Wednesday January 1, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

New Years Day - Bank Holiday in the UK

The Moorhouse Inn.

Awful morning. Ally disgusted at my drunken arrival to bed in the early hours took off  and slept in Samuel's room. Morning came and we were both in bed with Samuel pleading with us to get up, plodding between the bedrooms. I ventured out and staggered around making breakfast. Ally had scrambled eggs in bed. I opened up at 11 with bloodshot eyes and my hair standing on end. Busy lunch. The place went mad with revellers topping up from last night. The argument in the tap room about 'Gone With the Wind' versus the racing went on, and an old man called Tom sloshed a pint over old George. Scuffles followed. No blood. Tom was ejected with his coat in shreds. A festive start to the year. Phoned Dad again. Ally slightly peeved that no family have phoned us with good wishes. Quiet night. Chris worked again. He has been something of a god send this Christmas.

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Tuesday December 31, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Bernie McCarron.

Ally opened up and so we got into town early where Ally found a woollen mohair dress, green and red, for £45 and a red handbag and shoes. 'Gone With the Wind' this afternoon. What an exceedingly long and silly film full of people overacting. Vivien Leigh really should be thoroughly ashamed of herself. Is she still with us? Old men in the tap room squabbled over the telly. Racing from Newbury, they decide, is more important than Scarlet O'Hara. I tend to agree. Not a busy night. Chris worked. I hit the Diet Pils and the hour of merriment and ringing of bells is now lost in a fuzzy wuzzy Auld Lang Syne, &c. I did run upstairs minutes after midnight to kiss my wailing Piglet. My eyes were similarly wet. The coming of the New Year can be an emotional moment and this one is particularly jerking. What an evil year '85 was. Perhaps we will breathe better in '86.Perhaps we will be able to lead a life again without black shadows. 'Time is a great healer'. The man who said that should be shot.  No, castrated. Chris stayed in the bar until 2am with Bernie and Frank McCarron. Quiet. Phoned Dad at 1am. He was distant and no doubt Horton-in-Ribblesdale was awash with tears. I don't remember any of the conversation.

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Monday December 30, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Dear Brown.

Quiet day. Michael Brown came again today with another journalist whose name escapes me, who works in Aldershot at the moment, but plans to write news bulletins for radio. Michael told me he is now banned from drinking with his father after their last, long drinking session here. Old Mrs B was livid. They left here that Saturday afternoon at 4:30 in pouring rain, and both stood urinating in a bus stop on Dewsbury Road to be verbally abused by a passing clergyman's wife. Harold Brown arrived home, wringing wet, saying he was 'poorly'. "Pissed, more like" exclaimed the irate and quick tempered Mrs B. 

To town at 4 but forgot to take the trousers back. We had bought Dad a pair with a 36 inch waist when he needs 38ins. Bought Dad a diary for his 1986 bookings. Ally too tired and the place was too busy.

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Sunday December 29, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

1st Sunday after Christmas

We ate roast beef which was too rare and oozing with blood - no good for Ally at all. Watched Erroll Flynn in 'Robin Hood' again. Played with Samuel. My Uncle Albert died at 2:30am on this day in 1969.

Tonight. Quiet. But who should appear but Richard and Debbie with Philip Middlebrough. You know, they used to be Richard and Eileen, who hosted the 'Pink Eagle' party in November 1979.Whatever happened to poor Eileen? They were talking as though I was a youngster, and thought I was only 25 which cheered me greatly. Debbie is an Aries too - April 4. She seemed to warm to my star sign. Ally disappointed at feeling too poorly to come down.

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Saturday December 28, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

A fancy dress evening in which I did not participate. Not a good turn-out. A few elves, pixies, a Cinderella and a Prince Charming. I raffled the hideous garden gnome that some wag had presented to me, and it was won by Terry and Doreen. They fell out with the Gestapo whilst holidaying with them in the summer. By Gestapo of course I mean Werner and Hildegarde, our Teutonic lounge customers. They all expected 'afters' but got none. We are having no 'stoppybacks' when Ally is feeling so ill.

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Friday December 27, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Peter & Hilda.

A bloody kindergarten this place is. Sue is a slave to her children and they were up at dawn running rings around her. Pete was laid, legs akimbo, beneath his duvet. Samuel delights in other children and plays excellently. Roll on July. Dad took the Nasons back to Guiseley at 11. We were left alone. What a tremendous help Dad has been this week. He is such a good, brave man. Hilda looked sad yesterday watching all the children play. I know what she was thinking. ___________. We collapsed this afternoon. Three hours of 'Ben Hur'. Charlton Heston won the chariot race, yet again. Seafood pancakes. Chris Mawson worked PM. I put on sandwiches and things for Cliff, who was 70 yesterday.

