Wednesday, June 21, 1989

Taking a Tour Inside Parliament ...

A hectic and fun day today. Dad and I awoke early this morning to walk to Victoria Station this morning, in order to buy my plane ticket. We arrived at around 7.30 a.m. and had no problems. So that detail has now been taken care of.

Dad said the family all enjoyed seeing "Starlight Express" immensely last night, which was good news. He and I had coffee and apple danish at the train station, which was empty because of a rail strike that is going to go on for one day. So as a result, we had to rely on our feet or on taxis for transportation today.

We walked back to the hotel (after buying a Daily Telegraph newspaper) and had a proper breakfast. I showered, packed, and we were out of the room at a little past 10. I dropped my bags off at Rosemary's flat, and then set off to find a room for Mom and Dad (Angela's flat did not work out for them.) In short time we found one for them, which was basic but nice, and they checked in.

Next, we took a walk to the House of Parliament, though we then decided to catch a taxi in order to save time. During the ride, I realized that I had forgotten to bring my copy of the Daily Telegraph. I was supposed to have a copy in hand and use it to flag down Sally Hallam, a friend of Dr. Morrison's who works as a secretary for the Daily Telegraph's political correspondent in the Parliament building. Fortunately, it wasn't a problem that I didn't have the newspaper and we met up with Sally without difficulty. (Picture #2 is the permit that gave us access to Parliament.)

At this point, Mom, Dad and Angela left to take a boat trip down the Thames River, and Dr. Morrison and I joined Sally to begin our exclusive tour of Parliament.

It was yet another memorable experience, as we walked around the floor of the House of Commons, which is much smaller than we expected, as well as other vital parts of the building. It was a great tour, and it was really nice of Sally to to take time out of her schedule to show us around.

Next we had an opportunity to see the House of Commons in action, which was quite remarkable. Although Mrs. Thatcher and Neil Kinnock were not there today, we still got to see some action. They were debating trade and industry, which was difficult to follow because of the style and mannerisms of their debate... frequent cat-calls and "here-heres" when one person spoke. We stayed there for 45 minutes, but left during the questions and answers. The reason? They were on question 10 after 45 minutes, with 91 to go. (Picture #3 is a magazine produced for Parliament; Picture #4 is the agenda for the business of the day for the House of Commons.)

So we then headed over to the House of Lords to see them in action, though here I am using the term "action" quite loosely. They were discussing what to do about Hong Kong, which is an interesting topic. The British are planning on turning it over to China in 1997. Unfortunately, it was presented in a far less exciting manner than the style of the House of Commons. In fact, we noticed that several of the Lords were actually asleep during the proceedings! If only we could've gotten to see this debate in the House of Commons.

Well, after only about 10 minutes of this, we left the very posh House of Lords chamber. I mailed two post cards, to Viv and to Sam, from inside Parliament to get the special cancellation from it's post office. And then we left.

Outside I took a few pictures (Pictured #1 is a compilation photo of several angles of Parliament that I shot, with Dr. Morrison standing in the foreground.), and then we walked along the Thames River until we reached the National Film Theater, where after a coffee we entered the Museum of Moving Images (MOMI). It was a fabulous place that I could've easily spent all day exploring. (Pictures #5 and #6 are brochures from the MOMI.)

It chronicled the history of film, and presented it very well... and since Dr. Morrison and I are film buffs, we had a wonderful time. The highlight of the experience was a section of the museum where we saw how a television production is done. There, they had a freeze-frame camera, a television interview area, a television news report display where you read from the cue TV and appear on camera, and something where it makes you appear like you are flying over the Thames.

They also had a Charlie Chaplin exhibit in honor of his 100th birthday, which was great, since he is one of my film heroes. I bought a badge and a book on Charlie Chaplin. (Picture #7 is the book cover.)

When we left the MOMI, it was a bit later than we had anticipated it would be, so we grabbed a taxi and dashed back to my parent's hotel, where they had been waiting for awhile. We then went to dinner at the Lime Tree Hotel, located across the street from my parent's hotel. It proved to be a very interesting meal.

First, our table was outside, and had a waitress that later told us she had a Yugoslav/Italian accent. She was very nice, but it was difficult to understand what she was saying at times. Then there was the gardener: A bizarre man who thought Angela was my daughter and that Mom was my wife. This was funny, but this guy was not playing with a full deck. (Picture #8 is Dr. Morrison, Mom and Angie at the Lime Tree Hotel.)

Well after that experience, we grabbed a taxi and went back to the Royal College building, grabbed some bags, and Mom & Dad returned to their hotel while Dr. Morrison, Angie and I took a taxi to Rosemary's flat. I think I have taken more taxi rides today than I have the entire previous nine months.

The rail strikes chaotic effect seems to have been ill judged. The traffic surprisingly ran smoother today. Great! I love seeing strikes get shattered.

