December 1900

Saturday 1st   It was a fine day.   Willie and I cleaned the kitchen chimney in the morning.  I put a square of glass in the kitchen window, and I was fixing up the dining room.  I went down to the Hall in the afternoon and was helping Dan Kempt lining the ladies room also went down to Harpers and got H. Brown‘s cheque cashed, then went down to the wharf where John Wyatt was painting the door of the new shed.  I paid him for painting and papering the dining room.
Willie rode to Ti Point in the afternoon to fish and brought home 4 large schnapper.

Sunday 2nd   There was a misty rain in the morning, but it cleared up and turned out a fine day.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, also went up to Mr Handbys in the evening, but he was not at home.

Monday 3rd   It was a fine day, but there was a shower of hail and several showers in the afternoon.  I went down to the Hall in the afternoon to fix up the tables for the Exhibition.
Mr and Mrs Sainsbury and two daughters drove over and staid at our place, they are going to act as judges tomorrow.

Tuesday 4th   It was a beautiful day.   I was down at the Hall by 8 am, and remained down all day.  The Exhibition was a great success, about 40 persons came from Auckland in the “Rose Casey“.
Mrs Robert Brown and Mrs Sainsbury acted as judges of Flower and fancy work, and Mr Sainsbury  Judge of vegetables, bread & miscellaneous.
There was a Concert in the evening Mr & Mrs Hamilton Hadges, and Messrs White and Parker of Auckland took part, also Mrs & Miss Leeds and Mrs J. Cruickshank.   I was chairman.

Wednesday 5th   It was a fine day.  Two Miss Cruickshanks staid at our house last night.  I went down to see the “Rose Casey” off at 7 am.  Went to the Hall in the afternoon to help clear up.
Jane rode to Matakana with the Miss Cruickshanks returning in the evening.

Thursday 6th   It was a fine day.   I was working in the flower garden all day.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day.   I went down to the Post Office in the morning, and to the Library in the evening.  I was sowing seeds in the flower garden.

Saturday 8th   It was a fine in the morning, but there were some showers in the afternoon.
We cleared out the shed ready for shearing.  I was working in the flower garden.
Jane rode to Ti Point and also to Matakana.

Sunday 9th   It was a fine day.    I walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe and Minnie, they took me over to the sand spit in the afternoon.  There were several families picknicing there, it was the first time I had been on the Spit.

Monday 10th   It was a fine day.   I packed a box of Eggs.  Went to Goat Island to see Alec Matheson who is ill.  The two Steamers came in the evening, but it was very late when they came, the “Kapanui” about 9.30 and the Rose about 10.30 .

Tuesday 11th   It was a fine day.   Took the Eggs down to the wharf in the morning also some things of Minnies that Jane is going to take round to Ti Point in the Rose – Jane went with her to stay a few days at Minnies, we waited down at the wharf until she came round again, the “Kapanui” went at 10 and the Rose at 11 am.
Rosey calved a heifer calf in the E.R. we got her home and milked her.
There was a Keinomatograph exhibited in the Hall in the evening.  Willie and I went, the Proprietors of the Show are Boler & Hooper.

Wednesday 12th   It was a fine day, but looked threatened for rain.
We commenced planting Maize below the house in the afternoon.

Thursday 13th   It was a fine in the morning .  Walter, George & Alfie Wyatt came to shear the Sheep, we got them up from the farm, and also those that I got from Joe Greenwood that are out in the front, we sheared them first, and then put them in to the barley paddock. There was a heavy shower of rain in the middle of the day, we had some Sheep penned in a shed which were shorn, but what were outside were too wet, so we turned the Sheep out into the Pigs paddock and the boys went home.  Willie and I planted 2 rows of Maize.

Friday 14th   Walter, George & Alf Wyatt came again to shear, as it looked so much like rain we put all the Sheep in sheds to keep them dry – we did have a little rain.  They finished them in the evening, I think there are 105 Fleeces.
They also tailed 4 Lambs,
namely      3 Ewes    &     1 Wether
We left 1 Ram Lamb with a long tail which we intend Killing.
Jane returned from Ti Point in the evening.  I went to the Library.

Saturday 15th   It rained nearly all day.  We were not able to do anything out of doors except milk the cows.  Willie gathered a lot of strawberries in the morning and we made some jam.

Sunday 16th    It was fine in the morning, but was very wet in the afternoon, in fact it poured with rain.  Revd R. McKinney was to have preached in the Hall in the morning, but on account of the wet day yesterday it is doubtful if he came, none of us went out all day.

Monday 17th   It was a beautiful day, the wind has got round to the SW and it has every indication of settled weather again.
Willie and I packed the 2 Bales of Wool, the bales were quite full. 104 fleeces.  Afterwards we prepared places in the front garden for Tomatoes, also digging round the young Peach trees below the house.  We caught a lot of Fowls in the evening to send away tomorrow.

