Beginners.
The other day I was walking by my children's bedrooms, when I saw a sign on one of the doors. It said, "Domini and Robert, DO NOT ENTER!" One of my two oldest boys had become impatient with sibling intrusions. Sometimes they walk into their bedrooms and find a terrible mess. Colouring* pens often will have their tops missing, so they will be dry. Lego creations are in pieces on the floor, and, some things are just missing. Hudson and Cass, the oldest boys, get furious. They storm into their siblings rooms and create another kind of trouble. I, of course, being their mother, have to get involved to sort out the fights and the conflict. Oh, for peace and quiet!. Well, now my six year old is learning how to write, so he also puts signs on his door. We have three doors with 'Do not enter' signs. My little girl doesn't know how to write, so, I suppose, she still feels free to be the intruder and mess maker. One day, there was a big commotion upstairs, with lots of screaming and running. I ran up to see what was going on. It turns out that Domini had stolen one of my son's favourite*toys that he had had since a baby. He was chasing her to get it back. It was like an episode on Tom and Jerry, the cat and the mouse. I think it is about time that I left some notes myself.
Grammar notes.
*Colour/ colouring and favourite are English spellings. U.S spellings miss out the 'u'.
Related vocabulary: the other day, sign, door handle, lock, key, mess, peace and quiet, intruder/ intrusion, impatient, conflict.
Advanced.
"This place feels like a prison," complained my husband one day. He had caught his foot on a metal gate that I had put up between the kitchen and the dining room. The gate is for the dog, to keep her in or out. It is a necessary evil that is supposed to make life easier for everybody. The trouble is, the gate is small, and my husband is large. We have a similar situation upstairs. My two older boys have, according to them, precious possessions, intricate legos that took a long time to build, and other breakable objects. So, because there had been so many incidents of little siblings sneaking in their rooms and wrecking the place, we put locks on the doors. Everything worked for a while. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Both boys left the keys to unlock their doors locked inside the rooms, along with the duplicate keys. Oh dear. It was time to get the tools out and huff and puff, and bash and bang, until we managed to take off the door handles completely. Well, they haven't had locks for a while now, and wreckages are taking place in the bedrooms. Today a little friend of my daughter came to play. He sneaked into Hudson's room and poured his lizzard's food all over the carpet. A few people were not happy about that. Needless to say, I have locks on my list of things to buy.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to complain, to catch (catch, caught, caught), to leave (leave, left, left), to manage, to sneak.
Exs: They complained about the poor service.
He caught my eye, and then asked me to dance.
I caught my sweater on a rusty nail.
I left my keys in the car.
He managed to lift the heaviest weight.
The burgler sneaked into the empty house to steal the silver.
Useful expressions: the trouble is, to have a situation, according to..., to wreck the place, needless to say.
Beginners.
To be a film 'buff' is to be a film enthusiast; a person who loves to watch films and who follows film production quite closely. I am a film buff, but a choosy one. There are certain films that I love, and others that I cannot stand. A film series that I have followed closely is The Lord of the Rings. When the first of the three films came out, it was immediately popular. The films are based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkein who was British, but born in South Africa. The genre of his books is fantasy. At the center of the books is a fight between good and evil. The story is set in a place called 'Middle Earth', a fictitious country with incredible countryside. The films were directed by Peter Jackson in New Zealand, where he comes from. If you watch the films, you will see why New Zealand is the perfect Middle Earth. There is a huge variety of landscapes in that small country. The incredible Alps, large rolling grasslands, rocky hills, and wind swept valleys are all places where the filming took place. I never get tired of watching the movies; infact, I have watched them so many times that I know a lot of the dialogue by heart. I also have the music score from the films. When my family find me watching the films or listening to the music, they just roll their eyes and say, "Oh, she's at it again."
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: fantasy, historical, drama, adventure, romance, war film, documentary, cinematography, dialogue, play, special effects, script, themes.
Verbs: Past perfect: I have watched that film many times. We have watched his moves very closely; he is suspicious. They have played tennis so much in their garden that they have worn the lawn thin.
Advanced.
Sometimes my children give me little gifts. They are often items that they have made at school, a picture, a collage, occasionally a bracelet made out of paper or beads. The other day, though, my oldest son gave me a metal ring that he had acquired from a friend of his. He had traded a small toy for it. He presented it to me with great pride; he knew that I would like it. It was a replica of the 'ring of power' from the Lord of the Rings. My kids know how obsessed I am with the trilogy, so this gift was quite meaningful. I wore it with pride for a few weeks; I even showed it to a few people. I noticed, however, that my finger was developing a brown patch under the ring, so I promptly took it off. I didn't want to get poisoning from a cheap quality paint. Anyway, it made me think about the concept of having a ring of power. I suppose it is an age-old idea, possessing an object that gives supernatural power. What would you do if you had one? Would you bring about world peace, or world domination? Would you help all of the needy people, or oppress them? Would you replant all of the rainforests, or chop them down and turn them into toothpicks? There would be lots of decisions to make and, I'm sure, lots of tempation to resist. Life could be a lot more comfortable, though, couldn't it? What do you think?
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to present, to resist, to acquire, to trade, to wear (wear, wore, worn), to suppose.
Would: pronounced the same as 'wood'. Easy to use; simply place infront of infinitive. Exs: I would go to the doctor if I were you. She would help you if you asked. They would get a new car if they could afford it.
Beginners.
Do you love to shop? Some people are addicted to shopping; they love to go out and buy things. Others enjoy window shopping, which is safer for your wallet. I am not a big shopper; I have to love something before I am willing to buy it. However, window shopping is a great past time. You don't even have to take any money with you. It can be fun to see what shops have to offer from the outside. Nobody inside the shop can put pressure on you to buy anything, and if the weather is nice, you can hang around for as long as you like. I came across a shop the other day which looked very interesting. It was a hat shop. Obviously, it was full of hats. But these hats weren't just ordinary hats; many were extraordinary. The window wasn't very big, but it was full of hats of all different colors and shapes. As I looked through the door, I could see that the shop was long and narrow, and from the floor to the ceiling it was full of hats on shelves. There were very elegant hats, party hats, crazy hats, warm hats, and even historic looking hats. The people inside the shop were trying them on and laughing as they looked at eachother. It must be a very fun place to work, seeing people amused all day long.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: addict / addicted, wallet, to window shop, a past time, shelf/ shelves, to come across, floor, ceiling.
Verbs: to laugh (reg.), to come across (come, came, come) Exs: I came across a hundred dollar bill in the road. They came across as very rude. To buy (buy,bought,bought).
Advanced.
