I told John this morning that I would NOT be going out tonight. "I must cut my drinking habit to a minimum" I said. He laughed because he knew I would be sitting in one pub or another before the hour had gone 9pm. How right he was! Oh yes indeed.
How I do loathe Sundays - the feeling of impending doom (Monday morning) always hangs over ones head.
In the afternoon Mum, Dad, Lynn and Sue go to Pudsey to see Auntie Hilda and Co.
John and I have baths and listen to 'Solid Gold 60' on Radio 1. My, doesn't time fly? Hard to believe that John Philip Rhodes is 17 on Tuesday. Will he receive a card from Christine W? I ask this because they always seem very cool with each other - not like June and I were. Miss White was born on a very historic occasion - the 25th birthday of Princess Margaret. On that day HRH was eligible to marry above the reach of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. The poor dear decided not to. I hope she doesn't regret it now.
Dave collects us at 8.30 and we go to the Queen's, where I am terribly bored. I miss June tremendously - I don't know why. Can she be worth it?
--==--
To be coninued
20090429
Saturday September 22, 1973
Get up at 11 o'clock. That nice fellow Captain Phillips celebrates his 25th birthday today. I suspect that His Grace will be a major-general before Christmas (joking really). But seriously, it must be a terrifying experience to know that one has a mere 8 weeks of sanity left. After November 14 he will cease to be a Wiltshire nonentity and assume the splendours of royalty.
At 1.30 we go to MMs and leave in the Datsun for Elland Road and Leeds United. George Best is missing from the Manchester United squad - he must still be undergoing strict training. Unfortunately, it is a 0-0 draw. Leeds were the better side throughout. MM is infuriated with the negative result. Brings me home in the rain. Mother and Father are visiting Uncle Bert and Auntie Jadwega in Nottingham.
I eat a massive amount of food and ring Chris at 7 o'clock. He and Marita have a date and are not coming out with us until later. Andy and Christine W are meeting John and I in the Yorkshire Rose between 8 and 8.30. What a rotten pub it is! Andy has been supping since 7.30. See Judith Rushworth, who I keep bumping into in weird places. What a laugh she is! At 9.10 Andy and I go to the Thistle Wines and buy 8 pints of beer and 4 lager. We get on the 9.20 55 bus with John and Christine W. We have a laugh with the bus conductor - who always jokes with Andy. Back at Pine Tops at 9.40. Christine White's first visit to Pine Tops. Play records and sup ale. Chris and Marita arrive at 11 o'clock. They had been to Dick Hudson's - a horrid tip. Lynn and Sue arrive home at 1.0 and the party goes on until 2.30. Aren't we having a gay time lately?
--==--
At 1.30 we go to MMs and leave in the Datsun for Elland Road and Leeds United. George Best is missing from the Manchester United squad - he must still be undergoing strict training. Unfortunately, it is a 0-0 draw. Leeds were the better side throughout. MM is infuriated with the negative result. Brings me home in the rain. Mother and Father are visiting Uncle Bert and Auntie Jadwega in Nottingham.
I eat a massive amount of food and ring Chris at 7 o'clock. He and Marita have a date and are not coming out with us until later. Andy and Christine W are meeting John and I in the Yorkshire Rose between 8 and 8.30. What a rotten pub it is! Andy has been supping since 7.30. See Judith Rushworth, who I keep bumping into in weird places. What a laugh she is! At 9.10 Andy and I go to the Thistle Wines and buy 8 pints of beer and 4 lager. We get on the 9.20 55 bus with John and Christine W. We have a laugh with the bus conductor - who always jokes with Andy. Back at Pine Tops at 9.40. Christine White's first visit to Pine Tops. Play records and sup ale. Chris and Marita arrive at 11 o'clock. They had been to Dick Hudson's - a horrid tip. Lynn and Sue arrive home at 1.0 and the party goes on until 2.30. Aren't we having a gay time lately?
--==--
Friday September 21, 1973
Groves today discovered that I do not wish to go to college next year. Christine told him in Current Affairs - which seems and appropriate time and place to tell him - but I was so surprised by Christine leaking my news that I had no satisfactory explanation for him. He was not upset and wants only what is best for me.
