April 1924

Tuesday 1st   It was a very fine day.  After breakfast I went round for the mail, brought home some sand from the Domain beach.
I commenced to plant Daffodils.
Mrs Evans & children came in the afternoon and Mr & Mrs Stewart drove over after school, they all staid for tea.

Wednesday 2nd   It poured with rain, thundered & lightened last night, it was fine today, but the ground was very wet, but in the pm I was able to plant a few Daffodils and to complete the row of 16 the lower side of the path.

Thursday 3rd   It was a little finer in the morning, but the ground was very wet and unfit to continue planting Daffodils.  In the afternoon it thundered, lightened & rained heavily, the children got wet through coming home from school.

Friday 4th   It did not rain, but the ground was very wet after the rain that fell last night and I was unable to finish planting Daffodils.  I got some flax and plaited a garden line, Cut up thistles.  We only got the Rodney Times in the evening on account of floods & slips, the train was unable to come to Kaipara Flats to bring the Auckland mail.

Saturday 5th   Willie’s 41st birthday.  It was fine in the morning, but it poured with rain in the afternoon and evening.
There was a cricket match at Whangaripo between the local time and Omaha, only 5 of our men went, but they won the match, Jim came home in the evening very wet.
Dolly & the baby were here to spend the day, as it was so wet in the afternoon Hector went home with her to milk the cow, he staid the night.

Sunday 6th   Raining again, cleared up a little in the afternoon, but rained again in the evening.  Revd Addenbrooke should have held service in this hall this morning, but on account of the weather he did not come so there was no service.  I went down to have a chat with Pat in the pm.

Monday 7th   Still raining and late in the pm it commenced to blow.  Mr McAlpin & Mr Neeley came in the morning to induce Jim to join the Farmers Union.  Mr Neeley was telling me the damage the late heavy rain which had caused a flood at Puhoi that the draw bridge and other bridges had been carried away, slips and houses & stores flooded with water, and the wharf shed full of goods had been carried away by the flood.
The weather being wet I was not able to do anything out of doors so I got Jim to show me how to do the 4  strand plait with flax to make a line.  The children came home wet from school.

Tuesday 8th   It was still blowing strong from the E accompanied by slight showers.  Was not able to do anything outside.  Jane was down at Pats in the morning and brought home to mail that we should have got last Friday night, we were glad to get the Weekly News.
Jim rode to Leigh in the pm.

Wednesday 9th   It was a fine day and it was a treat to see the sun again.  There was a nice breeze blowing, but not a gale.  Jane & Mildred went to spend the day with Mabel.  Willie Dunning called in the morning, he had driven his father & mother over to Jacks to get Jack to take them to see the Dr at Matakana as Mr Dunning is suffering from bladder trouble.  I saw them after they returned & Mr D has to go into hospital for an operation.  I was not able to do much in the garden .  Pat came in the evening to get Jane to stay with Dolly as he wanted to go and stay with his father.

Thursday 10th   There were some heavy showers about 9 am, but it cleared up after that and was a very fine day.  Jack Walden took Mr & Mrs Arch Dunning to Warkworth in his car to go to Auckland in the “Howiti“.   Archie was very bad during last night and they had to send for the Dr, who came about 3 am.
On account of Jack being away, Jim went to get the goods into the store from the steamer.
In the afternoon I planted 8 clumps of Daffodils.  In carrying a bag of sand up from the beach I strained myself which I am afraid may prove serious.

Friday 11th   It was a very fine day.  Although not feeling too well after the strain I got yesterday I managed to plant 10 clumps of Daffodils.  Jane & Dolly went round to the shop in the pm and afterwards went to Mrs Evans’.
Heard in the evening that Mr Arch Dunning who is in Auckland is a little better.

Saturday 12th   It was a very fine day.  I finished planting the Daffodils (38 clumps)  35 varieties & 3 varieties repeated.  In the afternoon I took the mail to Evans’ and bought a clock for 16 from the old people who are leaving .  Jean & Mildred went to spend the day with Mrs Stewart.  Mr Stewart drove them part of the way going and coming back.

Sunday 13th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Rouprecht (Presbyterian) held his first service in the hall in the morning.  All of us went, there was a fair congregation.  Collection 12/1.  Mr & Mrs Stewart came to spend the day, we found them here when we returned from church. Eddie Wyatt called here in the pm and staid for tea, he told me they were taking my old house to pieces as they are going to shift it to opposite their entrance gate.

