I don't know how you feel about cowboys, but yesterday I was reading Hillary's Thanksgiving post and now I really want some cowboy boots and also I'm really worried about lice.But that's my own fault. It has nothing to do with her. But just thinking about it makes me itch.
So listen, she's Canadian, and they've already had Thanksgiving and hers looked delicious. (Also, she's considering celebrating the American holiday to have another dinner. I think we should encourage her.)
Anyway, one of the things she made she called cowboy potatoes. She thought that sounded better than the actual name, which was Jamie Oliver's Painted Hills Potatoes.
Which, really. Who is going to say, "Could you please pass Jamie Oliver's Painted Hills Potatoes?"
Nobody.
But moving along.
I immediately thought, "Hell, cowboy anything just sounds better!" Which of course I said.
And then as soon as I typed that I went through a list in my head. . .Cowboy coffee - strong and dark! Cowboy steak - manly and dangerous! - you can totally picture a muscular guy who looks hot in his jeans roping and killing a wild cow right there on the range and then broiling it on an open fire that he's started with a flint and a stick.
Even though in reality they probably buy their steak at Safeway. And start fires with lighters.
But back to the cowboy compound words.
Cowboy beans - hearty. But does it have to be food? No, because listen, cowboy boots are awesome. So. Cowboy blanket - rough and practical. Cowboy stapler? No. Staplers are for office sissies. Cowboy...lice?
And I got stuck on cowboy lice. Definitely does not sound better. Sounds much, much worse.
I've never come face to face with a louse, but a regular suburban one would be bad enough. Can you imagine the vigor of cowboy lice?
Not to mention their swagger. They'd probably get all drunk on brown liquor and be all belligerent and totally resist any attempt at nit picking.
And do you think that's where the expression comes from? It just occurred to me.
I'm serious. Now I'm completely itchy twitchy.
Thanks, Hillary.
Lisa - ah the tangled webs of our minds. I always go back to cliches and try to figure out where they came from. But I had never thought about the licey cowboys before.
ReplyDeleteGood one ;-)
I'd like some of them there cowboy cookies, please. A-yup.
ReplyDeleteI'm serious. Cowboy cookies was the name my mother called chocolate chip cookies with chopped walnuts baked in. Yum.
Yessirreebob! I am pro-cowboy!
This post is fabulous. I immediately started singing Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys in my head as soon as I saw the title.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm sorry you're itchy twitchy, hunny bunny!
Do them there cowboy lice carry sixshooters for their six arms?
ReplyDeleteLisa, don't take this the wrong way but when I read the title, I knew the tag would be "there's something wrong with us".
ReplyDeleteLove the post, it made me smile a big Texas smile. Cowboy cobbler would be at the top of my list.
Oh Go Betty that made me laugh!! Hey I married a cowboy! He didn't ever have lice...well, none that were ever too formidable...unless you count his mama and a few of his sisters.
ReplyDeletehahaha!
ReplyDeleteyou make me laugh.
Yes that IS where the expression comes from, how very monkey. And, something faaaaar worse than lice, scabies. I speak from personal experience (yes, ewwwwww.)
ReplyDeleteAs a woman who lives with an Asian-Hick (yep, Japanese American Cowboy, complete with plate sized belt buckle, hat, jeans and boots!) I find that the whole cowboy culture really is something both amusing and enlightening to be around. We go to the Rodeo, we got to Westernaires (trick ponies and whips oh-my!) and we do the two-step. It's fun and yes ... he does look damn fine in those jeans. Rawr.
ReplyDeleteThe lice issue, it made me laugh. I'll have to tell that one to my husband. :)
When we were on vacation in Mexico a couple of years ago, we met a self-described "cowboy." He wore a cowboy hat, he was from Texas and his name was "Big Tex." He seemed cool enough. Until he dropped the n-bomb in conversation. Needless to say, we stopped hanging out after that. So cowboys remind me of racists.
ReplyDeleteLike "Do you want some of these racist potatoes?" Or "Can I borrow your racist stapler?" I don't quite like the ring of that.
Yes, that's where the expression comes from. And no, you do not want to find out what it's like. There's a reason "nit-picky" means what it means... Let us never speak of it.
ReplyDeleteNow here you are mentioning cowboy boots when I've been thinking about buying some. Still (from like 2 months ago). I think it's a sign, don't you? Time to go online and get out the credit card? :)