A Tour of Homes.

What is the name of the first room that you come to when you walk into a house? It's the entry way. This room varies from house to house. Some are big; others are small. Either way, it is a space in the house which is used as an introduction to the rest of the house. In Western homes, the entry way is not usually an enclosed room. There could be several openings that lead to other rooms. We walk through the front door. There are many types of these: solid wood, glass, a windowed door, double doors, arched doors. And part of the door that is important for its style is the hardware. That is basically the metal parts: the hinges and the door handle. Occasionally there will be a knocker which is metal and with which you knock. Nowadays, most people have a door bell instead. These are the 'ding-dong' type, or an electric buzzer of some kind.

Often there is a door mat infront of the door, to wipe your feet on. You walk through the doorway and into the entryway. As you look around you will see a place to hang up coats, perhaps a closet or a coat hanger. Sometimes there is a mirror on the wall, and a long, slim table under the mirror which is elegant or, at least, decorated in some way. The entryways that I have seen have flowers in pots or baskets, framed art on the walls, and even chandaliers hanging from the ceiling. Often, there are photos of family members here and there.

The floors could be any of various materials: wood, tile, carpet, or even painted concrete. The most popular rugs that one tends to see on the floor are called Asian, Indian, Persian, Traditional, or Native of some kind. Lighting is important, of course, to create atmosphere, and so you don't crash into something and get hurt. So, apart from the occasional chandalier, there might be a standing lamp, or a table lamp, and some are touch on touch off, clap on clap off, or plugged in to a timer. The lamps usually have a switch that you flip or turn, or a button that you press. There are even hallway lights or 'night lights' that one plugs into the electrical sockets, so when the other lights are off, you can still see the floor and where you are going. Electrical sockets or outlets are so useful, especially for plugging in the vacuum cleaner or decorations at Christmas time.

Some people keep their keys in the entry way, so it is easy and quick to pick them up on the way out in the morning. There are key holders of various types and shapes that do the job.

If shoes are taken off in the entry way, then they are put either on a shoe holder, on a shelf, or in a closet. A beautiful thing to have in your entry way also is a chest. This is a big box, usually made of wood, in which you can store anything you need.

My entry way is quite simple, relatively small, and empty. It has a mirror, a glass table (which, by some miracle is still  in one piece), a standing lamp, and tile floors. Think about your entry way, and if you have words to add to this list, let me know.

Beginners.

I love doing this podcast every week. What I enjoy most of all, is getting feedback from my listeners. Recently, some of my listeners have sent me E-mails asking how they can improve their English. It's a very good question. I think about how I can improve my language skills when I study French or when I practice Spanish. Being half spanish, I speak the language well, but I do realise that there are holes in my knowledge. How much do I really know? And, probably a more important question is: 'Do I know the most usable and natural sounding parts of the language?' In my effort to speak Spanish to my children, I find myself looking, time and time again, for words that I have never learned before. For example, the other day, one of my children was helping me in the kitchen. We were baking. Oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies are a great favorite in this house, and my two oldest boys are experts; they know the ingredients, the method, and even the cooking time. As we were talking, I wanted to say in Spanish, " Get the sieve for the flour." Well, did I know the word for sieve? Unfortunately not. It made me realise that there are hundreds of ordinary, everyday words that we should know if we want to feel confident and also if we want to sound like a native.

Grammar notes.

Useful phrases: most of all, recently, time and time again, hundreds of.

Exs: My favorite holidays are spent in the countryside, but most of all, I enjoy hiking through forests.

I am usually full of energy, but recently I have felt so tired.

I asked the telephone company time and time again to come and check our phone lines, but they haven't yet.

At the concert there were hundreds of people.

Advanced.

It's an exciting time for my podcast, my dear listeners, as I have decided to make a few changes. I am making these changes with both you and me in mind. Going to New Zealand has made me consider other countries that I have never visited. If it were up to me, I would go to every country on this planet, but obviously that is impossible. So, why don't you and I visit each country through my podcasts? Together we can get to know the geography, history, and culture of each unique country, and, perhaps, along the way, get a greater understanding of this wonderful planet that we share. It will be our way of traveling. So, every other week, or, as we say in England, 'every fortnight', I will bring you a brief but concentrated view of a particular country.

Another regular podcast will be called, 'A Tour of Homes.' Once every two weeks, I will walk with you through a typical home, from room to room, object to object, to really make sure that we know the ordinary and very useful words. Knowing this vocabulary makes you feel and sound confident. Just like when I was looking for the word 'sieve' in Spanish, I will spend a podcast or more in the kitchen, so one day, you will be able to look around your own kitchen, and say most things in English.

A third and final podcast that I will add to this list is 'Story Time'. Oh, I love stories. I also love to write them. Sometimes what I write becomes very silly, but, you know, that's okay. Being silly is a good way to learn a language. If it is funny, you will remember it much better than if it is boring, don't you think? So, expect stories of all kinds from Anna: goofy, scary, annoying even, but I promise you that they will catch your attention and improve your English.

Grammar notes.

Useful vocabulary: in mind, if it were up to ...., along the way.

Exs: I had my mother in mind when I bought those flowers; I knew she'd love them, they are her favorites.

If it were up to me, the bus driver would be fired. If it were up to the bus driver, he would be driving a limousine.

I walked with my cousin to the restaurant, and along the way, we discussed our plans for the next vacation.

Beginners.

"Oh, no!" you say, "she's going to talk about New Zealand again." Well, in a way I am. This part of today's podcast is about a perfect day in Christchurch. A day when I experienced many of the things I like most: good company, historic buildings, great music, quiche, gardens, and tea! Ah, what a dreamy day. It was one of my last days in New Zealand, my brother didn't have to work, so we decided to hang out in the center of town and enjoy ourselves. We walked around quite a bit, went back to visit the Botanical gardens again, and window shopped. I got hungry after a while, so we found a cafe just a couple of streets away from the main square. I ordered a quiche, a juice, and a pot of tea, and we chose a table outside. The weather was perfect, sunny, a slight breeze, and joyfully bright. We sat there and watched the world go by. Then a lady with very red hair who was standing on the sidewalk*started to sing. She sang jazz. Wow, she was good. She sang many songs that we recognized. She stopped often and played the saxophone. It was wonderful to sit and be entertained. " Just think," said my brother, "if you had a voice like that, you could travel the world and make the money you need by just singing."

Grammar notes.

 Preterite: walk-walked, go-went, get-got, find-found, watch-watched, is-was, start-started, have-had.

Exs: She walked down the street, went into a shop and found a dark corner to hide in. She watched to see if the man was following her. He was. She started to panic. She had to find a way to escape unnoticed.

* Sidewalk (Americanism) = pavement (British).

Advanced.

While my brother and I were listening to the talented, red headed jazz singer outside the cafe in Christchurch, I remembered something. A chapter of my youth came to mind, and I was reminded of something I did in my teens. I must have been only 19 years old, and in college. I joined a rock band. One evening, in the college bar, I had met a very friendly group of German students. We chatted for a while, and then they told me that they were looking for a backing vocalist for their group. "I'll do it!" I said, not knowing  at all just how much work was involved. Well, I tried out for the position, and they said that I would do. It was very exciting. I had never done anything like that before. I had an idea of fame, and lots of record contracts. Well, one of the young men on the group had met a music manager who said that he had been one of the managers for the famous Ozzie Ozborne. Mmm, I don't know if that was a good thing, but, at least it was a connection to the music world. He arranged for us to have three performances in different pubs around London.We actually got paid for it. I don't even remember what our group was called, but I do remember that we would dress in black, and look very cool. Our sound was not so cool, thanks, in part, to me. It wasn't until we played in my own college, in front of my friends and other students, that I realized that being a famous singer was not for me. It was very embarrassing. One of the electric guitar strings broke half way through the concert; I sang a very corny, romantic song that I had written, which sounded terrible. And, afterwards, when we listened to the recording, we laughed so hard that we cried. You could say that it was our final debut. There is no substitute for talent. So, we decided to stick to studying, and leave the singing to the naturally talented.

Grammar notes.

Preterite continued: remember-remembered, remind-reminded, join-joined, chat-chatted, pay-paid, realize-realized, try-tried.

Exs: My friend reminded me to go to the acting audition. I remembered to practice my lines. I joined the line of other actors and we chatted nervously. Many had paid a lot to travel here. I realized that I just had to relax. I tried my best and got the part!

