>>HISTORY BUFF??>>Subject: Fwd: FW: >>>> >>>>>> >> The next time you are washing your hands and>>>> complain because the water>>>> >>temperature isn't just how you like it, think>>>> about how things used to be >>>> >>.>>>> >>Here are some facts about the1500s:>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >> Most people got married in June because they>>>> took their yearly bath in >>>> >>May>>>> >> and still smelled pretty good by June. However,>>>> they were starting to >>>> >>smell>>>> >> so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide>>>> the body odor. Hence the>>>> >>custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting>>>> married.>>>> >>>>>> >> Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot>>>> water. The man of the >>>> >>house>>>> >>had the privilege of the nice clean water, then>>>> all the other sons and >>>> >>men,>>>> >>then the women and finally the children. Last of>>>> all the babies. By then >>>> >>the>>>> >>water was so dirty you could actually lose someone>>>> in it. Hence the >>>> >>saying,>>>> >>Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water..>>>> >>>>>> >> Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled>>>> high, with no wood>>>> >>underneath. It was the only place for animals to>>>> get warm, so all the cats>>>> >>and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the>>>> roof When it rained it>>>> >>became slippery and sometimes the animals would>>>> slip and fall off the >>>> >>roof.>>>> >>Hence the saying . It's raining cats and dogs.>>>> >>>>>> >> There was nothing to stop things from falling>>>> into the house.. This>>>> >>posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and>>>> other droppings could>>>> >>mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big>>>> posts and a sheet hung>>>> >>over the top afforded some protection. That's how>>>> canopy beds came into>>>> >>existence.>>>> >>>>>> >> The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had>>>> something other than dirt.>>>> >>Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate>>>> floors that would get>>>> >>slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread>>>> thresh (straw) on floor to>>>> >>help keep their footing. As the winter wore on,>>>> they added more thresh >>>> >>until>>>> >> when you opened the door, it would all start>>>> slipping outside. A piece >>>> >>of>>>> >>wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the>>>> saying a thresh hold.>>>> >>>>>> >> (Getting quite an education, aren't you?)>>>> >>>>>> >> In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen>>>> with a big kettle that >>>> >>always>>>> >>hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire>>>> and added things to the >>>> >>pot.>>>> >>They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much>>>> meat. They would eat the>>>> >>stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to>>>> get cold overnight and >>>> >>then>>>> >>start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food>>>> in it that had been there>>>> >>for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge>>>> hot, peas porridge >>>> >>cold,>>>> >>peas porridge in the pot nine days old..>>>> >>>>>> >> Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made>>>> them feel quite special.>>>> >>When visitors came over, they would hang up their>>>> bacon to show off. It >>>> >>was>>>> >>a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the>>>> bacon. They would cut >>>> >>off>>>> >>a little to share with guests and would all sit>>>> around and chew the fat..>>>> >>>>>> >> Those with money had plates made of pewter.>>>> Food with high acid >>>> >>content>>>> >>caused some of the lead to leach onto the food,>>>> causing lead poisoning >>>> >>death>>>> >> This happened most often with tomatoes, so for>>>> the next 400 years or so,>>>> >>tomatoes were considered poisonous.>>>> >>>>>> >> Bread was divided according to status.>>>> Workers got the burnt bottom >>>> >>of>>>> >>the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests>>>> got the top, or the upper>>>> >>crust.>>>> >>>>>> >> Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.>>>> The combination would>>>> >>sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of>>>> days. Someone walking >>>> >>along>>>> >>the road would take them for dead and prepare them>>>> for burial. They were>>>> >>laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days>>>> and the family would>>>> >>gather around and eat and drink and wait and see>>>> if they would wake up.>>>> >>Hence the custom of holding a wake.>>>> >>>>>> >> England is old and small and the local folks>>>> started running out of>>>> >>places to bury people. So they would dig up>>>> coffins and would take the >>>> >>bones>>>> >>to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When>>>> reopening these coffins, 1 out >>>> >>of>>>> >>25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the>>>> inside and they >>>> >>realized>>>> >>they had been burying people alive. So they would>>>> tie a string on the >>>> >>wrist>>>> >>of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up>>>> through the ground and >>>> >>tie>>>> >>it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the>>>> graveyard all night >>>> >>(the>>>> >>graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus,>>>> someone could be, saved by>>>> >>the bell or was considered a ...dead ringer.>>>> >>>>>> >> And that's the truth. Now, whoever said>>>> History was boring ! ! !>>>> >>>>>> >> Educate someone. Share these facts with a>>>> friend.>>>> >>>>>> >>

I already knew this stuff, but it's still fun to think of how times have changed and think of the meanings of things we tend to say every day. Also, the weddings in those days, the man and woman would tie their hands together in unity to symbolize their joining- hence "tying the knot." Also, brooms were symbolic of male and female coming together in fertility. The stick part of the broom symbolized the male while the bristles symbolized the female. When a couple wanted children, the broom would be held in front of them by friends or family and the couple would jump over- hence "jumping the broom."

It's good to learn something new every day, isn't it?

If you are going to do a cut and paste why not take the time to edit out all the >>>>>>> and make your article readable