December 1923

Saturday 1st   It was a very fine day.  There was a cricket match at the Domain between Omaha and Matakana, the latter had an easy win.  The visiting team were entertained to lunch & tea in the Hall, besides the usual sandwiches Charl, Jane & Mabel provided pies, cakes, tarts &c.   I presided at the table as President of the Club.
In the evening I picked a lot of peas and Canadian Wonder Beans for the first time.  These Beans were sown on the 5th September.

Sunday 2nd   It was a  fine day.  Minnie & Miss Batty came to spend the day.  In the afternoon I went up to Bowden Birdsalls.

Monday 3rd   It was a very hot day.  Mrs Stewart came in the cream cart to spend the day, as Gus returned in the cream cart  from Matakana he called up here to see my garden and had afternoon tea, Mrs Stewart returned with him.
Jim & Laddie were working on the road, Laddie came here for lunch, Hector went to spend the day at Ti Point & Eyleen came here to stay.  I prepaired a trench for Homestead Beans,  planted 3 Burwood Prize Tomato.

Tuesday 4th   It was a very hot day.  Jim & Laddie were working on the road.  I stuck the Stratagem Peas which were sown on the 14th of Nov.  Also sowed a double row of Homestead Beans.

Wednesday 5th   It was a very hot day.  Jim was working at home.
I wrote a letter to Mr Birss, also one to Elliott & Holden.

Thursday 6th   It was a very hot day.  Jim & Laddie were working on the road.  I planted out several flower plants.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day, cloudy, but no rain.  I gathered a lot of Peas & Beans & sent them to Ivy by Archie Dunning.
I planted several flower plants.
Went round to Jack’s store in the morning to make some purchases. Jack gave me a benzine tin & I put a handle to it in the afternoon.

Saturday 8th   It was a very fine day.  There was a Tennis opening at Leigh, Jim went to the dance in the evening.  Jean went to Ti Point and Ernie came here.  I planted flower plants.

Sunday 9th   It was a fine day.  Revd Poole gave me a lift in his sulky over to Big Omaha, called at Pat Dunnings, there was a big crowd there.  Mr John Greenwood,  Willie,  Tom & Ethel,  Mrs Birdsall Senr,  Mr Gribble,  Lucy O’Driscall & Eddie Wyatt.   Had to walk home.
While I was away dear old Jim & Elva called, had a look at my garden & had tea, but Jim had to hurry home to milk, so I did not see them.

Monday 10th   It was a very hot day.  Jim was working on the road,  when he came home in the evening, he dug some of his Potatoes, these were planted on 31st August and following days.  I sowed a row of Daisy Peas.

Tuesday 11th   A very hot day.  Did nothing particular but water plants.  Went to the P.O. for the mail in the pm , there was nothing for us, this mail came from Matakana as there is no steamer on Monday at Leigh.

Wednesday 12th   It was another hot day.  Jim was at home & he planted Kumeras & finished sticking to White Dutch Beans.  I sowed 2 short rows of Red Beet.

Thursday 13th   It was another hot day.  I planted some more flower plants. In the afternoon I went round to Whitakers & got some books to read .  The SS “Gael” came today instead of the “Waipu“. Captain Olsen was on her.  The Rodney County Council are having metal carted on to the filling in between here & Holders and 2 men are spreading it.

Friday 14th   It was a very fine day.  I planted out about 13 Leaks, also a short row of Butter Beans, the seed was given me by Johny Greenwood.  Sowed a row of Canadian Wonder Beans next to Jim’s White Dutch Beans.

Saturday 15th   It was a very fine day.  Jim drove me to Matakana as there was a cricket match picked from the members of the cricket association.  I went to see Mrs Williams and had dinner there.

Sunday 16th   It was a very fine day.  There was a procession of motor cars passed here this morning which came from Warkworth & Matakana on their way to Leigh for a picnic on Jim Gozals flat,  they carried a band with them.  Revd Addenbrooke held service in the Claim hall at 2.30 pm, there was a very small congregation, Collection 6/4.  The Vicar came here for tea.  Arthur Torkington came in the evening, he was driving Ciol’s car.

Monday 17th   It was a fine day.  Jim was working on the road.  Nick Thomlinson was here for dinner, he had a look at my garden.  I stuck the 2nd double row of Homestead Beans, these were sown on the 4th of this month.

Tuesday 18th   There were a few showers last night, but not enough to do any good.  It turned out a fine day.  Jim & Laddie were working on the road, the latter came here for dinner.  Did some watering, planted a few plants and went to get the mail in the afternoon.  Picked some Canadian Winder Beans, below the rubbish heap, they were sown on 19th October.

Wednesday 19th   It was a dull day & cloudy.  I picked a lot more Stratagem pea seed in.
In the afternoon Jim,  Jane,  Mildred & I drove round to Jack Walden’s house.  Ken Wallace & party had arrived to occupy Jack’s house for about a fortnight,  the party consisted of Ken & his wife,  & two children, Gertie Coplestone  &  a friend of hers  Miss  [Oates] ,        Mat Coplestone and  &  wife are coming up on Friday.   Ken & party came to Kaipara Flats by train, then to Warkworth by coach & to Jacks by motor car, their luggage was coming by the “Gael“, but she had so many places to call at that she did not come up to the top wharf to night.  After we got home it commenced to rain.

