Taking full advantage of my new status as a Barnes flat resident, I decided to stay up at Keele for most of the Easter holidays in 1982. The idea was to get ahead with my studies.
Unfortunately, it seems that the weather had other plans for me. While the Christmas holidays that preceded this break had been snow bound at Keele, it appears that late March had surprisingly good weather that year, which seems at least partly responsible for my limited diligence.
Monday 22 March 1982 – Got up very late. Spent an idle sort of day wearily recovering from the weekend’s activities.
For readers who have been failing to keep up with this “forty years on” series, here and below is a link to the previous episode which describes those activities:
Tuesday 23 March 1982 – Lazyish day lounging in sun etc. – did a little work – took it easy on the whole.
Wednesday 24 March 1982 – Did quite a bit of work today – in afternoon lazed around in the sun a lot – worked in the evening.
Thursday 25 March 1982 – Signed on today – did some work (not a great deal). Went for nice long walk to ??? etc. Quiet evening in.
There’s a pattern here, folks and it is not one of heavy industry…nor one of playing hard, to be frank.
Friday 26 March 1982 – Did little today. Went to library for a while. Went to Union in evening -> flat for coffee after.
The narrative suggests that people came back to the flat with me, but names are omitted – quite possibly some of the people named in later diary entries about that particular spring break.
Saturday 27 March 1982 – Went to Newcastle in afternoon – did some work. Went to union in evening -> Chalky’s via Lindsay.
I wrote about Neil “Chalky” White in a piece about the Christmas holidays – here and below is a link to that piece – which makes me realise that my friendship with Neil was mostly based on being around in the holidays – I tended to see little of him during term time:
Sunday 28 March 1982 – Late start but did some work in afternoon and evening – OK.
Monday 29 March 1982 – Quite busy doing some work today – did not go out in evening even.
By gosh, the industry quotient is going up. Did I possibly sustain this fierce level?
Tuesday 30 March 1982 – Quite busy running around getting things done today. Went to uncrowded union in eve for a while.
Wednesday 31 March 1982 – Easyish day. Did a little reading. Went to Union in evening – quite uneventful.
Thursday 1 April 1982 – Last day at Keele – did little. Went to Union in the evening. Ok. Packed after.
Friday 2 April 1982 – Left Keele quite early. Had a relaxing afternoon and evening in London.
Quite right, relaxing in London for the rest of that day. I’d been at it “full tilt” at Keele for best part of a fortnight…at least that’s probably what I told mum and dad.