Friday May 30, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Chernobyl.

I have had a terrible heart breaking conversation with Dad. Last month a nuclear power station blew up at Chernobyl in the USSR sending clouds of radiation up into the atmosphere and clouds of cancerous filth has blown over towards northern Europe. Anyway, with this in mind, Dad walked out into the rain and climbed to a high peak, and facing the heavens willed this evil radiation upon himself. How pathetic. He just wants to go join mother. Today is the anniversary of the frying of Joan of Arc in 1431. Social: the Marchioness of Reading gave birth to a son on Monday, and Lady Aberdour a son on Wednesday. Sir Francis Lowe, 3rd Baronet, has died at Cowes, aged 55.

-=-

Thursday May 29, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally to Dr Duck who booked her in for a further scan at BRI, but otherwise Duck is not concerned. The baby seems to have been with us for an eternity. Bless him/her. Beverley worked tonight and Uncle Peter came over for her. Some swine has vandalised the sanitary towel machine in the ladies. No doubt to get the cash. 

Today is Oak Apple Day - the anniversary of the restoration of Charles II in 1660. It's also the anniversary of the fall of Constantinople in 1453. 

Swaziland's new teenage King Mswati III has dissolved parliament in Liqoqo. No reason was given. That's teenagers for you.

The Hon Colin Orr-Ewing has married. Borislav Milić, the Yugoslav chess player has shuffled off his mortal coil.

-=-

Wednesday May 28, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Back to the Moorhouse where we have a £60 surplus, after last weeks £80 deficit. The relief manager Tiny Tim went off in a hurry leaving me with cloudy ale long faces in the bar. I immediately phoned LG to disassociate myself from the contents of my cellar. He thinks I am going over the top but after last years carry on naturally I'm wary. Tonight, Geoff, Alan, Terry (cockney) and Karin and self went to the Station pub on Hillidge Rd, Hunslet, for the quiz. What an earnest person John, the incumbent landlord, is. Horribly pissed and home crossing the moor with Alan. Earnest John believes in drinking after time.

-=-

Tuesday May 27, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Wind. To Haworth to see the Worth Valley puffa trains. Samuel was beside himself at all the noise and steam. We sat on a platform with all the railway buffs who were snapping away with cameras. Visited a garden centre and then took lunch in a pub surrounded by Japanese tourist types. We had chicken pie and rock-hard peas. Not good at all. I was so proud of Samuel who didn't make a noise and acted very grown up. Home to sirloin and 'Emmerdale Farm'. Ally bushed.

-=-

Monday May 26, 1986

Waltergarth Station Rd, Horton-in-Ribblesdale BD24 OHH

Bank Holiday in UK

Samuel at Club St.

Cousin Reg's twins are one today. We left Horton and went to Glusburn in search of Judith Brown, nee Rushworth. Ally drove first to Gisburn by mistake. We came across a Horton-in-Craven, close to Foulridge, where Ally has some family roots. At Glusburn we were disappointed. The Browns left last September. We sat outside and had Yorkshire pudding. Draughty. On to Guiseley and Sue's where we sat in the garden drinking thick Cinzano. Back at Club St we had pizza from the take-away. Watched a James Bond film. You know, the one with crocodiles.

-=-

Sunday May 25, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradord BD7 2PB

Ally at Kettlewell.

Picnic in the Dales then on to Dad's via Buckden and Kettlewell, &c. A lovely day. We found the Bakers with Dad. I cannot be happy at Waltergarth. I constantly think of that day last year. Lynn and Dave left after tea and we decided to stay the night. Dad promptly turning away walkers who would have stayed for B & B. This upset us. We were depriving him of his livelihood. Dad and I went out for a pint at 9:30 and Ally went to bed with a book. I toasted 'absent friends' and it was an emotional moment. Theakston's ale and whisky in abundance. The Crown would be a nice bolt hole wouldn't it, eh?

-=-

Saturday May 24, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Lister Park, Manningham.

A domestic sort of day. I papered the bathroom, &c. To Manningham Park with Samuel, who loved it. The slide there - Oh what a joy. Ice creams around the lake. He loved the waterfall. People do not appreciate parks anymore, do they? Tonight. Trout. Exquisite. Ally went up to clean up after my decorating, and I watched the lovely Tracy-Louise Ward on the telly. She's the girlfriend of Bunter Worcester, the Duke of Beaufort's heir, and sister of Rachel Ward, both nieces of Lord Dudley.

-=-

Friday May 23, 1986

 5, Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

A day near home. To the Prune Park Inn, not a nice place, and so we moved on to the Gaping Goose Inn, which was quiet, but we arrived in the midst of a crisis, and we sat gawping over lunch, watching the manager being sacked. The place was crawling with personnel from Webster's brewery. Onwards at 2:30 to MM and Marita's shop where we sat all afternoon. Very relaxing company they are. Home to Bradford wilting. The joys of home life.

-=-

Thursday May 22, 1986

5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Brighter. To Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay in our little car with packs of sandwiches and biscuits. We took the scenic route up through Knaresborough, Sutton Bank, and Goathland Moor, the scene of many happy family picnics 1967-72. Caught in a downpour at Whitby. Samuel had his first candy floss in one of those much graffiti-daubed pensioners shelters. His little face on seeing the vast ocean was a sight to behold. Tea was taken at Robin Hood's Bay. Much dilapidation. Samuel was caught short and he proceeded to urinate in a café - all jam doughnuts, scalding tea, and clouds of yellow steam. Home all pink and weather-beaten, via Follifoot and the Radcliffe Arms where we sat outside annoying three black retrievers. No doubt about it Sam would love a dog. I would have to be de-allergised.

-=-

Wednesday May 21, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

My own precious Ally Pig is 28 today. Rain. We went to York after breakfast in our little haven and walked around the shops, much to Sam's chagrin. He becomes quite evil in shopping precincts. Ally, all bulbous and blue, was well wrapped against the damp. Home at tea time exhausted. The fresh air has floored her. Laze around. Ate chocolate and watched a re-run of 'Edward and Mrs Simpson' on ITV. Dreadful.

-=-

Tuesday May 20, 1986

5 Club St, Bradford BD7 2PB

Hip Hip Hurray. Hols here. The holiday stocktake left us £80 down but we went to Club Street unmoved and unconcerned. I have given up with stock takers. Our relief manager is a Tim Suttenstall, or something. We went to Club St in a state of mental and physical exhaustion. Fish and chips. A new book as arrived from our book club. Debrett's Book of the Royal Engagement. Fascinating. Fergie isn't my cup of tea, but her pedigree is something else. I'm no snob, of course. I do love lineage. She can trace 14 generations back in the female line, daughter to mother, to grandmother, &c, compared with five or six for the Princess of Wales and a similar number in the direct female lineage of HM the Queen. To Sainsbury's. Sam was horribly behaved in the shop. Torrential rain. 

-=-