It's great to be back podcasting to you again. I had a lovely Christmas break with my family, and now have plenty to podcast about. I actually have had a problem of no internet connection for about four days which has been very frustrating. When that happens, it makes me feel as if I live in the middle of nowhere, or 'in the boondocks' as they say over here. Well, I'm up and running again. My husband took Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the following week off, so we have been spending time together, and going on short day trips. Leavenworth, as you probably know, is the nearest 'hot spot' for anything touristy. It's much smaller than Wenatchee, and totally different. We took the children there a couple of days ago. It was snowy and very festive looking, and thankfully not too cold. What most people do in Leavenworth is: walk around the main, high street block, go into one of the many restaurants, and shop. There is a river and a park very close to the main street, and as we walked past it, I noticed people cross country skiing right there in the park. It is a very pretty rural area, and bears are regularly seen even in the park itself! Well, they're hibernating now, so there is no reason to be scared. It was fun window shopping with the children. It was also great to see such a mix of ethnicities in such a small town. Leavenworth attracts people from all over the world who happen to be up in the North West. One of the shops that we actually bought something from, was the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I have often walked past this shop without going in. But this time we went in, and I'm very pleased that we did. The store smelled wonderful, and there was a long display case full of different chocolates and bonbons of all shapes and sizes. Everything was beautifully arranged. At first, I think, my kids didn't realize that they could choose something to eat at all. I had to say, "Go on, choose something." They each chose a treat which, by the time we left the shop, was already partly eaten.
Grammar notes.
Practice of the past participle as an adjective:
1. The flowers were artfully arranged in the entrance to the hotel.
2. Carols were sung by a choir while the shoppers went to and fro.
3. The parcel was sent but not received.
4. We were surprized to find that the car had a flat battery.
About nine years ago, I had some incredible luck in a local charity shop. It was coming up to Christmas, and I had gone to Goodwill to look around at all the second hand decorations, ornaments, and housewares. As I wandered up and down the aisle, taking my time to look at the hundreds of items that were for sale, I came across a house. It was a ceramic, Christmas-style house. I picked it up and examined it. It looked like an old English pub with several people here and there playing outside in the snow. There is a frozen pond next to it, trees, and a water wheel. I had seen this sort of decoration before, but brand new in the local stores. They are normally very expensive, as they light up. They often have moving parts, and play music. In a little plastic bag, attached to the item by some sticky tape, was a wire with a plug. I decided to take a chance. Normally, electronic items that are sold in charity stores are not to be trusted. They are often donated specifically because they don't work anymore. I bought it. After cleaning it up at home, I plugged it in. I reasoned that even if it didn't work, it looked festive and pretty. So, with fingers crossed I turned it on. It worked. If I push the button in one direction, lots of twinkiling lights come on that change color. If it is pushed in the opposite direction, lights and music come on, and the frozen pond turns around. The frozen pond is probably the reason that this house was donated. It had two skating figures, but one had his head missing, and the other lacked an arm and a leg. Thankfully, you can buy extra little figures in different stores, so I bought an extra snowman and boy. I very carefully twisted off the broken figures, and replaced them with the new ones. With a little help from superglue, the pond scene looked as good as new. My children would spend ages staring at it as its colors changed. They loved talking about all the details, like a story being told. It's a Christmas scene that I look forward to pulling out of the storage box, and putting on display each year.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: superglue, to stare, to cross your fingers.
1. My sister-in-law uses superglue to glue the cracked skin on her heels back together!
2. It makes me uncomfortable when people stare at me.
3. We've set up all of the fireworks. Fingers crossed that they all work when we light them.
I have missed a couple of podcasts this week, oops! So here is the first of the two, a little late. My reason for writing this podcast late is that I've been spending time researching my options, as far as the education of my two youngest. They are in a normal elementary school which I like very much, and where they receive quite a lof of Spanish instructions. I'm thrilled that they have that extra benefit, as most elementary schools around here only teach English. But recently, I have discovered that my youngest son has a visual problem. He has what is called visual dislexia. It is not the well-known dislexia. When a child with this problem reads black writing on a white background, his eyes struggle to see clearly. The contrast is too much for his or her photoreceptors. Now that he has been diagnosed, he has green glasses to wear which really help him to see text clearly. I'm so thankful that we found out about his eye condition while he is young. Because this affects reading and writing, I have considered homeschooling him for the rest of the year. There is also a part-time support school where the classes are much smaller, and there are less transitions. I could teach him one-on-one which would give him an opportunity to really catch up. However, he is very happy in school, has lots of friends, and really likes a few of his teachers. So, what do I do? What is the best decision to make? I spoke to many people who homeschool, and asked a lot of questions. I thought, perhaps that my daughter who is in kindergarten could also be homeschooled and go to the part-time support school. I planned on creating exciting lessons for them, and of course, involving other children. So, I informed the principal of their school. All I had to do was sign some papers and that would be that. Well, as soon as I had made that decision, I started to change my mind. It was a struggle. I went back and forth, back and forth, thinking and rethinking. So finally, I went back to the school and told the principal that I had changed my mind. I will keep my kids in school, but have them at home a couple of mornings a week to teach them myself. He gave me a wary look, shook my hand, and politely went back to his office to change his records. Well, I'm a woman, right. Changing my mind all the time is what I'm supposed to do, isn't it? The important thing is that I do what is best for my kids. So, if they can stand to be around their back and forth mother a bit more than usual, I shouldn't have to change my mind for a while.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: Well-known, background, to diagnose, transition.
