please empty your brain below
Interesting, as always. Even the mundane things you seem to have recorded, such as hair washing. And so much mince. In so many ways.

Frank F | 25.02.26 - 8:00 a.m. | #

1982: I missed a full stop and, for a moment, wondered how you attracted so many big names to your house.

Retired from the City | 25.02.26 - 8:01 a.m. | #

1992: English Settlement is a top album for sure!

All Over 2a | Homepage | 25.02.26 - 8:12 a.m. | #

By coincidence I rewatched the last UK Don't Forget Your Toothbrush on YouTube yesterday... and an episode of the Australian one. At least the Australian one has a host who can sing.

Two games of Cosmic Encounter over lunchtime is extremely quick play, though you don't mention the player count.

Chris | 25.02.26 - 8:13 a.m. | #

1993 - the enduring mystery of why French & Saunders kept on being recommissioned - perhaps their success on their solo projects (AdFab 1992 and VoD 1993) gave them leverage.

1989/1990 - note for future historians, steak and kidney pie was one item, lamb and apple crumble were separate ones - but you could have a lamb and apple pie.

Still Anon | 25.02.26 - 9:07 a.m. | #

".. choirmaster's special extra practice for the top boys, our last opportunity to be plied with cream cakes and fizzy Corona pop. We all left with £5, no questions asked."

Although I don't think the term was used in 1978, strange that this now reads like grooming.

Frank F | 25.02.26 - 9:46 a.m. | #

25th Feb. 1997: Intrigued to know who won the Olympic medal and what colour it was!

John Simmons | 25.02.26 - 9:50 a.m. | #

Sat 25 Feb 1984 Eros Greek Restaurant.

The memories of eating (cheap and huge helpings) at the Eros came flooding back. Student grub haunt opposite the Round Church(?) and then into the Cambridge Union for cheap beer, billiards and if lucky a disco in a damp and sweaty basement. I joined as a life member in 1973 (for the cheap beer etc) and still have the tiny membership booklet with a long haired oik staring back out at me.

Your detailed diary keeping is incredible. I have nothing written down about my life and have to rely on an increasingly wayward memory!

David | 25.02.26 - 10:49 a.m. | #

1994 Who got deaded, I wonder.

daveid76 | 25.02.26 - 11:19 a.m. | #

Would any of these have triggered the Mystery Count and if so, I hope it wasn't the murder!

Cornish Cockney | 25.02.26 - 11:45 a.m. | #

1984: my wife dropped a glass tumbler on the utility room floor this morning. She doesn't read your blog and doesn't habitually drop things.

Ian | 25.02.26 - 12:16 p.m. | #

Purple text in square brackets. Is this a new thing?

dg writes: no

kev | 25.02.26 - 12:47 p.m. | #

1979: I did the same Mainz trip thereabouts, with a Watford choir. Chatting to an attractive local lady, French was the only common language we knew.. Being in the summer, I said Je suis chaud (I'm hot). Well, the expression should have been J'ai chaud (I have hot). Hmmm, the meanings are directly swapped: either she was too polite to comment or didn't realise my Faux Pas!
1985: If you'd noted the exchange rate in 1981, the pound was $2.44! Got a really cheap holiday, gaining ££s for my $$s once home as the rate was already falling.

Nick K | 25.02.26 - 5:31 p.m. | #

Goodness, was Yes, Minister really that long ago? And having sung in Ely Cathedral recently I can confirm that it's still cold.

Peter (of Cambridge) | 25.02.26 - 6:10 p.m. | #

Did you follow up 92's album purchase with 'Apple Venus Vol. 1' in 2000? If not then you should, a wonderful record.

Anyoldname | 25.02.26 - 7:55 p.m. | #

Thanks for the prompt, Anyoldname: listening now, sounds very promising!

Phil SW11 | 26.02.26 - 8:11 a.m. | #

Yes, Minister - still as fresh as the day it first aired, and often is uncannily close to current events.

scrumpy | 26.02.26 - 8:35 a.m. | #

So much fascinating detail! Those 5-year diaries are really good for this type of reflection, I've now got 3 volumes, so I can easily look back over a dozen years.

Was barely out of infancy when Yes Minister debuted, but 25 years later I was not surprised to see echoes of it in the real life civil service. My colleagues knew of my love for the programme so they got me the book of the scripts for my leaving present.

anon | 26.02.26 - 11:59 a.m. | #

I'm off to see the theatre reboot of Yes Minister/Prime Minister tonight.

mclm | 26.02.26 - 5:32 p.m. | #

Hey Phil SW11, I hope you can give it a few listens and appreciate what a complete album it is. The best thing they ever recorded, enjoy!

Anyoldname | 26.02.26 - 8:33 p.m. | #











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