My secret diary 1972 July (iii) - first kiss

July 21 (Fri)
Nicer day (weather was slightly cooler). Last day of holiday. Didn't swim, went to fun-fair - dodgems, dobby horses, 'Wild Mouse'. It was okay. At night got a bit drunk. Met loads of lads. John-the-creep, not too bad. The first lad to kiss me ever. Got rid of him. J met Bill, Carol met another Bill and I met Gerry. Quite nice! J's mum! Jerry sang to me and nibbled my ear and we danced. He was ging to throw me in the outside swimming pool and picked me up, but we went for a quite walk instead. Best bit was when he sang 'Moonshadow' by Cat Stevens to me.
July 22
Before we left for home we had a last look at the camp. Sad. Depressed. Had hangover from last night. Saw my Gerry driving a van and he shouted to me. Glad I saw him. J saw her Bill too and Carol moaned because she didn't see hers. Finally got home. Told Norma and Kate everything.
July 23
Wish I was still at Butlins. The weather is horrible - the family are nice, but but it feels boring to think of a whole 7 weeks with nothing to do. Oh Lord!! Me and J will just have to organise something. I guess I must be slow with any feelings for Gerry. Certainly thinking about him a lot now. Didn't on Friday or Saturday like J and C did.
July 24 (Mon)
Still suffering from depression - Oh I hate Oldham. I think I do like Gerry. He was nice, quiet, kind and gentle. I'm fed up. Phoned J. Were going to go to E's but she was out. Went to J's instead. Went to her grandma's for tea, felt welcome. Saw J's Auntie M to. Told my mum about Gerry.
July 25
Got up dead early, went down Middleton with Norma to look at a new coat but didn't like it. Then went to dentist's (Mr Cooper). He's dead nice and cheerful. Just a check up. Then went down Manchester to see Barry Aron*. (Ju came) She keeps teasing me about Gerry. I'm growing fonder of his memory.
July 26
Another boring depressing day. Got up late. Thought about going to see SG but didn't. Crocheted a bit, read a bit, thought about Gerry and holidays A LOT!! The more I think about him the more I like him. Sort of tidied up bedroom. Hung up picture of Cat Stevens to remind me of Gerry's 'Moonshadow' song. Fed up.
July 27 (Thurs)
Mixed day. This morning Norma phoned me from work and gave me a long list of things to do for her i) phone dentist ii) phone hairdresser iii) buy dress from Manchester. I was fuming, but I got 2 (i and ii) things done before dinner. After dinner went to Manchester with mum and Auntie Emma. It was awful and boring. Tonight went to Carol's and taped 'Vincent' and 'American Pie' - Great! Dum dum.
July 28 (Fri)
Auntie Emma still here. Wrote letter to Shirley, had shower, washed hair. After dinner went to town and opticians. Got dust im my eyes and optician said to rest my eyes a bit tonight. Got a lot of beeps and whistles from fellers in cars, not lorries. Dead chuffed. Boosted my ego. Lady got in a fight today (Auntie Emma had her on a lead) and she's been suffering from shock all day. I mean badly.
July 29 (Sat)
First drove Auntie Emma home with dad. After dinner went to pick J up at shop then we went to the grand old OLDHAM CARNIVAL. Quite good but boring 'cos of stupid girls waving arms and marching. Saw a really gorgeous lad - moustache, long hair. (J said he's like Gerry) - Nice. Saw Don McLean on BBC2 at J's. Slept the night.
July 30 (Sun)
J's brother, R's 5th birthday today. We organised a party for him. I bought him a card. He got a United kit off J. Party - horrible - usual group of little terrors, including Jimmy Frizzell's (Latics manager) sons.(Ahem) Found out when I got home that Norma had ruined the tape with Melanie and Albatross on, by tangling it up. Fuming. Nothing can be done.
July 31 (Mon)
Ok day - trouble is that when I'm on holiday from school I get so lazy. Morning - I did nothing but get up late and read. Afternoon - followed Norma around while she went up town - dentist's - up town again - I've spent a fortune on bus-fares. Me and J planning to go and see E tomorrow. Phoned but she wasn't in.

*Commentary
July 25th - he was my orthodontist, which makes me wonder if I had my first kiss whilst wearing a brace round my teeth?

