12/13/75 Six inches of new fallen snow this a.m. My work cut out for me. The full winter’s accumulation - about a foot, on roof. I shoveled it off. It tell myself that I have learned to pace myself and nowhere is it more important than on the roof, to say nothing of climbing up and down ladder. Finished the job without a heart attack. Froehlich came with plow - good neighbor. To Armstrongs’ at 8:00. It developed into quite a party. About 30 people - all Canadians. Today I not only paced myself on the roof but also at Gerry’s bar. Home at 3:20, reasonably safe and sober.
12/15/75 Woke up to a cold house. 31o below zero and damper open in fireplace. It was a chilly 60o. Wrote Xmas cards. I am gaining - slowly. Invited for dinner at Irene MacKellar’s. We went at 5:30. Signe Green there. We hadn’t seen them since last spring. Irene really wound up - as usual. A good meal and much talk until 10:15. Most enjoyable. To our amazement, Irene, who has always been very critical of the Yankees and their government, said that conditions in general were worse in Canada.
12/17/75 Ted Hall here at 2:30. He is going to write up our anniversary in the next issue of the Chronicle. He stayed and talked and stayed some more. Had supper (waffles) and didn’t leave until 7:30. We now wonder what that fertile brain will come up with. I am not being modest when I say that I’ll be damned if I understand how come we are such great copy. George Grim, Kimball, Harry and now Ted.
12/18/75 We bought trees for Buck and ourselves from Dale Peterson. Damned near froze to death standing out in cold while he told what a great operation he would have next year.
12/19/75 Christmas cards coming in, Christmas cards going out. One more day and I should have it licked. We put up tree and Layna decorated it. A table model, just right for old folks.
12/20/75 To Warren Shuffs for Xmas party. They were entertaining their summer help. The Johnsons, Ray Christiansons and McIntyres the only outsiders. We got home at 8:30, full of good food and drink. We made the centerfold of the Chronicle today. Big deal!
12/21/75 Sunday. Byrne called in a.m. to say that Brad had been sworn in to navy. Mixed emotions all around. Hope he can endure the regimentation. Byrne’s family scattered far and wide. Not one with him for Xmas. I wonder if he finds it in himself to blame the E.I. for this breakdown.
12/22/75. Jim Froehlich, who has been so dependable about plowing our snow, fell down on the job. Too busy for Xmas, no doubt. I called Buck and shortly Timmy, Jayme, Lisa and Dale were here with the snow blower. A short but good visit. They went on and left blower here. I cleaned up the yard. It looks like someone lives hereLast summer, when Celia Peterson learned that our true anniversary wasn’t until Dec 23 - said “Well, I sure hope that they live that long!” To celebrate the achievement, we decided to have a few people in tomorrow to help us. Layna began preparing.
12/23/75 Wayne due on 1:00 p.m. plane. We picked up Opal at 11:30 and on to Country Kitchen for lunch. She was the best, physically and mentally, in a long, long time. Picked up Wayne on time. He too, looked much better than when he left 2 weeks ago. We brought them home, stayed about ½ hour and left, wondering how those two would get along when we were out of sight. Les Cleveland & Buck our first two guests at 3:00. The last left at 11:00 - a total of 23 people drank Tom & Jerrys, ate goodies and talked. The Moes, Seegerts, Brooks and Johnsons wound it up. A very comfortable group, no one had too much. All in all a most satisfying experience.
12/24/75 To Judys where all not roses. Said Wayne when we were alone “She just won’t accept the fact that I am totally blind.” Hard to say “Merry Xmas” to people like that, altho we did invite them for dinner. “We will see,” said Opal. Karen, Robin and Chris here at about 4:00. Another prize grandchild. Lucky us! To Gene’s for oyster stew, a good visit highlighted by Chris’ introduction to the Pooh Bear. A real show. On to Buck and Dale’s for a short visit and exchange of presents. Good! Back to #265 where we opened gifts. A calculator from Karen and Robin top of list. We practiced on its magic enough to know we had a fun toy plus a very valuable tool. Big Day!
