I hope the kids can keep warm tonight as it is really windy outside.

The animals are cold too? Wow.. winter is coming huh..no wonder. I can only experience winter in my dreams so far.. .. Happy Goran day to you too..

Winter is really not a whole lot of fun Goran, sorry Zed. It may be in some places where the land is snowcovered but dry, but here in Greece the winters are damp or windy. This winter so far seems better than last though, torrential rain in the early morning but lovely warm sun when I was out before.

Hi Zed, good Goran day to you to and thank you for the birthday greeting, that one is over with now though as yesterday. We had the scorching hot for months here over the summer but now we are in winter mode though today looks calm and could warm up. The nights get so cold though and the winds are creepy as there are no buildings to buffer them. All around is nothing but olive trees and nothing shelters the house. When it starts to pick up things outside and hurls them around we can start imagining anything could be outside in the pitch black. I could well open the door to see if it is a baby goat outside making some of the noise only to encounter a donkey or pig.

PEACEFUL: That's probably because most of us have a lot more human kids than the hooved kind! But I have no problem using kids instead of children. It's just another term, & an affectionate one at that. How different from, say, the term "b-tch" for human females (or even cowed males in prison)! In context, it's at least easily surmised which variety is being used. I would hardly expect to read "I took my b-tch to get her vaccinations today" & be expected to confuse the animal in question with some harpy on the TV show "Dallas," for example! Similarly, I would instantly understand the term meant human female were someone to say, "The b-tch stole my husband!", or, "That b-tch is trying her best to get me fired!" I have no knowledge whatsoever of any dogs, male or female, who want to steal other women's husbands, or who are attempting a corporate takeover! No, there's room for both meanings, when used in proper context. Context, context, context! Context is supreme in these cases! I agree with you re the "old man/old lady" terms. It sounds very disrespectful, something very backward & uneducated people would use. It's still in use, here, in certain areas--generally rural, but not always. I have the same problem when the Left call citizens "the masses." That smacks of arrogant old Soviet-speak, in which the elite ruled harshly over people who were, to them, "faceless numbers not worth individuality, consideration or respect." I prefer the words "people" or "citizens." Maggiepie "SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

But Mags some people aren't citizens of their own countries you know and aren't happy about being referred to as subjects. That is the most demeaning term imaginable.

Hi Karen, I haven't heard the 'my old lady' one now for years, I think in the UK it was more often 'her indoors' which certainly signified total lack of respect. It was a nasty wind which blew last night, all seems calm this morning, and indeed all the children were tucked up nice and warm.

I was thinking that if they were wild goats you might be able to coax one into staying, just to eat your grass, but not if someone owns them. I studied New Testament Greek about 30 years ago but didn't go very far with it. I do re4member having trouble with certain words which had several meanings, depending on the context. One which caused trouble was "eis" but I've now forgotten more than I learned, apart from a few favourite quotes. You'll talk better Greek than the Greeks before long. I so admire people who can learn a second language!

Hi cloud, perhaps your friend deliberatly uses martial to convey his impressions of the marital state. We are the land of goats it appears, they come complete with shepherds and you will see the odd one contained in a fenced off area but generally there are huge herds of them walking along together. Often though I see them scrambling around on the road face on the way to town before reaching the road. I can't say a word about bad grammar as my Greek grammar can be rather atrocious, especially when it comes to the dreaded cases. Do you know there are 18 different ways of using the word 'the' dependant on the case and gender involved. I may master all 18 uses in the next 18 years.

Maybe I could just borrow a goat.They used to come down my dirt track all the time eating as they went but the neighbours complained that they were eating their garden. I think the goats should have had right of way and not the flowers. Greek is incredibly difficult and I never kid myself that I'll ever sound like a Greek person. My son sounds more Greek than the Greeks though. When children study Greek at school they tend to shout the words out which means they automatically learn where all the stresses go. He will start ancient Greek next year. It's difficult with transliteraton which I never use but 'eis' sounds like the verb ending of 'you familiar' in the present tense. I'm still trying to wing it all with 4 tenses instead of 8.

Well I'm glad to hear you don't confuse your children with small goats. I wasn't joking about the kids either, it's hideous out there tonight and they are really small and cute. With you with on all the others if I can remember what this was about, I posted then the Greek rang.

THEA: I just find it sweet & harmless, & so does everyone else I've ever heard speak of it, even children! Still, I do understand developing a personal dislike for certain words, sometimes with no logic behind them at all! When I was small, for example, I used to cringe when anyone used the word "lips" rather than "mouth." It made me feel embarrassed. I think I associated it with mushy romance movies, of which my mom & aunts were overfond (in my opinion), & so they embarrassed me! Even if those were my reasons, it still had no validity, though. But opinions such as those are personal, & may change. That said, I do have legitimate linguistic objections to certain words & phrases, thus I defend the use of the term "kid" for "child," as it has a legitimate linguistic reason for the secondary use. But of course, you don't have to use it just because millions of people are going to use it anyway! I mean, if I have to endure "my bad," I guess it's only fair someone else has to grin & bear it when we say "kids! Cheers! Maggiepie "SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

