Wednesday June 16, 1982

 Muggy. [Nigel] Dempster says that the infant prince was due yesterday and that the palace is saying July 1 just to keep the heat off Diana. I am sure it will come when it's ready. September is a good month for monarchs. Look at Elizabeth I for instance.

Kissed Piglet goodbye at 8. She complains of lethargy. She's getting a cold sore on her lip.

YP busy. No Mrs Slocombe. She is, I fear, taking advantage of the new self-certification system. A layabout character. _______.

Home at 5. Salad sandwiches. It looked like thunder but all the same I took out the ladders and finished painting the drain pipes.

Watched 'The Ladykillers' [1955] starring Peter Sellers and Sir Alec Guinness. Stayed up until 10:30 watching Diana Ross singing her heart out. Obviously, a repeat. Spoke to Mama today. She was with Papa, Sue and Christopher. They are coming over tomorrow night for the first time since April 4. Doesn't time fly?

It was Cecil Ferguson's funeral today in Norfolk. We didn't hear from Bessie. Bed at 12.

-=-

Tuesday June 15, 1982

 The war in the South Atlantic is all over with the Argentine surrender. Port Stanley is back in British hands for the first time since early April.  Jubilation. Mrs Thatcher has got her victory.

Heavy rain. Unable to paint because of the down pour. Watched a ridiculous film about a man-eating fish.

Ally made a brill steak dinner. In the news: The Princess of Wales went to the races at Royal Ascot but traveled by car instead of a horse drawn carriage onto the bumpy course. I remain convinced that the birth of the royal baby will take place next week and not on July 1. It doesn't seem right that the Queen will be in Scotland for the delivery of what will be a direct heir to the throne. Who wants to go to Scotland anyway? The infant will be George or Elizabeth or Victoria or Louis or Charles John. Or perhaps James or Albert Victor.

Watched the news and went to bed with cocoa at 9:45.

-=-

Monday June 14, 1982

 David Lawson is 27 today, no doubt at his desk. ____________.

John started his new job at Tay Homes. Ally went to the Jack Andrews dealership and tried to persuade them to buy Audrey. She's going back to see someone tomorrow.

Frantic YP. Only Sarah, Margo and I. Carol has flu. Kathleen is holidaying in Wallingford, of all places. I spent the afternoon looking at the Queen's Birthday Honours awards. Joe Gormley's peerage was expected, as was Kevin Keegan's OBE. I never fail to be surprised that Morecambe & Wise haven't gone to the Lords in the first joint peerage. [Mind you, I believe that the first Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch were created jointly back in the 17th century]. The Queen always gives something from the Royal Victorian Order to a lady-in-waiting, and for one to collect a DCVO is quite normal, but I believe that Mary Morrison is the first Woman of the Bedchamber to be styled 'Dame'. Previous recipients have held a higher designation, i.e. 'Countess Spencer, DCVO' or 'the Marchioness of Abergavenny, DCVO'. Dame Anne Wall was an assistant press secretary, and only an extra lady-in-waiting. Today was Garter day at Windsor. Margaret Thatcher will one day be in the procession without doubt. Prince Philip is in Saudi Arabia for the funeral of King Khalid.

Pork pies and mushy peas. Out to put black gloss paint on the drain pipes. In at 8. James Bond. News - Falklands. Argentina flying the white flag over Port Stanley. Jubilation at Westminster.

-=-

Sunday June 13, 1982

 1st Sunday after Trinity

Up at 9:30 and had a fried breakfast, but not leisurely. A used car dealer called Stuart Rawson came to inspect the car and went away looking pale saying he will ring us later. Obviously, we do not hear from him again. Jack Andrews put a jinx on poor Audrey last November and now I'm afraid we are stuck with her.

Got up a ladder to paint again. The front of the house has taken longer to complete than the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the 'Last Supper' put together. Ally was beaming all day and bouncing around like a rabbit after a large helping of watercress soup. The iron works wonders. She has difficulty remembering which hymns were sung at our wedding. Poor thing. The soup helped her to stay awake until after 12 and we endured a disgraceful film.

News: King Khalid of Saudi Arabia has died of a heart attack. There's always something.

-=-

Saturday June 12, 1982

 [Large paragraph withheld containing
sensistitve content regarding a living person].____________.

