Beginners.
We keep busy in the Winter. We play in the snow and do sports, but there are other things to do inside the house. Because we live in an older home, there are projects to do. These are small changes that need to be made to the house. Why do we do these things? Well, for improvement, of course; to improve the house and how everything works. My husband's project this Winter is to move the laundry room from downstairs to the upstairs. It sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, there is alot involved. For it to be a success, we need the help of an electrician and a plumber. The electrician works with the wiring and electricity. A plumber works with all of the water pipes. The new laundry room will be where three closets were. And a mud room will be where the old laundry room was. It will take, perhaps, two weeks, and then, hey presto, it will be ready. It will make life quite a bit easier for me, so when it is finished I will definitely celebrate.
Grammar notes.
Comparative adjectives: old, older, oldest.
Verbs: to do. Exs: Why do we do these things? Why did you do that? When will they make dinner?
Useful vocabulary: to be a success; wiring (wires); plumbing; laundry room; closets; hey presto.
Advanced
When you buy an old house, it is often necessary to do some renovating. That is the case with our house. By European standards, what I'm used to, this house is not old at all. It is thirty years old. However, in this part of the world, the houses are made mainly out of wood, and so it is easy to knock down walls and have a bit of necessary mess for the goal of having a more efficient house. My husband enlisted himself to " get it done", and has been at it for several days now. It started out with all sorts of banging and crashing, followed the next day by loud electric saw noises, more banging, and then loads of dust. I was impressed. I like a bit of destruction every now and then, as long as it is controlled. Well, the project is taking place. Walls have come down, and new ones have gone up in different places. My youngest boy helped to pull down some of the sheet rock, which made him feel very manly and useful. So what will be the end product? A new laundry room. I know, it doesn't sound very exciting, does it. But for me, a domestic goddess, it is a must, a more efficient place where the necessary evil of laundry will take place.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to renovate; that is the case with ....; a goal; efficiency; to enlist oneself (eg in the army); loads of......; an electric saw; ...........is taking place; necessary evil.
Exs: He enlisted himself in the navy two years ago.
A wedding is taking place in the hotel.
Good education leads to good jobs; that has been the case with all of my children.
Beginners.
In this part of the world, we need to heat our house for three quarters of the year: Winter, Spring, and Fall. Of course, now is the time of year when the freezing temperatures outside make us turn up the heat inside. It is so nice to get cozy, and there are so many different ways. Sometimes we light a fire, sometimes we put on woolly clothes, and other times we snuggle up together. The other day I walked into the kitchen where our puppy spends a lot of time. I found her lying on her bed with a best friend. Both of them were wrapped in a cozy blanket. They looked like two puppies, and the one I know best was asleep. It was a cute picture, so I took a photograph. After playing outside in the icy weather, you warm up and feel sleepy. Shh, don't wake up the puppies.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: a quarter, a half, three quarters; to turn up the heat; wool, cotton, silk, nylon, fleece (all common materials); to wrap (presents/ oneself in clothes).
Advanced.
What expressions do you have for cuteness? Every language that I have come across has words to express that idea. In England we use the words sweet, cute, dear, and I'm sure many others, regionally, that I am not aware of. Here, we say cute, precious, and darling. Well, we can all think of occasions when they are used. Winter time, for a few reasons, generates scenes of cuteness on a regular basis. Snow clothes bundling little children up can make them look cute. Christmas colors, decorations, and parties, can all show cuteness off to a full extent. One day recently, after the children had come in from playing in the snow, my daughter wrapped herself up in a blanket and laid down with her best friend, our puppy. As warmth was generated she quickly slipped into la-la land, and without realizing, created a wonderful photo opportunity. Most of the time they are both running around, making noise, and getting into mischief. But this occasion was a golden one. When dogs and children are quiet and still, it is a momentary gift.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: locally, regionally, nationally, internationally; to be aware of..; to generate; to a full extent; recently; la-la-land; a photo opportunity; mischief ( to get into/ to create).
Beginners.
This is a busy time in the US for many people, especially for those who celebrate Christmas. It is a time for buying, buying, and buying. After we have bought or received presents, we realize that our homes will have more stuff in them. Do we need all of this stuff? Will the children play with their new toys for more than a week? How about selling somethings? There is a buy and sell website called Craig's list where you can sell all kinds of things. A friend of mine told me about it. She sold many things. She even sold a broken sofa! " You can sell anything on Craig's list," she said to me. So, I tried it. I took a photo of a tv, a microwave, and a pair of roller blades. A few days later I had sold the first two things. I couldn't believe it. That was fast. I am still waiting to sell the roller blades, though. You are not interested, are you?
