Monday February 4, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

Ally has all the symptoms of pregnancy. Nausea, dizziness, and an awareness of some expansion in the tummy, &c. But of course she cannot be, as we've hardly made any attempt. We would like another child soon. We have said that we didn't want Samuel to reach two without a younger sibling. I would love Mum to see another grandchild. If a girl, we'll stick Nora in there as a middle name. I have thought of Aron if we beget another son. George Aron Albert Rhodes. Aron is of course Nora backwards. Calling a boy Nora would be oh so cruel. He'd grow up with ringlets, and heavy eye make-up, singing on the Oxford Road Show. 

What do you think about this AIDS scare? It is an awful homosexual scourge and no doubt it will be bringing a halt to much of the activity one finds in public lavatories in Gloucester and Harrogate. _______.

-=-

Sunday February 3, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Septuagesima

A working Septuagesima, no less. Mum and Dad went to John's for the afternoon supposedly for lunch, but when they got there the cupboard was bare. ___________. They came back at 5:30. 

We watched 'Songs of Praise Greatest Hits 1985' and found ourselves singing 'Abide With Me'. Mum says she last sang the old favourite at Uncle Albert's funeral in January, 1970. You know I have an aversion to hymn singing. A TV session. 'By The Sword Divided' - not excellent by any means. Downstairs at 9 o'clock I helped Margaret in the bar. An enjoyable evening.

News: Poor Princess Margaret has gone to Mustique to 'recuperate' in the company of royal 'jester' Ned Ryan.

-=-

Saturday February 2, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

We went to Horton again. This time taking John. It meant leaving here at 8am. It was windy and cold up in the Dales. John climbed on the roof and grovelled inside the loft looking for leaks. It was all too complex for me. I sat reading 'Princess Margaret' by (Nigel) Dempster, and reflecting on the gloomy prospects of HRH's survival. We went to Settle at 1:30 and ate pies in the street before going in to the Talbot. We got somewhat 'worked up' in the pub and Dad and I slobbered into our beers. We really let off steam on these escapades to Horton. Home for tea. We ate French bread and cheese. Mum was very bright. No staff tonight because of Mavis's smallpox. We enjoyed ourselves tremendously. 

-=-

Friday February 1, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Madge Millar is 39. A party for her PM. Frank Millar lashed out and spent £7 on sandwiches and pork pies. The (birthday) cake, ablaze, took ones breath away. She had fifty candles lit for some reason. Ally used a good many matches lighting it.

Mum and Dad came back from Hilda's. The Jim Nasons came here, inc Julie. 

And so February comes.

-=-

Thursday January 31, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Marita 30. Andy (Bowden) arrived late pm. Idle bleeder. To Rawdon, to the dentist. No Hough, No Hodgson. The dentist was a lisping effeminate type. Needed no treatment, and booked an appointment for July. Samuel, all in yellow, went in, and the dentist counted his teeth, and registered him. Samuel didn't enjoy the experience and sat pulling at his tongue on the journey home. Saw Kim Dean in Rawdon (see Diary 1973).

-=-

Wednesday January 30, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Busiest ever luncheon. Cleaned the beer lines. Phoned Glynnie. Spoke to Mum at Pudsey. She seemed cheerful. Tony's cousin, a Mr Tunnicliffe, has been killed in a hit and run incident in Stanningley. They looked in on the crash scene, in glorious technicolour, on YTV's 'Calendar'. It ruined luncheon, no doubt.

And so, January has ended.

-=-

Tuesday January 29, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

I will be brief because time is running out. Mum and Dad went to Hilda and Tony's for a few days, and Samuel went back into his own room, and we had a good night sleep for once. The boy must object to our snoring. Margaret worked instead of Andy, who worked last night with Maureen. A dead night.

Mum is back in the house where she was born 50 years ago.

-=-

Monday January 28, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

The snow goes. We went to Tadcaster leaving Mum and Dad babysitting. No sign of Rob and Kath. Donna (Lea) says Kath is in hospital with blood pressure. All the Sam Smiths managers assembled in the sub-zero brewery canteen. The new 'flexi-time' was the main item on the agenda, and we watched a promotional film on a tiny TV set. We then went shivering to the Angel & White Horse. A sycophantic bunch. C__W took the award for the manager with the brownest tongue (re arse licking). David Tyne came to Ally's side and Fran O'Brien suggested suitable restaurants for our supper. We spent some time with Don Whitfield - a nice man. We left at 9:30 and went to Jacomelli's, yet again, and found the place to ourselves, but for a fat, homely waitress called Doris. I got the hiccoughs so badly that the crockery rattled. Pissed as a fart. Home. Samuel had been angelic. To bed.

