Posted 9:50 PM by Bonnie

ORIGIN OF SAYINGS...

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image
was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington
showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back
while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by
painters were not based on how many people were to be painted,
but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are "limbs"
therefore painting them would cost the buyer more.
Hence the expression "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg."
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As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths
only twice a year! (May and October).Women kept their hair covered,
while men shaved! their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.
Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. The wigs couldn't be
washed so to clean them, they could carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the
shell and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and
fluffy, hence the term "big wig." Today we often use the term "here comes
the Big Wig" because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
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In the late 1700s many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair.Commonly, a long wide board was folded down from the wall and
used for dining. The "head of the household" always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Once in a while an invited guest
would be offered to sit in this chair during a meal (who was almost always a
man). To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge.
Sitting in the chair, one was called the "chair man." Today in business we
use the expression/title "Chairman..or Chairman of the Board"
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Needless to say, personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a
result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The
women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their
complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to
stare at another woman's face she was told "mind your
own bee's wax." Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence
the term "crack a smile." Also, when they sat too close to the
fire, the wax would melt and therefore the expression "losing face."
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Ladies wore corsets which would lace up in the front. A tightly tied
lace was worn by a proper and dignified lady as in "straight laced."
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Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax
levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the "ace of
spades." To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead.
Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid
or dumb because they weren't "playing with a full deck."
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Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what
was considered important to the people. Since there were no
telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns,
pubs and bars who were told to "go sip some ale" and listen to people's
conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched
at different times. "You go sip here" and "You go sip there.." The two words
"go sip" were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and
thus, we have the term "gossip."
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At local taverns, pubs and bars, people drank from pint and
quart sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the
customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention
and remember who was drinking in "pints" and who was drinking in
"quarts." Hence the term "minding your "'P's and Q's."

So now you know.....

Happiness comes through doors you didn't know you left open.