October 1913

Wednesday 1st    It was a very fine day.  Willie was digging in the orchard.  In the afternoon he took 2 boxes eggs down to the wharf and hauled up a Sk Potatoes.  In the morning I got firewood and not feeling very well I only did a little in the garden.  I planted 2 Galegas (Goats Rue) & 1  Hannimannia.  In the afternoon I went down to the village, got the mail, got a bag of grit which Willie Dunning kindly carted up for me to our gate.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day but the wind was blowing strong from SW.  Wilson Knaggs’ clearing sale took place today, Grace & I walked up the hill to it,  there was a great crowd of people there, it was quite an outing for us and a pleasure to meet all our neighbours, Wilson has sold his place for £6 . 10 . 0 per acre which comes to about £1700 to a Mr Stirling,  a man who comes from Hawkes Bay, he has a large family,  I bought a Couch, 4 Chairs & a small table & Willie Dunning carted them for me to our gate.  I had tea at home then went for the mail & Library and afterwards I went up to Willie Dunnings on invitation to make up a set of bridge,  Mr Roose was staying the night there.  Willie & I were partners & we won 6 games out of 7.

Friday 3rd   There were several showers during the day.  Mr Roose called in the morning and staid for lunch.  Both Will & I gave him an order for a new suit.  In the afternoon I came over very ill, a splitting head-ache & vomiting and had to go to bed early.  Sowed seeds of Caliopsis,  Nigella & Zinnia.

Saturday 4th   It was a fine day.  I got up the same time as usual although I was not feeling well.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, carried up some grit.  Mrs Woodcock called to register the birth of her child.  Willie was preparing  the floor of the passages before putting down new oilcloth.
In the evening there was a meeting of the Hall Trustees,  I attended, it was resolved to repay the loan of £20 that Mr A. Dunning had kindly lent the Trustees.  There was also a meeting of Library Trustees.

Sunday 5th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Sims held service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended and he gave us a splendid sermon, afterwards I called at C. Gravatts and then went to Joe Wyatts & staid tea.

Monday 6th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I got firewood and then helped Willie dig the orchard.  In the afternoon I was preparing the edges of the long bed preparatory  to planting pansies.

Tuesday 7th   There were several showers during the day.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, carried up some sand.
I prepared the other edge of the long bed by digging in manure, sand & bone dust.  Later in the afternoon I walked over to the Claim and staid at Jims.

Wednesday 8th   Last night was very stormy, raining & blowing hard all night & showers today.  Jane and I walked to Robert Williams to spend the day,  I looked round Mrs Ws flower garden & the orchard, we got back to Jims without getting wet.  Staid there all night.

Thursday 9th   Still showery.  I walked home in the morning.  In the afternoon I planted 16 Pansy Plants.  Went for the mail and attended the Library.  Willie was digging in the orchard.

Friday 10th   A few slight showers.  I was helping Willie dig in the orchard in the morning for a while & then I went down for the mail & carried up grit.  In the afternoon I planted 18 Pansy Plants.

Saturday 11th   After breakfast I went down to the village to send some Citrous to Jane by Charlie Dunning, carried up some grit.
Willie went fishing to Ti Point & brought home a few fish in the evening.
After an early lunch I walked over to the Claim to witness a friendly Cricket Match between the Married & Single, the former won by over 50 runs, so the single fellows had to pay for the dinner which was supplied by Mr C. Bond.  There were a few showers during the afternoon.

Sunday 12th   It rained steadily nearly all last night, but the weather was very beautiful today,  Revd  R. A. Macdonald held service in the afternoon, all of us went, there was a fair congregation.  Collection 10/-   Willie & Grace went to Mrs Glass in the evening.

Monday 13th   It was a fine day.  Willie had Albert Wyatt to dig for him today.  I planted 6 Canterbury Bell plants.  In the afternoon I went down to get the mail, carried up some grit.

Tuesday 14th   It was a fine day.  Albert was here also digging for Willie, I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand.

Wednesday 15th   It was a fine day.  Albert was digging for Willie.
In the afternoon Grace & I went down to the Hall to prepare for the Social this evening tendered to Mrs Ashworth, Grace helped with the cutting the sandwiches & I cleared the Hall & arranged the seats & tables.
Went down to the Steamer & got the mail, got a bag of sand.  All of us came down to the Social and we spent a very pleasant evening, there were a good number present.  Mr Hoult Jnr  sang and recited & Mrs Glass played on the mandoline, Mr Ashworth was presented with a set of pipes & Mrs A. with a silver cake basket.  I was playing bridge most of the evening.  Jane & the children came up with us and staid the night.

Thursday 16th   There were a few slight showers, Albert was here digging.  I was digging in the flower garden, planted a few pansy plants near the front steps.  Jane took a walk down to the Cemetery in the afternoon.  In the evening I went for the mail & attended the Library.

