11/2/81. Layna and I to Buck’s at 10:00 a.m. We wanted to go to island. Our first ride in the pontoon boat. It was a thrill. We picked up a couple of things and on to Buck’s where he gathered up a few things. He had modified the boat so it could be used on buoy job. Good.
11/4/81 The space shuttle craft was on countdown with 31 seconds to go when the computer rejected the whole deal. What a goddamn fizzle with the whole world looking on. Another try scheduled for next week.
11/5/81 George and Agnes McIntyre stopped in for coffee. Longtime friends and we had a good 1 ½ hour gabfest. I have been tempted many times to quit these diaries. But I tell myself, “If nothing else they will provide some interesting reading in my later years.” Today we played a game with them. Layna had the 1951 edition and I had the 1952 edition. We read out loud when we found something particularly interesting. “My Lord but we were busy in those days,” said Layna, and I agreed. Many laughs and a few near tears. Fun!
11/6/81 Indian Summer 7th day. RLWC had a tree skirt on display all day and Layna with it. Walked over to Carl Brown’s for a paper and found a notice on the door “closed for the winter”. He is cocky but I have always admired his guts. Too bad.
11/7/81 K and R have talked about me making a couple of bookcases for the kids to put their junk in in the basement. Today I agreed. We went to lumber yard and bought material. We stayed right with it and finished by supper time. Pizza all around and home by 7:00. I like working with Robin. Deer season opened. I missed last year's opening without too much remorse. I’ll survive this one too. Buck, Jayme and Tim got a small buck on Stop Island.
11/8/81 Sarah’s birthday. Brunch served to Neil and Barbara Loken, Jack and Pat Bartlett, Don and Layna, and Gene Monahan. Gene recently home from trip to China- full of good talk. Jim Banks, Ruth and Jackie here in evening. A good visit. Jim brought a big chunk of venison.
11/9/81 Layna decided that we have been sliding around on our living room furniture long enough- and I agreed. To Kordel store and found what we wanted. I bought a world atlas for $31.00! Always wanted one.
11/10/81 Jim Sirois came at 10:30. He looked over our old furniture and said “How about $200.00?” We are quite sure that we did not pay that much for it when we bought it, about 15 years ago. To Kordel Furniture at 11:30 and made a couple of changes, for the better. On to clinic where Dr. Walter checked us over. Said that our blood pressure was great. He was in no mood to hurry us away, but sat about 10 extra minutes just chewing the fat. He talked about the “November Blues” which in effect said that the human system, and animals too, undergo a change in the body chemistry. The furniture arrived when we got home. It looks good- and feels good.
11/11/81 Jim Banks, with Ruth and Jackie, picked us up at 7:00 and on to Holiday Inn. The treat was on Jim, surely $50.00 worth. Good food, good company. He brought us home about 8:30, came in and visited for an hour or so. I think he likes us. We like him!
11/12/81 First oil delivery of season. 128 gal at 1.45 per gallon = $186.32.
11/13/81 Bern Minter here for supper. She talked, talked, talked before during and after meal, 99% about her house. Layna had to prompt her several times before she said she liked our new furniture.
11/14/81 Jim Froehlich called at 9:00 a.m. “Do you want to see a big buck?” He had one lying on floor in garage. Also a fawn hanging. He said “One half of that one is yours!” What a neighbor! It took the rest of the morning to cut up and package all the meat.
11/16/81 Lou Moe had meal with us. She said that she had talked to Cliff on phone and he told her to get dope on new car. He complained that he had money to spend but did not know what on. What a pity.
11/17/81 Buck and I to island for one last visit. We made a couple of short drives for deer on the way - nothing. [Buck believed that this was Don’s last deer hunt] Nothing disturbed at our place. On to Curtice Island where Buck loaded up his new muzzle loader and I shot it at a floating stick. Close! I am sure it would be a lethal weapon for deer. Robin came after supper with 24# turkey. Kids with him. They were on their best behavior. No crying.
11/19/81 Buck and Dale will leave tomorrow to have Thanksgiving with their kids. The whole family will be at Timmy’s place in Kasson (with the exception of Terry and Sig).
11/20/81 Layna and Karen left early for Duluth. Karen to a meeting, Layna along for the ride. Read from 1967 diary. I was trying, (in 1967) to decide if I should leave Boise. Surely I went through the tortures of hell until I made the break. Good reading at this late date. Mahle came to fix furnace. He is so crippled with arthritis that he can barely get up and down the steps. No complaints.
11/21/81 Layna to town and rented 8 mm projector. We set it up after supper and showed movies of 40 years ago. They were in good shape, not faded, no breaks. A couple of hours of nostalgia followed. Winter at Dahlbergs, in fact a full year’s activity there. What a life. After we finished I said, “It is certainly easy to see what makes our family tick.”
11/22/81 K and R plus 3 kids and Punky came at 2:00. We joined them and off for Gold Shores. We hiked out on Oberholtzer’s point. A rough walk, especially in balsam blow-down. Little Bobby kept going with very little help from grown-ups. I found a deer horn which had been shed long ago. Chris got it, a good “show and tell” for school. Back to #265 where Layna made waffles for whole gang. A good day.
11/23/81 A bumming around day, and it was fun. First to Seegerts where we admired the work they have done in remodeling the old house. On to Northernaire for some literature to send to Crawford Johnson . Bud gave us a venison sausage and a loaf of super bread.
11/24/81 We have planned to have Froehlich family for dinner since late last summer. It did not work out until today. Layna served spaghetti and meatballs. A good group. We would miss them if they have to move.
11/25/81 Layna to town, leaving me alone with my miseries. Sore back, sore knee. These are tangible and have been with me off and on for years. I worry about my Parkinsons, not knowing what the future will bring. Aw, shut up Johnson. You are developing into an Irene Case type of hypochondriac.
11/26/81 Layna busy preparing Thanksgiving dinner with a minimum of help from me. I told her, “you brung me up wrong,” –and I meant it. K and R here with kids at 2:00 p.m. Gene and Lynn Myers soon after. A community effort. 24# turkey from K and R, 3 pies from Gene and wine from Lynn. All other incidentals from Layna. Much groaning at table. The pilgrims never had it so good.
11/27/81 In p.m. I gathered together all my literature on Parkinsons and reviewed it. Not a cheerful picture altho with Layna’s help I’ll last a bit longer.
11/28/81 To town after lunch. We went to the mall to join others caught in the wave of Xmas shopping. It was a half-hearted attempt – non-productive. Even Layna admitted that she lacked enthusiasm. Jane called. She talked for 45 minutes. It was interesting tho.
11/29/81 Karen came with the kids at 4:00 for turkey soup. They were on their best behavior. No biting, scratching or kicking. Not a tear shed. No one had to sit on the steps. They were gone by 9:00. We watched 2 ½ hours of Of Mice and Men. Excellent. A powerful play.
11/30/81 Another gloomy day but it was brightened by having Irene MacKellar and Signe Green drop in for coffee. A couple of real doers. Maybe some of that enthusiasm will rub off on us.
