If you've never had a pasty, you've never lived. That means that eating one is an experience you must have because they are so good. I actually haven't had a pasty for years and years, though I did eat them up until I was a late teenager. So, do you have any idea of what a pasty is? It's a bit like a pie; it's usually meat and vegetables in a pastry shell that is the shape of the letter D. It has a thick crust that is twisted which you hold the pasty by. It originated in Cornwall, in the south west of England. Records of pasties in Cornwall date back as far as the 12th century. It is said that the tin miners in the south would take them to work. They are a whole meal in themselves, and the crusts are perfect for holding on to the pasties without getting them dirty. If you are a miner, that's a good thing, especially if your dirty hands have traces of arsenic on them. A tradition was to leave the crusts for the spirits of the mine to keep them happy, to stop bad things from happening. Well, I'm not a miner, and most of the time I have clean hands, but I came across a pasty shop in the York train station when I was visiting my sister. I had just said goodbye to my sister, and was waiting in the chilly station for the next train to King's Cross in London. I suddenly smelled the most wonderful smell; it was familiar. I followed it until I came to the West Cornwall Pasty company, where there were hot steak and vegetable, and chicken and mushroom pasties lined up, warm and crispy. We had had a huge lunch, so I didn't have one, but for old times' sake I took several photos. They even had some steak and stilton pasties which I had never heard of before. Stilton is a very strong blue cheese that melts deliciously, so I should imagine that that combination would be worth a try, especially on a cold, wintry day.
Grammar notes.
Crust, to come across, lined up.
Cut the crust off of the pie, would you? It is overcooked and too hard.
Whilst looking through my papers, I came across a war medal that belonged to my grandfather.
The children were lined up, waiting for their chance to talk to Santa Clause.
I have never really been much of an ice skater. When I was a teenager, I would go indoor skating with friends, mainly to have a good laugh. When people are wobbling and falling down on a regular basis, it can be amusing! My friends and I never practiced enough to get really good. And that, I'm sure, makes all the difference. When you see someone who really skates well, it is like looking at good art. I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to see world class skating. A friend of mine had bought tickets to see 'Stars on ice'. Well, I had heard of the show, but didn't really know any details about who would be performing. I assumed that it would be a group of ice dancers, so to speak, but not anyone you could consider a champion. How wrong I was! The whole group of dancers were Olympic and World gold and silver champions! I couldn't believe it! They had come all the way to little old Wenatchee! You might recognize some of the names: Kurt Browning (4 times World Champion from Canada), Evan Lysaceck (Olympic gold medalist from U.S), and Ekaterina Gordeeva ( 2 times Olympic gold medalist). The performance lasted about 2 hours, with a short intermission. I took my little girl, who was mesmerized by the acrobatics and the beautiful dresses. And the stadium was packed, as you can imagine. There were cheers and claps all the way through as the stars spun in the air and landed flawlessly. I'm sure that young people in the audience were inspired to rent some skates, and go to the next public ice skating session, to wobble around and imagine themselves as stars.
Grammar notes.
So to speak, mesmerized, flawless.
The wedding cake she made was a triumph, so to speak.
The ladies were mesmerized by the diamond rings in the shop window.
This antique vase is flawless; it doesn't have any cracks, or even one scratch.
Many of you have seen some part of the Alps, I suppose. They're spectacular, aren't they? I saw a small part of them recently from a plane. I was traveling from the south of France up to Germany. Luckily, I was sitting next to a window, so I could look at every detail as we flew over. Now, typically, when you take a photo from a plane, it won't come out very well at all. The plane windows aren't the clearest, for sure. And it is impossible to control the light. Add to that the fact that my camera is a little cheapo. I certainly didn't expect to get a good result from any of my pictures taken on the plane. So, I snapped away when I could. When I got home, I looked at what I had taken, deleted most of them and then edited a couple that had come out well. I use an editing software by Google called Picasa. You can do all sorts of things with it. You can crop the photos, which means to cut them. Then you can add color, texture, shadow, and definition. You can even add text, which means writing. One of my photos was taken at a strange angle, so I used the straightening option to give it a better perspective. A couple of years ago I decided to create nice portraits of my children. I looked through our collection of different school photos, and those taken at home. I scanned them into my computer, edited them, saved them onto an SD card, and then printed large versions of them in a sepia tone. Sepia is a lovely dark beige or light brown color that gives the photo a soft, sometimes older look. These photos now hang formally in frames going up the stairs. I'm so thrilled that this software can improve photos. Now I have a beautiful snap shot of the alps that I otherwise would have deleted.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: typically, text, formal.
Typically, this shopping center is packed with people on Saturday mornings.
You must edit that text; it is full of errors.
That dress is too formal for our casual get-together.
