May 1907

Wednesday 1st   It rained last night, but it was fine today.  Charlie only worked half a day here, he and Willie went fishing in the pm.  We started painting the top side of the house, I was painting all afternoon .  Emma was here for dinner.  Mabel was also here in the afternoon and they all went down to meet the steamer.

Thursday 2nd   It was fine in the morning.  I was painting the top side of the house, but I had to leave off in the afternoon as it came on to rain, but cleared up in the evening.  I went down to the mail and Library in the afternoon evening.

Friday 3rd   It was fine in the morning.  Charlie came here to work, he put two panes of glass in Jane’s bedroom window, painted the sash & also the middle bed room.
It rained steadily all afternoon so we could do nothing out of doors,  Charlie  [painted] the sash in the scullery, also the top sash in the kitchen, also the kitchen window outside.
Willie started making a ladder, but  [had]  to knock off on account of the rain.  In the morning I finished painting the top side of the house, and in the afternoon I cleaned the back veranda roof and washed it.

Saturday 4th   It rained all day.  Charlie came up to work.  We were working under the back veranda all day.  I washed the whole of the roof and walls, Charlie cleaned the side door which was very rough, he painted it afterwards, also the Office window, do  [ditto]  door, bathroom door, walls and roof of passage leading to Office, also part of roof of veranda, I also started to paint wall of veranda.
Willie finished making the ladder and then he did some painting.

Sunday 5th   It was a fine day.  Revd E. G. Evans held service in the morning.  I attended.
In the afternoon I went over to Joe Wyatts and staid for tea.
Willie took Joe Torkington’s horse over to Ti Point and spent the day there, walking home in the evening.  Jane staid at home all day.

Monday 6th   It was a fine day.  Willie went out catching bait with Duncan Matheson, he returned here for tea and then went out fishing after midnight.
I was painting on the back verandah, afterwards I calcimined the roof and walls of the scullery.
Jack returned from Auckland in the “Kawau“, arriving at the wharf about 10 pm.  Jane went down to meet him.

Tuesday 7th   It was a fine day.  I was finishing the kalcimining the scullery, afterwards I was helping Jack put a new gate post in at the front gate.

Wednesday 8th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 1 Sack Sharps and some gravel.
In the afternoon Jack & I put in the other gate post at the front gate. Willie returned from fishing in the evening.

Thursday 9th   It rained first thing in the morning, but the remainder of the day was fine.
In the morning Jack rode over to Ti Point and staid all night.  I was putting some new rails in the fence near the front gate, and re-nailing on the palings.  Willie was fixing caps to the new gate posts at the front gate.
In the evening I went down for the mail and afterwards attended the Library.  There was a meeting of the Hall Committee to decide about the new seats with backs.

Friday 10th   In the morning Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 1 Sack of Maize and 1 Sack of Bran.
It was showery the remainder of the day.  Charlie Wyatt came here to work, he was most of the day mixing paint, the latter part of the afternoon he finished painting the underside of the roof of the back verandah.  Willie commenced to prime the lower side of the house with the new ladder, but he had to knock off on account of the rain.  I was stopping the top side of the house and late in the pm I put on the second coat of paint on one of the walls of the back verandah.  Jack returned from Ti Point in the afternoon.
There was to be a Euchre party in the Hall in the evening, Jane went down in the afternoon to cut up sandwiches and did not return for tea.  Jack went down in the evening.  On account of the weather there was no euchre party in the Hall, so Jane & Jack spent the evening at Mr Archie Dunnings.

Saturday 11th   It was a comparatively fine day, only a few slight showers.  Charlie came to work here, he was mixing paint most of the day.  I put the second coat of paint on the gables at the back of the house and Charlie painted the barge boards and the window framings with a darker colour.
Maggie & Jessie were up here for tea.  Willie was priming the lower side of the house.
Jack rode over to Dacres Claim , there was football practice on the Domain and a Dance in the Hall in the evening.

Sunday 12th   There were several showers during the day.
Jane & Jack went to Joe Wyatts to spend the afternoon & evening.
I stayed at home all day.  In the morning Willie walked over to Ti Point and brought Joes horse back in the evening for Jack to use.

Monday 13th   There were several showers during the day.
Charlie was working here  ½  a day (in the morning).  I was painting the second coat the top side of the house.  Willie was washing the weather boards round the bay window.
In the afternoon Willie & Charlie went fishing.  Jane and Jack rode to Matakana,  & I was left by myself.

Tuesday 14th   It was a fine day, but very cold as the wind is S.
I went down to the village in the morning to post some letters, I had written a long  to Willie Dunning and I called in at Mrs Dunnings to get his address, it is as follows.
           Mr William Dunning
                  C/o   Mr P.  O.  Neill
                        Upukungo
                               Whanganui
Afterwards I went down to the wharf where the fishermen were waiting for the “Kawau“, but they learned afterwards that she returned to Auckland last night without calling here on account of having Mr Bishop Snr on board, who was seriously very ill and they were taking him up to see a Doctor.  Willie & D. Matheson had 14 bundles of fish to send away and now they are left on their hands, so they divided them and Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 7 bundles of schnapper & 14 empty return Fruit Cases, Willie was the remainder of the afternoon cleaning the fish and in the evening he and I cut them up and salted them.
Charlie came to work here at 10.30 and worked here the remainder of the day, he painted the sashes of the bay window, also the facings of the windows to top side of the house.  I finished painting the weatherboards the top side of the house.

Wednesday 15th   It was a very fine day, but very cold.  Charlie came in the morning and worked ½ a day, he went home after dinner to kill a pig.  Willie was hanging up the fish in the smoke house and starting a fire, in the morning, after dinner he went out fishing again.  In the morning I had to cook the dinner so I could not do much else, however I finished priming the other side and below the bay window, in the afternoon I put on the second coat of paint on the weather boards on the lean-to outside my office & bathroom, later on I took some eggs down to the store and got the mail.

