Work all day after going to Marks & S to buy Turkey. Roger went to work. A & E went to Drayton. P went to Margaret’s. Lonely at night. 1L. Mr Stephens gave me a btl of sherry & a brace of pheasants for Christmas.
Notes
Mum Worked for Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens
During this period, mum worked as part-time medical secretary for the private practice of two surgeons, Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens, see Chapter 121. This practice was based at 41 Newmarket Road. She worked all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and half day on Fridays. As it was Tuesday, she was at work all day.
Turkey from Marks and Spencer
Mum noted that she bought a turkey from Marks and Spencer (Marks & S). She did the same on 23 December the following year. However, in 1979, she bought the turkey more than a week earlier from Sainsburys, see Chapter 122.
Working at the Scientific Anglian Bookshop
Roger refers to me and mum noted that I went to work. At this point, I had a Saturday job at the Scientific Anglian bookshop on St Benedict’s, see Chapter 119. However, I also worked there on school holidays, especially in the run-up to Christmas when the shop tended to be busier.
Alan and Liz Went to Grandma’s
A reefers to my younger brother Alan and E to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). They went to grandma’s in Drayton, see Chapter 122.
Tricia Went to Margaret’s
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). She went to visit her school friend Margaret East, see Chapter 122.
Lonely and Depressed
Mum had been troubled with loneliness since she and dad split up in 1973, see Chapter 114. She noted that she felt lonely at night.
Antidepressants
During this period, mum had had severe struggles with her mental health, suffering with depression and anxiety, see Chapter 116. She was on antidepressants. On this occasion, she took one tablet of long-acting amitryptilline (Lentizol, L).
Christmas Gifts from Mr Stephens
Mr Stephens, one of the surgeons for whom mum worked, gave her a bottle (btl) of sherry and a brace of pheasants for Christmas. I recall that Mr Stephens gave her pheasants every year during the period she worked for him, see Chapter 122.
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