Saturday July 24, 1982

Janette.

 Up for a fried repast. Tony Blackburn on the radio, dreadful stuff. We went to Leeds at 9:30 to collect Janette on Wellington Street. I was very pleasantly surprised and found her very attractive, clad in her red jeans and white ankle boots. Ally and I walked with John to the bus station  but afterwards regretted it because we felt 'in the way'. John insisted that we should all have a [Rolling] Stones t-shirt and spent £11 buying one for the four of us. Back to Bradford. Janette sat quietly smoking, her eyes fixed on John. He banged around with a hammer. 

At 11:30 we went to town to buy veg at the market returning at 1pm with fish and chips. Janette didn't eat. John's carpentry continued this afternoon, and Janette went for a sleep [she's been on the go since midnight]. Out at 7 to the Fire Brigade, and then for a pizza with two bottles of wine, at a place on Manningham Lane. I was intoxicated, but very full. John and I shared half of Janette's pizza. It was her first Italian. Not much call for it in Stranraer. Onward to Chaplin's. Saw Dave Porritt. Humid and noisy, but fun. Janette is a discoholic. Home after 11 and we clowned around playing records and swilling beer. I did a Mick Jagger impersonation. Laughter.

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Friday July 23 1982

 John arrived at 5:30 as we were tucking into chilli con carne. He set about measuring wood and performing his feats of carpentry. Throughout he suggested that we go out for a drink, but Ally just wasn't in the mood, and in her washer woman mode. She said I should go out without her, but it's something we never do, and I don't want to start. We sat watching the Royal Tournament and drinking beer. At 10 John bought us a curry from over the road. It's so good to be close to him again. To bed quite early, and not intoxicated.

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Thursday July 22, 1982

St Paul's House.

 Felt dreadful all day and on the verge of collapse. The alarm clock in John's room didn't function and yet I managed to wake up at 7. Walked around the house like something from a Peter Cushing Hammer film. John similarly incapacitated. Ally and I walked down the lane at 7:30 and straight away she got a bus to Bradford. I walked to the Station Hotel and got a 33 [bus]. Leeds at 9. Grew streadily worse through the day, sat with my head hanging. At lunchtime I forced myself to go find Silvio's confectioners and spent the best part of 90p on two sandwiches. I sat on a bench in Park Square eating salmon and cucumber sandwiches and admiring St Paul's House. Taking deep breaths I made my way back to the YP. Dissipation does one no good.

At home Ally was white and preparing food with heavy eyes. She also had to go out and eat at lunchtime. We had salad sandwiches and poached eggs. Bessie phoned. Bed with books. Difficulty sleeping - typical after the exhaustion of the day.

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Wednesday July 21, 1982

 Susie is 23 today. She was born at 11:55am and I can vividly recall the scene. It makes one feel extremely old.

Left the YP at 4. John collected us at 5:30, and surprisingly we were ready and waiting for him. Over to Guiseley to find Mum and Dad in high spirits. We ate grilled ham and new potatoes. Thirsty business, and thankfully we were out at 8 at the Fox & Hounds, Menston. Sue and Pete were already in the bar. Joined by Lynn, David, Margaret and Jim. After a few drinks David cleared his throat and asked us to raise a glass to Frances's brother or sister. Yes, Lynn is pregnant and expecting a baby circa December 31. Such very good news. Ally had guessed as much when she saw Lynn walking into the pub. She has put on so much weight. Ally said: 'She didn't look me in the eyes. Lynn always has some important thing to say when she doesn't look me in the eyes.' A jovial party. Margaret can be very amusing when manipulated from the start. Back to Sue's for red wine. Ally went up to peep at Christopher. Slept at Pine Tops.

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Tuesday July 20, 1982

 This morning 10 guardsmen of the Blues and Royals and Royal Green Jackets were killed by a bomb in London near Rotten Row whilst riding in full ceremonial to change the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Rotten Row bomb.

Our poor monarch must surely be at her wits end. The past ten days have been dreadful. On July 9 she had the intruder in her bedroom, and then yesterday it was revealed that her personal detective, Commander Trestrail, has been conducting a long standing affair with a male prostitute. Sat with my coffee looking at the Times I saw that Her Majesty's old friend, Lord Rupert Nevill, who was only 59, died on Sunday. Lord Rupert, heir to the Marquess of Abergavenny, was private secretary to Prince Philip, and has been in the Queen's close circle of friends since the 1940s. Princess Margaret and Group Capt Peter Townsend ended their traumatic affair at the Nevill's Uckfield home in 1955. He was also a godfather of Viscount Linley.

Couldn't phone Ally because of the strike. Phoned Mum. She hasn't really been the same since I told her of Janette's coming. They were at [Auntie] Hilda's last night. It does look as though John has told them nothing. Lynn and David returned from Wales on Saturday and we are going for dinner tomorrow before Susie's birthday drink session at some as yet unnamed hostelry.

Home at 6. I had been under the impression that we were going to the Chevin this evening to pick bilberries with David and Jean [Watts]. Ally, sombre and pale, says she forgot to make the arrangements with Jean, I think that Derek [Jenkins] has been annoying her, again. We ate quiche and salad and brewed beer. There's supposed to be a partial eclipse of the sun tonight. It was a glorious evening and I sat looking up at it. The next such eclipse isn't until 1998. Ally went upstairs with the vacuum cleaner. Why do they make such a bloody noise?

Mum phoned to say John will collect Ally and I tomorrow. To bed quite early. We would have been depressed watching a documentary on something about 'asbestossness' [an Ally quote]. Didn't bother.

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