Tuesday December 29, 1981

Bournemouth.

 A fried breakfast. To Bournemouth for the day. Feel horrible. Hot, sweaty. Diabolical throat. It is only to be expected. I'm ill every Christmas. Bought new jeans in the January sales. To our horror, the sale at Habitat doesn't start until January 2. Sod it. Back to Chillandham Cross at 6. Too hot and snotty to eat. Sat talking with Frank and Bessie about the Dixon ancestry. Bed at 12 gasping like a bronchil Spaniel.

Notes:

Alison Mary, my wife, was born at Wallasey, May 21, 1958, the second child and only daughter of Frank Dixon [born Sept 15, 1927] and his wife Bessie Braithwaite [born June 4, 1922]. Frank was the youngest child and only son of the three children of Thomas Dixon, of Colne, Lancashire, and Mary Ellen Dixon [nee Jobling]. Thomas Dixon died in November, 1955, shortly after the birth of his grandson, Graham Dixon, born Nov 3, 1955. Mary Ellen Jobling's family arrived on a barge in Colne from Liverpool. She died in May, 1978, aged 92 [?]. Thomas Dixon had a brother, Ernest, and two sisters, Clara and Ada.

The Braithwaite siblings.

Bessie [yes, Bessie not Elizabeth] is the eldest child of Albert Braithwaite, of Colne, and Nora [nee Birch]. Albert died in January, 1966. Nora died in Oct 1958. Bessie was followed by Joan, Margaret [deceased], Hilda, Allen [the wild only brother]. The Birch family had connections with Hubberholme, and one uncle occupied the George Inn there. But you know how people are. Things get passed from generation to generation and become muddled.

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Monday December 28, 1981

 _.Fog, but passable. Up at 9:30. Ate, then packed, and left for Winchester at 12. A dull journey on the M1 thanks to the fog. Stopped at 2 at the Crossroads Motel at Weedon, Northamptonshire, for scampi and chips and lager. Then back on the road south. We are in holiday spirits - no work for one week, and it was so good to see Ally's glee as she neared her parents home. 

Arrived at Chillandham Cross at 5. Presented Bessie with her flower painting and it seemed to go down well. Bessie was pale, complaining of dizzy spells. Frank, fatter, blamed his increased girth on the Christmas fayre [Graham and Gill came for Christmas dinner].

At 8 the Lynn family came for Christmas drinks. The Rev Matthew and Florence Lynn. Bed at 12 feeling groggy. Sore throat.

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Sunday December 27, 1981

 1st Sunday after Christmas

Had a large breakfast and then managed to get the car to go.Freezing fog and ice. Home to Ash Tree Cottage and plunged into a hot bath and dressed for Sue's Christmas party. Back to Guiseley at 5:30 - thick snow. Joined by Mum and Dad [nearing the end of their festive celebrations, and they left shortly afterwards]. Joined by Karen, Steve, Janet Simon and her betrothed, Lynn, David, a chubby Frances, John, Maria, JPH, Catherine, &c. [Maria took the kids home at 6:30 and didn't return], Hilda, Tony, Jill, Tim, Chippy, Gus, Johnny, Dave L &c. 

Dave L finds the Sandersons compulsive company. He is having his annual 'do' on January 2. We don't think we'll be back from Winchester. I have never missed a Dave Lawson party.I suppose it's a watershed.

We left the party at 9:45 [me complaining severely] in order to have a decent night in bed before our Winchester extravaganza. We took John to Ridgeway. 

To bed pissed. Deep snow.

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Saturday December 26, 1981

 New Moon

Bank Holiday in UK & Republic of Ireland [a day may be given in lieu]

Slept until lunchtime and then had a substantial breakfast with Mum and Dad. No sign of John & Maria today and the four of us sat in peaceful solitude. Watched a Harold Lloyd film and Lassie too [pass the sick pan, Mavis]. Had a large dinner at 6.

The car decided to be awkward and so we spent another night at Pine Tops. Ally was furious and close to tears with rage at Audrey's obstinacy.

Bed at 11:30 to escape Perry Como on the BBC.

