The Dino-Aspie Ex-Café (for Those 40+... or feeling creaky)

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Don't give me that PC whining crap! I live in a state where two kids holding up a banner saying "Bong hits for Jesus" went to the f'n U.S. Supreme court. Rofl. It would be funnier if the Alaska state budget didn't fund that insanity.

Dutch Uncle discussion

So the cousin who's trying to convince me to come to Holland is one who I only recently got back in touch with. We were out of contact for years because she got pissed at me because my father told her I thought she was a thief. Aspie family dynamics, sigh.

The thing is, she was a thief! She came to visit me in the states when she was 18 or so, and she would go out at around midnight and steal license plates off of cars. Apparently she was into Americana, and I guess US license plates are somehow valuable in Holland I also noticed some things missing during/after her stay with me, including a blanket I had crocheted (again, Americana) and my high school ring (see a theme here?). We went out to eat one night and she stole s**t from the table, like the butter ramekins and the crushed red pepper shaker. Just put them right into her purse.

A few years later, she was staying with my Dad, and he mentioned some things missing, including his collection of bicentennial quarters (don't ask). He was the one who said Monica was stealing things, and I told him about my experience. He then told Monica I said she was a thief, and guess who Monica got pissed at. Me, of course, and she wouldn't speak to me till recently.

So now she wants me to come visit. Of course she may have matured over the years, and I'm sure has moved past her thieving years.

I'm just telling the story because of how this seems to be a theme for me - people getting mad randomly, and family not speaking to me for years.

As happymusic points out, family is important. But family is complicated.

hhhmmm.. yes, very complicated. What a strange habit - could this be an actual case of kleptomania? She doesn't have any children that could give you some insight as to why she wants to see you? Hm. I see why you are hesitant - other than just the cost of the trip.

if you go, don't take anything you can't stand to have stolen.

Last night a witty neighbor was visiting for a few minutes, and he referred to something as being "honky-dory". I laughed and told him it was "hunky", not honky. So we speculated about the origins of the term, coincidentally enough with your post above (thank you - I love word derivations).

Hunky comes from the Dutch (more coincidence) for 'home', and dory may refer either to a tender, which is a small boat used to shuttle things etc. for a ship (and seeing as how the Dutch were a major sea-faring nation for so long and also because an unbelievable number of phrases and idioms are sailing-related, I think that's what it's referring to - or from the French for gold.

So it either came from the Dutch 'home ship tender' or Dutch/French 'home gold'.

And I always thought 'in flagrante delicto' meant 'in flagrant deliciousness'.

Merle, I can't read your avatar. What is it?

So we'll never really know. Oh well, thanks for the additional info.

But that still leaves the mystery of your current avatar.

Merle,

Thank you so much for your explanation - I love word derivations, too and especially appreciate citing references. On the thread about what you've learned new today, i should just point them to your post. Thanks!!