Sunday April 18, 1976

Easter Day. To Blackpool with Chris & Christine and Carole, of course. Not going into details though we did have a riotous time. Left for Blackpool at 8am and returned at 9.30pm.

The four of us and Lynn & David go on to Jackie's party in Pudsey. Very crowded. I drink all night. Carole is quiet and I see very little of her. Lynn and Dave go home quite early & so too do Chris & Christine. A bloke stripped off and danced about in his naked condition much to the mixed amount of amusement & embarrassment of the party goers.

Stay up all night and sleep in Auntie E's double bed with Carole and Jackie. We were all clothed and only shared because of the bed shortage crisis. Quite funny really.

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Saturday April 17, 1976

Carole comes at lunchtime and after ten minutes we all pile into the Toyota and Dad takes us, Sue, Pete and Mum to the Commercial for a 'liquid lunch'. Devour a couple of beef and onion sandwiches and two or three pints of lager.

John calls in at 10 to say that Maria is undergoing a hair cutting operation in Guiseley. I shudder at the thought because Maria has such attractive hair and to think that a maniac armed with a pair of scissors is tearing away at it brings a I tear to my eyes.

It's back to Pine Tops at 3 o'clock for turkey, cauliflower and the lot. Even white wine.

Carole and I walk to the Hare at 8.30, and are joined by Chris, Christine, John and Maria. Maria looks horrible, like one of the 'Black & White Minstrels'. Her lovely waves are gone completely and only short, fuzzy curls remain. Ghastly.

Move to the Swan at Addingham. John wants to go to Jackie's party tomorrow but Maria absolutely refuses to go.

John brings me home at 11.30 and I set my alarm clock for 6 o'clock - a daunting thought indeed.

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Friday April 16, 1976

Good Friday. Nice, warm, sunny day. Rise at 9 o'clock and have a leisurely breakfast with the radio belting out its joyous tunes.

Read 'Queen Anne' by David Green until after 11. She must have been a bit of a lesbian because her 'carrying on' with the Duchess of Marlborough and Lady Masham were far from stable relationships.

Carole comes at 12.30 and I begin making the lunch. Fry chips and attempt to fry some 'fish balls'. Do fish have balls? Mum comes in at 1.15 and we eat. Not a pleasant lunch and I'm relieved when Dave B comes and offers to take us out for something to wash the meal down with.

Go to the Commercial. Just Lynn, Dave, Carole and I. Have a few pints of Stella outside in the sun and feel sick. Dave then drives us to Grange's and I book the Blackpool trip for Sunday.

Back to Pine Tops where 'The King and I' is on TV. I can't tolerate clapped out musicals and so Carole and I walk into Guiseley and call in at a sweet shop for a few bars of chocolate.

Get the 4.30 bus to Leed and have a quiet night at the office. Leave on the 11 o'clock 35 bus after a dead night. Home for midnight. Working nights next on April 25 - Low Sunday, aptly enough.

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Wednesday April 14, 1976

Go down to the Hare & Hounds on the 8.10 bus and meet Carole outside. John comes in with Jimmy Macdonald and we boys have a laugh together. Carole mopes because she thinks I am ignoring her and says I should perhaps have left her at home and had a night out with the lads. I am sure she thinks I contrived to meet John and Jimmy, but it was purely coincidental, and after all, why can't I have a chat with my prodigal brother? I'm not tied to Miss Phillips's apron strings.

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Thursday April 15, 1976

Sorry about this pals, but when you try writing a diary a week after the actual event it does tend to become a little confusing and I'm afraid that this week Thursday comes after Tuesday and before Wednesday. Confusing I know, but it makes a change.

Do nothing all night. See 'Top of the Pops' with Mum. The only interesting item of the day. Carole didn't ring and all in all it's been most ordinary and mundane.

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Tuesday April 13, 1976

Meet Carole at 6.30 in Guiseley and go to the library where I collect 3 books: 'Queen Anne' by David Green; 'The First Moutnbatten's', and the first of the Palliser novels by Trollope. Walk her to White Cross and then get the bus home. I am bored with her and cannot see the relationship lasting the month out. Being bogged down with the same girl - no matter how nice - is not a situation I rellish, and I need to get out of it soon.

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Monday April 12, 1976

Up at 7.15 and battle through a large breakfast with Lynn. Unusual for me to eat on a morning but if I'm up early I can always manage to put away a few loaves of bread and nine and a half tons of marmalade.

The second Monday in succession without a lift from Jim. Meet Gillian Upton at the 55 bus stop and travel with her. She tells me she climbed Peny-Ghent (if that's how you spell it) - yesterday. How she's changed since breaking with Naomi. __________.

Carole rings me at 1.30 to say she's made it up with the Old Hag. I never will though. Carole is Mrs P's daughter, and all that, but why should I make polite chit chat with someone with whom I have nothing in common? Get lost, Mrs Phillips. That's what I say.

Leap in the bath and watch a revolting Raquel Welch film before retiring to bed at 11.20. Carole's visiting her old pal Deborah tonight. Let's hope this cooling off business catches on. No wedding bells for Michael L. Rhodes.

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