Sunday May 25, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradord BD7 2PB

Ally at Kettlewell.

Picnic in the Dales then on to Dad's via Buckden and Kettlewell, &c. A lovely day. We found the Bakers with Dad. I cannot be happy at Waltergarth. I constantly think of that day last year. Lynn and Dave left after tea and we decided to stay the night. Dad promptly turning away walkers who would have stayed for B & B. This upset us. We were depriving him of his livelihood. Dad and I went out for a pint at 9:30 and Ally went to bed with a book. I toasted 'absent friends' and it was an emotional moment. Theakston's ale and whisky in abundance. The Crown would be a nice bolt hole wouldn't it, eh?

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Saturday May 24, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Lister Park, Manningham.

A domestic sort of day. I papered the bathroom, &c. To Manningham Park with Samuel, who loved it. The slide there - Oh what a joy. Ice creams around the lake. He loved the waterfall. People do not appreciate parks anymore, do they? Tonight. Trout. Exquisite. Ally went up to clean up after my decorating, and I watched the lovely Tracy-Louise Ward on the telly. She's the girlfriend of Bunter Worcester, the Duke of Beaufort's heir, and sister of Rachel Ward, both nieces of Lord Dudley.

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Friday May 23, 1986

 5, Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

A day near home. To the Prune Park Inn, not a nice place, and so we moved on to the Gaping Goose Inn, which was quiet, but we arrived in the midst of a crisis, and we sat gawping over lunch, watching the manager being sacked. The place was crawling with personnel from Webster's brewery. Onwards at 2:30 to MM and Marita's shop where we sat all afternoon. Very relaxing company they are. Home to Bradford wilting. The joys of home life.

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Thursday May 22, 1986

5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Brighter. To Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay in our little car with packs of sandwiches and biscuits. We took the scenic route up through Knaresborough, Sutton Bank, and Goathland Moor, the scene of many happy family picnics 1967-72. Caught in a downpour at Whitby. Samuel had his first candy floss in one of those much graffiti-daubed pensioners shelters. His little face on seeing the vast ocean was a sight to behold. Tea was taken at Robin Hood's Bay. Much dilapidation. Samuel was caught short and he proceeded to urinate in a café - all jam doughnuts, scalding tea, and clouds of yellow steam. Home all pink and weather-beaten, via Follifoot and the Radcliffe Arms where we sat outside annoying three black retrievers. No doubt about it Sam would love a dog. I would have to be de-allergised.

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Wednesday May 21, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

My own precious Ally Pig is 28 today. Rain. We went to York after breakfast in our little haven and walked around the shops, much to Sam's chagrin. He becomes quite evil in shopping precincts. Ally, all bulbous and blue, was well wrapped against the damp. Home at tea time exhausted. The fresh air has floored her. Laze around. Ate chocolate and watched a re-run of 'Edward and Mrs Simpson' on ITV. Dreadful.

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Tuesday May 20, 1986

5 Club St, Bradford BD7 2PB

Hip Hip Hurray. Hols here. The holiday stocktake left us £80 down but we went to Club Street unmoved and unconcerned. I have given up with stock takers. Our relief manager is a Tim Suttenstall, or something. We went to Club St in a state of mental and physical exhaustion. Fish and chips. A new book as arrived from our book club. Debrett's Book of the Royal Engagement. Fascinating. Fergie isn't my cup of tea, but her pedigree is something else. I'm no snob, of course. I do love lineage. She can trace 14 generations back in the female line, daughter to mother, to grandmother, &c, compared with five or six for the Princess of Wales and a similar number in the direct female lineage of HM the Queen. To Sainsbury's. Sam was horribly behaved in the shop. Torrential rain. 

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Monday May 19, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Sunshine. At 2:30 I accidentally buggered up the till locking all the money inside and incapacitating the business of my public house. I phoned Yorkshire Cash Registers who sent someone out to get us up and running again at 5:30. A slight panic.

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Sunday May 18, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Whit Sunday

Sue is fine. They operated, found nothing and so stuck her together again. That's what they have told us. A day filled with horrible memories. To the cemetery this morning with a bag of peat and a spade. Tidied around. The flowers there are all spectacular and the little corner looked beautiful. To Club St in the afternoon. Dad stayed up at Horton. He told Lynn he didn't see today as an anniversary to go to the grave, as it was a day of no importance to him or to Mum in the years before.

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Saturday May 17, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

I opened up at 11. Lynn phoned to say Sue is back in hospital. A wet day. We arranged with Lynn to go to Club Street at 3. We met there and David installed the festoon blind in Sam's room. They are going on to see Sue this evening and we handed over some presents - just chocs, magazines and some wilting daffs. Dad is very worried.________. 

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Friday May 16, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Susan is poorly. __________. We phoned and she was stoic as ever. A little brick. 

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Thursday May 15, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Zara Phillips is 5. Lady Joanna du Breuil (sic) daughter of Countess Mountbatten of Burma has named her infant daughter after the Caribbean island named after the Knatchbulls. I've forgotten the name. It's a good job she wasn't brought into the world in Scunthorpe. Ally suggests that the child must have been conceived on the island. Lady Pamela (Hicks) named her daughter India in honour of Dickie's viceroy connection.

Ally to the clinic. 

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