7/15/75 91o Layna and I to Holiday Inn at noon where we met Daveys, Kimballs and Ryans. All hands out fishing by 5:30. Slow. Home to a belly buster fish fry and the usual (unusual) great evening with these great people. This has been an annual affair for 5 years. Could stand at least that many more.
7/16/75 93o This gang would much rather talk than fish. We didn’t actually get on lake until 10:30. A scorcher was already in the making. Layna and I with Kimballs. Fishing rotten. We came in at 1:30. Lunch, a nap and everyone woke up groggy with the heat. We lolled around, played cards and when 6 p.m. came it was obvious no one wanted to face the sun. We started the charcoal grill - and the cocktail hour - and a very relaxing evening followed. Jim taping some of his interview with me with another article about NWI. Now what?
7/17/75 93o Emmy Lou came down to breakfast in her traveling clothes which meant she had given up on the fishing. Just as well - it has been pee poor. They were on their way by 10:00 a.m. Some excitement generated when Dr. Talsness towed Rev. Shumacher’s boat in to dock. The Schumacher family had run out of gas last evening and spent the night on their boat. To Moes place in evening. Ruth Place there. An old maid whose chief topic of conversation was her dogs.
7/18/75 88o Both Layna and I dragged around home all morning. Tried a nap at noon but broken up by Schumacher coming for a visit at 1:00. They stayed for couple of hours and we finally got to know our young neighbors. We like them. Off for Walt Sheela’s testimonial dinner at 6:30 despite strong wind and some rain. Did it to take care of Wayne - and as his guest. It turned out to be quite a “do”.
7/19/75 A cool 80o Our main dock, built in 1950, shows its 25 years in many places. I have tried to ignore it for some time, several years in fact, but today I dug into it. Took the side 3 X 6’s off and ripped up 6 very rotten planks. Not too alarming, there is still much solid wood left. Hope it outlasts me. Sally and Jim called at 5:00 to say they were at Buck and Dale’s. I went there with Starcraft and picked up Nancy, Jimmy and John. Didn’t even see their parents. Kids looked good and seemed happy to be on Rainy lake.
7/20/75 Sally and Jim stayed at Holiday Inn after last night’s reunion and didn’t get here until 2:00 p.m. We had the morning with the 3 Jernberg kids. They have developed into 3 damned fine youngsters - good to have around. I picked up their parents, a warm welcome. At 2:30 Sally and Nancy and I to Moes to get Ruth Place. She will be here until Thursday. A fine person, even tho obsessed with her pets, which is understandable in an old maid.
7/21/75 Picked up Ray Palmer at noon. He got to NWI via California, Idaho, Montana, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario. About 6000 miles. He seems to be doing well, both physically and mentally. Sally, Jim and kids seem to be enjoying NWI. Their new 15 hp. Motor has given them a new dimension. A pigeon showed up on our island!
7/22/75 Picked up Jean Stormo Mack and family at 11:00 a.m. Good people all. They were here for lunch, took them back at 5:00. She and Sally have kept in touch since school days. A rather emotional parting. Ruth Place showed pictures of Yugoslavian trip. Excellent! She is a perfect house guest - as is Ray Palmer. Jernberg’s motor getting a good workout. Jimmy chief pilot and a good one.
7/23/75 Sally, Jim, Jimmy and I picking blueberries on Franzen Island. Came home after 1 ½ hours with 4 quarts. Slow. Layna put on a get together for Ruth. Despite strong wind and thunderstorms, we picked up gang at 5:00. Marie and Lois, Maddie Ihrig, Bernice, Avis, Fluffy Zeipen. We were joined by Buck, Dale, Lisa, Jill (and girlfriend) and later Tim and Jayme. When you add the 5 Jernbergs, Ray, Ruth and Layna & Don you get a total of 23. Much food and drink contributed by guests. We ate, drank, talked and sang. Ruth took a number of interesting Polaroid, especially one of Buck and the old man. All gone by 10:00 p.m.
7/24/75 Layna, Ray and I took Ruth to airport at 8:15. Hated to see her leave. Stopped for short visit at Judys. Said Opal, “I can’t tell you how great it is for me to feel good again. I hope it lasts a few days!” She has had a long siege.
7/25/75 I have a helluva time getting anything done on NWI with so many people here. My only major accomplishment was carving out 4 cribbage pegs out of an old tie! (cedar). The Jernberg kids served lunch on Snowball Island which was fun. Some good cribbage during evening session. The time goes fast. Jimmy and Nancy blew up on Dahlbergs Island in sailboat and had to be rescued by parents. Nobody hurt.
7/26/75 Family conference on NWI in a.m. Came to conclusion that a trip to town unnecessary today. Johnny put on a great coughing display after lunch and upshot was the Jernbergs to town for medicine. Grandpa a bit skeptical about the whole procedure feeling that our Little John is not beyond doing some fancy leg pulling. Our “retarded” mallard left her nest today. I first saw her on it on June 1, which means she was on it for at least 8 weeks. Something wrong with her timing mechanism. I broke a rotten egg two weeks ago.
7/27/75 This day got off to a great start when Kimball’s article about NWI and Don & Layna appeared in the Tribune. Very flattering indeed, so much so that we asked one another “Is he talking about us?” When our phone rang at 10:30 a.m. I said “That’s Harry Davey calling about the article,” and it was! The Chronicle carried a story about Atsokan Island by Olive Wagness - much of it pure drivel. It was prompted by our pictures of the sunken Virginia, published last week. And another big event - the Rays came. I shot off my shotgun and rang the bell. They surely must be our very favorite people - and we have some dandies. To Holiday Isle with them and Ray.
7/28/75 92o Jim, Jimmy and I off for North Arm at 9:00 a.m. We didn’t do anything spectacular but Jim got an 8 ½ # jack. A clear, warm, pleasant day. When we got home at 3:00 we learned that Sally had taken John to Dr. Walter who said he had pneumonia. Now I take back all my thots that said he was pulling our collective leg. At 4:15 we took off for Burrocks in Swell Bay. Moes and Ray along (by car). They (the Burrocks) have had a place in Swell Bay for 10 years and this our first visit. It was a good one. Some son of a bitch stole 3 gas cans from NWI landing dock. Now what?
7/29/75 98o Jim’s folks due to arrive at noon. They called at 1:30 with a tale of woe. Had had tire trouble in Virginia and upshot was they bought 4 new ones. A miserable experience in plus 90o heat. Not much bitching from these good people. I rowed over to Clevelands. Marie there. They put on a pretty fair sparring match but the heat kept it from getting too violent. Les said that he was giving serious thot to a trip to New Zealand with Jayme. Some very flattering things said about the Johnson tribe.
7/30/75 94o Took Ray to landing at 9:30. Hated to see him go. He was a perfect guest. Picked up Karen soon after. She made trip from Duluth to finalize plans for our 50th anniversary “do” with Sally & Dale. Sounds like they have something big in the wind. Little Christopher developing faster than our zucchinis - surely a cute one. Neither Layna nor I get into the lake. The rest do and seem to enjoy it. Little John recovering fast from pneumonia altho still getting medication. He has to be pretty sick to be slowed down to pace of rest of kids (or adults) on NWI.
7/31/75 Layna to town to pick up Tara at airport. She had been in California picking onions for past month. Many questions from Jernbergs (mostly Jim) which I thot she fielded very well, answered politely enough but with very little elaboration. What a different life than the one led by Nancy! It will be interesting to watch what the ultimate result will be.
