1978 October week 40

Sunday 1st October
Got up at 11.00
Phoned Fi
She and Chris are having a break
Had a bath and washed my hair
Went to Waterloo, it cost me 52p single
Had my tea there
Came home with Sam at 8.00pm
Played the 'Bermuda Triangle' & 'High Finance'
He left at 11.00
Fi phoned

Monday 2nd October
Fi's Birhday
Met Fi on the station gave her her present
Sam met me at lunch time 1- 3 pm
He met me at 5.05 pm (oh no what is wrong with saying about 5.00pm!!!)
I got wet waiting
He came for tea & left at 6.30 to get the train to Stafford
Went to Boots fashion Show with a disco afterwards = good

Tuesday 3rd October
Got up at 8.00 & went to college
Finished at 3.00 pm
Went for heat treatment
Stayed in and did some ironing & some of my Sociology essay

'Is a nuclear family structure inevitable in an industrial society?'

Phoned Sam
He went to see Stafford FC v Buxton. They won 4 - 3

Wednesday 4th October
Went to college at 9.00
Came home at 11.00 & went back at 2.00
Played volleyball
Did a bit more of my Sociology essay
Washed my hair
Sam phoned & I also received a letter from him this morning
It took from 9.30 pm last night 'til 8.15 this morning to get here ... not bad eh? (bloody miracle)

Thursday 5th October
Got up at 9.30
Went for heat treatment
Made bread and iced buns (oh YUM!) in cookery


Sam phoned
I am getting the 7.21 train to Stafford tomorrow
Went to a party at Tiffanys with Fi
Phoned Sam from there
Really miss him
Got home at 12.30
'J' is not going out with 'onion bum' anymore

Friday 6th October
Went to college at 10.00
Fi went home (???)
Went to the hospital at 3.00
Miss Jones said (& oh how Daddy P would love this .....ah shame he is on holiday lol !!)
If I don't co-operate my jaw will be clamped together for a week!!!
Went to Stafford got there at 8.30
Went to the 'Woolpack' & Saracen's Head
Watched a film called 'Don't be afraid of the dark'
Sams dog is lovely





Saturday 7th October
My Brother's Birthday
Got up at 10.30
Watched 'Swap Shop' (it was just the best teen watching ever... a Saturday morning programme just for us )
Went to Oulton Park to watch saloon car championship = good
(now this is in Sam's handwriting)

Got back at 6.15
Washed my hair & had a shower
Went to the Woolpack 'til 10 o'clock & then went to the village hall = absolutely terrific ??

1978 September week 39

Sunday 24th September
Sam goes to Derby (this has been crossed out, I guess it is a reference to him going to Derby College which of course he didn’t in the end)

Went to go to Waterloo but there were no trains
Sam hitched down
Mar = in Llandudno
Sam stayed for tea
Went to the Arion
Came home at 8.30
Had a great time (I guess Mar hadn’t come hope by then tut tut!!)

Monday 25th September
College at 9.00
Sam met me for lunch
He met me again at 4.00 (we finished early cos of a student union meeting)
Sam came for tea & he left at 6.30 to get the 7.20 train to Stafford
Fi came round at 7.40
Went to a fashion show at Tiffany’s
Van Allan & Clobber clothes (Clobber was great as you could get cheap Brutus Gold Jeans... great jeans, I had a pair with plaited denim on the pocket like on the advert )

Timpsons shoes and hair by Sillouette = ok
Phoned Sam when I got in at 11.00
He said his afghan is ace

Tuesday 28th September
Skived General Studies to do Business Studies essay instead
Sam phoned
He went to see Stafford 5 v Liverpool South 1
Wrote him a letter
Had a bath & washed my hair

Wednesday 27th September
In college 9 –11 am
Met Sally S (Quanita) on the train.
Haven’t spoken to her for 5 years (now this girl went to Primary school with me….. she had a phase where she insisted her name was Quanita not Sally !! She must have been about 7 years old at the time)
Me & Fi went to school.
Saw a few of the teachers
Went to town at 3.45
Got a taxi to my brothers head office to hand in his timesheets
I then went to have heat treatment
Got soaked after a down pour
Posted a letter to Sam
Phoned Sam at 8.00
European Cup
Liverpool 0 V Notts Forest 0
Notts Forest win 2-0 on aggregate (sob!)

Thursday 28th September (41 weeks)
Went for heat treatment at 10.00
Had Business Studies at 12.00
Made Damson Jam in cookery = got 7/10
Got 14/20 for Business Studies essay
Watched the ‘Sweeney’ = great (classic line in the clip)

Phoned Sam
He’s coming back tomorrow but he is absolutely skint
Bought my brother’s birthday card

Friday 28th September
Full day at college
Got 5/10 for Sociology essay (oops)
‘J’ is in London with Art College
Sam came round at 7.00 and left at 11.00
He is going back to Stafford on Monday
Watched a film called ‘Charly’ = good

Saturday 30th September
Weather = miserable and awful so I didn’t work
Sam phoned and he came round at 1.30 pm
Went into town
Bought 3 books from a book sale 50p
Went to see ‘J’ & ‘onion bum’
Sam stayed for tea
Went to town
Went to the ‘Brick & Arts Centre (wow!) (do I note an air of sarcasm??)
Had our pictures taken at the booth in the station = ok
Sam wanted to go to the ‘Brick from 11.00 – 2.00am but I said no.
Sam not very happy (tee hee)


A classic Sweeney car chase..... brilliant :-)

1978 September week 38

Sunday 17th September
Got up at 9.30
Messed about
Made Lemon Meringue Pie & shortbread
Watched TV
Washed my hair
Did some ironing & listened to records
Phoned Sam
He’d been to Silverstone to watch car racing
My brother came back from St. Ives today ( I love St. Ives)
He bought me back a silver chain with my initial on it
(aww I take back all I said about him lol)


Monday 18th September
Not a bad day at college
Had fish fingers & chips from the refectory = 27p (wow bargain)
Sam met me in there at 1.00
Walked round town
Had 2 x sociology this afternoon
Got home at 5.30
Sam came round at 7.00
Me, Sam & my brother (younger) went to the Arion
Then came back home
My brother (older) goes to Belfast tomorrow

Tuesday 19th September
Corinna’s Birthday

(I wonder where she is now?... Check out the wallpaper)
Sam met me at 12.00
Went to the refectory had hamburger and chips = 32p
Sociology, General Studies, Nutrition (chips 2 days on the trot!!!) & Business Studies all = boring
Sam came for tea
Stayed in all night
My brother phoned he’s in County Armagh at Ballylumford Power station
He got an XJ –12 Jaguar to Manchester airport. It was a taxi and cost £20
Had heat treatment on my jaw at 3.30

Wednesday 20th September
Sam met me at 11.00
Walked round town
Has egg on toast at Reeces’s café
Went back to Tech to meet Fi & Chris
Played volleyball in recreation
Heat treatment 4.00
Sam came round at 6.00 and he left to go to Stafford at 7.50
Fi came round at 8.00
Sam phoned 3 x he was stuck at Crewe
He was told to change there but the next train was 1.30 am
£4.50 wages

Thursday 21st September
Went for heat treatment at 11.00
Cooked all afternoon = fruit salad & shortbread
‘onion bum’ had another bike accident
Sam phoned. Said he had got to Stafford at 11.45pm after his mum came to pick him up
He went back to the place at the newspaper where he had to take 10 photos & print some negatives
Phoned ‘J’ but she was out at ‘onion bum’s’
Sam phoned at 10.30 just as I was going to sleep

Friday 22nd September
Went for a drink with ‘onion bum’
Had dinner with Fi
Made scones in cookery = nice
Sam came round at 7.00
He got back from Staffs about 3.30
Went to the ‘Brick met ‘onion bum’
Then went to the Snooty Fox & Rummies (named after Red Rum I expect!)
‘J’ & ‘onion bum’ went off to Tiffany’s
Sam, my brother and some others went to the Midnight Lounge
I came home coz I am working tomorrow
All those lot are going to the ‘Brick from 11.00 – 2.00
Hope Sam = ok
Received a lovely letter from him today & 2 stickers

Saturday 23rd September
Worked 10.00 – 6.15
Quite busy for the time of year
Sam & ‘onion bum’ came to see me
Both were drinking all afternoon
Sam came round at 7.00
Stayed in all night
Fi phoned her and Chris are going for a meal
Sam left at 11.00

1978 September week 37

Sunday 10th September
Got up at 8.45 am
Phoned work but wasn’t needed
Weather = stifling but windy
Stayed in all afternoon and watched TV
Sam came to tea & then we went to the Railway in Formby with my brother

Monday 11th September
Go to Tech at 2.00 pm
Filled in forms & got split up into groups
Me & Fi = Mrs C’s tutorial group
Got 6 hours Sociology & 7 hours of Business Studies & Cookery
Timetable = OK
Got out of there at 4.00 pm
Chris brought me home
Sam came round at 6.30 pm
Went round to the station to see if my train pass was there but it wasn’t

Tuesday 12th September
9.00 Sociology
10 – 12 Ancillary
12 – 1 Cookery
2-3 Business Studies
I am taking General Studies A’ level next year
All subjects = ok except Business Studies (first impressions were very right in this case, the lecturer was soooooo boring!!!!)
Sam met me at lunch time, went to the Art Center for dinner
Sam came round at 6.45 – 11.00 pm
His mum is getting an Afghan Hound a week on Friday

Wednesday 13th September
9.00 – 11.00 Sociology
2.00 – 4.00 Recreation
Sam met me for lunch, went to the Art Centre
He left to go to Stafford at 2.00 (3.20 train from Liverpool)
I am doing volleyball in recreation

Finished today at 2.30
£13.50 wages
Fi came round 4.00 – 5.00
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned
Said his mum was ok towards him
He’s got a job interview on Friday

Thursday 14th September (38 weeks)
9.00 am hair appointment at Headlines
Had my hair layered and permed = ok

12.00 Business Studies
2.00 Tutorial
3 – 6.00 Cookery
Phoned Sam
He asked me to write to him so I did
I miss him
Read p.18 – 34 ‘Commerce Made Simple’

Friday 15th September
Dental Clinic
Sam = interview at 11.00 for a job with Stafford newspaper
Letter off Corinna
Bought her a calendar for her birthday
Hospital said my jaw was due to worry and my wisdom teeth (worry?????? I am surprised by that… I couldn’t give a dam about anything except times of the day lol )
I have to have heat treatment 3 x a week for 3 weeks
Sam phoned at 7.30
Said he has to go back to the Newspaper on Thursday to do some practical photography
I really miss him but I do hope he gets the job

Saturday 16th September
My cousin in London gets engaged today
Worked 10.00 – 6.15 = very, very busy
Phoned Sam at lunchtime
He is still in Stafford
Watched the ‘Magnificent 7’
Phoned Sam again Wrote to Corinna

1978 September week 36

Sunday 3rd September
Got up at 10.30
Had a bath & hair wash
Sam & Fi phoned
Sam came round & we got a lift to town
Fi met us in town at 3.30
Went back to Fi’s
Then we went to Formby
Had a massive row about him not wanting to go to college
He wants to get a job (stupid boy) (yes stupid boy)

Monday 4th September
Worked 9.45 – 6.30
I am waiting on across the road during the winter (oh crap)
Mar, my brother, Bev, Sam & Fi came to se me at work
We watched a bit of ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’
Then me, Sam & my brother went to the Arion
Sam left at 11.00

Tuesday 5th September
Enrole at Tech

Met Fi at 10.20 & we went to the Tech
We were there for about an hour
Met Sam & Chris
Went for a drink in the Art Centre then went back for dinner at Fi’s
Sam came round at 7.00
Went to the Snooty Fox
Met Chris’s cousin and his girlfriend
Got home at 11.10


Wednesday 6th September
Dentist 12.15 = cancelled
Worked 10.15 – 6.00
Got £4.50 wages
Bought ‘A Picture of You ‘ Blondie for Sam & a white overall for Tech
(oh how trendy was this…. White with a blue and white checked collar… so unforgiving)
Sam, Bev, Ange came to see me at work
Sam came round at 7.00
‘J’ phoned
Uncle T has gone into hospital about his heart (Uncle T was a great man, on the D Day landings his convoy was blown up, every one was killed except him. He was found whilst they were clearing up the dead and someone noticed he had a fresh tear in his eye. I remember him with a huge dent in his forehead and a grey flecked complexion. The grey was the shrapnel that was coming out of his skin all those years later and the dent was due to the force of the explosion. )

Thursday 7th September
Sam = interview at the Scarisbrick Hotel 11.00 (aka the ‘Brick)
He decided to go for another interview instead in Waterloo but it was only paying £19.00 per week
Went to Liverpool at 2.00pm
Bought a piping bag and file paper etc

Sam took me to the Casa Italia in Stanley Street
I had Maccaroni Casa Italia& Gateaux = great (wasn’t that the era of gateaux… Black Forest.. so sophisticated!)
(I also remember sitting in the restaurant Sam had a blue and white checked shirt on … and so did all the waiters !!!!)
Got home at 8.15
Keith Moon died today aged 33

Friday 8th September
Worked 10.00 – 6.30
Waited on in the Golden Inn from 3.00 pm –6.00 got 75p in tips (oh how we would dread that phone call ‘can *** come and wait on ‘)
Sam came to see me for about 2 seconds
He’s broken the news to his parents about him not going to college
They’re not too pleased (erm understatement)
Stayed in all night
Sam goes to Stafford at 9.20 tomorrow morning
Mel is pregnant (?????)

