September 1912

Sunday 1st   It was fine in the morning, but there were several showers during the day.  Revd  O. Blundell (Presbyterian) held service in the morning, there was a good congregation, Grace and I & attended, Mrs John & Dolly Greenwood came up here for dinner.
The “Kawau” came in from Mangawai about noon, but she brought no meat.

Monday 2nd   It was a beautiful day.  Willie was doing odd jobs & digging in the pigs paddock.  I fixed the joists of the summer house and in the afternoon Willie helped me fix the rafters temporily.
Jim called in the middle of the day & he took some strawberry plants home.

Tuesday 3rd  I had intended going to Auckland today, but when we got up a gale was blowing from NE and there was a big sea outside, and after breakfast it commenced a steady rain which lasted all morning, it held up for awhile in the afternoon but came on again in the evening.
I was planing rafters in the store.  Willie shot 2 wekas in the afternoon.

Wednesday 4th   It was a fine day, wind round to NW.  I embarked on board the “Kawau” this afternoon at 2.30 and arrived at Auckland before 7.30,  caught the 7.30 boat for Devonport, was met by Mr Wallace  on the Devonport wharf,  we took a wagonette up to the house where I received a hearty welcome.  It rained pretty heavily after I got in.

Thursday 5th   Very showery in the morning, but finer in the afternoon.  In the morning I went across to Auckland, first went to the Kauri Timber Co and paid the Act for the timber for the summer house, next went to John Burns & Co and ordered  ironmorgery
[sic: ironmongery]  , tools &c and then went up to Newton to Clarke Bros and ordered some oil cloth & a chair,  Fred & I went and had dinner at Walter Buchan  afterwards I went to the Albert Park to look at the gardens and then I went to the Daffodil Show which was held in the Town Hall,  the exhibits were beautiful.  Returned to Devonport in the evening.

Friday 6th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I did not feel at all well so did not go across to Auckland,  took a walk along the Albert Road to look at the gardens also visited the gas works and Mr Wallace showed me round.  In the afternoon I went across to Auckland, went to see that the goods were shipped by the “Kawau”.  Met Mr & Mrs Frearson who were returning to Omaha, Walter has bought a place at Henderson.
Returned to Devonport in the evening.

Saturday 7th   It was a fine day.  In the morning went across to Auckland, went up to Ponsonby to get some shoes at T.  Clarks – then went to Gallaughers to order some crockery for Jane, then did a lot of shopping and returned to Devonport for lunch, there were two football matches in the Domain which attracted a lot of people.
In the afternoon I went to see Mrs Le Roy down Calliope Road in Stanley Bay, had a look round their place and had afternoon tea, then went across to Auckland and took the Mount Eden car to visit Mr A. E. Grindrod who has a beautiful place at Woodside Road,  he showed me his Daffodils of which he has a great variety,  I took a car back to Symond’s Street then to Newmarket and then to Clonburn Road Remuera and walked to Atarangi Road,  Mrs Simpson was not at home so I went to Mr Newson where I found Mrs Simpson having tea & joined them, returned with Mrs Simpson and staid there all night.

Sunday 8th   It was a fine day.  In the morning Fred & I walked to the Ellerslie Gardens but there were not many flowers in bloom, then we went to F. A. Greens Lilydale Nursery in Campbell Road and Fred ordered some trees, returned to Mrs Simpsons for dinner, Nell Pearson was there.  After dinner I took the car back to Auckland and at the ferry wharf I met Mr Wallace & his sister Mrs Gibson who also had been out in Remuera district, we went across to Devonport in the same boat.  In the evening Mr Wallace & I attended the Presbyterian Church, Revd Ivo Bertrum preached, he has just returned from a visit to Scotland.

Monday 9th   It was a fine day, wind from the west.  I got up early and left the Wallaces having spent a very happy time.  Caught the 7.25 am boat to Auckland, took my luggage to the “Kawau” and then went up Queen St to make purchases & to collect my parcels, left at 10 am and arrived at Omaha soon after 3 pm after a very calm and pleasant passage.  Willie was down to meet me with horse and sleigh.  Soon after we got home Jim called for the things I got in Auckland for them.

Tuesday 10th   It was a showery day.  Willie was digging in the pigs paddock.  I finished fitting the rafters to the summer house.

Wednesday 11th   It was a fine day wind SW.  I put up the frame of the summer house, in the afternoon went down to meet the Steamer & got the mail.  Willie was digging & he took 2 boxes of Eggs down to the wharf.

Thursday 12th   A very showery day, not quite so bad in the afternoon.
Willie was working (digging) the lower side of the house.  I was working at the summer house, I started putting down the floor.

Friday 13th   The second anniversary of Willie & Graces wedding day.   There were a few showers during the day .  Willie was digging below the house, I was putting down the floor boards in the summer house.  In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library.

Saturday 14th   A very showery day.  I finished putting the floorboards down of the summer house first thing in the morning afterwards I went down to the wharf to get the meat.  Flo & Dorothy came here and staid dinner.
Willie finished digging the piece of ground below the house.

