Monday March 30, 1981

 _. President Reagan was shot and wounded in the chest this evening. The president's press aide, Brady, is reported by Reuters to be dead, and several secret servicemen seriously wounded. Reports say President Reagan was shot by a bullet just an inch from his heart. We heard of it at about 8:50pm during 'Panorama'.

Work was hideous. Phoned Ally several times. Phoned Lynn too and invited myself, and Ally, to Burley this evening.

Mum and Dad were in better mood this evening. Ally joined us for dinner. To Lynn and Dave's at 7, until 11:30. Lynn is fit and happy and waiting for the big day. David says baby will come on Thursday. He'll come when he's ready. Watched a Western and discussed the attempted assassination. Very shocking. Home at 11:30.

-=-

Sunday March 29, 1981

 4th Sunday in Lent - Mothering Sunday

_.A day saying goodbye to endless relatives and friends. Both Frank and Bessie look so relaxed now the pressure is off. Sat watching 'Brief Encounter' with Frank, Bessie, Auntie Annie [Frank's sister], and her husband Uncle Bert, hideously paralysed with Parkinson's Disease.

We ate a good deal. We left at 4:30. At home Mum and Dad have had a fall out over his annual leave, casting a murky cloud into the atmosphere. Bed at 1am.

-=-

Saturday March 28, 1981

 _. My Auntie Hilda is 45 today. Graham and Gill married at St Mary's church, Kings Worthy at 1pm. A gloriously warm day with blue skies. Gillian Margaret Jane looked almost Edwardian with her piled up hair, large hat, and parasol. Graham behaved very decently. He boomed his responses loud and clear. They were married by the Rev Canon Colin MacBeth, Canon of Winchester, in his 70s, and retired. Gill's father, the Rev Matthew Lynn, contributed. A day of fun and humour. Martin mislaid the rings this morning, but of course found them, and we had a stiff drink in the Cart and Horses before crossing the road to the church. Mrs Dixon, in blue with a feathery hat and pearls, had

experienced a dreadful morning with a house full. She seemed almost lost. More Dixons than Lynns attended. So many of them [Lynns] are in southern Ireland. Florence, Gill's mum, is very young looking. Andrew and I [ushers] traveled to the reception at the Westacre, with Midge and Eugene. Hilarious. Ally and I were on the table with Mr & Mrs Peter ['I touched no bollards'] Lynn. The next wedding will be ours!

Ally and I went to the Plough at 9:30 and afterwards went with 'Navy Dave' for a prawn curry in Winchester. Bed exhausted at 1:30.

-=-

Friday March 27, 1981

 _. Fun and gin. Spent the day in Winchester, with Ally to the shops and then to the Plough , listening to the notorious Lynn brothers recount tales of last night, and their arrest. Trevor remains incarcerated, but Gill is thankfully kept in the dark about this.  Graham became horribly pissed on gin.

Tonight saw the arrival at Chillandham Cross of Bessie's sister, Joan with her little husband, Jim, and two daughters, Patricia [pregnant], and Margaret, accompanied by a policeman, a member of the Lancashire force. We took the cousins to the Southgate, and sat listening to tales of a constabulary nature. It's just as well we didn't let the constable meet the Lynn lads. We saw 'Navy Dave' and his little girlfriend. He had no idea we were engaged and appeared quite stunned. He does have a soft spot for Ally, you know.

We were back at Chillandham Cross for 12. The lanky constable carried off Margaret in his Triumph Spitfire, just to travel a few miles to the pub where Joan's family were staying, the Runnning Horse, in Alresford. They never arrived. Joan phoned Bessie in an agitated state. Frank, by now in bed, emerged with a raincoat over his candy striped pyjamas, and set out in search of the missing couple. Patricia's husband, Nigel, was out with a torch, searching the Hampshire hedgerows. Frank came back some time later. He'd found them parked up in a field, caught in grappling passion in the rocking Spitfire. The windows of Triumph Spitfires do not steam up, and so I think Frank saw more than perhaps he should. We howled with laughter.

-=-

Thursday March 26, 1981

 _. Warm day. Went out minus jacket or pullover and basked in the sunshine. To Portswood [?], Southampton with Ally where she had a fitting for her hideous bridesmaid dress. It's so very 'girlie'. It's a case of 'Snow White' meets Shirley Temple's 'Heidi'.  Afterwards we joined Graham, Gill, Martin [the best man], and Neil for lunch at a pub in Chandler's Ford. The sun poured in through the windows giving a topaz glow to the beer splashing bountifully in our glasses.

Graham's stag party this evening. A multitude on a pub crawl in Winchester followed by something of an orgy at the Southgate Hotel. Graham's testicles were shaved bald by the naughty Lynn boys [Gill's brothers, Peter, Trevor and Michael]. Afterwards they practiced Kung Fu on several traffic bollards in the city centre and were arrested and carted off to the gaol on grounds of criminal damage. Trevor was incarcerated over night. One of the lads was found to be in possession of ________. Very foolish of him. Fortunately, this did not appear on the charge sheet along with the other misdemeanors. All this took place after the fun at the Southgate, where we drank vast quantities. From about 9pm Graham resembled the comedian Freddie Frinton's drunk act. I was missing Ally most dreadfully until the Scotch took hold in the Royal Oak, or wherever a dance band was playing. I think Neil and I waltzed. I was supposed to be looking after Andrew [17].

Frank collected Andrew and I at about 1am. He dropped me off at the vicarage at King's Worthy and then took Andrew home. The girls had been for a pizza and were very sober. Ally took me off in the car and we sat until about 3am in the Southgate car park. _________.

-=-

Wednesday March 25, 1981

 _. Warmer. By evening it was positively Spring-like. Kathleen took the day off to gather herself for the busy two days without Sarah and I. 

Swam eight lengths of the International Pool at 1pm. 

At 5 Ally met me on Wellington Street in Audrey [Citroen] and we went down to Winchester minus Trevor Lynn [brother of the bride who was supposed to be coming with us], who flew from Newcastle instead, on an economy flight. We stopped off at Oxford for something to eat, but found nothing. This cast a shadow over the journey and for some miles afterwards we sat coldly in the car watching the countryside rocket by. Arrived at Martyr Worthy at 10:30.  Very busy here. Graham and Gill came in from the Plough spattered in blood following an accident in the bar. We guess a fight had taken place. Bessie looked pale and tired. In fact wedding fever is gripping the Itchen Valley.

-=-

Tuesday March 24, 1981

 _. Wet at times but warmer. The temperature in Leeds hit 54 degrees. My alarm rang at 6:50 but I remained stubbornly beneath my duvet until 7:15. Bone idle today. 

The YP is dreadful with the chief back. One has to be forever looking for work, and after eight hours this becomes somewhat trying. Sarah has arranged a swimming party for tomorrow and I made no escape to avoid it. Sarah says swimming is good for the stomach muscles, and I am certainly in need of some treatment in that area. [Please do not assume that I am in any way on the large side. I am six feet tall, almost 26 years old, and still under 12 stones in weight. That's good, isn't it?]

Kathleen, looking at photos of Lady Diana, says she disapproves of the lightweight Christian name, and that the future Queen should fall back on her middle name when Queen, and be Queen Frances. How ludicrous. Diana is a fine name.

Phoned Ally several times and she came for tea at 6. I ate like a horse because I hadn't eaten all day, and to make matters worse Felicity McCormick had delayed my exit from the office until 5:20 because of the Hollis Affair. She wanted my imput because Sir Roger Hollis claimed descent from Tsar Peter the Great. Hollis's brother Christopher was a Tory MP who spoke in the House frequently on the dangers of Russia and it's increasing strangle-hold on Europe. I do not agree with character assassinations where the alleged criminal is long dead and gone. Hollis cannot defend his name. This Chapman Pincher is a rogue. He also claims that the homosexual Tom Driberg [later Lord Bradwell] was a KGB agent too. 

After tea we sat before a smouldering TV. Alan Ladd in a film from 1953. Ally knitting solidly for three hours again. She and Mum did a lot of giggling. Mum kissed me at bedtime. She seldom kisses. I won't be seeing her again until Sunday night. I have left a Mothering Sunday gift with Papa. To bed after 12.

-=-

Monday March 23, 1981

 _. Got a thorough soaking in the heavy rain at lunchtime. It was Kathleen's first day back since Christmas. It can be described as the 'day of the long knives' because Carol has told Kathleen that Sarah's rule has been nothing short of disastrous. The ensuing exchanges lent the library a revolutionary or anarchistic air. Kathleen, to appease the mob, bought cream cakes for her staff at lunchtime, and I joked with Sarah about having 'funeral buns'. The custard slices and doughnuts are usually reserved for birthdays. 

Phoned Ally at 2 and again at 8. Wedding fever is gripping Chillandham Cross [Graham & Gill's wedding]. Bessie has been chained to a food mixer since last week. Ally was doing her washing tonight, and my heart went out to her as I pictured her over the sink scrubbing away at her smalls in the way her grandmother would have done in the early days of the century.

Dave G phoned just for a chat. The next Anglo-Stockport talks are scheduled to take place in the first weekend in May.

There's been another scandal involving a senior diplomat. Sir Roger Hollis, head of the MI5, 1956-65, is now said by Chapman Pincher to have been a spy for Russia for over 30 years. Dad says that the only thing worse than this would be the revelation that the Duke of Edinburgh has been working for the KGB since the 1940s and that he only married the Queen to get his hands on the contents of her red boxes. I go further in this daftness and suggest that the Queen is really a Russian agent, a doppelgänger, planted in the palace in the 1940s, swapped for the real Elizabeth who is now wearing an iron mask in a Kremlin cellar. Her Majesty is the fourth man in the Burgess, Maclean and Philby affair.

Bed 12:16am.

-=-

Sunday March 22, 1981

 _. British Summer Times Begins - 3rd Sunday in Lent

We climbed out of our burrow at about 10:30 and spent the day in the sitting room. Despite the arrival of "summer time" we'd been subject to an attack of snow in the night, however throughout the day the sun shone splendidly, not so splendidly to tempt Ally away from her knitting and into the car. In the past few weeks she's gone almost insame knitting baby garments, like a wartime effort. A look of pure serenity passes over her face as she clicks away.

