Thursday April 10, 1980

_. Lynn and Dave came to eat and were singing the praises of Stranraer to the extent that I thought they may soon be crossing the border and join the prodigal John Rhodeses in the heather.

Ally came at 7:30. We went to the Menston Arms. Joined by Mum, Dad, Sue, Pete. John & Maria didn't arrive until almost 10 o'clock accompanied by Jimmy Macdonald, Karim and her sister. Jimmy and I had our usual political debate. This one concerned the House of  Lords and the hereditary principle. Why should the upper house be dominated by life peers, retired MPs and personal friends of Sir Harold Wilson? The hereditary element brings younger people, not just professional politicians into the chamber.

At 10:30 we returned home to continue the party. Neither Karim or her sister joined us but Jimmy came along and the heated debate continued. I sat smoking on the fireplace. Maria, in good form, asked me from which jumble sale I'd bought my white jeans.

Ally, exhausted, collapsed in my bed. I carried on smoking and putting the world to rights.

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Wednesday April 9, 1980

_. Phoned Dave L. He is up for Jacq & Paul's party on Saturday. He is returning to the swing of things since defecting to the south. Marita phoned from Scarborough to apologise for missing my Silver Jubilee party. She excused herself by saying she and MM had to be on guard at the shop in case rioting mods and rockers decided to put the windows in, or go on a looting spree at the Bank Holiday. If anyone can bring that litter-strewn resort back under the rule of law it's Marita.

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Tuesday April 8, 1980

_. To the YP. Leeds still dead because most of the populace are away for Easter. Newspapers are a bloody nuisance at Bank Holiday times. At 1pm I met Ally at the Central for drinkies, and took with me a batch of photographs which arrived this morning from Shropshire. [Oh yes, I always get my snaps developed in Shropshire]. Ally looked a little dot clad in my cobalt blue woolly sweater. We discussed the events of Saturday night, Sunday morning. Ally moaned about her hair. The perm hasn't taken properly. Like Lynn she is quite neurotic where hair is involved. She went off at 2:20 to buy a new dress and I returned to the YP. She came back for me at 4:45. She is so much happier now her finances are in a healthier state. We got to Guiseley in 15 minutes.

John is home from Stranraer and he and Maria were at Pine Tops, with bottles, babies, linen and food stuffs. 'Hello kid' was his welcome to me. Hard to believe we haven't seen him since Christmas.

Ally went off to the Belfry at 6:30. We arranged to go out with John and Maria on Thursday.

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Monday April 7, 1980

_. Bank Holiday in England, Ireland & Wales

Warm day. I spent what seemed like hours in Guiseley waiting for a bus. The roads were deserted. The journey to Leeds gave me the feeling of how things will be the seconds after a nuclear attack.

It was a pointless day at the YP. For a couple of hours we played cards and drank tea reminiscent of British Leyland workers. At 3 I made my escape and secured safe passage to Guiseley by omnibus.

Poor Ally is working day and night at the Belfry, Bolton Junction, for a sizeable fortune, I believe. The usual Bank Holiday trash on the TV. Old films and panel games. Sue and Pete went out with Chippy and Deborah, and I sat with Mum and Dad in a lifeless sitting room, Fred Astaire prancing around on the box. I find tap dancing very irritating. At 10:30 we settled down to 'Some Like It Hot' starring Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. Still hilarious after 20 years.

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Sunday April 6, 1980

_. Easter Day

This is supposed to be a continuation of the previous entry. For most of the night I was out of it, on another planet. It's all very vague. The shaving foam orgy must have brought me round. We spent some time down in the cellar, me wearing Susan's underskirt. Dave L had a whale of a time. My last sighting of him was as he drove down Club Street smeared in toothpaste. He had passed the last few hours in a mound of soil from a broken plant pot under the piano.

Ally left at 10 to go to the Belfry. How she did that I will never know. We survivors cleared the debris. I sat under the dining table drinking gin and lime. Johnny joined me, with a glass of water, just because he wanted to 'drink me under the table'. Some folk danced around the rotating washing pole thing in the garden, in maypole style.

From Bradford we drove to Guiseley depositing the lads at various spots en route to Pine Tops. I stood around for a while, looking pained, and eventually gave in and went to bed. Maria and the children arrived and the noise was too hideous for one so delicate. Baby Catherine slept for a couple of hours in Mum's bed, and looked like a little peach.

Ally finished her shift and came over at 3. We went over to Ilkley, roof down, and had ice creams and bottles of pop on the moor. She did an evening shift from 6:30.

I helped JPH eat his Easter eggs.

