I like "ratbag" especially considering that getting cut off in traffic make me want to spit the dummy. :-)

I work with an Aussie and I can't tell you the number of times I've heard the Bob's your uncle line. Now I find I'm using it. This confuses people as I'm married to a Bob.
the non LC Eileen

Yep, all very familiar phrases. Our mothers were always fed up to the back teeth with our behaviour.

*sniff*
Now I miss my former Aussie co-worker even more. She always had some interesting turns of phrase, some of which were influenced by the fact that she was actually Romanian by birth. There was something about "on our bikes" for "time to go."

Hey! I love all those phrases! I made the romantic lead in my book British for the exact same reason. Accents are soooo sexy. Here are a few of my fave catchphrases (my future hubby is from Bath, England, so he gave me a few good'uns)

"chuffed" = pleased. (though to me it sounds like the exact opposite, but whatevs).

"knackered" = tired

"tosser" or "toss pot" = jerk

And then there's all that wicked Cockney rhyming slang:
"apples & pears" = stairs
"rub-a-dub-dub" = pub
"oak n' ash" = cash

I love it!

Ok I'm an Aussie. Flat out like a lizard drinking ... yes that gets used. The frog in a sock on ..never heard it before. We use "madder than a cut snake". The bob and dummy ones, yup, totally right. Sweet as a biscuit and she'll be apples are more the older peoples sayings. Fed up to the back teeth ...yup, definitely or even "fed up to here (pointing to the appropriate body level of fed uppedness). Ratbag is extremely common as a sort of friendly put down. Sort of like when your kid is annoying, but cute you call them a ratbag.

Other common ones are "pissed as a fart" meaning drunk (don't know why). "Running around like a fart in a bottle" meaning very busy. Lots of our sayings include body functions *sigh*. An Aussie male will laugh at just about any joke that includes a body function or orifice (think 9 year old boy). Oh and most common thing people don't understand about aussies. You never get to keep your name as it was given to you. All aussies get a nickname or abbreviation/lengthening of their name. I'm Cheryl, but have always been Chez. If you had a name like Ian that can't be shortened it will be changed to something like Hoppers or something else you will never understand.

Love ratbag. too funny! especially since I had to quit using scumbag after I learned it originated as a term for a used condom. euw.

Triple eww. I had not idea about scumbag.

I wanted to find out more about Boy Trouble and found out that it's part of a series. When I clicked on the books, I got excerpts, but not a synopsis. What's the 310 series about? What's Boy Trouble about?

Kendrick, will you attach a brochure with all thoes Australian phrases that you used in your new book as a reference? hehe

who can help explain what's whipped into a frothy-mouth rage mean a? thanks a lot~``````T.T

Beth,
Heading out in a few minutes to pick up your new YA book. Can't wait to read it!
Also, my daughter just asked me if you were going to be in Dallas. She's pretty obsessed with your flamingo, and is convinced that I should meet you.
I promise I'll keep my stalking restricted to Lani though. And maybe Whitney, if she shows up. I can't stalk Michelle until NJ. And Alesia, I will stalk from afar. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Eileen yet, but will stalk her as well, if she wants me to. But I promise, i won't stalk you a bit. Because I don't want you to spit the dummy, or be madder than a frog in a sock. I just want it all to be sweet as a biscuit, you now?

Bob's your uncle, Fed up to the back teeth and Ratbag are all common well-used English expressions that have been used since I was a boy, and that was fifty years ago - they may have got 'downunder' but they aren't from there

Regards