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Sunday May 27, 1979

Sunday after Ascension

_. Sue, Peter, Chippy and Debbie, Flu and Sharon left for Whitby at 7am. Dave W and I followed at a more respectable 9am. Warm and sunny. We arrived at about noon. We met Chippy, sticking out like a sore thumb, silhouetted against the backdrop of a dilapidated chip shop. Soon we were all in the Buck Inn, a pleasant tavern within spitting distance of the smelly, polluted harbour. We drank there until 2pm and then swept the town like locusts clearing it of seafood and sweet confectionery. Chippy and Flu sat at the end of the pier with every intention of catching fish, but made no progress and caught nothing.

Dave and I went with the ladies and played Bingo, and other lower mentality amusements. We observed the scavenging activities of a large gull, with loose bowels. The creature amused us greatly by dive-bombing innocent old ladies from a suitable vantage point on the roof of the Halifax Building Society.

By 6:30 large queues were forming outside all the public houses for the magic moment of 7pm. We all snuggled back in the Buck Inn and supped until about 9:30 when Dave and I left for home.

Hilda and Tony were with Mum & Dad.

-=-

Saturday May 26, 1979

_. John, Maria, and a foul-mouthed JPH arrived from Lochans last night.________. Little JPH swears like some enfeebled NUPE member. Mother doesn't tolerate dirty, four letter expletives at her tea table. I blame the poor child's Celtic upbringing.

Out tonight with Sue & Pete to the Shoulder. Joined by Dave Wainwright, Chippy, Debbie, Shaun, John (back from Israel with 3ft long hair), &c. A pleasant night. Debbie is a sexy little proposition if ever I saw one. Quite lovely.

On to the White Horse at Burley-in-W, now vacated by mother's cousin, Dorothy Ratcliffe. The new landlord is a grotesque, fat, walrus-like character, with tattoos. The flab of his stomach hung over the bar. I explained to him, over my pint, that Dorothy and I are cousins, and he responded with a semi negative gesture whilst extinguishing a cigarette.

Home at 12. I'm going to Whitby tomorrow with Dave W.

-=-

Friday May 25, 1979

_. An unbelievably traumatic day. Firstly, Lynn's pregnancy was confirmed by her doctor, but within minutes of learning this wonderful news I received a call from Christine ------- yes, from Christine Braithwaite -- who told me she is going to marry Frank, her latest boyfriend, and that the quiet register office wedding will occur within the next three or four months. Naturally, I was dumbfounded, horror struck and aghast. The rug was pulled from beneath my feet. Christine has featured near the top of my short-list for some considerable time and the news that she is to become espoused to this lanky character from Hawksworth is shattering to say the least. For the remainder of the afternoon I was in no fit state to do much other feel very sorry for myself, much to the amusement of Sarah & Eileen. Christine must have switched jobs because she gave me a new phone number, but in the chaos and shock, I seem to have mislaid it.

Out tonight with Sue & Peter to the Shoulder. Met Chippy and Debbie. Chris Ratcliffe, Peter M and Martyn were there gloating over CB's forthcoming wedding announcement. I suppose I shouldn't have told them. Oh, what a mess.

-=-

Thursday May 24, 1979

Ascension Day.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Mrs John Brown, was brought into the world 160 years ago today.

Met Jacq at Len's Bar at 1pm for our ritual weekly meeting. She gave me 75p to pass on to Motherdear as an instalment for something she's buying from her catalogue. Jacq wasn't very cheerful ____________.

I remained at home this evening. Lana Turner was on the telly.

-=-

Wednesday May 23, 1979

__. A batch of photographs that I took last November arrived from Gratispool's today.We have all aged quite considerably since they were taken. I, for one, resemble a giant gollywog. Peter N has grown a beard since they were taken, and with a face like his I think facial hair covering it up only improves matters.

John phoned. Our Scotland trip is off because Maria wants to come here to see some of her mother's American friends who are visiting Ridgeway. ___________.

To bed with Richard III at 10:25. He's met his match at Bosworth Field.

-=-

Tuesday May 22, 1979

__. The Queen Victoria - John Brown debate continues here. Sadly, dearest Mama believes everything she reads in the newspapers and so is now convinced that the old Queen made a honest man of her amiable ghillie. Buckingham Palace says the very idea is out of the question, and 'no documentary evidence exists'. I cannot see Queen Victoria contemplating such a thing. She had an aversion to widows re-marrying, and discouraged it amongst her ladies in waiting.

Watched a TV programme about twins and then had a stomach full of the Canadian general election which takes place today. Trudeau may get kicked out of office and thereby see his ubiquitous wife, Margaret, disappear from the gossip columns. That woman is close to the top of my list of nauseating ladies. Others include Pat Arrowsmith, Faith Brown, Vanessa Redgrave, Shirley Williams MP, and the mother of the Ayatollah Khomeini, whoever she is.

John should have phoned, but didn't and so we are none the wiser about the coming weekend activities.

To bed with King Richard III at 11:52pm.

-=-

Wednesday May 9, 1984

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, &c Still dull outside. Who cares? Our alarm clock is on the blink and refuses to sound off. Samuel laid patiently...