Monday January 31, 1983

 Driving, hideous rain. Ally woke me at 9:30. My snoring was driving her crazy. _____________.

I had a large breakfast. It must have cost the lives of eight pigs. Ally has, yes, boiled eggs. 

We went off at 11 to deliver Frank's briefcase to Barclays Bank in Southampton. We got horribly wet in the process and went on to Habitat. We found an ancient pub wherein the Earl of Cambridge and Lord Scrope of Masham were tried for plotting the death of Henry V in 1414, before Agincourt. The beer was awful. After two pints I was willing and ready to join Lord Scrope on the scaffold. We went, web-footed, to the shops and bought Ally some little green boots for £6 (they were £23 before the sale) and I found some jeans which Ally doesn't like because they're the baggy type which narrow at the ankles. 

At 2:30 back to Chillandham Cross. We contemplated tea and buns at Romsey, but were driven out because of the heavy rain.

Phoned Mum. She and Dad are at Horton-in-Ribblesdale with a Pickford's van. They have been busily cleaning Waltergarth. She says the Crowthers have left the place like a hovel.

Andrew came in covered in grease and oil and we had beefburgers on trays in front of the TV. We don't bother venturing out later. A gale was blowing outside dislodging the glass  in Frank's recently renovated greenhouse. Andrew and I watched a Burt Lancaster Western, and Ally went off to bed.

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Sunday January 30, 1983

 Septuagesima

Breakfast after 10. Ally cannot start the day without a boiled egg. Bessie chat chatting endlessly and I have decided she is nervous about flying to Madeira. It's a bright day but some snow fell. Biting cold. 

They went off to Heathrow  at about 1pm, and as soon as they were out of the house things started to go wrong. The lights in the kitchen and downstairs toilet tripped, and the TV insisted on switching itself on and off and jumping channels. Odd. Phoned Mum and Dad. Maria is down with the children and John took them to Ash Tree Cottage yesterday.

Dinner wasn't a success. The sauce was like glue. At 9 we went to the Bush at Ovington for a couple of hours. __________. Back at 10:30 for mounds of toasted currant teacakes and coffee. Bed at 11:30.

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Saturday January 29, 1983

 We were up at about 9:30 awakened by all the activity. Bessie is an early riser and is up at 6:30 most mornings. Whilst we were gobbling toast she came in from her hairdresser at Alresford. She sat opposite me and I could see blue dye in her scalp. She looks very 'Thatcherish'. 

We took the Triumph Acclaim and sped off to Alresford for the afternoon. We left the car on a muddy lane and walked on a path by the river full of mallards and one regal, solitary swan.Some children in fluorescent wellies splashed by and we wallowed in the mud to allow an old army colonel with a red face, and walking stick to pass by. Hampshire is wonderfully picturesque. We pressed our noses up against shop windows and took a shine to a Chinese vase, circa 1740, on sale at £400. Ally bought a pair of faded jeans in a sale for £10. Looked at watercolours too. A nice one of a pebble beach with a boat. 

To the Horse and Groom (to avoid the drizzle) and spent three hours sitting in the bar. Back to Chillandham Cross slightly pissed. Frank took us to Margarita's pizzeria in Southampton at 7:30. We queued to get in and Bessie looked downcast, but inside it was noisy and typically Italian. (We have been before, of course). Frank and Bessie had veal, and Ally and I had lasagne and pizza. Back for 10:30, full and quite knackered. Frank is having trouble settling Cecil Ferguson's will. His new wife is hanging on to everything __________. To bed by 12.

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Friday January 28, 1983

 Full Moon

Fun at the YP. I didn't tell anyone that I'm taking a holiday next week until after 3 and they all looked on in horror. Carol and poor Margo will be the only ones working on Monday. I couldn't hide my grin. I think I must have a terrible sadistic streak. 

Went outside at 5:10 and Frank, in his BMW arrived, with Ally (and she sat up in the front with her Dad because travelling in the back makes her queasy). With Radio 4 blasting and sitting in the back I couldn't listen in on any of the conversation taking place. He insisted on channel jumping when I was in the middle of a concerto or interview. Count Nikolai Tolstoy insists on referring to 'Princess Diana'. Heard the BBC news about eight times. The water workers are continuing to reject the latest pay offer. Billy Fury, an ageing pop idol from 1961, has died from a heart attack. He sang something called 'Halfway to Paradise'.

We arrived at Chillandham Cross at 9 o'clock, and Bessie was waiting with a dinner of pork chops which we had on trays on our knees before the log fire. Andrew passed his motor cycle test today, but didn't talk about it. 

We went off to bed quite early because Ally is still sniffing and giving great chesty coughs. Graham was absent.

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