Sunday 1st It rained all last night & all today. It is the greatest quantity of rain we have had sor several months. Did not go out anywhere and there was no service.
Monday 2nd It rained last night and until about 6 this morning, when it cleared up and was a fine day. John returned to the gum flat. I was mending up the pigs paddock fence in the morning, & splitting palings in the afternoon.
Tuesday 3rd It was a fine day. We picked 2 Cases Orleans Plums.
Wednesday 4th We picked 4 Doz Peaches, and with 12 Doz of J. Wyatt Senr we made up a Case. Henry took them down to the Wharf with a Case of his own Coles Prolific Damson, he also hauled 10 Cases of Fruit for T. Wyatt.
Thursday 5th & Friday 6th We were splitting palings. There was a meeting of the School Committee the latter evening, when Mrs Joseph Wyatt was appointed Sewing Teacher.
Saturday 7th We finished taking in all the Cocksfoot grass seed. Split palings in the morning . Maud went up to Pratts, John returned from the gum flat.
Sunday 8th Wind blowing strong from the E, blew a lot of apples off the trees. I had tea down at Charlies. Read service in the evening, there was a very large congregation. Maud returned from Pratts in the evening.
Monday 9th A very fine day. The boys were cutting Cocksfoot Grass seed over at McKenzies. I was splitting palings in the morning & thrashing out grass seed in the afternoon.
Tuesday 10th Maud & I were picking Plums in the morning. The boys were cutting grass seed, they finished in the evening.
Wednesday 11th The boys hauled the Case of Plums to the Wharf, they then went to McKenzies and brought home the bundles of Cocksfoot they have been cutting there. I was thrashing grass seed all day . It is blowing strong from the SE and it came on to rain, and rained all night. The Steamer did not come
Thursday 12th It was raining all day. Wind still blowing strong, but towards evening it got round more to the NE. Tom Pratt came in the morning and staid dinner & tea, and returned home in the evening.
Friday 13th It was still blowing strong, but the wind is more N. It did not rain, but it was very misty, and the ground did not dry up much. I was splitting palings all day. The boys sawed off 5 blocks of ends off the Kaihakatea and commenced on the hill sawing off post lengths. We got the Sheep up in the morning and killed one.
Saturday 14th We picked 1 Case of Peaches, 24 Doz and carried them down to the Wharf. There was a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the evening.
The Steamer came in the evening, landed a lot of goods and took away a lot of Fruit. Willie Pratt came and staid over the Sunday.
Sunday 15th A heavy shower of rain in the morning and very dull all day. I went to tea to Mrs Fordham’s and read service in the evening, there was a good congregation
Monday 16th I was splitting palings, John was billiting the logs for ends, Henry was hauling for Harper and Haskells. Miss Mills & Miss Keary came for tea.
Tuesday 17th The boys were sawing off post logs on the hill. I was splitting palings.
Wednesday 18th I picked 1 Case of Peaches 19 Doz and took them down to the Wharf. The boys were cutting post logs. The Steamer came in the evening.
Thursday 19th I went with Walter & George Wyatt over to Pakiri to get a Ram from Henry Brown, they got one from Joe Harper in exchange for one they took over.
Henry hauled a load for Mrs D., the remainder of the day they were sawing off post logs.
Heard with regret of the death of Mrs Came of Matakana. She is to be buried tomorrow.
Friday 20th I was digging Potatoes all day. The boys were sawing post logs. Mr Handby came & took away 2 Sheep that were in here belonging to Mr Greenwood. We killed a Sheep in the evening.
Saturday 21st The boys were sawing off logs up the hill. I was digging Potatoes in the morning and doing odd jobs in the afternoon.
Mr Nelson, Walter Wyatt & James Dunning were here for tea. Willie came down from the cricket and robbed our bees in the evening.
Sunday 22nd It rained all day. There was no service. Charlie Anderson came to dinner & D. McKenzie for tea.
Monday 23rd It was a fine day. The wind has changed to SW. The boys are sawing up on the hill & I finished splitting the palings.
Tuesday 24th It was a fine day. The boys were sawing up on the hill. I was digging Potatoes
Wednesday 25th A fine day. The boys were sawing on the hill. I finished digging the Potatoes. I sowed some Cabbage Seed (Manchester Defiance). There was a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the evening to receive entries of Live Stock. After the meeting I rode over to Pakiri with Henry Brown to his place and staid all night.
Thursday 26th Henry Brown & I started very early in the morning along the beach to Te Arai while the tide was low. We had breakfast at old Mr Browns and then continued our journey to Port Albert, to the Show which is to be held there. It is 17 years since I was there so that I see a great difference in the look of the country. We got there about 11 am, and met a lot of old friends.
It was a very good Show, I had dinner down at J. Shepherds and staid for the concert in the evening. Mr Thompson M. H R was Chairman. We came as far as Mr Brown’s place that night in company with Mr Carrie and Sandy Matthew.
Friday 27th We had a look round Mr Brown’s orchard and then started for home. I went to James Bennett’s and had dinner there & tea at Mr Wittens.
Saturday 28th There was a meeting of the Show Committee in the afternoon to fix up the pens and fix the prizes.