A routine is a habit, often one that gives us comfort, or some sort of benefit. We say in English that we are 'creatures of habit'. Humans like to have a routine, a familiar way of living. I've noticed that even my children have developed their own routines: how they dress and take care of themselves, what they like to eat and when, and even how they play. A routine that I have in the morning that makes a positive impact on my day, is my coffee routine. A few years ago, my husband and I decided that it was time to get a decent coffee maker: an espresso machine. Espresso, and the whole mediterranean style cafes that are enjoyed so much here, have only really taken off over the past fifteen to twenty years. When I first came over here, Starbucks was very new indeed. They were the first company that brought the laid back, sit and have a coffee, culture to the states. And now there are many other such companies. So, when we decided to buy an espresso machine, Starbucks was the obvious choice for us. If you've ever been in a Starbucks, you'll find that they don't just serve espresso. They have a huge variety of coffee, tea, and juice drinks, as well as pastries, and some savory food. Also, they sell coffee by the pound, either ground or whole bean. And then, you'll also find shelves of cups, tea and coffee pots, and espresso machines. So, Starbucks seemed to be the obvious choice when it came to buying our espresso machine. We ended up with one called a Barista, which is medium sized, and perfect for two people to use. It has a spout which can be used to heat and froth-up the milk, and of course the coffee brewing section. Using an espresso machine was not new to me. I had worked at an espresso stand for a year when I first go married. Before that, I worked in a restaurant in Leicester Square, London, where we had a huge, Italian, copper espresso machine. It could make several drinks at once. It was so big and gorgeous, that we would polish it every day to make it really shine. When it comes to my coffee routine, it's quite simple really. I turn it on, add fresh water, and flush out some of the day-old water. While it is heating up, I put about a tablespoon full of ground espresso into what is called the coffee basket. This is the metal cup with holes in it that is part of the arm that attaches to the machine. When the light comes on that indicates available hot water, I press the 'brew' button, and the hot water flows through the coffee and the filter, and out into the shot glass. It's hot, fresh, and frothy. When it comes to the milk, I cheat a little. I don't bother heating and frothing it in the traditional way. I just warm up some soy milk in the microwave while I'm making the espresso. I add the coffee to the milk, and that's it. Perfect! It's the best part of my breakfast.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: froth, filter, impact, the obvious choice.
1. I like my latte as plain as possible: milk, espresso, no flavoring, no froth.
2. The irrigation system needs a filter so seeds and organic matter don't clog up the pipes.
3. The chemical factory hasn't had any impact on our environment because they have strict safety laws.
4. A German chocolate cake was the obvious choice for the anniversary party; everbody likes it, and it is the baker's specialty.
Are you enjoying your Summer? It is in full swing now. The clothes shops are full of swimming suits, bikinis, and barbecue equipment. Flowers are out, and most families find a swimming pool to enjoy. There were end of year celebrations for schools, held in parks around the area. We went to the end of year barbecue for the alternative school that two of my sons have been going to for about six months. It took place in a well manicured park that is next to our nearest dam, Rocky Reach Dam. There are covered seating areas with sinks, tables, and chairs, for picnickers. There is also a large playing area for younger children, to keep them occupied. Each family was asked to bring a plate or two of food to share, and if possible, watermelon. It was hot when we got there, and there were already lots of young people running around in swimming suits, having water fights. The atmosphere was generally laid back, with most people eventually sitting on the grass in groups, eating, and chatting. When most of the food had been eaten, a whistle was blown, and there was a call for all participants of the watermelon eating competition to sit down and get ready. Several ladies had been busily slicing up the melons for quite a while. They piled all of the slices and pieces into plates, and servers gave each of the children a slice. The rule was, nobody could use hands; they had to be behind your back. Three, two, one, and off they went, *chomping away on the juicy stuff. As soon as a person finished one slice, he would call for another, and keep score of how many he had eaten. It was the only time in the get-together that it was actually quiet! And then, when all the watermelon was gone, there was a quick *tally of those who had eated the most. And the prize? A watermelon! No, I'm only kidding. I don't actually know what the prize was, but it must have been something good, because the winner and both *runners up were very excited about it. As you can imagine, there was a huge, sticky mess to clean up afterwards. Luckily, with concrete floors, you can just hose the place with water. When we finally left, the kids were *worn out. It had been an exciting day, and a hot one too. I could hear people saying goodbye as we pulled out of the parking lot. Some of the kids won't see eachother for a while because they will be travelling. They'll be excited to see eachother in September, and have stories of the Summer to share.
Grammar notes.
Related sayings: to chomp, a tally, a runner up, to be worn out.
1. The pig chomped on the vegetables, making a lot of noise.
2. When we finished playing monopoly, we tallied each person's gains to find out who owned the most property.
3. He wasn't first place in the race, but he was a runner-up, so he received a medal.
4. The hikers had been lost for two days, and had walked the whole time. They were completely worn out, by the time they reached safety.
This is the first week of Summer vacation. The first couple of days seemed a bit unreal; my two youngest kept on asking if they had school the next day. "Nope," I would reply,"it's the Summer, remember?" Thankfully, we are getting used to a slower pace. I don't have to drive as much, which is a relief. There are a few things that I have arranged for the children this Summer to keep them occupied and learning new things. My first and third sons have been attending a basketball Summer camp. It is only for three days, and is taught by seasoned coaches. It is held in the High School, which is exciting for them, because that is where the 'big boys' go. It's a place they don't go to very much, so there is a certain appeal about it. The turn out for the camp has been quite substantial. The morning session, for the younger kids, has about thirty five all together. They turn up at eight thirty, and finish at noon. Then it's home, lunch, and dropping off Hudson for his four and a half hours. The afternoon session has even more participants. There are High School students helping the coaches, and giving demonstrations, so the little ones can get a clear idea of what they need to do. The aim is to teach fundamentals in a fun, mixed age environment. My children know some of the kids there from school, and from having played with them on basketball teams. It's a good opportunity to 'mix it up' as they say here. That means, to mix with people of different ages and abilities, and to do something that is either interesting, or that stretches you. The verb 'to stretch' is used to mean that the people involved have to grow, or learn, apply effort, and improve. It's a good visual image for what it means. The last day of the Summer camp is today; they will be finishing their time together with an awards ceremony. They'll be given some sort of momento so they remember the camp, and hopefully what they have learned. In a couple of weeks, my children will be going to other camps in the mornings. There is a mathematics camp planned for the older boys, and cooking and art for the youngest. What with the camps, swimming, a little bit of school work at home, and lots of play dates, the Summer will probably fly by.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: seasoned, a turn out, to turn up, to stretch a person.
