Overview
Tues Decr 29
After breakfast Ralph took a photo (18) of Maud + I sitting on the front verandah steps, + she put me up a lunch of sandwiches - beautifully cut - to eat in the train; also a tin of Xmas cake + shortbread both her own make, for my whare UR [up river]. Both Mr. + Mrs. Herd + Ralph pressed me to stay for a few more days + were most kind. After goodbyes to all, darling Maud drove me to the station + saw me off in the Mail train, waving goodbye, my brave little girl till I was out of sight. Evidence of the long spell of dry weather was furnished by the oat crops which were being harvested though only one foot high + by the rape which was extremely short + of
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a dark blue + black colour. Viv, Miss I Bennett + Clif met me at Levin - rode home on young horse - slipped into working clothes + helped dag 'old' ewes for shearing tomorrow. Heavy shower of rain. Dulcie + Marjorie Denton arrived to spend a few days with us. Daring British raid in the strongly-fortified German harbour of Cuxhaven - British naval + air force consisting of 2 light cruisers, 8 hydroplanes + some destoyers. Two zepplins [sic] + 4 German hydroplanes + a fleet of submarines put out from Heligoland to intersept British who manouvered + dodged the submarines + bombs thrown by hydroplanes + drove the Zeppelins away with gun-fire. German harbour works damaged.