp zero weather. At 8:30 as per agreement, Jim Banks and his new girlfriend, Velna, arrived. Off for Thunderbird. Couple of drinks, good feed and on into bar to hear Margaret Corcoran play organ. We brought Margaret home with us and Layna served vegetable soup at 1:00 a.m.! This was an exceptionally fine evening with our ex-guide. He said “I never had a father and mother but I think you people took their place.” We told him we were proud to have him in the family and it wasn’t all talk, either.

12/22/73 Byrne called from Duluth about 4:30 before we had chance to worry. They plan to stay at Wunderlichs. We (mostly Layna) are all set for them. This will be an interesting Xmas for sure. How will the little Johnsons react to the fact that their mother chose to be somewhere else for the holidays?

12/23/73 Byrne and kids pulled in about noon. Truly a joyous reunion. Much talk, a good share about Jane. It looks like the have reached an impasse. Kids full of zip. They are adapting - at least outwardly. Brad and I worked on woodpile for hour or so while Byrne napped. I like our grandson. Buck, Timmy and girls over to help eat Byrne’s birthday cake. Much ping pong. Layna and Byrne sat up and talked till midnight. Pa to bed. Nothing new repeated. Byrne wants to talk. I can’t blame him.

12/24/73 Byrne, Brad, Sheila and I to island via Scorpion. The kids made several trips around island alone, wide open. I think they had fun. Much argument as to when gifts should be opened. Finally a compromise and agreed on one per person. Went after Opal Judy, who would have been alone. She seemed to enjoy being with us. A near crisis when Etta broke string in tuning new guitar. Layna and I returned about 10:30 from taking Opal home to find Byrne and Etta in a helluva argument. We didn’t know the cause but it was a long, long way from “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men.” The professional Christians don’t get along any better than the amateurs - and not as well as some heathens.

12/25/73 An early dinner - 2:00 p.m. Moes & Gene Monahan joined our family. The usual feast. Company gone by 4:30 so we could go to Dr. Walters for wine and cookies. Sheila cooked up this deal and it turned out fine. On to Cummings in Fort about 7:00. A good visit and another meal about 9:30. What a full day.

12/26/73 The Cummings - 5 of them, here at 10:30 for breakfast as per last night’s invitation. Layna made blueberry pancakes and fried bacon for the whole tribe. They stayed and visited until 1:00 p.m. when Karen and Robin came. More gifts all around. Karen and Byrne had a 2 hour conference in the bedroom. Low voices but no inkling as to discussion. They both have their problems. I hope they can help one another. I am afraid I can’t do much more than listen. Robin, Brad, Sheila and I for a hike past big swamp. Karen and Robin off for Gene’s after another feast put on by Layna. After all gone, I went in to talk to Byrne - damnation - but I feel sorry for him. Maybe it helped, but he needs more than pity.

12/27/73 A great expedition to Norway Island. Jayme arrived at 10:30 on Skidoo and took Etta. Byrne, Sheila, Brad, Tara, Robin & Karen & I went on ice at Holiday Isle dock on foot. Snow about 5 inches deep so walking a little tough. We built fire in guides room and fireplace and got ready to roast wieners. Buck, Timmy and girls pulled in. A bit crowded in guides room but great fun. What a gang! Byrne’s family, Robin, Karen and Bernice for supper. Later we were joined by the Daveys, Williams and Debbie McLinn. Debbie stayed until 12:30. Byrne, Brad, Don and Layna the only survivors to hear her talk on and on about the psychology of humans (mostly parents) behavior. Brad contributed a little, Byrne some, but old folks said little of importance. We were in a different league, full of structures, syndromes, images etc., etc., etc. Would to God there was some way to put these great ideas to practical use.

12/28/73 Sheila put the pressure on to go to Fort Frances and Byrne compromised by dropping her off at the bridge. She was to ride back with Don Cummings who was coming over about 11:30 anyway. It is difficult to know what was running thru those young heads (and Byrne’s, too). Grandma and Grandpa saw them leave feeling we had done what we could to give them a happy holiday. To the Wagnesses for dinner. A very pleasant evening with our old friends, Gerald and Olive. They were full of island talk as well they might be. They think they have Atsokan sold for sure this time. I sincerely hope so.

12/29/73 Our first day alone in some time and it was quite a letdown. Both of us feeling colds coming so a bit droopy anyway. I read from Unto a Good Land. Very impressive. What a struggle for those poor Swedes in America in 1850 - and at home too, for that matter.

12/30/73 Both of our colds much worse. Sneezing, coughing, blowing noses all day. Layna added a sore throat to her miseries. At 11:30 I turned TV on to watch Viking - Dallas game and pre-game. We won, 27 - 10 in a real thriller. That means that the Vikings and Dolphins will meet in Super Bowl on Jan. 13. We watched TV almost steady until after news at 10:30. Can’t say it was completely wasted time. Felt too damn rotten to do anything else. Woke up about 2:00 a.m. and finished Unto a Good Land. It was one of my better reading experiences of all time.

12/31/73 Colds a little (damned little) better. Edited my Mexican slides for showing to Rotary Club on Wednesday. A hard decision to make regarding some of them. It is difficult to show 5 trips in 20 minutes. We seemed to gain strength during day and by 5:00 p.m. felt good enough to go to Daveys. Harry, Bern, Layna and I to Holiday Inn for dinner. A big surprise when we met Wayne Sword head on in doorway. Hope to see him tomorrow. Back to Daveys for drinks, cards, fireplace. We watched Guy Lombardo usher in 1974 in Times Square and Lawrence Welk do same for Midwest. A major news item for 1973. I did not get a deer! I shot my first in 1919 at the age of 13. After we left Buck lake in 1921 I was able to hunt each fall at Buck Lake, Swan River, Deer River and Silica. I was always successful. It was no problem to carry on that success after we moved to Rainy lake. I have no idea how many deer I shot since 1929. However, I had several dry years and it was with great relief in some cases when I got my deer to keep the record going. This year a set of circumstances interfered and I flubbed it. Our trip down the river for 2 weeks in November had much to do with it altho I did have chances both before going and after coming back. Somehow it seems a relief that the pressure is off, like a ball team breaking a long string of victories. I won’t stop hunting as long as I can walk but from now on I won’t have the feeling “I must not fail!” Maybe I can watch the squirrels and nuthatches more.