2/18/74 I cut a little wood with power saw but it didn’t go well. Saw dull. Will leave it with Gene Rasmussen when we go to St. Paul. Finished reading Michael Peissel’s Lost Word of Qumtana Roo. A great adventure story particularly so because we were somewhat familiar with area.
2/20/74 Harry picked us up at 8:45 as per schedule. We left our car in yard to give place a lived in look. A pleasant, uneventful trip to Holiday Inn in Brooklyn center. Altho we have spent many, many hours with these people, we always seem to find something to talk about - some of it serious. Harry a bit nervous over coming events and tries to hide it - not too successfully.
2/21/74 Harry off for convention (Minnesota Newspaper Association) after lunch. The four of us shopped for bathroom wallpaper at Hirshfields and altho 4000 samples available, none got a majority vote. Bern, Layna and I to Brookdale for shopping. A great establishment but we left but little money there.
2/22/74 To St. Paul Hilton by 11:00. Main event of convention followed. Luncheon followed by talk by Katherine Graham of Washington Post. Her paper prime instigators of Watergate investigation and she is not sorry. Our Harry and Bern at head table and to our way of thinking gave it some real class. Bern sat next to Hubert Humphrey and drew some laughs from him.
2/23/74 Harry presided at awards breakfast at 8:30. He did a good job with the meeting and we are proud of him. He put on another performance at noon when he introduced Mondale, who told us what was wrong with government. Does the poor bastard think he can improve it? So endeth 3 days of convention. A great experience. Sally picked us up at 2:30. She was eager to show us what they had done with their basement - and justly so. The family all in fine fettle.
2/24/74 A quiet day at the Jernbergs. Sally asked a few questions regarding building a room around toilet and shower in basement and upshot was that I agreed to do it. To watch little John play hockey. The 11 year old kids make up in enthusiasm what they lack in skill.
2/25/74 Sally, Layna and I to Knox Lumber for supplies for basement. Prices appalling. Sally pitched in to help and we made good progress until we hit a snag. In using power saw to cut hard board we (and it was we) got cord caught in blade and we were out of power. The only saw a toy $2.79 crosscut. I kept at it, however, and accomplished enough so that I know I can finish it. The Jernberg kids getting along much better. They have out grown some nasty baby habits and it is fun to be with them. Sally and Jim much more at ease than when we were there last fall.
2/26/74 Back at toilet wall and fully realized what a blow it was to put power saw out of commission yesterday. I worried along without it. It was very evident by noon that I wouldn’t finish in time to go home tomorrow. We decided to stay another day. A walk around the Mall topped off the evening. Good. Had a strong feeling of inferiority when I craned my neck to see top of IDS building. Somebody designed and built it. It took me 3 days to build a few feet of wall around a toilet!
2/28/74 I put finishing touches on room. I am satisfied! So are the Jernbergs. Sally took us to bus depot in St. Paul for a 2:05 takeoff. We left her to return to her busy life - 40 guests tomorrow. What a gal! No discomfort on the bus trip. Finished Farley Mowat’s A Whale for the Killing. Fascinating reading. Arrived in Falls at 9:00 p.m. Buck and Dale to meet us. Don’t we have great kids?
4/12/77
2 people air fare Falls from St. Paul 75.28 98.00
Bus Fare 26.40 33.50
We saved 48.88 64.50
A good day’s wages for a couple of retirees.
3/1/74 We received a terrible shock today, a real kick in the tail. Layna opened the deep freeze to learn that the power had been off for some time and everything thawed out. About 40 quarts of blueberries soft as mush. 20# of fish, part of a deer, 3 geese, 7 ducks and a basket of miscellaneous. I must have pulled the plug when I took down a gun.
3/2/74 Lay awake for a while last night thinking about our spoiled food from deep freeze. Layna precooked the ducks and one goose. We wonder if we dare eat them & I finally realized that this was not a crippling incident and decided, “Forget it, Johnson,” and went to sleep. This a.m. we loaded the works in the car and hauled it to the dump. It was like going to a funeral. We won’t tell anyone - yet. Bob Hilke here for 9 games of ping pong. I won 4 - not bad for an old man.
3/3/74 Gene Rasmussen filed my power saw while we were away. Today I put it in use. It goes good. Timmy, Jill and Lisa here about 4:30. We - Timmy and I, split a series of 8 games of ping pong. We called it quits without declaring a winner. The girls made pizza - excellent. We thoroly enjoyed their visit. Buck up lake, Dale feeling rotten with “flu”.
3/4/74 Bern Davey here at 9:00 a.m. to put paper on bathroom. She knew what she was doing and apparently enjoyed it. A few little odd jobs like moving mirror, moulding, etc. were my only contribution. The carpet came for Layna’s bedroom about 4:00. Bern left and Layna and I started on carpet. By 6:00 we had finished a real wall to wall deal. Not bad.
3/5/74 I steamed up power saw and cut down a 10 inch poplar. Had to wallow thru 16 inches of wet snow. I cut, split and carried it to shed. Pleasantly pooped when finished.
3/6/74 Crow! While writing a letter to Sally this a.m. my subconscious picked up an unforgettable sound. “Caw, caw, caw,” said the crow as he flew over our house. I did a double take then hurried out to see him go by. The first sign of spring - and early. Layna joined Weight Watchers and came home with a bundle of written menus and instructions. Looks like she will be able to do little else than plan and cook meals.
3/7/74 To Bucks at 1:00 p.m. Joined there by Cliff Blais. We steamed up 3 snowmobiles and off for Curtice Island. Stopped at Norway Island. No disturbance there. On to Buck’s where we pulled his 4 fishing boats around to shop. I helped a bit but those two bulls of the woods would have done the job easily without me. It was a great pleasure for me to be out with them on a perfect spring day.
3/8/74 Buck, Dale, Bernice and Joan here for lunch. Bernice and Joan full of talk about their coming trip east. Sounds good. Lou Moe out for drink. They will leave for Florida April 1. We don’t envy them. Oil delivered today by McLinn. 174 gallons @ $.349 = $60.73 + $2.43 tax = $63.16. 174 / 46 days = 3.8 gallons per day. The mild weather & the fireplace held consumption down (also 66o at thermostat!)
3/9/74 To Bernice’s for second songfest. Buck, Dale, Ihrigs, Williams, Avis, Lois, us. Ted Hall a newcomer to the group. Much storytelling and gossip mixed in with the singing. He (Ted) got enough material for a dozen Chronicles, if it was worth anything.
3/10/74 Up at 5:30 so Layna could get to town by 6:30. She took off for Duluth and Karen with Andy Andersons and David Austins. Real “churchy” couples but I don’t think the exposure will hurt her much. To island on snowmobile at 1:00 p.m. Made a tour of summer homes in our area - no disturbances. Home at 4:00. Layna home, much to my surprise, at 5:00. She had had a pleasant, successful trip.
3/12/74 I walked to Ranier to mail package and made round trip in 45 minutes. Not bad.
3/13/74 All winter I have been playing with the idea of going ice fishing. Today I did. I took off for island on Scorpion. Temperature in 30’s with a 10 mph south east wind. I sharpened Jim DiOnne’s ice chisel and started a hole on north end of island. Twenty minutes later I had gone thru 36 inches of ice. No bite in an hour so I made another. No bite there and I made another, going toward shore. I lost a minnow in that hole which was the extent of my fishing. I had chiseled the equivalent of a hole 10” by 9 feet. Not bad for an old man. We have been on Weight Watchers one week and I lost 3#.
