31. UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE
(in a difficult situation, with no means to remedy it; from early British=
navy in Napoleonic wars)
32. SHE HAS TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE
(she has spread her efforts too thin, not focused on main co=
ncern; from cooking on the open hearth and later on branding time on the ra=
nch)
3=
3. THAT JUST TAKES THE CAKE
(something very surprising, foolish, remarka=
ble, annoying, et al; from early American “CAKE WALK” where peo=
ple paraded in fancy clothes and awarded a cake as prize for doing somethin=
g easy)
34. MAKE MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL (instead of MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN =
SHINES)
(exaggeration or overstatement of a =
small matter instead of using all opportunities to do the task)
35. IF THE GOOD L=
ORD’S WILLING AND THE CREEK DON’T RISE
(depend on God’s providence but watch for impediments – =
like a tribal uprising on the Georgia frontier, not a flashflood)
36. STRIKE WHIL=
E THE IRON IS HOT
(do it now, seize the oppo=
rtunity, from forging horseshoes or metal implements before the metal you a=
re hammering cools)
37. HEAVENS TO BETSY
(no one=
knows who Betsy is, but this mild non-cursing exclamation was a phrase of =
magazine character in 1850’s)
&nb=
sp;
38. HE BLOWS HOT AND COLD
(changeable or fickle with the circumstances, and can’t b=
e depended on)
39. I’M AS PLEASED AS PUNCH
(=
very happy or self-satisfied, from the vanity of the “Mr. Punchinello=
” puppet character in children’s Punch and Judy shows)
40. SALTED AW=
AY
(invested, hidden, and protected from dec=
ay or harm)
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
"Jesus Kno=
ws Me, This I Love!"
om