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to buy - we buy, we bought, we have bought, we had bought.
To receive - we receive, we received, we have received, we had received.
To need - do we need this stuff? Do you need all of this?
To sell - she sells, she sold, she had sold, she was selling.
Advanced.
What do you do with your spare things? After you have outgrown certain objects, after they have served their purpose, where do they go? In this country, if you don't want to throw the object away, you have a few other options. You can give the item to one of many charitable shops, such as Goodwill, or the Salvation Army, where they will be sold inexpensively to whoever is not too fussy about buying second-hand goods. Another thing that a lot of people do here is to have a yard sale. Yard, here, means garden in England. And so a yard sale is an informal sale of household, garden, sporting, and craft goods. Usually they are laid out on tables, the clothes hang from racks, and miscelaneous objects are here and there in boxes or propped up against the walls. Treasures can be found, actually, but you must be willing to search and be patient. Hosting a yard sale requires some work and forethought. Sometimes it is worth it, if you advertise sufficiently. I have been to some yard sales where I have been able to load the car up with wonderful finds. At other times, I have walked away empty handed and disappointed. Craig's list is now very popular, and in many ways, easier than having a yard sale. I have already managed to sell a few unwanted things from my home, and so, I've caught the bug. The roller blades that some friends gave me are still hanging around; nobody seems to want them. Perhaps if I take a super attractive photo and ask for just a few bucks, I will some day be able to sell them. There must be somebody out there somewhere who desperately wants them......insn't there?
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to outgrow, charitable, second-hand, yard sale, forethought, treasure, unwanted, to catch the bug, to hang around, a few bucks.
Beginners.
White, white, white, that is mostly what I see these days. But, it is a beautiful white. It is a white that covers everything outside: houses, cars, streets, trees, even the thinnest sign posts. It is a white that brings quiet with it. Snow is, of course, like a blanket; it covers and it quietens. Now, in the morning, instead of hearing the busy 'swush' of cars and buses going to work and school, we hear nothing. Even the snow plough is quite quiet, until it lowers its plow and scrapes along the icy road. The big white blanket also brings entertainment with it, lots of entertainment. You can ski, sled, or just goof around in the snow. The children bundle up in lots of warm clothes for play time; if they don't, they will pay for it later with icy toes, fingers and ears.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: sign post; to quieten = to make quiet; instead of; snow plough; to scrape; entertainment = activities that are enjoyable.
Advanced.
There is a bird house just outside our kitchen window which sits, pretty as a picture all year long, reflecting the changing seasons. In Spring, it is a flurry of activity, with noisy, twittery birds who seem like complete maniacs in constant motion. And, oh, the noise! For a light sleeper, like myself, it is a challenge to control myself enough to not pull out the bird house just to get some peace and quiet. Mind you, whenever I am tempted to get rid of the thing, I see what a haven it is for our beautiful, dainty feathered friends. I couldn't possibly! Well, the babies grow, learn to fly, and leave the nest, and before you know it, the house is empty again. As the seasons change, many of the species of birds that live here, fly South for warmer climates. A few stay and brave the long Winter. They are adept at finding just the right spots for building nests and finding food. We help them along by putting seeds out for them, but I think that they would probably manage by themselves. As the snow quietly covers everything day after day, the little house gets more and more insulated. I think it will be a part of our garden for years to come.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: a flurry = lots of activity; twittery = noisy bird chirping; maniac = crazy; a haven = a place of refuge; dainty = delicate; to brave something = to put up with (especially weather).
Verbs: to be able: I couldn't possibly!
Ex: Have some more cake. Oh, I couldn't possibly.
To be adept at something = to be very good at something.
Beginners.
This morning was an ordinary morning. I woke the kids up. "Wakey, wakey," I said gently to them, as usual. I brought the two youngest their breakfast drink that they like to drink in bed. They are spoilt, I know. The oldest two get themselves up and ready. They make their lunches, get their backpacks, play a little with the dog, and then it's time to get in the car. Today was a bit different, though. The car didn't start. Uh-oh! What had happened? Maybe a light had been left on last night, so the battery had no power. Well, I found the battery charger, hooked it to the battery, and plugged it in. We waited, waited, and waited. Finally, there was enough power to go. I called the schools to say why we were late. No big deal! The kids had extra time to play and to watch Tom and Jerry. Sometimes plans must change.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: ordinary, gently, as usual, to spoil, to get ready, though, battery, to charge, to hook something onto something, to plug in.