MM wants to know what is happening this evening. It's all in the air. Christine wants me to go out with a certain Helen Taylor, from the lower 6th. The poor girl fancies me, so I'm told. I cannot go out with any girl so soon after my broken affair with June - my only love. MM even offers me the keys to his house for tomorrow night so that I can take HT back there. I decline. However, I did accept his offer of a seat in the west stand at Leeds United. How could I refuse such hospitality?
Chris rings at 7 and says that Marita and he are going to the Tudor Bar at Burley. I ring Dave and he takes John and me. MM, Linda S, and Christine W also arrive. A very pleasant evening. We decide to go to the Pentagon in Bradford, but MM, Linda, Christine and Dave go home, leaving the five of us to fit into Marita's car. We all sit in the back singing 'Glory, Glory, Leeds United' - Andy wearing Marita's tin helmet. We stop off at our house so that I can put on a tie, and everyone settles down in our comfortable lounge and we remain there until nearly 2 o'clock. Playing records - yet again.
--==--
MM wants to know what is happening this evening. It's all in the air. Christine wants me to go out with a certain Helen Taylor, from the lower 6th. The poor girl fancies me, so I'm told. I cannot go out with any girl so soon after my broken affair with June - my only love. MM even offers me the keys to his house for tomorrow night so that I can take HT back there. I decline. However, I did accept his offer of a seat in the west stand at Leeds United. How could I refuse such hospitality?
Chris rings at 7 and says that Marita and he are going to the Tudor Bar at Burley. I ring Dave and he takes John and me. MM, Linda S, and Christine W also arrive. A very pleasant evening. We decide to go to the Pentagon in Bradford, but MM, Linda, Christine and Dave go home, leaving the five of us to fit into Marita's car. We all sit in the back singing 'Glory, Glory, Leeds United' - Andy wearing Marita's tin helmet. We stop off at our house so that I can put on a tie, and everyone settles down in our comfortable lounge and we remain there until nearly 2 o'clock. Playing records - yet again.
--==--
20090428
Thursday September 20, 1973
A shocking day. John and I get horribly wet going to the Emmotts. Andy, Chris and Peter Mather join us. MM joins us at 9.30. We all go (minus MM) to Andy's at 10.30 for coffee. Mrs Graham is very nice. Mr Graham brings us home at 11.30 - the poor man_________.
Bed at 12.0 o'clock.
--==--
Bed at 12.0 o'clock.
--==--
Monday September 17, 1973
The start of yet another week at school. Saw the poor, desolate person, Mrs Sefton, on a corridor. The more I see of her the more I realise what a saint she is. How many people do you know who would be back in the classroom, telling everyone about the characteristics of the common earthworm, after being widowed for only two short weeks?
--==--
--==--
Sunday September 16, 1973
13th after Trinity. Wake up at about 10.30 to find myself in MMs morning room - on the floor. Poor Dave is also sprawled out near the stereo whilst John sleeps on the sofa. Dave wakes up and I climb into a chair and go back to sleep. Dave wakes me at 10.50 saying he cannot get out of the house. I look around a find a key - Dave is freed.
John and I play through MMs tapes. He gets up at 11.15 saying he was violently sick last night after going to sleep due to excessive alcohol. We make some breakfast. Hear on the 11.30 news that the old King of Sweden died last night. The old boy was ninety. MM brought John and I home at 12.0.
Later: Uncle Arnold, Auntie Janet and cousins Judith and Alison arrive at 7.45. Uncle Arnold puts so much emphasis on the unimportant things in life - i.e. examinations, examinations and more examinations, not forgetting examinations. Chris rang at 6.30 (with Andy listening in on his bedroom extension) - I played along with the game and they did not realise I knew he was listening in. We decide to go to the Queen's tonight. Ring Dave at 7. He picks John and I up at 8.30 - we collect Christine W at her house. Very enjoyable evening. MM and Linda arrived at 9 o'clock.
Uncle Arnold and family left at 11.30. I was home in bed for 12.0 o'clock.