When I was a student in London, I bought a hat one day in Camden Town. I still have it, though I haven't worn it for years. It is a light, comfortable hat that is black and has golden sequins all over it. Right at the front, above my forehead is a golden elephant. It is quite an eye catcher. Sometimes when I am organizing my closet, I will come across it. It takes me right back to London, the sights, sounds, smells, and experiences of being a student in that great city. When I first moved out to the United States, I became a teacher in a local High School. One day, everybody in the school was allowed to dress up, so, amongst other things, I wore my hat. It got a lot of attention, and my students became curious about where I had bought it. It is surprising how one piece of clothing can tell a story. I suppose what we wear does reflect something about our personality, our choices, perhaps our preferences. Well, I wear many other hats now, but they are figurative, not actual hats. Some of the hats I wear are: wife, mother, podcaster, language student, bill payer, and world citizen. I like my hats; they are the ones that I have chosen. I look forward to a variety of new ones that I will pick up in the future.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to wear (wear, worn, worn), closet, to come across, to dress up, curious, preferences, choices, figurative, bills.
Verbs: To take back, exs: The book took me right back to where I used to live. Seeing her again after so many years, took my back to my childhood.
Beginners.
When you learn English, the verb 'to be' can be a bit of a problem sometimes. It is irregular, so it doesn't follow a regular pattern. But, that is okay. Lots of verbs in English are irregular. I am, you are, he is etc should be familiar if you are serious about learning the language. And, what about the past tense, was and were; do they drive you crazy? Don't worry, any language learner will sympathize. Let's try a few sentences. It's a good idea to read the text and listen at the same.
Hello, I am your English teacher. How are you all? The snow was heavy today and there were several accidents on the road; I thought that class would be canceled, but it wasn't. Was your homework okay? Isn't it nice to understand verbs? It wasn't always easy, was it? I know that your text book isn't cheap,but it is a good one. The other books were very expensive; this one isn't confusing either. My other students aren't as far ahead as you are; they weren't happy with their test results. Yours were the best.
Do you see that with a bit of condensed practice, you can get used to this little but important verb?
Advanced.
"To be or not to be; that is the question". Those aren't my own words, of course. They were written by the genius himself, Shakespeare. They are quoted all the time, in different contexts, and, I'm sure, misquoted sometimes. The verb is such a short, insignificant sounding verb, but it is essential and weighty in meaning. Shakespeare wrote the sentence at the beginning of Hamlet's solliloquy, when he questions the meaning of life and the decisions we must make. What a fantastic piece of writing it is! Maybe, one day, I will treat you to the whole speech; I'll have to practice it quite a few times first. But, until then, we need to practice the little verb 'to be'. Isn't that a wonderful idea? Would it be necessary to practice if you knew it well? Probably not. But it will be necessary if you wish your English to be polished and natural. It wasn't always fun as a French and Spanish student to be chained to verb practice, but the teachers were undeterred. Verb practice is, was, and will be part of my life style. So, what do you think? Am I a sneaky teacher, fitting in the verb all over the place without you realizing? I'm assuming that you are all good students who love the verb 'to be', are you?
Beginners.
About half an hour away from where we live is the town of Leavenworth. It is a fairly small place, near very tall mountains and lots of forests. Nearby is a river called 'The Icicle' which is popular with tourists, kayakers, and campers. It is the perfect spot for a day trip. We chatted on the way, so the journey seemed short. When we got there, it was cold and dull, but the color of the shops and people walking about gave a cheerful appearance. We went into a restaurant that had exposed brick walls, large mirrors, and greenery everywhere. It was cozy and busy. Just right. We had a delicious meal of crepes filled with vegetables and a creamy sauce. The food disappeared quickly. And then it was time for dessert. My mother had creme brulee, and I had yet another crepe, but this time stuffed with banana, chocolate, and cream. I haven't eaten like that for a long time! What a treat, and what a lovely time I had with my mother. After lunch, we spent about an hour wandering around this touristic town. One of our favorite shops was a high quality gift shop that sold, amongst other things, German Cukoo clocks. They were very expensive, intricate, and they made a lovely, soft tick-tick noise. We didn't buy anything, but we had fun just window shopping.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to chat (reg.), to wander (reg.), to browse (reg.).
Useful expressions: the perfect spot, just right, what a treat, amongst other things, a cheerful appearance.
Advanced.
If you have ever been to Leavenworth, you would say that it is a fascinating creation. Let me explain what I mean when I say 'creation'. It was first established as a town around 1892. The Great Northern Railway had its headquarters there, and there was a large sawmill which was used for the logging industry. However, when the headquarters were moved to Wenatchee, the town suffered economically. People lost their jobs and left. The big turn around came in the 1960's when an initiative to reinvent the town was agreed upon. It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. The experiment worked; the buildings had facades put on them, and the tourists started to visit. It was a success. Now it receives hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. There are seasonal celebrations, like October-fest and the Christmas lighting ceremony, which bring in floods of tourists. There is even a Nutcracker museum which houses five thousand nutcrackers. What an amazing adventure it must have been to turn a run down town into a tourist attraction. The surrounding countryside gives it an authentic Bavarian feel, and even though the buildings are obviously not original, the town has the pull of a center of entertainment.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: established, headquarters, economically, industry, initiative, to reinvent, tourists, seasonal, countryside.
* It was to be transformed into a mock Bavarian town. Exs: Nobody knew it yet, but she was to be/ going to be crowned Queen in two years. Before he reached adolescence, he was to have all of his teeth extracted.
Beginners.
Black, red, green, light blue, silver, orange, swords, lazers, helmets, shields, flying machines, underwater vehicles. The list could go on. What do these words refer to? Bionicles. They are a type of lego. You can buy them in boxes to put together and admire. The idea is based on an advanced civilization in which are found good and bad creatures. There are a couple of films about them, and, of course books. There is even an encyclopedia of the bionicles and bionicle terms. It is really quite fascinating. I have a son who is crazy about them. He started building legos when he was very young, and has worked his way up to these guys. When he gets a lego set, he will build it immediately. But, then he takes it all to pieces and builds something different. I think he is very creative. Sometimes he will put all of his bionicle figures together in a row, his brothers will do the same, and they will have a huge battle. Who knows who will win? They all have super powers, special protection, extra senses and cool weapons. It is fantasy at its most powerful.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: lazers, helmets, shields, vehicles, creatures, encyclopedia, fascinating, pieces, a row, battle, powers.
Verbs: to take to pieces.
Exs: He took the train set to pieces. He was devastated; the critics had taken his work of art to pieces. (fig.)
Advanced.
"Ouch!" I yelped the other night as I was climbing the stairs. I had stepped on a hard piece of who-knows-what that was tough enough to not break underfoot. It was a familiar experience, and one that had been generated by my kids. It was the same kind of object that suddenly makes its presence known by clattering up the vacuum when I am trying to clean the carpet. Legos. Everybody loves them. My children are crazy about them, to the point of obsession. I suppose it's a healthy hobby, so I can't complain. There is a particular type of lego that is my oldest boy's prefered. Bionicles. This set of advanced, technologically savvy, mechanical beings, is what lights his candle and keeps him up at night. They are pretty impressive, I must admit. The two films are very inspiring: great special effects, a very bad baddy, and goodies who are flawed enough to be approachable. I tried to build Bionicles with my son once, just to be a good, involved mother, but after a few minutes he told me that he'd rather do it himself. It's obviously not my domaine or expertise. My job is to admire them, and, of course, remove them from my kitchen countertop, my lamps, and even the Christmas tree, after my son has waged his battles against the bad guys, but forgotten to put them back in his bedroom.
