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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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