Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
The English language is rich of idiomatic sayings about many things. Take for instance the idioms surrounding the meaning “everything.”
“The whole shooting match” — meaning the entire thing. This dates back to 1917 usage.
“All the marbles” — when playing the game of shooting marbles, the game continued until one player won all the marbles.
“The whole bag of tricks” — meaning that clever things are done to complete the task at hand.
“The whole enchilada” — Enchilada has everything in it. It derives from the Spanish language which means “season with chili.” One will complete the whole part of a complex thing as completely as possible.
“The whole nine yards” — an earlier Southern version that existed about 1912 was “the whole six yards.” The whole nine yards coinage may refer to something that is nine yards in length.
“The whole kit and caboodle” — the ancient word “caboodle” means a group or collection, but is strictly American. So, the saying basically means the whole group of objects.
“The whole ball of wax” — this is thought to have originated with the idiom “the whole bailiwick” meaning the whole territory.
“The whole shebang” — Walt Whitman used “shebang” to mean a shack or shanty. This word has also been used to mean a vehicle. This idiom is a fancy way to say “thing.”
Sprinkling a few of these idioms into one’s daily language would add flavor to conversations. It may even bring a smile!
Life’s little instructions to make everyone feel better include the following:
- Allow an older person to sit in one’s seat if there are no others available.
- Help carry someone’s packages.
- Turn off lights when leaving a room.
- Smile
- Be kind.
There have been some lovely warm days; however, the rains arrived Friday and the cooler weather reminded one of the up-coming winter months. Monday morning temperatures were hovering around 24 degrees, with some snowflakes flying. Farmers are busy splitting wood for the wood stove. It has been said that wood heat has such a warmth about it.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“Gratitude is an action.” — Seth Buechley
“You can’t let your failures keep you from taking risks.” — Sujit Choudhry
“Every day is a new challenge.” — Jeremy Young
“My sole purpose in life is helping others,” — Joseph Sugarman
“Don’t fix things that aren’t broken.” — Robert Rose.
Sitting by the fireplace is a great place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
The polls at the Sugar Grove precinct opened at 6:30 last Tuesday morning, and the steady stream of voters were logged into the books. Wouldn’t it be great if every patriot in the poll book would come out to vote? That would certainly make a record and deem it necessary to call for the national news attention. (One interesting “tidbit” is that 14 left-handers voted at the Sugar Grove poling precinct.)
Friday was Veteran’s Day and with that there was a Veteran’s Day of celebration at the Sugar Grove VFW pavilion. Those attending were once more reminded by Jack Bowers of the sacrifice veterans gave for one’s precious freedom. A light lunch followed his address.
When traveling across Hoover Mountain, one will notice a chandelier hanging from a tree at the Mitchell turn. Interesting.
Checking in on Rosalee Grogg this week were Steven Grogg and friend, Tyler Grogg, and Marleta Wimer.
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The siren on the English ship Queen Elizabeth can be detected more than 100 miles away.
- Bees are stone deaf.
- The largest shoe ever made was more than 2 feet long and a foot wide.
- Only 5% of the population dreams in color.
- The extinct Dodo bird had wings so small it could not fly.
Concerns for this week are many, and they are as follows: Mercedes Aumann, Charles Anderson, Vernon “Fuzzy” Baldwin, Lynn Beatty, Jack Bennett, Jimmy Bennett, Bill Brackman, Charles Burgoyne, Jeff Evick, Ina Evick, Dan and Margaret Ferrell, Ron Gilkeson, Lola Graham, Marlene Harman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Everett Hedrick, Starr Hedrick, Gary and Jackie Hills, Virgil Homan, Jr., Charlee Marie Hoover, Keith Hoover, Lorena Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Enos Horst, Doris Hull, Bob and Cynthia Hurry, Lisa Dawn Jamison, Alice Johnson, Kim Kline, Richard Judy, Melissa Lambert, Tammy Lambert, Robin and Kitty Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Angela Lung, Linda Malcolm, Betty Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Neil McLaughlin, Naomi Michael, Gloria Moats, Joe Moats, Lincoln Moore, Aaron Nelson, Ken and Ruth Nelson, Bennie Nesselrodt, Cheryl Paine, Sutton Parrack, Shirley Pratt, Alda Propst, Betty Lou Propst, Kathy Propst, Sheldon Propst, Mary Puffenbarger, Verla Puffenbarger, Jason Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Donna Ruddle, Annie Simmons, Barbara Simmons, Barry and Phyllis Simmons, Davey Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Robbie Sites, Ona Smith, Stanna Smith, Patricia Swecker, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, Ron White, Judy Williams, Larry Wimer and Junior Wimer.
