The Johnson Journals, Chapter 16

Don Johnson Letters and Journals
Norway (Hvoslef) Island 1944-1987
Part 16

12/29/44 A big day. Out of the house and on our way at 9 a.m. (daylight). Cut 23 logs and hauled them to island by noon. Out again by 1 p.m. Had hard time finding logs but cut and loaded 26 by 4 p.m. Buck got off truck at light house as he wanted to get ready for Jobs Daughter's dance in evening. Byrne and I continued with load. On rounding island 1/4 mile east of Hvoslef's saw wolf out on big lake. In great excitement, got sled untied and part of load thrown off truck. Finally gave chase - and what a chase! Perfect footing for wolf but slippery and big drifts for us. Hit helluva drift and whole platform of truck came loose. Remaining logs, tools, etc. scattered for 50 feet but we hardly glanced back. Wolf almost got away when we barely were able to cut in between him and heave too high to get car over. He turned due west and really stretched out for some serious running. We jumped a couple of small heaves and hit dozens of drifts hard enough for a man to walk on. Thot for sure the Ford would come apart but might have known by now what stern stuff it is made of. Finally got within reasonable range and Byrne took shot with .270 (our only gun) but missed. I took gun and missed. The next time I waited 'til it was closer and shot guts and blood for 100 feet. Almost forgot to add that gas gauge was getting close to zero all this time. Went back and picked up our load and took it on to island before going home. Buck all dressed up for the dance when we got in. Kept family in suspense for a while and when they finally caught on that we had a wolf, Buck just sat down and said “---damn!" about six times. He has yet to get a shot at a wolf from a car and today missed it by about three minutes!
12/30/44 Started to rebuild platform on Ford. Boys helped me and we got Ford going at noon. Made cruising trip looking for logs. Not much luck. Finally cut 14 on Pine Island and hauled them to Hvoslefs.
12/31/44 Cold seemed to penetrate anything one could wear. Got whole family up early and cut and hauled 26 logs from Angling and Pine islands. Buck and I went looking for a new field of operations in p.m. Went to Goose Island and decided that was it. Started to re-read Franklin's autobiography. Last read it in 1928.

1/15/45 Layna and I out of here early. Planned to go after rafters but traveling too tough. Fan belt broke on car. Limped over to island where we turned out a good piece of work. Peeled 43 logs. My back says it was 143 but must be wrong as we counted them twice.
1/17/45 Started snowing about 10 p.m. and kept it up all day. Went to island anyway. Worked some outside but spent most of time in house, putting up stove, etc. Snooped into every corner and were more amazed than ever by the amount of usable things there. Keep wondering just how much Mrs. Hvoslef will decide to take with her. Both agree that to move over there will make new people of us - and for the better.
1/19/45 Home and ready for town 1:30. Went in with intention of talking to Carl but messed things up. Thot that Harrisons were coming out but no go. Spent evening with them. Feed at Dutch Room, steak, French fries, oysters, etc.
1/30/45 Worked on logs for ice house until 10:30 then home to build fire and on to French's for same purpose. Helluva job keeping fire in three places. Hope Ernie gets home soon. Whale of a packsack from home to island. Radio, dog food, jam, potatoes. Layna had finished peeling logs while I was gone. After eating, we cut ends off of remaining logs and carried them to building site. We figured each log was handled eight times before finally resting in building.
1/31/45 Cleaned out big shed. Fifteen years of accumulated junk. Paint pails, bottles, rags, cans, etc., etc. We can now walk around in there and will be able to pile lumber if and when we get it.

2/1/45 Finished foundation and put up four corner logs with plates on top before dark. Excited about tomorrow. Have been reading National Geographic from 1912 - 1916. Most interesting. Stayed at island.
2/6/45 We both came home as no fire in house yesterday and cold today. - Darn cold! Trip across lake was a doozy. I went by way of Ober's and picked up two saws Emil had filed. He sure knows that business. Layna made donuts and apple pies and we spent all afternoon trying to eat them up. The hell of it is that I can't enjoy loafing when there is so much to do.
2/9/45 I had planned to stay at island but traveling so tough went on into town. A rough trip. Snow soft on lake and a helluva strong west wind to buck. Letter waiting from John E. saying Gilda wanted to collect insurance on tornado damage! Where and when was it? Saw Carl and found out that deal had been closed with Hvoslefs. Also discovered that much news of our activities had leaked out.
2/11/45 Too cold to work on exposed side of island so Byrne & I hiked over to next island and worked on ice slides. Cut poles for four and finished one. Buck came home about 11 a.m. and helped. Supper at 5. A couple of swell hours followed - kids wisecracking, playing Harry Lauder on old Victrola, etc.
2/17/45 Made tour of island looking for wood but no luck. Went over to Bever Island and brought home load on toboggan. Set to go after poles for chinking ice house when family and Peetsie came from town. Had lunch, then Byrne and I went to Keyes [Stop] Island where we cut and hauled home 85 poles for chinking. Darn cold even in bush. Peetsie and Buck started for landing at 8:00.
2/18/45 John Coran, home on furlough, came out to where we were working. All of us went home for day. Bruggemans and Verna(?) there. Played cards, ate, drank, talked 'til 9 p.m. They left, taking kids with them.
2/19/45 Went to Dahlberg's to build fire at 9 a.m. Ready to come back about 10 when Ernie came on way from town with horse. Cooked him coffee and he talked, and talked and talked some more until 11:30. Seriously thought of bouncing something off his head but he stopped just in time. I had to let off steam some way so carried back typewriter (not portable), two pistols and some milk. A tough load.
2/23/45 A beautiful day as far as the weather was concerned but a tough one for work. One of those days when everything ass backwards. After fitting plate logs better and nailing them down, I rubbed my hands in anticipation for starting on walls where we could really make a showing. Hell! We fought 3/4 of an hour with first log. It just wouldn't go in end ways or any other. Small saw is still hung in birch where I threw it! Finally got five logs up before lunch. Layna went to town and I back to my misery. Decided to make door frame. Hewed two logs and spoiled on by cutting notch for plate too low. Finally got it up just at dark. Two more years at this rate and we will be thru. Layna, kids and Ruth Place home at 10 p.m.
2/25/45 Planned to take it easy as it was Sunday and snowing and miserable outside. About 10 got too restless, so out in cold to work on building. Ruth and Byrne cut wood. I stuck it out until 1:00 but froze out altho I made pretty good progress. Fooled around with bunch 'til they started for town about 4:30. As soon as they left (still blizzardy), Layna and I went out to building and finished putting logs under window. Buck had great story about shooting at three wolves in moonlight.

3/8/45 Off to a bad start but ended O.K. I had the blues early and kept them until we arrived at Hvoslef's. Did my damnedest to get Layna down, too, and succeeded pretty well. Realized I was being a bit childish and came out of it. Trouble was I felt we weren't making enough progress and as far as that goes, still do. However nothing to cry about - will do what we can and hope for the best
3/9/45 Worked on house until 11:00. Not much progress altho I got second window frame cut out. Went to Falls - first trip in four weeks. Had long talk with Carl, told him about rumors and we got a big kick out of it. Contract all drawn up. We are to pay $30 plus interest per month. First payment due March 4. $41.25. It's going to be a long struggle.