Sunday in Cape Town

When I opened my eyes this morning and thought about the day ahead, my first words were Thank you, thank you for my eyes that opened and my brain that is still functioning.  Then my ears, just listening to the sounds of nature coming through my window.  The birds were already up and vying for a position in the bird bath.  Thinking about the greater picture, as I opened up all my windows, the gorgeous Cape Town day hit me full on, after being grateful for all of the above I then too realised I was awake on a gorgeous day and in Africa.  

So, to all of you out there, enjoying waking up wherever you are, enjoy the Sunday, whatever you choose to do.  I for one am looking forward to my day.  Going off to play some bowls, with great company and hopefully a good attitude.  Going to share some fun with fellow bowlers and make sure this Sunday is memorable.

PS, did I mention that there are only 93 days to go?????  

YEUK

YEUK (vb./n.)

Yeuk is not a made-up word.

It is neither a reference to the odd person who gingerly fingers those long green English cucumbers in the produce section of the supermarket, nor is it the act of surreptitiously placing a distasteful, tough, half-masticated morsel of meat beneath a mound of limp spinach or flaccid broccoli that one wishes to leave on one's plate.

On the contrary, yeuk is a 15th century Middle English word used by the Scots meaning "to itch". When not used as a verb, it is may be used to identify a particular sensation, i.e. the irritation of nerve endings in skin or mucous membrane that provokes the desire to scratch oneself silly if alone or look for a speedy exit if one is in mixed company. It's also a popular name for the parasitic disorder "scabies".

For those with a yen for yakking about yeuks, perhaps it's best to consult an authority on itching and scratching.

TITTYNOPE

             

TITTYNOPE (n.)

Now this rather odd, long-lost word might raise a few eyebrows if mentioned in the presence of mixed company, but you might be a little surprised to learn just exactly what it means.

Tittynope refers to a small quantity of anything left over be it a measly morsel of gristle remaining on a dinner plate, or the dregs of draft beer left nestled behind in the bottom of a tankard at a tailgate party.

While we're on the subject of weird words that begin with the letter "T", we might as well add a few more little lovelies:

Tittup (vb.)...no it's not a descriptive metaphor for a buxum babe but rather something a well-proportioned wench might do such as prance about in an exaggerated manner more akin to "horsing around"...if you catch my drift.

Of course if the individual is tittupped enough, the poor soul may also be twitterpated (adj.) i.e. confused by affection or infatuation which might suggest that someone in such a state is more likely to leave a tittynope behind, especially if he's intrigued by the delightful dish sitting across from his table

Happy Friday everybody....

This week has just flown by and my 'to-do' list just did not seem to decrease this week.  Today, looking at the calendar I see  there are only 95 days left until we board our Emirates flight to Dubai en-route to Thailand.  However,  there is loads of work for me to do during this countdown, contracts going well and now my studying is taking up any spare second I have.  Housework seems to have to take a back seat right now, as time really does fly when I keep myself busy.  The upside is that I am really enjoying getting back into my studies.  It has been a while but as I find it exciting and very interesting it has really not been that bad.  

So on this really gorgeous day in Cape Town, I wish you a very happy Friday and I leave you with these words from Nelson Mandela:

“It Always Seems Impossible Until it’s All Done.” – Nelson Mandela

GALIMAUFREY

GALIMAUFREY (n.)

Now you might be inclined to think that a galimaufrey is just another term for a "gilly gaupus" (a tall, awkward fellow), a "grunter's gigg" (a hog's snout), or an individual who owns far too many "gingamabobs" (toys or baubles) for his/her own good but that won't win you either first prize or a booby prize for that matter.

You would be closer to the mark if you said it was an 18th century term meaning a large helping of hodgepodge consisting of leftovers, remnants, or simply scraps from the larder.

CRUCIVERBALISM

 "CRUCIVERBALISM"

CRUCIVERBALISM (n.)

One might suppose that cruciverablism refers to the ability to murder the King's English with great ease or perhaps the skillful art of using one's razor-sharp tongue to gore a grumbling grammarian.

These attempts though they may be close to the mark...but experts would say, "they've all missed by a country mile!"

The meaning of "cruciverbalism" is the art of crossword compilation or being a fan of crossword puzzles.

Today's word : Doula

What Is a Doula?

The word ‘doula’ (pronounced ‘doo-la’) is a Greek word meaning ‘woman servant or caregiver’. More recently, it refers to someone who offers emotional and physical support to a woman and her partner before, during and after childbirth. A doula (also known as a birth attendant) believes in ‘mothering the mother’, enabling a woman to have the most satisfying experience that she can, from pregnancy and into motherhood. This type of support allows the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience too.