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Monday February 21, 1983

 Washington's Birthday Observance

I object to see 'Washington's Birthday Observance' printed here on this page. There is no page headed 'Queen Victoria's Birthday Observance', and if you expect to see 'Horatio, Lord Nelson's Birthday Observance' then you can forget it. The publishers of WH Smith desk diaries sucking up to the Yanks.

Ally leapt into the bath and I lingered in bed. She was yelling abuse in the direction of the little _____ postman as he passed us by without depositing any mail in our box. We giggled, kissed goodbye and parted for 10 hours. Ugh.

At the YP Margo informed me that Carol is engaged to the President Carter look-alike ....

to be coninued.

-=-

Sunday February 20, 1983

 1st Sunday in Lent

A day of industry. We got up reasonably early again. Ate great chunks of Ally's bread. I set about my brewing and filled twenty large bottles with ale, and then sat down to coffee and cake and we watched Peter Sellers and Irene Handl in 'Heavens Above'. Crufts afterwards. Welsh corgis leaping through hoops and picking up the correct handkerchief, &c. Football afterwards and I sat through that but took down from my bookcase the abridged Pepys and read 1660-1663 - very pleasurable. I have a great desire to obtain the Matthews/Latham diary in nine volumes at £12 each. One day, Michael. Ally has been cleaning and smells like a SRN (I blame the disinfectant). We had a Sunday feast. Yorkshire puddings, brisket, cauliflower cheese, parnsips, new potatoes (Egyptian) and carrots. A splendid repast.  

-=-

Saturday February 19, 1983

 Our alarm sounded at 8 o'clock, a disgusting hour for a Saturday. We lay grousing at each other for half an hour before heading out to town where we got a bus to Shipley for Ally to visit her dentist for a check-up. He gave her a clean costing £3.50. On to the market and we returned home at 12 with bags of vegetables and meat. We ate bacon and eggs.

-=-


Friday February 18, 1983

 Ally was bounding around waiting for the postman but he brought nothing from Viking Taverns. She does resemble her Auntie Annie, over in Colne.

At the YP a ghastly day. Kathleen and Sarah stood around loudly discussing the alterations to the working day that will be put into place when Carol and I are gone. ________. Mr Lawler is to see us all individually to tell us what we are due.

Home in the daylight. I sat downstairs on the omnibus to avoid inhaling tobcco smoke. The upper deck often resembles an Australian bush fire. We had lasagne and rosé wine. Ally was sneezing and pale and went up to bed with 'Cold Comfort Farm', but ten minutes later she was tucked up with no intention of reading. 

I watched the news. Her Majesty has arrived in Acapulco, Mexico. A little Scotsman is celebrating in the water workers pay dispute.

One of the Sunday papers contained a fun tale. The Queen Mother dislikes President Jimmy Carter because he is, she says, the only man to have kissed her on the lips since the death of her dear husband. The affrontery. Unlike most people I don't have the opportunity to look at the Sunday papers until Friday.

I watched Dorothy Tutin in a play on BBC2. I phoned Mum. Her new cooker is in. A man from the quarry stayed at Waltergarth last night but declined the full-English breakfast. Historic. He was their first paying guest. Auntie Eleanor's house is up for sale. Where can she be going? An artist at Horton is to paint Waltergarth. She sounded like an excited young girl. The move has been great for them. I slumbered in a chair and woke at 11:50.

-=-


Thursday February 17, 1983

 I stood at the window watching Ally at her bus stop. She couldn't wave because she was standing next to a funny man with a beard. 

I went to the YP and told Kathleen I want to see the financial director to see how much severance pay I am due. Carol had been yesterday to get her claim in first. Up with the chief K hears that they will take two volunteers from the library. Poor Sarah was glum all day. A festive air hung over the editorial floor. Everyone wants to go. People all over the office are talking about buying 'a guest house in Kendal'. The EP feature writers are considering buying a fish and chip shop. Sadly, the newspapers to wrap them in will be scarce.

Derek (Jenkins) hasn't discussed Ally's day off. He is no doubt keeping it for another day. He does like to spring things on her. Ally looked washed out. We talked about redundancy. The thing with me is that I've had such a dull ten years and have taken no risks since packing in school at 18. Take the money and run is my feeling on this, and I want so much to run. Come on Mr Sutcliffe, give us a job!