Saturday 9th September
Sam went to Stafford this morning
Tidied the living room and my bedroom
Got things together for Tech
Phoned ‘J’
Sam came round at 7.30
His parents said he’s either to go to college or get a job in Stafford

He is staying at Mike’s as his Grandparent’s are in Scotland

T-shirt Friday

As promised to Nurse Myra my last Friday in the month T-shirt...... me 1977.
Once my camera is fixed I will see about getting more up to date ones ... but as this is 70s land a 70s T-shirt does seem more appropriate

Check out Daddy Papersurfers effort ..... it had me laughing my little socks off

Interlude

I have not had time to post a diary tonight but just to say I have finished 'Engleby' by Sebastian Faulk ... it should be on everyones 'must read' list. Such an insight into the human brain .. I will say no more

1978 August / September week 35

Sunday 27th August
Worked 10.00- 6.45
Sam came to see me at 2.30
Spent my lunch time with him
His family had come up to see his grand parents
Came home at 7.15
Phoned Fi & ‘J’
‘J’ came round to help me pack
Fi brought my brothers jeans round (huh??)
Sam phoned from the Tickled Trout
He is at a 21st ‘do’
I love him & shall miss him this week



Monday 28th August
Bank Holiday
Worked 10.00 – 7.00 = very busy even though it was bitterly cold
‘J’ came to see me
Got home at 7.20
Fi came round with some cookery books
Had a bath & washed my hair
Sam phoned he was very drunk
He had been in the Woolpack from 1.00pm – 10.30 pm


Tuesday 29th August
Go to Croydon
Set off at 7.30 pm
Got to Thornton Heath at 3.00
Traffic through London = terrible
Went to my Aunties pub ‘The Pawson’s Arms’ = nice
I am staying at my cousin’s house



Phoned Sam at 10.00pm
Cost 30p for 3 minutes
Got to bed at 12.00

Wednesday 30th August
Got up at 8.30
Met Mar in Croydon at 11.00
Bought a white jumper & a ring
Shops = so cool
Played darts in the pub then phoned Sam at 6.30
Went to the Crescent Pub to play pool
Beat my brother
This black fellow challenged me to a game and he won
Went to the West End through China Town, Soho, Piccadilly Circus
Got home at 12.30

from my grandfathers (F.A.I) postcard collection


Thursday 31st August
Got up at 9.00am
Went to East Street Market
Bought a dress for £7.00, a wallet for Sam, 2 pairs of grey stockings, a DIY Paddington mask (a what???? Bizarre) and a spice rack for Mar to say thanks for the holiday (now weren't spice racks such a 70s thing)
At night Mar went to the Talk of the Town
My brother, cousin and I went to see my uncle in Lewisham.
We went in my cousins MG Midget sports car
Very cramped journey but so cool
My uncle is still the same old teaser (no one loves a fairy when he’s 40)
Got back to my cousins at 1.30 am




Friday 1st September
Got up at 9.30
Went to Oxford Street
Went to Selfridges it is so posh (gosh now we have one a couple of minutes from the office & 15 minutes from home in the Trafford Centre ... it is a weekly or tri weekly visit to Selfridges!!)
Bought a necklace for Von & a comb for Fi.
Didn’t have much time for shopping
Stayed in the pub all night
Wore my new dress
Another cousin came to see us. It was lovely to see him
Got back at 12.30

Saturday 2nd September
Got woken up at 9.30
Went to my Auntie’s pub to pack the car
Set off at 12.00
Bought ‘J’ a pressy
Got home at 6.20 pm
Phoned Sam and Fi
Sam came round at 7.00 (good grief I had hardly got my coat off)
Phoned ‘J’ but she was away in the Lakes



Glad to be back with Sam didn’t realize how much I missed him (awwww!!)

1978 August week 34

Sunday 20^th August

Got up at 11.30
Phoned Fi & Sam
‘J’ phoned me
Wrote to Corrina (my pen pal in Germany)
Fi came round at 3.00
Sam went to Formby
Sam came round at 7.00
Chris picked us up at 8.30
Went to town and had a game of (shield your eyes Daddy P) crazy golf
Then we went for a coffee at the Golden Inn
Drove to Freshfield where Sam got his train at 11.20
Got home at 11.40

Monday 21^st August

Worked 10.00 – 6.30
Sam came to see me
He’d bought the Rezillo’s single ‘Top of the Pops’

Went to the library
Had a terrific row with spaz feature (sorry) my eldest brother he is a bastard
Sam came round at 7.00 pm
Watched TV
Good film = ‘THX 1138’

Tuesday 22^nd August

Got up at 11.30
Had a bath & phoned Sam
Fi Phoned
We (Fi, me & Sam) went to Southport
Sam walked out on me when I called him a pain after he had tipped me off my seat in the Gallery Grill as a joke (oh well done girl what sort of behaviour is that??)

I phoned him later to find out the circumstances
Sam apologized

‘J’ & ‘onion bum’ came round
Went to get some alcohol
Saw Ashy he only got 1 out of his 3 A’levels.

Wednesday 23^rd August

O’level results

Worked 10.00 – 6.30
Rang school they said I got 4 O’levels – Eng Lit, Eng Lang, French (WHAT!!!!!) and Art

With the grade 1 Maths I have 5
Ange got 1
Fi = 5
Sue got 9 + grade 1 Maths (ooo don’t you just hate some people)

Went to the Snooty Fox
Met ‘J’ & ‘onion bum’ then we went to the Grape Escape
We went for some chips & missed the train
Got the bus
Mar went mad
Sam had to stay the night

Thursday 24^th August

Woke Sam at 10.00 & Fi rang just after
Went down to school
Got Eng Lang =B, Eng Lit =B, Art =B, French =C,
These don’t count Geography = D, Maths = E & Biology = U (I was do amazed I didn’t pass geography & Biology but passed French after 5 years of abuse)

Fi came round at 11.00 and we went to see my Maths tutor to tell him my results.
His wife has just had a baby (wow that ‘baby’ is now 31 years old lol)

Washed and polished Kate’s dads car got £1.00
‘J’ and ‘onion bum’ came round for an hour.
He has a new Kawasaki 200 = good
Sam left at 11.00
My brother is getting at me again (bastard)

Friday 25^th August

Worked 10.00 – 6.30 = quite busy
Sam came to see me at work. He was a bit drunk after being in Liverpool all day with Mike.
Bev = 2 O’levels Cookery –C & Eng Lang – B
Sam came round at 7.10
We watched TV and listened to records
He is going to Stafford tomorrow at 9.20 am

Saturday 26^th August

Got up at 10.00
Phoned Fi
Had a bath
Went to Southport with Fi
She bought a pair of jeans
I bought a ‘hacking jacket’ for £15.99 (wow that was expensive… but I wore it to death… I do remember that.. damn I had a photo of it somewhere?? )

Stayed in all night
Sam phoned & said the motor racing at Donnington was great

Jackie = 2 O’levels Eng Lit & Lang

1978 August week 33

Sunday 13th August
Got up at 10.00
Stayed in all day
Went to the Woolpack with Sam tonight
Watched the Austrian Grand Prix
Played a few board games
Phoned Mam

Monday 14th August
Got up at 10.00 am
Went into Stafford this afternoon
Sam bought 70p worth of postcards
I bought some lipstick & blusher
On the way there this fella gave us a lift in his Land Rover
Jolly decent of him
Bought 5 postcards for folk
Went to the Woolpack & the Saracen’s Head for drinks with Sam

Tuesday 15th August (8 months)
Got up at 10.00
Went to Stafford
Went swimming at the Riverside Centre = good
Weather = grotty
Posted my P.C.s
Went to the market and bought 55p worth of Birthday cards
Visited the Woolpack at night
Played ‘Spyring’
Sam developed a film

Wednesday 16th August
Sam = E in his A’level Art (oops)
Got up at 10.00
Had a shower
Went to Uttoxeter
Coat 90p return on the bus
Went to the market = good lots of cattle
Got home at 5.00
Went to the Woolpack and met all the rawdy natives
Helped Sam develop 2 films in his darkroom

Thursday 17th August
Sam got me up at 10.00 with a wet sponge (touché)
After dinner we went for a long walk in the country
Bought myself a strawberry cornetto, it was ace I had never had one before

Watched Top of the Pops (I so wanted to be Debbie Harry)

Then we went to the Woolpack
Had a talk about Sam going to college = both upset (what he could get in college with an ‘E’???)

Friday 18th August
Got up at 9.30

At 2.00 we walked to Bingley Hall to an Antiques Fair
Weather = boiling
Sam bought some good postcards
Walked home
Went to the Woolpack, had a martini
Last orders weren’t called & they were still drinking after 11.00
It’s a drinkers paradise

Saturday 19th August
Got up at 9.30
Sam’s parents went to Sutton Coalfield
Packed and dismantled the sun bed
Went to the post office
At 3 o’clock Sam’s dad took us to Stafford Station
Train came and it was packed
Very hot & stuffy
Went to Waterloo for my tea
Then me & Sam came here

Watched ½ of Virgin Soldiers & looked at some postcards

1978 August week 32

Sunday 6th August
Got up at 10.00 = raining so I didn’t go to work
My cousin and her husband went home
They left at 1.30 pm but didn’t get back to Croydon til 10.45 pm (my the M6 must have been a car park then too)
Went to Woodvale rally again
Came home at 5.45 pm
Met Sam at Mike’s house at 7.20 pm
Then we went to the Railway had a really good laugh
Jackie = going out with one of Sam’s mates
Did my jaw in chewing a toffee (ouch)
Came home at 11.00
3 policemen & police dog, 4 inspectors and a black meat wagon (Black Maria) at the station coz of Tiffany’s

Monday 7th August
Worked 10.00 – 6.20
Weather = cold with a few showers (oh come on it is August)
Sam came to see me for a few minutes this afternoon
He came round at 7.05 & we went to the ‘Arion’ with ‘J’, Bri & Chris
Had a fairly good time
Sam nearly missed his train
Mar went to see her sister in Prestatyn to see her sister
Have been invited to a party on Friday

Tuesday 8th August
Got up at 11.00
Had a bath & hair wash
Sam phoned
Met him in town at 2.30 pm
Bought a house coat from Littlewoods £4.99 (A house coat???? Ewwww!)
Fi phoned she had been to Liverpool
Both she & Sam came round tonight
Had a great laugh
Fi missed her bus so she got a taxi home
Went to see ‘J’ at Debenhams this afternoon

