1/1/74 VOLUME XXIX Radio, TV and newspapers all carry the same glad tidings. 1973 is gone and damned good riddance. No doubt about it, it has been a rough year in many respects - Watergate and the fuel shortage topping the list. They are still with us and it will get worse before it gets better. For Don & Layna, we can look back on another happy year of retirement. My health scare in April was just that - a scare. It brought into sharp focus just how lucky we have been over a period of years. We don’t pray, so we can only hope that 1974 will treat us as well as its much maligned predecessor.
1/2/74 Today I hit a high and a low in emotional experience. Last night’s work with the slides paid off and I had a great time at Rotary. Harry said that I “wowed” them and in all modesty, I agree. Opal had invited us in for dinner. We had a good meal, good visit and off for airport. Wayne last passenger to get off. He was led to terminal where we met him. His color ashy gray, very unsteady on his feet. I had a strong impulse to put my arms around him and cry. Well, we soon learned it was all physical. We got in car, he gave a humorous description of roommate, nurses, hospital and trip home. My God, what spirit.
1/3/74 Byrne gave me Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda for Xmas. I am well into it and find it rather fascinating, altho difficult at times. Lisa’s birthday so we took presents out after supper. Buck all het up about Frank Bohman’s marina project. He expresses himself well.
1/4/74 At 10:15 Dr. Thompson called to say he had a cancellation. I went and had 2 teeth filled. I can’t believe that he will string out my visits like Milroy did a year ago. When I got home I learned that Sheriff’s office had left summons for jury duty. More of that later, I am sure. Temperature about 5o below but I went out and cut down 6 dead poplars (by axe) and carried them home.
1/5/74 Today I walked to mail box and that was the extent of our outdoor activity. I finished reading Carlos Castaneda’s book Journey to Ixtlan. There were parts that I did not understand and for a good reason. Carlos said he didn’t either. Layna reading The Long Ships. I read one of its chapters aloud today.
1/6/74 Made trip to mail box for paper and that was it. To lend a little cheer to living room, I lit fire in fireplace and kept it going until bed time. I wonder how much oil we saved.
1/7/74 30o below. And another day without starting car altho at 3:30 I went out enough to fill wood box and take short walk down to Jim DiOnne’s. I knocked on door and it didn’t take much imagining to hear him call, “Come in!”. Buck here for about an hour in a.m. Full of interesting talk about Frank Bohman’s proposed marina.
1/8/74 We have been talking colored TV since I proposed getting one for Layna’s birthday in September. We went into Ballan and Jensen today and shopped around. The upshot being they sent out a $450.00 outfit on approval. We will watch Super Bowl on it next Sunday and then make decision. To Kellners at 7:30 to show Mexican pictures. Jim Stone and Al Johnsons there. A thoroly enjoyable evening. Kellners must have enjoyed it too because Tom gave us a beautiful clock, set in stone that he had made himself. Had coffee with Judys. Wayne getting along reasonably well. Seemed to be in fine spirits. I often wonder how he is when they are alone, probably because I fear what I would be like were I in his boots.
1/9/74 At 6:00 p.m. the Daveys and Sheldons came to be joined later by Fred and Laverne Walter. A couple of drinks, good talk, a duck feast, more talk and all gone by 10:15. Layna did herself proud. Said Harry, “She’s the Pearl Mesta of Rainy Lake!”
1/10/74 Cold spell holding tough but we have a minimum of discomfort. For a change of pace, I steamed up the table saw in basement and started to make a saw horse in case it warms up enough someday to cut wood. Buck here for an hour in p.m. Good company, full of talk about Frank Bohman. We appreciate his dropping in. Layna to RLWC. She is not too happy with that outfit.
1/11/74 Wrote a long letter to Jean Edwards today. It was quite a struggle because I wanted to talk about Byrne, Jane and kids but didn’t know how much, or what to say. For years we have watched TV but sparingly, saying that it was a good deal for shut-ins but not for vigorous people like us. Well, the weather, plus our damned colds, have made shut-ins out of us. Our colored TV is good. Time goes fast.
1/13/74 Big preparations for seeing Super Bowl on our new color TV. Invited Moes and Seegerts to share it with us. Layna had Bloody Marys, Rueben sandwiches, wild rice soup and a Harvey Waldbanger cake. She was a lot better prepared that our Vikings who took a 24 - 7 pasting from the Dolphins. The Moes and Seegerts so disgusted that they left as soon as dishes done. When they had left, we sat down to review our friendship with Moes and agreed it has been pretty much a one way deal with the Johnsons on the giving end. Lou, always dogmatic, is getting more so in her old age.
1/15/74 0o Snowed about 4 inches during night so Buck here with snow blower about 11:00. When he left, I climbed up on roof and shoveled off snow - about a total of 8 inches. My cold much better and it felt good to exercise.
1/16/74 To Doctor Thompson at 11:00. I walked over. He had me in chair for ½ hour and I think he accomplished something. A lot less frustrating than my experience with Milroy a year ago. Two minutes in chair then “come back tomorrow” - after I had gone after his mail. To Community building where sheriff commission gave written tests to 40 young men who aspire to get jobs as deputy sheriff. Times are tough. I got the third of Moberg’s trilogy at library, The Last letter Home. Hope I will enjoy it as much as other two.
1/17/74 At island about an hour - very pleasant. As usual, while there I tell myself we could be still living there, then realize that it never will be. We are too accustomed to the luxury living at #265. A real ego sustainer when I attended supervisors retirement party for Owen Miggins. He was too sick to attend. Fred Boeckh, master of ceremonies regaled the 200 men there with stories of Owen, including those connected with old Mando houseboat days. He took a few swipes at me and I gave them back from where I sat. I was then asked to say a few words about Owen, and totally unprepared, I got up and did damned well. A big hand for Johnson which I needed. Lately I have had reason to doubt if my brain is functioning at all. Today, in discussing Wayne with Layna, I broke down completely. How am I going to help him?
1/18/74 Off for Duluth. Layna held the car at the 55 mph limit but we still arrived before Karen got out of school. Laird and Ah-li arrived about 5:30 so it was a real gathering of the clan for Robin’s birthday tomorrow. Jayme came too.
1/19/74 Karen, Laird, Layna and I went shopping at new Miller Mall. I bought $10.00 worth of books, one of them on walleyes, which amazed Laird who thought I should have written one. Altho I have caught thousands of fish myself and helped many others catch thousands more, I realize there is much I don’t know about it. Maybe I can smarten up this winter and slay them off the dock next summer. Karen roasted a full ham of venison (shot by Jayme) and 17 people helped eat it. 3 Nelsons, 2 Johnsons, 2 Bernards, 3 Shifskys, 5 Monahans, 1 Stuart, 1 Jayme. A chickadee would have had poor picking on the bones.
1/20/74 We had chance to have long talk with Karen and learn that all not well with her and Robin. A few minor irritants but fundamental problem is that Robin hopes eventually to move to Int’l Falls while Karen’s career will take her elsewhere. I am not a Kissinger so don’t know how to bring these opposing forces together. Off from Duluth at 2:30. Home at 6:00 p.m. - not bad.
1/21/74 A good example of inflation when we compared oil bills received today with others. A year ago it was $.199 per gallon. Oct. 1973 $.263, Dec. 1973 - $.289, today - $.349. Finished reading Moberg’s Last Letter Home. This trilogy was not only entertaining, it was very educational. What a struggle for those poor Swede settlers. Someone could write a similar history about the early settlers of the Big Fork, Little Fork and Rainy River basins. What people!
