6th April 1661
Up among my workmen, then to Whitehall, and there at Privy Seal and elsewhere did business, and among other things met with Mr Townsend, who told of his mistake the other day, to put both his legs through one of his knees of his breeches, and went so all day. Then with Mr. Creed and Moore to the Leg in the Palace to dinner which I gave them, and after dinner I saw the girl of the house, being very pretty, go into a chamber, and I went in after her and kissed her. Then by water Creed and I, to Salisbury Court and there saw 'Love's Quarrell' acted the first time, but I do not like the design or words. So calling at my father's, where they and my wife well, ( I wonder if this is a misprint and he meant 'were') and so home and to bed.
Ken Stevens (later known as Grumpy Old Ken!)
6th April 1985
Death of Arthur Negus, television personality, aged eighty-two. Interesting how TV personalities are better known and more revered than many politicians. There must be a moral here somewhere!
I spend time catching up with the marking of exercise books in preparation for the new term. A first year (eleven/twelve year old) classes work is interesting. Asked to list 'These I have loved' as an imitation of a famous Rupert Brooke poem, the following suggestions give food for thought: friends or 'mates', mum, dad, brother, sister and a variety of pets. School holidays, birthdays, Christmas; hot dogs, the smell of bacon and the smell of petrol. Fizzy pop, catching frogs; my first bike, first haircut, my own bedroom. Going to sleep, going in arcades; fashion, cheerful happy people. A quiet moment with a good book and last, rather touchingly, being loved.
8 comments:
I bet the poor maid would not have listed Samual Pepys' kiss as one of the things she had loved! I bet she had no choice!
I wonder - is that the difference between a 'somebody' and a 'nobody' imposition?! I'll take the nobody any day!
an interesting idea !
RJRDaydreamer
G'day. I would like to hear the maids thoughts on the kiss!! As for the "Famous or the Nobody", I'll take the "Nobody" please.
I bought S.Pepys diaries for hubs at Christmas... I've yet to get the chance to have a read. Yes, I too would take the nobody anyday.
What a wonderful wonderful idea! I look forward to more diary comparisons, thanks! (Yeah, I wondered about the serving maid's point-of-view, too.)
... And how much is "I kissed her," a euphemism for greater outrage?
Ken, I'm sorry this is inserted out of context and a month after your question on my blog: I really have no idea how to get anything published these days. The business has changed so much since people started making end runs around editors and the print media. I imagine you have a bigger audience here than you would if you published your manuscript--unless you were "somebody." I lost count of the editors who told me, "Your writing is great. We'd love to publish your stuff--if only people had heard of you!" (To which I itched to respond, "And how will they hear of me unless I get published?") Only one of my 5 books is still selling (Gianna: Aborted and Lived to Tell About It) and the fifth, To Russia with Love, about our family sailing to the USSR during the Cold War to protest Soviet nuclear testing (published by a university press) is so newly out we don't know yet. Wish I could help you!
I'll agree- in this entry, I'll take the "Nobody." Who doesn't love Fizzy Pops?
Ava
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