I've been thinking...

When I say those words out loud in this house everyone goes very quiet. They are poised, ready for flight and my thoughts are not usually that awful. Anyway, I was thinking about our day out yesterday and how much we laughed together and that set me thinking about those family sayings and "in" jokes that develop during a lifetime.

guided tour

My daughter was a bit naughty with her language on a couple of occasions and with a seven year old in the car, well. I asked Miss Em if she thought that Mummy was being very rude and she said yes so I was reassured that certain words would not appear in conversation. I then remembered that when my daughter was about six she had been in the back of the car when we were driving along narrow lanes and met a car coming the other way "Jeemus Price!" she said "That was close!" I reminded her of it and she has said she will try to use that instead.

Food! I saw you eating! Feeeed me!

This set me on the train of thought about all those moments when family sayings are created. One of the things we have is a kind of code for when we are in the company of strangers. If we see something that is really awful or ugly.... for example yesterday at Newark Park, in the dining room there is a metal............. I suppose it is a sculpture really.... thing that looks like lilies and teasels in a big vase all made out of gilded metal. It is huge and dominating and I quite liked it - I wouldn't want to live with it but I liked it. My daughter looked at it, looked at me and said "It's magical". That is our code for "good grief that's hideous!" but it caused the lady next to us to say "Oh yes, it is magical isn't it?" We smiled.
There are many more things we say and I will try to write them down as we say them so that I can collect them.