March 1915

Monday 1st   It was a very fine day, wind SW. Charlie Dunning took me in the cream cart as far as Mathesons’,  had dinner at Jack’s and after dinner he showed me round the orchards, then walked to Williams, had a look round and tea there and then walked back to Jims where I stayed the night.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day, Left Jim’s place in the morning and walked home. Went straight down to the wharf, got the mail that came yesterday. John Wyatt came in the afternoon to fix up his Pension paper, he staid for tea.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day. I picked 9 Cases Bon Chretien Pears in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to the Steamer, Smith was carting the timber from Rokes mill Matakana for our Anglican Church, he brought the first load on Monday, this is the 3rd load.  Willie hauled the fruit down to the wharf in the evening and he brought up some sand for me.

Thursday 4th   There was pretty heavy rain last night and several showers during the day. Willie went to work but had to come home again on account of the weather.
In the morning I went down to the village to post letters, as the tide was full in I could not get any sand so brought up some gravel for the path. The remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden. In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 5th   It was a fine day. I was working in the flower garden near the front gate.  I took up 3 clumps of Daffodils and replanted them. Grace went down to Tennis in the pm and she brought the mail home with her.

Saturday 6th   It was a fine day. Willie worked half a day in the quarry and then came home, had lunch and then he & Grace went out fishing in Will Harper’s boat in this harbour.  I cut up firewood, finished digging near the front gate, took up and re-planted a clump of Yellow Polianthas Narcissus.  In the afternoon there was a tennis match on this court between Pakiri & Leigh, Leigh won.  I went down late in the afternoon, had tea with them and then attended a meeting of the executive of the Ratepayers Association.

Sunday 7th   It was a fine day. After breakfast I walked up to John Greenwoods, had dinner there and afterwards Mrs G, the twins & I walked down to Pakiri to the Anniversary of the Bible class.   Mr Webster presided and Revd Spiers prayed and gave an address. I had to come out before it was over as I was not feeling well when we got back to Mr Greenwoods.
Willie & Grace had driven up, so after tea we all drove home together, having spent a very pleasant day.

Monday 8th   It was a fine day.  I was preparing kerbing and fixing it.
I went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it over to the wharf shed and in the evening Willie hauled some fruit down to the wharf and he brought the sand up for me.

Tuesday 9th   It was a very hot day.  I planted a clump of Watsonias and Ixias in the flower garden.

Wednesday 10th   It was a very hot day.  Mrs Birdsall Senr,  Mrs John Greenwood and Twins & Annie Matheson were here for lunch.  They had a look round the garden, John G. who came down to the Steamer drove them home.  Grace went down to Tennis and Annie Matheson came up with her for tea.
Willie took 5 cases fruit & box of eggs down to the wharf in the evening.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day but not so hot as yesterday.   After breakfast I went down to the village to post some papers.  I planted some Amarylis bulbs that Mrs Williams gave me & also some Star of Bethlehem bulbs.  In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Friday 12th   There was a slight shower last night but not sufficient to do any good.  In the morning I got firewood, in the pm I went down to the village & got the mail, carried up some sand, afterwards pulled up the sweet peas and dug out the convolvulus that was growing amongst it.

Saturday 13th   It was a very fine day. After getting firewood I went over to the farm orchard to pick some beans and to do some weeding.
There was a Tennis match on this court in the afternoon between the Leigh and Dacres B teams, Grace played.  I staid at home and cooked the dinner for Willie who worked till 4 pm.  After milking he went down to the Hall to the dance and to attend a meeting of the Show Committee.

Sunday 14th   It was a very fine day. Mr A Russell (Presbyterian student) held services in this Hall morning & evening.  None of us went.  I was feeling very unwell.

Monday 15th   It was a fine day. After breakfast I went down to the Post Office to transact some business and in the afternoon I went down to meet the steamer and get the mail,  she was very late in coming in as she called at Waiwera.  Mr J. J. Woods the contractor for the new church came up and he is going to live in Ab Wyatts cottage at the corner.

Tuesday 16th   It rained a little last night but not enough to do much good.  After breakfast I went down to the village to post some letters, had a long talk with Mr Woods about the new church.  In the afternoon I got manure and took up & re-planted a clump of La Grande Monarque Narcissus.