Related vocabulary: vocalist, backing vocalist, recording, contract, manager, debut, encore, performance, concert.

Beginners.

I know that you podlisteners have heard about my trip to New Zealand, but, I'm afraid, you will have to hear more. There is much more to tell. One of the things that it is interesting to learn about when you go to another country, is the wild life. My brother, Richard, as well as being a teacher, is a photographer, and, as such, is a wild life fanatic. Every chance he gets, he will take a picture of a bird or another creature. In fact, it is not unusual to find my brother totally dressed in green and brown camouflage clothes, hiding in a bush in a forest, sitting for hours on end, waiting for an opportunity to take the perfect picture. He's a perfectionist, and his photos reveal that about him. He enouraged me to go with him to a wild life sanctuary just outside Christchurch to see some native and non-native species. We had a great time. One of the cutest things we saw was a Wallaby. It is just like a Kangaroo but much smaller. The ones in this sanctuary were quite tame. My brother was able to pet one of them, and it didn't seem scared at all. We walked along a quiet, forest-like path  and saw lots of different birds and other animals. Then came the most special experience of the trip. A Kiwi sanctuary. They are nocturnal and very shy. It was quite a thrill to see one.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: camouflage, fanatic, sanctuary, species, native.

Exs: The soldier in the forest was dressed in camouflage, but we could see his red underwear.

My cousin is a fanatic about cleaning; her house is always spotless.

That church is a sanctuary; a safe, quiet place to think and pray.

There a many species of snake in this country. Some are even poisonous.

Some of the flowers in my garden are native of Nepal.

Advanced.

I knew nothing about the Kiwi bird until I went to New Zealand. I didn't realize that it is a nocturnal bird that is completely defenseless. It doesn't fly, so if there are any predators near them, they don't stand a chance. Apparently, before the European settlers arrived in New Zealand, it was a country of birds. There were no predators of any kind, so the birds were safe. There are still no major predators like wild cats, bears, or wolves. However, with the settlers came rats and stoats, both of which eat birds and their eggs. This severely reduced the amount of Kiwis. Because they don't have sharp teeth or strong claws, they are weak in a fight. Also, they have a huge disadvantage of being flightless, so they can not escape. The poor things are sitting targets for the rats and stoats. But now, they are very much protected. All out war has been declared on their predators. Anyone who wants to kill a rat or a stoat at any time, is more than welcome. Also, science is being used to get the Kiwi numbers up and into full production. One of the small coastal islands that form part of the territory of New Zealand is being cleared of all rodents, and will be dedicated to the Kiwi. I think it is significant that such a gentle creature is the national symbol of this beautiful and humane country.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: predators, defenseless, rodents, disadvantage, a sitting target.

Exs: In this country, there are some pretty scary predators: Grizzly bears, and Cougars.

The poor little butterfly was quite defenseless against the spider.

I hate rodents; they carry diseases and are very aggressive.

Peter realized that his lack of humor was a disadvantage.

The duck was frozen on the pond; it was a sitting target.

Beginners.

Chess is a board game that my whole family likes to play. Even my youngest child likes to move the pieces around the board. She doesn't understand the rules at all, but copying us is fun. My mother bought us a beautiful chess set a few years ago. The board is actually a box, in which you find all of the pieces for both chess and drafts. They are made out of some kind of stone, a beautifully smooth stone that is cool to the touch, - probably soap stone. We spend ages playing against eachother. My husband and I rarely play together; it's usually one of us and the kids. It's a perfect game for long Winter evenings. We have a collection of other board games as well: Monopoly, Scrabble, Taboo, and other mathematical type games. Taboo is an interesting game, and great fun. The object of the game is the following: a word is read out loud to the players. It is a real word, though not normally used. Each player must invent a definition secretly. All the definitions are then handed back to the reader; they are shuffled, along with the correct definition, and then read out loud. Each person votes for the definition that he or she thinks is the right one. The reader, who knows which one is correct, must have a neutral face, or what we call a 'Poker face' while reading. It's a hilarious game that uses your brain, and reveals a lot about each player.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to shuffle, to define, to play against, to read out loud/ silently, to reveal.

Exs: Before we play cards, could you please shuffle them?

How would you define the sky? Would you call it a place, or gas?

The local rugby team played against the favorites from the capital, and they beat them!

In class we are told to read silently to ourselves; the teacher reads out loud when she teaches.

The archeologists' spade broke through the earth to reveal the handle of a golden sword.

Advanced.

During my recent stay in New Zealand, I had the opportunity of spending time in the center of Christchurch. If you ever get the opportunity to go there, you must. It is like a huge garden town. Right in the center is an enormous park with a botanical garden in it, surrounded by historic buildings. The river Avon works its way through the whole city, and cuts right through the park. If you walk from the park to the cathedral, you will find yourself in a very large square, surrounded by shops, offices, and places to eat. It was here, one day, as I was looking for the tourist information office, that I found an enormous chess set. Each piece was about three feet tall. There were huge tiles on the ground which served as the board. As I approached, I realized that a game was being played; people were standing around watching and waiting. The strategy was very public. From what I could see, a group of three Argentinian young men were playing against a local man. It was their move, but they were stuck. They talked and gestured and moved around pointing to this piece and that piece, but still no ideas came. Because I speak Spanish, I felt comfortable enough to offer some advice which proved to be totally useless. I shouldn't have bothered. But, hey, I tried. So I said a friendly "Adios!" and left thinking, "What a great way to bring people together in a public and beautiful place."

Grammar notes.

 Verbs: to approach, to realize, to gesture, to feel.

Exs: A man approached me on the street and asked me to sign a petition.

I needed money immediately, but I realized that the banks were closed.

This awful man made a rude hand gesture as I passed him in the car.

I was feeling confident this morning, but just before the interview, I felt quite sick.

Beginners.

The weather has finally changed from dull and freezing to warm and sunny. Everybody I meet when I go about my daily activities seems happy. Winter feels very, very long by the time we reach March. So, hurray for April! One of the greatest things to see at the moment is new growth. All over the garden there are signs of plants and flowers beginning to grow. Most of them are mainly underground, and just a little green is poking through the earth. Daffodils and bluebells have already flowered, of course; they are the typical early Spring flowers. Some people have loads of them all over their front yards; we don't. I'll have to buy some bulbs this Fall and get to work on that. Even the supermarkets have shelves full of different colored Spring flowers in different colored baskets and pots. The down side to this season is that there is lots of work to do in the garden. I don't mind it, though, as I am a gardener at heart. My husband does most of the hard work. This weekend, he worked like a mule in the garden. Because we have a lot of lawn, he had to hire a couple of machines to aerate and thatch the lawn. He then fertilized it. We have about an acre of land, so it took him most of the weekend! I just do the fun stuff, like plant flowers and vegetables, weed, and dig. Yes, I love to dig. I have inherited a love of gardening from my grandmother on my father's side. In our family, we all have strong backs and green fingers.

Grammar notes.

 Useful expressions: Hurray for ......, to have green fingers, (I, you etc) don't mind, loads of .....

Exs: Hurray for Superman! He has saved us again!

I don't have green fingers at all; I only have houseplants, and I manage to kill all of them. My neighbor has really green fingers. She can grow anything and everything.

I don't mind if you finish all of the milk; just buy some more as soon as you can, please.

In the shop there were loads of bargains, and the whole shopping center was full of loads of people.

Advanced.

This lunch time when I came home from picking up my little girl from preschool, there was a loud, mechanical noise in  the neighborhood. It wasn't the usual moan of a lawn mower; it was much louder. I went out into the back yard and saw that some men were up in the neighbors' high trees with chainsaws. "What are those men doing up there, Mum?" asked Domini. "They're pruning, by the looks of it," I replied. "What's pruning?" my daughter asked. "They are cutting the trees." I replied. At this, Domini pulled a cross face, ran onto the lawn, and yelled, " Hey, you bad men, you stop cutting those nice trees!" "It's alright, babe," I said quickly, " I think the neighbor paid them to do it. The trees need a bit of a hair cut; some of the branches are too long." I was pleased that the noise of the chainsaws was loud enough to drown out the noise of my very loud daughter. As I looked at the men in the trees, I could just about make out that they were roped up. This enabled them to swing around from branch to branch, Tarzan style...., well, a very slow, heavy Tarzan style, and without the monkeys. They chopped and chopped, bringing down big limbs of the tree that is one of the biggest in the neighborhood. "What a shame!" I thought as a huge branch fell to the ground. But then a thought occured to me. This very old tree hangs right over my vegetable patch ; it's probably good for me that the weakest, old branches get cut off so they don't land on my head while I'm gardening!