--==--
John and I play through MMs tapes. He gets up at 11.15 saying he was violently sick last night after going to sleep due to excessive alcohol. We make some breakfast. Hear on the 11.30 news that the old King of Sweden died last night. The old boy was ninety. MM brought John and I home at 12.0.
Later: Uncle Arnold, Auntie Janet and cousins Judith and Alison arrive at 7.45. Uncle Arnold puts so much emphasis on the unimportant things in life - i.e. examinations, examinations and more examinations, not forgetting examinations. Chris rang at 6.30 (with Andy listening in on his bedroom extension) - I played along with the game and they did not realise I knew he was listening in. We decide to go to the Queen's tonight. Ring Dave at 7. He picks John and I up at 8.30 - we collect Christine W at her house. Very enjoyable evening. MM and Linda arrived at 9 o'clock.
Uncle Arnold and family left at 11.30. I was home in bed for 12.0 o'clock.
--==--
Saturday September 15, 1973
Wake up on the sofa at 10.0 o'clock. Andy sleeps in the chair near the stereo. Andy is still in pain with his ankle but we laugh about it.Dave crawls downstairs 10 minutes later and is surprised to see Andy's ankle in a bandage. We tell him the story. He laughs it off & then goes home.
Because of the calamity Andy failed to get up at 8.0am for his trip to Aintree car racing - therefore, in order to avoid the wrath of his parents, we spend the day at Chris's - he goes out to work at 1.0pm. Poor Marita came at 1.30 with Dandy Doodles - Chris's mongrel, and in his excitment (DD's that is) he suddenly jerked Marita off the top step, and in the violent move she tore the heels from both her shoes. Kindly, she takes John and I home at 2.0. Andy, looking terribly bedraggled, falls onto the sofa and sleeps for nearly 2 hours. Mum and the girls come in and are surprised to see us. She (Mum) doesn't go berserk when we tell her we are to spend tonight out on the town again.
Leave again for Horsforth after 6. Andy and Chris are smoking like hell in the dining room. We laugh about eggs. They had chips (again) for tea. Dave comes at 7 o'clock. We go to the Fleece. Maggie Edwards sits with her lover in the corner. Say hello. Christine W and Linda S arrive at 8.30. See Liz Richardson who goes to college next week - poor creature.
At 10.30 we go to MMs - whose parents went to Ibiza tonight for 2 weeks. Andy goes home at 11.30. MM gets disgustingly drunk. Sit talking until 2.30am. Listen to 'Fog on the Tyne' by Lindisfarne and drop off to sleep at 2.45. I sleep in a chair.
--==--
Because of the calamity Andy failed to get up at 8.0am for his trip to Aintree car racing - therefore, in order to avoid the wrath of his parents, we spend the day at Chris's - he goes out to work at 1.0pm. Poor Marita came at 1.30 with Dandy Doodles - Chris's mongrel, and in his excitment (DD's that is) he suddenly jerked Marita off the top step, and in the violent move she tore the heels from both her shoes. Kindly, she takes John and I home at 2.0. Andy, looking terribly bedraggled, falls onto the sofa and sleeps for nearly 2 hours. Mum and the girls come in and are surprised to see us. She (Mum) doesn't go berserk when we tell her we are to spend tonight out on the town again.
Leave again for Horsforth after 6. Andy and Chris are smoking like hell in the dining room. We laugh about eggs. They had chips (again) for tea. Dave comes at 7 o'clock. We go to the Fleece. Maggie Edwards sits with her lover in the corner. Say hello. Christine W and Linda S arrive at 8.30. See Liz Richardson who goes to college next week - poor creature.
At 10.30 we go to MMs - whose parents went to Ibiza tonight for 2 weeks. Andy goes home at 11.30. MM gets disgustingly drunk. Sit talking until 2.30am. Listen to 'Fog on the Tyne' by Lindisfarne and drop off to sleep at 2.45. I sleep in a chair.
--==--
Friday September 14, 1973
Awake at 7.30. Everyone leaves at 9.0 either for work or school. Uncle H going back to Wakefield.
I sit preparing my monarchy discussion until 11.30. Get the bus to school arriving at 12. I argue with Stott about funerals and the whole subject of people dying - he really is an uncultured brat.
