Dear Kid,

It’s a darn good thing I pay attention. Otherwise, the world might tilt off its axis and head off in the wrong direction.

Also, people might use words incorrectly without being corrected.

The word, in this particular case, is “shoddy.” With “d”s.

Adorable puppy that has nothing whatsoever to do with today's post. But hopefully makes you smile. DearKidLoveMom.comIf you look up the word shoddy, you discover that it means more than you thought it meant.

You thought shoddy means “inferior” or “imitative.” It does. But it also can mean “reclaimed wool from material that is not felted” and/or “fabric of inferior quality.” Who knew?

But certainly, you did not (of course not) think the word was “shotty.” Because that would be wrong as there is no such word as “shotty.”

Except there is. Being the kind of mom I am, I double checked and was astounded to discover this.

I was not astounded to discover that “shotty” has absolutely no relationship whatsoever to “shoddy.” (Not even 5th cousins.)

“Shotty” means “hard and round like a pellet of shot” and is often used to describe lymph nodes. (As if lymph nodes often need describing.)

According to the Urban Dictionary, “shotty” also can mean getting the front passenger seat (riding shotty or I call shotty).

There is also a “shotty not” to call the right not to do something. Like “nose goes” only without body parts. “Shotty not taking out the trash.”

Except it doesn’t work in our house so don’t even try.

Neither does using “shotty” when you mean “shoddy.”

Love, Mom