Friday, April 24, 2009

Slug Bug vs Punch Buggy

Welcome to Free For All Friday! Cheryl here.

Growing up, we called the game Slug Bug. But, in doing some research on the topic some people call it Punch Buggy. Do you know what I'm talking about? The game where when you see a Volkswagen Beetle you scream Slug Bug and punch your sister, brother or friend? Two punches on red. And don't forget to scream, "NO RETURNS!" How many versions of the game exist? I'm sure you all have your own twist on the game.

I don't know why the game is so much fun for me. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my first car was the hand-me-down aqua blue bug with the latch hook rug doors that said "Baja" in red. What a POS! But it got me around and at 16 I didn't care much that the breaker wouldn't hold and I had no tail lights or that when it rained something electrical cut out and it would have to be push-started. Good car memories. Back to the game.

I don't remember getting into any fights over hitting or being hit by someone over the game but when it came the time for my two boys to learn the game I didn't really see the fun in them hitting each other over every Slug Bug we saw driving down the street. And living in the DFW area you see quite a few. So being the diplomatic mom that I am, I turned Slug Bug into a team sport. We're The Ragtop O'Pry Team. When we first started counting, I would pick the boys up from school and the first question would be, "How many bugs did you see?"

They put pressure on me to see more than the day before. And now... I think I may have developed Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. I can't drive past a bug without saying the number that it represents. The first one is always easy. It's number 14 that I screw up on. Is that the 14th one or the 15th? Then I have to replay them in my head. There was the green one driving through the airport, then 6 at the dealership- I am always guaranteed to see at least 2 at the Volkswagen dealership (imagine my happiness when they had 10 of them lined up right out in front so that I could easily count them as I sped by on Highway 183), the blue one, that's 8 and there were the 5 at the mechanics shop on Oak Lawn that's 13 so yes this white ragtop is 14! Whew. I can keep going now. While talking on my cell phone, in mid-sentence I'll say out loud the number of the slug bug that just passed by... So, we were at the soccer game- 18- and the boys played really well. Does that make me crazy?

The Ragtop O'Pry Team has a record for the week days and a record for the weekend. On average during the week, I will see about 20. Yesterday before I got to work I saw 22 and had 32 under my belt by the end of the night. Driving home from our South Texas Thanksgiving holiday we hit our all time high. So in honor of our Derby Give-away, whoever guesses closest to our all time record will win some great travel games for entertaining the troops.

Want to earn a patch? Come back on Monday and tell us how many Slug Bugs your team saw over the weekend. So, starting tomorrow morning through Sunday, count the number of slug bugs you see. You'll earn a patch for participating. If you need some denim to get your patchwork started, we'll include a bag.

How about you? What fun games do you like to play? Or, what is something that makes you crazy? In honor of Free for All Friday, if you have another topic that you need help with from our all-powerful-collective brains give it to us!

Announcements: We've had a fun week of Derby Give-aways. Thanks to everyone who has participated. Claudia is taking a plethora of goodies to the post office tomorrow. So, be on the lookout if you won something.

Yesterday's winner for the book: The Five Love Languages came down to Peggy and Tera. The two were entered into a drawing and Tera was the lucky winner. So of course you want to know the answers right.... Katie and I are both words of affirmation, Claudia is quality time and Heather is acts of service. Great job everyone.

I think we're still waiting on how much money was in Matthew's college fund AND if you haven't mailed us a post card with your address for the RAK box, you should do that! Right now! We were scrambling for some addresses tonight and you could win a RAK in the future.

In closing, maybe counting Volkswagen's doesn't make me crazy but starting to count how many times the toilet seat is up in the ladies room at the office because it's the cleanest place I've ever worked surely does! First stall, seat up, water blue- 3.

Signing off until tomorrow....

21 comments:

Chaotic Kristi said...

Slug Bugs here...my twin & I were nuts about that game in the car!

Tera said...

"Punch buggy (state color), no punch backs!"

We also played the fididdle game (right Julie). If a headlight was burnt out on a car you'd yell fididdle. This game may also be called padiddle. The debate is open!

I'm excited about winning a new book. I babysit for a family with 3 kids two days a week after school and they are SOOOOO easy...they play in their rooms every day. I'm just about to finish up one book and am looking for another...look no further!

Have a good day everyone! I'm off to the docs, to babysit and then to see Cirque Dreams with Treye tonight...super pumped!

Cheryl Houston said...

Hey ladies... don't forget to guess our Record High Count!

azlori said...

Tera...It's padiddle! Slug Bug guess is 47. My boys made their own game after being introduced to slug bug....out here in AZ we have a lot of pick up trucks...so everytime they saw a truck with the double set of wheels in the back they would yell "Dually"!

cassie p said...

My first thought when I saw the volks pic this morning, "OH theyre giving away a new car?!" lol.

When I was younger it was slug bug too. And padiddle...

I am going to guess 67!

And Im going to start counting bugs as soon as i leave for the gym this morning. and later- im going on a small road trip 3 hours north, and coming back tomorrow. maybe ill get a lot this weekend! so do we post our number on here on monday?!

Kat said...

I'll guess 72! I remember playing Slug Bug on the bus when I went on field trips as a kid. My husband and I will still randomly yell padiddle and tag the ceiling of the car! I have a big day of yard work and errand running planned, so I will definitely count bugs while I run around town today.

eknoxuk said...