Two certificates have arrived. Ruth Allen Upton, my grandmother, was born at 11, Green Wall, Lewes, Sussex, on September 3, 1900. We, and she, always celebrated her birthday on August 31. _______. She was registered on Oct 16 1900. Dad had a fit. For 48 years he has been celebrating his mum's birthday on the wrong day. The other certificate is the marriage of my great-grandparents John Wilson and Rella Fawbert at Calverley Parish Church on May 2, 1874. The marriage was witnessed by John William Patchett, who on the census is the son of Edward Fawbert, and thus Rella's half brother. Robert Rendell was the other witness to the marriage. 

-=-

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Wednesday February 16, 1983

 We got up at 6:30 with no feelings of trepidation and only a mood of confidence can be said to have dominated the breakfast of eggs and toast. It is Ally's idea to go to Hipperholme ridiculously early in case anything untoward should befall the bus driver en route and make us late for the interview. We went out at 8:15 looking suitably 'interviewish'. We sped to Hipperholme on bus so dirty it was impossible to see out of the windows. An amiable bus driver put us off at the correct stop. It was 9:20, bitterly cold, and an hour and ten minutes early. Unlike most sane people who would, in a situation like this, have gone and found a cafe and have a cup of tea, we stood in an open bus shelter full of broken bottles, and covered in graffiti proclaiming 'Huddersfield Town is Shit' &c. Into the Viking Taverns building at 10. Mr Sutcliffe made himself known to us and offered us coffee. At 10:30 we went downstairs to a cavern (like a pub without a bar) and were joined by four other couples of similar appearance to us, all mid-20s. Ally took an immediate dislike to Mr Sutcliffe, but I failed to see why. He was only trying to make us feel at ease. We were all subjected to a maths test. "If a man gives you a £10 note for £3.75 worth of drink, how much change do you give him?" That sort of thing. Then we had to answer 187 questions on personality. i.e. "If your next door neighbour squashed your cat with his Aston Martin would you a). weep, b). get another cat, c).let his tyres down. I enjoyed that bit though Mr Sutcliffe seemed to think we'd find it disturbing. At 12 we went up to the Hare and Hounds (a Viking Tavern) to await a second personal interview. We went in at 2:30. It was a quick ten minutes and he barely touched on anything. Ally found it most disturbing. If successful we would start as trainees on £7,800, a joint salary, and says we could have our own pub within a year. It could mean going to Sale, Cheshire, as relief managers, &c. We'll hear within two weeks. We left in the cold and drizzle and got a bus to Halifax and then a bus to Bradford via Shelf. I could take redundancy next week and find myself in a new job the week after. In at 4:30. Early to bed.

-=-

Tuesday February 15, 1983

 Gloom at the YP. We went before Gerry Holbrook, the managing director, who told us he wants 200 redundancies before August 31. I have a feeling I'd like the redundancy money which could be as much as £4,000.

At home Ally set me some sums and gave all the house plants a drink. We've ignored them since Christmas.

Some Ghastly animal rights people have sent letter bombs to the Ministry of Agriculture and others. This 'save the fur and feather brigade' really annoy me. We ate the straying liver tonight. It didn't seem to be any the worse for its over night stay at the Bradford Area Health Authority. Apparently a cleaning lady chased her down the street with the offending offal.

Glynnie phoned. He never changes.Andrew is 19 today. We sent him a fiver. Saw part 2 of 'Masada'.

Bed at 11 with no qualms about tomorrow.

-=-

20230213

Monday February 14, 1983

 Valentine's Day

(Sickly Valentine slushy stuff)

We arrived home from our daily labours to discover a calamity. Ally had left a pack of lamb's liver on her desk at Chestnut House and subsequently our evening fayre was severely compromised. Fish and chips from over the road proved conciliatory. Ally knows that with fish and chips I am easily appeased. No need to go to ACAS. We watched the news and Peter O'Toole in something called 'Masada'. A good old Roman epic. Ally disappeared to bed at 9:20 and I went up to join her after a few more crucifixions.

