No i dont want salmon...

iv heard that to joan lol,
if i dont want something i normally say something like "not on your nelly"
another old one lol

not heard that one for a long time Sandra..lol

There's a fuchsia called preston Preston Guild. I never knew why they called it that.

We used a saying when I was growing up - "It's getting dimpsy." Wen I left home and started using it, no-one knew what it meant. Apparently it's a local Devon saying - use you it for twilight, ie. the daylight is fading

I love origins of sayings - cool stuff Joanella - how about "a different kettle of fish" or what's that got to do with the price of fish - ;))))

Aha Hywel now you know..lol
I like that one Andrew..never heard it though..:o)
Paul i keep thinking i will find out the origins of some..looked at one the other day..silk purse out of a sows ear..they used to make little purses out of the skin & gristle from the pigs ear..agh..lol

On a day with patchy cloud my old Nan, who hailed from Norfolk, used to say: "Is there enough blue to make a sailor a pair of trousers?" ... why???? ... lol!

lol Shirley..that is funny & why a sailor..lol

My Granddad used to say this too, only it was "....to make a Dutchman a pair of trousers."
There's something else, too. Has anyone ever come across the name for the bits of inedible yellowish tendon you find in lamb stew? My Mother and Grandmother always referred to them as "paddywack", but my OH and Daughter say I'm making it up.

No idea, Joan, but you just know somebody on here will give the reason for such an odd saying! ... :o)

that one went round a bit then Gattina..lol
maybe someone will know Shirley..:o)

"Like looking for a needle in a haystack " means , looking for something imposable :)

I remember my mum and grandma,saying about'Preston Guild ',Joanella,and also 'enough blue in the sky',Shirley..(dutchman here too)..I am racking my brains now..and I do know lots,but can't think ! oh,here's one.."once in a blue moon "..how did that originate ?

I love these sayings. Remind me of my nana. She would shout when we were stood around doing 'nothing' that we were 'Stood there like Piffy on a Rock Bun' Anyone else heard this :o)))))) Apparently 'Piffy' was a fictional character from Manchester (where I was born and most of my family live) Goodness knows why a Rock Bun ??

I love that,N3..:o) but no idea either ! Lol.

Sue..you could never find one ..lol
Bloomer i did know the meaning behind the blue moon...but i have forgotten it..may look it up..
N3..that made me laugh..i have used "stood there like Piffy" myself..did not know it was a person though & not heard the Rock Bun bit & i am from Manchester..

Blue moon - I think I heard an explanation for that one.
A lunar month is 28 days and a calendar month is 30 or 31 days (except February of course). So usually there is just one full moon in a month. But occasionally there are two full moons in a calendar month and the second one is a blue moon. But why blue, not red or green I don't know.

It is funny Bloomer. Even funnier when you say 'you look like Piffy' and forget not every one knows what on earth you are talking about. THEN you have to explain :o)))))
Joanella it is the shortened version I catch myself saying, hence the explanation. :o// (o:

I love the word "Piffy".N3..have heard the expression,"Dick and Liddy ",around here,whoever they were ! :o)

Thanks for that Andrew..I love it,when someone knows the origin..'Blue 'seems to have a better ring to it I think ...Elvis thought so didn't he ? " Blue Moon,Blue Christmas,Blue suede shoes ! ..think he liked that colour..:o)

Gattina, my ex was a trainee butcher and he also referred to inedible bits of tendon as paddywack, so it could have originated amongst butchers - maybe in Smithfield Market where a lot of strange sayings come from?

My OK's aunt lived in Lancs,and always called the crackling on pork.'wizzwack'! maybe it was just her ,as never heard of it before I met her..
I can see the logic in that,Nariz..'Knick Knack,Paddywack,give a dog a bone '...:o)

Not heard of that either, if i dont wont something or dont know something i usually say pass.

Could be, Bloomer! Could be! ;o)

Oh, Nariz, I am SO pleased to hear that - we've had some really heated family arguments about "Paddywack". I KNEW I wasn't imagining it. Hooray!

Wizzwack, Dick & Liddy,lol..thank you folks for all your comments..:o)

There's a book I have called "red herrings and white elephants" that has a whole load of sayings and where they originate - very interesting book

may have to put that on my list now ..thanks Paul..:o)

:O)

when I was much younger, I heard someone say that something "was as much use as a three-speed walking stick"

I'd never heard that use of "paddywhack", i've only heard it in the song "this old man" - "nick knack paddywhack, give the done a bone" - wonder if that's why the dog got a bone, the paddywhack was inedible even for doggie?

lol Fran...not heard the walking stick one myself..:o)

Nor have I. How about "She needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." or "As much use as a chocolate teapot." I've heard both of those quite a lot. Any others?

There's "like trying to knit fog" for an impossible task

Oooh, Haven't heard THAT one, Andrew! I can't even knit wool that well.........

The title of the book "A clockwork orange" was said to come from an expression, "as useful as ..."

how about "lazy wind"? that's when it's very cold and windy - the wind is too lazy to go round you, it goes straight though you.

We always referred to an easterly wind as a lazy wind when I was a lad for that very reason

It makes me feel nithered just to think of it...........

