Wednesday 1st There was a misty rain first thing in the morning, but it cleared off and turned out a very fine day. I beat down the ground next the peerless peas, dug a trench, put cow manure at bottom and prepared it for sowing a double row of Tongan beans
Thursday 2nd It was a very fine day, quite hot in the middle of the day. I sowed a double row of Tongan Beans.
Mr Schollum called in the morning to see Jim, he is going to make improvements to this house, lower the roof bungalow fashion, enlarge the sitting room and a verandah in front.
Friday 3rd It rained a little in the early morning, but turned out a fine day. I posted a letter to my son Willie. Did a little work in the flower garden, but rested after my exertions yesterday.
Saturday 4th It was a very fine day. I was working in the flower garden all day. I pared off all the grass and weeds growing on the path between the Daffodils and put them on a heap and dug each side. There was a cricket match at Whangaripo, Omaha V the local club. Pat Dunning won off his own bat. Hector went with Jim in Tom Ashton’s lorry.
Sunday 5th It was a fine day. Revd Parsons held service in the hall in the morning. All from this house except me attended. I had severe pains in the back of my head and spent a quiet day. Dolly came up in the evening to look at my garden, she greatly admired a rose pink Gladiolus the bulb given me by Mrs Jack Matthew.
Monday 6th It was a very fine day, very hot in the middle of the day. I dug a strip of ground 5 ft wide next the Lima beans I sowed last Thursday.
Mr Schollum came to work here, to make the alterations to the house. As the timber had not arrived he put in the house blocks for the addition in front. Jim went to Matakana in the cream lorry, and brought back the scantling in the lorry. They were delayed as they had punctures in the tyers. There was a collision on the road below Darroch’s land between Trevor Gravatt’s car and Birdsall’s car and Trevor’s car was injured by having the axle bent. Hector has left school, Jean and Mildred started for school, but on the way they heard that Mr Stewart’s father who lives in Port Chalmers had died suddenly and that Mr S was going down there, so there would be no school.
Tuesday 7th It was a very fine day. It was a mistake about Mr Stewart going down to Port Chalmers, there was school today and Jean & Mildred went, but were let out early. Mr Schollum was working here to day. New ground plates had to be put under the house also of the new erection . I dug a strip next the Canadian wonder beans, and beat down the piece I dug yesterday.
Wednesday 8th It was a very fine day. Mr Schollum was not working here to day as he and his wife were going to Auckland for the day in his car.
Jim went to Matakana in the cream cart and brought back the boards for the house in the cream cart. I prepared the ground for a double row of beans. By this evenings mail I received the Xmas number of the Illustrated London News and a long interesting letter from my niece Margaret Clarke.
Thursday 9th It was a very fine day, but dull. Mr Schollum was working here today, they took the old weather boards off one side of the house and put new ones on. I sowed a second double row of Lima Beans next to the ones I sowed last Thursday. Also dug up the ground between them and the Canadian Wonder Beans.
Friday 10th It was a very hot day. Mr Schollum was working here to day. Jim was painting the weather boards that were put on yesterday. I stuck the row of Stratagem peas that were sown on the 15th November, went down to Pats to get him to take my Bank Book to Leigh P.O. Weeded some onions for Dolly. Mr Schollum went home early in the afternoon as he had a head ache and he had to play for a dance at Matakana in the evening. Ted Gravatt brought some more timber in the cream lorry, Mr Rennie was with him and both of them came in here and had lunch. I stuck the first double row of Homestead beans sowed on the 11th November.
Saturday 11th It was a very hot day. Mr Schollum was not working here today. I gave the beans I stuck yesterday and the first sown Lima beans a good watering. Tied up the Tomatoes. Ted Gravatt brought some more timber in his Lorry – and he and Alf Morris had dinner here. Jim & Jane went to Tom Ashtons in the evening to hear the wireless.
Sunday 12th It was a very hot day. Revd Addenbrooke came in the morning to have service, but as only two turned up there was no service, he called here and then went on. Arthur Torkington brought Mrs John Greenwoods new car that she had bought of Civils, he came up here for dinner. Mr & Mrs Stewart drove over here in the pm and staid for tea.
Monday 13th It was a very fine day. Mr Schollum was working here to day. I stuck the other double row of Homestead Beans which were sown on the 26th November. Weeded the Carrots.
Tuesday 14th It was a very fine day, but it looks like a change of weather. Mr Schollum here to day. I put sticks to the seed onions. Planted a Tomato (Fillbasket) near the tub. Did some weeding.
Wednesday 15th It rained a little last night & early this morning and turned out a very fine day. Mr Schollum came to work rather late on account of the weather. Ted Gravatt brought the windows & doors on the cream lorry for the new part of the house. Hector & I went up to the domain hill & cut 68 bean sticks.
Thursday 16th It was fine during the day, but there was a little rain in the evening. Mr Schollum was working here today. In the morning I went down below and pointed 2 bundles of bean sticks afterwards weeded some onions for Dolly. Hector carried home 2 bundles of bean sticks. Jane attended the ladies section of the Omaha Show committee at Leigh in the afternoon.