1. He is a seasoned golfer; you can always get good advice from him about the sport.
2. There was a really good turn out for the first Farmer's Market; I think about three thousand people came.
3. In the middle of a snow storm, a little, black puppy turned up on my doorstep.
4. This computer class is really stretching me; I haven't had to focus like this for years!
I have an excuse for not updating my podcast for a few days, honestly....I dove into a renovation project in my house. It's something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but something always seems to come up*, so the project gets put off. The powder room on the first floor of the house has had a face-lift. It was a sweet, little, room, but really quite out of date. Getting involved in this kind of project is tempting, but also dangerous. What you plan on taking a few days to do, can easily spread out to a week or two. And, wouldn't you know, that once I bought the paint, and made a mental note of my great plan, I suddenly needed to do other things. My daughter had to go to the hospital for an exploratory examination. Thankfully, that turned out fine, but it took the best part of the day, and all of my energy. Then, the car had to be taken in to be looked at because its front end has been making a sort of whining, yawning noise. So, that was another two hours spent in a waiting room. And with dropping kids off, picking them up, taking them to practices, meals, laundry etc etc, it began to seem as if I would never get my project even started, let alone* finished. But, Tuesday's are my glory days: all the kids are at school. So, I did as much as I could this Tuesday. I tore off the wallpaper, turned off the water and took out the sink. I peeled off the old counter top. I turned off the main electric breaker to the house, and took off the light. And finally, I took off the wooden trim from around the door. Then, when I finished all of that, I realized how much my back ached. So, a cup of tea to the rescue; that soothes most aches and pains. Then I stood back and planned the painting part of it. I had chosen a cappuccino color for the walls, but they had to be prepped first. That is short for prepared. I had to buy and apply a couple of cans of stuff called 'spackle' which, when you spray it on the walls, creates an orange peel texture which helps to disguise imperfections. This was very strong smelling, so I would hold my breath, spray for a minute or so, and then run outside and breathe. Phew! I was glad when that part was over. Then, I painted three coats on the walls, sanded the vanity*, and painted it with four coats of black paint. Finally, the hardest part is over. I am very pleased with the result. My husband has to help me put on the new, one piece counter top and sink, as it weighs 97 lbs. Then, we will choose a light fixture, and that should be about it*. Well done Anna. The update to the house was a pleasant, creative diversion.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: something comes up, that's it, the vanity, let alone.
1. When I'm busy, something else always seems to come up.
OR "I know your dog has been missing for a few days, but don't worry. I'm sure something will come up."
2. All you have to do to the cake is put the frosting on, the candles, and the sprinkles; and that's it!
3. I don't know why they call the vanity by its name. Perhaps it's because often people will look in the mirror while they wash their hands, and that might be considered vain.
4. I'm sure the hotel will be very expensive, what with room service, parking the car, and let alone the price of the room.
I bet if you have downloaded this podcast, you are wondering what on earth it is about. I know, the title is curious. Well, let me tell you. I'm in the city of Yakima at the moment, writing for you from a lounge chair, next to a pool, at the Oxford Inn hotel. It is situated right next to the river, in a lovely tree-lined area, quite close to the baseball park. And that is why we're here. Yes, you've heard about our involvement in this sport before. This summer, we have weekend tournaments just about every other week, and most are out of town. So, right now, we're relaxing after a long morning of driving here, and then sitting through two games. Our team, called the River Cats, actually won both games. We have more games tomorrow, and then drive home. In between games, I walked around the nearby area with my children, and took them to a play area of the Kiwanis park. Over a little shady hill, we discovered a large skateboarding park. Boys and young men were busily whooshing by on their skateboards, making jumps and turns, and doing all sorts of acrobatics. Unfortunately, my camera's battery was completely flat, so I had to use my phone to take photos. You could definitely see a hierarchy of talent out there. The most talented was an older boy who had obviously skated for years. He and I chatted for a while. It turns out that he has backpacked around England, and builds muscle cars. Who knew? You never know who you'll meet unless you start a conversation....Anyway, as I was taking photos, a boy called Eloy came up to me and asked if I would take his photo. "Of course," I said. He excitedly chose a few routes to show off his talents, and I snapped away. After a while, I realised that the next baseball game was about to start, so we would have to leave. I asked Eloy which school he goes to, and I also wrote down acupofenglish.com on a piece of paper, "Give this to your English teacher, and you will see yourself on my blog," I told him. I hope he has a chance to read this blog, and see his photo. These talented young people need to be celebrated.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: involvement, to make/ do a jump/ turn, hierarchy.
1. His involvement in the project was unexpected but useful; he really helped us.
2. The skateboard champion made lots of jumps and turns, and impressed the crowd.
3. The hierarchy of power in the government is seen in the different responsibilities that each has.
I know a few people who have Stetsons. Infact, when my brother was visiting a few months ago, he bought himself a couple. They are good quality, and last for a long time. Where he lives is very sunny, so they are a charming, and unusual way to get shade in New Zealand. Stetson is an icon of American society. It's typically American, like baseball, and Elvis Presley. Close to the end of the 19th century, the Stetson Hat Company was the biggest in the world, producing over three million hats a year. Even in our little, downtown museum, we have a glass case that is dedicated to the Stetson company. I had no idea that women's hats were also made. John B. Stetson started his company in 1865. Initially, only men's hats were made. It wasn't until the 1930's that ladies hats were also made. The company is based in Garland, Texas, and is now one of the largest in the country. This success story is said to have started when John Stetson went to Colorado to prospect for gold. While he was there, the story goes, he made a hat out of the untreated leather taken from furs that he had collected on his journey. Because his father was a hatter, he had experience with materials and design. He wanted to show off what he could do to his friends. The resulting hat was soft, and protected him from the elements. What started out as a joke, proved to be the first stepping stone to a business. This hat had a wide brim, a large crown (or head piece), and could even be used to carry water. Apparently, later on, John's group met a cowboy who paid him five dollars in gold for the hat. It was this experience that encouraged him to create his signature hat, 'The Boss of the Plains'. He replicated the fashionable hats, but when he launched his own design, it was then that he became successful. The original company was sold in the 1970's to another company, but it, to this day, retains the Stetson logo for those particular hats. I have noticed around town, that some men, especially of Hispanic origin, or older caucasian men, will wear a Stetson for an elegant occasion. When it's time to dress up, the Stetson hat comes out of its box, to put the finishing touches in a formal situation.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: a couple, initially, ...is said to , proved to be.