At Rosemary's we all talked for a bit, but I was in bed by 12.30 - earliest in awhile!

Tuesday, June 20, 1989

A Rare View of the Changing of the Guard ...

The weather remained excessively hot today, but it could hardly dampen what we did today. After breakfast, we walked down to Buckingham Palace and St. James Park, with our intentions of watching the ceremonial changing of the guard.

At 11 a.m., we ENTERED the gates at Buckingham Palace, and were given a very rare opportunity - we watched the changing of the guard from the inside of the gate, actually leaning against the walls of Buckingham Palace while the ceremony took place. There was a certain self-satisfaction we felt from seeing all of the people on the outside of the fence clamoring for a glimpse of the guards, while we were on the opposite side, with a clear, unobstructed view. Thanks go to Dr. Morrison for having friends in all the right places!

When we left the palace, Mom, Dad and Angie returned to the room while Dr. Morrison and I took the Underground to Piccadilly to do some shopping. We went into a Specialty record shop of nothing but Film and Show soundtracks, where I found the record that my friend Scott has been searching for unsuccessfully for many years: "Meatballs," his favourite film. Hope he still wants it. If not, I'll gladly keep it.

In another shop, I bought a few postcards, and then browsed around Tower Records until 5.30, when I returned to get ready for tonight's West End show. Dr. Morrison and I left for "Les Miserables," while my parents and Angie went to see "Starlight Express" (which I had already gone to see during my high school class trip to England in 1987.)

We met Dr. Morrison's niece Rosemary and her sister Angela outside the theatre, having a drink before the show began. Then Dr. Morrison, Angela and I parted with Rosemary and took our seats up in the peanut gallery. I mean, they were way up there. It unfortunately took away from the show experience for us, not too mention the unbearable heat. Although the music and acting and the story were all excellent, because of our partially-obstructed position, and because of the projection of the voices, it was often too difficult to follow what was going on exactly. If I see it again, I want good seats or I'll pass. (Pictured at top is the Palace Theatre. See those windows at the top? That's about where we were in relation to the stage at ground level.)

So in the same day... awesome seats for the Changing of the Guard, horrible seats for "Les Miserables."

We met up with Rosemary at the show's end around 11 p.m., and then ate at a French restaurant nearby (very continental cuisine this week). The food was excellent, although the portions were small. But they were just the right size for me tonight.

We talked and concluded that after Dr. Morrison returned home, Angie and I could stay with Rosemary, while Mom and Dad might possibly stay at Angela's house. We'll see how that works out.

Wow! Yet another full day gone by!

Monday, June 19, 1989

A Stroll Down Abbey Road ...

I woke up bright and early at 6.30 a.m. to begin packing the car with Dr. Morrison. After breakfast, and after bidding farewell to Fiona, Dr. M and I drove off at about half 9, while my parents and sister prepared to leave shortly thereafter by train.

We had a good run on the road from Neston to London, stopping twice along the way: once to eat a very mediocre hamburger at a stop along the motorway, and another stop once we arrived in London to (finally) see the Abbey Road studio.

So between Liverpool and London, I've now seen just about everything I needed to see with regards to The Beatles. Snapped a shot of the street where the Abbey Road album cover was shot (pictured above). Had to move quickly between traffic, and I didn't get a chance to get a photo of myself walking across. Yeah, I'm sure I'd be the first person that thought to do that! (Second photo is the main entrance to Abbey Road Studios. I wonder how many times did John, Paul, George and Ringo pass through that portal?)

We had no traffic problems until we hit London, but we managed OK. Checked into the Royal Society of General Practitioners (thanks to Dr. M, of course), where we plan to stay for two nights. Just as we were all unpacked, Mom, Dad and Angie all showed up.

Once we were all squared away, Dr. Morrison and I took off for Leicester Square, where we came away with five tickets to see the West End musical "Blood Brothers"- at half price, no less! We returned to the room, picked up my parents and sister, then headed for the show. It was marvelous. We enjoyed it tremendously... good music, good story, good acting, and even pretty good seats. (Third picture: The family outside the theatre after the show, sporting a souvenir programme. Next picture is my ticket stub.)

Following the show, we went to Chi-Chis in Leicester Square for dinner, and enjoyed a delicious Mexican meal. We then walked around Piccadilly Circus before grabbing a taxi back to the room, which is located just off of Knightsbridge, across from Hyde Park. It is also right next to the former Iranian Embassy, which was gutted by fire after a bomb exploded following a terrorist overthrow in 1980. For more details, check out the entry in the "Chronicles of the 20th Century" book.

We zonked out shortly after returning to the room.

Sunday, June 18, 1989

Two Wongs Don't Make a Reitz ...

I had a very good, relaxing day following my recent marathon of activity. I woke up late in the morning, ate breakfast, and took the afternoon easy at Dr. Morrison's house.