Advanced.
Verbs: to yelp (reg.), to generate (reg.), to clatter (reg.), to admit (reg. but double the t: admit, admitted, admitted).
Related vocabulary: to climb the stairs/ to go up stairs, who-knows-what, underfoot, special effects, approachable, domaine, expertise, countertop.
Beginners.
How are you feeling? Are you well? I hope you stay well for the rest of the year, but that is not likely, is it? We all get ill sometimes. Here in the United States, people use the word 'sick' to mean ill. That word in the UK means vomit, so it is important to know which word to use. It is wonderful to be healthy, to feel strong, to have energy to do lots of activities and to think clearly. However, when we are ill, which is common, it is certainly not wonderful. The common cold typically gives us symptoms like: a runny nose, a cough, and perhaps a temperature. The flu can make us feel even worse. Aches and pains, fatigue, headaches, and nausea are things we have to deal with. The best thing to do is to get good rest, sleep, and lots of fluids. It is a great thing that our body can fight illness very well. Sometimes, though, if we have an infection, we will need medicine. Antibiotics are useful at killing infection, but we should only take the minimum amount necessary. Too much will make them ineffective. So, eat your fruits and vegetables, sleep a lot, exercise, and stay well!
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: the rest of the..., unlikely/not likely, healthy, strong, energy, common, certainly, typically, even worse/better, the best thing to do is/ the worst thing to do is, however/though.
Related vocabulary: to be ill/ to be sick, the common cold, cough, runny nose, a temperature/fever, aches, pains, fatigue, nausea, sore throat (and other body parts) ex: he has a sore leg; I have a sore lip.
Advanced.
There is a famous film called 'Mary Poppins' in which a magical nanny sings a song called 'A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down'. I suppose she is right. Some medicines are downright ghastly. Thankfully, I don't have to take them very often, and even if I do, I don't. I'm not what you would call a pill-popper, a person who enjoys the drama of illness. For me, it's a complete waste of time. Mind you, illness has it's place, for sure. It can certainly make you stop and think. Being generally strong and healthy can make one feel invincible and in control, whereas a bout of sickness certainly makes one remember our fragility and mortality. But, right now, I don't want to be too morbid. In retrospect, illness, and everything related, can be quite funny. The other day I was in the walk-in-clinic waiting to see a doctor. I felt awful, and, as is usually the case, I had to wait for quite a while. Well, I had the opportunity to people watch. There was an old man with a terrible cough; I didn't sit near him. There was young man with a bad limp, obviously from a recent accident. And then, a person with his head almost completely bandaged up. He looked like he had escaped from a museum of Egypt. A poor lady rushed in crying, holding her wrapped, bloody finger up high. She had chopped the end of it off. Oooo! I certainly couldn't feel sorry for myself anymore. And what a sight we were! Gosh, it's nice to feel well again.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: Nanny, downright, ghastly, pill-popper, waste of time, invincible, awful, limp, recent, bandage, to wrap, to chop.
Verbs: to feel (feel, felt, felt),. Exs: He feels dizzy when he is up high. She felt ugly in her new dress. They felt it was unfair of the coach to not let them play on the team.
Expressions: Sunrise at the Taj Mahal is spectacular. What a sight!
She wore polka dots and I wore stripes; what a sight we were!
Beginners.
My children love Scooby-Do. I love Scooby-Do. In fact, I have not met a person who does not like it. The happy gang of friends consists of: Shaggy, Scooby, Wilma, Daphney, and Freddy. They travel around in the 'Mystery Machine' and get into scary escapades. During their adventures, they meet monsters, ghosts, and other creepy creatures who they must try and escape from. It's not too scary, most of the time. The villains always turn out to be people who are dressed up. At the end of each episode, one of the gang unmasks the bad guy. There is always a happy ending. I was a child in the '70's, so I also used to watch the series. And the style of that era is still seen in the dress and music of the famous five. Of course, there is a lot of humor. Shaggy and Scooby-Do are cowards who will only get involved in an investigation if they get 'Scooby snacks'. They eat enormous amounts of food whenever they can, even strangely combined foods, like chocolate covered corn on the cob! Scooby-Do is definitely a staple cartoon for my children. If they fight or are grumpy, I put one of the videos on, and suddenly, everyone is happy.
Grammar notes.
Verbs: To meet (meet, met, met), to try (try, tried, tried), to unmask (reg.), to eat (eat, ate, eaten), to fight (fight, fought, fought).
Related vocabulary: gang, mystery, escapade/adventure, episode, era, famous, to get involved, coward, investigation, staple.
Advanced.
So, what's new Scooby-Do? Have you come across any villains today, maybe a headless snow monster, or a slimey zombie called Creeper? No? Oh, so business is slow, huh? I heard that you solved a mystery last week. It made the headlines. The mayor of a small town decided to stimulate the economy by dressing up as a ghost and terrorizing the townsfolk. It worked. Tourism took a big leap. But a bunch of meddling kids uncovered the scoundrel; he was thrown in jail, and all the recent tourist business unraveled. I admire the skills of your group. You all seem to have the most amazing running abilities. When being chased by monsters, you very rarely get caught. And somehow, you find yourselves running through the longest hallways that I have ever seen. Fifteen doors, outside of each a small table with a plant pot, is the record, I think, that Shaggy and Scooby have run past, before they find an escape. Wow. You must eat a lot of carbohydrates to keep up that pace. Well, yes you do, don't you? I know of a few pharmaceutical companies that would love to bottle your light speed metabolisms. Well, if I hear of any hauntings or scary tourist booms, I'll give you a call.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: Villains, scoundrels, zombies, mummies, ghosts, mystery, headlines, unravel, ability, escape, carbohydrates, pharmaceutical, metabolism.
Verbs:To take a leap. Exs: He took a giant leap over the wall. The company's business took a big leap. She took a leap of faith and asked him to marry her.
To find oneself....Exs: I found myself alone, in the rain, with no transportation. They find themselves in great difficulty each time they use the car. He told me the end of the story; I would like to find it out for myself.
Beginners.
Art is all around us. There are many forms of art, such as paintings, sketches, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, stained glass windows, and even wood burning. Art is a personal thing, also. If somebody loves to grow flowers, their work in the garden could be considered art. Life without art would be very dull and quite strange. Think about never seeing pictures or photos in buildings. No statues, no water fountains, no interesting details. And what about fashion? You could say that fashion, hair styles, make-up etc are forms of art because they are personal tastes to do with color and shape. Music is a huge subject that is related to art. It makes you think, doesn't it? When someone is very good at being creative in some way, people say that he is "an artist". My recent visit to a bakery made me realize that baked goods can also be works of art. Let me know how art is important to you, my listeners. Drop me a comment or an E-mail, and I will share your thoughts in a future episode.