1. He didn't become a well-known artist until after his death.
2. The background of the image in the photo is saturated with color.
3. To find out what the problem is, his condition needs to be diagnosed.
4. Moving to another country can be an exciting but difficult transition.
We spent a noisy night on Saturday at the local arena. We had tickets to go and see a basketball match between the two big local rivals, Wenatchee and Eastmont. We were lucky enough to have box seats, so we were up high with a good view. We took all of the kids, and met up with my husband's brother's family, and another set of friends. We snacked and chatted while the match played. To tell you the truth, I didn't pay much attention to the game; I was more interested in catching up with my sister-in-law and my friend. I would hear comments every now and then from the men about the game. The Eastmont band was just below our box. Whenever they would play, it was loud. The atmosphere was exciting; there was definitely a spirit of competition in the arena that night. Before the game started, a group of students from each high school shot baskets, to see who would make the most. Wenatchee won by a small margin. I'm sure nerves of the event affected the accuracy of the shots. There were quite a few sporty looking, tall young men shooting baskets, but they only did as well as the girls. At half time, there was a dance performance by a large group of local young girls. It was a sort of hip-hop style which went down well with the audience. And then, of course, there were the cheer leaders doing their thing, their arrangement of kicks, moves, and claps. It was a spectacle, as is to be expected of these arena events. While we were there, it snowed heavily. At one point, I went down to the first floor to get a bite to eat, and, as I walked past the windows, I was amazed at the large, thick snowflakes falling. It made the occasion feel special. This weekend, we have tickets to see a country singer called Clint Black, so I'm sure I will be podcasting about that experience.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to catch up with, a margin, accuracy, to go down (well/ badly).
1. I hadn't seen my friend for years, so we spent a few hours catching up.
2. In our science class, we are allowed no margin for error.
3. Swiss watches have a reputation of having long term accuracy.
4. The joke was in bad taste; it didn't go down well at the dinner party.
Aren't holiday traditions great! I'm always fascinated by the many ways that people of different cultures celebrate special times. We use symbols, songs, colors, food, actions, religious rituals, and get togethers to express our humanity. And we all do it. When you think of just how different all of the countries on this planet are, how our histories have shaped us, and how we have developed our own traditions, looking at how we celebrate special occasions is similar to looking through a magnifying glass at us. Our celebrations reveal a lot about us. One of the traditions that we have adopted from other cultures is to decorate gingerbread houses around Christmas time. Gingerbread dates back to the early Greeks and Egyptians who used it in ceremonies. Monks brought ginger to France in 10th century. But it wasn't until around 11th century that crusaders brought ginger back to Europe from the Middle East. An early recipe for gingerbread was ground almonds, dry bread crumbs, rosewater, sugar, and ginger. This was pressed into wooden molds that depicted the news of that time, a bit like small edible newspaper. In the 16th century, the English replaced the bread crumbs with flour, and added eggs, making a lighter bread. The first gingerbread man is credited to Queen Elizabeth 1, who impressed visitors with gingerbread men made in their images. Gingerbread quickly became more and more popular. It was in 19th century that gingerbread houses appeared in Germany after the brothers Grimm published their stories, especially Hansel and Gretel. They are a common Christmas tradition in Europe and North America. There are even competitions to build the biggest ones, and there is also an annual gingerbread city in Bergen, Norway. So, you see, our tradition of making a gingerbread house didn't originate here at all. It's development has taken a long time, and each time it has reached a different country, it has been slightly changed. And that is the way that traditions evolve.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a magnifying glass, crusaders, to replace, to originate.
1. At school, the children examined bugs under a magnifying glass.
2. Richard the Lionheart was a crusader.
3. That light has gone out. Could you replace the bulb?
4. They originated in Russia, but their family has settled in many different countries.
A recipe I have been making recently that happens to be very easy is baked apples. What could be nicer than hot, cinnamony apples, oozing with deliciousness, and making the whole house smell great? I have recently discovered an apple that has become one of my favorites. It is the honey crisp. It is unusually large, and has little bumps or dimples. It is very juicy, and has a similar flesh to the pacific rose of New Zealand, one that is light and breaks up easily in the mouth. The skin is not too tough, so it's fine to eat raw. The thing I like most about it, however, is it's flavor. It has the perfect combination of flavors, both sweet and tart. Believe it or not, the sweetest apples are not my favorites. Some, I actually find too sugary! To choose the right apple for baking, and I think for eating as well, I like to be able to taste some acidity in the fruit. When I was in the supermarket looking at all the different types of apples, I didn't know which one to pick for baking. I asked an assistant, and he very enthusiastically took me to the honey crisps. So, this is what you do: after washing them, you must remove the core. That can be tricky if you don't have a proper core remover. I've misplaced mine, so I had to struggle with a sharp knife, which annoyed me. But I managed, finally, to remove the cores without cutting myself. Then you place them on a baking sheet, with the core holes facing vertically, and fill them alternately with raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Leave a little space at the top of the core for some butter. Then, put them in the oven for about an hour on 350 degrees, or medium heat. You will be able to tell when they are ready, because your house will smell divine, and the apples will have shrunk, there will be juice in the pan, and the skins will be wrinkled. Enjoy them with either vanilla icecream, or thick whipped cream. Mmmm, they are a winter favorite in this house.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to ooze, dimples, tart (sour), the core.
