AYE, Fort William "rained supreme" at the weekend.
Gallons of the stuff landed on us.
Andrew Bootman, co-ordinator of weather-watchers group Rainnet, commented: "November in Fort William had seen the longest protracted dry spell since July, but the weekend deluge of four inches of rain in under two days certainly put paid to that memory!
"Last November, only half an inch of rain fell on Fort William in the final two weeks of the month."
Off day
IT'S St Andrew's Day as I write.
As a result of the public sector workers' industrial action it has turned into a comparatively unexpected holiday for the schoolchildren.
Unlike St Andrew's Day 2010, when many schools just closed because of the snow.
Guttered!
SOME things don't change from one end of the year to the other, however.
Take, for example, the Cameron Centre Cascade - in the Town Hall Square.
For the past seven years, the faulty guttering has ensured that scores of pedestrians have received an unwelcome cold shower as they pass underneath.
And still no sign of any "Deviating" from that.
Santa soaked
SANTA, his elves and reindeer certainly got a soaking outside the Nevis Centre on Saturday during the Rotary Club of Lochaber's successful Christmas Festival there.
Everybody recalled last year's event when the snow lay on the ground to set the scene.
But, despite the rain and wind, the 2011 event was a huge success - the Nevis Centre was thronged throughout the day.
Santa held Christmas court in his grotto for most of the afternoon, but after that he was otherwise engaged.
Night at the museum
THE previous evening was the occasion of the West Highland Museum's members and volunteers get-together in the museum.
A preview of the DVD of The Longest Strip the Willow in the West was the highlight.
This is a very animated compilation by the late Wattie Adam and Bill Stewart and by Joss Gosling - of the High Street Strip the Willow which marked the 75th anniversary in May 1997 of the opening of the museum.
It's a matter of who you know
ON the subject of the DVD, in which the dancers were lined up from the Grand Hotel to St Andrew's Church, I was reminded of something I was told when I worked in London.
"If you stand for long enough at Piccadilly Circus, everyone you know in the world will pass by at some time."
Well, if you watch the DVD, you're likely to see everyone you ever knew who was around Fort William at that time.
Jessie's Journal
WEE Jessie Jamieson's Journal was around for the best part of 40 years before the museum Strip the Willow.
Here are a few extracts for December 1958:
* December 1. It was a cold day. I am first in Homecraft with 73 per cent. We got a row from Banks the Policeman for cycling in Inverlochy after lighting up time.
* December 2. It was a nice dry day. I made shortbread in Cookery. We got the school photos - 2/6 for one and five bob for three.
* December 3. It was a damp day. The Loudons got a new radiogram. Helen went to see Annie Get Your Gun.
* December 4. It was a dry day. We saw a wedding in the Free Church.
* December 5. It was a nice day. We got dancing with the boys and then we got off school at 3pm.
* December 6. It was a dry, cold day. The Salvation Army came round singing carols. Helen went to the dance in the Braxy.
* December 7. It was a damp day. I have the cold. I broke a spoke off my umbrella. The rabbit is 2 years and 5 months.
Full house
Dear Roamer,
Could you please put this in your column on our behalf.
A very big well done to Helen Cairns from Lochyside, who held a prize bingo night at Caol Community Centre on Friday, November 18.
Helen raised the fantastic sum of £2,380, which is being shared among five charities.
Helen did most of the work herself and, considering she has not been well recently, is to be admired.
A big thank you, too, to all the people who did help and who supported the event.
This was community spirit at its best.
Many thanks to all.
Regards.
Fay & Staff
Caol Community Centre.
Whoops!
BILLY Ward sent me an email in response to last week's piece about "November 1981 and all that".
It was headlined "20 Years Ago".
And Billy correctly pointed out that it was all of 30 years ago.
As I've said before, we all mike mastikes.
Ah, but in this case, Billy, you being a media man, will know that no local journalist/reporter ever writes - or makes - the headlines.
That's a job for the sub-editors.
30 Years Ago
ANYHOW, all of 30 years ago the Lochaber News had this to say:
* At a special meeting of Lochaber District Licensing Board a new licence was granted to the Highland Star Chinese restaurant in Fort William. The meeting lasted for precisely 35 seconds - an entitlement, perhaps, for an application to claim a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
* At a meeting of Lochaber Trades Council the secretary was instructed to write to the Scottish Secretary expressing concern about the increasing level of unemployment in Lochaber - and asking him to intervene directly to alleviate the situation.
* The 1981 AGM of the Lochaber Tourist Association distinguished itself in that the members voted unanimously to double the membership fee from £15 to £30.
* A local author was told he could not present a copy of his book to Fort William library - it had to be given to Inverness who would decide if Fort William would get it. Needless to say, the author's offer was withdrawn.
* Riddoch's of Rothiemay have embarked on a £5 million programme to make their operation at Kilmallie Sawmill the most modern in Europe.
A Grand day out
I'M away along to the Grand Hotel to watch the latest stage in its demise.
From its early days as the wartime quarters of the senior officers of HMS St Christopher, the Grand has been very much part of local lore. But, at the end of 2011, it's the end of the Grand.
Sic Transit Gloria Grand.
Horsing around
Dare I mention that horse - Abernethy? Third at Musselburgh at 33-1 on Saturday. Beaten by 45 lengths - and not enough runners to get anything back as a result.