ALICE: "Sprogs?" Where is that used? It's a new one to me. Is it a made-up word, or is it based on something else, as "kid" is when referring to a human child? Sounds like "frogs on springs," to me, which certainly does bring to mind some very active children I've known! By the way, the other day I heard a young adult (maybe early twenties) referred to as "Kid," as an affectionate term. It was in the original film, "Lost Horizons." That film was made in, what, the 1930s? Ooold black & white job--one of my favorites. I don't know in what country (nor do I know what year--or even century!) the term came into use, but it's ubiquitous, now. There's no confusion at all when one uses the term IN CONTEXT--nor could there be. I knew instantly to which creature Thea was referring as soon as I saw the barn reference. One could, of course, bend the context in order to deliberately set up confusion, but that's not a proper way to defend a term. If I had to find a term to describe that tactic, I'd turn to Logic's vocabulary: "using a straw dog." That is, setting up a debate using something easily defeated, in order to "prove" one's point of view. In fact, the opposite is achieved; the point is undermined, proving only the weakness of the person's stance. And I just know Thea's far too smart to invoke such a bald-faced fallacy. Right Thea? Also, I pray all kids--both kinds--are warm! Maggiepie "SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Hi Mags, well we'll have to disagree on this one I'm afraid. I think it is lazy and derogatory use of language. Children are more than capable of frolicking and playing without being compared to young goats. Interestingly in Greek we have no short form word for children, they remain just that, though the term is often extended to a group of adults too. In a land which probably has more kids than children I'm very glad that the two don't get confused, but I really haven't come across such mass use of kids for children before mylotting. It also appears to be used equally amongst Americans, English and Indians who post here. I think it sets a bad example.

If it's an old system, it's probably rust or a piece of sediment! You'll need to flush it out! Shut the system down and disconnect both ends of the radiator and back flush it,( go to where the water exits and blow from that direction to dislodge what ever the bolckage is) the easiest way is to blow it out is with compressed air. In the states you can rent something for that. But in the 3rd world I wouldn't have a clue what you'd use? Find a decent handy person ( also known as a handy man) and he or She (LOL) should do it cheap! tdemex

Ah TD , good of you to pop along, I have a question you may be able to solve with your expertise. I filled up with petrelo last week and finally turned the central heating on, all working fine except for the double sized radiator upstairs. I bled all the air out of it but it still remains stone cold. Any ideas?

Thanks td, and we're not the third world, we're in Europe. But not something I should be tackling myself then.

You know heshoots, the idea is to read more than just the title when responding to a discussion, you really seem to have missed the point here. Presumably you're posting to earn as there is no other point to your reply here and short irrelevant posts like that will not add anything to your earnings - Mylot pays for quality not quick half liners. You should really read the guidelines.

Hi Gerty, indeed I was getting your goat, just a little quick frippery, but I did think about the kids outside last night as the wind was at howling stage. I just hope that my olives survived and weren't all blown off as they are meant to be doing done this week.

OMG! Do you really think I did NOT know that!!!! I responded in kind using the word "kid" in it's correct connotation!

Hi whiteheather, I hope the shepherds tend well to the kids and goats when it is as foul as it was last night, but the post was actually about language.

Hi Hatley, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with the annoyance over that misuse. Of course over here children would never be referred to as goats, but they do often get confused as lamb chops, as the slightest pronounciaton in the word for lamb chops results in many an idiot requesting grilled children in the taverna. Yes, indeed is another of mine, and I spent hours correcting my own son every time he came out with that one wih the 'it's yes not yeah'. We don't have barns for the animals out here Hatley, and some of the little kids are really sweet, I think we will think about getting one if it can feed itself from the weeds but there again I might be expected to milk it or something.

Sorry--it was "idiots," Not "morons." Didn't have your post handy, couldn't remember. Maggiepie "Be stewards of the Earth."

Mags you really should have put all that about pets into Stvasiles box as he is the one who has thought all that out. You really should get though that most of my posts except some are not entirely serious, for instance with the body saga discussions I wasn't actually advocating that we all go out serial killing but all have some fun. If people keep pets it does not bother me unless they fail to keep their vicious dogs on a lead as they usually try to bite me. I do think the expat way with cats is wrong as it stops them fending for themselves and after spending the day in the bins they might then decide to mosey over and sit on my washing. I have told some here today gone for a month types they shouldn't feed and pet them whilst they are here and then abandon them as a cat isn't just for the holidays. They also tame them until they come home about to drop a litter of kittens. And Mags please, read back over some of your own posts before the think that my use of the word 'idiots' sounds harsh.

Hi cream, this was actually about language not pets. It's me not liking the term 'kids' as applied to children when it should be used correctly as young goats, of which we have have many locally. No one is actually abusing the kids here as the shepherds do look after them well and they aren't accostomomed to being cossetted as pets but quite a few have now brought up the pet issue so you're not alone.

I have heard the word kids all my life referring to children. I HEARD THAT A LONG TIME BEFORE I KNEW GOATS WERE CALLED THAT. Be nice or santa want come to see you, lol.

Hi Aunty, I haven't seen you for days. I trust that Ryan is now fit and hearty again as you said he was going back to pre school. We've actually masses of goats and kids here, and there is no shortened way of saying children, so I don't tend to come across kids as a word for children, except on here. Of course you've twigged I'd like things done my way.

Hi Paula, glad to hear I'm not alone in the dislike of certain words. The wrong use of spelling can sometimes be a typo but more often it is used over and over. I've notice here that most of the English second language learners are much better at using words such as 'their' and 'there' in the correct context than actual English speakers are. In Greek we have no abbreviation for the word children but instead tag 'laki' onto the end of names sometimes to indicate smaller. That is a term of affection though.