Friday May 17, 1974

Woken up by Dad at 1.15pm! Mum comes home expecting to find the lunch prepared but is sadly disappointed by the sight she receives. Dad is working at 2, so you can imagine the hurry he was in. A boring afternoon and go to the YP as usual. Hear on tv whilst in the office that 30 or so people have been blown to bits in Dublin. Kathleen worked until 10 - and I'm sick of writing about work.

Taxi at 12 to Wikis. Groping about in the subdued lighting I stumble upon Chris and John at a table and then saw Peter Mather, who bought me a drink, Andy and of course Linda, Christine W and Laura. To my surprise I see dear Denny, and we, that is Chris and I, have fun playing with the large zip on Denny's suede jacket. On my way to the bar I bump into Judith, of Apperley Lane fame that is, and we drift into a corner with a couple of glasses and laugh at Philip C and Paul, who come over to try and 'break us up'. At 1.30 she takes me back to her place where I drink coffee and play with a little dog. But no 'goings on' if you know what I mean. Lift home at 3 and she doesn't even let me kiss her goodnight, but we exchange telephone numbers and she says she'll ring me next week. Bed at 3.10.

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Thursday May 16, 1974

Believe it or not I'm still not in the writing mood so you'll have to be disappointed again. However, something just occurred to me which is rather interesting: namely the separation of darling Denny from the 'Jet Set'. She clammed up like an oyster and refused to say why she is no longer spending her weekends with ____.Obviously, the 'Jet Set' are OK, but only in small doses, and I fear Denny is not one for spending her Saturdays trapped in a darkened cinema with David, who according to Denny is becoming even more strange - discarding his trousers in mixed company again and for no apparent reason. I heard on the 10 o'clock news at the YP that the Prince of Wales is to occupy Chevening, a stately home in Kent, which was left to the nation by the last Earl of ____ Damn! It isn't like me to forget a title, but I can honestly say that the late Noble Earl has slipped my memory for the moment, but I can say for certain that his peerage began with the letter 'S'. Ah well, it will come to me sooner or later. Anyway, Chevening may well become as famous as Sandringham one day, that's if HRH lives in it long enough to give it an aura of Royal dignity. Let's home to God he will marry and produce lots of little Waleses within its historic walls. -==-

Wednesday May 15, 1974

Please excuse me today, but I cannot think of anything original to say about my boring, terrible existence. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

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Tuesday May 14, 1974

Do not waken until nearly 12! I really ought to be ashamed of myself. Climb into the bath and put my radio in a suitable vantage point. Hear on the 12.30 news that Dr Coggan will become Archbishop of Canterbury in November. I will be able to tell my grandchildren that the Archbishop of Canterbury once commented on my speedy typing! An unlikely tale I know but I can assure you it certainly happened. Mum home after 1pm, and because it's a beautiful day we decide to sit in the garden. Get the train at 4.20 in Guiseley and spend a quiet evening at the YP. Nothing interesting of any importance and I don't intend writing any more today.

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Monday May 13, 1974

Woken at 9.15 by the phone. It is Kathleen who asks if I was at the YP last night. I say of course not, then realise I should have been at work yesterday and then take a night off in the week. I feel dumbfounded. Kathleen is not at all mad, but she is expecting the complaints to roll in this morning. The fact that my working week begins on a Sunday never entered my head. Dress at 9.30 and then go for a walk into Guiseley. Buy a couple of newspapers and call in at the bank - deposit £4, and walk home feeling quite proud.

Old Mr Monkman comes round at 11 and asks if I can lend him an instrument which levers spark plugs out of sockets. I say I don't know what he's talking about and he'll have to wait and see Dad. Have a coffee and look around for something to read having finished 'Mrs Fitzherbert'. Find 'Have His Carcase' by Dorothy Sayers, which I still have not completed. At about 12 I ring the YP and speak to Kathleen and she says nobody's complained yet, but the night staff don't come into until 5 o'clock. She's taken it very well. This horrible forgetful incident has ruined my day.

Looking in the mirror, which, I hasten to add, is no regular pastime, I realise my hair is in a terrible condition and decide that Wednesday morning is to be the day of judgement. It's five months since I last had anything done with it! Hear on the 1.30 news that Princess Anne was thrown from her horse 'Doublet' at Windsor this morning and that the horse broke a leg and was later destroyed.

Go to the YP for 5. Quiet evening really.

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Sunday May 12, 1974

4th after Easter. Good lunch and feel like a lazy afternoon, which unfortunately cannot be because of driving lesson. I do quite well, but John makes terrible errors throughout the whole of his lesson. It was entertaining anyway.

Mum and Dad go to Marlene's at about 5, and Sue is at Peter's all day.______. I think the boy will shake off his shyness and insecurity within a couple of years.

See tv all evening. Read Mrs Fitzherbert by Anita Leslie. The poor soul married George IV in the 1780s but was never acknowledged in law. Socially however she was always given royal precedence. Bed at 12.


"Waterloo" by Abba.

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Saturday May 11, 1974

Up at lunchtime and do nothing all day. Andy mentioned something about a disco at Benton Park when I saw him last night and John and I decide to go along tonight to see if it's any good. Chris agrees to come, agreeing to meet in the Emmotts first. Sue, Peter, Martyn and Al all come to the Emmotts before going along to Benton themselves. Heavens! Sue isn't 15 until July! I feel guilty about entertaining a sister in a dubious public house four years under the lawful age. See Ivy, who looks ill. She says she hasn't seen June or Sue B for weeks, and last saw them in the Stone Trough, a pub which June never liked. Chris, John and I move on to the Trough, and I had a whisky, which Denny persuaded me to drink at Wikis last night. The Benton thing is a tragedy. See Keith with Helen! She is her usual self. Also see Glynis, Helen Taylor, Vilma and Judith Lea. We leave at 11 and John and I have fish and chips in Guiseley before going home.

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