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to prune, to yell, to drown out (noise), to enable.

Exs: I get confused about the best times to prune different plants,- some plants need it in the Spring, others in the Autumn.

He was so mad that he yelled for five minutes; when he finished, he realised that nobody was listening.

The dump truck's engine drowned out the noise of the awful music, thank goodness.

Having a regular babysitter enables me to go out and to participate in interesting events.

Beginners.

 It's very interesting going to another country and experiencing the culture, even if the people from that country speak the same language. Among English speaking nations, there are well known differences. Our accents are different, of course, and even expressions that we use are quite different from one country to the next. I picked up a few expressions when I was in New Zealand. 'Sunnies' is the name they give to sunglasses, which I think is very cute and cheery. Also, if you like to go hiking or walking, they call it 'tramping'. The word gives the action a different feeling. If you think about it, a tramp is a homeless person who wanders around, so 'tramping around' gives a feeling of being free and unattached. Well, I am interpreting the expression from the point of view of an English person. A person from the U.S, Ireland, or Scotland, might have a different interpretation. Another thing that I found out which is not an expression, but a physical fact, is that the water in the bath or shower goes down the plughole the opposite way compared to countries in the Northern hemisphere. How curious! Up here in the U.S it goes down the plughole in an anticockwise direction. In New Zealand, I noticed that in the shower, it goes down in a clockwise direction. It's one of the little differences that makes us all interesting.

Grammar notes.

Useful expressions: even if.., among, from one....to the next, to pick up, a tramp, point of view.

Exs: Even if we go to the city, we won't have enough time to see everything.

Among my neighbors, Mary is the most friendly.

They passed the evidence from one member of the jury to the next.

From what he had said, I picked up that he didn't like me.

There is a tramp living under the bridge next to the park.

Well, I understand your point of view, Sir, but I do not agree.

Advanced.

 My time in New Zealand was very short, but, in that time, I picked up on the tremendous friendliness of the Kiwis, as the New Zealanders are known. They are a very laid back nation, not rushed and stressed. They are also very polite, and have endearing expressions. "No worries," is a common expression that is used in many circumstances, such as when you ask for something, or as a way of saying "You're welcome". While I was there, I listened carefully to try to see what it is about the Kiwi accent that makes it different from the English one. One main difference in pronunciation is in short words that have the letter 'E' as the main vowel, such as 'yes', 'bet', 'egg', 'pest', 'leg', and 'rest'. The vowel is pronounced like an 'I', so the words sound like 'yis', 'bit', 'igg', 'pist', 'lig', and 'rist'. Also, words with the long 'I' sound like 'I', 'I'll', 'sky', 'fly' etc sound like they have an 'O' next to the 'I'. So, a sentence like, "Yes, I'll eat the rest of the egg," is pronounced, "Yis, oil eat the rist of the igg."  I was quite proud of myself for making that observation; I had never before been able to speak like a Kiwi or an Australian. Now, I can goof around at home and speak in a Kiwi accent to my family. It makes you wonder why different accents develop in the first place, doesn't it?

Grammar notes.

Useful expressions: in that time, to goof around, to make an observation.

Exs: I lived in Spain for a year, and in that time I ate lots of delicious food.

My children insist on goofing around in the supermarket.

That student is very good at making observations, even about the teacher making mistakes!

*Verbs in pluperfect:

I had never eaten caviar before. I tried it at her birthday, and hated it.

He had never been polite, so when he said "Please", I was surprised.

We had driven on the left all our lives in New Zealand, but then we moved to France and had to drive on the right.

Beginners.

Have you ever been told something by a person of authority that made no sense at all? Or, have you ever been in a situation that made you wonder if someone was playing a joke on you? A few occasions spring to mind when I think of that question. The other day, my mother had her U.S citizenship interview. There were many questions to answer, and thankfully, the lady interviewing her was friendly. She tested her English, her knowledge of U.S. history, and she also looked at all the papers my mother had filled in. Then came the character history questions: "Have you ever overthrown a government?" the lady asked. My mother was shocked and amused at the same time. "Sweetheart, I'm sixty-five years old. Do I look like I've overthrown a government?" she replied. No, she doesn't look like she has overthrown a government, and I'm sure if she had, someone would have heard about it. The interviewer looked at her appologetically, and continued with other, similar questions: "Have you ever been a drug traffiker? An arms dealer? A member of the Communist party?" Of course my mother answered "no" to all of the questions, but she couldn't help but laugh. The poor lady was just doing her job, but what a ridiculous one!

Grammar notes.

Verbs: Have you ever......? (very useful). To play a joke on someone.

Exs: Have you ever been to Miami? Has he ever paid for anything? Has it ever rained in the Sahara? Have we ever given her a reason to dislike us?

My brother always played jokes on me when we were growing up.

He was offended; they had played a joke on him.

Important vocabulary: authority, something springs to mind, to overthrow, a dealer.

Advanced.

When I left New Zealand to come home, I had to catch a connecting flight in Brisbane, Australia. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait at the gate very long. After a while, one of the airport security guards announced to the group of us who were waiting, "Could you all move back behind the security screen, as we are going to run an extra security check of the plane before you board." We all did so, only a few people complaining. Then came the time to move back to the gate. As we did, they checked our carry-on luggage. I only had one bag: just a weeks worth of clothes, and presents for the family. "What's this?" asked the man as he unzipped my bag. "It's a candy snake; you know, a chewy one," I replied pointing to three others and a tarantula that I had bought for my children. "You can't take these on the plane. New regulation: nothing that seems threatening to anyone." "Are you serious?" I asked with a smile. "But it's obviously candy." "Yes, I know Miss, but someone on the plane might not think so." "Well, what about the tarantula? I think that's more scary." "New rules, I'm afraid. You can only take them if you bite their heads off?" "You've got to be joking! My kids wouldn't eat them if I did that. Anyway, I bought them here in the airport," I said, seeing no sense in the situation. One of the guards went back with me to the shop where I had bought the candy and appologetically spoke with the shop owner. I traded the snakes for tarantulas and went back to the gate. As I arrived, one of the other guards informed me that because I had bought them in the airport, I could take them with me. So, I went back to the same shop and exchanged my tarantulas for snakes. What a performance. I appreciate people following rules and keeping us safe, but that was ridiculous!

Grammar notes.

 Important vocabulary: security guards, a connecting flight, a weeks worth of ..., to unzip, a regulation, appologetically, a performance.

Exs: The security guards checked the plane before we took the connecting flight.

I have a week's/ month's/ year's worth of bills to pay.

It's a new regulation that everyone must unzip the bags.

The man appologetically cleaned up the soup he had dropped.

The dinner was a disaster. The food was burnt, I had a headache, and the guests got lost and never turned up! What a performance!

Beginners.

I'm back from a wonderful trip. Do you want to hear about it? Do you know anything about New Zealand? I'll give you some of the most important details. It is situated in Oceania which is in the Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere. It's population is about four million, so, it is not very populated. It is about one hundred and four square miles in size, spread out over two main islands, North and South, and a few smaller islands. English is the main language, though there is a second, native language of Maori, from the people of the same name. The Maoris arrived from Polynesia about a thousand years ago. They were hunter gatherers who lived off of the land and sea. In 1642 the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted* the land, then in 1769 Captain James Cook, the English explorer, landed. Many Europeans came soon afterwards to hunt whales and seals, others to farm and develop towns. Of course, there were conflicts and wars between the Europeans and the Maori over land. In 1840 the British crown gained control of the country, but still there are disputes over who really owns 'Aotearoa' which is the Maori name for the country. The Kiwis, or natives, are extremely proud of their country, especially of its natural beauty: the Snowy Alps, sunny beaches, massive fiords, volcanoes, lakes, forests, and quiet rolling hills.

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: population/ populated, language, hunters, explorer, conflicts, natives, crown, to gain, to know something about..., to sight.

Exs: I don't know anything about mechanics, but my brother does.

Do you know anything about the subjunctive? It's really not too difficult in English.

The sailor sighted an island that had never been seen before. * Though 'to sight' is related to the verb 'to see' it is used in terms of search and discovery.

Advanced.