I couldn't visit York Minster without telling you about it. What is a minster? It's the name of a major cathedral that used to be associated with a monastery, and considered the most important building representing the church in a large area. So, okay, it's a cathedral. But, you know what, it's a treat to visit. The city of York is what I call 'the complete package', which means that it has everything that you could want. If you check out york.com, you will see what I mean. It is about as historical as anywhere could ever be, it's a thriving center of education, it has all the facilities and entertainment of a city, but is clean and rural at the same time. York was a strategic political center for hundreds of years. It was founded by the Romans; they called it Eboracum. They used this point as a stepping stone on the way to Scotland. Well, as you know, they didn't manage much in Scotland, but York became fortified and busy. Then, after the Roman Empire fell, Vikings took over. York didn't avoid the Norman invasion either, but became a center of prosperity and trade from then on. When you are there, you can sense the history. It is all around you. The well preserved wall around the center of the city is a great reminder of the Roman presence. In fact there are even remains of Roman shrines to Jupiter and Mars. The cathedral started as far back as the Romans, but obviously not as a cathedral. The Roman buildings which were recently uncovered under the cathedral were stations for some of the 5000 legionaries. With each invasion and different people groups taking over, it was added to. It has survived fires, destruction through invasion, and the civil war. Oh, and you should see it now. It is a Gothic beauty. I walked around it with my sister, and we silently soaked it all in. I know that you don't need to know all of the vocabulary about cathedrals, but a few words are common in conversation. The nave is the large, often central part of the church. There are towers on some, spires on others, with spires looking like cones with a point. In the York Minster there is a crypt, underground, where tombs are kept. You can't go to York without admiring the Rose Window either, which is a spectacular circular stained glass window in the cathedral. I have seen a lot of cathedrals during my travels, but I would say that this should be in the top three of 'must sees' when traveling in Europe.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: a must-see, to soak it in, as far back as.
The 'must-see' in that town is the central park; you shouldn't miss it.
We stayed at the gallery, and silently soaked in the art.
My grandmother can remember as far back as the Second World War.
Have you ever been to Vienna? I was lucky enough to get there by chance during my trip to Europe. How can anyone go to Vienna by chance? Any person with a brain would go there deliberately, right? Well, because I didn't have a lot of time, I had to fly to a different place each day. After visiting a friend in Frankfurt, I flew the next morning to Nice to visit my friend Lorraine. Now, when I had organized my flights back at home, I had chosen the cheapest flights possible. My reasoning was, well, I would be by myself, having an adventure, so I could easily put up with a bit of discomfort, or a few extra airports. My flight from Frankfurt to Nice was not direct. I booked it through Expedia.com, which I have used before. There was to be a short change of plane in Vienna, and then the journey would continue. So, Thursday morning came, and my friend, Blanca, dropped me off at the airport. I noticed that it was quite foggy, but I really didn't pay much attention. I got to the gate just when the announcer told us that the flight would be delayed by about one hour. Mmm, I would be in a big hurry to catch my connecting flight. And, as you can guess, when I arrived at Vienna, my connecting flight had already left, and I was put on a later flight, five hours later. It just so happens that there is a bullet train from the airport into the city. So, before you could blink an eye, I found myself in Stephensplatz, the center of Vienna, gazing at the cathedral wide-eyed and open-mouthed. I say open-mouthed because the architecture is stunning. I walked through the maze of cobbled streets and squares taking pictures and video clips. I rushed into a bakery and bought a pastry; well, everyone was walking around eating pastries! I wanted to fit in! It was a beautiful, sunny day, but very cold. So, I had a good excuse to buy myself a scarf. By the time my four hours in Vienna were up, my feet ached because I had walked non-stop. I would have loved to have stayed longer, of course. But, I contented myself on the plane by resting my feet and having a good look at the photos of my day's adventure.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: to put up with, it just so happens, in the blink of an eye, to fit in.
-
Our neighbors are very noisy. We have to put up with it; we have no other choice.
-
Do you need some nail clippers? It just so happens that I have some in my pocket.
-
Someone let the dogs out of the front door, and in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared.
-
Teenagers try so hard to fit in at school. They often change their style to look like everyone else.
A double treat for me during my week's vacation, was to visit my dear friend, Lorraine, in Nice. I hadn't seen her for eleven years, which, of course is far too long. But, as you probably know, when you get together with a great friend, even if you haven't seen her for a long time, it is as if you haven't been apart for very long. We stayed up until late, catching up on eachothers' news. Since I had seen her, she had had a little girl, started her own business, and moved several times. We chatted late into the night, and it felt like old times. The next day, although I only had a few hours, she took me out for breakfast. She chose a patisserie that just about blew my socks off. It's display case was so attractive that I asked the owner if I could take a video. Everything was presented so beautifully. And there was just about everything you could imagine, when it comes to baked goods. Believe it or not, I actually didn't have a pastry with my coffee! I know, I know, it was an opportunity that I shouldn't have missed, but I like savory in the morning. So, I had a delicious ham and cheese baguette instead. This time of year in Nice is perfect; it's sunny but not hot, so we sat out and enjoyed the view while we chatted. Afterwards, Lorraine drove along the coastal road, pointing out famous landmarks, and showing me the different areas where she used to live. Nice is so clean and pretty. For someone coming from the cold and dark, it was like a large dose of medicine. We went down to the port, where lots of yachts are moored. She showed me where the Microsoft yacht is. It's massive of course. Lorraine took my photo next to it, just so I can show off and tell people about it. I actually don't know what I would do with a huge yacht like that. It would be a nightmare to clean! I would probably sell it, and with a small portion of the money I'd make, I would fly all of my friends and family to Nice for a two week tour of all the patisseries.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: When it comes to, to show off, to get together.