Monday 14th   It was a very fine day.  I finished planting the bulbs, three clumps of Dwarf Pink Gladiolus & 3 clumps of Paper White Narcissus, also 2 roots of Canterbury Bell and 1 plant of purple Verbena that Dolly gave me.

Tuesday 15th   It was a fine day.  I got up early and went up to the garden.  I planted 1 clump each of Rununculus,  Blue Bell,  Sparilis & Fresia,  also 1 Canterbury Bell & 5 plants Mauve Primrose.  In the pm I walked to Ti Point school & Mr Stewart drove me to Leigh, called at Gravatts and the P.O and took £15 out of the savings bank, went to Mr Stewarts and staid the night, Mr Fecht came in the evening & we played 500.

Wednesday 16th   It was a very fine day.  Mr Stewart drove me as far as Wyatts gate & I went to the house , saw Ivy & Eddie, the latter had strained his back and was lying down, went up to the old home, Charlie & Jim were pulling the old home down as they are removing it on to the flat opposite Wyatts entrance gate.  I assisted them until dinner time, took up some bulbs, dined with them, Jim cut my hair and then I went to Mr Hoskyn’s sale, came back to Jims in Jack’s car. Jim D  &  Pat went to Auckland this afternoon in the “Kawau” to play cricket matches.

Thursday 17th   It had been raining a little last night  and it was very dull this morning, but there was no rain during the day.  I planted the bulbs I got from my old garden ,  viz.  Nerene  Amoryllss & Gladiolus. also a few violets.  Afterwards dug in manure to the onion bed.

Friday 18th   Good Friday.  It was a fine day, there was not much sunshine until the afternoon.  Spent a very quiet day.  Hector went for the mail in the morning and brought home the Weekly News & Rodney Times, so I had something to read.  Mrs Evans & children came in the afternoon.

Saturday 19th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I was putting up some bulbs for Mrs Whitaker, took them round to her in the afternoon , but found no one at home.  Hector went to Mrs Dales for me to get some Strawberry plants, after he came back I planted 41 Strawberry plants

Sunday 20th   Easter Day.   It was fine weather.  We spent a quiet day. Dolly & the baby spent the day here, but returned home in the evening.

Monday 21st   Easter Monday.   It was cloudy & threatening first thing in the morning , but turned out a fine day.  I have been suffering a long time from bladder trouble, and this morning I was much worse so I got Jack Walden to take me in his car to the Matakana Dr, he gave me advice & medicine.  In the afternoon I went to Whitakers and got some strawberry plants, & after I came home I planted 22 of the plants next the others.

Tuesday 22nd   It did not rain, but was a dull day.  I did nothing outside as I did not feel very well.  Jane went down in the evening to keep Dolly company.  Pat came home from Auckland in the evening, Jack brought him in his car from Matakana, he having come by steamer.

Wednesday 23rd   It blew very hard and was a disagreeable day.  I did not feel very well and did not do much outside.  The wind calmed down towards evening.  The steamer was to have left Auckland for here at midnight.  We expect Jim home by her.

Thursday 24th   It was a calm fine day.  We were all up early, Jane took the sulky to the top wharf and brought Jim home.  I got some sand from the beach and they carted it up for me.  I dug the ground each side of the Daffodils, and cleared the ground where the water melons grew.

Friday 25th    It was a fine day.  I was engaged in clearing the piece of ground below the rubbish for digging.  We did not get any overland mail today on account of the railway men being out on strike.

Saturday 26th   A showery day, was not able to do anything outside. We got the mail in the pm.

Sunday 27th   It was a showery day.  Jim drove Dolly over the Leigh, Pat rode, they attended the Presbyterian service and then Pat & Dolly went up to her mothers where she is going to stay for a while, Jim came home for dinner, I did not go out anywhere.

Monday 28th   It was a fine day.  I commenced to trench the piece of ground, burying all the weeds and rubbish in the trench.  As Dolly is up at her mothers Pat dined here.

Tuesday 29th   I started digging before breakfast.  Went down to meet the butcher & it came on heavy rain & I got wet.  Jim was sowing grass seed for W. Darroch, but came home early on account of the rain.  Pat dined here and we played 500.

Wednesday 30th   It was very fine in the morning and I continued digging, but late in the pm it came on to rain & was showery all evening.  Jim took the sulky round to the shop to take the eggs, Jane went with him part of the way, then went up to Evans.  Received a letter from Willie.