I wish that I had had more time to discover the amazing land of New Zealand. In total, I only had about one week there, from arriving to leaving. I did, however, make the most of it. I whizzed around at 100 miles per hour, trying to see as much as possible. "You travel really well, Anna!" said my brother, observing me after I had been there for a couple of days. I had not experienced any jetlag, and I was determined that I wouldn't. I didn't want anything to spoil my treat! I spent two days in Christchurch, where my brother lives. What a beautiful city! It is like a spotless park. The Kiwis take pride in keeping their country clean, and they recycle just about everything. Then I flew South to Queenstown. I stayed at a Youth Hostel right on the lake which had 'The Remarkables', a line of mountains, to the side. I toured Fiordland which you can see a little of in my photo. Then, on my last day there, I treated myself to a helicopter ride over part of the Alps. Wow! Can anyone say spectacular? What views! We flew over dense forests that I have seen before in some of  the Lord of the Rings. The whole experience was like being in a story book. My last few days were spent with my brother. We went sight seeing* to wineries, beeches, and even a thermal spa. I was sad to say goodbye to my brother, but after being in New Zealand, I fully understand why he has lived there for the past eleven years.

 Grammar notes.

Useful vocabulary: to sight see, to make the most of ..., to whizz around, spotless, to take pride, to treat oneself/ a treat.

** With the expression 'to sight see', the word 'see' only changes slightly with a change of tense. We never say "I sight saw" for the past. And it sounds awkward to use 'seen', as in "Have you ever sight seen?" It is best to use the past of the verb 'to go:

We went sight seeing all over the place.

Have you ever been sight seeing?

We will need to sight see some more before we leave this city.

 The Pluperfect:

Exs:They hadn't had enough time to study, but they took the test anyway.

He had lived in the South for twenty years, but he got married and has lived in the North for the past year.

Beginners.

On my recent trip to New Zealand, I met lots of different people. In Los Angeles, where I waited to catch the plane to Aukland, I met three older ladies who were going on the same trip. We sat in the airport and chatted. They were very interesting. Each was retired, a widow, and interested in traveling. They told me that each year they take a trip somewhere new and go on a cruise. The cruises that they go on are organized especially for old people. I have never been on a cruise, but I imagine that it would be very comfortable. You can see a lot of coastline and islands easily, - no driving or walking necessary. Each day, their ship stops in a port somewhere, and they have the choice of getting out and exploring, or they can stay onboard and relax. I was surprised  that they were willing to make such a long journey. The flight takes fourteen hours. If you have a good book, and watch several movies, it's not too bad, but still, it is exhausting. It's also hard to sleep when you are in a sitting position. But, I am not going to complain. I actually got the trip for free because of air miles. I think the three old ladies who I met were adventurous and brave. Good for them! Their bodies were not young, but their spirits were!

Grammar notes.

Useful vocabulary: recent, to catch a plane, cruise, no ... necessary, onboard, to be willing, air miles.

Exs: The recent James Bond film was not as good as the previous one.

We caught a plane this morning. We need to catch another one tonight.

This cake recipe is easy: only a few ingredients, and no mixing necessary.

I am only willing to fly to the reunion because I have accumulated air miles.

Advanced.

 I don't remember the names of the three older ladies I spoke with in Los Angeles international airport, but I still feel that they made an impact on me. It is interesting being with people who are much older than yourself. In a way, they seem to be a world apart. It's probably because of the fact that they have accumulated so much more life experience than ourselves. I find older people fascinating because, more often than not, they are very sure about their feelings. "You have to be who you are, and you have to live while you can," said one of the ladies wisely. Their eyes were young and lively, and their enthusiasm for the trip was obvious. They seemed very single minded. It was just the shell of their bodies that was old; they actually weren't. They had to take their time when they stood up, or bent over to get something from their bags. In fact, one of the ladies, who was quite bent over, took out, at one point, a huge bag of pills. I looked in horror as she checked that she had all that she needed. "I hope that most of those pills are vitamins!" I said, staring at the large, plastic, zip-lock bag. "Oh honey, most of them are. But I need more the older I get. I had a prescription for my eyes, but now one is worse than the other, so each needs a separate medication..." she went on about her different ailments. "Gosh, I hope I stay in good shape as I get old," I thought to myself as I listened. Well, I will try my best. But, bearing in mind their age and physical condition, I have even greater admiration for these bony, wild, old ladies.

Grammar notes.

Useful vocabulary: impact, to accumulate, to bend (over), pills, vitamins, prescription.

Exs: The drought had a terrible impact on the whole city.

He accumulated so much wealth during his youth, that when he got older, he didn't need to work.

After the operation, he couldn't even bend over.

In my prescription, the doctor gave me pills that are too big to swallow.

Beginners.

Traveling is a passion of mine. I can't imagine staying in one place for many years without going off to explore another country. Well, I've done it! My brother has lived in New Zealand for eleven years. He has flown out to the U.S many times to visit me, but for all those years, I have never been to visit him. I have been busy. Having four children is a lot of work. However, now my children are old enough for me to have a break for a few days. I am looking forward to seeing something new and meeting new people. When you go abroad, you need to be organized. First, you must make sure that your passport has not expired. Without that, you won't get anywhere. Then, you must book your return flight. This can be done over the internet, of course, but you must know what you want. Do you want to fly during the day or at night? Do you need to be super comfortable with lots of leg room, or can you cope with being a bit squashed in a cheaper seat? And then there's money. How much will you need to take with you? If you plan on shopping, eating in nice restaurants, or buying gifts for friends and family, make sure that you take enough. All this preparation can be a fun part of the journey. Then the day of departure comes, and you have to ask yourself, "Do I have everything? Am I missing anything?" So you check and double check until you feel confident that you have everything. And you're off! Have a great trip! Take care, and have fun!

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: passport, expiration date, leg room, departure, arrival, the internet, reservation, booking.

Verbs: to explore, to look forward to, to have a break, to fly,.

Exs: The divers explored the coral reef and discovered a new fish.

I look forward to meeting up with you in New York at Christmas.

We had a wonderful break during the Summer.

To fly (fly, flown, flown). The time had flown; we were too late to catch the train.

Advanced.

I remember when I used to travel with my family from England to Spain, what excitement I felt. Being on a plane is a huge thrill for children. Interestingly enough, the things that I remember most are the packages of milk powder that we were given with our parents' tea and coffee, and the tiny wrapped rectangles of soap that we would 'collect' from the bathrooms. These treasures were all over the plane, so it seemed. It's funny how children pick up on the details that adults barely register. Another thing that fascinated me was the curtain that separated the kitchen from the passengers. What a great mystery that was. It reminded me of something that you would find in a theater. I half expected a clown to jump out of it, or a magician to slowly open the curtain and start doing tricks. It was sufficient, though, for the stewardesses to appear and disappear, as they did. I would look with admiration at these pretty women, all well groomed and smelling clean. They always smiled, and wore make-up in ways that my mother never did. I wanted to be one of them. They made the flight go much quicker with their pleasant gestures and happy faces. Mind you, the flight from England to Spain isn't exactly long. A couple of hours and we were there. With my family so spread out around the world now, the flights are substantially longer. But, you know, I still love it. Though,  it would be nice to have a magician jump out and entertain me.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: excitement, thrill, package, to register, a clown, a magician, sufficient, steward/ stewardess, admiration, gesture, substantially.

Useful phrases: ( Interestingly) enough, a couple of, barely, substantially ..... .

Exs: Interestingly enough, the castle was built only recently.

Ironically enough, the thief had his car stolen.

A couple of years ago, we decided to move house.

How many sugars do you want (in your tea)? Oh, just a couple.

I could barely see the mountain; there was so much mist that day.

She barely had enough strength to lift her head from the pillow.

The exam was substantially longer than expected.

No podcasts today, or for the next few days I'm afraid. I'm off to New Zealand to visit my brother and to see that wonderful country. When I get back, I'll have lots to tell you, so don't go away!

                              Take care,

                                              Anna.

Beginners.

