Sunday May 8, 1983

 Rogation Sunday

Mother's Day in USA and Canada

A long lie in. A slight hangover but this is only to be expected. Up at noon for toast and tea. We disposed of the washing up from last night and ate the leftovers at lunch. A bowl of ratatouille with cauliflower cheese and mushrooms all covered in the steak and pepper gravy. Delicious. We watched a Bob Hope film and a few of his stupid cracks raised a smile from Ally. At 5 we watched a programme on the royal family narrated by Ronald Allison. He interviewed the Duke of Gloucester whom I haven't heard speak before. The poor man looks very much like the Buccleuch family, but sounds sane anyway.

Bessie phoned at 3:30. Frank is on a 17-mile sponsored walk at Newbury raising money for eye operations in India. Trevor Lynn, Gill's brother, and Teri , are to be married by Mr Lynn at Kings Worthy. Andrew is still courting Lorraine. Ally, wearing striped dungarees and one of my shirts, dosen't say anything about her possible condition. No need to create panic at this stage.

(to be continued)

Saturday May 7, 1983

 I was awake early and could not go back to sleep. I was reading Alexandre Dumas before 8am. At nine I climbed out and left Ally a note and went out to buy bread rolls and a newspaper. A dark, wet and grotty day. It pelted with rain this afternoon and is about as much like a May day as Michael Foot is like the leader of a political party. We worked in the kitchen preparing dinner from 9:30. Furious activity cooking and cleaning. _____________. The food emerged splendidly and the only mishap was when I accidentally kicked a two litre bottle of lemonade down the cellar steps. The incident resembled the sinking of the Titanic. Ally looked sexy and slinky in her long purple frock, three years old but good. We sat with elderberry wine waiting for the dinner guests, and toast Ally's tummy.

MM drove Marita and Dave L here for 8:30. We dined at 9, and amazingly we were still sitting at the table at 1am. We dined on tomato and orange soup, seafood pancakes, and silverside beef cooked in wine with black peppercorns, &c. Profiteroles with chocolate rum sauce, cheeses, coffee, two bottles of white wine, one bottle of red, and two carafes of home made red. Sumptuous, impressive and a delight. Dave had eaten a salad before he came not expecting such a repast, but managed to keep up with us all the same. Discussed religion, reincarnation, ghosts, and Princess Anne, and in HRH's defence I say her unpopularity is media manufactured, &c. Marita, who is into ghosts in a big way, told us she has a photograph of her great-grandmother which is haunted and speaks to her. The face, Victorian, changes with various moods. She can tell how great-grandma is feeling by looking at the framed photo each morning. MM cannot take it seriously and thinks it's a joke. I can believe anything. 

David is godfather tomorrow to Helen Orchard, daughter of Mick, and he laughs because he is a non-believer, and yet people clamour to ask him to stand as godfather to their children. We looked at photo albums and they left at 2am. A very enjoyable night.

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Friday May 6, 1983

 A wet start, muggy later, and sunshine at the end. Ally once again had her eggs in bed and I read aloud excerpts of news from the Daily Telegraph. A suit of armour worn by Henri II, King of France, has sold for £1,750,000. The local elections have proved nothing and yet they continue to say that the PM will go to the country in June. The big noises are gathering at Chequers on Sunday supposedly to discuss the details. I wouldn't advise an election before October, or next year.

Ally slept until 11 and I made pancakes for the seafood pancakes for tomorrow's dinner party. We later went to town to buy the food and I was very worried about Ally who looked deathly pale, so much so that I thought she might faint. We went into the cool of the fish market to buy prawns and the smell brought her round. The suspense continues. We spent a fortune on food and I carried it all back on a hot bus at 3:30. I phoned MM to make sure they are coming. He was just washing emulsion paint out of his hair and was in a state of confusion. They are bringing Dave L with them so that the lad can indulge in alcoholic beverages. We dined at 5:30 and Ally threw a ratatouille together (for tomorrow) and the delicious smell drove me wild. Drooling at the mouth. As I write Ally has gathered all the house plants together to water and the kitchen resembles the Guatemalan jungle.

We have been talking about christian names again. Foolish of us at this early stage but it cannot be helped. Ally likes Samuel. Of course I have a cousin, Samuel, in close confinement in a Carlisle institution.

