Monday October 29, 1979

_. Delia phoned to say that July 26, 1980, is her aunt's golden wedding party, and because of this she probably won't be able to do Sue's wedding flowers. This will be a serious break with tradition. She will let me know for certain later in the week when she returns from Kettering.

I spoke to Ally this afternoon. Nothing of interest to report here.

On the way to work this morning I had a lecture from Jim [Rawnsley] on the subject of women. I should not, he says, be put off by selecting a girl who is painfully thin. They can easily be fattened up to desirable proportions. I should steer well clear of ladies of a plump disposition. They will only grow fatter, and swell to obesity with the passage of time. She must, he stressed, be of a happy and amiable disposition and in my case should be no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. He also stated that I should cling on to my bachelorhood until I am at least 32. This is because Jim was himself 32 when he succumbed to Muriel. Of course, he went on, when one passes the age of 30 the suitable desirables can become very thin on the ground. Jim's splendid wife is of course ten years Jim's junior.

Meanwhile at home: messing about with the clocks [which we do without fail at the autumn equinox] brought about a peculiar phenomenon. I found myself in bed at the early hour of 10:30pm with a milky drink and Adolf Hitler.

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