Dear Beryl, Well, I am pleased to see this one come through. Two more to come yet.... Hope they arrive eventually... For now Thelma Continuing with the Diary of Augustus Bostock of Grasmere. OCTOBER 1862 Wed 1 - EDDINGTONS ? left for home. HILL (Mr.) put up oven. Thu 2 - FRED ARNEL commenced shearing LEICESTERS. Drew wethers from middle paddock and put in front paddock. Took two cows and calves and young steer from front paddock to PURNIM. JAMES BATEMAN called on way to ? ickelton's with cattle. Sold him three beasts in back paddock for £2/5/- Kill one cow from back paddock for dogs. Got Tim shod on forefeet. W. fine except shower in middle of day - wet sheep. Fri 3 - Hoe garden. Finished shearing LEICESTERS. MARGETTS (Edw) called. Went to ERNEST'S and stayed all night. ALICE AITKIN, MISS HOWARD and C.HELPMAN (Charles) came out. Weather very warm. Sat 4 - Went to see DENNINGTON BRIDGE to report to ROAD BOARD whether it is in a fit state to stand the summer traffic. Attend the ROAD BOARD MEETING. To a meeting of MR.BLACK'S (Neil) supporters. Saw TOZER (Francis) and MacGREGOR (Samuel) about store cattle. Spent evening at Mr.BATEMAN'S. W. v.warm. Sun 5 - Walk to ERNEST'S (Bostock) before breakfast and stay until after dinner. Return home in afternoon. W. warm. Mon 6 - ARNEL (Frederick) hoeing in garden. DREW (Mr.) took JELLIE'S DOG ( James Jellie) home. SHELDRICK (Walter) got sheep. Went up to MR.HOOD(Robert) to see about store cattle, but he had sold them. JAMES BATEMAN went up with me. JIMMY (BostocK) came from BOORTKOI. Tue 7 - Went to W'bool. Got TELEGRAM from POWER and RUTHERFORD about cattle. Stay in town all night. W. warm. Wed 8 - Got TELEGRAM. POWER and RUTHERFORD giving us an offer of cattle. Stay in town all night. W. v.warm. Thu 9 - BATEMAN (James) and myself went up and looked at MR.HOOD'S (Robert) cattle. Went on to HEXHAM and TELEGRAPHED that we would take them. Stayed at BOORTKOI all night. Weather warm. Fri 10 - Return home. Finish ploughing TOBACCO ground the second time. BATEMAN (James) went home. Drove M.AITKIN (Could this be Margaret Aitkin) from TOM'S (Thomas Edw.Bostock at Boortkoi) to BATCHELOR'S BALL. Sat 11 - Stayed in W'bool. Played MARRIED vs SINGLES MATCH at CRICKET. Weather very warm. Sun 12 - Drove up to BOORTKOI (Hexham) MacKENZIE (Anthony ?) went up part of the way with us. W.very warm. Mon 13 - Took delivery of MR.HOOD'S (Robert) cattle and brought them as far as MR.EDDINGTON'S (Ballangeich). Stayed all night. Weather very warm. Tue 14 - Got home with the cattle. TIM (horse) fell on my leg and lamed me. Weather very warm. Wed 15 - Commenced dividing cattle with BATEMAN (James). BAYLES (William) and JIMMY (Bostock) came and stayed all night. W. v.warm. Sharp thunder storms. Thu 16 - BAYLES (William) and JIMMY (Bostock) left for W'bool. Helped BATEMAN (James) with his cattle. Went to Warrnambool and stayed all night. W. cool. Fri 17 - Settled with BATEMAN (James) for the wethers. Saw BAYLES (Wm.) about land in HOOD'S Run (Robert of "MERRANG" on the Hopkin's River). JAMES AITKIN and family (Jas.Wm.Manifold AITKIN) and BAYLES (Wm.) left on STEAMER. Returned home. Weather showery. Sat 18 - Went to W'bool to a meeting of ROAD BOARD. DREW (Mr.) and ARNEL (Fred) put up a fence against the cattle crossing the river. Planted some French beans in the garden. Weather fine. Sun 19 - Had to go over to PURNIM too look