Drive throughs are part of daily life here in the U.S. It all started with fast food, but now, there are drive throughs for all kinds of products, even medicine. Some pharmacies have the available option of a drive through medicine pick up for those who are in a hurry. It is convenient, especially if you have little children in the car. It is so much easier than getting everyone out of the car, keeping them quiet inside the store, and then getting back in the car. But, in the past few years, a different kind of drive through has come to Wenatchee. It's coffee. The daily drug is available sooner than before because of drive through coffee stands all over town. Some established cafes also have a drive through at the back or side of the building. One such place is The Coffee Cabin. As its name suggests, its style is western. In fact, it is just like a log cabin. The inside is very woodsy, with a big stone fireplace, and the furniture is chunky and also made out of wood . On chilly days, they have a fire in the fireplace; people order their coffees and sit around and play chess, read, or chat. Internet access is available, and there are also indoor and outdoor play areas for children. Considering all the elements of this business, it meets most people's needs. There are often two or three full-time employees making coffee and handing out bagels or muffins; they will take turns dealing with the inside customers and then the outside, drive through customers. There is always a special of the day which is some kind of flavored(oured) coffee, very popular amongst Americans. In most cafes in town, you will find about twenty flavored(oured) syrups next to the espresso machine, anything from raspberry to sugar-free mint. Curious, in my opinion, but just what works for most Americans.

Grammar notes.


Related vocabulary: drive through, available, established, chunky, chess.

1. I waited at the drive through for ages; the person in front of me had placed a huge order.

2. That dress is not available in red, only blue or black.

3. The business was established over a hundred years ago.

4. Do I look chunky in these jeans?

5. He was a whizz at chess. My goodness, he could beat everybody!

My family has adopted a new, night time routine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It's one that is an obsession in this country. We watch American Idol. You have probably heard about it. It is a reality television show which is based around a competition to find the next, big singing star. It was created by Simon Cowell, a British music executive producer, who started a similar reality series in England called Pop Idol. The American version has now become one of the most viewed series ever in this country. It is quite addicting to watch because, as a viewer, you become a judge, and even have some say in who eventually wins. In the first few weeks, a panel of judges travels to several major(our) cities and views large numbers of people who have signed up for the competition. There is a vote taken after each performance, which drastically reduces the number of singers that can go into the next round. This continues until there are about 25 people left. Then, after each performance, the public votes, either by phone or text. The program(me) is quite funny in the beginning weeks, as lots of people who actually can't sing do try out. The responses of judges add to the humor(our). However, the last few weeks become quite emotional as the pressure increases and more and more people get voted off. The series gives the viewers a look into the lives of the contestants, their hopes and their struggles, so we become emotionally involved with them as individuals. Opinions fly around the house as to who should win and who shouldn't. You can guarantee that we will be glued to the television a couple of times a week for the next few weeks, until a winner is chosen.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: reality tv, viewer, a panel of judges, a round.

1. One of the trends in television is reality tv.

2. Apparently, this program has millions of daily viewers.

3. The panel of judges gave the ice skater a low mark.

4. Let's play another round of golf.  OR  Buy us a round of beers, would you?  OR The boxer was knocked out in the third round.

Today's podcast will be dedicated to the 'th'. English, being quite irregular at times, has two ways of pronouncing the combination of the t and the h. That may seem simple, but getting it right is a key  to sounding like a native. I have met many people from all over the world who speak English quite well, but who have a weakness when they use a word beginning with th. Some people will pronounce 'the' and similar words as 'de', as if the 'th' was a 'd'. Other people pronounce it as a 'z'; I have often heard "zis" and "zat" instead of this and that. So, how do we overcome these errors? Practice is the answer! I will read a paragraph that is full of the 'th' sounds; I will give you time to repeat after me. Remember, the two sounds are 'th' (as in thing), a sound that is light and full of air, and 'th' which is a heavier sound that has more vibration and less air flow. Let's give it a try.

 The thoughtfulness of my neighbors makes me think. Though they are retired, they are thrilled to spend their days helping people. Every Thursday at three o'clock, they hand out food, household things, and this and that to the poor in the community. Theodore, the husband, had throat problems, but thought more about helping the poor than helping himself. They read thick books on community service, they support the local theatre (er), and though they are thin and quite old, they thrive on charity runs. Such thoughtful people!