Wednesday 17th   St Patrick’s Day.  It was misty and threatening for rain.  I planted some yellow Ixias.
In the afternoon I went down to the beach, carried some sand over to the wharf, got the mail.  The Church Committee settled the site of the church with Mr Woods.  Willie took some fruit down to the wharf in the evening and brought my sand up.  It rained in the evening and Willie got wet.

Thursday 18th   Willie did not go to work to day as he thought it was too wet so he picked & packed peas.  I planted near the front steps White Fresia and two other bulbs that Mrs Williams gave me.
In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library. There was a meeting of the Ratepayers association.

Friday 19th   There was a little last night but it was fine to day ‘tho dull.  I planted a row of Lachenalia’s  also a clump of Cream Fresias, planted out an Indian Pink & Dark Blue Forget menot.  It came on to rain in the pm and Willie came from his work before the time.

Saturday 20th   The wind which has been blowing strong from the E continued blowing from the same quarter to day and threatening for rain.
I dug over the Diamond bed preparatory to planting Daffodils.  In the afternoon I went down to the village and invited Mr Woods who is building the Church to come to dinner to morrow.
Willie & Grace drove to Ti Point in the afternoon.

Sunday 21st   It rained heavily last night and it has gone deeply in the ground. Mr Woods came up here for dinner, in the afternoon he and I went down to the Methodist service, Mr Spiers preached here for the last time.  After service Mr Woods & I took a walk up to Jim Greenwoods corner and Willie Dunning asked us up to tea and he regailed us with fruit.

Monday 22nd   It was very hot in the morning but cloudy in the afternoon.  I was planting Daffodils in the diamond bed, the ground worked nicely after Saturday nights rain.  It came on to rain at 5.45 pm and continued raining all night very heavily.

Tuesday 23rd   The ground is well saturated after the rain last night. I went down for the mail in the morning.

Wednesday 24th   It was fine in the morning. I went down to Mrs Dunnings beach to get some shell sand.  In the afternoon we all went down to the village, Willie took some fruit down to the wharf and brought the church bell up for Mr Woods, Grace drove up the hill with John Greenwood to stay a day or two there.  It came on to rain in the afternoon and rained all night.  Herbert Fordham who is up in the district seeing to his parents’ graves came to spend the evening and staid the night.  He Willie and I played Five hundred.

Thursday 25th   It was a fine day but the ground is very wet.  Herbert Fordham left our house this morning, he is going back to Auckland to day.
In the morning I went down to the village in the morning to post letters and in the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.  There was a meeting of the Hall Committee.  Willie was picking peas.  It was raining in the evening.

Friday 26th   It rained nearly all morning but cleared up in the afternoon. Johny Greenwood brought Grace home on a horse in the afternoon, he had a look the garden.

Saturday 27th   It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to post a letter and to bank some money. The remainder of the day I was planting Daffodils in the diamond bed.   Willie was picking peas.

Sunday 28th   It was a very fine day.  I walked over to Dacres Claim in the morning to attend Mr Macdonalds service.  Had dinner at Jims, Minnie also was there.   On returning home in the afternoon I called in at Mr Ashworths where I found Mr Woods.  Had tea there and Mr Woods and I walked home together and we all attended evening service.  There was a good congregation.  Collection 13/-.

Monday 29th   It was a very fine day. After breakfast I went down to the village to give Mr Macdonald a letter for Mr Goertz containing a £5 note being our Half Years Guarantee.  I also took Mr M some Daffodils.  The remainder of the morning and part of the afternoon I was planting Daffodils in the diamond bed.
At 2 pm I went down to the beach and sieved some sand and carried it across to the wharf.
Willie hauled 22 cases of fruit down to the wharf in the evening and he brought home my sand.

Tuesday 30th   It rained heavily last night and the ground was very wet this morning.  It was too wet for Willie to work at the quarry so he staid at home and picked pears.  In the afternoon he took the horse down to the wharf and hauled up 3 sacks of fowl feed.  After breakfast I took a bunch of Daffodils down to Captn  Ohlsen.  When I came back I got firewood and worked in the garden.   I finished planting Daffodils in the diamond bed, also planted 4 clumps in other places.  Minnie came in the afternoon & I gave her a lot of Daffodil bulbs.  Joe came for her in the evening.

Wednesday 31st   It was a very fine day. In the morning I sowed seeds in a box of Giant Stock & Winter or Beauty of Nice Stock, commenced to dig the piece of ground near the Lemon trees.
In the afternoon I went down to the village to consult Dr Morrison.