My secret teenage diary 1974 April (ii) - in which I think about my love for my parents.

20th (Sat)
Working today, and then went into town with Barbara from the shop. She's not bad really

21st
We drove Norma back to Lancaster.

22nd
Went into town to buy a pressie for Geoff, and came back with nowt but a headache!

23rd
Hell!! Back to school tomorrow. Did some yoga, had a long lazy bath and tried to do some homework. Didn't go to Ju's.

25th (Thur)
Back at school. Wore nice new summer dress. We had a bomb hoax at school! We all had to stand ont he hockey pitch for 30 mins while the police searched. Found nothing. I love my dad. I found an envelope with old pictures and letters and his medal and his ribbons. Made me cry. I love mum too.

26th
G is 21 in a week and I still haven't got him a present!

29th (Mon)
Back to school. me and Ju went into town. I bought G a pendant with a silver zodiac. £3.70.

30th
Out with Geoff. I think he liked his pendant thingy!

Mt secret teenage diary 1974 April (i) - April Fool jokes and dress-making.

1st (Mon)
We sent silly letters to 9 teachers e.g. Miss Roker - becoming a member of the National Union of Mineworkers, Miss Turner - 60 Enid Blyton books will be delivered. Lovely weather. Dad ill with ulcer. He's off work!

2nd
We sorted out the mess about the school dress material. I went and bought my pattern. Where is Norma? She's out in Manchester, I think.

4th (Thur)
Broke up from school. Mum is away for a week, but we seem to be coping. Me and Norma went to see Arsenic and Old Lace at the Rep. Some Coronation St actors in it.

5th
Norma out all day and dad at work. V proud of myself, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned and did washing. Started to make school dress.

6th
Dad and Norma set off at 5.30am to go and pick mum up from Weymouth. They're staying overnight. Went out with G in Heywood, then home to scary house on my own.

7th
Botheration. Just got used to being nice and quiet on my own then the family come back. They get on my nerves. Wish I lived by myself.

9th
Julie away, but back tomorrow, I think. Making dress, but bored.

10th
went to Oldham Art Gallery, should have been doing homework.

11th
Ju phoned. She had a great holiday - got proposed to by a Greek electrician!

12th
Went out with G. Saw 'Paint your Wagon' at the pictures. Good.

15th (Mon)
Me, Geoff, Ju and Andy went to Alex park in afternoon. Lovely weather. Went in rowing boat. Romantic.

19th
I've been very lazy and not done much. Oh dear, and back to school soon. Finished making dress. Quite nice.

My secret teenage diary 1974 March Work, love and school summer dresses.

From this month I am changing the way I share my diary. Instead of almost totally honest detailed transcribing of every day, I am going to choose edited highlights to share, which I think others would find interesting. I am doing this because
a) I think a lot of it is repetitive and boring now, 40 years on
b) There are some personal bits which I've decided not to share
c) now I work part-time, I have less time than I used to! (How did that happen?)

So this is an experiment and I'm wondering what it will be like. 

Here I am in March 1974. I'm 17 years old and in a relationship with Geoff. I'm in sixth form.

March

2nd
Hey - I've broken my record! I've been going out with Geoff longer than I went out with Rob! Geoff is 21 next month. Did I tell you that dad's done wardrobe and shelves?

3rd - 8th
 - no entries

9th (Sat)
Agonising over whether I love Geoff or not.

12th
Been depressed recently. Very down. Worried that Ju and I are drifting apart. Took shoes back to Ravel in Manchester. Getting money back.

13th (Wed)
Feeling brighter. S back at school. She had an accident with the door of a telephone kiosk! Lady from Calderstones came to give a talk. Nearly made me cry. Julie grumpy. Miss Hatch was nice to us! Yes - nice! V cold weather.

14th
Weather a little warmer. Julie trimmed hair for me at school. Q good. Nice day. Geoff phoned and said he's got the sack. He was upset. How can I finish with him  now?

16th (Sat)
Worked at Hardcastles. Miss A sent me out to buy some nail varnish for her. I hate that woman! We've got Monday off school (Oxford scholarship something)

17th (Sun)
Been very depressed all day (well half the day, I didn't get up till 12.30, we turned the clocks forward, you see). Phoned Ju. She said I've been depressed all week. Nearly cried.

18th (Mon)
Manchester in the morning to get money from Ravel, then bought silvery grey beads from Lewis's to make a necklace. Went up town with Ju in the afternoon looking for new shoes. Went to IVS (volunteers) meeting in evening.

19th (Tue)
Miserable. Made necklace. Saw film Midnight Cowboy at school. V good. Made us cry. Dustin Hoffman.

20th
ok day at school. Bought new shoes. I love mum. Found Snoopy cards at Spencers. Planning holiday in Gipsy caravan with Ju, S and C.

22nd
Do I love Geoff?

24th (Sun)
I think I've got pneumonia, sniff, sniff. I do love Geoff. Mum and dad spent all day over at Auntie Emma's. I stayed home and did homework.

25th (Mon)
still sniffing and sneezing. Ju not in school. Going to Manchester University tomorrow, for open day. Mother's Day yesterday. Got mum big card, flowers and chocs. Love her.

26th
Went to UMIST to look round. Had computer lecture, lunch, talk from student union fellas and looked at biochemistry department. Impressed with university. Wish I were there.

