“Well, I’d better go now,” she said. “Himself just walked in. What? Oh, he’s been out puttering in his old workshop.” (95)
Puttering? Puttering! (95)
I certainly was not puttering in my workshop. Crafting an exquisite coffee table is not puttering! It’s fine woodworking. Nothing annoys me more than Bun’s misuse of the word “puttering” in reference to my highly skilled use of tools in the creation of elegant furniture pieces. Actually, come to think of it, there are several things about Bun that annoy me more, but her misuse of “puttering” is right up near the top of the list. (95)
Did Michelangelo’s wife say: “Oh, Mike’s puttering around over at the Sistine Chapel.” (96)
Did Thomas Jefferson’s wife say: “Oh, Tom’s down in the living room puttering with some old declaration of independence.” (96)
I notice that when I’m putting up a shelf in the pantry, Bun doesn’t refer to that as puttering. No, that’s significant work, putting up a plain old board shelf as any ten-year-old could. (96)
My dictionary defines “putter” as “to occupy oneself aimlessly, to putter around the kitchen.” The italics, by the way, aren’t mine, but those of some lexicographer puttering about with the language. Okay, I’ll accept the fact that I occupy myself aimlessly in the kitchen, such as vainly searching (96)
Puttering (97)
The phone rings. Bun answers it. “Hi, Dave . . . Yeah, he’s here . . . Just puttering about the kitchen.” (97)
That’s an example of puttering in the workshop. (98)
I decided to straighten Bun out on the proper use of the word “puttering.” (98)
“I thought you’d like it. Now, about your use of the word ‘puttering’ ...” (98)
from result snippets, at Patrick F. McManus, “Puttering,” in Real Ponies Don’t Go Oink (1991) : 95-98
only partially viewable (and not borrowable) via archive.org : link
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Patrick F. McManus (1933-2018), humor writer (for Outdoor Life (1983-2009), Field & Stream (1977-82) and other publications
wikipedia : link
16 July 2026