1. She is a master at arranging flowers. When it comes to decorating entryways, she is the most creative.
2. He is such a show-off! He is always talking about his latest purchases and how much they cost.
3. The reunion was a real success. It was a get together that we will all remember.
Hello everyone. I'm so pleased to be back, podcasting to you again after my week of fun in Europe.
I have lots to tell, as you can imagine. I saw some amazing places on my trip, and had a very meaningful
and inspirational time. So, where should I start? I'm a fairly emotional person, deep down,so I'll start
this podcast by telling you about something that I love to do, and found myself doing right in the middle
of London. It was on Saturday, a lovely sunny but chilly 12th of February, when I had arrived in London
with my husband from Berlin. We immediately went to our hotel in Leicester square, put our luggage in our
room, and met up with my father and his wife. They had come down to see family in London, so it was a perfect
coincidence that I was going to be there. As you might know, central London is very 'walker friendly', meaning that basically it's great to walk around, and you can easily get from one major, famous spot to the next. We walked to Trafalgar square. I snapped away with my camera as we all chatted. There was quite a crowd in the square. Amnesty International had a big, peaceful rally going on, which is similar to a demonstration. There was a lot of music, and different groups representing their causes. The group that caught my eye, however, was a tiny one of only two people. Their signs said 'Free Hugs'. Well, how could I refuse? A free hug, and from perfect strangers, .....what better way to make world peace? So I dove in and gave the two lovely guys a good old hug. In retrospect, I should have asked their names. They might start a hugging revolution, right there in Trafalgar square. Can you imagine, with all the different people from every corner of the world, hugging? That would be absolutely fantastic. Perhaps it would spread throughout London and into the Houses of Parliament...; imagine the changes that could take place there if people started to hug. I'm sure the MPs would make better decisions, and pass better laws. They could start each parliamentary meeting by doing the conga, and having a big hugging session. I think those two fellas giving free hugs in London are a couple of geniuses.
Expressions
To do the Conga, what better way to..., fella/ fellow, a good old ....
1. The Conga is a dance where you line up, holding eachother's waists, and kick your legs to the side as you move forward to the music.
2. 'What better way' is like saying 'There is no better way'. Ex: What better way to relax than in a warm bath.
3. 'Fella' is English for 'guy'. It is the short form of 'fellow', and is similar to 'chap' which is more antiquated. Ex: He's a nice fella, isn't he?
4. 'A good old hug; a good old arm wrestle; a good old pot of stew; a good old roaring fire.' Good old can be added to give a sense of endearment to a thing or an activity. It is also used sarcastically when you mean the opposite of something being good. Ex: Nothing like a good old invasion to mess everything up!
Hello everyone, just a quick note to let you know that there will not be any podcasts this week, as I am going to visit friends and family in Germany, France, and England. I will have lots to tell when I get back.
Take care, Anna.
Before I start today's podcast, I would like to mention a little something about the title of yesterday's podcast. One of my listeners, called Bahareh, asked me to explain the expression Super Duper Slither Scooter. First of all, the scooter is just the thing that you ride. Slither is the brand name of it; you could call it 'The Slither'. Super Duper is a silly phrase that we use to say that something is wonderful. We also use it sarcastically. Most often, super duper indicates that something is brand new, or of good quality, or just quite special. And, of course, the two words rhyme, which makes it a little more playful in speech. "My father bought a super duper car" is less serious or formal than "my father bought an elegant, expensive car". I hope that is clear. Anyway, the sixth grade science experiment found its way into my kitchen. I discovered it sitting on the counter top. There was a strange smell in the air, something unpleasant and sharp smelling. So I looked around, and there it was. It was a glass with an egg floating in white vinegar. Okay, that makes sense. My son, Hudson, has started to learn about the Periodic table, the different elements, the molecules, and how they interact. I remember many years ago doing the same thing in science class. If my dim memory serves me well, the experiment showed how the calcium carbonate of the egg shell dissolves in the vinegar. I think that's right. So, my son is bringing home all sorts of instructions for kitchen experiments. He has to carry them out, and then write down his observations. He loves it. It reminds me of a story my husband told me about when his cousins were young. They made a concoction in the kitchen that ended up blowing up. They were very lucky that they didn't get seriously hurt. They charred the kitchen ceiling, and singed off their eyebrows. Unsupervised kids are a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, Hudsons' eyebrows are safely on his face, and I am keeping a close eye on his experiments.
Grammar notes.
Expressions: to singe, concoction, someone's memory serves them well, to char.
