1978 March/ April week 13

Sunday 27^th March

Got up at 10.00. It was raining. Phoned the café at 10.45.
They said they would ring me back if they decided to open
Got a call back at 1.30. Worked from 2.30 – 5.45.
Got home at 6.15.
Sam came round at 8.15.

Watched the Graduate & Love Story on TV

Bev phoned
I phoned ‘J’.
Martin was round her house so he took Sam home at 12.30 am.

Monday 28^th March

Got up at 10.30.
Phoned café but they didn’t need me although it got very busy in the afternoon
Everybody seems to be in a narky mood. I was in an ace mood when I got up but it has worn off now.
Went into Southport with Sam.
Went to the ‘Brick & Art Centre
He = in a funny mood, he was rude and horrid to me so I walked off & came home
Me = upset

Tuesday 29^th March

Got up at 12.00
Sam phoned at ½ 12.
He came round at 2 and we went into Southport.
Tried on loads of dresses all = silly
Bev phoned
‘J’ phoned
Sam came round at 7.00
Talked and played records
He left at 11.00

Wednesday 29^th March

Got up at 10.00. Bev phoned at 10.30, said we were working.
Got to work at 11.30 worked til 6.00
Got £9.00 wages for Fri, Sat & Sun.
Phoned Sam at 1.00pm amd 6.30.
Went to Formby at 7.45pm
Went to the Railway then Mike’.
Sam had his hair cut there = dead nice
Got to the station at 11.00, no ¼ past 11 train
Mam in a right nark as she doesn’t believe me

Thursday 30^th March

Party at our house

Got up at 10.30 ish
Tidied the whole of the house.

Sam round at 2.00 went shopping for food for the party ( I bet there were vol-u-vents with Chesswood creamed mushrooms, cheese & pineapples on stick & curled up sandwiches)

Everyone arrived at 8.00. About 25 came = plenty of booze.
Not a bad party
Martin = ill so ‘J’ was by herself
Brother got really drunk on his home brew (he was so ill he was sick out of his bedroom window and Sam managed to catch him by his legs before he fell out … mum was not amused! Nor was he next day when he had to get the ladders out toclean up the sick off the outside of the house hee hee )

Everyone left about 12.30 am.
Sam went home on my brothers bike hope he = ok (drunk in charge of a push bike)

Friday 31^st March

Got up at 9.30 to phone café but wasn’t needed. It is a wet horrible day.
Hoovered and cleaned up after last night.
Sam phoned and he came down at about 2.45 pm. He stayed until 4.45 pm
Mums friend from when she was a kid came round. She has not seen her for 4 years.
Bev phoned
Sam came round at 7.15.
‘J’ phoned Martin was round her house so he took Sam home at 10.50 (wow an early night)

Saturday 1^st April

Grand National

1^st Lucius 14-1

2^nd Sebastian V

3^rd Dunaroon

Red Rum not running cos of bruised fetlock. (Red Rum was obviously a favourite horse, Ginger McCain had his stables in Southport and I saw Red Rum a few times road walking and on the beach)

Put 20p each way on Cornish Princess 66-1

Went to town at 11.00 tried on dresses etc bought some leg warmers
Didn’t work weather = yuk
Met Sam at 7.00. Went to the Railway the Mike’s house

Sam goes on holiday tomorrow (sob) I will miss him when he is away (I bet Mum was delighted .....a week of peace!)

1978 March week 12

Sunday 19^th March
Got up at 12.15 pm coz the clocks went forward 1 hour last night (oh yes Spring forward, Fall back)

‘J’ phoned, she had a good time at Martin’s last night (!!!!!)
Bev & Sam phoned

Sam went to Silverstone, Northants today. He got covered in mud cos it was raining down there
Met him at 8.15 pm at the Railway, sat with his mates (& yes one of them that I married!)
Went back to Sam’s at 10.30 came home at 11.45 pm

Monday 20^th March

School
Got 16/20 for Geog test we did on Friday …. Came top. (WOW!!)
Looked at my English essay marks mostly A’s and B+’s (hey not bad girl)
Went to Maths tutors went over old maths papers
Sam came round at 6.45
We went to the indoor athletics meeting at our school
Bev = 2^nd in shot.
Sam went home at 10.15

Tuesday 21^st March (1^st day of Spring)
Pupils V Staff hockey match = freezing
Bev on ½ day
Sam came round at 6.45 & we went to Skelm (Skelmerdale) to take 2 Easter Eggs to my niece and nephew
We then went to the Scaracen’s Head & had prawn sandwiches
Sam went home at 11.00
Bev phoned at 11.05 she had been at a party at Tiffany’s

Wednesday 22^nd March

Break up for Easter (YIPEEEEEE!!)
Came home at ½ 12
Sam came round at 1.45pm
Made ginger biscuits = disaster to look at but tasted great
Jackie has finished with her boyfriend sort of til after Easter (huh??)
Sam came round at 7.10
Went to the ‘Brick
Had 3 games of pool & he beat me 3 times (darn it!!)
Came home at 10.00
Watched League Cup Final replay& Sam went home at 11.00pm

Liverpool 0 Notts Forest 1
Liverpool =1 goal disallowed (sob!) and Notts got a penalty

Thursday 23^rd March

Got up at 10.30.
Sam went to Oulton Park with Mark
Stayed in all day did Geog & Maths revision
Went to Sam’s at 8.30
Came home at 11.45 pm
Bev’s cat got run over so her 3 kittens are going to the RSPCA. Asked Mum if we could have them and she said no as Tina wouldn’t like it plus she had enough to do with us lot!! (Tina was our tabby cat who lived until she was 21)

Friday 24^th March

Start work at the café (again)
Worked from 10.00 – 6.00 pm
Weather freezing

‘J’, her sister and Martin came round to see me
Only 4 of us working there
Got home at 7.00
Sam came round at 9.00
He had been to Oulton Park with his Mum & Dad & then to Crosby to see his grandparents
He left at 11.05 pm
Phoned ‘J’

Saturday 25^th March

Went to work at 9.45.
At 11.00 I was told to go on the till at the Golden Inn =ok but boring.
Gardens Café shut cos of rain
Knocked off at 3 pm
Phoned Sam at 5.15
Went to the ABC to see ‘Rollercoaster’ = ACE 9/10
Afterwards we went to the ‘Brick
Came home at 11.15

1978 Interlude

As a break from the constant phone calls and pub crawls I thought I would surf for a few world events that occurred January to March 1978.

18^th January

The European Court of Human Rights finds the UK Government guilty of mistreating prisoners in Northern Ireland but not guilty of torture……..
It was an icy cold day frost everywhere. I went swimming.

23^rd January

My mates were drunk in Tiffany’s and I was counting Birthday cards meanwhile......
Sweden became the first nation to ban aerosol sprays because of the damage to the earth’s ozone layer. I had no idea about then about an 'ozone', I can’t even recall what deodorant I used then whether it was an aerosols or not. I know I used Mum roll on but that may have been later.

1^st February

My careers interview where comically my careers teacher suggested I become a journalist…oh and I played pool in the ‘Brick, whilst ........

Roman Polanski skipped bail and fled to France after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13 year old. I do remember this as I was a teen and thought ewwww how gross!

13^th February

Anna Ford makes her debut ...
whilst I washed my hair & had a bath and got on down to Exodus and I was unfaithful to Donny with David Cassidy

15^th February

When mass murderer Ted Bundy was captured
I was … yes playing pool in the Brick

21^st February

Some electrical workers in Mexico found the remains of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in the middle of Mexico city… absolutely fascinating stuff

In 70s world it has snowed a little, Bev had had a telling off by her mum about her diaries and Sam had been to London.

1^st March

.. oh yes I had been off school all week with ‘red ‘flu’ and went to a dsco whilst

Charlie Chaplin’s remains were being stolen from Cosier-sur-Vevey in Switzerland

14^th March.

Israeli forces invade Lebanon in Operation Litani.
I was sitting a Maths exam on equations & I let my drainys in.

17^th March

I was doing a German Oral exam and this has shocked me as it was the day that the Amoco Cadiz ran aground on the coast of Brittany (I do recall that event vividly) 5 days later it split in two and spilled 220,000 tonnes of crude oil. I went to Portsall 2 years ago where the anchor is, what a beautiful coastline... no so 31 years ago

1978 March week 11

Sunday 12^th March

Got up at 11.45am.
Tidied front room.
Had a bath & hair wash
Bev, Fi, ‘J’ & Sam phoned.
Fi = MC after the Yacht Club Disco & Bev = Craig G.
Sam came round at 7.15 pm. He’s got a swollen eye after being hit by a football.
He left at 11.00 pm

Monday 13^th March

Passport at the Hoffenbrau Hause
Bev had a fight with Jackie R it was really good.
Went to Maths tutor did Equations
Had a coughing fit it was so embarrassing
Bev, ‘J’ and Sam phoned.
Sam is going to the Hoffenbrau House (I think that should actually read Hofbrauhaus. The Hofbrauhaus was in Liverpool somewhere but I was not allowed to go but I guess you drank out of steins and it was all oompah stuff!!)

