Little Minx

there were beans beans as big as submarines in the stores in the stores.

We seem to have gone rather off the point here. I agree with many others that language has changed and different emphasis is put on certain words and phrases these days. Take wicked for instance. In my day it meant bad or very naughty, nowadays if something is wicked it's really good eg. "It was a wicked film, Granny".

There were rats, rats, rats as big as cats.....we nearly always do go off the point, hildajenni.

I am desperate to join this thread and like others have strayed off the main thread but am worried because I cannot recall the spelling of the `bird` any here goes (it is of course politically incorrect)

Cukooborough sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Sing cukooborough, sing cukooborough
How GAY your life must be

To my memory an old Brownie or Guiding song

Remember it well, sang it at Brownies and Guides. How sad that this descriptive word has been hijacked.

Heartening, Thistledoo, how your sad opener has turned the corner and revived some happy memories, hopefully for you as well. Imagine your errant DS being woken up by a massed choir of GNetters lustily singing all these old songs outside his bedroom at the crack of dawn!

My dear Grandma (never Granny) used to amuse us - she was always well dressed - all corseted up with her hair tightly curled, face powder and pearls. However I distinctly remember her commenting on my brother's very tatty cotton shorts (we used to wear clothes to death back in those days). 'I see you are a member of the R.A.C.' she said to him. He was about 6 (I was a very grown up 8), 'what do you mean Grandma?'
we both queried. 'You are members of the ragged arse club' she stated flatly. We were greatly amused that such a proper lady had such language tucked away. It was used very sparingly and to great effect. She knew we would never repeat it as staying with her over the summer holidays was a real delight for us...we would not jeopardise that.
She allowed us great freedom to play for as long as we wanted, to go swimming whatever the weather, to eat clotted cream with just about anything and to just 'be'. Unlike home where our existence was pretty dreary thanks to a very miserable dictatorial father.

^ Imagine your errant DS being woken up by a massed choir of GNetters lustily singing all these old songs outside his bedroom at the crack of dawn!^

HildaW - my Nan used to come out with comments that would leave a young me baffled (although I knew they were't complimentary). She used to say, about perfume, that it was 'one stink to hide another' and that put me off wearing perfume for years! Another she would say is 'they are all kippers and curtains' - I would go home and my parents would have to explain what she meant!

HollyDaze, Luckily my Grandma's comments were really just amusing, if a little unexpectedly coarse. Those old fashioned judgemental quips you mention could do a lot of damage, though I am not sure they were ever really meant to be.
My father, a very unpleasant bigoted man used to come out with some nasty racial stereotypical things that thankfully I slowly began to recognise for what they were. I do think they coloured my judgement as a young woman, but I think years and experience has undone most of the damage.

"Keep your 'and on your 'a'penny" was one of my gran's - an exhortation relating to going out with a boy!

Oh yes Mishap....I DO remember that one.

I asked DD about the little minx thing yesterday. She uses it and has never heard of the derogatory term and was surprised at your DS's reaction and shabby treatment towards his Mum.

DD happily refers to DGD as a little minx, and I agree with her!