Did I lounge around in clobber like that in the mid 1980s? Clue: sadly, yes.
Sandwiched between two sets of two-day visits to the Industrial Tribunal in Shrewsbury…
…this was a short but much-needed break at my parent’s place for the festive season.
Not that it turned out to be all that festive.
Come on, hands up – how many of you have ever attended a funeral on Christmas Day?
Here’s my diary for those few days:
Friday, 21 December 1984 – had a lazy day indoors today. Stayed in eve – spoke to several people.
Saturday, 22 December 1984 – got up quite late. Went to Knipes and shopping in the afternoon. Met Jim [Bateman] in Rose And Crown in evening.
I have previously written up the bizarre Knipe Christmas gift experience – click here or below if you haven’t read the story before…or if you fancy it again:
In 1984 I would have refused to enter the diabolical living room, so I think Don and I would have had a relatively sort chat and tipple in their Third-Reich-free dining room.
Sunday 23 December 1984 – Rose quite late – went to Surbiton – had lunch and visited Grandma Jenny. Went on to meet Jilly for a drink and a meal – nice evening.
Monday, 24 December 1984 – Lazyish day today – stayed in – taped and watched some telly. Stayed in evening also.
I think I might have focussed on taping classical stuff from my old records that Christmas. I’ll return to that subject in a future piece.
Tuesday, 25 December 1984 – went to Ruby Casper’s funeral in morning. Went over to Benjamin’s late afternoon/evening – ate too much and watched TV there.
Wednesday 26th December 1984 – lazy day – Indian lunch – slouched around. Watched television etc – Airplane! and The Third Man
In truth I don’t really remember Ruby Casper. I think she might have been from Auntie Francis’s side of the extended family. I’m not sure why I went to the funeral, other than the obvious point that mum and dad were going and it would have seemed rude for me to absent myself on Christmas Day. What else might I have been doing that day?
“Eating too much and watching TV”, I hear you cry. Well yes, but there was still plenty of time to do that as well.
Postscript/clarification
Cousin Angela, Auntie Francis’s daughter, has set the record straight on Ruby Casper:
We were away in Brazil and Ruby Casper was in fact a man! He was married to my Aunty Sophie, my mother’s sister, who was known for her Edna Everidge glasses. How were you dragged along? Was it because it was Xmas day and they thought they wouldn’t get enough people?
Ruby Casper was a man? No wonder I didn’t remember “her”. My bad for being fast and loose with my pronouns. In truth, I don’t remember Auntie Sophie and their Edna Everidge glasses either.
As for me being dragged along just to make up the numbers, Angela…DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? 🤪
And Now, Back To the Main Story
I’m glad I also pursued that great Twixtmas tradition, which I have long since left behind, of watching movies that I had seen before. Indeed, two of them on Boxing Day.
“Surely you must be joking”, I hear you cry. I’m not joking…and don’t call me Shirley.
On the Thursday morning, I returned to a freezing and almost completely depopulated Keele, ahead of the next day of the Tribunal hearing on the Friday.