Xup had this great post about idioms. Which got me thinking about things my mother says, that her mother likely said, that her mother likely said, and so on and so on…..

So when I say these things, people usually look at me like I’m one canoe short of a paddle. That’s fine. And what makes me giggle is that this legacy is being passed on to Grace and Edie, as they are starting to use the expressions. A few of them are:

1) Keep your eyes peeled! (As in keep your eyes peeled for a Dairy Queen!)
This one has the potential to scare the very young, as one can’t help but picture a potato peeler working on an eyeball.

2) And we’re off like a dirty shirt!
Because I am late for everything, as was my family when I was younger. When we finally climb into the mini-van of cool, I usually yelp out this saying, to celebrate that we are finally taking off, like we would take off a dirty shirt. This one gets giggles because it makes a 7 year old think of nudity, and, you know, nudity = hilarity at that age.

3) “Oh, here’s the postey, the housey, the manney, pretty-mych-anything-ey”
Adding an ey to everything comes from my Scottish heritage. My Nana would add ey to any inanimate/animate object. Edie has particularly embraced this (lamb-ey, blanket-ey, bikey). Might have to put an end to this as the school year approaches.

4) “There are some chippy bits left, would you like them?”
This is usually applied to the few remains of a salad. Little bits of celery, green onion and cucumber that didn’t make the first round. My mom always offers these remaining chippy bits because the woman can’t bear to waste anything.

5) “Would you like the dregs?”
This usually refers any remaining beverage, usually coffee/wine. So, if you are invited to my next dinner party, when I offer you the dregs of something, I’m not offering you something foul, I’m just trying to give you seconds!

6) “ I am dripping with a cold”
Ewww, this one is gross, but so wonderfully visual. Whenever I have a bad cold, like last week, my Mom always remarks that I am just dripping with a cold. Dripping as in a nose like a tap, watery eyes, fevered forehead, liquids coming from everywhere they can. Love it.

What weird things do you say that will get your kids made fun of?