-=-

Sunday January 27, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

3rd Sunday after epiphany

Snow fell. John came with JPH and Catherine. Janette was at home abed. John had been out at Beau Brummels until 3am. Naughty. Mum was frail. She cannot enjoy children as she once did. Catherine is a wonderful bubbling character and giggles at everything. Mum went to bed and I fell asleep on the settee snoring like a pig ( so I'm told). Later, after John's departure we had lamb and Lynn spoiled things by phoning to say that the roads in Guiseley were bad and that we should not attempt to drive over there this evening. Minutes later Lynn phoned back and said she was only having a panic and that the soiree was still on. Over we went and gathered around the TV set (Lynn refused to switch off). The booze was sparse and we came away at 11 o'clock quite gloomy. ______. Janette looked pale. Fish & chips at Westfield.

-=-

Saturday January 26, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Dad and I went to Horton to rescue the ailing house plants. We took the Christmas tree in the car boot, feeling glum with ourselves. He cannot understand how Mum can be so ill-tempered. Who wouldn't be grumpy knowing they had only months to live?  We went to Settle and had a few drinks at the Talbot. I was pissed. At Waltergarth the plumbing was adrift and so Dad phoned Greaves & Warrington but they cannot get here until Saturday. We sat drinking home brew. I told Dad that he should keep the place and retain a home for himself afterwards. He assured me that he would not become a parasite like his horrible father did. We got back at 6. Mum had expected us back at 4.

-=-

Friday January 25, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

My Rhodes grandfather was born on this day in 1901. We had a dreadful day. Mum was very low and remained in bed for the whole day shunning Dad. We felt quite useless. We were very busy and ignored her for most of the time. At 4 we went to Morrison's and did a 'big shop' and I had my hair cut. We came back for a stew but Mum stubbornly refused all food. I went and sat with her and she wept in despair saying she had hoped to see her grandchildren grow up and marry, and then pointing to the door she said referring to Dad: "It's all right for him in there ... he can soon begin a new life .. I have no future." I told her I loved her and held her thin hand but could be of little comfort.

-=-

Thursday January 24, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Snow. We had a dreadful night. Samuel refused to sleep and took to trampolining upon his bed ________.

Frosty inside and out. At 2pm Ally took to her bed and I didn't see her again. Mum decided that Ally's absence was because she is tired of looking at her weepy, yellow mother-in-law. This is not so. Dad bathed Samuel and I snoozed on the settee through 'Top of the Pops'. Went down at 8 and stood with Audrey and Ann. Margaret and Andy did the bar. I did the till at 11:30 and Ally woke to a crab sandwich. She was still crabby too.

-=-

Wednesday January 23, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn

Sunshine. Almost spring-like. We didn't get out of bed until 8:45. Ally went to the door to admit Maureen and I dressed Samuel and gave him a Weetabix. Mum stayed in bed, bathed in sunshine, and breakfasted on grilled sausage and tomatoes. Ally opened up at 11 and Dad took Samuel off across the moor and up to Grandways to buy pre-packed boiled ham and sweet and sour sauce (for Mum). Later, Mum broke down finding it impossible to climb out of the bath unaided ____________. Later she spoke of visiting Hilda and Tony for a couple of days next week. Good news because she hasn't wanted to visit anyone since leaving hospital.

Allt took Samuel to his clinic at 3 for his measles inoculation. She was out for hours. Poor Mum agonises over what to eat and at 3 I made her scampi on rice, covered in sweet and sour sauce. She took one mouthful and left the rest. She wept at putting us to so much trouble because Dad had been up Dewsbury Road twice in search of the offensive instant sauce mix.

Watched a slice of history. The (House of) Lords was televised for the first time from 2:30 until 7pm. The TV simmered throughout. Old Lord Stockton made a good speech. I do not know whether I approve. Should TV cameras be everywhere?

Scenes reminiscent of the French Revolution tonight. A tattooed yobbo attempted to assault me but was halted in mid-swing by his girlfriend's father, known only as Jimmy, and known to our own Maureen McNicol. A fight ensued outside, blood everywhere, and at 11pm I was swilling buckets of hot water down the path. Audrey found it great fun. I think she would be delighted to see me on the receiving end of somebody's fist. I seem to avoid personal attacks and have done remarkably well this year.