1. The soldier's wound needed cleaning, it was dirty and oozing.
2. That baby is so cute! He has a dimple on his left cheek just like his mother!
3. We can't use those berries for the pie; they are not ripe yet, and would be too tart.
4. Apparently, the earth's core is hotter than the surface of the sun!
When you have a hobby, and you want to improve your skills, you have to practice. There is no substitute for practice. Those of you who come from disciplined nations will know all about this. In the Western world, I think, dedicating ourselves to long-term practice is sometimes a challenge. It isn't in the fabric of our society. We are innovative, but not necessarily disciplined. Speaking from personal experience, and looking at myself, the practice of a hobby, whether it is a podcast or a musical instrument, a new language or a physical exercise, can be a painful process. Encouragement helps. For example, when I get positive emails from my podlisteners, I think, "Wow! People are listening! I must keep going!" Or if my violin teacher says that I sound better when I play, I feel so relieved that I am spurred on to continue practicing. My oldest son has shown some dedication recently that has reminded me of all of this, and I am impressed. He has basketball practice in middle school at six thirty in the morning, four days a week. Oooooo, now that's painful! I am barely conscious at that time of the morning. I drive him to the school, still in my pyjamas and slippers, wearing a big coat and an extra large scarf. The poor boy must think that his mother looks like a clown. The school is actually very close, but I choose to drive him because it is pitch black that early in the morning, and it is freezing cold, with snow and ice all over the place. As I watch him walk into the school building, I am encouraged that he is being consistent with his basketball. I know that he will see himself improve, and reap the rewards. When I drop him off, I see other boys appear from the darkness, and walk into school, their skinny legs only half covered by their long basketball shorts, and carrying backpacks that look bigger than they are. My heart goes out to them. Hopefully, they do it out of a love for the sport, and not just a sense of obligation. Either way, seeing them encourages me to keep going with my hobbies, and my efforts at self-improvement.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a substitute, innovative, to (be) spur(red) on, barely conscious.
1. You can substitute honey for sugar in this recipe.
2. Apple is a very innovative company; they are so successful because of their creativity.
3. We were spurred on by our teacher to finish our science project; he chooses just the right words to spur us on.
4. When we found the puppy in the snow, it was barely conscious. But after warming up in the house, he was soon running around and playing.
It was only this evening, after a busy day, that I realised that my phone had not rung all day. That is unusual. I checked my messages, and there were twelve! How come I hadn't heard the phone ring? I checked the setting, and it said 'silent'. "Oh, great!" I said to myself as I scrolled through the numbers that had called me. There was one particular one that had tried calling me eight times. Thankfully, it wasn't an emergency. It was the automated telephone system for the substitute teachers. It had called me all those times to offer me a morning job for tomorrow. I have already subbed in that class, which happens to be where one of my sons is. It would have been a perfect job, but it just so happens that I have two appointments in the morning, so I can't make it. I'm lucky, though, to have the teacher request me. Young students like to have a familiar face, instead of a different sub each time. The trouble with my phone is that it's an old design which has buttons on the outside. When I put the phone in my handbag, which I do often during the day, sometimes the buttons get pushed. The settings get changed without me even knowing anything about it. So, sometimes a call will come in, and my handbag will start vibrating, or music will play that I don't recognize. I never know what to expect from my phone. I should probably upgrade to a decent model that doesn't change its settings so easily. Come to think of it, my husband has an old Blackberry that he used to use. It has been sitting around, gathering dust because he has upgraded and no longer needs it. I actually think I understand why I have stuck with my little, old phone. It's because it is cheap, beaten-up, and not important. If I lose it, it's no great loss. However, if I were to lose a Blackberry, I would probably feel bad about losing something expensive. So, for now, I'll just have to double-check my settings, and put up with my comfortable old model.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to scroll, it just so happens, decent, come to think of it.
1. You scroll on a phone or a computer when you go up and down the page using the side bar or the cursor.
2. It's your birthday today? It just so happens that I have a present for you.
3. Those shoes look worn out and yucky; why don't you buy yourself some decent ones?
4. He hasn't called me this month. Come to think of it, he's never called me!
If you have the blog or the app of A Cup Of English handy, you will see from the photo or the video clip just what the 'it' is. Yes, the snow. Last year, we hardly had any at Christmas, and not even a hint of it at Thanksgiving. This year is very different. People have been saying that it is going to be a long, cold Winter because of La Nina. So far, they are right. The snow started several days before Thanksgiving, and now, today, it is snowing consistently. One thing that tends to happen during the first few days of snow, is that the traffic goes into a mild panic. Some people still drive as fast as ever, as if there was no difference in the weather. Other people go painfully slowly, even when they're on a dry road. Moods go up and down. The last thing you want is to be in a hurry when you are driving in the stuff. On the way home today from the supermarket, I drove past a man who was trying to push his car out of the middle of the road. It had obviously 'died' right there, and was in the way. I pulled over to see if I could help. Another man ran over, and the three of us managed to push the car back away from the moving traffic. I felt like a knight in shining armour, rescuing someone. The man didn't have a cell phone either, so he borrowed mine and called his family to come and help him. It's good insurance helping someone like that, because when your car dies in a snow storm, a couple of people will appear from nowhere and help you. That's my theory, anyway. So now I'm at home, looking out of the window. I have a beef stew bubbling away on the stove, so my kids can have something hot to eat when they get home. And I'm all wrapped up in my woolly clothes, quite happy to stay inside. Mind you, I'm going to have to get out the snow blower and clear the drive way, or our cars will get stuck. That machine will come in handy this season, I bet.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a video clip, to tend to, a knight, to come in handy.
