For extra bonus fun, the toilet in our most-used bathroom has been making a sort of moaning noise when flushed. I, of course, called our trusty contractor to ask him to come fix it. (Technically I called our trusty contractor’s wife and asked her to pass on the information.) “The toilet sounds like a fire engine’s siren when we flush it,” I said, and I thought this was a clever description of the problem. Accurate. Colorful. Clearly communicated the nature of the sound.

And then Owen came to investigate, his face shining and his voice filled with awe. “Wow,” said he, “our toilet sounds like a baby dinosaur!”