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Saturday April 5, 1980

_. A warm, sunny day. I was no sooner out bed when Ally carried me off to the White Cross where we were joined outside in the sun by Sue, Pete, Chippy, Gus, Johnny and Dave W. My first drink was a pint of pils lager with a double whisky chaser, at Johnny's instigation. This set the tone for the remainder of the day. From the Cross we all went to the Junction in Otley where we stood drinking on a busy street corner. Afterwards Ally and I collected a few bottles of wine and went to Rue Club to inflate balloons, and hide various items of precious Dixon memorabilia, in readiness for the party. Spent hours in the bath ______. The evening is very much lost to oblivion. To Mucky Willie's in Lidget Green where we were joined by Dave L and Tim and Jill. The assembled crowd toasted me at 9:20pm, the time of my birth, and afterwards I made a short speech, the contents of which evade me. Lynne Bateson bought me an [Easter] egg. Back to Club St for 11. It was a roaring success. Pete's friend Ken brought a camera and blue movies were screened on the chimney breast, for the survivors.  A German girl performing with what looked like an Alsatian dog brought some gasps from some of the more sensitive party goers. The night ended in an orgy of shaving foam and squirty cream. Sarah and Carol J chose to arrive at about 1am at a very crucial moment in the porno screening. Words fail me.

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Friday April 4, 1980

_. Good Friday

A sunny day. Mum remained in bed, citing illness. Is she perhaps in her menopause? Is 45 a little early, perhaps? How should I know?

We peeled the roof from the Spitfire and, after the traditional hot cross buns, we went to the Commercial which was busy but lacking in atmosphere. This was always on the cards following Annie and Ron's departure. From here we went to the Drop, which resembled the Albert Mausoleum at Frogmore. Then onto the Ings to join Sue and a band of girls from Wendy Wools. I can see why Sue enjoys life so much at Wendy Wools - they are all tarred with the same brush and are insane.

Ally dropped me at home and went to the Belfry. I had a pleasant night at the White Cross, where old friends are gathered for the start of the Bank Holiday binge. Revellers include: Johhny, Gus, Chippy, Phil Goya, Debs, Michael Dixon, &c. I recall a disgraceful groping session with Jill, Naomi's live-in companion. Back at home Mama is still in her bed. We watched a Hitchcock film.  Ally appeared at about 11 in readiness for the clock to chime midnight and herald the start of my 25th birthday. Dear God.

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Thursday April 3, 1980

_. Mum and Dad have severed diplomatic relations and the atmosphere at home is far from deliriously happy. I arranged to go out with Ally and sat underneath the heavy, menacing cloud awaiting her arrival. She arrived after 9 and Jim and Margaret walked in at the same time. Jim goes into hospital on Tuesday to have the varicose veins torn from his ailing legs.

Ally and I went out for a drink for the first time since out trip to Cracoe on March 23. Had a couple of drinks with Sue and Janet Simon at the Fox [they were drinking cherry brandy at £1.70 a round!], and then to the White Cross. It was like a scene from the Crimean War. Chaos and maladministration throughout, and we only just made it for last orders at the bar.

Back at home the house continued frosty and dull.

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Wednesday April 2, 1980

_. A slight headache today which I put down to the plethora of wine last night. At lunchtime I found solace in the City library. I emerged blinking like a mole half an hour later with 'Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester' by Noble Frankland, a new biography of the semi-obscure uncle of the Queen. Back at the office Derek Naylor spotted the book on my desk. He winced and cringed and looked as though he might vomit. It's funny how the subject of royalty can bring on such violent emotions. Reading it tonight I couldn't help thinking that I've read it all before. John and I were in Windsor in June, 1974, when the duke conveniently died, and we watched his funeral procession through the town.

Frost and ice in the atmosphere at Pine Tops tonight. Mum and Dad spent the afternoon in Masham and had a difference of opinion over something which disrupted relations for the remainder of the evening. Lynn and Dave came to tea, but the frost didn't thaw.  Lynn however was just as chirpy. Lynn and Dave go to Stranraer tomorrow to spend Easter with John and Maria. L left a bunch of fivers with Mum to hand over to me on my birthday.

Dad is very brooding and irritating when he choses to be. He is very like his father.

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Tuesday April 1, 1980

_, This evening I ventured to Lidget Green  for dinner with Ally. She concocted a spectacular lasagne which we ate with her very dry Beaujolais.  Spent the evening taping music for the party on Saturday. Ally sat reading 'Lady Chatterley's Lover', but has yet to find the naughty bits. I left at 10:15 and was home in an hour. It was All Fools' Day today.

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Monday March 31, 1980

_. Sarah saw Jacq in the Regent, without Paul, on Saturday. _________.

A night at home with the family gathered around the television. Saw Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould in a film 'Spies'.

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