philmayfield

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are just the more remote parts of England.

From the age of 5 onwards, after the first few weeks, I used to walk about a mile to school in all weathers. During heavy snow I used to get there early to make giant snowballs on the playing field by gradually rolling a ball of snow until it was about 5 feet tall when it used to take a crowd of us to push it. Never in my whole school life did I experience a school closure. People just used to get on with it in those days. Wartime spirit I suppose! - and we had frost on the inside of the bedroom windows when we woke on a winter’s morning.

I thought about you today Rog, after hearing the dire news about the snowfall in Lincolnshire. Would you be sitting by a roaring fire watching the birds out of the window? Obviously you’re made of sterner stuff or completely mad! I’m just looking out of the window at a whiteout at the moment and planning what emergency rations I should carry on this afternoon’s trip to Newark. For the cat lovers, I woke at six this morning to see the little face of a cat that had crept beneath the sheets between us and had made herself warm and cosy. Cat’s are not stupid when it comes to comfort.

Well I went to Newark and back first thing and whilst there was about 2cm. on the back lanes the main roads were fine. However the radio traffic reports from Lincolnshire were dire and it seem like the whole county had ground to a halt. Even the A46 byepass up the hill from Lincoln was blocked with jackknifed trucks and the wolds roads were impassable. Newark was very quiet and the Wednesday auction “on the hill” was virtually deserted. I think we’ve missed it so far and by Monday Spring weather will be here!

I was away on a course in North Wales in February in the early 60’s. It was Friday night and I had been up to the village pub for a “few”. I returned to my accommodation late at night over the fields. That’s all I remember other than waking up at around 8am on Saturday morning lying in a hollow in a field surrounded by bleating sheep. Fortunately I didn’t contract hyperthermia as I presume the alcohol kept me warm.

I remember being taken to see the floods in Arkwright St. in 1947 when I was 4. I think the water was lapping just below the Midland Station.

Prayers have been answered. We’re on Amber alert here in the Newark district until 11am. and yes, it’s snowing! Only two meat pies in the fridge. This could be serious!

Well who’s got the biggest snowman this morning? I peered through the curtains with trepidation at 7 o’clock - nothing! Perhaps the prophets of doom will resort to the power of prayer today.

Trent valley villages

I remember the winters of the 70’s when we used to have proper snow. It used to drift over the road out of the village. On those mornings I just got up earlier and drove through the drift at speed. I was never late for work. That was in the days before the ubiquitous four by fours which all country folk seem to drive nowadays.

We don’t have a wood burner. Neither do we have an AGA. Not very posh at all really.

At the farm shop at Hockerton near Southwell today they told me they had sold out of logs as people have been stocking up for their wood burners! I bought a couple of meat pies but they’ll be gone by tomorrow. I don’t know how we’re going to manage after that!

We used to get rescanned quite a lot at the Newark Waitrose. It tended to make you feel like a shoplifter. We were rescanned so much that I complained to the manager. It must have had an effect as we’ve never been rescanned since!

I certainly remember the Velocette police bikes. Being water cooled they were very quiet for a motorcycle.

That’s what we’ve done at Waitrose in Newark for years. Just scan the product as you put it in your basket and stick you card in the machine when you’ve finished. No queuing at the checkout and away you go. At Lidl we scan at the self service checkout and we load into our own bags. What’s not to like about it? We use Morrison’s at Netherfield as well but you’ve got to queue at the checkout, unload, go through the operator and then reload. That’s not the way to go in the 21st. century. I suppose we should really shop online but you’ve got to get some excercise!

It was renamed from Basford to Basford Vernon in 1952.

It's funny how acronyms stick in your mind. I remember this one from my A Level Biology days : After very carefully expressing joy in suitable language my Indo Japanese servant brewed my coffee. It's how to remember the anterior venous system of the frog! Anterior Vena Cava, External Jugular etc, etc. It's surprising how useful it's been throughout my life.

I believe it was called Vernon Station. I’ve been down there when it was accessible from Lincoln St. and it is now an industrial area. There is some reference to this in earlier postings. I gather there were sidings down there.

Thanks, it’s clear now. Saves me researching!

Yes, it was the Day Brook. It ran by the side of Arno Vale Road which was unsurfaced in those days beyond the Arno Vale school field. It went underground at the Arno Vale school grounds and reappeared at the recreation ground at Valley Rd. It went under the road by the Five Ways pub and I’m not sure where its course was after that but I suppose it fed into the Leen. It would not be difficult to trace. Out of curiosity I’ll research that tomorrow.

Yes, that’s the one. We used to try and dam that stream! I believe there was a hedge on both sides and there were allotment gardens behind. I think it was called Greendale Rd. but I’ll have to Google that as I believe it’s a proper road now through a housing estate. We used to go up Sandfield Rd. on a Sunday to a house on the right that sold ice creams. It was just past the monkey puzzle tree that I think is still there. I should remember, I drove down there today! Just checked and it is Greendale. Now to look for the monkey puzzle! Yes, monkey puzzle still there at no.

Robin Hood is a mythological figure but if his name brings in the tourists and brings money into the County then the myth should be preserved. Brian Clough was, and Torvill and Dean are, real people and are still connected with area. If their names help to bring in money to the County that’s good. When I used to travel extensively abroad on business my connection with Nottingham was generally greeted with the words “Ah, Brian Clough! Robin Hood was not mentioned.

Last week they’d got escargot in Lidl at Bingham - very sophisticated! I was tempted but managed to resist.

With people like you it’s no wonder that the MacDonald’s in Thurso has permanently closed!

Explain yourself I can see a Boston Whaler from my front door!