December 1904

Thursday 1st   Several showers during the day,  wind gone down, sea very calm.  Willie and I went to meet the “Gael“.  Posted a letter to Henry.   Willie and I were digging round the Burbanks at bottom of orchard.

Friday 2nd   A very showery day.  Willie and I finished digging round the Burbanks at the bottom of the orchard.  Gus Neeley called in the afternoon for Jane to go to the Pakiri Show.  Willie went to the Post Office in the evening.

Saturday 3rd   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up a Sack of Maize.  In the afternoon we dug the piece of ground between the Peas & Tree Onions.

Sunday 4th   Heavy showers early in the morning, the remainder of the day was fine.
Willie went to Ti Point.
Jane and I staid at home.

Monday 5th   A showery day, hail in the afternoon.  Was not able to do much.

Tuesday 6th   A fine day, but very windy.  I stuck the row of Peas last sown.  Sowed 3 Hills of Pumpkins in the orchard.  Seed from Mrs Young (Hicks Bay)

Wednesday 7th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I sowed 2 more hills of Pumpkins.
In the afternoon I took 10 Doz Eggs down to G. Wyatts & a bunch of flowers to the Steamer.  In the evening Jane rode to Dacres Claim to a Euchre Party.

Thursday 8th  It was a fine day.  In the morning I took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up 100 lbs Flour, 56 lbs Sugar and Egg Box that came by the “Gael” yesterday.
In the afternoon I commenced digging round the lower Autumn Compôte Plum.  Willie returned from Ti Point in the afternoon bringing a few fish with him.

Friday 9th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I continued digging in the orchard, dug round other Autumn Compôte and 2 Golden Drop.  Went down to the P. O. and Library in the morning, received a letter from Jack.

Saturday 10th   It was fine in the morning.  Willie & I dug round 2 Peach trees in the orchard.  It was showery in the afternoon and we had to take shelter several times.  Jane rode to Pakiri to a Tennis match between the two local clubs, she staid all night at the Ellis Dyers.  I attended a School Committee in the evening.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day.  I walked over to Ti Point and spent the day at Minnies, Jane returned from Pakiri, Ellis Dyer came with her and had dinner at our place , Willie came over to Ti Point while I was there to be ready for the fishing tomorrow.  Revd Perry (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the evening, Jane and I went and enjoyed the service.

Monday 12th   It rained a little in the morning, but it turned out a very fine day.  I dug round the top Burbank and up to the Late Scarlet.
Albert Wyatt came at dinner time and brought us some of his new potatoes.

Tuesday 13th   It was a showery day.  I made a new manure place near the old one.  I cleared up all the manure lying about and put into it.

Wednesday 14th   It poured with rain and hailed, but cleared up in the afternoon.  I took a box of eggs and bunch of flowers down to the Steamer late in the afternoon.  Willie returned from Ti Point in the afternoon, he got wet.

Thursday 15th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I went down to see the “Gael” off.  Mr Handby brought a box of groceries up to our gate for us.  Willie carried up a parcel of books for the Library.
In the afternoon we dug round the two Late Scarlet trees.

Friday 16th   It was a fine day.  We dug up the piece of sorrel ground near the front gate.
In the evening there was a Xmas tree in the Hall, the proceeds after paying expences is to be given to the Hall.  It was a great success, we all went.  It blew very strong and a drizzling rain set in , but a good crowd assembled, and most of those that came from a distance staid until daybreak as the night was pitch black.

Saturday 17th  Alma came home with us as the weather was so wet we did not get home until 4 am.  I slept till 8 and then got up and milked the cows &c.
Willie and I commenced digging in the farm orchard and we started at the far Orleans.  Jane went down to the Hall to help clear up, played at Tennis afterwards.
Joe came over and took Alma home.

Sunday 18th   It was a very fine day.  Jane & Willie rode over to Ti Point to spend the day.
I went up to Mr Handby’s in the afternoon and staid for tea.

Monday 19th   It was a fine day, and very hot, but there was a nice breeze blowing.  Willie & I were digging in the farm orchard.

Tuesday 20th   It was a fine day.  I got up early in the morning and went down to the wharf to meet the “Gael“.  Mr Handby was going in her to Auckland and I got him to pay some Act s   for me.  Willie & I were digging in the farm orchard all day.  Willie went out in a boat to the Maori Island in the evening and brought home 3 large schnapper.

Wednesday 21st   It was fine in the morning, but it came on a misty rain about dinner time.
Willie and I were digging in the farm orchard in the morning .  In the pm we went down to the wharf to meet the “Gael”.

Thursday 22nd   It was misty in the morning, heavy showers in the afternoon, and steady rain in the evening.  We finished digging the strip under the Orleans Plums, finishing at the entrance rails.  It has taken us 4 days to dig this strip, which is much longer than usual, as the ground in some parts is very dry and hard .
There was to be a Xmas Tree at Pakiri this evening and Jane was intending going with Mabel, but did not go on account of the weather.

Friday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Jane is laid up with mumps, so that Willie and I have to do the best we can .  I went down to the Post Office in the morning , after I came back we got a few sheep up and we picked one out which we killed in the pm.  I went down to the Post Office and the Library in the evening.

Saturday 24th   It was a very fine day.  In the morning I cut up the sheep and Willie took it out.
Willie and I went down to the village in the afternoon to meet the “Gael” which was expected about 3 oclock, but it was after 6 when she arrived, several passengers came by her, and Grace and Victor came to stay with us.

Sunday 25th   Christmas Day.   It was beautiful weather.  On account of Jane having the mumps , Grace thought it wisest to go to stay with her sister (Mrs H. Torkington) first, so she and Victor walked over to Ti Point after breakfast , Willie rode over with them to carry their luggage.  Jane and I were left to ourselves.  I think it was the quietest Xmas I have ever spent.

Monday 26th   Boxing day.  It was a perfect day, so sunny and calm.
The usual picnic was held at the beach in the afternoon, Willie & I went, there were not so many there as usual,  after tea I came home to milk the cows, and did not go back to the Hall in the evening.

Tuesday 27th   It was a fine day.  Willie and I walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe and Minnie.  In the afternoon we all went to the beach for a picnic, they collected a lot of pipis and cooked them in a tin.

Wednesday 28th   It was a very showery day.  I packed the Eggs and picked a bunch of flowers and Willie & I went down to the wharf in the afternoon to meet the “Gael“.  Ken and Allan Wallace came up in her to stay with us.  There was a Social in the Hall in the evening, but none of us went.

Thursday 29th   Showery in the morning.  Willie and the Wallace boys went eeling at the Koeroa in the afternoon.  I was weeding the Carrots and Onions.

Friday 30th   It was a fine day.  Got the Sheep up in the morning and killed one in the pm.  The boys went fishing for bait on the wharf .
Jessir Neeley  &  Grace Simpson were here for tea, and I walked down to the mail with them in the evening.

Saturday 31st   It was fine in the morning.  The boys went fishing to Ti Point, but did not catch anything and they came home wet through as it came on to rain the latter part of the afternoon and continued all evening.

Copy of Wool Account

2 Bales   462 lbs net   at 9 d                             17.  6 .  6
Expenses:
Freight  3/-  wharfage  1/-
Cartage  1/-   Insurance  2/-
Weighing  &c   5/-   Commission   8/9           1 . 0 .  9
                                                                                      £16 . 5 .  9