Ping Tweed "Eating for England"

On Thu, 3 Dec 2015 11:50:46 -0800, Joy
wrote:

On 12/3/2015 11:42 AM, Bastette wrote:
MaryL wrote:

On 12/3/2015 10:49 AM, The New Other Guy wrote:
On Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:22:51 +0000, Jack Campin
wrote:

you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which has
always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend, also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition.

I think that's the idea. If not the Olympics specifically, the
allusion is to some sort of international competition.

Any country can be used in the expression. My mad ex-girlfriend
(who had a colourful way with words) once said the (Greek) mother
of a friend of mine could bore for Greece.

In the US, it's "I could eat a cow", or similar large animal (horse, etc).





And the reverse is, "He/she eats like a bird." The irony is that birds
eat a great deal, proportionate to their body weight.

Ditto on "bird brain." If someone calls you a bird brain, the correct
response is, "thank you."


Very true. I remember seeing a demonstration of a red-tailed hawk
repeatedly dropping a rock on a emu egg to break it open so the hawk
could eat what was inside. This is using tools, which is a definite
sign of intelligence. Other types of birds do similar things that show
reasoning and intelligence.

Joy

Seagulls aren't what I consider smart birds, but I've seen them
dropping clams onto the cement walks in order to break the shells
open. They obviously learned that behavior so they're smarter than I
thought.

"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 12/3/2015 10:51 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 12/1/2015 8:45 PM, Bastette wrote:
Tweed, you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which
has always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend,
also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've
never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my
friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could
win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition. But
maybe
it's older than that? Or maybe you made it up?

I'm curious!


The phrase makes me think of World War II. Even in the US, many people
had "victory gardens" at that time. I hope Tweed will give us the
background of the phrase.

MaryL

It's about the Cat Olympics. surely you know about eating for
Britain?


Somehow, I don't. I have heard the phrase but don't know what it denotes.
Unfortunately, I am not even familiar with Cat Olympics.

MaryL

Neither am I.
Do tell us.

Sylvia

"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 12/3/2015 10:51 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 12/1/2015 8:45 PM, Bastette wrote:
Tweed, you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which
has always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend,
also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've
never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my
friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could
win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition. But
maybe
it's older than that? Or maybe you made it up?

I'm curious!


The phrase makes me think of World War II. Even in the US, many people
had "victory gardens" at that time. I hope Tweed will give us the
background of the phrase.

MaryL

It's about the Cat Olympics. surely you know about eating for
Britain?


Somehow, I don't. I have heard the phrase but don't know what it denotes.
Unfortunately, I am not even familiar with Cat Olympics.

MaryL


Sorry, it's a joke. There is no Cat Olympics but if there was, Boyfie would
get the gold medal for the eating competiion, although Finland's entry,
Caliban, would give him a run for his money. ;-)
Judith has described what I mean perfectly.

Actually, when the vet told me to stuff him with food after he lost weight,
at first he was delighted. His dream came true.
But after about 4 weeks of being presented with "any food you want, even
Sheba" all the time, he said "absolutely no
more food..ever"
He regained his weight and he no longer moans about "is it time for food?"
in case he gets more than he wants ;-)
Let me make it clear that he didn't lose weight because I was underfeeding
him, he lost his weight through the stress of having to fight a cat younger
than him that was intent on getting into his house. Boyfie said no. He got
beaten up badly but the other boy did worse and doesn't come here again.
It's really peaceful now.
Boyfie is not really a fighter but sometimes he can't help fighting a badcat
that tries to get into his home.

"Bastette" wrote in message
...
The New Other Guy wrote:

On Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:22:51 +0000, Jack Campin
wrote:

you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which has
always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend,
also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've
never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my
friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could
win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition.

I think that's the idea. If not the Olympics specifically, the
allusion is to some sort of international competition.

Any country can be used in the expression. My mad ex-girlfriend
(who had a colourful way with words) once said the (Greek) mother
of a friend of mine could bore for Greece.

In the US, it's "I could eat a cow", or similar large animal (horse,
etc).


Sure, but what I particularly liked was the idea of eating for one's
country.

--
Joyce

I can guarantee that if ever Boyfie was asked to eat for England nocat in
the world would ever have a chance..

Seagulls aren't what I consider smart birds, but I've seen them
dropping clams onto the cement walks in order to break the shells
open. They obviously learned that behavior so they're smarter than
I thought.

