Growing Up in North Dakota

pump so water to do the dishes, etc. had to be heated on the stove. The living room had a sofa bed, so when we visited there my mom and dad slept on that, and Mary and Freeman slept in their bedroom, and the kids slept in the second bedroom that had bunk beds in it. Some of us kids must have slept on the floor. There was also a deck out front overlooking the gorgeous lake and dock. The lake, which sits on the U.S./Canadian border is quite large, a boat trip around its perimeter taking many hours. The lake is surrounded by a dense aspen forest. Mary and Freeman had a small fishing boat, and Dad, Freeman and the boys would fish when we were there for Northern Pike, Walleye and Perch. The lake also had

“blood suckers” or leeches in it and we just accepted the fact that, when we swam, we’d have to look for them on our body when we got out. We put salt on them which made them easier to get off. We’d swim for hours in the lake and build a camp fire on the beach in the evening and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.

We also endured the thunder and lightning storms that arose very quickly. One time I remember Julie and I had taken the younger kids in the boat to the general store and on the way home got caught in one of these storms. Seaweed got caught in the outboard motor, and when Julie tried to get it disentangled, she fell in the lake.