understand the style of swearing now.

Frogs and Tambours - when he is talking about clothes;
whips and wheels - when talking about travelling and arriving.

Odds bulbs and lights! - it registers now :-D

Thanks Julie.
Actually I have seen people use the tambour even now.
I found it difficult to embroider when the cloth was stretched on to it. The needle sort of refuses to turn back easily to the cloth once you have pierced it.