Monday May 30, 1983

 Bank Holiday in UK & USA

A filthy wet day. We lay in bed late and ate mounds of scrambled eggs when we eventually got up. Ally has spots on her arm and accuses the tiny occupants of the mattress of biting her. I think it's just a rash. We have over indulged on eggs lately and we are reminded that Frank insists that eggs give him a rash. Perhaps it's hereditary. Ally found a suitcase full of baggy, frilly clothes which she thinks will make suitable maternity wear, only if shorter. I took up a needle and thread and took a good 6 inches off everything in sight. A proper little David Emanuel. Two more Erroll Flynn films gave Ally hours of pleasure. The Elizabeth and Essex epic quite ghastly, followed by General Custer, or was it 'They Died with their Boots On'? We almost died with our boots off. Cheese omelette for tea. Just to keep our egg quota up. Then, yet another film The Goodbye Girl starring Richard Dreyfuss, which was good. Up to bed where we shivered beneath the quilt. Ally squealing at my cold extremities which happened to collide with hers ... our feet that is. I think we can say that a baby boy is to be Samuel. Joshua is now off the list for some reason, and Samuel is a family name after all. I have a cousin Sam incarcerated in the confines of a Carlisle hospital. Poor Sam. _______.

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Sunday May 29, 1983

 Trinity Sunday

Horrible bank holiday weather. A day of inactivity and quiet domesticity. It's hard to write vast amounts about doing nothing. All my powers of elaboration and embroidery are going to have to be called upon. Ally sat knitting her tiny lemon creations. It's hard to believe we are going to become parents. Exhilarating to say the least. We dined on bits of fish in plastic bags and swamped in sauce. Ally is eating better but still pulls a face at the mention of Yorkshire puddings and pink roast beef. We were preparing for a quiet evening in front of the TV when Karen and Steve came marching in to disturb the tranquility but still it was good to see them. Karen is large and expects her offspring to come at the August bank holiday. We told them of our interviews and Steve filled us in on the details of a recent car auction. Watched a documentary by Ludovic Kennedy on the Queen's first 30 years as a backdrop to our conversation. No doubt the BBC will show it again for the Golden Jubilee in 2002. They went off to see Jill and Tim at the Royal and then Bessie phoned. She is pleased to hear of our interviews which surprised Ally. She didn't think her Mum would approve of pubs and babies.

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Saturday May 28, 1983

 The smell in the kitchen is worse. Ally set about and gave everything a wash down. Dull day, overcast and cold. We decide not to go to Guiseley to see John and the children. He may prefer to spend some time with them alone. It's not often he gets the chance. I went out for another self certification form for Ally. Later, watched Dame Wendy Hiller in 'Pygmalion' followed by Erroll Flynn's 'Robin Hood'. We always giggle about Erroll Flynn. I think you know why. Ally has no vast appetite. Toast. I made an egg custard tart during 'Pygmalion', a simple operation to be sure. 'Where Eagles Dare' came on and we did nothing to stop it. It's a regular Bank Holiday feature film but we always forget the ending. Sat feet up on cushions watching Richard Burton grappling on the top of a cable car. All good stuff. Val Doonican ... snore ... zzz ... snore. To bed with square eyes.

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Friday May 27, 1983

 Ally feels so much better today. No nausea. We lounged in bed until late. Janette phoned to say the children are coming from Scotland and that they will be at John's on Victoria Rd tomorrow evening if we want to see them. John's taking them to Horton-in-Ribblesdale on Sunday. We really should go. I went out and collected a self certification form for Ally but I made a mess of it and threw it away. By 2030 we'll be buried beneath 18 feet of rotting printed gobbledygook. Ally later sat knitting tiny lemon baby clothes. She already has a bag full from Bessie which we were told to keep for our progency. She was also watching a corny, old film starring someone called Andrée Melly, of whom I know nothing. Is she perhaps related to George? Ate steamed fish. Ally had an afternoon nap and ate with me at 5:30. Something smells funny in the kitchen and we know not what. Like a body beneath the concrete in the cellar. Repugnant. Watched a ghost story which was slow. Bars of chocolate. Cocoa. Bed after 10. Slept well for a change. We discuss the pub/baby thing. Can the two go hand in hand? We think so but what will the brewery think? Let us see.

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Thursday May 26, 1983

Ally: spectacular

 Ally fought off the vomit for the day and off we went by bus and train to Tadcaster and Samuel Smith's brewery. We waited for ages in a clammy waiting room and were seen by a 17 year-old Mr O'Brien, an area manager. We seemed to please him, but it's hard to tell, and he sent us off to the pub until 3 when we returned to see another area manager who asked us to go away and not take up any offers from other breweries. Our ordeal was over. We have to go back and see a Mr Tyne, the managed house director. In the pub next to the brewery the landlord there says we've cracked it, but we refuse to enthuse. We have witnessed Mum and Dad build up hopes only to see them dashed. Ally was a brick and must have felt awful, but she didn't show it. She looked spectacular in a white jacket (bought on Tuesday) and the blue dress she bought for Dave Reed's nuptials last August. A hot and slow journey home from Tadcaster and we fell through the door sweaty and wilting at 7pm. Ally took to her bed and I had fish and chips and watched the FA Cup replay. Manchester United beat Brighton 4-0. Watched the election stuff and retired to bed feeling confident that Sam Smith's will make us an offer. Can we accept knowing what we now know?

