Sunday 1st It was a fine day. We all went to Church in the Claim Hall in the afternoon, Revd Mather (Methodist) held service for the Presbyterians. He gave us a very good sermon.
After Church I bid good bye to Jim & Jane and walked home, I found Mr Woods there and he staid the night, Grace returned from Pakiri late last evening.
Monday 2nd It was a fine day, but dull towards afternoon.
Willie was working at his fence all day. After breakfast I went down to the Church and painted the remainder of the pickets for the front fence. C. Gravatt squared one of the gate posts.
Mr Shanan & Alex Matheson called in the Church in the afternoon and were very pleased with what they saw.
Tuesday 3rd It rained a good deal last night and during the morning. Willie was working at the safe. I staid at home.
Wednesday 4th It was a fine day. I went down to the village in the afternoon. Revd Mather called in to look at the Church and was very pleased with it. I also showed him the Library and we had a talk about book.s Duncan Knaggs sent the Church gate round that he made, and John Greenwood hauled it up to the Church.
After the Steamer went away, because she made a round trip to day, I painted some rails.
Thursday 5th After breakfast I went down to the Church and painted 106 pickets & some rails. I had lunch with Mr Woods, returned home for tea and in the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Friday 6th It rained last night and early this morning, we did not get up very early and therefore had a late breakfast so the morning was half over when I went down to the Church. As the pickets were wet with rain I oiled two church seats and then painted 60 pickets & some rails.
Saturday 7th It rained last night, but it turned out a beautiful day, quite hot. After breakfast I went down to the Church. I oiled 7 seats & 4 rails, had lunch with Mr Woods. Willie was working at the fence. Mr & Mrs Glass & Mr Woods came for tea and staid the night.
Sunday 8th It was very fine in the morning. After breakfast I walked over to Tea Point. I called in at Mr Ashworths and then went on to Mr Neely’s, but he was out so I went on to Duncan Knaggs to tell him about a working bee at the Church tomorrow. I had dinner there and Duncan, Grace and Harold & I walked back to Leigh to the service in the Hall at 2.30. Revd Southern (Methodist) conducted service, it was an intercessary & memorial service for the wounded and for the success of the war, there was a large congregation.
When we came out of church it rained heavily and we had to stop in the Hall for awhile, we got wet going home. Mr & Mrs Glass & Mr Woods went up with us and staid the night & we had a musical evening.
Monday 9th It was a fine day with the exception of a rather heavy shower. There was a working bee at the Church to erect the front fence. Wille & I, Duncan Knagg’s, C. Gravatt, Jim & Jno Greenwood, Mr Neeley attended and we put up the front fence with the exception of nailing on some of the pickets, which I intend to do tomorrow. The fence and gate looks very nice.
Tuesday 10th There was a heavy shower in the morning and a lighter one in the afternoon. Willie was cutting tea tree on the farm. I went down to the Church & nailed on the remainder of the pickets on the front fence and cleared away the rubbish.
Duncan Knaggs came and fixed the caps on the gate posts, we had lunch with Mr woods in the cottage.
Wednesday 11th There were a few showers. Willie was cutting tea tree on the farm. I went down to the village, I punched all the nails in the pickets. The Steamer brought some more matting & a chair for the church.
Thursday 12th It was a fine day, I took my dinner and tea down to the village and had my meals with Mr Woods, Mrs Hopkins scrubbed out the Church. I was binding the matting with leather. I got the mail and attended the Library before I went home in the evening.
Friday 13th It was a fine day. I went down to the Church. I was stopping the nail holes in the pickets, had lunch with Mr Woods.
Mrs Henry the lady who has built this Church was driven over from Warkworth & Mr Macdonald rode over later on.
Mr Woods came in the evening & staid the night.
Saturday 14th It was fine in the morning but the wind was blowing strong from the NE. I went down to the Church in the morning, was fixing things up and cleaning up. Willie took the horse down, he carted Mr Woods tools down to the wharf, he brought up some stone to put at the church door and he took home a lot of short pieces of timber that Mr Woods gave us. Mrs Henry & Mr Macdonald were arranging the alter. I had dinner at Harpers. There was a meeting of the Committee in the Library at 2 pm. Mr Macdonald attended. Mr Woods has given up the cottage and he came up to stay with us.