He is going to see some mates of his in a group called Passport (I can’t think for the life of me who the lead singer was but I remember him being a most gorgeous male who wore eyeliner! I put a search in for 'Passport band' and got this ..... I feel this is not them lol)

Sam got gripped by the rozzers last night for using his pass on the train (I guess you were only supposed to use it in college hours)

Bev had her Maths tutor (erm… I don’t think in ‘that’ respect)

Tuesday 14^th March

Had a Maths exam on Equations
Sam met me after school. He left at 5.45.
Bev, ‘J’ & Sam phoned.
‘J’ = worried about Martin as he was in a nark with her.
Bev = row with her Mum, she says she is going to leave home once she has done her exams
Washed my jeans & drainys

Wednesday 15^th March (3 months to the date)

Got separated from the class in German by some student for messing about.
Went to town at 3.00pm instead of going swimming I met Sam in the ‘Brick. Had a game of pool, he won as I potted the black in the wrong hole. (drat!)
Went to the dentist at 4.30. Had a little filling.
Me & Sam walked from the dentist to my house.
Went to a fashion show at the Prince of Wales Hotel with Mum & ‘J’ it was really great.

Sam phoned at 11.00 pm

Thursday 16^th March

½ day in school cos of teachers dispute – they want a 12% rise but are only getting 9% (was this part of the winter of discontent in Spring??)

Sam met me at 12.00pm.
Went to town at 1.30 pm.
Went to the ‘Brick and had 4 games of pool.
We went to the Art College to see ‘J’
Came home at 5.00pm
Bev & Sam phoned
Revised German oral work for exam tomorrow.
Got a letter off Corinna, answered it
Wrote Sam a letter

Friday 17^th March

Had my German Oral exam at 11.15 am
Got 5 ½ / 10 for passage & he said my conversation was good.
Sam phoned at 4.30 pm
He came round at 7.00
‘J’ phoned at 8.30pm
Martin was round at her house.
Sam left at 11.30 pm cos Martin took him home in his VW.
Had a good time (eek)

Saturday 18^th March

Got up at 11.00. Went to town on the 1.30 pm bus.
Met Sam in the ‘Brick.
‘J’ = job in the Coffee bean = £7.20 for 1 Saturday.
I start work at the Outdoor Café on Friday.
Bought ‘I love you’ Donna Summer (such a bad recording but the only one I could find!)

Sam came round at 7.00
Went to town at 7.45.
Went to the ‘Brick. Beat Sam 2 x out of 3 at pool (god I had had enough practice)
Next went to the Fox & Goose until 10.30.

We then walked down Lord Street and got last train home

League Cup final Liverpool 0 v Notts 0 replay Wednesday

1978 March week 10

Sunday 5^th March

Mother’s Day
(ah! Hence the daffodils, duster and cheque book cover)

Got up at 9.00 am.
Made Mam breakfast in bed cos it is Mother’s day (& I guess I had a few brownie points to earn back!)
Went back to bed & got up at 11.30.
Attempted some homework and failed.
Went to S’port at 7.00pm.
Me & Sam went to see ‘The Last Remake of Beau Geste’ It was not as good as it was made out to be.
(Marty Feldman was brilliant, one of the funniest films of his was ‘Young Frankinstein’. I remember ‘J’ & went to see it and we cried laughing through out … it was released in 1974)

This picture reminds me of someone in their younger years???

Went to the Dixie for about 10 minutes.
Got a lift home off Martin in his VW, ‘J’ was with him
Home at 11.00 pm

Monday 6^th March

Back to school
Darts concert at the Empire = didn’t go

Had Maths tutor. Did graphs.
Bev & Fi phoned.

Bev’s boyfriend had finished with her she was in tears.
Fi is off with ‘flu (I wonder where she got that from?)
Sam phoned (cor!)
Bev’s cat has had 2 kittens there maybe more. I wonder if Mum will let me have one?
Did French homework

Tuesday 7^th March

Bev had her Physics C.S.E practical then she went home.
Had a Maths test on graphs.
Got form back from the Tech saying I had an interview on 13/3/78 but I cancelled it thinking I was going to a fashion show but I ain’t (glad to see I had my priorities right!)
Met Sam
Went to ‘J’s house from 8-10.30

Kate Bush Wuthering Heights number 1

Wednesday 8^th March

Got up at 7.45 am.
Caught the 8.24 am train to Liverpool (how precise a time is that?)
Met Sam
Went to Lime Street Station & then we went to Wolverhampton.
Arrived there at 11.00 am.
Went to the Feathers pub for a drink and a game of darts
(sad as it may seem but I recall Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty playing on the jukebox)
Came home on the 3.12 pm train from Wolverhampton
We went to the Polytechnic there = rubbish (sorry Wolvo Poly!)
Washed my hair then went to the careers convention at our school
Phoned Sam had a bit of a barney with him but it is nothing serious (I hope) cos I love him

Thursday 9^th March

Sam met me out of school at 3.40 pm.
He stayed until 5.15
Bev, ‘J’ & Sam phoned.
Sam was outside the Railway pub with Stan and Mike.
He is phoning tomorrow at about 6.00 pm
We are supposed to be going to Formby footy club do but Sam wants to go the Midnight Lounge tomorrow.

Friday 10^th March

Had a practice German oral exam = ……. !
Took white jeans in they look ace. (I reckon flares were definitely out then!)
‘J’ called for me at 7.30 & we met Sam & Martin at 8.00 at the railway pub.
Wnt to Formby FC disco = no one there.
Went to the Bay Horse.
Then went back to the disco.
There was a fight as Sam’s mate had £12 robbed off him.
Sam went and stopped the fight (oh my hero!!!)
On the way home we got picked up by the pigs for speeding (I am typing what I see… what a horrid expression)
Martin took a breathalyzer = negative.
This rozzer said we were speeding doing 60 –65mph.
Martins speedo don’t work.
He will probably get a summons & £20 fine
Home at 11.30 pm.

(now the tale of the stop by the Police was quite amusing (I have checked this out with ‘J’). He went through some lights on red as there was no one around except a patrol car, it followed us up to ‘J’s house. Martin took the breath test and burst the bag. The police officer didn’t have any more bags so he called for a patrol car to bring one. Another patrol car turned up plus a ‘meat wagon’. We were actually waiting for the local plod to turn up on his bike as well… cos the village had one of those too. He did it again and burst that bag as well.. 3^rd time lucky for him and unlucky for the police as it was indeed negative. Thank god it wasn’t outside my house. ‘J’ said her parents witnessed it through the window and they were so cool they just thought it was funny. I doubt very much my Mum would have thought the same)

Saturday 11^th March

Got up at 11.00.
Phoned Bev & ‘J’
Sam has gone to Oulton Park to watch motor racing.
Went to Southport & to the ‘Brick
Also went into the Golden Inn to get me job back at the Outdoor café.
Sam phoned at 6.30 pm.
Met him at 7.30 & went to the Railway pub to meet some of his mates.
Went to some lads party.
Had a long discussion with Sam about our future together (god it has only been 3 months!!) as he is moving.
He says that if he is still going out with me then he will stay in Merseyside
I feel so mean.

1978 February/March week 9

Sunday 26^th Feb

I’ve got ‘red flu’ Stayed in bed all day (I doubt it was red ‘flu it was probably just ordinary flu but as it was in the press at that time … that is obviously what I had!)

Sam phoned he was feeling a bit groggy after last night.
He then phoned me at night (awwww he cares!)
Bev phoned.
I feel really ill.

Mum brought the black & white telly into my room = slightly ace. (well can you imagine what a treat that was then, all I had in my room at the time was a transistor radio and my record player. My teen feels hard done to as her remote control to her portable is broken and she has to get up to switch over channels)

‘J’ is in Cholomendy with her sister & Martin.

Monday 27^th Feb

Stayed off school. Feel a bit better I don’t ache as much as yesterday.
Tidied my bedroom (gosh I must be feeling better)
Sam phoned about 2.00 pm.
Bev, ‘J’ & Fi rang.
Fi is coming to see me tomorrow.
Phoned Sam he is phoning me tomorrow.
Got a letter from Corinna.
‘J’ thinks she is in love with Martin (ooops its not only the ‘flu that is catching)

Tuesday 28^th Feb

Got up at 9.30 am.
Feel much better most of the ‘flu’ has invaded my larynx.
Fi came round at lunch-time & she decided to skive off all afternoon (tut-tut)
Had a great laugh though
Sam phoned at 2.00 pm
Phoned ‘J’.
Bev phoned & so did Sam.
Phoned Bev & Fi (OMG was I never off that bloomin’ phone)
Abba still number 1

Wednesday 1^st March

St David’s Day
Got up at 11.30. Washed my hair.
Bev & Fi came round in the lunch hour & gave me the tickets for the disco tonight at Tiffany’s. (surely I wouldn’t be allowed to go!!)
Sam phoned.
Sam came round at 7.00pm.
Haven’t seen him for 3 days.
Went to the disco at Tiffany’s. (How on earth did I manage that one??)

Sam missed his train so he had to walk home, hope he is ok.
Fi got drunk (HA) (Now Fi was actually a good girl and this was very unusual for her)

Thursday 2^nd March

Went back to school. Got sent home at 1.00 pm as I felt ill again.
Sam came round after school.
Fi phoned.
Phoned Bev, Jackie & ‘J’
Had a MASSIVE row with Mum (can’t think what that would have been about? Much!!)
I am staying off tomorrow, hope I can go out tomorrow night (what a madam)

Friday 3^rd March

Off school again cos I’m not quite better.
Phoned the shoe shop and told them I wouldn’t be coming back in. They were ok about it. (nothing like giving them notice hey?)
Sam phoned & Bev came round at 4.00 pm.
Washed my hair & had a bath
Sam came round at 7.00.
Phoned ‘J’ both she and Martin came round at 8.30

Saturday 4^th March

Got up at 11.00pm.
Went to Southport at 2.00.
Met Sam at 2.45.
Bought hair clips & slides, a feather duster, cheque-book cover, tights and bunch of daffodils.