On the highways here in the United States you will find some signs that say, "Buckle up! We love you." The message is to remind people to fasten their seat belts to stay safe. It's a good idea. Another thing that is available on the highways is free coffee. In certain areas on the long roads, there are places where you can stop to get a  free cup of coffee. This helps to keep people awake when they drive at night. It saves lives, and also money. Another good idea. Today, as I was driving my kids to school, I noticed a lot of police cars . I passed one of their cars that was flashing. This was serious. Suddenly, a policeman on the side of the road waved me over. I opened the window and he said, "Hi Ma'm, we're doing a safety belt check today." "Oh, good idea," I said. "Are all your children strapped in?" he asked, looking in the car. I looked behind and saw that none of my three boys had their belts on. Oh great! My daughter did. I always strap her in. On the way to school, I always tell the boys to do up their belts, but obviously today they didn't. The policeman pointed out the problem. He asked me for my driver's license. Guess what? I had left my bag at home, so I didn't have my license either. He informed me that it is illegal to drive without the license. I actually didn't know that. Oh what a morning! The policeman was very kind, and let me go with just a small fine. The experience was a good reminder, and a warning.

Grammar notes.

Important vocabulary: driver's license, seat belt, buckle up, to strap in/ to do up, illegal, message, sign, warning, reminder.

Verbs: to remind, to guess, to strap in/ buckle up, to point out.

Exs: Please remind me to pay the bill tomorrow.

He guessed the answer; he didn't really know it.

Strap yourself in/ buckle up, we're going to drive on a busy street.

He pointed out that the speed limit in town is thirty miles an hour.

Advanced.

"If you don't strap yourself in, I'm not going anywhere." That is something I say regularly to my three boys when we get in the car, especially when I tell them to put their seat belts on and they don't pay attention. They look at me with impatient eyes, as if they want to say, "Mum don't nag us; it's too early in the morning." Well, sometimes I don't nag enough. This morning I got into trouble with the police for three of my four kids not being strapped in. The policeman was perfectly reasonable and calm, which I appreciated. If you get one in a bad mood, the situation could be more unpleasant than necessary. We live only a four minute drive from the school, so it is a temptation, I confess, to just get there quickly and to not double check the seat belt situation. Well, when I agreed with the policeman that their project was a good idea, he seemed surprised. "Most people don't respond like that. We usually get a lot of excuses." There is no point being dishonest, is there? It's all about the safety of the children, so we should comply. I felt quite comfortable in the situation, even though I was the one at fault. Probably I was still too tired to imagine myself behind bars, or having to pay a huge fine. I hadn't had my morning coffee yet, so my imagination was not awake enough to scare me. Anyway, I don't have to wear a stripey suit and get locked up. Just a small fine is the only punishment. Let's all stand corrected!

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to pay attention, to nag, to appreciate, to be honest/dishonest/at fault.

Exs: I wish the students would pay attention.

He says that his wife nags him about his spending habits.

I appreciate all the hard work you have done.

He has to make a choice between being honest or dishonest.

When I'm at fault, I say so.

Beginners.

My mother told me that when she was a young mother, my older brother would never leave her alone. He always wanted to be held. She would hold him even when she vacuumed. Clingy is the word. I was different. I always wanted to do my own thing and be independent. It is funny how different two children from the same family can be. I am preparing to go on a trip soon to New Zealand, so when I am gone, my parents-in-law will look after my kids and take them to school. My mother tells me how different things are now for mothers. In her day women just stayed with the children all the time. The expectation was that you didn't go off by yourself. Gosh, I'm glad things have changed. Now it is normal to "have a break" from the kids. It is normal practice to get a babysitter so you can go out and do something fun without worrying about the children. We fortunately have a wonderful babysitter. She lives opposite us; she could easily walk from her house to ours in her slippers in one minute. She is sixteen and happens to be a good friend of our children anyway. What a bonus! When it is time for my husband and I to go out on a Saturday or Friday night, we never have any trouble leaving. Even my youngest is so happy that 'Sammy' has come over to play, that she doesn't even tell me goodbye.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: clingy, vacuum/ hoover, parents-in-law, to go off, babysitter, bonus, slippers, expectation, gosh.

Advanced.

"Mum, where are my shoes?" "Mum, can you play checkers with me?" "Mum, why aren't we having homemade macaroni and cheese instead of from a packet?" "Mum, what did you do with my Pokemon cards?" Guess what this podcast is about....How many questions like these could you hear everyday without going crazy? I tell my children sometimes, "It's just as well that I love you, otherwise I would throw you out of the window." I picked that one up from my mother; she used to say the same thing to me. Kids are amazing, wonderful blessings. And they are our future, of course. Though it sounds like a cliche, it is true. But, my kids, in particular, seem to have a talent for wearing their mother out. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining; I can't imagine life without my children. At the moment, I have enough energy to keep up with them, but sometimes I wonder. Today, I was on the phone to my credit card company. I will be taking a trip to New Zealand this Saturday to visit my brother, so I had to inform them of this. Anyway, the lady on the other end was asking me for some important information when, suddenly, my two youngest ran into the room and let off several blown up balloons. You can imagine the noise. I was immediately cross and impatient, so I barked at them to go away, "For goodness sake you two, I'm on the phone!" I appologized to the lady who chuckled and said that she has three kids, so she understands. Well, they did it two more times, and laughed their heads off loudly. I gave up and started chuckling aswell. It must have sounded like a circus over the phone. I actually managed to finish the call. At least the customer service lady had a good laugh.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: homemade, guess, cliche, to chuckle, to inform, to take/make a trip, a circus, talent, to complain.

Verbs using 'would'.

Exs: What would you do if he complained all the time?

If she would just appologize, then everyone would feel better.

Wouldn't it be nice if it was quiet?

If money grew on trees, I wouldn't have to go to work, would I?

Beginners.

The other day, I was looking in the kitchen for a cookie. It was mid-afternoon and I was having a 'snack attack'. I opened the cupboard hoping to find a few oatmeal cookies (my favorites), or perhaps chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately there were none, just a few crumbs where the last packet had been. I had nothing to dip in my cup of tea. I thought, "Why don't I quickly make some?" Immediately, I realized that I didn't have any chocolate chips; we were out of them. I didn't want to jump in the car and go to the shops just for a bag of chocolate; it would be easier to buy a packet of cookies. As I was thinking, I rememered an embarrassing accident I had many years ago because of chocolate chips. My husband was making cookies. "Anna, we're out of chocolate chips. Can you run down to the store to buy some?" So, I did. I parked the car, his pick-up Chevy truck, outside the supermarket, and ran in. There were just a few people in the store. I bought the chocolate and walked out towards the truck. It wasn't where I had parked. It was about five meters away, and right next to a car. There was a group of people around it. U-oh. I understood what had happened. I had not put the truck in 'park' before turning it off. So, when I was shopping, it had rolled backwards and hit a car. I was in big trouble.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: cookie, snack-attack, cupboard, chocolate chips, crumbs.

Typical expressions: to run to (by car).

Ex: I ran to the store and bought a jacket (means by car).

We made a quick run to the library.

To jump in (the car)/ on (the bike).

Ex: He jumped on his bike and got to school on time.

You're going to be late! Jump in the car and get going!

Advanced.

So, you heard about my oops incident. It was a nightmare, truly. The funny thing was, I had just learned to drive, and I was very proud of my effort to go to the store by myself in this Chevy truck. I thought that I had done very well to drive on the other side of the road; in England we drive on the left. It was a pleasant *Autumn evening, already dark, and the supermarket was quite empty. I quickly found the cooking aisle, chose the bag of chocolate chips, and went to the cashier to check out. Over the loud speaker I suddenly heard, "Could the owner of the green and tan Chevy truck please report to customer services." A bad, sinking feeling rose is my stomach, but I convinced myself that there must be one other person in the store who drove a green and tan truck just like ours. There wasn't. I finished with the cashier clerk and went outside to find the truck. I was horrified at what I saw. My truck had rolled backwards quite a few feet, and hit a parked car. At the time, a man was napping in the car, waiting for his wife who was shopping. Eek! The poor man must have had quite a shock. Fancy being hit by an empty car when you are parked in a parking lot! My first instinct was to walk straight past the two cars and the crowd that had gathered around them. But how could I do that? I had to confess, and call and let my husband know about the incident. That bag of chocolate chips ended up being a lot more expensive than ususal. That's why I prefer oatmeal cookies.

Grammar notes.

 Common expressions: Oops! Eek! What a shock! Fancy that! Fancy + gerund, the poor man/woman/thing/etc, a sinking feeling.

Verbs (plu-perfect): I had just learned (how) to drive.

The car had gone off the road and crashed into a tree.

She had not studied enough for the final exam, so she felt nervous.

Hadn't he had enough fighting for one day?

Beginners.