We went for a walk down the road to Ness Gardens, which is a very nice botanical garden. Although it was very hot, I had a great time with my parents, catching up on the events of the past nine months.

Soon we walked back to Dr. Morrison's house, where after another rest, during which time I listened to a few of my records, we got ready to go out to dinner at the Jasmine Eating House - a Chinese restaurant. Before we made it to the restaurant, we stopped at Mike and Eunice Unger's house for some drinks (cool, refreshing Pimm's, a classic summer British spirit.)

We gathered at the restaurant at around 8 p.m., and around half 8, the feasting commenced... and boy, was it good! Every course was delicious, from the soup to the roast duck and to the main course - sweet and sour chicken, steak and several other delicious dishes. We all had an excellent time, eating and drinking until close to midnight.

It was great to see everyone one last time before jetting off, and what a way to celebrate! Dr. Morrison knows the owners of the restaurant, the Wongs, and I convinced Dr. Morrison to take a picture of me with them. I call it, "Two Wongs Don't Make a Reitz." (Pictured above is the classic photo, with me, Mrs. and Mr. Wong at their restaurant. Nice hair, world traveler!)

Upon returning to Dr. Morrison's house, I still had another task... to repack my gear as best I could for the next journey. I didn't get to bed until it started to get light outside, which is still pretty early in these parts.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Sealed with a Kiss" - Jason Donovan
  
  
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Satisfied" - Richard Marx
  

Saturday, June 17, 1989

It's My 20th Birthday... and a Farewell to Hull ...

Well, today is my birthday. And also Viv's father's birthday. And my friend Molly Sherman's birthday. And my friend Ted's brother Chip Schaeffer's birthday. And the Queen's birthday (observed.)

So on this, obviously one of the most important days of the year, I turned 20, and had only 2 1/2 hours of sleep at the same time. All the same, it was going to be a "big day" today (as Greg always says.)

I ate breakfast with my parents at the Beck House Hotel (which is conveniently only about a block away from The Grange.), and we dined at a leisurely pace as we chatted and got caught up on a number of things.

Afterward we packed up all of my gear, gave Sam my Social-Political Structures paper to hand in for me so that I could leave a bit early, along with a few other things I gave to him, and also bid farewell to Shannon the Hamster (Lorna, another hamster owner, agreed to care for her). Walked around the residence and bid farewell to J.P., Neil, and other people that I saw walking about.

Next we took a walk up to the Cottingham Road site so that my parents could see the area a bit, and also to return my library books. (Pictured above is a photo I snapped of my parents and sister along that walk.)

At noon, we hopped on the train and I said farewell to Hull for the last time, as we departed for a stop in York. While on the train, we met up with Dave Hart and his parents, who were going to York as well, so we traveled with them for a bit. It was a slow train and we didn't get to York until nearly 4 p.m., but it was another beautiful day and we still were able to see a lot.

We watched some crew races on the river (pictured is Mom and Dad watching the race), walked the shops, went through the Jorvik Viking Centre (third visit for me... my parents enjoyed it). Dad and I climbed up to the top of, oh, what's the name of that castle on the hill there again? Anyway, we climbed up and took some great photos.

At 6 p.m. we went to Pizza Hut for my birthday dinner, which marked the first time I drank a beer with my parents in public (or anywhere, for that matter). In a few days, it won't be legal for me to do that in public for another year.

While there, Dad committed a humorous faux pas. When the waitress asked him if everything was alright, he replied, "No, that will be all" (not listening to exactly what she had said.) I laughed, anyway.

Walked past the minster, and along the wall for awhile (pictured is Mom, Dad and Angie walking the wall), looking at the city until 8.15, when we returned to the train station. Dad called Dr. Morrison, while Mom and I bought drinks.

Another funny moment: Mom asked for a hot tea with a little milk, and when her order arrived, she received a hot tea and a little milk carton. Again, I saw the funny side of this.

We had a hectic train ride, constantly worrying if we were on the right train or not (the Brit Rail men did their best to confuse us). But in the end, we arrived in Liverpool only slightly late, where Dr. Morrison picked us up and drove us back to his house.

I took my parents through my photo albums over some drinks, and got to bed around 2 a.m. Almost didn't seem like a birthday, but it was a great day. Mom and Dad gave me a Beatles shirt on the train, which was nice, and Dr. Morrison and Fiona gave me a Liverpool F.C. scarf and hat. Love 'em both! (Pictured is me and Mom in Dr. Morrison's dining room, modeling my new winter gear over drinks and looking at my photo albums.)

Friday, June 16, 1989

My Last Full Day in Hull (and the Parents Meet for the First Time) ...

I woke up early for breakfast today and spent the morning studying and preparing for this afternoon's big Social/Political Structures essay-exam. At one o'clock I picked up the exam question and - joy of joys - it was exactly the question I expected on the media (after I cleared up the topic with Ian Welsh).