Her Majesty has gone off to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, USA, &c. Some of our Caribbean friends, it seems, would like independence from the Crown, but the sight of the flag waving natives doesn't seem to verify this.

-=-

Sunday February 13, 1983

 Quinquagesima.  New Moon.

We woke up at 8:30 to the sound of a full blooded party going on. Lynn and Dave went off home. The queue for bacon sandwiches looked like something from the Warsaw Ghetto. All the overnight guests seemed to leave in a hurry. Poor Auntie Mabel had slept in an armchair and Mum had shared a bed with the pregnant Karen. Mum and Dad looked after the babies and we head to the Crown for lunch with Jim and Margaret. John and Janette followed but sat in the other bar. The chicken was greasy and cold. We signed Mum's visitors book at 3 and departed for Bradford - all listless and sombre. We left Mum and Dad by a roaring fire. As soon as we were in it was straight to bed.

-=-

Saturday February 12, 1983

 Up with the larks and inspect the snow-capped Pen-y-ghent from the kitchen window. Bacon and eggs in the kitchen full of overall clad workmen and tottering babies. Christopher and Frances look so like twins. 'Where are the stairs?' asked Franny. 

Afterwards Ally, Lynn, Frances, Sue, Pete, Christopher and I went for a walk into the village. We peered over the bridge and debated whether we were looking down at the River Ribble. Dad told me it was the Cam. One I've never heard of. We bought jelly babies (male ones, because you get more) and a couple of bottles of lemonade from the village store and walked back to Waltergarth. I am so happy that Mum and Dad have found the right place.

John and Janette climbed out of bed at 12 and we walked down to the Crown for drinkies. Ally told them of our forthcoming interview next Wednesday. Lynn and Dave didn't join us. He was sorting out the chimney so that we can have a fire in the grate tonight. We sat by the fire, in Wellington boots, and the usual raucous banter ensued in the way it always does when Susie is present. Back to the house at 3.

Mabel, Marlene, Frank [bearded], Mark and Debbie arrived. Auntie took me on one side and asked who the mysterious young lady is. I told her she's John's girlfriend. I just got a look. Jim, Margaret, Hilda, Tony, Karen, Steve, Tim, Jill, Diane, and Paul arrived. Waltergarth is the ideal sort of house for a party. The sort of place Ayckbourn could stage one of his farces in. We drifted around the rooms in varying degrees of intoxication and some bright spark suggested going off to the pub - the Crown - and so we all went down the village on shifts, because of the numerous babies. Ally did something odd with her neck during the siege of the bridge as we ran to the pub, and she stood by the fire with a crème de menthe looking pained. It's hard to write an account of an event when one has blurred recollections of the events which took place. I remember talking to Marlene. The rest is a blur. I accidentally bit Ally's finger whilst nibbling her sandwich, and evicted the snoozing Janette from a bed to put Ally therein.

-=-


Friday February 11, 1983

 The ususal sort of day one would expect to have at the YP. Kathleen didn't mention my proposed redundancy but I take that to mean she doesn't want to throw Sarah into a trauma.

Phoned Ally. We are excited about the Horton weekend. Home, in daylight, at 5. We had a baked potato. I burned my mouth. Saw Pavarotti on 'Nationwide'.

John and Miss Drysdale came at 8 and we drove to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Janette doesn't feel well and blames the damp flat. They wake up dripping wet in the mornings. We're at Waltergarth for 9 and have a guided tour. The place isn't as dilapidated as I was expecting. Mum and Dad are thrilled and beaming about everything. The others are assembled. Lynn has a haircut like Ally's. Baby Katie bigger. Sue thriving and on good form. We had bowls of stew and light refreshment and pile in the sitting room (formerly a bedroom) with a 30s tiled fireplace. We were all tired and far from the riotous crowd of yesteryear. Janette looked far from well. We talked with Mum, Dad and John about double glazing the whole house. Everest want £10,000. A disgrace.

-=-

Saturday May 19, 1984

A warm, gentle day. Ally and I took off to town with Samuel at 1pm. We didn't take the pram and I carried baby for two hours, by the end...