Have you ever walked into your kitchen first thing in the morning and found that little, tiny strangers have moved in? And not only have strangers moved in, but there are hundreds of them, and they are eating your food. Ants. Ants. Where do they come from? And how do they sense where the food is? For the past few days I have been paranoid about people dropping crumbs in the kitchen, because it seems that ten minutes later, some clever ants have gathered around whatever was dropped, and they're figuring out how to move it. And I have to tell you about what I saw a few days ago in my dining room. I was filing some paid bills into a filing box that is close to the floor, when I spotted a dead moth. "No big deal," I thought, until I noticed several ants around it. I bent down to look closer, and I could see that the ants were holding the moth and rocking it back and forth, trying to move it. They succeeded, and started to move the body slowly, slowly towards the wall. Well, believe it or not, I don't have that much time on my hands that I can sit around and watch ant activity, so I had to leave for a few minutes to get on with some work. But, when I did come back, the moth was gone. I couldn't believe it! It was so much bigger than the ants, and they had quite simply taken it. I was so impressed that I am now sitting in the kitchen writing, watching a piece of cracker that I put on the floor a few minutes ago. I am hoping that in a few minutes lots of ants will gather around it, and I can take a good photo. I don't want to encourage them to invade my house, but I have to get a good photo for the blog page. I admire ants; they really get the job done, and they work as a team. Just imagine what we could do if we had their energy! So, for over a week I've been hovering over my kids when they are getting something to eat, saying, "For goodness sake, can you put that on a plate? Ants! Ants!" I have nicknamed one of my sons 'Senor Migas' which means Mr. Crumbs, because, no matter what he eats, he always manages to drop crumbs on the floor. Now, he would probably come in handy.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: paranoid, to figure out, back and forth, to come in handy.
1. She is paranoid about germs; she washes her hands about twenty times a day.
2. Please help me figure out how to get my car keys out of the drain.
3. Wiggle your loose tooth back and forth to see if it is loose enough to pull out.
4. That flash light will come in handy; I'll keep it in my car.
I was running errands today, when I spotted a new business in town. At the bottom of a three story building, in the basement area, a cafe has opened this week. I noticed it because there are some colorful flags flying in the outside eating area. "Oooo," I thought as I waited in the traffic, I must go in there for a quick bite to eat, and to 'check out' the atmosphere. Well, I'm very pleased that I did go in. Not only does the inside have a lot of character, but it's purpose serves a good cause. AZ's cafe is a business that gives the unemployed an opportunity to learn skills that will help them get better employment in the future. From dealing with money, a computer, working in the kitchen, waiting on tables and serving the public, or any of the other jobs that are needed to run a cafe properly, this place offers training. It's profits are used to keep it self-sustaining, so it can train people for many years to come. It is run by the YWCA, or the Young Women Committed to Action, or the Young Women's Christian Association, which fights racism and promotes opportunities for women who need help. There were quite a few people eating and drinking in the cafe. The decor was casual, a little eclectic which I like, and antiques were for sale here and there. Well, my eagle vision spotted something dark in a corner that drew me to it. It was a piece of furniture which I immediately recognized as being both a real antique, and English. An extra small church pew, you know, the hard, dark, but ornate seats that you find in old churches. Well, this really was the 'real deal'. I asked if it was for sale. The lady told me that it had been donated after someone had passed away, that it was three hundred years old, and that it costs $850. I almost choked on my coffee! When she went back to the kitchen, I investigated. I opened it to have a look for a brand, or a name, or something. "These people around here don't know what 'old' is," I thought to myself. "It's probably not 300 years old, but it could be. I'll have to ask my mom to have a look; she's an antique's expert." The price tag actually said $500 dollars. That's still too much, but perhaps I can work on these people and over time charm them into giving it to me for a bargain....you never know. But even if that doesn't happen, I will make AZ's cafe my regular place for coffee with friends, to support the people in training, and to keep my eye on that little piece of England.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to check out, self-sustaining, to draw to (to be drawn to), to choke.
