3/26/75 What a damnable frustrating day! I figured I had let income tax go long enough so decided to get at it. We couldn’t find the large manila envelope that contains all our tax papers for past 20 years! We searched house from attic to basement with no luck. Had we hidden it from prying eyes? In desperation thought there might be a possibility that it was at island. Despite 20 - 30 mph east wind, I walked up there. Nothing. Now what? Brought boys back. They had heard prediction of more snow so sensibly broke camp.
3/27/75 Snow prediction right. We woke up at 6:00 a.m. to a howling wind driving last night’s 6” of snow. I took Brad and Pat to bus depot to learn that it wasn’t leaving Falls. Back home with couple of disgruntled boys. They have a warm house and much food so no reason to bitch. I took off on income tax and made some progress despite fact I had no reference from last year to work with. Vivian Sutch and fiancé, Norman Abbe, for visit. He looks good.
3/28/75 We called bus depot at 6:30 and they said bus was leaving at 7:00. Off we went. Layna said that the boys thanked her while I was outside but nary a word along those lines when they said goodbye to me. Layna’s cold really bothering her. She decided to make a lazy day out of it and I was a willing helper. Finished reading A.B. Guthrie’s Big Sky. A second or third time but most enjoyable. We watched late movie Quo Vadis until 1:00 a.m. There was violence in the old films, too. We had a day brightener in the mail. Social Security office sent Layna notice that they had miscalculated her payment right from start and she was receiving a check for $582.00 plus a $15.00 increase from now on!
3/29/75 Another day of hell trying to make out income tax without last year’s report for an aid. Seriously doubt if I will be able to do it correctly. Inflation rally kicking the devil out of us. Our income increasing substantially because of cost of living increased in pension and social security but we are just holding our own. Sure feel sorry for people less fortunate than we. President Ford on TV tonight telling the nation that he was signing compromise tax bill, but reluctantly.. One provision said that Layna and I will each get $50.00 cash payment as Social Security recipients. That should boost the sagging economy.
3/30/75 A poor day for Easter Parade - 12 o below zero. Well, it didn’t affect us, no church. At 6:00 we picked up Bernice and on to Island View for dinner. A good prime rib dinner and back to Bern’s house where we played a few mandolin duets, had dessert and wine, good talk and home at 10:30. A good day.
3/31/75 National TV said we were the coldest spot in the nation at 21o below. It is damned cold for this time of the year. Layna and I to town where I got a new knife for my birthday. A $7.50 value for $5.00. I am delighted. It doesn’t take much to excite this old man. Finally put finishing touches on income tax and put both state and federal in their envelopes. If I were a Catholic, I would cross myself as they went into the mail box.
Mar 38700 Words
4/1/75 We decided to put some figures into a ledger that Layna bought yesterday. We took the checkbook and put each and every item in a category. We totaled up the are holding our own but I am deeply concerned about the future.
4/2/75 In anticipation of Raymans’ visit I went up to test fishing equipment. I ran out to “my reef” and dug two holes thru 38” of ice with hand chisel. Quite a job for an old man. Not a bite. I will borrow Judy’s gasoline drill for tomorrow. Not very optimistic about fishing. Hope we don’t have to freeze too much while not catching anything.
4/3/75 To town at 9:30. I went to visit Wayne and Opal and Layna went grocery shopping. I read to him, “Farewell my Lovely” and “Song of Queen Bee”, from E.B. White’s Second Tree from the Corner. It gave us something to talk about. Home at 11:30 and George and Velna came shortly after. We hurried thru our lunch and off for fish. Drilled four holes off Black Point. We stayed until 6:30 and caught 2 small WE, one perch and a lawyer. Home to a steak feed supplied by Raymans. They are great people to have as guests.
4/4/75 I called Wayne at 8:00 and he said he felt well enough to go fishing with George and me. Glad! We were off for NW Bay by 9:00.We caught 14 good jackfish in 2 - 4# class. Fun. Wayne was in good form altho his eyes worse than at any time I have been with him. The sun and wind raised hell with the faces of George and me.
4/5/75 The Raymans agreed to stay over and help celebrate my birthday tonight. George and I on our Scorpion off for Buck’s development at Curtice Island. We were impressed by the quality, and quantity of the work he has done this winter. Home to clean yesterday’s fish, take a nap and ready at 6:00 when Buck, Dale, Terry, Lisa and Jill and Bernice came for dinner. Avis and Lois joined us later. Good food and drink, presents, cards and singing. Another great birthday party - a day early.
4/6/75 We sat and talked with George and Velna at breakfast table until 10:00 a.m. They left shortly after. We enjoyed their stay. I think they did, too. Harry and Bern called, so did Carol and a few more. No word from Karen. I don’t know what that tells other than I am a bit disappointed.
4/7/75 Bank Americard was so slow in billing us for our flight from Villa Hermosa that we thought the Mexicans had fouled up and we were riding free. No such luck. We received their billing and it was double the amount. I hope my letter straightens out the computer. Karen and Robin called at 9:00 p.m. to wish me a happy birthday. All is forgiven.
4/9/75 To island with idea of cutting off pilings on end of dock. Couldn’t get old power saw going so gave up. Stopped to talk to Buck and he said he was finished at the island kitchen. What a great accomplishment!
4/10/75 Wayne and I off for NW Bay by 9:00. We were fishing by 10:30 which proves we are well organized. Wayne caught 3 good jax. I caught a 2# bass, the first I have ever seen brought up thru a hole in the ice. At 4:00 I caught a nice crappie on a jig and it was followed shortly by 2 more. I was dumb enough to think I had finally hit upon the right system to land the elusive devils. Not another nibble in the following hour. As I sat watching President Ford give “State of the World” speech on, the Daveys drove in. They stayed to watch TV and we all could have cried. What a goddamn mess.
4/12/75 Wayne, Opal and I off for NW Bay at 9:00, Opal at the wheel. A dead calm, warm (hot) day and Opal and I burned our faces badly. Wayne takes it better. Wayne fell in hole twice. Once he saw minnow bucket cover on ice, thought it was a hole and stepped over it and plunked into the real hole up to his knee. Still no complaining. What a man!
4/13/75 The stubs of the two pilings that were torn loose on the main dock by the ice two years ago have been a hazard to boats coming in to land. Today we did something about it. Layna and I off for island in Scorpion at 10:30. Took Stihl saw with us. I had no problem chiseling ice from around pilings and cutting them off. We had lunch with us and had planned on spending day. When frost went out of slush I discovered there would be about 6 inches of soft slush near dock. We made a hasty retreat. Hated to leave.
4/14/75 To Coast Guard Auxiliary meeting with Buck. Commander Manka waded through volumes of paper, much of it red tape, before we could get down to real business. The word “promulgate” came up periodically and I thought, “Dear God, I thought I would never hear it again after retiring from USCG.”
4/15/75 Layna had Jean Ward and Helen Trask here for coffee. They are making a report on the old one room school at Crystal Beach, back in the 20’s. Shades of Buck Lake! I must be getting senile to let myself indulge so deeply in those old memories. To International Joint Commission meeting on water levels with Layna and Lois Beyers. The fishery people very vociferous. There is a conflict of interest between the resorters of Kabetogama and residents of Rainy lake. ‘Twas ever thus. I sat and silently disagreed with most of what was said but without guts enough to make my views felt. Lois made of sterner stuff. She made a plea for lower water levels.
