Edna-isms, Part Twenty

1.  "[Something or someone] of the first order."  The dictionary says this means "the one coming, occuring or ranking above all others."  So this could be: "He was a speaker of the first order" or "She is a cook of the first order."  It could have also been used as a joke or a criticism:  "He is a whiner of the first order."

2.  "I'm going to send that coach a black widow spider!"  She said this one time when she was frustrated that my brother had been on the bench more than she thought he should have been during a high school basketball game.  This was said with much humor and not a shred of true intent to the threat.

3. "At Death's door."  This was usually said as a joke when she wasn't feeling well.  I guess it could have been used in seriousness, too.