Beneath a Midnight Sky

“ A Loaded Question “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán A loaded question a load off one’s mind look sharp look smart loom large lie low the low down frozen to the marrow meeting one’s match not mincing matters before the mast in the mass for that matter as a mixed bag in the off chance of holding out a carrot while carrying the can both root and branch ...

“ On Speaking Terms “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán On speaking terms generally speaking so to speak speak out speak up spin a yarn spill the beans rent one’s spleen spot on on the spot a tight spot spur on spy on stamp out it stands to reason get up steam let off steam stear clear cool one’s heels fire on all cylinders within striking distance hitting one’s stride yet taking someone by surprise with all sweetness and light catching sight side by side single minded try that on for size being praised to the skies all smiles ...

” Get In On The Act “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Get in on the act act the goat act up put on an act to advantage the aftermath in the open air up in the air all there an anchor-man as an angry young man knowing all the answers any old how out of grasp a grey area a show of hands coming in handy with an upper hand start a hare heads or tails?

“ Break the News “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Break the news bring the house down come down in buckets have butterflies in one’s stomach change the subject strike a chord at close quarters a close call behind closed doors come to the point at the crack of dawn crossing swords cutting a long story short staying above board ...

“ At Face Value “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán At face value eyeball to eyeball the naked eye more than meets the eye the end of the line I spied a live wire in double time a rough diamond never says die all in the dead of night while breaking the ice as the highly unlikely bottom line like the life of Riley ...

“ See Which Way “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán See which way the wind blows blow it blow over in the same boat rock the boat get the boot to boot take a bow bowl over break cover break the bank put on a brave face take one’s breath away break ranks all at the break of day..

“ Keep One’s Chin Up “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Keep one’s chin up come clean make a clean sweep as clean as a whistle the coast is clear come to rest in one’s element in the event of the essence of every now and then when words fail me take a fancy after a fashion given a fighting chance in a flight of fancy ...

“ As Clear As Crystal “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán As clear as crystal as cool as a cucumber a cut above getting one’s dander up do one’s nut talk the hind leg off a donkey down on one’s luck draw in one’s horns out of the top drawer in dribs and drabs drop in drop by dry up go dry high and dry wet behind the ears going in one ear and out the other easier said than done best of luck!

“ A Pride of Place “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán A pride of place put oneself in someone else’s place know the place fall into place bolt upright blow hot and cold beg the question beg to differ put off the scent behind schedule called into question pull out the stops spit and polish play possum out of pocket one’s trump card ...

“Whetting (Someone’s) Appetite” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán Whetting (someone’s) appetite the apple of someone’s eye an apple of discord the apple-pie order argue the toss of attic salt over one’s left shoulder throwing out the baby with the bath water while getting someone’s back up having the ball in one’s own court as the be-all and end-all at someone’s beck and call ...

” From A to Z “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán From A to Z thoroughly and completely A1 ABC all out all there all told the ancients the angels the answers by all appearances asking after all for the asking answering back knowing backwards and forwards not bad too bad bag and baggage It’s in the bag ...

“ Above Board “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Above board across the board go by the board a blue stocking a bolt in the blue once in a blue moon out of the blue burn one’s boots born with a silver spoon down to brass tacks as bold as brass the top brass good as gold go for the gold worth one’s weight in gold as warm as toast like the whys and the wherefores as small wonders fingers crossed keeping the wolf from the door in working order worth one’s salt ...

” Stand Fast “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Stand fast run in the family live off the fat off the land fat chance pulling a fast one tickling someone’s fancy after a fashion while playing fair fair game in (all) good faith fall from grace fall into place fly in the face making eyes at a private eye there’s always more than meets the eye feeling like a sight for sore eyes all in the twinkling of an eye...

“ All Things Being Equal “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán All things being equal the end justifies the means How goes the enemy? elbow grease What’s eating you? getting down to a low down a dressing down doubling back The die is cast! curiosity killed the cat back handed left handed coming in handy beyond compare like cloud cuckoo land and the clappers as cloak-and-dagger ...

“ Stay the Course “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Stay the course turn the corner at all costs pluck up the courage come up for something like a horse of a different color join the club keeping one’s chin up catching the sun coming down in buckets striking it lucky in the lap of luxury ...

“ One’s Nearest and Dearest “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán One’s nearest and dearest nowhere near yet their names are legion a narrow squeak as near as dammit caught napping nailing one’s colors to the mast tooth and nail down in the mouth giving a shout out shifting one’s ground at all hours houseproud breaking new ground ...

” Talking Turkey “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Talking turkey at every turn taking turns for the better rather than for the worse turn turtle U-turns What in the world?! only as good as one’s word all in a day’s work For all the world! at full tilt tilting at windmills as a final fling feeling fit as a fiddle keeping fit just for kicks jumping out of one’s skin adding insult to injury it’s an ill wind like a spitting image Get the picture?! ...

