“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”
William Morris, a British textile designer, novelist and poet
Sue’s typical morning:
My typical morning starts quite early, because I don’t like getting ready in a hurry. My alarm clock goes off at 6:30, then I get out of bed and go downstairs in my dressing gown. I make a cup of tea and have some breakfast. Then I have a shower and clean my teeth. Then I get dressed, comb my hair and put on my make-up. Then I make the bed and do the washing up. If I’ve got time, I sometimes check my email and look at the front page of the newspaper. I never watch TV in the morning. I usually leave the house by 8:15.
Note that in British English “to wash up” means “to wash plates, cups, spoons etc. after a meal”, while in American English it means “to wash yourself, especially your hands and face.” Sue is British, and she by doing the washing up she manes doing/washing the dishes.
DAILY LIFE IDIOMS
| Idiom | Example | Meaning |
| Business as usual | You’re back from holiday now, so I suppose it’s business as usual. | used for describing a situation in which everything happens normally, especially after a period of time when things happen in a different way |
| (as) regular as clockwork | My husband wakes up at 6 o’clock, regular as clockwork. | very regularly |
| Same old, same old | How’s life? – Same old, same old. | used to say that sth. remains the same, especially when it is boring or unpleasant |
| Square meal | You shouldn’t just snack – try to have at least one square meal every day. | a proper meal with all the types of food your body needs |
| To wolf down | Every time I come home from work, I am so hungry I want to wolf down my dinner. | to eat sth. very quickly, in large pieces |
| To burn the midnight oil | Try not to burn the midnight oil the night before an exam. It’s better to have an early night. | to work or study until very late at night |
| Sleep on it | Don’t decide now – sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning. | postpone making a decision until after a night’s sleep |
| To go out like a light | The little girl went out like a light as soon as she went to bed. | to fall asleep very quickly |
| Not lose sleep over sth. | It was a silly argument – I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. | not worry about sth. |
| Not know whether I’m coming or going | How are things? – I’ve been really busy. In fact, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. | unable to think clearly or decide what to do because there are so many things to deal with |
| To go out on the town | My friends want to go out on the town every night. But I’m exhausted! | to spend evenings in bars, restaurants or clubs |
| To give sth. a miss | Would you like to go to the club with us? – I’ll give it a miss. I’m too tired. | to decide not to do sth. you usually do; not take part in sth. |
| To outstay one’s welcome | It sounds like your guests have outstayed their welcome. – Yes, they have! | to stay longer than the host would like |
| On the hoof | We’re so busy at work that I don’t have time to eat lunch. I just have a sandwich on the hoof. | while doing other things |
| On the fly | We grabbed some lunch on the fly. | in a very quick and informal way |
| To pass the time of day | There’s not even a spare moment to pass the time of day with colleagues. | to have a short, informal conversation to chat |
| To take each day as it comes | You just need to take each day as it comes. We’re having a difficult week too. | to deal with things as they happen and not worry about the future |
| Creature comforts | We’ve got no electricity, so we can’t cook or have a hot shower. I like my creature comforts, so I’m finding it really hard. | physical comforts like a comfortable bed, hot water, food and warmth |
| On the house | We were lucky last night. We went out for a meal and the owner let us have it on the house because I once did a favor for him. | given free by the business |
| Stay-at-home | You’re a real stay-at-home! – I am, but I have to go to work anyway. | a person who prefers to be at home rather than to travel, socialize, or go out to work. |
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