1. The coal fell out of the fireplace and singed the carpet.
2. What kind of concoction is this drink; it's disgusting!
3. I remember that day; my memory serves me well.
4. The walls had been charred black by the fire.
It's time to rock and roll. Glide, wobble, balance, and slither. Let's try something new to get ourselves moving. Did you know that the part of the brain that deals with balance, also deals with focus? Isn't that interesting. An educational specialist told me that the other day. One of my sons is going to see her each week to increase his reading abilities. I am really intrigued to see what she will do, and what the effects will be. I would like to pick her brains. One of the things that she recommends for children who need to control their focus, are balancing exercises. So, another trip to Walmart, and we have a Slither scooter. It's a super duper one. It's actually a combination of two things: a regular scooter, and a rip stick. I won't go into detail about what a rip stick is because it will actually take too long, but I think you get the gist. If you check out one of my previous podcast, 'A Refreshing Park', you will get more of an idea about what a rip stick is. So, we have the box in the kitchen, and my two oldest pounce on it like a couple of cougars. They immediately tear the box open, and start putting the thing together. "Shouldn't you read the instructions?" I ask them. My experience is that males will often put something together, and then later have to take it apart and start all over again, this time reading the instructions. I could be wrong though, ....... I shouldn't generalize, so you men out there, please don't get offended. But of course, mothers are always wrong, right? So, I let them get stuck at one point, and then intervened, pushing the instruction manual under their noses. And guess what happened? They followed the instructions, and put it together correctly! Mmm, am I making my point clearly? Anyway, they all tried the super dooper Slither scooter on our driveway. They described it as "cool", "difficult", "awesome", and "tricky". That means that they like it. I'm going to try it tomorrow to see if it will help me to super duper up my focus.
Grammar notes.
Expressions and vocabulary: to pick someone's brains, the gist, to pounce.
1. He knows so much about history; I should pick his brains about the First World War.
2. The gist of his speech was that the company needs to expand into new territories.
3. If the rabbit doesn't run and hide, the fox will pounce on it.
Entertainment at half-time is a big deal over here. Whenever you go to a college level or professional level sporting event, there is entertainment half way through the game. I saw some interesting half-time performances the other day in Spokane. My family and I had gone with my in-laws to see Whitworth's men's basketball against Lewis and Clark. Three of my husband's second cousins actually play on the Whitworth team, so there was an added incentive to go. At the moment, Whitworth's team is second place in the nation, as far as college level goes. And Lewis and Clark have only been defeated by them. The rivalry was quite intense. I actually have never seen players play so hard. Both teams were really trying to win. Someone made a good point, that at the college level, you often see a better game because the players are so intense. At the professional level, often there is a lot of showmanship, and playing for the crowd. Anyway, half time came, and there were two performances. One was a modern dance troup who performed to rap music. The other was a group of little girls who looked like fairies. They danced in a fairly modern style to a song entitled 'It's all about me'. It was perfect for the age of the girls who were dancing, because, after all, they are really into themselves. It would have been great if my daughter had been there. I'm sure that she would have come home, dressed herself up, and danced to the same song. Mind you, it's a good job that she didn't because we didn't get home until after 1am. Spokane is three hours away from Wenatchee, so all together, its a long trip. And, on top of the distance that we had to drive, there were thick patches of fog on the highway, so getting to the game was an ordeal! But, when there is a good game going on, you have to find a way to get there. And when you do, there is not just a great game, but also some half-time entertainment.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: intense, fairy, ordeal.
1. This chocolate is 90% cocoa; the taste is intense.
2. My daughter said that she thinks there are fairies in our garden.
3. The flight was a real ordeal. First it was delayed by three hours. Then the plane was grounded because of technical difficulties.
On Wednesday, the Reptile Man came to visit my kids' elementary school. It is a very worthwhile show to watch. The owner of the Reptile Man business, and the Washington Serpentarium is Scott Peterson. You could say that he is an advocate for reptiles of all kinds. He is based in Monroe, in the Seattle area. His business is open 365 days a year, and speaking at schools is part of his commitment to spreading the word about how necessary and wonderful reptiles are. He is very informative, having studied zoology in college. And he has a very calm, soothing voice. And that's just as well, because when he is holding up a venomous snake, or an alligator in a room full of people, he has to keep everyone calm. I have seen him before, and I've also visited his serpentarium. However, each time I see his show, I learn something new. At one point, for example, he held up Lucy the alligator, telling us many facts about the animal. I didn't know that alligators never stop growing, and can reach up to 1000 lbs in weight. Lucy is just a baby, and was raised as a new born by Mr. Peterson. In fact, he raises all his animals from newborns or eggs; he doesn't keep any wild-born animals. All of his venomous snakes have had their venom sacks removed, obviously for the safety of everyone around them. And, talking about snakes, he has many, many kinds, including the deadly black mamba, cobras, and rattle snakes, and the non-venomous pythons, anacondas, and boas. I also didn't realize just how important snakes are because of their diet. They mainly eat rodents, and that saves us all from diseases and a lack of crops. One of the animals that I liked best was the African tortoise. They can live up to 200 years. I was able to pet the one he brought. It was amazing. It's shell was thick and hard like rock. In fact, you can drive a car over one and it won't be crushed; it is that strong! Lions try to eat them, and have to give up, because they cannot penetrate the touch shells. It really was quite a show. The children and parents loved it. I recommend his website too, at : reptileman.com. Enjoy!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: an advocate, venomous, rodents.
