I have a question for my fellow Downton Abbey fans. Every time you finish watching an episode, do you find yourself fighting an intense desire to speak with an English accent and call everyone m’lady?
It took everything I had not to walk around calling Ryan m’lady after I watched an episode last night. Luckily I had Sadie to practice on…
“Here are your Beggin’ Strips, m’lady.”
(Someone clearly mastered the Dowager Countess’ unamused expression.)
For those of you who tried watching the first episode of Downton Abbey and couldn’t get into it, apparently that is a very common thing! I actually didn’t watch the first episode – my mom and grandma filled me in on the details – but I’ve heard that it’s the second episode that hooks you, so it might be worth another try. Then come back here and we can all call each other m’lady and be jealous of their lovely accents together. Yes, I am trying to convert all of you into Downton Abbey fans.
Workout
Before breakfast, it was gym time. I took my booty through my lower body and abs circuit workout, but added 30 seconds of jump rope in the mix in between each exercise to get my heart rate up. Not a bad way to start the day!
Breakfast
My morning meal began with the most delicious grapefruit.
We got a box of grapefruit on Tuesday as part of the Harry & David fruit of the month club, so I’ve been on a big grapefruit kick all week. I can’t get enough of them and have been eating them morning, noon and night.
Ryan laughed at me when he noticed the depleted number of grapefruit in our fridge when he arrived home from work yesterday. Naturally a Ron Burgandy quote was appropriate. “You ate almost all of the grapefruit? I’m not even mad. That’s amazing.”
They’re just so, so good!
I also had a toasted English muffin topped with Publix natural chunky peanut butter and a combination of mascarpone cheese stirred together with Trader Joe’s superfruit spread.
If you adore mascarpone cheese, I highly recommend stirring a little bit of jelly into the cheese to make a fantastic spread. It was wonderful!
Question of the Morning
- Do people tell you that you have an accent? Is there a specific accent that you adore?
When I first moved to Florida from Palatine, Illinois, I got made fun of all the time for the way I said certain words like “Mom.” (Apparently I said “maaaaam.”)
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When I was visiting friends in Maryland a couple years ago, they all said I had a Long Island accent. Personally, I don’t think I do haha. At least its not as noticeable as other people.
Yes! Everytime I watch something where people speak in a British accent I feel the need to have one too! Downton Abbey is an amazing show, and you are right the first episode was interesting but it was the second episode that hooked me in.
p.s. I love your blog!
I’ve been told I have a “country” accent… I think that is the polite way to say I sound like a “hick”! haha! I’ll take it proudly. 🙂 When I overhear someone else talking in an accent, I catch myself mimicking their voice… really not good and totally accidental!
Too funny! Mimi was so offended on Tuesday when a young woman told her that she looked just like Maggie Smith. Can you imagine? And now, you say that Sadie looks like her too. Ha. Love you and miss you, Mama
I am from Ohio and now live in Texas. I get told all the time that I have an accent, based on the way I say a’s and o’s. I also find that I end a lot of my sentences with a preposition, which I think is also a midwest thing too
I’m from Ohio too and I get complaints aaalllllll the time! Apparently when i say ‘egg’ it sounds like ‘agg’.
Oh my gosh! I didn’t realize you’re from Palatine! I grew up 30 mins southwest of Chicago and now I live in Melbourne, FL 😀 People used to tell me all the time when I was an undergrad in SC that I have an accent. I stress my a’s. They all say that I say dad like “dayd” and I saw dog like “dawg.” Here in FL, no one really says “you have an accent,” but when I stress my a’s, I get a lot of people repeating the word I just said. Somehow though, my accent has morphed into a Chicago/Southern accent so sometimes I get a little twang in there. I think we just emulate the people we are around most and pick up their speaking habits.
haha I would looove to have an accent! Man, I came here when I was 12 ffrom Argentina and had the strongest accent ever–then one day when I finally learned English and it started spilling out at around 13 years of age, it was pretty much gone for good! I hated it back then but now I really wouldn’t mind having the accent again 😛 So complicated, huh? haha
Oo my gosh yes, every time I watch an episode I talk in a British accent. Where are you at in the series? Such an amazing show!!!
Hah!! I asked my husband to call me Lady Brackmann from now on. And to utilize the phrases ‘quite right’ and ‘I presume’ in as many sentences as possible. I LOVE IT!
I cannot hide being a New Yorker. Once I leave New York, all I have to do is say one word and where I am from is immediately known!