Went for a couple of games of pool at the ‘Brick
Sam and family called for me at 7.00pm to go for a meal at the ‘Little Gourmet’
Had gammon, chips and mushrooms. Had a great laugh.
After me & Sam went to the ‘Brick and the Fox & Goose.
Came back on the last train

1978 February week 8

Sunday 19^th Feb
Got up at 11.30. Did some homework (faint) (see I even realized then that I was shoddy at it)
Sam & Bev phoned.
Had a bath and washed my hair.
Bev phoned again.
Sam came round at 8.00 pm an hour late.
Stayed in and watched ‘Moulin Rouge’ all about Toulouse-Lautrec.

(it was most likely the 1952 film with Jose Ferrer. I know we did a lot of Lautrec copying during the 5th year & I did/do love the bohemian/burlesque images he created. The 3 below I certainly remember reproducing)

Sam’s dad wants to have a harsh talk with him about his future tomorrow. (It had to happen ... my goodness we were never away from each other)

He went home at 11.00

Monday 20^th Feb

PE teacher’s 23^rd birthday (OMG how young was he…. This was the dude in the Capri)
Back to skool
Got up at 8.30 am. (erm we started at 9… ?)
After skool went to ‘J’s house had a long natter.
Sam phoned but I wasn’t in so I phoned him back.
His parents had a long chat about his future, college and ME!! He couldn’t tell me much about it as his mum & dad were around so he will tell me tomorrow (nail biting wait!!)

Tuesday 21^st Feb

School as usual
It sort of snowed last night and it is still bitterly cold.
Thick snow down South (Cornwall& South Wales etc)
Bev phoned. She is in trouble with her mam again. It’s about her diaries this time (I wonder if she kept hers??)
Sam phoned from Lime Street station he has been to London today.
He then phoned me when he got home at 11.15 pm. He was a bit drunk.
He is meeting me at the baths tomorrow at 4.00 pm.

Abba is number 1 (wedgies on!!)

Wednesday 22^nd Feb

School disco in aid of Magpie Appeal (didn’t go)

(Slight interlude found this whilst I was surfing YouTube.... that song such memories of Tales from Europe, Saturday mornings and school holidays !)

Went the baths at 2.45.Sam came at 3.25.
We went to the ‘Brick’ until 5.00.
Sam told me about his discussion with his parents. He is getting a job if he doesn’t get into Wolverhampton & he must live at his gran’s.
Also that he must not do anything that he might regret later with me!! (obviously the don’t put her up the duff convo)

He phoned me at 8.40 pm

Did chapter summaries on Mayor of Casterbridge (NM I knew I didn't only watch the film :-) )

Thursday 23^rd Feb (10 weeks)

Sam met me out of school
He stayed ‘til six
Phoned ‘J’. She went to Nottingham yesterday to look at the college
Phoned Sam at 10.00
He is meeting me from school tomorrow
Had an argument with mum about him coming round tomorrow after school & at night (you bet we did and I am now that ‘mum’ and I would not put up with this!! I wonder if the parents had spoken???)
She said she would stop me going out with him altogether. Like hell she will
(awww bless Mum tried her best ….. oh god I am not as gentle as my Mum .. I guess I am in for a rough ride with my teen in a year or 2!!)

Friday 24^th Feb

Sam met me at 3.40 pm. Came back to my house
‘J’ phoned then I phoned her back ( I guess I was ‘busy’ exactly what my Mum assumed!!)
Sam came round at 7.10.
We went into town 8.10 bus (number 17) (wtf was this obsession … I am now noting the bus numbers)

Went to the ‘Brick’, then we walked along Lord Street (I can see it now 2 love lorn teens discussing parents were ganging up on them)

At 10.00 we got the train back to my house.
Sam left at 11.00 pm.
Watched a film called ‘Lost Continent’ = weird

Saturday 25^th Feb

This is written the morning after the night before

Worked 10.00 – 5.00
Sam met me for dinner
I bought a jumper(blue, pink & black) (sounds stunning .. not!) for £6.99
Also bought a card for Martin
Went to Martin’s party at 8.00
Sam was talking and flirting with this girl. I was so angry I wanted to bash her.
Sam says he is dead sorry for his behaviour. I forgive him, just about

1978 February week 7

Sunday 12^th Feb

Got up at 10.30.
Bev phoned.
I phoned Sam.
My brother took me down to Formby at 1.45 pm.
He had a look at Sam’s MG but the insurance was too much.

Watched football on the box.
Went for a walk from Formby to Freshfield = freezing temperature –5C. (No wonder the red squirrels hibernate)

Sam came round at 7.10 and stayed til 11 pm.
Watched ‘Mayor of Casterbridge’ ( I am sure to get my English Literature O’level at this rate)

Went to bed at 12.55 (12.55!!!!!!!oh yes it is ½ term)

Monday 13^th Feb

Got up at 10.25.
Washed my hair & had a bath.
Had just started ironing when Sam turned up at 1.00
Went shopping at 2.25 pm.
Sam gave me my Valentine’s Card = dead sweet

Went round to his house at 6.50.
Walked round Formby.
Watched ‘Hazell’
Borrowed 3 L.P.s, Exodus & 2 David Cassidy (I can’t believe what I have just read … David Cassidy. Oh Donny please forgive me, I am so sorry I have been unfaithful)

Came home at 11.30 pm.
Mum in a real paddy (little wonder strolling in at 11.30)
Phoned ‘J’

Tuesday 14^th Feb
Valentines Day

Got up at 9.25 am.
Did ironing (I reckon that is why Mum was in a paddy….. was supposed to this the day before)
Went into town on the 12 o’clock bus. Met Bev on the bus.
Met Sam, ‘J’ and Martin at 12.30 at the Monument.

We all trugged back to the Art College. Spent the whole afternoon there with Sam & ‘J’
Came home at 5.15 pm.
Sam came round at 7.10 pm.
He left at 11 o’clock to go to an all night drawing session (alright if you like that kind of thing) (actually it would be great fun)

Wednesday 15^th Feb
Got up at 10.00 am.
Sam came round at 12.30
Went to his house for dinner.
Listened to the radio & some records
Came home at 5.00pm.
Went to the ‘Brick’ with Bev
Played pool with 3 of Sams mates. (one of which I later married ... but that is another tale)
Sam phoned when I was out. He phoned back at 10.30 pm. He is in a bit a bad mood!

Thursday 16^th Feb
Got up at 10.25.
Washed my drainy cords.
Bev phoned.
Stayed in by myself this afternoon (that’ll be a first then)
Sam phoned twice. He apologized for being moody yesterday
Phoned Fi & Bev.
Met Sam at 6.40 went to Stans party = quite good
One of his mates fancies Bev but I am not going to do anything about it as I know what she is like (absolutely boy mad)

Friday 17^th Feb

Got up at 11.30. Washed my hair.
Fi, Bev & Sam phoned.
Went to the ‘Brick’ at 2.00. Played pool (well what a surprise)
Phoned ‘J’ when I got home, she has a migraine
Went to the Art Centre at 8.00 pm then we (Sam, me, ‘J’, Bill, Paula, Denise, Sheena, Grace, Chris and Sue) (who are all these people??) went for a Chinese meal at the Cathay Gardens.
Cost me and Sam £3.31 each (wow bargain)

I had soup, barbequed spare ribs, rice, sweet & sour pork, chicken etc & toffee apples and bananas = dead nice (yuk they make me want to be sick theses days)
Sam wore his suit. He looked dead sexy (I must confess do I like a man in a suit!!!)

Saturday 18^th Feb

John Travoltas Birthday

Work 10.00 – 5.00
Met Sam at Formby station at 6.45.
Went back to his house
Went to the Pinewoods pub then to a party in Freshfield
Had a sort of disagreement with Sam. He wouldn’t speak to me.
Me = upset. We’ve made up now thank god!

1978 February week 6

Sunday 5^th Feb
Got up at 11.45 am did absolutely nothing except make some oat biscuits (what I could cook??)
‘J’, Bev, Fi & Sam phoned. ( I have just remembered why folk almost always phoned me. My eldest brother paid the phone bill for mum, now he was earning good money. As a consequence he put a lock on it so I couldn't use it. It was a cream one like here aand the lock was put on number 1... what a meany)

Went to ‘J’s on the way to Tiffany’s. Stayed there until ½ 8.
Went to Tiffany’s.
Bev = pissed. She was crying over a lad. Fi = upset as her boyfriend chucked her and was seeing someone else and so on.

Who do they think I am Marg Proops?? (she used to give some good advice )
Sam was playing footy this afternoon = hurt his leg, thumb & toes (good grief what a miserable moaning lot today!!!)

Monday 6^th Feb
Think I am getting flu.
Bev phoned.
Sam phoned he was in the pub.

He has told Mike that we are getting engaged as a joke as he is always lying. Tomorrow it will all round the High School. This is just a plan to make Mike look stupid (ha!) (not very nice but this lad was the biggest fairy tale teller in 70s land… you could never believe what he said but he would say it with such conviction)

Auntie D came down from Croydon ( ermmm shouldn’t that be up??)
Did some homework (jumps back in amazement!) (yes I did!!!!)