There has been a lot of activity just down the road from us, for the past year. A hotel has been built, and we have witnessed the process from start to finish. About a year ago, the construction crew 'broke ground' and started digging and moving earth. Then came the foundation. The big cement mixers came in to pour and pour until the amount of cement was just right. Each afternoon, driving my children home from school, I would deliberately take a slightly longer route which leads right past the hotel site. My kids would ooh and aah at the machines, and the changes that were taking place. Soon the walls went up, stage by stage. Just opposite the building site is a restaurant with an outside seating area. We sat there on a few occasions, eating icecream and watching the progress: machines coming and going, the large crew of workmen nailing, hammering, carrying, and cutting. At least half of the time there was plenty of yelling going on, and most of the time it was in a variety of different languages. It would have been good to film the work from the beginning to the end consistently, and then show the film in fast motion. I'm happy to say that the ordinances or rules for new buildings here is that they must have good landscaping around them: trees, shrubs, and grass. So, the hotel won't look like a big, boring, box of a place. It actually has an attractive design with some architectural interest, some natural stone, and now the landscaping. I'm sure that, in true American style, there will be a grand opening celebration. There will be balloons, free coffee, and perhaps a raffle. Once, when a department store was having its grand opening, my husband and I happened to be in a parking lot nearby. Suddenly, there was the sound of explosions. I ducked, not knowing what on earth was happening. My husband just laughed at me and pointed to the building, "It's just the grand opening fire works, babe. I know," he admitted, "we tend to overdo it here."

Grammar notes.

Practicing the use of 'would' using related vocabulary: to break ground, building site, ordinance, to duck.

1. It would have been better to break ground in the Summer; the ground will be frozen soon.

2. I wouldn't mind the building site next door, if the crew wasn't so rude.

3. He memorized the ordinances and would always quote the rules.

4. You wouldn't have bumped your head if you had ducked.

So, I have a penguin in my car. It is small, plastic, and makes a very irritating, repetitive noise. Thankfully, it has an on-off switch. But, where on earth did it come from? McDonalds is the answer. I hardly ever go there, but, the other day, my two youngest children begged me to take them there. My son was taking a day off from school because he felt a under the weather, and my daughter didn't have pre-school that day. We needed to get out of the house, but I wanted to take them somewhere warm to play, so that is where we went. It is a very popular place in Wenatchee and all over the U.S. Thanks to its multi-million dollar advertising, it is, quite literally, everywhere. On the television there are countless advertisements about McDonalds, and then there are the jingles, the logos, and the toys. It's similar to Disney Land. Infact, until 2007, McDonalds had a contract with Disney to sell Happy Meal toys that were characters in the latest Disney movies. However, Disney has decided to associate its characters with healthier food. Though fast food here in the U.S. is known to be unhealthy, and leading the country to obesity, the advertising and the convenience of it all keep bringing the crowds back. The focus of McDonalds' advertising is children. If you can attract them, and create a safe and convenient place for them to play and eat, then they will come back, and keep coming back. If there are rewards for eating McDonalds, the children will  be even more tempted, hence the irritating penguins. The company has also changed with the times. They offer salads, fruit, and premium lattes now, as alternatives, and in European countries are even changing their color(ur) scheme to look more sophisticated. So, however good or bad the food may be, the appeal of the plastic penguin still works for 47 million customers each day.

Grammar notes.

Common expressions: to feel under the weather, quite literally, hence, where on earth?

1. I'm feeling under the weather today; I don't think I'll go to work.

2. Pavarotti was, quite literally, the biggest voice in opera in the past 20 years.

3. Each year there have been less and less policemen in our city, hence, the increase in crime.

4. I thought my keys were on the table; where on earth are they?

It's time for me to start preparing our Summer holiday. This year, my family and I will take a trip to Spain for a month. We will visit my father and sister in Scotland and England first, and then family and friends in Spain. I can't wait. Our preparations actually started last Summer, when I discovered that we had accumulated quite a lot of air miles over the past few years. I wondered how many return tickets from Seattle to London could be bought with those air miles. To my surprize(se), most of our tickets were covered. "I have to organize(se) a substantial trip," I said to myself. "Who knows when we will have another opportunity..." So, I got the tickets over the phone with a representative from British Airways, got the confirmation number, and jumped for joy. Now, I need passports for my two youngest children. So, off to the Court House I go. It is one of the oldest buildings in town, quite ornate compared to  the plain buildings that are typical of towns in the U.S. I walked up the marble steps to the third floor, to the passport department. I was suddenly confronted with two security guards, a metal detector, and a body search. Gosh, I didn't realize(se) it would be like this. My bag was searched, my body was checked, and I was given the ok. Phew! All I needed were two application forms. It was a quick in and out visit. As I left, I walked past other departments: marriage license, car license, building permits, and the court house that serves all of Wenatchee. It was all business and activity. There was even a jail! It was actually exciting to be in a place where important contracts and decisions are made on a daily basis, in a place where it all happens.

