Tuesday July 30, 1974

Lousy, rotten day at the YP but the evening is exceptional and very amusing. Go to Marita's at about 8 o'clock - we sit playing Handel on the record player and wait for Denny. She rings David and we - the three of us - decide to go to the Hare, where Peter Mather today celebrates his 19th birthday. Denny comes unprepared for going out, and wears tatty red velvet trousers and a t-shirt with 'Playboy Club' inscribed across the front. She is quite livid with us for not contacting her before deciding to go out, but she soon calms down._________. MM comes at 9, shortly after David, who wears a brown suit - unusual for Mr Lawson. MM and Marita spend half an hour upstairs, and Marita shouts down that she will see us in the Hare later on. We, Dave, Denny and I let ourselves out and go to the Hare. See all the usual gang, who decide to move on to the Commercial - the three of us hang on for Marita until 10.15 but see no sign of her. Move to the Commercial without contacting the Fountain residence, which proves to be the big give away on our part. 3 of us back to Pine Tops at 11. We decide to go up to Marita's for a party and I prepare to stay the night - Marita is not amused. It transpires that MM had gone home at 9.30 and she had followed us to the Hare, where we could no longer be found. Marita goes to bed and the three of us have Cinzanos and listen to Dave's tapes. He brings me home after 2 only to discover that I am locked out. Dad comes home for supper and lets me in - not very pleased really.

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Monday July 29, 1974

Rise at 7.30. To the YP by bus from Green Bottom. Didn't fancy the train today. Awful day at work and decide to leave. I want to do something interesting with my life and filing photos of politicians from El Salvador isn't what I call thrilling.

To Marita's at 5.30. Sit on the doorstep till she comes home at 5.40. Take up the carpet in her bedroom whilst she cooks the tea for Denny and myself, who arrives shortly after 6. MM comes at 7 and begins scraping the walls - quite efficient at decorating he is.______.Have a good laugh and do quite a bit of work until 10. MM has a wash whilst Denny, bless her, and Marita, go for fish and chips. Spill tomato sauce all over my shirt much to everyone's amusement. Leave Marita's at 10.45. Bed before 11.

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Sunday July 28, 1974

7th after Trinity. Nice lunch at 1. See 'African Queen' on tv in the afternoon - Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Denny rings at about 5.______________________________.

David went out with Denny, MM, and Marita last night - if I'd have thought about it I'd have asked him, David that is, to accompany us to the Stansfield. Ring Dave at about 8 and he says he can't come out tonight because of a shocking cold.

Go to the Commercial where John and I meet the two Americans, Anne and Carol. Peter takes Anne and John takes the other. MM and Marita bring Denny, and Mum, Dad, Auntie Hilda and Uncle Tony come shortly after. Tremendous evening. Auntie H is a brilliant success really. MM and Marita decide to come with Denny and I to Spain. Me and Den. are going to Marita's on Monday evening to decide the colour scheme for her bedroom. My painting 'Seascape, 1970' is to be the central feature. I'm quite proud. Chris, who I haven't seen much of, along with Christine W and Carol Smith come back for coffee, Bacardi, Martini, etc. Uncle Tony drinks out of the Spanish wine thing brought back from Malgrat. Hilarious night. Go to my bedroom at 1 and sit re-styling the whole place in my mind. Sit in bed waiting for John to come to bed (It's an old tradition that I am always the last to be awake at night). Seeing Marita earlier and discussing decorating with her has given me the urge to re-do my room. The main problem wit this room is the size, which is ridiculously small, and sharing with a younger brother cannot make matters any better. I decide to go Victorian. Glance at Queen Mary and at 2.30 call it a day and switch off the light.

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Saturday July 27, 1974

Work all day - my first full-time Saturday. Leave the YP at 4 and go straight home - completely dog tired on the bus and sleep from Kirkstall to Green Bottom, Guiseley. Strawberries for tea and then leap into the bath.

Peter Mather calls for John at 7.30 and I accompany them as far as Linda's house. John, Pete, Carol and Anne (the American) to to the Cat's Whiskers in York for a very cosy evening, and they are still missing when I retire to bed at 2.30am.

Carol Smith looks gorgeously sexy, wearing a perfect full-length red dress. We sit waiting for the arrival of Chris listening to the 'Band on the Run' LP by Paul McCartney and Wings. Go to several pubs down Apperley Lane before going on to the Stansfield Arms at 9.30. Hell Fire! We didn't get a table until after 11pm! Helen Willis appeared at our table in full capacity as a waitress, and Linda looks daggers at her. She drifted about the restaurant giving shoddy service to one and all, telling everyone in ear-shot that she was 'as pissed as a newt' - which can't have been good for business. Home at nearly 1am and sit with Dad talking about his strange brothers until 2.30 on Sunday morning.

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Friday July 26, 1974

To Hare and Hounds in the evening. John is quite entraptured with Carol Shires, the girl from Ohio. Peter Mather sits rather too close to Carol until we go to the Fox, and from then he devotes his attention to Anne Shires, the better of the two sisters. Don't like the Fox and Hounds really, but Denny likes it, and the crowd fancies a change. All to Wikis at 11 - except Raymond and Jill, who have better things to do. Enjoy it for a change and dance with Denny for quite a while. John and Carol Shires stood in the centre of the dance floor hugging each other tightly until 1.30!! Dance with Sandra, Dave L's sister, who is a very pleasant lady. The crowd seem to think it amusing that I had picked up such mature company. See Helen, who was once the associate of Keith Brown - looking quite gorgeous with her hair styled much shorter, and looking more well-groomed and classy in general. She eventually went with Paddy Saunders. Pete brings us home in the back of his van - Denny and I clowning around much to the disgust of our friends from the American Colonies. Bed at 2.30. Very pleasant day altogether. -=-

Thursday July 25, 1974

Nice day at the YP. Ring Denny at about 7. John goes out with his lady friend and I stay in by the electric fire, admiring my Pope-Hennessy biography of Queen Mary. Uncle ___ and Lady Halifax come. Haven't seen them since Grandad's funeral in September. Pair of miserable sods, and I escape from them to my bedroom, where I contemplate getting into the bath and think about all sorts of things in general. Sit with Lynn, Sue and Peter in the dining room in order to escape the attention of my relations, who leave shortly after 10. Sue and Peter seem a very serious couple and I can almost hear the wedding bells in the distance.

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Wednesday July 24, 1974

John is becoming quite serious over Carol, the American girl. She goes home next Wednesday. Chris says John is insane pursuing this romance when it has no other option but but to end in a weeks time. How positively unromantic. What can be more heavenly than a few days of blissful love before an eternal separation? Anyway, the Atlantic isn't very wide these days. John can almost afford to spend all his weekends over there. Good luck to them anyway.

Mum and Dad go to the Commercial. I sit with a pernod and orange in front of the tv - see the Queen at the Royal Horse Show. George V Cup and Elizabeth II Cup. The Yanks had the upper hand again. Her Majesty wasn't very cheerful.

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