I grew up in Hawaii and moved to New Hampshire for college. When I got to college I got nonstop comments about my accent, and when people imitated me they would do it with a British accent. I know I didn’t sound British, but I guess I sounded pretty different. I think my accent faded during college, but I’ve been in New England now about 15 years and while I don’t have a distinct accent, people know I’m from somewhere else. My husband is from boston and we definitely was some words very differently, though he doesn’t have a boston accent.
Sadie…you make me laugh and laugh. You could have been on that show.
My boss comes from the old well established London family, so he speaks English like a queen. We hear a lot of “marvelous” around here. 🙂
In the other hand, I hope to loose my Serbian accent some day and stop sounding like a bad Russian guys from the James Bond movies, 🙂
I love the Scottish accent! I have an Irish accent..apparently. Isn’t it so weird how we all think we have no accent until we hear our recorded voice! 🙂 I say “all”..surely I’m not the only one! I dice up grapefruits and stick them under the grill/broiler for about 5 minutes….so good!
I must say “Daaaaad” like you say “Maaaaam.” People in college in Maryland made fun of it alllll the time!
First, I totally love Downton Abbey!!! About accents, it’s funny! I grew up in Pa, but my mom is from Alabama and we also spent the summers in Al, so people always ask me what part of the south am I from!!!
I had to laugh out loud when I read your post today becuase OF COURSE I always go around the house speaking in an English accent after watching Downton! My husband rolls his eyes at me as I say, PaPaaa and MaMaaa….hehe! Love it!
I agree, the first episode of Downton is a bit slow. It wasn’t until the 2nd time I tried watching the series(past episode 1) that I really got into the show. And yes I speak in an English accent at home after watching it. Or watching Dr Who or Sherlock.:)
I didn’t think I had an accent until I went to Scotland and was talking to an American in a hostel in Edinburgh. Apparently I have a very Canadian accent, or so he told me.
I’m from St. Louis and have that same “mahhhhm” accent! But generally I don’t get told I have one. The midwestern accent is pretty standard!
I live in the south and have a distinct southern accent. I’m told it’s rather endearing. 🙂
I never noticed my Chicago accent until people asked me how I pronounce my name. It’s supposed to be Na-tall-ia but I use a hard “a” when I say it!
I just want to let you in on a really good, simple recipe called Lazy girl peanut butter cookies. I think you will love them after you were lovin’ that peanut butter oatmeal over night oats. These cookies also truly taste like oatmeal pb cookie dough and they are in nice portable on the go snacks/healthy dessert form. 🙂 http://www.ohladycakes.com/2012/12/lazy-girl-peanut-butter-cookies.html
I adore Aussie accents:)
Shout out to Palentine!! Im from Chicago and now live near Palentine, so I understand your “accent”! Can’t deny the Midwest!
I have a Pittsburgh accent, which I get made fun of for ALL the time. Apparently I also have a weird inflection on my questions, and they sound more like aggressive statements. My Ohio school friends said it took some adjusting to understand that I wasn’t being harsh but that that was just how I spoke… haha! I never even knew I did that until they mentioned it.
When we first started watching Downton Abbey we did the same thing! We even called our boxer “Miss Obrien” if she was being naughty.
That is a hoot- she is so dastardly!
Sadie’s Dowager Countess look is priceless- so stern.
I’m from Texas but live in Masschusetts- sometimes my drawl slips out. I say things like “iiiiice cream” or “stooopid”. And according my husband, I put the emPHAsis on the wrong sylLAble all the time “UMbrella” and “INSurance”. At least I know how to use an “R” correctly!
Oh Sarah, I hear ya girl! I am from Arkansas and we moved to Rhode Island. I still laugh when someone wants to get a “cawfee” or says “idears”. 🙂
Peter and I always joke that we should start talking like they do in Dowton Abbey. I’m bummed that we have to wait for new ones now. Especially after the finale. You just wait for that one.
I’m OBSESSED with Downton Abbey. Every time I watched an episode, I’d want to pretend I lived at Downton for the next day or so 😉
When I lived in Ireland for awhile, I was told I had a strong ” New Yawwwk” accent, and ironically, when I came home, I was sporting a bit of a brogue 😉
We’ve got Downton Abbey but just haven’t watched it yet but I’ve heard so many people talk about how great it is.
Although I’m from Australia I don’t have a full on proper accent or not the kind that people think of as typical Australian.