Grammar notes.

Practice of the verb 'to be' + past participle as an adjective.

1. The chair was painted the most beautiful blue.

2. The corn fields are harvested by machine nowadays.

3. The words of the prayer are carved into the stone.

4. We were driven to the opera by my cousin.

For 90 years, Wenatchee has celebrated the Apple Blossom Festival. It is a huge event that takes place, as the title suggests, in Spring. At that time of year, the valley becomes full of the color(our) and smell of pink apple blossoms. The festival celebrates not only the beauty of Spring, but the community that has been built around the apple tree, and the lives that the orchards support. A queen and two princesses are chosen from many High School age girls who apply. To become one of the royalty, there are some tough prerequisites. You can't just be a pretty face. You have to be a well-rounded individual, intelligent, involved in the community, and focused on several hobbies and causes. This year's royalty have just been chosen. They will be seen, from now on, in the newspaper, and in shops and businesses, making appearances and having their photographs taken. There is a great reward for becoming one of the royalty, as well, scholarships for college! When education is so expensive, that is a tremendous benefit. There are many other areas of preparation for Apple Blossom that take months of hard work. There will be a large parade downtown, a kids parade, a food fare, and a whole host of activities and events that involve the whole community. The festival is big business! It attracts 100,000 people every year, providing a great whoosh for the economy. At the entrance to Wenatchee, there is a sign that says, "The Apple Capital of the World". Though the economy has changed in recent years, and even the orchards, the Apple Blossom festival celebrates the roots of the community, and its human and natural resources. So, when I stand on the sidewalk with all the other people on the day of the parade, I will make sure that I give the queen and princesses a very enthusiastic wave.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: prerequisites, well-rounded, a cause, to make an appearance.

1. The prerequisites for the psychology course are: general sciences, mathematics, and English.

2. He is a well rounded student. He is academic yet sporty, social yet focused.

3. A famous actor made an appearance at the local bookshop to sign books.

They are crunchy, small, folded, and light brown in color (colour). They usually come in individual, plastic packets. They don't fill you up, but they are an important part of certain meals. They hold a different promise for each person at the table. And, finally, they have an Asian touch about them. So, what are they? They are fortune cookies, of course. No Asian style meal would be complete without them, at least, from a Westerner's perspective. I'm sure there are a lot of Asian meals that should never have fortune cookies at the end; you'll just have to forgive my ignorance. The cookies are, afterall, an Asian American invention that started around the beginning of the 20th century. Apparently, Asian immigrants, probably Japanese or Chinese, started to manufacture them in California. A cookie that they might have been copying is the omikuji cookie of Kyoto, Japan which was a temple cookie filled with random fortunes. It sounds similar. Well, they certainly are popular over here. Though they are normally served after a chinese meal, they can also be found in Japanese restaurants, and Asian-American restaurants. Children get excited by the idea of a special cookie at the end of the meal, especially one that they can break open to find a message inside. "This week, a special person will come into your life," one might say, or, "Use your good judgment to make your fortune this year." My children always imagine ways the prediction might come true; they get imaginative, and even ridiculous. We end up giggling at the end of our meal because of the fortune cookies and their 'off-the-wall' predictions.

Grammar notes.

Expressions: to fill up/ to get filled up, to giggle, off-the-wall.

