February 1918

Friday 1st    The wind was blowing strong from the E.  The steamer should have come in the evening, but on account of the rough sea she did not come.
Willie & Dave were building the kiln.  I was working in the flower garden.

Saturday 2nd   Wind still blowing strong from the E.  No sign of the steamer.  I was working in the garden.  I took some flowers down to the Church in the afternoon.

Sunday 3rd   Wind still blowing strong from the E  &  weather threatening.  I conducted service in the Church in the afternoon.
22 present  Collection 8/- .

Monday 4th   Wind still easterly,  no steamer.
Willie & Dave set fire to the Kiln.  I cut grass on the paths, got tea tree & sawed it up for kerbing.

Tuesday 5th   Wind still easterly.  I fixed some kerbing, transplanted a pink Begonia from farm orchard also a bleeding heart.
Cut a lot of tea tree on the hill, carried some of it down & sawed it up into blocks for kerbing.

Wednesday 6th   The wind was still blowing from the E, but it has moderated a good deal.  Willie & Fave were watching the kiln burning.  I was fixing kerbing round the diamond bed  in the morning. In the afternoon I took the box of eggs down to the wharf in the sulky.  The steamer made a round trip , going into Big Omaha first, she got stuck going up to the top wharf so she did not get here, however we got the mail as John Greenwood brought the mail from Ti Point.

Thursday 7th   It was a fine day.  The wind has gone down.  The “Kawau” came in early this morning from Big Omaha.  Grace went down to get the bread and beef.
George Davey came over from Ti Point in the morning, he and Gertie came by the steamer yesterday.  Grace & I took the sulky down to the wharf in the afternoon & brought up Mrs Simpsons & Gertie’s luggage.
In the evening I went down to get the mail and attended a meeting of the Hall Committee business, to go on with fencing the horse pen and the fence round the hall.

Friday 8th   It was a fine day.  Mrs Simpson came up by the steamer,  Grace went down to the wharf to meet her.  Willie & Dave were sieving & bagging their  charcoal, it turned out 60 sacks.
George Davey,  Gertie & Flo came over here in the afternoon and staid the night.  I finished fixing the kerbing round the diamond bed, got some tea tree from the hill sawed it into blocks and sharpened them.   A. Haskell came in the afternoon for me to witness his signature.

Saturday 9th    It was rather a dull day.  George,  Gertie & Flo returned to Ti Point after breakfast.
I transported a clump of White  Capupanula, also a clump of Purple Babiand, and planted 2 clumps of Dwarf Pink Gladiolus.   In the afternoon I went down to the beach and carried 3 bags of sand over to the wharf for Dave to cart up for me,  after I came back I went up the hill and got some tea tree which I sawed up into blocks for kerbing.

Sunday 10th   It was a fine day.  Dave & I drove over to the Claim to spend the day with Jim & Jane.  We all went to church in the Claim Hall in the afternoon.  Revd  Gould officiated.  We returned to Jims for tea and then started for home,  it came on a misty rain & Jim lent me a coat.
George,  Gertie,  Harold & Flo came here to spend the day and staid the night.

Monday 11th   It rained heavily early this morning, but it turned out a fine day.  Wille & Dave set fire to the kiln.  I was working in the flower garden.  I took up and replanted a clump of Purple Babianas.  Cut grass on the paths.  There was a friendly cricket match at the Claim during the day, and Miss Bond the Leigh Carnival Queen gave an At home in the Claim Hall this evening.

Tuesday 12th   A fine day, but the wind has changed round to the east again and is blowing pretty strong.  Willie & Dave were watching their kiln.  I went down to the creek near where they are working & carried up a bag of sand, called in to the farm orchard for Tomatoes,  was fixing kerbing in the flower garden,  took up & replanted clumps of Blue Babiana & Tiger Lily.

Wednesday 13th   It was a fine day, but the wind is still blowing strong from E.   In the morning I was preparing kerbing and fixing them.  In the afternoon I took the sulky down to the wharf with a box of Eggs,  got the horse shod, the steamer was late in coming in and she had a rough trip,  I got the bread and meat & mail & carted up a bag of sugar & box of sundries.

