Tuesday November 24, 1981

 _.Out of bed at 6:30 to find a gruesome picture awaiting us. Snow, only finely spread, but snow all the same. We shudder at the thought of months of toil in the frozen wasteland that is Lidget Green.

YP: Sarah off with one of her headaches. Kathleen and Carol went off this afternoon to a microfilm extravaganza or whatever, leaving me and Margot.

Is the revolting Shirley Williams going to take Crosby for the SDP? That is the question. By 1984 will all the political parties be led by women? Thatcher in the blue corner, Williams in the yellow/pink SDP collage corner, and ... er... perhaps Gwyneth Dunwoody over in the red? I think Shirley Williams would stand for the Stuffed Rat and Bucket Party if she thought she stood a chance being elected.

Phoned Guiseley for my daily bulletin on Papa's eye. He is still in pain and his eye is aggravated by the light, and so he is walking around the house looking sinister in dark glasses.

Home at 6. Cousin Jackie came to see us at 7:30 with a Billy Connolly LP and stayed until after 11. She seems lonely now that she and Peter are on the rocks and says she is heading to a life of spinsterhood. Next week she is collecting an apricot poodle, called Ben. We discussed families, especially ours, and the useless bickering. What can be done? Our branch continues to stick together.

At 10:30 I went over the road and bought a curry.

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Monday November 23, 1981

 _.YP dismal. Mrs Slocombe is back from London, but nobody mentioned it. Sarah says her wedding now seems to be fixed for April 16, 1982. The press report that the Princess of Wales returned to Althorp to see her Daddy last Friday for the first time since her marriage. A tearful and joyous reunion, by all accounts.

Phoned Mum at 3. Sue and Pete took them to the hospital this morning. Dad's eye is progressing. He has to return on Thursday. He sent a cheque with us on Friday for Di and Paul's engagement, but it was lost in the palatial vastness of the civic centre, and has been canceled.

Home at 6. It's cold and wet. Ally in the hustle and bustle of kitchen, emerging from the steam of the boiling pans looking quite beautiful. Bessie phoned. They were in Jersey for the weekend, and are going to Guernsey next weekend.

Dined and then watched a programme on the BBC about Cliff Richard [no doubt to you readers in 2067 he's now Lord Richard of Chiswick, OM, GCB, CH].

Later, Ally stood ironing and I sprawled on the sofa, feet up watching a cowboy film. We switched off at 10 and went to bed.

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Sunday November 22, 1981

 _.Last Sunday after Trinity

Slept for twelve hours and finally climbed out of bed to escape Noel Edmonds on the bedroom radio. Is it any wonder that his wife has gone crazy?

Another breakfast of late 19th Century Sandringham proportions. All that was lacking was Lillie Langtry and the deviled kidneys. Mind you, Ally with her bobbed hair and fantastic waist is Bradford's answer to the Jersey Lily.

We sat afterwards discussing Audrey. Sadly she has to go. Ally wants a Mini, and good old English rust instead of the Continental crumbling.

Watched the Sunday film. Alan Ladd in a good old Arthurian film 'The Black Knight'. Say no more.

To Wilsby at 5:30 for dinner with Hilda and Tony, Diane and Paul. We took a bottle of home-brewed sherry. Dinner excellent. Mounds of Yorkshire pudding. Hilda and Tony are in very good spirtits. They are disgusting night rakes and seldom go to bed before 1:30am. Watched The Borgias, which we missed last Wednesday. Hilda found the 14th century male costume to be a source of amusement. She announced that the lump in the Holy Father's cassock must be where he keeps his lunch.

Home at 11:30, and so to bed.

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Saturday November 21, 1981

 _.Slept all morning and awoke feeling decidedly dead. My hideous condition mainly due to lack of sleep and not alcohol consumption. I staggered over the road, in the drizzle, like a zombie, and wandered around the Co-op buying bacon, beans, and a loaf for our sumptuous breakfast. The lady in front of me in the queue was buying a very large box of tampons. Brunch with Ally 12-1. Afterwards we went to Morrison's and then to Guiseley to see Mum and Dad who are later dining with Lynn and David. Home at 6:45. Lasagne. Bed at 9:30pm.

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Friday November 20, 1981

 _.Out of bed, as usual at 6:30, and over breakfast we discussed both taking the afternoon off, but decided against it. We have precious little time to prepare before Christmas and intend to venture soon to York and the delights of Habitat.

To the YP. Mum phoned at 9:30 to say Dad has a badly infected eye from a fragment of rust which he managed to contract whilst on his back beneath the Toyota. They went by taxi to Bradford Royal where Ally joined them. 

I had a dull morning and at 12:50 I decided to leave. Bus to Bradford. Ally at the wheel of Audrey came to collect me with Mum and a dreadful looking Dad. His eye bandaged and looking pale and sickly. I don't think I've ever seen Papa looking so rotten. On to Pine Tops to deposit them. We bought fish and chips, had a few drinks and listened to music.

To Pudsey Civic Centre at 7:45. Ally looking chic in a new woollen frock. Diana and Paul's engagement party. I think the Civic centre is too big a venue for a comfortable orgy. 150 people eating and dancing and yet the place felt empty. Sue, Pete, Lynn, Dave, Jill, Tim, Karen, Steve, Phil and Denise, cousin Jackie and cousin Stephen [well over 6ft]. Hilda invited Ally and I to dinner on Sunday. A great honour. We escaped the 'dance hall' and took to the bar for the night. At 12 to the Sanderson residence until 4:30am. Talking to Karen about the ins and outs of modern day dentistry. Believe it or not, Karen is an authority on Prince Edward's teeth. Steve snored throughout. Home at dawn and to bed.

