Friday July 9, 1982

 Hot sticky day. Left at 4:30 thanks to Ray Buckton and went to Pudsey to collect dear Auntie Mabel. She was watching the golf on a terrible blurred TV. It's amazing how one can get so used to a bad set. Mabel took me to a bus stop [waving at Marlene in her cake shop en route] and went to Bradford in about 10 minutes. The God of Traffic was looking favourably down upon us. We sat sweating profusely, slurping shandy. A splendid dinner. Prawn cocktail, steak, celery, strawberries and cream. Mabel touched by the way we had 'gone to such trouble'. But we eat like this all the time, don't we? We steered clear of talk of John. We took auntie back to Pudsey in a storm and a Citroen at 10. I was buggered all night. Pleasant though.

News: Prince William is to be baptized on Aug 4 [the Queen Mother's birthday] at Buckingham Palace.

Thursday July 8, 1982

 Ally and I went to see Jack Simon to collect our wedding album and prints. £148. Jack was in his garden stripped to the waist building a wall. Brenda talked for ages about Wales. On to Pine Tops and sat with Mum and Dad looking at the photos - very favourable. Pamela and Peter Huddleston, and Pauline Sanderson, came at 9. Pauline's lover is a 50 year-old skeleton. Home to a lasagne at 10. Bed, quite exhausted.

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Wednesday July 7, 1982

 Up at 6:44. Ally took her morning bath. Jacq came down and beat the hell out of her five-minute boiled egg. Isn't it funny how different people crack open their eggs? Jacq and I left at 7:45 and we parted an hour later on the 72 bus.

Fred Willis [EP newsdesk] asked me when I can do another family tree for the EP. This sets me thinking. What about the Queen Mother's 82nd birthday?

Alexandra Berry, a first cousin of the Princess of Wales, has married a German today. Bartz is his name.

Home to Ally at 6. She's exhausted and slept in the chair after her salad, and went to bed at 8. Mum phoned. They looked at the Fountain at Linton and want it. John has received notice of his divorce. Maria is suing him for his adultery with Janette, who according to Mum is a niece of Alec McHarrie, who has been seeing Maria for some time. John isn't going to counter-sue Maria for her behaviour and will sit back and take everything ___________. Mum is unaware that Janette is is coming down here to see the [Rolling] Stones in 2 weeks. She will not have her at Guiseley. It's a Queen Mary-Mrs Simpson situation. __________. No word from Glynnie. I had a bath at 9 and went to bed. Ally has a headache and is hot. A muggy night and she kicked off the bedding. She is a delight.

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Tuesday July 6, 1982

 Warm and sunny. The YP like an asylum again now that Kathleen is back. Left at 4:30 and met Jacq at Dacre Son & Hartley. We went by bus to Bradford. She was horrified at the length of the journey. At home Ally was like a peach, busying herself in the kitchen. We dined on steak and kidney pudding. Not too much booze. Jacq brought wine, and we had sherry, which was very dry. I drank shandy. Talked about property, damp patches and Frances. I did the washing up and the photo albums came out. Coffee. Yawns. We chatted until after 1am, and then went off to bed.

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