Get up at 6.55. Chid stands smiling whilst I grope across the room towards the door. Waking John up, I grab my bag, bid farewell to the assembled guests and chase to the Old Ball where a 55 bus arrives seconds later. Arrive at the paint store at 7.25. Andy arrives at 7.50 - very late.
We do nothing until Bill Dixon arrives at 9. Spend the remainder of the day doing spouts at the store. The weather is very fine, but far too hot for working in. Roll on rain.
Hear on the 3.30 news that Princess Anne is to have only the one bridesmaid, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones. Prince Edward will be the only other attendant. The Royal couple leave for Barbados on Nov 15 and return to Britain on Dec 16, after doing the Caribbean on Britannia.
See 'Coronation Street' and retire to bed after viewing tv all evening.
--==--
20090423
Tuesday July 31, 1973
Arrive at work at 7.20. Don't get into the store until 7.40. Andy arrives late. Spend the day 'spouting' again.
Go to Sue Crosby's party in the evening after meeting all the 6th form in the Emmotts. Dave arrives. Denise is drunk and infatuated with poor John - they go out for a walk. Sue C, the sweet darling, retires to bed at 1 whilst a merry throng, including MM and I, sit with wine and cigs until 3. I slept in a rocking chair from 3 till 6.55. Chid is such a funny guy. Cheryl (one of Christine's contemporaries) made a terrible racket. Generally a very enjoyable, amusing party with the usual clique of guests who turn any mundane party into a swinging orgy of fun, frolics and eroticisms. I do wish June was home in Great Britain. What a good time we would have had.
--==--
Go to Sue Crosby's party in the evening after meeting all the 6th form in the Emmotts. Dave arrives. Denise is drunk and infatuated with poor John - they go out for a walk. Sue C, the sweet darling, retires to bed at 1 whilst a merry throng, including MM and I, sit with wine and cigs until 3. I slept in a rocking chair from 3 till 6.55. Chid is such a funny guy. Cheryl (one of Christine's contemporaries) made a terrible racket. Generally a very enjoyable, amusing party with the usual clique of guests who turn any mundane party into a swinging orgy of fun, frolics and eroticisms. I do wish June was home in Great Britain. What a good time we would have had.
--==--
Monday July 30, 1973
Start working for Aireborough Council again. My life as a council painter begins once more.
Get up at 6.30 and arrive at the paint store at 7.0. Oh Heavens, yes. I have got the times wrong again, and I arrive half an hour too early. The storekeeper is not amused. Andy Dale, an old pal from last year, arrives at 7.40. Begin inspecting the roof of the stores in preparation for painting. Generally, not a hectic day. I leave at 4. Everyone else does overtime and go home at 5.
--==--
Get up at 6.30 and arrive at the paint store at 7.0. Oh Heavens, yes. I have got the times wrong again, and I arrive half an hour too early. The storekeeper is not amused. Andy Dale, an old pal from last year, arrives at 7.40. Begin inspecting the roof of the stores in preparation for painting. Generally, not a hectic day. I leave at 4. Everyone else does overtime and go home at 5.
--==--
Saturday July 28, 1973
Arrive back in England. Home. Bed at 1am. Back in England's green and pleasant land.
It was a very rough, unpleasant crossing from Belgium. Everyone sick - except me. I quite enjoyed it.
--==--
It was a very rough, unpleasant crossing from Belgium. Everyone sick - except me. I quite enjoyed it.
--==--
Saturday July 14, 1973
Awake at about 5.30. A fantastically comfortable night. By 6.30 we are in the centre of London. Denny wanted to see Buckingham Palace but the coach avoided the Mall by about 100 yards. Pull into Victoria Coach Station shortly afterwards.
We go into a terrible cafe called The Chuck Wagon. Denny felt sick with the smell of it. John, who felt sick before going in, came out greatly improved. We carried the luggage up the road to Victoria Railway Station. Denny has never been on a train before in her whole life!
On board the train we meet the Cosmos crowd for the first time. We board the 'Princess Elizabeth' just after 9 o'clock. Sail for France at 9.45. A beautiful, calm crossing. See Ostende on the horizon at about 1 o'clock. Unbearably hot weather already. We are all very excited. Sit with Denny as we dock. By 3 we have been introduced to the Cosmos courier, Mary Ann, and we board the sleek coach and we are on our way across Europe...Belgium, Germany, Austria....
--==--
We go into a terrible cafe called The Chuck Wagon. Denny felt sick with the smell of it. John, who felt sick before going in, came out greatly improved. We carried the luggage up the road to Victoria Railway Station. Denny has never been on a train before in her whole life!
On board the train we meet the Cosmos crowd for the first time. We board the 'Princess Elizabeth' just after 9 o'clock. Sail for France at 9.45. A beautiful, calm crossing. See Ostende on the horizon at about 1 o'clock. Unbearably hot weather already. We are all very excited. Sit with Denny as we dock. By 3 we have been introduced to the Cosmos courier, Mary Ann, and we board the sleek coach and we are on our way across Europe...Belgium, Germany, Austria....
--==--
Friday July 13, 1973
Probably my very last day at Benton Park. Quite a crowd turns up. Dave and I promise to meet Christine, Philip and MM in the Fleece at 7.30 on August 31.
