Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Ever wonder what happened to all those sayings that were around 50 years ago? Mergatroyd…recall that one? Heavens to mergatroyd!
One had a jalopy to drive. What the heck is that? A lot of these expressions have become obsolete because of the march of technology.
The writer hopes her readers are feeling “Hunky Dory” when reading this.
Some of the phrases, or expressions included the following: Don’t touch that dial; Make a carbon copy; You sound like a broken record; All hung out and dry; Put on the best bib and tucker; Straighten up and fly right; Heavens to Betsy!; Gee whillikers!; Jumping Jehoshaphat!; and Holy Moley!.
In those days, one was in like Flynn and living the life of Riley; not all the tea of China could accuse anyone of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop or a pill. Why life was swell, but swell has gone by the wayside – beehives; pageboys and D.A.; of spats, fedoras; poodle skirts; saddle shoes; pedal pushers; and knickers.
One soon discovers that the words and phrases that were with one’s youth have all but vanished. Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, or, that is a fine kettle of fish! These were as omnipresent as oxygen, and are no longer used on one’s tongues, pens, or keyboards. In a blink, they are gone. Poof! Where have they all gone?
Long gone are the following: The milkman did it; It’s your nickel; Don’t forget to pull the chain; Clear as mud; A hard nut to crack, sticky fingers, chomping at the bit, off the hook, shell out money, knuckle down, cool as a cucumber; Knee high to a grasshopper; Going like sixty; I’ll see you in the funny papers; Don’t take any wooden nickels; Wake up and smell the roses; What’s that racket; Oh, horse feathers!; Fiddlesticks!; Monkey business!; Okidoki; Shake a stick; If I had my druthers; Knickers in a twist; Pony up: Preaching to the choir; If his lips are moving he’s lying; and Oopsey-doopsey.
It turns out that more of these words and phrases are just as lost as Carter has liver pills.
See ya later, alligator! After awhile crocodile!
Life’s little instructions to make one’s week go well include the following:
- Make every effort to be kind.
- Write a thank you note.
- Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
- Offer to take a shopping cart back to its cart station.
- Call home just to say “hi.”
The community is still in search of rain. Most mornings have heavy fogs which are burned away as soon as the sun appears. The sun dog made its appearance early Monday morning. Tomato growers are busy with their canning recipes, whilst corn is being put away. Thank goodness the temperatures are not that of stark raving heat. Some farmers are attempting to make a second cutting of hay, which will be much needed for winter food.
This week’s quotes are as follows:
“When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible.” — Jeff Parness
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou
“I think people who have faults are a lot more interesting than people who are perfect.” — Spike Lee
“September tries its best to have us forget summer.” — Bernard Williams
“Family is not only an important thing. It’s everything.” — Michael J. Fox
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The first frozen foods were launched by Clarence Birdseye back in the mid-1920s.
- “Corduroy” comes from the French “cloth of the king.”
- An average human drinks about 12,000 gallons of water in a lifetime and uses the bathroom six times per day.
- In Medieval Times, thunderstorms were believed by some to be the work of demons.
- Without using precision instruments, Eratosthenes measured the radius of the Earth in the third century B.C., and came within one percent of the value determined by today’s technology.
One is blessed and so thankful to sit on the front porch to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Eddie Rader of Davis visited Monday in the home of Willard and Judy Rader.
Rose Smith, of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, spent the week assisting Phil Downs as he recuperates at his home.
Residents are beginning to notice the small change in the fall foliage. Trees are beginning to dress for the annual pageant.
Enjoy the Treasure Mountain Festival weekend. Be sure to support the local food stands, as this often is their only fundraiser.
Remaining birthdays for this month include Brittany Lehman, 16th; Sarah Hedrick, 17th; Bill Rexrode, 18th; Travis Beachler, 19th; Tyler Grogg, 20th; Neva Rexrode, Jason Smith and Beth Moyers, 21st; Jammy Ruddle, 22nd; Woody Hoover, 23rd; Ruthalene May and Lori Robinson 24th; Robin Evick, 25th; Charles Anderson, 26th; Jim Kile and Emily and K.J. Simmons, 27th; Debbie Sites and Justin Bowers, 28th; Ann Kiser and Chase Owens, 29th; and Morgan Hoover, Chuck Frame and Vickie Rawley, 30th.
Concerns are as follows: Bob Adamson, Dyer Anderson, John Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Richard Bennett, “Bo” Boggs, Marie Cole, Christian Dasher, the George Dasher family, Phil Downs, Benny Evick, Isaac Eye, Linda Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Thelma Fleisher, Carl Gant, David Gillespie, Lola Graham, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Marlene Harman, Missy Harrison, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, George Hevener, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adalbert Hoover, Donna K. Hoover, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Tim L. Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Lisa and Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, the George Judy family, Richard Judy, Ruthlene Judy, Marsha Keller, Kim Kline, Ginger Knight, Tracie Knight, Laura Kopp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Rex Landis, the Noah Mallow family, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, John Morford, Bill Mullenax, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Andy Pond, Janice Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Alda Propst, Janis Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Tom Rader, Brandon Reel, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Mike Roberts, Donna Ruddle, Jenny Ruddle, Mary Sawyers, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Greg Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Elizabeth Terry, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Judy Waggy, Estelle Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Rene White, Norman Wilfong, Judy Williams, Ann and Ed Wimer and the Margaret Wimer family.