My secret diary 1972 July (ii)

July 11 Tues
Went on form geography trip to Malham. Lots of limestone scenery. Beautiful. Gordale Scar and Beck, Malham Cove and the limestone pavement (see postcards). Lovely. Seemed to talk a lot with E, know her a bit better now. Beautiful weather - going on holiday on Sat. Dead excited. Malham village is a deadly boring place with about 130 inhabitants!
July 12
Only one and a half days left at school - Ohh boy am I looking forward to going on holiday!!! I want to get a bikini, can I afford it, do you think? Me and J are going into town tomorrow, so I'll see then. Did hardly anything at school today. Had a sore throat. Beautiful weather (wonders'll never cease!!) Went to J's after school, helped to wash the car. I've got to call Mrs H 'Samantha'!!
July 13
Showed photos to everyone at school (of Norma and Dinsey) Good laugh. Got coconuts off Miss Roker to celebrate her ma's birthday. We have Mrs Roker a card and pressy. CL had a Norwegian pen-friend called Anna at school. She was dead pretty and had a lovely suit on. White! The poor thing was bored stiff because we did nothing all day.
July 14 (Fri)
Well, what do you know? We've broken up at last. Miss Roker was very nice today. Got special mention in Prayers for my moon model. Got bra and knickers set to use as a bikini - looks okay. Been one great mad rush getting everything ready for tomorrow (holiday). Dead excited. I probably won;t write in diary for another week. (I'll remember, I promise)
July 15 (Sat)
(Written on Sat July 22nd)
Well!! After we eventually set off. J's Uncle Edgar said that we should stop for tea at a silly lake (going to Pwllehli, Wales). Finally arrived. Only had tiime for a quick look round. Some lads.
July 16
(tried to pick us up) Broke my bunk bed first night. Weather is beautiful, hot and sunny. Packed up, went for a swim and general look round. Swam in outdoor pool and sunbathed on grass nearby. C and I don't agree (unfortunately) on where we should go at night. She wants to hunt for lads. Disco - no good, teenyboppers.
July 17 (Mon)
Weather as yesterday. Getting quite a suntan now. Swam, sun-bathed and were generally lazy. Wish I had a boyfriend here - would be nice. BUT not sure I like going out searching for lads, like C and J do. Sent loads of postcards.
July 18
Went down to the sea - slightly wavy but beautiful - so was weather. Beach not much good - pebbly. Sun-bathed. Oh I love the sea the best. Some lads offered us some fish and chips tonight. One of them fancied J like mad, but he was a just-gone-skinhead - a bit crummy - you know. Auntie Anne and Katrina are lovely.
July 19
Went to sea again - weather beautiful. Getting brown. Got the saying 'fish and chips' from lads last night. Wore bikini/ bra & Knickers - looks pretty good - even in water (outdoor swimming pool) Afterwards we went indoors - not very good - nothing to do at nights. Went in a few bars. 'Blinking Owl' etc. J got a bit drunk - dead funny!
July 20
Awful day. Weather beautiful but we went down to the beach, met 2 lads, Kevin and Brian. I guess I acted a bit cool and they more or less became occupied with C and J. I didn't like Kevin much anyway - a bit crude. Did my finger in on a tin-can*. Went to First Aid. J and C arranged to meet Kevin and Brian, but they didn't turn up. J got drunk again and her mum and Auntie Ann were mad.

*Commentary
July 20 - I've still got the scar on the middle finger of my right hand!

I went to the theatre and saw . . . .

The Cherry Orchard
by Chekhov

9/10

I've never been to the National Theatre before, so this was a treat that also involved a 2 night stop in London, a watercolour exhibition at the Tate, Camden Markets and the British Museum. Aren't we lucky to have all these marvellous places?
The Cherry Orchard was excellent. Zoe Wanamaker played the lead role, but she didn't dominate the production, as big names often can (we saw Pete Postlethwaite in a Harold Pinter at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, and the audience kept applauding him inappropriately - it wasn't his fault, he was great). Zoe Wanamaker seems as though she might be a bit too petite and gentle to play a Russian, land-owning matriarch, but she made herself big, and sometimes small, on stage.
Best of all was the size of the stage (!!!) and the 4 sets which were mind-blowing and magnificent. We were there, in a Russian dacha, with society changing around us.
I've knocked a mark off because, even though I've seen the Cherry Orchard before, I got confused with all the people who suddenly appear at the beginning of the play - it's hard to grasp how they all relate to each other.
An added bonus, as we left the theatre, was some street theatre and magicians performing just outside.
I want to go to the National Theatre again.

