Tuesday April 8, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

John is a cool customer but with a heart of gold. Ally asks him to do anything in the house and he gets on with it without ceremony or palaver. He is going to tile the bathroom too before we take up residence in May. We will never get any sense out of John and Janette. Such a volatile couple. Almost theatrical at times. ____________. Uncle Arnold has asked Dad to go to an apartment in Lanzarote with him in the summer. But Dad needs money. He turned Lynn down when she suggested a similar venture and I do hope no ill will be incurred.

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Monday April 7, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

To Club St later this afternoon to light the gas pilot light. What fun. We almost cremated the piano. Ally was very tetchy about this. Samuel loves Club St. He went to bed with Ally while I attempted to strip the beams in the spare room. A rea pig it was. John and Janette came at 8pm both dressed like manual labourers, and he put 'browning' on the walls and did a good job. Janette helped mixing the plaster. Ally got up at 9 and we had tea. Janette says she and John are getting engaged very shortly. _________. We discussed the family tree. John would like a copy. Back to the Moorhouse at 12. Fagged out.

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Sunday April 6, 1986

Julie Baker, Lynn & Tom, Self and Frances.

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Low Sunday

Snow today. We went to Guiseley and to Thorpefields where Lynn has prepared a party. Poor Dad was being organised like a four year-old by Lynn, &c. We went to collect Sue after a ticking off from David about our parking on the muddy grass verge. Ally stuck to her guns, defiantly I thought, and wouldn't budge. Her resolute jaw was set. We collected Sue, Pete and the boys and went to Esholt for 2:45. Awful. 'Emmerdale Farm mania'. Japanese and other Orientals crawling everywhere with zoom lens cameras. A packed church. Two christenings. One Thomas David (ours) and one Thomas William (theres). Lynn was furious because the church was packed and she was expecting a quiet, personal family service. A good attendance from the family. Dad seemed odd and strangely distant. I cannot put my finger on it, but in recent times he has changed. Audrey Baker was very pleasant and seemed fit, and joined in all the fun and games back at the house party. And of course Frances is 5 today. Thomas stood up on the side of the font to be anointed. (I passed him to the care of the vicar), and he yelled his head off at his 'wetting'. A good buffet later. Wine, fun and pandemonium. Back here for 7.

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Saturday April 5, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Today I am 31. Ally, God bless her, made it a special day with her munificence. Samuel came in early singing 'happy birthday to you' and the three of us sat in bed opening cards and presents. Ally bought me two shirts from 'Paris', at Rawdon. Exquisite. A tie rack, and a beautiful tie with a miniature elephant reclining. Two books. "Claudius the God" by Graves and "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo. Thorntons chocolates. Breakfast in bed. The girls and Dad all phoned before 9am. It was touching to hear Dad. Lunch. Drink downstairs. Ally and Sam to bed. I had a lager with Margaret and Audrey and they formed a plot and gave me a 'German special' one of the concoctions favoured by our Gestapo clientele. I was slightly 'tight' by 4pm. Upstairs we had rump steak, sauteed mushrooms, white wine, &c. We then lay upon cushions on the floor like Roman patricians. I failed to win the pub 'flutter' on the Grand National. Chris phoned to say he cannot work tonight and so I axed him from my front bench team. Ally very beautifully said she would do his shift. Janette phoned to say they are coming. We went down at 7 and sat sozzled in a corner. We were joined by Uncle Peter, Auntie Jean, John, Janette, George W and Jayne. A quiet night really. You have to be reasonably quiet at 31. Bed at 12:30. No high jinx. No stoppybacks. No 21 gun salute.

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Friday April 4, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn Leeds LS11 5NQ

Uncle Peter is 57 today. We haven't seen him since Christmas. One of my customers makes me feel like vomiting. Joan Shelton, 58, has just been savaging the poor prime minister. "I was never out of work until she got in". And there she is (Joan) supping gallons of mild every week and living a life of Riley. She expects something for nothing. Bloody parasite. Ally went to bed early and I went down to the bar for social intercourse. A drunk, tippling whisky in the tap room, upset me at 11:30 and I physically ejected him midst the breaking of glass and furniture. My remaining customers filed out in an orderly fashion. I went to bed covered in blood and sweat.

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Thursday April 3, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally to Dr Duck at 9:50. ________. Believe it or not Ally has yet to be confirmed as being definitely booked in to the BRI for baby's birth. St Luke's is the designated place and whenever Ally brings up the topic with Dr Duck she says "Oh don't worry. We'll have you at the BRI. It's where you went last time." It will mean war if we are thwarted this time. A home birth in fact. Ally has a wicked look on her face. She and Samuel are in collusion over my birthday presents, and by the look of things my wife has gone mad on the plastic again. On Saturday morning all will be revealed.

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Wednesday April 2, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Lynn and the children came over this afternoon for high jinx and high tea. Ally laid on an old fashioned nursery spread and the little ones greatly appreciated it. Katie had never seen a doughnut before and sat wide eyed but refusing to touch one. Samuel was covered in jam. Little Thomas moves around like a badger and refuses to walk. David came and picked them up at 6. Lynn made a comment about the Moorhouse: "It's a typical town pub". Snobby somewhat. She perhaps should visit some of the pubs in town.

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Tuesday April 1, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

We went over to Bradford this morning to meet Sue and Pete at Club Street where Peter installed a new kitchen sink and did the plumbing. I am very pleased with him really. Susan isn't the enormous mountain as in previous pregnancies and I pray she has a daughter. Surely not another uproarious boy? The children played well together considering the confined space. Ally went to the fish and chip shop and queued for almost an hour and returned with cold and greasy fayre. I do worry about all this work I am making for myself at Club St. It's two rooms stripped bare now and in six or seven weeks I am expected to have finished the lot. Oh dear. 

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Monday March 31, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Bank Holiday in the UK (except Scotland)

Ally in a mood because she feels bilious and bloated and out of sorts and lay in bed with Samuel until the afternoon. Jill phoned to say they would be here at 4, but didn't arrive until 5 and so we missed out on food. I was just about to tuck into a turkey leg when they appeared. ________. They left when I opened up at 7 o'clock. A quiet night. Chris worked, or perhaps I should say he showed his face. We had an extension until 11:30 but shouldn't have bothered taking it. People go away to caravans at Morecambe and such places at Easter - for some reason.

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Sunday March 30, 1986

Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Easter Day

We roasted a turkey for Easter Day Sunday lunch. A lot of hard work and sweat for nothing. Ally didn't appreciate the big lunch, and the washing up went on and on. Samuel liked the candle on the table. Bessie and Frank phoned in the middle of the lunch and I sat eating alone for ages. Played on the floor with Samuel afterwards. We played at beds. I had to lay on the floor on a cushion sucking my thumb and play the baby. I am actually a baby. Frenzied night. Just Liz and I working. She shapes like a 'wet hen' as they say in Colne.

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Saturday March 29, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

My life is probably at its lowest ebb. Utter dejection and misery. Depression has set in and everything seems bloody futile. Easter Saturday. Just Ally and I tonight. No festivities. Someone asked me why we've given the annual 'Easter Bonnet Parade' a miss. Stuff Easter altogether.

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