Familiar Phrases
When I've had too much to eat or have had "an elegant sufficiency" as my mother used to like me to say, I say instead: "I'm up to Dolly's wax". This is a phrase borrowed from my maternal grandfather. It refers to the junction between the dolly's neck and the rest of her body - where the wax began and ended so to speak. I think the heads were made of wax and the bodies made of china or some such. Someone correct me or agree with me for goodness sake. I'm a bit of a bower-bird, truth be known, when it comes to language and turns of phrase. After I've worked with someone for a while I tend to adopt their mannerisms or parts of speech, if they take my fancy. A boss I worked with many years ago at the ABC had some great turns of phrase - they were Cockney in origin I think - "Shall we hit the frog and toad?" he used to say to me cheerfully. For those unfamiliar with this lingo, it means, sha...