August 1927

Monday 1st   It was a very fine day which was a treat after all the rain we have had.  Jim was working on the road clearing a slip on Brunton’s cutting.  In the afternoon Jane & Hector went to the beach and brought home a lot of pipis.  I went down to Dollys to borrow some papers.  I carried up some black soil.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working on Brunton’s cutting.  Millie Wilson and a friend  (Miss Fletcher) called in the afternoon and Jane gave them afternoon tea.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working at Brunton’s cutting.  Hector went fishing with the Wilsons in their launch, and brought home 5 kawhai and gave away an equal number.
I borrows papers of Dolly and carried up soil.

Thursday 4th   It was a fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  Jane & I went to Big Omaha to spend the day.  I went as far as the bridge in Pats waggon, walked the remainder of the way.  We went to Mr Wallaces first and had dinner there, and in the afternoon went to Laurences place.  Mr & Mrs Whitaker were staying there, Laddie came with the car to take them home, so Jane & I came with them, and Laddie brought us to our gate.

Friday 5th   There were a few slight showers, but otherwise a fine day.  Jim was working on Brunton’s cutting.  I carried up soil from the Domain.

Saturday 6th   It was a very fine day and the ground is drying up nicely.   I carried up soil from the Domain, planted 2 clumps of Bride Gladiolus, loosened & weeded the ground.  Jim was working on Brunton’s cutting.

Sunday 7th   It was showery in the morning, but finer in the afternoon.  I wrote a long letter to my son Jack which will be posted tomorrow.

Monday 8th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  Mr John Came of Matakana died on Saturday night and was buried this pm.  I would have liked to have gone to the funeral as I have known the family for 50 years, but there was no car going from around here.

Tuesday 9th   It was very fine in the morning.  Jim was working on the road.  I carried up soil from the domain, got a book and papers from Dolly.  It rained in the afternoon.

Wednesday 10th   It was a fine day.  I pared some weeds in the garden & killed some slugs.  May Dunning came to stay.  Jim & Jane got a basket grate for my fire place as a present for my birthday which is next Monday.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  I weeded and loosened the soil in the flower garden .  Jane & May went to the store.  I carried up soil from the domain & borrowed papers from Dolly.  Jane, May and Hector went to Wilsons in the evening to listen to a concert in Auckland through the wireless.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  Jane & May went to spend the day at Whitakers.  Hector & I were the only ones at home.

Saturday 13th   It was a fine day.  Jim went to a football match at Matakana.  I went to Birdsalls in the afternoon, but the men folk were all at the football match, so I called at Whitakers.

Sunday 14th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Annie Dunning & some of the family came in the pm, had a look at my garden, Jane gave them tea.

Monday 15th   My 84th birthday.  It rained very heavily last night and the ground is very wet and I was unable to do any gardening.
By this day’s mail I received several letters of congratulations for my birthday.  Mrs Gravatt,  Mr Grigg,  Ivy & Jean.  In the evening a surprise party came consisting of Mr & Mrs Wallace ,  Alma & Laurence, Mr, Mrs & Laddie Whitaker and Mrs Evans,  Mr Wallace brought his gramaphone and gave us a lot of music.  Mrs Evans sang and Alma played a piece.  A beautiful supper was provided  and we spent a very pleasant evening.
The Annual meeting of the Matakana Dairy Factory was held today,  Jim went, there were over 100 suppliers present.

Tuesday 16th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working on the road. May Dunning left here, she went down to Dolleys.  I was digging a strip the top side of the onion beds preparing a piece for planting  the onions for seed.

Wednesday 17th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  Jane, Dolly and May went to see Mr Walden Senr.  I finished digging the strip for planting the seed onions.  I planted the Gladiolus bulbs.

Thursday 18th   It was fine in the morning, ‘tho threatening.  Jim was working on the road.  I was paring weeds off the ground.
Hector and I fixed bonnets on the stove pipes of my chimney.  It rained in the afternoon & evening.

Friday 19th   It was a very showery day.  Jim was not working on the road today.  Tom Ashton went to Matakana in his lorry so Jane went with him to spend the day with Alma & Wallaces.  I went down to Dolleys to get books and papers.

Saturday 20th   Several slight showers.  Jim was working on the road.

Sunday 21st   A very showery day.  I went down in the afternoon to have a yarn with Pat, he lent me some papers.

Monday 22nd   There were a few slight showers, otherwise a very fine day and a great improvement in the weather.  I wrote a long letter to Willie & Raymond which will be posted to day.  Jim was working on the road.  The ground was too wet to do much in the garden so I hunted slugs and pulled up a few weeds in the onion beds.  Heard that Mr Walden had died in the Auckland Hospital on Sunday morning.  Received letters from Willie and Grace by to day’s post.

Tuesday 23rd   It was very fine during the day.  Minnie came in the morning to congratulate me on my birthday and she very kindly brought me a present of a warm blue woolen shirt.  Mr James Walden was buried in this cemetery at 3 pm, Jim Murray dug the grave.  Revd Parsons conducted the burial service.  The funeral was largely attended to show their respect.  Many beautiful wreaths were placed on the coffin.  It rained soon after we left the cemetery.

Wednesday 24th   It was a very showery day.  Jim was not working on the road to day, but went round to the shop, I sent a notice that I had onion plants for sale.  The steamer made a round trip.

Thursday 25th   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  I went down to Pats to return papers and to get a book.  I carried up some soil.  Mabel and Violet & two children came to spend the day.

Friday 26th   There were a few showers otherwise a fine day.  I was weeding the onions.

Saturday 27th   It was a fine day, only a few slight showers.  I planted 8 Onions for seed.  Heard that Hon R.  F.  Bollard had died of pneumonia, he was Minister of Internal Affairs.

Sunday 28th   It was a fine day.  Revd Rouprecht held service in the hall in the morning.  All of us went.  Collection 10/-

Monday 29th   It was fine in the morning.  I took up 1000 onion plants  500 for Mr Evans and 500 for Bob Wyatt.  Jim worked ½ a day on the road, and in the afternoon he drove over to Leigh to meet Jean who was coming from Auckland, but being rough weather the steamer did not come, so Jim came home late with out Jean.  It rained all afternoon and evening.  Jim got £12 . 10 . 0 from Bank for me.

Tuesday 30th   The S. S. “Kawau” was sheltering at Kawau last night and arrived at Leigh about 4 oclock this morning, Jean walked from Leigh arriving here about 6.  It was a very wet day.  The linesmen put in the poles and fixed up the Telephone , but it did not work very well.  Hector went to the shop and he took the 500 onion plants to Mr Evans.

Wednesday 31st   The weather was not so bad in the morning, but in the afternoon and evening it was very showery.Jim was working on the road.  The telephone was working alright to day and they rang up several houses.

The total Rainfall for August as recorded at Warkworth P. O. was 7.71 inches, the heaviest fall being on the 18th when 1.43 in were recorded.  Rain fell on 21 days.
The rainfall registered in Auckland was 6.58 inches