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Friday December 25, 1981

The Family.

 Christmas Day

A white Christmas. Sunny and bright. Up at 7:30 with great excitement. Our first Christmas morning together. We sat by the glow of the Christmas tree tearing open presents. Ally gave me a Ella Fitzgerald LP, Givenchy after shave, a bright pullover, undies, socks, artist canvas, a tube of black oil paint. She thought mine romantic. 

Took Mrs Greenwood a large glass of rum. She said she would drink it tonight watching Morecambe and Wise and then roll into bed. Bless her. 

To Guiseley at 12. We were first to arrive and sat with Mum and Dad waiting for the others who came in and blocked out the Queen's Christmas message. Chaos. Pandemonium. Havoc. 

Dad read us Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. Hilarity.

Mum organised a running buffet once again. It's the only thing that works for so many people. 

Bed at Pine Tops.

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Thursday December 24, 1981

 Christmas Eve. Snow. YP until 12. Central until 2. Home at 3. Burley in Wharfedale at 5.Guiseley at 6. George & Dragon, Apperley Lane at 8. Splendid dinner.

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Wednesday December 23, 1981

 Pay day. Received lots of money. Vast amounts in fact. Went out at lunchtime, sliding across town, looking for gifts for Ally. I bought her a suspender belt and received some odd glances in the process. Bought a record of Debussy's 'Claire de Lune'. Bought a fountain pen because in the New Year Ally is to keep a diary. Yes, a rival diary. It's a wonderful thought because I hate being the solitary commentator on the earth shattering events occurring in 20th century West Yorkshire. Ally's version of life will no doubt be a healthy competitive narrative, don't you think? After all, didn't Wordsworth's life receive the added complement of his sister Dorothy's writings?

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Tuesday December 22, 1981

 You aren't getting much today. In fact you're getting nothing at all. It is the festive season after all.

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Monday December 21, 1981

 To the YP. Back from the YP. God save the YP. Kiss my arse, the YP. 

Ally came to Leeds to deliver a contract and met me at 2pm. We went to Da Mario's for food. I had a panzerotti and she had a lasagne. Mine was brill.

Life would be such fun if Ally worked in Leeds. She went shopping afterwards and picked me up at 5. She managed to get rid of her awkward present buying.

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Sunday December 20, 1981

 4th Sunday in Advent

Thick snow falling throughout. It's OK for the likes of Bing Crosby but he doesn't have to shift the bleedin' stuff, does he? 

We have the table set, the cocktail cherries ready and expect a nil turnout because of the weather but not so. We had a flickering fire, enough booze to sink a ship, and Ally looking like a debutante from the 1950s.

The first guest to arrive was Mary Moore from across the road. She is a splendidly eccentric spinster who tells us that for a bet she once swam across Dover Harbour on Christmas day. It was too cold she says, because she wasn't properly greased. Others arrived. Cousin Jackie was followed by Sarah and Trevor [unbelieveably] and then the family. A real shindig.  Quite perfect. Dad had to dig the car out and he and Mum came with Lynn, Dave and Frances. Jacq & Paul, Karen and Steve, Dave L, Hilda and Tony the last to arrive and the last to leave. 

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Saturday December 19, 1981

Dickensian?

 Deep and crisp and even. Up very early and left Ally clad in her pale blue nightie. Walked to Charlie Brown's at Girlington and bought a car battery costing £24. The walk was something reminiscent of a lunchtime in a Russian labour camp.

A bright, crisp, and almost Dickensian day. Send for Nicholas Nickleby.

Back at Club Street I inserted the new battery and, as if by divine intervention, old Norman from across the road came staggering past and he took an immediate interest in Audrey's spark plugs, and he fiddled around helpfully. He gave life to the hapless vehicle. I am eternally in his debt. How can we thank him? He walked away in the deep snow with a look of my dear Uncle Albert stamped all over him.

Ally and I to Morrison's. Spend a king's ransom on party food. On to Lazenby's at 11pm. [Tony] Harney was violently sick and collapsed in the bathroom. Otherwise a quiet party. Home at 2am.

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