Watched Bernard Miles in an old wartime film, from 1944, full of propaganda. I was settled for the afternoon, but then Mummy phoned suggesting we accompany them to the Stonehouse Inn, for our first inspection of the pub. We were off like a shot. Sue and Pete were included in the invitation, but Lynn and Dave were visiting Chris and Julie in Easingwold. So, at 7pm we drove the 14 miles to Blubberhouses and spent a couple of hours in the tatty, endearing pub, which is typical Yorkshire without fancy decoration or comfort. We found it palatial after previous descriptions. George, the owner, was upstairs in his room, and we could hear him wheezing and coughing, poor man. His miserable daughter was loading his cup of cocoa with sleeping pills. George's son-in-law, fat and red faced, with twinkly eyes, sat by a blazing fire, and resembled old Jolyon in 'The Forsyte Saga', or at least the actor who played him on the telly in 1967. He gave us a tour of the ground floor rooms, one not opened since 1958. Mum and Dad were so impressed. I can just imagine them there, discussing sheep with the locals from Pateley Bridge, or wherever. 

Home and to bed by 12.

-=-

Saturday March 21, 1981

 _. Supposedly Spring. Up at 6:45am. Ally is feeling a little better. Life without Dixie would be like plants without flowers.

Shazzo was in the office this morning but, after doing absolutely nothing, left at 12, leaving me indexing a dismal YP. 

Ally collected me at 1:45. Pouring rain. Neither of us were in excellent humour. Ally wanted to go shopping for shoes, and wedding shoes at that, in monsoon rain and overcrowded streets. Whilst in Stylo, looking for cousin Jill, she spotted a pair of pretty white shoes, and without further ado purchased them. We bought a plant in Leeds Market before heading on, quite bedraggled, to Menston, where I collected a morning suit from 'Charles' the tailor. It's an excellent gentleman's outfitters. 

Home to Pine Tops for dinner. Rabbit pie. Afterwards I fell asleep to the sound of clicking knitting needles, and Lana Turner on the telly. I was told afterwards that my snoring ruined the Hollywood epic.

-=-

Friday March 20, 1981

 _. Full Moon

Peter is 23 today.I bought him a ridiculous miniature dart-board from a toy shop and a small bottle of Cointreau.

Ally came at 6. Sue and Pete had taken the day off and were just leaving Pine Tops with Lynn and Dave. Ally just missed seeing them by a few minutes. She'd been to Town Gate to look at a house called Phoenix Cottage, up for sale at £25,000. I spotted it a few days ago, and because I mentioned it she assumed I wanted to buy it. This has made her think that I am dissatisfied with Sprog Cottage at Lidget Green, which of course I am not. I look forward to living in Bradford, especially now that the MP Edward Lyons, QC, MP, has joined the Social Democrats. Surely, anything is better than Labour? 

Ally and I went to Sue and Pete's with birthday presents. Pete is more like Basil Fawlty than John Cleese is these days. To the White Cross. Ally felt unwell. Went to Club Street and watched TV in bed. I watched as she snored.

Mum and Dad went to the Stonehouse Inn tonight. Old George is in bed with bronchial pneumonia, and probably won't get out of it alive. His daughters are just waiting for him to go so that they can return to the civilisation of Oxfordshire. They cannot understand why Mum and Dad want to live in such a remote backwater.

-=-

Thursday March 19, 1981

 _. Audrey the car is still at the sick car hospital in Lidget Green, but we hope she'll be well by tomorrow.

I did some shopping at lunchtime and bought a packet of fish in shrimp sauce. This was silly because for the same price [£1.06] I could have bought a nice piece of meat. 

To Club Street at 6. Spent a pleasant evening. Ally in a daft mood. We gooned around fabulously. She has received a card from Graham and Charlotte confirming their visit. I concocted a wild reply mentioning Ally's latest craze, sheep impressions, telling them that at that very moment she was impersonating a Shropshire ewe giving birth. I adore mad letters, but rarely receive them. If only I could write to myself? [I suppose that keeping a journal is writing to ones self]. 

Watched Orwell's 'Brave New World', the second and final part. Endured Robin Day, and went to bed at 12.

-=-

Wednesday March 18, 1981

 _. Rain, bloody wind. Phoned Susie at 11:30 for ideas for Peter's birthday present. She suggests a dart board. Is he perhaps going soft in the head?

Sarah phoned Kathleen today and was stunned to hear from our beloved, absent ayatollah that she intends to return to rule over us once more from Monday. She wasn't going to inform us of her return, and must have planned to appear back in the office disguised as batch of last Tuesday's Whitby Gazette. We conspired not to tell Carol J of Kathleen's return. Our spiteful deed of the day.

The naughty child-molesting diplomat has been named in the Commons as Sir Peter Telford Hayman, KCMG, CVO, MBE, High Commissioner to Canada 1970-74, educated at Oxford, and if not actually living in Surrey I am sure he must be close by. The poor Queen must shudder with horror at the characters paraded before her at numerous Buckingham Palace investitures. If she isn't already wearing rubber gloves I strongly advise Her Majesty to start doing so.

Spoke to Ally three times. Received a confirmation of our holiday booking from Denise. Ally says Bessie is working herself into a frenzy about Graham's wedding on March 28. 'Where will Uncle Alan sleep?' 'Will Frank and Barbara be comfortable in a caravan?'

Jacq phoned and invited us to a party at Rodley on April 11 - Paul's birthday. I didn't mention our wedding. I couldn't think of what to say. Ally didn't like this when I told her of the conversation. It's as if I am ashamed of our wedding plans. Obviously, this is not how I feel.

Home at 6. Had kidneys and rice. Watched 'Lloyd George' part 3. 

-=-

Tuesday March 17, 1981

 _. St Patrick's Day ~ Bank Holiday in N. Ireland & Republic of Ireland

After five years in the tiny bedroom at the front of the house I have returned to the back bedroom, which I occupied in the distant days of my early youth ~ those halycon days.

A most unsatisfactory day. I felt particularly violent this afternoon and could have throttled Carol J. 

Spoke to Ally several times. She's reading 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd'. Home at 6 to find my bed in transit, and after dinner of dead sheep, I spent the evening midst the memorabilia and dust, but didn't discard anything. Mummy infuriates me at times like this. She was positively vitriolic.

Lynn and Dave made a surprise visit at 8 and stayed a couple of hours. Mum says Lynn has lost weight following her latest check up, peculiar for someone so close to confinement. They were both quiet. In fact Dave is positively mute these days.

Phoned Ally at 8. An endearing exchange. 

The Prince of Wales has succumbed to yet another fall. This horse will have to go. On the news tonight we saw the Prince and Lady Diana at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace for the President of Nigeria. Filing in to dinner ~ Princess Margaret linking arms with Lord Hailsham, and the Queen Mother cuddling the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Watched a documentary on Ernest Bevin, who was born 100 years ago this month. It's interesting watching old news reels to see how everybody in the 1930s, 40s and 50s appear to have been chain smokers. At the line-up of Attlee's Cabinet in 1945 it's hard to identify any of the ministers for the thick cloud of smog.

-=-

Monday March 16, 1981

 _. Sunny start, but a slight fall of snow afterwards. A day closeted at the YP.

Up at 7. Ally drove off to a garage in Shipley where Audrey is to receive several days of treatment. She spent the evening cleaning her carpets, bottling ale, and of course knitting. We didn't see each other, but I phoned at 8pm.

Peter Patel, a grocer of Pakistani origin, and a good friend of Hilda and Tony's via the Liberal party network, was killed in a motor accident last week. Hilda and Tony attended the funeral on Friday, the only 'whites' amongst the 400-plus mourners. Hilda, it is reported, was ushered up to the open coffin to the sight of the unfortunate Mr Patel reclining with two coconuts, supposedly placed there as a sign of wealth. The poor man was only 39. 

The Conservative MP for Kings Lynn has fallen out with Mrs Thatcher over the recent budget and has crossed the floor of the House of Commons to join the Social Democrats. A little man, writing in a letter to the Times, suggests that Mrs T might not even be PM at the next budget. Poppycock. Who does he think might be at the helm if such a coup d'etat takes place? I see nobody of stature, other than Giles Shaw, the MP for Pudsey. Ha ha ha.  Another MP, Geoffrey Dickens, is to name a top ranking diplomat in the Commons tomorrow afternoon for an alleged cover-up with a paedophile organisation. One thing's for sure. He'll be a KCMG; he'll be Oxbridge; he'll live in Surrey; his wife will be clad in a twin set and pearls; he'll wear a fur hat, stink of cologne, and talk with a lisp.

The Prince of Wales was thrown from his new horse in a race on Friday as Lady Diana, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret looked on. He really should abandon racing until his princess has sons.

They are sending the Queen Mother to Canada in July to calm the situation there. Things look sticky on the subject of the North America Act 1867. Some Canadians may want independence now but come July they'll be hurling themselves at the Queen Mother like Jeremy Thorpe at the Vienna Boys Choir. Crude, but true. 

Dined with Mum and Dad. Bed 11:30.

-=-

Sunday March 15, 1981

 _. 2nd Sunday in Lent

Woke up early with a crashing headache. Took a couple of asprin and climbed back into the pink bed. The room looks like a marshmallow, you know. We eventually surfaced at 12. I paid a visit to the corner shop to buy a loaf. Lunch turned out to be tinned spaghetti on toast. 

At 3 we drove to the Stonehouse Inn, where we had a short walk, and then went on to Otley. A neurotic sheep leapt out at us from a bush and attempted to gore the car. I took the wheel and bombed through suburbia like Carlos Reutemann at Brands Hatch.

Dinner with Ally [a mass of curls, and wearing new pink shoes] and Mum and Dad. Liver. A chilled lemon sweet, divine. Ally and Mama sat knitting afterwards. Watched Glenda Jackson playing Elizabeth I, on the BBC. It looked really dated. Yes, I know it's supposed to look Elizabethan. I didn't mean that. It's 10 years old.

-=-

Saturday March 14, 1981

 _. We didn't get up until 10:30. Whilst Ally dressed I packed piles of sandwiches, mainly salad, in readiness for our excursion to York. We head out to the northern capital at about 12 and we spent the afternoon trailing around the shops looking at books, china, and lots of shoes. We bought Graham and Gill a decanter and six wine glasses from Habitat and gloated over the numerous things we'd love to buy but cannot afford. 

At 4:30 we drove, with our picnic, to a lay-by near Acaster Malbis, where we ate and drank something called Pony [it's like sherry]. Half way through an egg sandwich I looked to my left at a gnarled and ancient five barred gate. Hanging from the said gate were seven or eight used Durex, arrayed like trophies, left no doubt by some randy farm boy, following steamy sessions with a local barmaid. Ally howled with laughter.

We returned to Guiseley and sat until about 10. Ally is obsessed with knitting. By the look of things it's a theraputic pastime. Her face take on a certain serenity, a tranquil countenance, which I haven't detected before. Mum and Dad came in at about 8 and we ate by candlelight.

