Un-hobbity sayings

[dreamflower]

When writing hobbitfic, I always have to have my radar out for phrases that are second nature to me, but would be completely inappropriate in a Middle-earth context, and most especially a hobbit context. I try to keep my eyes open, but sometimes things slip through and then I have to fix them.

For example: If you were referring to someone suddenly taking off and running, you might instinctively say "they were off like a shot", but it would be wrong because there are no guns. So I substitute either "like an arrow from the bow" or "like a stone from a sling" or "like one of Gandalf's rockets". But sometimes I am stumped. So here are some common sayings that I have had to delete either mentally or literally. I'd love to hear some "hobbity equivalents" for them:

-"waiting for the other shoe to drop"
-"walk a mile in his shoes"
-"the shoe is on the other foot now"
-"don't rock the boat" (okay for a Bucklander, but not for other hobbits)
-"take the wind out of his sails"
-"up the creek/river without a paddle" (again, Bucklanders maybe)
-"on the wrong side of the tracks"
-"get to first base"
-"like a jolt of electicity" or even "electrified"
-"not the brightest bulb in the package"
-"another day, another dollar"
-"out like a light" (okay, I know there are other kinds of lights besides electric, but let's face it, electric lights are the image this conveys)
-"he had his own agenda"
-"lit up like Christmas"

There are a lot of others, but these are just the ones that have popped into my head.

Any ideas?

Comments

[wordsworthy.livejournal.com]

A few suggestions:

"waiting for the other shoe to drop" Well, if you're writing slash, what occurs to me is "waiting for the other brace to drop." Meaning, once the second suspender comes off the shoulder, down comes the trousers!
-"don't rock the boat" (okay for a Bucklander, but not for other hobbits) um, "don't pull up the seedling taters?
-"take the wind out of his sails" "take the shoes off his pony"?
-"up the creek/river without a paddle" (again, Bucklanders maybe)
-"on the wrong side of the tracks" What immediately occurs to me is "On the wrong side of the Brandywine."
-"not the brightest bulb in the package" "A peck or two shy of a wheelbarrow of taters."
-"another day, another dollar" "Another day, another pipe of Old Toby."
-"out like a light" (okay, I know there are other kinds of lights besides electric, but let's face it, electric lights are the image this conveys) That's easy. "out like a snuffed candle."
-"lit up like Christmas" Lit up like a Yule log on the hearth?

[dreamflower]

Oh, some of these are excellent! Love "a peck or two shy of a wheelbarrow of taters"! It sounds so Gafferish, LOL!