I don't care much for trolls and generally find this newsgroup very
interesting and informative. Apologies in advance for this troll like
posting, or at least some of you will regard it as a troll episode,
though it's not.

But..............for all you kids and overgrown schoolboys....."it is
going to snow -no it's not"............" ya boo, yes it is - no it's
not....... boo hoo".

Sadly I'm old enough to remember winter '63; you know the one that sends
snow lovers to the bathroom urgently? Winter '63 was shyte end of
story; complete and utter shyte.

Especially for all you snow, pocket billiards kids (regardless of age)
I sincerely, and fervently, hope winter 2004/5 is the mildest ever on
record.

Cheers



Bill

Bill wrote here on 19 Dec 2004:

snip
Sadly I'm old enough to remember winter '63; you know the one that
sends snow lovers to the bathroom urgently? Winter '63 was shyte
end of story; complete and utter shyte.
snip

I'm not old enough to remember it, but I can remember 1981/2 spent in a
house with single glazing and no central heating. And I have friends
who remember not only 1963, but 1947 too (rationing, flooding and all),
who still love the thought of snow. Different people have different
preferences.

Besides, cold weather has its benefits in stopping certain diseases
getting out of hand. Personally I'd rather have some ice and snow than
have malaria re-established in this country, as may well be the case if
things get warmer and wetter.

--
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"David Buttery" wrote in message
...
Bill wrote here on 19 Dec 2004:

snip
Sadly I'm old enough to remember winter '63; you know the one that
sends snow lovers to the bathroom urgently? Winter '63 was shyte
end of story; complete and utter shyte.
snip

I'm not old enough to remember it, but I can remember 1981/2 spent in a
house with single glazing and no central heating. And I have friends
who remember not only 1963, but 1947 too (rationing, flooding and all),
who still love the thought of snow. Different people have different
preferences.

Besides, cold weather has its benefits in stopping certain diseases
getting out of hand. Personally I'd rather have some ice and snow than
have malaria re-established in this country, as may well be the case if
things get warmer and wetter.

I cannot quite remember the 1947 winter but I vividly remember the 1962/3
one as a student, and the extreme weather conditions (even in north Kent)
still come back as vivid memories. However exciting they may have been for
me though, it is easy for me to forget the hardship and disruption to all
communication that they caused - and in our rather less robust
infrastructure I hate to think what even a rather less extreme winter would
have on the economy of this country and the comfort and well-being of its
inhabitants. I also remember one genuine white christmas, probably in the
late 1960's, but only for the disruption caused to plans for family reunions
because everybody was marrooned at home!

I therefore fully appreciate the excitement caused in contributors to this
ng by thoughts of the white stuff making an appearance but I trust that at
heart they remain in two thoughts about it and do not forget the downside.
In a similar vein although many "complaints" (to whom?) were made about the
"boring, dreary weather" of the past few weeks I did not notice shouts of
glee at the arrival of the heavy rain which has fallen during the past two
days. At least (as I write) the sun is shining, but all the leaves in the
garden are now waterlogged.

Regards, Roger
Farnborough, Hants

Events such as 1963 remind people that they are alive, bring communities
together and provide difficulties that allow us to learn and progress.

Interest in extremes is fundemental to any weather enthusiast but it has got
jack all to do with taking any pleasure in human costs - I would imagine
most on this ng are very interested in Tornadoes but berating them for the
deaths caused by Tornadoes misses the point completely.

Hoping for a mild winter to make your life easy is far more miserable than
anything that the weather will throw at us this winter.

Now go and get that present for Tiny Tim...

brian
aberfeldy




"Bill" wrote in message
...
I don't care much for trolls and generally find this newsgroup very
interesting and informative. Apologies in advance for this troll like
posting, or at least some of you will regard it as a troll episode, though
it's not.

But..............for all you kids and overgrown schoolboys....."it is
going to snow -no it's not"............" ya boo, yes it is - no it's
not....... boo hoo".

Sadly I'm old enough to remember winter '63; you know the one that sends
snow lovers to the bathroom urgently? Winter '63 was shyte end of story;
complete and utter shyte.

Especially for all you snow, pocket billiards kids (regardless of age) I
sincerely, and fervently, hope winter 2004/5 is the mildest ever on
record.