1. My sister sent me several video clips of her and her family by E-mail.
2. He tends to plan something, and then cancel at the last minute.
3. The brave knight killed the princess and saved the dragon, or was it the other way around?
4. My cell phone comes in handy all the time, and not only for myself. Other people use it all the time.
I have recently been conducting interviews with people in town who have businesses. Why? Because I am beginning to build a website of interviews and dialogues. I hope to launch it before Christmas;....let's see if I can get it ready in time. It sounds like a simple procedure, doesn't it? Interview a person, add grammar notes and pronunciation practice, edit it until it is clean and professional, and then upload it to my website. Well, it's actually all new for me, including the interviews. Most people, I have found, are not that comfortable with being interviewed. That's understandable; they don't want to sound silly. Some people might not even want their voices on the internet. So, there are steps that I have to take to keep everyone happy. First of all, I must ask their permission, and see if they are comfortable with being interviewed. Secondly, I must inform them that the audio of their voice will be on the web, and then together, we must arrange when and where to conduct the interview. Well, I've done that so far with four people, and it's all turned out to be okay. But, one thing I have noticed is that they all got nervous during the interview. Now, when you listen to the interviews, they don't seem very nervous. That's because I have edited out all of the ums and ahs and stuttering. However, as I sit in front of the people, I can see them fidget, scratch thier heads, chew their lips, and even sweat. Do I make them nervous? Is it me, or is it the experience of being interviewed? I do my best to make them feel comfortable. I smile, but not too much. I put my head on one side, to act friendly and not domineering. I agree with them and nod my head, and I make sure that I don't stare at them for too long. If I put myself in their shoes, I would probably feel the same. Thank goodness for editing.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to conduct an interview, to launch a website, to stutter, to fidget.
1. Yesterday, we had to conduct ten interviews.
2. He launched his website last year, and has had great success with his new venture.
3. He had to give a speech, but he was so nervous that he stuttered quite a bit.
4. Most kindergarteners fidget a lot, and find it hard to sit still.
Hello everyone. I'm afraid there won't be a podcast today as I am really busy with preparations for Thanksgiving. There's a lot to do, as I am hosting the holiday meal at my house for a lot of people. So, catch up with me next time!
This past Friday night, I was settling in for the evening, when my youngest son said, "Mum, can we go to the family bingo night at school?" I groaned inside, not wanting to go anywhere. I had received an automated voice message from the school a few days previously about the fundraising night. Bingo was on the agenda, and the winners would win large baskets, or hampers, filled with all kinds of goodies. These hampers had been donated from various businesses in town to help the school raise money. I had actually never been to any of the bingo nights, but I had heard that they are very popular. So, being a push-over, and wanting to please my kids, I took my two youngest. My older two wanted to stay at home and hang out with their dad; anyway, they are far too sophisticated for school bingo, now that they are eleven and twelve.....As we turned up at the school, it was starting to snow. The parking lot was full of cars, so I knew that it would be a full event. We walked in and found the whole gym full of people sitting at tables, concentrating on their bingo cards, and munching away on snacks that they had bought at the concession stand. There was a table where you could rent bingo cards for five dollars for the evening. "Which one do you want?" said the lady who was in charge. "Oh, I don't care. Just give me any of them," I replied. "You're obviously not a serious bingoer,"she said to me laughing. She's right; I'm not. I've barely ever played it. But we sat down and started to cover the numbers that were called out. My children really got into it. We didn't win anything at all. I was hoping that we could take home one of the Christmas hampers, but it wasn't to be. What made it worse was that a couple of people each won three hampers. Three! There should be a rule against that! But we tried our best. My kids were very disappointed that we went home empty-handed. I told them, "Most of the time, you don't win anything. Only a few people ever win in these games, but there is always a chance." That didn't cheer them up, but I suppose it was a good lesson in reality.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a hamper, a push-over, to hang-out, to be in charge.
1. The first prize will be a hamper full of all kinds of coffee products.
2. She is such a push-over; you can ask her for anything and she'll give it to you.
3. How about we stay in and just hang out together?
4. When you train your dogs, you have to be in charge.
My energetic daughter has been begging me to take her to karate classes. She had already enrolled in gymnastics, and our rule is to do only one after-school activity each season, so I decided to only look into it, and not agree or commit myself to taking her. The other day, however, we were in the neighborhood, so we popped into the karate school, just to have a look. It is situated in one of the older brick buildings, near the railroad tracks. It has been nicely converted, preserving the brick and old wood feel, but updating it at the same time. There are three rooms in the school. One long exercise room with a big mirror which is used for lots of running and jumping exercises, a room with lots of punching and kicking bags, and then the entryway with a large wooden floor space for further exercises. Domini had a twinkle in her eye when she saw the children exercising in their black suits. They all looked so cute! "Mum, can I quit gymnastics and do this instead?" Domini asked me. She was extra excited because there was a little boy there who she recognized from preschool. She had always played and got along well with him, so she felt at home. Well, I agreed. Domini will finish this month of gymnastics, and in the meantime, she will try a few classes of karate, and see how she gets on. So, today was her first time. Let's just say that it wouldn't surprize me to see my daughter with a black belt on in a few years. She loved it. There was a warm up, a break, more exercise, and then learning some forms. She was in a beginners' group with children her age. At one point they all had to do 10 push-ups because one of the boys wasn't listening. It was serious business, and you know, I think most kids enjoy that side of it too. It makes the whole event seem important. So, to conclude, she will get her black suit and join the rest of the little dragons, that's the name of her class. My only advice to her is not to practice on her brothers, at least, not yet.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: energetic, to update, instead of, to conclude.