27th
L has a penfriend in school. I've been sticking photos in an album. Mum's getting glasses. Been invited to 2 parties, but I'm anti-social.

28th (Thur)
Geoff has been offered his job back, but don't know if he'll take it. Been looking at materials for 6th form summer dresses. Nice. Nice biology lesson. Mrs Hughes going on about ecology. Ju back again.

29th
Some of us had big row about choosing school dress material. Out with Geoff in evening.

30th (Sat)
Working in shop. Miss Hoodless, Mrs Owen and Mrs Frost all away! So v busy. Barbara and I got on really well. Mum away in Weymouth with Audrey. Norma's home. Out with G.

31st
No homewrok done. Talked to Norma, mucked about, went for walk in Werneth Park. Nice weather.

Colum McCann - just finished reading .....

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
9.5/10


I read this book in anticipation of a trip to New York. It has been recommended as a book though which to get to know the city and its people. I can't think how a novel could be written better. The chapters knit together and link across to each other in a cyclical way, and we end up knowing about life in the Bronx and on Park Avenue, the lives of prostitutes and judges and artists. And over the top of all of them a man is walking on a high wire stretched out between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. The twin towers, in this story, are newly built and not  yet fully populated. The reader and the author know what the future holds, but this is not a part of the story told here.
There is some considerable skill in helping a reader to understand what it might be like to be a high-wire walker. How does Colum McCann manage that?

Man on a high wire - Philip Pettit

Mark Haddon - just finished reading ....

The Red House by Mark Haddon (audio)
8/10


Isn't Mark Haddon a great writer?
Have you read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time? Have you read A Spot of Bother? I love this writer for his ability to see things differently, and therefore to make the reader see the world differently. he can make us have sympathy with the most unlikely people.
I listened to The Red House whilst driving about in the car. Maybe it would have been confusing to read in written text, because the story is told through the various voices of the members of the two families who are are sharing a holiday cottage. This means that we shift between angst ridden grown-ups, insecure teenagers and a normal imaginative young boy. Some significant events happen, relationships shift and change and everyone grows up a bit.
I like all the detail of everyday life and all the nonsense that people think and do as they go about their everyday lives. But the everyday mundaneness can suddenly shift towards critical incidents which send ripples outwards to touch everyone in different wats.

My secret teenage diary 1974 February (iii) in which I contemplate jokes and love

Feb 17th Sunday
Nothing

Feb 18th 
On half-term now. Two and a half rotten days is all we've got! Today I read, finished pink blouse except for button holes. Did bit of work for school.

Feb 19th
In morning went to Manchester with Ju, got chains for  neck, Snoopy book, motif for jeans ('Who will stop the rain?')* and a bag (from £1 gift token off Carol). Took shoes back. Heels wrong.

Feb 20th Wed
At school again. I broke a thermometer in chemistry!! Been thinking of April Fool jokes for school. Trying to do at least 2 hours work every night. Did tonight.

Feb 21st and 22nd
Blank

Feb 23rd Saturday
Oh, I've been to Geoff's. Spent about 3/4 hours alone with him*. I've got a funny feeling when I think of him. Do you think I love him?

Feb 24 - 27th
Blank

Feb 28th Thursday
Sorry I've missed the last three days, but I've been cold, tired and bored. General election today. Tell you results tomorrow.

*Commentary
Feb 19 - I remember this so well! It was a bit of a hippy-ish trend, to but cloth patches and sew them on your jeans. They were usually along the line of peace, love and happiness. I loved going to Manchester - I still do - it's a great city. We would have caught the 98 bus to Stevenson Square.
Feb 23 - what possessed me to write that? That wasn't a very long time. Surely I must have spent longer with him alone before this?

My secret teenage diary 1974 February (ii) in which I was a personnel manager with no job to do

Feb 10th (Sun)
Got up late but helped dad to lay carpet. Moved sideboard out of living room and bureau in. It's nicer now. Did I say that a general election has been announced? We're all being brainwashed by politicians now.

Feb 11th 
Normal day. Been pouring down and we've got a leak in the chemistry lab roof. Miss Rogerson said that x is feeling a lot better now. Going for little walks down the corridor. Went into town. Got a Valentine for Geoff, birthday card for S and flowers for mum.

Feb 12th
Behind with diary. Normal day. Seem to be always very depressed.

Feb 13th
Been given jobs to do on Friday (entrance exam). Been highly honoured - I'm 'personnel manager' - go round checking people. Also had guitar recital. Why?

Feb 14th (Thurs)
Up dead late last night doing chem hmwk. Found out this morning that I did the wrong lot. Got a Valentine from Rob.* None from Geoff - a bit upset. He phoned - thanked me for mine. Went to visit X in hospital. She's very thin, but a little cheerful.

Feb 15th
Went to school at 8am. Helped to organise the entrance exam. Poor little kids. Ju's sister was crying before the exam. I was playing 'personnel manager' but no-one needed managing so that was okay. Went out with Geoff. Had nearest thing yet to a row. He didn't order taxi till 1.45. I was annoyed and upset.

Feb 16th (Sat)
Working and wondering what to do about Geoff (you can guess my conclusion, I'm stupid). At dinnertime me, Ju and K took S out for a drink of coffee. Gave her writing paper pressy. Went out with G at night. He got me home for 1am.

*Commentary
Feb 14 - Rob was my ex-boyfriend