I can only think of one appropriate response to this email – and that is to feature it in all its shining glory. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my red-faced mother (be kind to her, we’ve all been there or thereabouts at some point!):
Subject: HOW EMBARRASSING!!!
Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 06:32:57 +0000
My text to Radio Sussex this morning about reasons why one did not vote for the preferred party prompted a mini debate about a phrase I used – “damp squid”.
All my life I thought it was squid only to discover, on air, that it is squib??!! How very, very embarrassing 
and how very much I wished I had stayed anonymous 
Use this gaffe how you wish – or is it gaff?? I learnt that the hard way too!
Congrats to Brighton Pavilion for the first Green Candidate to win a seat.
xx
Aww Mum, I feel your pain!
For the unenlightened (myself included until a couple of minutes ago) a squib is an explosive – and a damp squib, therefore, is an explosive that fails to, erm, explode. I’ll let Wikipedia explain. Personally I like damp squid, though. Reminds me of a certain party leader.
box of squid
box of squibs
