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I’ve been thinking about who the previous owners may have been? It’s certainly not a loot that tells me much about them. It’s difficult to date the pieces. The legwarmers suggest the 1980’s but I know they have recently come back into fashion. The image on the front of the French textbook suggests the 1970’s, but then so do most images of French people. The black and white photo looks much older, but could well have been passed down from a previous generation for some significant reason. And playing cards tend to have a fairly timeless design, so they’re the least help. On the back of the photo there is an inscription which simply reads “Linda. Sheffield.” It’s a long shot, but if this is you, give me your address and I’ll happily forward the items. Or come to think of it, maybe Linda is the name of the elephant? Do you know an elephant in Sheffield that speaks level 4 French and wears legwarmers? If so, I’ve got a little surprise for you...

It made me think what 4 items I would leave behind in a chest of drawers that would best reflect my life? I reckon a mechanical pencil, because I only every write with them. A blue denim hoodie I bought in Boston nearly 15 years ago, which has survived all my changes in fashion over that time, and remarkably still gets the occasional outing. A DVD of Alan Partridge, which is for me the funniest show ever to appear on TV. And a faded yellowy listing from a copy of London Time Out in 1999, that I’ve kept because it was the first time I was ever listed as a comic. Ok, so they spelt my name wrong, I was listed as ‘Danny Buoy’ but still, it was just the most exciting thing to see my name appear in the comedy section for the first time. Such things are of no use to anybody except me, but surely that’s the point? If I left anything valuable in a chest of drawers it would almost certainly make its way into the hands of someone who owned it for that reason. If someone in 50 years time found my 4 items in a chest of drawers I hope that they would only keep the listing, that’s the important one. Just like this blog so far, is really of no interest to anyone, but it doesn’t stop me hoping that someday, somewhere, someone will find it and read it again. Maybe you?

I am currently working on my new show, which is taking me through the usual aches and pains of trying to come up with fresh and original material. This will be my 8th visit to the Edinburgh festival, which impresses and depresses me in equal measure. I will be doing lots of warm up gigs and shows in London throughout June and July which I usually enjoy more than the finished show itself. That said, come along! Tickets are on sale as we speak. Other than that, there isn’t much more to report. I joined a gym last week which made me feel a bit fitter, in the same way that when you buy an intellectual book ,(that you know you’ll never read), you feel a bit cleverer. I bought Steven Hawking’s ‘Brief History of Time’ a little while ago, and as I left the bookshop I felt I was already half way to understanding the universe. I have actually been to the gym twice already, so hopefully if this work rate continues, by the time Edinburgh comes around, you’ll barely recognise the well-buffed Adonis that walks out on to that stage….to introduce me.

I didn’t realise just how unfit I was until I took to the rowing machine for the first time and barely managed 10 strokes! Mind you, that little dwarf sitting at the front shouting at me didn’t help much? I had a little more success on the bicycle machine managing to complete a 5km circuit …which wasn’t easy with all those other fitness machines in the way. Anyway, they do say ‘healthy body, healthy mind’, (although I’m not sure Steven Hawking would necessarily agree with that?) So I intend to see this through for the next few months at least. I’m even going to take a gentle jog to the post office right now. I’m mailing my little nephew a French textbook. It’s a bit dated, but I don’t think the French language has changed much since the time it was published. I’ve thrown out the pack of cards, but the black and white photo is staying in the chest of drawers. It might mean nothing to me, but it means something to someone, and that’s a good enough reason to keep it. Right, I’m off. It looks a bit frosty outside, if only I had some kind of additional leg heat?

See you,

Danny.