I love grapefruit. We got a batch of those plus oranges straight from florida and they were the best most juicy fruit ever! I was sad when I ate them all 🙁
I’m from the Seattle area and I’ve never been told I have an accent! I’ve actually heard multiple times that the Pacific Northwest has the most neutral American accent, which is interesting, but I’m not sure how true that is. I have family in the midwest and they definitely pronounce mom like “maaaam.” I studied abroad in Scotland, and I miss hearing the Scottish accent so much!!
I’m from Cincinnati, OH, and I have a great-aunt and cousins in Chicago, and I definitely agree that they say “mom” like “maaaam.” I’ve noticed Cleveland-ers with a similar accent too…
Sadie’s expression – hilarious! I swear sometimes she looks so human in these pictures! And yes I get comments on my American accent all the time, but that’s probably because I’m studying abroad in England right now and everyone has Downton Abbey accents 😉
Originally from the Chicago area I didn’t think I had an accent either. Then someone commented on how I say back, baaack. Also, when I moved to the east coast I was constantly mocked for calling soda pop pop instead of soda.
Me too! I moved from the suburbs of Chicago to the far side of Indiana. My husband is from indiana and is always saying that I pronouce “ar” funny in words like far, car, bar…
I don’t notice the chicago accent until I go to visit the suburbs and think “wow those people sound like me!” Nice!
Stick with Downton Abbey — you’ll love it! And yes …anytime I watch anything with accents, I want to talk like the actors afterwards. It’s so much fun! 🙂 Also, try to avoid any and all spoilers for Downton Abbey!
I’m from the Midwest so technically we do not have accents, but I have been told I have one …but I don’t believe those people. haha We recently traveled to Boston and I absolutely adored everyone’s accents!
I never realized I had an accent until I went on this honors conference and roomed with someone from Texas. The second I opened my mouth to anyone, they knew I was from New York. Apparently I say cawfee, dawg, Lawng Island…
People are always surprised that I DON’T have an accent. I am from Jersey (go ahead, fist pump away), and grew up right outside of Philly. 😛
In regards to the English accent and M’lady thing after watching Downton Abbey, YES. How far along are you? I just finished season 2!
Sometimes people tell me certain words I say sound super southern, but when I haven’t been around my family much and the more time I spend in the city (Atlanta) the more normal I sound (at least thats what I think!)
PS Publix natural peanut butter is the BEST out there. Love it. Great tip about the marscapone cheese!
PS In my job I field a lot of sales calls and the other day a guy with an accent called and I actually let him say his whole spill because I was enjoying listening to him talk… Accents are a weakness haha!
People say I have an accent! I’m from Cleveland and apparently we have very ‘hard-sounding A’s’.
I know exactly what you mean about how you said “mom”! My grandparents are from Illinois and we always made jokes about the way my grandma said my grandpa’s name, Bob…Baaaaab. I am told frequently that I have a twang…our area of Pennsylvania is often referred to as Pennsyltucky.
Oh my goodness, I totally do the “m’lady” thing too after watching an episode! Also, I am a wimp when it comes to scary movies, and the other night when my fiance watched one before bed, I was so freaked out and couldn’t get to sleep. What helped me calm down was picturing Carson from Downton Abbey saying, “It’s okay, m’lady. You’re safe and sound, m’lady.” It sounds silly, but it really helped me!
Sadly yes … my husband is English and I am from Arkansas. Every time he is home I slip into some mixed up version and don’t realize it. It is so embarrassing when we go out and someone asks where I am from. People usually assume Australia, which I guess is what happens when you mix Southern and English. Apparently, all it takes is me getting mad though and I am thrown smack dab back to my roots. 🙂
Love Sadies unamused face.. so cute!
Born and raised in South Florida…we have ZERO accent here. I think the newspeople call it “non-regional dictation”. My parents were from Boston but lived here long enough to drop the accent all together (or maybe that was purposely done LOL). I pronounce every word the way it shows the pronounciation in the dictionary. My husband and kids too (all born and raised here). Weird huh! My cousins from Boston drive me crazy (wicked crazy as they would say) with their lack of “R”s. Ahhhh!
Oops, I meant non-regional dialect not dictation. Its Friday! :)-
As a certified interpreter, I have worked very hard not to let my Southern Accent come out much! At times when I am out with friends, that “drawl” does come out. Ilove it!
Wh222en speaking Spanish, always asked if I am fromArgentina or Spain? I will take either?
Have A greatweekend
My mum is terrible when talking to people with accents- she is so empathetic that it ends up sounding like she is mocking them haha