Norma reminded me Saturday of a newspaper column I did several years ago on my friend Kate. She had these decorative children’s blocks with which she spelled out NOEL each year and placed them on her mantle.
One day she left home while her housekeeper was busy dusting the mantle. When she returned, the Christmas message read “LEON.” On Saturday, we sang “lee e on, lee e on, the angels did say…..” Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night giggling about that.
I must tell you that Kate’s housekeeper is also the one who calls the crock pot, the crotch pot. “Let’s cook something in the crotch pot today,” she will say. We’ve all adopted her pronunciation and now I’m afraid I will let it slip in the wrong circles. 
Mantel
Are you kidding me??? I swear I never noticed that. I’m wondering how many other times in my 50-12 years I made such a spelling error.
No, on second thought…I’m half correct. I believe that’s the “Southern” spelling because there are still some people below the Mason Dixon line who WEAR their mantles during really cold weather. Ergo, the proper spelling becomes muddied. Ha! I knew I couldn’t make such a blatant mistake.
This is the deluded diva, after all.
Don’t be mad–I’m a business ed major whose mother is a retired English teacher. I read everything as if I am proofing. Sometimes it drives even ME crazy! I read a lot, and sometimes I find myself screaming out an error in a novel. Kinda gets on Husband’s nerves. 🙂