“ Slap and Tickle “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Slap and tickle laugh up one’s sleeve tongue and cheek something tells me in the space of a minute spill the beans so to speak the spirit is willing a sprat to catch a mackerel knowing where one stands stand down stand fast stand out stand up and be counted in good standing taking the good with the bad no strings attached suiting one’s actions what you win on the swings you lose on the roundabouts telling tales and all that that’s that ...

“ With Open Arms “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán With open arms an open secret with one’s eyes open open and shut knowing one’s onions out to do something going out on a limb over the hill owning up to something over the odds over the top for our part as proud as a peacock playing possum playing one’s trump card thickening the plot with spit and polish then going to pot while doing no harm choosing to press on ...

” The Green Light “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán The green light great minds think alike having an axe to grind grist to the mill It’s anybody’s guess! Guess what? hand in glove hands down coming in handy as hard as nails hard and fast the hard facts all at the drop of a hat ...

” Heart and Soul “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Heart and soul cross my heart as a heart throb warming the cockles of my heart warm and fuzzy like the bee’s knees to the best of my belief while on bended knee between you and me the birds and the bees taking two bites of the cherry ...

“ Head Scratching “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán Head scratching backscratching scratching the surface starting from scratch betting the ins and the outs while on the house and on the outs and how! how come? how about out of house and home? at the eleventh hour keeping an open house “I’ll eat my hat!” hats off hands down ...

“ Beyond Compare “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Beyond compare beyond the pale a bird in the hand birds of a feather do one’s bit not a bit of it champing at the bit once bitten, twice shy What’s biting you? black and blue blow the whistle make the air turn blue out of the blue a bolt from the blue can’t say boo to a goose just give it a gander...

” Round the Bend “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán Round the bend all the best go one better for better (or) for worse have the best of both worlds not long for this world at the top of the world What in the world? if worst comes to worst none the worst for all one is worth it takes all sorts to make a world out of this world!

“ The Writing on the Wall “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán The writing on the wall for all one is worth writing something off getting off on the wrong foot putting one’s foot in it while coming to the fore holding the fort on all fours in free for alls by holding the floor like a fly in the ointment “I’d like to be a fly on the wall!” ...

” Having a Soft Spot “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Having a soft spot for soap operas as slips of the tongue while sleeping on someone letting things slide not in the slightest slipping one’s mind in the silly season deeming, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!” by putting one’s shoulder to the wheel and showing one’s teeth short and sweet as white as a sheet seeing is believing like an open secret falling apart at the seams yet scot-free in the hot seat ...

” Not Born Yesterday “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Not born yesterday at the zero hour zeroing in for all it is worth being kept under wraps while on the wrong track but not for long for all the world What in the world? the worm turns none the worse set to work the last word all in a day’s work take my word wishful thinking Woe is me! without rhyme or reason not able to see the wood for the trees while waiting in the wings ...

” Not Up to Much “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Not up to much ups and downs up and coming up to a point up to the minute keeping a stiff upper lip on one’s uppers’ upper crust coming up with something up to one’s neck the jig is up! ...

“Taking a Backseat “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom- Mom Suzán Taking a backseat both bag and baggage all for the asking but to no avail all out all there all told clearing the air putting on airs left up in the air as the aftermath of getting caught in the act while taking advantage of Adam’s Ale ...

” High-Falutin “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán High-falutin high and dry come hell or high water in the heat of the moment the moment of truth the spur of the moment having money to burn spending money like water the morning after the night before having shot one’s mouth off all for the long haul but not for long girding up one’s loins long in the tooth living by one’s wits going at full tilt ...

” As the Crow Flies “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán As the crow flies till the cows come home like one’s creature comforts becoming as lively as a cricket with a fair crack of the whip after getting one’s dander up then going in one ear and out the other easier said than done in one’s element like a white elephant as a lose end feeling at the end of one’s tether coming to a sticky end how goes the enemy? hammering away with a golden handshake best to know a hawk from a handsaw and not fly off the handle belling the cat bending over backwards betting one’s bottom dollar as a big shot at the top of the bill take the biscuit thrilled to bits swallowing a bitter pill on the brink of out of the blue burning one’s boots having a bone to pick with a ton of bricks as the cats’ whiskers in the first instance after adding insult to injury trying to keep on an even keel while keeping the peace by turning over a new leaf and letting the grass g...

” A Shoulder to Cry On “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán A shoulder to cry on for crying out loud cry one’s eyes out at the crack of dawn laughed out of court cutting corners turning the corner at all costs cooling one’s heels playing it cool preaching to the converted as a contradiction in terms come off it! come to grips in a cleft stick as clear as crystal in the clear champing at the bit put the cat among the pigeons while butterflies flutter (in one’s stomach) as bright as a button ...

” As Steady As a Rock “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán As steady as a rock go steady steady (on) steal a march on get up steam under one’s own steam steer clear soldier on on the spot spot on on and on shove off show off show up up and coming up to a point beside the point come to the point in point of fact cold hard facts face the fact let’s face it all work and no play have several, too many in the first place while muck-raking mouths agape...