We watched TV and went off to bed after part 4 of a slow thriller which has dragged on for three episodes too many. Watched 'Death of An Expert Witness'. I phoned Peter who was watching TV in solitary. Christopher's hernia operation went off well and the boy was up and playing on the ward this evening though bruised and with stitches. The hernia was bigger than expected.

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Thursday May 5, 1983

 Ally phoned Patricia and had breakfast in bed.  We went down to the school to vote in the local elections. The Conservative lady got my cross. Hand in hand we went to post our quarterly rates bill (£19.87) and then decided to go to Guiseley to see Lynn and Dave and the Baker sisters. Over to Thorpefields for 1pm and spent five hours with Lynn and the delightful girls. Frances, David's double, was a little shy at first (she had just got out of bed) but chatted away in a broad Yorkshire accent. Katie smiles beautifully and doesn't seem to object to Frances who jostles her with great vigour. She (Katie) drank from a bottle for the first time, and didn't enthuse about the experience. We left at 6 and at the end of Thorpe Lane instead of turning towards Bradford we went to Menston for a T-bone steak at the Fox, a Beefeater restaurant. Ally had a well-done steak just to be on the safe side because rare meat can damage a foetus - if any. Prawn cocktails, steaks, ice-cream, cheese, &c. All for £15. However, I dislodged a filling. The waitress was so revoltingly humble I was almost sick. We got a bus from there and was home for 9:30. Watched the beginning of News at 10 but nodded off. To bed with water. Restless sleep.

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Wednesday May 4, 1983

 Ally stayed in bed until lunchtime with Wilkie Collins not daring to move. Steve O'Connor went up onto the roof throwing the stones down upon the daffodils. Ally emerged at lunchtime and we had tomato soup (again) and sandwiches. We sat looking at our finances this afternoon and drinking oceans of tea. When should she see a doctor? We are quite ignorant on this topic. It's like living in a goldfish bowl with the roofing chaps peering in on us. Eventually Ally sat with her back to the window, booked pressed against her nose. I kept carrying pots of tea outside for the grateful roofers who had had a shandy over at the Second West. Thirsty work.

We debate about what to do for the remainder of the week. Should she phone Derek? Phoned Susan to wish her luck at hospital tomorrow. Christopher's operation takes place on Friday.

Coronation Street, Dallas and the news. I went to bed with The Three Musketeers. The night was warm and the bedrooom hot, like the hot house at Kew. 

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Tuesday May 3, 1983

 I was awakened at 5am by Ally who was in the bathroom threatening to faint. I went to assist. She was sick and wobbly and went back to bed. I phoned Patricia at the AHA and she wasn't convinced. These people never are. I have a cheque in the post to the value of £34 from my YP pension scheme. Ally got up at noon and sat with her feet up sipping tomato soup and pushing in tiny pieces of toast. Will I be a father in January? A pregnancy lasts 274-280 days. From April 7 this takes us through to January 6, 1984 - Epiphany.

Watched the lunchtime news on TV. An earthquake in California, but only one person killed. Watch this space. The quake of 1906 (or was it 1913?) must surely soon be repeated. Steve O'Connor's lackey came to say that the rain is preventing work on the roof, but by lunchtime the rain had stopped and we had a dry afternoon which is more than can be said for Steve O'Connor over in the Second West reminiscing with his friend George at the bar.

Ally sat with her book, a glass of milk, and Wilkie Collins. We watched TV. To bed after 'Minder'.

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Monday May 2, 1983

 A foul wet Monday. I was in the bath at 11 and Janette phoned Ally to say they are coming over. They came at 1:20.

Susan phoned. Christopher is having his operation on Friday. She left midst conversation because the boy fell over and impaled himself on the telephone stand. 

John and Janette are like Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. They make a very fiery couple. ________.She isn't 19 until August 3. We went to the Bod which was very rough and full of heavily tattooed Bradfordians with haircuts like Mohican tribesmen. We left hurriedly. To the Fire Brigade pub which was equally rough. We sat giggling ridiculously next to a couple of building labourers who had fallen asleep over their bottles of pils lager. And again it was hard to see flesh for all the tattoos. John told us, at Janette's prompting, of his affair with his nurse neighbour, Janet, who had taken away his bed sheets after a two night romp and never given them back. Janette says she may go home tomorrow, but adds with a smile, that she will return. John says it's been 'a long five days' referring to her arrival in Yorkshire on January 8. We came home at 11 and I bought fish and chips for us all. J & J left at 12 still in pouring rain. I presented the departing Janette with two daffodils __________.

