Showing posts with label karen gadsby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label karen gadsby. Show all posts

20190524

Saturday August 4, 1979

_. Lynn phoned at breakfast time to say they were safely in Cornwall. Susan slept from Shipley to Dartmoor where they had a moorland breakfast.

I tore up roses in the garden and various other blooms and made floral arrangements for our button-holes. Mum and Dad left for Pudsey at 11:15 with Ruby and Arthur, and Ally and I went up to Morrisons to cash a cheque and didn't get to the church until noon, just before the bride arrived. Pudsey Parish Church was looking somewhat tatty. I haven't entered the place since the bride's parents married here on Christmas Eve 1955.

The wedding breakfast took place at the Civic Centre. Ham salad followed by trifle. At 4pm some inconsiderate guest let off a stink bomb, which brought the proceedings to a sudden end. We sought refuge at Auntie Hilda's where we had drinks on the lawn. Hilarious. Something of a piss-up. I wore Mum's hat, and Tony was wearing a fetching blue creation. Mum met her old friend Shirley Hardaker.

Later the party continued at Farsley Celtic Football Club. Me wearing my Hawaiian-style shirt. A tolerable evening. Back to Hilda's where Ally and I drank rum and orange with Jill and Tim. We all slept in various corners of the house, but not until about 4am.

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20190313

Thursday August 2, 1979

_. Went with Susan, Peter and Ally to Pudsey for Karen and Steve's pre-wedding party at the Pudsey St Lawrence Cricket Club. Ruby and Arthur are at Auntie Hilda's. We went in crocodile fashion from Auntie Hilda's to the cricket club ten minutes away. The club was dull, like a mausoleum. The stewardess paled as we flocked in. I believe one has to be a member to enter that august club.

Karen and Steve seem grotesquely happy and it isn't difficult to become to become very attached to Steve who captures everyone with his boyish spirit. Was drunk by 11pm. We raided a Chinese take-away and went back to St James's Crescent. Home at about 1am.

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20170302

Tuesday April 3, 1979

_. Auntie Hilda phoned today to say Karen and Steve are going out babysitting on Saturday and so we cannot have the Grand Gadsby-Rhodes reunion this time. Thwarted again. She told Mum that cousin Derek's wife, Jennifer, is expecting her second baby in November. Karen phoned at 7:30 to say we can all have the great gathering on April 14, which is the day before Easter. I readily agree, and communicate this news to Sue. Mum and Dad with Hilda and Tony are probably going to stay with Ruby and Arthur for Easter, and so the house at Pudsey will be void of parents and eligible for an orgy. Alison is also coming for Easter, and so she'll be included in the party. Gosh, I can hardly wait.

At about 8:30 in walked John and Sheila, from Lanzarote, with Valerie and her boyfriend Graham, a law student at Nottingham Polytechnic. It was such a surprise because we haven't seen them since Christmas, 1977, and following the boycotting of Lynn's wedding, I thought we'd seen the last of them.

Uncle John is just the same self-assured, suave businessman. He never has a penny but is always on the verge of making a fortune. The gold mine is always just around the corner.  At 11pm they run Valerie and Graham to Harrogate, and then come back to stay the night with us. We discussed Lanzarote and our wayward, insane family. From Blackpool to Selby and from the Canary Isles to Stranraer we are making our mark on the world.

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20110831

Saturday October 16, 1976

Up at midday. After eggs and bacon Lynne and I go to Gipton Wood Crescent and the home of Mrs Lilian Morris, sister of Mrs Vera Mather, and aunt of Miss Lynne Mather. Entertained until 2pm by Auntie Lilian, who attempts to demolish the respectibility of the entire Mather family, directing several unsavoury adjectives in the direction of the person of her blessed brother-in-law, Mr Donald Lee Mather, father of Lynne, and husband of Vera.

The next port of call is Auntie Mabel until 5 o'clock. She is cheerful and glad of our company and she gives me Uncle Jack's watch. A Sekonda with 17 jewels. I am reluctant to take it but she insists. She bought it for Uncle Jack on their 30th wedding anniversary - just three and a half years ago.

Mabel tells us that Karen [Gadsby] got engaged today and that a brilliant society ball in honour of this event is being held at the Territorial Army Headquarters in Leeds this very night.

