February 1908

Saturday 1st   It was a fine day.  I was digging weeds out in the orchard.  Willie was cutting tea tree on the hill behind the house cottage and I was helping him in the pm.  Mabel and Edies’ two boys were here for tea.
Willie was burning some danthonia in the front in the evening.

Sunday 2nd   It was a fine day.  Jane rode to Matakana returning home in the evening.
Willie and I did not go out anywhere.  I wrote letters to Henry,
N. Wallace and my sister Fanny which will be posted tomorrow.

Monday 3rd   It rained in the morning, but it did not last long enough to do much good.  I was straightening up the office.  Willie picked a few cases of peaches, he went down to meet the Steamer in the afternoon.

Tuesday 4th   There were a few showers.  Willie hauled the 6 Cases Fruit down to the wharf in the morning the “Daphne” & the “Kawau” both called in Willie sent his fruit by the former boat, but she got stuck while turning to go out and she did not get out until the afternoon,  Willie was expecting 100 fruit cases, but the steamer only brought the lids, these Willie hauled up also a bag of potatoes, a bag of sugar and empty egg box.
I was digging out weeds in the orchard.

Wednesday 5th   It was a showery day.  Willie was picking fruit.
I was digging out weeds in the orchard.  Jane rode to Ti Point in the pm returning in the evening.

Thursday 6th   It was a fine day.  Willie hauled 10 Cases Fruit down to the wharf in the morning, I went with him, the “Kawau“had called in here early this morning then went round to Ti Point and Top Wharf and called in here again about 11am.
Willie was expecting Cases by the “Daphne“, so he left the catamaran down below, brought the bullock home and went down again in the afternoon, but no “Daphne“.  Jane went down to the P.O and attended the Library for me.

Friday 7th   It was a fine day.  Willie was cutting tea tree on the side of the hill, he went down to the wharf in the afternoon, the “Daphne” called in and landed 100 Cases for him.  I was digging out convolvulus in the orchard,  Willie was burning grass & fern outside the orchard in the evening

Saturday 8th   It was a fine day.  Hearing that a ewe & lamb were getting in Mathesons paddock and  A. Haskells orchard, Willie took his pea rifle and shot them and we went over and skinned them and brought the meat home.  Minnie and Annie Torkington were here for lunch, afterwards they went down to witness the Tennis Match between Leigh and Dacres.  Jane, Willie and I also went, but I came home to milk the cows and I did not return.   Dacres won the match by 7 games.

Sunday 9th   It was a very hot day.  Revd Mackie (Presbyterian) held service in the Hall in the morning.  Jane and I went.  Willie walked over to Ti Point to spend the day.

Monday 10th   It was a very hot day.   In the morning Willie took the bullock down to the wharf and hauled up a load of empty fruit cases, afterwards he was picking fruit.  In the evening he was burning the grass in the front.

Tuesday 11th   It was a fine day, although the sun did not show out much.
In the morning Willie went down to the Post Office to get the mail.  Afterwards he was picking fruit and in the afternoon he hauled 12 Cases of Fruit down to the wharf which he sent away by the “Daphne“.  The “Gael” made the trip to Mangawai instead of the “Kawau” which is being repaired.  Later in the afternoon Willie was burning grass in the front.  Mrs A. Wyatt was here for dinner,  she paid the rent of the Cottage up to yesterday.

Wednesday 12th   It was a fine day.  I was digging out weeds in the orchard.  Willie hauled some fruit down to the wharf and brought up the remainder of his fruit cases.

Thursday 13th   It was a fine day.  Willie was burning in the front.
Miss Julia Rollinson came here to stay, I was not very well, so was not able to do much.

Friday 14th   It was a fine day.   Willie was burning in the front.  I was digging out weeds in the orchard in the morning, in the afternoon I went down to the Library to change my books and to straighten up.

