Roundup at the old "Word Wrangling Rodeo!"

Hello and welcome to the wacky world of word wrangling or should it be word mangling on this Tuesday, April 14, 2009? How in the world are you, anyway? If you have read my blog for any length of time you should be quite aware by now that my lingo is all peppered up with colloquialisms that adorn my main thoughts like coleslaw does fried catfish. Someone on Sunday who has married into our clan made the comment that she had never heard the phrase “all stoved up” until she came into our family. Her saying that made me feel so proud. Of course most of you probably know that when you are all stoved up you actually hurt more all over than almost anywhere else. Colorful phrases have always appealed to me and I enjoy hearing them even if I don’t have a clue as to what they might mean. Some who valiantly defend the proper use of the English language, (as if it’s not changing even as we speak), look down on those of us who sing out a silly phrase to help explain-ify (don’t look it up, it’s not a real word!) whatever it is we are talking about. To me it just adds to the beauty of that wonderful gift we have called communication.

Last August I saved an email sent out by my Uncle Waymon because it contained a number of these types of sayings that, sad to say, you rarely hear anymore. Therefore, today I want to try and incorporate some of these into my blog. Since I don’t have a huge amount of time to devote to this activity I’ll just have to give it a “lick and a promise.” Now if you aren’t inclined to enjoy this kind of writing please don’t end up with having “an axe to grind with me”, or even worse come looking for me because you have a “bone to pick with me.” This is all in fun, therefore, don’t let “one bad apple spoil the entire barrel.” Before you get a “bee in your bonnet” try to consider how that I might just write these things because of how I have lately really been put “through the mill.” It could be you are a little out of sorts because your milk was slightly “blinky” this morning, or this entire deal may seem to be more than a little “cattywampus” as you try to make it fit today.

Just “hold on to your horses” at least long enough to get through all of it and you might just end up with a “feather in your cap.” By the time you get through the whole “kit and caboodle” you will be glad you didn’t end up being “madder than an old wet hen.” There’s no doubt that at times I have needed to be “taken down a notch or two”, but try to have mercy on me since I am no “Spring chicken”, and not the “sharpest tack in the box.” You could easily become too “persnickety” about my words and before long you might even call me a “scalawag” or find something good to say about me as “scarce as hen’s teeth.” I’ve overstayed my welcome and it really is past time for me to “skedaddle” so I had better “get while the getting is good” and move this “wagon on down the road”. Remember the words of my grandfather when he said, “Son, I do hope it doesn’t come a hard freeze while you have that expression on your face or you are going to be in sad shape!” Have a great day and may God help us all to find something to smile about! Amen. .....…More later.