Cheers



Bill

Roger Smith wrote:


I cannot quite remember the 1947 winter but I vividly remember the 1962/3
one as a student, and the extreme weather conditions (even in north Kent)
still come back as vivid memories. However exciting they may have been
for me though, it is easy for me to forget the hardship and disruption to
all communication that they caused - and in our rather less robust
infrastructure I hate to think what even a rather less extreme winter
would have on the economy of this country and the comfort and well-being
of its
inhabitants. I also remember one genuine white christmas, probably in the
late 1960's, but only for the disruption caused to plans for family
reunions because everybody was marrooned at home!


Although I was only two and a half years old I remember one incident from
the '47 winter. I turned round from looking out the window at the snow to
see my dad throw a shoe on the fire. You see, there'd been a coal strike
before the cold weather and we'd run out of coal so were burning what we
could.

Life went on in spite of the snow. A friend of my dad worked in Northampton
and had to walk from Rushden every day cross-country through waist-deep
snow else he'd've lost his job. Dad also made it to work every day - only a
couple of miles though - and also made it to the Windmill Club of an
evening, arriving on one occasion with - he said - six inches of snow piled
on his hat!

When the thaw came, water started dripping into my parents bedroom so Dad
went into the loft and shovelled out seven bucket-loads of snow. Shows the
house wasn't too warm.

In 62-3 winter, our house wasn't too warm at times. One morning the
thermometer in my bedroom read minus 10 DegC. Even in the previous winter I
had snow lying on my bedroom window-ledge for three days - inside that is.

I had to travel to work on largely unheated buses during the 62-3 winter -
journey times of almost four hours. I heard years later that a friend of
mine had made a two-hour journey every weekend during that freeze to see
his girl-friend - in a mini with no heater. That's true love.

Sometimes, at RAF Wyton, where I worked, we had no water for two or three
days at a time. No washing or shaving and at the Met Office we melted snow
to make tea. Incredible how long it takes to melt snow when you're waiting
for a cuppa.

The snow, ice, and persistent frost (10 weeks of it in 62-3), made life
awkward but not impossible. People just got on with things and managed one
way or another. I don't see why we should be any less able to cope now.
Houses are better insulated now - make that "houses are insulated now" -
and cars have heaters! One problem I can see is that some houses don't have
fireplaces, so there's nowhere to burn old shoes if the central heating
goes on the blink.


Graham

Roger Smith wrote:


I cannot quite remember the 1947 winter but I vividly remember the 1962/3
one as a student, and the extreme weather conditions (even in north Kent)
still come back as vivid memories. However exciting they may have been
for me though, it is easy for me to forget the hardship and disruption to
all communication that they caused - and in our rather less robust
infrastructure I hate to think what even a rather less extreme winter
would have on the economy of this country and the comfort and well-being
of its
inhabitants. I also remember one genuine white christmas, probably in the
late 1960's, but only for the disruption caused to plans for family
reunions because everybody was marrooned at home!


Although I was only two and a half years old I remember one incident from
the '47 winter. I turned round from looking out the window at the snow to
see my dad throw a shoe on the fire. You see, there'd been a coal strike
before the cold weather and we'd run out of coal so were burning what we
could.

Life went on in spite of the snow. A friend of my dad worked in Northampton
and had to walk from Rushden every day cross-country through waist-deep
snow else he'd've lost his job. Dad also made it to work every day - only a
couple of miles though - and also made it to the Windmill Club of an
evening, arriving on one occasion with - he said - six inches of snow piled
on his hat!

When the thaw came, water started dripping into my parents bedroom so Dad
went into the loft and shovelled out seven bucket-loads of snow. Shows the
house wasn't too warm.

In 62-3 winter, our house wasn't too warm at times. One morning the
thermometer in my bedroom read minus 10 DegC. Even in the previous winter I
had snow lying on my bedroom window-ledge for three days - inside that is.

I had to travel to work on largely unheated buses during the 62-3 winter -
journey times of almost four hours. I heard years later that a friend of
mine had made a two-hour journey every weekend during that freeze to see
his girl-friend - in a mini with no heater. That's true love.

Sometimes, at RAF Wyton, where I worked, we had no water for two or three
days at a time. No washing or shaving and at the Met Office we melted snow
to make tea. Incredible how long it takes to melt snow when you're waiting
for a cuppa.