1. We filled up the car with gas (petrol).  OR  That chocolate cake will really fill you up.

2. The children got over excited at the birthday party and wouldn't stop giggling.

3. That entertainer does the strangest things; he is really off-the-wall.

Do you ever go blank when you're trying to spell a word? It happens to me occasionally. When it comes to spelling, I have a problem. I have had to learn the Standard American English whilst living in the U.S. for the past 18 years, but, I'm English. That means that when I went to school I learned Standard English which has quite a few differences from that of the U.S. Some of the obvious ones are: color in American English and colour in British English, analyze in American English and analyse in British English, bank in American English and banque in British English. If you look through a list of the spelling differences, you will conclude that British English remains closer to its roots: Greek, Latin, French etc. The American English seems more phonetic, and I suppose, in some ways, is easier. Mind you, English is a bit of a pain anyway. My ten year old, who reads and writes well, still struggles on occasion with spelling. The silent 'e', the silent 'gh', the occasional silent 'p' (as in pneumonia or psychology), and the silent 'k'. "How am I supposed to know all of these spellings, Mum?" was his question. My answer was simply, "Learn the awkward words by heart." Both Standard American and British English share the same difficulties, I'm afraid. The only way to get around them is to consider them part of the beauty and interest of the language......I know, that's easy for me to say, I am English. Really, a language like Spanish is so much easier to learn because it is so phonetic. But, you know, English spelling is not always that easy for me because of this trans-Atlantic 'thing'. I have my own problems knowing when to double an 'l' when adding an 'ing', or whether to use an 's' or a 'z' (or I should say zed). A great web page to check out is: Susan Jone's American vs British spelling differences. I think I'll make a copy of them and stick it on the fridge.

Grammar notes:

Related expressions: to go blank, when it comes to ...., on occasion, I'm afraid.

1. In the middle of my exam, my mind just went blank.

2. When it comes to playing the piano, he is brilliant.

3. We will, on occasion, have breakfast in the French bakery.

4. They won't be coming to the party, I'm afraid. She called and said she was sick.

Yesterday, I looked over my shopping list, and saw something that my chidren had written down. "Valentines for school", were the instructions that I read. What they meant by that were little cards that are designed especially for school children. Here, in the U.S., it is tradition for the children to give a miniature card to each of their classroom buddies. Sometimes the teacher will allow a treat or tiny toy to be attached or taped to the card, something like an eraser, a pencil, or a small chocolate. It is a tradition which is unfortunately driven by materialism. Valentine's day itself, is not celebrated in a huge way at all by the general public. It is true that there are cards, flowers, and chocolates all over the place to give as gifts for a loved one, but it is not a holiday. The children take their card distribution very seriously, though. The teachers even print out a list of the names of the children in the class, so each child can write the correct names on the little gifts. The older children will read about St. Valentine; the younger ones will usually cut and paint big, red or pink hearts for their parents or guardians. Last night, as my children prepared their Valentines, it was all business. They each counted out the cards, wrote the names, added treats, and put them into a paper bag, ready for school today. And beware anyone who wished to interrupt! "Hey, that's my card!" "Don't use my pencil!" "You'd better leave enough chocolates for my class!" I think some of the Valentine's spirit should have been directed at eachother, let alone their friends.

Grammar notes.

 Practice of the preterite with new vocabulary: miniature, driven, guardian, beware.

1. My father bought me a miniature, glass house for my birthday.

2. He was driven to madness by her constant nagging.

3. Her aunt became her guardian when her parents died.

4. "Beware the stranger from the forest!" warned the old man.

My husband recently returned from a business trip to Germany and England. It is an annual visit that he makes to attend a large, international fruit convention. He spends most of his time in Berlin, and then finishes his trip in London. He loves that city. When he is there, he always calls me and tells me that he is enjoying his wife's 'old stomping ground'. That means a place either that you grew up in, or that was very significant for you. When he comes home, he always brings treats from London. Usually he will bring three or four kinds of chocolates: Smarties, Maltesers, Galaxay, and Toblerone. My favorite is Maltesers. When I see the red bag and feel the chocolates inside, it takes me back to my childhood. You know how a certain smell, or sight can have you feeling like a child again; that's what happens when I am around Maltesers. It just shows how significant our formative years are; how memories from that time become engraved in our brains and hearts. There is a certain smell that also brings the same nostalgia to me. It is the smell of a child's play dough that is called Plasticine. Since I have lived here, I haven't encountered that smell at all. But sometimes when I visit England, and I am, let's say, in a toy shop, I  might walk past some children's art supplies and smell that smell. Oh bliss! I get transported back to the days of pig tails and tricycles. It would be interesting to hear from some of you listeners which elements of your culture bring up those nostalgic feelings. If you E-mail me and let me know, I will do a podcast dedicated to just that.

Grammar notes.