Hungover, horribly so. Got up at 10:30 and lay for two hours in front of the TV, clad in pyjamas, eating Rice Krispies and watching the 'Trooping of the Colour' [sic] from drizzly London. Climbed back into bed at 12:15 after a man from Rawdon phoned to say he saw the 'for sale' sign in the car parked on Over Lane last night. He is coming tomorrow to take a look. Good God! Ally's home made advertising has worked. The man must be a lunatic, or blind. Slept until after 3 and then we ate. Later to Guiseley to sit with Sue and Peter. She brought the baby down and he is an exact replica of Jim Nason. I fear we have neglected young Christopher. We go for months without seeing the child. On to Burley-in-Wharfedale where Dave took our car radio out of Audrey. Julie Baker there and she gave us an entertaining account of a recent wedding. Lynn, lounging in a dressing gown, gave us coffee. At 8 o'clock up to Guiseley for ten minutes to see Mum, Dad and John. Home at 9:30 with fish and chips. Watched 'The Bodysnatchers', Donald Sutherland. Bed.

-=-

Friday June 11, 1982

 Dull day. Out at 8 and gave Audrey a kick as I passed. The 'for sale' sign looks ridiculous, but Ally is convinced it will do the trick. It would cost a small fortune to advertise it in the paper. I should know.

Judith.

YP abysmal. Kathleen arrived at 10. We assumed we'd seen the last of her for a fortnight. Escaped at 5 and went to my dentist in Rawdon. On the way I sat with Mrs Judith Brown on the bus and she informed me that they are to take a pub [the Fox & Hounds] at Glusburn, near Keighley. A Timothy Taylor's house. My teeth were cleaned and I was sent packing five minutes later with a bill for £3.50 and an appointment for December 10. On to Guiseley after meeting Ally at Rawdon, and we sat with sandwiches and beer until 7. John had been out with Peter until the early hours and had spent the whole day in bed. He looked debauched today - probably just a jealous reaction on my part. Lynn and Dave brought Frances in her pyjamas. The baby looked devilish, imp-like. Lynn, Dave, Ally and I had a drink at the Woolpack before moving on to the Allinson pile on Over Lane. Elaine was busying herself in the garden and we went out clutching large drinks and sat in deckchairs chattering about the Falklands and the pros and cons of Butlins Holiday camps. Elaine wasn't quite as noisy and controversial as usual, but is a fuss. Dave L and 'Knocker' were discussed. Dave A's brother, Mick, and his timid wife were there. We ate barbecued chicken, beefburgers, sausages, &c. Drank Pernod, whisky, Martini, lashings of lager. There was a speaker on the lawn which allowed us to dance around the shrubbery in formation. Great fun. It must have sounded like a zoo. By the end of the night were were dripping barbecue sauce. Quite pissed. Dave felt sick and so we left at about 1:30am. Went the wrong way home, going through Bradford.

-=-

Thursday June 10, 1982

 Birthday of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Cecil Ferguson.

Ally splashed in the bath. I lay beneath our new, white continental quilt. [It has little rust coloured flowers all over it]. The national anthem burst upon us at 7am on Radio 2 in commemoration of the 61st birthday of the D. of Edinburgh. Poached eggs on toast. Kissed Piggy goodbye at 8. At the office at 9 where Margo told me to phone Ally immediately. Horrible news from Winchester where Bessie has just learned of the death of Cecil Ferguson in a car accident on the A1 in the early hours. They were at his wedding only recently. Frank is an executor of Cecil's will.

Busy at the YP. No Kathleen [she's working the night shift] and Carol is off with the snots. Ally has placed a large 'For Sale' sign in Audrey Citroen, but with no price. We'd like £400. Went to the Co-op. Like a barren wasteland. You can see more people on the Chinese side of Everest than in the Duckworth Lane Co-op. Bought a lewd birthday card for Paul Edwards and a silly one for Dave L who is 27 on Monday. I only hope he has seen sense and abandoned his friend 'General Galtieri'. Despite the abandonment of all moral standards and ethics the latter part of the 20th century remains hostile to homosexuals. ________.

Watched Top of the Pops and Her Majesty reviewing the Chelsea Pensioners at the Royal Hospital. Bed at 10:48pm.

-=-

Wednesday June 9, 1982

 Dismal, but warm. 65F. All the clocks in Bradford have stopped. Must be because of the thunder on Sunday. Phoned Susie. She has been to Bridlington with Jim and Margaret for a few days, pushing Christopher for miles in the salty air. Phoned Mum ___________. John starts work on Monday at the Tay site on Kirk Lane. Maria's brother, Hugh, had a letter published in The Times today. He's at the LSE.

The Reagans moved on to Bonn. I made rhubarb wine [2 gallons] and Ally stood ironing. A hot, sweltering night. I spent a good half hour pursuing a fly around the bedroom eventually succeeding in squashing it on the window. 

David Middleton came with a fitter to inspect the kitchen and we gave him a cheque for £277. The poor man is going on holiday to Barcelona next week and had overlooked the fact that the World Cup will be erupting all around him.