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Thursday December 26, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally and Samuel.

Boxing Day. A family party. Ally feverishly cutting up left-over turkey and pork pies. I opened up. Dad drove over to Guiseley for Sue. Hilda and Tony came at 11:30. She has had a new car for Christmas. A Fiat tied up with a bow outside No. 6 St. James's Crescent. Dad went on and on about Colonel Gadaffi owning Fiat. It was news to me. But then I have become a 'news no go' area since quitting the YP. At one time I would have known instantly just who was chairman of the CBI, and prime minister of Iraq, but now it's all awash. The Bakers came for a few hours. Lynn and Hilda are not on the same wavelength as we are. John and Janette didn't come until about 7pm. Janette was slightly 'off-ish' and announced that they would not be staying the night. I was news to John. ______. Ally, not feeling too good, stayed upstairs. Sue was fun. She continues to have nightmares about her baby, and debates the name he'll be given. A daughter is to be Samantha. Peter was great fun. He mixed cocktails. It was a late night but not one of over-intoxication. Jayne Waite phoned asking Janette and John to go back to Menston to finish the night. ______.

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Wednesday December 25, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Dad in his tatty pyjamas, and Sam.

Christmas Day. Oh, what memories. We woke at 8, and lay abed with cups of tea. Dad joined us in his tatty pyjamas. Down to open Samuel's presents. It was the start of a magical day for him. He was as good as gold throughout. He found a large Postman Pat car from Winchester, and we gave him a wooden tool kit with a hammer, pegs and spanners, &c. Dad put the turkey in the oven. A 15lb thing. We opened between 11am and 1pm. The usual faces. We took £140. Audrey worked and I relaxed my 'no staff drinks' ban. Large whiskies abounded. It was all a very pleasant atmosphere though. Will Christmas mean anything at all to me when I'm old and grey? I think we should love the magic of Christmas even when one has experienced it seventy or eighty times and not be cynical about it. We closed at 1 and went upstairs. A long, happy lunch with Ally, Dad and Samuel. The TV only went on at 3pm for The Queen. This year we saw no scenes of family life at Windsor with the royal kiddies, which was sad. But HM knows what she is doing, no doubt. We lounged and played. I hung Ally's amethyst earrings in a cracker on the tree and she didn't discover the gift until later. We put on records and danced to Wham and Boy George. Dad washed up. Sam to bed. TV at night. No tears or overwhelming sadness. Mum wouldn't have wanted that.

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Tuesday December 24, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally very poorly. Vomit, pains, &c. When Samuel went down at noon she went too. I was alone making seafood pancakes. Dad was late. He didn't get here until 6pm. Sue had been having a soirée at Thorpe Lane. Dad looked tired. Chris here tonight. Worked like stink. Not over festive. Dad went to the Station (pub) for gas. Upstairs for 12:30am. Had a large stiff drink by the large stiff Christmas tree. 

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Monday December 23, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Busy. Stocktake. Good old Ronnie came. He gave us a £140 surplus. I do not like surpluses. The next one will be £140 down. Baked mince pies and played Christmas carols on the stereo. Samuel thinks carols are dull, and says so. He prefers Feargal Sharkey. LG appeared with a calendar for '86 and a smile. I told him of Ally's condition and off he went giggling saying "it's nice to get them all over with early". Little does he know that this is only the beginning. He didn't want to discuss figures or be gloomy at this time of festive rejoicing. Silly prat. We rushed into town at 3:30 and the place was mad. Ally was feeling bad and couldn't buy anything but I went to Dyson's and Denton's and bought a pair of amethyst earrings for £65 and a bottle of Diorissimo for £15. I do love pig so very much. She looked faint. Samuel didn't like the experience of a packed Leeds Market. Laura Ashley was stripped of contents - panic buying. We should buy shares.

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Sunday December 22, 1985

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

4th Sunday in Advent

Crisp & cold. A pink and yellow sky as JPW Turner would have splodged, or was he JWP or JPM? We went over to Guiseley at 3 and sat in Harry Ramsden's carpark eating chips. Sam enjoyed the adventure. Then, to the cemetery to see poor Mum with some carnations and Chinese orchids. It was biting cold and I had no coat. Stood mutely looking at the slab of stone. Lynn had been before us with some unopened daffodils. On to John and Janette's for whisky, and a nurse of Charlotte. JPH and Catherine were there watching 'Ghostbusters'. JPH wearing a gold chain. __________. On to Lynn's. The scrubbed kids were watching a Dickens serial. Lynn called it "Twist". ______. Liz phoned in sick at 6:50pm, and Chris, an angel Gabriel to be sure, worked instead at a moments notice.

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