Another "Moment of Dad" quickie..."Catchy Turns of Phrase"

Another thing that makes me smile when thinking of Dad are the "turns of phrase" that he used.

Our whole family is - well - "verbose" is probably the nicest way to say it. Not that there's anything wrong with that...but it does make for interesting phrases in life's lexicon. Dad's phrases either were something he just came up with, or lovingly "appropriated" (Dad's word for "swiped") from songs, TV or other people.

Here are some "dad-isms" and sayings that extended into all our vocabularies (meaning Mom, sis and me).

1. "mealy-mouth do-gooders" = liberals

2. "barn-burners" = something really exciting and suspenseful (e.g.: an adventure movie, a good Iowa Hawks basketball game).

3. "That sounds like a personal problem to me..." (uttered to my sister and I or any one of his "troopies" from the Army Reserve when they had a problem with something he wanted them to do.)

4. "Any day where I can sit up and take nourishment is a good day..." (OK, this one MAY NOT be unique to Dad, but it was certainly typical; it usually meant what it says, thus being an example of his lovable and slightly cynical side.)

5. "When he/she's with John-Grandpa, they're ten feet tall and bulletproof." (Usually for the grandkids who would be braver when sitting in Grandpa's lap than on their own.)

6. "Rotten kid." (usually said with a slight smile while ruffling our hair, usually if we'd given him a teasing of our own.)

7. "Shiny side up, rubber side down..." (said to any of us that was embarking on a road trip of some sort.)

8. "I don't remember it that way..." (usually uttered to me when he was recalling my childhood negotiation skills. Note: he said I said this, but I don't remember it that way...)

9. "I'm like a lost dog without your mother." (He usually told my sister and/or I this if he was asked what he would do if Mom was no longer with him.)

10. "Ya done good, kid..." (uttered to my sister or myself after a concert, play or other momentous occasion when we...well, you know...done good.)

Anyway, that's today's moment of Dad. So keep the shiny side up and rubber side down, and hope you done good today, kid.

Sudiegirl