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My nose is running...

Posted by RRC on December 04, 2007

In Reply to: My nose is running... posted by Maureen on December 04, 2007

: My grandma (1889-1970) used to say 'My nose is running like a soap boiler's bottom.' When she had a runny nose. I used to think she meant a person, but I have discovered that there is a 'pan' called a 'soap boiler' for - er - making soap. Does anyone know, or has anyone heard this before?

I haven't heard it. There are no Google hits on "soap boiler's bottom" (or several cruder substitutes for bottom I also tried). It says there are about 20,100 hits for "soap boiler". In a quick glance, 59 of the first 60 hits refer to a person or establishment and only 1 to a vessel.

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