Because of that, I was able to jump right in and work until dinner. We brought our food over to Jane's room to eat, where she gave me an early birthday card... one of the most creative cards I've ever received. (pictured is Jane's hand-crafted card, the outside and the inside.)

By the time my parents arrived in Hull at around 7 p.m., I already had 1,000 rough words completed. It wasn't until 10.30 p.m., though, that I picked up where I had left off and continued working on the essay.

Before I returned to my essay, I grabbed all of my things and packed them into Dr. Morrison's car, and then we waited for Vivienne's parents to arrive. When they finally came, it was quite an event. We checked my parents into their Bed and Breakfast (business card), chatted extensively, and brought a pizza back from Prima's to eat in my room. We were going to eat at the restaurant, but we were told it was going to be a two-hour wait for a seat, which didn't seem like something we wanted to do.

But it worked out. It was enjoyable eating in my room one last time, and talking to everyone. It was great that my parents got an opportunity to meet Viv's parents, and they seemed to get along quite well.

Well, at 10.30 p.m., Viv's parents had to leave for the ride back to Skegness, and my parents and Angie returned to their room for a night's rest. As for me, the night was still young. Unfortunately, I had to spend my last few hours here working on an essay.

During the evening Jane

Well, it went smoothly but slowly, and as midnight chimed in my 20th birthday (as well as Mr. Schofield's, as we both share the same birthday!) I battled to overcome chronic lethargy to finally complete what I consider to be my best essay... granted, it wasn't finished until 5.30 in the morning.

Zonked out straight away.

Wednesday, June 14, 1989

Should It Be This Hard to Buy a Plane Ticket? ...

Today was spent anticipating the pending arrival of my parents in England, although I won't actually see them until Friday. They will be visiting with Dr. Morrison first.

I also got Viv's airline ticket squared away today, although it was a very close call. First, the Student Travel Agency wouldn't accept a check from me (probably not a bad precaution to be taking), so after confirming her flight (leaving July 14, returning August 14, from Manchester), I walked to the bank to cash Viv's check.

However, after finally getting my cashpoint card back from Lloyd's Bank, the nice lady there told me that it would take until Monday before Viv's check cleared. That sent me into a bit of a panic... I'm not going to be in Hull on Monday. Fortunately, she made a few phone calls on my behalf and we worked it out, so that I was now able to pay for the plane ticket upon returning to the STA.

Now that that was over and done with, I took a little walk into town, along the traditional route through Newland Avenue and Spring Bank Road (both to and from downtown Hull), buying up a few more of those things that you just can't find in the States... including two more old Elvis Costello singles. I also bought a Batman: Death in the Family comic book for face value (50p). Its current value in the States is $10 - good deal!

Upon my return I checked out a few books from the library to prepare for my Social/Political Structures essay on The Media this Friday. I did some preparation, but not a lot, tonight.

My parents called me after dinner... for the first time in a long while from the same time zone! They had arrived safely and were now at Dr. Morrison's house in Neston. Everything went smoothly on their journey, which is definitely good news.

And what day would be complete without coffee and sharing bad jokes with Sam?

I continued to take down some of the decorations in my room today. It looks so barren now.

Wow. My time in Hull is nearly over.

Monday, June 5, 1989

'Half-baked' Geography Exam ...

Still haven't received that much-needed letter from Viv, or my cash point card from the bank. I did, however, get a package from Dr. Morrison with my photos from our trip to Wales. It was nice to take a look at them.

During the morning I studied the Geography reader that J.P. had dropped off at my room, I only stopped for a bit when Sam stopped by to chat briefly, and then when I went to the shop to buy a sandwich for lunch.

Then in the afternoon I took the Geography exam. The exam was a pain. I didn't feel that they gave us enough time to thoroughly answer each question. "Half-baked" is my phrase for the day. I'm sure I answered every question well enough to pass, but I could've done more. Geography will probably end up being my lowest grade.

That evening was spent relaxing. At 9 p.m. we watched the movie "Dune" on TV, and surprisingly about 15 people stopped in and watched, with very few people leaving before it ended. Of course, I loved it (5th time I've seen it), and after it was finished, Sam came back to my room and we had a coffee and a chat. He stayed until a little past twelve, at which time I suddenly found myself going to bed.

Monday, May 29, 1989

Bank Holiday in the UK ...

Today is Memorial Day in the U.S. It's not celebrated here, but they do have a "bank holiday." Just a day off, apparently, that happens to always fall on the same day as Memorial Day.

Slept in a bit later today and didn't even really leave the house on this day of remembrance. Fiona's boyfriend Dave (pictured with Fiona, showing off their American influences) was over at the house today, taking Dr. Morrison's phone calls in case a patient in need of his services would call. So Dave and I sat and talked for a good part of the day. I also got some studying done as well, finishing up on "The Importance of Being Earnest," and nearly finishing "A Handful of Dust."

