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Monday September 3, 1979

_. The Second World War broke out on this day in 1939, and thankfully nothing broke out forty years later. I suppose you could say it hasn't quite finished yet.

At the YP Eileen announced that today is her second wedding anniversary, and bought us all a cream bun to celebrate. ___________.

Maria made her weekly pilgrimage from Ridgeway to Pine Tops this evening with the children. JPH is incredibly funny and I had to accompany him outside to supervise his bicycling endeavours on the drive. He misses the company of other children and his gaze is forever drifting next door to Richard, who is only slightly older.

I hear Molly creeping into Maria more and more. How will things be in twenty years time?

-=-

Sunday September 2, 1979

_. 12th Sunday after Trinity

After lunch we went off to Club Street for a clean-up session. Joined by Lynn and Dave who kindly donated a chair and a rug to Ally's charity fund. Lynn leapt from the mini armed with buckets, sweeping brushes, and bottles of cleaning fluid. I escaped into the patch of garden to dig amongst the weeds. ___________.

Home at 5:30. Mum and Dad came home from John's at about 9 - and both were subdued. Mama is positively morose. She was distressed at leaving John alone at Lochans amongst the rubble and heather. Bed too late.

-=-

Saturday September 1, 1979

_. Went with Ally, Lynn and David to Bradford to assist in the move to 5, Club Street, Lidget Green. Not many possessions to move in. A cooking pot and a few knives and forks. Vietnamese refugees have more items of furniture than Ally.

Tonight we sat in Ally's barren lounge having a few drinks and inspecting her photograph collection. She became very nostalgic, which isn't good, and to make matters worse Lynn persuaded her to phone Mrs Dixon, and within minutes the tears began to flow. _________.

We persuaded her to lock up and return to Pine Tops for the night. Pouring with rain in Bradford and at about 1:30am she ran out of petrol. Fortunately David had his gallon can with him.

-=-

Friday August 31, 1979

_. My grandmother Ruth Rhodes would have been 79 today. The poor woman died 20 years ago. A ridiculously early age.

Mum and Dad drove up to Lochans this morning to see John, who is lonely. They'll be gone until Sunday. Obviously, Peter has taken up residence here. He and Susan always manage to turn Pine Tops into something resembling a third rate Brighton guest house, where the beds are creaking late into the night.

Out at 9:30 with Ally, Sue & Peter [all in the Spitfire!] to the White Cross. Very busy and boring. Sue was quite witty, but it was wasted on the dull assembly. Saw Christine Dibb [now Airey] and Graham.

Back at home Sue and Pete continued re-enacting all of D.H. Lawrence's books rolled into one.

-=-

Thursday August 30, 1979

_. Mountbatten was brought home from Ireland and met at Southampton by the poor Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales. Very sad.

Out tonight with Ally at 10 to the Woolpack at Yeadon and then Oakwood Hall, which was packed with strangers. We didn't dance, and spent a fortune. Home at 2:30, Ally driving like Carlos Reutermann. We played Johnny Mathis records at high volume, and woke poor Sue. [Mum and Dad were at Lynn's with Jim, Margaret, Tony and Hilda]. Ate boiled eggs and toast and went to bed at 3am.

-=-

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...