#LettersFromHull 25/03/86

On Saturday night some of us went to see ‘Clockwise’ at the ABC, which was really funny. A lot of it was filmed in Hull so we had a good time spotting the landmarks.

I’m gradually getting my room together. The other week I got a desk from Texas homecare and some contiboard so that I can put some shelves up.

P.S. Give my regards to the pianist.

#LettersFromHull 18/02/86

My worldly goods are in the new bathroom.

My hosts are vegetarians so I have a craving for meat and my bowels are functioning well with all the fibre.

I got the bike insurance the other week and I ordered our new bikes last Saturday. They’re Scimitar ones, made in Warwick and they have all the nice bits like cantilever brakes etc. (Reynolds 531 d/b of course.) We had a choice of 19 colours and I won’t tell you how much they cost.

On Sunday we celebrated our first Engagement anniversary so last night we went to the Khyber restaurant.

#LettersFromHull 16/01/86

Thank you very much for the cheque you sent me. It will come in handy for getting a nice bike. Thank you to Buzz also for the Boots voucher. I’ll be able to get a year’s supply of soap.

#LettersFromHull 24/11/85

Polly has been very _bad_ recently (as usual). She never stops eating and is massive.

She also goes berserk every morning and runs up the curtains or attacks the hamster. The other day Ruth was cleaning Perkins out and Polly kept getting in the bottom of the cage (which is identical to her litter tray). So Ruth put the cage on her and took a photo of her with Perkins on top of the cage.

#LettersFromHull 07/11/85

On Tuesday we had our house bonfire with baked potatoes and soup. We invited about 40 but only 20 odd turned up so we had loads of food. The bonfire went for ages because we’d found masses of wood. Amongst the objects burned were a sideboard, a chair, a tree trunk, a Christmas tree, 3 or 4 railway sleepers and a couple of bed headboards. The same day we had panic stations because _both_ the loo and the bath were blocked, so we implored the landlord to come with his plunger, which he did.

A few weeks ago I acquired a computer (Amstrad CPC6128) to help me with my work and do word processing etc. It’s very good and amazing for the price. My excuse for getting it was that Ruth got a new bike (a Claud Butler) which everyone admires and is her pride and joy.

#LettersFromHull 02/09/85

Some of the blokes in the workshop are making a machine to do simulated simultaneous flushing of 15 loos at a time for Reckitts so that they can test how long their blue loo stuff lasts.

Last Saturday we went out for the day because it was semi-good weather. We took our bikes on the train to Brid and cycled to Flamborough Head. It was really nice when we got there and there were hardly any people there - just chalk cliffs, a lighthouse and a cafe.

#LettersFromHull 12/06/85

I’m not doing any work at the moment but tomorrow I have to learn FORTRAN (a stone age computer language) and build my project, which will take me to the end of term. Ruth is on a week of lectures and she starts 3 weeks of shifts in hospitals next week.

Last week was Hull film festival and we saw three Handmade films (M. P. & the Holy Grail, Time Bandits and Private Function). There were most of the Monty Python team around but we only got to see Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam. We also saw a stunt demonstration by Derek Ware as part of the British Film Year Roadshow, and the Vicious Boys, who have been on telly a few times and were really funny. They do famous film impersonations like Chariots of Fire in slow motion.

#LettersFromHull 02/06/85

If this letter is sunburnt it’s because I’m writing it outside.

My last exam is on Tuesday afternoon, so we’re going to have a rave up by going out for a meal and going to the piccies. Knowing my luck, it’ll probably pour with rain the minute I finish.

#LettersFromHull 22/04/85

This will have to be a short note because I haven’t got much to tell you.

#LettersFromHull 31/03/85

Dear all, we are somewhere in the Peak District. The weather was OK today but is usually horrible. So far we’ve had rain, hail, snow and wind. The wind is very strong and means that you have to pedal down 1 in 10 gradients and get blown over by passing lorries. So far we’ve been to Richmond, Grinton (Swaledale), Aysgarth (Wensleydale), Kettlewell, Skipton, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, various horrible Lancashire towns and Stalybridge. On Friday it rained all day. Today we went along the Rochdale canal (towpath) which took a long time because you’re not supposed to cycle on it.