Some people say that it must be easy for me to live here, because of the language; it is the same as in England. Yes, that's right. But, there are some interesting differences. There are many sayings and spellings that are different. If you don't know the differences, you can get into trouble sometimes. When I first came here, I took my driving test. First, I took the written test. A man asked me afterwards if I had 'missed' any of the questions. I looked at him and said, "Of course not, I did all of them." "Oh," he said, "you're sure of yourself, aren't you!" After talking a bit more, I realized that 'to miss' a question, in the U.S., means to get the answer wrong. In England 'to miss' means to not attempt to answer. The two meanings are very different. On another occasion, after meeting a group of people I commented that the lady was very "homely". Most people frowned and said, "No she's not homely at all." Again, after some confusion, and trying to explain myself, I learned that homely, in this country, means ugly. Oops! In England it describes a person who likes to be at home, makes pies well, does domestic things well, .... you get the meaning. Even though I have been here for seventeen years, I am still learning expressions that I have to be careful with......

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: saying, spelling, to get into trouble, to explain oneself, to comment, to frown.

Advanced.

One minute from my house, by car, is a large shop, Walmart. It is very convenient for me; I go there at least three times a week. I am constantly running out of basic essentials like milk, bread, cereal, and toilet paper. Well, I make my quick trips there, grab what I need, and leave. Occasionally,  I will spend some time looking, browsing. It can be relaxing. The trouble is, when you browse, you are more likely to buy an extra something that you don't really need. The employees in Walmart are very friendly and helpful. One thing that I've noticed about them, is that there are many older people working there, people who look like they have been retired for a while. One day, when I was standing in line waiting for a cashier, I found myself observing the gentleman who was at the till. He was tall, elderly, and very polite. His hair was dyed black, so black that it was a blue black. His face was wrinkled, and his eyes looked almost closed. Then it was my turn. "Hello, did you find everything that you were looking for?" he asked, robotticly. "Yes, thanks," I replied. "The trouble is, I always buy too much," I continued. He looked at me, and then at his watch and said, "It's ten forty-five." Oh, he must have misheard me. "It's a lovely day, isn't it?" I said just to make conversation. "Oh," he said quickly, as if I had corrected him,"well, I can put your stuff in paper bags instead of plastic bags." "No, that's fine," I said, trying not to cause more confusion. I noticed that he was wearing a hearing aid. That explains it. I should speak louder. "Could I borrow a pen?" I said loudly as I took my cheque book out. "No, we don't take American Express," he replied without looking at me. Hm, amazing that we could have two separate conversations, and somehow manage to get the job done.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to grab (reg.) used commonly as to get, pick out etc.

He grabbed his coat and ran into the rain.

To browse (reg.). Ex: I browse the internet everyday.

To notice (reg.). Ex: I noticed the other day that she was crying.

To hear/ mishear (hear, heard, heard). Ex: I misheard the directions, so I got lost.

Beginners.

I have a very special friend who lives in the *neighborhood. She is seventy-five years old, and actually comes from England, just like me. She was a war bride during World War two. She is originally from Liverpool (where the Beatles came from), and still has a little bit of an accent, even though she has lived here for nearly sixty years. We chat on the phone every few days, talk about politics and families, and occasionally get together. She called me today for help. She had been sent an important package, but could not unlock the delivery box with the key that the *mail man had left for her. It was already late at night, but she was worried about not receiving her package. So, I went to her house to get the key. "You're not going alone in the dark are you?" she asked as I was leaving her house. "Well, yes I am," I replied. "Alone in the dark?" she continued. "Sweetheart, don't worry. I like the dark," I replied and went on my way. As I walked down her driveway, I realized that it really was dark outside. The temperature was a comfortable cool, and nobody was around. What I had said about the dark made me feel braver than usual. The words "Own the night" came to my mind, as if I was in a small adventure, moving through the darkness to get a secret package.

Grammar notes.

 Neighborhood (Am.) neighbourhood (Eng.)

Mail man (Am.) post man (Eng.)

Related vocabulary: warbride, originally, politics, delivery, brave.

Advanced.

Dark is the night. As black as night. The secrets of the night. Have you noticed how there is something sinister in many night-related sayings. Our imaginations go wild with the subject of the night. The world seems to completely change, if you think about it. We, as people, head toward rest and sleep. The sun, which is everywhere during the day, is no longer available, and shadows and the unknown take over. Even a different set of animals appear on the scene as the world darkens: owls, rodents and cats. All the other day time animals, like us, are sleeping. I don't seem to be too scared of the dark. I like to walk around in the back garden at night. It is so fresh and still. Everything feels so different when your dominant sense of sight is no longer useful. When I walked to the mailbox tonight, in the dark, it occured to me, that if you have the right perspective, you can feel comfortable and confident in the dark. You must own the night. I moved quickly to the mailbox while I thought of these things. Really, noone would see me unless they had a flashlight. If you walk quickly, you give an air of purpose and power. "What is there to fear?" is what your body is saying. I also have short hair, so, in the shadows I probably look like a man. Plus, I was carrying a sharp key and a cell phone. So, I was safe. I owned the night. I chose to see the night as a cloak that I put around me, and that I could move freely with. Our senses can be alive and sensitive at night, though we cannot see, and we can initiate and move effectively in this time that is not officially our domain.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: sinister, available, unknown, dominant, rodents, confident, noone/nobody, flashlight, purpose, sharp, cloak, initiate.

Beginners.

Life in a small town is very quiet, some would say boring. However, one good thing about living here is that there is not a lot of crime. It is something that you get used to. On a few occasions, I have left my handbag in the shopping cart when I am buying groceries. It is not until I get home that I realize what I have done. Thankfully, the times that this has happened, I have been able to drive back to the supermarket and find the bag, still in the shopping cart. When I lived in London, that was not the case. Though most people are good, and mean well, you have to be careful. I suppose it is just one of the many differences between a big city and a small town. When a crime does take place here, it makes the front page of the local newspaper, The Wenatchee World, and the whole town talks about it. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine told me that there had been a burglary at a pharmacy in town. I don't often read the newspaper, so I was not aware that it had happened. I looked through our pile of unread newspapers and found the February 26th edition, and sure enough, on the front page was a picture of the suspect. The man has not been found yet; the police and crime task force are still looking, and have offered $1000 reward for information leading to an arrest. How exciting! I will keep my eyes peeled.

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: crime, handbag, groceries, local newspaper, burglary, pharmacy, reward, task force.

*Would. Ex: Some would say that the governor is wise, but I think he is foolish.

To mean well. Ex: They mean well, but they are very unhelpful.

(Not) the case. Ex: The land was to be protected, but that was not the case.

Advanced.

So there has been a robbery in town, a double one. It's a shock for the community, especially considering that everybody seems to know eachother. The reward has not been claimed, and so far there are no leads. Mind you, the picture in the newspaper is pretty awful. The suspect looks like an alien. I think if there was a creature like that in this town, he would be spotted immediately. Thankfully, no one was hurt in either robbery. It would be very scary to be the one behind the counter who has the gun pointed at his face. I would not like to be in his shoes. Perhaps the criminal will be caught by making some kind of mistake. They are human, so they are prone to errors, just as we are. There are stories of criminals who are not so bright, who give themselves away. Apparently, one man decided to rob a quick stop foodmart. The trouble is, he was on his lunch break from work, and he had forgotten to take off his name tag from his place of employment. As soon as he had taken the money and left, the cashier phoned the police and told them the name of the criminal and where he worked. The poor guy, how embarrassing! It must have been his first time on the dark side. It sounds like he was nervous and unprepared. Well, hopefully the embarrassment of the situation stopped him from ever trying it again. As they say here, "If you don't want to do the time, don't do the crime."

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: creature, to be prone to .., mistake, error, lunch break, cashier, embarrassing, foodmart.

* Claim. Ex: The lost puppy has not been claimed.

Embarrassing. Ex: His pants fell down infront of everybody. How embarrassing!

Lunch break. Ex: I would not like to miss my lunch break. It's the only time that I have free.

Beginners.

There are some special times in our lives when we come into contact with greatness, with people who have done great things. My husband experienced one of those special moments about a week ago. He had flown down to California with a couple of friends to watch the Tour of California. He was fortunate enough to have a friendly, business connection with Rabobank which is a major cycling sponsor. Because of this connection, he and his friends were able to travel in a Rabobank car close to the professional riders. They were able to get close to these famous athletes before and after the rides. One other thing that they did, was to ride some of the same routes as the professionals, but several miles behind them. This gave my husband and his buddies firsthand experience of the difficulty of this competitive sport. I think the trip will become an annual event, something to look forward to and to plan for during the year. I might go with him next year, even though I am not a cyclist. The tour obviously takes place along some beautiful countryside, so it would be worth going at least once.

