Monday June 11, 1979

_. A very historic day. I came home from work at 5pm and almost immediately Susie told me that she and Peter are to become engaged on her twentieth birthday and that they intend to marry next summer. I'm not too startled because it was obvious that the events of last week showed it was either make or break between them and things could not continue at stalemate and five years of courtship. They say they made this decision at Cracoe on Saturday, but Peter doesn't wish to make it public just yet. He, the coward, is terrified of coming straight out with it and seeking the consent from Mum and Dad. So we are all in the ridiculous position of knowing the news, but that it cannot be discussed openly.

So, this evening when Lynn and Dave came here for dinner we could talk of nothing but Ally's new job and the merits of mother's apple pie. Peter came here at 8 and stayed until after 10, and silence - dreadful silence - reigned. At 8:30 I escaped the cloister-like sitting room and paid a visit to Jim Rawnsley's house (No 50 Hawksworth Lane). I took him some information on George Cattermole, a Victorian water colourist. Jim bought a Cattermole picture at the weekend and he was intrigued by my findings. The precocious Jennie was on top form. Had a beer and looked at his collection of antiques. I do believe that Jim is a very shy man. Shy people make me very uneasy. I am only ever uneasy with shy people or archbishops. Back at home the silence continued. Alison and I kept looking at each other in that pathetic, helpless fashion more characteristic of sheep on moorland slopes. Peter left at 10:30 and I departed to bed.

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