Friday 17th It was a fine day. Mr Schollum was working here to day. I went down to Pats in the morning and weeded some onions for Dolly. I was not feeling very well so I did not do much in the garden, only some watering, planted a Fillbasket Tomato near the water cask.
Saturday 18th A very fine day. Mr Schollum was only working half a day here. There was a cricket match at the Domain Omaha V Warkworth. The visitors batted first and made 109 runs. The highest scores Duke 33, C. Farman 23, F. Gubb 13.
Omaha then batted and made 84 runs, chief scores P. Dunning 26, J. Wyatt 26. In their second innings Warkworth made 109 runs with 4 wickets to fall when the stumps were drawn at 4 pm. Warkworth won on the 1st innings by 25 runs.
Sunday 19th It was a very fine day. Revd Rouprecht held service in the hall in the morning, he brought his third newly married wife with him and introduced her to the people. Pat & Dolly’s infant daughter was baptised (Naney May). Jim & Jane were the only ones who went from here as the children have chicken pox and I was not feeling very well.
Monday 20th It was a very fine day. The weather was threatening, but we did not get any rain. Mr Schollum was working here. I was not feeling very well so did nothing in the garden but water the beans.
Tuesday 21st It was fine in the morning, but came on to rain after dinner. Mr Schollum came in the morning, but on account of rain in the afternoon he went home, so only worked half a day.
I had a wire from Mr Bach asking how he could come overland , so I wrote him a letter and went round to the P.O to post the letter and to send him a wire.
Wednesday 22nd It was a very showery day. I was not at all well.
While we were having dinner Willie, Grace & Raymond came, Laurence Whitaker having brought them in his car, they have been staying at Laurences since last Saturday, and they are going to stay here a few days.
Thursday 23rd It was a showery day. Willie & Grace went up to see my garden and were very pleased with it. Jim & Willie went fishing in the afternoon and brought home some fish. I went down to Pats to change my Library books.
Friday 24th It was a showery day, I was not well. Jim got some wood in the sulky. There was a Xmas tree in the Leigh hall in the evening. Jim, Jane, Hector, Mildred, Willie, Grace & Raymond went in Tom Ashton’s lorry, Jean & I staid at home. Jean did not go on account of having chicken pox.
Saturday 25th Christmas Day. It was a showery day. We spent a quiet day at home, had a good xmas dinner, lamb & mint sauce, new potatoes, peas, beans and plum pudding. In the afternoon Jim drove Willie, Grace & Raymond over to Harold Torkingtons where they are going to stay.
Sunday 26th It was a very fine showery weather. None of us went out. Mr Milligan was to have held service in the hall, he came but no one turned up.
Monday 27th We were very pleased to get a fine day for Boxing Day after all the wet weather we have had. There was a Tennis Tournament at Leigh which was well attended. Tom Ashton took his lorry to Matakana taking cricketers thinking there was a match with Auckland suburban, but there was a slip on the line so they were not able to come. Jim went & Jane went to Wallaces.
Tuesday 28th It was a fine day. I stuck the two rows of Lima Beans. Called in to see Dolly, had a chat with Mrs James Darroch who came by car from Auckland last night with her son Jim and two young ladies.
Wednesday 29th It was a fine day with the exception of a few slight showers. Four of Mr Bach’s Scout Boys came in a Steamer to Matakana last night, arriving about midnight, so they stopped there the night and walked on here this morning, they put up a tent in the Domain , I went down to see them in the pm.
There was a Cricket Match at Matakana between a B Auckland Suburban team and combined Omaha & Matakana team, as suburban had only 7 players Jim & Clary Matthew played for them.
Tom Ashton in his lorry took the players, Mildred went with them as far as Wallaces to spend the day, I sent by her some cabbages and peas. Mr Manning came to fix the water pipes at the domain, he came up here for dinner.
In the evening I planted 11 Cabbage plants in Hector’s garden.
Thursday 30th It was a fine day. I sowed a double row of Homestead Beans next the lima beans. The SS “Kawau” arrived from Auckland in the afternoon landing Mr Birss & 10 boys at Ti Point and Mr Bach’s 30 boys at the top wharf.
Friday 31st It was a dull day, but it did not rain. The sports committee were getting the ground ready and putting up the chopping blocks for the sports tomorrow. There was a cricket match at the Domain. Omaha & Matakana B team combined V Auckland Suburban B team. Our boys battered first and made 116 runs, Jim D made 51 runs himself, Auckland made 99 – Pat who played for them made 31 runs, thus our side won by 17 runs. The Cricketers were entertained at lunch and tea in the hall.
Meteorological
The rainfall for the month of December as recorded at Warkworth totalled 5.62 inches, the maximum fall being on the 25th when 2.07 was recorded. Rain fell on 12 days.
The rainfall for the year 74.45 inches.