RETRIEVING AUSTRALIA FORUM

I was just fooling around and learning to post pictures. I hope this works correctly.

Here is a picture of me and my pooch. She is a 2 y.o. chocolate lab out of NFC FT lines (NFC Storm's Riptide Star)




NO COMMENTS ABOUT THE OUTFIT PLEASE!!!!.....it's wet here in South Louisiana

Kevin N. aka "Cat Squirrel"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
USA

Hi there - the dog and your knees and boots came out really well - how about the rest of you?!

Heh he heh....

OK....the dog is the good looking one. Sorry, I don't have a better pic of both of us....I have tons of pics of her

Cool pics Kevin! You asked us not to comment on the outfit so I won't...heh! heh! heh! Your pooch looks like she's pretty keen to get to work.

Where we live, we wear gum boots to stop us getting bitten by snakes.

Must be time for a few of us Down Under-ites to reciprocate with a picture or two of our own. Anyone out there who can run me through the procedure again please....????

Teresap

What are "gum" boots?

Good photo of your chocolate boy, Cat.

Gum boots (rubber boots) I think in the US are called Wellingtons (or is that UK lingo).

Thanks for answering that one Julie! I could not, for the life of me, think of another well-known name for gum boots.

Which makes me wonder, where does the term 'gum boot' actually come from?????

Teresap

Hi Teresa,

History lesson for today is: The Origin Of Rubber/Gum

Natural rubber was first scientifically described by a Frenchman following an expedition to South America in 1735. The English chemist Joseph Priestley in 1770 gave it the name rubber from the verb RUB when, after others had been at a loss to find some use for the stuff, he noticed that it could be used to ‘rub’ out pencil marks. The word ‘eraser’ first appeared in print a few years later in about 1780-90. It is interesting to note that in most languages other than English, ‘rubber’ goes by a transliteration of ‘gum.’ Even in England, ‘rubber’ boots are ‘gum’ boots.


Well there you go. I thought the term gum boots had originated from the common English saying "By gum, its a bit wet in these here parts, I better put my boots on." which was subsequently abbreviated to "gum boots".

Kirsty

Thanks Kirsty! I realise that the first bit of info you've given me is historically accurate but by gum , the second version is much more interesting!

And speaking of which, it's actually raining here.....yaaaaaaay! I hardly think the drought's broken but it's lovely to contemplate putting a pair of those boots on some time soon.

Teresap

Great that you've got some rain Teresa, can we have some down this way please???
I bought my first gum boots in my whole life last weekend, after a jaunt down to the river for some training, and my feet & shoes got very wet - I decided that was not really a pleasant feeling (the water round here is getting decidely cold already!), so marched off to find me some gum boots - I didn't even know where you buy the things from
Hubby & I think gumboots in US are called "galoshes"

Cheers
Joanne

Ummmmm.....

Well here in Louisiana, which is in the southern part of the US along the Gulf coast, we wear rubber boots (knee boots) alot. It rains almost every day during the summer and at least once or twice a week during the other seasons. All that rain makes for good water mocassin (a venomous snake) and alligator habitat.....

Wellies is a British term I believe. We just call 'em knee boots.

The term "galoshas" is usually reserved for children's rubber boots. Most of these snap up the side versus the ankle fits that I have on in my picture.

There you have it!!!! Everything you ever wanted to know about rubber boots in the Southern United States <YAWN>

BTW....Julie...the "boy" is a she...

Sorry Kirsty but your history lesson is wrong re the UK. Gumboots are unknown there and they are called wellingtons or abbreviated to wellies and there is a web site http://www.wellies.com for one retailer. Think they got the name wellingtons from the Duke of Wellington who was possibly the first well known person to wear knee high rubber boots. They were always black until such brands as Hunters were made.

And talking about rubber...... emigrated over here to hear folks talking about rubbers and Durex, rubbers in the UK are erasers here and Durex in the UK are well....... Gave me a few hiccups at work!!!!! Sorry to lower the tone!!!

To the American readers, learning the Aussie lingo is a whole new ball game!

Maureen, ex Pom!

Maureen,

For as long as I can remember, and that is long enough, rubbers have been used for erasing. I was flabbergasted when someone many years ago told me the other meaning for rubbers.

Durex...........well, some time ago, Ian and I went on a holiday to England, and for some reason went into a shop and asked for some Durex. We couldn't understand why the shop assistant was so embarassed, until we were informed later of the English version of Durex. All we wanted was sticky tape !!!

Kerry

Back in the day, when I was just a lad, 'rubbers' was another word for 'galoshes'. We amonst us whose minds were in the gutter would have a great deal of fun when the teacher upon dismissing us would say, "OK children it's raining out; be sure to put your rubbers on!"

Cheers;
Brian

PS; love the Aussie lingo!

Aussie Lingo ??? Wot ya talkin bout mate ? Us diggers don't waffle on. But, we aren't all called diggers, there are crow eaters, banana benders, sandgropers etc etc. This isn't Aussie lingo, it's Aussie English. Can't understand why many don't understand it.

For example: feeling crook,(not feeling well), up the mud,(not going well), up the creek without a paddle,(no hope in hell), dead horse on your pie,(tomato sauce/ketchup), you're a galah, (idiot), She'll be right,(it will be ok). A chook is a chicken, a bird is a girl/woman, as is sheila. A bloke is a man, joe blake is a snake.

There must be thousands of them. Some of the "older" participants of this board could probably provide many more than I can. I am still a spring chicken.

Kerry