Later: Christine and I hold our 6th form debate on the monarchy. Everyone dissolves when I say that the monarchy is good value for money compared with, say, the advertising for Kraft cheese slices - on which £7m per annum is spent. We cannot look at the monarchy is terms of tax payers money.
Later: John and I go to Chris's again. Find Andy preparing Chris's evening meal. Evidently, poor Chris is going on a pub crawl from work so before he even joins us he'll be stoned out of his tiny mind.
Another drunken escapade follows in the Fleece and we arrive back at Chris's house at 10.30 - after buying about 20 pints of beer at an off-licence. Very much like last Friday but minus Christine and Philip. Andy and I get awfully pissed and we both go buy some cigs at the machine outside Grandways at 4.30am. Whilst leaping over the large concrete plantpots Andy falls and hurts his ankle. I carry him back to Chris's - against his will. Chris and I bandage him up and then Chris makes John and I eggs and chips. Fall to sleep soundly until the following morning. Dave, the lucky blighter, was in a warm bed. I had the floor.
--==--
I sit preparing my monarchy discussion until 11.30. Get the bus to school arriving at 12. I argue with Stott about funerals and the whole subject of people dying - he really is an uncultured brat.
Later: Christine and I hold our 6th form debate on the monarchy. Everyone dissolves when I say that the monarchy is good value for money compared with, say, the advertising for Kraft cheese slices - on which £7m per annum is spent. We cannot look at the monarchy is terms of tax payers money.
Later: John and I go to Chris's again. Find Andy preparing Chris's evening meal. Evidently, poor Chris is going on a pub crawl from work so before he even joins us he'll be stoned out of his tiny mind.
Another drunken escapade follows in the Fleece and we arrive back at Chris's house at 10.30 - after buying about 20 pints of beer at an off-licence. Very much like last Friday but minus Christine and Philip. Andy and I get awfully pissed and we both go buy some cigs at the machine outside Grandways at 4.30am. Whilst leaping over the large concrete plantpots Andy falls and hurts his ankle. I carry him back to Chris's - against his will. Chris and I bandage him up and then Chris makes John and I eggs and chips. Fall to sleep soundly until the following morning. Dave, the lucky blighter, was in a warm bed. I had the floor.
--==--
Thursday September 13, 1973
Grandfather's send off. Go to Benton Park in the morning and come home at 12.0. Mother, Dad and I leave for Pudsey to collect grandfather's oldest friend, Joe Dickinson. He seems upset when he gets in the car, and Dad diplomatically keeps him talking to prevent him dwelling on the sadness. Arrive at Liversedge, or was it Heckmondwike (?) at 1.30. The four of us go for a coffee. See Uncle Harry at 1.45.
The day is somewhat cold and overcast and the five of us go into the local park in order to kill time before 2.30. Auntie Janet comes running into the park to tell us that Auntie Jadwega is coming on the bus (from Nottingham) to Heckmondwike, where we can then meet her. By 2.30 she is still nowehere to be seen. We can do nothing but leave for the chapel of rest without her. Uncle Joe, Auntie Ethel, Jeremy and Janet and young Nicholas are coming down the street with Uncle John and Auntie Sheila. Arrive chapel for brief prayers. Grandma, looking very brave, with her sons, arrives. Thus, we are all assembled. Still no Auntie Jadwega.
Go to the crematorium, where Auntie Dorothy is waiting. No Uncle Les or family. Terrible service - the Salvation Army. It's not as though I have any prejudice against the Salvation Army, but they made it such a theatrical affair. It's not as if Grandfather ever possessed a tamborine. The cremation was terrible. All ultra-modern and repulsive.
It appealed very much to my sense of humour when, at the end, a hymn came on the record player and the curtains were drawn across the coffin. Somewhat like a Dave Allen sketch on tv. One cannot beat a good traditional burial. Auntie Janet was screaming at the end.
