Things our parents used to say

[darkazana 1,736]

"Laugh before seven, cry before eleven"

[FLY2 10,108]

"Stop mithering, "when I was grumpy.

[Commo 1,292]

Somewhat similar to #1151 - Rain before Seven, fine by Eleven.

Sometimes it was, at other times it wasn't !!

[tomlinson 879]

'Mardy' was another one I haven't heard for ages, meaning childish, petulant.

[FLY2 10,108]

If I was being selfish, she would say "you wouldn't help a lame dog over a stile".

Funny that, because now I'm older, I prefer animals to some people!

[tomlinson 879]

My sister, who still lives in Nottingham, uses one one I hadn't heard before. 'To-do-ment', meaning a fuss.

[jackson 301]

"You should never put new shoes on the table, it's bad luck!"

PS: Crazy me for doing such a thing! S'pose it's okay if they're old?

[Scriv 168]

If I ever took me time doing something, my grandmother (a native of Netherfield, lived on Chandos Street) would say I was "too slow to carry hats"; I believe it's something to do with funerals, can anyone expand it further?

[carni 10,094]

You will reap what you sow.........Meaning if you don't do your best, you can't expect to receive the best back.

[Compo 10,328]

My ex wife's family were from the Notts/Derbys border and had strong Erewash valley accents. If something was unfair they would say "Blackies wunt ay it!"

[Compo 10,328]

Time for Dhobi D was my father's way of saying bedtime.

[StephenFord 866]

Came across this in a book of my grandmother's - dated 1905, living at the time on Lily Street, off Dame Agnes Street :

"When I am dead and in my grave

And all my bones are rotten,

This little book will tell my name

When I am quite forgotten."

What a pleasant thought for an 8-year old !

[tomlinson 879]

If it was raining heavily, we'd say it was 'sileing/seiling' it down, which I was interested to find is in the dictionary as dialect. Whose I wonder?

[DAVIDW 1,683]

Online it ways that it is a South West Lincs word and maybe Yorks .

Could be from the fact that another meaning of sile was a strainer . So its raining like water out out of a stainer ?

[Commo 1,292]

Stephen, re #1162, it obviously worked!

Re #1163, that's an expression we have always used in the Family, along with "stair-rods", "cats and dogs" and "p***ing it down" !

[dgbrit 258]

On a gravestone

Where ever you be let wind go free cos it was wind that killeth me.

[dgbrit 258]

If it aint raining take your brolley if it is please yerself

[alisoncc 379]

On a gravestone

Reminds me of my favourite Kipling quote:

Now it is not good for the Christians health to harass the Asian Brown

For the Christian riles, and the Asian smiles and it weareth the Christian down

And the end of the fight is a tombstone white with the name of the recent deceased

And an epitaph drear "A fool lies here who tried to hurry the East".

With apologies to Kipling as it's quote from memory and may not be wholly correct.

But it does convey the message.

[tomlinson 879]

Full moon. Turn your money over.

[Paulus 541]

Let the wind blow free, wherever you be, in church or chapel, let it rattle....................Charles William Thorpe (me dad) , after he'd broken wind, bless him

[tomlinson 879]

And if there was fluff under the bed, 'Somebody's coming or going'.

[DAVIDW 1,683]

If someone saw my dad and asked how he was , he would reply "Fair to middlin"

[Beachbum 68]

Telling my Mum, 'I'm going out to play' then just getting to the door she'd shout 'take your sister' Nnnooooooo.

[StephenFord 866]

If someone saw my dad and asked how he was , he would reply "Fair to middlin"

May have quoted this before - a colleague when asked the same question invariably replied "Still drawing breath and salary!"

[StephenFord 866]

Another saying in our house was "on the dog-shelf " = on the floor.