A few extracts.
We went to a restaurant to celebrate my sister's 18th birthday, restaurant visits being rarities indeed. The service was excellent ie 9/10 although I'm no expert.
I played football with (my brother - then aged seven). We were drawing 6-6 but he handled outside the area, so I sent him off, but he showed dissent, so I booked him.
I went to the bus stop. I was just standing there, bored out of me mind, when this car stopped dead near me (because of the traffic queue). Imagine my surprise when I should see Gary Bailey
I went to bed with Dave Ward (A Piccadilly Radio disc-jockey). On the Flashline, there was a call from Walton Road "Susan and Jackie, Lisa, and Terry spotted flashing from Frances" Believe me, you had to be there...
I went to the doctors and sat in the waiting room for 20 minutes, so I read a Cosmopolitan Magazine. It had a feature on morning sex, which was quite interesting.
Next was French with Mrs K. she nattered on in French, and to be honest, I did not understand much.
At lunch I messed around with (friends). Sarah. also hung around, looking quite disapproving (footnote added two years later 'Not really like our Sarah!' - who turned out eventually to be a really good laugh)
In the double English lesson we read Wuthering Heights. I was the very first reader - by the way Sarah made AT LEAST three slips.
In Double Maths we studied straight lines. I seemed particularly thick.
In History, we discussed Russia in the 1860s. Mrs P is not as boring as everybody makes out (with a 1988-added footnote 'Just more so!')
In choir we sang 'Music Where Sweet Voices Die', which I adore, and 'Autumn' which is growing on me, even though Miss F reads 'p' as plonk and 'delicato' as elephant-like.
Instead of French was choir. From 1223 until 1330 we belted out O Praise the Lord, but at first, I DON'T think that Mrs B was too amused by our feeble effort. So together, she and Miss F.coaxed us into an enthusiastic chorus, and scolded the 1sts and 2nds something terrible. But the 16 3rds were paid ever so many compliments. Afterwards we went out on the Broadwalk (school playground, in effect), and messed around. I'm ever so slightly nauseated with C. and M. Sometimes I wonder whether the word 'quietly' is incorporated in their collective vocabulary. Goodness, don't I sound a bitch!
After lunch was Maths. It was unbelievably hot in the classroom (newly built, on the cheap, badly designed). I was literally poring with sweat, and no way was I alone. Those windows open so WIDE of course! Mrs N. and all the group looked like beetroots, and the aforementioned teacher of Maths did not bat an eyelid when I tugged down my tie, and undid my top button (we had previously had a relationship which involved her repeatedly sending me to the Deputy Head's Office for wearing make-up, which of course just encouraged me more to wear make-up to school).
Talking of batting eyelids, I suddenly realised in English today what makes S. appear so snooty. Her natural blinking action is very slow, and this makes her look disdainful, which I presume is usually far from the truth.
At lunch I went to choir (Bach) with Miss F. She was really awful, and the thirds were the only people who were praised - and that was grudgingly. It's a very badly balanced choir. the seconds consist of five fifth years, two L6 and twenty-to-thirty second years with their baby voices and obvious lack of effort.
In RE Miss C made me stand outside the classroom for laughing when she told me off for not turning up to Mass last week.
After break we had a full length orchestra and choir practice. I was so embarrassed doing the cymbals etc.
I caught the 263 and thought all the way into Manchester, with my eyes lighting up while passing a certain football stadium between Trafford House and Jubilee House.
I met K. and M. coming from Deansgate. We walked down to the Arndale, and back up to Peter Street. Eventually we were allowed into the Free Trade Hall, and when C. arrived, I gave her her present and card. Eventually Speech Day practice began. It was so boring.
I got ready to go out, and then went out to Speech Night. Every traffic light turned to red before our eyes. Speech day started. I went onto the platform and searched all round for the triangle beater. Me, Sally. and Mrs. B. were panicking like hell, and a second-year noticed it under the side-drum. The orchestral pieces went okay. I only made one mistake. My style is really improving, and I managed the change from side-drum to cymbals in exactly the right length of time. Choir was okay, I suppose. Then we had to sit through the boring speeches, and the not-quite-so boring prize giving. Oh god, Loreto Speech nights could warrant a very long blogpost in themself...
I watched the Late Late Breakfast Show. The video of Friend or Foe was shown...and then Adam Ant was interviewed!
In History we did the reign of Alexander III. Honest to bloody God, that P. woman is so boring.
In Cookery, Mrs M. was in a right foul mood, because out of the whole class, Katie. was the only person who had done the homework satisfactorily. We then had a test - I got 20½ on 30, which was fairly average.
In Maths we went through our homework. Despite the continual revision of differentiating, I do NOT understand it. which is interesting,because I grew to adore differential calculus and would happily carry out calculus problems for the sheer fun of them, seriously
At lunch I went to choir. We sang Praise the Lord by Haydn (German National Anthem). It is RATHER nice!
In RE we did yet more from Mark's Gospel. I am bored sick of Mark's Gospel.
On the stroke of half time Mr Brilliant Bryan Robson scored a goal! And now Valencia have to score two!
In the second half Valencia scored two goals. At first I was upset, but by the end of the eleven o'clock news, I was almost pleased. After all, we don't need our players hacked down in the European Competition - we want them saved for more important domestic games. Nor do we want our players booked for retaliation against the blatant fouls in the way that Norman Whiteside and Ashley Grimes were.
Daddy chauffeured me to Alty Station where I met up with my lovely friends. Later !, * and & arrived, and we all travelled together by train to Oxford Road. Then we walked down Oxford Road to the Free Trade Hall, and found our seats in the balcony for Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. It was an excellent performance - I think I liked the Gloria best. Mind you, I was not too impressed with the technique of the timpanist. His rolls are rather poor. Nope, I don't know who the soloists were, indeed it has come as a surprise to me that I have ever heard it live. I assume it was Hallé Choir and Orchestra. It won't have been BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra (as was) because I knew their timpanists personally)
The diary for this month contains passing references to me reading Lucky Jim, Sons and Lovers, and The Drivers Seat, but no mention of whether I enjoyed them, or any reflection on the content.
If you enjoyed this, you might enjoy October 1982
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