Wednesday 9th August
Worked 10.00 – 6.15
The boss brought in a bottle of wine = nice
Sam came to see me
He bought me the Commador’s single ‘Three times a Lady’ = gorgeous (ahhhhhh)

(This is great Promo clip... just check out the fashion and big afro hair do's.... a classic!)
Sam came round at 7.15
We stayed in
‘onion bum’ is back from Bournemouth
Martin got his summons for speeding from 10th March

Thursday 10th August
Went to see the Radio One Road Show with Kid Jensen = really good
(oh they were brilliant the Road Shows. They were held in the gardens beside the Floral Hall.)
Also me & Sam went to play crazy golf. I beat him by 1 point & I also won a free game (waytogo)
Weather = hot so we sunbathed by the Marine Lake

Met Sam at 7.30 and we went to Mike’s
Stayed there until 9.30
Then we went to the Pinewoods Pub
Came home at 11.00

Friday 11th August
Party at the Gladstone Liberal Club
Tina’s 17th Birthday (our cat)
Worked 10.00 – 6.30
Sam came to see me
I drew £7.00 out of the bank
Sam bought our tickets for Stafford
The party = quite good
Bev = Mike
Ange = Martin
Taxi was late.
Martin & Andy got in the taxi with us coz they would have had to hitch home


Saturday 12th August
Go to Stafford 7.21 pm train
Got up and woke Sam at 10.40
He stayed for dinner then he went to watch Formby v Tranmere Reserves in some final
Score = 1 – 0
Sam met me at Waterloo at 6.30
Then his Gran & Granddad took us to Lime Street
Train delayed by ¾ hour
Got here just after 9.00
Sam’s sister bought me a pen from Scotland = ace

1978 July/August week 31

Sunday 30^th July

Got up at 9.50
Supposed to have been at work then (oops)
Got there at 10.45 eventually
‘Waited on’ the Golden Inn for 3 hours as the weather was bad (& you know how much I hated this. A packed café with ignorant, rude customers who had no perception of that I was doing my best …. I AM NOT A WAITRESS I AM A FREE TEEN)

Came home at 6.45 pm
Phoned Sam in my lunch time
He got jumped last night on walking me to the station. He is ok thankfully!
Went to the railway and then Mike’s house
Came home at 11.20
Sheila’s dad is in intensive care (you know I have no idea who this is ... how bad is that??)

Monday 31^st July
Bev’s party at Tiffany’s

Worked 10.00 – 5.30
It rained Yip
Sam came to see me
Went to Bev’s party & because so many were under age the bar was shut & only soft drinks were served
Got home at 12.15 am
Sam stayed in my brother’s bedroom
I got a bit upset as he was acting very strange towards me
Everything is ok now thank goodness

Tuesday 1^st August

Got up at 9.45
Went to wake Sam & gave him a cup of coffee
Got a letter off Corinna
Cleaned the bathroom whilst Sam watched (typical)
He left at 4.30
Met him later in at the station
Went to the ‘Brick & Art Centre
Had an argument with Sam about some girl who was eyeing him up
He apologized but said something that made me think about our relationship (I think we will never know what that was??)

Wednesday 2^nd August

Worked 10.00 – 7.00 pm
= buggered (yes a long old day!)
we were really busy
£18.00 wages

Sam came round at 7.30
Stayed in and listened to records
He is coming round tomorrow at 1.30
I still love him

Thursday 3^th August (33 weeks)

Doctors at 9.10 am
Went to see Dr Newman (you will love this next bit!!)

I have a dislocating jaw (lol)
I have to see a consultant at the Promenade Hospital
Sam came round at 12.30
Polished living room
We went to Formby & met Mike in the Railway
Had a really good laugh
Went back to Mike’s house
Sam = in a better mood towards me
‘J’& Fi rang

Friday 4^th August

Mr & Mrs ******** go to Scotland (Sam’s parent’s how respectful was I ‘Mr & Mrs’?)

Worked 10.30 – 6.30
Weather horrible in the morning, bright & sunny in the afternoon
Sam & Fi came to see me
Sam has had his hair cut = really nice
Met him in the Railway
Went back to Mike’s house = great time except for a little mishap (read into that what you may!!!)
Came home at 11.00
Sam went to the ‘Brick 10.30pm – 2.00 am

Saturday 5^th August
My cousin and her husband come up from London
They arrived at 1.30
She hasn’t changed a bit
Went to Woodvale Air Rally = great
Had an argument with Sam so I came home
He came round at 6.45 everything is ok now
Fi. ‘J’ & my Auntie D from London phoned
My cousin and Mar went to my auntie & uncle’s in Halewood

VOTE FOR ME PLEASE
HERE

Interlude 1978 World Events

Well 1978 is moving along at a fair rate of knots….. I am running out of 70s years, a strange thought has passed by me I might have to evolve into 80steen.

So to delay the march of time I will be putting in a few more interludes than before… they will of course be in a 70s theme.

This is one is in a same vein as one I did here….. what was happening in the world when I was partying and taking my o’levels.

7th April 1978
America ( & President Carter) put on the back burner the neutron bomb testing, quite fearsome weapon that had minimum blast but huge radiation release. It was specifically designed to leave buildings standing but cause mass destruction of our fellow human beings.
I clearly remember this as I have read an article about it tonight and it sent that that same cold shiver up my spine as it did 31 years ago. I recall the thought that someone, outside of any ones control, just hitting that ‘red button’ and whoosh it would be the end of the world.

Meanwhile (when I wasn’t worrying about world destruction) ….I got up at 11.20 (hee hee), I went swimming, did some maths revision, Sam was in Portugal and I hadn’t heard from him. I did suspect he may of run off with a sexy Portuguese woman. I obviously had more serious matters on my mind !!

22nd April 1978
Israel won the Eurovision Song Contest. I can’t believe I didn’t record this somewhere in my diary.
The song was "A-Ba-Ni-Bi"….. I remember it well… NOT!! But sadly once I looked it up I did!!! What was that about & how did it win??


I missed it as I was really tired after working all day (10.30 – 6.15) and Sam came round and we had a good time !!

8th May 1978
Naomi James (29) became the 1st woman to sail solo around the globe via Cape Horn (the ‘Clipper Route). It took her 272 days and she traveled 27,000 miles. She is quoted to say ‘I thought about turning back’ I bet she did after her rigging failed in gales in the Southern Ocean, she had no radio for weeks and she capsized… I would have been so heading home …. Well Done Naomi
I have read on about her. She was made a Dame in 1979, she gave up sailing in 1982 after being sea sick (wow), sadly in 1983 her husband fell over board and drowned. She remarried in 1990 and moved to the States.

Whilst all this was going on 70s was having her French Oral Practice… which was nerve wracking

17th May 1978
You will be pleased to hear that Charlie Chaplin’s coffin complete with body was found after being stolen 11 weeks previous.
It was found buried in a field only a mile away in Crosier, Switzerland.

Roman Wardas (24) a Pole & Gantscho Ganev (38) a Bulgarian were arrested and charged with theft of a coffin and trying to extort £400,000 form the Chaplin family..
Wardas received 4 ½ years hard labour for being the mastermind and Ganev, who was the ‘muscle man’, described as a man of limited responsibility, received an 18 month suspended sentence

Lady Chaplin was reported to have said ‘Charlie would have thought it ridiculous’ …. I bet he would. I have visions of a Charlie Chaplin black & white silent movie of 2 men trying to get the coffin out of the grave, falling in a few times and the ‘muscle man’ of limited responsibilities running down the road with a coffin on his back… classic Chaplin comedy!!

Meanwhile I was having my hair permed, got £4.00 wages and oh I played pool

19th June 1978
Ian Botham became the first man in history to score a century and take 8 wickets in one innings. ‘I have never seen a ball swing so much in bright weather….’ A quote from the Pakistan Captain If I was interested I would articulate some more on the story.
I was brought up with a brother who was a cricket (& football) fanatic. He would have his transistor radio with him everywhere we went listening to the test cricket (yawn)

Had my Biology O’level paper all about plants
Watched ‘Cry in the Wilderness’ and was drinking Bianco & Lemonade the night before my Geography exam


25th July 1978

Now I find this incredible.
Louise Brown was born at Oldham District General Hospital….. weighing 5lb 12 oz.
The first ‘test tube’ baby.

What a remarkable thing that was. It must be a strange life for her as she has pursued by the press through out her artificially produce conceptioned life, every landmark birthday and event has been publicised. But I do thank those pioneers in this area and modern science because without it would not have had my Teen! I was told by a consultant ‘if you had come to me 10/15 years ago we couldn’t have done anything’ So waytogo!!!

Sam got some Levi straight jeans and I got some cheap no name ones. We went for a bike ride and Sam swapped Exodus for Station to Station

1978 July week 30

Sunday 23rd July
Got up at 10.30 am
Phoned Sam then had a bath
Started to sew up Sam’s Paddington

Sam came round & stayed for tea
‘J’ & ‘onion bum’ came round & they went ahead to the Natterjack
We followed later
2 teachers from school were in there
Came home at 10.45
Sam went at 11.15
Mar went to the Lake District today

Monday 24th July
Worked 9.45 – 6.15
Sam came to see me in the afternoon & he came home with me
Fi phoned she is just back from St. Tropez = lucky cow!

Stayed in and watched TV with Sam
My brother has dislocated his thumb

Tuesday 25th July
‘onion bum’s’ birthday
Got up at 9.00 & went to Liverpool with Sam
He bought a pair of straight leg ‘Levi’ jeans £13.99 = really good (there is something just so sexy about Levi's!!)

Went to Solitaire for lunch
Went back to Waterloo & stayed for tea.
Came home at 7.15
Mar got me a pair of straight leg jeans from ‘Mak 3’ £5.99 = great (I guess they weren't Levi's??)
Went for a bike ride with Sam
Called on ‘J’
He swopped Exodus – Bob Marely for Station to Station – Bowie (excellent swap if you ask me)
versus

Wednesday 28th July
Sam goes to Stafford
Café owners phoned to ask if I would work if the weather bucked up.
Sam came round at 11.00 and left at 12.30
Phoned Fi & she came round .. she is so brown
She bought me from France a Toulouse- Lautrec poster & 2 postcards for Sam

She arrived at 7.30 & we went for a bike ride
Sam phoned at 9.45 from Stafford me = pleased
Fi left at 10.15

Thursday 27th July
Worked form 9.45 – 6.15
Got C.S.E. results …….
Maths = Grade 1 German = Grade 2. I am dead chuffed
Weather = really hot in the morning so I bought a red & white stripey halter neck top for 75p in my luch time then in the afternoon it poured down
Fi came to see me.
She got a 1 in her Eng Lit & 2 in German
Bev got a 3 in Eng Lit & 2s in Physics & Maths
Phoned Sam 2 x but he wasn’t in
He phoned later he had been to the pub
‘J’ came to see me at lunch time

Friday 28th July
Got up at 10.00 am
Phoned work but they didn’t need me
Phoned Fi
Weather = boiling so I sunbathed = quite brown
Fi phoned at 3.15 so I biked it down to her house
Came back at 6.00
Phoned Sam then he phoned back later
Miss him
Watched a film called ‘Sweet November’ = sad (can't find the 1968 version but the synopsis I have found for 2001 version states 'emphasizes more of its story's tearjerker qualities than the original.' best I don't get this out of Blockbusters then as I thought the original was sad!!)
Made Paddington a pair of cord trousers

Saturday 29th July
Got up at 11.00
Had a bath & washed my hair
Sunbathed for a bit & then phoned Sam
Stayed in all afternoon & made Paddington a shirt (did Paddington have a shirt ??)
Fi rang
Went to the Railway in Formby at 7.20
Met up with one of Sam’s mates (no not the one I married)
Nige turned up and we went to Mike’s party
Dan crashed his car in a tree (great car it had fungi growing in it)
Sam is staying at Mike’s house
Had a great time Came home at 11.20 pm