1. Let's go to the new museum and check out the historical artefacts.
2. We must create self-sustaining farming projects.
3. I feel drawn to horses; there is something about them that fascinates me.
4. Pat him on the back! He's choking!
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The entryway of our house is finally beginning to look pretty. I have recently transplanted plants from other areas of our garden to the walkway that leads up to our house. After choosing a tree to shade the area, I thought that I had finished. About a two weeks ago (a fortnight in British), I saw lots of green shoots coming up right next to the path. I could immediately tell that these new plants were not weeds; they were too uniform, and had pretty leaves. As time has gone by, these little shoots have developed into larger plants that have now flowered. I had completely forgotten that I had planted anemones in the Autumn. And now, they are beginning to flower. Wow! What color they have! It is hard to believe that a little bulb can produce such a spectacular display of beauty and color. These anemones need partial to full shade to grow properly, and the great thing is that they are perennial. They come back every year, each time in larger numbers. I just googled anemones to find out more about them. Their name is Greek for 'wind flower', and they even have medicinal powers to help get rid of cramps and emotional distress. I have a love of shade and semi-shade plants. One of my other favorites is the cyclamen. The flower head is so unusual in the way that it hangs down but all of its petals stand up towards the sky. Each flower is spectacular in its own way. One of the many things that I enjoy about gardening are the surprises that come along. Seeds of a certain wild vine that is in our garden have blown over to the front area, and so now we have baby vines growing all over the place. I try to imagine sometimes what my garden would look like if it were abandoned for a while. It would become a gorgeous jungle of color and shapes, with a mixture of weeds, vines, roses, and stunning anemones.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a fortnight, uniform, a display, cramp.
1. A two week period in England is what we call a fortnight.
2. The tables at the wedding looked elegant and uniform; they were identical.
3. The shop window has a wonderful flower display.
4. I had pain and tension in my stomach. I took some medicine and my cramps went away.
In the kitchen yesterday, I was considering all of the language that we are exposed to around the house. Containers of food and cleaning fluids can all teach us a lot of a new language. Even some small appliances often have instructions of some kind on them. When I'm at the kitchen sink, which is very often, I use all sorts of liquids for all of the cleaning that I do. My dish soap is anti-bacterial. Then I have a hand sanitizer that you can use without water. Even some of the hand creams that I put on after washing have ant-bacterial properties. One item that is very popular among housewives are the 'wipes'. They come in a large, plastic, cylindrical containers. They are disposable, already wet, and either have bleach or alcohol in them, so they blast germs wherever you wipe. They are so convenient to use in almost any room in the house, especially the particularly germy rooms, like the bathroom and the kitchen. I remember about 10 years ago, there was an E-coli outbreak in one of the fast food chains here in the U.S. Jack in the box, the American food chain almost came to ruin because of the scandal. And when I say scandal, it really is, if a chain of restaurants is unclean or serving unclean food. It took years for the company to come back and start getting customers again. This, and other incidences have caused standards of cleanliness in restaurants to go up, partly because the restaurants can easily be sued if people get ill. We expect the places where we eat to be very clean, even if the food is no good. And so it is at home. When flu season gets here, we take extra precautions: hand washing, avoiding people who are sick, and using antibacterial wipes everywhere. When I volunteer at my children's school, I often think that handwashing should be part of the daily curriculum, because so many children have runny noses and coughs. Classrooms are a breeding ground for germs. At least, at home, I can do my part and go to war against the germs.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to volunteer, to be exposed to, disposable, precaution.
1. You don't get paid for volunteering, but it's very satisfying.
2. You need to put your face mask on; you mustn't be exposed to this gas.
3. We can throw these cups in the rubbish bin; they are disposable.
4. She always takes the precaution of double checking the meat for freshness.
I have great neighbors. They are friendly, I trust them, and they are helpful. What more could I ask for in a neighborhood? As a friendly neighbor myself, I do what I can to keep my relationship with the people next door to me a positive one. The neighbor to my left recently got married to a lady who loves animals, infact, she used to have a farm. When she moved in she had goats, a pony, chickens, and she bred dogs. Gradually, to please her husband, she has sold some of the animals. That is actually a good thing because the smell of goat manure was becoming a bit overpowering. The neighbor to my right is a busy father of two, who goes to work early in the morning, and only has a cat. He is lively and amusing. He is also honest. He has always made it clear that he hates dogs. He thinks that they are noisy, messy, and silly. Cats, he thinks, are intelligent and sophisticated, and of course, much easier to take care of. Well, I happen to have two dogs, both of whom are still puppies. These dogs live in our back yard which is fenced in. They have a warm, insulated dog house, and plenty of space to run around and play in. But, they are dogs, and they bark. Not very much, mind you. But if they sense a deer is nearby, or if they smell a racoon, they will certainly bark. I think that they can also sense when people don't like them, because when Don, our neighbor who hates dogs, goes to work at six o'clock in the morning, they run up to the fence where they can see his car, and they start barking. They bark as if they have spotted an enemy. So, in order to stay friends with Don, I bought some 'shock collars' for the dogs that 'encourage' them to stay quiet. When they bark, they get a little vibration on the neck that they don't like. And you know, it works, but not enough to give Don a quiet morning. Now, when he gets into his car, the dogs still run up and bark once, "woof!" But then they howl slightly because of the collars, "argh!" After a couple of seconds they do the same thing. After about three times, they give up, and by then, Don has gone. I have to wake up at six, so it's actually an alarm clock for me, an amusing one. But poor Don must think I'm a terrible neighbor.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to breed, overpowering, racoon, to sense.