1. The eclairs in the bakery looked amazing, so I bought a couple.
2. Initially, sales were slow at the beginning of the season, but then things improved.
3. She is said to have been seven feet tall and covered in hair.
4. The cheapest wine proved to be the very best.
Clyde Edward Pangborn, a stunt pilot, and flight instructor during the First World War, arrived in Wenatchee on October 5th, 1931, after 41 hours and 15 minutes of flighing. He and his partner, Hugh Herndon Jr., had just made a historic flight from Shabishiro, Japan, the first time the pacific had been flown across. What's exciting about that historical trip, is that they completed it in Wenatchee. They had been scheduled to land in Seattle, but couldn't do so because of bad weather. I had heard about this flight a long time ago when I first came here, but I didn't really think much about it until I went to the museum the other day. There was a free day for the public on Friday, so I took my children and another friend to explore. The children ran around like rats, going into all of the different rooms, the art display, the electric miniature railway room, and a real apple sorter from the last century. I followed them into the room that was dedicated to the transpacific flight, and read them a few of the details that were written on the walls. The plane that they used was called the Miss Veedol. There is a model of it hanging from the ceiling. There are also maps, signatures, and details about the lives of both pilots. I was amazed to find out that before leaving Shabishiro, they were both imprisoned, and nearly lost their maps. Then, when they actually took off, the landing gear of the plane (the wheels) were supposed to fall off to decrease the weight that they would carry. Well, they didn't. So what did they do? Pangborn got out of the plane, and at 14,000 feet, got onto a wing, barefoot, and detatched the landing gear himself. What a brave man! Being a stunt pilot, he was used to taking risks, so he was the right man for the job. I can't even imagine climbing out onto one of the wings while the plane is in flight. That's crazy! But they did it, and they managed to land in Wenatchee safely almost two days later. An airport was built later on in Wenatchee at the place where they landed; it's called Pangborn airport. It's very much celebrated here in Wenatchee; there is even a sister-city connection in Japan. Most years during the Apple Blossom Festival, representatives from Japan ride in the parade. It's great to think that, even though Wenatchee seems far away from most places, there is a historic international connection that keeps this place on the map.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to detatch, celebrated (as an adjective), to be on the map.
1. You have to detatch the safety brake before the remote control car will work.
2. He is a very celebrated artist; his work is on display in the National Gallery.
3. That amusement park really put this town on the map.
I have noticed recently in the shops, a new season of toys on the shelves. When I say a season of toys, what I mean is a new set of toys for this warmer season. The Summer toys are here, and they have a very outdoorsy and watery theme. As you browse the aisles, you will find goggles and snorkeling gear, noodles which are made of styrofoam (also for swimming), buckets, spades, parasols, and slip 'n' slides. Let me explain what some of these are. A noodle is a piece of cheap styrofoam that looks like a giant noodle, but is usually a bright, primary color. It is perfect for hanging on to, or wrapping around oneself. You can even bash a friend on the head with it, without hurting anyone at all. It's a floatation device, of sorts. A slip 'n' slide, on the other hand, is a very long, and wide, sheet of plastic that sometimes has perforated hoses running down its length. The hoses wet the sheet, and you and your friends run as fast as you can, and jump stomach first onto the plastic sheet. You then slip and slide all the way to the end. Now, they come in all shapes and sizes, from the simple sheets that you have to wet yourselves, to the cave-like slip 'n' slides that have inflatable sides, moving hoses, door flaps, and other features that increase the fun, and the speed at which you slide. One other Summer toy that kids love is the squirt gun. And you know that there are many different kinds. This past weekend, during the baseball tournament that we went to, there was a birthday party for one of the players. Squirt guns were some of his presents; and there was a swimming pool in the hotel. Well, it was like a war scene in the pool. We parents, sitting at the side to supervise and keep our kids safe, were sitting ducks. That means that we were prime targets. Even giving our children serious looks didn't make any diffference. The coach even got a good squirt right at his head. Boys with squirt guns just have to be left to squirt until they are tired. They had a blast, and made new friends, and I'm sure some new enemies. The streams of water were hitting people in the side of the head, on the chest, and in the ears. You couldn't help but laugh. It's a good job that we don't have a pool; I don't fancy being a sitting duck again any time soon.
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: any time soon, a sitting duck, outdoorsy, a feature.
1. He won't be coming back any time soon (an Americanism).
2. If you camp here where the mosquitos are, you'll be sitting ducks. They'll have you for breakfast!
3. That family is very outdoorsy; they are always hiking or camping in the wilderness.
4. My camera has a very useful timer feature; I use it often.
We had an interesting weekend this past Memorial Day weekend. We went to the town of Monroe which is on the outskirts of Seattle. My son had a baseball tournament. It would have lasted for three days if they had won on both Saturday and Sunday. However, they didn't do so well on Sunday, so we were free to leave. There is a saying in England, 'A change is as good as a rest,' which I think applied to our weekend. We don't often get out of Wenatchee, and although Seattle is only three hours away, it is a totally different environment. The climate is much wetter, so the whole place is green, with trees everywhere. Being from England, it makes me feel quite at home. And it is obviously more populated than our small rural town, so there is a lot more to do. After the last baseball game, we headed into town to have lunch and do some shopping. There is a place that I always try and visit whenever I'm in Seattle. It's called World Plus Imports. The name gives away the theme of the store. It is a very colorful international shop, that has everything from food, to jewelery, to furniture. It's one place where none of my children get bored, so I have enough time to really look at everything. There are also English products that I cannot get in Wenatchee. So, I load up on them whenever I'm there: English style baked beans (the ones over here are really sugary), Digestive biscuits, and Maltesers. Some of you who have been to England, might have tried these. I told my kids, who were scampering everywhere like mice, that they could each choose something. Within a few seconds, one of them was waving a huge, plastic tube of bubblegum in my face, “Can I have this, Mum?” “No!” was my very plain but to the point answer. It was a whole yard of bubblegum. We're talking about three feet. They would never stop chewing if we had bought that! And, I'm sure, the dentist would have plenty to say at their next checkup. What will they think of next?
