Born with Burnt Feet

Posted by kim on April 18, 2009

Last year at my Grandma Betty’s 84th Birthday Party (at the bar no less), we were talking about a local couple’s 40th wedding anniversary coming up. I replied that I thought their eldest son was already 40.  No, my grandma corrected me, but he would be soon though as he was born with burnt feet.

Burnt feet?
Yeah, the bun came out of the oven too soon.
Like Premature? Wouldn’t they be doughy then?
No, they had to get married.

So, the conclusion was that one is born with burnt feet when they were conceived before their parents got married.  My Aunt Squeak knew the term well already having heard it several times from her mother.  But she was definitely not born with burnt feet as she is frequently reminded she was an “Oops” baby born 13 years after her older brother (my dad).

Me, on the other hand, er foot, definitely have hot feet. My parents got married in June, and I was born in September of that same year.  So we started doing the math on other family members.  We were shocked to learn my eldest cousin (not present to defend herself) had been born with burnt feet as well.

Fast forward to Grandma Betty’s 85th birthday this year (same time, same place), only this time the whole family was present, including said cousin above.  So we broke the news to her.  She said she did the math when she was seven, but seemed disturbed over the burnt feet phrase and wanted to know its origin.  Heck if we could help her out.

So, I googled it.  She googled it.  Nothing. Although this post on Burned Feet and Hairy Backs distracted me for a minute. Urban Dictionary couldn’t even help me out.  Maybe Grandma Betty made up the expression herself. Who knows? Anyone have any input?