Tuesday 18th   It was a beautiful day, but terribly hot.  We got the Catamaran from Charlies, packed the 2 bales of wool on it and hauled it down to the gate and Charlie hauled it down to the wharf.  We hauled down 1 Crate (19) Fowls and a box of Eggs, the “Rose Casey” had a big cargo going and coming .  Hauled up box of Groceries, 1 bag Sugar and parcel of Drapery.  Mr R. O. Boyd came up to have a look at the orchard, and staid for tea.  Jane went for a ride in the afternoon to Matakana., returning to Williams‘ where she staid all night.

Wednesday 19th   It was a fine day.   We finished digging the piece of ground round the Amsden’s June Peach trees in the morning.  I strined my back and was not able to do anything  in the afternoon.  I went to look at some work at Dacres Claim in the pm.  Willie rode over to Ti Point in the afternoon to fish and brought home some fish.

Thursday 20th   It was a fine day, the wind was blowing from the SW.  I took some fish down to John Wyatt in the morning, from there I went to Walter Wyatts to take him some Tomato plants, he gave me some Kumera plants which we planted in the afternoon, we also sowed 2 rows of Dun Beans.

Friday 21st   It was a fine day.  I went down to the Post Office in the morning.  We planted out some Tomato plants between the Amsden June Peaches.
Willie went over to Big Omaha to help Boyd’s draw the net, they caught over 500 fish mostly mullet, he brought home as many as he could carry.
I went down for the mail and to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day.   There was a meeting of the Road Board in the afternoon and a meeting of the Hall committee in the evening.  Mr Greenwood and Mr D. Kempt came up here for tea.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day.   We had Peas and Potatoes for dinner for the first time.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, Mr Jos Greenwood came up here for tea.

Monday 24th   It was a fine day.   Packed a box of eggs and took it down to the wharf in the afternoon.  The Rose did not get away until about 4 pm.  The “Kapanui” did not arrive until about 11 pm.  We hauled up a Sack of Maize.

Tuesday 25th   Christmas Day.   It was very windy and a few showers.  We had a quiet dinner by ourselves.  There was a cricket match in the afternoon down in Charlies‘ paddock, we went down.  I was planting some seedling flower plants in the morning that Joe Greenwood gave me.

Wednesday 26th   There were heavy showers of rain last night and early this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  Joe & Minnie, Harold & Miss Simpson  and Miss Torkingtons  came here for dinner, and we all went down to the beach to a picnic, we all had tea down there, Willie and I came up to milk.  The young people went to the Hall to have a dance.

Thursday 27th   It was a fine day.   Jane & I rode & Willie walked over to Ti Point and we went to a picnic with Joe & Minnie to the Sand Spit where we had our dinner.  Six pleasure Yachts came in and anchored and most of the boys came ashore to shoot rabbits or play cricket.  We went on board one of the yachts, we had tea at Minnies and then returned home.
I went to a choir practice in the Hall in the evening to prepare for the service on Sunday when Revd E. M. Cowie   is to preach.

Friday 28th   There was a heavy shower of rain in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  The “Rob Roy” called in to take Alec Matheson to Auckland to get medical advice.
There was a dance in the Hall in the evening, the gents only were charged 1/- and £2 . 3 . 6  was taken for admission,  about 20 yacht boys came and made it very merry, they sang a lot of songs.  We did not intend giving supper , but on account of so many being there,  we made some tea and bought a tin of biscuits.  Harold Torkington and Miss Simpson we had tea at our house, and were at the dance, returned with us and staid all night.

Saturday 29th   It was a fine day.   I went to Mr G. Knaggs‘ in the morning, but he was not at home.  I went down to the Hall in the afternoon to clear up, I then went up to watch the cricket, but did not stay long.  Jane went with Harold and Miss Simpson to the Tennis at Big Omaha and staid for the dance.
Willie went fishing to Ti Point and caught several large schnappers.

Sunday 30th   It was a very showery day, sometimes it poured with rain, but was very bright and warm between the showers.
Revd E. M. Cowie held service and Holy Communion in the Hall at 11 am, on account of the weather there was only about 30 present, the collection was 11/8.  We passed a very quiet day.

Monday 31st   It was a hot day.  Packed a box of Eggs and hauled it down to the wharf in the pm and hauled up a Sack of Maize that came up last week.
Willie Pratt came up here after the Steamer went out and staid the night.  Charlies Gravatt & Harding came in the evening , the former to bring a young Pig I have bought of him.  They staid and had a game of cards.

Memo’
The Fowls laid 636 Eggs during the month of December
= to 53 Dox   Valued at   £2 . 3 . 3