Gransnet today....Just my opinion.

Just caught up with this- GS has been for tea. It's probably just as well I wasn't on I might have said something unrepeatable to Christinefrance or whatever her name is. And I haven't had a glass of anything, but maybe I will now. Quite honestly my response to her "give it up" is simple.It's abusive. It's two words, and the second one is "off".

Alima tots are still available at Naval Reunions

Thank you Elegran, an interesting and credible tale about Nelson
(My only reference book is Jackspeak, a rather tongue in cheek dictionary of Naval sayings. Their definition of tapping is rather different so it is good to know the actual one).

alima The legend had it (apocryphal) that Nelson's body was brought home preserved in a keg of rum, but by the time he arrived back in Britain, all the rum had vanished - said to be due to people dropping in to pay their respects and tapping the barrel. More likely evaporation.

(By tapping, I don't mean knocking it, I mean tapping as a pub landlord taps it.)

A second lieutenant I know said that they used to be sent to measure out the tots for the spirit ration, but was only supposed to spend a limited time in the enclosed space with the barrel open, and had to be in pairs. I imagine it was also so that they didn't have time to help themselves!

When DH was in, wee bit later than Waterloo, there was just a pipe, "Up spirits" and the tots were given out. He hasn't heard of the "tapping the admiral" bit. Sounds a bit dodgy to me!

Am I right in thinking that when the "mainbrace was spliced" and tots issued, the officers opening the rum cask worked in pairs and very fast - not because one of them might be imbibing illicitly while he had the chance, but because the fumes could have knocked out one man on his own?

Then there is the legend of "tapping the admiral"

Jalima, there was a photo from one of the red tops of a Jack Dusty issuing one of the last tots. We knew him, a few years later he worked at Vicky Barracks, tall, dark handsome chap. Just cannot think of his name!

I have older friends who don't like swearing and are fascinated by the royal family but what makes me feel an alien on Gransnet is the many posters who are apparently of the same generation as my grandmother. I'm 71.

Just a minute, I'll re-mortgage first
(how many members?)

Yes Jalima you did miss it, and now it's your turn to get a round in.

I used to buy it in my sewing days, there is probably still some lurking around at the bottom of the sewing box.

Now, what was that about did I miss something?

That ribbon - it's still called grosgrain in France. I bought some not long ago, for the waistband of a skirt.

I pad chooses the spelling

Unbelievabel. As you say RAR .......

Might have been a few lurkers with nothing better to do...

I can't believe that any poster complained about the wine thing! WTF

Not advertising Cari !

Unless anyone wants stars and stripes ribbon.

"Grosgrain" is commonly used to refer to a heavy, stiff ribbon of silk or nylon woven via taffeta weave using a heavy weft which results in distinct transverse ribs. Historically grosgrain was made from wool, silk, or a combination of fibers such as silk and wool or silk and mohair. When a combination of fibers was used, the end result was sometimes given the name grogram, silk mohair, gros de Tours or gros de Napels.

I think it is still called grosgram in America:
www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Fashion-Printed-Grosgram-Polyester-Ribbons-Wholesale_1662738228.html

No, but I think both are from the same Old French word meaning coarse grained (fabric).

Grosgrain is that ribbed ribbon of the type used as hat bands. My school hat had a grosgrain band.

I quite fancy a grogram cloak!

Is grogram the same as grosgrain, then thatbags?

Interesting!

It was diluted for junior ranks but not for officers.
The rum ration was done away with on 31st July 1970

Apparently grog was called after Admiral Vernon, known as Old Grog, who, in 1740, ordered that rum be diluted with water for sailors. It came, it seems, from his grogram cloak (grogram is a coarse cloth made of silk and mohair).

#fascinatingfacts

Even if I have just split an infinitive
Don't about it, I love to boldly split infinitives
and have no shame about doing so.

Does the word groggy come from the noun 'grog' (rum with hot water and spices)?

They haven't said it's permanent, Ana but then they haven't said it isn't.