Friday, June 16, 2006

Daddy-isms


It's time for a break from the serious business of following Presbyfest (also known as the General Assembly meeting) and turn our attention to Father's Day, which will be observed this coming Sunday.

In honor of Father's Day, I'm posting my favorite "Daddy-isms" collected over a lifetime with my father, father-in-law, my neighbor The Old Marine, and El Jefe the father of my children. Daddy-isms are those sayings which a father repeated so many times that you can't think of him without remembering them.

Here are some examples, with translations where needed.

From my father:

-- I would snickety-snort and hope to giggle. (That meant he was delighted.)
-- Happy as a dead pig in the sunshine.
-- Happy as a jackass eating briars.
-- I'm off, he cried, as he shook his wooden leg. (That meant he was leaving to go somewhere.)
-- It's all zosky-splotz. (It's a mess.)

From my father-in-law:

-- A man who takes good care of his car will take good care of his wife.
-- It's the worst kind of rain. ( A light drizzle on top of a dusty road, making the surface slick).
-- Don't look for a wife in a bar, look in a church.

From The Old Marine:

-- It's the 10 Commandments, not the 10 Suggestions.
-- You can't make a 'ho into a housewife.

From El Jefe:

-- The most important decision you make in life is who you marry.
-- When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
-- You need to play heads-up ball.

Everyone has some Daddy-isms! Share yours in the comments.

8 comments:

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

I really liked the Old Marines!

Anonymous said...

Was that something your daddy said or is that you speaking, princess? Because if it's _you_, then I have some old marines for you to meet...

Anonymous said...

Everytime I went anywhere, my Dad told me, "Remember who you are!"

I miss him.

Anonymous said...

-My bottom is as flat as a pancake (after a long long long car ride).
-Somebody's been beating that woman/man with the ugly stick!
-I have to go press my shoelaces (do the necessary).
-Go to church every chance you get.
-You and I are going to Fist City! (my little sister always thought there was a real place called "Fiss City" and she couldn't imagine what dreadful things awaited her there).
-Get your elbows off the table. (After one warning he'd take his knife by the place and SPONK! you in the elbow with the handle. Ouch!

Gruntled said...

When not chasing Presbyterian polity puzzles, I teach the sociology of family life. I open that course with "the most important decision you will ever make is who you marry."

Go El Jefe!

opinionated said...

"Say what you mean, and mean what you say!"

Anonymous said...

"Remember who you are" was a big one in our family, too.
Whenever we were about ready to walk out the door to go someplace fun, Daddy would say, "Are you ready! Well, I guess!" I think it was from an old song.
And the ultimate expression of astonishment: "Good golly Moses!"

Whenever my husband and his sister were just lollygagging around or sitting and daydreaming (or watching too much TV), their dad would give them a (not too hard) poke in the ribs or tap on the head and say, "That's for nothin'--now go do somethin'."

Anonymous said...

"Quit your crying or I'll give you something to cry about."