North wind doth blow weather made us feel "nesh" when I was growing up ...

"Nithered" is from the NE, I think. Is "Nesh" the North West, Terry? I have heard both terms and get muddled!

Yes we used to say nesh in Crewe ..

I havent heard of a lazy wind or nithered so 2 new ones there for me..do use nesh now & again though I think it must be NW Gattina..:o)

did you see Billy Connolly on Parkinson, years ago? He reduced the other guests, as well as the audience, to tears of laughter when he said that, during a performance, he felt "as welcome as a f*rt in a space-suit"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DcDzJmW6Qg

I always remember the word 'nesh' from being a child..most of our generation still use it in Yorkshire ,but I don't know if originated here...

yes Fran I remember that one..back in the day when i liked him for being a good comedian..unlike he is today still making money out of the same old jokes..
we still use it in Manchester a lot Bloomer..maybe i should google it & try & find out..

Good thinking Joanella..hope you can,it would be interesting to see if you can find anything about it ..:o)

Well just looked..used in the North & Midlands.."you nesh git you dont need a coat " Also....Someone who is always cold even when it isnt (sort of a Yorkshire thing )...sounds a bit like me this..lol

Lol.Joanella..and this Yorkshire lass is one of those..! even in summer,I almost always have a cardigan with me..just in case ! ..:o)

lol Sandra, bet you dont have flannelette sheets in Summer..like someone i know..lol

Strangely enough,Joanella ..we don't use them flannelette sheets at all..although I still have some ..'just in case'! :o)..and believe it or not,we only ever have a 4.5 tog duvet too !
I don't like a warm bed,or bedroom....I am trying my best to choose the right way of saying that..so don't jump to conclusions..Lol.

lol Bloomer, I've never used the radiator in my bedroom as anything other than a shelf, and my window's always open, even if only a tiny crack when there's snow about. I used to have two duvets for winter: one under, with the sides pulled up, one over, and me in the middle like a pie filling - I hate those mysterious draughts that come from you don't know where byt are very aware of where they're going!

since moving here i've only used one duvet and that only rarely; a single blanket does me, even with no heating and window open.

I won't have flannelette sheets - I love the feel of sliding between crisp coton sheets, especially if they've been ironed. luxury!

Sandra, i typed my comment back to you & deleted it...dont want you falling out with me..lol.
i cant stand being cold at night, have radiator on low..sheet,duvet & a light throw over..over me..i know it sounds a lot but its comfy for me..
Fran i have windows open all day,up to going to bed then they are closed...except in the middle of a hot summer of course..lol at your pie filling..

I close the lounge windows in the evenign, when I close the curtains, but open both night, to let the room air overnight - really hate going in to a room first thing in the morning (which for me can be near noon sometimes!) and it's gloomy because the curtains are closed and the air is stale wth yesterday's cigarette smoke.

I'm not fond of being cold in bed: I have three full-size water bottles and two half-size ones; I place them down the bed at strategic points to warm the length of it - hate cold feet! prob is I often forget and by the time I get to bed, they're barely warm, sigh. but a warm bottle against my back, one at my feet, and another nestled against me in front - mmmmmm

Lol..water bottle pie bed for you then..lol..dont think i am that bad now hearing you have 5 hot water bottles..nothing worse than a lukewarm one..lol.

I like a warm bed and a cold bedroom, but this winter has just been too much, and we've had the electric radiator on overnight, and the windows closed. It must be the first time ever. We have several thin duvet layers rather than 1 big thick one, so when I get my old woman temperature fluctuations through the night I can add or subtract layers accordingly. OH sleeps through anything.

lol Gattina, big difference between being a bit chilly and freezing!! I get those temp fluctuations, too, and have to change from thin blanket to sheet to duvet and round and round again. once I'm asleep, it's fine, but getting to sleep ...

I don't use all five, Joanella, three at most - and sometimes a small one under my pillow, so I can turn the pillow over when I get in and that side of my face is lovely and warm. Provided that I go to bed in time for them to do me any good, that is.

Lol,you lot..I have smiled looking at your bedroom 'habits' ..you all fit the 'nesh' criteria .!:o)...and Joanella..you should have left your first comment on..I am not easily offended..but I think I can hazard a guess ..:o)..I know what you mean about the temperature fluctuations though..a lot of arm flinging out of the covers..and then back under the covers...'oh,oh,the okey cokey' comes to mind..! I might just burst into song next time..and can just imagine the reply from OH.!! ha ha..

as long as my feet and back are warm, I can put up with a lot: I have a bolster pillow that I lean against, and before that, I'd half-roll forward to get extra blanket behind me, then roll back so I had a solid wedge at my back; amazing how comforting that is - *s* maybe close to the cave-dwellers, must have something "protecting" my back - and that cuts out the annoying draught down the back of my neck, as I have covers up to my chin, whether it's a duvet or just a sheet over me

Lol Sandra,you got to use " nesh " then..think i will try singing that tonight as my feet go in...out ..in ...out..of the sheets...my OH would be calling for the men in white coats..lol
Fran..know what you mean about having something next to your back..I have to have the sheet & duvet tucked right under the mattress at one side & my back rests on that side...:o)