Sunday August 12, 1979

_. 9th Sunday after Trinity

Sue and Pete are home from Cornwall and are keeping very quiet about their holiday. Have things not gone well, perhaps? I suppose they are upset that Lynn & Dave are continuing the 'grand tour' without them. They [Lynn and Dave] are moving on to the Gribble Inn at Little Torrington, Devon. Dave is looking forward to the strip-tease act which takes place in this disgraceful tavern every Friday.

Saw three Alfred Hitchcock films today in celebration of the old boy's 80th birthday tomorrow. 'Thirty Nine Steps' in the afternoon, and  'To Catch a Thief' and 'Psycho' in the evening.

Maria with JPH and Catherine called here in the afternoon, but didn't stay long.

I am paralysed from the waist down and my eyes have gone square.

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Wednesday February 8, 1978

First Day in Lent. Ash Wednesday.

I am giving up spending money for Lent. Yes, I intend saving over £100. OK, you don't believe me but I'm going to show you just what willpower I do have.

Lady Jane Spencer.

Quite an ordinary sort of day. In 'The Times' engagements section I see that Lady Sarah Spencer's sister, Lady Jane, is to marry Robert Fellowes, assistant private secretary to the Queen. I passed this info on to Fred, who will do something for the YP 'People' column tomorrow. I bet Nigel Dempster and William Hickey will do something on this tomorrow. Is Lady Sarah going to take the plunge with HRH and make it a double event? This will be the theme.

Feel buggered and slightly dead. Because of this I have changed from red ink to this suitably sombre black. At home this evening I couldn't be bothered to do a single thing. Was tempted by an Alfred Hitchcock film on the BBC, but dozed in the chair like an octogenarian whilst the bulk of the murders were being carried out.

I have received a Valentine's card from WPC Carolle Jones. Yeah, a week early too. I quiver when I think of the recent night we spent in Burley in Wharfedale after Naomi's party. I like WPC Jones very much. She arouses in me some neolithic feelings that lay dormant when she is away back on the beat. Cor, I've never been out with a policewoman before. Penelope Keith's gone a step further and married a detective constable.


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Wednesday November 23, 1977

Saw the Alfred Hitchcock film 'Frenzy' on the BBC. Perhaps it should have been called 'Pansy'. A weak, ridiculous dead loss it was Mr Hitchcock, and I don't care who knows it. What a bloody let down.

Mathieu Molé

Nothing of further interest occurred on this twenty third day of November in the year old Our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Seventy Seven. It's the anniversary of the proclamation of the constitution of Victoria in 1855 and the death of Mathieu Molé , French statesman, also in 1855.

I don't see that point in writing much today other than what I've already done. I don't suppose any of you readers will be upset if I never wrote another line again. But your attitude isn't going to deter me. Where would we be now if Samuel Pepys had listened to his sister, Beryl (who didn't like his writing and thought he was a puff)?

-=-

Sunday May 6, 1973

Get up at 11.15. Overcast, humid, and rainy day. Have a beef curry at 12.00. Auntie Hilda, Uncle Tony and the girls came home from the continent last night. They are coming over here this afternoon.

Walked to the CW at 12.45. A completely dead afternoon. Pauline came at 1.10. Sue went upstairs for a while whilst Pauline, Toffer and myself watched the tv, drank coffee, and ate ginger cake. No customers came in until 3.30. We bought Mars bars and put them in the refrigerator until they went hard. Very tasty. It began to get busy at tea time. Pauline left at 7.
Sue and I had a mixed grill, with a bottle of red wine, then apricots in brandy. We went upstairs to watch Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds'. Came home at about 12.

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