Sunday 15th My 72 birthday.
The wind has calmed down and has changed round more to the N – it was practically a fine day. The new Anglican Church was used for the first time for divine service, Revd Macdonald officiated and I read the two lessons, over 60 were present and the collection was 30/5.
Monday 16th It was a fine day.
Mr Woods & I went down to the Church in the morning and afternoon, Mr W. oiled the walls of the vestry. Willie was cutting tea tree on the farm.
Tuesday 17th It was blowing pretty strong from the E. Mr Woods & I went down to the church in the morning, Mr W was fixing the moulding under the caps of the gate posts. I cut and laid the matting in the vestry and porch. In the afternoon Mr Woods left for Auckland having finished all the work in connection with the Church, it is nearly 5 months since he made a start. Willie went up to the School in the afternoon to meet some of the committee to arrange about a new fence between our place and the School paddock.
Wednesday 18th Willie was laid up in bed with a touch of pleurisy.
I had to milk the cows both morning and evening. Grace and I went down to the Steamer in the evening.
Thursday 19th Willie was still in bed with pleurisy. After I had milked the cows in the morning it set in rain and it rained steadily all day, for a period of about 10 hours. I was not able to milk the cows in the evening.
Friday 20th It was a very fine day, but the ground is saturated with water. After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail.
Willie got up to day and was working at the safe. I got firewood.
In the evening the Annual Tennis meeting was held, I attended and was elected Chairman of the meeting and President of the Club.
Saturday 21st It was a fine day. Willie was cutting tea tree on the farm in the morning, in the afternoon he took the sulky down to the village and brought up 2 Coils of Bail wire. I went down to the Church in the afternoon and tacked down the oilcloth on the floor of the vestry & porch. Grace went down and arranged some flowers in the vases and dusted the furniture. Gracie Knaggs came in the evening and staid the night.
Sunday 22nd It rained last night and this morning, it cleared up but was a dull day and the ground is very wet again. In the afternoon I conducted service in the Church for the first time. There were 30 present. Collection 7/-
Monday 23rd It was a fine day. In the afternoon I went down to the Church and painted the fence. Mrs Jas Greenwood, Mr Handby & Mrs Jos Harper came in the afternoon to have a look at the garden.
Tuesday 24th It was a fine day. I got firewood and did odd jobs. Willie was cutting tea tree on the farm. I got a wire from Jack saying that he had arrived in Auckland.
Wednesday 25th It was a fine day. I went down to the beach in the afternoon and carried two bags of sand over to the wharf and Willie brought them up for me in the sulky having brought two boxes of eggs down to send away. The Stained Glass Window arrived by the “Kawau” and John Greenwood brought it up in his waggon and we put it into the vestry.
Thursday 26th Willie put the wire on the new fence he has erected on the farm to enclose a new paddock. Mr Glass came to help him & I was helping him in the morning. In the afternoon I went down to the Church and was painting the fence. I returned home for tea and in the evening I came down again to get the mail and to attend the Library.
Friday 27th It was a fine day. There was a working bee at the Tennis Court making two new courts, the ladies provided afternoon tea.
I went down to the Church in the pm to fix up and fill the lamps. I did some painting. There was a choir practice in the evening and the Church was lit up for the first time. Grace & I attended.
Saturday 28th It was a fine day. A team of Footballers came in the “Kawau” from Mangawai to play a match at the Claim against Omaha Club. Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to fish and brought home some fish in the evening.
I got firewood and then went down to the Church and finished giving the fence the third coat of paint.
There was a Football dance in the Hall in the evening, which was well attended.
Sunday 29th The wind is blowing very strong from the east.
The “Kawau” took the Footballers back to Mangawai early this morning and then returned to Auckland, calling in here for passengers.
Mr Baldwin a young Presbyterian student conducted service in this Hall morning and evening. I attended in the morning, afterwards went down to Mr Glass for dinner, called at Mr G Knaggs in the afternoon and afterwards at Jas Greenwoods where I had tea. Willie & Grace attended service in the evening.
Monday 30th It was raining all day. A gale blowing from NE, the “Kawau” did not come.
Tuesday 31st Wind changed to NW, showery day. Went down to the village in the morning, no steamer no mail. Willie was pruning below the house.