Thursday 14th   Fine in the morning but wind still easterly.  I was making and fixing kerbing.  Blowing very strong and raining in the evening, did not go down for mail.  Willie & Dave were bagging coal.

Friday 15th   It rained nearly all day.  I did not stir out in the morning, but busied myself in making a plan & specification of gates &c for the Hall fence.  In the pm I went down for the mail that came last night, and afterwards went to A. Greenwoods.  Willie & Dave were sieving their charcoal, but on account of the rain he came home early and cut a lot of firewood.

Saturday 16th   It was a beautiful day.  The wind has changed to the SW.  I was making kerbing for the garden and fixing it.  Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home a lot of fish in the evening.

Sunday 17th   It was a fine day.  Willie, Grace & Mrs Simpson drove to Ti Point to spend the day at Harolds.  Mrs S  remained there and George & Gertie returned with them in the evening.   I attended the Methodist service in the Hall in the pm (Revd Southern)  and afterwards I walked down to Goat Island with Dave and we had tea at Alec Mathesons.

Monday 18th   It thundered,  lightened and rained early this morning, but it turned out a fine day.
Willie & Dave finished sieving & bagging their charcoal, the kiln burned out 68 bags, I was engaged all day in making kerbing and fixing it.

Tuesday 19th   It was fine in the morning, but there was a heavy showery in the afternoon.  I had intended showing a Collection of Flowers at the Show tomorrow, so I went and got some lycopodium, but I was not feeling too well so I gave up the idea.

Wednesday 20th   It was a fine day ‘tho rather dull.  The Annual Omaha and Pakiri Show was held today and proved a great success. Willie only exhibited a few vegetables and fruit, but did not get any prizes,  Grace showed a table bouquet & two gents button holes, eggs and some jam & she got a few prizes,  I showed a plate of Tomatoes & got second prize also 7 blooms of Cactus Dahlias for exhibition only.  I had tea at A. Dunnings and went to the concert which was local one.

Thursday 21st   It was a fine day.  Willie, Grace, George & Gertie went to a picnic to Ti Point, Mrs Simpson and I remaining at home.
I was making and fixing kerbing.  Charlie Wyatt came in the pm for me to witness his signature.

Saturday 23rd   It was a fine day.  There was a friendly game of cricket at the claim, George Davey played.  Willie, Grace & Gertie drove over to the dance in the evening, Mrs Simpson went as far as Flos.  I finished the kerbing up to the front gate.  Alec Haskell came in the morning to see me on business.  In the afternoon I took flowers down to the Church.

Sunday 24th   It was a dull morning, but it turned out a fine day.
I went to early Communion, there were only 3 present  Collection 2/6 .  Revd Macdonald held service in the Church in the evening, there was a good attendance .  Collection 13/7 .  Total for day 16/1 .

Monday 25th   It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing strong from the N.  Mrs Simpson & Gertie returned from Ti Point.  Willie took the sulky over to Ti Point and went fishing with George, and they both came in the evening with lots of fish.
I started to dig the piece of ground the upper side of the house.

Tuesday 26th   There was a misty rain first thing in the morning.
George, Gertie and Mrs Simpson left to day by the “Kawau” which left here at 10 am.  Willie drove the ladies & their luggage down to the wharf.  Grace & I went down to see them off.  The remainder of the day it rained steadily.  I was not able to do much out of doors.  Jim Wyatt came in the evening.

Wednesday 27th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Dave were carting wood for another kiln.  I continued digging the piece of ground the upper side of the house.  In the afternoon I went down to the beach and carried two bags of sand over to the wharf.  While I was down there I heard that there was no steamer today as she was going into dock.
In the evening there was a meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society, the debate was “Is dancing good or bad”,  the papers on both sides were good.

Thursday 28th   It was a fine day.  Willie & Dave were building their kiln.  I was digging the upper side of the house.  Revd  Gould (Presbyterian) called in the afternoon and had a look at my garden.
I went down for the mail & attended the Library in the evening.