Wednesday November 26, 1980

_. Sunny. Up at 10 or thereabouts. Ate little breakfast because my appetite is still wandering around elsewhere. I had a conversation with Ally and we decided to spend lunchtime in some local ale house.

I sat buried in 'The Trumpet Major' - old Hardy really has surprised me quite pleasantly. I always imagined his works to be dull.

Jim Nason.

Ally came at 12:30 and we went to the Fox and Hounds [Menston] where we bumped into Jim Nason and a fellow workmate from Armitage Shanks. He bought us a drink and left at 1:30. The were both jealously observing their managing director entertaining a party from Switzerland to lunch, and wanted to be part of it. Back at Pine Tops we had prawn sandwiches and then Ally returned to her office, and Derek Jenkins, and his filthy Welsh habits.

The Prince of Wales is in India and reports now say that Malcolm Fraser, the Australian prime minister [and other Commonwealth leaders] have been told that the royal marriage to Lady Diana Spencer is scheduled for next June, or October. This has been denied by the palace, naturally. A red-faced Malcolm Fraser has said he hasn't 'let slip' this news, and cries of 'rubbish' and 'codswallop' fly everywhere, but I do think this is it. The royal chips are, as they say, down.

Sir Geoffrey Howe is in trouble over his national insurance mess, and perhaps his head will roll.

Spent the afternoon and evening pouring over 'The Trumpet Major'. The TV is diabolical. To bed at 11:30.

-=-