Up at the crack of dawn and make a few final touches in readiness for my venture south. Complete darkness awaits me outside at 6.45am as I set out, suitcase in hand, down Hawksworth Lane. I travel by 55 bus to Leeds where a slight drizzle awaits me. Meet Peter near Schofield's and he too is armed with a suitcase very similar to mine.
Our journey down is one of little excitement. After combing through the Daily Telegraph and the Sun we eat fruit gums. At Leicester we have a coffee in one of those filthy, giagantic mortuarys. Hardly a decept cup.
In London's Victoria Coach Station for just after 1pm and I'm frozen silly. Tow arm up whilst we're waiting for Chris we attempt to find a coffee bar or something, but somehow end up with my already ice-cold hand wrapped around an equally ice-cold pint of lager. It was whilst we were sat in this position that Chris found us.
Depositing our cases out of the way we proceed to do a quick tour of the famous bits of London close to Victoria. Buckingham Palace is our first port of call and I see with great pride that Her Majesty is in residence. The beautiful autumn day, and the foliage in the park made it a sight to behold indeed. Pete hadn't seen the palace before, so it wasn't a wasted journey. 10, Downing Street was also on the agenda, but as usual it looked deadly quiet. The PM was no doubt having his afternoon nap upstairs with Mary. The old story about Nero fiddling whilst Rome burned could easily adapted to Mr Wilson and his afternoon bedroom activities.
Back to Hayes and the Arlington Hotel for 8pm. We wash and change and go out for a drink. Back for 11, and we sit about laughing and watching Chris's TV until after 12. He certainly is lucky having a place like that. He will be too spoiled to ever re-adapt himself to ordinary home life when the time comes.
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20100611
Wednesday October 15, 1975
Now that Carole is well again we make the most of it.__________. (Large deletion). Sorry about the mess.
I was in a terrible rage this evening. After arranging to meet Carole at 8.20 I rang John & Sheila to determine the arrangements for my venture south tomorrow. I spoke to Sheila, and to my horror, she said they couldn't put me up this time. I was mad, but didn't tell her so. They've had my letter for a week and haven't had the decency to reply to it. Mum says it's really bad of them and she, for one, won't visit them in Windsor again. I rang Peter to tell him the bad news but he just said we'd have to go on with our plans all the same, except I'd have to stay with Chris too.
Went down the lane at 8 but no bus came until 8.45. I was hopping mad by the time I reached the Hare. Nothing seems to have gone right tonight. However, Carole soothed me somewhat and I cheered up in next to no time.
Saying goodbye to Carole was a bit sad and she kept saying she was going to cry. I came home and stuffed everything into a suitcase. Mum gave me £5 from the Nora Rhodes Trust, and by 12.30 all was ready. Have to be up by 6am. Ugh!
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I was in a terrible rage this evening. After arranging to meet Carole at 8.20 I rang John & Sheila to determine the arrangements for my venture south tomorrow. I spoke to Sheila, and to my horror, she said they couldn't put me up this time. I was mad, but didn't tell her so. They've had my letter for a week and haven't had the decency to reply to it. Mum says it's really bad of them and she, for one, won't visit them in Windsor again. I rang Peter to tell him the bad news but he just said we'd have to go on with our plans all the same, except I'd have to stay with Chris too.
Went down the lane at 8 but no bus came until 8.45. I was hopping mad by the time I reached the Hare. Nothing seems to have gone right tonight. However, Carole soothed me somewhat and I cheered up in next to no time.
Saying goodbye to Carole was a bit sad and she kept saying she was going to cry. I came home and stuffed everything into a suitcase. Mum gave me £5 from the Nora Rhodes Trust, and by 12.30 all was ready. Have to be up by 6am. Ugh!
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Tuesday October 14, 1975
Yet another day at the office. Kathleen is back at work after nursing her sick family all last week.
Very little in the news and the papers are quite boring.
This morning I bought two tickets for Thursday's London trip. Pete will give me his £5.60 on Wednesday, so I'll be moderately wealthy before the weekend is upon us. Still no word from John & Sheila, but the postal system isn't what it might be, and so they won't be in recepit of my damn letter until the New Year!
On the subject of not hearing anything we have yet to hear from Bass Charrington about the Station pub at Ilkley. If we don't get a pub this time I think poor Mum will go into seclusion. Anyone would think that they (Mum and Dad that is) have something wrong with them because the way they have been refused is really too bad.
Go to Carole's after she rang me to say she'd made a spectacular recovery! John hurries me down the lane in the car and I find her looking absolutely ravishing. The three of us go to the Hare & Hounds and we find it in the midst of being decorated. John leaves us to it after one drink, and we sit in a corner - arm in arm.
Carole is beautiful and sexy. Lynne Mather comes a close second.
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20100610
Monday October 13, 1975
Quite busy at work today because Kathleen isn't back until tomorrow and Carol J is away with Brian from the engraving department having a dirty weekend in Blackpool.______.
Her Majesty the Queen returned to London from Balmoral today, and event which coincided with the first sitting of Parliament since the summer recess. John Stonehouse went to the Commons to protest his innocence and was generally ignored by his fellow MPs. So all in all the only person to acknowledge him since his return from Australia is Mary Wilson, wife of beloved Uncle Harold. The old girl must be something of an embarrassment to the Prime Minister at times.