The snow, ice, and persistent frost (10 weeks of it in 62-3), made life
awkward but not impossible. People just got on with things and managed one
way or another. I don't see why we should be any less able to cope now.
Houses are better insulated now - make that "houses are insulated now" -
and cars have heaters! One problem I can see is that some houses don't have
fireplaces, so there's nowhere to burn old shoes if the central heating
goes on the blink.


Graham

In message , Brian Blair
writes

Hoping for a mild winter to make your life easy is far more miserable than
anything that the weather will throw at us this winter.

So says you, what exactly do you know about my life? Here's a clue for
you...nothing. Ever consider that there's far more to my life than
sitting at a computer studying met charts and acting like a big soft kid
at the slightest chance of a snow flake?

Now go and get that present for Tiny Tim...

Weeeee what a card you are.

--
Bill

In message , Bill
writes
In message , Brian Blair
writes

Hoping for a mild winter to make your life easy is far more miserable than
anything that the weather will throw at us this winter.

So says you, what exactly do you know about my life? Here's a clue for
you...nothing. Ever consider that there's far more to my life than
sitting at a computer studying met charts and acting like a big soft
kid at the slightest chance of a snow flake?

Now go and get that present for Tiny Tim...

Weeeee what a card you are.

Bill, Yes why is it?
I was 5 in 1947 and the snow drifts look like mountains. To me it seemed
normal. I was (sic) 21 in 1963 and an observer in the Met.Office. In
Lincoln it was not that snowy and I went sledging day and night when I
wasn't working. Reached 53mph at one stage on clear ice. 1981 and I
was still sledging in the Chilterns where I was posted. Broke a thumb
but otherwise still on form.
Now I am frightened of snow and ice because of breaking something and
being a burden on the NHS.
But I still love the stuff, I agree it may be childish. But it is fun -
and I'm not dead yet! 63 OK but I am as enthusiastic as ever.
Snow lifts the spirits in winter, and how I hate mild winters.
Cheers
Paul
--
'Wisest are they that know they do not know.' Socrates.
Paul Bartlett FRMetS

In message , Paul Bartlett
writes
Bill, Yes why is it?
I was 5 in 1947 and the snow drifts look like mountains. To me it
seemed normal. I was (sic) 21 in 1963 and an observer in the
Met.Office. In Lincoln it was not that snowy and I went sledging day
and night when I wasn't working. Reached 53mph at one stage on clear
ice. 1981 and I was still sledging in the Chilterns where I was
posted. Broke a thumb but otherwise still on form.
Now I am frightened of snow and ice because of breaking something and
being a burden on the NHS.
But I still love the stuff, I agree it may be childish. But it is fun
- and I'm not dead yet! 63 OK but I am as enthusiastic as ever.
Snow lifts the spirits in winter, and how I hate mild winters.
Cheers
Paul

Suppose I am being am old curmudgeon sorry, I wasn't quite around for
'47 but at 12 in ' 63 I remember it well. It was OK at first but the
months of cold became tedious, all the football fields were frozen for
one thing which truly was catastrophic! Think I've always hated the
dark days and been a hot sunny weather fan, which may conceivably taint
my view of snow and winter in general....just a little ;-))

It's not that I want to spoil anybody's fun but I'm not sure very many
appreciate the real hardship severe winter weather can bring to some.
I'm fortunate enough to live amongst the beautiful Manx hills at about
600 feet. Despite our fairly northerly location the surrounding Irish
Sea tends to provide some insulation in winter with snow and hard frost
not being a regular event, especially in recent years. However on the
occasions it does arrive it makes it presence felt with a vengeance and
the toll taken on wildlife and sheep is considerable. My neighbour has
sheep grazing up to 2,000 feet near enough and he is already getting
worried about the forecast. Sheep will try to take shelter but tend to
end up in drifts which can cause suffocation if they aren't retrieved
quickly. Naturally if things get bad I'll give him a hand, on a
positive note at least it'll help our two pampered Border Collies
remember what they are supposed to do.

Now; if the snow must come why doesn't it arrive before Xmas day? Then
at least I could throw snowballs at the carol singers........Bah Humbug
moi? ;-))

Cheers



Bill


PS Seasonal regards to all, I do enjoy reading this newsgroup very much,
the quality of postings is generally excellent and has helped a weather
numpty like me learn a great deal.