Ate a makeshift dinner of whatever we could find in the house, which was highlighted by us putting the mini chicken kievs in the microwave to see if that would cook them OK. (They exploded.)

Watched Superman II on the telly, then bits of "Miami Vice" and a pretty bad Pee Wee Herman special. I finished the day playing Rummy with Dave and Fiona, though we played using rules that were completely foreign to me (this being a foreign country, I guess I was being the foreign one). I did alright, as it came down to our final hand to determine the winner.

Read a bit more before going to bed.

Good news: The dollar is stronger than ever, about $1.56 to the pound. That'll hopefully help me out a bit.

Sunday, May 28, 1989

My First Trip into Wales ...

What a grand day today, even if I didn't get any studying done (again). I woke up early and ate breakfast with an international crowd, reading the Sunday Times and talking over various topics.

When it was a little past 11 a.m., we all gathered our gear and headed into Wales. Rosemary (pictured right, with me) was traveling with Dr. Morrison and me, and her friends traveled in the other car. It took us awhile to get there, with holiday traffic and all, but it moved steadily.

It was a beautiful day and the scenery was wonderful. It's a shame my parents aren't here to see this... they'd love it!

As our drive progressed, we somehow had lost the other car, and when we finally arrived at our destination, the town of Porthmadog, there was no sign of them. So after eating lunch and a brief look in Cob, a nearby record shop, Dr. Morrison and I took the Ffestiniog Railway trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog, leaving Rosemary behind so that she could meet with her friends.

It was a lovely trip, and I took loads of photos along the way. We returned on board the same train and arrived back in Porthmadog at 5.10... giving us just enough time to look through that record shop again. I bought a cassette tape of Mike Oldfield's "Platinum" (second hand), and Michael Rutherford's album "Smallcreep's Day" for £1.45. Dr. Morrison bought three jazz tapes and a Bob Newhart record album.

When we got into the car, we listened to some of our music along the way, and took a slightly different route home. We stopped at the Theatr Clwyd Cymru to take a look at it. Fabulous place, though not much was going on while we were there. I bought a King Arthur poster while I was there.

We returned to Ness at about half nine, ate some Chinese food, and watched the last bit of "A Handful of Dust" on TV. I'll watch it in full on video tape tomorrow.

After the show I phoned my parents and talked to them about today's trip, as well as about their plans for coming here next month. Everything is still a go. Also, Uncle Larry and Aunt JoAnne were at the house when I called, so I was able to talk to them as well. Hey, they were eating Chinese as well!

Next I listened to "Smallcreep's Day" (I quite like it!) while finishing up reading "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4," which is really good. Chris Mulvihill would like it.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey" - Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson and The Christians (for the Hillsborough Disaster)
  
  
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Rock On" - Michael Damian
  

Saturday, May 27, 1989

Meeting at a Pub in Chester ...

I had a lie-in today until around noon, when I arose and ate. Milled about Dr. Morrison's house until about 5 p.m., doing little of any consequence, at which time Dr. Morrison and I left for Chester.

Once we arrived in Chester, we met up with his niece, Rosemary, and four of her friends, at a nice pub/restaurant for a meal. Three of Rosemary's friends were from New Zealand (Ian, Shelley, and the other one whose name escapes me at the moment) and one of her friends was from Texas (Wilson).

We carried on some interesting international conversations and discussions (Ian was impressed with my desire to become a journalist) before we left to go see a movie. We went to see "Beaches," a bit of a tear-jerker at the end of the film. It wasn't too bad, though. (At times when the movie was quiet, you could hear sniffs from the people in the audience.)

After the movie we all returned to Dr. M's house, where we watched a Billy Connolly video. Good fun! I ended the evening talking to Rosemary about traveling... she's done quite a bit herself.

Tomorrow we are talking about taking a trip into Wales. I can see it from the back window of Dr. Morrison's house, but so far I have not been there yet.

(Pictured is a pub-restaurant in downtown Chester. I've dined there before, but I'm not certain if I did on this particular evening. Still, very nice building.)

Friday, May 26, 1989

Leaving for Liverpool ...

I spent the morning re-taping Liz's Beatles' tapes for her, while I still had Jane's recorder in my possession, and before leaving on my trip to Liverpool. Once I was finished, I gave the recorder back to Jane, dropped off Shannon the Hamster to Cat (it's not often that a hamster is in good hands when you give it to a Cat!), then caught the bus into town to catch the 4.42 train.

And what do you know? Jenny Rourke was on the train! She was heading home for the weekend. So Jenny and I rode together and chatted as far as Leeds, which is where I had to get off the train and reconnect to the Liverpool train. She reminds me so much of Stephanie LaBella from high school (whom I've only seen once since graduation).