1. The farmer near us breeds work horses.
2. I think you put too much garlic in that sauce; it's overpowering. I can't taste the fish at all.
3. There is a family of racoons in the neighborhood. Sometimes you can see their black and white bodies running into a bush to hide.
4. I could sense that he was angry. I knew that he would start shouting.
"Did your teacher give you your homework packet?" is a question I ask my children often. Every week they get a set of papers that are stapled together, each paper being either a math sheet or a reading and writing sheet. For the longest time, I couldn't get my youngest son to do his daily sheet. The teachers expect the students to do one sheet each afternoon at home. If they concentrate, it hardly takes any time, but, obviously, the longer you wait to do it in the evening, the longer and harder the homework seems to become. I remember those days of putting off the essay or the written exercises, just hoping that by some miracle they would disappear. Oh, the frustration. The way I got my son to do his homework every day was by using a strategy that included three things. First, he wasn't allowed to play on the Wii until he had done one page. Secondly, I would always be near him to help him, encourage him, push him a little if needed. And third, I would praise and congratulate him once he had finished. After a few months of this, he adopted the habit of always getting his job done. I think that being consistent is really one of the hardest things in life, especially if you haven't managed to turn your obligation into a habit. At least, that's how it is for me. These homework packets are cute, obviously simple; afterall, he is only in the first grade. On most pages there are cute characters drawn, to make the sheet look friendly and fun. And a lot of the exercises are in the form of a game, or a puzzle. You find things like dot-to-dots, crossword puzzles, and counting pennies exercises. It's great to see my son's progress, and I realize that it was worth using strategies to get him to 'dig in' and get the work done.
Grammar notes.
Use of 'used to' and 'would' to show past habitual actions, + related vocabulary: to dig in, strategy, to adopt a habit, to staple.
1. That boy was a great student when he was in my class. He used to dig into any new information and tasks.
2. The special ops comander would always outline his strategy of surprizing the enemy.
3. They used to adopt these unhealthy eating habits, like having icecream or cheesecake just before bed. But then, the doctor told them that they couldn't continue that way.
4. The secretary would always use too many staples on the documents; it was difficult to turn the pages.
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It's time that I bought a new camera. I need a digital that has a decent zoom. I realized that the other day when I was outside, trying to get a good shot of two birds who were nesting. I had been busy throwing the ball to our dogs, when I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. When I turned to see what it was, I saw a bird, obviously the male, sitting on top of the bird house, with a beak full of white feathers. There were so many of them, that they covered half of his body. He had seen me looking at him, and was nervously twitching his head back and forth, waiting for an opportunity to get into the house in order to carry on with his project. The female was off to the right; she was hard to see because her coloring was so pale. I inched my way forward with the camera already in focus and zoomed as far as it could go. However, these smart, nervous little creatures aren't stupid. Their eyes were fixed on me, and they didn't go anywhere near their birdhouse entrance while I was around. They would fly off and observe me from a distant tree. So, I would back off each time and wait for them to return. This went on a few times, until I realised that I was getting nowhere. So, I did a balancing act on the edge of an outside reclining chair, whilst leaning on a wall, holding the camera around the corner towards the birds. I couldn't even see what I was taking a picture of; I just knew that I had more of a chance of getting a good shot if the birds couldn't see me. I risked my own health for the sake of art, people; I hope you appreciate it. Anyway, I got a fairly good picture of the busy parents-to-be, making the nest cosy for their future chicks. It was worth the danger. But next time, I'll just get a better camera.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: out of the corner of (someone's) eye, decent, to twitch, male and female.
