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Mamapropisms


Airehead

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What things did your mama or grandmom say that you remember. Do you use any of these expressions of speech. My memaw used to say, Leave it there, where Jesus flung it, when she wanted you to stop worrying. I said it today. Then came home to a Reader’s Digest that had an article about things your family said. 

Thinking about this, I remembered some more.  My momma used to say about women inappropriately dressed—. Those pants are so tight I can see her religion. 

And Mr Bob, who, if you remember any of my stories of him ruling the barn for over 50 years, you will understand. He had no tolerance for laziness or stupidity. And if you were both, you didn’t stand a chance.  He had some real colorful expressions. Once heard him tell my brother- you better give your heart to Jesus cause you butt is mine. I think he had just ridden his dirt bike through the barn and I agree that was a really bad thing to do.  I may or may not have bet him ten bucks to do it. We both got punished. How was this my fault?.

he also said things like that guy couldn’t find his butt with both hands in his pockets. And Gana always told him to hush, that ain’t nice.

What expressions belong in your family?

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My mother-in-law is really good at messing up some of the old sayings. The best one is her version of "You reap what you sew." She says, "You rip it, you sew it." Kind of the same, but kind of not...

WoUB's favorite way to describe someone who's not too bright is, "He couldn't organize a one car funeral."

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If someone was not acting correctly..and I remember this from my teen years...We were 'Going to the moon" Via her size 10.5 shoe :D  Another was " You want a slap" or You're gonna get a slap"   not that she would slap us but more of a smart azz response to a joke played on her....

Sometimes it is hard to remember those days :(

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I don't really remember her propisms but I will always remember the sight and sound of her buzz sawing, with a kitchen chair, through the bedroom door I had used to lock her out during an argument.  It's a fragmented view as I was busy scrambling out the window at the time.  

Like Page and his nuns, I developed a lasting respect and fear of teachers after that.

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There are 30 years between my grandfather and father, 30 years between my father and me, and 30 years between me and my son.  

When my Grandfather was 53 and my father was 23, the two of them were building the house Mom and Dad would move into after they got married.  At the end of the day, if dad commented on the progress they had made that day my Grandfather would always reply the same way, dead-pan, "Not bad for an old man and a boy."

When my dad was 46 and I was 16, we were building a deck on the cottage and made a comment about our progress  and Dad replied "Not bad for an old man and a boy" and started laughing to himself.  He then told me the story above.

When I was 46 and my son 16 we were building a deck on our house, my son made the comment abiut how it was going and I laughed out loud and made the same reply and told him the story.  

Now it is a thing with us.  I am 53 and he 23, if we do a long canoe portage, or an epic dive, or co-cook a great meal, we will just say "Not bad for an old man and a boy"

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Mom - Eat everything on your plate. Think of all the starving children in China. (like I cared)

My father-in-law was the one with sayings...

- Referring to active 2/0 old grand children as 'little hemorrhoids'.
- Born tired and had a relapse
- Reflecting his Irish heritage, had "Irish Alzheimer's" Forgets everything except the grudges.

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When Grandma was cooking a big family dinner, “the hurried I go the behinder I get!” It was a long time before I learned where that came from. 

When she turned 50, someone asked how she felt about getting old. “Beats the alternative!”

Not really a phrase, but an indicator of her humor. We were visiting and she cooked a nice fried chicken dinner. She was the last to the table. The remaining chair was between my dad and Grandpa. As she sat, she asked my dad, “is it ok if I sit by you?”

Dad, “can you behave?”

She pouted and turned to Grandpa, “Chuck, is it ok if I sit by you?”

She does of cancer when I was 14. Would have been fun to get to know her more as I got old enough to appreciate her. 

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My ex-father in law: (great guy)

  • The good lord put energy at the wrong end of life.
  • I need glasses to find me glasses

My father when we would be working on something and it didn't come out quite right:

  • "A kid riding down the street on a bicycle will never see it."

My mother: 

  • Stop that.
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My mom had one favorite saying that resonated though the family.  "Someone want to split a beer with me?"  At family gatherings my mom would have a couple half bottles of beer.  Aunts or uncles and eventually cousins would ask, "Hey Clara, want to split a beer?" 

My mom was born in 1924 and grew up during the depression.  She was in a family that was fortunate enough to have a father that didn't lose his job.  They lived in Detroit and he had a good solid job at Ford.  My mom knew how fortunate she was.  She used to take PB&J or bologna sandwiches to elementary school and trade for dried mustard sandwiches because she knew that was probably the best food her classmate would have that day.  She had a meal waiting for her that evening.  This experience stuck with her until she died.  She never took a whole piece of cake or pie so she could save the other half for someone else - anyone else.  She 'never' took the last piece of anything.  She never had a full cup of coffee, at her house or visiting.  She needed to save the other half for someone else.  If you were pouring, she would stop you at half a cup.  She might have 2 half cups but never a full cup.  And she never took the last cup of coffee in the pot.  She would make a fresh pot because someone might stop by and want some.  She had a favorite coffee cup at the end of her life that my 3 daughters take turns holding on to and using - never using it for more than half a cup.  I love how they honor her that way.

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2 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

My mom had one favorite saying that resonated though the family.  "Someone want to split a beer with me?"  At family gatherings my mom would have a couple half bottles of beer.  Aunts or uncles and eventually cousins would ask, "Hey Clara, want to split a beer?" 

My mom was born in 1924 and grew up during the depression.  She was in a family that was fortunate enough to have a father that didn't lose his job.  They lived in Detroit and he had a good solid job at Ford.  My mom knew how fortunate she was.  She used to take PB&J or bologna sandwiches to elementary school and trade for dried mustard sandwiches because she knew that was probably the best food her classmate would have that day.  She had a meal waiting for her that evening.  This experience stuck with her until she died.  She never took a whole piece of cake or pie so she could save the other half for someone else - anyone else.  She 'never' took the last piece of anything.  She never had a full cup of coffee, at her house or visiting.  She needed to save the other half for someone else.  If you were pouring, she would stop you at half a cup.  She might have 2 half cups but never a full cup.  And she never took the last cup of coffee in the pot.  She would make a fresh pot because someone might stop by and want some.  She had a favorite coffee cup at the end of her life that my 3 daughters take turns holding on to and using - never using it for more than half a cup.  I love how they honor her that way.

You should have posted this in two part.  Just saying.  Godspeed Mom of Kzoo.  You did good.

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My dad had a few

"We may not know what we're doing, but we will by the time we're done.

"If it's worth doing it's worth doing right."

"You have to be smarter than the tool to be able to use it."

To an employee, "I'm paying you for 8 hours of work.  Sitting isn't working.  The least you can do is stand while we wait."

I think I failed on that third one a lot.

 

 

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