Lady Mondragon and Other NW Pa Matters

[Joanna Taylor]

My mother's family has been in Venango County for generations-- she was born
in Oil City in 1930, but I've never heard her use 'red up'! When I asked her
about it this morning, it took her a moment, and then she said, "Oh, yes, my
mother used to say that!". But she never has, for some reason. She thought
it might be from 'rid up', get rid of all the extra clutter in the
room. (Just her guess, though).

Joanna

Date:    Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:42:32 -0800
From:    Carter Rila <elcutachero at YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Lady Mondragon and Other NW Pa Matters

(...)
Then there was the local pronunciation of Seneca as "Senecky" by my
parents and grandparents and many others
A common term used in our area was "red up" for tidying up. An episode of
Criminal Intent led Goren to the origins of a pair of murderous maids,
When I moved to Erie in 1953, red up was never used and I long forgot to use
it, About fifteen years ago the term came back to me when someone at the
office asked me why I was staying late and it turned out he was from the
area too
Now I use it all the time and mayhaps it will spread. I used to stay with my
aunt in Youngstown, Ohio, and don't recall the term ever used there.
Carter Rila, aka Charles Franklin Carter.

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