-=-

Tuesday June 8, 1982

 President Reagan and Nancy have arrived at Windsor Castle as guests of HM. [In fact, they came yesterday]. After the 9 o'clock news we were privileged to watch the after dinner toasts and speeches at the State dinner. Nancy was sitting opposite the Queen methinks trying to put her off. In other news, a helicopter carrying the Queen Mother had difficulties over Windsor and made a landing on Smith's Lawn. Diana remains undelivered. The president is giving the baby-to-be a Kentucky pram blanket. China and fishing rods all round. Reagan addressed both Houses of Parliament in a corridor at the House of Lords and pleased Mrs Thatcher.

The Dowager Marchionesses of Salisbury and Exeter, both Cecils, died at the weekend. 

Quiche salad. Ally looking cuddly and edible, went to dig the garden and tidy up after the deluge.

Mum phoned to say John has taken a job as a joiner with Tay Homes.

They are playing down the Falklands crisis now and giving top coverage to the Lebanon. What can this mean? Where is the Lebanon? Fishy.

Phoned Lynn. We are invited to a barbecue at Dave and Elaine's on Friday. John is going to Burley for dinner tonight, and sleep afterwards.

-=-

Monday June 7, 1982

 Bank Holiday in the Republic of Ireland

Hot, sticky, but dull. Back to the YP. Sarah off with one of her heads. Home to Pigeon at 5:30. We sat in the window eating sandwiches and salad. Mary [Moore] was in and out like a yogo. [Do yoyos go 'in and out' ?] 

John & JPH

To Guiseley at 8 and found John underneath the Toyota covered in oil. We sat with Mum and Dad talking about Yugoslavia, and John wallowed in the bath and joined us at 9. ____ Jobless, carless.______ John has placed photos of JPH and Catherine next to his bedside. He is coming to look at our cupboards and give an assessment of the situation. Mother seems to be switched off from the crisis, as though she is unable to tolerate the complicated circumstances. We watched 'Count Dracula' with Ingrid Pitt and where Lesley Anne Down stars as a virgin. I exclaimed that it must be a very old film if Lesley Anne is a virgin. We left at 1am. We drove home quite befuddled by John's change of circumstances.

-=-

Sunday June 6, 1982

 Trinity Sunday / Full Moon

The Pope in Britain.

The Pope has been and gone from Britain without a mention from me herein. One could not escape His Holiness's progress and we looked in on several of his 'concerts' at different stages. I argued with Gill last night saying Pope John Paul's visit had been concocted purely to undermine the established church here. She disagreed. In my lifetime the Queen will cease to be the supreme governor of the Church of England and Anglicans will be led by a Pole in Rome. You mark my words. The old boy left on Wednesday.

Sat in the garden reading about Nancy Reagan in a Sunday magazine. The Queen is having the Reagans at Windsor next week.

Phone. John is now in Guiseley. David brought him back at 4pm yesterday. ____________.

Graham and Gill came to an hilarious lunch. Pork and lots of 'Blue Nun'. Bessie was in great form and had the table throbbing with laughter. We left for home at 4:30. Sticky and hot journey, but clouds appeared over Derbyshire. Home at 9:30 to find remnants of a flood at Lidget Green. People have been struck by lightning all over the place. Some golfers got more than they bargained for.

Bed at 10:30 after fish and chips.

-=-

Saturday June 5, 1982

Charlotte & Graham

 Hotter today than ever before in the history of the universe. Well, at least since the 'Big Bang'. Went to Winchester where the car decided to come to a grinding halt on a narrow road near the college. The car boils, and so do we. We let out some naughty words, and the atmosphere was far from healthy. We marched on to the nearest pub called the Queen's where we sat grunting over warm beer. After half an hour, and the car having cooled down, we moved on. We drove to Weeke to see Graham and Charlotte Smith and the new arrival, Isobel Clara. Subdued atmosphere. I think they were about to go out until we burst upon them. They are still in mourning for Oxo [the cat] struck down dead at Easter. The baby looked very much as babies do. We listened as Charlotte told us of the pitfalls of breast feeding and the unpredictable outpourings from her nipples. The Smiths are coming north in November. To the Cricketer's at 2 for another ploughman's. Tonight out with Graham, Gill and Tony Ellis to the Bush. Pissed. Stella Artois at 80p a pint.

-=-

Friday June 4, 1982

 Bessie is 60 today. We went down to give her our presents. Birthdays mean nothing to her and she would have preferred to have it forgotten.

Bessie: 60.

The phone rang. Bessie came in and said it was Mum. I immediately thought something was wrong. It's John. He's been living in the caravan at Lochans for almost three weeks and has had enough, and is returning to Guiseley to live with Mum and Dad. David is driving up to Stranraer for him this evening. Mum says Dad has taken it very badly. You know how emotional he is.

