ShivSidecar posted the video for REM's 'Bad Day' on the mothership, saying it was one of his favourites: and I was glad, cos now it's one of my favourites too. The 'count your blessings' line reminded me of my mother's slogan "Set a spell...Count blessings", which was what she'd do when things were getting on top of her.
But, as I found when I googled it, the expression originally had a slightly different meaning:
'Last century, a bride was instructed in Mountain Life and Work to wash the clothes thus: “1. bild a fire in back yard to heat kettle of rain water. 2. set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert. 3. shave one hole cake soap in bilin water. 4. sort things, make three piles, one pile white, one cullord, one work britches and rags. 5. stur flour in cold water to smooth then thin down with bilin water. 6. rub dirty spots on bord, scrub hard,then bile. 7. rub cullord but don't bile just rench and starch. 8. spred tee towels on grass; hang old rags on fence; pore rench water in flower bod; scrub porch with soapy water. 9. turn tubs upside down. 10. go put on clean dress, smooth hair with side combs, brew cup of tee, set and rest and rock a spell and count blessins.”'
Luckily, I have a washing machine, but I still find the rest of the advice useful.
3 comments:
btw in case there's anyone else here who likes Richard Thompson, there's a very excellent solo concert by him here:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20080705rthom
Thanks for the tips, TFD.. had a bit of trouble with the fire in the back yard, the F.D. sorted it out for me.. I got as far as the work britches and renching and starching my whites, hung the rags on the fence o.k., but then I realised we don't have any grass to spread out the tee towels, and I inadvertently poured the rench water into the neighbour's drain.. if I skip scrubbing the porch (we have a cleaning contractor for the house) do you think I've earned the right to sit myself down with a cuppa and count my blessins?
Please say yes...
Great website, TFD
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