Beginners.
It's that time of year again. I find myself rushing around with lists of things to do. I need to get the Christmas cards written and sent out to my list of friends and family. This year, we decided to send a family photo, which is what a lot of people do in this area. The photo is sometimes a Winter scene of the family next to some trees covered with snow. Or, you might get a family holiday picture that was taken in the Summer. These types of Christmas photos can be designed and printed very easily in places like Walmart. Well, there is a Walmart just around the corner from us, so I find myself there every two or three days. I went there yesterday to get the Christmas cards done. I took a little, plastic device called a 'Cruzer' which stores pictures or other information from your computer. I went to the photo area of the store and waited in line to use one of the machines. I must say, these machines are very cool. You can plug in one of many different storage devices, and print out photos, documents, calendars, key chains, and even permanent stickers for your cups. If you want to give Grandma a coffee mug with a picture of her grandchildren on it, then, that is the machine that you need to use. The lady in front of me finished and I touched the screen to start the process, putting in the Cruzer at the same time. I waited, and waited, and waited. Nothing happened. I examined the Cruzer and realized that it's edges were too big. The part of it that inserts could not go in properly. Hmmm. My only option was to buy another storage device.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary and expressions: a scene, a device, to find oneself...
Exs:
The artist's new picture was a Western scene of cowboys and horses.
The calculator is such a useful device. I can add up my expenses so quickly!
I find myself dreaming of a beach holiday quite often.
They found themselves lost in the cave and without a flashlight.
He found himself locked out of his house.
Advanced.
Okay, so I needed to buy another small storage device so I could download my photos onto it, go back to Walmart, and upload them into the printing machine. At least I was in the right place to buy a storage device. I either needed to buy something similar to a Cruzer, which is, wait for this, a flash memory data storage with a USB interface, or, more simply, a USB flash drive. Or, I could opt for a memory chip. So, I bought the latter. Gosh, I really need to learn more about computers; the vocabulary seems to be from another planet! Let's just look at the USB flash drive and try to understand it's title. USB is short for Universal Serial Bus; it is the standard connection between a computer and other devices, such as a mouse, or a digital camera. Okay, so what does flash memory mean? It means computer storage that you can erase and reprogram. It replaces a floppy disc, which, as you probably remember, was a disc just like a CD. Flash drives are tiny and can be carried conveniently, even in your pocket. I came back to Walmart after downloading my pictures, and slipped the memory chip into the machine without any problems. I scanned through the photos, chose the one I wanted, added a Christmas message, and printed out thirty of them. Simple! The next time I will know which storage device to use.
Grammar notes.
Practice of computer vocabulary:
Exs:
I uploaded my photos and documents onto the website; now everyone can see them.
I downloaded a new photo editing program from the internet for free.
We don't use floppy discs anymore; we use flash drives.
My computer is full of viruses; I need to buy an antivirus software.
My computer's hard drive has lots of space for programs and games of all sorts.
Beginners.
This morning, I went into the kitchen and checked the outside thermometer; it was two degrees. Two degrees! Now that is cold! I made my coffee and looked out of the window. It was still dark, dark and freezing. It's a good job I have my coffee; otherwise I would stay in bed. But there are bright and pretty parts to Winter, even on a dark morning. As I walked around our quiet house, I saw our Christmas lights outside that twinkled all different colours/colors. I went into the lounge and plugged in the Christmas tree. I smiled to see all of its pretty details. As I walked past the stairs I looked up at the wreath that I put up yesterday. It is a length of artificial greenery, that goes all the way up the stairs. Every three feet or so, there is a red bow. Then, I realized that there were faces smiling at me. Lots of them. All up the stairs, in between the wood of the banister, are snowmen and Christmas bears, all looking out with big smiles. I collect them. Some of them are a few years old, and some are quite new. They are all different sizes and shapes, colors/colours and textures, but they are all cuddly and cute. I tell people that I decorate the house for the children because they love it, but of course, I do it for myself as well. I'm a child at heart.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: wreath, banister, to twinkle, otherwise.
Exs:
That lady makes wreaths for every season, but her Christmas wreaths are quite spectacular.
Hold onto the banister; the stairs are slippery.
We looked out over the cityscape and watched the lights twinkle.
Use an oven mitt, otherwise you might burn yourself.
Advanced.
