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Part 196: Monday 1st August 1966 9.15pm

Have been to Versailles and back. Successful in so far as we were met at St Lazare, accommodation had been reserved for us (good multiple rooms; I, eventually, in room to myself – No. 13. I hesitated momentarily before accepting it. The alternative would have been to share with Ron Allen. Mum had seemed very seedy before I left -she still is – but manages to dish up a supper for Sam and Lily and…

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Part 195: Sunday 23rd July, 1966 9.35pm

(Monday 1/8/66 – On Saturday 23/7/66 I was in Versailles. I think the date should read 17/6/66. This kind of error is all too typical, I find, these days). Susannah quiet, after asking for her “Hebrew lesson”. The boys falling off. E. at laundrette – impossible otherwise to record entry. E. has TV on till bitter end and then reads till 1am or later. She is up before me the next day and never…

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Part 194: Thursday 12th June, 1966 9.45pm

Caned, cupped nobody to-day – kicked viciously, though not altogether successfully, kid with outstretched legs. Nebbich, why shouldn’t they stretch their legs. In the ideal class for the lazy teacher (me) kids would stretch out legs and I would sit at desk also with legs outstretched. In point of fact, I went around the thirty-plus kids of 3B trying to mark, but it’s obviously impossible. Also,…

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Part 193: Sunday 12th June, 1966 9.30pm

Not too good. Cupped a kid on the head in a French lesson last Monday – he had got up from his desk and was talking to a neighbour while I was talking to the class. Nothing particularly heinous, this kind of behaviour is routine, but my response sparked off a visit from the kid’s mum the next morning. Came to my French lesson and gave me the full treatment – she would hit me across the head if I…

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Part 192: Sunday 5th June, 1966 1.50pm

Stye now clear and feeling my usual state of more-or-less-fit. Lack the discipline to be tinglingly fit. Almost certain will dispense with holiday again this year. E. wants divan for Susannah, I want bike for Philip, piano; Marley doors to be got, picture frames. E did a first-rate job cutting up old carpet and laying it in nursery and on landing. Feel guilty at not giving assistance, but,…

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Part 191: Tuesday 31st May, 6.5pm

T.E.S. published my letter, a short one in which I came out with the give me the liberty to know, to think and to utter crack [John Milton] - which began, I said, in the primary school, though I suppose Conway could say it’s nonsense to expect primary school to be able to “know”. Stye on left eye, and feeling generally slack. Didn’t get up till after nine. P. & M. have been out at a neighbour’s…

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Part 190: Monday 23rd May 66, 6.45pm

Weather fine, everybody well, but feeling low - perhaps because of too strenuous day yesterday? Went to the Kents in Pinner. Left here 2pm, reached there by public transport by 3.45pm. The understanding had been he would give us a lift home, but in the event he had a shiva to go to, and took us to Hendon central, from where we made our own way home. The kids enjoyed themselves, P &M playing with…

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Part 189: Saturday night, 10pm 14th May 66

Can hardly realise have been back to school in the old train-train – and living only to finish the next 9½ working days, when there will be a week’s mid-term break. Have concocted a mish-mash for the “Jewish Humour” thing. Mum did have Royte Pomerantzen  [YIDDISH HUMOUR Royte Pomerantsen, or How to Laugh in Yiddish ed. I Olsvanger, review published in J.C. 11/03/1966], although she had insisted…

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Part 188: Friday, 22nd April 1966, 6.30pm

Somewhat despondent. Day after birthday. Least said, better. Went last night to see “Beyond the Fringe” at Mayfair Theatre. Small, comfortable theatre, good sophisticated entertainment. Four young men holding stage in series of brilliant sketches. Have been asked by William Frankel, editor of Jewish Chronicle, to write article on Jewish humour as reflecting social and religious attitudes for…

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Part 187: Monday, 18th April 1966, 5.10pm

The old, old story; the holiday being frittered away. Have come up into the kids’ bedroom to write this, they’re watching TV below. They are, touch wood, well and full of élan vital, but it’s impossible to get any quiet at all with them in the house – except when they are watching the TV. Went to a meeting of the Group  [a social gathering for synagogue members] yesterday. A discussion on women…

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Part 186: Wednesday, 13th April 1966, 9.40pm

Sam 60 to-day. He celebrated by going to the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital to check whether he had polyps in his nose. I went with him, getting up at 7.30 am to do so, and schlepping Maxie with me to Ambrose Avenue, where Mum had been staying over Pesach. The doctor said Sam didn’t have polyps, but that he was allergic to colds, and that the Hospital doctor was prescribing a course of treatment…

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Part 185: Monday, 14th March 1966, 17.45.

The result of haste, tiredness are pretty evident in the above [redundant Hebrew letters]. Writing this in kitchen. Susannah has just gone upstairs after grabbing pastilles to take upstairs to Philip and Maxie (“Firmassy”). Have had the builders in. They have knocked down the wall separating the lounge from the dining room, made serving hatch in kitchen, laid down concrete path. The electrician…

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Part 184: Saturday, 19th February 1966, 9.12 pm.

Susannah has had laryngitis – a barking cough and complete listlessness, a pathetic change from her usual full-of-bean-ish self – Maxie has had a “fluey cold” and E. has flu. Dr Covington ordered her to bed this afternoon. I hope she’ll feel fit by Monday morning as I want to keep my no-absence (apart from Jewish festivals) record unblemished. I know I make a fetish of this, but well… Half-term…

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Part 183: Monday, 14th February 1966, 21.30 hrs.

Six weeks since last entry. All six weeks nearer to grave. No – cowards do NOT die many times before their death; we all die once only. Philip & Susannah celebrated thier respective birthdays. The kids are in fine fettle. Susannah: I like mine daddy and mine Mummy. Am just recovering from an abortive cold. Went to hear Frank Davis Sunday before last. He was good: entertaining, thoughtful, had…

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Part 182: Monday, 3rd January 1966, 9.45p.m.

Of the agenda listed on p.96 I have done 2) (and taken tape recorder to Wyndsor Recording Co.), 3), 5), and got book-keeping up to date, though a good deal has to be done to get the 64/65 accounts ready for audit. More time-consuming than any of these has been an a translation of an article by Aharoni, which he casually asked me if I’d mind doing. Bon prince, I said it would be quite alright, but…

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Part 181: Saturday, 25th December 1965, 10.25p.m.

.A very brief entry, want to see second instalment of Eugenie Grandet on TV at 10.35. Pain in left shoulder-blade yesterday, quite a definite pain. Gone to-day (except perhaps for a very slight twinge if I think about it, but I didn’t have to think about yesterday’s pain). It’s the schmallippiger Antlitz des Lebens [allusion to Thomas Mann’s “Royal Highness”. The prince’s educator, Doctor…

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Part 180: Monday, 20th December 1965, 8.55p.m.

E. had wanted shelf of glass-fronted book-case to put china in. She says she had asked for this on the Friday night and I had agreed. I remember her mentioning it, I had probably nodded out of sheer fatigue, but when she started carrying books out about 10pm on the Friday there was an explosion. Result – shelf is now being used for crockery, after I had said it had always been a book-case and…