Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Some of language’s traditional sayings and expressions are at risk of falling out of dialect, with many people no longer using them, or not sure of what they mean. Take for instance, the following words. Chances are that people in the 80s and 90s can tell what they are, and perhaps even use them to this day!
Malarkey: Insincere or foolish talk; bunkum
Kerfuffle: some kind of commotion, controversary or fuss
Brouhaha: a noisy and over excited reaction or response
Nincompoop: a foolish or stupid person
Skedaddle: leave immediately
Tomfoolery: foolish or silly behavior
Poppycock: nonsense, empty talk
Watchamacalit: does not know or cannot recall
Thingamajig: something hard to classify or whose name is unknown or forgotten
Bamboozled: fool or cheat someone
Flabbergasted: feeling or showing intense shock, surprise, or wonder
Discombobulated: confused
Shenanigans: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
Cattywampus: going badly, awkwardly, or in the wrong direction
Lollygag: fool around and waste time; spend time doing things that are not useful or serious
The challenge is to make an effort to “resurrect” these words and use them in one’s daily language. That way, they are not lost in one’s dialect.
This week’s life instructions that mean a lot, are as follows:
- Don’t carve one’s initials on property that is not one’s.
- Share one’s umbrella.
- Hug one’s kids every day.
- Pay back borrowed money — fast.
- Wipe the bathroom sink every morning.
The winds are not as ferocious as they have been. Saturday evening there were thunder and lightning shows. Easter brought in lovely weather, with folks attending the Easter sunrise service, Easter church service, and getting in some Easter egg hunts, as well as family dinners.
This week’s quotes are as follows:
“Everyone you’ll ever meet, knows something you don’t.” — Jewish saying
“April is the time to turn over a new leaf.” — Terri Guillemets
“Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadows of April showers.” — Byron Caldwell Smith
“No rain, no flowers.” — Haruki Murakami
“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it.” — Hal Borland
This week’s “Talk of the Grove” is as follows:
Butch Puffenbarger, Robert and Nancy Hodges, and Matt and Robby Hodges spent Easter with Wesley, Becky, Nathan, Ben and Emma Puffenbarger.
Phil Downs enjoyed an Easter family dinner with K.D. Puffenbarger and his family. He learned the good news that he will soon be a great-grandfather. What an Easter blessing!
Evelyn Varner, along with Judy Costello of Verona, Virginia, Janet Judy, Terry Harper, Nathaniel and Geneva Varner and Kitty and L.J. Purcell enjoyed a Saturday Easter dinner at the home of Joyce and Robin Marshall of McGaheysville, Virginia.
School-aged youngsters are happy to have a break this week.
Sunday, Willard and Judy Rader enjoyed Easter dinner and celebrating Amber and Bella’s birthdays in the home of Chad and Amber Kimble’s.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- The longest human bone ever measured was 29.9 inches.
- More than 50 percent of Americans say they get out of bed before 7:00 a.m.
- Canada is the second largest country on earth.
- Captain Kangaroo won five Emmy awards.
- One in seven Americans don’t speak English at home.
Concerns for this week are as follows: Bob Adamson, Rick Adkins, John Ashley, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Lynn Beatty, “Bo” Boggs, Jane Conrad, Marie Cole, the Harold Cupp family, Christian Dasher, Isaac Eye, Linda Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Neal Eye, Carl Gant, Loralee Gordon, Lola Graham, Patsy Green, the Rosalee Grogg family, JC Hammer, Marlene Harman, Marvin Hartman, the Woodrow Hartman family, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adelbert Hoover, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Lisa and Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Kim Kline, Ginger Knight, Tracie Knight, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Rex Landis, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, John Morford, Richard Morrison, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Wanda Pitsenbarger, Alda Propst, John O. Propst, Kathy Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Tom Rader, Brandon Reel, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Jerold “Jerry” Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Donna Ruddle, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Phyllis Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Kent Simmons, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Donnie Smith, Stanna Smith, Steve Stump, Elizabeth Terry, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, Evelyn Varner, Raymond Varner, Amy Vaus, Judy Williams, Ann Wimer and Margaret Wimer.
