December 24-25 Sunday-Monday

Christmas at the farm [I couldn't wait for it to end]. On the 25th Sue, Diane and I went for a walk in the deep black of night, but got scared. Got a clock radio [that has survived up to this point (March 1994)].

 

December 24 Sunday

[...absolutely nothing happened. I had planned to go to Woodstock [the movie- I had already seen it in Holland during the summer: I have no idea where it would have been playing at this late date] with Andy + Dave, but Andy had to go to Midnight Mass and Dave had to go to his uncle's. He didn't tell me about this though, and I didn't find out until I called him after he was 30 minutes late [in getting to my house]].

 

December 25 Monday

[...At around 8 I got a ride to Dave's. Heather + Sue + us were sitting downstairs for a while. Sue + Heather went upstairs. Dave brought down a sherry for each of us. Then another glass and then about 1/2 a glass each of gin. We were both fairly drunk when Sue + Heather came back downstairs. At about 10pm Maggie came over and we all went tobogganing on the hill in the park [Westminster Park, I believe]. Came back at around 11. Got picked up at 11:30].

 

December 26 Tuesday Holiday

[Went to Dave's at about 1pm. Sat in the basement with Sue and Heather. Alan called at around 3 but he said he didn't want to come over. At about 6 Dave + I went to Mac's. I spent 2 of my certificates-- bought Dave a coke]. At about 3 got back from the farm. nite-the old man gave me a ride to Blue Haven [a small shopping mail across St John's from McDonald's in D.D.O.] [As we were leaving Mac's + crossing the street to Blue Haven Alan called us. He had gotten a ride to Fairview. At Blue Haven we met Sue + Heather and they wanted Alan to buy them some beer [being the only one with a moustache he looked the oldest]. Alan refused [thereby striking a blow for the prevention of contributing to the delinquency of minors-- on this occasion anyway]]. Met Dave and Ralph there, [We bought cigarettes and] went to Dave's. Played Monté. We went tobaggoning in Westminster Park [it wasn't as good as yesterday because it was powder snow and it was colder]. [Went back at 10:10. While waiting for father to pick Alan + me up at 10:30, Mr Essiambre offered us a sherry. Alan + I had to gulp it down cause my father arrived and we had to go]. Got a ride with Ralph at 11.

 

December 27 Wednesday

Met Gillian and her friend from Ottawa Bridget on the Fairview bus, met Ralph under the clock at Fairview. Took pictures. Saw Chris, Gillian went to say 'hi'. Went to Dave's, sat in the livingroom. [I went ahead of the others and got to Dave's first. Dave was on the phone with Lesley. Lesley invited all of us, except Gillian [and presumably Bridget] to Bob's. Dave said he couldn't go, Alan didn't want to, so I called Andy to see if he wanted to go to Bob's [what a jerk-- a party?- so long Gillian!]. Andy agreed. Eventually Dave and Alan decided to go and Alan urged Gillian to forget Lesley and come anyway. What ensued after that was an almost constant argument with Lesley on the phone [must have made a wonderful impression on Bridget]]. I was cutting the Wizard lino (79). Got a ride with Gillian at 5:30. [At 6:45 Alan called and said that he left his pipe at Dave's.Andy came at 7 and Dave was waiting outside when we walked out. He had Alan's pipe.]. nite-met Gillian and Bridget at 7:30 on the street, bought $5 of hash from [Foster] Tilden , then Ralph, Dave and Andy came [and Dave [bought] $3 worth]. I bought $5 more [the $10 worth would have equaled 2 grams], we walked to Bob H's house near Judy's. Judy and a girl Pat came. [Andy, Dave + I went out to the waterfront + smoked up]. Gillian, Bridget and I went down the street and smoked 2 splifs. Went back, played Monté (more or less). Lesley came drunk. Got picked up at 11 with Ralph [I'd left by mistake a piece of hash there, which got smoked. I faded out from these people from here on] [I remember this evening as being distinctly unpleasant. I was very uncomfortable, nothing seemed to click, everyone was tense and out of sorts and-- worst of all-- it was unspeakably dull.]

 

 

 

79. From the 'Uriah Heep' album cover by Roger Dean for 'Demons and Wizards', that I had borrowed from Dave. I was very much influenced by Dean's work, here but especially his album covers for Yes 1971-74 (though I first noticed his work in 1971 on the cover for 'Osibisa', with flying elephants, without realizing it was his). It was because of his style that I later also appreciated Art Nouveau.

Ralph, Alan, Gillian and Bridget