Tuesday 1st Willie went to the quarry in the morning, but it looked threatening for rain so he came home again and was rooting out old peach trees in the orchard.
The weather cleared up and we had no rain, I got firewood and did odd jobs.
Wednesday 2nd The “Kawau” left Auckland last night at midnight, went into Big Omaha first and did not arrive here much before noon, she left again to day making a round trip. I went down & got the mail.
Thursday 3rd It was a fine day. In the afternoon I walked to the Claim. Staid the night at Jim’s, Jane and the children only returned from Auckland yesterday morning, having been away a fortnight. King George’s birthday.
Friday 4th I returned home in the morning called at the Leigh post office for my mail, but someone had taken it last night. In the afternoon I went in search of our mail, met May Dunning bringing it up, went to the Library to give her a book.
Saturday 5th I got a lot of firewood. Mr Woods came in the evening & staid the night, we played Five Hundred.
Sunday 6th It was a fine day. Mr Woods and I walked up to Jno Greenwoods to spend the day. Mr & Mrs Glass were also there, we had quite a musical entertainment with Mr G on the piano, Mrs G the mandoline & Mr Woods the bassoon. We spent a very pleasant day, arrived home just before dark. Willie & Grace had driven to Ti Point to Harold Torkingtons.
Monday 7th Dull day, slight showers. I went to Willie Dunnings and also to the Post Office. This was the last day that Willie worked at the quarry.
Tuesday 8th It was a fine day. I went down to the village in the morning to get the mail.
Willie was working over in the farm orchard preparing places for Lemon trees.
Wednesday 9th It was a fine day. The Steamer made a round trip calling here first, I went down for the mail. Willie was working in the farm orchard and I went over there & commenced digging.
Thursday 10th It was a fine day. willie was digging in the farm orchard and I was also digging there.
In the evening I went down for the mail. Attended the Library, also a meeting of The Ratepayer’s Association.
Friday 11th It was fine but dull. In the morning Willie & I got firewood and then went over to the farm orchard and dug until dinner time. In the afternoon I took some flowers down for Elsie Dunning to make butter holes. Then went down to the steamer, the timber and wire for the Church fence came up. There was a Concert and gift auction in the Hall in the evening in aid of the Hospital Ship for the wounded N. Z soldiers. Willie & Grace went, but I am afraid it will be a frost as it came on a steady rain. I heard afterwards that it was a great success. A good number were present and that the total proceeds amounted to over £54.
Saturday 12th None of us were up very early this morning. Willie went fishing to Ti Point and brought home several large schnappers.
I went down to the village in the afternoon. Mr Woods came in the evening and staid all night, we played Five Hundred.
Sunday 13th It was a fine day. Mr Woods & I walked over to the Claim in the morning, we had dinner with Jim and Jane and then went across the beach to Ti Point, called in at Joe’s but did not stay long, but got home before dark. Mr Woods had tea at our place and staid the night.
Monday 14th It rained heavily last night, and was very showery to day. Mr D. Darroch came in the morning and staid for dinner.
Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th, Friday 18th
The above were all showery days. I was not able to do much out of doors except to get firewood. I went down to the village to get the mail. On Friday it was a very wet day but cleared up in the evening. In the evening there was a dance & rifle shooting in the Hall to augment the fund for the Hospital Ship, but none of us went.
Saturday 19th It was a showery day. In the morning I went down to the village to get the mail. There was a parcel of new books came by the Steamer last night for the Library, so I went down to the wharf & carried them up to the Library & catalogued them.
Sunday 20th It was bright in the morning but it clouded over and there were a few light showers. In the morning I went to enquire after Willie Dunning who I had heard had been laid up with pleurisy. I found him up but far from well, had dinner there and afterwards had a look around the orchard.
In the evening we all went down to the hall for evening service. Revd R. A. Macdonald officiated. Congregation 28. Collection 9/-
Monday 21st It was a showery day. After breakfast I went down to the village to see Mr Macdonald before he went away, had a look in at the church.
After I came home I went up on the hill to get some wood, when I was trying to get the sack of wood on my back I strained my back and had to come home and lie down.
From Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th I was in bed with my back, getting up perhaps for a little while every evening. On Friday 25th Mrs Harper & John Wyatt came on business and Jane came to see how I was. On Saturday 26th Mrs Gravatt and her girls called in the afternoon.
Sunday 27th The morning was fine but showery in the afternoon.
Mr Woods came to spend the day and he staid the night.
Monday 28th The morning was very fine. Mrs Handby came for lunch. Arthur Torkington also came.
Flo’ came in the afternoon and staid the night.
Tuesday 29th The wind has got round to the SW and there is an improvement in the weather, there were two showers in the morning, the remainder of the day was fine.
In the morning I was feeling better so I went down to the village to get the mail, and also to the flat to witness the signature of Peter Louis’ housekeeper.
I heard in the evening that Angus Matheson, Alec Mathesons eldest son had died at 1 pm to day in a Wellington Hospital, he was in training in Trentham Camp for the expeditionary force. Also that Jack Birdsall had died in Malta Hospital from wounds received in the Dardenells. I feel much sympathy with the parents of both these young [men].
Wednesday 30th There were a few slight showers, otherwise it was a fine day. The examination for the Sunday School Union was held in the Hall in the afternoon. Grace went down to superintend it.
I went down to the village in the afternoon. Joe brought Minnie & Ernest over to stay with me while Willie & Grace are in Auckland as they are going tomorrow morning.
Len Wyatt came in the evening to see if we could get a military funeral for Angus Matheson.