Grammar notes.

Useful expressions: to come into contact (with), a business connection, before and after, firsthand experience, annual event, even though, at least.

Related vocabulary: sponsor, tour, connection, route, professional, event.

Verbs: To come into contact.Ex: The diver came into contact with the strangest kind of squid that he had ever seen.

To be able. Ex: I will not be able to come to the party. She had not been able to find her passport in time for the flight.

*Subjunctive: It would be worth going, even if it rained. ( you can swap the clauses). Even if it rained, it would be worth going.

Advanced.

 What does it mean to be a fan, to be an enthusiastic follower of a personality or activity? Have you ever experienced the thrill of hero worship? It's quite common. My sons are fans of certain sports personalities and actors, and my daughter is a fan of Hello Kitty. My fifth child, my husband, also has certain idols, but he hides his enthusiasm better than the children. On his recent visit to the Tour of California he was lucky enough to see some of the big names in cycling like Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, and David Zabriskie. It was, of course, a complete thrill for him and his group of friends who accompanied him. I'm sure that being a fan shows a desire to have achieved that which we are admiring. The funny thing is, last year when he went to the Tour, they did actually experience being worshipped by fans. Let me explain. They had spent a large part of the day cycling behind the peloton,-a long way behind. Nevertheless, they crossed the finish line where fans were still applauding, yelling, and waving flags. Little did the fans know that these very late athletes were nothing to do with the race. So, my husband and his buddies were celebrated as professionals who had just completed the Tour of California. Cameras were flashing and devotional pats on the back were given. It was like an accidental dream come true. Hey, if you can't be a professional cyclist, you can always trick a few fans into believing that you are.....

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: fan, personality, hero, thrill, worship, idol, recent, the finish line, buddy, devotion.

Verbs: To hide (hide, hid, hidden); to accompany (reg); to admire (reg); to applaud (reg.).

Beginners.

Learning a foreign language can be a difficult thing. Any language has a huge amount of information. On top of that, there is also the pronunciation and fluency that need to be practiced. English can be a pain to learn. Even the word "this" is difficult to pronounce for a lot of people. So, what is the solution? The answer is accurate practice, and lots of it. I have been learning the violin for just over a year, and I can tell you that there is no substitute for accurate practice. My three boys, who are in elementary school, use different techniques to practice new information. My youngest boy, in particular, has started using flash cards. They are rectangular pieces of thin card, each with a word written on it. You look at one at a time and try to read the word. It is a very simple system. Some people don't like to use it. It never suited my two older boys,  but my youngest loves it. Another system that works, especially for children, is to write about things that they are familiar with but in a very funny context. Apparently, humour, repetition, and familiar details all help a person learn. So, when you are practicing English, try to create sentences with those three ingredients. You'll have fun at the same time.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: information, practice, pronunciation, substitute, technique, accurate, rectangular, square, circular, triangular, humour* (Eng. sp.), familiar, on top of that.

Verbs: to write (write, wrote, written). The rules were written in stone.

To start + gerund. Exs: I have started using a new shampoo. It's better!   

He started driving really fast; we were all very scared.

Advanced.

What can we do to rescue our brains? What on earth do I mean? Do our brains actually need to be rescued? Well, apparently, yes. As we get older, we tend to forget details. Sometimes our long-term memory is better than our short-term memory. Have you ever walked into a room to get something and forgotten why you went there? Being over occupied is sometimes to blame. Women typically get that way when they are pregnant. Two other reasons for forgetfulness are anaemia and tiredness. They say nowadays that mental exercises are the key to keeping a young, fresh brain. Have you tried any? Crossword puzzles can stretch your word abilities, and your problem solving skills. One activity that my mother enjoys is Sudoku. You are probably familiar with it. You have to place the numbers one to ten in ten lines without having any duplicates. It can be very taxing. Another way to stretch your brain is to undertake an activity which is very different from anything that you have ever done. If you are musical, then perhaps you could try a new physical activity. If you are very physical and sporty, maybe learning about computers would be a good way to make your brain cells grow. Believe it or not, this podcast has stretched my brain a little. Let's hope its effects will last.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: to rescue, what on earth, long-term memory, short- term memory, mental, crossword puzzle, believe it or not, occupied.

Exs: Believe it or not, my neighbours* won the lottery. (Eng. sp.).

       The helicopter was called out to rescue the people at sea.

       What on earth did you do with my new hand bag?

His long-term memory is amazing; he remembers what he used   to do as a baby. 

Beginners.

The other day I was walking by my children's bedrooms, when I saw a sign on one of the doors. It said, "Domini and Robert, DO NOT ENTER!" One of my two oldest boys had become impatient with sibling intrusions. Sometimes they walk into their bedrooms and find a terrible mess. Colouring* pens often will have their tops missing, so they will be dry. Lego creations are in pieces on the floor, and, some things are just missing. Hudson and Cass, the oldest boys, get furious. They storm into their siblings rooms and create another kind of trouble. I, of course, being their mother, have to get involved to sort out the fights and the conflict. Oh, for peace and quiet!. Well, now my six year old is learning how to write, so he also puts signs on his door. We have three doors with 'Do not enter' signs. My little girl doesn't know how to write, so, I suppose, she still feels free to be the intruder and mess maker. One day, there was a big commotion upstairs, with lots of screaming and running. I ran up to see what was going on. It turns out that Domini had stolen one of my son's favourite*toys that he had had since a baby. He was chasing her to get it back. It was like an episode on Tom and Jerry, the cat and the mouse. I think it is about time that I left some notes myself.

Grammar notes.

*Colour/ colouring and favourite are English spellings. U.S spellings miss out the 'u'.

Related vocabulary: the other day, sign, door handle, lock, key, mess, peace and quiet, intruder/ intrusion, impatient, conflict.

Advanced.

"This place feels like a prison," complained my husband one day. He had caught his foot on a metal gate that I had put up between the kitchen and the dining room. The gate is for the dog, to keep her in or out. It is a necessary evil that is supposed to make life easier for everybody. The trouble is, the gate is small, and my husband is large. We have a similar situation upstairs. My two older boys have, according to them, precious possessions, intricate legos that took a long time to build, and other breakable objects. So, because there had been so many incidents of little siblings sneaking in their rooms and wrecking the place, we put locks on the doors. Everything worked for a while. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Both boys left the keys to unlock their doors locked inside the rooms, along with the duplicate keys. Oh dear. It was time to get the tools out and huff and puff, and bash and bang, until we managed to take off the door handles completely. Well, they haven't had locks for a while now, and wreckages are taking place in the bedrooms. Today a little friend of my daughter came to play. He sneaked into Hudson's room and poured his lizzard's food all over the carpet. A few people were not happy about that. Needless to say, I have locks on my list of things to buy.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to complain, to catch (catch, caught, caught), to leave (leave, left, left), to manage, to sneak.

Exs: They complained about the poor service.

 He caught my eye, and then asked me to dance.

 I caught my sweater on a rusty nail.

I left my keys in the car.

He managed to lift the heaviest weight.

The burgler sneaked into the empty house to steal the silver.

Useful expressions: the trouble is, to have a situation, according to..., to wreck the place, needless to say.

Beginners.

To be a film 'buff' is to be a film enthusiast; a person who loves to watch films and who follows film production quite closely. I am a film buff, but a choosy one. There are certain films that I love, and others that I cannot stand. A film series that I have followed closely is The Lord of the Rings. When the first of the three films came out, it was immediately popular. The films are based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkein who was British, but born in South Africa. The genre of his books is fantasy. At the center of the books is a fight between good and evil. The story is set in a place called 'Middle Earth', a fictitious country with incredible countryside. The films were directed by Peter Jackson in New Zealand, where he comes from. If you watch the films, you will see why New Zealand is the perfect Middle Earth. There is a huge variety of landscapes in that small country. The incredible Alps, large rolling grasslands, rocky hills, and wind swept valleys are all places where the filming took place. I never get tired of watching the movies; infact, I have watched them so many times that I know a lot of the dialogue by heart. I also have the music score from the films. When my family find me watching the films or listening to the music, they just roll their eyes and say, "Oh, she's at it again."