Later Ally and I went to Pudsey to see Jill and Tim [I didn't phone them until 9], and the four of us went to the White Cross in Pudsey, and then back to Wilsby. Jill and Tim collect the keys to their house in April, and want to marry in August or September. We sat drinking cloudy ale and apple wine until after 1. Back to Rue Club.

-=-

Friday March 13, 1981

 _. Friday the Thirteenth. John and Maria were married in mist and gloom on this day five years ago. We sent cards of remembrance to Scotland.

Frantic day at the YP. _____. The chairman of United Newspapers, Lord Barnetson, has snuffed it at the age of 63. No doubt Gordon Linacre was on the early train to London to grab all he can. Mark my words, he'll soon be Lord Linacre of Bramhope. 

To Ally's at 6. Helped her prepare dinner for Mum & Dad who arrived at 7:30. Mum looked good in the chiffon dress she wore at Sue and Pete's wedding. There she was in her white fur coat peeping through the door. Ally says Dad becomes more quiet every time she sees him. He has never been what you might call a circus act, bounding with joy, but he was quiet and inobtrusive through the Queensland cocktail [avocado and crab], chicken sweet and sour, followed by meringues and strawberries. Scrumptious. They left at 12.

-=-

Thursday March 12, 1981

 _. Yesterday the Evening Post carried my article about Lady Diana's black dress at the top of the front page, including the pics of the Queen by Dorothy Wilding, and the recent one of Lady Diana. Impressive. Fred [Willis] winked, and said: 'You're on the list.' Whatever that means. It could be a death list. I simply don't know. 

On to Club St at 6pm. The bus journey was hazardous because of the pollution caused by the smoking Bradfordians on the upper deck of the 72 Leeds-Bradford bus. By the time I arrived at Ally's I felt like one of those Beagles from an animal research laboratory, and covered in a thick layer of fag ash. 

We had fish and chips from 'Mother Hubbard's' - not too greasy this time, and afterwards watched Top of the Pops and 'Brave New World', part one. 

Ally spent the evening going over the house with a duster and the Hoover in preparation for Mum and Dad's coming visit. I did point out that they are my parents, not Mr & Mrs Peter Shand Kydd, but she didn't let up. At about 10:30 we both sat down before the 'snowy' telly to watch Sir Geoffrey Howe defending his Budget. Is it perhaps his last? By next year the occupant of No. 11 could well be a 'wet' and Mrs Thatcher might be on the back benches licking her wounds. Or am I going in the wrong direction? I do hope I am wrong.

-=-

Wednesday March 11, 1981

 _. Sunny day. Left the YP at 12. How splendid it is, to be able to take a 'half day'. Ally joined me at 1pm and we trundled over to Horsforth to pay £115 to Denny for the Ios honeymoon, and then did a bit of shopping at Morrison's. We collected Lynn at 4:30 and brought her over to Pine Tops for dinner - prawn curry. Lashings of wine. At 7:30 Ally and I went [in drizzle] to Pudsey to see Auntie Mabel. She had her gas fire belting out like Port Talbot Steelworks. We had supper and went on to Club St at 11.

-=-

Tuesday March 10, 1981

 _. Received a letter from Denise asking for £115 to cover our Ios accommodation. I phoned Ally. We decided to withdraw the cash from a building society account and pay Denise tomorrow. I marched around Leeds in the rain.

Sir Geoffrey Howe presented his budget. Petrol goes up by 20p a gallon from 6pm, and he's put 4p on a pint on beer, 14p on a pack of cigarettes, and £10 on car licenses. I refuse to become morose and miserable about this.

Queen: 1952, and Diana 1981

I spoke to Fred Willis on the EP newsdesk about a good picture story. The dress worn by Lady Diana last night is almost identical to one worn by the Queen in July, 1952, when she sat for a portrait by Dorothy Wilding. He was very enthusiastic. Stephanie Ferguson was amazed by the likeness, and for some minutes the three of us discussed high fashion to the backdrop of Sir Geoffrey Howe droning on and on. Stephanie says the wedding dress is to be made by a Mayfair fashion house, and is now besieged by the press. On the subject of the royals: Prince Edward is 17 today. One day will he be Duke of Sussex, Cambridge, or even Clarence? I'm beginning to doubt whether he'll ever be a royal duke. I do not think that the Queen enthuses about dukedoms.

Ally phoned tonight. She says Auntie Mabel phoned her to say thank you for the birthday card, and they planned that we should go to Pudsey tomorrow. She was all alone at Club St, knitting by her fire. At least she now has a telly to break the monotony of her secular existence.

-=-

Monday March 9, 1981

 _. Up at 6:45. Ally took Dave G and I to Kirkstall from where we walked into town and I said farewell to the lad as we reached the YP. He disappeared into the grime of Wellington Street carrying his large, blue bag. It was an easy day because I completed most of my mundane tasks working on Saturday. 

Home at 6. Ally came to dinner again and afterwards sat knitting with Mum. The clicking of knitting needles was almost deafening. Lady Diana was on the 9 o'clock news, attending her first official function. She accompanied the Prince of Wales to a charity performance at Covent Garden clad in a black chiffon dress which brought the glamour of the 1950s back to the Royal Family. Obviously, Lady Diana will be criticised. Should a future Queen display her bossoms? But we who know differently, and have access to thousands of historic photos, know that Her Majesty wore an almost identical and revealing dress when she was in her 20s. We haven't had a teenage bride at the forefront of the Royal family since Alexandra of Denmark in 1863. I find Lady Diana's awkward shyness, and sudden blushes quite enchanting. 

Ally brought four books we've bought from a book club, including the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, which I buried myself in for the remainder of the evening.

-=-

Sunday March 8, 1981

 _. 1st Sunday in Lent

Auntie Mabel is 62 today, and Dave B is 25. We slept late, until about 11. I took a cup of coffee up to Dave G in the 'Brown Suite' , and found him in a state of undress and looking extremely nervous. The wardrobe and collapsed in the middle of the night, and onto his bed, and for some time he was entombed in a pine sarcophagus. He thought someone with a grudge had put a brick through the window. 

We ate scrambled eggs on toast and then lounged around doing absolutely nothing until after 3 when we went to Guiseley to see Sue and Pete. He was sitting in an armchair saying little, and looking more angry than ill. He was wading through a pile of his old school exercise books which I thought looked very odd. Dad appeared and at 5 we took him on to Pine Tops for dinner. No 'outsider' fits into our family like Dave G does. It's as if he's been here all along. 

Yet another TV session. Watched Cheryl Campbell and a brilliant Sir John Gielgud in Agatha Christie's 'The Seven Dials Mystery'. David pointed out that Agatha must have been sober when she penned that tome. Then we watched Joe Orton's 'Loot' starring Sir Richard Attenborough and Hywel Bennett. I laughed until I cried. 

-=-

Saturday March 7, 1981

 _. Rain and damnation. Up at 6:45 for boiled eggs and toast. Ally joined me for coffee looking delightful with shaggy hair, and wearing one of my striped shirts. I got a bus into town and then on to Leeds and the YP. Drab and dreary, yet industrious until 1:45. Ally and Dave collected me. [They'd spent the morning preparing dinner. Dave had been given the job shredding mushrooms]. We went to the Ling Bob pub at Wilsden, via an antique shop in Armley, and then on to Haworth. David had never been to the latter. As usual it rained. We bought cream cakes and ate them in the street. Back to Club St for 5pm. 

Lynn and Dave came at 8:30. A tearful Sue phoned to say Pete is violently ill after a vodka session last night and they cannot join us. We had beef goulash with rice, then cheese and biscuits, &c. Lynn ate like a horse and is looking big and fit. Afterwards she sprawled out on the sofa, and to quote her ~ 'like a walrus with a thyroid problem'.  They stayed until after 12. I had far too much wine.

-=-

Friday March 6, 1981

 _. New Moon

Lynn is twenty three today. I phoned her at 11:30. David bought her a Kenny Rogers LP for some reason, and is taking her to the cinema tonight to see 'Airplane'. Such bad taste.

At 5 I met Dave G at the railway station and we got a train through to Bradford and met Ally at 5:45. We took Dave to Club St for dinner. Lasagne washed down with white wine [bought by Dave]. I thought Dave might want to go out for a drink but he was content to sit by the fire watching our snowy TV. After dinner we listened to the 'Emotional Rescue' LP by the [Rolling] Stones, then watched Huw Wheldon's 'Royal Heritage', including a rare 'interview' with the Queen Mother. Before bed we watched Robert Donat's 'The 39 Steps' - hilarious in parts - especially the very end where the dying memory man asks: 'Was I right, Sir?' At that point the telly went on the blink, losing sound and picture, and so we shall never know.

David was given the newly decorated 'Brown Suite'. He stood aghast looking at the flying pigs. We have named them Charles, Diana and George. [George is the baby].

-=-

Thursday March 5,1981

 _. Ally, bless her, eats banana on toast. She's besotted with this peculiar delicacy. I cannot enthuse or share her taste.

To Club St at 6 for dinner with Ally,who was feeling gloomy. We had a casserole with kidney and dumplings, quite excellent, and reclined afterwards. A life of domesticity. It must be a relief to the neighbours. For two years they've seen and heard us bombing around in the dead of night in varying states of alcoholism. It must be a shock for them now we behave like lieutenants in the Salvation Army. We have yet to tell Mrs Greenwood of our coming nuptials.

At 11:30 we went to bed to escape Sir Robin Day. 

Wednesday March 4, 1981

 _. Ash Wednesday

Almost Spring-like. My cousin Jill and Tim have found a house on Valley Road, Pudsey, and so now might be marrying this summer too. All the best people are. 

The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana were at Covent Garden last night, her first experience in the royal box. She is to carry out her first official public duty on Monday, with the prince, at a charity performance somewhere. I spent the afternoon in the archives looking at the Annual Register for 1863, and all the material relating to the marriage of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra of Denmark. The last occasion when a Prince of Wales married as such. They wed on March 10 that year. The bride wore a diamond bracelet, a gift from the ladies of Leeds, and the bridegroom was attended throughout the marriage ceremony by his 'groom of the stole' Earl Spencer, the elder half-brother of Diana's great-grandfather. I wonder whether Lady Diana will appoint a similar retinue to her household as Alexandra, who, in 1863, appointed Lord Harris as her [Lord] Chamberlain, the Marchioness of Carmarthen, the Countess of Macclesfield and the Countess of Morton as her ladies of the bedchamber? I'm guessing that Diana's weekend visit to Eaton Hall was to fix Natalia Westminster with a job. Another possible candidate is the Duchess of Abercorn, Natalia's sister, and both are distantly related to Charles. I'm gathering all this for an article for the YP.