Grammar notes.
Could be considered: His language could be considered rude. His interview went well; he could be considered for the job.
Art vocabulary: paint, paint brush, shade, form, style, arts and crafts, exhibition, genre.
Advanced.
The other day, I found myself gazing at a painting, and enjoying the contact that my eyes were making with the work. Nothing more. Something about the arrangement of the colors and their differing tones, pleased a part of my brain, and had me not wanting to look away. That's how it is with art. In the deep recesses of our grey matter, just left of the hypocampus, is the art appreciation gland, better known as artemilikus. Every time a person is in contact with art that appeals to him or her, it is stimulated. Well, okay, I just made that one up. But, my point is, we humans can get transfixed by any kind of art without understanding why it is so satisfying and important. The picture on this post is the kind of art that I love. Impressionistic? Perhaps. Modern? Maybe. Well, I'm sure many influences have flowed into the mind of the artist, Majka Sadel, but the end result is that it just is. So, hmm, what do you think? Is it a river reflecting in the water? A busy street on a rainy day? It could be. Though its title is 'Cityscape', it could be, and conjure up, anything for any person.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: Arrangement, differing, recesses, appreciation, gland, impressionistic, influence, to be in contact.
Verbs: to gaze (reg.), to make (make, made, made), to flow (reg.), to conjure (up) (reg.).
Beginners.
The D'Anjou bakery is a special place to visit that is located quite close to Wenatchee. A quick drive on the highway, past the town of Cashmere, will take you to this place of delights. If you are not careful, you will miss the turn-off, so you need to keep your eyes peeled. I drove there the other day to meet a lady who works in the bakery. She is from France. I wanted to introduce myself, and practice a bit of french. We had a very pleasant conversation and exchanged phone numbers, but then she had to get back to work. I had some time to spare, so I bought three yummy pastries and a coffee. I sat down, relaxed, and looked around the room. It is similar to the inside of a log cabin. The style is relaxed, and reminds me of European cafes. People came and went as I drank my coffee; everyone seemed cheered by walking into the place. I don't eat much candy, but what I love to have instead is some free time, a good coffee, and a freshly baked pastry. There's nothing better!
Grammar notes.
Located: Spain is located South of France. The rescue team located the man. Scientists have located where the ship sunk.
Exchange: They exchanged glances; I think they like eachother. There is a student exchange program in our school.
To get back to: I had to get back to studying. I have to get back to the ironing. They had to get back to the hotel. * Multiple meanings - to return to/ to continue/ to dedicate oneself to.
Useful expressions:Quick (sometimes means short), keep your eyes peeled (ouch!), spare time (extra time).
Verbs: To drive (drive, drove, driven), to buy (buy, bought, bought), to come (come, came, come), to go (go, went, gone).
Advanced.
Atmosphere. What is it when you think in terms of a great place to be, where you feel comfortable, relaxed, interested, and inspired? Are you lucky enough to have anywhere like that close by? Well, I'm a lucky person. The D'Anjou bakery is a discovery, or, at least, feels like it. If olde worlde appeals to you, not over done I might add, but subtle and self explanatory, as olde worlde should be, then, you might just like it too. I'm an olde worlde gal myself. I miss, at times, the sense of rich, deep history in buildings around me. It's comforting. To walk down a street where history unravels itself at each step, and the buildings seem to tell their stories of people and events, places you in the middle of a story book that happens to be real. Newness and plastic can be quite repulsive. So, with these feelings in mind, I go to the D'Anjou bakery and smile. What can I say? It's a little fix. Good coffee brings people back, of course. Even when they vow to give the stuff up, they are helplessly hooked. And then there are the baked goods. When made with quality ingredients, easy on the sugar, liberal with the cream and butter, eating them is like absorbing a piece of fine art. But I have said too much. I've given away my vice. Bakery? What bakery?
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: in terms of, close by, at least, I might add, with this/ these....in mind, a vice.
Verbs: To absorb (reg.), to unravel (reg.), to appeal (reg.).
Useful vocabulary: inspired, olde worlde, subtle, self explanatory, events, newness, repulsive, a fix, fine art.
Beginners.
Are you musical? Which instrument do you play? There are so many to choose from: piano, flute, vioin, guitar, trumpet, drums and percussion instruments. I could go on and on. It can be fun to play an instrument, especially if you practice enough to become good at it. I started to play the violin last year. There are many pieces of music that I love which have main violin parts. Two of my favorites are Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings. I can lose myself in the music. I take a class once every two weeks. My teacher told me that it is important to practice every day. I try to, and when I do, I can see that I am improving. However, if I go for a week without practicing, my playing certainly does not improve. And if you play the violin badly, it sounds terrible. I suppose it is like all hobbies; you get better and better with practice. The hard work does pay off. My children are taking piano and guitar lessons, and we hope that next year, at Christmas time, we can all play carrols together. Perhaps we could play for my podcast listeners too.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: woodwind instruments, stringed instruments, percussion instruments, concert, piece of music, composer, to practice (reg. verb), hobby.
Questions: Are you musical? Is she sporty? Are they flexible? Are we ready? Is it necessary?
Future: We hope that next year we can (will be able to) play together. They think that, in three years, they can (will be able to) buy a house. *Will be able to is grammatically accurate, but 'can' is commonly used.
To go for (time) without: If I go for a week without practicing, my playing sounds terrible. We went for a month without milk. She had gone for several months without paying her bills.
Advanced.
When it comes to being musical, my family is just starting out. My children are signed up to take their first piano and guitar lessons, and I have been playing the violin for only a year. But, I suppose, it is never to late to start, especially if you are willing to put the time and the practice in. The violin is quite a complex instrument. Not only do you have to position your fingers correctly to create the notes, but the bow has to move just right to create the right tone. If you are uptight or badly positioned, it can sound horrendous. So, needless to say, practicing is one of our family's routines. Any time, after the kids come home from school, you can hear sounds of guitar, violin, or mini organ echoing through the house. And, believe me, it often doesn't sound good. Even the dog will move away to another room to get away from the racket. But, it is all good. With practice comes progress; progress leads to skill, and skill should sound good at some point or other. I'm trying to encourage my busy husband to take up an instrument also. He tried the violin when he was in Kindergarten, but after several months, his parents couldn't stand the squeaks and grinds any more, so he was obliged to stop. The poor guy, he could have become a great violinist. Mind you, being a parent myself, I know the value of some ear plugs. At this stage, I think I will be using them quite a lot.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: notes, bow, echo, squeaks, grinds, progress, skill, to stand (to not stand) something, to be willing, ear plugs.
