Mauri, was just wondering if you were aware of this.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything for export had to be transported by ship.

It was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet,
but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of
fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas. As the stuff
was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen.
Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what
was happening

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the instruction
' Stow high in transit ' on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high
enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would
not touch this "volatile" cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' , (Stow High In Transit) which has come
down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Neither did I, I had always thought it was a golf term

A young farmer´s daughter started going to an Agricultural College and after a few weeks said to her mother " Mum could you not ask father to say fertiliser instead of manure"? . Her mum answered , " It´s taken me 40 years to get him to say manure "!
donald

Fortycoats, that was interesting. That word is used a lot.

Yes Fourtycoats, I have heard that definition a long time ago. just glad I was not alive and working on ships back then.though some of the modern ones were bad enough. Two types of ships I would never take a job on were Bulk Gas Carrieres and Coal Boats (Colliers) In Southampton one time I was offered a job on ship that turned out to be a Collier going to the Great Lakes to trade for six mnoths, it was filthy and it hadn't even loaded so I said Thanks but no Thanks.
Bye and went back to the Pool. How iss the weather on the Wes?? Mauri

Mauri,

I'm afraid our weather has been Stowed High In Transit, because that's what it has been, in the plural sense, I mean, Mild temperatures, but the rising damp is getting to me. As a precaution I have started a back yard maritime project, you don't happen to know what a cubit is.

Next week we are booked into the Seven Feathers Casino in Oregon for a few days, maybe it will be dryer there.

Hope your cataract operation was a big success and that you are back to 20/20

Fortycoats

FORTYCOATS, Not quite 20/20 and won't be for a few weeks yet as. as I still have the right eyed to do/

As regards the word Cubit, my dictonary defines it as. An old measure, the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, Length 18-22 inches Enjoy your trip to Oregon,unfortunatley I think our travelling days oare over,as my wife is no longer up to it.. Mauri

Mauri, sorry to hear your roving days are almost over but good luck with the other eye. I guess you can decide if the improvement in the first one, was worth it before proceeding with the other eye.

I gave up on my emergency project yesterday as the rain had stopped and the neighbours were complaining of the blowing sawdust. Too bad, as I had already rounded up a couple of green alligators and long necked geese.

Fortycoats

Fortycoats, re the other eye, I have my left one to get done soon. It is definitely worth it. Can't wait.

Ann, I would definitely agree that lens replacement , due to cataracts, is a successfully proven operation. My wife, Frances, has had lenses replaced in both eyes and by careful selection of same, she now does not need corrective lenses for distance viewing. In other words, after the cataract operations, she was able to do without her glasses.

We were also wondering, Ann, how your sister Pat was coping with the reconstruction of her cottage. We miss her on the forum, and hope she will be back soon.

Best Regards, Fortycoats

Fortycoats, it has been a traumatic time for Pat and Joe. They are still living between two daughters, as well as visiting the cottage in between times. They hope to be back in their own home by the end of this month. It's been a long haul for them. Pat will be back, though, as soon as she can.