1. He is an advocate for abandoned animals, and works hard to protect them.
2. The black mamba is the most dangerous venomous snake in the world.
3. Rats and mice breed very quickly, and spread diseases if uncontrolled.
I'm so used to going to Walmart, that I could probably get there with my eyes closed. It's two blocks away from our house, so it's the perfect place for a quick shop stop. There have been renovations going on there for several months now. It started out with heavy machinery digging up a large section of the parking lot, then scaffolding on the outside, and lots of building noises. I happened to pop in the other day to buy some basic essentials, like milk and bread, when I realized that things had progressed somewhat. Where I usually walk in, was locked. It looked derelict actually, as the entryway sign had been taken down. And where there had been covered scaffolding, a new entryway was on display. It isn't quite finished yet; the sign is actually just a hanging sign. However, the entryway is usable; people were walking in and out, there were several drink dispensing machines there, and a lot more room. In true 'buy some stuff' style, the entryway was full of tasty, unhealthy treats like chips and coke, stacked like a tunnel that you had to walk through to get to the rest of the store. I'm actually excited about the rest of walmart being finished, because it will cut my shopping experience in half. After I shop at walmart, I always have to go somewhere else for fresh fruit and vegetables. Poor me! I always seem to be in a hurry, so shopping in one place will be convenient. I'm not sure what the other shops in town will do when Walmart becomes a 'super store'. Competition is healthy, but that is easy to say if you don't own a shop in the same town as Walmart. The reason I'm talking for the second time about Walmart is because it's a 'big deal' over here; it is a monstrous business that keeps its customers because of its unbeatable prices. Its slogan is "Save money. Live better." That is simple and straight to the point, isn't it! So, let's see if, in the near future, their grand re-opening lives up to their tremendous reputation.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: scaffolding, basic essentials, no big deal.
1. The cathedral is being cleaned, and has scaffolding all over it.
2. We have run out of some basic essentials, so I will run to the store and get them.
3. The cinema is full, so we have to wait an hour until the next showing. No big deal!
Wow! What a shot! I have been hoping to get a photo or a video of deer to show all of you. This time of year is crazy with the deer coming down from the nearby mountains. They are all over the place, and obviously very comfortable in town. I think the fact that there are orchards here and there in town help. They sleep in the orchards, and have plenty to eat there. Then at night they walk around the neighborhoods, looking for more tasty treats. It just so happens that a favorite spot for some of them is our property! A few years ago, we found three of them sleeping on our back porch! Now, however, we have dogs, so they keep away. The two dogs that we have live in the back garden. It is a large area that is fenced in, ideal for dogs. So now, we don't have any deer visitors in the back garden. Our dogs do, however, alert us as soon as they smell them approach. Infact, they bark like crazy and drive everybody nuts. It doesn't happen during the day, because the deer only come around at night. We have often had to put the dogs in the garage at 3am because of the noise. We don't want to make enemies of our neighbors. I can see that deer have been hanging out in our front yard because there are hoof prints and droppings everywhere. One of my neighbor friends told me that she saw a large herd of deer walk up the road, and settle in my front garden where we have alpine trees. When I was pulling up to the house the other night, my headlights flashed in the eyes of three deer who were happily munching away at the plants near my entryway. The dogs were barking, of course, but the deer seemed to know that the noisey want-to-be-wolves couldn't get out. I drove towards the deer very slowly, illuminating them. Their ears pricked up and they turned to face me. Then, they gracefully turned and walked into the darkness. It doesn't happen very much, but when it does, it is so worth watching.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to alert, to drive ...nuts, hoof/ paw prints, a herd.
1. The alarm alerted us to the fire that had started in the kitchen.
2. That music is driving me nuts; can you please turn it down, or off!
3. A good hunter can track an animal by its prints: paw prints for wild cats and bears, and hoof prints for deer, elk, and moose.
4. There are so many names for groups of animals: a herd of cows, a school of fish, a pack of wolves, and a swarm of bees are just a few.
Have you heard of skeet shooting, or perhaps clay pigeon shooting? Well, we are beginning to do it. Having been inspired by his grandfather in Scotland, my son Cass caught the bug. Doing it once when we went to stay with my father last summer just wasn't enough for him. When we returned to Wenatchee, he brought with him two of 'Grandad's' shooting magazines. I, at first, tried not to think about guns; I don't know much about them, and quite frankly, they scare me. However, my dad has been a hunter all of his life, and is an example of using guns responsibly, and only for hunting or clay pigeon shooting. My husband decided to try skeet shooting recently. He bought a couple of shot guns, ammunition, and a skeet thrower. So we are set. We have everything that we need. It just so happens that guns are very popular in this part of the country. Many men hunt deer, wild turkey, or even bear and cougar. A lot of them are very skilled, and even become bow hunters. There are several gun shops in town, gun sections in major stores, and all sorts of clubs to join. Having seen my father shoot birds while I was young, I feel that that would be a reasonable kind of hunting. You can eat the birds as well. Bringing down a larger animal, however, doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm certainly not an expert, nor do I intend to be. I'll leave that to the people who know what they're doing. For now, starting out skeet shooting, learning all about safety issues, the equipment, and how to aim, are enough for me. We went to a shooting range at the weekend. It is a simple place, a couple of miles from our house, up towards the mountains. You have to have a club key to unlock the gate and get in, and then you drive to either a pistol range, a rifle range, or a shotgun range. The place was empty when we went. It is still very cold outside, so I'm sure a lot of the regular shooters were staying at home. And yes, I actually had a go. It was funny though. Looking back now, I realise that I was standing in the wrong position, my head was uncomfortably leaning on the gun, and I barely knew which eye to close in order to look down the barrel. I must have looked ridiculous! However, my husband and my son gave me all the advice I needed to stand and aim properly, and that made a difference. I didn't manage to hit any skeets, but at least I feel that I'm a step closer to aiming and firing.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to catch the bug, ammunition, issue.