1978 July week 29

Sunday 16th July

Owner of the café phoned at 11.00 I was still in bed
I phoned back later
Worked 1.00 – 6.20 pm
Came home and watched TV (again) (glad to see I thought TV was a drag (oops sorry for the pun) then too)
Watched the hilights of the Grand Prix
Sam phoned
Reutemann won the Grand Prix
Niki Lauda was 2nd

Bev rang

Another explosion this time in Mexico (random again!)
(and in Sam’s hand ‘ Sam went to the pub in the evening in some lonely place in Kent … arrrr)

Monday 17th July
Sam comes back (I think)
Worked 9.30 – 6.15 pm = quite busy
Di back from Cornwall after 2 weeks 3 days (before you say it NM … I KNOW!!)
Got home at 6.45 pm
Sam came round at 7.30
He bought me a box of Terry’s All Gold & 2 stickers (Olympus Cameras & Mopar Team)
He looked very sexy he hadn’t had a shave for 2 days (corrrrr!) (must say I still like that look corrr)
Stayed in
Had a GREAT time!!! (erm!)
He left at 11.00

Tuesday 18th July
Got up at 10.30 pm
Washed my hair
Watched a St Trinian’s film (oh weren’t they just great!)
Sam came round at 1.30 & we went to town
He bought a new pair drainy jeans £12.95 & a record for me
Bob Seger ‘Still the Same’(great track I guess somethings never change... or maybe they do ?)
Saw ‘J’ with new boyfriend ‘onion bum’ = ok
Went to the Natterjack
Spoke to Jim who was doing the disco
My brother & his girlfriend turned up & they gave us a lift to the station
Left Sam when his train came at 11.10 pm

Wednesday 19th July
Worked 10.30 – 6.00 pm
Weather cold and horrible (hey it is July in the UK!!)
Got £13.00 wages = not bad!
Sam came to see me at lunch time
Went to see ‘J’ at the Coffee Bean but she wasn’t there
Bought a pattern for a teddy bear
Sam came round at 7.15
We stayed in
My cousin is getting engaged in September & married next year
(shock, horror, scandal) (why?????)

Thursday 20th July (31 wks)
Worked 10.00 – 6.15 pm
Weather = horrible
Sam came to see me twice
He came round at night
Got a new automatic washing machine & a new kitchen window (oh so no more twin tub)
Me & Sam washed & polished Kate’s dads car
Saw Brian & Chris whilst we were doing it so we asked them in for a coffee
Sam left at 11.00
(in Sam’s hand ‘shouldn’t of..........)

Friday 21st July
Worked 10.00 – 6.15 = quite busy
I’m dead beat
‘J’ & Bri came to see me
Sam came round at 7.15
Went to the Natterjack then came home
Supped a bottle of cider
Sam = very bored with life at the moment (hey he was living at his grand parents, his parents had moved was just ‘bumming around’ after college had ended & was besotted with a certain 70steen etc etc )
His cat got run over and killed (oh maybe that was it )
Bought material for Sam’s Paddington Bear
I do love Sam


Saturday 22nd July
Got up at 11.00am
Phoned Sam
Cut out the pieces for Paddington
Went to town
Sam came home and stayed for tea
Went to the ‘El Tonel’ with ‘J’ & ‘onion bum’ = great
Me = a bit pissed (what I wrote that in a teen diary? .. tut tut)
Sam gave me the most beautiful letter I have ever read (erm I was 16 so it is relative, but I do recall it was lovely though)
It made me cry

1978 July week 28

Sunday 9th July
Sam’s 18th

Party in Stafford
Got up at 9.15
Sam opened his pressies
He got a bracelet, a Pentax K1000 camera (it is so good), silver camera case & £105
Millions of his relatives came down
Went for a ride in his Aunties Daimler = smart
Went to bed at 11.30 = dead tired
Oh we also went for a meal at Tillington Hall in Stafford = dead good

Monday 10th July
Got up about 10.30
Woke Sam up with a wet sponge ( I am all heart)
Played tennis for a couple of hours
Had a shower
Then went looking for a place called Gayton
Twice stopped to rest!! (don’t ask!!)
Finally got there after getting lost = it was just a road with shops round it = great???
Played tennis again for a bit on the Green
Went to the Woolpack & came home to watch ELO on TV (can you believe how high that blokes voice is??)

Tuesday 11th July
Got up at 9.30 & we went into Stafford
Bought some shampoo & conditioner for 3p & 14p respectively
Came home at 1.45
Went for a long, long walk by the canal = great
It was about 4 miles there and back
Weather = boiling hot but windy
Went to the Woolpack & the Scaracen’s Head
Went to bed at 11.00

Big explosion of propane gas in Spain at a holiday camp (how random??)

Wednesday 12th July
Got up at 10.00
Had a shower
Packed and Sam’s mum took us in her MG to the station
We got the 11.30
Got home at 2.00 pm
Went to Southport
Got my wages £8.00
It is Orange Lodge Day
Bought Sam a battery for his Pentax K1000 camera
He came round at 7.00 pm
Went to play footy on the beach
Walked on the sandhils
He left at 11.00
Phoned ‘J’, she is going out with ‘onion bum’ (must phone ‘J’ and find out why we nicknamed him this??)

Thursday 13th July
Sam goes to the Grand Prix at Brands Hatch (from what I remember the GP used to alternate between BH & Siverstone in them days)
Got up at 9.00 am
Did my washing from my stay in Stafford
Posted a letter for mum
Phoned Bev but she was working
Watched TV
Bev phoned from work, I am working tomorrow
Watered the garden
Sam phoned from Brands Hatch it cost him 20p for 5 minutes
Had to phone his parents for him as he couldn’t get through .
The line was terrible

Friday 14th July
Worked for 9.30 – 6.30 = busy ish
Watched TV
Washed my hair & watered the garden
Sam phoned at about 10.00pm he said there were a lot of people waiting so didn’t stay long
I miss him

Saturday 15th July (7 months)
Worked from 9.30 – 6.05 pm
Weather = mixed
Watched TV again
Sam phoned it cost him 40p.
He and his mate he has gone with aren’t on very good speaking terms
‘J’ met me at lunchtime & we went to a flea market
Had a bath = no connection (& in Sam’s hand ‘Oh I don’t know about that’ Cheeky!)
Missing Sam

1978 July week 27

Sunday 2nd July
Got up at 10.00
Had a bath then phoned work but wasn’t needed.
Phoned Sam at 11.00
Went to my Auntie & Uncles in Halewood
Sam phoned
His parent’s had come up from Stafford so he had to stay in
Went to bed at 12.30

Monday 3rd July
Got up at 10.45
Went shopping (paid Kate’s dads phone bill, bought 2 stamps & a bottle of Clearasil cleansing lotion, wow!) (no spots on me I use Clearasil)
Sam came round at 12.30 til 2.30
Cleaned Kate’s dad’s house will finish it tomorrow
Met Sam at 7.30
Went to see ‘Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind’ = OK 6/10 maybe 7/10
It was a bit corny at the end
Went to the Art Centre for ½ hour
Came home and watched a film called ‘The Blob’ = bad acting but ok (oh my oh my 'bad acting'!! I obviously hadn’t understood B Sci –Fi movies then, I just love them)


Tuesday 4th July
Owners of the café phoned at 9.15 & asked me to work
I said no as I had other things to do
Sam came round at 12.00 (no it wasn't that but there is a time delay .......?)
Went to Kate’s dad’s house worked there from 2.30 – 4.50.
Sam dug the garden
I cleaned the paintwork etc got £2.50 each (suppose not bad for a couple hours work a full day in the café netted circa £4.00)
Sam came round at 7.30.
Watched TV & listened to records
He left at 11.00
Fi rang

Wednesday 5th July
Got up at 9.00am
Phoned Fi at 10.30
Went to town with her
She lent me a book called ‘Fiona’ & gave me Sam’s card
Bought a book token for £1 & a record token for £4.00 for Sam
Sam came round at 3.00 & left at 4.30
Went to town at 7.30 to the ‘Brick & Art Centre
Been finding out about Sam & his ex
Walked along Lord Street came home at 11.10 pm.

Thursday 6th July
Fi fleas on holiday
She is going to the South of France
Worked 10.00 – 6.15 pm
Weather = dull in the morning
Sunny in the afternoon
Sam dug over one of our neighbours garden and got £4.00
Wrote to Boots (why??)
Sam came round at 7.45 & left at 11.00
My brother went jogging on the beach (faint … ha ha)
Other brother went to the Fox & Goose with his girlfriend
‘J’ has an interview at Brighton College.

Friday 7th July
Got up at 9.00
Worked 10.15 – 4.15
Weather = cold & wet
Sam came to see me twice
Met him at the ‘Brick at 7.45 with ‘J’, Bri, Chris, Steve & Mike
Me = jealous over something Steve said (well come on what was it??)
We went to the Midnight Lounge = ok ish (& written in Sam’s handwriting ‘bad ish’ ….. gosh I must have let him root through my diary!!)
Sam went back to the ‘Brick at 11.00 I came home
I trust him (I think)
Tidied my bedroom before I went to bed

Saturday 8th July
Go to Stafford
3.21 train from Lime street (oh god how precise is that!! I am scaring myself now )
Got up at 9.30
Phoned Sam at 10.35 at Mike’s he was still in bed
Went to town and bought a kagoul £4.50 (what was I thinking about? No one looks cool in a kagoul, even one that waves at you!! But there again maybe Donny would x)
Sam phoned at 12.45
Met him at Waterloo
Got to Stafford at 4.30
Went to the pub ‘The Woolpack’ walked round the village = very nice
His mum & dad’s new house = gorgeous
Watched 2 rubbish horror films
Went to bed at 1.00 am
Sleeping in his sister’s bedroom

1978 June/July week 26

Sunday 25th June
World Cup Final
Woke up at 7.00 am !
Got up at 11.00 after having breakfast in bed off Sam (mmmm??)
Went to Northenden at 1.15 for a meal at the Coach House Inn
Meal = lovely
There was me & Sam, His mum & Dad, His uncle & Aunt and their children & his Gran & Grandad (It must have been a wedding anniversary or something)
Went back to Waterloo at 4.30
Then me & Sam came back here
His parents have moved to Stafford for good now
Sam left at 11.10
Phoned Fi
Just found a big spider in my bed (eek… yuk!)
Argentina 2 v Holland 1

Monday 26th June

Party at Tiffany’s
Got up at 9.30
Phoned work but weather = grotty
Sam came round after dinner
So did Fi, she’d had her hair done = ok
Sam left at 4.30
He came round later & we went to the Railway but they wouldn’t let us in
So we went to the Arion (went there for a meal last weekend)

Then we all went to Tiffanys = good
All a bit tipsy especially Sam
He stayed the night
Home at 1.15 am

Tuesday 27th June
Got up at 10.00
No hangover
Made Sam coffee and woke him later ?????
Went to town at 2.00 pm & paid the rates & to get Sam’s stuff from Art College
Bith beat each other at pool
Fi is in Wigan
Phoned Bev but she wasn’t in
Sam came round at 7.30 & left at 10.10 pm
Had an earlyish night
Grease still number 1
I love Sam

Wednesday 28th June
Coffee Morning at Fi’s
Got up at 9.30
Phoned work twice but the bosses weren’t there
Went to Fi’s at 11.10
Bev, Phil, Chris, Bev’s friend from France Chris & Fi’s mate from Canada Heidi were there = good
Sam went to Formby and came round at 2.00 pm
He stayed til 4.30 he was bored (Bored ????? how could he be bored???)
Phoned ‘J’
Fi Phoned
Sam phoned and he came round at 9.00 til 10.30
Made swiss roll & 4 scotch eggs (maybe that was why he was bored as I was cooking )

Thursday 29th June (28 weeks)
Buffet Meal @ school
Went to school at 9.00 am
Meal went very well got a lot of praise (suck, suck)
Sam came round at 2.00 pm
Went mad at Bev as she has not eaten in 6 days (stupid idiot)
Sam came round at 7.45 & Fi & Chris came round at 8.10
Chris had to leave at 8.40 coz he was playing squash
Fi stayed
Had a good laugh & natter
She left at 10.35 & Sam at 11.00
Sam has a cold (OMG not Man flu again!!!)

