Tuesday March 23, 1976

Go to Guiseley Library and enroll once more. I don't think I've been near a library in two years. How I have let my education slip. Why, at one time I could reel off the main achievements of Gladstone's first, second and third ministries, but now I cannot even tell you his christian name. Oh, go on then, it's William Ewart. His foreign policy was always weak, if my memory serves me correctly, and Ireland tended to get him down, but what his achievement were remain blanked from my mind.

Blimey, the sight of all those familiar, ancient library book shelves brought a lump to my throat. Memories of adolescence come flooding back. The days of Anne Greep and Lynn in hysterics; me with grazed knees and only a shadow of the handsome bastard I am in this year of Grace; and many more reflections upon which further deliberation would render this publication unsatisfactory for family reading. I take out a couple of P.G. Wodehouse novels and also collected some for Mum. She likes a good book at bedtime too.

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Friday September 26, 1975

Do not wake until after 11. Staying in bed for hours on end is shear bliss. No work. Absolutely free until Sunday night! These days off are such marvellous things. (OK Michael, don't get carried away about having a few hours off work. It isn't the 'be all and end all' you know).

Finish reading The Duke & Duchess of Windsor by Ralph Martin. How much in love they were. The final chapter left a lump in my throat. The Queen should really feel ashamed for not letting the poor bloke do a job for us in Britain. All that talent and ability was rejected simply because he married out of the Establishment. Shameful.

To the Hare & Hounds with Carole at 8.30. Christine is in. I'm uneasy when both she and Carole are together. The animosity between the two is transmitted straight at me. With Peter M and Christine D in his van to Wikis. Carole and I don't dance until the final record, but we got on well enough. See Ann Greep, Marian, Maura, Lynne Mather, &c. My old girlfriends all in one night! Ann Greep especially was a surprise. I thought she'd married a guy called Ellis from Essex (no it's not a Limerick) and never imagined laying eyes on her again. At 2am walk Carole to Menston and then walk home. Arrive at 3am. Have a drink with Dad and then go to bed.

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