Phrases we still use that no longer make sense

"After the Lord Mayor's show", said it to My young colleague today (We were all feeing flat after Our epic victory in last nights Pub Quiz and heroic attempt to drink all Our winnings in 1 hour) , She had no clue what it meant.
 
"Bean counter." Maybe a very long time ago, they tracked finances by counting beans? Not sure on this one.
 
Cash on the barrelhead.

Came from the time when business was conducted over a barrel, and the money was laid on the top of the barrell when paying. This one is started to fall out of use, but I do still hear it.
I have never ever herd that said before. Where exactly do u live? Country or state are good enough.
 
Sitting at a stop sign waiting forever for traffic to break -someone let the cows out or someone left the gate open
 
"How many chickens and pies does that cost?" Or "How many chickens and pies will that set me back?" I actually don't hear this one that much anymore.
 
This one never made sense. Always irks me when someone calls a water heater a “hot water heater.” If the water is already hot, why does it need to be heated?
I guess it's more than just a hot water tank, because it heats the water it contains, and more than a water heater, because it contains the water it heats.......but "Hot water tank and heater" is too long, so maybe they just shortened it to a redundancy?
 
This one never made sense. Always irks me when someone calls a water heater a “hot water heater.” If the water is already hot, why does it need to be heated?

I think in Great Britain they call it a "hot water tank." Can any Brits here confirm that?
 

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