|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 Jun 2004
What is it about planning a barbecue in Britain? It seems to be an almost foolproof way to manipulate the weather. Let's say that you plan a barbecue to celebrate someone's birthday on Saturday night. Friday will inevitably be gloriously sunny, balmy and generally perfect weather for cooking and consuming food outdoors. Likewise, Sunday will also be warm and sunny, with a pleasant gentle breeze. On Saturday—more specifically Saturday evening—it will start to pour with rain just after you have set everything up, wrestled with the almost waterproof gazebo, and lit the barbecue.
There will be some 'stiff-upper-lip' types of debates about the possibility of wearing waterproof coats while eating ("It isn't raining that hard...") before the participants concede defeat. The chef cooks outside with the aid of a large umbrella, and everyone eats without their coats on indoors. Despite the best efforts of the British climate, a good time was had by all.
2
I'll file this with my foolproof methods for causing physics homework checks (don't do the assignment) and making wrenches disappear (put them down and look away).
3
Mr. D.: Yes, I think it might do. I didn't really spoil our evening.
zimm: Re: 'concede defeat'. You (and W. Bebbington) are quite correct. I meant to say 'admit defeat', but some ungrammatical gremlin made me commit a huge faux pas. I apologise for causing you so much pain ;-D. I'll write out a hundred times, "I will not make tautological statements".
Aaron: It also works for hanging the washing on the line outside.
4
try having 160 tons of lawn soil to spread and adjust, with the arrival of 320m2 of lawn slated for the next day. I don`t believe the mighty jehova has time for such small time personal harrasment, but I do believe in very vindictave and evil local weather sprites with a personal grudge, its the only scientific explanation which makes sense.
by john @ 29/06/2004 5:07 am • Permalink •
5
I landed in Britain for the first time on warm, early June day and I got off the plane and saw a clear blue sky, a bright sun, and green fields. I thought to myself, this is not the notorious English weather I had been fearing. It then rained for the remainder of the month.
If it's any consolation, my birthday BBQ was Saturday, as well, and it rained here in upstate New York. Granted, the sun did come back out after the food was removed from the grill. Hmm...
6
john: Hehe 
I forgot to mention the reverse effect: the weather is very hot and sunny when students are doing exams, then turns rapidly bad when the exams are over.
ChrisS: Yes, the British weather is sneaky like that—it lulls you into a false sense of security.
7
by zimm @ 02/07/2004 4:08 pm • Permalink •
1
Apart from the inevitable 'indoor seating' problem, I always think it the adverse weather bbq brings out the best in people?----- ARGHHHHH.....Yes , does the smell of burning charcoal attract moisture? Or is it more general? I sometimes feel it applies to every English outdoor activity planned in advance; the school fete, Sports Day, a picnic. Be impulsive and catch the weather unawares before it senses you want to be outside and has time to gather clouds. But worse...'concede defeat' !!Arghhh...grates on my ears....my old English Master W. Bebbington(Oxon M.A.) would have produced his cap gun from the cupboard by his desk and fired wildly in the direction of any boy who would dare utter those words...In sport, if you concede, you lose ... lose defeat.?...well, you must have won then...grrrrrrrr.....I wince every time I hear that phrase used on TV and radio.....concede, on its own,yes...but NOT concede def...(I can't bear to even write it..)
by zimm @ 28/06/2004 9:07 am • Permalink •