Friday 30th June
Got up at 11.00
Hoovered Kate’s dads downstairs got £1.00
Sam came round for dinner & Mum had a ½ day
Went to town & paid £77.49 off Gas cooker cash
Went to the ‘Brick
Spoke to Bev
Had a game of pool against Chris, Bev’s French friend
Sam came round at ½ 7sat in & watched TV all night
He didn’t get in at Nottingham but has been offered Derby provided he gets his A’levels
Really pleased for him

Saturday 1st July
Nieces 4th Birthday (had a long conversation with my gorgeous niece the other night about stuff and kids….. still can’t believe she is in her 30s now and a mother herself & she chats with me as a mate not an Aunt)
Got up at 9.00 phoned work but the weather = yuk
Went to town with Sam
Saw Bev & Phil
Beat Bev at pool
Sam came for tea
Had steak (oooooo! funnily enough don't eat that now)
Went to Di’s house for a party = good
Sam said he thought Di was really fanciable (naughty boy!)

1978 June week 25

Sunday 18th June

Got up at 9.45 am
Sunbathed for an hour
Tried to revise Biology but gave up.
Mum went to Llandudno so I had to cook dinner & tea
Fi Rang
Phone Bev
Had a bath & washed my hair
Tried (once again) to revise Biology
Really don’t know enough and I bet it is a stinker of am exam
Sam phoned in ½ time of the footy
He’s in Stafford
Comes home tomorrow

Monday 19th June
Biology 9.30 – 12.00 = quite hard it was all about plants
Came home at 12.30
Watched a film called ‘Cry in the Wilderness’
I’ve seen it before
Bev & Fi rang
Bev rang again later
Revised Geography … don’t really know that much
Sam hasn’t phoned
He’s on his way home from Stafford
I’m sat here drinking Bianco & lemonade (bloody hell what sort of pre exam technique is that?)
Sam phoned at 11.00 pm

Tuesday 20th June
Geography II 9.30 – 10.45 = easier paper than paper 1
Sam came round at 11.00
Fi was here as well she had German this afternoon (I didn’t get put in for the G.C.E I just did the C.S.E. For those too young or not of the UK - G.C.E. was the best exam to take at 16 years and C.S.E was if you were not good enough to do the G.C.E. although if you got a grade 1 it was equivalent to a pass at G.C.E. I was entered for both in Maths)
Sam left about 3.30.
Did some sketches for Art = pretty chronic
Sam came round at 7.30
He lent me his Caran d’ache pencils
Did some more sketches which were a lot better
Watched ‘Will Shakespeare’ & sat in the front room for a bit
Sam left at 11.00

Wednesday 21st June
Brothers 23rd Birthday
Art II 9.30 – 12.30 drawing = OK
FINISH EXAMS (YIP!)

Went to town at 2.00pm
Met Fi, Bev & Jackie
Played pool
Bought my brother 2 pairs of underpants for £1.70 (hee hee bet they were Y-fronts) & a card
Sam came round at 8.20pm & left at 11.00
He had his interview at Nottingham today he said it was ‘indifferent’?
Got £5.00 wages

Thursday 22nd June
Went to Liverpool at 11.00
Sam got me a ticket from Waterloo (naughty!! This was many stops after I got on)
Got home at 2.00
Sam left at 4.15
Went to town at 7.30 on bus with Jackie
Played pool in the ‘Brick then me, Bev, Sam, Ange & Jackie went to the Snooty Fox
Met Fi, Chris, Mike & Steve
Then we went to the Grape Escape
Me, Sam, Fi & Chris bought 2 liter jugs of San Greass (hic!) (OMG great spelling)

Friday 23rd June
Got up at 9.45 am
Fi came round at 10.10 & we went to school. We organized a ‘Buffet Meal’ for 19 teachers for 29/6/78
Sam came round at 3.00 pm
Washed Kate’s dads car got £1.00 for it
Went to ‘J’s at 8.00 & we went to the Guest House Pub
‘J’ sat on a stink bomb in the toilets = hilarious
(it was so funny she had been telling me about some on putting cling film over a toilet seat last time she was in the Guest House as she went into the cubicle. She shut the door & all I heard was her weeping laughing and then this awful smell. If I could bottle & sell ‘J’s laugh and the effect it has on me and others the world would be such a happy place)
Went to the Art Centre
Sam & me in funny moods with each other. Don’t know why?

Saturday 24th June
Party in Northenden, Manchester (ooo I drove through there twice today)
Rang work but it was raining
Phoned Sam
Stayed in all afternoon
Had a bath & washed my hair
Ziggy caught a bird (Ziggy was a next doors gozzy eyed cheeky tabby cat who used to do kamikaze stealing of our cats food and run out mouth full but dropping it as he dashed off in panic)
Left for Waterloo at 6.30 nearly missed the train
Went to Manchester party = good
Food was excellent
Got back at 1.15 am
Stayed at Waterloo. Slept in Sam’s bed.
‘Do’ was at the Ascot Hotel
Sam’s grandparents are really nice

Diaryless Friday

Well no diary tonight I have been out socialising in the 'real world' with some good chums.

I thought, however, I would share this instead. I am currently reading 'Engleby' by Sebastian Faulks. Faulks has been one of my favourite authors since I first read a novel of his in 1993 'Bird Song' (if it hasn't crossed your reading list then I recommend it as a must read)
Since then I have read 7 of his works including Charlotte Gray (the film really didn't do it justice in the slightest) , The Girl at the Lion d'Or (I passed the Hotel Lion d'Or when horribly lost in France one year.. and could I find it again once I found where I was supposed to be? Could I heck!) & the Fatal Englishman (another must read ).
Faulks's novels span WW1 through WW2, the 50's and beyond.

'Engleby' is very apt just now as it starts with his character 'Engelby' at University in the 1970's. Their are many references to my recollections of the time which I haven't diarised, that have amused me.
I recall posting about me 'taking my white jeans in' , Sam in his grey cords and drainees!
On the train home tonight I read in the book this paragraph which made me smile and describes that moment in fashion history far better than me as a Teen (although I felt the same!) could ever describe.

'Overnight, everyone's stopped wearing flares after all these years and is suddenly back into drainpipes: jeans, needlecords, doesn't matter so long as they're straight. If you wear flares it's like saying you're into Barclay James Harvest or the Moody Blues'

& that is exactly how it was !!

1978 June week 24

Sunday 11^th June

Got up at 11.30 am
Bev phoned she got absolutely Brahms & Lizst last night
Watched ‘The Boy in a Plastic Bubble’ with John Travolta (cor!)

Fi Phoned
Phoned Sam at 9.35 in Stafford
It was in the half time in the Scotland (3) v Holland (2) match.

(yes I learnt at an early, having a football crazy brother, chit chat can only happen at ½ time…… something my teen has not quite mastered with her father yet!! Me ‘don’t phone him now he will be watching the game’ Teen ‘he won’t mind’… 20 seconds later … me ‘ well?’ Teen ‘ he was watching the footy, will phone him tomorrow’)

Sam is home tomorrow

Monday 12^th June

Art I = failed. That is the last time I draw a cucumber. (strangely enough I have not felt the urge to since??)
Finished exam at 4.30 and went to Maths Tutor for the last time
Had a bath & washed my hair
Bev, Fi & Sam phoned
Sam got back from Stafford at 9.30pm
He has been accepted at Bournemouth College (boo hoo!)
Revised English Lit.
I know a few quotes and basic stories

Tuesday 13^th June

English Literature 9.30
Quite easy considering
Got out at 12 noon
Came home and did some Maths revision
Bev phoned
Met Sam at Art Collegeat 3.30 pm
Went for a coffee then came home
Tried to revise Maths but have not succeeded very much
Haven’t done any French
Sam phoned.
He has got an interview at Nottingham College a week tomorrow (good luck pal) (I must have been thinking ‘well ‘J’ didn’t get in so it is doubtful you will!’)

John Travolta and Olivia Newton John Number 1 (The wizard of oz song oo oo oo .. how skinny was Livvy and how I wanted to emulate her with my lycra pants and those shoes.. but not the hair do)

Wednesday 14^th June

Maths I (9.30 am) = bloody hard putting it mildly
French II (1.30 pm) = quite easy
Got up at 7.45
Went for Maths exam don’t know why I bothered
French =Ok
Sam came round at 4.45 after being to the dentist
He came round at 7.00
I did some Geog notes
Watched Brazil3 v Peru 0
Sam left at 11.00

Thursday 15^th June

6 Months !!!
Phone work
Got up at 11.00 am
Sam came round at 1.00 pm and left at 3.00 pm
Had a bath
Phoned work. I am working on Saturday weather permitting (well it was an outdoor café!)
Bev & Fi phoned
Phoned ‘J’ & Sam
Revised Geog fro 2 ½ hours
I haven’t done much Maths revision
In Geog I know Liverpool, Skelmersdale, Southport, E. Anglia & a bit of iron & steel

PERFECTLY GOOD!

Friday 16^th June (the day my teen was born many, many years later)

Maths II 9.30 = Easier than paper 1
Geography 1.30 = Quite difficult

Sam met me at 3.40 pm
Drew £2 out of the bank
Went to town at 7.30
Met Sam on the station
Went to the ‘Brick
Saw Bev with her American friend Angie
Went to El Tonel
I am a bit *@*!!@ (yes that is what is written! & oh those heady days to get blottoed with £2.00 in your pocket)

Saturday 17^th June

Worked from 9.30 – 6.45
Got home @ about 7.15 (ooo I did text/MSN speak 30 years ago lol)
‘J’ came round then I went back to her house til 10.00
Sam phoned from Northampton
He has gone to some film thing
My brother bought the L.P. ‘Saturday Night Fever’ it is great

I love Sam

1978 June week 23

Sunday 4^th June

Worked 9.30 – 5.15
Got up at ½ 8 & went to work = OK
About 3 pm it started to thunder & the rain was so heavy, so we closed at 5.15. (we used to love this as we would clean up then sit around chatting and still get a full days pay)
Got the train home
Sam came round at 7.05
He phoned from Ainsdale Station first before he came round (fool!) (erm no I think it was a Mum avoidance technique)
We stayed in and watched ‘Wheels’ & the Spanish Grand Prix
Marienne (oops) Andretti won in a Lotus. Ronnie Peterson = 2^nd
Sam left at 11.10 pm

Monday 5^th June

Got up at 8.15 am
Jackie came round but I wasn’t going into skool
Fi & Bev rang
Revised Maths & East Anglia for Geog (yawn)
Sam rang about 2.30. He was in Formby
Went to Maths Tutor did nautical miles (wow)
Fi phoned again
Sam phoned again
He’d been to Southport with Mike and Jim as it was Jim’s 18^th today
Phoned Bev at 10.00pm but she was just going out (just going out ? tut tut)

Tuesday 6^th June
O’Levels start
Got up at 10.15
Had a bath & washed my hair (of course it is Tuesday NM!)
Did a little French revision (seulement que je pense)
Bev phoned so did Fi
Sam came round at 3 o’clock
Watched TV
He left at 5 o’clock

Phoned ‘J’ & she came round.
Had a good ol’ chin wag (nothing has changed there some 31 years later we still have a good ol’ chin wag but unfortunately it is via the phone as we live so far apart… usually a once a week 2 hours putting the world to right)

She left at 10.45
Phoned Sam
He’d been out for a meal with his parents
Italy (3) v Hungry (0)

