Being in a queue isn’t an issue for me anymore.
Having a smart phone with 4g means that I have access to all
sorts of information (usually Facebook) and can keep myself not only occupied
and entertained until it’s my turn to be served.
I will occasionally chat about the weather if someone brings
the subject up. Usually it’s because of concern for the sales staff that has to
endure a cold icy draft from the exit doors of the supermarket throughout their
shift (why don’t shop designers put checkouts in warmer places? No need to
answer that as I know really)
Talk about the
Weather
I do find myself coming out with a few old wives tales to
other people in the line about the state of the weather, most of these ‘passed
down the generations’ old sayings are pretty accurate and come from a time when
looking up at the sky was the only way of seeing what nature was going to do
next.
"In the morning mountains, in the afternoon
fountains" I’ll chirp to the person behind me with a trolley load of food.
I happen to know the meaning for this one, although I rarely have to explain as
it’s usually greeted with a nod and a smile, although I’ll tell you. - The
phrase comes from when clouds building through the morning are often followed
by thunderstorms in the afternoon. If atmospheric conditions are just right, clouds
will rapidly grow into towering cauliflower-like mountains. By the afternoon,
the clouds will have reached the dizzy heights of the top of the atmosphere,
resulting in rain and lightning below. Now you know and can pass on the phrase.
Dropping in
There are a few more I can quote too, which also make me
sound like I have been dropped into the shop from medieval times to entertain
shoppers.
"If a circle forms 'round the moon, 'twill rain or snow
soon" I’ll say smiling at a confused looking stranger. This saying comes about because of a layer of
ice crystals in the night sky that can create an optical phenomenon called a ‘lunar
corona’ - a circle of colours surrounding the moon. Hence, the idea that a
weather front is approaching and rain is on the way.
"When the wind is out of the east, tis neither good for
man nor beast" I reply when someone comments on the wind coming through
the supermarket door, again sounding like I should be in a period drama.
Rain before seven, fine by eleven, Cold night stars bright,
are others which although come from a time before mobile internet and the
meteorological office are still quite accurate although I wouldn’t hang my
washing up just to be safe if it rains before seven as that one in particular
can be quite unreliable
Red Sky
The saying is most reliable when weather systems
predominantly come from the west as they do in Inishowen. "Red sky at
night, shepherds delight" can often be proven true, since red sky at night
means fair weather is generally headed towards us.
A red sky appears when dust and small particles are trapped
in the atmosphere by high pressure. This scatters blue light and leaving only
red light to give the sky its notable appearance.
A red sky at sunset means high pressure is moving in from
the west so therefore the next day will usually be dry and pleasant. "Red
sky in the morning, shepherds warning" means a red sky appears due to the
high pressure weather system having already moved east so the good weather has
passed, most likely making way for a wet and windy low pressure system.
I have tried to explain this to people in the checkout queue
but by the time I have finished they have pushed the trolley to the car, loaded
up the boot and driven off, leaving me standing alone, mid-sentence in the car
park.
Still at least it’s not raining and even if it was it
wouldn’t last long as "Three days rain will empty any sky"
If I am in a really slow queue and have someone interested
about old weather sayings I’ll drop out a lesser known one “Mackerel sky and
mare's tails make tall ships carry low sails” I say with theatrical projection.
Like the person
driving away in their car, they’ve usually lost interest by this time so I
resort back to staring at my phone screen to check the weather.