1. The old lady was feeling energetic, so she went for a long walk.
2. I updated my address book; I added many more names and addresses.
3. I don't feel like cooking tonight; let's get chinese food instead.
4. To conclude the concert, the trio played a piece by Bach.
One of the things that I had on the calendar this month was the bilingual night at my children's school. It is held a few times a year, to inform parents about progress being made with the school's dual language program. Tonight was the first meeting of the year, and there had been lots of preparation for it. My daughter, who is in kindergarten, had been practicing three songs. I had heard her singing around the house, but it took me a few days to ask her if there was something that she was practicing for. Sure enough, kindergarteners and first graders were going to perform on stage for the parents, to impress them with some bilingual songs. It was a rush to get there on time because Domini had just finished a gymnastics class, I had to drop of one of my sons at his basketball practice, and then get to the school lunch room on time, where seats had been put out in rows for all of us. Going to one of these is not a new thing for me. All four of my kids are going through the same elementary school, so I know all about the bilingual program. I'm thrilled that they can be exposed to Spanish, and, hopefully, each year pick up more and more. As I sat chatting to another parent, the students came out and lined up on the little stage. The music teacher played the guitar, and sang loudly, opening his mouth very wide, to get the children to follow him. The kids did a great job. They sang four songs, each a mix of Spanish and English. Every now and then, when they came to a difficult part, the singing trailed off and became quite quiet, and then in the easy parts, they got very loud and confident. You know what it's like with children: they fidgeted, looked at their shoes, at the ceiling, whispered to eachother, and some even picked their noses. It all added to the performance. When the singing was over, we actually sneaked out, and didn't stay for the talk about the importance of being bilingual. I've heard the talk many times, and, besides, I'm already a believer in language learning!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to be exposed to, to trail off, confident.
1. The miners were exposed to toxic gas; they need medical treatment.
2. He forgets what he's talking about, and his speech trails off.
3. She is confident, and speaks her mind with ease.
As we move into the middle of November, the countryside seems to be changing every day. The colorful leaves that decorate the whole valley are beginning to fall, and preparations are being made for the long, cold winter. I am trying to go for walks as often as I can because the days are so beautiful. As long as you wear warm enough clothes, you can be refreshed by a lovely walk. There is no reason to stay inside, really. On my walks, I take my camera, to capture anything that I can write about. Recently, I have been using alot of space on my camera's SD card for photos of the sun shining through the trees. It's become a bit of an obsession. Every part of every tree is different. Each hour that the light changes, everything looks different, and each day, of course, there are marked differences in what you can see. My camera is just a cheapo, digital one, but with a good editing software ( I use Picassa), you can get inspiring photos. So, on my walks, it's not unusual for me to quickly make my way into an orchard, or into a hedgerow, to get the shot that I want, before the light changes. I'm sure it looks a bit strange to people driving by. The photo on the blog today, was taken in my back garden one afternoon. From our kitchen, as you look out, there are several trees, one after another. The closest is a red japanese maple, behind which is an aspen. The change of season had made their colors quite dramatic, and contrasting with eachother's. So, I abandoned my cooking, grabbed my camera and got out of the door before the sun went down. My dogs didn't know what the excitement was all about. They brought me a ball to throw to them, and dropped it at my feet. But I was too busy focusing my camera. I climbed onto the patio table to get a good shot. So the dogs climbed up too. The three of us stood there on the table: me, totally engrossed in the trees, and the dogs probably wondering what we were doing on the table. But, when the light is right, you have to forget everything else and focus.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: as long as, a marked difference, engrossed.
1. You can go to your friend's house, as long as you're back by eight.
2. There has been a marked difference in his reading; it is very much improved.
3. The film was so good that we were thoroughly engrossed.
We used to have a large pine tree in our front garden. It was a very tall, old one. It was planted about thirty years ago, but last year, we decided to cut it down. I wouldn't normally agree to chop down a tree, but this one was yucky. Half of one side of it had no branches, and it looked weak. My husband and I are really into trees, and really into planting them, so we had a plan of filling in the area with new pine trees. I found it hard to imagine what the front garden would look like once our shade giving old pine was gone. We need shade in this area, so I hesitated at first. However, I know how enthusiastic my husband is about getting a permit each year to go up into the mountains to dig up trees for our garden. I imagined that the area left by the old pine would soon be filled in with many more trees, and probably healthier ones as well. And I was right. The new trees are growing fast, creating shade, smelling and looking great, and givng the impression of a mini forest. So, what did we do with the old tree? The same thing that a lot of people do around here. You see, we need trees for the shade in summer, but we need wood to burn in the freezing winters. So, our need for winter wood has been met. With the help of a good friend who used to be a forest ranger, Tom cut up the old pine into large logs for our fireplace. Both of them used chain saws. It was a noisy process, but exciting at the same time. The front area of our garden smelt like pine and smoke for a while, as the tree was getting chopped up. Now we have an organized pile of wood, sitting next to our garage, ready for when winter comes. Our boys are big enough now, that we can ask them to run out and each get a log so that we can build a fire in the fireplace in the evenings. As we sit and watch the fire dance, and hear the wood crack, we can remember the old pine, and look forward to our new mini forest getting taller and thicker.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to hesitate, a permit, to give an impression, fireplace.
