Wednesday 1st It was a fine day. Willie went to Auckland in the “Kawau“. I went down to the wharf to see him off, carried up a bag of sand. Jane came round in the Steamer and came up here. Mrs Wilson Knaggs called in the afternoon . I went to Charlie Wyatts in the evening.
Thursday 2nd A very fine day. I got firewood & carried up sand from creek. The Misses Bertha & Janet Darroch called in the afternoon & staid tea, they rode down to the village for us and got the mail.
Friday 3rd It was a very fine day. I finished digging in the Oats on the strip of ground next pigs paddock, I also buried a lot of leaves in the trenches. Went down to the village before dinner to post the newspapers, carried up sand in the pm, dug up one of the borders of the diamond bed, mixing sand with the soil. In the evening went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Saturday 4th It was a beautiful day, wind blowing strong from SW.
I got firewood and got sand from creek. Grace walked over to Ti Point in the pm returning in the evening bringing Dorothy with her to stay.
Sunday 5th It was a beautiful day. Grace, Dorothy & I spent a quiet day at home, went to church in the afternoon . Revd P. R. Paris officiated and preached an excellent sermon.
Monday 6th It was a beautiful day. I dug in the flower garden, burned a heap of rubbish& planted out a plum that came up in the frame, carried up sand from creek. Willie returned from Auckland in the “Kawau” in the evening. Grace & Dorothy went down to the wharf to meet him, he had undergone an operation as he had a growth on one of his eyes. By the mail which came this evening I received the first copy of the Journal of Horticultre of Melbourne for the month of January. I also received a letter from my brother Henry informing me of the death of our dear sister Fanny on the 12th December last at her residence at Torquay, England in about her 72 year. There are only 4 of us left now, Jane, Criss, Henry & I.
Tuesday 7th It was a very hot day. In the morning Willie took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up 1 load of goods & 2 loads of timber. I also went down to the village to take Mrs W Dunning some plums and some Tomatoes, carried up a bag of sand, also carried up sand from the creek. In the evening Grace took Dorothy home.
Wednesday 8th It was a fine day. Willie carried a box of Eggs down to the Steamer. Mr T. W. Knaggs came to register the death of his wife which occured yesterday.
Thursday 9th It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from E. The funeral of the late Mrs T. W. Knaggs took place in the Leigh Cemetery in the pm. I read the funeral service.
Friday 10th It was a fine day. I went down to the village in the evening to get the mail and to attend to the Library. There was to have been a meeting of the Farmers Association to consider the action of the County Council in proposing to close the road from the Cemetery gate to the Stonebreaker, but very few attended, so nothing was done.
Saturday 11th It was a dull day and windy. I rode over to the Claim in the morning and put my horse in Jims Place. There was a Cricket match on the Domain between Omaha & Pakiri, Omaha got a 3 point win. The score is as follows.
Omaha 1 Innings 144
Pakiri 1st Inn 58. 2nd Inn 73. Total 131
I had lunch in the Hall and started for home directly after the match was over.
Sunday 12th It was a fine day, but very windy I rode up to John Greenwoods to spend the day. Miss Walker, the Pakiri school teacher was there. I enjoyed my day’s outing very much.
Monday 13th It was a very hot day. I went over the hill twice to get wood, also carried up sand from the creek. Flo & Annie Torkington called here in the morning. Willie & Grace went down to the wharf in the pm to meet the Steamer from Auckland, Miss Pearson, a friend, came up to stay with us. Mr Neeley burned off his bush this afternoon.
Tuesday 14th It was a very fine day. In the morning I went down to the village to post some letters, got some signatures to the Petition against closing the old road to the wharf. In the pm I went to the other side of the harbour to get signatures to the Petition.
Willie was budding Peaches down at the cottage. We all went to Mr Archie Dunnings to spend the evening. Miss Pearson entertained us with music and singing.
Wednesday 15th It was a very hot day. Willie and I went down to the Steamer in the morning. Willie hauled up a pair of wheels that came up. Grace and Miss Pearson went to Ti Point. I walked over there in the afternoon and returned with them in the evening.