Tuesday 7^th Jan
Went to Art college after school to meet Sam.
Got an application form for the Tech.
Sam in drawing until 4.30 pm then he went for a tutorial for an hour.

Got home at 6 o’clock.
Bev phoned. We decided to go the ‘Brick’
Met Sam. Had a good laugh.

Came home at ½ 9 did English essay on ‘Survival’ (it should have been titled ‘How to survive your O’levels when you are out all the time!’)

My brother’s girlfriend finished with him (awww! this was my younger bro not the meany eldest)

Wednesday 8^th Feb
Went to the baths at 2.45 pm.
Sam arrived at 3.00 pm.
Didn’t swim because of a cold.
Me & Sam stayed there until 5.30 came home about 6.00.

‘J’ phoned then she came round about 8.00 pm.
She left at 9.30 pm

Finished my ‘survival’ essay. Did 7 ½ sides (yes but how big was the writing?)
Sam phoned. He is meeting me tomorrow.

Thursday 9^th Feb 2 months

Had triple Art (oh heaven)
Teacher gace me 50 big sheets of paper (why??)

I am giving up Geology ( now I was taking Geology O’level as a 1 year course which I did in my lunch time…. I should have kept it up as I am fascinated by rocks, fossils etc … hey ho… I wonder if there is a night school going that does it ?? I know I am a geek)

Sending off my application for the Tech tomorrow (obviously a change of heart over catering college .. thank goodness)
Sam met me out of school. Stayed at our house until 6.00pm
Bev phoned.
Sam phoned from 7.40 – 8.30…. he said he loved me

Friday 10^th Feb

Last day at school before ½ term holiday (yippeeee!!)
Bev came round to my house after school.
Washed my hair. (I was wondering about my personal hygiene... seems to have taken a dive!!)
‘J’ phoned
I phoned Sam (I must have begged for the key)
Went to the ‘Art Centre’ at 7.30 pm, then we went to the El Tonel. Had a great time.

Had ½ bottle of wine then ½ a litre bottle. Everybody = a bit smashed (I am still no good with wine!!)
Me & Sam had a big discussion about each other. I think I love him too (oh no get a grip girl……….)

Saturday 11^th Feb
Got up at about 9. Phoned work and told them I was ill. Went back to bed until ¼ past 11.
Head = like a bullet.
Sam called for me at 1.30 pm.
Went to Southport (are you mad… you had phoned work to say you were ill)

Bought ‘19’ magazine.
Went to the ‘Brick’ had 1 game of pool
Weather = frosty 0 degree C but the sun is shining.

Went to Formby .
Went to the railway & had 1 martini.

Back to Nige’s.
Watched Mike Yarwood.
Sat listening to cassettes all night
Me = beggered after last night also feel ill.
Came home at 11.30 pm

1978 January/ February week 5

Sunday 29^th Jan

Got up at 12.00 pm.
Did English and Maths H/W
Bev phoned
Phoned Fi.

Sam phoned from Formby village. They have sold their house and they must be out by April. (his parents were moving to Staffordshire… oh no!!!!)
Went to Tiffany’s at 7.30.

Billy Butler off Radio Merseyside was there got a Billy Butler badge (wow!!)

(for those of you South of the Mersey or further a field Billy Butler is a leg end up here, later than 1978 he used to do a Sunday morning phone in programme called 'Hold your Plums' where the thickest of thick people would phone in. He would ask a question and they would say 'give us a clue Billy?' if they got the question right they would pull the arm of a one armed bandit and try to get 3 plums for a prize........ Pot 8 toes is a classic! It is a must hope the link works!)

Monday 30^th Jan

Had a careers talk this afternoon and I have decided to go to Colquitt Catering College in Liverpool (see what all those reports in the early 70s have done I wanted to be a professional domestic goddess!)

Served teas at school for 1^st years parents evening.

Watched ‘Hazell’ and ‘The Night they raided Minsky’s’
(so loved the Hazell series… must check out the box set)

Sam & Bev phoned
Sam is coming to meet me tomorrow after school

Tuesday 31^st Jan

Went to have a look round the High School 6^th form this morning = rubbish (now this was the all girls High School which wore green uniforms and I failed my 11+ & 12+ attempting to get in , although I didn’t want to go there)

It was freezing cold as it had snowed the night before.
Read Mayor of Casterbridge chapters 37 -43
Sam met me out of school & he came round here. Had a good time (I sure now know what that is a code for!!!!!)
He got 5.30 train back to Art College.
Met him at the ‘Brick’ at 8.00, had 2 games of pool.
Came home at 10.00 pm then went to ‘J’s until 10.45 pm. I left my scarf in the ‘Brick’

Wednesday 1^st Feb

Had my careers interview today at 11.15am. Mr. H. reckons (and you will split your sides over this one) I should go in for journalism (hee hee ) & I should take Economics, Geography and Sociology A’level.

Went swimming. Sam was there waiting for me, stayed there until 5.15.
Went to the ‘Brick’ and got my scarf back.

Sam phoned. We had a stupid argument but everything is ok now.

Thursday 2^nd Feb (7 weeks)

Went to Liverpool Polytechnic with Patricia (her dad had something to do with the college)
It was dead good.
Went round the graphics department, fashion and weaving etc.

Went to Kirklands for dinner. Had hot baked potato (well it wouldn’t be cold would it?) in chicken & mushroom sauce & a glass of cider.

(In the 80s I went to Liverpool Poly (not to do art malheureusement) and Kirklands was one of our favourite haunts, many a great night was had there. It was originally Kirkland's bakery building (35 Hardman Street, Liverpool 1), and in the 1980s became a wine bar apparently now it is called The Fly In The Loaf)

Came home at 13.45.
Met Bev out of school.
Bought Sam a Valentine’s card (the home made one must have been binned!)
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned me he was on the phone for about ½ hour.
Brother is in a right paddy = row with his girlfriend. (best keep out the way I feel)

Friday 3^rd Feb
Sam called for me at 6.15 pm got the train at 6.40 pm.
Went to the railway pub then to his house.
Don’t think he is very well as he is full of cold (obviously man ‘flu! but would not have realised that then!)
He went to Leeds Polytechnic today and said it was ok.

Saturday 4^th Feb

Worked 9.30 – 5.00

Sam met me for dinner at 1.15 pm.Bought a pair of leg warmers £1.99, a Woodstock wind up toy 99p(wow just looked on the web and someone is selling one for $5.00) & a highlighter for my hair. Sam was in a bad mood thought it was something I had done.

Met Fi & Bev after work in the ‘Brick’
Martin & ‘J’ came round to ours had a good laugh.

I asked Sam if he was a virgin before me = yes (OMG!!… I can’t believe I asked him that! & I can’t believe that he spoke the truth either!)

1978 School Report

So I reckoned this report was ‘OK’ ?? Would love to had seen a bad one to compare!!

English Language – G.C.E. Continuous assessment

English Literature – G.C.E. 26% 70s must tackle this subject in far greater depth (the thing is I enjoyed the subject and I DID understand it)

Mathematics – C.S.E. 67% an encouraging result – well done.

Geography – G.C.E. 46% a good result 70s must now consolidate her efforts

Biology – G.C.E. a satisfactory result (bloody marvellous result if you ask me… must be all the practical)

French – (gloom) 39% 70s must make a more determined effort (yak yak yak) although there is still a chance of success

German – C.S.E. 58% Like the curate’s egg - good in part (oh very funny) careful revision should ensure reasonable success

Art & Pottery – G.C.E V. Good. Has ability here (so where is the ‘A’ then?)

P.E. - Excused

Form tutor remarks- A good report (is she mad??) With attention to detail and thorough revision (not much hope on that front) 70s should do well (what no mention of French???)

Enclosed with the report we all got a letter from the Head Master. Now bearing in mind that we were the first year to complete full years 1 – 5 (as the school was only opened in 1973). So great things were hoped of us, I expect, as it would show how well the school had performed in those 5 years.

Now this letter I remember thinking… yes I have a Saturday job but I am doing ok. But isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing as I read my diaries I realize wow that is directed at me, I was one of those with attitude and sehr schlecht malaise (oops sorry APJ)

1978 January week 4

Sunday 22^nd Jan

Got up at 11.45 am with a huge hangover.
Did maths homework (well that will be a big fat ‘F then!)
Went to town with Bev at 3.35 pm
Sam phoned. He called for me at 8.00.
Went to Tiffany’s.
He told me he loved me again (oh double OMG!!)
Came home at 11.30 pm.

Monday 23^rd Jan

Got 3 cards today. One off Corinna & one off Auntie M.
Kate’s dad gave me his card it is about 3 foot x 2 foot. (gosh I remember it was the time when huge cutey cards were the in thing… the bigger the better. So glad we are now ‘less is more’)
Saw Sam on the train, he waved.
Bev & Fi at a party at Tiffany’s. Bev has just phoned me she is drunk (tut tut on a school night too!)
Sam phoned he is calling for me at 7.00 pm tomorrow

Tuesday 24^th Jan

Ace person’s 16^th birthday

La Fontana at 8.00 pm.

Got 19 cards today. Aren’t I popular!!! (eventually got 22)

Also got Bee Gees single ‘How Deep is your Love’ from Bev, lipgloss off Fi, talc & diary off Jackie (handy seeing as I have 2 on the go already) , a basket & Charlie perfume off ‘J’, £10.00 off Mum, £5 off Kate’s dad, £3.00 off my brother and my Auntie D.

