April 1914

Wednesday 1st    It was a fine day.  Willie was picking and packing fruit all day.  I was digging in the garden.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to get the mail, Mrs Hopkins brought down two books that Mr Murray had presented to the Library.  In the evening I went up to Wil Dunnings, we played bridge.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I went down to the beach and sieved a lot of sand and carried it across to the wharf,  Willie hauled down a load of fruit & he brought the sand up for me.
I was digging in the flower garden, in the evening there was a meeting of the Farmers Association, Willie & I attended,  Sydney Rhodes resigned his position of Secretary.  I was appointed to take charge of the books and cash until the Annual Meeting in May.

Friday 3rd   It was a beautiful day.  Willie went fishing with Willie Harper.  They were out all day and caught over 40 fish.  Willie brought home quite a lot.  I got firewood & dug in the flower garden.
In the evening I went for the mail and attended the Library.

Saturday 4th   It rained a little in the morning, but it cleared up and turned out a fine day ‘tho windy, in the evening the wind changed to the S  and therefore was cold.
Willie and I were busy in the house, Willie baking bread and I making cakes and puddings.  I was digging in the flower garden & Willie sowed seed of Cauliflower in a box.
There was a Tennis Match at this court to day between Dacres & Leigh B team, neither of us went down.
The Annual Meeting of Subscribers to the Show was held in the evening, Willie went down to it.

Sunday 5th   Willie’s 30th birthday, it was a fine day.
The Choir rendered the Service of Song entitled “Restored” in the Hall in the afternoon, there was only a moderate attendance.  I read the connecting narrative, the collection realised 21/1½.
Afterwards I went up with Charlie Wyatt to see his garden, staid for tea,  Mr & Mrs Glass were also there and 2 lady cousins of Maggies.

Monday 6th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to the wharf to stack Willies cases that came last Friday night, carried up some sand.  In the afternoon I was digging near the front gate, I loosed round & top dressed the bulbs that are growing there.

Tuesday 7th   The wind was blowing very strong from NE to NW.
After breakfast Willie went down to the village, I to get the mail and a money order, received a letter from my son Henry, carried up some sand.  In the afternoon Willie packed 20 Cases of Pears, took them down later in the afternoon and brought up some cases.  It commenced to rain in the evening.

Wednesday 8th   Several showers during the day.  Willie was digging in the farm orchard in the morning, and in the afternoon he packed the butter and eggs and hauled it down to the wharf and brought up a fowl crate & some cases.
I was planting Daffodils on the edge of the border opposite the summer house, the following varieties.
Doctor Gorman  ,   Hogarth ,  Gloria Mundi ,  Seagull,
Hon Mrs Barton ,   Lulworth ,  Rowena ,  Emperor
Lucifer  ,   Some Minnie gave me.    Also planted a clump of
Bride Gladiolus that Mr Murray gave me.
Mr & Mrs Addison  & Son who have bought Sidney Rhodes’ place came up by the “Kawau” today to ake possession.

Thursday 9th   It was very fine first thing in the morning, but it turned out a very showery day, many of them very heavy.
After breakfast I planted a long row of Sweet Peas near the wire netting fence,  afterwards I walked up the hill to see Mr Murray who is confined to his bed with Kidney trouble, I spent a very pleasant time with him, staid for dinner, he gave me several flower plants to carry home.  I called at Mr Glass’  & also at G. Knaggs on my way home.  Willie was digging Potatoes in the farm orchard in my Absence.

Friday 10th   Good Friday  There was a slight shower in the morning, otherwise it was a very fine day.
I was working in the flower garden all day, I planted the young plants that Mr Murray gave me yesterday, namely Cineraria,  Caliopsis Drummondi,  Stocks  & 2 sorts of Guillardia.
Willie finished digging Potatoes in the farm orchard in the morning and in the pm he went fishing and brought home some nice schnapper,
In the evening I went down for the mail.  There was a Cricket Match played on the Domain between Omaha and the Waitemata Clubs, the latter beat.

Saturday 11th   It was a very fine day.  I went down to the Library after breakfast to give Arthur Greenwood some books for Mr Murray, swept out the Library.  When I got home I made a sponge pudding & a jam sandwich and cooked the dinner.  In the afternoon I planted out some mignonette & dwarf nasturtiums, went down to the Steamer, took the Steward a bunch of Dahlias, got the mail and carried up some sand.   Willie was digging in the farm orchard.

Sunday 12th   Easter Sunday.  It was a very fine day.  Willie & I drove over to the Claim to spend the day with Jim & Jane.  In the afternoon Revd O. Blundell held service in the claim hall, Jim, Willie & I attended, we returned to Jim’s for tea and returned home in the moonlight, spent a very pleasant day.

