A letter from Network Rail stimulated an evening of pleasure exploring rarely used or forgotten units of measurement including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humorous_units_of_measurement?wprov=sfsi1
The letter was sent to inform us that works would be going on overnight but it was the location that got us chatting as they used miles and chains to specify the particular length of track.
This then led to an exploration of links, chains, rods, furlongs etc together with their origination and usage.
Since then I have continued to consider these and so was delighted that Andy Zalzman's "Bugle" podcast this week had a run of old measurements (all false but funny) including the cat swing (2pi x (arm+cat))
Language remains such a joy
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