8/17/75 This day can be included in the anniversary celebration. At 9:30 I picked up George & Velna Rayman. Then at 10:00 I got Ivy & Bud Magnussens and cousin Anna. While this was going on, the Jernbergs were packing and I shuttled some of their luggage. The Raymans and Byrne & Brad left at 11:00 a.m. The Magnussens stayed for lunch. Sally and boys at island for a full month. For years I have known that she would prove a comfort in our old age. I never was more right in a prediction. The boys are developing, especially Jimmy. Johnny has a long way to go but is making headway. Etta went to Fort Frances leaving Karen and Chris. Much talk, talk, talk - mostly by Karen and most of it good. She has her feet on the ground.
8/18/75 Most of morning spent going over gifts and cards. What a collection. We had them fairly well catalogued when we (Karen, Layna & I) went to Thunderbird for the leftovers. Another batch of memorabilia. When will we ever find time to acknowledge all this? Made a feeble effort to get at it and wrote a good letter to Waldemar Hvoslef - only about 99 more to go. Dale, Jill and Lisa here in afternoon. We hashed over the events of last few days. They had played a big part in it and were willing to talk - and listen. Etta home at dark. She and Karen off to big cabin soon after. This will be a “girl talk” session. Hope Karen can straighten out Etta’s thinking.
8/19/75 Karen left today with Christopher Robin after doing all she could for the old folks. It was plenty. She was chief engineer for the party but was ably assisted by Sally, Dale and Bernice. We were left alone with Etta & Erin. Etta ready and willing to talk about the Byrne Johnson family. She said that Byrne, with the help of the EI, was losing all the kids. It is hard to find fault with her thinking after what we observed here the past few days.
8/20/75 Took Etta and Erin to plane. Had lunch at Bridgeman’s where Erin put on quite a show. What a honey! Met gang at Curtice Island. Ag & Ginny, Marie & Lois, Maddie, Cliff & Lou with friend Betty, Bernice, Don, Layna, Buck, Dale, Tim, Jayme, Murphy and Charlie Kocinski - also Jill. A good singing group inspired by Ag on guitar. Jayme doing great on mouth organ. Jayme and I found time to play 7 games of ping pong and I took 4 of them. Very gratifying for an old man. Party broke up at 11:00 p.m. GREAT!
8/21/75 Replaced window in shop, the first constructive thing in a long, long time. Got into the letter writing in earnest and made fair progress. We picked up Dale and Bernice at 6:00 p.m. and off for dinner at Thunderbird. A good meal. It was our hope that we were showing our appreciation for all they did for the party. Ag and Ginny there. We made out final farewells to these great gals.
8/22/75 Picked up Vivian Sutch at 10:30 but not before I walked as far as Northernaire where I had a good chat with the Eric Dahlgrens (Margaret). Interesting people. Layna and Vivian full of girl talk so I went to Edwards Island, put canoe away and put new lock and hasp on cabin. Took a quick inventory of place and amazed at the “gathering” to be found there, especially in Doc’s shed. Saw nothing I could possibly use. What a different sense of values!
8/23/75 At 5:30 we went to Judys. To take them to Brooks for dinner. The Amidons and Rudy Erickson there. Rudy a pompous ass in many ways and the fact that he has made so much money makes him think he is a great conversationalist. He doesn’t bother me too much, especially when his talk it diluted by the rest of a group like we had.
8/24/75 Les Cleveland came over. He was lonesome. Said he had given more thought to proposed trip to New Zealand with Timmy and had ruled it out. Said he did not want to blow his traveling wad (about $3000) on 5 weeks. It made us wonder how far our wad would take us. To Schumachers in p.m. to inspect new baby. She is a honey. They are very proud of her - even the boys. Good people all.
8/26/75 Another wild day. It cleared before time to go after the Brooks and Judys at 5:30. The Rays joined us and a good evening followed. Surely everyone who is lucky enough to sit down at our table must believe that Layna is the best cook ever!
