Thursday February 5, 1981

 _. A very ordinary day. No Americans have been taken hostage. Ronald Reagan didn't die in office [yet], and the Prince of Wales remains unengaged. Sarah, a fashion guru, says that Lady Diana needs a new shirt. She'd have thousands of new shirts if only she'd say 'yes'. 

John Lennon is dead and it's very sad and all that but I think it's going too far putting his every record in the charts. I am now sick of Lennon and the media ought to be ashamed of the fact that they've destroyed my love of his music by constantly playing it for weeks on end. The man is being rammed down our throats.

Dave G phoned. He and Garry are motoring here tomorrow. Susie phoned too and said she and Peter are setting out at 6:30. 

Dad is no better and looks ghastly. His eyes are sunken and he's a shade of deathly white. Off his food too, and for Dad that is unheard of. 

Ally came at 8. We went to the Fox & Hounds, the Drop and the New Inn where we met up with Susie, Audrey, Janet Simon and Biffy. You know my views re this Thursday night quartet. Ally set off for home at 11:15 and I promised to phone her at 11:30 to check she was safely home but when I did I got no reply. I sat dialling until after 12. I retired to bed with Peter Sellers convinced that Ally must be dead in St Luke's Hospital, or at least mortally wounded. Sat reading Peter Sellers but didn't sleep.

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Wednesday February 4, 1981

  _. A glum day at the office. Since Kathleen's demise Carol J has taken it upon herself to rule the library in the fashion of Catherine the Great, or that peroxide wonder, Eva Peron. I despise dictators, especially female ones, and ignore her. It's best that way. Sarah finds it highly amusing.

Phoned Ally. She has had a tooth crowned and moaned about it. She also had a moan about Dave G's indecision about when he and Garry will be joining us at Grassington. I phoned him and told him to pull hus socks up. We joked about the Robin Hood [pub]. They [the lads] spend every available hour swilling ale in that hostelry now. He promised to ring me tomorrow. I didn't tell him about our engagement. I then phoned Garry.

Dad looks grotty [diarrhoea]. He made a brief appearance this evening and then crawled back into bed. I watched an episode of 'Sons and Lovers'. 

To bed at about 11 quite knackered. Whatever happened to the youth of yesteryear? Sat in bed with the biography of Peter Sellers. A sad man.

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Tuesday February 3, 1981

 _. I put the announcement of our enagement in the Evening Post.  Quite splendid.

Politics: Have I commented recently about the Council for Social Democracy that has been formed by Roy Jenkins and Co? It certainly looks as though the Labour party is done for once and for all. They are all deserting to join Mr Jenkins and Shirley Williams, &c, including such world figures as Lord Flowers, Janet Suzman, Frank Muir, Denis Nordern and Shirley Temple Black. All we need now is for Morecambe & Wise to switch loyalties and we'll have the basis of a new political party.  However, it isn't all beer and skittles for Margaret Thatcher. This crew might be damaging to Labour but what damage could they cause the Conservative party? How many 'wets' will join Uncle Woy, one asks? Harold Wilson was on the telly. I don't think he's long for this world. He's wasting away.

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Monday February 2, 1981

 _. Ally spent yesterday morning [while I slept] discussing the wedding with Frank and Bessie and things were all decided. Frank said yes to the Cow & Calf. In fact he said yes to everything. Ally assures me that Franks is very quiet and just because he isn't swinging from the banisters he is in fact very pleased with our union. I always find him very snappy.

To the YP and told Sarah of my plans. She wasn't in the least bit surprised and said she'd expected an announcement at Christmas. __________. I bought cream buns at 1pm and brought them back to the office and told Carol J and Shazzo. A general lack of excitement. 

Mum and Dad dined at Burley-in-W. Ally and I went to the Cow & Calf and booked the reception for June 27. A bleak night. Had a lager and the hotel and then came back to Pine Tops. Mum and Dad came home at 9:30. Ally left at 10:30.

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Sunday February 1, 1981

 _. 4th Sunday after Epiphany

Ally and her Mum

Sunny. Out to the New Forest at 12:30 in Frank's Rover to a pub seething with Sunday trippers. Joined by Graham and Gill. Andrew stayed at home playing with the remains of his motor cycle. A disappointing lunch. A dirty tobacco stained gent positioned himself next to Bessie and breathed, wheezed and perspired all over her plaice and chips. Frank and Graham were hudddled on bar stools, and Ally, Gill and I were crammed around a very small table. Frank bought my scampi [£2.10]. 

Frank & Bessie went on to Southampton and Ally and I went to Chandler's Ford with Graham and Gill to look at the work done to their new house. They've erected a cupboard in the kitchen. We left for home at 4:30 after much photographing. Even Frank brought out his camera. Good journey home. At Guiseley for 9:30. We showed Mum and Dad the engagement ring. Karen and Steve had been to Sunday lunch. Bed 11:30.

