WHATEVER else one might have thought about this mixed bag of a bank holiday we've just experienced, any layman, let alone a journalist, would have known that it was full of news, locally, nationally and worldwide.

We have been chanting something like "The rain it raineth every day and the cold winds of March hath blown into May".

What a nonsense it has been shown to be on the part of some weathermen and water bosses.

Here they were, not too many weeks ago, telling us: "Yes, it has been raining, but it has been the wrong sort of rain!"

Gardeners, in near-despair at not being able to get ahead with the oh-so-necessary work, were in no way cheered by the forecasts that, in the summer, if and when it comes, there would still be water shortages and hosepipe bans.

All this as we were drenched by heavy downpours each and every time we ventured outside the house.

Shoppers were warned that they faced soaring prices for salads this summer because of the April downpours.

Crops were being marooned in water-logged fields.

With April the wettest on record there were fears for fruit and vegetables.

But then, miraculously, came a change of tune from water chiefs.

All that water that wasn't there somehow became visible.

Never mind how deep the underground lakes, the above-ground reservoirs had, after all, garnered something from the rain.

One area, in trouble for a couple of years or so, had storage lakes some 98 per cent full.

We all of us felt that all that rain just couldn't disappear without trace, didn't we?

Could it be that there are those who take a sadistic pleasure in pouring cold water on our high hopes?

ANYWAY, we read that local weatherman Ian McCaskill had a smile to match the sunshine when he married for the second time after losing his wife six years ago.

Many of us southerners shared London's pride as Arsenal won the Premiership soccer title.

We shared, too, the dismay of all true sporting folk on hearing of the mindless acts of violence at Stoke City's match with Manchester City.

Both will be joining Wycombe in the second division as our Blues finished securely in comfortable mid-table with a last match away win at Walsall.

That's where, some months ago, my own crystal ball saw them.

Taking another peek, I see them better placed this time next year - all Smillie!

So much other news, over the bank holiday, too.

Tosh Lines (Kevin Lloyd), loved by fans of The Bill, died in real life of alcohol addiction.

Tony Blair was blamed for the single currency shambles as the euro was launched - what a 'bank' holiday!.

But the Prime Minister gained plaudits for Irish peace hopes and for edging forward a talks process in the Middle East, maybe it should be called the 'missile east'.

ANYTHING else to report?

Well, the White Cliffs of Dover, which I remember so well from my demob trip day at Christmas 1945, are said to be turning yellow - must be from sickness at the European scene.

While the Princess Diana story goes on - and on and on.

And the Wye stream is back in the news, with possible plans to preserve its character while the pong disturbing Wycombe pensioners has been diagnosed.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.