Grammar notes.
Practice of 'would have', 'could have', and 'should have'.
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We could have saved time if we had taken the short cut.
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I would have called you if I had known that you were in town.
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They should have been here by now; I hope nothing has happened.
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I couldn't have driven my car yesterday even if I had wanted to; I dropped my keys down the drain!
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If we were able to, we would have helped him.
This is a very special podcast because I have some thanking to do. Every now and then, I check on the statistics of my podcast, and yesterday I saw that I have had more than a million downloads all together. Thank you, to all of you who have listened to my short ramblings for the past two and a half years. I suppose one million downloads isn't really that much when it comes to the internet, but for me, it's a rare number, and one that I am very excited about. Now, I can tell my friends and family, "Hey, my podcast has been downloaded more than a million times!" It's a great way to show off. A million isn't really a number that I hear very much, apart from the occasional expression. 'One in a million' is a common expression which means something or someone very special. 'A million to one' is obviously a very low chance of something happening. For example, 'The chance of me getting that job is a million to one.' However, there has been a lot of talk recently using the word 'million' because someone in our little town won a million dollars a few days ago. I'll go into the details in another podcast, because it is a story worth telling. But I will tell you that it is a deserving family of seven, both parents are teachers, and three of the five children were adopted. It's the type of story that makes you glad, because they are the kind of people who seem to deserve something special. Anyway, I'm just glad that some of you are still listening to what I have to say, and putting up with my imperfections. I must tell you that what I enjoy more than anything about podcasting, is receiving emails from you, and getting to know you a little. It's like traveling without leaving home. So, I send you all a sincere thanky ou from Wenatchee, and look forward to the next million.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: statistics, to ramble, to show off, one in a million.
1. Statistics show that it is safer to fly than to travel by car.
2. I wish he would get to the point. He just rambles on about unrelated ideas.
3. He polished his new car and showed it off around town.
4. My grandmother is one in a million; she's a very special and unique individual.
You can really feel that Summer is on its way. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork. People are actually walking on the streets. You don't often see that; it's usually empty sidewalks and everyone in cars. But now, there is plenty of reason to walk. The air just feels soooo good, and the sun is not yet too hot. As I was driving home the other day, I saw two very sporty men on bicycles. Now, there happen to be a lot of cyclists in this area. It's a cycling paradise actually, because of the nearby hills and trails. But, these men were different. You could tell that they weren't cycling for pleasure. They were policemen. And they were cycling up my road! I felt sorry for them actually; our road is very steep. By the time they got to the top, they would have been exhausted. They looked as if they were in really good shape, not the typical, overweight, doughnut eating policemen in patrol cars. If you love cycling, it would be an ideal job. You'd get paid for riding your bike all day. And I doubt that they have to deal with many hardened criminals. First of all, they wouldn't get very far if they had to chase anyone in a car. And secondly, in a hot, hilly town that doesn't have many people on the streets, who would they arrest anyway? Perhaps they are showing a friendlier, healthier type of policeman to the community. They would be handy in places where people gather, like baseball parks, and community events that are outside. I suppose they could even race through a mall on their bikes, or a huge store like Walmart. Now, that would be useful because a lot of shoplifting goes on in those kinds of places. Seeing policemen on bikes, certainly changes their general image, and though they look friendly, remember that they are armed and dangerous.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: sporty, a ...... paradise, to deal with.
1. She looks fit and sporty; I bet she works out, or does some kind of competitive sport.
2. That shop is a chocolate lover's paradise; it is nothing but chocolate.
3. He had to deal with customer complaints all day, and then his car broke down on the way home, the poor man!
It's not very often that you get the opportunity to try out many kinds of instruments. Have you ever blown a bassoon? Have you ever strummed an electric guitar, or tried a set of drums? We had the chance to do that on Saturday. The Woodshouse Conservatory of Music was holding what they called an 'Instrument Zoo' for the public to come and enjoy. When we walked into the entryway, we were greeted by a face painter (for the kids) and we were given a map showing us which instruments were in which rooms. On the main floor, we walked into the room which is normally used as an office. A young man was there with a clarinet. Cool! My sister used to play one when she was little. I love its cool tones. He played a great piece from Pirates of the Caribbean. We are movie soundtrack buffs in our household, and that is a soundtrack that we are very familiar with. He caught our attention immediately. "Do you want a turn?" he asked. Of course I did, but I wanted to let my kids try it first. They all looked shy, and I could tell what they were thinking, "He's just had that in his mouth; do I have to put it in my mouth?" I thought the same, so I asked if he could clean the mouthpiece. He graciously did more than that; he put a new reed in it for me. Anyway, after my obsessive compulsive disorder was satisfied, we all had a go and loved it. Next, we moved onto the bass saxophone. It's huge. Infact, it's about the same size as my daughter, who did her best to blow it, but couldn't. Upstairs to the second floor we went, following the map, hearing all sorts of lovely sounds coming from the rooms, and walking past signs that said, 'Don't feed the animals.' Yes, very funny. In the next room, something very special happened. The oboe teacher, seeing us walk in, played a track from Star Wars. The mouths of all my kids dropped open. This was the 'bomb' as they say here, which is slang for the very best. The boys lined up to have a turn, germs or no germs they didn't care. But believe me, it's hard to blow. That beautiful, haunting sound of the oboe requires a lot of breath! Suddenly, another lady walked in carrying a very long instrument, a bassoon. She gave us a demonstration of what it can do by playing some Mozart. Again, we all had a go, mixing and spreading germs, which now makes me cringe, but at the time seemed to be irrelevant. We finished off our tour with the electric guitar and the drums. Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones were played by the guitar teachers, and my children just strummed one or two notes to accompany. What a great experience. When would you normally have that kind of an opportunity? Not very often, I think.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: tone, graciously, to strum, reed.