Exs: I can't stand pork. She couldn't stand the noise. My parents can't stand their neighbors (neighbours).
'Racket' = colloquial British for bad noise.
Beginners.
Announcement: "The cold weather is back." Why would I say that in the middle of Winter? Surely, it has been cold since the beginning of the season? Well, not exactly. We had a break for about two weeks, when it stopped snowing and warmed up. How wonderful! I love the snow, but I do love to see the green grass again, and feel the warm sun on my skin. Yesterday, however, the real Winter weather returned. The air is moving down again from the North. It is icy. A tiny amount of snow fell during the day. Everything was cold and quiet again outside. Well, we went to bed, thinking nothing more about the weather. When we woke up it was freezing in the house. Our heater had broken down. Before the kids woke up, I built a fire in the fireplace, and my husband brought in an electric heater from the garage. That helped to warm the rooms so I could get the children off to school comfortably. I even turned the oven on for a short while to heat up the kitchen. It was, actually, a bit exciting, like we were camping. When things like that happen, it makes you appreciate electricity and how it makes life easy.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: announcement, not exactly, to warm up, tiny, freezing, to brake down, fireplace.
Verbs: to brake (brake, broke, broken), to wake up (wake, woke, woken).
* Would: Why would you say that? ( can mean "Why are you saying that?" or "Why did you say that?" ) Why would he spend all of the money in one store? I would run if I could. Would you pass me the salt, please?
Advanced.
I had a flash back this morning. I remembered my father's house in Scotland, and how he chooses to heat it. It is a two hundred year old building that used to house monks. The kitchen, as in many old farm houses, is central to the house. Though there are fireplaces in each room, the kitchen fireplace is active most of the day, and highly useful. Dad's routine in the morning is to get a fire going, using scrunched up newspapers, small bits of wood, and then logs. The heat quickly fills up the kitchen dining area. Then, the water tank, which is located somewhere above the fireplace on the second floor, heats up and provides plenty of warm water. Of course, my father and his wife have electrical heating and all the modern amenities, but they choose to have fire as a main heat source. Their previous house, in the South of England was the same, but two hundred years older. They renovated it, putting in radiators which were heated by the fireplace. It all worked really well. The reason I thought about this is because our electrical heating system broke down last night, and we don't have a backup. The house was very chilly this morning, so I lit a fire, turned on the oven, and got my children off to school quickly. How we take our amenities for granted! The ease of flicking a switch at a whim can make us lazy. Let's hope that the workmen get here soon...
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: a flash back, to house, central, fireplace, routine, to scrunch up, water tank, amenities, a heat/ light source, to renovate, a backup, chilly.
Verbs: To backup. We only have gas in our house, and no other backup. Why didn't you back me up in the argument?
To get .... going/ on. Let's get a fire going/on. She will get the dinner going/on as soon as she's ready. (Both colloquial British).
Beginners.
Are you scared of anything? Spiders, perhaps? Monster masks? Being high up on a cliff's edge? Most people are scared of something. I'm sure that if you think long enough, you will be able to name something that spooks you or gives you the 'creeps'. I know some people who do not like to be in small spaces or places where there are too many people. That is called claustrophobia. I thought of this word today because some workmen came to my house to work in the crawl space. The crawl space is an area under the house. It is so low that you cannot stand up in it. Often it is unfinished, so there is just hard earth on the floor, and the walls are unpainted, just concrete. Water pipes and electric cables can be found in a crawl space, so it is a useful place to have if you need to fix one of them. I felt really sorry for the three men who worked under our house; they did a fantastic job, but they had to do it on their backs. When they came out, they were really dirty and exhausted. They must be so happy when their work is finished.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: unfinished, unpainted, incomplete, exhausted, crawl, scare, spook, the creeps.
* 's Exs: Mary's car is being repaired. The children's bedroom is a mess. The people's voice has been heard. The Jones's have invited us to dinner.
Advanced.
Last Summer, I had the opportunity to go to Scotland with my two oldest boys for a family reunion. My father had rented a Landmark Trust property which happened to be a castle. My brother flew in from New Zealand, relatives came up from London, and we all met up at this remotely located, beachside, crumbly looking castle. Wow! What a place it was! It had a spiral, stone staircase, creaky wooden floors, and even turrets at the top. It had been built in the fifteen hundreds, but recently renovated to be very liveable. No phones, no television. Surrounded by a misty forest and overlooking the beach, you can imagine, it was the ideal place to catch up with eachother and to have adventures. One of the games that we loved to play was 'Sardines'. It is similar to hide and seek, but only one person hides and everybody else has to seek. As people find the hider, they stay quietly with him until only one person is left. Now, if any of our group happened to be claustrophobic, that person would have had a problem. The castle had false panels that led into secret rooms, nooks and crannies gallore, and even a real, small dungeon. We squeezed our way in together, trying not to giggle as our numbers grew. At times it was hard to breathe in those tight, dark places. It was no problem for the spiders whose webs were often left on our hair. I could go on, but I don't want to give you the creeps.....
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: spiral, staircase, false panels, nooks and crannies, tight, overlooking, remote, turrets, reunion, opportunity.
Subjunctive: If anyone is claustrophobic, he won't appreciate the small plane. If was claustrophobic, he wouldn't have appreciated the small plane.
Beginners.
Well, I can't believe that it is that time of year again. How sad. It is time to take down all of the Christmas decorations and to put them away in boxes. Usually, people do that a few days after Christmas, around the first week in January. But, I love decorations. Some of my friends laugh at me because we have five Christmas trees. Nearly everywhere you go in our house, you can find a tree. But now, even I realize* that it is time to put away the trees, the ornaments, the lights, and the extra bits and pieces that I have all over the house. Outside is different, though. The lights that I have put on the pine trees have to stay for a while. My reason, well, Winter is dark, and sometimes gloomy. So, why not have some pretty lights outside to make the neighborhood look cheerful throughout the Winter? For now, though, it is time to get out the packing boxes, fill them up, and put them in storage where they can sit quietly for another year.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: Though = however/ but. Very useful addition to a sentence. Inside/ outside, gloomy, storage, packing boxes.
Realize = realise in British english.
Advanced.
The thought of putting away something beautiful and not seeing it for a whole year isn't really appealing to me, especially when the days are short and often gloomy. If I were a disciplined person who followed tradition, there would be no Christmas decorations in the house because they would have been put away straight after New Year's Day. What can I say? I have a penchant for anything that smacks of Noel. Yes it is true, once I kept the decorations up until April. Yes, it is also true that we have not one Christmas tree but five. And yes, once, when I was teaching High School, I kept a miniature Christmas tree up in my classroom until June....say no more; I obviously have a problem. Anyway, this year, one of my resolutions is to put my family's concerns about my sanity to rest, and get the decorations put away before February. I have scattered evidence of my new way of thinking all over the house: storage boxes. No, they are not filled yet, but their presence shows my willingness to get on with the job. Us addicts need to take baby steps. I will get there eventually. I'm sure that ninety nine percent of the stuff will be packed and stored away within a couple of weeks. The one percent? Um.....perhaps I'll indulge myself with a tiny trinket still in the house until, say, July......