Home at 6. Mum and Dad visited the Stonehouse Inn again today. The old man [George Deakin/Deacon] is in no hurry to quit. They remain hopeful. Mum and Dad went over to see Hilda and Tony at 7:30. I phoned Ally twice. The first time I was cold and snappy, and so I phoned back to apologise. I also phoned Jack Simon and booked him to do our wedding photos. Watched TV until midnight. Part 1 of a dramatisation of the life of David Lloyd George. Seems promising.

Nothing in the news other than Ronald Reagan singing the praises of Mrs Thatcher.

-=-

Tuesday March 3, 1981

 _. My day off caused no misery or heartache at the YP. Eileen Burnip was very keen to relate various tales of my escapades on Sunday afternoon. I winced hideously. 

Kathleen's papa died on Sunday night, but she will not resume her duties until the end of the month. She put in a very brief appearance this morning. 

Royal news: the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana is to take place at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29. The last royal wedding at St Paul's [the old pre 1666 St Paul's] was Arthur, Prince of Wales, elder son of King Henry VII, who married Katherine of Aragon there. It's a bigger venue and can hold 2,000 more guests than Westminster Abbey. I think that the prince prefers St Paul's. He spoke from the pulpit here at Lord Mountbatten's funeral in Sept '79, and of course last year it was where the service for the Queen Mother's 80th birthday was held. The prince and Lady Diana spent the weekend at Cholmondeley Castle, home of the Lord Great Chamberlain, and they also visited Eaton Hall, home of the Duke of Westminster and his 21 year-old Duchess. Will she be Diana's Mistress of the Robes? One of the Sunday papers reported that Diana is a seventh cousin once removed of Humphrey Bogart and the same re Rudolph Valentino. This line can be traced via her great-grandmother, Lady Fermoy, formerly Frances Work, of New York. 

Ally came at 6 for pancakes. I have sorted out most of my books destined for Club St, and she drove off at 9:45 like a mobile library. To bed at 10. Mum and Dad have another appointment at the Stonehouse Inn tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

-=-

Monday March 2, 1981

_. Stayed in bed until 12. We both phoned our work places pleading sickness and diarrhoea. I went out at 1pm in the drizzle to the Co-op to buy a few provisions for our naughty day off. [Our first illicit day off since Oct '80 when we spent the day in Knaresborough]. For lunch we had scrambled eggs on toast with tomatoes, and for tea it was crumpets and Heinz Sandwich spread sandwiches. Luxury. We remained in the comfortable surroundings of Club Street until 9pm and then returned to Guiseley to make a serious attempt in selecting wedding invitations and place settings from several large volumes. Snow now gone, making way for drizzle and mist. To bed at 11.

-=-

Sunday March 1, 1981

 _. Quinquagesima ~ St David's Day

Rain melts the snow. Catherine Brook phoned to ask if Ally and I would like to join them for a drink at Bingley at 12:30. We made a hurried visit to Club Street where we erected the bunk beds, and then went to join Catherine and David, who got engaged yesterday. I can never remember the name of the pub in Bingley, near the parish church. Is it the White Horse? Felt quite pissed by 2pm. We don't do much drinking in the afternoon these days.

Onward at 2pm to Meanwood and Anne Goodyear's  so-called Eisteddfod party in celebration of St David's Day. Got hopelessly plastered on red wine and made the usual spectacle of myself. Leeks poking provacatively from the fly of my trousers, &c. My last recollection was cuddling Anne's large stuffed gorilla, a fine piece of taxidermy. We left at about 7:30 and after some disagreement in the car I got out on the Headrow, only to be found some time later down on Kirkstall Rd near YTV. Ally spotted me in a phone box and swerved across the road to collect me. I have absolutely no idea what happened. Instead of going home we drove to the Hermit at Burley Woodhead. Back at Club Street for 10:30.

-=-

Saturday February 28, 1981

 _. Woke up after 10:30 to snow falling. Not happy about this because we planned to go on a shopping expedition to York, and now instead we are trapped here with the prospect of a boring day indoors ahead of us. 

We struggled out at about 3 to collect a couple of volumes of wedding invitation examples from Fred Rhodes's shop and then went on, somewhat bravely under the circumstances, to Otley, then Ilkley, where we got very wet in the slush as we wandered around the shops. I have my eye on a stuffed dog, a Yorkshire Terrier I think, upon a cushion in a glass case for £44.

To Lynn and Dave's at 4:30. We took tea with the expectant mum. Everybody has decided that she is having a girl because of the size and shape of the bump, but I stick to my guns.

Back at Pine Tops at 6 with Sue, Pete, Mum and Dad. We all came to conclusion that that we should go dine out. Giovanni's at White Cross was fully booked and so we went down to Manningham Lane and our 'love nest', Mamma Mia's. I had seafood salad, lasagne, then pineapple. Ally had corn on the cob, lasagne and a sweet. We all had Sambucas, Strega, and Tia Maria. Back in fog at 11 for peach wine, or was it apricot? Bed very late.

-=-

Friday February 27, 1981

 _. Went to Leeds on the 72 Express bus with the one and only Tony Harney. A enlightening experience. 

Home to Guiseley at 6 to a phone call from Sue enquiring as to my planned activities or schedule for this evening. Ally came over at 8 and we abandoned Audrey [the car] and scaled Thorpe Lane on foot with no sherpas. We joined Sue and Pete at the White Cross. Dave L was in the bar with Graham and Christine Airey. Dave made some comments about our 'long engagement'. Phil Knowles was there. He told us he'll be in Ios in mid-July with a girlfriend and he will track us down at our retreat. Chippy, Gus and Frank joined us. Back to West End Terrace to look at the wedding photographs and drink wine. Back to Pine Tops in the snow after 12.

-=-

Thursday February 26, 1981

 _. To Club Street at 6. Had cheese and potato casserole for dinner, made in the crock pot. It was accompanied by mushy peas which failed to mush. I took Ally a bunch of daffodils and tulips, which she loved. We just sat and watched TV until about 11:30. 'Malice Aforethought' with Hywel Bennett - Excellent. He is such an eerie character. 

Royal wedding: It is to take place at the end of July. Will Ally and I be back from Greece to witness the spectacle on the telly? Lady Diana is to become HRH The Princess of Wales, and not 'Princess Diana', but the Press will no doubt go with the latter. Certain organs have been speculating that Lady Diana will be given a new Christian name, with royal associations. This is nonsense. Diana is after all from the Latin meaning Goddess; principally the Roman goddess identified with Artemis. A more 'queenly' name one could not wish to find.

-=-

Wednesday February 25, 1981

   _. The wedding errors in the press: the YP have married James II to his mistress Henrietta Churchill. We also state that Lady Diana has five illegitimate lines of descent from Charles II, and one legitimate line. Charles II of course left no legitimate descendants. Poor Catherine of Braganza couldn't conceive. 

The Times says that the London-born Queen Mother is 'Scottish', and that Queen Mary, wife of King George V, was German. Yes, her title was German - Princess of Teck, but of course born at Kensington Palace, in May, 1867, and raised there. The newspapers are full of the engagement. Some of the worst headlines: 'MY SHY DI' and 'CHARLES LOVES DI - TRUE'. Oh, dear. The palace has released a wonderful portrait of Lady Diana by Snowdon. She will blossom into something more amazing, I'm sure. The Times put the match down to the Queen Mother scheming. The couple were photograped in the palace grounds. Diana looking bewildered, peering through her fringe at the sea of cameras. Looking at the photos I'm guessing Lady Diana is about 5'10. One thing's for certain, the Prince of Wales couldn't have left it much longer.

Cold again. Ally came at 7:30. I re-organised my bedroom. Saw the final, gruesome episode of 'Sons and Lovers'. We chose some brass handles for the chest. Ally goes at 10:45. Bed at 12:10am.

-=-

Tuesday February 24, 1981

 _. Cold. Whilst devouring breakfast I heard on the 7:30 news that Lady Diana and the Prince of Wales spent two hours last night with the Queen. Something is obviously afoot. At 11 the news broke in the office that the Prince of Wales is engaged to marry Lady Diana Frances Spencer. A feeling of relief. She's an impeccable choice of bride. The Prince can now share his heavy burden with this delightful creature.

Spent the day compiling a family tree for tomorrow's YP showing the common descent of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana from King James I. It is interesting that she has so much Stuart blood and he has so little. Diana will be the first Queen to be descended from Charles II and his brother, James II.

To Ally's at 6. A tortuous journey because of the menacing snow. Had a fish casserole for dinner. Spent the evening watching the various news bulletins. The happy couple dined this evening at Clarence House with the Queen Mother and Ruth, Lady Fermoy. From last night Lady Diana took up residence at Clarence House, to come under the umbrella of royal protection, and no doubt to be groomed for her future role by the Queen Mother, a master at the royal trade.

To bed at 12. In honour of the engagement was have named our new ceramic flying pigs Charles, Diana and baby George [wishful thinking].

-=-

Monday February 23, 1981

 _.Snow on the ground with leaden skies above. Grotty day at the YP. Escaped at 4:45. I phoned Denise to ask the time difference between Manchester and Athens. I could easily have looked in Whitaker's Almanac, but didn't. 

Bob Cockroft is confident that the Prince of Wales is to marry Lady Diana. He's been told that the prince has commissioned 'something for his wedding' and it's only a matter of time.

Some horrid colonels are holding the Spanish parliament hostage in Madrid. However, the King remains in his palace and there are no signs of Spanish peasants rigging up a guillotine. It is such a pity because Spain seemed to be doing so well following Franco's end in 1975.

Phone calls: to Ally. Honeymoon taxi trouble, but June is a long way off. Spoke to D. Glynn whose holiday plans have collapsed because Garry can only have two weeks from July 20. I am going to see Denise and see what she can do about it. 

Mum and Dad visited the Yorkshire Bank to discuss the Stonehouse Inn deal. Mum spoke to Lily Glynn about the pub business and she was very helpful. 

Forgot to watch John Cleese.

-=-

Sunday February 22, 1981

 _. Sexagesima

Cold. We didn't venture out at Pine Tops. Spent the day sitting with Mum and Dad discussing the Stonehouse Inn. They visited the place again earlier in the week and and met George Deakin's daughter who showed them over the property. The land with it is vast. The entire estate is up for sale for £70,000. Ally is thrilled, as of course am I, of mucking out an ancient building unchanged since the 1930s. Who knows what treasures are to be found? They have an appointment to see Mr Osborne at the Yorkshire Bank at 3pm tomorrow. Our fingers are crossed in anticipation. A pub will give them an all consuming interest. The departure from home of four children must be a trauma for them and now, at 46 and 45, they are left alone, back where they started almost. 