1. His tone of voice was very harsh and threatening.
2. I accidentally scratched his car, but he graciously forgave me.
3. Don't strum the guitar too loudly; it sounds better when it is quiet.
4. Reeds grow near rivers; they are also used for instruments.
Like many good things, the Garp started out as an idea. A boy had been told by his Science teacher to make an instrument involving specific measurements and the number eight. Well, the idea moved around in the mind of the boy for a few days, changing its shape a little, becoming more real and more possible each day. A day before he had to produce the instrument, and show it to his teacher, the boy set to work. He sneaked into his father's workshop and looked around. Gosh, look at all those tools. "I can surely create something wonderful here," he thought. First, he picked out a piece of wood from the many that were there. He put it in the vice, and tightened it. Then, he very carefully marked in pencil the measurements that his Science teacher had given him. Then came the screws. He screwed them in at each point where he had marked the measurements. Finally, he chose eight elastic bands, stretched and looped each one around two screws, creating a stringed instrument. "Yes," he thought, "this looks good." But, when he plucked the elastic bands, there was hardly any sound. Even the most stretched band didn't make much of a noise. He scratched his head. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he thought. He paced up and down the room for a few minutes, going over the steps he had taken, wondering what had gone wrong. He sat down with a sigh. Then, he started to think about stringed instruments that he had seen: guitar, cello, harp, violin. "Ah-ha!" a light bulb went on in his head. All of those instruments have a hollow; the strings are not right up against the wood. Perhaps a hollow will help to create a sound. He considered other materials that were lying around that he could use for a stringed instrument. He came up with a cardboard box from the recycling bin. He removed one side, making it into a triangle. Taped it all together, made the measurements, cut little notches at each measurement, and put the elastic bands in each notch. Surely, this would work.....He ran his fingers along the line of elastic bands, and to his delight heard a 'drrriiing!' Yes, he had found a hollow big enough to make it all work. Happily, to complete his creation, he spray painted it gold. He admired it for a while. "It's like a cross between a guitar and a harp. I'll call it, The Garp." So, that is how it came to be, and that is how he got an 'A' in his Science class.
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: involving, to set to ..., to pace, to take steps.
1. Exs: I'm considering involving Peter in our discussion.
They were in an incident involving a gun and a stolen car.
2. They set out on their journey.
We set to work immediately because it would take hours to finish the project.
3. The lady paced up and down the hospital room; she would soon deliver her baby.
4. The council was going to cut down all of our neighborhood trees, but we took steps to stop them.
What does a food drive mean? It's nothing to do with driving a car, that's for sure. You could also have a clothes drive, or a drive of something else. It is a call for donations, to put it simply. I received a plastic bag in the mail, placed there by the local postman himself. He, and many others like him, do a yearly food drive to help hungry people in our community. Everybody gets their mail, so everybody will have received the same bag. All the information that you need is written right there on the bag. It tells you what the drive is for, and that the National Association of Letter Carriers and the local Food Bank are working together to collect for the poor. 'Stamp out hunger', it says. To stamp out something is when you finish it, or do away with it completely. You will probably have heard the expression in other contexts such as: 'stamp out violence', 'stamp out bullying', 'stamp out racism'. To stamp out gives you a good visual for the meaning of the expression. I think that this particular food drive was well organized, in that, the information comes straight to everyone's home, in a bag that will be used to carry the food to the mail boxes, where, the next day, the mail man will pick them up. Very smart. If it is easy for everyone, then it is likely to succeed. The only requirement for the donators was that the food be 'non-perishable', which means nothing that can go bad easily. Canned foods, dry food like rice, pasta, dry milk, or dry soups, and boxed food are just those kinds of non-perishables. So, you simply pop whatever appropriate food you have in the bag, take it out to your mail box, and leave it there. The plastic bag will protect the food if it rains, and the postmen or mail men will take it from there. Somehow, there always seems to be something that you can give. A community effort to stamp out hunger. What a good idea!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to stamp out, non-perishable, to drive.
1. We are trying to stamp out dangerous speeding, by putting warning signs along the roads.
2. Non-perishable food is the easiest to transport because nothing happens to it.
3. He drove me crazy with his constant talking in the car.
Hello everyone, no podcast today, I'm afraid. For a few days I have a lot of appointments lined up. So, I will podcast again on Wednesday. I'll let you know what I've been up to then.
Morris Park is loved by many people in Wenatchee. It is a little league baseball park that has been around for more than forty years. Up until recently, it was in desperate need of repair and renovation. There were electrical problems, no heating or air conditioning, and the toilets were unspeakable...so I won't say anything about them. The parking lot was also a disaster; people would park badly, taking up too much space. Everything needed to be changed and updated. Well, over the past few months, a team of very focused volunteers has managed to raise money, put in many hours of labor, and transform Morris Park. It is barely recognizable as the original little league park that has been used for so many years. But you know how it is; when a place changes completely, for the better, you soon get used to it, and even forget about its former appearance. That is the case now with Morris Park. Now, as you pull up in your car, you see a brand new parking lot, with freshly painted lines for each parking space. Then, you walk through an attractive, brick gateway which leads to a large, area that is roofed. People can shelter from the sun or rain in this area, and it is right next to the concession stand, so the queues of people lining up for food and drinks are also sheltered from the elements. The original building which housed the concession stand, toilets, and storage for equipment was pulled down. Now, in its place, stands a totally new, heated, air conditioned, safe, and larger facility. There is even an upstairs meeting room with an attached deck. Everyone is impressed at what a good job the team of volunteers did. We have all benefitted from it. You know, most of the people who got involved, already had full time jobs, but they donated their time over many weeks, for the sake of keeping little league in the area. Other people donated materials that they no longer needed for the construction. It's encouraging to think of what can be accomplished when people work together for a good cause.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to be around for..+ time, to house, for the sake of, to be in desperate need of.