1. He was hiding, but I saw his red shoes out of the corner of my eye.
2. You really should buy yourself a decent suit for the interview; give a good impression.
3. My eye has been twitching the whole morning; it's really annoying.
4. If you want puppies you need to buy a male for your female, you know.
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Today, I'm going to continue with my series of 'Getting to know our planet' with the country of Rwanda. What do you know about this central african nation? What springs to mind when you hear the name Rwanda? Before I began this study, I didn't know much at all about this country, apart from the conflicts between the Hutus and the Tutsis, and the genocide of 1994. However,in 2009 a report by CNN called Rwanda the greatest success story of Africa. It is stable, it's average income has tripled in the past ten years, and it has developed positive international relationships. It has turned itself around and become a model for developing countries. How has it managed to do all of this? The answer is good leadership and sensible foreign aid. It's economy is still growing at a rapid rate, such as 11% in 2008. Rwanda is well known for its mountain gorillas which live in the Volcanoes National Park. Out of the one million tourists who visit each year, many choose to track these large primates. The savannah, forests, and rolling hills keep the visitors coming back, and have helped the economy greatly. Other money makers are coffee, tea, and mining. Though Rwanda is so successful, it is actually a very small country. It is under 27 thousand square kilometers, and land locked by Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since its independence from Belgium in 1962, and its initial civil problems, it has become a safe and democratic country which protects all Rwandans from discrimination of any kind. Its capital is Kigali, its currency is the rwandan franc, and its population is over 10 million. It has recently adopted the goal of becoming a knowledge based economy by 2020 with every child owning a laptop in the next five years. That is quite an ambition. But, judging by its record, Rwanda is determined, organized, and will meet its goals.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: currency, stable, to turn oneself around/ a business around, to be well known for...
1. The currency of Europe is the euro, but in England we still use the pound sterling.
2. The doctors told me that her condition is stable; she is awake and doesn't need oxygen or medications.
3. That guy really has turned himself around; he used to be unskilled, but he went back to school. He used to be unemployed, but now he has a decent job.
Another example: We must turn this economy around before it is too late.
4. He is well known for his funny stories; he can make any audience laugh.
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Sunday, May 9th, it's Mother's day! I don't usually give it much thought, apart from choosing what I should buy for my mother and mother-in-law. I always forget that I will receive presents as well. Mind you, I shouldn't forget. There are plenty of reminders all around. The television has countless commercials for shops that have special offers for mums, and the local newspapers also advertise the deals on flowers, chocolates, clothes, and other things. We are actually bombarded with info. about the special day. I was taken by surprise the day before Mother's day when my husband and second son walked in after returning from baseball practice. The door to the garage opened and in walked, what looked like, an enormous, walking bouquet of flowers. All I could see was a pair of legs (still dressed in baseball pants and shoes), and a huge armful of flowers on top. How lovely! It took my breath away. I've never received such a big bouquet before. It has lillies, roses, daisies, and lots of other flowers that I'm not familiar with. It's big enough to divide amongst two or three vases, but for now, I'll keep it in one. Talk about over the top! Then, each of my children handed me their cards that they had made in school. They were even better than the flowers! What could be nicer? And the spelling mistakes in the poems were so sweet. The typical poem is: Roses are red, violets are blue; sugar is sweet, and so are you. But I received the following: Roses are red, vilets are blue; your smile chers me up, and I love you. I'll have to explain to Cass how to spell 'violets'; I hope I'm nothing to do with vile....His picture is a keeper, however. I'm going to frame it and hang it on the wall in the kitchen. He drew a vase of flowers that he painted with watercolors. It is so soft looking and dreamy,- very impressionistic. It's just what I like.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a reminder, a deal, over the top, spelling.
1. I write on my hand, as a reminder of my appointments.
2. I got a really good deal on my new car; it was such a bargain.
3. That performer is over the top. Her bright pink dress, loud act, and shockingly red lips are all too much.
4. My kids need to practice a list of words for their spelling test.
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'Prevention is better than cure' is a saying that I fully believe in. Similarly, using the correct tools for a job, or wearing the correct protection, is just as smart. I've been thinking about this recently because my little girl has been learning how to ride her bicycle without the training wheels. If it were up to me, I wouldn't teach her yet. However, my husband is confident that she is ready to take this big step. Each afternoon for about a week, they have been practicing on our driveway and around the cul-de-sac. He has given her plenty of coaching about all the things that you need to bear in mind: watch for traffic, get your balance, put the pedals in the right position, don't go too fast, give yourself time to make a turn etc etc. And, you know, she is doing very well. She is completely safe because from head to toe she is protected with pads of all kinds, and then, of course, she has the crowning glory of the all important helmet. Not wearing a helmet is looked upon as being seriously unintelligent in this house. My husband is a serious bike rider, and even some of his veteran riding buddies have had serious accidents. In some of their accidents, if they hadn't worn their helmets, they wouldn't be here today. So, our kids know that you cannot get on the bike without putting your head protection on first. But once that is taken care of, it's time to have fun. I love watching my daughter's sense of achievement show on her face; she's such a tiny little thing, but now has freedom on wheels. I suppose being five is actually a big thing; you learn to read, you learn to ride your bike, and you start school. Gosh, those are big steps!
