Tuesday September 28, 1982

 What you want is good solid details of Yorkshire life in 1982, but I cannot remember anything worthwhile to record today. A cosy, pleasant evening with my precious wife. Watched an Agatha Christie play on ITV and supped cocoa.

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Monday September 27, 1982

 Up and out leaving John and Janette in bed. Phoned Mum. _________________. They are going up to Scotland in the morning. ___________. 

Sunday September 26, 1982

 Bacon and eggs for breakfast. Didn't feel too bad considering. Over to Burley in W in John's gleaming car and had drinks with Lynn and Dave at the Malt Shovel. Janette is too quiet, but sweet.  _________.

Wine at Lawn Rd, and then back to Bradford at 4. John went to bed and Janette sat with Ally and I talking. She told us that Maria is furiously saving to marry Alec, and that the wedding will take place in the garden at Corner House Cottage, if a licence can be obtained. Janette is of course Alec's niece. __________.

Out at 8 to the Old Ball at Horsforth, full of posers. On to the Black Bull, and then the Fire Brigade. We left at 9:30, as Ally was exhausted. Sweet and sour king prawn. Bed.

Graham phoned at 11. I was a bit pissed and thought Gill must have delivered.

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Saturday September 25, 1982

 Sun. John's twenty sixth birthday. We slept until noon and sat wearily over scrambled eggs. A black, shiny, Ford Capri 1600L pulled up, and out leapt John, beaming, with Janette. ___________.

We went to the 'Mucky Duck' for a few drinks and then into Bradford where Ally and I bought John a couple of tapes for his birthday - ABC and REO Speedwagon. Janette bought a bottle of Gordon's gin and I provided the lemons. Back to the house. They went to bed until 6:30. Ally and I drank gin and whispered. Later we took them to Giuseppe's Backyard for pizzas [£12 on my Barclaycard]. I had to be very sharp to stop Janette paying. On to Guiseley and we met the others at the Station Hotel. Sampled 'Guiseley Gyle'. Lynn was frosty with John because he hadn't been to see Mum on his birthday, and persuaded him to phone, but when he did he woke all the babies. We were all tanked up and feeling lethargic. Janette was drinking Creme de Menthe, and John, at my persuasion, switched from pints of ale to Campari and soda. Saw Gus and had one of our Monty Python-type conversations. Pissed. John looked shocking. He drove us home to Bradford where we had another gin and tonic. A record session.

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Friday September 24, 1982

 Autumnal. Heavy rain. John phoned to say he isn't going to be in the flat, but says that Janette is coming down all the same. They will have to stay with us.We don't mind. She is such a nice girl.

A scrumptious dinner tonight. Mum and Dad came at 7:30. We dined on seafood pancakes, roast chicken, &c, profiteroles, pineapple and ice cream. One couldn't have a better dinner at the Ritz. We sat around the table until after 12 making conversation by candlelight. I wanted to inform them about John and Janette. He won't have said anything. Mum says she could have guessed. __________. Dad is really humorous and told the story of his army days and particularly the tale of when he wanted leave to leave Germany to come home for John's birth. He owed everything to the padre.

Bed at 4:30am.

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Thursday September 23, 1982

 Nothing much. People are looking at the YP Library staff in a new light today. Little rebels that we are. A wind of change is sweeping the YP. Have I said this before?

Made my weekly visit to the Provincial Building Society and deposited £3. It sounds pathetic but in just a few months we've amassed £60. I sat at my typewriter afterwards and concocted a letter to John and Sheila.

Tonight I saw nothing of my wife who was cleaning feverishly for tomorrow's state visit of Mum and Dad. At 10, at my instigation, she leapt up and made profiteroles - simple. Bed.

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