1. This brand of jeans has been around for about fifty years.
2. That storage facility houses expensive vintage cars.
3. Sometimes landscapes are ruined for the sake of economic progress.
4. The climbers were in desperate need of sleep, but they had to get down to base camp before nightfall.
Art seems to be a very personal thing, as far as what a person does and doesn't like. You must have found that, at some point in time, you have been in a place where all of a sudden you come across a piece of art that you absolutely love. That happened to me on Saturday. When I was hanging around the ball park in Moses Lake, in between games, I noticed what looked like a statue outside one of the many non-descript buildings that were close by. I had nothing else to do, as the next baseball game wasn't going to start for another twenty minutes. So, I decided to walk over to the building and take a look. I'm glad that I brought my camera, and that the battery was charged, because I came across a beautiful work of art. It was a metal statue of a very defeated looking Native American Indian, on an exhausted looking horse. It was large, and very detailed. Partly, the surprise of finding such a soulful work in a really soulless collection of buildings drew me close to the sculpture. "Who on earth made this?" I thought to myself as I walked around the base of the statue, looking carefully for the name of the artist. There was no name, however, nothing on the base or the statue itself. The base of it was surrounded by weeds and gravel. It almost looked as if this piece of art had been thrown away. What a find! I lay down on the floor in various positions, just so I could get some good shots of all the details. Since leaving Moses Lake, I have been searching on the internet for the artist's name. So far, I have not come up with anything. I tried to phone the auto museum, infront of which the statue stood. Surely someone in the building would know something about it. I will keep on looking for the artist's name, and I'll let you know who it is. In this Northwest region there is actually a lot of Native American art of all kinds, from totem poles, to jewelery, to sculpture. If I were part of the council of Moses Lake, I would put the statue in the middle of town and have it lit up. It is a significant find, because Moses Lake is where Chief Moses comes from. He was a well known, very educated chief who advocated for his people and their land. The statue echos the history of this area, it's very identity. It's as beautiful as it is historical, and deserves a place in full view of residents and visitors.
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: to come across, a find, to come up with something.
1. I went for a walk, and came across a necklace in the leaves.
2. That car was a real find. It was in great condition, and a great price as well.
3. We are trying to solve the problem, but so far we haven't come up with any solutions.
You know, I'm getting better at learning about technology. I wouldn't say that I am totally ignorant about social media, but neither am I an expert. At least now I have a Twitter button on my blog page, in case anyone likes a blog and wants to send a Tweet about it. I also joined Facebook a while ago. For about a year I enjoyed my personal Facebook page; I reconnected with friends who I hadn't seen for a long time, and I quickly got up to date with what they had been up to over the years. That's the beauty of Facebook. Then, I thought, "Why don't I create a Facebook page for A Cup Of English?" So I did. It had a very positive reception, and many people joined it quickly. Someone then suggested that I create a group especially for my podcast followers. "Good idea!" I thought. That worked too. But then, everything went pear shaped (that's an English expression for things no longer being straight forward). I canceled my A Cup Of English page because some of my personal friends had joined, and I wanted to keep it strictly about the business of English. So, I canceled the page. Little did I know that the group continued, even though I, the administrator, had disappeared. I hope that some of you out there can come up with a suggestion for me. The problem that I have created is the following: the A Cup Of English group is an open group, so I can neither control it, nor become it's administrator again....Mmm, so what do I do? It is impossible to contact anyone from Facebook. I have tried to re-do my Facebook page, but that would mean using my acupofenglish@live.com email, and that was already used to set up the original page and group which I'm not allowed to do. I wrestled with the situation so much that I got totally frustrated. My only option is to create a different email address that is similar to my usual one, and join the group....I haven't tried that yet. At least it would give me the option of commenting on the page. There is a saying in English that applies here, "What you don't know can hurt you." It basically means: be careful and be informed before you take action!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: pear shaped, the beauty of, the business of.
1. We had organised the event for weeks, but half way through, everything went pear shaped.
2. The beauty of the Apple iPad is its speed.
3. She is a very busy woman; she doesn't want to sit around and gossip. She wants to get on with the business of baking exceptional cakes for her bakery.
We drove home Saturday evening from a town called Moses Lake after watching baseball games all day. The boys were tired and we were quiet in the car, looking forward to being at home and out of the wind and cold. It had been a great day, with three wins all in a row. We stopped in a town called Quincy because we were starving, and didn't want to wait until we got home to eat. We ordered food in a sandwich shop, ate quickly, and then continued on our journey home. Quincy is an agricultural town, very flat for miles and miles. Farming is the life of the town which, itself, is very small indeed. Because the landscape is flat, the sky seems like a huge expanse. As I gazed out of the window sleepily, I suddenly realized that I was looking straight at the most beautiful cloud. It was enormous, and in the darkening sky it was still lit up by the last rays of sun. There were only patches of cloud around, but for some reason this cloud was huge. Streams of rain were coming from the bottom, and were easy to see. It was awesome! I snapped away with my camera, hoping to get a good shot, but doubting very much that I would. The light was changing quickly, and so was the cloud, so I took as many photos as I could, on the off chance that one of them would come out well. When I got home, I took my SD card out of my camera and put it in my laptop to download the photos. After discarding the ones that were blurry, I found that four of them had come out okay. I immediately opened up my Picasa editing program, and got to work. The first thing that needed to be done, was to crop the photos, so there would be nothing unnecessary in them. Then I used the saturation option to add color. You have to be careful with that, because it is easy to make a photo look unnatural if you use too much color. After fiddling around until I was happy, I finished off by adding more definition. And I was finished. It's breathtaking, although it pales in comparison to the real thing. I love my Picasa photo editing program. Often, a photo won't capture the grandeur of a subject; however, with the right program, you can go a long way to achieving something wonderful.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: all in a row, on the off chance that ..., to fiddle (around), to pale in comparison to...
