When Travis and I were first married, birds tweeted above our heads as we walked, the rain dried up and sun appeared wherever we went until about 1 month into our marriage.
One afternoon we had both returned home from campus and our classes to meet for lunch. I saw that we had dishes from breakfast in the sink and instead of doing them myself I asked, "Travis will you redd in the dishwasher?" And he said, "What?" I repeated, "Will you redd in the dishwasher?" To which he said, "Huh?" It was at this point that I couldn't understand the problem. My previously unchauvinistic husband was exhibiting some chauvinistic tendencies and I was not thrilled. So in all my maturity I said to him, "Are you retarded? Do you really think it is my job do to all the household chores? If you know anything you will put the dishes in the dishwasher." Side note: Yes I have a temper!
At which point he said, "Yes I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher, but what the heck did you say?" I repeated, "Will you redd in the dishwasher?" And then it dawned on me this phrase was a Pennsylvania Dutch colloquialism and he had no idea what I meant. I elaborated it means to prepare something for how it should be or make ready, i.e. "redd up the room", "redd in the dishwasher", "redd off the table". It was at this point that I felt like a total heal for losing my temper and being the cause of our first marital fight. And so it was with no small affection for my husband that I burst out laughing yesterday when he sent me this email...
Only in Lancaster County would anybody understand this heading in the newspaper. “Redd up”
2 comments:
That is hilarious! I have never heard that phrase before either.
I've never heard of that phrase which would stand to reason, since it sounds like a native thing. I think this story is a good one for our class - haha!!
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