January, 2009 Archive

January 1, 2009

Introduction

Welcome to the brenthughes.com blog!

This component of my website will be used for site announcements and updates, uncategorized articles, and to give chronological perspective to the site's various project journals. This will also be the place for anything that comes up that does not have a clearly defined location elsewhere on the site. While the other pages on this site follow a fairly consistent format, requirements for this blog's content are flexible; in other words, anything goes!

Posts are in reverse chronological order familiar to most blogs, and the archives are available through a link in the navigation bars at the top and bottom of the page. Feel free to email any comments or questions you may have.

January 15,2009

Coal Oil

I learned a new phrase while talking to Mom and Dad the other night. I've learned a number of phrases that no one else seems to know outside the Missouri state line, but I think this one breaks that border.

It's "Coal Oil". While technically different, it is a term often used interchangeably with "kerosene".

We were talking about kerosene, and they were sharing a few of its uses in farm life. Heat, light, cleaning, etc... Even cleaning a wound! Said it would kill any bacteria and keep it from getting sore.

Wow. Pouring kerosene on an open wound is not my first inclination, but I have to admit there is a part of me that wants to try it.

Coal Oil Can

They also shared a story about my Grandfather, who would go to the store with his dad carrying an empty metal fuel can. When the clerk filled the can, he would put a gumdrop on the spout to keep it from sloshing out during the trip home. Once they got home, the gumdrop was no longer needed so he and the other kids would fight over it.

That's poor.

Wikipedeia distinguishes between Coal Oil and Kerosene, but both are distallates; the former from cannel coal and the latter from petroleum.