Where did we get that expression?

[B-Mental]

Here ya go, straight from Uncle John Bathroom Reader Plunges *giggle* Into The Universe, page 320. "It refers to the second full moon within a month--a rare thing indeed. But over the course of a century there'll be 41 months with two full moons, so [once in a blue moon] really means--if you want to get literal--once every 2.4 years." How 'bout that, 'eh?

Next: Where did we get the expression: "It's raining cats and dogs?"

I was going to say that also, and I'm sure I read it in your distinguished source. My brother is a Uncle John junkie.

[Scheherazade]

Incorrect, Scheherazade, but here's a lovely pink elephant for you:

I was so sure that this is how the expression 'raining cats and dogs' had started:

I believe we owe that one to Old MacDonalds (alas, he never gets credited for it).

On a particularly gloomy afternoon, the old dear Mac Donalds looks outside his window to discover that it is pouring down. He turns around and says to his beloved cats and dogs (for he used to keep five of each at home) and says 'It is raining, Cats and Dogs!' His wife, who happened to be in the kitchen at the time, overhears this and, being a woman of little education, she fails to appreciate the powers of punctuation, and thinks that he said 'It is raining cats and dogs'. And next day, she spreads the word around in the town square that 'It rained cats and dogs yesterday' .

Thanks for the elephant anyway!

[Nightshade]

here we go Cats and dogs (Im home so this is more officially sorce....

when we look out of the window and its raining cats and dogs, it is too wet to go out. There are several suggestions for the origin of this phrase,one alluding to a famous occasion when it actually rained frogs. Apparently many were lifted into the air during a howling gale and then dropped to the ground around startled pedestrians. Cockney rhyming slang then substituted 'cats and dogs' for 'frogs'.
But I prefer the ancient nautical myth, which led sailors to belive that cats had some sort of influence over storms. According to the Vikings dogs were also a symbol of storms and they always appear in illustrations and descriptions of their own Norse god of storms.(Odin, father of Thor, was the god of thunder and is described as an old bearded man with one eye who wore a cloak and a wide brimmed hat. Many claim he was the inspiration for JJR Tolkien's character Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.) Because of this connection,ancient mariners belived that when it rained it was cats tha caused it and when the gales appeared they were brought by the dogs, leading to the phrase"cats and dogs".
The phrase first appeard in 1738 when Jonathan Swift wrote in his book "A Complete Collection of polite and Ingenius Conversation", 'I know Sir John will go, though he was sur it would rain cats and dogs.' In 1653 Richard Broome wrote in his play "City Wit", 'It shall rain dogs and polecats,' suggesting he too alluded to old naytical tales

personally I prefer the first explanaion.

[Pendragon]

Ah, well, according to my, ah, distinguished *giggle* source, dear old Uncle John's

In 1600's England it was common practice to discard any waste into the streets--even deceased household pets. Once it rained so much that the now-deceased Tabbies and Fidos became buoyant and floated along the streets, thus inspiring writer Richard Brome in 1651 to record, "It shall rain dogs and polecats."

So ONE of us is right anywhoo!

Next Phrase: Where did we get "Saved by the bell"?

[Nightshade]

I think I know that one without looking somthing to do with boxing depression era america dont quote me though I think ill give someon elsse a try who is this Uncle john? can I meet this person?? or rad this book or whatever???
pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
*trying to immitate jay trademare eyelashes big puppy eyes thing* this is not working Ill brinbe you with a choclate instead

[Pendragon]

who is this Uncle john? can I meet this person?? or rad this book or whatever???
pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees
*trying to immitate jay trademare eyelashes big puppy eyes thing* this is not working Ill brinbe you with a choclate instead

Yo, Nightshade! Uncle John's Bathroom Reader's are for sale in most bookstores and online from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ They are full of fun facts. In Britian, he'd probably be called "Uncle Lou". HA!C'ya!

[Nightshade]

I see well ok then I will look into that.
Just to say I did look "saved by the bell up" and although the boxing connection is obvious it is also not correct or at least there is anotheer possible source.......

[Pendragon]

Oh, it's right c'har, me lass! Anybody wanna give 'er a go, or d'yer just wan' th' auld Dragon t'spew it out lioke?

[Nightshade]

okay whats up with the accent Pendragon??
and what "c'har" mean
ohh wait are you saing its right ye'are lass?

anyway Ill do it if you want its not as long a piece as some of the others

[Pendragon]

Got it in one, luv. Dinnae worry aboot me, me ancestors were Brits, I read a lot of British Lit, an' luv t' droive th' blokes 'ere 'bouts barmy wit t' accent. I'm a voice mimic, ya uner'stan'. Gi' 'er a go, then, an' we'll see if we're on th' same bloomin' page! BTW, yer nae deadly Nightshade, are ye lass? (Yeah I know, I mix accents a lot. Stupid Yank!)

[Nightshade]

yupp I be that indeed! And mider it be bleedin'not bloomin'
I thought it was the angles with the name an'all sorry love I been't one for accents I just tend to talk like whatever book im reading at the mo and sine I be reading three set in different places and eras my accent is a shambles!
talk about mixing things up!!
any way wwaht you be want ng is page 214 of my book not me spouting on about accents.
Unfortunatly Im nott lazy to quote it proper
so heres the parphrase
One night in Victorian englang a guard from the Horse Gaurd Parade in London was famously accused of being a sleep on watch (apparantly a big deal) . anyway he denied and sated as proof that h heard Big ben strike 13 at midnight instead of the normal 12 . apparantly because his supposed crime was so bad the clock was checked and they found aclog was out of line causing it to strike 13. he was set free sve by the bell-Big Ben.
FYI in case you didnt know Big ben is the bell not the tower or the clock!

[Nightshade]

ok were do we get the expression Murphys law

[Pendragon]

OK. Before I can get to the question on "Murphys law" I need to clarify a few things. Yep, even this old Southern American Boy knew Big Ben was the chime not the clock! And no, that is still not the correct answer for "saved by the bell".

In the days before modern medicine and embalming, it was hard to tell if a person was actually dead, and many feared being buried alive. Corpses were laid out in funeral array for a few days with a string attached to a finger running to a bell. If the person came back to life and moved, the bell rang, and they didn't have to bury him or her. Some took it a step further, being actually buried with the string and bell rigged to their coffin! If that bell rang, they were hastily dug up, some being quite litterally "saved by the bell.", for they were almost smothered!

As to Murphys law, I'll have to look it up! I think it's in the other Uncle John book I have... If not I have several books with weird facts so I'll try to find it! Good choice, Nightshade! Right good show, luv!

[Nightshade]

Now see here Pendragon my answer was not wrong it was merely a probable answer as is the other 2 offerred yours and mine !!

although come to think of it I have heard yours mentioned before.

[Pendragon]

Now see here Pendragon my answer was not wrong it was merely a probable answer as is the other 2 offerred yours and mine !!

Ach, lass, dinnae gi' yer kickers in a knot, naow! I be jest funnin' yer, loike! O'course yer answer were as right as mine, to be sure! Two diff'ent sources, thas all! An' 'oo knows, maybe both t'were just bloody shootin' bloind! (Dropping this stupid accent!) As Mulder always says on the X-Files, The Truth is Out There....