Saturday 15th   It was a very calm day, and the atmosphere is full of smoke.
In the morning Willie rode to Ti Point to take some danthonia grass seed to Mr Torkington.  Joe returned with Willie to register the birth of their baby.  Jane & Julia Rollinson went down to Tennis in the pm and from there Julia went back to Ti Point.  Willie was tarring his boat in the afternoon .  I went down to the Library to change books for Joe and Harold.

Sunday 16th   It was a fine day, but the atmosphere very smoky, but a SW wind springing up in the afternoon cleared it away.  In the morning I rode to Ti Point to spend the day with Joe and Minnie, we went to the sand spit in the afternoon.
Jane and Willie did not go out.

Monday 17th   It was a fine day, and not quite so hot.
Willie was picking Pears all day.  I was digging out convolvulus.
Miss Bourne was here for tea.

Tuesday 18th   It was a fine day.  Willie hauled 12 Cases of Fruit down to the wharf in the morning to go by the “Daphne“.
Mrs  Geo  Wyatt and children,  Miss Medland and Mr Torkington were here for dinner.

Wednesday 19th   It was a fine day.  In the morning the wind was SE, but it veered round to the NE.
Willie and I were picking pears all day.  In the afternoon I went down to the village to get the mail which came by the “Kawau“.
Willie hauled 19 Cases Fruit down to the wharf in the evening.

Thursday 20th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Willie was painting his boat, in the afternoon he was re-thrashing danthonia in the front.  I was digging out convolvulus in the orchard.
In the evening I attended the Library.

Friday 21st   It was a fine day.  The wind is blowing from NE.  In the morning Willie picked 4 Cases Beurre Clairgeau Pears as the wind was blowing them off, afterwards he went down to the beach to finish his boat.  Hettie Wyatt was here for dinner.   I was digging out convolvulus in the orchard.

Saturday 22nd    It was a fine day.  I was doing odd jobs round the house.  Willie was re- thrashing danthonia in the barley paddock.
The Show Committee were putting up the sheep pens ready for the Show.

Sunday 23rd   It was a fine day.  Willie rode to Ti Point to spend the day.  In the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys and staid for tea.
Mr Jas Greenwood was there.

Monday 24th  It was very dull in the morning and we thought it was going to rain, but it cleared off with out any, but it was dull all day.  Willie and I were picking fruit.  In the afternoon I went down to the Library and Store.  Willie went down in the evening to get the mail.

Tuesday 25th   It was a dull day, but it did not rain.
Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf and sent it by the “Daphne” and he hauled up a Sack of Maize, box of Groceries  & empty Egg Box.
In the afternoon Mr & Mrs Jack Cruickshank & Malcolm drove over from Matakana to stay with us and to be present at the Show tomorrow.  In the evening Jack & Willie went down to the Hall to take some exhibits.

Wednesday 26th   It was a fine day, but unfortunately the wind is blowing strong from the E,  which made it rather unpleasant for the passengers coming in the “Kapanui” & the “Daphne“.  Willie & Jane put some exhibits in to the Show and they took 6 prizes between them.  Mr & Mrs Bert Skilton came up by the “Kapanui”  and came up here for lunch & tea,  Joe, Minnie,  Mr T  and the children were here for tea.  We all went to the Show in the afternoon, it was a success and much better than was expected.  There was a very good amateur Concert in the evening got up by Mrs Carr  (School Teacher).  Mr & Mrs Skilton returned to town.

Thursday 27th   Very welcome rain fell in the morning & afternoon, but not enough to sink into the soil.  Willie was sieving danthonia seed.  I went down to the Library in the evening, it was a very dark night.

Friday 28th   It was a fine day.  Jack Cruickshank borrowed Empress and rode over to Matakana leaving Mrs C  here.  Willie & I were picking Pears, and in the afternoon Willie hauled 14 Cases down to the wharf and sent them away by the “Kawau“.
Jane & Mrs C  were down to tennis and Jim Dunning came up with them and we had a game of bridge.

Saturday 29th   It was a fine day.  I was digging out weeds in the orchard, Willie was picking Pears.
Jack Cruickshank returned from Matakana in the evening.