Saturday February 12, 1983

 Up with the larks and inspect the snow-capped Pen-y-ghent from the kitchen window. Bacon and eggs in the kitchen full of overall clad workmen and tottering babies. Christopher and Frances look so like twins. 'Where are the stairs?' asked Franny. 

Afterwards Ally, Lynn, Frances, Sue, Pete, Christopher and I went for a walk into the village. We peered over the bridge and debated whether we were looking down at the River Ribble. Dad told me it was the Cam. One I've never heard of. We bought jelly babies (male ones, because you get more) and a couple of bottles of lemonade from the village store and walked back to Waltergarth. I am so happy that Mum and Dad have found the right place.

John and Janette climbed out of bed at 12 and we walked down to the Crown for drinkies. Ally told them of our forthcoming interview next Wednesday. Lynn and Dave didn't join us. He was sorting out the chimney so that we can have a fire in the grate tonight. We sat by the fire, in Wellington boots, and the usual raucous banter ensued in the way it always does when Susie is present. Back to the house at 3.

Mabel, Marlene, Frank [bearded], Mark and Debbie arrived. Auntie took me on one side and asked who the mysterious young lady is. I told her she's John's girlfriend. I just got a look. Jim, Margaret, Hilda, Tony, Karen, Steve, Tim, Jill, Diane, and Paul arrived. Waltergarth is the ideal sort of house for a party. The sort of place Ayckbourn could stage one of his farces in. We drifted around the rooms in varying degrees of intoxication and some bright spark suggested going off to the pub - the Crown - and so we all went down the village on shifts, because of the numerous babies. Ally did something odd with her neck during the siege of the bridge as we ran to the pub, and she stood by the fire with a crème de menthe looking pained. It's hard to write an account of an event when one has blurred recollections of the events which took place. I remember talking to Marlene. The rest is a blur. I accidentally bit Ally's finger whilst nibbling her sandwich, and evicted the snoozing Janette from a bed to put Ally therein.

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