1. After travelling to Australia, he caught the travel bug.
2. They found some old World War II ammunition in their back yard.
3. We have to play the game fairly, so it doesn't become an issue.
I hope that this never happens to you. You're driving along, minding your own business, when suddenly your car stops. It could be because of engine trouble, or because of something in the road that is preventing the car from moving. I spotted this poor man the other day as I was pulling onto the main road. He was digging the snow out from around his tires. The trouble was, he wasn't parked on the side of the road. He was right in the middle of the main road, with two lanes of traffic on either side of him. He was in the turn lane. That is where the snow plows pile up the snow from the rest of the road. And that is where, if your wheels aren't big enough, and your engine isn't strong enough, you get stuck. I was relieved to see that there was another man with him who was also digging around the wheels of the little truck. Lucky for them, they had shovels. Who ever carries shovels in the car when you drive? If I got stuck like that, I would have to dig myself out with my shoe, or the cup holder of the car. It must have been something to do with their job. They were both dressed in the same uniform, and I could make out that there was a company name on the vehicle. I had to drive off before I saw them dig themselves free. They're not there now, so their efforts paid off. I remember getting 'stranded' on a road once. It wasn't because of snow, either. It was years ago. I was driving my husband's Chevy truck across the large, main bridge. It was a great day, I was listening to music, I had the window down; everything was perfect. Then, suddenly, the truck started to slow down. Before I knew it, I had pulled over to the hard shoulder. A few cars beeped me as they passed. The traffic speed was fifty, and I was doing zero. I had been too busy enjoying the wind blowing through my hair, to notice that the fuel level was blinking 'empty'. Oops! Thankfully, my brother-in-law came to the rescue with a canister of gas, and I was able to complete my trip and get home. How embarrassing! That was a mistake that I won't forget.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to spot, to make out, a canister.
1. I spotted an owl in the tree, so I zoomed in with my camera and took a picture.
2. It was hard to see, but through the clouds, I could make out a castle.
3. That liquid only comes in half gallon canisters.
It's a strange sight. You get so used to seeing the lovely clean snow falling, and getting piled up on the side of the road. But then, all of a sudden, it seems, that beautiful stuff has turned ugly. I was driving to the shops the other day, when I drove past a huge pile of snow that had recently been dumped there by a snow plow. There seemed to be no mix of the colors at all. The black snow was, obviously, the snow that had been right on the road. It had all kinds of grit, gravel, and dirt mixed in. The white snow was from the most recent fall, which had been heavy. This season creates quite a lot of work around the town. There are snow plows busy every day, moving this pile of snow, clearing that neighborhood, or turning three lanes of traffic into two. I can hear them drive into our neighborhood early in the morning. Beep, beep, beep, I hear as they back up. Their lights flash to make it obvious that they are here. Some people actually make good money by mowing lawns during the warmer months, and then snow plowing during the snowy months. I've got a little 'putt-putt-putt' snow blower for clearing our driveway. I've used it enough to realize that it is super easy. Just follow the instructions, turn the different knobs, push a few buttons, and pull a cord very hard, and it's ready to blow. You just have to make sure that you concentrate, otherwise it's easy to blow a load of snow at your own house or garage. That defeats the object! So, we have a couple of more months to deal with this white stuff. I don't mind using the snow blower on it when it is pretty and clean, but I wouldn't like to deal with the dirty stuff, yuck!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: grit, gravel, knob, the recent......
1. You won't slip on the snowy road because the plow spread some grit on it.
2. Before we put tarmack on our driveway, it was just gravel.
3. The door knob is wooden, but the one in the dining room is glass.
4. The recent election was very interesting. The recent snow storm was very inconvenient. I was unaware of their recent football victory.
