March 1920

Monday 1st    St Davids Day.  Very fine.   In the morning I was helping Willie clear the weeds from his last planted Onions.  In the afternoon Willie commenced to pull up his general crop of Onions & laid them out to dry.  I was busy in the flower garden digging out dwarf pink gladiolus.  In the evening I wen down to Mr A. Dunnings & we played 500.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers.  I was helping Willie pull out the Onions and lay them out. Afterwards I was digging in the flower garden.  Horace & his wife came in the evening & we played 500.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day.  I was cleaning Onion seed in the morning.  In the afternoon I went round to D. Mathesons to take her some Dahlia flowers & bulbs.  Got a bag of sand & Mrs D. brought it across to the wharf in a boat & Willie carted it up.
In the evening there was a meeting in the Library to arrange a farewell to Revd Macdonald, it was decided to give an afternoon tea in the Hall on March 20th & make him a present.

Thursday 4th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to see the steamer off, took the Captain a bunch of Dahlias.  Mrs Harper, Maggie & little Teddy went away for 3 weeks holiday , they are going down to Wellington.  Afterwards I went round collecting for Revd Macdonalds Testimonial,  I had lunch at Minnies, Called at Mrs Knaggs, she gave me a bunch of beautiful Asters, called at
H. Torkingtons,  Flo’ gave me afternoon tea, arrived home about 6 pm.   Willie & Grace were fishing at the wharf.

Friday 5th   It was a fine day.  A motor buss came from Warkworth to take players and others from here to a Tennis Tournament at Warkworth which to held there to day & tomorrow.  [sic]   I went down to the village to post a letter to Revd Macdonald, afterwards picked in and cleaned some Onion seed,  set fire to a heap of rubbish heap in the pigs paddock,  went down for the mail in the evening.  Willie was building his charcoal kiln.

Saturday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early in the morning , got my breakfast and went down to Mr Archie Dunnings as he was giving me a seat in his buggy to go to Warkworth,  it took us about 2¾ hours to get there.  Mr Ashworth made two trips to Warkworth with his motor car carrying passengers.  I went to see Mr Cook, the editor of the Rodney Times & had a long chat with him, also with Mr Elliott who dropped in,  had dinner at the hotel, met a lot of old friends besides watching the Tennis.  They gave us afternoon tea on the courts.  We got home about 9.30 having spent a very pleasant day.
While I was away Willie had gone fishing with Jim Gozar and brought home a lot of fish.

Sunday 7th   It was a fine day.  Revd Gould (Presbyterian) held his last service in the Hall in the morning, there was a large attendance,  I was there,  I heard that Charlie Gravatt had got influenza.
After dinner Willie drove Mrs Simpson over to Ti Point to stay with Harold & Flo’ .  I called down to see Mr Sutton who is laid up with Lumbago –  & called at Horace’s, but did not stay.

Monday 8th   It was a fine day.  Willie was cutting wood & building his charcoal kiln.  I trimmed  & tied up the Tomatoes the top side of the house, cleaned some Onion seed, went down to where Willie is working & dug out periwinkle each side of the wire netting fence.

Tuesday 9th   It was a fine day.  There is a lot of smoke about as people are burning off bush ,  Johny Greenwood set fire to his bush.
Willie was cutting wood for his kiln.  After breakfast I went down to the village to get the mail, took Mrs Dunning some Dahlias.  I was clearing out the corners below the summer house and digging out convolvulus the other side of the fence.

Wednesday 10th   It was fine in the morning, the afternoon was threatening & later on it came on heavy rain , it poured and rained in the evening & during the night .  Willie was helping Grace bottle fruit.  I cut down an Australian               tree in the garden & carried it out to the pigs paddock to be burned.  In the pm I went down to the village to meet the steamer, but heard it was the S.S  “Kotiti” that was coming and as it would be late in arriving, I did not wait, but came home, and had only got up to the sulky shed when the rain came down in torrents.

Thursday 11th   It was a very fine day.  Willie carted his fruit down to the wharf in the morning & brought up a Sk of maize.  I also went down & took a bunch of Dahlias and gave to Frank Tierney to take to Annabell.  In the afternoon I grubbed out the roots of the Ginger plant I cut out down some time ago.  In the evening there was a meeting of subscribers  to the Show to pay the prizes.  Will & I went.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day.   Meta Watts’ launch came from Mangawai to take a party of Tennis Players to Whangarei to play a match tomorrow.  I went in the mail cart to the claim to spend the day with Jane,  Jim was away at work & the children were at school, called at Mrs Holders & H. Ashtons.  In the evening I went to Library, it was the adjourned annual meeting of subscribers, the old committee were re elected,  I was chosen Chairman & Mr A. L. Greenwwod Secretary.

Saturday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Willie was hauling wood for his kiln in the morning and in the pm he took the cart down to the wharf & hauled up a Sk  each of Sharps & Bran.  In the morning I cut down the Bay tree, cut it up and put it on the rubbish heap, also carried out the roots of the Ginger tree & put them on the rubbish heap.  In the pm I went down to get particulars of the Show from Jim Wyatt,  afterwards went to Ernie Greenwoods to take them beet, beans and tomatoes, had a look round his orchard and had afternoon tea.

Sunday 14th   It was a very fine day.  The Tennis players returned from Whangarei this morning at 8 oclock in Meta Watts yacht they had a rough trip, all were sick and they looked miserable.  Revd Orchard held his last service this afternoon and preached a harvest thanksgiving sermon.  There was a large congregation.  Mr & Mrs Gozar and Minnie came up here for tea.

Monday 15th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning Willie was mending up the fence at the cottage where Bell gets out.  In the afternoon he was building his kiln.  I had a fire on the bay tree stump & I dug up and took out the roots of it & the ginger plant.

