August 1923

Wednesday 1st   It was a very fine day.  Mabel & Charlie came to spend the day.  I was digging in the garden.

Thursday 2nd   It was a fine day.  I was digging in the garden.

Friday 3rd   It was a fine day, but it looks like a change.  I finished digging the strip of ground I intend to cultivate.  I re sowed the two rows of Peas as the birds had eaten the others off.
Received a letter from Henry who is in Auckland enclosing a cheque for £16 . 5 . 6, being interest for the quarter ended Feb  28th.

Saturday 4th   It poured with rain about noon, it came down in torrents, and water was pouring off the hills, and the lower ground flooded, it was the heaviest rain I had experienced.  It put a stop to the football & hockey matches that should have come off on the Domain this afternoon.

Sunday 5th   It was a very fine day.  Mr Stewart went to Mr Schollums to get his sulky which has been there to be repaired, so in coming back he took me over to Leigh as I was taking the service in the Church for the Vicar, there were 24 present  & the Collection was 11/- .  After service I went to Gravatts for tea, met Jim Wyatt there, in the evening I went up to Mr Stewarts and staid the night.

Monday 6th   It was a very fine day.  I got up early and left Stewarts, went up to my old garden, picked a few flowers & plants and then went down to Eddie Wyatts for breakfast, afterwards went down to the village, and Mr Stewart drove me as far as the Ti Point school and then I walked back here.
In the afternoon I sowed two varieties of Tomato, “Yates Early” and “Burwood Prize” also Enfield Market Cabbage in boxes.

Tuesday 7th   It was a very fine day.  Wind E.  In the morning Jane, Mildred & I walked round to Walden’s shop to buy presents for the Kitchen tea for Ella Matheson, who is shortly to be married to Edgar Birdsall, but there was no one at the shop so we had our walk for nothing, I carried home some sand.  After lunch I went round to the P.O to get the mail, brought home some sand.  Afterwards sowed seeds of White & Azure Fairy Scabious, and Antirrhinums in a box. Also Lettuce & Radishes in the open, also forked over some ground.

Wednesday 8th   It was a dull day.  Strong wind blowing from the E.
Mrs Stewart came here for lunch and afterwards she & Jane went round to the shop.  I finished forking over the piece of ground near the stump, and I sowed 2 rows of Early Horn Carrot.

Thursday 9th   An easterly gale with driving showers.  Was not able to do anything outside.  The Kitchen tea for Ella Matheson should have been this afternoon, but I suppose would be put off.  The SS “Kawau” is sheltering at Kawau, not able to get here on account of the heavy sea.

Friday 10th   A showery day.  I got a lot of pegs to peg down the wire netting.  Heard that the “Kawau” had gone back to Auckland and would not be coming here until next week.

Saturday 11th   It was a fine day, but cold in the morning, I started to burn lime up in the garden.  In the afternoon there was a football match in the Domain Matakana V Omaha,  the which was a draw. Also a Hockey match Matakana V Omaha which resulted in a win for the former 3 goals to 2.  All of us went down to it.

Sunday 12th   It was a very fine day.  Jane, Mildred & I went to spend the day at Ti Point with Joe and Minnie.  Arthur came in a boat to take us across the harbour, there was a large party of us that sat down to dinner, Joe, Minnie and their 6 children , Norman Smith, and Owen Civil,  Jane,  Mildred & I,  13 all told.  Alma is shortly to be married to Norman, so Jane and I took her a present.  In the afternoon all of us went over to the sandspit.

Monday 13th   It was a fine day.  I was sieving the shells I burnt.  Commenced weeding the onions.

Tuesday 14th   It was a fine day.  I was weeding the onions all day. Jane & Mildred drove over to Leigh in the afternoon to a Kitchen tea to Ella Matheson.

August 15th   My 80th birthday
I never thought I would live to this age, and I should be thankful that I enjoy such good health.   It was a fine day, only a few slight showers.  Every one wished me happy returns.  Hector & Jean gave me a nice pair of warm socks.  Minnie came in the afternoon and brought me a nice woolen jersey, Joe came in the evening and we played 500 , Minnie and I played ,  Jim and Jane, we won three games running.
Jane had provided a nice supper including an iced birthday cake,
I spent a very happy day.  I weeded a few onions.  In the morning I went round to Evans’ to persuade Mrs Evans to sing at the concert on Friday night.

Thursday 16th   It was a fine day.  I weeded onions.

Friday 17th  It was a fine day.  In the morning I was weeding Onions. In the afternoon I walked to Ti Point school,  & Mr Stewart drove over to Leigh.  I called at A. L. Greenwoods to get him to audit the Church acts,  had tea at Mr Dunnings and then went to a concert in the hall got up by Mr Stewart in aid of the Hall.  I was chairman, it was very enjoyable, a dance & supper followed, I played 500.  Slept at Mr A. Dunnings.

Saturday 18th   As Mrs Dunning had to milk Albert Wyatt’s cows as he and his wife are laid up with the flu, we did not have breakfast very early, so I went up to my old garden & got some daffodil blooms and some little flower plants to take home, returned for breakfast, afterwards left and went to the P.O and took £6 out of the Bank, returned here in Bob Wyatts butchers cart.

Sunday 19th   It was a fine day.  I spent a quiet day reading.

Monday 20th   It was fine in the morning. I was sieving the lime. In the afternoon I was weeding the onions, there were several heavy showers of rain also in the evening.  Jane was at Mrs Evans making a dress for the wedding.

Tuesday 21st   It was a showery day.  I was weeding the onions.

Wednesday 22nd   It was a very fine day.  I finished weeding the Onions.  Jim & Jane drove over to Leigh in the evening to be present at the wedding of Ella Matheson who was married to Eddie Birdsall at 7 pm.  Revd Poole was the officiating minister.  A general invitation was given and a big crowd,  I staid at home.

Thursday 23rd   It was a very fine day.  I sowed a row of Sweet Peas.
Alec Matheson and Roy Neeley came in the afternoon for me to witness their signatures.

Friday 24th   It was a very fine day.  I planted a row of Shallots & 8 Cabbages.  In the evening I received a Shirt by post as a birthday present from Willie & Grace.

Saturday 25th   It was a very fine day.  I finished digging up a strip of ground.  Took a rose bush down to Holders, got some sand.  In the afternoon I went to Whitakers in the afternoon, took them 2 rose bushes, borrowed some books to read.  Jim went to a ratepayers meeting in the evening.

Sunday 26th   It was a very fine day.  Revd Addenbrooke held service in this hall in the afternoon ,  all of us went, there 24 present Collection 10/1 .  The Parson came here for tea.

Monday 27th   It was a fine day, but windy.  I sowed seeds of Argentine Sweet Pea.  Stocks and Scarlet Sweet Peas.
The children are home now for mid winter holidays.

Tuesday 28th   It was a very fine day.   I sowed a row of Peerless Peas and dug over again a strip of ground next to it.

Wednesday 29th   It was a very fine day.  I finished digging the strip I started yesterday,  Hector & I went down below the road & got some Tomato sticks,  I drove them in  (10)  2½ ft apart next the sweet peas and then I dug a strip between the sticks.  In the afternoon Jane went with Mrs Holder to call at Mr Bonds.

Thursday 30th   It was a fine day.  I started to dig over a second time the piece of ground between the last row of peas and the tomato sticks.  Hector & I carried some sand up.

Friday 31st   It was a fine day.  Jim started planting Potatoes (Up to Dates).  Hector & I were helping him.  There was a Poll taken in the hall to authorize the raising of a Loan to rebuild the upper wharf.