Thursday 16th It was a very fine day. All of us went to a picnic to the Goat Island beach, Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning & Ivy, Hettie, Myrtle Mills & Annie Torkington went with us. We had our lunch on Goat Island & tea on the main land. Some of them went out in a boat and caught some fish which we had for tea. Coming home I called
G. Knaggs, W. Dunning & Joe Wyatts.
Friday 17th It was a very hot day. All of us went down to the wharf to see Miss Pearson off who is returning to Auckland in the “Kawau“.
While I was down there I heard of the death of Mr Sep. Meiklejohn who died at his residence on the Lake Road, Devonport and is to be brought down to Matakana to be buried there tomorrow.
Soon after we returned from the Steamer Revd & Mrs Teale called and staid tea. I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
There was a singing practice for the Presbyterian & Anglican services next Sunday.
Saturday 18th It was a very fine day. Willie was burning the grass behind the cottage. In the evening I went to Wm Dunnings where I had tea and from there to Charlie Wyatts to get their signatures to the petition.
Sunday 19th It was a fine day. Revd Blundell the new Presbyterian Minister stationed at Warkworth conducted service in the Hall in the morning and preached a very good sermon, Grace & I went.
Revd Teale held service in the afternoon, Willie, Grace & I went. The collection was 11/ s . Willie & Grace went to John Wyatts for tea and I rode to the Claim, had tea at Mr Jas Darroch, attended Revd Teale’s service in the evening and staid all night with Jim & Jane.
Monday 20th Left Jims place after breakfast and called at Jas Ashtons & Wilsons to get signatures, reached home at 11 am. There was a shower while I was coming home and I got a bit wet. Went down to John Wyatts in the afternoon, had a cup of tea there, went over to the wharf when the “Kawau” came in from Auckland, carried up a parcel of magazines that came by the steamer, called in for the mail.
Tuesday 21st It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village, I posted the Petition to the County Council asking for a footpath down the old road. The Petition had 51 signatures of Ratepayers to it. I carried up a bag of sand. Willie took a wheel down to the blacksmith to get the axle cut and the wheel fitted.
Wednesday 22nd It was a very hot day. Willie was making the catamaran with the new wheels.
I got firewood, wrote a long letter to Henry, took it down to the P.O in the pm and posted it, carried up a bag of sand.
It was the Matakana Show today, they had beautiful weather for it a good many people went from here.
Thursday 23rd It was a very hot day. Willie was working at the catamaran. I picked up some seed Peas from the farm orchard , carried up some sand from the creek, dug up part of the long bed.
Friday 24th It was a fine day, but the wind was blowing strong from NE. After breakfast I went over the hill and got a sack of firewood that I had previously cut, then I went down to the village to post the newspaper, got the mail which arrived last night, carried up a bag of sand.
Willie was working at his catamaran . Carried up sand from the creek. In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library. There was a choir practice, it commenced to rain while we were in the Hall and blowing strong. The “Kawau” did not get out of Mangawai on account of weather, passengers waiting here to go to Auckland.
Saturday 25th There was a lot of rain last night and it has saturated the ground, it was only misty rain today. The wind is still blowing strong, but it has got round to the NW. “Kawau” got out of Mangawai and called here this afternoon. Willie finished his catamaran. I was doing odd jobs out of doors.
Sunday 26th It was rather dull first thing in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. I went up to Mr Handbys in the pm and staid tea, Arthur Greenwood and a young friend were also there.
While I was away Mr & Mrs W. Dunning called, also Jane & Jim who staid tea.
Monday 27th The wind has changed to the SE and it threatens for rain , but no rain of any consequence fell. Willie picked about 30 Cases of Beurre Capiaumont Pears, I got firewood, went down to get the mail in the pm.
Tuesday 28th The weather did not look very promising for the show tomorrow. I cut a lot of firewood. Willie was getting ready his exhibits for the Show. We took some of our things down to the Hall in the evening. Jane came up with us to stay the night.