It's been a long winter around here. And several times today I heard someone remark that it was time for winter to be over because people were getting real testy.

What is the origin of this usage? Any thoughts?

Interesting question, Jo, and I don't know off-hand, but I will look later. I am a bit too busy now.

However, I can attest to being testy lately because of this %$#@!*&^ weather!

Testy is from Middle English testif 'headstrong', > Old French teste 'head' > Late Latin testa 'pot; skull'.

I don't suppose this has anything to do with giving head... EEK! Did I say that?

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I don't suppose this has anything to do with giving head... EEK! Did I say that?

Well - that's certainly a lovely passtime for when the weather is bad, but I doubt it would have such a negative connotation if that's what it meant.

Testy, testy? Well, yes, testys usually come in pairs.

Well, yes, testys usually come in pairs.

Yes, but testis (testes) 'witness' comes from a different root. And testiculus 'itty-bitty witnesses' is another double diminutive, like cunniculus 'rabbit' somewhere else. And masculus 'male'.

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Yes, but testis (testes) 'witness' comes from a different root. .

Of course. Good grief - can't even make a nutty pun around here!

Now, I've never figured out how the word for "witness" came to mean male gonads. And penis and penates, household gods, are related. It all confuses my little brain and I get testy thinking about it.

Hey...now this was apropo. In the Chicago Tribune today there was a whole column about Chicago's March being the month of Grump. Mary Schmich even posted a limerick about it:

There once was a season named Grump;
It made me get cranky and plump.
I whined and I whimpered;
I was so ill-tempered
I kicked old March right in the rump!

With a little workshopping, it isn't half bad!

She has a long list of recommendations for the season of Grump that I won't bore you with. However, here are 2 fun ones that I can relate to!

Do not--I repeat DO NOT--discuss weather with your friends in Arizona, Florida or California. "Oh, you should see the flowers!" they'll say. "We sat outside for dinner last night!" "Things are popping up all over in my garden!" Or, the worse, "It's hard to believe it's so cold there when it's so perfect here. Why don't you move?"
That rings a bell with me because my daughter is in college in LA and my father spends the winter in Phoenix. They love talking weather!

Turn off the news. You do not have to consume every piece of grim news available. Read a poem instead. But not the one above!

etc.!

can't even make a nutty pun around here!

Did I tell anybody to stop punning?

Now, I've never figured out how the word for "witness" came to mean male gonads.

One theory is that ancient folks swore oaths upon various body parts. (Like children swearing an oath of allegiance to a flag upon their hearts.) But I've always felt that that they were called (little) witness because of the acts they witnessed during their existence.

And penis and penates, household gods, are related.

First time, I've heard this folk etymology. I need to get around more. Usually, penis 'tail; penis' is derived from the PIE root *pet-, *pet@-, *pte:-, *pto:- 'to flee, fall', which root is also related to words for 'bird'; later penis came from an earlier form *pes-ni-s. The word for the gods of the household penates is derived from the PIE root *pen- 'to feed (animal); food nourishment; place where feed is kept'; related Latin words penes 'by, with', penitus '(from) inside, deep, close, in-depth', penetro 'to break in, penetrate, intrude',.

Ho, boy did you get that right, Kalleh!

My friends in Washington keep wanting to tell me how their tulips and daffodils are nearly finished. And an especially vicious "friend" sent me a link to the blooming California and Arizona deserts. I was this close to being in the car and gone.

Yesterday a trip to Menard's was made perfect by the displays of fruit and veggie seeds, the Easter lillies (can't have them; the cats would eat them and die), the tulips in pots (bought some for my front porch), and berry vines. I bought a bunch of raspberry starters for the back yard. We have a strip behind the house that pretends to be a back yard that is about 5' wide and as long as the house -- roughly 30'. It will be perfect for two rows of raspberry bushes.

I am now planning my train trip to DC to view the cherry blossoms.

What's up with you guys? Don't like fine weather? Trees at work are in full bloom right now, which will probably lead to disaster when the weather goes back to normal in a week or so. Being the IT industry, many have reverted to tee shirts, shorts, and sandals. I was nearly sun-burned yesterday while having a coffee al fresco.

THHHHBBBPPPPPPPPP

It has clouded over now, and the weather forecast is for rain later, but this lunchtime the weather was perfect. A sunny day, with a temperature in the high 60s F. It was a pleasure to be seeing people moving about without heavy overcoats and with smiles on their faces for a change.