Grammar notes.
Subjunctive: If I were a disciplined person, I would have..... Exs: If I were President, I would improve education. If he was more considerate, he would probably have more friends. If they weren't so expensive, we could buy them for the children for Christmas.
Vocabulary: trinket, eventually, addict, willingness, sanity, concern, miniature, concern, to appeal, penchant.
Beginners.
Today was a very special day here in the U.S. Do you know what the special occasion was? It was the inauguration of the 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama. It is a time of excitement. Everybody wants to see changes. We all wonder what Obama will do. Will he change the politics in Washington? Will the economy improve? Who knows? Time will tell. The inaugural ceremony is an important tradition. It is a huge celebration; a time to welcome the new President and to say goodbye to the previous one. Do you think that George W. Bush is sad to leave the Oval office and to retire? Perhaps. I think that it must be a relief to retire after being in such an important position for eight years. Phew! It makes me feel tired just thinking about it!
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: inauguration, ceremony, celebration, to retire, the President, politics.
Questions: Do you know what the special occasion was? Exs: Do they know what the problem with the car was? Why don't you tell me what the problem is?
Do you think that he is sad? Do you think I look fat in this dress? Don't you think (that) it is time to go? * the word 'that' is optional.
Advanced.
Yesterday and today were auspicious and significant days for U.S. history. Yesterday was Martin Luther King day. It is a national holiday to celebrate that great civil rights leader who forged a deeper, more equitable national conscience about civil justice. And today was the inauguration of Barack Obama. What a tremendous ceremony and celebration it was. Talk about expectation and hope becoming almost physical as the event took place. High hopes have been placed on the shoulders of the new President. But, does he represent more than racial progress in this country? One would hope so. The economy needs to turn around before too many become unemployed. Is this achievable in one term of office? Obama said throughout his presidential campaign that it would take years to correct the underlying errors of government that have led to this financial crisis. This seems to be the main concern; it is uppermost on people's minds. The health service and national security are also huge issues that will be dealt with. I cannot even begin to imagine how taxing and exhausting the job of President must be, especially if you are a person of conscience. How could you detatch yourself sufficiently from work to remain sane, yet remain in-touch and sensitive enough to be an effective change maker? There is no doubt that Obama faces huge challenges, but hopefully he has the strength of character needed to meet those challenges honestly.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: auspicious, significant, equitable, conscience, achievable, underlying errors, uppermost, issue, sensitive, in-touch, exhausting.
Beginners.
Some people say that the weather is changing all over the world. Do you believe that? What do you think? I'm not sure if it is true, but sometimes the local weather does something unusual. Here in Wenatchee, the weather is normally very regular: very hot Summers, very cold, snowy Winters, and short warm Springs and Autumns. No shocks, no surprises. Well, this year has been a little different. A couple of weeks ago, a warm wind blew up from Hawaii. It blew all night. For twenty-four hours, all you could hear was the woosh of the wind and 'drip, drip, drip' of melting snow. The grass and bushes are green again, and we have had no new snow. Instead, a thick fog has appeared. For some days it has been so thick that the traffic has had to move very slowly. It is quite a change for this town; everybody is talking about it. My dog is happy because she can go for walks without getting icy paws. It is a relief for local pets, but you drivers be careful!
Grammar notes.
Questions: Do you believe that/ this? Exs: Can you believe it? Don't you believe me?
Verbs: This year has been very different. Exs: This year has been the best so far for the corn harvest. She has been ill for three months. All the castles in France have been renovated.
To have to. Exs: I have to study more. I had to clean the kitchen last night. You will have to wait. They had to practice for the concert all year. We have had to fix the floor several times.
Useful vocab and expressions: people say that, normally, a couple of, instead, it's a relief, be careful!
Advanced.
Having lived in London, I am quite used to fog. Please don't think that it is always foggy, though. There are plenty of days when the air is perfectly clear and sunny. Also, because it rains often in England, the air after the rain is quite clear. Because England was a large producer of coal, it was burned in every city. The mixture of smoke and fog would make what is called 'smog' or 'pea soup'. In 1956, however, a Clean Air Act was passed which prohibited the burning of coal in public areas. Consequently, London's air is much cleaner. Also the buildings have been cleaned of the dark residue that had been left by the coal smoke. I have been to some countries where there is still smog in certain cities: Los Angeles has bad smog, and so does Mexico City. Fog, on the other hand, is not a health threat. It is simply another type of precipitation. Actually, I think that it is a beautiful phenomena. It certainly conjures up ideas of mystery and romance. Perhaps that is why so many great writers and poets have come from England.....
Grammar notes.
Verbs: Having + past participle. Exs: Having lived in Dubai, she has a great understanding of Arabic culture. Having found the fossil, they preceeded to clean and examine it.
Useful expressions: consequently, a phenomena, another type/kind of, to conjure up, coal, smog, precipitation, fog/ foggy.
Beginners.
The U.S. is definitely a shopping culture. There are so many things to buy, and so many advertisements on television that it is hard to not buy. Unfortunately, my children see the advertisements on television, and think that they need all of the toys. "You have plenty of toys," I say to them all the time. They have toys in their bedrooms, in the lounge, and even in the kitchen. But still they think that they need more toys. For Christmas, Domini, my daughter, got a huge, mechanical dog called Biscuit. She had begged me for it. Well, perhaps it wasn't a good idea. The toy is amazing, though. It makes all kinds of noises; it sits and lies down, moves its paws and tail, and even pants. However, Biscuit's magic must have disappeared because the kids don't play with it at all. They did for two or three days. Now it is in a corner with other unwanted toys. Perhaps I should wrap it up and save it for another child's birthday.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: It is hard to (not) .... exs. It is hard to say "no"; it is hard to not laugh; it is hard to drive at night; it is hard to not get angry.
Perhaps it wasn't the best idea. More exs. Perhaps, it was for the best. Perhaps it wasn't the right time. Perhaps it was a mistake.
Verbs: To beg (reg); to buy (buy, bought, bought); to wrap (reg); to save (reg).
Advanced.
Do you ever regret having bought something? In retrospect, I have a mental history of objects that I acquired at some stage, usually with enthusiasm, only to wish later that I had never bought them. Yard sale finds are definite objects of guilt. When I first discovered the practice of yard saling, it became an indulgence, and soon the bric-a-brac, or "junk" as my husband calls it, started piling up at home. "Oh, but this is sooo useful," I would say, after spending a few dollars on a wobbly coffee table. "I just need to fix the legs and give it a lick of paint..." The fate of the coffee table was, of course, to be resold in my own yard sale a year later. It wasn't always the case, though. A few items have been put to good use...I actually can't remember which ones at this moment, but I'm sure there are some somewhere in the house. The latest 'oops' of comercialism in this family was the buying of Biscuit, the giant, mechanical dog. It does everything apart from making the tea and driving the kids to school, and of course it is fluffy. My older kids told me that it's a bit scary, sort of crazy and robotic. Either way, it is sitting in a lonely corner with the other unwanted toys that cost too much. Do you think that I could accidentally, on purpose, make it disappear? Maybe Ebay is the solution....