The weather is really terrible, and after bidding farewell to the old school I walk to the bus stop in horrid rain. Home by 5.
On arriving home I find everyone in an excited panic. Mum and Dad have packed all up. Lynn and Sue can hardly breathe with the excitement of it all. By 8 we are waiting to go. Denny arrives at 8.30 with her parents, who go at 9.45. Denny settles down immediately with the girls. Dave arrives by 10 with his Papa. Major Smith and Mrs Smith come round shortly afterwards and pile all our luggage in the cars. Michael Smith takes Mum and Dad in his car. Leave for Leeds at 10.30. A really torrential rainstorm follows. Mrs Smith, who takes John, Dave and I, cannot see the road in front of us. Arrive Leeds at 10.50. Maj. Smith and the girls in the Rover get lost, but they find us after 5 minutes. The coach leaves at 11 and after a terrible incident in Barnsley with hooligans around the bus, I settle down to sleep.
--==--
The weather is really terrible, and after bidding farewell to the old school I walk to the bus stop in horrid rain. Home by 5.
On arriving home I find everyone in an excited panic. Mum and Dad have packed all up. Lynn and Sue can hardly breathe with the excitement of it all. By 8 we are waiting to go. Denny arrives at 8.30 with her parents, who go at 9.45. Denny settles down immediately with the girls. Dave arrives by 10 with his Papa. Major Smith and Mrs Smith come round shortly afterwards and pile all our luggage in the cars. Michael Smith takes Mum and Dad in his car. Leave for Leeds at 10.30. A really torrential rainstorm follows. Mrs Smith, who takes John, Dave and I, cannot see the road in front of us. Arrive Leeds at 10.50. Maj. Smith and the girls in the Rover get lost, but they find us after 5 minutes. The coach leaves at 11 and after a terrible incident in Barnsley with hooligans around the bus, I settle down to sleep.
--==--
Thursday July 12, 1973
June comes to school at 3.30. At 4 we walk down to the bus stop at Greenacre Hall. She goes at 4.20. Feeling very strange I walk back to the 6th form where Christine and Michael Stott are larking around. Go home on the 5 o'clock bus.
Christine and I are the last people out of the block, leaving Mary to her devices.
Sad, quiet evening.
--==--
Christine and I are the last people out of the block, leaving Mary to her devices.
Sad, quiet evening.
--==--
Wednesday July 11, 1973
Write June a farewell letter and take it up to the Emmotts with me. Our last meeting until the second week in August. John sits with Susan Bottomley inside the pub until 10.30, whilst at 10 June and I go for a short walk. We make our sad farewells - only temporary ones of course.
After all the sad speeches we decide to meet at 3.30 tomorrow afternoon. Rather relieved that we have another day of sanity.
--==--
After all the sad speeches we decide to meet at 3.30 tomorrow afternoon. Rather relieved that we have another day of sanity.
--==--
Tuesday July 10, 1973
Denny is 17 years old today. I must ring her before Friday. Go to school in the afternoon - no one is around - nip down to Rawdon Library then go home. Don't see June today - too dreadful.
Watch television all evening. Collect a few economics books together and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Oh what a completely uneventful and miserable day it was.
--==--
Watch television all evening. Collect a few economics books together and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Oh what a completely uneventful and miserable day it was.
--==--
Monday July 9, 1973
My last full week at Benton Park Grammar School. After two long years of laughs, tears, bliss, poignant momemts, hilarious moments, happy moments, boring moments, grande moments, memorable moments, odious moments, opaque moments, obscene moments, frightening moments, terrifying moments, and non-existant moments. Oh, it is all to end this week.
If I had gone to Prince Henry's Grammar School instead of BP, look what would have happened:
a) I would have had a decent education
b) My fluency in the English language would have come about (see what I mean)
c) June (Blissful) Bottomley would have never entered my life
d) ....er I can't think of a d
--==--
Sunday July 8, 1973
My Dearest Heart is 17 years old today. Feeling really terrible that I haven't yet given her a birthday present.
A pleasant, brilliantly sunny day. Walk down the lane at 7.15 with John to collect June from her sister's. June in red trousers and red blouse. Sue B is attired equally attractively. June decides we are going to the Emmotts.
A pleasant evening until nearly midnight. Eat fish and chips twice. June actually eats something too. Keith 'Chinny' Harrison comes into the chip shop and has the cheek to call john a 'ugly bugger' - he's obviously too jealous to hold a sane conversation with us. June and I are not going out again until next Wednesday and after that it will be a four week gap until August. Arrgghh, etc etc.
--==--
A pleasant, brilliantly sunny day. Walk down the lane at 7.15 with John to collect June from her sister's. June in red trousers and red blouse. Sue B is attired equally attractively. June decides we are going to the Emmotts.
A pleasant evening until nearly midnight. Eat fish and chips twice. June actually eats something too. Keith 'Chinny' Harrison comes into the chip shop and has the cheek to call john a 'ugly bugger' - he's obviously too jealous to hold a sane conversation with us. June and I are not going out again until next Wednesday and after that it will be a four week gap until August. Arrgghh, etc etc.
--==--
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