One part of my daily routine during the week is to pick up the kids from school. I'm sure that a lot of you listening now probably do the same thing. Thankfully, I live very close to the school where three of my children go. It's literally a three minute drive from my house. My kids used to catch the bus home, but, interestingly enough, it would take them an hour to get home. We decided that it was a bit of a waste of time sitting on a bus for an hour, when they could be at home relaxing or doing homework. So, now you can find me sitting in the line of cars, waiting for my little ones to come running out. I watch the school buses pull up to the sidewalk, just in front of the kindergarten block. The children who take the bus have to line up outside a little earlier than the rest of the kids; they wouldn't want to miss the bus. Some of the students live far away, so it's a good job that the buses are available. Other children live quite close to the school, so they can simply walk home. There is an interesting system of road safety to get the kids safely across the various roads on the way to and from school. The oldest students in the school, the fifth graders, put a bright green vest on, bring out green plastic models of children that stand on the road near the cross walks, and they help the younger children cross the roads in a safe manner. Cars are supposed to stop at a cross walk anyway, if there are people there. So, that is the system. I sit in my car and wait for the bell. I love to see how the masses of children pour out of the building; they spill out like different colored beads, going everywhere, and of course, making lots of noise. The parents put their magazines away, or put their cell phones down, start up the cars, and get ready for the kids. It's time to hand out some snacks, and to hear the stories about how the day went.
Grammar notes.
The use of 'enough' + adverbs to express surprize or contrast: strangely enough, oddly enough, interestingly enough.
1. The new hotel was finished in May, but strangely enough, it wasn't open for clients until a year later.
2. She is very loud and opinionated, but oddly enough, in a group she acts very shy.
3. He is hard of hearing, but interestingly enough, he is a great piano player.
Do you ever fancy eating something really fresh? Something savory, healthy, and tasty? I'm so thankful that there is a place in town where we can get food that is just like that. It's a restaurant called the Wok-About-Grill. It is a play on words. You might already know that a wok is a special kind of frying pan used in Asian cooking. And, because 'to walk about' is an English phrase, the owners of the restaurant decided to change 'walk' to 'wok'. Anyway, it's a cool place. When you walk in, you immediately smell the wonderful stir fries. It's a simple place, but very clean, and nearly always packed. The main idea about the Wok, is that you put the raw vegetables, meat, and uncooked noodles that you want on your plate. Then you add oils, garlic, condiments, and sauces as you like. You hand the plate to one of a group of cooks who puts everything in your bowl on a large, round, cooking surface. After tossing and scraping it for a few minutes, he then sweeps all the cooked food into a new, clean bowl, and there you have your food. It's a smart set up. Think about it: you do some of the work, so the staff can concentrate on cleaning up rather than getting orders of different food. Plus, as a customer, you don't feel as if you are waiting for your food because you experience your meal happen, instead of sitting at a table and not being involved in the process. In this culture of fast food, and other restaurants that use pre-prepared food, it is refreshing to know that what you eat is fresh, fresh, fresh. If you fancy a stirfry that has loads of garlic and onion, then that's what you have. If you want just vegetables and no meat, no problem. I usually have lots of vegetables, some beef, and no noodles. So, the owner must be happy knowing that, with this system, the customer is always satisfied.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to toss, to scrape, a set up.
1. Put the salad dressing on, and then toss it.
2. I had to scrape my car's windshield this morning because there was so much frost on it.
3. That business has an ingenious set up. The customers actually do most of the work.
Well, it was about time that I got myself a camcorder, a decent one. I have been meaning to for a long time. The app that I have has bonus content which can either be an extra audio file, or a video. Until now, I have not really offered this bonus material because my little camera that takes pictures and videos, does not make quality videos at all. So, I took the plunge. What was I looking for then? Firstly, I wanted something that was easy to use. I also really didn't want anything big. I thought that if I could fit it in my handbag, then I would be happy. And, finally, I wanted something of quality. So, bearing these three things in mind, I drove to Walmart, and went to the electronic department. They mainly had cameras. There were the regular cheapo ones, all the way up to Nikons. Well, I didn't want to spend that much. A friend of mine recommended that I get just a camcorder, not a camera that also takes videos. "A video taking camera could compromise quality," he said. I took his advice. There were only two camcorders to choose from. Both were the same size, shape, and quality. They both had a USB plug to download directly into a computer. However, the slightly more expensive one had HD quality picture, and a stabilizing capability, so when you walk or run while filming, the video doesn't jump around and get blurry. Bingo! I finally got what I needed. I am thrilled with my new device. I'm looking forward to adding video to my apps to become more of an expert producer. I have used my camcorder already: at my son's basketball game, and in a restaurant. One of the cool options is to plug it into our television to see what I have recorded on a big screen. I can also send decent videos to family and friends around the world through email. I'm feeling very proud of myself; I feel like I've caught up to the twenty first century!
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to be meaning to, to take the plunge, to bear in mind, cheapo.
