I HEART 80's

Friday 31 October 1986

Halloween.  Not the all out let's-copy-the-Americans nonsense that it is nowadays.  No, we just used to knock on the door and run away from people.  There's something so deliciously funny about the silhouette stood in the rectangle of yellow light that is their front doorway calling out into the inky blackness as you crouch, tittering behind a car.  Oh yeah, and the hedge bashing.  One night I suggested it and in my naïveté, when my mate started jumping on the hedge, I had to ask him what he was doing!  Doh!

Before darkness fell, I was attempting (yet again) to write a Risk simulator on the C64.  And (yet again) I failed, miserably - though in my optimism I reported that it was progressing OK.  Ha ha ha!

Thursday 30 October 1986

The draw for the fourth round of the Littlewoods Cup was held today.  Shrewsbury was lumbered with Cardiff City at home (more of which later), whilst Liverpool's game was to be Coventry City away.  I had my hair cut this evening.  See, life wasn't that boring.

Wednesday 29 October 1986

Wow, the old chap was off work again today!  Two days running.  In my diary, I've written 'they all' went out for the day - can't imagine my brother wanting to go with them, so I'd imagine it was just my sister and the Ma and Pa who went.  Meanwhile I stayed at home and attempted to light the fire.  Four goes at it I reckoned and still it wouldn't burn.  It was one of them Parkray affairs - it burned smokeless fuel and it had a door.  You had to get the setting just right depending upon which way the wind was blowing or else it just would not go.  Or maybe that was just me.  Anyway...

Tuesday 28 October 1986

Dad was off work today and the big project was to apply polystyrene sheets to the wall in the downstairs toilet in an attempt to improve the thermal efficiency of the coldest room in the house - see I really wanted to be good at Physics, I had all the jargon.  As I remember, this was the toilet that I used to race the flush a la Peter Kay.  See, I was/am just a small boy at heart (just like Mr Kay).

Monday 27 October 1986

I made an application via letter for a job in McDonalds - adding, hope they reply.  I have to admit they did (eventually), and the letter said Dear Sir, thanks but no thanks.  Gah!  I couldn't even get a job flipping hamburgers.  I also watched some telly - The Story of English and that Fawlty Towers programme.

Sunday 26 October 1986

The first day back on GMT and it was a nice day - but then as I noted, the first day of winter always is!  In the Manchester derby, the pair fought out a 1-1 draw at Maine Road.

Saturday 25 October 1986

A bad day.  Liverpool was hammered into the middle of next week by Luton Town in a 4-1 thrashing.  Shrewsbury Town won an exciting game 3-2 against Crystal Palace as I stayed at home all day.  In Rugby League just like Hockey last week, Australia won - they beat GB 38-16 in the first of a three match series.

Friday 24 October 1986

At last the final day of the half term.  My optimism re the Maths test was founded in reality as I scored 86%.  That's better, just the sort of high with which to end the half term.  It was a good job too as I was knackered.

Thursday 23 October 1986

Ah the results of the dreaded Physics test. Fortunately, my extreme pessimism of last week in the immediate aftermath of the test was unfounded. I did better than the 30% that I had predicted. Only just mind, as I scored a staggering 35%. A friend scored just 27¹/₂%! The best score in the class was 74%. We also had a Maths test which was 'not bad'.

Wednesday 22 October 1986

This one is best glossed over.  I was complaining about a friend, writing things like I'd like to lamp him one right on the nose - YEAH RIGHT!