Just Desserts?

My son tells me that when somebody gets what's coming to them, they get their "just deserts," not their "just desserts." But, I told him, a desert is a dry place, and it's pronounced differently, and "just desserts" is pronounced like the word that has two S's. We looked it up in the dictionary. Deserts is a noun that means "what you deserve" or "merits." Makes sense when you see it that way. But who knew??

And as long as I'm on this theme, when you do what you're told, you "toe the line," not "tow the line." And when a person measured up, he "passed muster," not "passed mustard."

We have a potluck at church next Sunday. Probably nobody will have to pass the mustard -- there are seldom ham sandwiches. People usually only bring just desserts.