Vocabulary practice: bliss, annual, significant, let's say.

1. That chocolate cake is so good; it is pure bliss!

2. All the local gardeners are preparing for the annual vegetable competition.

3. The rainfall has caused a significant rise in the height of the river.

4. I'm not sure how much that house is worth; it might be, let's say, three hundred thousand.

 

Junk mail can be a real pain sometimes. You know the kind: offers from credit card companies, catalogues that you will never use, and all sorts of letters and advertisements that try to get you to spend money in some way or other. I receive a lot of coupons in the mail, mainly from local supermarkets where I shop. Now these are actually useful. Most people I know use coupons at least part of the time; it's a smart way to shop. My sister-in-law is an expert at using coupons. When the coupons come out in the local newspaper on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she spreads them out on her kitchen countertop, and when she has time, she scans all of them, searching for the ones that she can put to use. Because she has done this for so long, she is quite knowledgeable about what is a good deal and what isn't. To be a good coupon user, you must always keep them close to your shopping list, and remember to throw the expired ones away. Coupons have been around for a long time. It was in 1887 that Coca-Cola started using new advertising ideas. One of these was to put coupons in newspapers. By 1913 8,500,000 free drinks had been consumed, but the company had grown so much that the drink was being consumed in every state. Now, each year, coupons generate 3 billion dollars in sales. Now that's a lot of sales. So, the little pile of coupons that I receive each day in the mail (post) is just a tiny part of that advertising machine, trying to get us to spend money by saving money. It's a great idea when you think of it.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: catalogue, to scan, knowledgeable, expired/ expiration date, to generate.

1. I ordered some new shoes from a catalogue.

2. The hunter scanned the field to see if there were any deer there.

3. The professor really knows his subject well; he is truly knowledgeable.

4. The cheese spread had expired; its expiration date was two months ago.

5. Our advertising campaign has generated a huge amount of sales.

 

If you're looking for a bargain in this town, there is a store that offers some very good deals. It is called the Grocery Outlet. I was in there the other day, searching for the latest 'best buys' when I saw a large shelf of flowers on display. In amongst the different kinds of flowers were orchids. I was pleased and surprised at the same time. You can never really be sure what you will find in this shop; their specials change from one day to the next. To find orchids was a very pleasant surprise. It just so happens that my mother has started collecting orchids. She is very quickly becoming an encyclopedia about them. I called her on the cell phone to let her know about my find. "Get me two of the best, will you? I'll pay you back later," she said. There were several colors to choose from, and the plants ranged from small to about two and a half feet tall. When I got home, I thought I would find out about these exotic flowers that so many people have as a hobby.

Orchids can be found in almost every habitat on the planet, apart from deserts and glaciers. Most are found in the tropics. And when I say most, I'm talking in terms of thousands. Orchids are the largest family of all flowering plants. There are over 22,000 species of orchids; about 800 new kinds are found or cultivated each year. One orchid is responsible for vanilla which we use in cooking. It comes from Mexico, and, not surprisingly, is called Vanilla. With so many orchids around, you can imagine the variety of shape, color (colour), and pollinating practices. Some are self pollinating, and there is even one in Australia which lives underground, and relies on ants and other underground insects to pollinate it. Orchids have been around for a very long time, as well. A fossilized bee that was trapped in amber about 15 million years ago was found to have orchid pollen on its wings. There are annual shows around the world dedicated to orchids, and hundreds or thousands of people visit these shows to feed their obsession.

Grammar notes.

 Common expressions: from one day to the next, it just so happens, you can never really + inf.

1. You never know what the weather will be like from one day to the next here; one minute it's snowing, the next it's raining.

2. Did you say that you need a calculator? It just so happens that I have one here.

3. You can never really judge a person by his appearance. That scruffy man over their is a generous millionaire.

OR You should never really expect to succeed if you don't work hard.

