"Whistle While You Work" was a song made some-what popular by the Disney movie "Snow White". My Grandpa Riggs, "Popo", did whistle occasionally, but it wasn't his preferred method of workplace euphony.
Popo was a "Dee Doodler".
I was very privileged to be with Popo while he worked for my Dad building several houses, and I have often said; "Popo was the most impulsive person I have ever known". And in retrospect, he was also a person that could focus so intently on a task, problem or situation, that he completely shut out his surroundings.
In those times, when he was so focused, he would start a sing-talking routine that I call the "Dee Doodles".
It wasn't a song... But on the other hand it was a song... sort of. It basically had one pitch and no metered time.
In his normal voice volume, Popo would start something like this; "Dee dee doodle dum dee. Dee doodle doodle dum dee". Then he might pause and for a few seconds and then start up again; "Doo dee dum doodle dum dee. Deedle dee dum dee do". Another pause and... "Doodly doodly doodly dum"
There were times when it seemed like (to use an old LP record player phrase) Popo's needle got stuck on the "Deedles, Doos and Doodles"! He would begin in his regular way and then... "Deedle deedle deedle deedle de dum" and "Doo doo doo dum de doodle doodle doodle doodle dum day".
The older I get, the more I realize how unique and privileged my childhood was. Everyone has their story but I would wager that very few had a "Dee Doodly Dum Day" Grandpa!
(And If I were brave enough, I might try to recreate an example of Popo's "Dee Doodles" and include it in this post!)
