Today dear readers, I’m going to share with you some interesting oddball information that you can pass along to amaze and dazzle your friends, co-workers and family. You’re welcome.
Let’s start with a question that I know many of you ask yourselves every day: What is the difference between shears and scissors? I know, you all use them interchangeably, but I command you to stop this instant. Let’s start calling things what they really are shall we?
Shears are cutting instruments having a blade the total length of six inches or more. Think pruning shears, sheep shears, etc. Scissors, on the other hand, have blades less than six inches in length. Unless you’re in Scotland. The word scissors is rarely used in Scotland. The Scots, rebels that they are, much prefer shears no matter the length of the blade. Damn crazy Scots.
Next we move to the curtain lecture discussion. What exactly is a curtain lecture you ask? I’ll tell you and thank you for asking. A curtain lecture, is a private scolding received by a husband from his wife whilst in bed. Huh? The term apparently originated during the days of canopied beds. A wife, if upset with her husband, would wait until bedtime, draw the curtains and proceed to reprimand her spouse. Now, I don’t know about you, but I subscribe to the theory of never going to bed angry, but then again, I don’t have a curtained canopy bed either so perhaps that’s the difference.
And, to wrap things up for today, let’s talk about the long-forgotten bread and butter letter. Granted, nobody writes letters these days, but the bread and butter letter used to be a very common occurrence. A bread and butter letter is/was a brief letter of thanks, a note if you will, written by a departed guest to his or her host/hostess. The purpose was to express thanks for the hospitality shown during the visit. Hospitality that most likely included “bread and butter” or food of some kind. Oh, and most importantly, said letter should be posted within two days after the guest’s departure. Anything more than that would simply be in poor taste.
So, there you go. Go forth with this newfound knowledge and impress the hell out of someone. Write a bread and butter letter. Or, if you’re a brave lass, try out the curtain lecture and report back your results.
I leave you with this thought to ponder: Do elephants resent being fed tobacco? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I’m curious what your beautiful minds come up with.
Word of the Day: Wergeld
Fun fact about me: Some days my book research takes me to weird places.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, January 2018. Photos courtesy Google Images.
jansenschmidt 
Very interesting post. First one the shears/scissors, Knew the difference cause my trade was beauty field. Second one, I agree with you I don’t like to go to bed in an angry mood, is not healthy at all. I never have a canopy curtain bed anyway. Third one, yes is king to be thankful and acknowledge hospitality wherever we go. Thank you is the must important word to be use all the time. Show gratitude. I am grateful for your post. Keep in going. Hope you doing better, health wise.
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Ah yes, a beautician would (or should) know the difference between scissors and shears. I thought it was an interesting fact that I happened upon
And, being kind is always the best course of action even (or especially) if you’ve been wronged. Letter writing is a dying art, but a simple thank you text these days should at the very least be sent.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week.
Patricia
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I never use shears, and it’s unusual to hear the word around here in Ohio, unless it’s referring to garden tools. And yes, according to A Book about a Thousand Things, elephants do indeed resent being fed tobacco. Who knew? (And thanks, Google.)
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So, you looked it up? Interesting. You must have been bored. Or truly curious. What’s really interesting is that I found all of these facts in A Book About a Thousand Things. I have an old copy, copyrighted 1946 in my possession and there are some fascinating things in there. I resort to it when I’m at a loss on blog materials.
Thanks for surprising me and, as always, thanks for visiting today.
Patricia
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Ha! At last, the question that has haunted me for years has been answered! 🙂 Scissors are scissors and shears are garden shears. I’m part Scot, I can do what I want. I think the “bread and butter” letters would be a lovely tradition to rekindle, but maybe I’m just old-fashioned that way. I wouldn’t want to feed an elephant tobacco and get smacked by a trunk or stomped on…and now I know what not to feed an elephant. Thanks for making me giggle-snort on a Monday morning!
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There is no better way to start a Monday than to giggle-snort. I have often used the word shears, but always in relation to large cutting blades like garden or pruning shears or sheep shearing shears. However, I did not realize that I was using the word correctly other than it would sound really stupid to say, “please bring me those pruning scissors” That’s just wrong.
So, you’re part Scot? Hmmmm. That explains a few things.
Thanks for visiting and stay away from the elephants if you have tobacco leaves in your possession. You know, elephants have very good memories so you’re likely to make an enemy for life if you get off on the wrong foot with those beasts.
Happy Monday. Have a great week!
Patricia
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Happy Monday morning, Patricia! This is a fun post. My brain might choose not to see my nose, but my eyeglasses constantly remind me it’s there and it misses the olden days when I didn’t wear glasses.
I call all scissors “scissors” whether they’re shears or not, unless they’re garden shears. This is valuable info to know. Not sure I’ll be able to switch to the correct terminology this late in life. We’ll see. Hubby might not know what the heck I’m talking about, though, if I ask him where he put the shears.
Last, good to know to keep tobacco away from elephants. Thanks, Jennette, for the answer. Sometimes it pays to be a late comer to the comments section. I’ll stick to feeding elephants peanut butter instead.
Hope you have a great week! Thinking of you all the time. ❤
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Oh Lynn, I’m sure if you asked your hubby where the pruning scissors were he’d look at you kind of funny. I’ve never heard anybody call them pruning scissors. Garden scissors maybe, but not pruning. Isn’t it weird how you hear word all your life and you never really know exactly what it means?I mean, you know how to use the word in a sentence, but you’ve never really read the definition?
And now I simply must know, why peanut butter to an elephant? Do you know from experience? Come on, do tell.
Patricia
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