Saturday May 29, 1982

 Hot, beautiful day. Up at 8:30 after a restless night in Ally's old three quarter bed. [Lynn, David and Frances had the big room with the double bed]. We breakfasted in the kitchen and then drove into Winchester and pushed baby around the shops. I was in charge of the pushchair. We sat outside the Eclipse Inn [near the Cathedral] and had a drink before moving on to the tranquility of the Bush at Ovington. We sat in the garden at the back and all agreed it was just like old times. It is ages since we got together with Lynn and Dave for a lengthy sup in the summer sunshine. Frances is a darling, and not a minutes trouble, and she had lunch sitting on a blanket next to our table. We went back to Chillandham Cross at 2 and spent the afternoon, once again, sitting in the sun. David had one of his funny heads and missed dinner. We all ate at 8 on prawn cocktail and steak. We watched TV afterwards and didn't venture out. Frances settled in her borrowed cot [from the Lynn family] and we retired to bed at about 12.

I think we heard the news that we have taken Goose Green, but don't quote me.

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Friday May 28, 1982

Blenheim: orange.

 Up with the larks at 5:30 and messed around in the bathroom. A hurried breakfast. We left at 8 after placing numerous plants in the bath to drink in our absence, and we set off in sunshine on our journey south. We got to Blenheim Palace for 12. Ally was unimpressed. She didn't like the vastness of the place, or the orange stone. We paid £2.50 each to look at three dreary rooms [the Duke of Marlborough's private apartments were an extra £2 and appealed only to the inquisitive Americans]. A beautiful hot day, and the grounds were magnificent. Saw the Duchess of Marlborough at the wheel of her car.

Our car was making a peculiar tapping noise, but we got to Martyr Worthy for 4:30. Lynn, Dave, and Frances arrived after 6. We ate pork at 10. Very tired. Frank came in pissed.

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Thursday May 27, 1982

 The captain of HMS Coventry is a brother-in-law of Richard Luce, MP, who resigned last month along with Lord Carrington at the start of the Falklands crisis. Funny, eh?

Pay day. Brought home £143 for two weeks, which isn't the sum I thought it would be. I have had a pay rise of about £6 before tax. Pathetic but acceptable in these trying times of war and recession. 

I gave Geoff Hemingway another tip. Reuben Straker, of a Burke's Landed Gentry family, has become engaged to Sophie Kimball, once a flat-mate of the Princess of Wales. The Strakers hang out near York.

At home: excitment about our holiday. I seems such a long time since we had a break. Packed and went to bed reasonably early. 

The Beaconsfield by-election took place today but I've seen nothing about it. The Falklands news has sunk the SDP as well as the General Belgrano.

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Wednesday May 26, 1982

 Busy day. Weetabix again, but followed by toast with little butter because Ally is letting the 'pantry' run down for our absence in Winchester.

HMS Coventry

YP: Hell all day. The queer, little sub-editor came running over to say that the fated, sunken ship lost last night is either the Cardiff, Coventry or Glasgow. It was HMS Coventry. Sarah has been doing her crocodile bit again, and it's still Kathleen in the swamp. Ally phoned at 12:05. A young buck from the drawing office at Chestnut House has been asking to take her out for a drink at lunchtime. She has rebuffed the lad, and is amused at the jealousy of the other girls who look upon him
as something of a catch. She has told them all she has a very tall, dark, striking husband.

Home at 6. Knackered. Poached eggs. I went out and put grey paint on the back windows, and watched Ally ironing, with the ghastly European Cup on the box. Went over to see our neighbour Norman at 8:30 and he took our roof rack off for me. I'm like a spastic at times. In at 9 for a lager and watched a grim 9 o'clock news. Saw the captain of the [HMS] Sheffield speaking for the first time and it was heart rending.

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Tuesday May 25, 1982

 Ally and I sat eating Weetabix and listening to the pathetic Mike Read on Radio One. That was after I persuaded her to climb out of bed. I thought I was bad on a morning but compared with Ally I'm a Margaret Thatcher. 

To the YP late and I marched in offering no excuses. __________. Took a walk at lunchtime and intended going to the reference library to look at the 1881 census, but ran out of time. Passed the afternoon tearing up old files.

Home at 6. Dull and threatening rain. David L phoned and made a flying visit to collect his bottles, minus his friend 'Knocker'. Elaine Allinson, something of an expert in the finer points of sexuality, has declared that 'Knocker' is homosexual.

Poor Tim has taken a turn for the worse and is now on Ward 16 at the LGI, with a 'crushed heel'. [Sounds like a cheap cut of meat]. I tried to phone Jill and Hilda after 9 but had no response.

Watched a documentary on the Pope. I do wish he'd stay in Rome.Switching off the TV to come to bed at 10:30 I saw the Ministry of Defence spokesman, Ian McDonald, announcing the loss of another warship, but not Hermes or Invincible.

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Monday May 24, 1982

 Falklands: The EP says we 'invaded' the islands on Friday. Explain how does one 'invade' ones own territory? Anyway, in we went , and we've formed something called a 'bridgehead'. HMS Ardent and HMS Antelope have been lost. Meanwhile, the public are flocking around the PM and treating her like a lesser Queen Mother. At Chequers yesterday the schoolchildren were out in force thrusting forth flowers, &c.

David Middleton came from Kitchen Studios and we said yes to his scheme. I gave him a cheque for £50, and he wants another £277 before June 10.

Graham Smith phoned tonight to say Charlotte had given birth to a daughter, Isobel Clara, on May 21, at 2:30am. Eileen phoned Sarah too this morning to say she had given birth to a son, Daniel Paul, also on Friday, Ally's birthday. Babies seem to dominate. 

Egg and chips for dinner. Billy Wright phoned at eleven just as we were getting into bed. He was pissed and making no sense, and speaking from the Robin Hood.

Did you know that Francis Pym is descended from the Earls of Leven & Melville and the Lords St John of Bletso?

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