#SoCS - 2/11/24 - Chill

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Today's prompt is CHILL

For a long time I thought a chill was something you could actually catch.  Like a cold, or even flu.  I was constantly warned about catching a chill if I went out with wet hair or just went out when it was a bit cold without adequate clothing on.

Which is, of course, nonsense when you consider that "chill" in that context would have been referring to the cold "feeling" of the outside or, if like me, you grew up in a house without central heating, also referred to the bathroom, a downstairs room with two external walls and a roof.  It was freezing in there during the winter.  The little electric heat bar around the light did little to warm the room.  In fact when very young I can remember being bathed in a tin tub in front of the gas fire in one of the living rooms which was much more comfortable until I outgrew the tub.

But the possibility of actually catching a chill is even more unlikely than catching a unicorn.  (Don't tell any young children that.) 

Language is a funny thing and still evolving.  Chilling, to older people like me, means cooling something down.  Putting something in ice, or the fridge or just an old fashioned larder. 

To a younger generation* chilling means to relax.  That's what I'm currently doing.  Chilling in front of my laptop composing this post.  Later I might (that's probably a definite) chill with a book or in front of the TV.  I need to conserve my energy as I'm babysitting 2 of my grandkids this evening and they do not know the meaning of the word chill in ANY form!  I might need to chill a glass of Prosecco.

* It seems I'm part of that younger generation as using chill in that context started in the 1960's just after I was born.  I'll take that lol.