My dad said that to me year round. I finally asked him “What’s that mean?” I was four.

“Tough Sledding” he told me. It was in the 1955. It was summer. I knew sledding would be impossible. We lived near Detroit in Michigan.

“G -Dammit” was my next conundrum. My dad used it when he hurt himself or while driving. I remember him saying it when he had a bloody thumb. He had hit it with a hammer.

“Dammit” was a bad word usually used only by adults. “Darn it”, although better, was still not okay for use by kids.

“That really gravels me.” was never explained. “Windy” meant passing gas. “P.G.”meant pregnant.. By the 1990’s my kids said ” fart, shit, damn, and fuck.” often all in the same sentence.

I taught Kindergarten when I was a teacher and had to control my impulse to swear at all times. Once I dropped a full glass jar of red paint. The paint went everywhere. I took a breath in and said “God…” and a darling little girl said “Dammit!” I loved her from that moment on.