I guess 80. I like to get the kids to look for cows or horses even if I know there probably won't be any:)
We did play punch buggy and we also played the one about a car with only one headlight, forget the name.
Happy Friday!

Heather said...

sick husband this morning so I didn't get a chance to check in before getting to work. Then I was feeling RAKy and stopped to get a dozen donuts for my office suite this morning...I just had a chocolate filled donut myself and YUMMO was it good.

Let's see, just for fun and not to win I'm going to guess the ALL time record at 77.

We played "Punch bug (color) no punch backs" just like Tera but I have no idea what you are talking about fididdle...it is definitely pididdle!

Katie said...

It's definitely padiddle, Tera!! And Cassie P, I clearly remember playing padiddle the night of a FW retreat with you, Ashley and Brittany in my car! Oh, those were the days.

Just as a guess, but not to win, I'm going to say 69 as the all time record.

On my drive to my internship today, I looked for a bug an didn't see a single one. In fact, I can't remember ever seeing on here in VA yet. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled this weekend.

I also used to play "punch bug (color), no punch backs" with my brothers. I do remember many bruised arms resulting from that game- so kudos to you for your twist on the game, Cheryl!!!

Sporadic Spy said...

Slug Bug (color) no slug back!

It's clearly padiddle.

164 is my guess.

-Not a loyal lurker, nor a daily poster. :)

Laura K said...

Since Heather and I are sisters from different misters, it makes sense that we played the same games growing up...we played "Punch bug, no punch backs!" and Padiddle, but we knockedon the window instead of the ceiling or whatever. Another all-time favorite is the Alphabet License Plate game, trying to find all 50 states, too...I loved long car rides as a kid - for about the first 30 minutes, then it got old!
Anyway, my guess today is 64. I'll start looking, but I think I'm ADD because I will lose count by #3 probably...

Tera said...

no fididdle love today...wow

Peggy said...

Slug Bug... don't recall playing it in the early '70s...(probably couldn't see out the windows of my Dad's Dodge Monaco, huge mongo car) but I always had a reason to slug my older brother... my kids played this, no tag backs.

I saw 2 love bugs on my shopping adventure today.

My guess is 91

Padiddle is a nighttime travel game whose objective is to earn points by spotting vehicles with a burned-out headlight. Depending on where you are from, the game might have a slightly different variation of the name. For example in Western New York the correct name is 'Perdiddle,' and many on the west coast refer to the game as simply "Diddle". In addition, though less common, the game has been known to be pronounced "Badiddle;" with a "b" rather than a "p." See also "punch buggy."

Claudia said...

Hi everyone. I've been in meetings all morning and clearly missing all the fun.

Cheryl has gotten Matthew addicted to her game, so now every time we see a bug, he points it out and keeps count. Our first one of the day is usually spotted on Hall-Johnson road in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Clearly whoever it is, leaves their house for the day some time after 8:00 a.m.

My guess... 72.

Sporadic Spy.... I love you. I feel a highlowaha game coming on. You know... you drop us periodic clues and we try to pinpoint you.

On the note of slug bugs, Lori I can't believe you didn't feel the need to tell us about your infamous purple slug bug. What fond memories of it rattling and humming through the streets of Tempe.

Finally... I was jipped. I didn't play, nor was I exposed to - a single slug bug, padiddle or padaddle game. Help. I'm scarred.

Anonymous said...

Padiddle is a game I just taught the kids, until they started screaming it randomly to "win."

In the Army we played a game, maybe the circle game, you hold your thumb and forefinger in a circle, below your waist. If someone looks directly at it, you punch them. It got more complicated - if they broke the circle before you could move it, they got to hit you and it went on from there... I have a pic with a Drill Sargent playing.

Anyone want to tell me how to get letters to stick on a reflective vest (this safety vest)?

Anonymous said...

I'm not crazy! It's even an iPhone app:

http://www.apptism.com/apps/circle-game

Peggy said...

Do you mean a fusable mesh/web? that you iron on? What they use to hem pants, you iron that on before you hem stitch? Found in the sewing department. Or you can use an Allene's Tacky Glue, found were all the glues are or in the fabric department or in paper crafts it's Red Tacky Tape...two sided powerful tape. Is it for a costume? If you want anything permanent I would iron on fusable mesh, then stitch it... did this with patches for little league, 'cuz you wash the jerseys over and over...

Cheryl Houston said...

Robin- Fabric Fusion glue from the craft store. I used it on my Patches for my Jeans... y'all are going to be so jealous of my jeans!!!


And... I've never heard of that circle game but I'm pretty sure that's the sign for A$$hole. I could be wrong.

Julie said...

Poking my head out from lurker status to support my best friend.

FIDIDDLE it is!!
**If it's one of the front head lights

PIDIDDLE
**If it's one of the back head lights

b.k.root said...

I've always known it as padiddle... but, hey, who says I'm right?!

I've not been big on the punchbug game... but I'm well aware that some people play it. And my guess is 52.

On long road trips, I like to do the alphabet game. You find road signs and other signs anywhere along your trip that start with A, then B, then C, then D... See how long it takes you and your passengers to get through the entire alphabet.

Tera said...

Have I told you all that I love Julie? She's totally right.

And yes, I know the circle game. The boys used to play it in grade school all the time!