After work I go straight down to Carole's where I find her looking greatly improved. She keeps apologising for something she says she did on Saturday afternoon, but I refuse to accept it because as far as I am concerned she is totally blameless of any misdemeanor. Believe it or not, we sat about on her bed playing Monopoly! It isn't a game I really enjoy, but the invalid seemed to take pleasure in it. Mrs P tried to make me have some tea with them but I flatly refused. I never feel hungry until later on.
Carole is a love. She says she is coming out with me on Wednesday evening because I go south on Thursday. I must bring her a present back from Windsor.
Home at 8.15 and have eggs and bacon. After devouring this I sit about for an hour and go to bed at about 10pm.
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Her Majesty the Queen returned to London from Balmoral today, and event which coincided with the first sitting of Parliament since the summer recess. John Stonehouse went to the Commons to protest his innocence and was generally ignored by his fellow MPs. So all in all the only person to acknowledge him since his return from Australia is Mary Wilson, wife of beloved Uncle Harold. The old girl must be something of an embarrassment to the Prime Minister at times.
After work I go straight down to Carole's where I find her looking greatly improved. She keeps apologising for something she says she did on Saturday afternoon, but I refuse to accept it because as far as I am concerned she is totally blameless of any misdemeanor. Believe it or not, we sat about on her bed playing Monopoly! It isn't a game I really enjoy, but the invalid seemed to take pleasure in it. Mrs P tried to make me have some tea with them but I flatly refused. I never feel hungry until later on.
Carole is a love. She says she is coming out with me on Wednesday evening because I go south on Thursday. I must bring her a present back from Windsor.
Home at 8.15 and have eggs and bacon. After devouring this I sit about for an hour and go to bed at about 10pm.
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Sunday October 12, 1975
20th after Trinity. Don't go to Carole's today. She said quite categorically that I needn't bother going every day, so I put her resolution into effect by staying at home. I do wish she would hurry up and recover. Illness is something I cannot cope with in others. For one thing, I don't make an ideal conversationalist when confronted by a pale, demure invalid.
I'm in no mood to continue writing today and so I'll be saying Goodbye.
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I'm in no mood to continue writing today and so I'll be saying Goodbye.
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Saturday October 11, 1975
At 3pm I go to 14, Oakridge Avenue yet again. I find a note pinned on the door from Carole asking me to go straight in because all the family have gone out, and she cannot be bothered to get out of bed. Upstairs I find John and Maria. They are helping her to polish off my box of chocolates. We sit on the bed and watch a cronic film on BBC2. Before I know what's happening I've fallen into a semi coma, and am roused something like an hour later by the noise of Mrs P coming in from shopping. Carole and I have tea together in her bedroom and I stay with her until about 7.30. The family are very nice really, but I always think Carole is far too hard on them - especially her little brother, Paul, who at 11 is only like other lads his age. She ought to treat kids more like equals. After all, she's only 17 herself. However, I do adore her.
To the Hare with John after seeing Carole, and I go home at 8.30 in order to change my clothes to go up to the Cow & Calf. Go to the C & C with Peter M, Lynn, Dave, CD, Carol Smith, Raymond &c, all going too. Have a good night but find I'm missing Carole's company. Home at 1.30 with Dave B and Lynn. Dave and I had a great sing-along on the way home.
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To the Hare with John after seeing Carole, and I go home at 8.30 in order to change my clothes to go up to the Cow & Calf. Go to the C & C with Peter M, Lynn, Dave, CD, Carol Smith, Raymond &c, all going too. Have a good night but find I'm missing Carole's company. Home at 1.30 with Dave B and Lynn. Dave and I had a great sing-along on the way home.
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Friday October 10, 1975
Carole is still at death's door. Realising this fact, I dashed into town at lunchtime to get her a box of chocolates in an attempt to show her how much I love her. Whilst in town I get myself a pair of shoes and a pair of hideous green trousers, which I don't like at all. On my arrival home I sell them to John (the trousers that is) and I find myself £8 better off. Or do I? No, I don't, because I'd have had the £8 in the first place.
Go straight to Carole's on the 33 bus. She is propped up in bed, and her grandmother, the Dowager Mrs Phillips, is being entertained by Mrs P in the drawing room. Carole does look a lot better, and the chocolates do cheer her up somewhat. I stay half an hour and then get the bus home in time for tea. Walk up the lane with Lynn.
After tea I'm once again back down the lane to the Hare. Along with Helen and CD I go to Carole's once more and spend half an hour with her again. Lynn and Dave, Sue and Peter are also there, and Dave bought her a couple of bottles of the hard stuff. I go back to the Hare and stand with CD and Martyn Cole and Ken Dibb - who is pissed. Walk home at 11.30 accompanied by CD, who is being pestered by Richard Wellock.
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Go straight to Carole's on the 33 bus. She is propped up in bed, and her grandmother, the Dowager Mrs Phillips, is being entertained by Mrs P in the drawing room. Carole does look a lot better, and the chocolates do cheer her up somewhat. I stay half an hour and then get the bus home in time for tea. Walk up the lane with Lynn.
After tea I'm once again back down the lane to the Hare. Along with Helen and CD I go to Carole's once more and spend half an hour with her again. Lynn and Dave, Sue and Peter are also there, and Dave bought her a couple of bottles of the hard stuff. I go back to the Hare and stand with CD and Martyn Cole and Ken Dibb - who is pissed. Walk home at 11.30 accompanied by CD, who is being pestered by Richard Wellock.
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