Monday August 10, 1981

 _. Day of gloom. I did not want to climb out of bed at the sounding of my alarm at 6:30. I wish I'd stayed 'neath the sheets because nothing pleasant occurred later. 

I phoned Mum from the office. She sounded so off-hand and dismal last night that I had to get to the bottom of it. Immediately she explained how upset she had been last week when I canceled a Thursday night dinner. Bloody Hell. Ally was feeling unwell and exhausted and so I thought postponing the dinner for a week would be best. Evidently not so. She asked me to phone Oswald Lister [auctioneers] at Hampsthwaite. I did. His posh secretary informed me that 'contracts are being drawn up at the moment, and the Stonehouse is to be advertised as sold in next Saturday's Yorkshire Post'. I felt dreadful. I had to phone Mum and break the news that her dream was now shattered. She took it very well and was relieved that she can now put 'plan B' into action. This probably means booking a holiday to Yugoslavia, or something. She went off to get Dad to contact their solicitor. I suggested they come for dinner tonight instead of tomorrow, but didn't get a decent answer. They'll be so upset and disillusioned. I cannot see them getting over this for a long time. I sat brooding for the remainder of the day thinking what might have been.

Letters: for posterity.

I spoke to Ally a couple of times and concocted a few letters. I fully intend resuming my letter writing shortly because our letters [Dec 1979 to June 1981] are a complete record of our 'courtship'. We would like a sturdy chest of some kind in which to store our letters and journals for posterity.

Home at 6. Eggs and chips. Washed the windows whilst Ally ironed the blue washing. Phoned Mum ~ no response. Phoned Sue to get the story of their Stranraer sojourn. John gave their car a re-spray, but otherwise they didn't venture out into the wilds. She now says she's five months pregnant, narrowing down the birth of 'Jason' to somewhere between Christmas and Easter. Susan is consistently entertaining. She always makes me smile. I have never known a moment where she she has aggravated or niggled me. She's the sweetest thing.

Later: sit with a coffee watching 'Coronation Street'. I eat too many biscuits. I read a Dorothy L Sayers novel. Attempted to phone Mum until 12, and gave up. Couldn't contact Lynn either.

-=-