Jon's Blog started 7th October 2007!

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:53 pm

The French name for undertaker is “croque-mort” which literally means “deceased-cruncher”.
The name derives from the ancient custom of crunching the toes of the deceased with the teeth to make certain that they were really dead.
Strange but true.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:24 pm

So I guess (only a guess

) a French car breakers is a "croque-voiture"...

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:49 pm

Well spotted

There's a more modern expression for undertakers called "pompes-funebre".
pompe= pump (also pomp as in ceremonious).
funebre=funeral.

This link provides a somewhat doubtful explanation of how this expression came about.
http://www.niouzes.org/sci-linguistique ... ebres.html

A loose translation follows,
QUOTE
In olden times, to make sure that somebody was quite deceased, the custom required that a person charged with this undertaking violently bite one of the toes of the victim (generally the big toe). If nothing occurred, the person was declared dead. It is thus from this that the name croque-mort (deceased-cruncher) comes. This office of undertaker, like that of the executioner, was passed down from father to son since time immemorial.

However, one day, there came a catastrophe: the last undertaker, although having had many children, had no son. His elder daughter therefore took up the office. But the first victim whom she had to treat was a man who had had a serious disease. Gangrene had partly consumed him and he had amputated both legs up to the thighs. The girl examined the situation and thus bit, with tenderness and precaution, the first lower member she could find.

It was at that time, and precisely in these circumstances, that we passed from the expression of croque-mort to that of funeral-pumpers.
UNQUOTE

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 3:06 pm

Almost makes dying and having your legs amputated worthwhile....

If she was fit anyhow..

I love stories like this, fantastic stuff.

M · Post by M » Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:20 pm

Your wiring game is strong.

Better than when I laid a fairly standard lenghth of artic grade 13A cable to my shed for a light and socket - did it in a rush and always thought " I will shield that bugger soon and put it in some conduit"
Only I didnt and the rabbit ate through it

Crispy fried bunny.

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:46 am

Nice work dude!

You'll have yours finished before mine at this rate....

If you need owt else for it then after this weekends car scrapping party I shall be having another one in the coming weeks featuring the remains of a 16v.

Oh, have another Flexi clip in stock now aswell!

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:33 pm

That's looking good Jon. Maybe stick all the bits together to present them to the rabble in a field near Huntingdon in July

Darth Vadar wrote

Your wiring game is strong.

I find myself contemplating the leccy situation in my area too. Fusebox is 1950s kwality. Part of the 'German Economic Miracle' of the post -war era.
Complete re-wiring is coming. I hope I can make my 'wiring game strong'

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:18 am

Are they clear backed or white?

M · Post by M » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:59 pm

jonkw wrote:Designed to be stuck on the outside of things I guess!!

et voila-vent

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:15 pm

vol-au-vent?