Monday 13th   There was a slight shower in the morning, otherwise it was a very fine day.  In the morning Willie was burning heaps on the hill, in the pm he was digging in the farm orchard .  I was working in the flower garden , I cut the grass on the paths, dug up the border the top side of the steps, planted some Mignonette, Lupins & Escholtzia.
There was a dance in the evening,  Willie went.

Tuesday 14th   Several showers during the day.  Willie burned the tea tree heaps on the hill as he saw the rain coming on.  I was digging the border below the front steps.

Wednesday 15th   It poured with rain nearly all last night and it was very showery today.  Willie was picking & packing Pears, I did no work outside.  Wrote letters to my son Henry and Mr Grindrod & posted them in the afternoon when I went down for the mail.

Thursday 16th   Showery in the morning, but fine in the afternoon.
Willie hauled a load of fruit down to the wharf in the morning and brought up a load of cases.  In the afternoon he staked the apple trees in the pigs paddock and cleaned out the pig sty.  I washed some towels and other things and did other odd jobs.

Friday 17th   It was a fine day.  Willie was making a shanty to store pears in & he cleaned out the pig sty.  In the afternoon I went up the hill to see Mr Murray, and I found him much better, had afternoon tea, he gave me two valuable books for the Library, called in at Willie Dunnings on my way down, staid tea there and then he & I walked down to the village, got the mail and attended the Library, the Annual Hall Meeting was held, Mr Neeley submitted the Acts which showed a balance in hand of £22 . 15 . 3.   The old committee was re-elected.  Mr A. Matheson was appointed Chairman and I was appointed Secretary & Treasurer.

Saturday 18th   It was a very fine day.  Willie went with the Ashworths and Torkingtons to a Pic-nic to pink beach.  I staid at home, went to the Post Office in the morning, carried up some sand. In the afternoon I planted some Candituft plants that Mr Murray gave me.

Sunday 19th   It was a fine day.  Revd Sims held service in the Hall in the pm.  I attended and afterwards walked home with Mr & Mrs Jas Greenwood and staid tea.

Monday 20th   It poured with rain last night and it rained steadily all this morning, but it cleared up in the afternoon  and the sun shone out, but it came on to rain again in the evening.
Willie was bottling Pears & Apples.  I was doing odd jobs.

Tuesday 21st   It was a very showery day.  Willie was baking bread in the morning and packing Pears in the afternoon.  I did not do anything outside except saw up some firewood.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a very fine day. and the wind has calmed down.  Willie hauled some fruit and a box of eggs & butter down to the wharf in the morning.  I went down to the village in the afternoon to post some letters.  The “Kawau” is not coming to day the “Gael” is coming in her place and is not leaving until noon.  Willie took the sulky down to the wharf to meet Grace who is returning home after an absence of about 6 weeks in Auckland, her mother Mrs Simpson is coming here to stay, as Fred has sold the home at Green lane.  The “Gael” arrived here about 5.30 and Willie brought them home in the sulky & their luggage.

Thursday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Willie was hauling the furniture that Mrs Simpson brought up with her and 4 Sks of fowl feed, the horse had a hard days work.  I was working in the flower garden.
The “Gael” got stuck at Big Omaha and only got out this evening.

Friday 24th   Willie was very fortunate in hauling up all his goods yesterday as it was very showery today.  Between the showers I was digging round some young apple trees in the pigs paddock.
The wind was blowing very strong from N.  In the evening I went to P.O & Library

Saturday 25th   It was showery in the morning but finer in the afternoon.  Willie was picking Vicar Pears.  Grace & Mrs Simpson was helping him in the pm.  In the afternoon I was digging out convolvulus & round the apple trees.

Sunday 26th   It was a very fine day.  Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson drove over to Ti Point to spend the day.  Mrs Simpson staid with her daughter Mrs Harold Torkington.  Revd R. A. Macdonald conducted service in the Hall in the afternoon, I attended, about 35 attended. Collection 9/- .

Monday 27th   It was fine first thing in the morning, but it turned out a very wet day, we were not able to do anything outside.  Willie & I took up the oilcloth in the dining room and it took us three parts of the day as it had stuck to the floor and it had to be scraped & scrubbed to get it off.

Tuesday 28th   A very showery day.  Willie & Grace were laying the linolium in the dining room.  I got some firewood.

Wednesday 29th   It was a very fine day.  I was helping Willie pick pears and then I went down to the village to get the mail.

Thursday 30th   It was a very fine day.  I was helping Willie in the morning pick apples and then I went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it over to the wharf and Willie hauled it up for me when he brought his fruit down to the steamer.
Mr Murray who has been very ill went up to Auckland in the “Kawau” today to get the best medical advice.
In the afternoon I was digging round the apple trees in the pigs paddock.  Grace Knaggs came in the afternoon and staid tea.