Johnson Journals part 416

6/29/83 Made a basket to put around a tomato plant. A full morning’s work. Lord, but I am slow! I struggle along with frequent stops to rest my aching back. Parkinsonians are supposed to keep moving. How can I keep moving when I have a knife in my back? It goes away completely when I sit or lay down, which is a blessing. Gene and Joyce Rasmussen out for dinner. Rain coming down hard. Good people. Sally had prepared a feast. Hard to lose weight with Sally and Layna cooking for me.

6/30/83 Jayme, Maggie and Katy and Tom and Debbie Debrits and 2 kids came in Tom’s boat in p.m. the men gung-ho to go fishing. They came in near dark with 4 WE.

7/1/83 We arrived on Rainy Lake 54 years ago today. At 7:00 p.m. the Executive pulled into our dock. Ted and Rody with 8 other guests, cook, captain. To Point dock to see Fort Frances fireworks. We sat down to a steak dinner. Layna and Don the honored guests.

7/2/83 Lake rising. The Bob Wrights had invited us for a 5-7 gathering but threatening skies about 4:00 made us hesitate. Good thing. We got another blow with almost an inch of rain.

7/4/83 Still more rain. Last spring when water so low there was a movement by local groups to raise the “rule curve” by a foot. If that had happened, we would be having a flood. We aren’t home free yet. Today we (John Jernberg and friend Mark) put a bunch of barrels on our docks. A feeble effort if it keeps raining. Jayme manned the chain saw with John Langdon and Richard picking up. Some good work done. We drank hot buttered rum in honor of our country’s birthday.

7/5/83 Etta and Richard to Fort Frances to visit the Cummings. Jane arrived about 2 p.m. We learned that Jean Edwards still had the papers for their boat and it sounded like she kept them so that the Johnsons couldn’t use the boat.

7/6/83 All the Buck Johnson kids, except Lisa, met with Buck and Dale to decide how to handle Dale’s problem drinking. The final decision, agreed upon by Dale, that she would go to Duluth for treatment. From my close contact with her, especially the 11 days last March, I had no idea that she had a problem. I must be a blind old fool. Be that as it may, I love her dearly and can only hope that the experts can find a solution.

7/7/83 George and Maria Williams came at 2:30. We took them to island for night. They will go to Mpls tomorrow, hoping to come back later with the Raymans. Jane and Richard worked several hours on their “new” Mercury motor. It is still not right.

7/8/83 Jane desperate for a motor. I suggested to Richard that we put old 10 hp Johnson on her boat. Did, and it ran fine. Etta and kids to Turtle Island. They will leave for Memphis at dark. Sally and Jim’s “Meet and Eat” group here. We have almost 30 people on island.

7/9/83 A willing crew and we replaced planking on bridge. Sally and I had considered doing it but we are glad we waited for help. Buck called and gave us details of Dale’s situation. A sad one for sure. Also told us that their cook had gone berserk and broken 7 windows - while the Hartley were there. He is having more than his share of troubles.

7/10/83 The men from “Meet and Eat” group put in a couple of hours of work. We re-piled lumber behind laundry and cut up the culls. Also split and piled trees that were downed by the storm. A beastly hot day. We are sleeping 24 people on island and I feel desperately in need of privacy.

7/11/83 Layna and Sally took 2 trips apiece and we were alone. Not for long. Karen called to say that she, John Langdon and John’s sister and husband were at dock. Layna and I thought that Sally’s group had been overly chintzy in their relationship with us. They had packed up every morsel of edible thing, even took the part bottles of liquor! I very foolishly mentioned this to Sally and the upshot was that we both cried. Layna made of firmer stuff.

7/12/83 Jack Woods, John’s brother-in-law, an interesting and interested man. I gave him a tour of island and he was full of questions - and listened to the answers. All hands to town in evening to see Gretchen Heath’s show. I stayed home. They came back at 11:00 p.m. bringing the cast of 4 with them. Sharp kids.

7/13/83 Last guests left after lunch. We are alone! Layna, Sally and I. Felt good. Too hot to do more than chores. Burn garbage, dump pot, etc.

7/14/83 Jane has been in and out for a week or more. Much trouble with Mercury motor.

7/15/83 Sally has been here a month and what a joy she has been! Today she took a few hours off island to visit Bern. They had much to talk about. Dale, me - on and on.

7/16/83 The Raymans and Williams here at 2:00 p.m. George W. gung-ho to go fishing. Much good talk at table. They are putting pressure for us to come to San Miguel next winter. We shall see.

7/19/83 Our guests made an 8 o’clock getaway. I asked George R. if he would be back in Sept and he thought not. We will miss them. Not as much as losing Sally today. I repeat myself. She is a jewel. Maria said she would never come back to NWI if we don’t go to Mexico! Jim Levene came with 250 gal of gasoline - $320 worth. That should last us thru 1984.

7/20/83 After supper we went to Mallard and visited with Ted and Rody. They were proud to take us on tour of island. They have been working! Ted said that altho all books have not been counted, they estimate 15,000.

7/21/83 The Canadian pot is boiling and at the moment, it is the Americans who are getting the heat. Up till now it has been rather minor harassment but today’s paper told about the arrest of 3 men at Minnaki because they were teaching tourists how to fish. They had no work permits! They (Canadians) also seized equipment valued at $35,000. Buck told about Terry being checked twice in one day. Once by Mounties - no numbers on boat - once by OPP - no bailing can. In each case, they gave him a warning slip.

7/22/83 From what Karen said this a.m., I understood her to mean that she thought that we should not be left alone on island. She said that Sally had agreed. With that in mind, she had asked Punky to stay when she (Karen) went to town for night with kids. I did not blow up but tried to make it clear that if it came to that we might as well move to #265, where the Froehlichs can watch over us. Lynn Myers came for a swim.

7/24/83 Here are the notes on how this day went: 10:30 To Ober’s Island church service. About 35 people there. 12:30 Back to NWI, Froehlichs here, 8 people - talked about sewer line. 3:00 To Ramnes new house. How they have worked! 4:30 Caught Wrights out on lake and invited them for supper. Dave and Connie Parmeter here. Don and Beth Parmeter here for supper. 6:15 Buffet supper prepared by John and Karen - desert by Layna. Drinks self-service, mostly wine. Much good talk. Dogs fought. Robin came with 3 kids. 9:00 sun set, moon rose - spectacular - so were mosquitoes!

7/25/83 John left in a.m. Dean and Barbara, Johnny and Sue came for a visit. High class people.

7/26/83 Karen’s birthday. Much excitement on NWI 37 years ago. Dr. Chermak, the motor boat stork, delivered her at 5:00 a.m. on island full of guests. Karen, Ruth Teeter and we to Rainy Lake Lodge for birthday dinner. A good meal, with drinks - $65, please. Ruth bought bottle of wine - $9. It is expensive to entertain nowadays. Back to #265 where Layna served cake and ice-cream. We were joined by Robin and kids.

7/28/83 Karen came home about 3:30. She had her 3 kids plus Chris’ friend Jason. Much commotion. The generation gap widens.