Friday 17th   There was a pretty heavy shower in the afternoon.
After breakfast I helped Jane with the children down to Archie Dunnings as she was going home with C. Dunning in the cream cart,
I carried up some sand.  When I got back I found Mr & Ernest Pratt waiting for me to witness their signatures.  Albert was digging here,  Mrs Handby & Mrs Joe Greenwood were here for dinner.  I went down for the mail in the afternoon, received some flower seeds from Yates.  I planted a sweet scented verbena that Elsie Birdsall gave me, also a dwarf nasturtium.

Saturday 18th   A very showery day.  Wind blowing strong from the N which in the afternoon veered round to the W.  Willie finished digging the piece near the front gate.  Albert was not here.
I sowed seeds of the following, Nemophela 2,  Bartonia 2,  Godetia 2, Phlox 2,  Schizanthus.

Sunday 19th   There were a few slight showers, but the wind was blowing very strong from the SW.  Willie & Grace drove over to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe & Minnie.
I walked up the hill intending to go to John Greenwoods, but I met them driving down this way , so I went to Arthur Greenwoods & had dinner there and in the afternoon he & I went to call on Mr Murray, he showed me all his books & his garden  and we went down to the orchard that Arthur has rented from Mr Murray.   On my way home I called at Mrs Handbys where I saw Mrs Joseph Greenwood.

Monday 20th   It was a fine day, but very windy, the equinoctials I believe,  Albert was here digging with Willie.  I got firewood and was digging in the garden.  I planted some Pansy plants near the summer house, also a row of Major Convolvulus.  In the evening George James came to ask me to go up to Willie Dunnings to play bridge, John Greenwood was there and he & I were partners our opponents being Will & George.

Tuesday 21st   It was a fine day, wind still blowing strong from SW.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, carried up some sand.
Albert Wyatt finished digging here to day, they have finished the orchard and dug a little below the house.

Wednesday 22nd    There was a nice shower of rain last night which has freshened things up.  It was a very fine day and not so much wind as yesterday.  I planted an Honesty plant, and a row of Sweet Peas.
In the afternoon I went down to the beach and got 2 bags of sand and Willie hauled them up for me when he took the Eggs down. There was a meeting of ladies in the Library in the afternoon to arrange for a Xmas tree.

Thursday 23rd   It rained pretty heavy last night but was very fine this morning.  Willie was flat hoeing the Potatoes in this garden.
I planted out some Clarkia & White Coin Flower plants.  In the evening I went for the mail & attended the Library,  Grace attended choir practice.

Friday 24th   It was a very hot day.  Willie was digging between the peach trees below the house,  I planted out 3 Balsams, 1 Penstemon, 1 Fuchsia  and sowed seeds of African Marigold.  Mr & Mrs Lees came here to spend the evening.  I went to spend the evening at Archie Dunnings, the girls gave us a lot of music and we played bridge.

Saturday 25th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the village, I sent away a money order of £5 to Mrs C. H. Goerty of Warkworth as our Half Years guarantee to the Church of England funds.  I carried up a bag of sand.  The Stirling family who have bought Wilson Knaggs place and who have been staying at the Hotel for the last few days went up to their new home today.
Willie went fishing to Ti Point but only caught a few herrings.
I got firewood & planted a Zinnia.

Sunday 26th   It was a fine day.  Revd O. Blundell held service in the morning.  I attended,  Minnie who attended returned home afterwards and I went with her and dined there in the afternoon, I called at Mr Neeleys and had tea there.
Willie & Grace drove to Ti Point to spend the day at H. Torkingtons.

Monday   It was a very hot day.  Willie sowed some lettuce seed in a box, he was digging round the trees below the house.  I was not very well and did not do much.  Grace went to a tennis meeting.

Tuesday 28th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I planted near the front gate 1 Zinnia,  3 Cornflowers & 4 Caliopsis.  In the afternoon I went down to get the mail, carried up some sand.  My new suit arrived from Bridgmans.
Willie was digging below the house.

Wednesday 29th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the steamer, took a bunch of Roses to give to Mrs Gravatt who went to Auckland by the steamer, carried up a bag of sand, got firewood and was chipping round the Peas in the farm orchard.

Thursday 30th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast Willie took the horse down to the wharf with two boxes of Eggs, and he hauled up some Groceries.  I also went down, took a bunch of Roses to the Captain, got a bag of sand & Willie hauled it up for me.
When I got back I planted out in the long bed,  1 Zinnia,  3 Balsans,
4 Caliopsis  & 1 Chrysanthemum.  In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library, there was a meeting of the Library Trustees to choose new books.  There was choir practice, Grace attended.  The young people were playing tennis.

Friday 31st   There was a misty rain when we got up, but it cleared up and the sun came out, but later in the afternoon it came on a steady.  [sic: steady rain.]  I was cutting the grass on the paths and getting firewood.  There was a dance in the evening to get funds to purchase toys for the Xmas tree, on account of the weather none of us went,  heard afterwards that very few attended.