Fri 25 Feb 1977: I was 11, nearly 12. It was the last day of half term. Went into Rickmansworth and bought a magic book in Smiths. Played Top Trumps. Read my copy of Puffin's Pleasure, a hardback targeted at members of the Puffin Club ["a unique collection designed to entertain readers of nine and over"]. Sat 25 Feb 1978: Watched Multi-Coloured Swap Shop with guests including Richard Stilgoe and Penelope Keith, then later Jim'll Fixit. It was the last ever night of our choirmaster's special extra practice for the top boys, our final opportunity to be plied with cream cakes and fizzy Corona pop. We all departed with a £5 note, no questions asked. Sun 25 Feb 1979: Our school choir was on a half term trip to Watford's twin town of Mainz. This was the first full day after a 24 hour coach journey via Zeebrugge. I opted for cereal at breakfast rather than risk the cold meat. It was Carnival weekend, just before Lent, which they take very seriously here. Went on the dodgems, walked by the Rhine and waved sparklers. I also met the boy I'd be going on German Exchange with over Easter and realised I couldn't speak the language yet. Made plans for where we'd watch the big Rose Montag parade tomorrow [wow, that was quite something]. Played Connect 4 for the first time [they do love their board games, these Germans]. Mon 25 Feb 1980: First day back after the holidays. Guy had a very brown face having been skiing without protection. [OMG, it's the day we had that lesson. I've long thought it never happened but I see it actually did, which is the benefit of keeping a diary. I'd like to go back and sue the teacher for not teaching it properly because quite frankly what a waste]. After school I played a bird of prey in the school play rehearsal. Watched the very first episode of Yes Minister. Wed 25 Feb 1981: Up late because a car crashed outside the house overnight so there were police, fire engines and flashing lights opposite. I got left alone in the house before lunch, during which hour some Jehovah's Witnesses called, then our neighbour came round to avoid the Jehovah's Witnesses, then a wrong number called, then the electricity meter man came round and poked around under the stairs, then I had to take them two houses up the road to poke under their stairs. Only then could I get back to reading A Clockwork Orange.
Thu 25 Feb 1982:[Weren't half terms late in those days?] Mum went into Watford to buy biscuits for Guide Camp and Dad went to the rates tribunal to try to get ours reduced due to non-cutting of the grass verge outside. I was left at home to answer the door to the TV repair man. Depeche Mode, Bow Wow Wow, the Associates, Haircut 100 and The Jam were on Top of the Pops. Then the very first episode of the Kenny Everett TV Show, all in the best possible taste. Fri 25 Feb 1983: Had Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes for breakfast. In our form room we played two board games before school started (won both) and two more over lunchtime (lost both). I wonder what the classes of less geeky sixth formers were doing. Our Friday afternoon lecture was about prison rehabilitation and 20 minutes longer than usual, which basically pissed everyone off. Sat 25 Feb 1984: My college mates decided to spend the weekend in Cambridge because Patrick lived there. Sorry I dropped your sugar jar on the kitchen floor. Pub lunch in Ely (I had the plaice), then looked at the stained glass in the cathedral. It was very cold. Back to the Eros Greek restaurant for dinner (I had the roast lamb) because Sweeney's was full. Mon 25 Feb 1985: The pound was plummeting, eek $1.05! One of the year's more comprehensible lectures this morning. Andy bought some dart flights, Ian bought the Art of Noise album and I had steak and kidney pie for lunch. 3800 miners went back to work. It was a rare hard graft day, working collegiately in the library and then staying up until 3am to try to finish some annoyingly damp questions. Tue 25 Feb 1986: The coldest February day since 1947 and the heater in my room was still broken. As well as handing in some poorly-answered questions I was also agonising over future career choices. Photocopied my CV and pushed myself to write a covering letter [but they weren't interested and it took another 15 years to get a job in London]. Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a new entry in the Top 10.
Wed 25 Feb 1987: I was 21, nearly 22. I'd nipped home from Hull, returning up north tomorrow. Mum dealt with the gas meter man and I dealt with the electricity meter man. Lunch was a piled-high sandwich. My auntie came round and I tried not to overhear all the gossip about adultery and gynaecological issues. Tried to impress Mum by cooking an apple crumble, and I think she was even though she refused to eat it. The rest of us enjoyed it with custard. Thu 25 Feb 1988: I was staying overnight with a chemist in Liverpool, and might have got some sleep if I'd remembered to bring a sleeping bag. When they went to work I wandered round the Pier Head, then got the train to Preston, then settled into my reserved seat to Edinburgh. The Borders were cloudy and the train was late. Walked to the New Town where I was staying with a medical student. Met her future husband for the first time and they surprised me with haggis. Sat 25 Feb 1989: Bought a newspaper, had steak and kidney pie for lunch, washed my hair. Sun 25 Feb 1990: Bought a newspaper, had lamb and apple crumble for lunch, washed my hair. Mon 25 Feb 1991: Kicked off the Comic Relief preparations at work [which would eventually see me on the front of the local paper].
Tue 25 Feb 1992: I was enjoying a few days in Norfolk [which my parents had just moved to]. We risked driving into Norwich through the fog and discussed my brother's new girlfriend who I met for the first time yesterday [they're still together!]. Bought some lampshades and red curtains for my new flat. Also bought XTC's English Settlement on CD for me and Jennifer Rush's Power of Love for Mum, so that was two birthday presents sorted. Lunch on the top floor of Debenhams (steak and kidney pie, obviously). Thu 25 Feb 1993: Maria got Joan's job. French and Saunders hadn't improved. Fri 25 Feb 1994: Thanks Ken! Wasted our group time filling in the overhead projector acetate. After work the police dropped in to interview me about last weekend's murder. Tonight's blind date went well when it turned out we both did the same job [but didn't lead anywhere]. Sat 25 Feb 1995: When I woke up the plan was to go out on the town in Luton this evening, but perhaps wisely we ended up in the Engine & Tender instead. Took a chance and rang Ampthill, but damn I only got the answerphone [and would never get a reply]. The prize for the very last Don't Forget Your Toothbrush was a car rather than a holiday. Sun 25 Feb 1996: Bought a newspaper, had mince for lunch, washed my hair.
Tue 25 Feb 1997: I was 31, nearly 32. The stormiest night since 1990 apparently. Michael said he was resigning from work to focus on sport instead [though it was his wife that'd get the big medal]. The Brit Awards were so dull I switched over to Brookside in the ad breaks. Wed 25 Feb 1998: Five weeks in, my relationship was going well. However midweek we could only do long distance phone calls. Sorry you're in a state. Why would anyone bequeath you a chapel? Yes I probably would let you do that. Let's do Pitsea and Battlebridge at the weekend. Thu 25 Feb 1999: One year on, my relationship was going badly. You told me not to ring this morning so it's not my fault you woke up three hours late. No I do not want you to buy a dog. Why can't you get time off for the eclipse? Go and sleep with Sean see if I care. Oh it's over is it? [It wasn't] Fri 25 Feb 2000: Yesterday was a huge relief, no ill after-effects. Today Abbey National confirmed the bastard's finally paid up. Headed back to London for Mark's 38th birthday party and met all his mates from the industry I failed to get into 14 years ago. [I'm quite glad I don't have to tell you everything that happened on February 26th] Sun 25 Feb 2001: Bought a newspaper, had mince for lunch, downloaded several tracks on Napster (painfully slowly). [I was exactly six months away from getting the keys to my flat in London, and you already know how that turned out]
