----- Original Message ----- From: "paleodan" <[email protected]> To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 6:09 AM Subject: Interesting History > > >> > Where did Piss Poor come from? >>> >>> >>> Interesting History >>> >>> >>> They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families >>> used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & >>> Sold to the tannery.......if you had to do this to survive >>> you were "Piss Poor" >>> >>> But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't >>> even afford to buy a pot.....they "didn't have a pot to >>> piss in" & were the lowest of the low >>> >>> 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 >>> the 1500s: >>> >>> Most people got married in June because they took their >>> yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by >>> June. However, since they were starting to smell . ..... . >>> 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 entrance-way. >>> Hence: 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 whiskey. 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!!! >>> >>> So...get out there and educate someone! ~~~ Share these >>> facts with a friend. >>> >> >> >> >