1. I had three accidents all in a row today; what's going on?
2. I left the note under his front door, on the off chance that he would find and read it.
3. He fiddled around with his sculpture and really improved it. I fiddled with mine, and really messed it up.
4. That pianist is good, but he pales in comparison to that one over there who is amazing.
I received an email a couple of weeks ago from the part-time school that my oldest son attends. It was a reminder about a special evening presentation that they were going to have, 'a living museum'. At first, I actually ignored the email because I assumed that my son had nothing to do with it. It was a few days later that he asked me to help him get his costume ready for the event. Now, it just happens that we have been studying some ancient history at home: Roman, Greek, and Egyptian. At school, my son's History teacher had asked each student to choose a person from history to study. Hudson chose Emperor Augustus. His first choice was Alexander the Great, but someone else chose him before he had a chance to. So, he settled for his second choice, but someone equally influential and famous. Now, this is the sort of history that kids love to learn. What made this presentation even better was that they had to dress up. You could say that it was going to be a cross between drama and history. The night came. I had to drop Hudson off at the school early so he could help to set up the presentation tables with all of their work. I turned up about an hour earlier with my son, Robert, when everything was ready. We walked into the gymnasium where the event was taking place, and found that it was already packed with people. Everyone was milling around, looking at the presentations, and talking to the students who were all dressed up as different, famous people. There were about twenty students, all loaded with information about the people they were representing, answering questions, and trying to help the parents guess who they were. There were famous inventors, poets, composers, politicians, and royalty. I recognized only about half of the characters; the others I learned about for the first time. It was a great atmosphere, and, I think a great lesson plan for many kinds of classes in school. I can imagine English students doing the same thing, and having to explain who they are. Education doesn't have to be boring after all.
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: to settle for, a cross between ... and .., to mill around.
1. The restaurant didn't have any fresh fish, so I settle for a steak.
2. That dog looks like a cross between a fox and a small bear.
3. The evening was perfect; the square was full of people chatting in cafes, and milling around.
There's something in my daughter's bedroom that takes center stage when her friends come around to play. It's her doll's house. It's a typical girls' toy, but one of the best and most interesting. She got it as a birthday present a couple of years ago, and squealed with delight when she opened the box. I would have liked to have to got her a wooden one; they seem better designed, more traditional, and the type that you keep as an heirloom. However, the only decent one that was available was the plastic one from Walmart. So, that was the one that was chosen for her. The outside looks ornate, with Victorian style architectural elements. However, the fun starts when you open it. One side of the house is split in two, like a double door fridge. Inside the two parts that open up, are two rooms. A patio folds out, and there are three floors revealed in the main area of the house. Of course, you have to furnish the house. The manufacturers are very smart; they sell sets of furniture separately from the house itself. So, for example, you have a kitchen set that you can buy, or a living room, or a bedroom set. My mother and mother-in-law got several sets of furniture as their presents, so by the end of her birthday, Domini had the house totally furnished, and ready for a doll to move in. It's a toy that really stimulates the imagination. Even her brothers have played with it. I think that that is great, but I can tell that they pretend that they're not interested in it, when they actually are. The doll's house is up in her bedroom, in a corner where it is safe; you know how these plastic toys can get damaged easily. I clean and pick up in her bedroom during the week, and often I find myself in that corner where the house is. I start by picking up furniture that has been left all over the floor, and before I know it, I have spent fifteen minutes arranging everything nicely in the house. It's a brief playtime for me when nobody is around, and it's a lot easier to tidy that house, than to tidy my own! Unlike the doll's house that I used to have, it has an eclectic mix of traditional furniture, and modern appliances. It even has a computer desk with a laptop! Those lucky dolls have the internet at their fingertips, and I'm sure they listen to podcasts whenever they can.....
Grammar notes.
Related expressions: to take center stage, an heirloom, before you know it, to have something at your fingertips.
1. To take center stage is to be at the center of everyone's attention, or to be the most important in a performance.
2. I bought an heirloom tomato. These seeds have been kept and replanted for generations!
3. It was icy when I went outside for my walk. I locked the front door and headed towards the street, when, before you know it, I had slipped and fallen.
4. To have something at your fingertips is to have convenient access to something, like technology, or the use of transportation.
It was a perfect Sunday. We had two games, one at eleven and one at three. We didn't have to worry about the wind coming down from the mountains today because the weather was calm. Sunscreen would have benefitted a lot of people who, by the end of the day, must have been a bit red and sore. I had brought my broad brimmed black hat and sunglasses because I wanted to focus on the games, and not have to squint and shield my eyes. The first baseball team that we faced was Wenatchee. Our team is called the River Cats. We usually get beaten by this team, but somehow, the River Cats played well as a team and beat them by four points. That was a confidence booster! And, when you go into the finals against a team from Seattle, you need all the confidence you can get. And so, the game began. Seattle quickly got into the lead. The team members were all good hitters. They had obviously practiced hard. Even so, our fielders did a good job of running and catching some of their balls. We cheered loudly whenever that happened. When enough of their team have either been caught out or struck out, the inning changes, and it's our turn to hit. I don't recall us having any home runs, as we had had the previous day. In fact, on Saturday, we had about seven all together; for this age group, that is quite rare, and very exciting when it happens. I've been watching baseball games for a few years now, and have picked up on some of the strategies used. For example, if the bases are loaded (which means: if you have a team member on each base), the next batsman can sacrifice his ability to get to the first base after hitting the ball, in order to allow the team member who is at third base, to run to fourth base. This gets the team a point. Only when you have run to all four bases without being tagged out, does the team get a point. Sometimes, the next hitter will do a 'bunt'. This is when he holds the bat at each end horizontally, and the ball hits the middle of the bat. The ball doesn't go very far, and the pitcher has to run in and get it. The man at third base, therefore, has more time to run to fourth. It sounds complicated, I know, but when you watch the game, it really makes sense. Well, there was bunting, and regular hitting from our team, but it wasn't quite enough to win. We got second place. However, we didn't lose by very much, and the River Cats received an impressive trophy.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to squint, a booster, an inning, to strike out.