Quite a lot of predatory birds use that as a hunting method. The
most famous historical occurrence of it was the death of the Greek
tragedian Aeschylus, who was killed when an eagle dropped a tortoise
on his bald head thinking it was a rock. (If I go back to Greece
I think I'll take a crash helmet).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k
Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland
mobile 07800 739 557 http://www.campin.me.uk Twitter: JackCampin

On 12/5/2015 5:45 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Bastette" wrote in message
...
The New Other Guy wrote:

On Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:22:51 +0000, Jack Campin
wrote:

you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which has
always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend,
also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've
never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my
friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could
win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition.

I think that's the idea. If not the Olympics specifically, the
allusion is to some sort of international competition.

Any country can be used in the expression. My mad ex-girlfriend
(who had a colourful way with words) once said the (Greek) mother
of a friend of mine could bore for Greece.

In the US, it's "I could eat a cow", or similar large animal (horse,
etc).


Sure, but what I particularly liked was the idea of eating for one's
country.

--
Joyce

I can guarantee that if ever Boyfie was asked to eat for England nocat in
the world would ever have a chance..


Now that I understand the Cat Olympics joke (sometimes I'm rather
dense), I will enter Duffy as the US entrant. He's always hungry, or
acts like it. For a small cat, he eats a lot!

MaryL

"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 12/5/2015 5:45 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Bastette" wrote in message
...
The New Other Guy wrote:

On Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:22:51 +0000, Jack Campin

wrote:

you've sometimes said that Boyfie could "eat for England," which has
always struck me funny. So today I used that phrase with a friend,
also
American. I added the disclaimer that although I'm not British, I've
never
heard anyone say, "So and so could eat for America." Anyway, my
friend
hadn't heard the phrase at all, so it got me wondering. Where did
that
expression come from? It sounds kind of like saying that Boyfie could
win
a gold medal in the Olympics if there was an eating competition.

I think that's the idea. If not the Olympics specifically, the
allusion is to some sort of international competition.

Any country can be used in the expression. My mad ex-girlfriend
(who had a colourful way with words) once said the (Greek) mother
of a friend of mine could bore for Greece.

In the US, it's "I could eat a cow", or similar large animal (horse,
etc).


Sure, but what I particularly liked was the idea of eating for one's
country.

--
Joyce

I can guarantee that if ever Boyfie was asked to eat for England nocat
in
the world would ever have a chance..


Now that I understand the Cat Olympics joke (sometimes I'm rather dense),
I will enter Duffy as the US entrant. He's always hungry, or acts like
it. For a small cat, he eats a lot!

MaryL

No chance against the UK entrant ;-) It took 6 weeks of stuffing him (on
vet's advice) before he said "no more"

Tweed

On Sat, 5 Dec 2015 10:39:33 -0800, "Sylvia and P2nya"
wrote:

Somehow, I don't. I have heard the phrase but don't know what it denotes.
Unfortunately, I am not even familiar with Cat Olympics.

MaryL

Neither am I.
Do tell us.

http://www.dailydot.com/society/cat-...colas-longtin/

On 12/7/2015 3:39 AM, The New Other Guy wrote:
On Sat, 5 Dec 2015 10:39:33 -0800, "Sylvia and P2nya"
wrote:

Somehow, I don't. I have heard the phrase but don't know what it denotes.
Unfortunately, I am not even familiar with Cat Olympics.

MaryL

Neither am I.
Do tell us.

http://www.dailydot.com/society/cat-...colas-longtin/



LOL. That even brought back memories. Years ago, my cat (the first one
I ever had) was sailing through the air in pursuit of a toy mouse on a
string and my brother-in-law said, "What a little athlete!"

Thanks for posting.

MaryL

Christina Websell wrote:

"MaryL" wrote in message

Christina Websell wrote:

It's about the Cat Olympics. surely you know about eating for
Britain?

Somehow, I don't. I have heard the phrase but don't know what it denotes.
Unfortunately, I am not even familiar with Cat Olympics.

Sorry, it's a joke. There is no Cat Olympics but if there was, Boyfie would
get the gold medal for the eating competiion, although Finland's entry,
Caliban, would give him a run for his money. ;-)

I was going to say! Well, if there was a special category for eating
cucumbers, he would definitely win.

He regained his weight and he no longer moans about "is it time for food?"
in case he gets more than he wants ;-)

That's one way to overcome an overeating pattern! (Seriously!)

--
Joyce

If you can't operate your turn signal, what makes you think you can
drive the rest of the car? -- bumper sticker