Monday 14 January 1985

Very Cold Snowy,
Wrote down spellings, English,
Maths, Country dancing.
I hurt my knee. Watched t.v.

How did I hurt my knee? I don’t remember country dancing as dangerous. It’s not a contact sport. There were more girls than boys in our class, so some of the girls had to take on the boy role and signify this by wearing a blue sash over their shirt. I was one of the those girls. I wonder what this says about me.

Tuesday 15 January 1985

Very Cold. Got G.S. Bag.
English. Maths, Practisised
our asemmble. Went to
Brownies, Nan came down.

A G.S. Bag? No idea. Was it given out at school?
Those spellings are so bad I’m cringing.
This nan was Connie Jones, who visited us most Tuesdays. She helped my mum with housework, like the ironing.

Wednesday 16 January 1985

Snowy Cold,
S.R.A. Music, knitting,
Singing, History.

S.R.A.? Having looked online, it was the reading comprehension programme which used colours. I remember Roger Red-hat; Billy Blue-hat; Johnny and Jennifer Yellow-hat. I do not remember The Old Man. You can still buy them today. Hundreds of thousands of children must have learnt to read using this programme.

Thursday 17 January 1985

Snowed Cold,
Went to Carisbrooke Castle,
English, Reading, played with
doll makeup.

I have the fabric page I must have bought in the shop at Carisbrooke Castle. Today I live a ten minute walk from the Castle. I’ve walked through that entrance many times.

Played with doll makeup? Me? My ribs are aching.