Sam gave me a silver bracelet not the one I mentioned on Saturday as that did not fit .
It cost him £8.50. (hee hee can’t believe he told me how much it was)

The meal was ACE. We had orange juice, Sirloin steak, mushrooms etc. and fresh fruit salad. All together it came to £9.45.

Came home at 10.15 pm

Wednesday 25^th Jan

Had a fire drill during French (there is a god!!)

Went swimming and Sam came to see us
Went to El Cabala until 6.40 pm
Fi’s boyfriend finished with her today. I feel dead sorry for her.
Bev had her hair cut today.
Phoned ‘J’.
Sam phoned
He is meeting me from school tomorrow

Thursday 26^th Jan (6 weeks)

Party at Stan’s

Sam came to meet me out of school.
Called for ‘J’ at 7.30 pm.
Martin took us in his car to Stan’s at 7.45 pm

Party = good

Sam & I *%@^%$£

(Well you know …. we … well … we……………you know!! at least I waited until I was 16....)

Friday 27^th Jan

Got my school report = OK
Sam met me out of school I read his A’ level thesis, it was good. (like what did I know?? It was about Edward Hopper)

He left at 5.30 pm.
He came round again at 7.00 pm & we went to the ‘Brick’ with Bev.
Came back home and watched ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ (very educational but I bet I didn’t see that much of it!!!)

Sam missed the last train home so he had to walk home (about 6 miles)
Hope he is ok.
Watched a film called ‘Blue’ with Terence Stamp in it = good.

My brother came home from Algeria this evening (my brother during the 70s & 80s worked in nuclear power stations around the world, it was great as a teen as he would bring back fascinating gadgets and pressies home plus stories of his adventures)

Saturday 28^th Jan

Got up at 10.45 pm. Day off work
Phoned Sam.
He came round at 1.30 got the 2.10 bus into town.
Saw Bev & Fi in the ‘Brick’.
Bought a lumberjack shirt from ‘Stars’
Came home at 5.30 pm
Sam came round at 7.15 pm.
Went to ‘J’s at 7.45 pm
Martin came to ‘J’s at 8.15 pm
Had a great time. ‘J’ likes Martin quite a bit.

(I am slightly concerned not only by the alcohol consumption some 4 weeks into 1978, the fact I bought a lumberjack shirt & oh well 'you know what' !!! But more concerned about how the hell did I remember the time of everything and why was it so darned important??)

1978 January week 3

Sunday 15th Jan (one month to the date)

Got up at 9.00 am. Went to church.
Stayed in all afternoon.
‘J’ & Bev phoned.
Sam phoned. He was doing his homework (sucker) (well at least someone was!!)
Did English essay about Hijacking (ok I will let myself off there)
Had a bath and hair wash.
Sam came round at 7.30pm.
Went to Tiffany’s at 8.00 pm.
He wore brown cord drainees (obviously flares were out by then!), blue shirt & tie, brown ‘V’ neck jumper.
Got home at 11.10 pm. Phoned ‘J’

Monday 16th Jan
Got French result 39%.
Had a lecture off Geog teacher about working hard for our exams.
Me & Bev got separated in Biology for talking. (oh how history repeats itself.. my teen in Maths!)
Went to Maths tutor after school, did combined transformations (what???)
‘J’, Fi, Bev and Sam phoned.
I am phoning Sam tomorrow.
Finished English essay
Washed my hair

Tuesday 17th Jan
Returned slip of paper about my exams.
It snowed.
Went shopping for P.E. staff in games lesson. Got a lift up the road by a teacher in his Capri
Phoned Bev & Sam.
Sam said he saw me on the way to school from the train(how embarrassing)
Had a comprehension exam = hard. (no surprise really how could I comprehend anything as I had not gone to bed early in days!!)
Went to bed at 10.15 pm

Wednesday 18th Jan
The weather is icy cold frost is everywhere. Hated getting out of bed this morning (oh the days before central heating, just a coal fire downstairs. Frost on the inside of the window. Going to bed in a jumper, clothes damp if left on the floor..... actually, come to think about it I lived in some flats like that in my 20s)
Went swimming = good.
Saw Sam when I was on the bus, leaned out of the window & shouted to him (oh how common!!)
Went to meet him at Art College. Went to El Cabala for a coffee.
He phoned me about 9.25 pm for ½ hour.
Bev phoned
Had a bath and hair wash

Thursday 19th Jan (5 weeks)
Medical 9.45 am
It snowed heavily (yippee)
Had medical = dead embarrassing had to take my bra off (gulp!!!) (I wonder what examination that was at such an age???? The nanny state we live in now I would be asking questions?)
Fell over in the corridor & cut my hand. (must have been the shock of the medical!!)
Bev, Fi, ‘J’ & Sam phoned.
Sam is meeting me out of school tomorrow
Made him a Valentines Card (but it is only January?)

Friday 20th Jan
Boring day at school.
Had triple German & double French (yuk!)
Had films on equatorial lowlands in Geography (yawn)
Sam met me out of school. Both he and Bev came round for a coffee.
Phoned ‘J’. Martin phoned her yesterday (yippee!!)
Sam came round at 7.15 and stayed until 11.00. Had a good time.
Bev phoned.

Saturday 21st Jan
Bill’s 18th Party
German teachers 31st birthday
Worked 10.00 – 5.00 pm.
Sam met me for dinner. Bought Bill a card.
Bought myself a Snoopy book.
Went to Bill’s party at 8.00 pm.
Me, ‘J’ and Bill’s sister got a bit drunk.
Sam made me walk it off as I felt sick.
He gave me my pressy, a silver bracelet with a little padlock on it.
He told me he loved me (OMG!!! after 5 weeks?)
He is taking me to the La Fontana (restaurant)

1978 January week 2

Sunday 8th Jan
Got up at 11.00 am.
Did O’level Maths paper for tutor tomorrow also wrote an English essay.
Went to the Scarisbrick and met ‘J’.
Walked round Lord Street.
Got home at 11.15 pm

Monday 9th Jan
The start of another boring week.
Got Geography result 46% passed by 11% (scraped through in my book)
Went to maths tutor got 34% for Maths exam I did yesterday (Oh my in deep poop!)
Bev phoned
Sam phoned from Formby on his way to the Railway Pub.
He went to Liverpool today to do his A'level thesis. He also bought another pair of grey drainees.
Phoned ‘J’

Tuesday 10th Jan
School!!! Need I say more.
Bev phoned, she maybe getting a boutique (Bev’s parents were way rich, swimming pool in the back garden and all that!)
Sam phoned. I am going to meet him after school tomorrow.
Got a letter from Corinna. She is quite pretty (Corinna was a pen pal in Germany fixed up through school, I wonder where she is now??)
Did French homework.
Watched ‘Third Echo’ until 12.15 am (I have no hope have I??)

Wednesday 11th Jan
School (well of course)
There was a sponsored walk around the field to raise money for a mini bus (woh how exciting!!!!)
I made teas for the staff. Got home at 3.15 pm.
Went to see Sam at Art College.
Went to the El Cabala with him and ‘J’.
He phoned me about 8.15 pm.
Had a bath & hair wash.
Bev phoned. She is going to see a pantomime with Fi cos a lad from school she fancies is in it.

Thursday 12th Jan
Got English Literature result = 26% (GULP!!) (yes you may well gulp… that is dreadful)
Jackie reckons she’s got a rumbling appendix (rumbling hypochondria more like!)
The weather is absolutely freezing about –5C. Wore drainees for school.
Bev phoned. She was doing her Physics project (I bet she hadn’t rang me for help there)
‘J’ phoned.
Sam phoned at 10.15, am going to his house tomorrow at 6.40 pm

Friday 13th Jan (oh dear!!)
Nothing drastic happened today even though it was Friday 13th.
Bev phoned at 6.15 pm. ‘J’ phoned at 6.00 pm
Caught the 6.40 pm train to Sam’s house.
Went to the Railway to meet some of his mates.
Got 11.00pm train home
Watched ‘A Rough Night in Jericho’ = OK

Bed 12.30 am

Saturday 14th Jan
Got up at 11.45 am
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned
He came round at 11.15 pm. We went to S’port. Got a pair of ‘Granny’ shoes for £8.99 for my birthday.
Came home to see footy results.

Went to town at 8.00 pm.
Went to the ‘ELTONEL’ wine bar = very good (this was one of the best places to go, eat and chill out , now the Glasshouse)
Met ‘J’ and Martin.
Had 2 bottles of wine between us (bet it was Hock or Piesporter!)
Saw Bev in the ‘Brick’
Lift home in Martin’s car. (mmmm I hope he hadn’t been drinking???)

1978 Happy New Year

Sunday 1^stJan

New Year ‘DO’ at Tiffany’s

Got up at 11.45 am (still obsessed with time I see).
My head is a bit heavy cos I was drinking ‘Scots Mac’ & Martini last night.

(now I have no idea what Scots Mac is/was so had to look it up on the t’internet…. "A blend of mature British Wine and Fine Malt Whisky" no wonder my head hurt. The link is quite amusing btw! I can’t imagine where I had been for New Years Eve to drink such a hideous thing!)

Bev and ‘J’ phoned.
Sam phoned about 4.30 & 5.00 pm (I have decided to call the ‘boy’ Sam as it would have been my choice of boys names if I had a son, seems as good a name as any).

Went to Tiffany’s. Called at ‘J’s first for a drink.
Bev was upset about some bloody lad again.