Took Bessie to the Bush for a birthday ploughman's. She drank dry Martini saying it doesn't give bags under the eyes like gin is prone to do. Afterwards to a supermarket at Alresford to buy potatoes and pears. Stifling hot.

Out at 8pm with Frank and Bessie to Graham & Gill's and then to the Hutt at Chandler's Ford [it's a Beefeater] for dinner. T-bones, Knickerbocker Glories, &c. A vast repast. Gill says that the baby, if female, is to be called something unpronouncable, Siobhan, or something.

-=-

Thursday June 3, 1982

 Back to Winchester after breakfast on the hunt for a suitable birthday present for Bessie. We sat in the Baker's Arms [packed with stuffed trout and salmon in glass cases] writing a postcard to Auntie Hilda. An old man sitting nearby was coughing and spluttering into his ale. Then to a cafe, or cocktail bar, where the waitress almost dropped her tray on seeing Ally. "Didn't you go to the Plough with John Pinder?" she enquired. Ally had no idea who the girl was. The waitress said it was Ally's brown eyes she recognised first. We sat talking about Pinder afterwards. No doubt he's fat and balding somewhere in Dorset.

To the Bridge at Shawford and to an old book shop afterwards. At 3 we went to Alresford to buy Bessie a thimble and stand on which to display it. Tonight to the New Inn [where we bought Andrew a drink for fixing the car lights], and finally to the Horse and Groom where we cuddled.

-=-

Wednesday June 2, 1982

 Ally and I to Alresford looking at the shops. We bought a china bed pan and chamber pot for £1 each. We went to the Globe, and because of the early hour [11:30am] we sat outside surrounded by ducks, who disturbed Ally. She hates things that move. Then, to the Horse and Groom at the top of the High Street.

Back to the garden at Chillandham Cross. Frank and Bessie went out to dinner at Fordingbridge. Ally and I went out for a pizza at a deserted and characterless place in Winchester. We were the solitary diners, and sat upstairs. Later we walked in the cathedral grounds. It's eerie that nothing has changed for 900 years.

-=-

Tuesday June 1, 1982

 Ally and I shopping to Winchester. Does Bessie want a garden umbrella for her birthday or would that be a white elephant? We decided not to bother. Drove to the Bush at Ovington for lunch [yes, we are addicted to the place]. We had a ploughman's lunch in a corner. Watching the Hampshire debutantes with their glasses of bitter lemon.

England has no equal on a summers day when the temperature is 80 degrees F. This afternoon we sat beneath a tree drinking a large jug of Campari cocktail and writing ridiculous postcards to home.

This evening we had soup made from the Sunday roast lamb and Bessie and I shared a large trout. Delicious. 

Monday May 31, 1982

Dave, Lynn, & Frances

 Bank Holiday in the UK

A summers day in the garden. Frank cuddled Frances and walked her around the garden whispering to her. He has taken to her in a big way. Lynn is quiet and unhappy about traveling home in the heat of the day but is resigned to it. They left at 3:30. Frances, in the back of the car, waving like a miniature Queen Mother. Graham and Gill arrived just after we returned to the deckchairs. Graham in his white shirt and black trousers like an Italian waiter. He made us play a game. We were all given a sheet of paper and told that in five minutes we had to write as many words as we could beginning with 'S'. So, without further ado off we went. Sieve, slipper, stupid, sick, silly, sloppy, sluce, spice, stink, salvage, sand, sandwich, salvo, &c. I managed 54 words, only to be beaten by Frank who notched up 60. In the past Gill has scored 88. They went off to a party at the Lynn residence and Ally and I passed a romantic evening at the Bush at Ovington in the dark and cool of the bar. We did try to sit outside by the midges got us. It's the good blood you know.

-=-

Sunday May 30, 1982

 Whit Sunday

The Mayfly.

Very hot again. The dawn chorus accompanied by the cuckoo. Frances ate an apple on the lawn and afterwards we found she'd sprung a top tooth. She is very much a replica of David. At 1 o'clock we went to a pub, the Mayfly, at Leckford [?] near Stockbridge. Packed with swarms of people. Only one man behind the bar, and too many thirsty Whit Sunday revellers. Once at the bar we ordered three drinks each to prevent further queuing.

We discussed Dad's retirement and suggest a family gathering at Giovanni's with a blue iced cake inscribed with 'Let's Be 'Avin' You' or some other appropriate police inscription. Lynn was amused at this.

Lynn continues to 'borrow' Ally's summer dresses and can be found rummaging through her drawers.

This evening we went to the New Inn to meet Graham and Gill, and Michael Lynn. Ally in blue stripes looking like someone in Vogue.

-=-