Tonight: Saw Olivier in 'Khartoum' and Sir John Mills in 'Dulcima'. Bed at almost 1am. Snow fell in the afternoon, still on the ground, but not deeply laid. I can't do with it.

-=-

Saturday February 21, 1981

 _. Bitterly cold. Active to a certain extent. Scrambled eggs at 11. Ally, beautiful. Isn't she always? Drove to Otley in search of a wedding photographer and found no satisfaction at Malcolm's. He charges £125 and selects all the photos himself. Back to Club St for lasagne [last night's left overs]. Onward then to Bingley and Curio Cottage Antiques where we bought a pine chest of drawers for £38 and a wash basin and jug in a blue and white floral design for £25. 

Saw Denny [Denise] at James Hill Travel, Horsforth, and paid out £85 as a deposit for our Ios honeymoon project. Thirteen nights on the Island and one night in Athens. Sounds exquisite but I will not rave about it until I'm sprawled in the volcanic sand clutching an ice-cold Moussaka-flavoured choc ice.

Ally and I to dinner at Pine Tops [pork]. A night in front of the telly with Mum and her willful knitting. Bed at 12:30.

-=-

Friday February 20, 1981

 _. Lady Diana Spencer flew home from Australia and was hurried from the plane in the company of a 'high ranking' palace official, by-passing the usual customs procedures. She is already being royally treated. Later in the day, the Prince of Wales, accompanied by Lady D, watched as his racehorse collapsed and died whilst training in Berkshire. Both were in floods of tears. HRH didn't leave his beast until the vet arrived.

To Lidget Green at 6 for lasagne washed down with wine. A happy, relaxed evening 'at home', which it shortly will be. After the luxurious dinner she washed the dishes and allowed me to languish like a Roman emperor on the sofa, devouring the occasional grape, watching a snowy, flickering TV screen. 

Watched Huw Wheldon's marvellous account of Victoria and Albert's life at Osborne House in the 'Royal Heritage' series. Ally made an attempt to read 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' by dear Agatha [Christie]. One of her better books. I think she was sober when she penned that one. To bed after 12.

-=-

Thursday February 19, 1981

 _. Dismal day. At tea I mentioned to Mama that Frank Dixon expects me to pay for the wedding cars and flowers. She almost choked on her Brooke Bond. Obviously, Mum and Dad want to contribute. I am, she says, worth every penny. 

Ally came over at 8 and we went to the Fox for a few sombre hours. She is upset and embarrassed about the confusion over the wedding finances, and thrown into a depression for the duration of the evening.

Back at Pine Tops at 10:30 to see Jim, Margaret, Mum and Dad. 

Prince Andrew is 21 years old today, but no public celebrations of this auspicious occasion took place. The Lord Mayor of York has petitioned the Queen to create her second son Duke of York, but of course she didn't do so. I'm not in the least bit surprised. It took HM six years after coming to the throne to create her eldest son Prince of Wales, and Princess Anne stands as much chance of becoming the Princess Royal as I do. And look at Peter Phillips? Why isn't he Marquess of Sussex?

-=-

Wednesday February 18, 1981

 _. Refused to climb out of bed until I was forced to do at 7:30. Rushed around with a cup of coffee. To Leeds with James R. No Jennie - it's half term, you know. 

YP: Carol is growing steadily worse. So much so that Sarah took a half day to escape the asphyxiating presence of Mrs J. 

Much telephoning on the topic of our honeymoon. Too complex in fact to commit to paper. Besides, you don't want to be bothered with it, do you? Home at 6.

Ally came to dinner with very good news. She and Denise have between them fixed it for us to fly to Athens at 1:30am on June 28, then take a ferry [10 hours approx.] to Ios and our honeymoon hotel. By all accounts it is an island with no roads or motor cars. Sounds like paradise. Paradise maybe, but the money isn't. We are now committed to saving £350 in ten weeks. Denise is calling in tomorrow to collect a £50 deposit. I want you to know, the lot of you, that we shall take no precautions after June and so foreign holidays after 1981 might be numbered.

Mum and Dad went to Sue and Pete's until 10:30 and Ally and I watched an increasingly depressing 'Sons and Lovers'. She went off in high spirits just before Mum and Dad returned. Wedding cars are booked.

-=-

Tuesday February 17, 1981

 _. Woke up at 7 feeling tired and unhealthy. I'd had a rotten dream about people leaping from the 37th floor of a large tower block. It wasn't me leaping but I could see and more particularly hear others doing so very clearly.

Busy at the YP. Phoned ten numbers from the back page of the Times for Greek holiday brochures, but then Ally phoned to say she's found a holiday for us on Paros [flying at 1am Sunday 28/6/81], but then Denise phoned to say she has found accommodation on Ios, but still looking for a flight. So we can go with either one. Ally came home laden with brochures at 7:30 and we rummaged fruitfully. She looked quite devastating tonight.________. We also discussed wedding photographs and decided that on Saturday we will go to Otley in search of a lucky photographer. She left at 10:45 in Audrey [the car]. I drank weak Ovaltine and took to my bed at 11:30. Look at Peter Sellers again. Mum is worried about Dad. I think she thinks he is unwell.

News: The Social Democrats have raised £25,000 from the general public and a new HQ. Lady Diana, we are told, is now in Africa contemplating her position. Tomorrow, no doubt, she'll be spotted in Skegness. Princess Margaret and Roddy Llewellyn are in Mustique. Forty plus young people have died in a fire in Dublin.

-=-

Monday February 16, 1981

 _.Washington's Birthday Observance

Sunny and bright, &c. At the YP I telephoned my great-Aunt Anne to thank her for her engagement card. She sounded quite chirpy. She must be almost eighty I'm sure. I then phoned Denise to inform her of my 'news' and asked her to fix us up with a honeymoon on the island of Ios. She said I would be distracted by the nudity there but that Ios is one of the most unspoiled Greek islands. She was thrilled about the wedding and sought permission to tell MM the news. It seems I am now a celebrity.

Home at 6. Mum and Dad are very dull and do not enthuse about Scotland, which is odd. Normally I'd be listening to tales for weeks on end. I expected a visit from Ally at 8:30 but she phoned much later to say Graham and Charlotte Smith had phoned her and kept her for ages and then her mother had phoned afterwards and so didn't see the point in coming over for just a couple of hours. Evidently, her brother Graham had bumped into the Smiths in Winchester and told them of our news. They [the Smiths] are coming to stay with Ally in May.

To bed with the Peter Sellers biography at 11:30. Feeling groggy.

-=-

Sunday February 15, 1981

 _.Septuagesima

Andrew Dixon, my future brother-in-law is 17 years old today. A Spring-like, warm day. Ate fried and grilled things again for breakfast. Ally, armed with buckets and cloths, headed out to car and spent and hour cleaning and polishing. She also took all the grime off Dad's ailing car, which surely cannot last much longer. I am never good in situations like this. Washing cars has never been at the top of my list of favourite pastimes. I would do anything to get out of it. Fortunately, Ally didn't expect me to help.

We later watched Spike Milligan in 'The Bed Sitting Room' or something, which was hilarious. Mum, Dad, Hilda and Tony came in after tea looking wan but pleased with the visit north. Hilda and Tony very impressed with Corner House Cottage. To bed at 1am.

-=-

Saturday February 14, 1981

 _. Valentine's Day

Ally and I exchanged cards. Up at 6:30 splashing around in the bath before making scrambled eggs and bacon for my precious Ally. She spent hours dressing, and by 8:30 I was a little concerned. I wanted to be at the office on time. We went to Burley-in-W to collect Lynn and then on to Leeds where they deposited me at the YP and then went off on a shopping expedition. The little turquoise car disappeared along Wellington Street and for some minutes I could hear the girls squealing with delight and glee at the prospect of a whole day in the metropolis, buying up the contents of the shops therein.

Boring at the YP. I made my escape at 2 and joined Ally and Lynn at Jacomelli's where we had a couple of drinks. Ally pulled out a brochure and showed me pictures of her dress and the bridesmaid dresses. I know it's very bad luck to see a bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony, but does this count? On to Burley to deposit Lynn. We called on Sue and Pete and Ally showed her the dress she'll be wearing. Back to Pine Tops for 5.

We had liver and onion gravy with Yorkshire puddings, by the flicker of candle light. Snuggled like lovebirds watching TV afterwards. To bed by 12.

-=-

Friday February 13, 1981

 _.To Leeds from Bradford. Very busy day until 5:30 when I left and met Dave B on Wellington Street. He brought me through to Guiseley to collect some step ladders. I opened an anonymous Valentine's day card which had been left by Ally on her way to Burley. Dave is very quiet these days. He sat, almost glum, on the drive home. It might be the pressure of business which, thank God, I am totally without. 

At Lawn Road I painted a bedroom ceiling a pale green. Ally was painting in a cupboard so I didn't see much of her. We had fish and chips with Lynn and Dave and left at about 10 o'clock. They wanted me to carry on and put gloss paint on a window but I chickened out. Felt buggered. 

Back to a deserted Pine Tops with Ally. Mum and Dad had left for Scotland with Hilda and Tony. We watched TV and went to bed at 12:30.

-=-

Thursday February 12, 1981

 _. Lincoln's Birthday

A trying day. Ally came here at 7:45 looking pale and confused. She sat next to me and announced that she'd accidentally left her engagement ring on a shelf in the bridal shop in Bradford whilst trying on a wedding dress this afternoon. She looked very close to tears. I didn't help the situation by looking like thunder, muttering dreadful expressions and oaths. Papa immediately took on his police constable mantle and phoned through to Bradford police who gave him the name of the key holder of the shop. Within minutes Ally and I were heading out to Haworth in search of her engagement ring, which we located with great relief, at about 9 o'clock. 

To the Bod for a few well deserved drinks. Back to Club St for 10:30 where I installed by portable TV, with a very snowy picture, but better than nothing. Our first telly programme in our home is 'Kojak' with Telly Savalas. Ally, buried beneath a mountain of bridal catalogues. She wants something sensational and 'off the shoulder'. To bed at 12.

