No need to m'aidez

[Guest]

I was going to post the problem that has puzzled me for years, namely, what do these lines mean?

"On the first of May, this is moving day, Spring is here, so blow your job Throw your job away"

it was the "moving day" bit that was odd

I thought I found the answer when, daughter living in Montreal about 10 years ago, moving day (the day all the leases changed and unwanted furniture was placed on the "sidewalk" for collection if wanted) was the 1st of June. So it seemed that maybe in California it would be a month earlier, but NO!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Day_(New_York_City)

will take you to the actuality.

[french frank]

Interesting. I didn't know about that, though I did read of something similar in Paris in the 19th c. When all the leases came to an end the city was full of coaches, and people criss-crossing about from one lodging to another.

[Dave2002]

Fascinating. Seems bizarre though.

[mangerton]

It sounds rather like Quarter Days, and Scottish term days when many people - especially farm labourers - changed employers and moved house.

[cloughie]

Then there was the Bee Gees take on it!

When I was small, and christmas trees were tall,
We used to love while others used to play.
Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by,
Some one else moved in from far away.

Now we are tall, and christmas trees are small,
And you don't ask the time of day.
But you and i, our love will never die,
But guess well cry come first of may.

[Pabmusic]

It sounds rather like Quarter Days, and Scottish term days when many people - especially farm labourers - changed employers and moved house.

Yes it does, and maybe that's where it originated, at least by analogy. The most interesting Quarter Day was probably Lady Day (March 25th) which was New Year's day until 1752. We still pay attention to Lady Day in a way because it remains the beginning of the tax year, though adjusted to take account of the missing days (lost with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar), making it April 6th.

[vinteuil]

The most interesting Quarter Day was probably Lady Day (March 25th) which was New Year's day until 1752. We still pay attention to Lady Day in a way because it remains the beginning of the tax year, though adjusted to take account of the missing days (lost with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar), making it April 6th.

... the first time I noticed the future Mme Vinteuil's eyes glazing over was when I was explaining just this very fact - highly interesting, I thought - some twenty years ago...

[Thropplenoggin]

... the first time I noticed the future Mme Vinteuil's eyes glazing over was when I was explaining just this very fact - highly interesting, I thought - some twenty years ago...

I thought that was when you explained the etymology of 'drupe':

drupe (n.)
1753, from Modern Latin drupa "stone-fruit," from Latin drupa (oliva) "wrinkled olive," from Greek dryppa, short for drypepes "tree-ripened," from drys "tree" + pepon "ripe" (see pumpkin).



(This should, of course, be in the non-existent 'etymology' thread. )

[Pabmusic]

... the first time I noticed the future Mme Vinteuil's eyes glazing over was when I was explaining just this very fact - highly interesting, I thought - some twenty years ago...

I tried it out on (1) daughter and (2) Mrs P. Daughter said "Oh, Dad!" in an exasperated tone, Mrs P said "What do you want for tea?"

[mangerton]

I tried it out on (1) daughter and (2) Mrs P. Daughter said "Oh, Dad!" in an exasperated tone, Mrs P said "What do you want for tea?"

Tut tut! I still think it's highly interesting, and I learned about it several years ago.

At your own risk, of course, you can try this one on them:

Income tax was introduced in 1799 as a temporary revenue-raising measure to finance the war against the French under Napoleon.

[Pabmusic]

Tut tut! I still think it's highly interesting, and I learned about it several years ago...

Yes it is. So I looked on Wikipedia and found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_days

The most interesting thing (to me) was that March 25th was New Year's Day in England, Wales and Ireland, but not in Scotland, where it was January 1st - which was adopted throughout in 1752.

September 29th is my mother's birthday and she's always referred to it as Michaelmas Day (another Quarter Day), so its been a familiar term all my life. Her family were farming folk, so I guess the Quarter Days meant more to them than to most.

[scottycelt]

Yes it is. So I looked on Wikipedia and found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_days

The most interesting thing (to me) was that March 25th was New Year's Day in England, Wales and Ireland, but not in Scotland, where it was January 1st - which was adopted throughout in 1752.

September 29th is my mother's birthday and she's always referred to it as Michaelmas Day (another Quarter Day), so its been a familiar term all my life. Her family were farming folk, so I guess the Quarter Days meant more to them than to most.

It is intriguing that the rest of the UK apparently considered Scottish laws and practices to be superior as long ago as 1752 ... some consolation for the '45, I suppose.

[vinteuil]

... but if the years AD are supposed to start from Christ's incarnation, then Lady Day is surely a more logical date for the beginning of the year?

[mangerton]

The most interesting thing (to me) was that March 25th was New Year's Day in England, Wales and Ireland, but not in Scotland, where it was January 1st - which was adopted throughout in 1752.

Interestingly again, is the fact that some Gaelic communities in Scotland celebrated the "Old New-Year" (January 13th) until well into the 20th century. Reference to this is made in Neil Munro's Para Handy stories.

The Vital Spark, I confessed, was well known to me as the most uncertain
puffer that ever kept the Old New-Year in Upper Loch-fyne.

Presumably they arrived at this date by adding on the twelve Gregorian Calendar days.

[Alain Maréchal]

I was going to post the problem that has puzzled me for years, namely, what do these lines mean?

"On the first of May, this is moving day, Spring is here, so blow your job Throw your job away"
.

What has puzzled me for the last few minutes is

a. where does that line come from anyway? (forgive my ignorance)
b. when is somebody going to end that ridiculous U.K. Tax year date of 5th April, and make it 31st March, or even better, 31st December?