Rusty is cowarding in the bathroom

Linda Bernstein, loyal malaphor follower, related this one from the Fourth of July. Fireworks were being set off all around, and Rusty the dog hid away in the interior bathroom to get away from the loud noises.    Her grandson Nick then exclaimed that “Rusty is cowarding in the bathroom”.    This is a nice word blend of cowering and coward.   Cowards do often cower, and the words sound similar, so the mix up is a perfect blend.    As many of you know, most malaphors are idiom blends but once in awhile two words are blended together to make a nice word blend malaphor.  These are very different than portmanteaus, as I have explained in previous posts.  A hat tip to Linda Bernstein for sending this beauty in!