-=-

Wednesday February 11, 1981

 _. I am disgusted by the publishers of this journal, and all at WH Smith Desk Diaries Inc. On the next page, beneath the date, is clearly printed 'Lincoln's Birthday', a detail I find most acceptible. However, for the entry on June 23 I see no mention of Edward VIII's birthday, and where, on May 24, are we told it's the birthday of Lincoln's contermporary Queen Victoria? Most disturbing. It seems that Smith's now turn out desk diaries purely for the likes of Ronald Reagan and his counterparts. A very sad reflection of our times.

Busy day at the YP. Carol J suggests that Kathleen's absence will take it's toll on us before long. We shall see. Saddened that Sarah says she and Delia will be in Scotland on June 27, and will be unable to do the wedding flowers or attend the reception as I would have wished.

Lady Diana speculation confusion: her family deny that she is in Australia, but Aussie officials say she's definitely in that vast, sparse continent. The Shand Kydds are near Canberra, but no sign of her there.

Sue and Pete came to dinner at 6. Ally came at 7:30, cheesed off. She says an estimate on repairing the Citroen comes in at £125 plus VAT. Obviously, the offending and seemingly 'blind' driver of the other offending vehicle is going to receive the bill for the damage.

We watched TV. 'Sons and Lovers' part 6. A depressing little production and I find Paul Morel a nauseating little character. Sue and Pete left at 10:30 and Mum and Dad drifted off to bed leaving Ally and I watching 'Puppet on a Chain', the film based on the book by Alistair MacLean. I first saw it at Yeadon with Dave L.

Ally saw at wedding dress in Bradford yesterday, and it going to try it on tomorrow. Lace, frills, and all that. Bed at 12:30. Peter Sellers is a dismal little biography.

-=-

Tuesday February 10, 1981

 _. Sun. Spring-like. Wrote something on the Vyner family [Studley Royal] for Derek Foster. Hickey in the Express says Lady Diana has been at Highgrove for a romantic tete a tete with the Prince of Wales and is now on her way to Australia with her mother. Things are looking up, aren't they? 

Home at 6 to find Mum and Dad entertaining Maria and the babies. Catherine has a streaming cold. She refers to her brother as 'the boy', and sat gasping and coughing over a framed photo of her daddy. Chaos. I had to deflate several balloons so that JPH could make vulgar farting noises with them in true slapstick tradition. We may have another Charlie Cairoli on our hands. Maria, all nice and sisterly, took the band home at 6:30. Jim is driving them all to Carlisle early tomorrow morning and John is collecting them there.

Phoned Ally at 7:30. A silly bitch rammed the Citreon in the AHA carpark this afternoon. One of the headlights was squashed and the chap at Jack Andrews [garage] says it will cost £25 to repair. She was going to phone Frank re the car insurance.

Dave G phoned. He and Garry are going to Ibiza on June 30, and will stay at the Pisces Park Hotel. Lily had a word and called me 'a dark horse' [re the engagement]. Mum thinks it would be nice to invite Jim and Lily [Glynn] to the wedding, but could they take time off from the Hollywood? Oh God, it's 19 weeks on Saturday.

Took to the bath at 10 to avoid a programme on the BBC - Robert Key in Ireland. I am not overly fond of our fiendish, gaelic cousins. Mum looking very colourful in a new kaftan. They are going to the Stonehouse Inn on Thursday. Bed at 11:35pm.

-=-

Monday February 9, 1981

 _. General oddments: Heavy rain. Shirley Williams has quit the National Executive Committee of the Labour party. 

Royal News: Queen Frederika of Greece died in Spain on Friday, aged 63. [Nigel] Dempster says Lady Di is to spend part of March-April in Australia to coincide with the Prince of Wales's visit to that great colony - governor-general speculation, and all that. The Duke of Edinburgh is to attend the Valentine's Day wedding of Prince Henri of Luxembourg. Princess Michael of Kent's first husband [Tom Troubridge] has married a Mrs Petronella Forgan in the USA, &c.

I have already said it was somewhat inclement today. I took my new umbrella to the office and made full use of it at lunchtime by going out for a trudge in the downpour for a tongue sandwich from Malcolm's bakery. Sarah is very worried. Gordon Linacre has let it be known that he is far from happy about Kathleen's leave of absence, saying it isn't 'company policy' to allow people to abandon their responsibilities. It could result in Kathleen's resignation and a new chief been brought in from outside. What an obnoxious thought, eh? Sarah is understandably most peeved. 

Precious Ally came at 7:30 and we watched John Cleese in 'Fawlty Towers' [again] and then sat for a couple of hours inventing a list for wedding presents. You know the sort of thing: bath towels [green], plastic bucket [brown], bamboo toilet roll holder, &c. Throughout this endless compilation Burt Lancaster was shooting people on TV. I kept telly Ally that the blood was only ketchup, but she didn't seen convinced. She left at 11:15. Bed at 12:15.

-=-

Sunday February 8, 1981

 _. Awakened at 10:30 by violent noises coming from the bathroom. Garry vomiting as if he might cough up his heart, liver and spleen. Dreadful. Breakfast on bacon, eggs, tinned spaghetti, &c. All except Garry of course who just sat silently, looking very green. Ally is recovered - just a few bruises where she walked into awkwardly placed chairs, tables, doors and walls. To the Forester's at 12:30 and then the Black Horse until 2:30. No enthusiastic drinking. I think we all had quite enough last night. We walked to the Linton falls and looked at the water and the ducks [in the drizzle], chiefly to ease our consciences because we hadn't walked further than the high street since our arrival. We packed up and left at 7 to go to Cracoe for food. Rain and sleet on the way home. Dave and Garry headed back to Stockport and Ally and I joined Mum for the evening. To bed at 12:30.

-=-

Saturday February 7, 1981

 _. Up at 10:30. I didn't know where the Hell I was when my pink eyes opened to the cave-like, clammy bedroom. All to the kitchen for a colossal fried breakfast of Edwardian proportions. You know, the usual scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, &c. By 12 though we were safely amassed in the Forester's Arms [a Tetley house] where we passed the duration of the afternoon. Nauseating video games are on the increase. The whole pub vibrated and shook to the sound of 'space invaders', and all the intergalactic life and death struggles that go with it, fruit machines, the juke box, &c. It isn't surprising that the pub cat is insane. It staggered about the bar, with bulging red eyes, sinking it's needle-like teeth into all and sundry. Joined at 7 by Lynn, Dave B, Chris and Julie, and at 8 by Dave L. All at the Devonshire singing along to a drunk playing an accordion very badly. Dave L was very pleased about the engagement. He left us at 11:15 spattered in port and lemon. Lynn and Co joined us at the cottage for a few drinks but it wasn't successful. We were all too drunk, and to poor Lynn [drinking tomato juice] it must have looked like a scene from a bawdy nineteenth centurty music hall, and not a very good one at that. Susan's flowery language is quite amazing - she always puts on such a good floor show at these weekend gatherings with the Stockport lads. Chris and Julie are such demure characters, though I do get the impression that Julie could be quite a scream if she tried. Ally was pissed. The girls had been drinking pints. 

-=-

Friday February 6, 1981

 _. Phoned Ally from 7:30, and still no reply. I finally tracked her down at the AHA. She says  her phone must be on the blink because she sat waiting for a call all last night and early this morning and decided I must have 'fallen out with her'. No comment. 

To the YP from 9-12 and escaped into the crisp February noon full of elation. Freedom until Monday! Lunched with Mama and Papa and we were joined by Ally at 2. We have received an engagement card from my great-aunt Annie Kirk [Grandmother Rhodes's younger sister]. Great aunts are few on the ground. We went to Bryan Waite's [the photographer] but his Mrs told us that June 27 is out of the question. Then on to Burley to show Lynn the engagement ring. Ally was most peculiar about it, almost embarrassed. Finally to Grassington for 3pm. We went shopping to Skipton for coal and breakfast provisions, then back to the damp, yet lovable cottage. Joined by Sue and Pete at 6:30 and by 7 we were in the Black Horse. We became quite intoxicated. Susie is such a comedienne. To the Devonshire at 10, Joined by Dave G and Garry. They were not remotely stunned by the engagement announcement. Spent £9 on booze and returned to the cottage for a Baccanalian orgy. The usual Hill Top scene marred only by the lack of music. Garry forgot the cassette player. Bed at some dawn hour.

-=-

Thursday February 5, 1981

 _. A very ordinary day. No Americans have been taken hostage. Ronald Reagan didn't die in office [yet], and the Prince of Wales remains unengaged. Sarah, a fashion guru, says that Lady Diana needs a new shirt. She'd have thousands of new shirts if only she'd say 'yes'. 

John Lennon is dead and it's very sad and all that but I think it's going too far putting his every record in the charts. I am now sick of Lennon and the media ought to be ashamed of the fact that they've destroyed my love of his music by constantly playing it for weeks on end. The man is being rammed down our throats.

Dave G phoned. He and Garry are motoring here tomorrow. Susie phoned too and said she and Peter are setting out at 6:30. 

Dad is no better and looks ghastly. His eyes are sunken and he's a shade of deathly white. Off his food too, and for Dad that is unheard of. 

Ally came at 8. We went to the Fox & Hounds, the Drop and the New Inn where we met up with Susie, Audrey, Janet Simon and Biffy. You know my views re this Thursday night quartet. Ally set off for home at 11:15 and I promised to phone her at 11:30 to check she was safely home but when I did I got no reply. I sat dialling until after 12. I retired to bed with Peter Sellers convinced that Ally must be dead in St Luke's Hospital, or at least mortally wounded. Sat reading Peter Sellers but didn't sleep.

-=-

Wednesday February 4, 1981

  _. A glum day at the office. Since Kathleen's demise Carol J has taken it upon herself to rule the library in the fashion of Catherine the Great, or that peroxide wonder, Eva Peron. I despise dictators, especially female ones, and ignore her. It's best that way. Sarah finds it highly amusing.

Phoned Ally. She has had a tooth crowned and moaned about it. She also had a moan about Dave G's indecision about when he and Garry will be joining us at Grassington. I phoned him and told him to pull hus socks up. We joked about the Robin Hood [pub]. They [the lads] spend every available hour swilling ale in that hostelry now. He promised to ring me tomorrow. I didn't tell him about our engagement. I then phoned Garry.

Dad looks grotty [diarrhoea]. He made a brief appearance this evening and then crawled back into bed. I watched an episode of 'Sons and Lovers'. 

To bed at about 11 quite knackered. Whatever happened to the youth of yesteryear? Sat in bed with the biography of Peter Sellers. A sad man.

-=-

Tuesday February 3, 1981

 _. I put the announcement of our enagement in the Evening Post.  Quite splendid.

