Monday November 24, 1980

_. To make matters worse I now have diarrhoea which is most inconvenient. Wet. Diarrhoea's wet too. Woke at 8 to hear Mum giving Ally her alarm call and went back to sleep until 10.

Sat in my warm bed reading about Edward VIII's abdication, which reminds me of my own abdication from the YP. Poor Shazzo is alone with Carol at the office amidst all the Yorkshire Ripper chaos and the Italian earthquake. Sarah is with John MacM in London. However, I do not feel fraudulent in any respect because I simply refuse to shit myself in a newspaper office for £55 a week.

Ally phoned and was bubbly. She's carrying on painting tonight. I had a salad for lunch whilst clutching a hot water bottle between my knees at the same time. An odd combination.

News: The Prince of Wales has gone to India for a week or so which might halt Lady Diana speculation, if only briefly. The boy is far too busy to think about becoming engaged. A report in the Daily Mail this morning likens Lady Diana's eyes ~ the colour ~ to those of Elizabeth Taylor. That will do for me.

Stayed in bed until after 3 when I tired of Edward and Wallis and took up Hardy's 'The Trumpet Major'. I haven't read Hardy before. Spoke to Ally twice. Gill had a motoring accident on Friday and might have broken her nose and hurt her knee whilst writing off her car. Bessie is buying Ally a tumble dryer for Christmas. No longer will Club Street resemble a Chinese laundry. Ally is nervous about being alone in Bradford since the latest Ripper murder. She felt the same after Barbara Leach's murder, &c.

What has become of our poor nation? Just seen footage of a demo in London on Saturday by the so-called British Movement. Pre-pubic skinhead yobs. I'd shoot the lot of them.

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Sunday November 23, 1980

_. Last Sunday after Trinity

Woke up feeling better, but with a headache. Had a boiled egg. Joked with Mum about last night's 'ball'.

Reading 'The Windsor Story' by J. Bryan III and Charles J.V. Murphy. Watched Peter Sellers in a poor, Neolithic comedy.

Phoned John at Lochans. He's more relaxed these days. He's taking the brood on a drive to Drummore this afternoon.

Had a row with Mum which spoilt dinner _____________.

Had a conversation with Ally who is 'car sitting' for Lynn and Dave and then coming here afterwards. She phoned back in floods of tears at 7:30 saying her car won't start, blaming David for flattening the battery when fixing her cassette player. Ten minutes later she phoned back saying the car was 'burring' and raring to go. She came over at 8:15. Saw the Royal Variety Performance. Ally left at 10:30.

Watched Woody Allen's 'Love and Death'. Hilarious.

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