Wednesday 1st It was very cloudy & dull in the morning, but it turned out a fine day. We were all awoke before daylight by the “Kawau” ‘s whistle, so we all got up and Willie went down to meet Miss Lloyd & Miss Bond who came up by her for the Show & to stay with us. Jane & I were picking flowers before breakfast, Jane to make her table decoration & bouquets & I for my collection of Flowers, and directly after breakfast Willie helped me carry down my flowers and I started to put my collection out and Willie his collection of fruit &c. Every one was busy putting out their exhibits.
We came home for lunch and then all of us went down again to watch the judging outside, the horses jumping & the chopping competitions. The hall was open early and everyone flocked in to see the exhibits and to see who had got the prizes, the Show was very good and quite up to other years. We returned home for tea and then we went down to the Hall again for the Concert which was a very good one & chiefly of local talent, the others remained for the dance, but I came home & went to bed being very tired with a long day of bustle and excitement , but which I had enjoyed very much.
Thursday 2nd It was very dull and not near such a fine day as yesterday. We did not get up very early being tired after yesterdays excitement.
In the morning I went down to the village to post my Monthly returns, called in to the Hall where they were cleaning up and taking away their exhibits. In the pm I carried sand from the creek. Hettie Wyatt called here and the girls all went down to the village with her.
Friday 3rd It was a dull day, but it did not rain. In the morning I went down to the village to post the newspaper & I called at the Hall for things I had left on the Show day. Mr Piper is lowering the pitch of the organ. Grace and her two girl friends walked over to spend the day with Jane. All of us attended the choir practice in the evening, there were some showers of rain.
Saturday 4th It was a fine day. Miss Lloyd & Miss Bond are returning to Auckland to day in the “Kawau”, so we all went down to the wharf to see them off. Willie took the horse & sleigh down with 5 Cases of Fruit & their luggage.
I carried a lot of sand from Dunnings Creek & Willie hauled it up for me. In the pm I got firewood and worked in the flower garden. It came on to rain in the evening.
Sunday 5th It was a fine day. Revd Paris held service in the Hall in the pm , we all went. A quartette was sung by Mr & Mrs Ashworth, Mrs Banks & Mr Sid Rhodes. It rained in the evening.
Monday 6th There was a misty rain in the morning, but not enough to stop work. It cleared up and was very fine in the pm. I was working in the flower garden. I took up a clump of purple Tritomas & replanted them, planted some Daffodill bulbs & replanted 2 Campanula plants. Carried up sand from the creek. In the evening I went down to the village to get the mail.
Willie had 3 lots of chickens hatch today which he put with 2 hens, he made coops for them. Willie took the new Catamaran down to the store to get a bag of Flour.
Tuesday 7th It was a very fine day. Willie was packing fruit and he hauled 16 Cases of Fruit & 1 Box of Eggs down to the wharf to go away by the “Kawau“. I was working in the flower garden, I loosened round some of the bulbs that had been left in the ground, top dressed them with sifted manure & sand. I went down to the village in the pm when the “Orewa” came in. I got the mail.
Wednesday 8th It was a very fine day. Willie packed 14 Cases Fruit & hauled them down to the wharf to go by “Orewa“. We were expecting Mrs John Greenwood and Mrs Handby, but something prevented them from coming, however Mrs A. Greenwood & May Clark came in the pm and staid tea. Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning & Tillie Copelstone came to spend the evening, we played cards, Tillie staid all night. I was working in the flower garden . Carried sand from creek.
Thursday 9th It was a very fine day. Grace & Tillie went to a Picnic with the Archie Dunnings to Goat Island beach. A Sack of Maize for Willie was by mistake landed at the top wharf, Big Omaha, so Willie took the horse and catamaran over and hauled it home, in the pm he burned some grass.
Mrs Handby called in the afternoon. I was burning clay, got firewood, carried up some sand from the creek and worked in the flower garden. In the evening Willie & Grace went down to Archie Dunnings.