1. He hesitated before asking for help; for a moment he thought that he could handle the problem by himself.
2. You have to get a permit from the forest ranger before you dig up trees.
3. They gave me the impression that they are not from around here.
4. The hotel's fireplace was huge, made of rough stone, and with a massive mantlepiece.
My good friend Nataliya called me a few days ago, and invited me to a concert at a local church. "There is a very good Russian pianist, Oksana Ezhokina, you might have heard of her." I vaguely remembered the name. She has performed a few times in Wenatchee. At the moment, she lives in Leavenworth, and is the artistic co-director of the Icicle Creek Music Center, and a member of the Icicle Creek Piano Trio. Accompanying her were Daniel Schlosberg, an accomplished pianist, and Artist-in-Residence in the Music Department at the University of Notre Dame, and also Russel Rolen who is a professional cellist and teacher, and is studying for his doctorate at Northwestern University. I was excited to hear about this trio coming to town; it had been a while since I had been to a classical concert. Nataliya gave me directions, and I decided to get there a little early, just in case there were a lot of people, I could get some good seats. It's a good job that I did because the place was packed. I made sure that I got a couple of seats as close to the front as possible. Nataliya arrived, and we looked at the program. They were going to play some very interesting pieces, and quite a variety: Gershwin, Schumann, and Rachmaninoff. Oksana started off the concert with a piece, and a little talk at first about how the concert was to raise money to buy a grand piano for the town. Several private donations had been made already, but money still had to be raised to have enough for the purchase. The concert flew by quickly because the music was so good, and so well performed. It was a delight to see real musicians at work who had obviously dedicated years to becoming accomplished. Everybody was impressed, and gave the musicians a standing ovation at the end. I'm so glad that my friend had told me about this concert. I must keep my ear to the ground for other concerts in the area.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: vague/ly, to accompany, just in case, donation.
1. He looked at me vaguely. I don't think that he remembered me at all.
2. I will accompany you to the train station. We can chat while we wait for the train.
3. Let's take the umbrella, just in case it rains.
4. The clinic received a huge anonymous donation last week.
For a while now, there has been a lot of construction going on at our local Walmart. I am a frequent shopper there, as it is only a couple of blocks from my house. Walmart is expanding. After a few years of doing tremendous business here, the owners have decided to turn it into a superstore. That means that it will soon sell fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. It will become the 'one stop shop' for a lot of people, including myself. Instead of shopping at Walmart, and then needing to go to a regular supermarket for food items, everything will be in one place. That's a relief! The local shops and supermarkets won't be very happy about it, but that's competition I suppose. It will force a lot of merchants to lower prices and create more special offers. Walmart is quite a ferocious animal. There are more than 8,500 stores in 15 countries, and it's annual revenue is similar to that of a small country. Personally, I'm looking forward to the expansion. Because so many people shop at Walmart, their produce is quite fresh; they don't have goods hanging around on shelves for weeks. We call that a fast 'turn-over'. So, by Christmas, I think, it will be ready. For now, the machines of different kinds are digging, and banging, and lifting. One of the employees I spoke to told me that she had to hear a jack hammer for 8 hours one day. The workmen had to do a job close to her check-out till. By the time she went home, she said, her nerves were shattered. When you walk in the building, all of the aisles have changed position. The pet food is where the stationary used to be, and the stationary is where the diapers were. It's a little confusing. The parking arrangements have changed because work is taking place on a large area in the front of the building. These things take time; it's good to see the progress each time I go there. I expect that in true American style, there will be a grand opening with all sorts of freebies and special deals. But until then, there will be cranes, dump trucks, and jack hammers creating all sorts of noise and commotion.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: one stop shop, a relief, ferocious, to hang around.
1. If I have time, I love to go to specialty shops: a bakery, a delicatessen, a wine shop. But most of the time I go to 'one stop shops' for convenience sake.
2. My headache has finally stopped. What a relief!
3. The new lion in the zoo was quite ferocious.
4. I wish those kids wouldn't hang around in the mall. It's as if they have nothing to do.
Do you use calendars very much? I do. Without them, I'm sure I would forget a lot of appointments. I have a calendar conveniently placed in my kitchen, just above where I do my podcasts. I have a collection of other important things on this 'mini-desk' of mine, so it keeps me organized while I do my little projects, check my E-mails, or pay the bills. My husband has one on his iPad that is much more sophisticated than mine. He relies on his to keep his business affairs straight. However you use a calendar, it can be a great tool for remembering important appointments or events. In English, we say that people have a busy 'social' calendar, when they have appointments with friends, or commitments that are fun. I have a few of those on my calendar, but most of the things I have written down are mundane: dentist appointments, volunteering dates, taking the dogs to the vets for shots etc etc. But as I look up now to my calendar, I see that I do have some fun, social things planned for this month. I have lunch with my siser-in-law next week. Then there is a walk with a friend of mine in the park. We go every fortnight (or two weeks) There is a school bingo night which is to raise money for school supplies. And then, of course, there is Thanksgiving on the 25th. My birthday is also somewhere on the calendar, but I won't tell you where. This one calendar has been so useful for the whole family, that I bought a dry-erase version that hangs in the children's mud room. It is reusable, and has all of their school, sports, and music dates. If other people stay organized, it certainly takes the pressure off of me.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: convenient, to pay the bills, to keep your affairs straight, mundane.
1. A large supermarket is being built where we live, how convenient!
2. It's that time of the month again; I have to pay the bills.
3. This business is very complex. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep your affairs straight.
4. Household chores are so mundane; they can get downright boring.
The other day I went for a walk in the park with a friend of mine. We don't see eachother very much because she is busy taking a nursing degree, so it was a treat to spend some time together. The day couldn't have been any nicer. It was a cool but very bright Autumn morning, there was color all around, and still a little mist over the river. I had a feeling that it would be a good occasion to take my camera, just in case. There is all sorts of new development planned for the river front. There are already a few new buildings that are used for offices and a cafe. However, a developer has posted a big sign, showing the plan for a building complex of condominiums, shops, and restaurants to go in where older buildings now stand. The plan looks very attractive, nicely landscaped, and quite modern. Already, the roads and parking areas have been changed a little. Roundabouts have been put in to avoid the expense of traffic lights, and they have been beautified with statues and plants. I was amazed when I first saw them. Roundabouts are so common in England, and actually in the rest of Europe. They are a very logical, easy way to keep the traffic organized and flowing. You don't find roundabouts very much over here, at least you didn't until recently. Most roads are dead straight with traffic lights. I'm happy to see some European influence where we live. After looking at the new roads, we started our walk. Our aim was to walk to the bridge and back, and then to have a cup of coffee in the nearby cafe. On the way there we passed under some trees that had turned all sorts of colors. I couldn't miss my opportunity. I got out my camera, zoomed in, and clicked away until I got a picture that I was pleased with. You can't help but look up at this time of year because of the colors in the trees. When I got home, I put my SD card into my laptop and edited the photo. Actually, all I had to do was crop it and give it a touch of saturation. I liked it so much it has become my new screen saver. Check out my blog and see what you think.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to spend time with someone, to have a feeling, a building complex, to flow.