I phoned Mum at 6:30. My first contact with them since April 20. Most odd.

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Sunday May 1, 1983

 4th Sunday after Easter

William and nanny.

Woke up at 10 to the sound of rain splashing. Toast and coffee. Lynn phoned just for a chat and says John is probably going to be made redundant in a couple of weeks. Sue is having a check up on Thursday _________. John and Janette were at Waltergarth yesterday, and she is blobbing today instead of selling caravans. Ally reading 'Cold Comfort Farm', which she finished and then began 'Moonstone', by Wilkie Collins.

Royal news: Watched the BBC and ITV coverage of the royal tour of New Zealand. Saw Prince William arriving at Gatwick with his nanny. The boy is always barefoot.

Roasted a chicken and the usual oddments and we ate at 7. An evening of continuing idleness. Watched 'Brideshead Revisited' on Channel 4 which was amusing. The drunk scenes are exceptional. Saw Glenda Jackson (a future Dame Glenda) and Walter Matthau in a romantic film which was good.

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Saturday April 30, 1983

 We stayed in bed until about 9:30 when we heard Steve O'Connor's ladder banging against the wall and then heard him up upon the roof. We breakfasted on eggs and bacon and lashings of coffee. I went out and bought a Daily Telegraph but it contained nothing of great worth. 

True: Spandau Ballet

Edward Heath is reported to be annoyed at being held up in the traffic in Westminster recently when a car carrying the Queen Mother caused a traffic jam and she received priority and because of it he missed a vote in the Commons chamber. The Express report that Heath has complained that MPs should have precedence over members of the royal family in the surrounds of the Palace of Westminster. Ted denies that he has said this, but then he would, wouldn't he?

Ally says what a beautiful evening we had last night. I had a trout and she a piece of veal in a mushroom sauce, but washed down with a wine not as good as the wine we 'brew'. The dinner cost a mere £13 and we came away happy and relaxed. 

We walked to town and bought food and the Spandau Ballet LP 'True'. Excellent. Later: Terry Wogan, 'Dynasty', and five minutes of the film 'Shaft'. Went to bed and found sleep almost immediately.

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Friday April 29, 1983

 Steve O'Connor was here for a few hours and then succumbed to the call of the Second West. I suppose he spent some time looking down on that establishment from the lofty heights of our roof. A temptation that would weaken even the most strong willed person. Later the fitters came from Kitchen Studios and replaced our sink - the third in six months. The enamel is now banished and replaced by a stainless steel sink which doesn't look bad and will not chip or scratch. I took down an old book, which I don't recall looking at previously, of the Plantagenet monarchs from Richard II. This era is all very vague to me and I am ashamed to say I cannot tell you which order the different Edwards and Henrys came. I am OK from Edward IV onwards.

Royal News: The royal tour of Australia ended today and the Prince and Princess of Wales have gone on to the Bahamas to holiday for 10 days with the Romseys, I suspect. It's been a triumph for the princess and the shyness and pink flushes have gone. Ally and I both agree that the princess will return to London pregnant, and another infant prince will be born by next February. On the subject of progency I do hope to give myself an heir shortly. You, dear reader, have waited very patiently for almost two years and I have said very little on the subject, but be assured we have been trying. The signs are that this is it.

We went out at 8 and dined at Mama Mia's Pizzeria on Manningham Lane.

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Thursday April 28, 1983

 Steve O'Connor and a man in a pom pom hat came at 7:30 and started stripping the roof and throwing the debris down onto the ground. I sat at my typewriter listening to the crashing. The weather was foul and they went over the road to the Second West for the afternoon leaving rolls of felt and a sweeping brush on the roof. Ally came home and looked at the roof in horror, but I was assured by Mr O'Connor that the rain will not come in. We went across to the Co-op and spent £12 on a few vital provisions. We ate funny pieces of fish in sauce out of plastic bags, and feel ashamed for this weakening for convenience foods, which are in fact most inconvenient. The plastic bags proved difficult to open and I showered parsley sauce all over the kitchen. 

I despatched a birthday card to Valley Rd Pudsey for Jill, who is 21 tomorrow. __________. I also sent John a list of family birthdays and anniversaries, because he always forgets them. In some respects John has a perfect memory. He can tell you the day that Rod Stewart's 'Maggie May' reached number one, and so why can he not remember the birthday of a niece?

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