My secret diary 1972 July (i)

July 1 (Sat)
Mum and dad went to Fleetwood or Blackpool. I did some of model and then went up town to collect J. We had dead good fun keeping house. My fingers are peeling near the nails. We made this terrific concoction of pineapples, bananas and Swiss roll - lovely. Poor Lady misses mum and dad when they go away but we take her out for walks.
July 2 (Sun)
Would you believe I got up at 6.30 this morning? Caroline came later to get a geography question for homework. Walked her back home, me, J and dog. Fun. Only 2 weeks off the holiday now! Exciting!! Mum and dad came home and me and J burnt potatoes.
July 3 (Mon)
Gosh, school seems to be dragging on forever. Done some more of model - coming on quite well now. In Russian Miss Hatch let us listen to a tape of a Russian programme that the BBC is planning to use. They're using our school as a guinea pig. Robert Redford's on the telly on Wed. I want to go to J's to watch it because it's on BBC2
July 4
Today I tried to be happy. It worked until tonight. N phoned and told us the results of her exams. She's failed one and dad was really cross. He gave me a lecture about it. I feel like crying. I am crying. J was off today. I phoned her and she said she had violent stomach pains and felt dizzy etc. Poor thing.
July 5
Would have been nice day if that awful thought about poor N hadn't kept lurking underneath. Dad gone to London for the day. I'm sure he's upset. Parents of new girls came looking round today at school. What a load of snobs, staring through the windows etc. It felt like a zoo. Rob Redford not on TV.
July 6 Thur
Me, J, C, R, S and C have all decided to go camping during the summer holidays. It'll be great fun. Don't seem to have done anything at school hardly. Nice and sunny most of day, but rained a bit this morning. Hope it's sunny for the hols.
July 7
Happy morning but I feel so tired. S got a beautiful Robert Redford poster. Gorgeous. Lucky thing. Broke up half way through day 'cos junior prize-giving tonight. Went into town with J - bought a pair of pumps, went to the library, got SF and Tolkien. Auntie Annie, Uncle Fred and Auntie Emma came. Mum went with them to Auntie May's. Came back late - worried me.
July 8 (Sat)
Went to pick N up in Birmingham. Picked up 3 weird hitch-hikers - I'm sure one was a drug addict - but he was gorgeous. Norma and dad were okay - thought dad would treat her a bit funny. So happy. Glad N home. Taped loads of nice things - remember Albatross by Fleetwood Mac? Nice. Also a tape of N drunk at a university party - it's a laugh, but I was a bit embarrassed.
July 9
Quite a nice day. Got up lovely and late for a change. Been a bit of a rush to finish my space model. Looking quite nice now. Everyone's helped. Did log-book to go with it. Pretty nice. Auntie May came - brought some old photos of me and everybody. Lovely. I like my Auntie May. She brought some scent for me and Norma. I'm hungry. Fridge works.
July 10 (Mon)
Not too bad a day. Done nothing at school except for the Arts Festival in afternoon. Obstacle, 3-legged and wheelbarrow races - oh what fun! Cake competition as well as the arts sections. My space model came 1st in that section. I'm very pleased. Tonight at home it was horrible. Me & Norma had a whopping great row with mum. Dad was on our side. I cried and lost temper. It's okay now. Happy again.

Just finished reading . . .

'The Weight of Water' by Penelope Evans (audiobook)

6/10



I've gone back to my old system of borrowing audio-books from the library, working my way through the alphabet. This might be considered to be a little sad and restrictive by some, but I like to have my choices restricted, and I quite like to be forced towards books that I wouldn't normally consider. I have some rules. I don't listen to murders and thrillers in the car or whilst ironing as this may cause crashes or burns. I don't listen to overly complex and sophisticated prose, because I have to be alert in traffic jams, and I can lose whole paragraphs that matter. Unlike a written book, the audio-book doesn't allow me to revisit the last page - I have to go back a whole 3 minute track.