Anyway, I waited a half an hour before catching the train, and during the ride I worked some more on my short story, "The Thirty-Seventh Heir." I finally arrived in Liverpool at a little past eight, and shortly afterward, Dr. Morrison arrived and we rode back to Ness, stopping at the Old Quay for dinner.

We didn't do much more than talk this evening, but it was still relaxing good fun. Fiona was at a friend's house that evening and didn't return until late. I finally got to bed at a little past one.

Pictured: For the past several weeks J.P. had been busy rehearsing for his performance in "The Mikado," which was presented this weekend. For some reason, I didn't get a chance to go. I was at the Elvis Costello concert on Wednesday, and in Liverpool on Friday and Saturday... but I don't know why I didn't go to see it on Thursday. J.P. will have to fill in any details about the show itself. Even though I didn't see it, I did manage to swipe one of the posters for my own personal collection.

Thursday, May 25, 1989

Wear Your New Concert T-Shirt Day ...

Today I slept in quite late, recovering from last night's activities. Needless to say, I missed breakfast. I checked for post, but there was none.

I then found myself sitting in Jane's room with Sam, talking about various topics (the concert came up), and eventually I borrowed her stereo to do a little taping. So I was doing a little bit of taping today. I made a Monkee's tape for Gill, a friend of Jane Goodman's (not the Jane whose room I was in... that's Jane Challis-Whish).

The day carried on with little excitement. That evening, Sam and I sat in Cat's room and talked for a bit. She's going to be taking care of my hamster Shannon when I leave for Liverpool to visit with Dr. Morrison tomorrow. After that, it was back to Sam's room for more coffee, and after that, back to my room for even more coffee. I gave him a copy of a tape he requested. Side one is my parody work with Reed and Reitz, and side two my thrash metal stylings with Yokel.

Tomorrow, I leave for Liverpoo'.

Pictured is me trying to be artsy, I guess, showing off my new tour shirt, as well as the tour program (right next to my arm) and the tour poster (far left), which now joins my two other Elvis Costello posters. And yes, that's an ALF poster right above it, surrounded by Bloom County and Calvin & Hobbes comics.

Sunday, April 16, 1989

Dr. Morrison Visits ...

Dr. Morrison came by today at lunchtime. I woke up for breakfast, but but fell asleep until lunch. So when Dr. Morrison came into the dining hall, I still hadn't a chance to wash up. He showed me his America pictures and gave me some things from home.

(Pictured is a photo from that trip to Camp Hill. That's my dad, a young Glen Morrison, Dr. Morrison and Mom in the living room. The Morrison and Reitz clans got on famously.)

We drove to Beverley because he's never been there, and we stopped at a little cafe for scones and coffee.

It was a quaint little place called The Tea Cosy and quite pleasant. It was a blustery day as we walked the streets, stopping at an antique shop to look around. I bought a few Victorian Era coins here, which were quite novel.

After walking around, we decided it was a bit too cold, so I stopped at the bank, followed by taking a few photos of Beverley, and we then drove back to The Grange. From here we went into Hull to see the movie "Working Girl." It was a pretty good movie... not too unlike "Secret of My Success." And Melanie Griffith was actually quite good. She deserved her nomination for Best Actress, though I'm not sure the movie itself deserved a nod for Best Film. I still need to see "Mississippi Burning," "Dangerous Liaisons" and "The Accidental Tourist," and I will have seen all five movies nominated for Best Picture (having already seen "Rain Man.")

After the film we ate a nice dinner at Chaplin's (named after Charlie). I had a steak, while Dr. Morrison had a Mexican dish. Following the meal we returned to The Grange, and soon after, Dr. Morrison returned home to Liverpool.

He told me that he was on call last night after the tragedy at the football game in Hillsborough, but only had one call for a fan suffering from shock.

After he left, I went over to St. Hilda's where I went to Kenny's room and listened to a few of the tapes I received from home via Dr. Morrison, before returning to my room for some sleep. Haven't put much thought into my essay, which is due on Tuesday.

Oh, and I called home and talked to the parents, to put their minds at ease.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Eternal Flame" - The Bangles
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Like a Prayer" - Madonna

Thursday, March 16, 1989

Adventures in Telephoning ...

Started off the day with much the same routine. Left the hotel with Viv and ate breakfast at our usual spot (hey, I'm becoming a regular!), then caught the Metro to Republica de Argentina (highlighted in the map), the stop closest to her Residencia. Ate a little more food here before everyone left for classes, which is when I wrote up the rest of my "Life in Hull" article.

When everyone returned for good, other than a trip to the grocery store, we remained inside for the evening, playing cards or checkers (draughts, as the English call the game), eating dinner, and watching a dubbed episode of "Moonlighting." I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying, but I still watched.