Tiffany’s was a nightclub that was at the end of the road from where I lived. It was originally a cinema I believe in the 50s, then it was a nightclub called the Moulin Rouge. Apparently in May 1967 Pink Floyd gigged there. Spookily that was the time we moved to the area from Liverpool.

In 1975 Tiffany’s opened.

During this diary this venue will be mentioned a lot. On a Sunday night it was the under 18’s disco (I can’t believe they had a night for under 18s the day before school). They didn’t sell
alcohol in that bar but they had an over 18s bit… so guess where me and my mates ended up?)

Monday 2^nd Jan

Got up at 11.00am.
Washed my hair & then ‘J’ came round. Took her dog for a walk round the cemetery. Sam phoned at 3.30 & 5.15 pm. Went to his house.
Train was late had to wait ½ hour. Went via Rick’s house cos we had to take some records back (obviously Sam was waiting for me at the station, oh the age before mobile phones he would have been there and no way of knowing were I was… how did we cope?)

Watched ‘The Two Ronnies’

Sam lent me 3 Snoopy books (awww!)

Terrible winds outside nearly got blown away on my way home.

Tuesday 3^rd Jan

Got up at 8.00 am.
Sam called for me at 9.00 am.
Went to Liverpool.

I bought a ‘blanket’ coat in the sales for £20.00 = ok. (£20.00 that was a heck of a lot of money then and oh how I remember that coat. I have surfed the t’internet for a similar image in vain…. Nothing can compare to the brown, beige, cream random pattern on this midi length hooded monstrosity but they were all the rage then)

We had our dinner in Solitaire.
Sam bought a sketch pad and a Paddington pencil for me.
I phoned Sam at 8.15 pm.
Bev and ‘J’ phoned.
Had a bath & washed my hair.

Watched Q7- Spike Milligan & ‘Scully’ they were great

Wednesday 4^th Jan

Back to skool.
Maffia Dance at the Midnight Lounge.
Met Sam at the F&G (Fox & Goose) at 8.00 pm. Went to the Midnight Lounge = quite good.

‘J’ dancing with Adam all night. Sam = a bit drunk.
Left about 12.00 am. Had to hide from this mate of Sam’s so he could not get a taxi with us (oh how tight is that?)

Skool is terrible Fi is off with flu.

Thursday 5^th Jan

3 weeks (that must mean the number of weeks with Sam)
Another boring day at skool.
Jackie went to the hospital about her back, she has to wear a corset too cos she has rhemetism? (just remember I type how I see it!!!)

Bev phoned
Sam phoned. He is going to the Dr. tomorrow cos he cannot breathe properly nor swallow.
Fi phoned. She maybe back at skool tomorrow.

Watched ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’ = quite good (one for you Frac!)
Did French & German homework (YUK!!!)

Friday 6^th Jan

Anthony R got battered by Terry B cos Anthony battered Terry’s brother in. Anthony came off worse.

Sam phoned at 3.50 but I wasn’t in.
I phoned him at 6.00pm.
He came round at 7.15 pm & went at 11.15pm.

Watched ‘Gangsters’ & listened to Stevie Wonder, Sex Pistols etc

Bev at Tiffany’s & Toby Inn
Sam did not go to the Dr’s (coward)
Fi is back at school.

Saturday 7^th Jan

Sunday School Chrimbo Party = OK

Went to town with Sam at 2.00 pm. Bought a ‘V’ neck brown jumper for £1.99 ½ at ‘LEX’ (those were the days of ½ pennies)

Went to El Cabala for a coffee. Saw Bev there.
Went to party at 4.00pm. Got home at 6.30.
Phoned ‘J’ and Bev.
Sam phoned at 6.40. He came round at half 7.
Got bus into town. Played pool at the ‘Brick’
Saw loads of mates from skool.
Had 2 Martinis came home at 11.00 pm

1977 December

In 1977 my best friend ‘J’ was already in her second foundation year at Art College. It was quite cool having an older mate at college as I got to do more mature stuff ….. namely partying, pubs & clubbing it.

I was never asked to show ID in any venue as a teen because I looked and acted older than my youthful years, thankfully that has reversed a bit now I am older and although I feel 40 something I have been told I don’t look or behave like a 40 something (lol).

I would call at the Art College after school (following a quick change out of uniform of course) to meet ‘J’ and grab a quick coffee or something to eat.

On this one occasion I noticed this boy looking at me from across the studio. ‘J’ introduced me to him and I thought little more about it after that.

In Novemeber‘J’ and I went to the Art College Do at the Midnight Lounge attached to the Southport Theatre.

It was a ‘Black & White’ do. It was really good fun and that night the ‘boy’ was there too.

On the 15th December we started dating.

What my Mum thought about this romance I can only now imagine being a parent of a teen. Her tactic was to let it be hoping, I suspect, it would fizzle out but it took 7 years for that to happen!!

For the purposes of this blog I will call him …….? Gosh I can’t think of a name that would suit him. I’ll let you know about what I decide in my next post.

So all the good intentions of keeping my head down and studying a hard for my O’levels went totally down hill. A whole brave new world opened up for me, like a kid in a sweet shop…….. I have scanned through the two 1978 diaries tonight (yes 2 diaries! Why? I have no idea) and I am amazed at the late hours I kept, the places I went to and the total lack of dedication I had in studying for my exams………… (oh how I have to keep this fixed in my head when my teen is doing her G.C.S.E.s!!!)

1977 Simply Perfect

As I entered 5th form life I was called in by my tutor … what had I done? I was racking my brains as to what misdemeanor I had been caught out doing. Just couldn’t think what, as we were only just back!!!

I stood in front of my form tutor, palms clamy and sweating.

Well blow me down she told me I had been made a Prefect and I would run the red team. I smiled (& almost laughed out hysterically due to the relief) and said thank you. But that was not all ……

'Also 70steen I need to ask you if you would care to be Deputy Head Girl too?’

I remember all things running through my head… like my mates taking the mickey, being called a geek, girly swot etc but on the other hand thinking of all the privileges it would bring……. the main one being no more out in the cold at break in the winter under the school building huddled behind a wall… the choice was made……

‘Oh yes please I would love to’

There was another accolade yet to come though. Despite me no longer being able to take part in sporting events I was voted by my House (Bowland) to be House Captain. That actually meant more to me than being Deputy Head Girl as I was voted in by my peers. I did have a bit of a dilemma though, Bowland House was blue and I was running the red team of Prefects. All in all it was pretty darned

October brought the first report. It was not as detailed as previous ones (but how could it be as we had only been back a matter of weeks) it simply had the subjects and three headings - Achievement, Effort & Behaviour categorized A –E
A = Excellent - E = cause for serious concern

So at the start of my O’level year

English Lang & Lit ~ B/B/B
Mathematics ~ B/B/B
Geography ~ A/B/A
Biology ~ B/B/B
German ~ B/B/B
French ~ C/C/C (no surprise there)
Art/Pottery ~ A/A/A
PE ~ excused
Form Tutor ~ A good report. 70steen must make more effort to improve her grades in French (I know you have been telling me this since I started)

1977 Other Employment

Once the outdoor café shut I was out of work for the season. I had to reapply for the shoe shop and oh no they had no vacancies!! I had heard that Floral Hall and Southport Theatre were advertising for staff so off I went.

I managed to get myself a job as an usherette.

I worked odd evenings during the week and weekends.

It was an amusing job to say the least. I was one of the gals with a tray of ice cream (hey my reputation as ice cream queen must have gone before me).

It was a time when Ken Dodd had a show on there with his Diddy Men and the cue to enter the theatre was after the first act Ken would start singing ‘we are the Diddy Men and we come from Knotty Ash’……

with that, us usherettes would cascade from the back of the theatre with our trays of ice cream tubs, lollies and choc ices.

Another show that was a regular there was ‘Mr & Mrs’ with Derek Batey. Where married couples would have to answer questions about their spouse to win a carriage clock or some other naff prize.

I met Derek back stage and was alarmed by his bright orange tan make up but I must say he was a really charming man who took time out to speak to us workers.

But the highlight, I must say, of my 3 months there was the wrestling. It was on a Wednesday or Thursday night and not many of the staff wanted to be usheretting there, so I said I would do it.

I was brought up watching the wrestling on TV on a Saturday … a recipe of the greats such as Big Daddy and shouting at the telly.... so I was really intrigued to see it for real. I found it was actually what you would see on telly and I would stand at the back, inside shouting!….. very dramatic with the acting pin downs, submissions and knock outs. The best, however, was the old ladies with their handbags rushing up to the ring shouting abuse (yes they did do this for real), I wouldn’t have missed it for the world as they got so enraged by the bad boys getting the better of the goodies. Such showmanship to behold!

The Big Daddy sideshow was a family affair with his daughter and family members selling the merchandise at the side of the ring.

I met Giant Haystacks one evening in a narrow corridor that ran at the back of the stage. He really was a HUGE giant of a man … to me as a 70steen he looked 7 foot tall and about that wide. I had to back up with my tray to let him pass.

I also met Jim Breaks who was a real gentleman

.

But the funniest was Rollerball Rocco who tried to chat me up. Thank goodness I was a teen with a modicum of commonsense and walked away!

I only left there as the shoe shop rang me to say they had a vacancy, which paid more plus I was not doing evenings. The pull of shoes was far greater than what a wrestler could ever offer in a leotard.

One Pink Paperclip seeks.........

