Pompadoo: A Classic Kathyism

There is a family of innocently altered words, word-fragments, phrases, and sounds known as Kathyisms.  Kathyisms are expressions native to the tongue and mind of my mother, Kathy Kitson.

Now that I'm broaching the topic of Kathyisms, I must first give you a tidbit of tangential background information on my mother.  You see, while my mother may possess an advanced degree in English, she has never lost the playful innocence and naivety that pervades her bountiful speech.  Needless to say, I'm a lot like my mother.  My family's embrace of Kathyisms through the years has been the source of much laughter, linguistic growth, and downright frivolity.

At this point you're likely asking: "What the heck is pompadoo?"  I wouldn't fault you for envisioning it as a sequel to the ever-quirky "Xanadu", perhaps.  Arguably, pompadoo refers to something every bit as colorful and magical as Xanadu.  Pompadoo is the word my mother uses to refer to potpourri.  An example of its usage would be the following series of sentences, spoken by mom to my late grandmother: 

"Rea (my aunt, as well as my mom's sister) and I were at the mall in Tuscaloosa.  We bought this pompadoo at Kirklands.  It smells so nice."

"Importer's Warehouse has so many types of pompadoo!  Plus, they have really nice baskets you can put it in.  Would you like me to get you some?"

Even to this day, pompadoo is a staple in my childhood home.  When I return for a visit, a pompadoo plethora is sure to grip my senses from the moment I walk in the door.  Dried flower petals, pieces of clove, sticks of cinnamon, and potent scented oils all blend into a veritable pompadoo...uh, potpourri...of smells that let me know I'm home.