The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:
"Steve Jackson" wrote in message
...
In message , David WE Roberts
writes
On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 15:59:23 +0000, David WE Roberts wrote:
Mind you if it is the worst in 100 years it is going to be a belter
- I am
not quite as mature as some of the more senior posters but I remember the
(I think) '63/'64 winter in Essex where the snowdrifts were huge!

I think you will find the winter in question was 1962-63!

Indeed !! I remember wading through huge drifts over Xmas while trying
to get to
the park to meet my boyfriend....:~)

The met office has the following:
The winter of 1962/63 was the coldest over England and Wales since
1740. As in
1947, anticyclones to the north and east of the British Isles brought
bitterly
cold winds from the east day after day. As in 1947, depressions
followed tracks
to southward of the British Isles and their fronts brought snow to England,
Wales and the southernmost parts of Scotland.

And on the day that started I was hitch-hiking to Scotland for Hogmanay.
The blizzards chased me up the country, catching me up around Shap.
There, I was in a small Standard van, and the driver of a Glaswegian who
*WAS* going to get there, come what may.

We zoomed down Shap Fell at high speed in driving snow. He said, "Whull
ye gait ower the back axle please, tae gie me mair grupp oan th' wee
up?"

And shortly after that: "Ah hoap we dinnae meet an arrrtic comin' doon
sidewees!" An heartfelt wish on my part too.

I reached Mallaig on New Year's Eve and in the bar was courteously asked
by a fisherman if he minded them continuing their conversation in
Gaelic. I said something to the effect that it was none of my business,
please feel free.

It was only when I grinned at a particularly spicy phrase that it was
realised that I had a bit of the Gaelic...

...The evening became rather convivial, and I retired to my tent when the
bar closed. Shortly afterwards the first-footers arrived, and until five
in the morning there were never less than four people in my two man
tent.

I'm not quite sure how I got up in time to phone the parents when I
heard the news about the Great Standstill, to tell them I was OK, and
then to catch the ferry...

The weather was so warm I was in shirtsleeves all N'eer'sday, and there
was whin in bloom all along the east coast of Skye.

Hmmm. Educated the spellcheck a bit innit.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/