MORE MEANINGS BEHIND 4 COMMON SAYINGS (NEW)

Here's some fun for the day……..

TRIVIA:  

The city of El Paso is located on what river?

BRAIN TEASER:

If you roll snake eyes with the same pair of dice eight times in a row, what is the chance of rolling snake eyes on your ninth roll?

JOKE:

Q:  What is the best hand to write with?

A:  Neither.  It's best to write with a pen or pencil.

STEVEN WRIGHT QUOTE:

"I've been doing a lot of abstract painting lately.  Extremely abstract.  No brush, no canvas. I just think about it."

COMIC FUN:

TRICIA'S TWEET OF THE DAY:
The more we read and listen to God's Word, the more revelation we will receive to understand it.

MEANINGS BEHIND COMMON SAYINGS

1. GOOSE BUMPS

Geese were important in the life of medieval Britain.  They were so important that goose herds spent their lives tending flocks.  Many owners plucked their geese five times a year, leaving them totally naked until the new feathers appeared.   When cold air hit, tiny muscles just under the skin would contract and create patterns of pimples.

Small and transient bumps on the human skin are so much like those of a plucked fowl that they became known as goose bumps ( or goose pimples)

This is not to be confused with getting juice bumps.   That is when you fall into the orange juice section at the grocery and hit your head on the glass.



2. UNDERDOG

Settlers who were pioneers on the American frontier were usually ready for a brawl.  Many enjoyed fighting among themselves.

Dogfighting has one significant factor in common with wrestling by humans.  In both cases, it is a decided disadvantage to be on the bottom.  That was the case in a backwoods dog-fight.   When one animal got the other down and started for its throat, a bystander had to intervene in order to save the life of the dog underneath. 

Regular references to losses by canines on the bottom caused their title to be bestowed on any contestant judged likely to be at a disadvantage in the struggle.

This is not to be confused with Underdog the animated canine hero from the 1960's who spoke in rhyme and dealt with villains such as Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff.  "Never fear!  Underdog is here!"

3. KNOCK ON WOOD

It's a common practice to knock on wood with knuckles in order to ward off trouble or seek good fortune.  This is almost always followed with the person saying 'knock on wood'.   There are different ideas on the root of this saying.

One school of thought is that knocking on wood turns a person's thoughts to the wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Another idea is that it goes back to the child's game of tag where trees afford sanctuary.   Once you tag a tree you are momentarily free from capture.  

Ok, so now I'm singing the disco classic "Knock On Wood" in my head.  "Think I'm gonna knock, knock, knock on wood…..clap, clap, clap…."  (Now you're singing the disco song too!)





4. DERBY

Anytime you see the Kentucky Derby or visit Hollywood's Brown Derby restaurant you pay homage to the Earl of Derby.

Edward Stanley, twelfth English nobleman to bear the title, had the bluest of blue blood, claiming descent form William the Conquerer.   A confirmed devotee of the racetrack, he launched a set of races for three-year-olds at Epsom Downs.

Male toffs, or swells, for whom the annual derby was the highlight of the year, typically wore bowler hats to the races.   Americans adapted the horse race and the hat & named both for the earl.  

Little known fact.  There was an Early of Furby.  He was kind of furry and looked like and owl mixed with a hamster.   He utter nonsensical sayings.   Years later toys would be named for him.

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TRIVIA ANSWER:

The Rio Grande

BRAIN RIDDLE ANSWER:
Pretty good.   The dice are obviously loaded


Until next time………..