Party in Ilkley: Lynne and I travel with Pete & Sue to the Crescent where only Lynn, Dave, Sarah, Marilyn [Wheeler], Tony, Pauline, John Cameron and Stuart are to be seen. I enjoy the party but Lynne loathes it. Dave drinks a whole bottle of 'Clan Dew' and leaves at 2am. Lynn wants to leave, but Judith & Kathryn persuade me to hang on until 3.30. Almost came to blows with a bloke called Fred, who knows Sarah vaguely. He took exception to my singing. Home in Kathryn's car to find David B in a collapsed state outside - nauseating scenes follow and at 4.30am Mama is disturbed. Oh God!!

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20090420

Sunday June 3, 1973

Get up at 11. Mum makes lunch. Very nice - but I don't really like curries. Have wine which Mrs Smith brought back from Dusseldorf. Major Smith gave me £2 for cutting the lawns. Can't be bad.

Watch a film in the afternoon. Do a Bismarck essay. Mama rings Auntie Hilda and invites herself to Pudsey for tea. Finnish the essay and go to Pudsey - arrive 5.30. Uncle Tony in best of spirits as usual. Have tea and look around the garden. Uncle is worried about the apple tree and says it may have to be cut down. The old garden wouldn't be the same without the tree, which is now 35 years old. Mum doesn't remember the garden without it. Mum, Dad, Auntie H and Uncle T go out at 8.30. We have a laugh with Karen's record player. They get back from the pub at 11 and I argue with Dad and Uncle Tony...about the monarchy (what else).

Come home at 1 o'clock.

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20090330

Sunday March 11, 1973

1st in Lent. Yet another sunny, spring-type day! Got up at 11. After an almost non-existant breakfast I struggled into the garden with a pair of shears crawling back some 90 minutes later with ample scars to prove I had been amidst Mum's hybrid floribundas. Yes folks, it's rose pruning season! At about 1 I went into the lounge for a sandwich and a chocolate biscuit only to be told that I couldn't have a proper meal until tea time. I proceeded to potter about in the garden again until 3. I then had a bath and washed my hair - emerging from the murky depths 45 minutes later.

Karen, Jill and Diane came at about 4.30 - having walked from Pudsey. Not bad either having broken Lynn and Sue's record achieving it in 2 and three quarter hours. Jill looked dead! Within the hour Auntie Hilda and Uncle Tony had arrived for tea bringing with them a massive jar of Uncle T's home-brewed beer. I find the stuff quite repulsive, but John seems to enjoy it.

We ate pie and peas. Then went to my bedroom to prepare for tonights rendezvous with June. Went downstairs to listen to the 'Top 60' show. Unfortunately, Slade and 'Cum on feel the noise' are still holding the number one spot - so uncouth.

At 7.30 I made my usual trek down the lane. The bus ride gets longer. It broke down at Rawdon traffic lights. The evening was uneventful. June, myself and Ivy and Tim Wallis's gran's bulldog sat in the usual spot until about 9.30. Linda and Jane Wood were sitting at the other side of the pub and June and I joined them for a laugh. Linda accidentally knocked a glass of 'Cherry B' over Jane, who was, unfortunately, dressed entirely in white. She took it all in her stride and had a good giggle. I did the sopping up of the Cherry B with Uncle Tony's handkerchief. Chris and Christine, Andy and Linda came in with MM and Skinhead. At 11 we (meaning June and myself) went out for the buses. June sat on the signpost at the bottom of the lane. Chris found this very amusing. Andy thought I was strangling June making my passionate embraces. We missed the buses and all got lifts home. I rang Dad and he and Uncle Tony came for me. I would have walked but it was too cold.

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20090323

Sunday January 28, 1973

Got up and had breakfast at 11.30. I revised until lunchtime for the European History exam. tomorrow. At about 5 Auntie Hilda, Uncle Tony, Karen, Jill, and Diane came for tea. Dave rang at 6.30 and said he was going to the Emmott Arms with Chris and Louise. John and I went up at 8.30. It was the first time John had ever been to a pub, which isn't bad considering he hasn't been 16 for very long. The Emmotts is always full of under-age drinkers. If the police ever visited they would have a Beano. I felt very depressed without June. Louise noticed especially. John made himself popular by buying a round of drinks costing 97p. On arriving home in Mr Harris's Rover we found ourselves locked out until 11. Mum, Dad, Auntie Hilda, Uncle Tony, came home to be followed shortly by Lynn, Susan, Karen, Jill and Diane. We all had bacon sandwiches and coffee. Mum refused to let me revise saying it was too late. H and T plus family went at 1am. We all then retired to bed. I couldn't sleep. With June and the exams I certainly had enough to think about.
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Sunday April 1, 1984

 4th Sunday in Lent Mothering Sunday New Moon Sunny, bright, &c. Smothering Sunday. All Fool's Day. Busy. Rob came and so too did th...