May 30th 1973

“H-Term – Nothing dun in morning, but in afternoon went up Gra’s and he taped Imagine and borrowed Foc 3. Went up dick’s, Trev’s and from there to TIB meal and booze up”

So, lets sum up what TIB – a religious group remember – gave this teenager in the 70’s shall we?

Naughty fumblings in shared sleeping bags at a church weekend, an appreciation of female appendages and, it would appear from this diary entry, another opportunity for underage drinking.

Religion has really lost its way since 1973 hasn’t it?

Advertisement

April 29th 1973

“2nd aniv at T.I.B. – took beer and Roxy Music album”

See?…. if organised religion was like this all the time I could possibly have been a player.

In hindsight there’s something quite glorious about taking an album which features a song about a blow-up doll to a churchly get-together.

Not to mention the ‘beer’ thing.

I was 15 remember.

Fantastic memories.

Or brain-addled lack thereof.

January 21st 1973

“TIB at church” / “I caused an argument by getting in a huff with Mum – Sod it!” / “Good Larf in TIBS – Val there – Played on Piano (Not with Val – Awwww)”/ “Gave dep for w-end”

Regular readers may have noticed that the diary entries for 1973 have been, generally, lengthier than they were in 1972.

It’s not that I was doing more in 1973, just that this diary offered a little more daily space in which to write something than 1972’s tiny little one did.

Today’s entry is yet another veritable cornucopia.

I could get into a “huff” which apparently caused an argument. Once again, these regular references to arguments never fail to amaze – and deeply upset – me.

I really did have the ‘hots’ for Val didn’t I? Proved by my “not with Val – Awwww” remark. What’s weird is that whilst I remember Val, I can’t really remember having this big ‘crush’ on her as my diary suggests.

“Played on piano” – as commented recently, I bet my contribution included a one-fingered rendition of “Smoke on the Water”

That church weekend is imminent, as proved by me forking over my deposit. More debauchery?

January 7th 1973

“I’M 15 TODAY (DING! DING!)” / “Got sum presents in the morning, i.e. Posy Shirt, Quid, Chocklit” / “TIB lot came up – good larf – bort me Roy Ullyett book – Val drunk agane”

Ah, the simple and easy pleasures of teenage birthdays. Back then I didn’t view them like some kind of sword of Damocles hanging over my greying head and aching bones.

Looks like I got surprise presents galore too – something that I certainly don’t get these days despite all efforts to drop hints for months prior, sometimes repeating the hints from one year to the next! Grrrrr

On turning 15 I evidently got some fancy schmancy shirt, some chocolate and a pound note.

In the evening, the TIBs lot came up – as arranged way back when – including my secret “crush”, Val, who drank heavily, presumably to help her deal with my (now older) teenage good looks and suaveness.

I’ll admit I had to look up Roy Ullyett as I did not have a clue who he was. As soon as I found his obituary online I was reminded that he was a sports cartoonist for the Daily Express newspaper.

A Google search yielded next to no cartoons, so it appears he has (somewhat sadly) been forgotten by a lot of people?!

December 3rd 1972

“(Arguverge)”/ “Went to TIBS and was told there was no trip to Alresford, but thing on 2,3,4 Feb”

“thing”?

what “thing”?

“trip”

what “trip”

I guess we’re all going to have to wait until 1973’s diary is unleashed?!