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"If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." You guys stole that from New England!
In Ye Olde England there is the expression "If you can't see the hills, it's raining; and if you can see the hills, it's just about to rain!"
and an old expression "enough blue to make a sailor's pair of trousers." seems equivalent to the Dutchman's pants. Rod
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old hand
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old hand
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"If you don't like the weather, wait a minute."
We use that in Newfoundland too, along with "If you don't like what you see out the front door, go look out the back door" or something to that effect.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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an old expression "enough blue to make a sailor's pair of trousers." seems equivalent to the Dutchman's pants.
Yes, Rod, my Mum used the same expression, but she also used to say " .... a Dutchman a pair of britches," as well, almost as often. So, to me, the expressions are definitely interchangeable. If those of you who've been following thew "keeping the Dutch from the English" thread think that us Brits are a bit hooked on the Dutch, you should bear in mind that we only fought them for about twenty years or so - most of the time we have co-operated with them and traded with them. The drainage of the flat country of Eastern England was mostly done by Dutch experts, for instance. And, of course, they provided us with a King when we were in need of a new one (William III, married to Mary Stuart after her brother James was deposed - 1687-88.)
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fought the Dutch
An interesting trivia question. At which airport was a sea battle fought? The answer (of course) is Schiphol, between the Spanish and Dutch fleets. I can't remember who won, 'cos there was something better on the other TV channel.
Rod
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I heard of "eyes as blue as dutchman's britches" (and as "shiny as the seat of a police sargent's trouser!" ) -- as left handed compliments-- but never about the weather or sky. Aside from the Dutch reformed church-- a many place name, the dutch influence in NY is very slight.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In reply to:
William III, married to Mary Stuart after her brother James was deposed - 1687-88
Surely Mary Stuart and William of Orange were married long before James II was deposed. That's why he was (sort of) next in line.
Bingley
Bingley
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Surely Mary Stuart and William of Orange were married long before James II was deposed.
Yep. 1677 (We got a day of school for it!). William and Mary "ascended the throne" together in 1689 to rule jointly, as King William III and Queen Mary II. UK had had Queens before, so why the insistence on a King? And why jointly? They were first cousins, both having Charles I as grandfather. Apparently parliament wanted Mary as Queen, Mary wanted her husband as King, and William wanted the throne by inheritance. Crowning them both seemed an acceptable compromise.
Rod
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Okay, okay, i can't resist.
The truth is, we descended from Olympus.
Funny, I thought the larger part of them ascended from the Mexican border ...
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In reply to:
I thought the larger part of them ascended from the Mexican border
Is this an admission that moving northwards is moving upwards?
And anyway, wasn't it the border that moved south?
Bingley
Bingley
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Is this an admission that moving northwards is moving upwards?No, it just means that Mexicans are would-be yuppies. And anyway, wasn't it the border that moved south?And that Mexicans will steal anything ...
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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