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to regret (reg); to acquire (reg); to discover (reg); to become (become, became, become); to give (give, gave, given); to cost (cost, cost, cost).
Useful expressions: To regret having done something. Exs. I regret having trusted him. She regretted visiting the cemetery at night.
At some stage = once, once upon a time, at a time in the past or future.
The practice of... exs. They devote themselves to the practice of prayer. They are famous for their practice of mud slinging.
A few items = a few things.
It's slightly/ a bit/ a little scary/ dark/ noisy/ rusty etc.
Beginners.
Snow keeps us busy. It needs to be moved and removed. If it is not moved, life becomes difficult. Cars, trucks and buses have difficulty driving along the streets and up the hills if there is too much snow. Around our house the snow builds up higher and higher. A few nights ago it snowed all night. It was silent, beautiful, and non-stop. When we woke up in the morning, we were quite surprised at the height of the white stuff. We felt surrounded. After my children went to school, I got out the snow blower to clear the driveway. Usually my husband does that. But, it really needed to be done. I carefully read the instructions and started up the motor. It was noisy, but fast and effective. The whole thing took me about one hour. When I had almost finished, I saw something infront of me. It was a deer. It was very close and looked quite calm. It was a female. It walked past and looked at me. Then it went on its way. What a beautiful surprise on a snowy day.
Grammar notes.
Regular verbs: to remove, to build (up), to snow, to clear, to finish, to look.
Irregular verbs: to have, to become, to wake up, to feel, to do, to take, to go.
Useful vocabulary: busy, difficult, up hill, higher, a few, snow blower, driveway, fast and effective.
Advanced.
Because the snowy Winter lasts for about four months here, animals who normally live in the surrounding mountains come down into town to find food. Food is scarce up in the hills for animals like the deer. It is plentiful for them, however, in the town. Hedges, bushes and other plants provide all the meals they need for the Winter, plus they have sheltered, wind-free gardens to bed down in. Us gardeners are generally not too happy about our prized plants being gobbled by these night time eaters, but, that's just how it is. Generations of deer have come and gone through this town. They are so plentiful that they actually become a nuissance. As we drive through the snowy neighborhoods, we have to keep a careful watch for deer families crossing the roads. Often, a little one will be found bounding along a side walk or hesitating right in the middle of the road. The other day, while I was snow blowing our driveway, a doe calmly walked right past me. She completely took me by surprise. She looked as comfortable in the neighborhood as I feel. Off she went, without even checking over her shoulder to see if I was following or could cause a threat. She knew better. I was the one caught off guard. Another magical occurance that comes with the season.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: snowy, normally, surrounding, scarce, plentiful, sheltered, a nuissance, a doe, a buck.
Verb expressions: to bed down (reg), to be scarce (irreg), to gobble (reg), to keep watch (reg), to bound along (reg), to take by surprise (irreg), to know better (irreg).
Beginners.
We keep busy in the Winter. We play in the snow and do sports, but there are other things to do inside the house. Because we live in an older home, there are projects to do. These are small changes that need to be made to the house. Why do we do these things? Well, for improvement, of course; to improve the house and how everything works. My husband's project this Winter is to move the laundry room from downstairs to the upstairs. It sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, there is alot involved. For it to be a success, we need the help of an electrician and a plumber. The electrician works with the wiring and electricity. A plumber works with all of the water pipes. The new laundry room will be where three closets were. And a mud room will be where the old laundry room was. It will take, perhaps, two weeks, and then, hey presto, it will be ready. It will make life quite a bit easier for me, so when it is finished I will definitely celebrate.
Grammar notes.
Comparative adjectives: old, older, oldest.
Verbs: to do. Exs: Why do we do these things? Why did you do that? When will they make dinner?
Useful vocabulary: to be a success; wiring (wires); plumbing; laundry room; closets; hey presto.
Advanced
When you buy an old house, it is often necessary to do some renovating. That is the case with our house. By European standards, what I'm used to, this house is not old at all. It is thirty years old. However, in this part of the world, the houses are made mainly out of wood, and so it is easy to knock down walls and have a bit of necessary mess for the goal of having a more efficient house. My husband enlisted himself to " get it done", and has been at it for several days now. It started out with all sorts of banging and crashing, followed the next day by loud electric saw noises, more banging, and then loads of dust. I was impressed. I like a bit of destruction every now and then, as long as it is controlled. Well, the project is taking place. Walls have come down, and new ones have gone up in different places. My youngest boy helped to pull down some of the sheet rock, which made him feel very manly and useful. So what will be the end product? A new laundry room. I know, it doesn't sound very exciting, does it. But for me, a domestic goddess, it is a must, a more efficient place where the necessary evil of laundry will take place.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to renovate; that is the case with ....; a goal; efficiency; to enlist oneself (eg in the army); loads of......; an electric saw; ...........is taking place; necessary evil.
Exs: He enlisted himself in the navy two years ago.
A wedding is taking place in the hotel.
Good education leads to good jobs; that has been the case with all of my children.
Beginners.
In this part of the world, we need to heat our house for three quarters of the year: Winter, Spring, and Fall. Of course, now is the time of year when the freezing temperatures outside make us turn up the heat inside. It is so nice to get cozy, and there are so many different ways. Sometimes we light a fire, sometimes we put on woolly clothes, and other times we snuggle up together. The other day I walked into the kitchen where our puppy spends a lot of time. I found her lying on her bed with a best friend. Both of them were wrapped in a cozy blanket. They looked like two puppies, and the one I know best was asleep. It was a cute picture, so I took a photograph. After playing outside in the icy weather, you warm up and feel sleepy. Shh, don't wake up the puppies.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: a quarter, a half, three quarters; to turn up the heat; wool, cotton, silk, nylon, fleece (all common materials); to wrap (presents/ oneself in clothes).
Advanced.
What expressions do you have for cuteness? Every language that I have come across has words to express that idea. In England we use the words sweet, cute, dear, and I'm sure many others, regionally, that I am not aware of. Here, we say cute, precious, and darling. Well, we can all think of occasions when they are used. Winter time, for a few reasons, generates scenes of cuteness on a regular basis. Snow clothes bundling little children up can make them look cute. Christmas colors, decorations, and parties, can all show cuteness off to a full extent. One day recently, after the children had come in from playing in the snow, my daughter wrapped herself up in a blanket and laid down with her best friend, our puppy. As warmth was generated she quickly slipped into la-la land, and without realizing, created a wonderful photo opportunity. Most of the time they are both running around, making noise, and getting into mischief. But this occasion was a golden one. When dogs and children are quiet and still, it is a momentary gift.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: locally, regionally, nationally, internationally; to be aware of..; to generate; to a full extent; recently; la-la-land; a photo opportunity; mischief ( to get into/ to create).