Sunday 15th   It was a very fine day.  Wind from the W.   Willie & Grace walked over to Ti Point to spend the day with Harold & Flo’.
It was the Bible class anniversary today.  I went down to the Hall in the morning to be present, Mrs Rennie & Mrs Wilson Knaggs sang solos beautifully.  I returned home for dinner and in the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys, staid for tea, Mr James Greenwood was there, I came home with him to get a photograph that Joe Greenwood sent me of his orchard.

Monday 16th   It was a very fine day, the wind was NW when we got up but veered more round to the W.
I fixed some boards on to the sides of the summer house, and in the afternoon Willie helped me fix the rafters.  In the other part of the day Willie was digging just below the house.

Tuesday 17th   It was a very fine day.  Wind blowing strong from the W which is drying up the ground nicely.
I was working at the summer house, I fixed all the boards at the backs, I painted the pinnicle and the tops of the rafters and underneath where some of the battens will be fixed.
Willie finished digging the piece of ground just below the house and commenced digging the piece where most of the diamond plums are planted.

Wednesday 18th   It was a very fine day.  I was working at the summer house making battens, planing the edges, nailing them over the joints of the up and down boards and painting them.  Willie was digging round the Diamond plum trees, and late in the afternoon he took a box of Eggs down to the wharf and hauled up a Sk Wheat,  do Maize,  100lbs Flour,  box of Groceries  and two empty Eggs boxes.

Thursday 19th   It was a fine day but it came over dull in the afternoon and threatening for rain, but we got none to speak of until the  evening.
I was working at the summer house, finished putting on the battens and painting them.
Willie finished digging round the young Diamond plum trees.

Friday 20th   It was a very stormy night with gales of wind from NW & rain, and it was showery today.  Willie regrafted 5 large Apple trees with Commerce.  I was working at the summer house.  I was preparing and fixing battens & painting them.   In the evening I went down for the mail and attended the Library, there was a dance in the Hall, but none of us attended.

Saturday 21st   Showery day, wind blowing strong from W.
I was working at the summer house.  I fixed battens on the boards underneath the windows and painted them, also fixed two door posts in the front.
Willie sowed a lot of Small Seeds in shallow boxes raised from the ground.  In the evening Willie went down for the meat and later on he went down again to a meeting in the Library.

Sunday 22nd   It was a very showery day.  Revd Macdonald held service in the Hall in the afternoon, there was only a small congregation, all of us attended.  Collection 6/8.

Monday 23rd   It was a very showery day.  I commenced putting the boards on the roof of the summer house.
Willie was making a ladder, the sides of Kaihakatea saplings and the rungs of red tea trees.

Tuesday 24th   A very showery day.  Willie went down to the store in the morning,  after he came back he commenced to make a wind mill.
I was putting roof boards on the summer house.

Wednesday 25th   A very showery day and squalls of wind from
the W.   I was putting roof boards on the summer house.  Willie was working at the summer windmill, In the evening he hauled a box of Eggs to the wharf.

Thursday 26th   It was a very fine day, but the wind is blowing very strong from the west.
I put malthoid on two sides of the roof of the  summer house and boarded some of the roof.
Willie was working at the wind mill.

Friday 27th   It was a windy day, but we did not get any showers until late in the pm when we had a very heavy one.
I was putting the boards and malthoid on to the roof of the summer house.
Willie was working at his windmill and got it to go.
Revd O. Blundell (Presbyterian) called in the afternoon and staid tea,  I went down with him to the Hall in the evening, he had a preparatory service for the communion on Sunday,  I attended the Library.

Saturday 28th   It was a very showery and wind squalls.
I finished putting the malthoid on the roof of the summer house.
Alec Haskell came in the morning to get his son Willie’s birth certificate.
Willie went down to the steamer to get the meat , and was working at his wind mill.

Sunday 29th  It was very showery in the morning,  but in the afternoon there was only one slight shower.  The wind has gone round to SW.  Revd O. Blundell held service in the Hall in the morning, I attended.  On account of the weather there was only a small attendance,  In the afternoon I went over to Joe Wyatts and staid tea.  I found that Joe had gone to Te Ahroa and Albert was in bed with a bad cold.  I heard while there that Mrs Dick Knaggs had passed away in Auckland last Saturday, it seems so dreadful coming only three months after the death of her sister in law Mrs Duncan Knaggs.
Willie & Grace spent the pm at Charlie Wyatts.

Monday 30th   It was a beautiful day.  The wind is nearly S.  I finished tacking the malthoid on the eve of the summer house, primed the boards on the side and painted the pinnicle.  Loosened up the soil round the Roses & Pansies opposite the summer house.
In the pm I went to Mrs Dunning Senr to witness her signature to her pension paper, carried up some shell sand from her beach and also some pieces of wood I picked up on the beach.
Willie was working at his windmill.