after the cattle brought home. One bullock from MATHERSON (George). JIMMY(Bostock), PALMER (O.Fred.Wm.), TRIPP(W.) MACKAY (Mr.) and DAVIS (Mr.)came out. TOZER (Francis) and MacGREGOR (Samuel) drove out in afternoon. Went and saw horses and sheep. Weather mild. Mon 20 - Commenced sowing TOBACCO. Drew 13 cows for MARGETTS (Edw) and put them in his paddock. Took the rest of the cows over to PURNIM paddock. COCKLAN ? COUGHLAN (Mr.) came to see the two colts. Went round all cattle in the evening. Weather fine. Tue 21 - Hoeing garden. FRAZER (Mr.) called onj his way to BOORTKOI to see sheep. JIMMY (Bostock) came to meet FRAZER (Mr.). Went to BOORTKOI after dinner with them. Finished sowing TOBACCO. W. very warm. Wed 22 - JIMMY(Bostock) and FRAZER(Mr.) went to look at sheep. DREW (Mr.) and ARNEL (Frederick) putting up wire fence around TOBACCO paddock. Stayed at BOORTKOI all night as FRAZER (Mr.) as FRAZER returned too late to get home. W. close - thunder storms. Thu 23 - Return home. Went to MR.ARMSTRONG'S to an early breakfast. FRAZER came as far as GOOD'S(John) gate with me. Finish wire fence around TOBACCO and mended other fence broken. Set outside paddock gate. Took the FIRST SWARM of BEES. MARGETT'S (E.)cattle down. Weather very close with rain/thunder in evening. Fri 24 - TEDDY MARGETTS came over and got the dray. Put all the sheep through ARSENIC for their feet. Pared the feet of the LEICESTERS. Drew the old ewes to shear. Working in the garden in the evening. W. cool and cloudy. Sat 25 - Shearing sheep. Went to W'bool. Weather fine. Sun 26 - Went to ERNEST'S (Bostock at Lipook) to dinner - return home in afternoon. J.MATSON (John) came with me and took in chesnut colt. Weather fine. Mon 27 - Shearing sheep. Went round cattle. MR.ALLAN called - stayed all night. MARGETT'S (E.) called down. W. fine in morning but rained hard at night. Tue 28 - Too wet to shear. DREW (Mr.) & ARNEL(Fred) take ? two colts to MR.TOZERS (Francis). Went to MARGETTS (Edw) and found him just commencing to plant potatoes. PALMER (Octavius Frederick William) escorted eight ladies and went to Warrnambool with them in evening. Went to small party at PATERSON'S (Robert Brand Paterson hus/of MARY JANE AITKIN.) Wed 29 - TELEGRAPH to TOM (Bostock) when the sheep would start. Return home - shearing sheep. Saw SHELDRICK (Walter) and MRS SNOW about cattle and sheep. Weather nice cool wind. Thu 30 - Shearing sheep. Went to PURNIM to put out MARGETT'S (Edw.) cattle that got through the fence. Brought home a heifer that calved. PALMER drove out MRS.PALMER and family for afternoon. (Mrs.Palmer was Rachael Emily DOVETON, d/o Francis Crossman Doveton and Margaret Bostock. Margaret was a sis/of Augustus, George, James, Ernest and Thomas). Went to Purnim with PALMER (O.F.W.) to see cattle. Went round sheep in back paddock. W. fine in morning and thunder storms in evening. Fri 31 - Too wet to shear sheep. Packed wool already shorn. Got potatoes from JENKINS (Allan). Went into Warrnambool and stayed all night at JAMES AITKIN'S. Weather - sharp showers all day. For today....14th Oct. 2003 Thelma (Bostock) Birrell in Queensland where it has been quite cool for a few days now.

I see this was posted by me on 19th...All is well...It came in today 22nd... It should be back to normal by th time I return... Thelma From: "Thelma" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 9:58 AM