household phrases

[42itous]

Do you have a word or phrase that your family or friends understand but a stranger wouldn't?

I came across this quotation: "I had a friend who used to say 'I’m on the rollerskates' to mean her period, as a reference to those daft Tampax ads where the actress skated around in white jeans."

In my family, we refer to the "as-you," which is the place you put things when they're on their way somewhere but you're not going to bother bringing them there now. I.e. Dad puts newspaper clippings at the bottom of the stairs, and the next time someone goes up, they bring the newspaper clippings up to his desk. Or we put mail in the as-you by the front door.

majordomo and I were given a Santoku knife for our wedding. We got married at the height of the Sudoku puzzle craze. We call it the Sudoku knife.

I use "triffid" in place of "trivet." I actually have trouble saying the proper word. Luckily, it's easy for people not of my immediate family to tell what I mean from context.

Comments

[miraclaire.livejournal.com]

"Nobody's looking" _____ (fill in activity, normally a game of some sort) developed with the Spoffords when Sarah, Andrew, and I were young. There is no such thing as nobody's looking pick-up sticks. Often used for monopoly, bocce, sorry, and other games.

"Maple Slurp" (for Maple Syrup). This originated one year (from Sarah I think) while on vacation with Spoffords at the beach in Rhode Island.

"Bayoot" (Bathing Suit). Same origin as Maple Slurp.

"Arumbeetum" I think Anne and my mom are the only ones who regularly still use this. From when Sarah and I couldn't say Arboretum properly.

"I'll/you do/did it all by my/your elf". Also mostly still used by my mom and Anne... a favorite phrase of mine from childhood when I wanted to/did something independently ("I'll do it by my self"). James particularly likes it because now I can do things *with* my elf :)

That's all I can think of for now.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

How does "nobody's looking" change the rules of the game? I'd guess it means everyone has permission to cheat a little in the interests of keeping the game fun?

That reminds me of Calvinball. :)

[miraclaire.livejournal.com]

It originated I think because we were really little and couldn't deal with all the rules a game encompassed, so some of them were bent. It basically means that people are being lax about rule following for the purpose of a more fun, less competitive game.