Verbs: to wake (up) (wake, woke, woken); to bring (bring, brought, brought); to find (find, found, found).
To happen. Exs: What's happening? What happened? What had happened?
Advanced.
Sometimes mornings are quite smooth in our household, but at other times, there are surprises or 'bumps in the road'. This morning was one of the bumpy ones. Everything had started out normally: wake up the kids, get their breakfast, find their shoes and coats etc etc. The dog was on her best behavior, - no accidents anywhere, and no chewing things that shouldn't be chewed. Everyone was in a good mood as well, which is a great plus on a school day. We got in the car, as usual, I turned the key, as usual, and ...silence. Not even a click, click. Uh-oh, a flat battery. Well, that wasn't in my plan for this morning. Okay, what should I do? In the garage is a battery charger that you can plug into a socket. Perfect. I carefully, very carefully, hooked everything up, responsibly avoiding electrocution, and waited. Gosh, each time I tried to start the car I only got a happy little click, click, click. So, I called the schools to explain our delay. I did some laundry. I even did this podcast. The kids didn't mind hanging out at home a bit longer; they played with the dog and with the Wii. Well, finally, the battery was charged. We were saved. We had regained our connection to the world. Hurray! So, off to school with no excuses.
Grammar notes.
Words to remember: household, to be on one's best behavior, a flat battery, a charger, a socket, a plug, laundry, bumps in the road, a change of plans.
Verbs: What should I do? What should be done? What would you do in my situation.
Beginners.
In our area, some birds will stay for the Winter. They make their nests cozy , fluff up their feathers, and search for food every day. But, they have a problem. Because everything is covered with snow, it is hard to find food. It is too cold for insects to be out and about, and most seeds on the ground have been covered up by Winter's blanket. Berry bushes make great meals for the birds, but something that we, and many other people, do every year, is to put out seed cones. You mix together bacon fat, seeds, and nuts, if you want those also. Then, you tie a string onto a pine cone, spread the mixture all over it, and put it in the freezer. When it is hard, you hang it from a tree. Then, sit back and watch the birds fly to it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's good to look after cute, flying friends.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to make (make, made, made). To make a nest/ mess/ the bed/ a basket ( in basket ball) etc.
To search for = to look for. To cover up = to cover completely.
Related vocabulary: to hang up; to spread; to tie a string (shoe lace); pine trees, pine cones, branches.
Advanced.
One thing that keeps us entertained in the Winter is doing crafts. It seems to be a therapy of sorts that distracts us from the cold, dark evenings. Approaching Christmas, at home, as well as in school, the children will make all sorts of crafts: stars, nativities, gingerbread houses, and photo frames, to name but a few. One thing that we try to do each Winter, is to make seed cones for the birds. We have pine trees in our yard which drop alot of pine cones during the year. We collect them. We use them in our fire place to start fires, and also to hang on trees to feed the birds. I collect bacon fat in a bowl over a few weeks. It looks quite disgusting, but it really serves a purpose. On a plate we mix the gross looking fat with seeds and non-salty nuts. Then we spread the mixture all over pine cones to which we have already attached a string. Off to the freezer they go, to harden. Then, we hang them from trees all over our yard, especially those that are next to a window. That way we can sit inside and watch the scene develop. Once one bird has found the food, word quickly spreads. Within minutes their is a crazy fluttering of wings, little bodies hovering, fighting, chirping. It's a Winter feeding frenzy, and great entertainment!
Grammar notes.
Important expressions: Approaching (a time); to serve a purpose; off to ... = common expression when going or taking something somewhere. Ex: Off to the dentist for you, boy. Off to your kennel, spot. I'm off to the shops. Off to the mud room with those dirty boots!
Related vocabulary: seeds, nuts, to chirp, to hover, to flutter, a frenzy, crafts, therapy, to distract, nativity, gingerbread house, to name but a few, gross, disgusting.
Beginners.
