Tuesday December 26, 1978

Boxing Day Bank Holiday {except Scotland}

St Stephen. Slightly better. Merry Christmas.

John, Maria and JPH joined us. I phoned Sarah and told her I'm having it off until after the New Year (HaHa).

Sod the New Year's Honours list. Besides, who cares if Arthur Worsley becomes a CH or whether Dame Vera Lynn gets the George Cross? I don't.

Good King Wenceslas looked out today, didn't he? But  what year? I reckon it must have been in the 1000s.

Forgive the abominable handwriting. It isn't anything to do with booze. Someone has hidden my trusty fountain pen and no end of reckless searching has found it. So, I'm reduced to this scrawl with what is commonly styled a felt~tipped pen.

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Monday April 18, 1977

Vera Lynn

Slept quite late and went to Leeds on the bus at 9.30am. Uninteresting day and don't propose to say any more about ghastly work. Didn't get home until 6.30. The road works on Kirkstall Road held everything up but, as in times of national strife and war, we passengers pulled together and sang songs and danced into the early hours. The soup kitchens rang to the sound of gay chatter and sea shanties. Vera Lynn would have finished things off nicely but we had to make do with a flea bitten excuse for a bus conductress.

Judith rang from the Hare to see if I wanted to join her in a few droplets (of ale) but I declined the honour. Or should I say I put it off until Wednesday. Couldn't face anything tonight. I have just been thinking about the Peter Mather ________Saga. Unbelieveable.________. Dave L cannot get over it.

Retired to my chambers at 12.30 after a recent Susan Hayward film. I do believe she's dead isn't she? Starring Lee J. Cobb too and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Douglas Fairbanks (senior), Anna Mae Wong, Paulette Goddard, Vivien Leigh, Fidel Castro, Dr Crippen, Oscar Petersen, Olav V, King of Sweden and many more. I'm insane.

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