Word Turner
My father called himself a ‘bodger’... a good bodger. A genius at ‘make do and mend’, creating, adapting and problem solving in his workshop. He made things work that were beyond redemption and created stuff from bitsa this and bitsa that.
True ‘bodgers’ were itinerant wood-turners. But over time, bodger has modified to ‘one who makes or repairs something badly or clumsily’. Absolutely not my dad.... a genius who improvised, making it up as he went along... literally. With no word to describe him, I had to create, shortlist, bodge... then choose.
‘Improvster’ vs ‘panafixea’?
Panafixea... I claim you!
- Category: True Stories Told As Fiction
10 comments add one below
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Neville Hunt about 4 years ago
...but I’ll claim ‘improvster’ for my back pocket as well, just in case...
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Jamie Clapperton about 4 years ago
Wonder how long it'll be before they're both in the dictionary. ;-))
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Neville Hunt about 4 years ago
I’ll do me best, Jamie!
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Jamie Clapperton about 4 years ago
:-)
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Christopher about 4 years ago
Wonderful! My dad was like that too. I was amazed at some of the things he would do in his workshop. He's slowed down quite a lot since retirement, but every now and then he pulls another great creation our of his shop.
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Christopher about 4 years ago
Out of his shop. Stupid autocorrect.
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Neville Hunt about 4 years ago
Good man. Give him my best wishes, even though I don’t know him, but I do know a panafixea when I hear about one!
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Frenchie about 4 years ago
Wonderful. I loved it (and learned a new word in the process). Thanks for writing it.
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Neville Hunt about 4 years ago
Thanks Frenchie. Now I need to get it into the OED!
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shaun almost 4 years ago
A wonderful testimony to your father. Similarly, I'm in awe of my father-in-law whose old tools I have just inherited, and continuing to use them makes my jobs even more rewarding.
