Tuesday May 26, 1981

 _. Up at 7:45 and out at 8:45. Ally waved me off, pressing her face against the glass panel on the door, making hideous, ghoulish faces. Obviously I arrived at the YP late. The bus service is in a state of collapse. One would think we were living in Somalia or an Eastern bloc country.

Lady Diana.

Just Kathleen and I at the office. She was in her usual fluster. Details of the royal wedding were released today. Lady Diana will leave from Clarence House in the state coach, whilst Charles [weather permitting] will travel in an open landau. After the marriage, and once again, depending on the weather, the Prince and Princess of Wales will travel back to Buckingham Palace in the landau, open to all snipers, H-block sympathisers, and psychopaths who will converge upon the capital for the spectacle. And let's not forget right-wing Turkish terrorists. How brave our royal family are. The Queen insists upon close contact with the public and has made it known that to cocoon her in armour plated vehicles would defeat the whole object of monarchy. All the same, I suspect that security people will be experiencing severe attacks of diarrhoea in the final weeks leading to the wedding of the century. In other royal news, Lady Romsey gave birth to a future Earl Mountbatten of Burma on May 15.

Ally came to dinner. Avocado prawns and then chicken. I mowed the lawns and put undercoat on the kitchen door. Ally stayed the night.

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Monday May 25, 1981

 _. Bank Holiday in UK, USA & Canada

More bloody rain. Spent the dry bits in the water-logged garden tying up bedraggled honeysuckle and climbing rose trees. Is this perhaps the worst May on record?

Ally and I attempted to make the lunch. Mama remained reclining upstairs, and Papa was trundling around in a romper suit looking like a working man's Winston Churchill. The kitchen was submerged in cauliflower cheese and we somehow managed to use every pan whilst cooking. Mum sat there musing at our inefficiency. However, the food was delicious when we eventually served it up.

Ally drove me to the YP at 5 for my evening shift. A dull and very quiet night. Polish Joe came to see me looking for a photo, and two hours later a peculiar looking sub-editor came in asking for an atlas. That was my evening's work, other than the filing of course. Phoned Ally a couple of times and afterwards took a taxi to Ash Tree Cottage. My driver was something of an authority on road construction, and gave me a lengthy talk on the history of Leeds slip roads, by passes and dual carriageways.

Ally was wrapped in a dressing gown reading 'Ten Little Niggers'. We drank cocoa and had chocolate cake.

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Sunday May 24, 1981

At Thruscross.

 _. Rogation Sunday

Pine Tops: for sale sign erected

Headache. Ally and I concocted a breakfast for Sue and Pete. I took coffee up to their room and laughed at them snuggled together in the bottom bunk. We all went to Guiseley afterwards and were surprised to find John and JPH there [Maria & Catherine followed on later]. John was pale. He's had trouble with a tooth. Mum was propped up in bed looking like death warned up. She was cheerful as JPH had been keeping her amused with Scottish tales. Sue and Pete drove Ally and I to the Stonehouse Inn, not to go inside but to walk near the reservoir and soak in the scenery. It is hard to imagine that Mum and Dad will be living here before the summer is out. The coloured sails of the yachts floating above the sunken village of West End made what I hope is a fine photograph.

Back to Pine Tops for the usual chaos of a John and Maria visit. Catherine has started to walk. John said she got going in Stranraer yesterday just before heading south. A 'for sale' sign has been erected on the front lawn. To think Pine Tops is to go after all these years.

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Saturday May 23, 1981

 _. Ally was up and out at 9am, trundling off to the metropolis for the first of a series of sun-ray sessions. I lay buried in the pink marshmallow of her bed until she returned at 11:30. She'd also been for a fitting for the bridesmaid dress she'll be wearing at Catherine & David's wedding on Sept 5.

We went back into Bradford but our expedition was largely unsuccessful. We did a good deal of squabbling in the street, and disagreed on most things. I did manage to buy a pair of jeans and a good shirt. Shopping isn't an easy pastime. 

The Oddfellows: poker incident

Back at Ash Tree Cottage for 5. Ally so beautiful in her yellow dungarees and blond curls. She phoned Sue and invited her and Pete to join us for the night. They haven't been to Club St since before Christmas. They joined us at 8. We went to the Fiddlers Three for one drink, and then to Wilsden, to a Tetley's pub, then back to the Oddfellows, which was hideous. Rough. A drunk was running amok brandishing a poker. We downed our drink very quickly then went on to Mucky Willie's at Lidget Green. They stayed the night. It was back to ours for more drinks.

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Friday May 22, 1981

 _. Felt more than slightly ghastly this morning, and exhausted. 

The Ripper Trial ended today and Peter William Sutcliffe was jailed for life for 13 murders and 7 attempted murders. The judge recommended that he serves no less than 30 years in prison. What in God's name are we going to put in the YP now that Jack's gone for good?

To Ash Tree Cottage at 6. A Ripper extravaganza dominates the BBC. Phoned Dave G. We have decided to throw a party on May 30. A pre-wedding thrash. I have put the word around the office, and believe it or not, some show an interest. Michael Brown, Sue Pape, Bob Cockroft, Rachel Judson, &c. Whether they'll turn up is another matter.

Bed at almost 12.

-=-

Thursday May 21, 1981

 _. A bright sunny start. The 23rd birthday of my beloved fiancée. 

