May 1928

Tuesday 1   It was a fine day.  The rain has gone deeply into the ground.  I fixed up the garden gate, and cleaned out the shed.  Hector was working at Birdsalls.  Jim went to a church meeting at Warkworth in the evening in Charlie Whitaker’s car.

Wednesday 2nd   With the exception of a few slight showers the weather was fine.  Charlie & Laddie Whitaker were here for lunch and afterwards they and Jim went out shooting, but they did not get a pheasant.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.

Thursday 3rd   It was a fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.  The ground was too wet to do any work in the garden, so I carried manure up.  There was a maori entertainment of songs and dances at Matakana in the evening.  Jim, Jane and the children went, I staid at home.

Friday 4th    It was a fine day.  Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I went to Pats to change my books.  I posted to day a Weekly News to Elliot Clarke and a letter to Raymond.

Saturday 5th   The 65th Anniversary of my leaving  England.  It was fine in the morning, but slight showers in the afternoon and evening.  I finished sowing Onions on the 1st bed  43 rows.

Sunday 6th   It rained all day.  Revd Yule held service in the morning.  Jim and Hector were the only ones from this house that went,  Mrs Evans played for the singing, only 13 attended.

Monday 7th   The ground was very wet after all the rain we had yesterday so I was not able to do anything in the garden.  Holidays at the school, so Mildred was home.

Tuesday 8th   It was a fine day.  Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I took the sticks out of the Lima beams got some flax and tied them up in bundles.

Wednesday 9th   It was a very fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls,  Jane, Mildred and I went with Pat in the lorry to the bridge and then we walked,  Jane & Mildred went to Wallaces at Big Omaha and I went to call on Mrs Walden Senr, she gave me morning tea, I also called on Mrs Jack Walden and then went to Birdsalls where I had dinner.  Called at Whitakers in the afternoon, had a long chat with Mr W.

Thursday 10th   It was very fine in the morning, there were a few slight showers in the afternoon.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I started to trench the piece of ground between the tomatoes and the Lima beans.

Friday 11th   It was a very fine day.  I went down to Pats to change a book.    Hector was working at Birdsalls.  I finished trenching the piece of ground I started yesterday.

Saturday 12th   It was a fine day.  I took out the sticks of the scarlet runner beans.  There was a hockey match at the domain  Warkworth V  Omaha.  The former won 2 goals to 1.
Joe & Minnie came to spend the day , they went with us to the match and then returned with us for tea.  We played 500.

Sunday 13th   A very dull day.  Showers in the pm and heavy rain in the evening, Hector went to Ti Point to spend the day.

Monday 14th   It was a fine day, but after the rain we had last night the ground was too wet to do anything in the garden, so I shelled beans,    Hector was working at Birdsalls.

Tuesday 15th   It was a fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I commenced to trench the piece of ground that was in scarlet runner beans.  I went down to Pats in the late afternoon and Mr Hargraves the Leigh Post Master brought me £20 out of my bank account.

Wednesday 16th   It was a fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I finished trenching the piece of ground I started yesterday.

Thursday 17th    It was a fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.
I planted 9 Onions for seed.  Also sowed 5 rows of Giant Rocca Onions.

Friday 18th   We had heavy rain last night, so I was not able to do anything in the garden.  Went to get some flax & made a garden line.

Saturday 19th   Rain fell last night, but it was fine today.  There was a hockey match in the domain Omaha  V  Kaipara Flats, which resulted in a draw, 3 goals each.  Several came with the visitors.

Sunday 20th   There was a shower in the morning, but the remainder of the day was fine.  The Revd G. H. Marr the newly appointed Methodist Minister held his first service here in the morning and made a very favourable impression, unfortunately I have got so deaf, I could not hear him.  Jean who has been helping Dolly for the last 3 weeks returned home this afternoon.  Eddie Wyatt and Ivy called in the afternoon.

Monday 21st   It was a very fine day.  I posted a letter to Henry.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.  Jim was working with Harry Ashton.  I sowed 20 rows of Brown Spanish Onions.

Tuesday 22nd   It was a fine day.   Hector was working at Birdsalls.
Jim was helping Harry Ashton.  I plaited a small flax garden line.  Planted 14 Cauliflowers .  Wrote a letter to Mr Bromley.

Wednesday 23rd   It was a fine day.    Hector was working at Birdsalls.   I sowed Cabbage Seed.  Mrs Stewart came in the service car and had lunch here, Mr Stewart walked here after school.  There was Community Singing in the hall, all from this house went except me, a big crowd attended.  The proceeds £5 . 12 . 0  was given to the Domain Board.

Thursday 24th   Empire Day.  Weather fine.  I dug one of my flower borders, also a large strip near the strawberries, butter beans & cabbages.

Friday 25th   It rained in the morning, but cleared up afterwards, but was dull disagreeable day , slight showers in the afternoon.  Jim and Jane went with Laddie Whitaker to the Presbyterian Bazaar at Warkworth.  Hector helped a carpenter erect a garage down at Pats.  I put garden seeds away in bags.

Saturday 26th   It rained nearly all day.  There was a hockey match in the domain.  Omaha  V  Dome Valley.  The latter won.

Sunday 27th   It was a very wet stormy day, it rained without stopping all day.  Revd Hart was planned to have service at Leigh at 9 am and here at 11 am.  But on account of the weather I don’t suppose he would come, but none of us moved out.

Monday 28th   It was a very fine day, but the ground was so wet after all the rain yesterday, I was not able to do any thing in the garden.
Hector was helping a carpenter erect a garage down at Pats to put Mr Walden’s lorry in.  I went down to Pats to change my library books.  By the evening’s mail I received two letters from two old friends whom I had not seen for years, viz Sydney Anderson of Taradale Hawkes Bay and Joe Anderson of Te Kapuru, Northern Wairoa.  These are the sons of one of the first settlers at Leigh

Tuesday 29th   It was a wet day.  I wrote a long letter to Joe Anderson.

Wednesday 30th   Ground too wet to do anything in the garden. Wrote a letter to Sydney Anderson.  Jane rode to Wallaces to spend the day.

Thursday 31st   It was a fine day

The rainfall for May as recorded at P.O Warkworth,  10.2 inches, as against 7.68 inches for May last year.  Heavy falls occurred on May 6th  2.65 inches,  15th 2.60 inches,  26th 1.95 inches and 27th  1. 27 inches.