One curvy pink paperclip seeks one red paperclip

for friendship and possible romance.
Must love having fun hanging around
A4 paper lined and plain but have a passion to
explore other paper dimensions
GSH
WLTM
blue, yellow, green or silver clips may not apply
I have found these to be so unreliable
own book essential :-)

Some profile shots taken earlier

"I want the signed oneredpaperclip book given away on fuelmyblog"

1977 Back to School

Well as sure as eggs is eggs September brings the inevitable return to school life.

I was now a 5^th year (year 11 in today’s speak) and in the final year of High School. Those years from starting in 1973, as a fresh faced 1^st year in a pristine bri nylon lemon coloured shirt buttoned up to the neck, neatly tied brown tie and regulation skirt had past so quickly (almost as fast as it has got me to here on this blog).

As have my teens' years now. She has a couple of years left at High School and I was amazed the other morning when she came down stairs ready for school. She looked as if she was off to be a stand in for Amy Winehouse (with out the tattoos as yet) not off to be educated in the National Curriculum. After a bit of a ‘to do’ the ‘look’ was toned down and off she went sulking.

I was telling this tale to ‘J’ a few nights after and she was in heaps of laughter and the word ‘hypocrite’ was mentioned. Hypocrite? What did she mean? Now I have no recollection of this but apparently I would be rolling up my skirt at the waist to make it shorter and applying mascara on the walk up to school!! Well a girl can’t go out without her mascara can she?

So it was now head down and full steam to my o’levels. No messing just hard graft.

I was launched into the world of Literature, The Mayor of Casterbridge and Twelfth Night. Obviously as a teen Shakespeare left me cold, that was until we started to dissect it and I understood what this guy was now on about.

Even better was when we went to the Bolton Octagon Theatre to watch a live performance of Twelfth Night. This was my first time in a theatre (that’s if you discount years of Pantomines (have I mentioned I saw Engelbert Humperdink in Panto at the London Palladium?) and the Sooty Show at the Tower Ballrooms, Blackpool!!).

The Octagon is a great theatre where the audience surrounds the stage. Live theatre is such a joy.

.

(it amused me that there is a note in the programme 'Cigarettes and tobacco used in productions are supplied from Rothmans of Pall Mall' ...)

Along with the Shakespeare came the dissecting of poetry.

Our ‘book’ was ‘This Day and Age’ an anthology of modern English poetry. I was introduced to Siefried Sassoon’s ‘At the Cenotaph’, ‘Case for the Miners’, Wilfred Owen ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ (one of my favourite poems still), contrasting Phillip Larkin’s ‘Toads’ to Robert Frost’s ‘Two Tramps in Mud Time’ and Stephen Spender’s Spanish Civil War poems ‘Ultima Ratio Regum’ & ‘Port Bou’ amongst so many more.

I could understand this well, so English Lit was going to be a doddle/easy peasy.

Not so my Maths….. I ended up with a private tutor!!!!!!!

1977 Silver Jubilee

Well I can’t ‘do’ 1977 without mentioning HM QE II’s Silver Jubilee, can I?

There is some stuff in my scrapbook that I collected at the time.

The year started off with a tad of embarrassment for Her Majesty when Princess Anne got booked for speeding. She was fined £40 for doing 96mph on the M1.

My memories of the festivities certainly are colourful because Mum bought a colour telly especially for the occasion. What a wonder that was. How different the world of TV looked. Didn’t you just love those old sets? No remote controls, we had to ask permission to switch over the channels and when the tube was going you would bash it on the top so the picture wouldn’t roll. It was always the case too when you ‘got the man out’ it would work perfectly!!!

So we had a colour telly and ITV decided to call a strike...... what no Rock Follies and racing from Sandown?? Thank goodness for the good old Beeb!

The Jubilee brought out the best in people, neighbours got together for street parties and there was bunting and flags everywhere you went. The sun shone and in my mind folk were happy.

The Queen did a tour of her United Kingdom through the summer and I went to see her in Liverpool and York. I had a nanosecond of fame as I was on News at 10 in the crowd at York as she shook the girls hand next to me.

Within the scrap book I have saved some adverts from the era.

Good old Max!!

But this is my favourite image of the Jubilee. It is my dear Grannie. She had a stroke in 1975 and was not very well at all but the home where she stayed certainly made sure that the residents enjoyed the Jubilee.

1977 July Report

This year has become somewhat out of sync …. Must get a diary to keep me in line!

So the second part of my 1977 school year report I have written on the front ‘This is my ACE report’ I must have been pleased when I got it !! (just a gentle reminder I was in the top class & big pressure to succeed)

Deputy Head ~ A good report at a crucial stage of her education. We hope 70steen will make every effort to uphold her good standard next year.

Form Tutor ~ A good report on the whole, with the exception of her English. (English!!!…. What happened to the slating off of my French speaking ability. I must surely be in trouble if I can’t even master my own language). 70steen must make a greater effort in this subject if she is to succeed next year.

English ~ (B/2) .. (wasn’t it an A/1 in February .. whoops!!) Exam – Lang 48%, Lit 48% (at least I was consistently bad!) 70steen’s marks do suggest that a thorough effort is going to be needed for success next year.

Mathematics~ (C/2) Exam 35% G.C.E 10^th /30 in class. Term result 55%.
70steen is capable of good work and I am sure that she will cope with the C.S.E. (so obviously not good enough to take the G.C.E. then!!!)

French ~ (B/2) 54% 8^th/28 in class
70steen usually works steadily and is beginning to take a more active part in class (yes she ground me down). However, (there is always an ‘however’ with this woman) she must work at acquiring a wider vocabulary and take more care over the checking of written material. (good advice for blog writing too lol)

German~ (B/2) Exam 59% 6^th/20 in class.
A good result. 70steen makes a good effort on the whole and can be satisfied with her progress

Geography~ (A/1) Exam 75% 1^st in class
An excellent result. 70steen has continued to produce work of the highest standard during the year (oh waytogo!!)

Biology ‘A set 1’~ (B/2) Exam 56% 7^th/27 in class.
70steen continues to make good progress in this subject

Art ~ (A+/1) Research Project A.
70steen is not only an able pupil, but during the whole of this year she has worked consistently hard and produced a great deal of very pleasing work. Throughout the course she has done well with her sketchbooks (waytogo times 2…. This is what made this report ACE I feel)

P.E. ~ 70steen has not done enough physical activity this term on which to comment (yep the back injury reared its ugly head again) but she has been helpful doing administrative jobs etc for the department (I am pleased to see my time wasn’t wasted, running errands for the staff is obviously more important than putting me in extra lessons where I was failing!)

Whilst sorting out my Mum’s loft a few weeks ago I came across a box and it had a few of my school creations in art … I was laughing so much at what gave me an A+!!

gross yellow paper!!

Bit of a Goth stage??

Now I know I didn't do this in school, this was done at home. I had an idea to do a simple book for small children and illustrate it.. the piece is dated June 1977 (obviously didn't go out much in 1977)

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin.

This is 'A STORY' about Anthony Ant

This is Anthony Ant do you like his hat?
One day Anthony goes to the Sweet Shop and there is something on the counter with his name on, can you guess what it is?

Yes that's right it is a Toffee

He leaves 2p and takes the toffee to his house in the tree.

Can you Open the door?

Lets see what is inside.

That night Anthony takes the toffee, carefully places it in a box and ties it up with a

Ribbon

Next morning he puts on his best hat as he has someone special to meet.

You.

(I don't think her arms are long enough to carry it !!............ yes ok time for my medication and bed lol )

1977 Top 20

As a slight interlude I thought I would have a look at what was in the charts in the UK exactly 30 years ago.

There is quite a scary revelation as those who are top of the charts today probably weren’t even born then. There are two charts now made up of ‘downloads’ and purchased hardcopy stuff plus the Indie, R’n’B, Dance, Rock etc charts .30 years ago it was just the top 20 7” singles (if there were more charts I don’t recall now but the Top 20 was all that mattered in my circle) and I am not sure whether 12 inch singles or cassettes were out then either.

I would play my records on a small record player, which was in a red case with cream trim.

Now it is all on iPods, MP3 players, mobile phones. I can’t remember when my teen last bought a CD it is all purchased on line direct to her PC. I recall when she got her first MP3 player a couple of years ago and the pressure I was under to set it up, synchronise media player etc ... gosh I had never even held an MP3 before never mind getting one all singing and dancing in a nanosecond!!

Anyhow here is the top 20 on 10^th September 1977

1. Elvis Presley ~ Way Down
2. Space ~ Magic Fly
3. Floaters ~Float On
4. Jean Michel Jarre ~Oxygen Part 4
5. Donna Summer ~ Deep Down Inside
6. Brotherhood of Man ~Angelo
7. Candi Staton ~ Nights on Broadway
8. David Soul ~ Silver Lady
9. Denise Williams ~ That is what Friends are for
10. Carly Simon ~ Nobody Does it Better
11. Rods ~ Do Anything You Want to Do
12. Showaddywaddy ~ You Got What it Takes
13. Rah Band ~ The Crunch
14. Thin Lizzy ~ Dancing in The Moonlight
15. The Steve Gibbons Band ~ Tulane
16. Meri Wilson ~ Telephone Man
17. Boomtown Rats ~ Looking After Number One
18. Rita Coolridge ~ We’re All Alone
19. Adverts ~Gary Gilmour’s Eyes
20. Mink de Ville ~ Spanish Stroll

This is todays chart The Official chart & Download chart
1 Sean Kingston ~ Beautiful Girls 1.Sean Kingston ~ Beautiful Girls
2 Plain White Ts ~ Hey there Delilah 2. Kayne West ~ Stronger
3 Kayne West ~ Stronger
3.Plain White Ts ~ Hey there Delilah
4 James Blunt ~ 1973
4. Robyn with Kleerup ~ with Every Heartbeat
5. Girls Aloud ~ No no no sexy 5. Rhianna ~ Shut up and Drive
6. Rhianna ~ Shut up and Drive
6. James Blunt ~ 1973
7. Robyn with Kleerup ~ with Every Heartbeat
7. 50 Cent/J Timberlake ~ Ayo Technology
8. 50 Cent/J Timberlake ~ Ayo Technology
8. Gym Class Heroes ~ Clothes Off
9. Scouting for Girls ~She’s so Lovely
9. Timberland ft Keri Hilson ~ The Way I Are
10.Timberland ft Keri Hilson~ The Way I Are
10. Newton Faulkner ~ Dream Catch me

The sorry thing is I know most of the song on here from 30 years ago and I know half from the list released today.