1. I've been meaning to call you for weeks; I've just been so busy!
2. He took the plunge and started a business; fortunately for him, he was successful.
3. You can borrow my car to drive there, but, bear in mind, the roads are very icy.
4. I finally bought a decent toaster. The one we had was a cheapo, and kept on burning the bread!
Today, I found in my bag forty stamps that I had bought around Christmas time, and not used. I had bought them for mailing Christmas cards, but this year, for some odd reason, I didn't mail out any cards at all. I usually do. I must have just completely forgotten. Anyway, I'm keeping them with my stationary and office supplies for sending off bills. One thing that I have noticed about stamps is how they increase in price every year. Mailing, or posting letters as we say in England, is becoming more and more expensive. Living far away from friends and family doesn't help either. My mother recently sent off a package of Christmas presents to my sister; we shared the cost of the package, and it is just as well. The postage generally costs more than the value of what you are sending! Then there are all the different options you can choose for the freight. There is Federal Express which is super speedy and very costly. US postal service offers regular delivery, next day air mail (for national deliveries), or mail with tracking. A few days ago my mother also sent a small package to my brother who lives in New Zealand. She was told in the post office that it would cost eighty nine dollars. "What?" she replied. "Why so expensive?" was her next question. Apparently, they had added the tracking charge which was the majority of the total cost. "Forget about the tracking," she said. "Just send it the cheapest way possible." They did, and the price was only one tenth of the original cost. The world of mail is fascinating. When you think of how we manage to communicate with and send things to people on the other side of the planet, and most of the time with success, it is quite impressive! Yes, there are disasters with mail getting lost, held up, or broken, but most of the time, our precious packages arrive on time and in one piece.
Grammar notes
Common expressions: .... doesn't help, forget the...., to be held up.
1. The car is stuck in the mud, and this rain doesn't help!
OR It doesn't help that the only supermarket is closed, and we don't have any food!
2. Forget the travel insurance; just buy the plane ticket!
3. My parcel was held up in customs for three weeks.
Have you ever come across anything that someone has done that has made you wonder how on earth they had managed to do it? I've often wondered about how on earth window washers manage to clean the windows of high rise buildings, or how traffic controllers in airports manage to organize flights into and out of the airports so that all of the planes land and take off safely. There are jobs out there that we sometimes don't even realize exist, and the tasks involved in that job are either difficult or unusual. I haven't really got a stomach for heights, so I am always impressed when I see a job that has been done way up high somewhere, where most people would choose not to go. The other day when we were walking around Leavenworth, my husband suddenly said, "Gees, look at that. How did they do that?" He pointed to christmas lights that had been wound around tree branches in the central high street area. The trees were litterally covered all the way up to the top of the branches. Now, this might not sound like much, but you have to remember that Leavenworth is a huge tourist attraction, especially around Christmas time. There is a special lighting festival that is repeated a few times. The bavarian style buildings are beautifully decorated with lights, and the trees, which measure at least fifty feet, are also covered. I'm talking about every branch, from the bottom to the top. So, how do they do that? And, who are the they? They must be people who don't mind climbing up extremely tall ladders, up to the tree tops, or perhaps, hanging from a crane. Do they do this every year, or are the lights kept up all year long? I wonder how much they get paid. I would certainly not be a good candidate for that kind of job. I can just see me the first day of work, half way up, clinging hold of the ladder for dear life, crying for mama. I wouldn't be a useful employee. The trees would be beautifully decorated for the first six feet, but that would be it; I couldn't go any further.
Grammar notes.
Common expressions: how on earth did you ....?, clinging hold of ... for dear life, to have a stomach for...
1. How on earth did you manage to lose your wallet twice in the same day?
OR How on earth did they manage to stay alive at sea for a month with no supplies?
2. They found the man clinging hold of the cliff edge for dear life.
OR She was nervous about losing her passport, and clung hold of it for dear life.
3. I don't have a stomach for roller coasters; they don't suit me at all.
OR I can't stomach musicals; they make me nervous and irritated.
Have you ever been sledding? In places where it is snowy, I think it is a great thing to do. In a way it is as good as, or even better than skiing; I'll tell you why. First of all, you don't need any skill at all to sled. Secondly, if it is speed that you love, you can easily find a way to meet your need for speed. Thirdly, there is no expense involved, and hardly any equipment at all. The best kind of sledding I have ever done was on an inner tube. An inner tube is a circular tube that is made of rubber, and made to go inside a wheel. It is very bouncy and comfortable to sit on, and protects you from landing hard on the ground. A few years ago, I went sledding with my brother who had come over from New Zealand for a visit. We took an inner tube up to Mission Ridge, which is the ski resort of this town. We found an empty slope that went through a bit of the forest and up an embankment. It was safe, secluded, and provided an easy way to slow down at the end. Perfect. On the way up there, I stopped at Goodwill to pick up a second hand pair of ski pants, as I didn't have any. Once we were both ready, we set off, and within about twenty minutes we were out of the car, and scoping out the area for the best place to sled. Now, my brother is a very big guy, tall, broad, and much heavier than me. He made the first few runs. His big body on the big inner tube smoothed the snow down perfectly, making a track for us to use. It was so much fun. We laughed our heads off. The best runs were when we went together. Because of our combined weight, we picked up tremendous speed, and literally flew over the bumps on the track. Oh, I forgot to add a fourth reason to sled; you do actually do a lot of exercise. Once you have reached the bottom, you have to pull your inner tube back up to the top of the hill again, and again, and again. By the end of the day, we were exhausted, not only from the exercise, but also from all the laughter.
Grammar notes.
Some common turns of phrase: to laugh one's head off, to work one's rear end off, to talk someone's leg off.
1. The comedian was very clever; we laughed our heads off for a whole hour.
2. You must have worked your rear end off to get the whole house clean in one hour!
3. My neighbor is a lovely friend, but she'll talk your leg off if you're not careful.