1. You squint on a sunny day if you have no hat or sunglasses, and the sun is too strong for your eyes.
2. He was exhausted after his marathon. He drank an energy drink as an energy booster.
3. An inning is like a round. It is a team's turn to hit the ball in baseball.
4. A team member strikes out when the pitcher throws well to the catcher, and the batsman cannot hit the ball.
For the first time in about six months, I creaked open the tool shed that is at the bottom of our garden. Yesterday happened to be a beautiful Spring day, so I couldn't avoid getting into the garden. Everything is green again, and the blossoms on the trees are just about to fully open. I had been at baseball games all morning, until about three in the afternoon, so there was still plenty of daylight left for gardening. When I opened the shed, it was like saying hello to an old friend. I've been in and out of it so many times for years, that it is a very familiar place to be. It was actually too hot to do a lot of work, so I chose to transplant a perennial from one shady area to another. It's the kind of hardy plant that comes back each year, no matter what. It is a low growing plant with delicate leaves and white, spiral-shaped flowers. And it is already out, and almost fully on display. I hacked it in two, and dug up one half which I carried over to a path. I then continued to chop it into sections with a spade, until I had enough clumps to line a little path on each side. I was careful to cover the roots, and gently press it down, and water it, of course. When it recovers from the transplant, and grows a little, it will really compliment the pathway. That's the sort of thing I like to do: use what I have, and either move it around, or change it's look. It's what we call 'pottering around' in the garden, or 'to potter'; it's not heavy work, but rather, it's fiddling around here and there, but still making a small difference. Ah, the tool shed. I needed a spade, but there are many kinds of tools in our shed. Here's a list of them: shovels (basically a big spade), forks, rakes, trowels (a small, hand-held spade), loppers (huge scissors for cutting a hedge), a lawn mower, bags of fertilizer, sprinkler parts to fix ours when they break, stakes (for holding ropes that in turn hold new trees in place), gloves, watering cans, and electric equipment. And there are plenty of mice and spiders as well..... I was happy with my little job, and pleased to make the first step back into the garden this year. I've got a mental list of projects that I have to get done, starting with pruning my roses and raspberries. But, you don't have to be an expert; you can google the 'how to's' of all of your projects, and find out exactly what to do.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: a mental list, to potter, a fork, a rake.
1. Keep your mental list of projects short, so you don't drive yourself crazy trying to get them done.
2. I pottered around in the garden, pulled out some weeds, pruned a bush, and basically tidied up.
3. A garden fork is like a shovel, but it's three prongs help to separate, and break up hard clumps of soil.
4. We use a rake to gather up the leaves from the lawn. It's like a broom for the garden.
Once a week, as part of his practice schedule, my son Cass has batting practice for baseball. It takes place in a sports complex called Sportsplex. The building actually used to be an ice skating rink, but has been converted into a place where you can play sports that don't involve ice. It is an old building that has a comfortable, used feeling about it. Cass usually has to go on Wednesday's for a an hour and a half. A small corner of the building has been reserved for any team that wishes to book in advance, and perfect the batters' swings. The boys put on their helmets, and face the pitcher. Thankfully, the pitcher is usually the coach, so the pitching is good and accurate. However, because the coach is an adult, there is no mercy when it comes to the speed. The boys have to be ready, with their eyes on the ball. Another piece of protection that the boys wear is the 'cup'. It's to protect their genitals, or as we say, their privates. It's a very necessary piece of equipment that older boys won't play without. In fact, if you can't find your cup, you'd better not play. It could be used as an excuse to get out of playing...
"Your son not playing today, Bill?"
"Nope. The poor boy couldn't find his cup."
"Oh, gees. He'd better not be out there without it. Nope. No way!"
I don't see what all the fuss is about, really. I thought that sportsmen were supposed to be tough. Anyway, I digress. Batting practice is essential. The kids acquire what's called 'muscle memory', when their correct response to the approaching ball is automatic. Practice makes perfect; it's the same with anything, isn't it? Another good thing about batting practice is that it can take place any day of the year. If it is snowing heavily, or blowing a gale, it doesn't matter. You don't have to miss out on your practice time, because you have the Sportsplex. In a town where the longest seasons are cold Winter, and very hot Summer, it's a relief to have a place where the temperature is a consistent seventyish degrees. There is a full weekend of games coming up, and we'll see how the practices pay off. So cameras and cups at the ready!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: ...doesn't involve, reserved, the pitcher, converted.
1. I'd like to see a movie that doesn't involve shooting and police for a change!
2. Our table was reserved for six thirty, but we were an hour late, so the table was taken.
3. The pitcher stared fixedly at the catcher, as if the batter wasn't even there.
4. We converted our garage into a playroom, and our basement into a wine cellar.
It was a windy, sunny day. You certainly needed to have a jacket on, as the wind was blowing down from the snow-capped hills. The crowd had gathered in the park, as scheduled. Everyone was excited, and waiting for the teacher to appear. A few passersby looked over and wondered why this group of people was standing and waiting for something. Finally, a car pulled up, parked, and out stepped the teacher, with a big box in his arms. There were all sorts of smaller boxes and pointy things protruding from the larger box. Anyone watching would wonder what he was up to. A couple of the kids ran up to him, "Hey, Mr. Mugg. Do you want some help?" After putting the box down, the teacher set up two launch pads, or rather launch sticks, for the morning's event. Some of the younger kids jumped up and down with excitement, and giggled nervously. It was time for the first student to see what he could do. He got his rocket, that he had spent the last few weeks building, from the box, put it on the launch pad, and started the count down, "Five, four, three, two, one, blast off!" And with that, the student pressed the button and there was a sudden, loud, "woosh" noise. Smoke blasted out of the bottom of his rocket, and up it went at great speed, high into the sky. Loud cheers sounded out from the crowd, and even people jogging in the park stopped to take a look at the disappearing and then reappearing rocket. This was the special rocket launching morning that the students had worked hard for. They had spent weeks learning all about how they work, why they work, and building them. Today, it was time to show off their knowledge. Some of the rockets had plastic soldiers with parachutes attached, and others had folded up glider planes tucked inside which out of the rocket and down to earth. There were so many cheers and squeals of excitement from one of the youngest students, that an older classmate said to him, "Hey dude, could you quit yelling!" You couldn't blame the little kid, though. It's not exactly an ordinary day in class.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: passersby, snow-capped, to protrude, to launch.
1. The street entertainer amused the passersby with his mime.
2. The snow-capped mountains contrast with the green forests that are further down.
3. The robber's gun was protruding from underneath his long coat.
4. We all stood back while my father launched firework rockets into the sky.