8/27/75 Layna and I picked up Bernice and off for public hearing on proposed upgrading of highway #11 between Jackfish and Black Bay. About 150 people heard 3 members of highway department answer their questions. There was plenty of opposition. Only time will tell if they heard it - or cared.
8/28/75 Wayne, Lardy, Bill Skwarok and I had plans to leave Falls at 8:00 a.m. for Crilly Dam fishing. We left Falls at 9:30. We were fishing at 11:30. Sun out, warm. Lardy caught 5 WE, Bill caught 3 and Judy & Johnson SKUNKED! An interesting trip for me. My last trip to area in about 1935. Relived night I spent at Falls with old man Mudge - his story about being shot by Indian. Kids canoe filling up by sluice way.
8/29/75 Layna and Ardys Ray co-hostesses for dinner party for Sam Whites and Boyds. Mighty were their preparations. Everyone here by 5:30. A few drinks, then a true belly buster of a feed. All hands oohing and aahing (between groans). Don’t know how long my system will hold up under the treatment it has been getting. Sam still hopeful of getting Ober’s place. A losing battle, thinks I.
8/30/75 My Rainy Lake fishing hit an all time low this morning. I put a fat night crawler on a Lindy Rig at 8:00 sharp. I dragged it for 1 ½ hours - undisturbed. I then put it on a Little Joe (same worm) for another ½ hour. I brought him home, showed him to Layna and flushed it down the kitchen sink. Picked up Les Cleveland at 3:45 and off for Sheldon’s cocktail party. About 50 Rainy Lakers there, many of them we knew from Dahlberg days. Said Thor Eberhardt, “I remember when you used to haul the Dahlbergs over to Scheldrup’s. I never was enamored with that tribe.” Said I, “I wasn’t enamored with the Scheldrup’s either!” We shook hands on that.
8/31/75 The Amidons came yesterday and told us they (along with a few others) were prepared to finance a portrait of us by Gene Monahan. We were a bit hesitant but finally agreed. We told them today. More of this. After lunch we ran over to Cummings. We were greeted royally by whole family. 4 relatives there who had heard much about us. Upshot was we stayed for supper. Vi Skrief and son, Doug, sailed here for lunch. A good visit.
9/1/75 Schumachers here along with his folks. A short stay. New baby developing - very proud family. To Buck’s at 7:30 to watch Vikings beat Miami (exhibition). Our boys looked good. Whole program spoiled somewhat by blabbermouth Howard Cosell. Lit furnaces in big cabin and main house. First time in two years. Don’t think we can afford it but it sure feels good. Wouldn’t do it were it not for guests coming.
9/2/75 To landing at 4:00 p.m. and picked up Teresa and Elizabeth. What a pair! They were delighted to be here and we are delighted to have them. Elizabeth full of words, but interesting. Teresa puts in a few now and then but they really have meat on them. Both of them good listeners, however.
9/3/75 In and out of house all day visiting with Teresa and Elizabeth. They found a job for themselves when they proposed to catalogue the old Edison cylinder records. Much chatter in the process. They are a happy pair, happy to be here. We enjoy them.
9/4/75 Harry Davey met me at landing at 7:30 and off for Holiday Inn where we had breakfast with Dave Ramnes and Arlin Albrecht. From the banter at the table, I could see that we were with a couple of live ones and began to look forward to the trip. I wasn’t disappointed. We were at Pearson’s Landing at 11:30, rented a couple of clunker motors on a couple of good Lund boats and off for Spawn Inlet Lodge. We set up housekeeping in big double bed cabin and eagerly took off for fishing by 1:00. Fished length of Inlet, fished mouth of river, fished Indian Bay. Harry caught 2 walleyes and not another by anyone! A few small jax, a few mooneyes, a few perch, 1 crappie (small), 1 rock bass - a varied and worthless bag. Darold Promesberger came in late p.m. He is letting place run down - don’t know what he is keeping it for. Maybe he can’t sell it. It is full of memories for me dating back nearly 40 years. Carl, Bannister, Spike, Oliver, LaFave, the Young tribe, Alton Locke, Lee Watson, Jack and Sylvia Green, Joe Douglas.