Wednesday 7^th June
Got up at 10.00
Did a bit of French revision (seulement un peu)
Fi came round at 12.00 after her cookery exam = ok (now Fi was the Nigella of the 70s)
We went to town at 3 o’clock. I beat her at pool (but she could beat me hands down in the kitchen lol)
Looked around for a pressy for Bev
Met Sam at 5 o’clock after his A’Level Art II
Went to get my wages but the owners weren’t there
Came home at 6.00pm
Sam phoned at 8.15
Revised French until I flipped… going to fail tomorrow
Boney M still number 1

Thursday 8^th June (25 weeks)

French I (9.30) Dictation ½ hour, Paper 1 – 1 ½ hours Free Composition & E->F translation (goodness knows what that means?)
A very fair paper
Came home at 11.30
Went to town at 2.30 & met Sam.
Bought a suspender belt & stockings (ooo la la, is there anything sexier? Fi's dad used to call me 'la suss' because of my love of suspenders ... slightly worrying as an adult now lol) & a pressy for Bev (a horoscope book)
£10.00 wages
Put £7.00 in the T.S.B (the Trustee Savings Bank … I had this account from being very small and used to call it the Tufty savings Bank, I feel maybe, Tufty was used as its advertising logo at one time … but there again ??)
Sam came round at 7.20
‘J’ phoned
Watched ‘I Claudius’
Sam left at 11.05

Friday 9^th June

Got up at 9.00
Washed my hair
Met Sam at Art College at 10.30
Helped him put his exhibition up
Came home & he stayed for dinner

Mum on ½ day (My mum is a star she was so innocent to modern speak and she would say things like ‘I think I will have it off this afternoon’*snigger* or ‘you know, you can’t beat a good ham shank!’ *double snigger* (referring to a certain piece of meat *oops snigger) I imagine this day was one of those expressions & I would be gfawing)

Sam left at 1.30 pm (I bet he did as Mum was on her way back)
‘J’ came round at 7.00 pm & we met Sam in the Railway
Went to Mike’s party = hardly anyone turned up
Sam fixed ‘J ' up with Ashy
He took me & ‘J’ home at midnight

Saturday 10^th June

Bev’s 16^th Birthday

Bev woke me up this morning with a phone call at 10.30 (yuk)
Got a bit of a hangover
Met her and Jackie in the Fox & Goose at 2.15
Went to an Antiques Fair Bought a ring for 30p (ooo a genuine antique)
Came home at 5.00
Watched TV Sam phoned from Stafford at 9.00 pm ‘J’ phoned as well
Did some English revision

1978 May/June week 22

Sunday 28th May
Got up at 10.30 am
Washed my hair
Sam phoned and he came round at 1.45 pm
Today is the hottest it has been for a long time
We decided to take a pique-nique (oh cool spelling!!) lunch & go to Formby beach away from the crowds
We stayed there until 6.00 pm then we came to Ainsdale
Watched The Godfather 1 it continues tomorrow = great (horses heads in beds, revenge a dish best served cold and all that .. fabulous)
‘J’ phoned, she has been pig farming today (wow) (think I prefer pique-niques myself!)

Monday 28th May
Bank Holiday
Worked 9.30 – 8.00
Weather = boiling hot again = dead busy
Came home at 8.10
Mum picked me up
Fi & ‘J’ phoned
Sam is in Stafford with his parents
He didn’t phone but I didn’t expect him to
Miss him
Watched The Godfather part 2

Tuesday 30th May
Got up at about 10.00
Did 1 ½ hours English revision

Stayed in all afternoon
Sunbathed for an hour
Sam had an interview at Bournemouth College
Al, Bev & Sam phoned
He doesn’t know if he’s got in yet
He’s in Stafford until tomorrow
I miss him
Watched ’79 Park Av’ by Harold Robbins on TV
Went to doctors with bad throat

Wednesday 31st May
Got up at 10.30
Did some Maths revision (WT is this??? I like the Q7 quip though!)
Went to Southport at 3.00pm met Jane on the bus
Went round with her.
Met Fi after Jane had gone home
Bought 2 badges (Paddington one for Sam and a Rupert & Edward one for me)
Bought at tiered skirt £6.50 & a T-shirt £1.20
Came home at 6.00
It thundered & rained & was sunny
Went to the Natterjack with Sam (of course) . ‘J’ and a few of her mates
£4.50 wages

Thursday 1st June
World Cup Starts in Argentina
Party at Tiffany’s
Got up at 10.15 did 2 hours Geography revision
Sam came round at 3.00pm.
It thundered again
Sam left at 5.00 he came back at 7.15
Watched Poland (0) v W. Germany (0)
Went to Tiffany’s = great
Had a few to drink (hic)
My brother = some girl called Sue
‘J’ = some lad nicknamed Wolf (hee hee 'J')
Sam stayed the night (on the couch)
Got home at 1.25

Friday 2nd June
Got up at 10.00
Woke Sam.
Made baked potatoes with mushroom & ham filling for dinner = ok
Went to Southport in afternoon
Beat Sam at pool (YIPEEE)
Went to Art College for ½ hour
Sam came round at 7.20
Watched Italy (2) v France (1)
France scored after 31 seconds
We then went to the ‘Brick & Art Centre
Sam beat me 2 x at pool (DAM)
Came home on last train 11.00
Argentina v Hungry

Saturday 3rd June
Revised Geography today
Phoned Sam at 12 o’clock
Had a bath
Met Sam at Formby station at 2.00
We went round Formby village
He bought his sister a pair of blue wellies £2.99
Went to Formby Gala Show it cost 40p to get in
I bought a ‘7 up’ necklace and Sam bought a ‘polo’ one
Same came round at 6.45 and we watched footy
Brazil (1) v Sweden (1)
Scotland (1) v Peru (1) (wow a draw against Peru!)
Bev & ‘J’ phoned

1978 May week 21

Sunday 21st May
Worked 10.00 – 6.15
Fairly busy day
Got a 26p tip off a foreign bloke (wow)
Got home at 6.40
Sam came round at 8.30
We played footy in the garden then watched the Belgian Grand Prix
(if you are interested it was held at Zolder &
1st Mario Andretti
2nd Ronnie Peterson
3rd Carlos Reutermann
4th Giles Villeneuve
5th Jacques Laffitte
6th Didier Pironi
Some great names in motor racing)

Bev & Fi rang
Phoned ‘J’
Sam left at 11.10 pm

Monday 22nd May
French Oral with Mr Somebody or other (ok Daddy Papersurfer & Nursey …… )
It was at 11.30 = ok a bit nerve racking
Went to Whiteheads café for dinner
Came home at 2.30
Couldn’t be bothered to go to Biology
Went to Tutors at 4.30 pm
Sam phoned at 8.40 talked to him for ages
He has got an interview at Bournemouth College (sob)
Persuaded Mar to let me see ‘Saturday Night Fever’ tomorrow!

Tuesday 23rd May
Got up at 9.30 & had a bath
Sam rang at 11.00
Bev came round and she stayed for dinner
Went to school at 1 pm
Mrs P refused to teach us in English (shame) she said we were like a “bunch of kindergarden kids” (excellent!!)
Sam met me at 3.40
Played golf? in the garden
Met him later on the train at 7.15 with my brother
Went to the ‘Brick then to see Saturday Night Fever = ACE 9/10

(what a mover)
John Travolta = sexy (wow)

Wednesday 24th May
13 years living in Ainsdale

Got up at 9.30
Did some Geography notes
Bev came round at 12.30
Sat in Cookery room through Biology (huh??) then went to French
After French I went to town . Had to wait ½ hour for a train
Met ‘J’ & Sam at Art College
Got £4.00 wages
Bought Sam’s mum a card
Mum is off work coz she is ill
Phoned Sam at 8.00
Did some more Geog
Watched ‘Arena’ about ‘The Tubes’ & ‘David Bowie’

Thursday 25th May (23 weeks)
Went to skool this morning (faint)
Someone let the fire extinguishers off on the first floor
Came home at 2.30
We had our new Leisure gas cooker delivered
Mar came home from work as she is still not well
Sun bathed
Sam came round at 3.45
Played footy
Got the 7.40 bus met Pat & Liz.
We met Lo, Debs & Sheena at the Classic.
We all went to the Art Centre then the Grape Escape then the ‘Brick
Sam was in there. He was being really dead nice to me (why wouldn’t he be??)

Friday 28th May
School til 2.30
Had leavers assembly this morning it was dead sad. I can’t believe we leave today and only have to come in for exams
Came home at 2.30
Sunbathed with Fi
Had new cooker put in and found a serious gas leak = ok now
Sam came round at 4.00
Fi came round at 7.00 and Sam at 8.00
Chris took us all in his car to Gails house = so boring
Came home at 11.00

Saturday 27th May
Worked 9.30 – 6.30
Very, very busy all day
Got home at 6.45
Sam came round at 7.05
‘J’ came to see me at lunch time
We have to wear Union Jack aprons now (perfectly good!!)
Stayed in all night with Sam
He left at 11.00
Stayed up to watch ‘The Return of Count Yorga’ = quite scary

Picture of Bowie by Snowdon 1978

1978 May week 20

Sunday 14th May (22 weeks)
Got up at 11.00
Fi phoned
Sam phoned
Went to Sams at 2.30
Stayed there for tea
Weather = lovely so we sunbathed
Me & Sam came home at 7.30
Bev & Fi rand
Phoned ‘J’. She and Martin have finished.
I feel so sorry for her but she had an idea it was over a few days ago
Sam left at 11.00

Monday 15th May (5 months to the date)
Sam had his A’Level Art I exam
Boring day in school
Maths Tutor at 4.30 pm went over old papers (how riveting!)
Phoned Sam
‘J’ came round.
Things are just not going right for her
1st Martin finished with her
2nd She didn’t get into Nottingham
3rd Her A’Level pottery piece broke.

She came with me and Mum to a Wicker party (wow that was bound to cheer her up… it was the era of Tupperware parties. Mum worked in an office and she was always invited to these things. She didn’t have a lot of money, most of her collegues worked for 'pin money' they were bored and their husbands earned enough already. It wasn't the case for Mum, she hated going as she could not afford to part with cash for trivial things. Although I do remember a few pieces of Tupperware in the house and we did have one of those awful pin and thread pictures on the wall for years. I know there is a photograph of it behind me on my 18th … must root it out)

I got a basket wall hanging 85p (sounds delightful) and a mat 68p
Sam phoned but I wasn’t in (no I was having a huge amount of fun with basket cases... scarily many of the women there were the age I am now....... I confess to hosting a Body Shop Party and I am considering an Ann Summers one lol, no Tupperware in sight )

Tuesday 16th May
Drew a cucumber in Art
Played a bit of softball in games
Weather stil = very hot
Sam met me after school
He phoned me at 9.00 pm
Will see him again tomorrow (oh what a surprise!!!)
Washed my hair & had a bath (wow)
Number 1 still the same as last week

Wednesday 17th May
Getting my hair permed
Skived German
Went to school at 10.45
Went to town at 2.30
Met Sam on the train
Played pool and got £4.00 wages
Came home at 5.30
Went to Alison’s house at 7.00 pm (OMG a home perm!!)
Got my hair permed looks ……….. ok (ish)
Got home at 11.30
Sam phoned he is phoning me tomorrow morning
Phoned ‘J’ to see how she is, she seems a lot more cheery

Thursday 18th May
Hospital 2.15 pm
Got up at 8.30 am
Didn’t go to school
Did some Maths for Tutor
Sam phoned at 11.00
Bev came round and we went into town

Met Sam in the ‘Brick
He says he likes my hair
Went to the hospital the consultant said I can do a little sport but I must go back in November
Went back to the ‘Brick and played pool
My brother has got some girl pregnant (stupid boy) Huge rows in the house I am staying out of the way (now this was quite amusing, he had just got divorced (oh and obviously back from the Sahara by now). Her mother phoned to say he had got her daughter up the duff, he had only just got divorced and I remember my mum shouting this fact …… he didn’t really deny it but not long after this girl married someone with the same name as my brother… so who was the father ????? )
Sam phoned at 9.15
Revised Biology for 1 hour (faint)

Friday 19th May
Got up at 9.30 am
Did some more Maths.
Bev & Fi came round at lunch time and went to school at 1.00pm
Geography teacher really skitted me about my hair (how unprofessional lol)
‘J’ came round at 7.30
We met Sam in the ‘Brick at 8.00
Went to the Midnight Lounge.
Got home at 11.15
Have had 1 ½ pints of cider = feel a bit groggy

Saturday 20th May
Got up at 9.00
Phoned work but they said I am working Sunday
Phoned Sam at 12.00
Sun bathed 2.30 – 4.00. Not hot enough to get brown
Revised Geography, French Oral work & Maths for Tutor
Sam phoned at 6.45 & came round at 7.15
We went to the beach and all round the sandhills
Saw 8 bunnie rabbits (ah!)
Sam left at 11.00

1978 May week 19

Sunday 7th May
Worked 11.00 – 6.15
Got up at 9.00 but didn’t have to go to work til 11.00
In the morning we weren’t busy but about 4.00 pm we got mad busy
Went to see Bev at the ‘Brick at lunch time
Sam down in Stafford for the day
Got home at 6.45
Sam came round at 7.15 and left at 11.05
My brother goes to the Sahara desert tomorrow at 6.00 am (why??)

