The White Bookshelf and The Rambo Cardboard Cut-out

Thursday night I drove to Ikea to buy a white bookshelf to house all the books and other stuff that have been lying on my bedroom floor for the last year. I managed to get lost twice on the way there and on the way back too, despite having made two previous visits in the car, with the same intent of buying the white bookshelf. The previous two times I had changed my mind, convincing myself (a) it wouldn't fit in the car and (b) it didn't look that great anyway. This time round I realised I had been wrong on both counts. It's funny because I measured the length inside the car but when I looked at the height of the flat packed bookcase I thought no way. I had Friday off work so spent the morning building it. It looks great and houses all my books, although I've still a few books in my parents' loft.

The last time I was back home I picked up my two diaries from my parents' loft. The only time I kept a diary was when I was 14 (ripped up and thrown away years ago from embarrassment), 15 and 16. The main one from 1986 I was interested in because I was trying to recount for this blog my first job. Unfortunately there's no mention of it. 1986 was a big year, a year of change. It was the year I left school. This is hardly mentioned. There's some worry about what I'm going to do, but in the main I list my dull life, watching TV; Eastenders features a lot, and hanging around the streets. For instance on Friday 10th January 1986 I can reveal that 'I went down the video shop to see the 'Rambo cardboard cut-out'. Oh yes, my friends, the opportunities were endless for a 15 year old in Horsham town. I always wondered what I did the day I left school, it's meant to be a huge day but I guess I didn't do anything. This isn't mentioned either. I can however, reveal that on Friday 24th January 1986 I cooked myself a fried cheese sandwich and a boiled egg. (I'm sure I didn't fry the cheese, I must have melted it under the grill).

I constantly report films: Sylvester Stallone films were big in my world then and complain a lot of being bored. I also pine for girls I met on holiday and who live hundreds of miles away, address unknown. The one pursuit I did have was I did Kung-Fu lessons on Saturday afternoons. All in all though I don't sound too happy, I'm glad I'm not still in 1986.

Talking of things I should mention, perhaps the biggest news for our family this year, is my sister had a baby boy - Finn, a few weeks ago. I went to visit him last bank holiday. Also, I had scottish salmon for my tea tonight.