Old folks-isms

Have you noticed that the older generation also has different names for things? Just yesterday, my grandma called the half-and-half in the fridge "cereal cream". I had to have her show me what she was talking about. Cereal cream?? I'm a whole milk drinker, I love me some dairy, but I think even I would gag if my Captain Crunch was floating (suspended, more like) in half-and-half. Old folks say the darnest things...

"There's a n*gger in every woodpile." No joke. My great-grandmother who grew up in a small farming community and was in her 80's at the time actually said this...out loud. I distinctly remember sitting on her couch while she was talking to my dad when she, oh, so nonchalantly, let that doozie fly. I didn't realize my eyeballs were threatening to fall out of their sockets and my mouth was hanging open until my dad gave me the stink eye and elbowed me in the ribs. I do believe I coughed to cover my reaction and was offered a glass of water by my sweet old granny...

"She's going to have a cat with a crocheted tail when she hears about this." Bless her soul. Billie was my 75 year old co-worker back before I got married. She was a riot, we would take extra long lunch breaks and go shopping. She used to say this ALL THE TIME. I find myself saying it now, it's so much better than "have a cow", doncha think?

"Grandpa is taking his car out for a walk and it ain't even Sunday." LOLOLOL! That's Billie again. That woman made me carsick when she drove and she hated nothing more than getting stuck behind some "old woman" (who was probably 10 or more years younger than her). I've stolen this one too, most of the time people don't listen closely enough to really get the joke. It makes me giggle just thinking about it!

"It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick." This one is courtesy of my very own grandma. I've heard her say this MANY times over the years and, on every account, I can't argue with that logic. There's not much that wouldn't be better than that!

I find the phrases and metaphores that the older generations use HILARIOUS (most of the time). Some are down right offensive, but, really, can you get pissed at a little old lady for not keeping up with political correctness?? Instead of becoming affronted, I tend to just smile and laugh in those situations. After all, the whole thing about old dogs is a cliche for a reason. It's probably better to not make a big deal of things like "crippled parking space" or "that oriental/colored/etc person". After a certain age, you're probably not going to convince them to change. Granted, I am not a member of any of the groups that would have credence to BE offended, so, it's easy for me to shrug it off, but if there is no malice behind the statement, I say chalk it up to having grown up in a different generation and just have a private giggle about it. Someday we will be the ones who can't seem to keep the PC terms straight and I, personally, hope to be gently reminded and giggled at.

Until then,

AC 'n' Rory's Mom

Please comment with some "old folks-isms" that you've laughed at, been appalled at, or even used yourself. How do you feel about the PC issue? Do you agree/disagree and why?