At ten thirty Viv and I began our attempt to call my parents. First we tried the hall phone, but nothing happened. So we next tried an outside pay phone, which informed us that we were not permitted to make a collect call from a pay phone.

Great.

So, now we went to The Old Man in the Residencia and asked him if it would be possible for us to use his phone, and he gave us the runaround, and spent the whole time trying to connect using the methods we had already unsuccessfully attempted. Finally, he let us call ourselves, and it took us five minutes to get through... and there was no answer. The connection was not successful. Frustrated, the operator aked if we'd try again in 15 minutes, which we did, and lo and behold, we got through!

I talked to Angie and Dad to let them know how things were in Madrid. Unfortunately Mom was out at the time I called. Dr. Morrison had arrived from England a short time earlier, and Mom was showing him around the area. After concluding our call, Viv and I made a mad dash to the Metro, but our one connection we had just missed, so we had to wait 16 minutes before the next train arrived. I finally got to Gran Via and the room at around 1.3o a.m.

Sunday, February 19, 1989

Her Last Day ...

It's officially 120 days until my 20th birthday. Hey, that means in only a year and 120 days, I can legally purchase alcohol! In America. Here, I can go buy it whenever I damn well please.

Started off as another Sunday Times morning, perfect with the sounds of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's" and "Abbey Road" albums playing as well. Ate breakfast, then lunch, then watched "Lost in Space." Also caught a movie called "Starflight One" starring Lee Majors and Hal Linden, which was more or less pathetic. Why does Lee Majors always get stuck with starring roles in second-rate films with names like "Cody"?

Ate some dinner after the film, then relaxed with Viv until "The Cosby Show" came on. Guess we relaxed while watching that, too. Toward the end of the episode, Dr. Morrison gave me a call to pass along some information to me.

Soon afterward, Viv contacted her parents (they're coming to pick her up tomorrow), while I worked on my tape for my parents. We spent our last evening together here relaxing. It'll be strange around here once she leaves.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" - Marc Almond and Gene Pitney (4th week at #1 for the former Soft Cell frontman.)
  
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Straight Up" - Paula Abdul (3rd week)

Sunday, January 22, 1989

The Sunday After ...

I woke up (surprisingly) at 11 a.m. this morning. Felt relatively well, despite getting very little sleep. Ate a marvelous breakfast, and then read for awhile until it was about time to leave Dr. Morrison's house and head back to Hull.

Just then, Mike Unger (pictured) stopped in to see how the Burns dinner went. He normally goes to this celebration, but unfortunately he had to attend a dinner where Peter Ustinov was speaking. I do believe he made a good choice. One amusing thing he told me that was an utter surprise. Even though he attends the celebration of Scotland's most revered poet, and even though he's the editor of one of the country's largest newspapers, and even though he lives less than two hours from the Scottish border... Mike has never been to Scotland! That just seemed so impossible to comprehend. He's been to many places all around the world, but said it just never came up as a destination of choice. Wow!

Well soon after, Dr. Morrison and I left for Hull, and we only got stuck in one traffic jam along the way. Once we arrived at The Grange halls, Dr. Morrison joined me for dinner in the refectory. That was a sorry mistake, although he got a little sample of what I am forced to eat every day.

He left shortly afterward, and it was back to face the reality that I had a paper due tomorrow. So I began to work on the paper a bit later, with Viv graciously offering to help me, after watching an episode of "Cheers."

Hey, the Super Bowl was on today, and though it started a bit late here (time zone differences and all), I was still able to watch it on Viv's TV in my room, which was very convenient. We continued working on my paper during the game (and offering some explanations of the game of football to Viv.) We were actually able to get a lot of work done. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, but it was a very good game and won by only 4 points in the closing minutes - one of the best Super Bowls I've seen in years!

It was very, very late when the game finally ended (almost 4 a.m.), so when it was over I fell asleep.

***

• Number One Song in Britain This Week: "Especially for You" - Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
• Number One Song in America This Week: "Two Hearts" - Phil Collins

Saturday, January 21, 1989

Burns' Night Dinner ...

I woke up at noon - much later than usual - and made my way downstairs at Dr. Morrison's house to have some breakfast and read the newspaper.

I was still sitting at the table finishing my breakfast when Dr. Morrison came down and told me he had bought me a hoagie for lunch. So, fresh from one meal, I was granted another. (Deja vu?)

I relaxed and read a bit, then watched "A Passage to India" on TV - the movie version of the book I'm supposed to read. It was well done, interesting, and a lot easier than reading the book! It was a long movie (nearly 3 hours), but still shorter than reading it.

After the movie ended I took a bath, dressed in my dinner suit (Dr. Morrison tried unsuccessfully to get me into a kilt), and later we were off to the Burns Night Dinner. It's a long standing tradition to hold these affairs to celebrate the birthday of poet Robert Burns. This year marks the 230th anniversary of his birth. This was also the 104th year that the Chester Caledonian Association, which was hosting this evening's festivities, has held their own celebration here.