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: fantasy, historical, drama, adventure, romance, war film, documentary, cinematography, dialogue, play, special effects, script, themes.

Verbs: Past perfect: I have watched that film many times. We have watched his moves very closely; he is suspicious. They have played tennis so much in their garden that they have worn the lawn thin.

Advanced.

Sometimes my children give me little gifts. They are often items that they have made at school, a picture, a collage, occasionally a bracelet made out of paper or beads. The other day, though, my oldest son gave me a metal ring that he had acquired from a friend of his. He had traded a small toy for it. He presented it to me with great pride; he knew that I would like it. It was a replica of the 'ring of power' from the Lord of the Rings. My kids know how obsessed I am with the trilogy, so this gift was quite meaningful. I wore it with pride for a few weeks; I even showed it to a few people. I noticed, however, that my finger was developing a brown patch under the ring, so I promptly took it off. I didn't want to get poisoning from a cheap quality paint. Anyway, it made me think about the concept of having a ring of power. I suppose it is an age-old idea, possessing an object that gives supernatural power. What would you do if you had one? Would you bring about world peace, or world domination? Would you help all of the needy people, or oppress them? Would you replant all of the rainforests, or chop them down and turn them into toothpicks? There would be lots of decisions to make and, I'm sure, lots of tempation to resist. Life could be a lot more comfortable, though, couldn't it? What do you think?

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to present, to resist, to acquire, to trade, to wear (wear, wore, worn), to suppose.

Would: pronounced the same as 'wood'. Easy to use; simply place infront of infinitive. Exs: I would go to the doctor if I were you. She would help you if you asked. They would get a new car if they could afford it.

Beginners.

Do you love to shop? Some people are addicted to shopping; they love to go out and buy things. Others enjoy window shopping, which is safer  for your wallet. I am not a big shopper; I have to love something before I am willing to buy it. However, window shopping is a great past time. You don't even have to take any money with you. It can be fun to see what shops have to offer from the outside. Nobody inside the shop can put pressure on you to buy anything, and if the weather is nice, you can hang around for as long as you like. I came across a shop the other day which looked very interesting. It was a hat shop. Obviously, it was full of hats. But these hats weren't just ordinary hats; many were extraordinary. The window wasn't very big, but it was full of hats of all different colors and shapes. As I looked through the door, I could see that the shop was long and narrow, and from the floor to the ceiling it was full of hats on shelves. There were very elegant hats, party hats, crazy hats, warm hats, and even historic looking hats. The people inside the shop were trying them on and laughing as they looked at eachother. It must be a very fun place to work, seeing people amused all day long.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: addict / addicted, wallet, to window shop, a past time, shelf/ shelves, to come across, floor, ceiling.

Verbs: to laugh (reg.), to come across (come, came, come) Exs: I  came across a hundred dollar bill in the road. They came across as very rude. To buy (buy,bought,bought).

Advanced.

When I was a student in London, I bought a hat one day in Camden Town. I still have it, though I haven't worn it for years. It is a light, comfortable hat that is black and has golden sequins all over it. Right at the front, above my forehead is a golden elephant. It is quite an eye catcher. Sometimes when I am organizing my closet, I will come across it. It takes me right back to London, the sights, sounds, smells, and experiences of being a student in that great city. When I first moved out to the United States, I became a teacher in a local High School. One day, everybody in the school was allowed to dress up, so, amongst other things, I wore my hat. It got a lot of attention, and my students became curious about where I had bought it. It is surprising how one piece of clothing can tell a story. I suppose what we wear does reflect something about our personality, our choices, perhaps our preferences. Well, I wear many other hats now, but they are figurative, not actual hats. Some of the hats I wear are: wife, mother, podcaster, language student, bill payer, and world citizen. I like my hats; they are the ones that I have chosen. I look forward to a variety of new ones that I will pick up in the future.

Grammar notes.

Useful expressions: to wear (wear, worn, worn), closet, to come across, to dress up, curious, preferences, choices, figurative, bills.

Verbs: To take back, exs: The book took me right back to where I used to live. Seeing her again after so many years, took my back to my childhood.

Beginners.

When you learn English, the verb 'to be' can be a bit of a problem sometimes. It is irregular, so it doesn't follow a regular pattern. But, that is okay. Lots of verbs in English are irregular. I am, you are, he is etc should be familiar if you are serious about learning the language. And, what about the past tense, was and were; do they drive you crazy? Don't worry, any language learner will sympathize. Let's try a few sentences. It's a good idea to read the text and listen at the same.

Hello, I am your English teacher. How are you all? The snow was heavy today and there were several accidents on the road; I thought that class would be canceled, but it wasn't. Was your homework okay? Isn't it nice to understand verbs? It wasn't always easy, was it? I know that your text book isn't cheap,but it is a good one. The other books were very expensive; this one isn't confusing either. My other students aren't as far ahead as you are; they weren't happy with their test results. Yours were the best.

Do you see that with a bit of condensed practice, you can get used to this little but important verb?

Advanced.

 "To be or not to be; that is the question". Those aren't my own words, of course. They were written by the genius himself, Shakespeare. They are quoted all the time, in different contexts, and, I'm sure, misquoted sometimes. The verb is such a short, insignificant sounding verb, but it is essential and weighty in meaning. Shakespeare wrote the sentence at the beginning of Hamlet's solliloquy, when he questions the meaning of life and the decisions we must make. What a fantastic piece of writing it is! Maybe, one day, I will treat you to the whole speech; I'll have to practice it quite a few times first. But, until then, we need to practice the little verb 'to be'. Isn't that a wonderful idea? Would it be necessary to practice if you knew it well? Probably not. But it will be necessary if you wish your English to be polished and natural. It wasn't always fun as a French and Spanish student to be chained to verb practice, but the teachers were undeterred. Verb practice is, was, and will be part of my life style. So, what do you think? Am I a sneaky teacher, fitting in the verb all over the place without you realizing? I'm assuming that you are all good students who love the verb 'to be', are you?

Beginners.

About half an hour away from where we live is the town of Leavenworth. It is a fairly small place, near very tall mountains and lots of forests. Nearby is a river called 'The Icicle' which is popular with tourists, kayakers, and campers. It is the perfect spot for a day trip. We chatted on the way, so the journey seemed short. When we got there, it was cold and dull, but the color of the shops and people walking about gave a cheerful appearance. We went into a restaurant that had exposed brick walls, large mirrors, and greenery everywhere. It was cozy and busy. Just right. We had a delicious meal of crepes filled with vegetables and a creamy sauce. The food disappeared quickly. And then it was time for dessert. My mother had creme brulee, and I had yet another crepe, but this time stuffed with banana, chocolate, and cream. I haven't eaten like that for a long time! What a treat, and what a lovely time I had with my mother. After lunch, we spent about an hour wandering around this touristic town. One of our favorite shops was a high quality gift shop that sold, amongst other things, German Cukoo clocks. They were very expensive, intricate, and they made a lovely, soft tick-tick noise. We didn't buy anything, but we had fun just window shopping.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to chat (reg.), to wander (reg.), to browse (reg.).

Useful expressions: the perfect spot, just right, what a treat, amongst other things, a cheerful appearance.

Advanced.

If you have ever been to Leavenworth, you would say that it is a fascinating creation. Let me explain what I mean when I say 'creation'. It was first established as a town around 1892. The Great Northern Railway had its headquarters there, and there was a large sawmill which was used for the logging industry. However, when the headquarters were moved to Wenatchee, the town suffered economically. People lost their jobs and left. The big turn around came in the 1960's when an initiative to reinvent the town was agreed upon. It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. The experiment worked; the buildings had facades put on them, and the tourists started to visit. It was a success. Now it receives hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. There are seasonal celebrations, like October-fest and the Christmas lighting ceremony, which bring in floods of tourists. There is even a Nutcracker museum which houses five thousand nutcrackers. What an amazing adventure it must have been to turn a run down town into a tourist attraction. The surrounding countryside gives it an authentic Bavarian feel, and even though the buildings are obviously not original, the town has the pull of a center of entertainment.

Grammar notes.

 Related vocabulary: established, headquarters, economically, industry, initiative, to reinvent, tourists, seasonal, countryside.

* It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. Exs: Nobody knew it yet, but she was to be/ going to be crowned Queen in two years.  Before he reached adolescence, he was to have all of his teeth extracted.