Up at 6:30 so that we can have a birthday present opening session. I gave her earrings, some unpronounceable perfume from France - 'Eau de Mitterrand' or something, 'Ten Little Niggers' by Agatha Christie, and of course a large, romantic birthday card, a tipsy rat in a champagne glass, you know the sort. Unusual for me. Ally bounced around like a little girl, her eyes shining gloriously.

I headed for the YP and Ally came and collected me at 12:30 and we went to the Bank Wine Bar in town, and had quiche and salad, and a litre of rosé wine, in a dark, cosy corner. We went shopping afterwards, more earrings, two records, and she found a mini skirt which will look good with the tanned legs.

Rain by 4. To Ash Tree Cottage and then to Burley-in-W to see Lynn, Dave and Frances. They bought Ally two nice plants. Ferns I think. The two of us to the Hare & Hounds at 9:30 for gigantic Porterhouse steaks and another litre of wine, this time red.

Back to Pine Tops. Saw Jim and Margaret but were too pissed to speak.

-=-

Wednesday May 20, 1981

Auntie Elsie.

Auntie Annie.

_. Thunder. Waited all day for news about the loan for the Stonehouse, bur heard nothing. Home at 6. Mum was sat with a long face, but immediately brightened and said Barclays will give them a loan, and all that remains is for them to sell Pine Tops. She played the same trick, with the mournful face, when Ally came in at 6:30. 

Ally and I went over to Colne to visit two of her aunts. First to Elsie, her father's sister, who is very grand. It was the first time Ally had set foor in her house. Uncle Ernest, who didn't have a clue who we were, poured me a large whisky. They have bought us an electric deep fat fryer as a wedding present. On to see Auntie Annie, Frank's other sister, and Uncle Bert. A sweet, old couple. He suffers from Parkinson's disease and can hardly move. They gave us a mirror, but say it's for Ally's birthday. For a wedding present they are buying sheets.

Home to Ash Tree Cottage at 12.

-=-

Tuesday May 19, 1981

 _. Full Moon.

Ash Tree Cottage.

Mum and Dad came to Club St for dinner. I went there straight from the YP. Carrot soup [again] and lasagne. Very pleasurable. Ally excels in her almost derelict kitchen. Mainly pub talk. They are going to see Houldsworth at Barclays at 3pm tomorrow. They left after 12 and Ally and I drained the remaining wine bottles. We are christening the house 'Ash Tree Cottage' thanks to the sapling at the bottom of the garden. It's so much more welcoming than 'number 5'.

-=-

Monday May 18, 1981

 _. Rain. Walking through town at lunchtime, looking in the window of an electrical shop, I saw, on the telly there, Princess Anne leaving hospital with baby Tracy. The infant is yet to be named. Elizabeth is bound to be in there. Kathleen says Joanna. I say Kathleen. In the end the opinion of the office is that it's wide open.

Mum and Dad went to the Stonehouse and had a showdown with Joyce and the shifty, Godfrey. Hands were clasped and shaken, yet again. These queer little people are obviously ruled by the moon.

Saw Ally tonight.

--=-

Sunday May 17, 1981

 _. 4th Sunday after Easter

Steve Sanderson's birthday. Another substantial breakfast at 9. Charlotte is obviously 'cutting down' on her food intake. Back to the Dales, but in Graham's car, in search of Malham. We took a few wrong turns and finished up at Aysgarth and then Hawes at 1:30. By now we were hungry, but several pubs refused us food because of the hour. We were there, in the street, howling like injured wolves. Graham, in booming tones, told one landlord that he much prefers Lancashire. Oh dear. Back to Club St we finished off the carrot soup, made a salad, and then the Smiths disappeared. We have agreed to make a return visit to see them in Hampshire.

Ally and I, alone at last, opened a bottle of red wine, and then phoned Mum. She was greatly distressed. She took Mabel, Marlene and Frank to the Stonehouse yesterday [without Dad], and Joyce turned on Mama threatening that if they don't come up with the money and quickly within the next few days, they'll sell the pub to a more willing buyer. Depressing.

The Bankhouse.

We drove to Pudsey in gloom. To the Bankhouse pub with Karen, Steve, Jill, Tim, Diane, Paul, Tracey and Eugene. On to the Royal at Stanningley, where we met Hilda and Tony. Back to Wilsby at 11pm for an hour. Then back to Pine Tops. My great Aunt Annie has bought us a tea set.

-=-

Saturday May 16, 1981

The Strid.

 _. Woke with a thundering headache which remained with me for the day. Graham and Charlotte had been up for hours and were banging around downstairs. Charlotte was already half way through her third Agatha Christie novel. We all had a big breakfast before piling into the Citroen and heading off to the sights of the Yorkshire Dales. We went to Bolton Abbey and walked to the Strid, which has shrunk, surely? I always think of it as a large thunderous, force of water, a breathtaking sight, second only to the St Lawrence Seaway. Obviously not. Graham took a few photographs with his enormous and very expensive camera. We drove past the Stonehouse on our way home, didn't stop, only two cars in the carpark. To Otley and Curlew Pottery there.

Later, to Leeds and met Sue, Pete, Barbara and Frank Makin and Fiona [Ally's bridesmaid]. Sue and Fiona had a fitting for their bridesmaid dresses, and Pete, Graham and I went to buy Ally a new stylus for her record player.

Home to Club St at 6:30. Took Anadin. Felt better. Barbara, Frank and Fiona left, and we and the Smiths had a sing-song around the piano. You name it, we sang it. On to Pizzeria Mama Mia's [Manningham Lane]. A long dinner.

-=-