We arrived at the Queen's Hotel in Chester at around 6.30 p.m., then had a few drinks before sitting down. Scotch was heartily consumed, food was devoured (naturally haggis, which I despise, was on the menu, but there were other delicacies that I quite enjoyed), poetry from Burns was recited and heralded, speakers spoke fondly of Burns, songs of the poet's poems were enthusiastically sung (Dr. Morrison's cousin Ronnie was one of the two featured singers), and jovial toasts were made. It was a decidedly male-dominated event.

Unfortunately, the kids sitting behind us were a bit rude and loud, but the dinner was nevertheless entertaining and fun. Everyone left the banquet happy (some considerably happier than others), but this was hardly the end of the evening, as wives came to pick up their husbands to take them home, or to other parties. Our destination was an afterparty at the home of the Gills (friends of Dr. Morrison. I sat at the banquet with Gavin and Ian Gill.) That was good fun as well, with more drinking, conversation, poetry reading, and singing going on here... not to mention some Scottish dancing.

It was fabulous fun, and we finally made it back to Dr. Morrison's house at around 4.30 a.m. Still wasn't quite ready to go to bed, so I read a bit more from "The Chronicles" before falling cold away asleep.

(Pictures: #1 - The front and back cover of the Burns Night program. #2 - Enjoying an evening at the Gills house party after the event. #3 - Gus sings!)

Friday, January 20, 1989

Inauguration Day! ...

I woke up at noon - much later than usual - and made my way downstairs at Dr. Morrison's house to have some breakfast and read the newspaper.

I was still sitting at the table finishing my breakfast when Fiona came down and told me that she was taking me out to lunch. So, fresh from one meal, I was granted another - lasagna, at the local pub. After a delicious meal, I returned to the house to do some reading for class - "Howard's End." I actually quite enjoy that book so far.

At 4.30 p.m., they began their TV coverage of the inauguration ceremony for George Bush. So down went the book, and it was me in front of the TV, wishing I was there. It could've been me. I actually did get an invitation sent to me back home to attend one of the inaugural balls, but seeing as how I couldn't afford to make the trip, I had to pass. My friends Greg (who spoke at the Dan Quayle rally) and Trista went to the ball, however. Lucky them!

After the coverage ended, I watched the news, and then when Dr. Morrison returned, caught my favorite Mel Brooks film, "High Anxiety." Dr. Morrison also got me started reading the very thick and comprehensive book, "The Chronicle of the 20th Century." It was fabulous, and unfortunately I couldn't put it down. I read it religiously until 10, when Dr. Morrison's cousin, Ronnie and his wife arrived.

We ate dinner at about 10.30 p.m., and then all of us sat in the lounge, talking. I called home at 1.45 a.m., but only Grandma was home at the time. Fortunately this time I didn't have to call collect and get cut off, so I left a message with Grandma and Mom and Dad called back at 2 a.m. (9 p.m. their time) We had a good conversation, and I wished a happy birthday to both Mom (two days ago) and Grandma (tomorrow... well actually, it was already officially her birthday where I was, but not quite yet where she was.)

Afterwards I read a bit more before finally calling it a day.

Monday, December 26, 1988

A Lazy Boxing Day ...

Another late rise for me today. I woke up at about 11 a.m. and had some breakfast. Viv and I went for a walk to the beach early in the afternoon. It was a windy but beautiful day outside. I was able to get a lot of really good black-and-white photos of the area.

After buying The Daily Express newspaper and a blank tape, we returned to Viv's house and ate some lunch. I then made a tape of various songs from the "Now That's What I Call Music XIII" album Viv's sister received for Christmas.

Later on, I got a call from Dr. Morrison. An old friend of his and her husband, who live in Edinburgh, have graciously offered to let J.P. and I stay at their home during our travels, and so we went over the details about our impending arrival tomorrow.

After watching James Bond's "Octopussy" on TV, I called the Granthams to confirm my arrival and let them know when we expected to be there.

Afterward, Viv and I played a game of Scrabble. I won the first game we played, but she beat me this time around. Only the second person ever to beat me at the game (the first being Little Johnny, who's amazingly good.)

Then it was time to take a hammering at Monopoly. We finished that game at about 1.30 a.m., when I finally went bust. Viv, who took over playing for her Mom, won the game.

Next I gathered my stuff together for my journey to Edinburgh tomorrow, then went to bed.

Pictured: #1: I'm relaxing along the beaches of Skegness. #2: Another view of the coastline. #3. The Daily Express newspaper that I purchased this day. Obviously, the Pan Am Flight 103 tragedy was dominating the news coverage... although there was still room for a photo of young Prince William and his cousin!