Tuesday May 11, 1982

 Ally moved to Chestnut House from Daisy Bank and rid herself of the hideous Gillian and can now mix with normal women. She was beginning to go insane, you know. 

Painted the house and took a bath. Ally sat studiously watching the International Young Musician of the Year Award on the BBC. I believe an effeminate West German youth won playing Mendelssohn [sic]. Nothing other than peaceful domesticity reigned this evening. ____________.

Falklands: Mrs Thatcher is battling on and sticking firmly to her principles.

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Monday May 10, 1982

 It's going to be brief. YP nothing. Told the EP that a daughter of the Duke of Norfolk is going to marry, and the newsdesk gave me £2.50 for the tip. Phoned Mum who is back on her feet and shrugging off suggestions to go to hospital for an x-ray. Very naughty of her.

This evening I took myself up a ladder and poked about in the gutters. Ally bought a pot of grey undercoat and I deposited it with some success upon the bare wood.

Watched 'Minder' at 9 and went to bed afterwards. 

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Sunday May 9, 1982

 4th Sunday after Easter

Frank and Bessie left after 11, and Frank promised to look into Kitchen Studios and let me know his thoughts in the week. Bessie wanted to stay in Yorkshire. She looked sickened. We sat twiddling our thumbs after and decided to go and see Mum and Dad for a crisis conference on John and Maria. At Guiseley we found Mum tucked up in bed with her gall bladder thing again and the doctor pacing around. It was touch and go whether she should go into hospital, but the doctor decided against it. Poor Mum. We left her sleeping.

Dad was in a state about John and was sat almost tearful.

On to Burley-in-W and had a roof rack fitted to Audrey so that we could go back to Pine Tops and collect Dad's ladder. Frances was having a bath like a pink, wet angel. Lynn wouldn't be drawn on John's plight and I decide it must be a subject that isn't included in her list for the day. David was very helpful and he took me into the garage and heaped tackle on me. Poor devils, they are taking Henry and Audrey's caravan to Wales in July.

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Saturday May 8, 1982

 A day with Frank and Bessie. Much activity. After a large breakfast we went off in the BMW  and found ourselves at Starbotton for luncheon which went down very nicely. We didn't see Mrs Heap which is a relief because I feel uncomfortable meeting people who have recently lost someone. Afterwards we drove to Skipton and trudged around the shops and took tea in a room above the bustle of the market. Bessie is a comedienne.

Back to Bradford for 5 and had big gins and talked about kitchens. Frank is very dubious about Kitchen Studios and think they should be looked into before we spend £1500. However, Frank doesn't think the price is too steep.

Frank and Bessie took us out to dinner at the Pizza House on Sunbridge Road. Excellent. I had lasagne, trout and Peach Melba. Ally had veal in a garlic sauce, Frank chicken. Home at 12 all jolly and bloated.

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Friday May 7, 1982

Bessie: scatty.

 A half day. Home at 1pm. I met Ally at Barclay's Bank and paid in a cheque for £10. To the bakers and the Co-op and back home for 1:30. I spoke to Papa on the phone. He is upset about John and Maria _______. He pleaded with John to seek legal advice. ______. In the midst of our chat Frank and Bessie arrived and so I put the phone down. Frank dropped Bessie with us and then changed and went off to Liverpool to the leaving party of a former colleague. We entertained Bessie to dinner ~ chicken. She is very scatty and told us that we are all well provided for should they come a cropper on the M5. During dinner we played Debussy and Eric Clapton. I think Bessie preferred the piano. Frank came back pissed at 1am. He'd been drinking champagne and he sat swinging his legs on the 'breakfast bar'.

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Thursday May 6, 1982

Walked into town with Sarah and lingered in Boots buying ale [for home brew] and smelly bottles of lotion for Ally's coming birthday. A dismal day. Poor John's news is like a nightmare and all day I've been thinking of him.

This evening we went to Morrison's and spent half an hour hiding from the  ______ behind the frozen peas and Weetabix. They didn't see us but it was a close shave.

Afterwards we made pigs of ourselves eating fish and chips and looking at the television. Richard Griffiths in a play, but no Robin Day because he's got pneumonia. I cannot tolerate Ludovic Kennedy. To bed quite done in.  

Wednesday May 5, 1982

 Mum phoned tonight in a highly emotional state to say she had just heard from Scotland that John and Maria are to part. It is a shock. She had phoned John to talk about the loss of the Grassington guest house [which has gone to a man with cash], and she spoke to Maria first, who sounded quite normal. They are selling the [Corner House] cottage. _____________.

To bed with sombre faces.

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Tuesday May 4, 1982

 A terrible day. YP gruesome. Kathleen will not be drawn on the Falklands anymore. She is as spineless as Wedgwood Benn. Sarah was dull. 

Home at 6. We had fish fingers and watched Thora Hird on the TV.

Horror. The 9 o'clock news: the little Ministry of Defence spokesman came on looking particularly sour and announced the loss of HMS Sheffield and a Harrier jump jet. Oh God. It seems the Sheffield was bombed and was abandoned after the fire could not be controlled. Ally was close to tears thinking of the poor sailors in the freezing South Atlantic. We haven't lost a ship since the last world war. I hope the Commons remain firmly behind Mrs Thatcher and don't coward out. To bring the boys home now will mean that all the lives of the Sheffield's lost crew will have been wasted in vain. Went to bed and listened to John Nott on the radio saying that maybe thirty have died.

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