Ally: May 26th

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Wednesday May, 25, 1983

 Ally's sick worsens. She can keep nothing down and is a wreck. I feel quite helpless and can only stand by and she grovels around in the bathroom. I have never known Ally to be off her food and my appetite has come out in sympathy. She stayed upstairs for much of the day. Mum phoned to discuss Dad's 50th birthday party in January. I was gripped with excitement. If only they knew of the little bundle we will be presenting them with at Epiphany. Mum chatted for half an hour and was in good spirits. They had a good week at Horton and wished us the best of luck for tomorrow. Whilst we talked Ally was being sick upstairs and there I was saying 'Oh yes, Ally is very well'. Throbbing headache continues. Most odd. I suppose it's the pressure. A night tossing and turning like some guilt ridden character in Shakespeare.

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Tuesday May 24, 1983

Ally: Thatcherish

 Ally still very sick and horrid. I pace silently around the house. I went out to the shops to buy a newspaper and called at the doctor to collect a self certification form only to find the place locked and bolted. One could be dying. A drab day. 

The general election news is getting me down. It's a drawn conclusion that Mrs Thatcher will be returned to power and so all this fuss seems futile. Mrs Thatcher will be the longest serving prime minister this century. 

Sarah phoned and I had a chat with her and Eileen. It feels so good not having to go into the office.

I'm in no mood to write. Throbbing headache. Warm afternoon. Ally and I into town where she bought a white jacket costing £16. Smart. Very Thatcherish. The vomit held off and she wasn't really with it.

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Monday May 23, 1983

 Ally stayed at home today. I phoned Patricia and told her she wouldn't be in. We have a letter from Tetley's also asking us to attend an interview on Thursday. I phoned a Mr Drake and altered the appointment to Tuesday May 31. Ally stayed in bed until after 11.

(Gynaecological deletion)

It's odd that Bessie hasn't contacted us since Saturday. I know they were tied up at Windermere, but have since returned to Winchester, and I expected some contact this evening. Ally is their only daughter after all. Such odd behaviour. These Dixons are a cool lot.

We watched the general election stuff on the TV and Ally returned to bed after the nine o'clock news. The Queen has gone to Sweden. The Waleses are going to Canada from June 14 to July 1, and will be away for Prince William's birthday. He's too young to know.

I watched a Raquel Welch film and joined Ally at 11:20. I was far from sleepy and passed a restless night listening to Ally grinding her teeth. She does this often.

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Sunday May 22, 1983

 Whit Sunday

Puzzling about Auntie Hilda's birthday card to Ally. The wording on the front .... 'Just Wait ... Worry settles nothing ...Just Wait for things to mend ...Fret not over problems ... Life solves them in the end'. It's not the sort of thing she'd do in fun. Only Dave L would do something like that, but he seems to have stopped.

We didn't get up until after 10. Ally feeling sick and so I gave her biscuits and milk. A glass of milk first thing on a morning prevents morning sickness, so says Miriam Stoppard. We had scrambled eggs and toast afterwards.

At 4:30 Lynn, Dave and the girls were here quite unsuspecting. Frances, in pink trousers and woolly cardigan was in a naughty mood and was smacked. Katie, fat and red, is a miniature of Lynn. They gave Ally a Hessian waistcoat. She didn't move until bedtime. Watched a JB Priestley play and read Brideshead.

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Saturday May 21, 1983

 Alison Mary's 25th anniversary today. A peaceful, happy and contented day. Ally opened her presents and birthday cards in bed. Mum has sent her a fiver and Bessie £10. John and Janette had left her a box of chocolates, and I handed over my little bundle of gifts. She especially liked the baby book and sat reading about diet in pregnancy and morning sickness, &c. We work out on a chart that the baby is due at Epiphany as we surmised. Mum and Dad phoned with a singing telegram, and so did Lynn and Frances later. Lynn says Frances has been singing 'happy birthday to you' all day.

We had eggs and bacon and went into town at 12:30 where we went, unashamedly, into Mothercare to inspect cots and prams. To the Berni Inn at 2 for rump steak and all for £11.88 - very reasonable. We then went to the market and returned home at 4:30. Ally was done in and took to her bed for a couple of hours. I sat reading about babies. I intend to become a very good amateur gynaecologist. The evening brightened up and I sat quite alone outside admiring Miss Whincup's geraniums. She had me over to mend the flex on her kettle yesterday afternoon, and I did it too. Ally was back downstairs at 8 and we had coffee. She's had a quiet birthday but a joyful one. It's the first such anniversary we haven't celebrated with an orgy since she moved back to Yorkshire four years ago.

Watched 'Dynasty', and Ally went back to bed with profuse apologies. I watched a dismal film and went up at 1. (Bessie phoned at 11pm from Windermere, where they are staying with Barbara and Frank Makin, and I roused Ally to speak to her. They were in a jolly mood. Ally told her Mum our news and they were delighted. Frank sounded thrilled. Squeals of delight down the phone.

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Friday May 20, 1983

 Up at 6:44. Ally has back ache and sits with a poached egg looking pained. What are we going to do about bloody pubs? We have an interview with Sam Smiths at Tadcaster next Thursday. I phoned them to confirm we can attend and contacted a few estate agents for leaflets for small shops in the N Yorks area. We shall have to see.

Sue and Pete came at 5:30 with Christopher - a little peril who insisted on demolishing the bookcase. Sue has had a perm and looks well. We itch to say something but don't. Drank lager and wine. They left at 8. On arriving home Sue phoned to say John Sumpton was killed on his motorbike at the end of West End Terrace this evening. Peter had been out with him and the usual Thursday mob last night. I put the phone down and burst into tears. I knew him quite well too, but hadn't seen him since September last.

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