1983

I notice the record low for the day after Christmas here was 14 deg F in 1983.  That would be probably be the time we spent about a week below freezing.  The effects I remember:
1) Tanks were frozen over.  I remember tying a rope around Jean's waist and sending her walking across the surface of the big tank, ~ 100' across.  When she did not break though, I walked across with the rope tied around my waist.  I think we tied the end to a tree so I could try to pull myself out.  Photos were taken but lost.  The search for those photos continues.  Since then, I have not seen tanks frozen all the way across.  I have seen some ice around the edges.
2) Water supply lines were frozen under the house.  We went about a week without water.  After the episode, I installed electric heater tape under the house on the pipes.  That heating has never been used but is still in place.  The wire comes through the floor in a closet.
3) Grey water drain into the yard was frozen; no sinks would drain for near a week.  Black water did continue to drain so we could flush the toilet.
4) Figs through the area were killed to the ground and were years in recovering.
5) Peach trunks were frozen on the north sides so the trees were deformed for life.  Some were killed to the ground.
6) At that time, we still had a couple of open flame propane space heaters so did not solely depend on the wood stove.  One much appreciated propane heater was in the bathroom.  Though there was little bathing done.  Wiping off with wet clothes mostly done in front of the wood stove from a pot of hot water on the stove.

I think I may prefer "global warming" to "global cooling".