12/25/75 Mighty were Layna’s preparation for Christmas. It would have been a little easier had she known that Clara and Connie Finstad plus the Judys wouldn’t make it. We ended up with Karen, Robin, Gene, the Moes. 7 of us for the feast. Robin and I snow shoed to island before dinner. About a foot of soft snow. I was glad to have a young man breaking trail. As I watched him swinging along ahead of me, I thot of myself 35 years ago. Damned near tireless on snowshoes. No regrets. Just mighty happy to be able to keep up for a few miles. After dinner (5:30) I took a full dinner down to Wayne. No MERRY XMAS there. He ate with relish, however. Opal lying in bed said “I won’t eat. I am now 90 pounds. When I get to 80 I will die. Nobody can stop me!” Luckily Lynn Fox and Chuck Kocinski came and I left.
12/26/75 Spent most of day admiring Christopher Robin. He is the best adjusted of all our well-adjusted grandchildren. He has been here 3 days with scarcely a whimper. We have no qualms about taking care of him when Karen leaves. Layna, Karen and I to Dr. Walter’s Xmas cocktail party. A rather select group, a bit flattering to be counted in. Much comment about our write-up in the Chronicle. A good experience, all in all.
12/27/75 As part of holiday festivities, Grandma Layna put on spaghetti feed for the Buck Johnson family. Terry the only one missing. The usual fun gathering with that gang. Even lost (Buck and I) a couple of ping pong games with Timmy & Jayme. Not too much kidding about getting old.
12/28/75 Took Karen to bus at 7:00 a.m. A“what to do about the Judys” meeting at their house at 10:30. Brother Kenneth, Lynn Fox, Florence Veranth, Layna and I. Kenneth said he would get Wayne into a rehabilitation center for the blind, maybe in New York. We left on that note. Home to find Buck’s family watching Viking - Cowboy game. We lost it 17 -14 by way of 2 long passes in last 45 seconds. To Gene Monahan’s for open house from 3 - 4:30. Good. On home, changed clothes and off for Stew Sheldon’s for another cocktail party. Fun! Johnny and Sue Minter for 1 ½ hour visit in evening. Said Johnny on leaving “Our visits with you are always the high point of our trips home.” Flattering.
12/29/75 We took Dr. Kenneth Judy to airport at 1:30. When he shook hands he said “The brightest spot of this whole trip was meeting you people after all these years.” Well, it could be taken as a weak compliment. Not many bright spots in that picture. Karen & Robin called to inquire about their child. Happy to say he was OK - and more.
12/30/75 This could be called “Christopher Robin Day”. When not actually playing with him, I was doing things for him. Made a bunch of birch blocks which he seemed to enjoy. Then made picture frame for photo Gene had given us of Chris and cat. A masterpiece (the picture, I mean).
12/31/75 A mix up in planning for New Year’s Eve but it worked out well enough. Had been invited - and accepted - invitation to go to Pickle Barrel Pub. Also to Moes. We had hoped to do both but it didn’t work out. We split babysitting job with Gene. I was with Chris from 8 - 10. Gene took care, at #265 - until we came from Moes at 1:30. The Moes, Seegerts and Johnsons saw the old year out and new year in. Good friends. We can look back on 1975 with a great deal of satisfaction. A year highlighted first by our trip to Mexico and then by our great party in August. Our finances on a firm footing despite inflation. Our health good. No complaints. Our concern over the Judys the darkest cloud on our horizon. What will 1976 bring?
Special Data
December 2
Boise Cascade sold about 25,000 acres of land to Park for $4,570,000. Boise still has about 27,000 acres and will get $6,555,000 for it when money comes available.
Park Service claims it has jurisdiction over 87,000 of 140,000 acres of land and all of 80,000 acres of water. Total area of Park (land and water) is 219,000 acres.
Clair Huffaker - “The Cowboy & the Cossack” page 111. “I believe that people who are devoutly religious, within any specific religion, have no true respect for the ultimate vastness that is God.”