 

It is supposed to be a good thing to reward your kids every now and then for going to school, or doing their chores. Domini, my daughter is no exception. When she changed preschools, she went through a time of adjustment, and had to be encouraged to stay at her new school. She only goes four mornings a week, but, even so, a change is a change. I found that I could persuade her to go along with the new plan by giving her a surprise randomly after preschool. Sometimes it was a treat, and at other times it was a little toy, or art supplies. Well, it worked. She soon got into the habit of going to her new preschool, and now she loves it. She loves the teachers, and has made good friends there. So, the need for persuasion has, thankfully, disappeared. But every now and then, I will drive her to a little shop that is a few blocks away from her preschool, and there we will buy a transfer sticker, or what she likes to call a tatoo. Just outside of the shop are some little glass dispensers with pretty pictures and patterns on them. I give her two quarters which she holds onto with excitement while she chooses the one she wants. There is a flat metal plate with slots in it into which you put the money. Then, in order to receive the 'tatoo', you have to push the metal plate into the dispenser. Automatically, it pops out in a small piece of protective cardboard. It's not a big deal at all, but for Domini it is. The first time we got one, she immediately said, "Mum, I need to go to the bathroom." I thought it was a little odd, but said that we could ask in the shop if she could use their toilet. So, I stood outside the bathroom and waited and waited. "Domini, are you alright in there?" I asked. "Yes Mum, I've almost finished," was her reply. I heard the water running, and was congratulating myself on training her well to wash her hands, when she came out with a big grin and showed me her 'tatoo'. That's why she had wanted to go to the bathroom; her tatoo had to be displayed immediately.

Grammar notes.

 Useful expressions and related vocabulary: an exception, to go along with ..., a dispenser, a slot.

1. Most people in our family are short, but my brother is the exception.

2. I hope the employees will go along with our idea to change the company.

3. Push the button on the dispenser and soap will come out.

4. You have to put the right coin in the slot; only one size will fit. 

This podcast seems like a very simple one; what  could I possibly have to teach about the stairs? Well, there are many kinds of stairs in a home. You have the steps leading up to the front door, or between one room and another. Sometimes a room can be 'split level' meaning that there is a step all across the width of the room, creating the effect of two different rooms. And then you have the stairs that take you from one floor to another. The stairs between floors can be called the staircase. We also use the expression, "a flight of stairs" when you are not in a home. For example: At the clinic, I had to go up three flights of stairs to get to my doctor. In the home, there are also different kiinds of stairs. Normally, a staircase is made of wood, concrete, compressed materials, or even metal. A spiral staircase is an interesting and space saving way to connect two floors. Have you heard the word 'landing'? Of course it could be used when talking about planes 'landing' in the airport etc. But the noun, a landing, can refer to an area of level ground in the middle of a staircase or at the end. For example: You left your shoes at the top of the stairs, on the landing. Or: The children love to play half way up the stairs, on the landing. A staircase will often have a handrail which prevents you from falling over the edge. This is made up of banisters, which are like upright poles, and then the horizontal piece on top that you hold on to. So, as you are running upstairs and downstairs, you hold on to the handrail, or just let your hand slide along the top of it. The finish, or surface material of stairs, can obviously be just about anything, depending on where you live. We have carpeted stairs at home because of the cold winters. Some houses that recquire carpet for warmth, have a 'runner' on the stairs. Runners are long strips of carpet that do not completely cover the stairs; the edges of each step are exposed. Using a runner allows a view of the material underneath, perhaps a beautiful wood, or an elegant tile. It just goes to show that there is a lot more to stairs than you might first think.

Grammar notes.

Stair related vocabulary: handrail, runner,staircase, landing, banister, flight of stairs, split level.

1. I must clean the handrail; sticky fingers have been all over it.

2. We bought a new runner for the staircase; it compliments the wood perfectly.

3. I wove the Christmas wreath through the banisters for a pretty decoration.

4. We must take the elevator (lift); there are too many flights of stairs.

5. One part of our split level is a lounge, and the other is an office.

My son, Cass, has been playing the piano for over a year. He loves it! He practices at home, and attends his weekly class religiously. He really has the discipline thing 'down' as we say, meaning that he understands why and how to be disciplined. I am really impressed at his progress. When he first started lessons, I bought him an electronic keyboard that I found on Craig's List for seventy five dollars. It was a bargain. The previous owner was obviously serious about music, and had taken good care of the instrument. When I went to pick it up, I found a house full of music sheets and musical instruments, so I knew that the keyboard had been in good hands. And so, it came to our house. Cass used it and enjoyed it for a long time, especially all of the special effects and pre-recorded classical music that you can enjoy with the push of a button. But, there was a problem. It wasn't a full sized keyboard. We needed a keyboard or piano with 88 keys because his teacher had started to give him melodies that recquire the whole piano. So, I got on the internet, looked up Craig's List, and spotted a couple of pianos for sale. One was a little damaged. The other belonged to a family who was moving to another town and who didn't want to pay for the delivery. I dragged my feet about both; I wasn't very enthusiastic. Then, we received a phone call from one of Cass' friends. His parents had just bought him a new piano, and they wanted to give Cass the old one. He was thrilled! A week later, the moving men pulled up in their delivery truck and carefully rolled the dark, upright piano into our living room. We got to work, polishing, testing, and decorating with pictures. It now sits in a welcomed spot, and gets played every day.

