Please stop saying "it's been a minute"

Why is 'died' harsh though?( sorry to harp on)

There is nothing 'harsher' than the death of someone close to you. When someone dies, the worst has already happened. Sugar coating it is, as I have said, somewhat insulting.

I am beginning to think the use of these silly euphemisms is more to do with protecting the speaker's feelings - masking their own fears maybe- rather than being truly sensitive to those of the bereaved person.

I found a recipe using roasted cauliflower that looks delicious! 😛
Cauliflower with cheese sauce is a known dish here, very 80's//90's, but known. If I remember, it would be boiled cauliflower put into a buttered baking dish, cheese sauce overtop then breadcrumbs and baked.

No cauliflower cheese is a staple. Can be eaten on its own or with practically anything else. Not a traditional Christmas dish though it does go well with roast meat.

Passed away is commonly used in Canada. "Died" sounds a bit harsh depending on context, tone and audience.

I serve it with anything I can get away with 😂 I'm actually having it tonight with bangers and mash. That's sausages BTW 😂

I do get what you mean though. Cheesy macaroni/cauliflower would probably make more sense.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor Passed isn't traditional. I never heard it until my mid years.

I agree completely with what @Words says about "passed". It's is died. Passed sounds like you're frightened of death or saying it. Any anyway, where do they pass to? Not everyone is religious. I wince at that word.

Had to Google that dish, but have seen it mentioned on MN before. Typically served at Christmas, right?
I definitely concede in the UK "and" is omitted in macaroni and cheese and your "cauliflower cheese " dish. It does sound odd though. ie. is it a type of cheese tasting like cauliflower? 😂
Do you Brits not like "and"? 🤔
I'd be curious which Canadian phrases confound and possible annoy. 😄

We've always traditionally said, Thank you very much.
I remember when first hearing, Thanks so much, here it sounded insincere and affected! It's now commonly used with emphasis on "so" and expresses quite sincere gratitude. 🤷‍♀️☺️

Is it also cauliflower and cheese then?

But, it is macaroni and cheese, isn't it?
Macaroni cheese sounds like you're listing ingredients, but stopped mid-sentence. 😂
It's funny how these things drive us nuts, though. ☺️

I disagree @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor ( I do like your name by the way)

It is neither traditional nor respectful for the reasons I explained in my last post.

Why, why can it possibly offend someone to say ' I am so sorry your mother has died'? Or ' I am so sorry to hear of the death of your mother'. It is just baffling.

Never heard anyone say it’s been a minute.

Passed is traditional and respectful, I don't think there's anything wrong with others using that so as not to offend the bereaved person.

Actually, I don't mind 'late' as it's an old fashioned formality, and generally only used in specific circumstances.

'Lost' though? No.

When my mother died last year, colleagues would repeatedly refer to her as having ''passed". As if they can't bring themselves to say 'died'. I even said to some please just say she died. Yet they didn't.

When someone has died, the worst has already happened. Attaching a pointless euphemism such as "passed on" is irritating and, depending on one's spiritual views, or lack of them, a bit insulting.

It actually trivialises the monumentality of death and the suffering of the survivors. Which is I imagine the exact opposite of what was intended.

I also hate “late” and “lost”

dead. Died. Not late and will appear soon when the traffic’s better, or lost and we need to find them. Dead.

”the late mr smith” to me isn’t respectful, it makes them sound like they were a useless timekeeper in life.

Oh yes.
Passed on, or passed away.
No. They died and are now dead.

Stepped foot in

Sick to my stomach

I stepped foot in some dogshit and felt sick to my stomach.

I could care less when the opposite is meant ( v puzzling that one)

Have also heard some Americans say ' keep close to my vest.' Rather than "chest" - that's slightly endearing

Picked out rather than chose

Excited rather than anticipating or looking forward to

Reached out

Can I get?

I could go on....

That proves that I'm right then 😁 It originates from Europe where it's called macaroni cheese, not macaroni and cheese.

Mac and cheese and macaroni and cheese are both used in the States.

I went down the proverbial rabbit hole on that one.
I'd say the order was Italy, France, England for combining the ingredients, but I'm more curious about the use of "and."

Mac and cheese seems American to me;
macaroni and cheese, Canadian
macaroni cheese def Britain

I'd give you lack of paragraphs but I think you're being slightly precious about ellipsis.

I already have 😁 Originated in England (and Italy) definitely not North America, so macaroni AND cheese is just yet another stupid Americanism that's made its way over here 😤

I can't stand the misuse of ellipses, instead of full stops. It makes a post so difficult to read I can finish it.

Googling... brb. 🤓

9/10. You should have "plated up" for the full house