Leave at 3.10 for Grandma's at Nelson St, Liversedge, where about 20 members of the Rhodes family are gathered. Auntie Dorothy went immediately home of course. Pandemonium! Auntie Jadwega arrived in a taxi at 3.15 - all in black with a massive black umberella. (She's the Polish-born wife of Dad's brother, Uncle Bert). She was very distressed of having missed the funeral of her father-in-law. Still half in and half out of the taxi she was shouting in her thick Polish accent: "Oh I could cry. We go first to Wakefield, then to Barnsley Oh so slowly. I vos so mad." The noise she was making had everybody out on the street and Grandma with Auntie Janet came to investigate. She bounded from the car and embraced Grandma. "Oh I am so fumigated!" (I think she meant to say she was 'fuming' with rage and not fumigated.) Poor Auntie Eddy (her nickname) had come all the way from Nottingham only to remain at Grandma's for 10 minutes, clutching her big umberella between her massive knees. I think she must be 16st.
Anyway, I hope she really didn't mean 'fumigated' or else our house is lousy today. I may joke, but I love her really. Leave at 3.45. Take poor Joe Dickinson home and bring Auntie Jadwega back to Pine Tops for tea. Spend a quiet night. Mum is being experimented on by Aunt Jadwega, who is a masseuse.
After Dad had taken Eddy for her train at 8 he went out for a drink with Mum and Uncle Harry, my favourite uncle on Dad's side of the family. They came home at 12.0. with loads of drink, and we all sat until 2am. Uncle H stayed the night.
What a day!
--==--
The day is somewhat cold and overcast and the five of us go into the local park in order to kill time before 2.30. Auntie Janet comes running into the park to tell us that Auntie Jadwega is coming on the bus (from Nottingham) to Heckmondwike, where we can then meet her. By 2.30 she is still nowehere to be seen. We can do nothing but leave for the chapel of rest without her. Uncle Joe, Auntie Ethel, Jeremy and Janet and young Nicholas are coming down the street with Uncle John and Auntie Sheila. Arrive chapel for brief prayers. Grandma, looking very brave, with her sons, arrives. Thus, we are all assembled. Still no Auntie Jadwega.
Go to the crematorium, where Auntie Dorothy is waiting. No Uncle Les or family. Terrible service - the Salvation Army. It's not as though I have any prejudice against the Salvation Army, but they made it such a theatrical affair. It's not as if Grandfather ever possessed a tamborine. The cremation was terrible. All ultra-modern and repulsive.
It appealed very much to my sense of humour when, at the end, a hymn came on the record player and the curtains were drawn across the coffin. Somewhat like a Dave Allen sketch on tv. One cannot beat a good traditional burial. Auntie Janet was screaming at the end.
Leave at 3.10 for Grandma's at Nelson St, Liversedge, where about 20 members of the Rhodes family are gathered. Auntie Dorothy went immediately home of course. Pandemonium! Auntie Jadwega arrived in a taxi at 3.15 - all in black with a massive black umberella. (She's the Polish-born wife of Dad's brother, Uncle Bert). She was very distressed of having missed the funeral of her father-in-law. Still half in and half out of the taxi she was shouting in her thick Polish accent: "Oh I could cry. We go first to Wakefield, then to Barnsley Oh so slowly. I vos so mad." The noise she was making had everybody out on the street and Grandma with Auntie Janet came to investigate. She bounded from the car and embraced Grandma. "Oh I am so fumigated!" (I think she meant to say she was 'fuming' with rage and not fumigated.) Poor Auntie Eddy (her nickname) had come all the way from Nottingham only to remain at Grandma's for 10 minutes, clutching her big umberella between her massive knees. I think she must be 16st.
Anyway, I hope she really didn't mean 'fumigated' or else our house is lousy today. I may joke, but I love her really. Leave at 3.45. Take poor Joe Dickinson home and bring Auntie Jadwega back to Pine Tops for tea. Spend a quiet night. Mum is being experimented on by Aunt Jadwega, who is a masseuse.
After Dad had taken Eddy for her train at 8 he went out for a drink with Mum and Uncle Harry, my favourite uncle on Dad's side of the family. They came home at 12.0. with loads of drink, and we all sat until 2am. Uncle H stayed the night.
What a day!
--==--
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