In a message dated 9/12/05 4:18:34 PM, treeclimber@sympatico.ca writes: > My grandmother used to play one ... will try and describe as best I can. > Does this ring a bell with anyone? > She would touch the top of each finger, starting with the baby finger, > and say "Jolly". Between the index finger and thumb she would slip down > and say "Whoops", hit the thumb with "Jolly", slide back again to the > index with another "Whoops" and finish off back to the baby. > > I've never seen anyone else play this so it may have been her own > invention, but I was wondering if maybe it has its roots with her home. > > Katie > I am so surprised to see this on the Lancashire list! My mom used to say this when we were little (I'm the eldest sibling, so I remember!)...but she is of Swedish and German descent! My father's family came from Lancashire many generations ago (to the US) so maybe she learned it from them. She also used to say "the moon is round as round can be - 2 eyes, a nose, and a mouth has he (making a circle on baby's belly for the first part then poking gently to tickle baby's tummy for the eyes, nose, and mouth). I have been so interested to hear all about life in your part of the world; it brings my heritage alive! I have followed with great interest the exchange of "sayings"...some of them were also popular in my family ("sky blue pink" and "you make a better door than a window").My Dad always used to say he was "checking his eyelids for holes" when he would unintentionally fall asleep! Is this from Lancashire, too? Fascinating stuff! Cindy (maiden name Maymon) New Hampshire USA