So anyway, I was up to the letter 'E', which didn't offer much scope in my local library. I was prepared to bend my rule and move on to 'F', but then saw this one. Glad I did - it was a good story. It was good because it had a ghost in it, and an interesting relationship. The reader was good, too.
It only got 6 marks because it went on with itself a little, slow-moving. I wanted to fast-forward, but I was frightened of missing something. With some books I don't want my car journey (or the ironing!) to end, because I am so gripped, but I wasn't bothered with this one - which is a sure indicator for marking.

Not sure that I would rush to read Penelope again, but wouldn't say no, if one turned up, next time I get round to the letter 'E'.

My secret diary 1972 June (iii)

June 19 (Mon)
Back to exams! Biology this morning - awful - everything we've never learnt. Everyone is getting on my nerves. I feels so dead tired. Also maths, which wasn't too bad, although I missed one out and didn't finish.
June 20th
Last exam, thank goodness. English. I didn't finish it, but very few people did (CL for example). Got a Russian dictation yet though. Not revising any more for it. Started to crochet J a hat in beautiful yellow. Feel so tired, just like yesterday, only now I feel depressed too, as though I want to cry.
June 21st
Happy day, don;t know why, I suppose it's because the exams are over. Feel very tired.
Finished J's hat - hey it's pretty good you know! It fits me perfectly (!). Beginning to dislike A a bit. Miss Roker gave us all a lecture on immorality and unmarried mothers. What a laugh! I disagree completely.
June 22 (Thurs)
Not a very happy day really. Miss Hatch is getting on my nerves. It's pretty obvious that I've come bottom in my Russian exam. I'm terrified of getting the results. Every time I answer in Russ, Miss Hatch talks to me as if I'm dirt. I might not be good at Russian, but dad has brought home millions of beautiful transfers* - they're lovely. Watched Elizabeth R.
June 23rd
Got first result today. 75% chemistry, came about 8th, not very good. Dad's a bit disappointed but I did well considering I didn't learn it very much. Considering selling those transfers for charity - but I'm keeping plenty for myself (I'm greedy). Had meeting at school about future Arts Festival. Don't know what to do for it. Make something. Went into town.
June 24th (Sat)
Went up town after dinner and got some wrapping paper for J's wall. Then went to the shop where i gave her her present. I think she liked it. The lucky thing got an LP of old Beatle's songs. Lovely. So sad though. Had salad for tea!
June 25th
Tired all day. Made some paper flowers at J's - quite nice. Slept overnight. Also we stuck some stamps in J's album. Went to Silvana's with her mum. Why should this war in Northern Ireland go on? It's ridiculous. Feel tired, depressed, fed up.
June 26th
Got Russian result - 67% - glad really, I expected I don't know what. Oh I started P today and I was dead ill in maths. I had to go out. All hot and dizzy. Mrs Stanton was ever so nice. Sold some transfers for charity. Got 51p. Selling them for three sheets a penny. Done well. Carol's still not back at school. Thinking about making space model for arts festival.
June 27 (Tues)
Geog 67% (5th), Phys 59% (5th), biol 75% (2nd), maths 89% (1st). Sold some more transfers, got about 84p - done ever so well. Carol's back at school. Got a little toothache, filling coming out I think. Started on model but not doing well. Norma phoned. She won £10 in a competition at university. I'm dreading 'O' levels.
June 28th
Would you believe it? It's actually been sun-shining today - yes, real sun. It's rained all the time up till today, and it only drizzled a bit tonight. I'm chuffed. People kept asking me for transfers today but I didn't have any. Sorted some out for tomorrow. Loads of Russian homework. Getting me down.
June 29th
Last mark 73% for English - 7th. My average is 72.14%. Posted letters to Norma and to Lorette. Watched Elizabeth R on TV - brilliant. I'm annoyed because Robert Redford is on BBC2 soon - what'll I do?* Went to library with J. They asked me if I'd paid my fine (Norma's really) from April. God was I annoyed!! Of course I did! Embarrassed.
June 30
Lovely weather. Rotten day. Seems to stretch on forever. I suppose it will do though, until the holidays. Got a bit of a toothache. Done quite a bit of my model - done papier mache frame and painted the ground. Mum and dad going to Fleetwood over the weekend, so J is coming to stay.

*Commentary
June 22nd - these transfers are stuck throughout my diary. On this page there is a zebra and a big-eyed dog.
June 29th - I can't recall, but I think you had to buy a new TV to get BBC2.