Thursday 16th   It was a fine day.  Willie returned from fishing.  Jane & Jack returned from Warkworth in the morning just in time for dinner.  I was painting all day.
Willie finished smoking the fish and then he brought them in.
Jack & Henry gathered the Russet Apples in.  [He probably means Willie, not Henry]
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 17th   It was a fine day.  Charlie came and was working here all day.  I was putting on the second coat of paint the lower side of the house.  Jack & Willie were hauling down some gate posts that Jack had squared & in the pm they put in one gate post up at the stockyard.

Saturday 18th   It was a fine day.  Charlie was working here all day and we finished painting the lower side of the house.
In the morning I went down to the Store to get a pair of gate hinges and to send away a wire for Jack.  The remainder of the day I was finishing painting the weather boards the lower side of the house.
Willie primed two of the front gables.  Jack took Empress over to Ti Point.   Joe, Minnie & the children came over in the evening to stay the Sunday.  Jack brought Arthur over in front of him on the horse.
Dan Kempt was also here to spend the evening.

Sunday 19th   It was a fine day.  Joe, Minnie and the children returned home in the afternoon, Willie took Empress over to help with the children.
Jack went to spend the evening at Mrs C. Gravatts.

Monday 20th   It was a very fine day.  Charlie came and only worked ½ a day,  he and Willie went out to catch bait in the afternoon.  Willie primed the middle gable in the front.
In the morning I painted under the back verandah, and in the afternoon I primed some weather boards under the front verandah.
Flo called here in the middle of the day & had some lunch.
In the afternoon Jack rode to Pakiri & staid.

Tuesday 21st   It was a fine day, but the latter part of the afternoon was very cloudy, as if the fine weather was coming to an end.
I picked 12 Cases of Kentucky Red Streak Apples.  Jack is still away at Pakiri.  Willie is out fishing.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a fine day.  Jack returned from Pakiri just before dinner.
I finished priming the weather boards under the front verandah.
I went down to the Steamer in the afternoon.
In the evening Revd E. G. Evans (Presbyterian) delivered a Lecture in the Hall on Evolution.  Jack & I went, and we enjoyed it very much, there were only 17 present.

Thursday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Soon after breakfast  Jack rode to Matakana.  I packed 3 Cases of Golden Russet Apples and in the afternoon I took the bullock down to the wharf with 6 Cases Kentucky Red Streaks & 3 Cases Russets,  I hauled up some gravel.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.  There was a meeting of the Hall Committee to open tenders for making the new seats with backs.  Mr Handby’s tender for 8 seats at 2/9 per seat (labour only) was accepted.

Friday 24th   Empire Day.  Very showery in the morning, but it was finer in the afternoon.  Charlie came and was working all day.
Jack returned home just before dinner, he had gone to Ti Point last night returning from Matakana and had staid at Joes all night.  In the afternoon Jack altered 3 Bulls for us  (Charlie helping us).
Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning came to spend the evening, as Jack is leaving tomorrow morning,  Albert & Emma were asked, but they did not come as there were some heavy showers of rain.

Saturday 25th   A very showery day and strong westerly wind.  We were up early as Jack is leaving by the “Kawau” this morning.  Jane is also going up with him to spend a few weeks in Auckland.  Willie and I went down to see them off and help carry their luggage.  We expected the Steamer at 8 am, but it was nearly 9 when she arrived, there were 5 passengers altogether, we shall miss Jack very much as we have enjoyed his visit very much, he has a kind disposition and during his stay he has helped us in many ways.
Charlie came to day and was working here all day, the painting under the back verandah is now just on finished and looks very nice.

Sunday 26th    It was a showery day, but not quite so bad in the afternoon.  In the morning Willie rode over to Ti Point to spend the day at Joes.  I staid at home and went down to the Hall in the afternoon , Mr French was to have held service, but he did not put in an appearance, no doubt on account of the showery weather, so in his absence Mr Savage officiated.

Monday 27th   It was a showery day.  Charlie came to work here.
Willie & I were nearly the whole day cleaning the casements & doors in the front of the house ready for painting.

Tuesday 28th   It was a fine day, but clear and cold, wind from S.
Charlie was working here all day and the painting is nearing completion, he and Willie were painting the front gables, it should be finished, but some of the boards do not bear out, so want touching up again.  In the morning Willie went down to the village to post some letters, get a pane of glass & he went to the steamer.  I had a letter from Noel.
In the afternoon I could not paint as there were not enough brushes, so I picked 2 Cases Red Warrior & 1 Case Kentucky Red Streak Apples.

Wednesday 29th   It was a fine day.  Joe Torkington came over in the middle of the day and staid for lunch, he brought us a piece of pork as they killed one of their pigs yesterday.  Willie painted the front gables again as they did not bear out with two coats.  In the afternoon I picked 2 Cases Kentucky Red Streak and packed 6 Cases Russets.  Willie hauled down to the wharf 14 Cases Apples.
While he was away I primed the facing of the two casements in the front.
The White Cow Dolly has calved, a bull calf just like herself, we got her in and milked her.

Thursday 30th   It was a fine day.  I was painting the weather boards (last coat) under the front verandah.  In the morning Willie picked 3 Cases Red Warrior Apples, in the afternoon he was putting caps on the front gate posts.  In the evening I went down for the mail & attended the Library.

Friday 31st   It was a fine day.  Charlie came to work here all day, and was painting casements & doors on the front of the house.  In the morning I finished painting the weather boards under the front verandah.  In the afternoon I was laying some concrete at the store door.  Willie finished the caps of the front gate posts.