Tuesday 16th   It was fine during the day, there was a slight shower late in the afternoon.  Willie was building his kiln.  I was cutting down some rose trees on the border leading to the front gate , grubbing out the roots and digging up the ground.  Horace and his wife came in the evening.

Wednesday 17th   There was a heavy shower in the morning , but afterwards it was very fine, wind still blowing strong from E.
After breakfast I went down for the mail, got a bag of sand and carried it across to the wharf.  Willie took a box of Eggs down to the wharf  and he carted my sand home, he got his horse shod.  In the afternoon he picked four bushel cases of Pears and took they down to the wharf in the evening.  I was down to the village in the afternoon, it was the “Kawau” that came to day.  I got the mail.

Thursday 18th   It was fine in the morning, but it came on the rain in the afternoon, and rained all afternoon & evening, a regular pour down.
Willie was building his kiln but came home wet through.  I was digging in the flower garden.  Dan Kempt came in the afternoon for me to witness his signature.

Friday 19th   Everything outside was very wet with the rain which fell yesterday and last night.  I went down to the village in the morning to send a pair of boots to Warkworth to be repaired.
Was digging near the front gate.  In the afternoon I went down to the flat where Willie is building his kiln, saw Arthur Greenwood and sold him a dry puriri log for £1 .  Went down for the mail in the evening.
Had terrible pains in my stomach & took caster oil.

Saturday 20th   It was a very fine day.  I went down to the village in the morning to get the mail.  Willie took the sulky over to Ti Point and brought Mrs Simpson back here.
At 3 pm the ladies gave afternoon tea in the hall to farewell to Revd Macdonald who is leaving,  there about 60 present.  Pakiri, Leigh & Dacres were well represented on behalf of these districts expressed the regret that the Vicar was leaving and presented him with a case of silver mounted pipes & a silver match box, also a framed enlargement of our little church, which latter would be forwarded to him.  There were two tables laid on the stage, with vases of sunflowers, and several ladies brought abundance of food.  Mr Macdonald suitably returned thanks and seemed very pleased with his reception.

Sunday 21st   It was a very fine day.  Revd Macdonald held his last service in the afternoon ,  there were a large congregation,                                                    the Collection was £1 . 0 . 0 .
Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson went home with Mrs Gozar and staid for tea.  I called in at Mr A. Dunning, and went up to Willie Dunnings for tea.

Monday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  In the morning Willie stored a lot of Onions in the sulky shed,  in the afternoon he went fishing with Jim Gozar and brought home a lot of fish.  I finished digging up the piece of ground near the front gate.  Also dug round & manured 3 Scarlet Pearmaius.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Willie finished getting in his Onions and storing them in the sulky shed,  in the pm he was picking Pears.  In the morning I went down to get the mail & cleaned Onion seed.
In the pm I dug out a trench & filled it with manure ready for sowing Sweet Peas.  Horace & his wife came in the evening & we played 500.

Wednesday 24th   It was a fine day.  Willie was picking Pears all day. I cut the grass on the path alongside where I am going to sow sweet peas, made good the kerbing  & dug the strip between the kerbing & the row sweet peas.  In the pm I took Mr Gozar a bunch of Dahlias, got two bags of sand & carried them over to the wharf, was there when the steamer came in.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day, ‘tho dull.  Willie carted his fruit down to the wharf and brought up my 2 bags of sand.
In the afternoon he was working at his kiln, I was digging and cleaning up in the flower garden.  In the afternoon I planted a row of Sweet Peas (Yates Giant Orchid Flowing) near the front gate.

Friday 26th   It was blowing a gale from E and raining all day.  Willie went down to the flat, but he had to come home wet.  Horace & Jim Wyatt called in the afternoon.  I cleaned my Onion seed and put some of it in packets.  Did not go for the mail in the evening on account of the weather.

Saturday 27th   Still blowing a gale from E and raining.  After breakfast I went down for the mail, called at Gravatts to see how Charlie was as he has been very ill with influenza, went down to the wharf intending to go round to Mr Gozars, but there was a great sea rolling in so that I could not get round.  Willie was working on the flat.

Sunday 28th   It did not rain, but the  [wind]  was still easterly, very little sunshine.  I went down to the Church in the afternoon as it was my Sunday for holding service, but as there were only 7 present counting myself & no organist, there was no service.

Monday 29th   It was a fine day and the wind has moderated, but still in the same quarter.  The steamer “Kawau” arrived about 10 am, she had been sheltering at the Kawau since last Friday night on account of the easterly gale,  Mrs Harper, Maggie & Ted arrived by her, they have been on board all this time, the two former have just returned from a trip to Wellington.
I was working in the flower garden all morning repairing the damage the wind has caused, tiring up plants & removing broken ones.   In the afternoon I went down to the village for the mail, went to Mr Gozars to get some flax.  Willie was working on the flat.

Tuesday 30th   A very fine day, wind S.  I was helping Willie pick Pears in the morning, we picked & packed 6 bushel cases.
They started thrashing wheat at Wyatts,  Eddy came up to get Willie to go & help them in the afternoon.  In the afternoon I planted 4 clumps of Dwarf Pink Gladiolus.  Maggie & Ivy called in the afternoon.  Willie carted the fruit down to the wharf in the evening.
Horace & his wife came in the evening & we played 500.

Wednesday 31st   It was a very fine day, wind S.  Willie was working at Wyatts chaff cutting.  I was working in the flower garden,  I planted 2 clumps of Paper White Narcissus,  1 of Yellow Tazetta Daffodil  & 2 of Sparaxis,  1 plant of Pink & Yellow Aquilegia.   I went down to the steamer in the afternoon, got the mail.  Mrs Simpson got a letter from Victor who is at Durban, South Africa.   I also carried up a bag of sand.