Politics: Have I commented recently about the Council for Social Democracy that has been formed by Roy Jenkins and Co? It certainly looks as though the Labour party is done for once and for all. They are all deserting to join Mr Jenkins and Shirley Williams, &c, including such world figures as Lord Flowers, Janet Suzman, Frank Muir, Denis Nordern and Shirley Temple Black. All we need now is for Morecambe & Wise to switch loyalties and we'll have the basis of a new political party.  However, it isn't all beer and skittles for Margaret Thatcher. This crew might be damaging to Labour but what damage could they cause the Conservative party? How many 'wets' will join Uncle Woy, one asks? Harold Wilson was on the telly. I don't think he's long for this world. He's wasting away.

-=-

Monday February 2, 1981

 _. Ally spent yesterday morning [while I slept] discussing the wedding with Frank and Bessie and things were all decided. Frank said yes to the Cow & Calf. In fact he said yes to everything. Ally assures me that Franks is very quiet and just because he isn't swinging from the banisters he is in fact very pleased with our union. I always find him very snappy.

To the YP and told Sarah of my plans. She wasn't in the least bit surprised and said she'd expected an announcement at Christmas. __________. I bought cream buns at 1pm and brought them back to the office and told Carol J and Shazzo. A general lack of excitement. 

Mum and Dad dined at Burley-in-W. Ally and I went to the Cow & Calf and booked the reception for June 27. A bleak night. Had a lager and the hotel and then came back to Pine Tops. Mum and Dad came home at 9:30. Ally left at 10:30.

-=-

Sunday February 1, 1981

 _. 4th Sunday after Epiphany

Ally and her Mum

Sunny. Out to the New Forest at 12:30 in Frank's Rover to a pub seething with Sunday trippers. Joined by Graham and Gill. Andrew stayed at home playing with the remains of his motor cycle. A disappointing lunch. A dirty tobacco stained gent positioned himself next to Bessie and breathed, wheezed and perspired all over her plaice and chips. Frank and Graham were hudddled on bar stools, and Ally, Gill and I were crammed around a very small table. Frank bought my scampi [£2.10]. 

Frank & Bessie went on to Southampton and Ally and I went to Chandler's Ford with Graham and Gill to look at the work done to their new house. They've erected a cupboard in the kitchen. We left for home at 4:30 after much photographing. Even Frank brought out his camera. Good journey home. At Guiseley for 9:30. We showed Mum and Dad the engagement ring. Karen and Steve had been to Sunday lunch. Bed 11:30.

-=-

Saturday January 31, 1981

 _. Sunny day. Out at lunch at 12:30 with Ally, Graham and Gill to the Ship at Sutton something or other [Bishops Sutton]. I couldn't eat. Still a spot of diarrhoea. They all found room for mounds of dead fish and vegetation and I struggled with a small loaf and an innocent looking lump of Cheddar. The chutney proved fatal. Afterwards, to Southampton on a furniture hunt for Graham & Gill again. They are extremely disorganised.

Back to Chillandham Cross at 5:30. Frank came in from his boat from Guernsey, munching on a pear. He approached me and said bluntly: 'so you've named the day, have you?' The cat is finally out of the bag. I found the ring and placed it upon Ally's finger. We are well and truly engaged.

Just the two of us to Winchester for a drink this evening. We get on so enormously well. Called at the Plough at 10:45. Midge scampered from behind the bar to view the jewels. Graham was banging on about buying a CB thing. Ludicrous. Tony and Neil had a fight. Back at Chillandham Cross we had steak and chips at 12:30am. Bed 1:30.

-=-

Friday January 30, 1981

 _. A day of recovery at Lidget Green. Phoned the office at 8:30 and asked Sarah for cut flowers only, preferably orchids, and definitely no mourning. Ally went off in Audrey Citroen to the AHA and I sat listening to ghastly Radio 1, reading Agatha Christie. Later I had a bath, and ironed my jeans, and banged the hot iron down on my left hand. I didn't like it. 

Ally came home at 4. We packed the car, dashed to Leeds and collected the rings. The engagement ring is perfect. On to Winchester. Thick fog and ice after Northampton. We had to stop at Brackley for Ally to compose herself.

Walked in Chillandham Cross at 11. Frank is fogged up in Guernsey until tomorrow, and so we broke the news to Bessie, who had been warned of a coming surprise by Ally on the blower this afternoon. She was pleased, in her own sweet way. Graham & Gill fully expected it. Had a whisky. Bed at 1am.

-=-

Thursday January 29, 1981

 _. Diarrhoea. I suppose it had to happen. I put in a brief appearance at the YP and after swigging a chalky potion made up by the YP nurse I obtained 'leave of absence' from Sarah and headed home. Well, in fact I headed for the place that soon shall be my home, 5 Club St. Saw Ally briefly, and then disappeared to bed with a mug of revolting arrowroot, clutching a volume of Agatha Christie. Not one of Agatha's better works. Something about a Christmas pudding. As always, I feel much better away from the YP. 

Ally was back from work at 5 and I attempted to join her downstairs but felt weak and uncomfortable. Returned to bed.

Dave G phoned but I didn't speak. Ally passed on my good wishes. Ally came to bed at 10. A restless night watching the clock and jibbering away to myself. All very melodramatic, but when I'm ill I certainly know I'm ill.

-=-

Wednesday January 28, 1981

 _. Decidedly weak. To the YP 9-12. It was easy sitting in the office and not letting anyone know of my affairs. Mouth tightly shut, saying nothing. 

It was an awful journey on the bus. Looked at lunch but didn't touch the food. Too dangerous.

Went to bed until tea time. JPH woke me, playing with my foot, went downstairs feeling cold, tired and lifeless. Ally joined us and we two sat by the fire whilst Mum, Dad, John, Maria and the babies foraged next door.

It wasn't long before I was wanting my bed. It must be a chill. Poor Ally went home to Club St.

-=-

Tuesday January 27, 1981

 _. We had an engagement party. It commenced at 8:30 with the following: ML Rhodes, Esq; Alison Dixon,; Lawrence Rhodes; Nora Rhodes; David and Lynn Baker; Peter and Susan Nason; John and Maria Rhodes; Mabel Paine; Tony and Hilda Gadsby; Steve and Karen Sanderson; Jill Gadsby and Tim Elmer; Diane Gadsby and Paul Edwards; Jackie Myers; Jim and Margaret Nason; Jim and Muriel Rawnsley, &c.

We received some wonderful presents [but won't bore you with a list], ate amazing food. Felt very odd, almost as though it wasn't really happening. Ally looked superb in her little 'clown trousers'. She is enormously happy and the responsibility puts terror in me. What if I should fail her? Am I capable of protecting her through life, down its gruesome, twisting pathway?

Hilda arrived bedecked in the Union Flag and led a conga-like dance throughout the house. Jim N entertained the males with a risque comedy hour in the kitchen bar, and a cultural bunch gathered around the surprise guest Muriel Rawnsley, as she told them the tale of how she dropped a slice of lemon from her gin and tonic into the lap of Mr Justice Boreham.

By 2am I was exhausted. I'm definitely going down with something. We have sent Mum some flowers as a thank you. Goodnight.

-=-

Monday January 26, 1981

 _. Mum took JPH and Catherine to Pudsey this morning to visit Hilda and Mabel and to inform them of our news. Mum says she's throwing a party tomorrow night, chiefly because John will still be here, but no public announcement will be made until after we've seen Bessie and Frank at the weekend.

Ally came here tonight. With all this excitement she cannot stay at Club St.

-=-

Sunday January 25, 1981

 _. 3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Ally and I went to the Cow & Calf at 1:30 and placed a provisional booking for a wedding reception. Returned to Pine Tops and went to bed for the afternoon. Ally had lunch with Mum and Dad. I got up at 5 with a clear head.

Sue and Pete were summoned [under false pretences], and we waited for Lynn and Dave to come from Audrey and Henry's. It seemed like an eternity. They came at 11:30. John and Maria came too, straight from Lochans. When all were assembled I walked in with a tray full of sherry, and all were informed of our plans. They all seemed so happy.

-=-

Saturday January 24, 1981

 _. At the YP from 9am-1:45. Dull isn't the word. Sunny, almost warm. Out into town at 2 and bought a two-stone diamond engagement ring, and a gold wedding ring from Maxfield's 'the wedding ring specialists' in the Merrion Centre. 

Back to Club St. Hot bath. On to Esholt to see the Rev Calvin Ward in his cold vestry. He agrees to our date, June 27, but says that he can only fit us in at noon. We wanted 2pm, but he's tied up at a tea party, or something. He was very agreeable and put us at our ease.

We went on to the Fox and Hounds and drank Stella Artois until 10. Back at Pine Tops we waited for Dad to walk in at midnight and then I told them that I had finally popped the question. Much excitement, joy, elation, &c. Mum said she thought I might be waiting for the Prince of Wales to do it first. Papa was close to tears. After all, I am his first born. Or was it the home brewed 'Japanese' Sake?

-=-

Friday January 23, 1981

 _. Brief. To Ally's after the YP. She collected her pay cheque today and found a £200 tax rebate within. Speechless. We celebrated with a lasagne at Mamma Mia's on Manningham Lane. Ally beautiful with her hair tied up. On to the Bod, but didn't over do things. Home for 11. 

-=-

Thursday January 22, 1981

 _. At 8pm Ally and I went out to the Drop, then the New Inn. Saw Susie, Janet, and Audrey, and little Biff. I do not like how Sue hangs around with these girls. Back to Pine Tops, quite merry, and watched Robin Day on the BBC.

-=-

Wednesday January 21, 1981

 _. Ally collected me from the YP at 5. She had been into Leeds to renew a contract on something, but had messed the whole thing up. We went on to Guiseley for dinner with Mum and Dad and afterwards fell in front of the TV to watch another episode of D.H. Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers'. Papa came home in the midst of this with a sad tale. The baby of a local doctor was found dead in its cot this evening after spending a damp afternoon with its mother shopping in Leeds strapped to its mother in one of those ridiculous red-Indian-type baby carrying things. Dad says he found her quite dazed cradling the child.

Mum and Dad went to bed and Ally I sat whispering about the coming holocaust, namely our engagement.

Ode to Ronald Reagan

Ron and Nancy you're the best,

I've watched you on the telly,

You make me want to head out west,

But it's all so flat and smelly.

-=-

Tuesday January 20, 1981

 _. Out of bed at 7. Worked very unenthusiastically, and paced up and down the office. Phoned Ally at 4 and spoke just for a few minutes. She is thinking about a honeymoon, definitely abroad, and we discussed the plot to cover our tracks on Saturday when we go see Ward at Esholt. All exciting stuff. If, or when asked about our visit to Winchester Jan 30-31, it is for Ally to have a fitting for her bridesmaid dress for Gill's wedding. I cannot wait to see the look on the faces at home when the news breaks. Hawksworth Laner will be reminiscent of VE Day in Trafalgar Square.

