Sunday 1st It was a beautiful day. Mr Torkington, Harold and Flo came over to spend the day, we were quite a large party. Joe & Minnie returned to Ti Point with the others leaving Alma & Agnes here.
Monday 2nd It was rather dull in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. I rode to Pakiri in the morning, I called in to see old Mr Kempt who is, I am afraid, nearing his last end, I called at Johny Salts and then went on to Joe Harpers where I had dinner, Joe was over at Omaha so I did not see him. Mrs H showed me round the garden and gave me some Cabbage and Tomato plants. I next went on to Mr Wittens who I found in his orchard , he showed me round, he has a great show of fruit especially Pears, I was very much interested in the inspection and picked up a good deal of information, after an early tea I started home and got home in time to milk the cows before dark. I found several letters that had arrived in the “Kawau” to day, one of them informed me that the Wool fetched 8d per lb.
Tuesday 3rd It was a fine day. Willie Dunning came to see me in the morning and I was very pleased to see him after his long absence as I esteem Willie very highly, he has had the influenza and being incapacitated from work he thought he might as well come home to see his people. I planted out about 40 Cabbage plants and 9 Tomato plants that Mrs Joe Harper gave me yesterday.
In the afternoon Jane rode up the hill with Mabel to call on Mrs Banks, and coming home they called in to see Mrs Handby.
Wednesday 4th It was a fine day. I got up soon after 5 am and shaded the tomato plants with tea tree before breakfast to prevent them from withering.
I took down the Eggs down to the Store in the morning .
In the afternoon I was digging in the farm orchard.
In the evening there was a Xmas tree in the Claim Hall, Jane went with Mabel & several others.
I caught 11 sitting hens and shut them up in the evening.
Thursday 5th It was a fine day. I was digging in the farm orchard all day. In the evening I went down for the mail and also attended the Library, there was a meeting of the Library Trustees to select new books.
Friday 6th It was a fine day. Willie arrived from Auckland in the “Kawau” early this morning arriving up here just before 5 am.
In the morning I was digging in the farm orchard, Willie went down to the village to post some letters and he carried up a new stove pipe he got in Auckland for the Cottage. In the afternoon Willie and I were fixing the stove at the Cottage.
After tea it commenced to rain and it rained steadily all evening, which will be welcomed by everybody as the ground is very dry and hard.
Saturday 7th The rain we had last night softened the ground splendidly. In the morning Willie & I went into the orchard and broke down the clods round the Burbank & other trees at the bottom of the orchard. Jane rode to Pakiri there being a Tennis Match there between Kia Ora and Leigh Clubs.
Alma & Agnes walked over to Ti Point to stay until tomorrow night. In the afternoon I went up to Mrs Handbys to crush some maize for the chickens.
Willie planted 7 Hills of Pumpkins in the garden between the Peach trees. The weather was misty all day and it seemed as if it were going to rain, but it held off until the evening when it came down rather smartly, however it changed the wind to the SW and it did not rain afterwards.
Sunday 8th It was a beautiful day. I did not go out anywhere all day.
Willie went to Albert Wyatts and staid dinner.
Joe Torkington brought the girls home in the afternoon and he staid for tea. Jane returned from Pakiri in the evening. She reports that Kia Ora beat Leigh at tennis on Saturday.
Monday 9th It was a beautiful day. Willie commenced to fell the bush on our side of the line between our land & Mr Savages. I was digging in the farm orchard all day, although it was a very hot day under the shade of the plum trees, and there was a nice breeze blowing.
In the evening I went down to the village to meet the “Kawau” which arrived from Auckland at about 7.30 pm.
Tuesday 10th It was a beautiful day, but the wind is blowing from the NE.
Willie was cutting the line between our land and Mr Savages all day. In the morning I took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 2 Bags Sugar that came in the “Kawau” last night, an empty Egg Box and a bag of grit. After I came home I put a handle into an axe, chapped some wood. After dinner I was digging in the farm orchard.
In the evening Willie went down to the Hall to help rig up the Christmas Tree.
Wednesday 11th There was a shower in the morning. I took the Eggs down to the Store in the morning , afterwards I was digging in the farm orchard until I was driven home on account of the rain. Willie went down to fix up the fence between N. Mathesons and the farm. There was to have been a Xmas Tree in the Hall in the evening, but on account of the rain which has made the roads very sticky, it was put off to Friday night, however they had a 6d shop as a few people turned up.
Thursday 12th It was a fine day. Willie took the bullock down to the wharf in the morning and hauled up a Sack Maize that came by the “Kawau” yesterday. I was digging in the farm orchard in the morning and Willie came in the afternoon to help me and we finished digging the strip that the Orlean Plum trees are on.
In the afternoon Jane rode to Ti Point returning in the evening. In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Friday 13th There were a few showers in the morning, but it was very fine in the afternoon and evening. We have sold the Danthonia in the front and the Barley paddock to W. Frearson and he started to cut it to day. Willie was working for him at 1/- per hour.
I planted out a row of Cauliflower, sowed 2 rows of Dun Beans, 3 rows lettuce & a bed of Cabbage.
