Friday March 10, 1978

Felt fatigued after the excesses of Oakwood Hall. It was a bright, sunny day with the birds chuntering away happily in the trees.

At lunchtime Eileen and I went to the library to get a couple of books by P.G. Wodehouse and Dumas's 'The Man in the Iron Mask'. If it takes me as long to read as 'The Count of Monte Cristo' I'll be here until July. However, Michael, with fortitude it will be done.

Christine phoned this afternoon to say her car stinks like an Indian restaurant and that I've splattered the interior with curry and raw onions. Oh God. We are going to Willie's 21st on Thursday. That should be something of a brawl.

I have received a letter from Carole. I am going to leave it pressed between these pages for you to look at. What do you think of it? I'm slightly confused by it, but no doubt in time the contents will sink in. I am not going to reply until the whole thing has been studied carefully.

Tonight I did absolutely nothing. In fact, I felt exhausted. 'The Man in the Iron Mask' was untouched. Saw a Susan Hayward film. It's interesting to note that all the cast of this 1962 film are now dead. Miss Hayward bit the dust in 1975, Peter Finch in 1976, Charles Chaplin in 1977, Margaret Rutherford in 1972, Richard Wattis in 1976 (?), and Enrico Caruso in 1927.

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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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