My yearly tradition of buying Christmas soft toys leads me to a place called Goodwill. It is a second hand shop that sells everything from clothes to televisions, furniture to ornaments. It has a large stock of the toys I look for. There is usuallly a huge wire box full of snowmen and bears, so you have to dig in and rummage through them until you find what you want. Each year, I buy two or three because, invariably, a snowman will get lost, and a couple will break. That is usually the result of my kids using them as footballs... It's a great place to shop if you want to save money. I have often bought Winter snow clothes for my children, such as boots, hats, gloves, and even snow pants in Goodwill, as well as other items during the year. Instead of spending two to three hundred dollars on their clothes for the season, I will spend only about fifty. Now that is a good deal! And, believe me, I don't buy the rubbish either. If you are willing to spend some time looking and searching, you can find clothes that are 'next to new' which means barely used. But yesterday when I went there, I wasn't looking for clothes; I was on a mission to find Christmas bears. After rummaging around for a few minutes in this huge box, I found four perfect individuals: two lady bears with pretty dresses, one tiny snowman, and a little, brown bear with a sweater and a hat who looked like he needed a good home. So, I brought them home, cleaned them, and put them up on the stairs where they will be for many Chrismases to come.
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: to rummage (around), rubbish/ garbage, next to new.
Exs:
At these sales, you really have to rummage around to find anything good.
I thought the film was rubbish; really, I was very disappointed.
The car isn't brand new, but it is next to new.
Beginners.
I took a trip to Seattle last week for an appointment, and to do some shopping. I had arranged for my mother to pick up my kids from school, and stay with them until my husband got home from work. So, I was free for the day. Luckily, we have no snow yet, so the towns and highways are still clear and dry. Driving from here to Seattle takes about three hours, so, there and back, you are on the road for six hours. It sounds crazy to drive six hours for a brief visit. Mind you, Seattle is a beautiful city with everything imaginable available. There are many products and facilities that you just can't get in a small, rural town, so sometimes a trip to the big city is necessary. I don't go there as often as I would like, so I decided to treat myself to a day away. Another good thing about taking that road trip is the scenery. It is breathtaking. Most of the journey between Wenatchee and Seattle is through forest. You must go over one of the mountain passes that take you through the Cascade Mountain Range, and then you drop down towards sea level where you find the city. I am not used to driving in busy Seattle traffic. You have to be alert and keep your eyes peeled. Ironically, in the middle of the busiest traffic, two of my sons called me from their school, "Mum, I forgot to bring my homework to class. Can you bring it in?" and "Mum, we're low on lunch money. Could you come in a bring a check?" Sorry boys, Mum is unavailable, she's taking the day off, she is out of the office!
Grammar notes.
Vocabulary: an appointment, to arrange, available, to keep one's eyes peeled.
Exs:
I have three appointments today, one with the doctor, one with the dentist, and one with a chiropractor.
I arranged a get together with some friends. We had lunch and did some flower arrangements.
The receptionist told me that the boss is unavailable right now; he's in a meeting.
Keep your eyes peeled; if we're lucky, we'll see a deer or two in the field.
Advanced.
I had a great time in Seattle. I did some shopping in one of my favorite stores, an international import store that carries typical English foods: baked beans, digestive biscuits, and lots of different chocolates. It makes me feel connected with England when I go there, and when I get home, my children always look curiously in the bag at the products that their mum used to eat as a child. Well, I unfortunately, shopped for too long, and so, was late for my appointment. But the day was perfect for this time of year. Seattle, as you probably know is very, very rainy. But this day was perfectly clear, sunny, and the views of the Olympian mountains was spectacular. My day came quickly to an end and I headed home. I had to go East, back through the Cascades. In a town called Cle-Elum, I decided to stop, stretch my legs, and have a bite to eat. I went to the Cottage Cafe. It is a local favorite. It is a combination of casual restaurant, cafe, and truck stop. It has low ceilings, wood everywhere, and the smell of fresh food and coffee. I ordered a 'chop chop' salad which had a bit of everything in it. Typically, it was huge; I couldn't finish it. But I was satisfied. I warmed myself up with a cup of coffee and chatted a little with the waitress. "It is always really clean in here," I said, remembering the times I had been there before and thought the same thing. "Thankyou, we try our best," she said while wiping down the glass of a pie display. It was a cosy stop for me. The hum of conversation, the wood cabin feel, the cleanliness, and the good food, had all made me feel at home. I noticed two wooded plaques on the wall. One said, "Freshly baked pies," and the other said, "Home cook'n". Yes, this place is definitely a good American road-side restaurant.
Grammar notes.
Western American slang: Home cook'n, shoot, yep and nope in one word answers, gee's, to talk someone's leg off:
Exs:
She sure does some good home cook'n.
Shoot, I just broke the last light bulb!
"Do you like beans?" Answer: "Nope!" "Yep!"
Turn the music down! Gee's, I can't hear myself think!
I ran into my neighbor at the store, and she talked my leg off for about an hour!