July 2, 1968
Lake Irene, MN
Dear Marjorie,
Thank you for your letter last week. I’m so glad we met at 4-H camp! I had a 4-H meeting last week, we talked about getting ready for the Douglas County Fair that will be in August. I am going to take my market hog and a sewing and cooking project. I don’t have to do very much with my pig—it eats with all the other pigs–but I will have to prepare for the sewing and cooking. This year I am making a nightgown and robe for sewing, and I have to take in a hotdish for cooking. What are you going to be doing? When is your fair? I would guess that Morris has a big fair—does it?
Lynn Haven is preparing for the 4th of July, our biggest week of the year. Mr. Grinsted bought fireworks last week when he went to South Dakota for some business. I think the business was buying fireworks, but I don’t know for sure. All the cabins had to be cleaned and readied for this week’s campers, and our tent and trailer campground is full this week—that’s 10 campers and five cabins with all the adults and kids, it should be a lot of work and a lot of fun. I work from 8 o’clock in the morning until 8 o’clock at night on the weekends. In the late afternoon, sometimes I get to man the store in the bottom of the Grinsted’s house. We have candy, bait, soda pop and some toiletries. We also have tables and games there, so people come and socialize. It’s fun. We also have chocolate and vanilla ice crème that I have to scoop. That’s the hardest as the freezer makes the ice crème rock hard…but I manage. Do you like chocolate or vanilla?
There’s a cute boy from Brooklyn Park who is here with his family. I think he’s the same age as us. He has an older brother and they’ve gone fishing with their dad so I don’t know if I’ll see him much, but I hope so (!). Wish you were here so we could compare notes. Last week one of the campers caught a 20 inch, five pound walleye. Everyone was so excited. They mostly catch bass and the kids catch Bluegills and Crappies off the dock. That’s pretty exciting, too, for the little kids. They don’t realize that you drop a line off the dock and those fish would bite an empty hook, they are so stupid.
I look forward to your letters, and I am anxious to hear whether you get the job walking beans. Let me know.
Your friend,
Irene Jarvi from Lake Irene.
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