1. It was so nice to spend time with my relatives over the Summer.
2. I have a feeling the taxi will be late; let's ask our neighbor for a ride.
3. The building complex includes residences, shops, cinemas, and even a swimming pool.
4. The architects designed the city center well; the people and traffic flow well.
Well, Halloween came and went as it does every year, leaving a house full of sweets! We had a lot of fun yesterday. I told my children that I wasn't going to buy them costumes this year. They had to find bits and pieces around the house and make do. It worked out really well, actually. One of my sons used a simple sheet to be a non-scary ghost. He ended up getting too hot under it, and not wearing it at all. My daughter dressed as a gypsy, and my other sons dressed as a Swat man, and an ugly clown. So, Tiong, to answer your question about whether my oldest is still into scary, dark stuff, I think the answer is no. So we set off around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, ringing bells, and hoping for treats. Most people in our neighborhood weren't in, so we drove to a busy area, where the houses are closer together, and the general atmosphere is one of a close community. You should have seen some of the houses! Talk about decorated! One lady opened her front door to hand out candies, and as I looked inside her large family room, I could see that she had decorated the entire ceiling with fake spiders webs, and purple and black bats and bugs. Normally, those who make an effort to decorate, just do the outside of the house. But, as they say here, she had 'gone the whole nine yards' (which means that she had taken the idea of decorating very seriously, and almost overdone it). The streets were packed with people dressed up in all sorts of costumes. There was even a tall man (one of the dads) dressed up as a deer. One house that we went to had scary statues in several places, spooky music playing, and eery lights. As we approached the candy bucket, I touched one of the statues, "Hey, he feels almost real," I said to my kids. They squeezed his arm and poked him, and at that moment he turned his head towards me. Ahhh! He was real! "How can you stand so still?" I asked him. He just shrugged. Thankfully there were some very pretty houses to stop at as well. Pumpkin carving is quite an art form, you know. And some of these neighbors were excellent at it. All in all, it was a fun and successful evening. Then came the mathematics. As soon as my children got home, they spread out their candies, grouped them, counted them, traded them, and even noticed mathematical patterns with them. Of course, as the evening went on, the groups got smaller and smaller.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to make do, the whole nine yards, eery, to shrug.
1. We only have potatoes and green beans to eat. We'll just have to make do.
2. My mother went the whole nine yards for Halloween. She decorated, dressed up, and held a party.
3. That abandoned house in the field looks quite eery, especially at night.
4. He never answers a question; he just shrugs his shoulders and says nothing.
As I drive around town, I find myself saying the occasional "oooo!", "ahhh!", or "oh?!" Do you know why? There are Halloween decorations all over the place, and they make a real impression. There seem to be two approaches to decorating for Halloween: friendly or scary. Personally, I prefer friendly. The time of year leads me to decorate with themes of pumpkins, Autumn leaves, and the harvest. Okay, I throw in the odd friendly ghost here and there, a black cat, or some fake bats. But you can find a pleasant version of those things. Other people, however, choose to really scare. Perhaps they don't get frightened easily. Some of the houses near us are quite shocking. There is one with a huge skull picture in the window that is pulling an awful face, and then outside, on the front lawn are fake tombstones everywhere. I suppose it's all a bit of fun; it just depends on your taste. My oldest son seemed to enjoy the dark side of things a few years ago. One Halloween night, when all of my children dressed up and we took them out to trick or treat, he chose to go as the Grim Reaper, you know, Death. He wore a long black hooded cape, and had a mask on like 'the scream' by Edvard Munch. The rest of us were friendly looking creatures, and so he stood out in contrast. We stopped by a local church that had free hotdogs and lots of candies for Halloween night, and as we went from booth to booth, people would look at my son twice, the first time in shock, the second time in horror. On another occasion, he was dressed like Darth Vader from Star Wars, which wasn't bad at all I thought. However, he had a battery run voice pack that had some pre-recorded sayings by Darth Vader. I didn't pay much attention to it at all, until we got to the church parking lot, and the kids were filling up their candy buckets at the booths. Hudson turned on his voice pack, and you could hear, " You don't know the power of the dark side!" I'm sure some people found it distasteful or inappropriate; I actually thought it was hilarious. And Hudson, like the rest of the kids, was only concerned about getting as much candy as possible.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to make an impression, the odd....here and there, version, hooded.