The Christmas tree was in the evening, we all went to it and the girls enjoyed it very much.
Saturday 14th It was a fine day. Willie was cutting Danthonia seed in the front for W. Frearson. I was digging in the front garden. In the afternoon Jane went down below to help clear up the Hall. The girls walked over to Ti Point to see their mother.
Sunday 15th It was a very hot day. In the morning Willie rode to Ti Point and returned in the evening bringing Alma with him.
In the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys and staid tea.
In the evening Mr Russell from Warkworth held service in the evening, Jane went.
Monday 16th It was a very hot day. Willie was cutting Danthonia for Walter Frearson. I was loosening the ground round the trees in the orchard. Joe T came in the evening and brought Agnes with him.
Tuesday 17th It was a very hot day. I was digging out weeds in the orchard. In the afternoon I took the Eggs down to the store. Willie was cutting Danthonia for Walter Frearson and thrashing it out all day.
Wednesday 18th It was a very hot day. Duncan Matheson came in the morning to tell me that Mr Alexr Kempt died last night.
In the morning I picked 3 Cases Tibbets Plums and I hauled them down to the wharf in the pm. Willie was cutting Danthonia Seed for W. Frearson all day.
Thursday 19th It was a fine day. Willie was cutting Danthonia Seed up at Frearsons all day. I was digging round the Tibbet plum trees in the morning. After dinner I went down to the Library to Catalogue & number the new, and several of the new books were taken out. The late Mr Alec Kempts funeral was in the afternoon, Revd J. Mackie Presbyterian of Warkworth conducted the funeral service.
I went to tea at Mr Archie Dunnings and then went for the mail and attended the Library in the evening.
Friday 20th It was a fine day. I was digging round the young trees in the orchard all day. In the evening the children attending the Omaha School gave a Concert in the Hall in the evening, it was not very well attended, we all went and Alma took part with the other children and acquitted herself very well.
Willie put in a full day cutting grass seed at Frearsons.
Saturday 21st The wind is blowing strong from the SE. It rained all day and we were unable to do anything out of doors.
Sunday 22nd The wind is still blowing from the SE. It rained all day.
Mr French should have held service in the Hall this afternoon, but on account of the weather I do not suppose he would come and none of us went down.
Monday 23rd It was misty and raining all day, wind still NE. In the afternoon Willie was mending the fence next Norman Mathesons.
I was recovering the dining room chairs. Willie Dunning and Roddie McKinnon came to spend the evening, we were playing cards.
Tuesday 24th It rained nearly all day, was very misty and the wind still NE. In the morning during a fine interval Willie took the bullock down to the village to get 100 lbs Flour from the store and 28 lbs of new potatoes from Joe Wyatt’s. In the afternoon I took the Eggs down to the store and carried up some beef that Mr Sarah sent over.
Willie was down there to meet the “Kawau“, Grace & Vic Simpson came up in her and they got very wet and dirty walking up here.
Wednesday 25th Christmas Day. It was raining nearly all day, we did not go anywhere.
Thursday 26th It was raining a little in the morning, but afterwards it cleared up and we had no more rain, but the wind is still at SE.
In the morning Willie was fixing up the fence next Mathesons. I went down to the P. O to post some letters and afterwards I went up and cleared out the Hall.
In the afternoon I was digging in the orchard. It was too moist and windy to have the Annual Picnic, but there was a dance in the Hall in the evening, Jane, Willie and Grace went.
Mr Torkington came over from Ti Point and brought the three children with him, but as there was no Picnic they came up here & staid all night. I went down for the mail and attended the Library.
Friday 27th It was dull in the morning, but it turned out a very fine day. Mr Torkington returned to Ti Point taking Arthur with him.
Willie was cutting Danthonia up at Walter Frearsons.
In the morning I went down to Mathesons to drive the Sheep out. Afterwards I planted out 36 Kumera plants that Duncan Matheson gave me.
In the afternoon Grace walked over to Ti Point.
I was digging in the orchard.
Saturday 28th It looked dull in the morning, but it turned out to be a very fine day.
Willie was working half a day at W. Frearsons. In the morning I made up 3 fruit cases, afterwards was digging in the orchard and helping cut sandwiches.
In the afternoon the Tennis Matches between Kia Ora and Leigh was finished on this court, Kia Ora beat having won 82 games and leigh 79. Tea was provided in the Hall and a Dance and supper in the evening, several yacht fellows were there which made it very lively, I was playing euchre all the evening and enjoyed myself very much.
Sunday 29th It was a very fine day. Jane rode & Grace and Willie walked to Ti Point to spend the day, Alma & Agnes went down to Alberts to play with Mona, I went over to Joe Wyatts in the afternoon and staid there for tea.
Monday 30th It was a beautiful day. Willie was working at Frearsons. I picked 3 Cases Early Orleans. 1 Case Burbank, 1 mixed Case Tibbets Plum & Jargonel Pears. Total 5 Cases. I hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon , there was a quantity of Fruit to go away.
Tuesday 31st It was a fine day. I picked 3 Cases Early Orleans and hauled them down to the wharf in the afternoon, also took the Eggs to the store & settled my account there.
Willie was working at Frearsons.