Question for our UK members

[jemhouston]

What does “My heart pumps peanut," mean?

Found it here but no context https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/02/22 ... s-n2185875

[David Newton]

Erm what?! Never heard that phrase and have no idea what it means.

[Nik_SpeakerToCats]

Sorry, not a clue.

Disclaimer: I'm two (2) generations removed from probable baby-sitters...

( It's a lonnng decade too late to ask the brave young ladies who heroically coped with MIL's progressive regression. Must be said, she found me nigh-unbiddable: Bitten on the hand for being minutes late with her meal, I asked, 'Is that the best you can do ?' )

[Zen9]

First time I've seen the phrase.

Couldn't find it in the awful site in the link.

[jemhouston]

First time I've seen the phrase.

Couldn't find it in the awful site in the link.

As my English babysitter used to say, “My heart pumps peanuts.” (What that precisely means, I don’t know, but somehow it seems to sum up my feelings for deeply unsympathetic, ever-race-baiting hosts on perhaps the silliest program on network television.)

[Pdf27]

It's a journalist who seems to have grown up in the US - odds are his "English Babysitter" was married to an American and moved over there some time before. Peanuts only really became popular in the UK in the 1950s - they've been available since the 1500s but were pretty rare - so it's probable she picked up the phrase in the US.

[Zen9]

More likely a made up family expression.

If you hear "firey furry flying fruitbats" you'll know it's me or my wife.
While my dad was at times heard to remark "pussy poos and doggy dollops", in remarkable seriousness too.

[jemhouston]

Thanks everyone for the feedback

[Belushi TD]

As a USA-ian, I've never heard that phrase before.

Lived in Jersey, Virgnia, Colorado and Alaska for various lengths of time and not once heard that anywhere.

Belushi TD

[Craiglxviii]

What does “My heart pumps peanut," mean?

Found it here but no context https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2025/02/22 ... s-n2185875

New one on me, I’m afraid!

[Bernard Woolley]

Wish I knew what it meant! Absolute mystery me.

[Micael]

After some internet searching I’ve found a very limited number of references to ”my heart pumps peanut butter”. Those referencing it appears to be American, with one seemingly indicating that he heard it from a teacher in Hamburg, NY. From explanations it appears to be a sarcastic take on ”my heart bleeds for you”, ie you’re saying that you’re not actually feeling for the person, dismissing their whining about something.

”The dog ate my homework!”
”My heart pumps peanut butter for you.”

[Craiglxviii]

After some internet searching I’ve found a very limited number of references to ”my heart pumps peanut butter”. Those referencing it appears to be American, with one seemingly indicating that he heard it from a teacher in Hamburg, NY. From explanations it appears to be a sarcastic take on ”my heart bleeds for you”, ie you’re saying that you’re not actually feeling for the person, dismissing their whining about something.

”The dog ate my homework!”
”My heart pumps peanut butter for you.”

“My heart bleeds”, yes.

“My heart pumps peanut butter”, no, never, anywhere across the whole country in any of my experience.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard a whole load of strange sayings. “Well, go to the foot of our stairs” is one. “White rabbits” should be the first words you say on the first day of any month. “Hello Mr. Magpie, how’s your lovely wife?” should be asked when any magpie flies out in front of you, thus removing the bad luck element of “one for sorrow”.

Never, ever anything involving peanut butter though.