Well, the snow is finally here. It came two days ago. From now on, it will be snow, snow, snow for about three months. My two little ones wanted to go sledding. I took them to a local park. There were a few people already there. All the children had plastic sleds. There were happy faces everywhere. Parents, holding cups of hot coffee, stood around chatting. It was great. My two youngest slid down the hill a few times. The trouble is, the wind got colder and colder. Little toes and fingers got colder and colder. Noses turned red, and lips turned blue. I finally said,"That's it, we're off. It's too cold. Let's go home and get warm." There will be many more days of snow and sledding. For now, though, I think tonight will be a perfect night for an open fire.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to come (come, came, come). Ex: The snow came yesterday.
: to be (am/is/are, was/were, been). Ex: There were a few people.
: to stand (stand, stood, stood). Ex: The soldier stood still.
Related vocabulary: to sled, to chat, to slide, cold/colder/coldest, though from now on.
Advanced.
Well, when you've got to play, you've got to play; or should I say,"When you gotta play, you gotta play." That means, come rain or shine, heat or chill, you've got to get outside and play about. My two youngest children insisted on us sledding today, even though it was perishingly cold. I obediently bundled everybody up efficiently, or so I thought, and off we went. The poor kids sat like Michelin men in their car seats as we drove to the park; they could barely turn their heads to look out of the window. Anyway, we got there, and joined in the whizzing kids who were lining up at the top of the hill, and flying down with colorful smiles, and,"ooh" and "woah!" After a while, though, my children slowed down and started to look pale with cold. We decided to go back to the car and drive to pick up some hot "curly fries" at the nearest fast food drive-through. On the way home, my six year old boy took off his coat and boots to 'warm up'. To my horror, he had no top on, and no socks. I'm not surprized he got cold. He is quite hot blooded normally, probably because he is so active; but this was ridiculous. From now on, all the kids will get a thorough inspection, army style, before they are allowed out.
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: come rain or shine. Ex: Come rain or shine, you will find him gardening.
Perishingly cold/ bitterly cold = extremely cold.
To bundle up = to put lots of warm, thick, clothes on.
To fly = often used to mean moving very quickly. Ex: That car was flying!
Curly fries = french fries made in spirals and slightly seasoned.
To pick up food from a fast food drive-through is very common in the States.
Beginners.
Recycling is something that I do willingly. My children know all about it. At school the teachers tell them about how to not be wasteful, and how they can become involved in recycling. About every two weeks, my daughter and I load up the car with our large recycling boxes. One has glass jars, another metal cans, another has cardboard, and the last has plastics. It has become a real habit. If we don't do it, our garage will be full of garbage. Just think what a huge amount of things we throw away, when we could be recycling it all. It's alot of stuff! It makes me happy to think that we can save many trees, and help to keep the air and water clean if we make the effort to recycle. In most towns there are areas or large containers where you can take materials that you don't need anymore. It's a great idea.
Related vocabulary: recycling, waste, wasteful, involved, dumpster, garbage, materials, effort.
Verbs: to do (do, did, done); to know (know, knew, known).
Advanced.
It's funny, in retrospect, how you can become absorbed in an activity without realizing. I wish sometimes that I could see myself more objectively, as others do. I say this, because, I believe that often we could catch ourselves doing good, a good that we don't recognize anymore. Take recycling, for example. It has become, out of necessity, a bi-monthly habit in our household. If we didn't do it, our dumpster would get twice as full as it already does. It is truly amazing how many materials we use and throw away. Often, they pass through our house without even showing signs of use or damage. And out they go! Well, all this useful stuff, thankfully now is being transported down to the local recycling center. I usually do it with my daughter. She is only four, so it is like a game for her, as most things are. She loves to throw the plastic bottles into the huge, metal containers. Children love to throw things around, and often get into trouble for it. But there, it can be encouraged; and they love it. Occasionally, a fellow recycler is doing his or her duty down there, with whom I will exchange a smile or a hello. It's as if, without knowing eachother, we have some good things in common. I'm glad that it has become a normal activity for my kids, a little easy well-wishing for the earth.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: in retrospect, to become absorbed, objectively, out of necessity, to show signs of damage/ life/ illness etc; a fellow .... ex; a fellow painter.
Beginners.
