Saturday June 21st

I got up at about ten-thirty. Mum and Dad were already up and Dad had been to Knowlesbeck to get a newspaper. Cricket was on television and it was this I watched until dinner. It was the third day of the second Test at Lord’s. England were out for 269 in their 1st innings, while West Indies were 260+ for 2 at close of play yesterday. Today they took their score onto 518 all out, with Desmond Haynes hitting 184 (Viv Richards yesterday reaching 145). This left England 249 behind to begin with. At close of play, England were 33-0.

After dinner, we watched World of Sport on the box until about two o’clock, when Dad said he was going to Farnshaw to “look round.” I decided to go along.

Farnshaw was as crowded as usual, with all the expected morons from school hanging around. I don’t really like going to Farnshaw for that reason – I feel self-conscious (especially when I’m with Dad or Mum) – as if they’re laughing at me. I know it’s probably stupid.

We went to the market in the main square and on to a pet shop to buy some Daphnia and Bloodworm (for my newts). We then wandered back to the car and got home about three. I felt as if we should’ve been going somewhere because although it was windy the sun kept shining.

When we got back home we watched a World of Sport Superbike race starring Barry Sheene, Roger Marshall, Mick Grant, and Dave Potter – Dave Potter won – and then I watched cricket and wandered in and out of the garden until tea.

After tea, I played a few records in my bedroom and spent most of my time looking at two photo’ albums. It’s an old cliché I know, but it makes you feel sad in a way looking at old photographs of past events. I also looked at an Easterby Centenary book (1845-1945) which Mum got given by Lodgehill School in 1947. I was amazed to see how much Easterby has changed in the thirty-odd years since the book was published. I just didn’t recognise the centre at all; most of the buildings have now been pulled down.

I went downstairs eventually, and inbetween ‘watching’ television and eating supper, Dad and Mum started telling me about their early married life when they were flat broke all of the time – it really was a tale of woe. Apparently they were overdrawn most of the time and were really envious of Uncle Arnold’s and Uncle Kenneth’s flash cars, holidays abroad and general wealth. Mum told me how she feel really victorious if we ever get a new car because she has been the underdog most of the time as far as relatives are concerned.

Mum and I got talking about things generally. I said how Phil Wingert’s letter had really made me yearn to do something like that. There was an appeal from the East Africa Emergency Appeal for money and volunteers to help the 8 million starving to death over there. It would be superb to go to E. Africa to help there – I bet it is an extremely satisfying feeling helping with work like that. I’m determined to do some really interesting things and see the world before I settle down (if I ever do).

Tomorrow we are going on an eleven mile hike over Horsehead Pass (around Buckden and Kettlewell) – I am quite looking forward to it.