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Things my parents said ...

(168 Posts)
Imperfect27 Tue 12-Sep-17 08:44:10

Yes, a.n.other shameless attempt to get some chatter started this morning ... Some things my parents said have definitely stayed with me and (mostly) made some sense to me over the years. Here are a few I have remembered:-

On losing weight:
"Breakfast like a king, dine like a prince, supper like a pauper."

On household cleanliness:
'Everyone has to eat a peck of dirt before they die.'

And on social relations:
"If that person is being high and mighty with you, just imagine them sitting on the toilet ... it's a great leveller."

What words of wisdom - or silliness - have stayed with you over the years?

mimiro Wed 13-Sep-17 21:32:16

got to see a man about a horse
paw,paws and snot(a six yearold eatting paw paws and dragging his sleeve across runny nose)what are you doing?
paw paws and snot.little boysgrin
i believe the uk term was we were gobsmacked and then a fit of giggles set in.
www.livescience.com/34669-what-is-a-paw-paw.html

Scribbles Wed 13-Sep-17 21:57:10

Callgirl1, my dad used to say "in church or chapel, just let it rattle", too. smile Haven't heard it said for decades and seeing it written down was a real kick along memory lane ....

MissAdventure Wed 13-Sep-17 22:00:50

I wonder if these sayings will gradually disappear from our everyday life? What a shame if they did.

Scribbles Thu 14-Sep-17 00:06:56

I've just remembered the first line of the one about flatulence. It went, wherever you be let your wind go free; in church or chapel, just let it rattle!
Dear old dad. I miss him yet.

DanniRae Thu 14-Sep-17 08:16:01

Oh linjon my mum used to say "This will end in tears" and "Least said soonest mended" too. The latter, I think, is very wise!

morethan2 Thu 14-Sep-17 09:27:16

I wonder if these saying are particularly British? My own mother was full of them. My Irish MiL was eccentric and funny and used lots of Irish colloquialisms but never these odd sayings.

downtoearth Thu 14-Sep-17 09:56:14

I was told dont sit on the table you will never get married....I did and I did twice grin

hildajenniJ Thu 14-Sep-17 10:32:50

When asked where he was going my Dad used to say "to the back of beyond, where they clog ducks". ?
When asked if I looked alright when going out my mother would say " you'll pass in a crowd".
He's as mad as a box of frogs.
Answer to "it's not fair" in our house was, "well, it's not raining".

Tweedle24 Thu 14-Sep-17 10:53:46

As. Student nurse, we had a ward sister who said " use your head to save your legs". I have never got out of the habit and, living in an upside down house, I often have things to take up or downstairs. My husband would despair telling me to make more journeys or I would fall. (He had Parkinson's so could not help).
Guess what! I did fall going downstairs when my knee gave way. With arms full I could not grab the bannister so could not save myself. Luckily, I only got a very bruised bottom and a fright! One of the adages I now ignore

Tweedle24 Thu 14-Sep-17 10:56:08

Another one - when asked what he was doing, Dad's reply was, "Building a battle-ship."

FarNorth Thu 14-Sep-17 11:20:14

"Oh, damn!", often said by my DM when driving and repeated by my DS, aged about 3.
That was shortly after said DM had given my DH a talk about not using naughty words in front of the infant, which DH usually didn't do anyway.
confused

Daddima Thu 14-Sep-17 11:46:39

My father saw many men about many dogs ( it was either the boozer or the bookies!) Another answer to a " where?" question was, " the back o' Benachie".

"Who?" was either "Aggie Weston", or "the man who ett the bilet ( boiled, for non Glasgow speakers) ham raw".

And if asked "what will he/she/I do?" the answer was always, " Just do what they do in Kilmarnock".

JackyB Thu 14-Sep-17 11:55:58

My Dad would say of someone who was confused or overwhelmed "He didn't know if it was Christmas or breakfast time!"

downtoearth Thu 14-Sep-17 13:42:40

My mum would say of someone who was confused He dosent know if he wants a shit,shave or haircut
or Like a fart in a colander..dosent know which hole to get out of

FarNorth Thu 14-Sep-17 14:21:43

If I commented 'She said ...etc' it was "Who's she? The cat's Auntie?"

RAF Tue 19-Sep-17 15:30:22

My grandmother's favourite phrase was 'Lazy people take the most trouble' - which I have always found to be true, meaning if you try and take a short cut to do something and it goes wrong, it will take much longer to get it right than doing it properly in the first place!

trisher Tue 19-Sep-17 15:32:19

FarNorth we always got "She's the cat's mother" They must have been related!