Tuesday October 5, 1976

Karen Gadsby, 17. MM, 21. Another filthy, wet day. Get soaked at lunchtime in Leeds buying a Teddy Bear for John Philip Hugh at Schofield's. It's only three days since I purchased a bloody umberella [£3.80]. But did I have it with me?

Home at 5.15. Spill a cup of white-hot coffee over myself after a delectable evening meal and all they can worry about is whether I've stained the settee or not. As it happens, it was unmarked by the volcanic deluge.

With Tony, Stuart, Andrew and Simon [I think he's Simon anyway] to the Odeon in Leeds to see 'The Omen' with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. Very good. A clever ending to it too. Go see it if you get the chance. [No doubt you've all watched it on TV recently and said unto one another: 'What a load of crap, indeed'.]

Home at 11. Mum and Dad, Lynn and Dave have been to see John, Maria & Co at Ridgeway. Maria came out of hospital today.

The Conservative party's annual tea party has begun at Brighton. Margaret Hilda Thatcher is threatening to dance in the streets if she's elected to the premiership at the next general election fiasco. Oh God.

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Monday October 4, 1976

Out of bed at 7.20 but work is the last thing I want to get roped into today. Decide to have a day off. Besides, the staircase needs rubbing down for the new paintwork. Have a leisurely bath after phoning the office to let them know.

Give Tony a ring at 11.15 to cancel tonight's engagements and he relates to me a sad tale indeed. His relationship with Mrs Johnson is no more. Evidently, she paid him a visit last night and he told her once again that he doesn't want a serious relationship with anyone at this period in time and the poor girl disappeared in a tearful rage in the early hours in the direction of Horsforth.

Dad and I go to Morrison's at 3 and purchase paint for the hallway, &c. Spend the evening decorating. Only manage to undercoat four or five doors but things are looking much better. Retire at midnight feeling knackered and completely shagged out.

I first met Lynne two years ago tomorrow, Oct 5, 1974. Historic occasion indeed. We shall celebrate on Saturday night.

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Sunday October 3, 1976

16th after Trinity. Don't get up until very late. Do bugger all this afternoon and we all have a very late Sunday dinner at 5.30. Too listless to go out tonight & so I attempt to get Tony's phone number by ringing Auntie Delia in order to get Carol J's number and thus, eventually, discover Mr Brotherwood's. Delia says she wants some decorating doing and I immediately offer my services. A few extra quid wouldn't go amiss. Anyway, Carol says she doesn't have Tony's phone number and I get the distinct impression that I've put my dirty great foot in it. He rings me at 6 o'clock and I tell him not to bother coming up. We're going to see 'The Omen' in Leeds tomorrow.

See 'Fawlty Towers' and a film about German POWs attempting to escape from a camp in Scotland followed by a Sophia Loren film which takes us through to midnight. No news from John today but we presume Maria is now safely housed at Otley [Hospital].

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Saturday October 2, 1976

Out with CB, Martyn, Chris, Pete M & Jane S to the Hare & Hounds, the Knights Bar at Ilkley, and then the Stoney Lea. A good time was had by all but that's all you're going to get on the subject. Bye Bye.

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Friday October 1, 1976

Before I start I must say two things: WHITE RABBITS. John Philip Hugh Rhodes is one day old.

Celebrate my nephew's anniversary at the Hare & Hounds with CB and Martyn. Quiet really. Tony calls in with Stuart and the lad from W.H.Smith's Travel and T shows great surprise when I say Lynne is in Spain. They go off to Oakwood Hall and minutes later we are visited by Mr C. Ratcliffe, Mr J.P. Rhodes, Mr L. Rhodes and Mrs N. Rhodes. Haven't seen Christopher for ages. __________.

John, Mum and Dad had been to Hyde Terrace to look once again at Maria and John Junior. I still can't believe it myself.

Home with Mum, Dad and John at 11.15 and watch a silly Beryl Reid/Flora Robson 'horror film' on the BBC.

Bed at 1.30 after having had a 'friendly' argument with John about hospital deliveries. I see nothing wrong with women giving birth at home. Risks are in all things.

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Thursday September 30, 1976

Awakened at 7.15 by Mum rushing into the bedroom. It's a boy! Maria was delivered of a 8lb 7oz son at 6.05 this morning. John was with her from 1.30am, and Mum, Molly and Jim were in the waiting room. I leave for work at 8am an uncle. The folk in the office are cheered by my good tidings and I have great difficulty in working. Attempt to ring home all day but the phone is constantly engaged.

At 4.30 I go up to the Reference Library and get thoroughly soaked in the process so much so that a 'new baby' card I'd bought for John & Maria is ruined along with a couple of newspapers. The rain was running down my back and in an attempt to keep dry I zipped up my bomber jacket and caught my gold chain in the zip and snapped it. Home at 6 o'clock dripping wet.

Mum and Dad visited their first grandchild this afternoon and Mum says he's the most beautiful baby - ever. Today is also Hugh Macdonald's 29th birthday and so the new baby is to be named John Philip Hugh.

John comes at 7.30 and he takes Susan, Lynn and self to Hyde Terrace. We each spend 15 minutes or so with John, Maria and the baby. He really has the most beautiful, unblemished complexion. So many babies have that 'poached egg' look. John is over the moon. None of us can really take it in. Call in at the off-licence and buy £5 worth of booze. At home discover that Mum's spent the same amount on the same commodity, and so we have a little 'wetting the babies head' treatment. Take a few photos. Bed at 2am.

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Wednesday September 29, 1976

CB rings to say she is the proud owner of an automobile. A Triumph 1300 to be precise. Arrange to go out for a drink at 8pm.

[Hold on a bloody minute the lot of you. Mr Michael Rhodes took the day off to do a spot of decorating and of course to see Miss Lynne Mather off from Yeadon on her trip to good old Spain. She flew off at 9.30 in something of a misty spell. Won't be back until Saturday week.]

CB and I go for a drink to a dead Hare & Hounds and then onto to Emmott Arms where Keith Brown is behind the bar dishing up ale. Half an hour in that God forsaken hole was enough, but, to our horror, we find we are trapped in the carpark by another car. CB attempts to manoevre the machine through a gap in a stone wall whilst I go back into the bar to find the owner of the offending vehicle. On returning to the carpark I'm almost overcome by the fumes of burning rubber and masonry, and can see from CB's face that all is far from well. "I've scratched the bloody car", she yells, and with that we rocket off to the Fox & Hounds. As well as a scratch she's managed to unhinge the bloody car door. To the Hare for the last one and home at 1045. CB drives off with her car door flapping.

Molly and Jim are just leaving with John after visiting Maria in Hyde Terrace. At midnight Molly is on the phone saying Maria is in labour! At last! At 1am, or so, John, Mum, Molly and Jim go off to Leeds again. Poor John of course is car-less at the moment. Lynn and I sit waiting for news. By 5am I am too tired to keep awake and fall into a nervous unconsciousness on the settee.

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