Two things happened as I have been writing this

First and as if by magic as I was looking at the top 10 of today my teen appeared and said ‘ I’ve got that, that, that, oh and that, on my iPod, I need to get that, hate that one it is rubbish’ then disappeared iPod in hand!!

And second my next door neighbour called round with a demo of her son's band they have been signed up with a record company and are about to launch, so we had a long conversation about 'downloads' and the music business. He is one who was not around 30 years ago, in fact when we moved in our house 20 years ago he was 2 and he used to call round to chat with me sat on our garden bench drinking squash!!! Must remind him when he is a mega star all the years of drumming I suffered through the adjoining wall ...................

1977 Saturday Job

Following my child slavery accident in 1975

I still had a yearning to earn teen money to spend on completely useless but oh so important trinkets, tat and 45's. So I decided it was time to start again to secure a position as a Saturday kid!

A mate of mine (a different one this time) had a job in a cafe on Lord Street and was certain she could get me in there too.

I was really excited and had all fingers and toes crossed (must remember .. no milk churns but at least now I had my corset)

My bestest mate 'J' had got a job in Matti & Tissot where they sold handmade chocolates and cakes .. so yummy .. but the down side was the staff wore white mop caps and frilly aprons! Oh no that was not for me .. in fact not for 'J' either as she quit and went to Debenham's Coffeebean (she still had to wear a geeky hat though!)

So to cut a long story short I did get the job and what a great job it was particularly as no milk churns were involved. The cafe was open from Easter until about late September as it was the 'Outdoor Cafe' now called the 'Gardens Cafe' so all depended on the weather.

We would start about 10.00 am. If it was raining I would phone up and see if I was needed. If you were 'needed' you could just end up just cleaning (if the rain persisted) and be there to serve the die hard holiday makers who would want a coffee or an ice cream.

The best thing though was to be sent home on a full wage if it got past lunch time and you knew the rain was not going to let up and we had played the hockey- cokey with the brollies all morning. The worst case scenario, however, was having to 'wait on at tables' in their other establishment which was dreadful, as I found out .... I think this was the first time I realised just how rude and very unappreciative the public can be, even though I was trying my hardest always smiling and being polite. These days they would be wearing their fish, chips and mushy peas!

Back to the Outdoor cafe. The daily tasks would be to put the tables, chairs & the brollies out. Making sure they were clean (bloody seagulls)

Set up the tea and coffee trays with polystyrene cups and plastic holders. Make the sandwiches and heat seal them.

Fill up the biscuit trays (orange, mint, fruit and plain Club, Kitkats, Blue Ribbons, Caramels & those individually wrapped biscuits you get in hotels etc)

Put out the packets of crisps and switch on the pie heater (pies heated and reheated ... !!)

Once established in the caff my main job was 'Ice Cream Queen' of course this job was not bestowed on me from the start I had to earn the crown. I started clearing tables, which actually I didn't mind as on the sunny days meant you were outside all day and chatting to the clientele.

When I eventually became 'Ice Cream Queen' I was the supreme champion at all things on the ice cream menu.... Knickerbocker Glory's, fruit salad sundaes, cones and 99's. With lots of practice I could hold 6 cones whilst adding flakes and raspberry syrup! Waytogo!!!

I loved it, it was great fun. On a sunny day the queue was endless, just a constant stream of holiday makers.

To see the kids faces as I handed them their Knickerbocker glory was priceless.

I would always try and make the concoction as wacky and as colourful as possible (if I had time)...

The recipe would start with a layer of fruit salad, then lime syrup, a scoop of ice cream, then more fruit, some chopped nuts (no asking 'does the person eating this have a nut allergy?' then), some raspberry (pineapple, apple or whatever sauce), 2 scoops of ice cream, more fruit followed by ice cream again, squirty cream, topped with nuts, raspberry and chocolate sauce, a flake and a wafer.

I have looked on the interweave for the correct 'layering' of a KBG and glad to see I was ok just to make it up as I went along.

I would like to apologise now to any parents whose children may have thrown up not long after eating one particularly if next stop was the Pleasure Beach

There is no doubt as a teen it was a great job and I worked there for a few more summers mostly 7 days a week in the holidays (particularly when I was at Poly).

Winter Saturdays I worked in a shoe shop......... I never had any money then as I just bought shoes with my wages (love shoes, you can never have enough pairs.....................



can you??......)

1977 Wimbledon

What a delight I was lucky enough to go to Wimbledon for the day with school in its Centenary year.

It was an early start as it is a long way from up North but I strongly suspect that the motorways weren't as carparky as they are now!!. So off we went two coach loads of teens and I remember much to my dismay we had to wear school uniform. I understand this as an adult as you can easily identify your kids in a crowd but then I was traumatized as a teen to be seen at such an event in a school uniform.

The day was so hot (which makes a change from the usual rain during the tournament). One concession on the uniform front was we could remove our ties.

I bought a programme for the princely sum of 90p

& a bowl of strawberries and cream for £1. Well you can't visit Wimbledon and not have strawberries and cream can you?
I was a little disappointed though... 1. I had no more money left and 2. you only got about 5 strawberries in a clear plastic dish with a spoon you would get in a tub of ice cream at the cinema. But at least I have experienced it !!

Of course this was the era of some of the bad boys of tennis Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. It was great as a teen to see their tantrums on court.
Through a gap in the gates (I think of Centre Court) I managed to get glimpse of Nastase. I did take a photo but as you can imagine it was rubbish. The one at the top of this post, however, was taken by me which for a teen with whatever cheapy camera I had at the time is not bad!!!!

It was a fine year for British tennis as Virginia Wade won the Ladies Singles in the Centenary & Jubilee year and no other British woman has won the title since.

Within the programme there is some satirical humour from the 70s, umpires to wear shirt and tie, the formation of a union, professionals to play at Wimbledon, did Harvey Smith ride with no top on at one stage? I know his noted for his non verbal communication skills !!

But this advertisement is a classic of its time

This should have been added to an earlier post but I couldn't find it at the time.

Me in my lovely red coat in London. Those were the days when we had a box Brownie and lived in a black & white world (unless you were very well off course!!)

1977 Liverpool Football Club

Liverpool FC has a prestigious history and 1977 was no exception.

They finished the season as League, European Cup, European Super Cup and Charity Shield winners … quite a year. I have been delving into the scrapbook and pulled out a few clippings from that year.

Our house as a kid was red through and through (except for my eldest brother who had a leaning towards Everton but he is not really into football so that didn’t count)

My other brother was fanatical as a lad (and still is). I have seen him in floods of tears when they lost cup matches and running around the garden whooping when they won.

My earliest memory of football was the Mexico World Cup 1970, watching Brazil win and the tremendous talent of the South American players. I have had to look up whom they beat (it was Italy 4-1) but the magic of the match is still there in the memory banks.

Consequently I have watched every World Cup since and other International tournaments.

As a teen my first taste of live football was obviously watching the lads at school, but after that I was a regular at Southport’s ground. It was great at half time you would change ends and have cups of hot soup.

Later in my teen’s I started to go to Liverpool’s home games. Cramming into the Kop was a scary experience and trying to keep with your mates, particularly if you needed the loo at some stage, was practically impossible. I always made sure stood in front of a barrier so when the crowd surged forward I was not squished or swept away. It was pretty disgusting at times because blokes would pee where they stood and it would run down the terraces. But the atmosphere and the roar of the crowd was phenomenal.

The first time I went I just couldn’t get over the fact you couldn’t change ends at half time.

The last Liverpool game I attended was the one after Bill Shankley died in 1981, I think it was against Swansea? (I am probably wrong!)

My boyfriend & I queued up (well queue is a relative term.. it was like a rugby scrum) at the Kop, but seeing no way to get in we went round to the Anfield Road end. This was just as bad, but we gave it a go. Suddenly everyone surged forward and I was picked off my feet and carried along with the crowd. I couldn’t breathe. After what seemed like a lifetime I was suddenly out of the crowd, gasping for breath and in floods of tears but at least I was safe. My boyfriend found me about 20 minutes later (he had been trying to get back through the crowd but couldn’t so he waited at the side of the gate until the stream of fans thinned out). We turned about and went home. I have not been to a live game since as it scared me so much…. It’s much safer to watch curled up on my comfy sofa, where I won't get lost going to the loo and instead of hot soup it is a glass of fine Ozzy white!

Now ladies don't get too excited (lol)