Monday 8th May
My brother left for the Sahara Desert this morning, a taxi came for him at 6.00 am to take him to Ringway airport (now Manchester Airport)
Sam met me at luch time
Had my Maths tutor at 4.30 (no not like that)
Went over an O’level paper
Sam phoned but I in the bath so I phoned him back

Tuesday 9th May
French Oral Practise 12.15 pm (dither, dither)
‘J’ had an interview at Nottingham College
Stayed off in the morning went to school at 12. Had my French Oral = ok but yuk!
Weather = boiling hot
Sam met me from shool & he took my photo (eek!)
My auntie & uncle came down
Sam phoned me from Formby
Bone M – Rivers of Babylon number 1 (another of my non favourite tracks or bands... it was the bloke in the band he gave me the creeps!!)




Wednesday 10th May
School all day
Weather still = boiling
Went to town at 3.00 and met Sam
Got £8.00 wages
Health Inspector is reporting the café
Bought Sam Ian Drury ‘What a Waste’ (of course we were now in the age of 'punk' and the like.... I dabbled in the safety pin fashion the year previous, which I didn't mention.. coz I had forgotten about up until now. My younger brother was well into it.. the Sex Pistols and his very favourites were the Stranglers. It really wasn't for me so didn't stay long in that scene)



Bev = skiving school

We won the European Cup
Liverpool 1 v Bruges 0 (YIPEEEE!!!) (oh yes YIPEEE)
Sam phoned at 10.45
Phone ‘J’ and Fi phoned me

Thursday 11th May (10 days to French Oral, 27 days to first O’level exam)
GERMAN C.S.E 1 - 1 ¼ hours
GERMAN C.S.E 2 - 45 mins
Start 1.30
Paper 1 = aural & written response
Paper 2 = composition
= a fair exam (very mature response)
Sam met me from school
Went to Fi’s for dinner
Tina’s got a cold (aww poor pussy cat)
Bev & Fi phoned
Phoned Sam

Friday 12th May
GERMAN C.S.E 3 – 1 ¼ hrs
Start 1.30
Translation & comprehension = so hard

Finished exam at 2.45
Went to town
Met Sam
Came home at 5.30
Went to town at 8.00 met Sam
Went to the Midnight Lounge
Am a bit drunk sorry!!
My brother came with us (the younger one)
Me and Sam had our photos taken in the photo booth (oh yes me and mates used to do this a lot I have a collection of really dreadful black & white photos & no they will not be published!! Although others seem to not have the fear I have??)

Saturday 13th May
Worked 9.45 – 6.15 pm
Weather = sunny then cloudy
2 new girls started today
Sam met me at lunchtime
Got home at 6.45
Sam came round at 7.15. Went to Tony R’s party at 8.15
Had a good time.
Tony tried to snog me when Sam was in the other room, the cheek of him (OMG)
Got home at 11.15pm
‘J’ phoned she is having problems with Martin


Sahara photo by photographer Jef Maion(tried to email you Jef but link don't work!)

1978 April/May week 18

Sunday 30^th April

Got up at 10.30 am
Feel Yuk cos I have got Sam’s cold (well you could see that happening)
Mar is still in a paddy with me about last night
Did Maths revision all afternoon
Bev phoned Jack was round at her house he has come up for the weekend from Oxford. (beautiful city)
Sam phoned.
He came round at 7.15.
Went to Tiffany’s at 8.00 pm = ok
Came home at 11.10 pm

Monday 1^st May

Public Holiday
May Day (wow wee)

Got up at 10.00 am
Went to Sam’s grandparents. Met his grandparents = ok
Sat in their back room all afternoon
Stayed for tea
Came home at 6.15 pm
Sam & my brother went to see Liverpool v Man City
Liverpool 4 v Man City 0 (ha ha)
Revised my Maths. Don’t think I know enough to pass tomorrow

Tuesday 2^nd May

MATHS C.S.E. 2
2 hrs 10 mins start 9.30 am
Sad Café concert 7.30 pm

Have failed my Maths with flying colours = quite hard
Sam met me at 2.30 pm after English
He left at 4.00 (avoiding my Mum I expect!!)
Washed my hair
Went to the ‘Brick at 7.00 pm
Sam was late.

Sad Café = brilliant

(must say I have had many a lovely smoochy to this record & also shed a tear or two over it too!)

Played pool in the ‘Brick afterwards
Got home at 11.00 pm

Wednesday 3^rd May

Bev was skiving off this morning cos she has Physics & cookery exam this afternoon
Went to town with Sam
Got my wages £4.00
Came home at 5.30
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned. He was in Formby with all his mates
He is meeting me tomorrow
Practised my French Oral

Thursday 4^th May (20 weeks)

Went to Kim’s house during Art lesson and there was a fire drill. Teacher covered up for us (good ol’ Mr. ******)
Went out at lunch time
Bev, Fi & Jackie went home at dinner time cos of exams tomorrow
Sam met me from school & left at 5.15
Did French & English homework
Phoned Sam

Friday 5^th May

Boring day at school don’t know why I bothered going in, did no work at all
Sam met me at lunch time & after school
Weather = hot & sunny
Met Sam in the ‘Brick at 8.00 pm
He beat me at pool then we went to the El Tonel & bought a bottle of wine for £2.45 (what does a bottle cost in a wine bar now? About £12.00 upwards)
Got a bit tipsy
He asked me to marry him again (ha!)
There was a fight on the train on the way home = kept well out of the way of it

Saturday 6^th May

Worked 10.00 – 6 pm on ice creams all day
Got to work at 9.30 am but they didn’t need us ‘til 10.00
Me & Bev went to the ‘Brick and played pool
Got home at 6.35
Sam round at 6.50
Went to the Natterjack = quite good
Really tired. Got home at 11.15
I love Sam (arrrr!)

1978 April week 17

Sunday 23^rd April

St. George’s Day
Mum’s Birthday

Got up at 11.00 am
Gave Mum her ‘Equalla’ moisturizer and L’aimant’ perfume
(so it wasn’t Tweed!)
Bev, Fi, ‘J’ & Sam phoned
Fi = cracked up on Chris (huh ????)
Sam came round at 7.15 pm
Went to ‘J’s for a natter til 9.00 then me & Sam went for a walk and bought a bottle of cider (oh no that slippery slope!)
He left at 11.00
Did some Maths revision this afternoon (faint)

Monday 24th April

Went out of school at lunch time and met Sam
Bought a pie & an ice bun 24p (Jamie Oliver we ate rubbish them days too if we could!)
Sorted out our English assignments.
I have entered :- comprehension- Suburban Survival Course: Hijack: My Home Town: School Memories: Do we Live in an Age of Violence? = ACE (honest) (I remember this was the first year that they tried this a sort of continuous assessment and not wholly exams)
Phoned Sam at 8.10 pm
Went to tutor at 4.30 = Linear programming (What??)
Did 1 ½ hours Maths revision

Tuesday 25^th April

No lessons this morning
Me & Jackie went to the village.
Dis 2 hours Maths revision, still don’t think I have done enough
Sam phoned at 9.45 pm
I missed him today

Wednesday 26^th April

MATHS C.S.E 1 2hrs start 1.30 pm

Got up at 10.00am
Washed my hair (good exam prep)
Sam came round at 11.00 am (even better exam prep hee hee )
Went to school at 12.30
Exam started at 1.40 pm
It was ok not as hard as I thought.
‘J’ phoned
Sam came round at 7.10 pm
Went to the offy & got a bottle of cider & 50p refund on some bottles (recycling at its best… why doesn’t that happen now… money back on empties? As a small kid we used to think it was ace to go to the shop and get money back off pop bottles also taking the empty glass soda siphon to be exchanged for a full one)

Sam went home at 11.00 pm

Brian & Michael STILL number 1 (terrific!! Thought I would post Oasis’s version instead of the original … it’s not much better)

Thursday 27^th April (19 weeks)

School
Went to the village in the Art lesson on a message for the teacher with Bev.
Sam met me at lunch time & he met me after school
Didn’t do any lessons in the afternoon, don’t know why I bothered going in.
‘J’ phoned, we are going swimming tomorrow
Sam = full of cold so he will just spectate (aww man flu!!)
Phoned Sam at 9.00 pm
Had a bath
£4.00 wages

Friday 28^th April

Went to the village at lunch time
Fi brought Heidi to school again
After school went swimming with ‘J’
Sam is streaming with a cold so he just watched.
Got home at 6.30.
Sam stayed for tea
Washed my hair the me, Sam and my brother went to Fi’s at 8.20
Had a ride on Chris’s moped to Rotten Row = ace
Got home at 11.10
I think Gail fancies Sam but she can hands off

(Rotten Row is well posh I am sure they appreciated teens on mopeds …. This is the write up from the Sefton Councils site

Victoria Park & Rotten Row

Home of the Southport Flower Show, with Rotten Row considered to be the longest herbaceous boarder in the UK. The Park has new play area, croquet lawns, 3 bowling greens, minature train club, small pond, boating lake and some ornimentail planting.

(it was a direct cut and paste from the Councils site so that isn’t my spelling of miniature or ornamental !!)

Saturday 28^th April

Worked 10.30 – 6.00
Sam came to see me at work
He bought me ‘Too Much, Too Little, Too Late’ by Johny Mathis & Denise Williams

New girl started today
Sam met me from work. Came home at 6.45pm
Had my tea & Sam went to the Railway in Ainsdale then came here
We were going to go to the Natterjack but I was too tired.
Mar was out & when she came back she was cross- examining me left, right and center. Don’t know what she thought was going on ? (erm!!)

Thank you FMB

Well I was truely amazed when I won the Friday Fun competition & then to find out there really was a prize took my breath away.

Then a bit of panic set in as I realised that it was going to be something random out of Kevin's cupboard & Sylvie held no responsibility for what maybe selected...... what would it be? Maybe an old sock all the way from La Rochelle. How would I explain to my teen why I would be getting an old sock from France!!!!!! Oh yes it could be an iPod cover
I had my 'cover' story ready

Anyway today, after a hard days graft, I came home to find a white envelope on my door mat from that well known French town of Ware!!!!!???? (oh and a package up video from my Mum, last weeks episode of 'Casualty' - my video won't record!!)

Oh what a prize it contained!!