1. He made a real impression on me; he was polite and very helpful.
2. You can see the odd farmhouse here and there in the valley.
3. The new version of 'Thriller' is not at all as good as the original.
4. My sweater is hooded, so I can keep my head warm when I go out in the snow.
It's funny how ordinary items or actions can show your knowledge of a language. Sometimes when I do something, or say something, I ask myself the question, "Could I say that in Spanish or French?" Your question would probably be, "Could I say that in English?" With that in mind, I was looking for a pen, the other day, to write down some notes. I couldn't find one anywhere which is really annoying. We seem to have little elves that come at night and steal useful items of all kinds, like pencils, pens, note paper, even envelopes. Mmmm....I wonder who they could be. I couldn't find a decent pencil either. The ones that were in the pencil holder didn't have any nibs. Whoever had previously used them had worn them down, or simply pressed down so hard that the nib had broken off. The solution? A pencil sharpener. But no ordinary pencil sharpener. We have always had the ordinary little plastic ones that have a small blade in them. You insert the pencil, turn it a few times while pushing against the blade, and voila, a sharp pencil. But I decided to buy something that would give immediate gratification. A super-dooper electronic office sharpener. Ooooo! It's black, and very serious looking. Now, with ease, I can insert a pencil into the hole, and the blades automatically come on. They do their job in a few seconds, and out comes the pencil, with a sharp nib, and ready to be used. No more messing about with pencil shavings. My kids were impressed with my new buy. They, by the way, are the culprits for the disappearing pens and pencils. My daughter sat down and sharpened about fifteen pencils straight away. I had bought a battery run sharpener a couple of years ago, but my youngest son tried to sharpen the other end of some pencils, you know, the end with the eraser in the little metal holder. Well, you can guess what happened. The sharpener broke. However, now the youngest are older and less likely to do that again. And their fingers are too big to put in the hole, ....thank goodness!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: with that in mind, elf/ elves, no ordinary...., nib.
1. The concert was cancelled because of the rain; with that in mind, we should think of something else to do.
2. They say that Santa is helped by elves.
3. She is no ordinary woman. She's an astronaut, a racing car driver, and a best selling novelist.
4. The nib of this pencil is broken. Where's the sharpener?
I received a flyer in the mail the other day. It rang a bell; I had seen something like it in previous years. It was the annual Make a Difference Day information sheet. From the title, you can tell that it is about getting involved in the community and making a positive difference. This event has grown since 1990, and is held the fourth Saturday of October. It started through USA Weekend and the 800 newspapers it serves. It is a day dedicated to serving neighbors and the community, to meeting needs and offering support. There are thousands of people involved in organizing it. Just letting people know which needs exist is a big job. Nowadays with the internet, people can find out much quicker who needs what and where. Last year, over three million people got involved with local groups to help in many ways. As I glanced through the list of places to help in our little community, I counted at least thirty. However, there are other charitable groups that are not mentioned. In a large city, there must be hundreds of causes that people can help. Several of the groups here are set up to help poor and homeless people in the Winter. It is an awful prospect to be caught in a freezing climate with nowhere to live. Free coats, blankets, and all sorts of basic essentials will be donated at various places. Also the shelters, such as the Salvation Army, will be cleaned, painted, and prepared for the Winter. Volunteers are asked to sign up ahead of time, sometimes bringing their own equipment, and then they will be assigned a job or two. The projects are not just charitable, though. People can choose to plant trees or flowers in public places, pick up litter along highways and roads, or even provide babysitting. It's not compulsory; it's all about volunteering, doing a job, helping. Of course, once you are out there, you begin to see other areas in the community that need help. That is probably why Make a Difference Day has grown each year. I've put it on the calendar, and will be deciding with my family what we can do to help in our town.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a flyer, to ring a bell, a prospect, to assign.
1. We get all sorts of flyers in the mail, advertizing this and that.
2. Your name rings a bell; have I met you before?
3. Finally getting a promotion is a wonderful prospect.
4. He assigned us jobs. Mine was to clean up after the event.
Are turkeys a part of your culture? They are over here in the U.S. You have probably heard about the Thanksgiving turkey. Did you know that the tradition of celebrating by eating a turkey started with the Native American Indians? It was the Wampanoag tribe, specifically, that in 1621 shared food that was naturally available locally, with the European Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. They celebrated having survived a cruel winter, and having made important friendships with the Native Americans. There were other, earlier Thanksgiving celebrations by the Canadians and the Spaniards, but the American celebration of 1621 seems to be more famous. The native bird chosen as an important part of the feast was the turkey. That bird is also native of Mexico. It's an American bird, and a big one, come to that. A healthy turkey can easily weigh 20lbs or more. If you're going to cook one, you have to make sure first of all that your oven is big enough! In recent years, people have taken to deep frying them. You need an enormous deep frying pan for the job. And, it is actually quite a dangerous undertaking because of the large amount of boiling oil. Though the turkey cooks more quickly than it does in the oven, it has to be supervised at all times because of the risk of fire. Apparently, though, it is the best way to eat the bird because it stays extremely moist. Yes, turkey eating is big business here. In 2006, farmers raised 270 million turkeys to do almost 8 billion dollars worth of business. A third of those turkeys were consumed at Thanksgiving. So, if you're a turkey, run and hide! If someone offers you lots of corn, and a comfortable nest, don't be fooled. Thanksgiving is coming soon! I came across two lucky turkeys the other day during my trip to a petting zoo. They are caged, and on display, - not for eating. They really are odd looking things. Their colors are quite vibrant, but their heads are so ugly. They have the long, red flesh that hangs from the top of their beaks called the 'snood' in English, and the similar 'wattle' that hangs from underneath. The black and white body is more attractive, as it is nicely proportioned and looks like it is wearing a pretty skirt. That is what interests most people because, unfortunately for the turkeys, it is that part that will be served with stuffing and vegetables!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to take to, to raise, on display.
1. He has taken to walking his dog every morning; it's so good for both of them.
2. I was raised on a farm, and now I am raising chickens and goats.
3. The car is only on display; it isn't for sale.