THHHHBBBPPPPPPPPP

Tongue stuck to a frozen lamppost? Try some warm water to loosen.

I'll save jo the trouble of saying this . . .

jheem? you know what you can do with that warm water????

you know what you can do with that warm water?

Does it involve rubber tubing?

Right on, CW!

We just had a very boring staff meeting, so I wrote this, and boy is it on target. I am getting crabbier and crabbier each day...where in the world is spring?!

There once was a month we call "Grump"
Upon which, disgust we all dump!
Today it is 20
So I'll order my Venti
And eat, eat, eat, eat 'til I'm plump!

So there!

I am getting crabbier and crabbier each day

I, personally, like cooler, overcast days more than the prototypical LA sunshine.

It'll soon be pint of beer in a country pub garden time.

By the way, I had a Smithfield Breakfast at 0900 this morning - a traditional English fry-up in The Market - washed down with a pint of Young's bitter (which they serve from 0600 onwards)

This morning we woke up to snow.
It is March, dammit! Don't those guys know?
The prognosticators,
The weather creators,
The folks who will never eat crow.

They said that our days would be sunny.
Were they lying or just being funny.
My driveway is frozen,
Though my seeds have been chosen
And my garden is icy, not runny.

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]Do not--I repeat DO NOT--discuss weather with your friends in Arizona, Florida or California.

California? You mean the place where torrential rains have washed houses into the ocean? Where deluges have washed freeways away? Yeah, I guess you SHOULDN'T discuss the weather with those folks right now. And Florida? Can you say "H-U-R-R-I-C-A-N-E?" And AridZone? I wouldn't want to brag about 120 degree F weather in Phoenix either!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Asa Lovejoy>,

In California every day is perfect except the day of the earthquake, the day of the fire, the day of the flood and the day of the mudslide.

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Originally posted by jheem:
you know what you can do with that warm water?

Does it involve rubber tubing?

yes, dear, and no lubrication

I must say, though, that I enjoy having 4 distinct seasons. I love winter, and I like how, as it morphs into Spring there are pretty days like yesterday when the sun is shining and quiet, restful days when the rain falls. I enjoy seeing the crocus peek out of the earth and the smell of the worms coming back. I like those violent, tempestuous thunderstorms, too! Frankly, when I'm in a good mood (like now) I love it all! I love you all! Hope you all have marvelous days!

I must say, though, that I enjoy having 4 distinct seasons.

I have lived outside of California: one year in Nevada and one in Bonn. In the latter city, I experienced all four seasons, and they were nice, especially spring and fall. Winter was the worse in 40 years, so i experienced that, too. Summer was just hot and humid and it seemed to rain every 3 or 4 days.

Speaking of Californian weather, things have cooled (down in the 60s last night), and we're supposed to have rain over the weekend.

Arias that don't have natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes, etc., usually make do with man-made disasters like wars.

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I wouldn't want to brag about 120 degree F weather in Phoenix either!

Oh...how right you are, Asa! Years ago when I graduated from my masters program at UCSF in August, I thought I deserved a vacation. So, I packed all my stuff in my little tiny, non-air-conditioned car, and set off down 101 (I think...the California coastal highway?). I enjoyed California all the way really. However, then I was heading over through Arizona to visit my sister, before coming to Chicago. I drove into 128 degree weather in a small car with black seats and no air-conditioning. I thought I would die! They kept saying to me, "It's a dry heat!" Dry...like in getting into an oven!

Glad you're having better weather, CW, and I enjoy the 4 seasons too. However, this March has been a lion all month. I thought it was supposed to come in like a lion and leave like a lamb! We have snow now, too, Jo. I feel as though I am on one of those hamster merry-go-rounds!

Hello i Agree with Kalleh

Of course, in England we have four seasons as well.

We had them all this month.

Lol, RE . Too true.

Agreed, Richard!

A couple of weeks ago we were making snowballs, today I was sitting outside a café,enjoying a snack and soaking up the sun!

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I thought it was supposed to come in like a lion and leave like a lamb!

It still may, Kalleh. We have another week, yet!

I can only tell you that I am in Washington DC now, and it is beautiful. Only a thin coat is required, the sun is out, and clearly spring is springing here!

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
I am in Washington DC now

So are the squirrels on the White House lawn, or are they still inside the oval office?