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Thursday November 19, 1981

 _.Busy at the YP. Sarah was a away at a funeral. Just a great-uncle. Margot was back, limping, but looking very well. She is in fact a very nice girl, who always seems to say more when the other girls are away. Mrs Slocombe is in fact a very Mussolini-like figure. I suppose I play Neville Chamberlain in the office, or perhaps Count Ciano. 

Gave Bob [Cockroft] a tip. Lord Deramore's daughter, the Hon Ann de Yarburgh Bateson, 31, is engaged to an Irishman. With a surname like that I don't suppose she stacks shelves in Tesco.

Home to my 're-designed' wifelet at 6:15. Cousin Diane is 18 today, and in Gadsby tradition she became engaged to be married. Ally went out at lunchtime and had her fuzzy hair re-styled and considerably shortened. Bit of a 'Peter Pan' creation. Tonight she was clad in canary-yellow plus-fours and woolly socks. We had a curry and watched 'Top of the Pops' and looked at our money. 

The Pakistani family have quit the corner shop here at Club Street. The children used to watch us, from a perch in an upstairs window. 

Lynn phoned at 8:30 to see if we want a lift to 'the ball' tomorrow. With a bit of luck Audrey will be back with us by then. We brewed some lager. Blissful domesticity.  Bed after 11.

-=-

Wednesday November 18, 1981

Ally and 'Audrey'.

 _. Spoke to Mum. She was bright and chatty. Ally spoke to Adolf Broadhead at Jack Andrews. He says Audrey is repaired with a new floor, seat-belts, and a headlamp, and all for £122 [including VAT]. They are bandits, but what more can we do now other than pay up? We can soon get the money together and it will certainly be a joy to see that tiny blue French thing again.

Home at 6. Ally is knitting. Later she was buried behind a Daphne Du Maurier book. I finished the flower painting for Bessie. Very happy with it. Went to bed early because, you've guessed it, we were very tired. Missed 'The Borgias', but we can catch up with it on Sunday.

-=-

Tuesday November 17, 1981

 _. Rain. Out of bed at 6:30. We sat eating porridge, bananas on toast, washed down by coffee. We enjoy our little breakfasts together. Life is very cruel, isn't it? We have breakfast together and then endure 11 hours apart until we dine together. Is this meant to be the pattern of our lives? We need to find money, and find it now so that we can be together day and night. As I left she referred to me as 'my little wood spurge', which I believe is a flowering plant. 

Home at 5:30. Phoned Dad and told him that Jack Andrews still have the Citroen. He too is 'off the road' with car trouble, but enjoying the walking. 

News: James Prior was attacked by a heaving mob at the funeral of Robert Bradford MP. The Prince of Wales was in Bristol without the Princess, who is suffering from morning sickness. In a speech he said he accepts full responsibility for her condition. The crowd seemed dreadfully disappointed. Charles will have to get used to his demotion. Diana is the one everyone wants to see.

-=-

Monday November 16, 1981

 _.YP busy. I worked through lunch and left at 4:30. I phoned Allt this afternoon and got through to Derek Jenkins. 

Mr Speaker Thomas.

Ulster is in turmoil [just for a change]. The Unionist MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the IRA on Saturday and today three Ulster MPs including Ian Paisley were expelled from the House of Commons for abusing the government and referring to James Prior as a 'traitor with blood on his hands'. I do sympathise with Mr Paisley. What has the government done to combat the increasing IRA menace? ____. The Speaker of the House of Commons is a wonderful man. If we can go on producing men like George Thomas we cannot be all that bad. 

A fried pastiche this evening. Then bottling wine and washing, &c. Ally says she resembles a witch with her hair standing on end. The Good Witch of Lidget Green. She is resolved to have her hair 'done' later in the week.

Watched a gloomy Mrs Thatcher on 'Newsnight'. Bed at 11 after Ovaltine.

-=-

Sunday November 15, 1981

 _.22nd Sunday after Trinity

Hungover at first but a few pills and a gallon of tea and a heap of breakfast pulled me round. Ally was very tender too. We were in bed until noon. 

We slumped on the settee all afternoon watching two dreadful films, unable to move to switch over. Eleanor Parker as an archaeologist in Egypt and Robert Taylor and Sophia Loren as Greek sponge divers. This duo of film classics took us through until 6:30.

We had chilled Martinis followed by pork cooked in cider. A delicious candle-lit nosh. 

Watched an episode of The Borgias. Pneumotelevisionitis undoubtedly.

-=-

Saturday November 14, 1981

 _.We lounged in bed until after 10:30 and took a leisurely breakfast and discussed the days proggramme. Dry, bright, crisp and sunny. We made our weekly pilgrimage into Bradford and were soon weighed down with fruit, vegetables and meat. The shops were packed out. The festive season looming. Collected my painting from the frame shop. We tired of the bustle and made for home. 

The oil paining is now hanging on the landing. Lynn, Dave and Frances came at 3:30 and spent a couple of hours drinking apricot wine and 'Clan Dew'. 

The baby has wonderful dark eyes and a head of fine, punk-rock like hair. They left at 5:30 and we were left amongst the cushions, clutching our sticky glasses and looking for some excitement. We phoned Susie but they are going out with Pamela and Pamela's Peter. Phoned Dave L, Jill, Tim, Karen, Steve, Diane and Paul, and all agreed to come over. Catherine and David were conned into coming too. They arrived thinking they'd be our only guests. A jolly gathering which included a dancing competition. Steve, Tim and Dave did a remarkable impression of The Chiffons singing 'Sweet Talking Guy'. Diane and Paul are getting engaged next week. Things fell through at about 1:30 when Dave left and Steve had a ferocious attack of wind. We ended the night using the cellar as an  'anti-Steve fall out shelter'.

At 3:30am we made eggs and chips.

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