Conjugating Hoover

One of the household items we left behind was our vacuum cleaner. We had absolutely not one more millimeter left in the moving van of treasures we shared with family and friends, and it seemed ridiculous to bring an appliance with the "wrong" voltage and plug over the pond. Not to mention expensive. We knew we could replace it in England. In looking for a new vacuum cleaner, I discovered an interesting factoid. In England, Hoover is not just the brand of a vacuum cleaner. It is how folks describe ALL vacuum cleaners. Not only that, when engaging in the stimulating activity we call vacuuming, it is referred to as hoovering. To hoover is to use a machine to suck up the little bits that muck up ones carpet. Our real estate agent was keen to show us our carpets had been recently hoovered. Who knew?

Luckily I was familiar with the brand of Hoover, and understanding what folks were saying was not a stretch. My synapses were given much more of a workout over several mentions of  courgettes. Gordon Ramsay seemed to know exactly what they were, so I knew they had to do something with cooking. Courgette sounds like a delicious dessert...perhaps a gooey french delicacy. Nope. A courgette is a squash. Specifically a zucchini squash. So much for luscious indulgence. I figure  the naming was the result of a evil plan hatched by Mums to get their kids to eat green things. 

Thankfully my family was secure enough financially to allow for such luxuries as a deluxe box of Crayola Crayons. Not just the basic 8 crayon starter set, but the one with burnt sienna, thistle, salmon and aubergine. I, being quite astute even then,  deduced quite quickly that aubergine was the same exact deep plummy purple with dark green undertones as an eggplant. Gorgeous color, disgusting food product. But I digress. Anyhoo, the English prefer to refer to said disgusting food item by its color. Aubergine does sound immensely more appetizing than eggplant. It has not gone unnoticed that many of the recipes actually state "and you cannot even taste the eggplant/aubergine".

I am slowly learning to adapt to this wild new world and language. I have learned that nappies are not brief siestas, and that I should never leave home without my brolly.  There are no ATM's here, but cashpoints are plentiful. Bubble and Squeak is a pan of leftovers fried on the hob or stove top, and I should never comment on a tourist's fanny pack. Look that one up. A valance is not a curtain at all, and is exactly what I needed as a dust ruffle for my new divan..which incidentally is not a seat, but my bed. Whew. My brain is tired......