Friday 10th It was a fine day. I was getting firewood, carried up sand from the creek. Jane came in before we had breakfast, she staid here a while and then went down to Mrs Archie Dunnings where Tillie is staying. Willie was burning grass. In the afternoon Grace & I went down to see Tillie off by the “Kawau“, carried up a bag of sand, returned home for tea and then went down to the village again to get the mail, attend the Library and attend the choir practice.
Saturday 11th It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing in from E.
Soon after breakfast I got the horse and rode to the Claim to witness a Cricket Match on the Domain between Omaha & Matakana. I put the horse in Jims place and then went to watch the match, Matakana went in first and were disposed of before lunch for 28 runs, Omaha then went in and made 89 runs. Matakana in their 2nd innings only made thus Omaha won in one innings with a three point win, however, as it was early, Omaha went in again and made over 100 in a very short time. I had lunch with Minnie & Mr Torkington and tea in the Hall & I staid the evening and was playing Euchre with Mr J. Darroch & Arthur & Herbert Smith. Went home with Jim & Jame & staid all night.
Sunday 12th It was a fine day. Johny & Madeline drove from Pakiri to spend the day with Jim & Jane. I returned home in the evening arriving there about 7.15 pm. Willie & Grace were up at Wilson Knaggs spending the afternoon.
Monday 13th It was a very hot day. In the morning Willie was spraying the pear trees in the orchard. In the pm he was packing fruit to send away tomorrow. In the morning I got wood and was doing a little in the flower garden, in the pm I went down to the village to meet the steamer and to get the mail, carried up some sand also carried up sand from the creek.
Tuesday 14th It was a fine day. After breakfast Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf, I went down and sieved a lot of sand & Willie hauled it home for me.. I took up a clump of pink Gladiolus and replanted them, dug up where they came out preparing it for Sweet Peas.
Mr & Mrs Teale held an At Home at their camp at the Claim in the afternoon, I rode over, there were 10 ladies present , I was the only gent. After I came home I carried up some sand from the creek.
Willie was digging a well the top side of our old well.
Wednesday 15th It was a fine day, but there was a misty rain here in the afternoon. The Northern Company made an Excursion to Kawau by the S.S. “Kawau” leaving top wharf at 7.30 & this wharf at 9 am. Willie & Grace went, 85 adults went at 2/- each return , Children free. They arrived back here about 6 pm having enjoyed a very pleasant day. I staid at home and did a lot of odd jobs, carried up sand from the creek.
Thursday 16th It was a very fine day. In the morning and part of the afternoon I was helping Willie dig the well, after that I went down to the village to get the mail which came by the “Kawau”.
Friday 17th St Patricks Day. It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some gravel, after I returned home I was helping Willie dig the well, he could not deepen it much as the water was coming in so fast.
Got firewood in the afternoon. In the evening I went down for the mail. No one wanted to change their books . Revd O. Blundell held a service in the Hall in pravuration [sic] for Communion on Sunday.
Saturday 18th It commenced to rain at 4.30 this morning and continued until 7 am after which there were a few showers, but eventually turned out a very fine day. After breakfast I walked over to the Claim to witness a Cricket Match which is the last Cup match of the season between Port Albert and Omaha Clubs, these Clubs having won the greatest number of points, viz Port Albert 9 and Omaha 12. Port Albert went to the wickets first and made 24 runs, Omaha followed with 49 runs. Port Albert second innings made 79, thus leaving Omaha 55 to win, after Omaha had made 57 runs she closed her innings having made a 3 point win.
I had lunch with Minnie & children & Mr Torkington & tea in the Hall. Willie & Grace had come over in the pm bringing the horse with them & I rode home after tea, they staid for the dance.
Sunday 19th It was a fine day. Revd O. Blundell (Presbyterian) held service and communion in the Hall this morning, I went and there was a very large congregation, and a great many took the Communion. In the afternoon I went to Joe Wyatts and staid tea. Mrs Handby was also there. Willie & Grace did not go out anywhere.
Monday 20th It was a fine day. In the morning I was digging in the flower garden. Willie was picking fruit. In the afternoon I rode over to the Claim, called at Mr Whitakers where I had tea, while I was there it came on a steady rain, they lent me a coat & I rode on the Jim’s place where I staid all night, it kept on raining until about 8 pm when it cleared up and the sky was very clear.