Grammar notes.
Hypothesis and speculation using the subjunctive + related expressions: to bear in mind, from head to toe, veteran, the crowning glory.
1. If he doesn't bear everyone's efforts in mind, he could become quite unpopular.
2. If you had been protected from head to toe, you wouldn't have got hurt.
3. If the war veterans received a decent pension, there wouldn't be a need for their charities.
4. If the architect's plans for the new park were approved, it would be the crowning glory of the whole city.
The weather is one thing, where I live, that is consistent. It is one of the attractions about living here. The tourist information about Wenatchee talks at once about the 300 days of sun each year, and the regular, consistent four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Rarely does the weather 'step out of line' or not follow the typical patterns of this climate. Yesterday, however, was a different story. The first thing that made me realize that something was different was that, at six o'clock in the morning, the birds were not singing. Usually they are making a terrible racket at that time. I could hear, instead, the whooshing noise of the wind, and a buffeting or banging as it was hitting the house. I was immediately reminded of the poem 'Wind' by Ted Hughes, but I could hear my kids getting up, so I didn't have time to dream about poetry. As I pulled out of the driveway, I saw that most of the asphalt of the cul-de-sac was under water. The trees were being thrown around by the wind, and the rain poured heavily without stopping. The children were excited at the change in weather. It makes the day interesting, after all. "We must make cookies today, after school," I said. "Yes, and have a fire too," replied one of the children. The idea of getting cosy on a day like today is the fun part of bad weather. 50 mile an hour winds were recorded, and continued to blow most of the day. The baseball game was cancelled, and nobody was out on the street. Our warm front was over for a while, now that a cold one had moved in. C'est la vie! I annoyed a few people by telling them that I love the rain, but it's true. It's in my genes. Well, by evening, the storm had blown itself out, and everything was soggy and still. No harm done, just a good reminder that we can never get too complacent about our consistent climate.
Grammar notes.
Combining similar consonants from the ends and beginnings of words + related vocabulary: to step out of line, a racket, to buffet, soggy.
1. If that employee steps out of line and behaves badly again, no way will he keep his job. (1 n's)
2. The birds were making such a racket today; I'll be glad when Spring is over. (1 t's)
3. The wind buffets the house so much that the walls seem to shake. (2 s's).
4. After your walk, could you please take off your shoes and socks; they will be dirty and soggy, and I don't want to get the carpet dirty. (1 k/c's) (1 t's).
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These past two weeks have been Apple Blossom here in Wenatchee. It is a springtime celebration that brings in a lot of business to the area, and is great fun. Just around the time that the apple blossoms appear, the setting up of this week begins. We see large trucks coming into town with the equipment for the food fair, the carnival, the parade, and all the related games and stalls. This annual event has taken place for 90 years, and has grown from a one day event to about eleven days of celebration. It is run by volunteers from different groups, and overseen and organized by the Applarians, which are a group dedicated to the festival. The carnival was the main attraction for us this year. Our children are now at the ages when we can relax a bit more; when you have young babies and toddlers, it's a bit hectic and tiring to go to a carnival. In fact, our oldest is what we call a pre-teen, so he is very much into the scary rides, the fastest, scariest ones that would probably make me throw up. "Are you sure you want to go on that, Hudson? It looks at bit crazy to me," I said when he asked me if he could go on the 'Hard Rocker'. Silly question, really. Obviously he was sure that he wanted to go on the ride, otherwise he wouldn't have asked me! Sure, go ahead, get locked in a metal cage that swings 360 degrees, and then the whole ride spins around fast. As long as it's you and not me. He did the scariest rides with his friends who were as braves as him. Oh, to be a teenager again. No thanks. I would rather keep my feet on the ground and just watch. We did, however, all have a great time. The kids went on several rides each, and finished off with cotton candy. And I enjoyed the colors and interesting sights of our little yearly carnival.
Grammar notes.
Practice of the subjunctive in positive and negative phrases plus related vocabulary: cotton candy, hectic, a stall, to oversee.
1. If I had known that they sell cotton candy, I would have brought some money.
2. Your life wouldn't be so hectic if you were more organized.
3. If she could choose her career, she would own a large organic vegetable stall.
4. He wouldn't oversee the project as general manager, if he wasn't qualified.
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