Both Sue and John phoned tonight. J is coming down from Scotland on Sunday to take Maria for her gynaecological x-ray, or whatever.

Royal New: Poor Lady Diana [Spencer] is back teaching at her kindgergarten whilst the Prince of Wales prepares for his annual Klosters visit with the Gloucesters. They go on Friday. Last week Lady D was spotted in Harrods purchasing items of fancy underwear, and laughed off the recognition with skill. John MacMurray has told Sarah that the permanent entourage of reporters camping outside Lady D's flat have all been captivated by her charm, good humour, and beauty. The girl is definitely Queen material. The prince would be a bloody fool to let her go.

News from the US: President Carter goes out of office and simultaneously the US hostages held in Iran were released after a captivity of 444 days. Four years ago I referred to Carter as 'a slug'. But now I admire him and feel profoundly sorry for the disasters and misfortunes that have dogged him. Ronald Wilson Reagan, who is 70 next month, becomes the 40th president. I am unsure about him. I won't call him a slug because I haven't seen much of him to attach any labels. 

Monday January 19, 1981

 _. Historic day. Ally and I had breakfast together at 7. Giggling together over cups of tea. Dad joined us. I pushed her down the lane.

12:40pm: Ally phoned to say she had spoken to the Rev Calvin Ward, Vicar of Esholt, and booked an appointment for us to see him on Saturday evening at 7:30. The ball is rolling. Feel very elated. Why didn't we think of this sooner?

9pm: Phoned Ally. She was in bed with a book and sore throat. A luscious little chat. How can we remain silent until February?

Other news: The US hostages in Iran are to be freed soon. President Carter leaves office tomorrow.

-=-

Sunday January 18, 1981

 _. 2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Up at 11. We headed out to see the Stonehouse Inn with Mum, Dad, Sue, Pete, Margaret, Jim and Julie. We drove there and looked at it without going on [it wasn't the time to do so with Margaret]. I can picture it renovated, nestling there in the sun surrounded by umbrellas, bustling with hikers. I pray this will come off for Mum and Dad. To the Miner's Arms for lunch. Bleak, and pouring rain. I stopped for a wee in a field on the way back and we lost the others. We returned home via Leathley, Farnley, &c. 

Back at Pine Tops Ally and I were interrogated mercilessly by the party re a possible wedding. Little do they know. One particular 'hairy' incident was when Jim and Margaret were discussing their pearl wedding anniversary, on June 30. Without thinking I immediately said that June 30 is a Tuesday. Jim's eyes glistened. He leapt upon it. Why have I been looking at the June '81 calendar?

Dad breathalysed all the party, just by way of a joke. I blew an alcohol-free bag as if I hadn't had a drop all day.

Tonight a momentous decision was made. The party disbanded at 9 and Mum and Dad retired at 10:30 and Ally and I took out a diary and decided to marry on June 27 at Esholt [my parish] because she doesn't like the look of Lidget Abbey [sic]. On January 30-31 we are going to Hampshire to seek parental approval and on Saturday February 7 we will go public. I'll tell Mum and Dad immediately on our return from Hampshire. How's that?

-=-

Saturday January 17, 1981

 _. Slept until lunchtime, but then erupted in a flurry of activity. I cleaned out the imitation log gas burning fire, and did the carpets with the vacuum cleaner. Ally washed her smalls and dried them in the new spin dryer. I even found time to split some spider plants and swept the leaves and litter from her slippery pathway. A real hive of industry, it was.

Home to Guiseley by 5pm to find Pine Tops deserted.Then Mum and Dad returned from a visit to the Stonehouse Inn at Thruscross, very enthusiastic about the place, saying that the owner, 87 year-old George Deakin, is considering selling the place and that Mum and Dad are his heir presumptives in the business. Great excitement. 

At 8:30 we went with Sue and Pete to meet Lynn, Dave, Dave Allinson and the delightfully vulgar Elaine, at the Nunroyd, a new pub in Nunroyd Park, Guiseley. Not very nice. Certainly doomed to failure. All the yobs from Guiseley and Yeadon were 'casing the joint'. On to the Stone Trough at Rawdon [full of teenagers], and finally to the White Cross. Saw Mick Lynch and Carole, with a new boyfriend, a hairdresser. Back to Pine Tops with Sue and Pete for a drink. Watched a lousy film starring Sarah Miles.

-=-

Friday January 16, 1981

 _. Didn't hear the alarm clock and woke up at 8. Unbelievably, I was at my desk at the YP at 8:50 looking well turned out, and efficient. However, by lunchtime I was exhausted. I put a couple of chairs together to make a makeshift hammock and sprawled out behind the filing cabinets [Africa: Zambia politics 17197], and slept for an hour emerging at 2:30 feeling bog-eyed and with a pulsating brain. Did no work and sat with my head in my hands.

Ally phoned to say she was leaving the AHA at 2:30 because of the snow. The girls quit the office at 4 and Ally came to the office at 4:30. I gave her some photo files to look at until 5:30 and then we went out into a blizzard to join Lynne Bateson at her leaving party in the Harrogate suite at the Wellesley. Joined by Peter Lazenby, Gavin Summers, Roy Holland, Nichola Gould, Stephanie Ferguson & Dave, &c. Put away a good deal of booze [again] but felt remarkably well considering I was so dead this afternoon. Ally got on like a house on fire with Pete and Roy. Somebody [the name escapes me] analysed by horoscope. Evidently, Pisces was in ascendant at the moment of my birth which dilutes some of the nastiness of Aries. What clap trap. On to an Indian restaurant on Eastgate with a party including a dreadful Jewish solicitor and his tarty wife. Ally was furious about her. The solicitor's wife took exception to Stephanie, for some reason, call it jealousy, and a slanging match, or battle of wits, ensued in which the indomitable Stephanie came out on top as one would expect. The bill in the restaurant was far too steep, and left me almost destitute. Ally gave a couple a lift to Roundhay and on we went to Club St, feeling tired, full and content.

-=-

Thursday January 15, 1981

 _. Kathleen put in an appearance today for 10 minuties in the afternoon and looked really shocking. She told us she is down to 8 stone, and resembles a Kampuchean refugee. She has been granted leave of absence by W.J. Austin-Clarke, and said goodbye knowing we won't be seeing her again until after her father's death, which could come any time. Sarah is left in charge and is far from happy with the situation because although she will have full powers she will not be receiving Kathleen's money. Trouble brewing here no doubt.

To Ally's at 6. She was scampering around in nothing but a towel looking very sexy, with her curls dripping wet. At 8 we went to a fish and chip shop and ate them sitting in the steamed up car watching the Bradford peasants frequenting the off-licence premises nearby. Why is it that very poor people, who can barely afford to feed themselves, always seem to have packs of Alsatian dogs, and canine half-breeds? Dogs, I think, are associated with the upper classes and the lower classes, but not those in the middle.

Onwards to the Drop where we over-did things with booze and frittered away over £7, which I can ill afford. We discussed the wedding and thought of going on to Oakwood Hall but returned to Rue Club instead and sat by the fire studying the calendar. June was suggested, and so was September, but July and August were not.

-=-

Wednesday January 14, 1981

 _. Freezing rain which occasionally looks like snow. Frank Metcalfe, a weather expert, tells me that tomorrow 'it will snow like buggery'. 

My alarm clock sounded at 6:50, and by 7:30 I was twiddling my thumbs, raring to go. I put through my morning alarm call to Ally and she took the traditional twenty minutes to struggle to the blower. She said it was the postman dropping a letter through her box that finally woke her, not the ringing telephone from her desperate lover 10 miles away.

Ronald Reagan is to be inaugurated US president next Tuesday. His friendship with Frank Sinatra could prove to be quite embarrassing because it's obvious that 'old blue eyes' is buried up to his neck in shady underground activities. Beleive it or not, I am now warming to this ageing old 'has been'. Carter was ineffectual and a bungler, and I think America is well rid. I did feel sad, nay -dismayed - in November, but it's January now. General Haig seems to be a decent chappie too. Someone who'll give the Iranians a kick in the sensitive area.

Ally came here at 7:30 and we watched 'Coronation Street'. Mum remarked that I must have been watching the programme all my life. It certainly feels like it. We glued photographs in a new album and reminisced about our last holiday and Sue & Pete's wedding.

Sue and Pete came to see Mum for ten minutes. She complained of feeling ill [again].

Afterwards I helped Ally insert her new earrings. She behaved as though it was a major operation. She had her ears pierced on Dec 1, and so the sleepers have had a good six weeks.

On the 9 o'clock news we heard that Lady Diana Spencer has joined the Prince of Wales at Sandringham for dinner tonight. The report claimed she went to Norfolk by train and was collected at the station before Sandringham by a member of the royal household. She'll be at the estate for two or three days. Is this it? It is interesting to note that the future King George VI proposed to Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon at Sandringham on January 13, 1923.

-=-

Tuesday January 13, 1981

 _. Very cold. Biting in fact. Phoned Ally at 7:30 [I'd regained consciousness at 6:30 on hearing Dad making his way to bed after a 12 hour shift guarding prisoners at Otley]. 

The joke now, when talking to Ally is the colour of the bridesmaid dresses, i.e. the dresses for HER bridesmaids. Today it was lemon with white spots. This wedding talk seems so unreal. When will it be? Ally wants to name a date, but I don't think it's down to her. What about an engagement?  I don't really think one is necessary, but to go without one altogether might not go down well in some quarters.

At the YP Kathleen has applied for indefinate leave of absence from her duties as chief librarian to look after her dying father who is lingering close to the abyss. Sarah is now ruler of all she surveys.

Tonight when Mum was heading off to bed and for the second night in succession she asked me how Ally can tolerate living on her own. I said: 'Oh, she's used to it'. She would like nothing better than to see us settled.

A foreign holiday this years seems lost and forgotten, and I don't give a damn. She looked at a house [£17,500] at Rawdon on her way home last night. Club Street is all very well but she is buying it with a Barclays bank loan [thanks to her Dad] and this cannot be converted into a mortgage because building societies do not give mortgages to properties without a back, side, or rear door. Don't ask me why, but this is the case. So, when we marry we might look for some other place to dwell, and in both our names of course.

Phoned Ally at 8. She's booked Hill Top Cottage, at Grassington, for February 6,7 and 8. Phoned Dave G to confirm his presence.