Shiver me timbers

[caddyman]

You wouldn't think it would take a genius, would you?

But apparently it does.

The temperature the past couple of days has been down to traditional British summer levels - you know, upper 60s and stuff (I have no idea what that is in fangled French Revolutionary measurements we seem to be teaching the kids today, what, 18c or something?). Coolish and comfortable, rather than blisteringly hot and unbearable. Pace, ashenkat who is of the opinion that these temperatures are somehow WRONG for late August.

Anyway, what with the fall in temperature, and the persistent warnings on the weather forecasts concerning the increased likelihood of rain in the parched South East, which came true with a vengeance yester-eve, and which are continuing agusto this morning, you would think people would be prepared.

But no.

I exit Victoria Station this morning as the latest deluge hits (altogether now, I'm dancing in the rain...) to see rank upon rank of bewildered people staring blankly around with the expression of rabbits caught in the headlights.

Clearly, waking up feeling chilly and seeing grey, moody skies with a soupçon more than the merest whiff of damp in the air is not a big enough clue for my average fellow countryman after he has had his pate blasted by Saharan sun for three months.

The upshot, people in shorts and tee-shirts (and in some cases, less), soaked to the skin, shivering, and sporting goose-pimples I could hang a hat on.

So. Empirical first hand evidence.

It does take a genius.

Comments

[crazedgiggles.livejournal.com]

bewildered people staring blankly around with the expression of rabbits caught in the headlights.

I think the expression you're looking for is "tharn".

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Never heard of it.

1. Is it a local Floridian dialect word? Should I try to inject it into UK English? (Mind you, my attrempts at resurrecting 'rum' as an adjective have been spectacularly poor).

2. What on earth are you doing online at this time of day?

[pauln.livejournal.com]

It's a coinage for the state you describe by Richard Adams in Watership Down

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Ah.

It's many, many moons since I read Watership Down.

I just knowed it ain't a real word.

[jfs.livejournal.com]

I've been using Tharn for many years - several times in my LJ.

It's a great word.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Tharnation!

Now I'll have to start using it if it's in regular colloquial use.

[crazedgiggles.livejournal.com]

Yes. Wonderful verbiage from Watership Down.

I posted my last message at around six in the morning. Not early for me.

[bibliogirl.livejournal.com]

It is plausible that it also takes foresight of unusual levels when packing on Thursday morning for a night to be spent away from home, to figure out quite how wet and unpleasant Friday is going to be ;)

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

That wouldn't account for the sheer number of oiks.

Apart from which, it's hardly been roasting hot this past week. Normal Brit weather suspicion should take care of the rest.

Or so you'd think.

[romney.livejournal.com]

> Victoria Station... bewildered people...

Obviously just escaped the transport network after last nites power failure, have been charged a tenner for having an out-of-date ticket and are now expected to pay the Livingstone Fiver in order to get a lift home...

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Actually, that sounds frighteningly plausible...