Beginners.
This is a busy time in the US for many people, especially for those who celebrate Christmas. It is a time for buying, buying, and buying. After we have bought or received presents, we realize that our homes will have more stuff in them. Do we need all of this stuff? Will the children play with their new toys for more than a week? How about selling somethings? There is a buy and sell website called Craig's list where you can sell all kinds of things. A friend of mine told me about it. She sold many things. She even sold a broken sofa! " You can sell anything on Craig's list," she said to me. So, I tried it. I took a photo of a tv, a microwave, and a pair of roller blades. A few days later I had sold the first two things. I couldn't believe it. That was fast. I am still waiting to sell the roller blades, though. You are not interested, are you?
Grammar notes.
Verbs: to buy - we buy, we bought, we have bought, we had bought.
To receive - we receive, we received, we have received, we had received.
To need - do we need this stuff? Do you need all of this?
To sell - she sells, she sold, she had sold, she was selling.
Advanced.
What do you do with your spare things? After you have outgrown certain objects, after they have served their purpose, where do they go? In this country, if you don't want to throw the object away, you have a few other options. You can give the item to one of many charitable shops, such as Goodwill, or the Salvation Army, where they will be sold inexpensively to whoever is not too fussy about buying second-hand goods. Another thing that a lot of people do here is to have a yard sale. Yard, here, means garden in England. And so a yard sale is an informal sale of household, garden, sporting, and craft goods. Usually they are laid out on tables, the clothes hang from racks, and miscelaneous objects are here and there in boxes or propped up against the walls. Treasures can be found, actually, but you must be willing to search and be patient. Hosting a yard sale requires some work and forethought. Sometimes it is worth it, if you advertise sufficiently. I have been to some yard sales where I have been able to load the car up with wonderful finds. At other times, I have walked away empty handed and disappointed. Craig's list is now very popular, and in many ways, easier than having a yard sale. I have already managed to sell a few unwanted things from my home, and so, I've caught the bug. The roller blades that some friends gave me are still hanging around; nobody seems to want them. Perhaps if I take a super attractive photo and ask for just a few bucks, I will some day be able to sell them. There must be somebody out there somewhere who desperately wants them......insn't there?
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to outgrow, charitable, second-hand, yard sale, forethought, treasure, unwanted, to catch the bug, to hang around, a few bucks.
Beginners.
White, white, white, that is mostly what I see these days. But, it is a beautiful white. It is a white that covers everything outside: houses, cars, streets, trees, even the thinnest sign posts. It is a white that brings quiet with it. Snow is, of course, like a blanket; it covers and it quietens. Now, in the morning, instead of hearing the busy 'swush' of cars and buses going to work and school, we hear nothing. Even the snow plough is quite quiet, until it lowers its plow and scrapes along the icy road. The big white blanket also brings entertainment with it, lots of entertainment. You can ski, sled, or just goof around in the snow. The children bundle up in lots of warm clothes for play time; if they don't, they will pay for it later with icy toes, fingers and ears.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: sign post; to quieten = to make quiet; instead of; snow plough; to scrape; entertainment = activities that are enjoyable.
Advanced.
There is a bird house just outside our kitchen window which sits, pretty as a picture all year long, reflecting the changing seasons. In Spring, it is a flurry of activity, with noisy, twittery birds who seem like complete maniacs in constant motion. And, oh, the noise! For a light sleeper, like myself, it is a challenge to control myself enough to not pull out the bird house just to get some peace and quiet. Mind you, whenever I am tempted to get rid of the thing, I see what a haven it is for our beautiful, dainty feathered friends. I couldn't possibly! Well, the babies grow, learn to fly, and leave the nest, and before you know it, the house is empty again. As the seasons change, many of the species of birds that live here, fly South for warmer climates. A few stay and brave the long Winter. They are adept at finding just the right spots for building nests and finding food. We help them along by putting seeds out for them, but I think that they would probably manage by themselves. As the snow quietly covers everything day after day, the little house gets more and more insulated. I think it will be a part of our garden for years to come.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: a flurry = lots of activity; twittery = noisy bird chirping; maniac = crazy; a haven = a place of refuge; dainty = delicate; to brave something = to put up with (especially weather).
Verbs: to be able: I couldn't possibly!
Ex: Have some more cake. Oh, I couldn't possibly.
To be adept at something = to be very good at something.
Beginners.
This morning was an ordinary morning. I woke the kids up. "Wakey, wakey," I said gently to them, as usual. I brought the two youngest their breakfast drink that they like to drink in bed. They are spoilt, I know. The oldest two get themselves up and ready. They make their lunches, get their backpacks, play a little with the dog, and then it's time to get in the car. Today was a bit different, though. The car didn't start. Uh-oh! What had happened? Maybe a light had been left on last night, so the battery had no power. Well, I found the battery charger, hooked it to the battery, and plugged it in. We waited, waited, and waited. Finally, there was enough power to go. I called the schools to say why we were late. No big deal! The kids had extra time to play and to watch Tom and Jerry. Sometimes plans must change.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: ordinary, gently, as usual, to spoil, to get ready, though, battery, to charge, to hook something onto something, to plug in.
Verbs: to wake (up) (wake, woke, woken); to bring (bring, brought, brought); to find (find, found, found).
To happen. Exs: What's happening? What happened? What had happened?
Advanced.
Sometimes mornings are quite smooth in our household, but at other times, there are surprises or 'bumps in the road'. This morning was one of the bumpy ones. Everything had started out normally: wake up the kids, get their breakfast, find their shoes and coats etc etc. The dog was on her best behavior, - no accidents anywhere, and no chewing things that shouldn't be chewed. Everyone was in a good mood as well, which is a great plus on a school day. We got in the car, as usual, I turned the key, as usual, and ...silence. Not even a click, click. Uh-oh, a flat battery. Well, that wasn't in my plan for this morning. Okay, what should I do? In the garage is a battery charger that you can plug into a socket. Perfect. I carefully, very carefully, hooked everything up, responsibly avoiding electrocution, and waited. Gosh, each time I tried to start the car I only got a happy little click, click, click. So, I called the schools to explain our delay. I did some laundry. I even did this podcast. The kids didn't mind hanging out at home a bit longer; they played with the dog and with the Wii. Well, finally, the battery was charged. We were saved. We had regained our connection to the world. Hurray! So, off to school with no excuses.
Grammar notes.
Words to remember: household, to be on one's best behavior, a flat battery, a charger, a socket, a plug, laundry, bumps in the road, a change of plans.
Verbs: What should I do? What should be done? What would you do in my situation.