Friday March 14, 1980

_.We were out of bed at 8 o'clock to launch our devious plot to cheat our employers out of our daily labours. I phoned Ally's office and she phoned mine. Both workhouses were very suspicious. I decided my ailment was Legionaries disease, and that Ally had an unfortunate STD.

Took cups of tea up to Mum and Dad, lounging in bed. My mother disapproves of my 'Dai Llewellyn-like' lifestyle, but couldn't help laughing at my cheek.

At 10:30, with the car roof peeled back, we took off in the direction of Ilkley, on to Kettlewell and to Starbotton. I felt under the weather, but Ally was bright and cheerful in a borrowed hat from mother. We sat by a log fire in the pub and Starbotton [the Fox & Hounds]. The place was far too quiet and we spoke in whispers. Lynn Lally [a girl who works with Sue] gave birth to a Mongol child about a month ago, and the poor thing died the other day. _____. At 2 we drove back to Skipton, market day, and sat in a pub where the proprietor strongly resembled a hedgehog and the atmosphere was eerie. It was as if everybody was watching us. Our guilty consciences perhaps? We soon escaped the beady-eyed hedgehog and came home.

Ally left at 4:30 to work at the Belfry. Mum and Dad went off to a cottage in Grassington with the car laden with booze.

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