Mom's Totem Pole

If I could have one picture from the summer of 1964 (or maybe 1965)....it would be of our one-and-only family vacation. My Mom and Dad took all six of their children to Bimidji, Minnesota. We spent a whole week in a "resort" -- in a cramped log cabin perched on the shore of a beautiful lake.

This is NOT our cabin -- but you get the idea...

I was 16 years old that summer. My brother Calvin was 18...there were SIX kids, from 18 to 5 -- and I'm sure we drove two cars to get to our destination, although those details are long forgotten.  I CANNOT imagine how Mom managed to pack all our clothes and food into just two vehicles...

But it certainly couldn't have been much of a vacation for HER. All that packing -- then, cooking three meals a day in a small cabin with very little equipment...ugh...

I am not going to romanticize that vacation.... I actually remember very little of it -- but I know I was bored out of my mind...and I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad weren't talking to each other...

But -- the ONE GOOD THING that came out of that family vacation was that we "kids" got together to buy a wonderful gift for our Mother. Calvin, of course, had a good job by that time (and his own car!)...I was making good money as a waitress...and I'm sure Ronda contributed, as well. (our parents made sure we all got jobs EARLY in life...)

There was a little souvenir shop within walking distance -- and going there was a daily event (they had a great assortment of candy -- I remember Walnetto's being a favorite).

During one of our visits, we decided to pool our money and buy a VERY SPECIAL gift for our mother...

We spent $35 to buy Mom this beautiful, hand-painted totem pole. At the time, that seemed like a small fortune...

I don't remember much about how we presented this awesome gift to Mom...but tomorrow, I'm gonna fast-forward to 1997...and the fate of our treasured Totem Pole....