Revd Teale was to have given a Lantern Lecture on “Early Christianity in England” in the Claim Hall in the evening, but on account of the weather it did not come off.
Tuesday 21st There were a few showers during the day. I left Jims after breakfast and arrived home at 9 am. Willie was picking and nailing down the fruit & then he hauled them down to the wharf.
Mrs John Greenwood & Mrs Handby came to spend the day & I showed them round the garden.
I was digging in the flower garden & I planted a clump of Daffodil, also carried up sand from the creek.
Wednesday 22nd There were a few showers in the morning and it came on a steady rain in the afternoon which continued all evening. Willie was taking out the bricks round the old well, but was knocked off by the rain. In the morning I was working in the flower garden, I planted 2 clumps of Daffodils & 2 bulbs of “Star of Bethlehem” that Mrs Ashworth gave me. In the afternoon I went down to the village to post a letter and to get a receipt for the fruit that Willie is shipping by the “Orewa” to day. I got very wet and had to change everything when I got home.
Thursday 23rd It was raining nearly all last night and it was raining when we got up this morning and was raining on and off all day with the exception of about 1½ hours in the afternoon. I was not able to do anything out of doors, wrote a letter to Alan Wallace and to my son Jack.
Friday 24th It was a fine day, and the rain seems to have penetrated into the ground and done a great deal of good. After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, carried up some sand, afterwards I was digging in the flower garden , getting firewood and carried up sand from the creek. Willie was filling in the old well.
In the evening all of us went down to the choir practice., they started to practice the service of song, “The Roll Call”. I got the mail and attended the Library.
Saturday 25th It was a beautiful day. Willie went fishing and caught 40 schnappers and he brought home as many as he could carry.
I was working in the flower garden all day. I planted 3 clumps of Daffodils, 1 of Fresias, 1 of Ranunculus and also planted a row of Sweet Peas. Carried up some sand from the creek.
Sunday 26th It was a fine day. After breakfast I rode over to the Claim to morning service conducted by Revd K. Teale, the congregation was not large. Mr & Mrs Jno Greenwood had driven over, 9 staid for Communion. I had dinner with Jim & Jane and afterwards rode back to Omaha for afternoon service, Mr & Mrs Greenwood were also present, the congregation was good and the Collection 11/2. After service Willie & Grace went to Mr Ashworths. I returned home.
Monday 27th It was a very fine day. I got firewood, was working in the flower garden. I took up some Gladiolus bulbs from the diamond bed. In the pm I went down to get the mail, carried up some sand, also carried up sand from the creek.
Willie rode to Ti Point in the evening.
Tuesday 28th It rained a little in the morning when we got up, but afterwards it cleared up and turned out a hot day. Willie went down to the village before breakfast to post some letters, I milked the cows. During the day Willie was picking fruit and he hauled it down to the wharf in the evening and he brought me up a bag of sand.
I was working in the flower garden . I took up a clump of “Ixias” and a clump of “Gladiolus Rubrum” and replanted them in a different place.
Wednesday 29th It rained a little last night, but it was a very fine day. In the morning Willie took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up some new milk dishes & a box of groceries, in the pm he was thrashing danthonia a second time. I got firewood in the morning, I burned a lot of clay worked in the flower garden, carried up sand from the creek.
Thursday 30th It was a fine day. Willie was thrashing danthonia a second time in the barley paddock. In the morning I chopped firewood, cut a lot grass on the path in the garden. In the pm I went down to get the mail. I received the Bulbs I ordered from Gibbons of Wellington.
Friday 31st It was a fine day, but the wind is blowing very strong from NE. In the morning I planted 2 Clumps of Tulips in the long bed and 1 clump of Ranunculus at the top of the diamond bed. Willie went down to the village after breakfast to post some letters, after he came back we emptied the top well and carried up the bricks that came out of the old well to the new well, and in the afternoon he commenced to brick round the new well, I helped him by pulling up the earth & water and lowering down bricks.
Grace went down to old Mrs Mathesons in the afternoon, and from there went to choir practice, Willie went down in the evening and looked after the Library for me.