Please don't pass judgement until you've read the discussion
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
Rockingham, Australia
February 14, 2022 6:59pm CST
Please don’t take offence at my use of the word ‘poof’.
The word ‘poof’ has unfortunate connotations now but it was once used when, say, something disappeared in a puff of smoke, or when something happened unexpectedly.
My husband and I often say we have a ‘poof’ in the house. My husband’s socks are in a drawer in his bedside cabinet. He tells people that the drawer becomes more and more empty but, just when he thinks he is going to run out of socks, pouf!, the drawer is suddenly full again.
The poof keeps an eye on the biscuit tin too and makes sure it never runs empty. My husband has no idea how all this happens. Do you have a similar helpful, unseen helper?
Photo of my biscuits/cookies.
24 people like this
25 responses
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
15 Feb 22
I have had unseen helpers but not lately. Lately there are evil midgets, I suppose, who hide everything in my house. I have never seen them, but I know them by the way they act. They place a pair of very big red scissors over the red counter in the kitchen. I discover them after looking for half an hour.
5 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
15 Feb 22
And how do we find lost items? We stop looking for them
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 22
Haha - that sounds like something Vince would do. He told me this morning that there weren't any clean teaspoons but there were six in a compartment in a drawer where he had already looked. 
It's hard to keep up with him sometimes.
It's hard to keep up with him sometimes. 1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 22
@kobesbuddy That's so true. As soon as we stop looking, they turn up!
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
15 Feb 22
I haven't heard of a bad connotation for that word. Here it just means "pouf! It disappeared!"
4 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
15 Feb 22
@JudyEv Oops! I won't ever mention that word, in Australia
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
15 Feb 22
Either it disappears, or it magically appears:)
3 people like this
Poufters we say@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
15 Feb 22
@JudyEv Right ..well they used that in England when I lived there, but not here.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 22
@RebeccasFarm That agrees with all the comments. No-one in the US knows it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Feb 22
@kobesbuddy @franxav It works both ways. Sometimes, I'll discover the pouf has done something nice for me.
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
15 Feb 22
Judy is a wonderful wife, to Vince!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189833)
• Boise, Idaho
16 Feb 22
Yes, our local grocery store delivery service. Heehee
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 22
@LadyDuck I say to people that it takes two of us to function now. We are always sort of checking on each other, trying not to forget to do this or that. I don't think I am quite so forgetful but my memory can't be relied on either.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54715)
• United States
15 Feb 22
I’m not sure in what way poof is being used these days ? So I take no offense at all. ?? I’m in the dark I guess.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54715)
• United States
16 Feb 22
@JudyEv thanks for letting me know. I was clueless.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 22
@Tampa_girl7 Some of our British readers know of it but virtually none of the American citizens.
@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
15 Feb 22
My husband is in charge of the poofs in our home now. He usually keeps us quite full of everything. He hoards food.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 22
@LindaOHio Now that we are here, I'm trying to get rid of more stuff. We still have a lot more than we need.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222417)
• United States
16 Feb 22
@JudyEv I guess. If we ever have to move, it will take 2 years to get rid of everything.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36796)
• Philippines
15 Feb 22
Sounds interesting and scary when I can't see my helper. Poof! The helper appeared.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22245)
• United States
15 Feb 22
I am a the coffee fairy. I reload the coffee pods in the container. I don't drink coffee, but my mother does.
1 person likes this
@thedevilinme (5216)
• Northampton, England
15 Feb 22
Its not allowed in the Old County now
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 22
Fair enough. I'd never use it in that context anymore.