Grammar notes.

Common expressions and related vocabulary: to drag one's feet, to pull up (in a vehicle), to have something 'down', previous.

1.  I'm dragging my feet about going to the party; I really don't feel like going at all.

2. A police car pulled up to the building. Then the fire truck (fire engine) pulled up close to the flames.

3. You really have the tennis serve down; you get it right every time.

4. We live in the country now, but our previous house was in the middle of the city.

As I was walking back to my house from the mail box the other day, I looked at our entryway and realised that it looked like a junk yard. There were about four, old, plastic vehicles that our children don't use anymore, just sitting on the driveway looking yucky. I have been meaning to throw the things away, but my youngest children always beg me to keep them for a few more months. The thing is, they are too big for the vehicles, and these old favorites (favourites) of theirs are now faded, weather worn, and have parts missing. I can understand why my kids don't want to see their toys thrown away. When I look at them they certainly bring back memories of when the children were little, and how excited they were to get them. One of the tricycles has a peddle missing, the other is missing the seat, the four wheeler goes backwards only, and the little, plastic buggy is too small for anyone. "Oh, don't throw away my buggy!" pleads my daughter when she suspects that that is my plan. Once, my son Robert, fished the buggy out of the dumpster where I had previously thrown it. I found it sitting happily back on the driveway where it shouldn't have been. Perhaps my urge to Spring clean is too obvious; I'll have to be more sneaky about it and get rid of these old play things when the kids are in school. I never thought that they would be so emotionally attached to the toys!

Grammar notes.

Practice of possessive pronouns with new vocabulary: to beg, faded, to suspect, an urge.

1. His dog is well behaved; mine begs for treats all day long.

2. My dress is quite faded. Can I borrow yours?

3. My wallet went missing from my car. I suspect it is in his.

4. Can we swap cakes? I'll have yours and you can have mine.

This past weekend, I took my children to Seattle to have a break from our home town, and to take in a few of the famous sights. "A change is as good as a rest," is a saying in England which I agree with. Sometimes if you are worn down a little, instead of resting, it is actually good to go and see something new; it is good to be refreshed. So, I booked a hotel that is fairly close to the downtown area of the city. We set off Saturday morning. Travelling over the Cascades was beautiful; mist was all over the forest. We finally made it to the hotel at lunch time. The children wanted to go swimming in the pool at the hotel before doing anything else. So, of course, that's what we did. I know that children are not as enthusiastic about site seeing as adults are; they need lots of physical fun too. When they were good and tired from splashing around, we got ready and headed off to the Space Needle. It is the landmark of Seattle. It was built for the 1962 World's Fair, and has been quite an attraction ever since. It is 605 feet tall, has a restaurant inside that turns 360 defrees every hour, and was built to widthstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour, and earthquakes of up to 9.1 magnitude. A lot of thought went into the building; you could say that it was built to last. We zoomed up in the elevator to the observation deck where you can find lots of binoculars, spotting scopes, and multi-media that talk about the interesting places that you can see from the Needle. And there is a lot to see. Not only is the city all around, but on a clear day, you have spectacular views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Ranier, Mount Baker, Elliot Bay, and lots more. Unfortunately it was a drizzly day, so we couldn't see the mountains, but there was so much to see that we could have been up there for hours. Well, there was a lot more exploring to do, so we took some photos and headed back down in the elevator. We must return on a clear day to take in the views.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: worn down, to site see, good and ...., to head.

1. That stone step is so old; you can see where it has been worn down with use.

2. We went site seeing; we saw so many historical buildings that I got dizzy!

3. After running a mile, the dogs were good and tired  OR

    If you wait for Thanksgiving dinner, you will be good and hungry.

4. *Meaning is similar as 'to go'or 'to set off': We headed down the mountain, and they headed off in their boat. OR

    They got on the boat and headed out to the island.