One of my boys collects nutcrackers. Do you know what they are? They are very colorful, soldier dolls. They have become popular in the United States around Christmas time. You can find them in all sizes. Cass, my son, has a few small ones, and one big one. In the stores I have seen a variety of huge ones also, in different colors, and different uniforms. Sometimes they have a theme, like music, or nationality. One store has a packet of several nutcrackers, each one dressed in a national costume from a different country. I suppose they are called collectibles, just like snow globes, stamps, or keys. I have already finished my Christmas shopping, but I know that my son will be happy if he finds a new, shiny nutcracker in his stocking on the 25th of December.
Grammar notes.
Verbs:To collect (collect, collected, collected); to become (become, became, become); to find (find, found, found); to have (have, had, have)
Related vocabulary:soldier, doll, costume, uniform, nationality, country, tradition.
Advanced.
The other day I was browsing through the newspaper when I came across an announcement that the Nutcracker ballet was coming to town. It was going to be in town for only a few days, but what an exciting event! My husband and I had been to a spectacular performance of the Nutcracker in Seattle a couple of years ago. It was quite a modern rendition of the ballet, but just as jaw-dropping as the traditional performance. I think that my children are ready for exposure to such an artistic event. Perhaps we could make a real evening of it, dress formerly, go to a nice restaurant, and end up at the ballet. And, even though our town is small, we are beginning to get very good performers and artists visit and show their tremendous talent. My kids have all heard Tchaikovsky's music, but to see the ballet, if they can sit still that long, would give them some great insight into the volume of creative work from around the world that we can enjoy. Perhaps it could become a family tradition.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: Performance, rendition, theater, art, ballet, opera, family tradition, exposure, creativity, composer, conductor, spectacle, jaw-dropping/ awesome, talent, event.
Verbs: to browse (browse, browsed, browsed); to hear (hear, heard, heard); to come across = to find/ to stumble across.
Beginners.
Do you know what a Pointsettia is? It is something that grows in the ground and is sold here in the United States at Christmas time. It originates from Mexico and Central America. Often when you go into a supermarket, they are the first things that you see, along with the fruit. The plants look like they have huge flowers, but actually, the colors come from leaves, not petals. You can find Pointsettias that are pink, red, white, and mottled. Not many flowers grow in these areas at Christmas time; gardens and farms are dormant because of the cold. So, truck loads of these flowers are transported from Mexico and Central America to our supermarkets, by the thousands. Christmas trees are a very special part of Winter, but Poinsettias are a pretty, traditional touch to the season's decorations.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to grow (grow, grew, grown).
Ex: Carrots grow well here. They grew well last year. They are grown nearly everywhere.
To come (come, came, come).
Ex: He comes from China. They came to our house yesterday. Has Santa come down the chimney yet?
Related vocabulary: along with, actually, often.
Advanced.
You have probably noticed by now that I am a Christmas fanatic. The snow, the decorations, the traditions, and the actual meaning of Christmas, are all cherished by my family. Well, there is a little part of this season which definitely puts an annual smile on many faces. The Poinsettia. You can pick them up just about anywhere this time of year. Even the craft stores sell fake ones. They come in quite a variety of colors: red, pink, white, and mottled. A recent fashion has been sprayed Poinsettias; so now, they even come in sparkling blue and purple. That's not exactly my cup of tea; I prefer the natural colors. The flower was introduced to the United States by the first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett. Legend has it that two poor children, Maria and Pablo, wished to decorate a local nativity scene with presents. They brought only weeds, and were picked on and humiliated by the other children. Then, suddenly, miraculously, the weeds burst into color, forming the shapes of stars. Their humble gift had been accepted and blessed. Love and well meaning triumphed. Poinsettias as a result are also known as the 'Flower of the Holy night.'
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to cherish (to be cherished).
Exs: I cherish our time together. She is cherished by the whole family.
Annual = yearly; to pick on = to bully; just about anywhere/ anybody; fake = artificial; it's not my cup of tea = I don't like it.
The flower was introduced = subject + to be + past participle.
Exs: The car was made in Japan. The jewel was stolen in the night.
Beginners.
Do you enjoy shopping? Do you do it very often? Are there many shops where you live? Here in Wenatchee, a small town, we have a few shopping areas. Some stores are well known; others are privately owned, small businesses. I like shopping when I have plenty of time. Sometimes, though, it is stressful. One of the most stressful days to shop is the day after Thanksgiving. Most stores have big sales. The word is BARGAIN. On every shop door you can see numbers: fifty percent off, seventy five percent off, even ninety percent off! Because the sales are so good, most people do their Christmas shopping. They can save a lot of money. The main problem is that there are too many people. Crowds, noise, traffic, pushing, tired children crying, oh it's a crazy day. It is a part of this culture, the way people live here, but, I must say, it can be quite stressful.
