Date:  Wed, 10 Dec 1997 05:47:26 -1000
From:  Norman Roberts <nroberts[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HAWAII.EDU>
Subject: Re: How cold was it?

>My understanding of the phrase, "It's cold enough to freeze the balls on a
>brass monkey" is that the monkey is a triangle made of brass upon which cannon
>balls were stacked. When it got cold enough, the balls would freeze on the
>brass monkey.
>Nothing to do with the little guy's anatomy.
>
>David R. Carlson
>Springfield College
>Springfield MA

However, in the frozen north, at least when I lived there long ago, there
was the expression "cold enough to freeze the balls OFF a brass monkey."
As I recall, it was also "colder than a well digger's arse in January."

And here in Hawaii right now it is "long sleeve days and two blanket nights."

Aloha e

N