The Good Wife's Guide 1955

Thank you so much Kevin & Sylvie I realise now (& I am sure you will agree) with my immaculate manners, wistful feminine ways and total respect for the male of our species I was born 25 years too late

1978 April week 16

Sunday 16th April

Got up at 10.30 am
Woke Sam at ¼ to 11.
He left at 5 to 12
Bev phoned
Stayed in all afternoon
Did some French Translation (Sylvie I was trying )

Washed my hair
Fi Phoned
I phoned Bev (lasted 8 minutes) (big brother must have been paying the bill still!)
Sam came round at 7.15 pm and left at 11.00.
We went for a walk around the village
After tea I went to see Kate’s Wedding presents (I remember the day after my wedding a constant stream of people ‘oooing & arrring’ at the presents saying ‘oh haven’t you done well’ I felt like a competitor from ‘The Generation Game’ I was so knackered with all the run up to the wedding I just wanted to have some peace and sleep!!)
She stayed in the Atlantic Towers for their wedding night

Monday 17th April
Boring day at school
Percentage mark for my C.S.E assessment = 74.25% (possibly Maths or maybe German)
Went to Maths tutors
Phoned Sam
His new number is 051- *** -****
He phoned me back later
Party at Tiffany’s but I was not allowed to go

Tuesday 18th April
Had an English comprehension test on the poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ (one of my very favourite poems still it is one of the most powerful 1st World War poems that graphically captures the awfulness of what occurred)

Sam met me from school. Bought Mums birthday card
Sam left at 5.15
Phoned ‘J’
She had been to Oxford for the weekend and had a great time
Sam phoned at 8.30
My brothers divorce comes through tomorrow

Wednesday 18th April

School
Went swimming. P.E. teacher gave us a lift in his Capri.
Sam came swimming as well
Bev phoned she was in tiers (yes tiers not tears) as David is going back to Eton (I have no recollection about who this David was but hey I rubbed shoulders with some one who went to Eton!!)
Mike E rang her to ask her to go out with Chris G I think she should as it will help her get over david.
Sam phoned – my heart throb (ha!)
England 1 v Brazil 1
Brazil = dead dirty players

Thursday 20th April (18 weeks)
Fi brought a Canadian girl to school called Heidi, she was ok but a bit strange (sorry Frac) She was from Toronto. ( Fi’s parents were really into having exchange students and I remember being so jealous as I would have loved to have had the opportunity to do that too)

Bev still in tears over David going back to Eton
Sam met me from school he got in trouble thru’ kicking a football at some fella’s car (how annoying is that as an adult)
‘J’ phoned
Sam phoned
He seemed in a strange mood
Washed my hair (that’s the answer girl….. I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair)
& put it in a side parting lokks ok but I bet Sam won’t like it (doh ;-( )

Friday 21st April
Skool
Got my O’level timetable
Had a lecture about our exams of French teacher (witch queen)
Went to town and bought Kate’s dad’s birthday presy (beer shampoo, Denim talc &deoderant)

Bought Mum some perfume (I bet it was Tweed by Lentheric. )

‘J’ rang
Met Sam on the train
We all went to the Art Centre, ‘Brick and Houghton.
Sam asked me to marry him. I wish I could but not for a few years yet (WTF!!!)


Saturday 22nd April
Worked from 10.30 – 6.15 pm
‘J’ came to see me at work
Her sister is going out with Martin’s brother
Sam came round at 7.45 pm
Had a good time (eeeek!) but I am really worn out after working all day (oh too young to be too worn out for........!)
Sam left at 11.00

1978 March week 15

Sunday 9^th April

Sam comes home (Yipee!!)

Got up at 10.15
Phoned the café but they weren’t opening (obviously another wet horrid day)
Tidied my bedroom and played darts with my brother. (I loved playing darts, in fact this put me in good stead for the future. I played for a ladies darts team (we were a refined lot G&T’s not pints) and I was their captain for years. In my loft I have an array of tacky trophies for all the tournaments I won (180, least darts, Captains cup, league champions etc……. I even won a years free drinks in a pub once when this bloke challenged me to best of three and I won …….. ahh those heady days lol)

Bev phoned at 7.15
Sam phoned at 7.00 & he came round just after 8 (like a mint???)
He bought me a little leather boot, a small bottle of wine and some sardines (SARDINES??? Well I suppose Portugal is famous for them)
Didn’t realize how much I had missed him until I saw him tonight (erm read back in your diary)
‘J’ phoned after seeing ‘Annie Hall’

Monday 10^th April

Tutor (Maths) 4.00 pm

It snowed last night
Got up at 10.50
Sam came round at 11.00 (mmm? only 10 minutes after I got up!!)

Made him an egg omelets = YUK! (1. can you make an omelet out of anything but eggs & 2. hey I had not done my A’Level in cooking yet)
He left when I went to my tutors at 4.00
Bev phoned she was having a get together but I didn’t go
Sam phoned. He is meeting me outside the Classic at 7.00 tomorrow
Watched a film called ‘Heist’ with Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn (apparently it was called Dollars in the US ...............'Join Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn in the heist of the Century in this suspense-packed romantic thriller! Joe Collins (Warren Beatty) is a charming American technician installing a new security system in a Hamburg bank run by Mr. Kessel (Gert Frobe). With the help of Dawn Divine (Goldie Hawn), a feather-brained hooker with a heart of money, Joe masterminds a scheme to beat the burglar-proof system from within. According to the intricate plan, they’ll steal only from the criminally rich, including a kinky attorney (Robert Webber) and a racketeer, Sarge (Scott Brady). Everything clicks for Joe and Dawn until the brutal victims discover the theft and pursue them in a riveting chase across a frozen lake')

Tuesday 11^th April

Back to skool Skull =ok ish

Got 92% for an algebra exam (well blow me down doubt I would get 2% now!!)
Met Sam outside the Classic Cinema at 7.10. He was 10 minutes late (oh obsessive ‘time’ woman)
Went to see ‘Annie Hall’ = quite good 6 ½ / 10 (oh that Annie Hall look.. the hat & masculine clothing but looking fabulous.. the waistcoat & tie!!)

Came home at 11.00
Watched Elvis Costello on the Old Grey Whistle Test (& whispering Bob Harris!)
Number one still the same as last week (oh deep joy)

Wednesday 12^th April

Went to school
At 2.30 came home then went to town .
Got copped by the big guy on the station for not paying at Ainsdale.(oh so you were trying to bunk the train then? Tut tut )

Met Sam at 3.00 pm in the ‘Brick
Then we went to change Mum’s handbag & I got me a pair of grey stilettos £10.99 (they were such lovely shoes, suede and leather) & a hat for £2.50 (it is quite amusing 31 years later the last pair of shoes I bought were £8.00!!)
Then we went for tea in the Arts Centre

Got £7.00 wages
Phoned ‘J’

Liverpool 3 v M’ Gladbach 0

Thursday 13^th April (17 weeks)

Went to school
Sam met me afterwards
Phoned ‘J’ we are going swimming tomorrow
Sam phoned. He was busy packing cos they are moving tomorrow

Fi’s boyfriend finished with her yesterday after 1 month 4 days (those 4 days are so important!)

Friday 14^th April

Sam moves to his grandparents
Went swimming after school with ‘J’ , Sam and Fi
Bought some ‘Almay’ mascara £1.25 (current RRP £4.00 so things are relatively cheaper nowadays)
Got home at 6.45
Went to Formby at 8.15
Helped clean Sam’s house
Stayed there until 10.45 & got the train at 11.15

Sam now lives in Waterloo
‘J’ & Martin = 3 months

Saturday 15^th April (4 months to the date)

Kate’s wedding (incase you are not with the whole diary read.... Kate is the daughter of my Mums 'boyfriend'.. my dad died aged 44 in 1967 and Kate's dad found my Mum some 6 years later and was her constant companion for 25 years)

Got up at 8.30 am & had a bath.
Went to the hairdressers at 9.30.
Hair not too good.
Went into town to see my brother be best man at his mates wedding at the Town Hall (now this was a strange wedding as my bro was once a Teddyboy and the groom still thought he was!)
Went to church to see Kate’s wedding = ok
Sam came round at 7.30 & we went to the Parish Hall to the night do = quite good
Kate’s dad gave us £5.00 between us for drinks

Got a bit drunk = 6 Martini’s (if you can remember how many drinks you had you ain’t that drunk lol)
Sam stayed the night in the front room. Went to bed at 1.30 am

(there is a photo of me somewhere at the wedding wearing a floral shirt, gypsy top and those grey stilettos... will have to hawk it out !)

2007 Interlude

Well here I go if I have got this right !!
Step 1
simply copy/paste the text or image above to your blog = Check!

Step 2
you must tag (label) the post "snorgtees.com" (and fuelmyblog if you wish!) = Check (see below)

Step 3
link to this competition page
= Check

Is there anything else ??? Nope I think that's it

I like this T-shirt ....................... Oh no it won't let me load it ........... just to say I chose wisely and scissors can do a lot of pretty paper cut outs

1978 April week 14

Sunday 2^nd April

Sam goes to Portugal (sob) 1.30 pm from Heathrow.
Got up at 10.30
Worked form 11.30 – 5.30
Miss Sam already (god he has only just left)
I am going to be really bored this week without him
Don’t know what I would do if he finished with me (I know what my mum would have done… a merry little dance!)
Little chance of that happening I hope
Went to bed at 10.30 after watching “A Play for Love” called ‘Games’
Phoned ‘J’ & Bev

Monday 3^rd April

Interview at Tech at 7.45
Worked form 11.00 – 5.30
Met ‘J’ at dinner time cos college went back today
Went for interview had to wait ½ hour.
Met this girl called Moira = good laugh.
Went to the ‘Brick afterwards with my brother and her
At Tech next year (provided I get 3 O’levels)

I am taking Sociology, Business Studies, Cookery & Nutrition A’levels

Tuesday 4^th April

Got up at 9.00 & washed my hair

Got a Christmas card ?? off Sam. He had posted it on Saturday before he went away, inside was a mad letter, it really made me laugh. (awwww!!)
Phoned up the café but wasn’t needed.
Did English revision (What!!!!)
Had a bath
Bev & ‘J’ phoned
Brenda, our manageress last year rang, she wants me to do a coffee morning 15/4/78 = can’t cos of Kate’s wedding.

Wednesday 5^th April

Dad’s Birthday – he would have been 55 years old

Hairdressers (Crimpers) 12.00
Got up at 10.00
Went to the hairdressers had a demi-perm cost £3.85 looked but after a windy day = a bit of a mess.

Went to town with Mum. Bought a skirt £7.99 and a gypsy top from Marks £4.99
Mum hates the skirt = massive row (yes as a Mum of a teen I know how that is … sorry Mum & on Dad's birthday too!)

Mum went to the Crem

Phoned Bev = wasn’t in
Phoned ‘J’
Got £8.00 wages

Bought Elvis Costello ‘this Years Model’ £2.99 (what an absolute fabulous album, must get myself a turntable)

Brian & Michael No.1 – Matchstick Cats & Dogs a tribute to Lowry (God I hate this song to this day)

Thursday 6^th April

Got up at 9.00 am
Worked from 10.45 – 5.45
Bev came to see me
Met ‘J’ at lunch time
Got home at 6.10

Watched ‘Top of the Pops’ (It was presented by Noel Edmonds)

Tried to do some Maths but didn’t succeed
Missing Sam = so boring without him

Friday 7^th April

Got up at 11.20
Met ‘J’ at Art College at 2.30
Went to the swimming baths (now a private health place) at 4.00

One of the girls at Art College gave me 2 photographs of Sam she had taken as part of her project = one nice, one not so nice but I am not complaining.
Still not heard from him yet perhaps he has run off with some sexy Portuguese woman
Bev phoned
Did some more Maths papers (wow I must have been bored)

Saturday 8^th April

Didn’t work weathert not so good.
Went to town with Bev.
Bought Mam’s Birthday presy ‘Equalla’ moisturisure £2.50.
Looked at stiletto shoes as well (ooo just looking and not buying … not good, glad I got over that as I got older)
Stayed in all night

Watched a horror film called ‘Countess Dracula’ til 1.30 = a load of rubbish

Sam comes home tomorrow (YIP!)