Grammar notes.
Questions: reverse verb and subject, exs: Do you enjoy/hate/go....?
Are there trees/ books/ people/ many (s.t.)...? Is there a person/ toy/ telephone/ bus etc?
Related vocabulary: bargain, sale, price, cost, expensive, cheap, change, dollars, percent, percentage.
Advanced.
Have you ever been around so many people that you felt trapped? It's a feeling called claustrophobia. It is unpleasant to say the least. You want to run away into an open place where there is quiet and fresh air. You could get this feeling in lots of places: airplanes, boats, trains, hospitals. But, what about shopping? Last year, in an effort to get my Christmas shopping out of the way early, I tried, for the first time, shopping the day after Thanksgiving. I regretted it. It's not that it is a bad idea, it's just that I didn't have the correct system. You really need to know what you are doing. Veteran shoppers get up early, about five o'clock, dress themselves in several layers of warm clothes, so they are never too hot or too cold, - they can always peel off a few layers if they need to. They have the car full of gas, and equipped with tissues, hand sanitizer, a charged cell phone, cds of tranquil music, and vitamin C snacks. And, last but not least, they have the all-necessary list of coupons. This year, I did all of that,....well, okay, apart from the getting up at five o'clock. I also discovered a secret weapon that defended me against the onslaught of noise and stress. My iPod. Thanks to the iPod, I sailed smoothly through the chaos, taking my time, selecting items calmly, and totally distracted by my wonderful downloaded programs. Do you think I should let the secret out?
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: claustrophobia, trapped, anxious, nervous, escape, system, to regret, to peel off (skin of fruit and clothes), tissues, coupons, weapon, secret, onslaught, stress, chaos.
Verbs and phrases: Have you ever....? Exs: Have you ever been to St. Petersburg? Has he ever tried smoked salmon? Has it ever snowed here?Did they ever return your call? Did she ever repay you?
Beginners.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. It is a tradition that is very important for most Americans. It is a yearly celebration that reflects on history. Americans celebrate this special day in remembrance of the first settlers from Europe, the Pilgrims. They suffered during the first years of living here. The Winter was very cold; there was very little food. Many of them died or got sick. Those who survived were helped by the Native Indians. They were shown how to grow native foods, and how to look after themselves. As a result, they gave thanks to God and to the Indians for their survival. Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to think of the good things that we have in our lives. Most people get together with family or friends to have a big turkey dinner or lunch. It is a time, also, when children learn in school about the beginnings of the United States.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: yearly = annual; in remembrance = to remember; native = of the present country; the beginnings of something = how something started.
Verbs: to suffer (regular verb) = suffered in the preterite; 'was' and 'were' ex: The Winter was cold; they were helped. To die (died in past); to get sick (got sick in past).
Advanced.
The day of Thanksgiving, twenty-two people came to my house for lunch. It was a little crazy, but, on the other hand, it was a delight. The people were all family: my mother, in-laws, nephews and nieces. The ages ranged from sixty-nine to two. Thankfully we have enough room to cope with so many people. We spruced up the house a couple of days before, rearranged furniture and tidied up. Of course, I put a huge turkey in the oven to cook for about five hours. Everybody who came brought a dish or two of food, so the preparations for me were not overwhelming. Before we ate, the oldest of the family, my Father-in-law, said a prayer of thanks for all the good things, or 'blessings', in our lives, and then we dove into the food. Plenty is an appropriate word for this holiday. The plenty from the harvest comes to our table and is enjoyed. Cornucopia, or a horn of plenty, is a symbol related to Thanksgiving. Afterwards, we had an open fire, we lit candles; the kids played and ran around making all kinds of noise and mess, and the adults sat and chatted. There was always someone making an extra trip into the kitchen for 'round two' or 'round three' of desserts. I resisted the temptation, but I certainly lingered over my pumpkin pie and cream.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: on the other hand; to spruce up s.t.; a dish (of food) * it is often not necessary to mention the food; a 'dish' implies food. Overwhelming = too much / too exhausting; to dive into s.t. = to indulge fully. To chat = very common expression for light-hearted talking. A trip = a journey of any length (even extremely short). To resist temptation / to give in to temptation.