Thursday 20th   It rained nearly all day.  The rain was very welcome as the ground was very dry.  Was not able to do anything outside so I made paper bags & shelled seed peas.

Friday 21st   It was a fine day.  I pricked out some flower seedlings in boxes ,  did a lot of weeding,  and gathered more seed peas in.
There was a Xmas tree at Leigh in the evening.  Jim,  Jane & the children went, I went down for the mail,  I received a letter from my son Henry enclosing a Cheque for £48 . 18 . 3 being 3 Quarters Interest up to the 1st of this month, also a Cheque from Elliot & Holden for £19 being Interest for 2 Quarters up to 6th of this month.  Total £69 . 18 . 3

Saturday 22nd   It was a fine day.   I went with Archie D.   in the wagon as far as Ti Point school and then walked to Leigh,  went to the P. O and banked the cheques I received last night,  changed my library book,  had dinner at A. Dunnings,  went down to the sawmill to see Charlie, Eddie & Jim,  had tea at Eddies,  went up to my old garden,  called at Mr Griggs & then walked home.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Revd Poole held a Christmas service in the hall in the morning, there was only a small congregation, 7 adults and 3 children .  The remainder of the day rested and read.

Monday 24th   Christmas Eve.  It was a fine day, only slight showers late in the afternoon.  I sowed 2 rows of Short Horn Carrots.
Ken & Tilly & childen, Gertie, Miss Oates, Mat & his wife called in the afternoon, all of them had a look at my garden, the ladies staid for afternoon tea, but Ken & Mat went to get shell fish.   In the evening Jack Walden was returning in his car from Leigh with Mr & Mrs Wat Darroch,  he met another car at a sharp bend and was forced over the embankment, the car did not capsize, but was in a critical position , the neighbours  and Owen Civil helped to get it on the road again, Jim did not get home after helping to get his tea until nearly 10 pm.

Tuesday 25th   Christmas Day.  Weather fine, shower in the evening.  Willie, Grace & Raymond who are camping at Gozars at Leigh came over to spend Xmas with us.  Jane supplied a sumptuous dinner of roast fowls,  potatoes,  peas and cauliflowers,  plum pudding, rhubarb sponge, & for tea fruit salad, jelly, cakes &c.
Revd Addenbrooke held service in the hall in the evening,  Jane & I attended, there were only 7 of a congregation , Willie, Grace & Raymond returned to Leigh, Alma Wallace and Laurence Whitaker came in the evening.

Wednesday 26th   Boxing Day.  A fine day.  There was a Tennis Tournament started on Monday at Leigh & finished to day.  Jane drove over in the afternoon & Jim went in the evening.
I staid at home and took out the sticks of the 3 rows of Stratagem peas, & I stuck the short row of Daisy peas, these were sown on the 10th of this month.

Thursday 27th   It was a fine day.  I went round to Jack Walden’s store in the morning and in the afternoon I went round to the P.O to post 10 New Year cards to my friends.  Jim drove over to Leigh in the afternoon  and brought back May Dunning & Mrs Simpson.  There was a send off in the hall in the evening for Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning Jnr who are leaving, Jim, Jane, May & Mrs Simpson went, & May returned here & staid the night.
There was a big crowd at the hall, Mrs Evans & Mr Raschier sang several songs,  Mrs W. Harper playing the accompanyments.
Mr Schollums orchestra supplied the music for the dances.
Mr Whitaker on behalf of friends presented Archie & Charl a suit case.  The ladies supplied a good supper.

Friday 28th   It was a showery day, no great quantity of rain fell, but enough to make it unpleasant .  There was an auction sale opposite at Mr Holders, although the weather was showery, there was a good attendance.  A Loan Auctioneer came from Auckland.  There was a quantity of goods offered for sale  and some things went very cheap. The weather cleared up towards.  [?]  Jim drove Archie & Charl over to Leigh in the evening to Archie’s father’s place as they are leaving for Auckland tomorrow morning by steamer.

Saturday 29th   It was a fine day.  Jim was carting for Jack.  While over at Leigh he got £20 . 15 . 0  out of the P.O. Savings Bank for me. Mr Kirk with his family are staying during the holidays at Mr Stewarts place, rode over here to see me, he had lunch here, & afterwards he & I rode over to Big Omaha, he was very pleased with the look of the country.

Sunday 30th   It was a fine day.  I wrote a letter to my son Henry in Te Araroa, and packed up 2 Weekly News’ to send to my brother Henry who lives in England, these I took round to post in the afternoon,
I met some of the Guide Girls,  27 of them came up by the steamer last Friday and are camped on Lew Mieklejohn’s flat in 6 tents.  Jim, Jane, Jean, & Mildred went round to see Ken & Tilley in the afternoon.  Eddie Wyatt took Ivy in Jack’s car to Warkworth in the afternoon.

Monday 31st   It was a very fine day.  Jim was working for Jack Walden preparing for the picnic & sports tomorrow.  Jane was busy preparing good things for the picnic.  I got longer sticks for my Tomatoes.  Commenced to burn shells.  Willie Greenwood was mowing the grass in the Domain & Mr Evans was raking it up and carting it home.