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Saturday January 31, 1981

 _. Sunny day. Out at lunch at 12:30 with Ally, Graham and Gill to the Ship at Sutton something or other [Bishops Sutton]. I couldn't eat. Still a spot of diarrhoea. They all found room for mounds of dead fish and vegetation and I struggled with a small loaf and an innocent looking lump of Cheddar. The chutney proved fatal. Afterwards, to Southampton on a furniture hunt for Graham & Gill again. They are extremely disorganised.

Back to Chillandham Cross at 5:30. Frank came in from his boat from Guernsey, munching on a pear. He approached me and said bluntly: 'so you've named the day, have you?' The cat is finally out of the bag. I found the ring and placed it upon Ally's finger. We are well and truly engaged.

Just the two of us to Winchester for a drink this evening. We get on so enormously well. Called at the Plough at 10:45. Midge scampered from behind the bar to view the jewels. Graham was banging on about buying a CB thing. Ludicrous. Tony and Neil had a fight. Back at Chillandham Cross we had steak and chips at 12:30am. Bed 1:30.

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Friday January 30, 1981

 _. A day of recovery at Lidget Green. Phoned the office at 8:30 and asked Sarah for cut flowers only, preferably orchids, and definitely no mourning. Ally went off in Audrey Citroen to the AHA and I sat listening to ghastly Radio 1, reading Agatha Christie. Later I had a bath, and ironed my jeans, and banged the hot iron down on my left hand. I didn't like it. 

Ally came home at 4. We packed the car, dashed to Leeds and collected the rings. The engagement ring is perfect. On to Winchester. Thick fog and ice after Northampton. We had to stop at Brackley for Ally to compose herself.

Walked in Chillandham Cross at 11. Frank is fogged up in Guernsey until tomorrow, and so we broke the news to Bessie, who had been warned of a coming surprise by Ally on the blower this afternoon. She was pleased, in her own sweet way. Graham & Gill fully expected it. Had a whisky. Bed at 1am.

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Thursday January 29, 1981

 _. Diarrhoea. I suppose it had to happen. I put in a brief appearance at the YP and after swigging a chalky potion made up by the YP nurse I obtained 'leave of absence' from Sarah and headed home. Well, in fact I headed for the place that soon shall be my home, 5 Club St. Saw Ally briefly, and then disappeared to bed with a mug of revolting arrowroot, clutching a volume of Agatha Christie. Not one of Agatha's better works. Something about a Christmas pudding. As always, I feel much better away from the YP. 

Ally was back from work at 5 and I attempted to join her downstairs but felt weak and uncomfortable. Returned to bed.

Dave G phoned but I didn't speak. Ally passed on my good wishes. Ally came to bed at 10. A restless night watching the clock and jibbering away to myself. All very melodramatic, but when I'm ill I certainly know I'm ill.

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Wednesday January 28, 1981

 _. Decidedly weak. To the YP 9-12. It was easy sitting in the office and not letting anyone know of my affairs. Mouth tightly shut, saying nothing. 

It was an awful journey on the bus. Looked at lunch but didn't touch the food. Too dangerous.

Went to bed until tea time. JPH woke me, playing with my foot, went downstairs feeling cold, tired and lifeless. Ally joined us and we two sat by the fire whilst Mum, Dad, John, Maria and the babies foraged next door.

It wasn't long before I was wanting my bed. It must be a chill. Poor Ally went home to Club St.

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Tuesday January 27, 1981

 _. We had an engagement party. It commenced at 8:30 with the following: ML Rhodes, Esq; Alison Dixon,; Lawrence Rhodes; Nora Rhodes; David and Lynn Baker; Peter and Susan Nason; John and Maria Rhodes; Mabel Paine; Tony and Hilda Gadsby; Steve and Karen Sanderson; Jill Gadsby and Tim Elmer; Diane Gadsby and Paul Edwards; Jackie Myers; Jim and Margaret Nason; Jim and Muriel Rawnsley, &c.

We received some wonderful presents [but won't bore you with a list], ate amazing food. Felt very odd, almost as though it wasn't really happening. Ally looked superb in her little 'clown trousers'. She is enormously happy and the responsibility puts terror in me. What if I should fail her? Am I capable of protecting her through life, down its gruesome, twisting pathway?

Hilda arrived bedecked in the Union Flag and led a conga-like dance throughout the house. Jim N entertained the males with a risque comedy hour in the kitchen bar, and a cultural bunch gathered around the surprise guest Muriel Rawnsley, as she told them the tale of how she dropped a slice of lemon from her gin and tonic into the lap of Mr Justice Boreham.

By 2am I was exhausted. I'm definitely going down with something. We have sent Mum some flowers as a thank you. Goodnight.

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Monday January 26, 1981

 _. Mum took JPH and Catherine to Pudsey this morning to visit Hilda and Mabel and to inform them of our news. Mum says she's throwing a party tomorrow night, chiefly because John will still be here, but no public announcement will be made until after we've seen Bessie and Frank at the weekend.

Ally came here tonight. With all this excitement she cannot stay at Club St.

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