Funny expressions from your family or childhood

[JayneWonders]

I have been remembering some of the words that my parents used to describe things, or when events occurred.

Here are a few, curious if you have some of the same or others.


When we were turning around in someone's driveway: "Don't put the kettle on"

My Dad would refer to a brassiere as "over the shoulder boulder holder"

My Mom would tell us to "side ______" when she wanted us to put something away.

 

[Waterfall]

We used to play a game while we were travelling in the car for long rides called padiddle. Every time one of us would spot a car with one headlight, we'd have to shout padiddle. Whoever spotted the most won.
I used to think it was a game that my family made up but apparently padiddle is an actual game and means a car with one headlight.
When my Mom used to hear us kids fighting about something, we would hear" by the holy gods of war, don't make me come up there". Lol.

 

[JayneWonders]

love that. never heard of the first, and have vague recollection of something similair being said.

 

[paradox3]

Hunger is good sauce. (Wisdom from my Irish grandmother.)

Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[JayneWonders]

I know the 2nd, but not the first.

 

[JayneWonders]

mom: "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about"

back when spanking was in the parenting instruction set, along with the wooden spoon (or in my mom's case, the wooden paddle board)

 

[ninj]

The Irish had a great turn of a phrase didn't they?. My maternal Grandmother was an O'Brien. My mother repeated her sayings all the time.
Me entering the kitchen while she's busy....
Mum: "What do you want?".
Me: "Nothing"
Mum: "Well take it and go.".

Or
Me: I wish....
Mum (interrupting): "Well wish in one hand and pee in the other and see which one you fill first."

"You're known by the company you keep" (A biggie)

Not mine, but one from a co-worker's Dad
"If shoes were clues, you'd be barefoot!"

 

[Jaebius]

We used to play a game while we were travelling in the car for long rides called padiddle. Every time one of us would spot a car with one headlight, we'd have to shout padiddle. Whoever spotted the most won.
I used to think it was a game that my family made up but apparently padiddle is an actual game and means a car with one headlight.
When my Mom used to hear us kids fighting about something, we would hear" by the holy gods of war, don't make me come up there". Lol.

Our car game somewhat like that was Punchbuggy whenever one of us saw a VW Beetle We had to be quick though, because there were five of us kids playing. And when we said "Punchbuggy Blue!" or whatever color it was, we had to punch another player in the arm or else it didn't count

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

My mother called Nutella “snail’s slime”.

 

[paradox3]

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

And "she is the cat's mother". In my house, it was extremely rude to refer to a woman as "she" if her name hadn't just been uttered. Say in the previous sentence.

 

[JayneWonders]

In my house too @paradox3

Are you sure we didn't have the same parents?

I think mine said, who's she? The cats mother?

 

[Jaebius]

When my father disapproved of our behavior he'd say, "You're not too old yet for me to turn you over my checkered apron."

Not sure where he got that one from. He never owned such an item

 

[BetteTheRed]

Not on your nelly. (A long form of "no"; do not know what a nelly is.)

Hard as the hobs of hell. (Obviously, a generational mishearing of "hot as the hobs of hell"; but she used it to refer to overhard butter.)

 

[KayTheCurler]

In my family the expression was "She is the cat's grandmother". Same difference almost.

 

[JayneWonders]

Not on your Nelly was in my mom's expressions too, @BetteTheRed . Her family was from yorkshire. I think i have heard it on coronation street too

 

[paradox3]

The road to hell is built with good intentions.

Rome wasn't built in a day

 

[JayneWonders]

If someone told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?

Were you born in a barn?

 

[KayTheCurler]

Not on your Nelly was in my mom's expressions too, @BetteTheRed . Her family was from yorkshire. I think i have heard it on coronation street too

That was commonly used in my home too. Along with Eeeeh by gum!

 

[JayneWonders]

My mother would say someone was a bit thick.

 

[paradox3]

When someone in the family was recovering from an illness, surgery, etc. my mom would declare when they were doing better.

This was called being "on the mend".