Wednesday October 14, 1981

 _. Harassing day. Buses are just about the end. One could go raving mad travelling daily between Bradford and Leeds. The bus driver plays piped music to us in the hope of pacifying disruptive passengers. Strauss waltzes, and the like. It took me an hour and a half to get into the office today, my ears ringing with Shoshtakovich, and lungs dripping in nicotine.

Slumped at my desk with a strong coffee. Just Margot and I in the office. Carol J is at the YP Lit Lunch. Kathleen isn't back untiol tomorrow. The buzz in the office is that the prime minister is to be ditched and replaced by Francis Pym, of all people. Cannot see this happening. Margaret will obviously go if she loses the next general election, but Pym isn't an alternative. I'd sooner have Lord Carrington. Sadly, a PM in the Lords wouldn't go down well with the Benns of this world. However, could legislation be enacted to put Carrington's peerage into a dormant state for the duration of his premiership?

Ally spent the day fighting with Jack Andrews over the fate of Audrey Citroen. A fiasco. Derek Jenkins has suggested we pen a nasty letter to the Cirtroen dealers. Why not write to Margaret Thatcher?

Home to a bubbling lasagne. Ally cleaning upstairs. Phoned Mum but she wasn't at home. Dave G phoned us. Garry's passionate two-week affair with a girl called Mandy is over. Dave says Billy is the cause of this loss. Billy does have that effect on some people.

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Tuesday October 13, 1981

 _. Sunshine. YP 9-12. Sarah still absent. Margot has returned from her assault on Calais. The poor girl is full of cold and told tales of shipwrecks and liquid adventures on the high seas.

At Club St at 1:30. I continued painting the staircase through until 10pm. Ally came in at 5:30 with a freezing nose.

Jack Andrews garage phoned at 5 to say Audrey is very ill and the repairs may cost £200-£300. You could have fucked me through my oilskins. I can tell you that this added to our depression, and we painted in silence which was only broken by the occasional obscenity.

Charlotte [Smith] phoned. They are coming her on November 13. Her father died whilst they were in Egypt.

We tried to watch Judi Dench in The Cherry Orchard but couldn't see for the paint.

Quite buggered. To bed at 11. Ally reading Jilly Cooper. Upper class crudity. Absolutely vulgar.

The Prime Minister is 56 today and at the Tory Conference at Blackpool. Norman St John Stevas was on the news making noises about Edward Heath.

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Monday October 12, 1981

 _. Columbus Day, USA. - Thanksgiving Day, Canada

Ally's first day back at the AHA since September 25. Everyone was good, and even Derek became, briefly, partially human. He told her to take care and to take time off if ever she felt 'off it'. He added that settling down to married life can often prove to be somewhat trying. The news that she was back spread throughout the AHA and people came in to offer support.

YP gruesome. Sarah off with a cold. At lunchtime I went to the Central library and took out several books on flower arranging. No, I haven't turned queer. Bessie has commissioned a flower painting from me, and I have no intention of painging from life. Besides, I enjoy painting from photographs.

Home at 6. Wet and cold. After dinner we returned to our decorating, splashing undercoat everywhere. A hive of industry. However, Ally is very much a perfectionist when it comes to decorating. My finished work always looks presentable but I do cheat and use cunning tactics along the way.

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Sunday October 11, 1981

 _. 17th Sunday after Trinity

Up with the larks and after a couple of eggs we were up to our knees in pink paint on the staircase. Worked until 1:30.

To Mum's at 2:30. The newly re-upholstered suite is spectacular. Drank sherry with Mum. Dad was carrying out constabulary duties. 

On to Burley and Lynn and Dave's with a 'Bunnykins' plate and egg cup for Frances's christening present. Dave's Uncle Syd and family were there drinking tea. Lynn made it clear she is sick of visitors.

Back to Pine Tops for dinner. Pork. Went on to Sue's at 9. She was dressed for bed and running a bath. Peter watching Bridge on TV.  What will they think of televising next?

Back at Club Street I looked at my oil painting. Not happy with it.

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Saturday October 10, 1981

 _. Sunny, but cold. Ally went to see Dr Glover at 10:30. ___________. She must have been in the very early stages of pregnancy. He kept referring to 'the foetus'. It might be just a foetus to him.

We went into town and bought a blind for the kitchen window and our weekly food supply. After four hours shopping I was jaded and desolate.

Interesting fact: Ally has never eaten a pomegranite, and she looked on in amazement when I bought one.  Funny, isn't it?

Sausages and chips. Watched the film starring Clifton James as himself playing Field Marshal Montgomery, 'I was Monty's Double'.

Lots of phone calls. Lots of sympathy. 

News: Sadat's funeral. The Prince of Wales attended clad in a white uniform. Three former US presidents were in Cairo, Nixon, Ford and poor Jimmy Carter. Before long I envisage coach loads of former US presidents. Nixon looked old and breathless and far from well. Carter looks like he's 125 years old and Ford looks like an Egyptian mummy.

Erected the blind on the kitchen window. The people waiting for the bus on Cemetary Road are now denied looking in our domestic scene.

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Friday October 9, 1981

 _. To get on at the YP one has to be a sycophantic moron, nay, a 20th century Uriah Heap. 'Mrs Slocombe' is ideally suited.

Dr Glover visited Ally after 4. _________.

Tonight I phoned Mum and Bessie, and later we discussed going into town tomorrow to spend loads of money.

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Thursday October 8, 1981

 _. Better day. A little man came this morning and erected a TV aerial to the chimney and now we are receiving a clear, and un-fuzzy picture. Watching News at 10 we could clearly make out every wrinkle of Alastair Burnet's face, and every layer of taffeta on the prime minister's gown. [Mrs T is with General Zia in Pakistan at the moment]. Oh yes, and speaking of Mrs Thatcher I still think she's the best thing to happen to us since Hereward the Wake. She's got my vote anyway.

Coming home on the bus yesterday [I forgot to mention this] I had to endure the sight of a gang of Social Democrats leaving St George's Hall. They all looked bloody shifty to me. They were all to a man wearing suede shoes, herringbone jackets and puffing on pipes burning St Bruno ready rubbed. Had I been the bus driver I might have been very tempted to mount the pavement and take them all out.

Home at 6. Lamb chops. Ally finds eating something of a labour. Sat afterwards watching 'Jaws'. Thanks to the new aerial we can clearly make out the shark. 

To bed at 11 with Ovaltine. Reading the Times an advert caught my eye 'Play tennis with Bjorn Borg for £400 for three days in December'.

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