"BAD PENNY -- The phrase usually is heard in this country (U.S.) as 'A bad penny always turns up,' meaning that a no-good person can be counted upon to come back again and again. The expression was originally English and the unit of currency referred to was the shilling. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his early nineteenth-century novels, whereto: 'Bring back Darsie? Little doubt of that. The bad shilling is sure enough to come back again.'" From "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988).
......Which is why I wanted to assure Coolchef that this did not apply.
But how come a penny/shilling is bad in the first place? Usually these sayings come from a very real situation. Were shillings poisonous at one time or something?
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jardinero
Oh and here we just thought you were having fun camping or something!
We missed you. I like the new shorter name, Cheffie!
J.
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dmiller
I thought he mighta been on a pilgrimage to the *Holy Jonny Lingo Land*
in search of more smoked salmon!
I like the *new* name too, Chef. :)
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oilfieldmedic
another day or two and the posse would have been sent to find you.
Wb!
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topoftheworld
You are anything BUT a bad penny!
Enjoy the new 'puter, and glad to see ya!
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dmiller
OK -- so what kind of puter did you get????????
And is your new provider dial-up, or is it sumthing better?
(I hate to ask a Chef this) -- but *spill the beans*!!
(edited for speeling!)
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CoolWaters
It's sooooooooo nice to have another COOL person around...
You're not a bad anything!
And what is a 'bad penny' anyway? What does that mean?
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topoftheworld
"BAD PENNY -- The phrase usually is heard in this country (U.S.) as 'A bad penny always turns up,' meaning that a no-good person can be counted upon to come back again and again. The expression was originally English and the unit of currency referred to was the shilling. Sir Walter Scott, in one of his early nineteenth-century novels, whereto: 'Bring back Darsie? Little doubt of that. The bad shilling is sure enough to come back again.'" From "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988).
......Which is why I wanted to assure Coolchef that this did not apply.
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CoolWaters
TYVM, toppie! :wub:
But how come a penny/shilling is bad in the first place? Usually these sayings come from a very real situation. Were shillings poisonous at one time or something?
And NO WAY is coolchef a bad penny!
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topoftheworld
I dunno-maybe if they look like this and therefore have no value.
Then again, even a bad shilling can redeem itself! This is a cute story.
The Silver Shilling-Hans Christen Anderson
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dmiller
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