February 1926

Monday 1st   It was a fine day.  In the morning George Davey brought his mother (Mrs Simpson) in a boat from Ti Point where she has been staying with her daughter (Mrs H. Torkington).  George had to go back as the tide was going out, but Mrs S came here on a visit. The children returned to school today after the Xmas holidays.
I took up the sweet peas and dug the ground, also between the strawberries.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day.  Alma W came to spend the day.
Old Mr Wilson came to get my signature, he staid for lunch.

Wednesday 3rd   Windy and slight showers.  I went down to Pat’s to get the meat for Jane, Bob Wyatt has got a new lorry.  I took down a couple of cabbages for Pat to take to his mother.  While waiting for the butcher I weeded between the tomatoes for Dolly.
Heard that Reg Gravatts baby had died this morning, they were staying at Leigh.

Thursday 4th   A few slight showers, otherwise fine.  A party of Rodney County Councillers passed through the district in a car to view the county roads.

Friday 5th   It was a fine day.  Mr Perks (hawker) brought his drapery goods here for sale, Dolly came up here to see them, she and Jane made purchases.  Dolly staid for lunch and came to see my garden.

Saturday 6th   It thundered, lightened, blew a hurricane and rained last night, and there were several showers, and strong winds during the day, the winds caused havoc to my climbing beans, they were knocked about terribly.
Terrible weather for the Warkworth show,  Ernie Clark was taking passengers in his lorry to it, so no road metal was carted to day, therefore Jim was home, and he went to the store and carted firewood.

Sunday 7th   It was a fine day, but very windy.  There was no service in this hall to day, so I spent a quiet day reading.  In the evening I took a book down to Pats.  Mrs Handby is staying there.

Monday 8th   It was a fine day, but very windy.  Mrs Simpson and Jane went in the cream cart to Laurence Whitakers, Mrs Simpson was staying there a few days and she is going back to Auckland.  I went to the cemetery and got some bean sticks to prop the Homestead beans up that are blown over by the wind.

Tuesday 9th   It was a fine day.  Not quite so much wind as yesterday. In the morning I went up to the cemetery and got some more bean sticks, and finished straitening up the beans that were blown over. In the afternoon I sowed in boxes Cauliflower and Vanguard Cabbage seed.

Wednesday 10th   It was a fine day.  I wrote a letter to Mr Wallace, also sent him 2 Rodney Times.  I took up the Shalotts, also took out the sticks of the Sutton’s Peerless Peas.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day, but windy.  I planted out 11 Vanguard Cabbages.  I heard in the evening that George Harris of Pakiri had died at 3 oclock this morning.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day, but blowing again.  In the morning I planted a double row of Homestead Beans.  In the afternoon I went up to the cemetery and cut 75 bean sticks.

Saturday 13th   It was a fine day and not quite so windy as it has been lately.  The Waiwera Show to day. George Harris was buried in the Pah Cemetery this afternoon.  Revd Parsons and Thornley conducted the service.  I went up to the cemetery and cut some more bean sticks,  carried home 42 and pointed them.

Sunday 14th   It was a fine day, but windy.  Revd Rouprecht held service in the hall in the morning , Jane the children and I went.
Eddie Wyatt went with his lorry to Laurence Whitakers in the afternoon , he had with him Ivy, their 4 boys, Charlina and Maggie – the latter came up here to see us , Willie Dunning and Annie also called, they had a look at my garden and Jane gave them afternoon tea.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day.  I went up to the cemetery and cut some bean sticks for Dolly , carried those that I had cut for myself home.

Tuesday 16th   It was a fine day.  I cut some more bean sticks for Dolly on the road side.

Wednesday 17th   It was a fine day.  Mrs Dunning Senr and Charlina called in the morning and staid for lunch, in the afternoon Jane went with them to the store.  I wrote a letter to my son Jack, a report for the Rodney Times, also addressed a Weekly News to my sister in law in England.  These will be posted tomorrow.

Thursday 18th   It was a fine day.   I went up to the cemetery and got a few more bean sticks, carried home some peaches from Dollys for bottling.  I made a hen coop.  Jim was not working on the road to day so he got a lot of firewood.

Friday 19th   It was a fine day, nothing much doing.

Saturday 20th   It was a fine day.  In the afternoon I got some flax and tied up in bundles the pea sticks at Dollys .  Mabel and Mrs Handby came in the pm, had a look at my garden, Jane gave them pm tea.

Sunday 21st   It was a fine day.  Mr Milligan held service in the hall in the morning.  There were present 2 men, 3 ladies, 6 children , Jim & Jane did not go.  In the afternoon I went round to Whitakers ,  Alma and Laurence were spending the day there.

Monday 22nd   It was a fine day.  I was peeling apples for Jane to bottle.  Wrote a letter to Willie.

Tuesday 23rd   It was a fine day.  I took up the Dwarf Pink Gladioli bulbs,  all cut all the weeds in the flower garden.  Minnie & Jack came to bring us some smoked fish , they staid for tea.

Wednesday 24th   It was a fine day.  After breakfast I went down to Pats to send by him some Beet & Cucumbers to his mother.  I put sticks to the Homestead Beans which were planted on the 12th of this month.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day.  We got a surprise, who should walk in but Willie & Grace,  Laurence & Alma brought them over in a cart,   W & G came on Tuesday by train to Kaipara Flats and by car to Laurences place at Big Omaha,  all of them staid for lunch and afterwards they went up to see my garden.

Friday 26th   It was a very fine calm day.  I hope it will be as fine tomorrow for the Omaha Show.  Jim drove Willie and Grace to H. Torkingtons at Ti Point.  We were getting exhibits ready for the show.  Jim took the exhibits over to Leigh in the evening.

Saturday 27th   Not a very nice day.  Misty rain in the early morning, cleared up later on and was very nice and warm in the afternoon , but showery in the evening.
The Annual Omaha and Pakiri Show was held at Leigh.  Alf Dunning came and took Jim, Jane & Children in his car over to the Show.  Harry Ashton took Mrs Handby, Dolly & me over.  There must have [been]  50 cars bringing visitors.  I met a lot of old friends.  Returned home early for tea.  Jim & Jane staid for the dance.

Sunday 28th   Heavy rain in the morning.  Cleared up in the pm.  Revd Parsons came to hold service, no one turned up so he went away,  I went tPats in the pm to change my books.