One of the places we stayed this summer was Whithorn, Scotland, where my father lives. It is one of many picturesque towns in Galloway. Whithorn happens to be very famous; it is considered possibly Scotland's first town. It is the starting point of Christianity in the U.K, with St. Ninian establishing the building called the Candida Casa, or Glimmering White House, after the stone it was made from. This building became a cathedral and a monastery. Whithorn was a center for pilgrammages, even for royalty. Archeological findings have shown that Whithorn became a sophisticated town, with many being literate, with trade and contact with the rest of Europe flourishing. Without understanding its rich history, you could very easily walk through Whithorn, admire its pretty terraced cottages and gardens, and come away thinking that it is simply another quaint and well kept farming community. Throughout Galloway, in the southwest of Scotland, there are historic towns, that still thrive, and offer spots of beauty to visitors. Naturally, the southwest has a mild, temperate climate because of the Gulf Stream. Its land is rich and used for farming. There are fishing villages throughout this area, and also many secluded, pristine beaches. Though the area in general gets plenty of rain, the sunlight is brilliant. The land is not built up at all from industry or large cities, so the sky scape is huge, and when the sun comes out, the colorful houses and fishing boats look cheerful and bright. I think especially those who come from cities will appreciate the colors of Galloway: its sparkling green countryside, the rolling hills and farms, the clean, empty beaches, and the historic and well kept towns.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary:picturesque, sophisticated, terraced houses, quaint.
1. The town we visited was picturesque; it was just like an impressionistic painting I'd seen.
2. He was a sophisticated man, well educated, artistic, well travelled, and open-minded.
3. Terraced houses are joined together in a row.
4. The cottage she bought is quaint; it is pretty, detailed, has a lot of character, and has an old world feeling about it.
During the summer vacation, I took my children to visit the Creetown gem rock museum, in Scotland. It is highly recommended, as it is the leading independent gem rock museum in the whole of the UK. We travelled about fourty five minutes to get there, and, believe me, it was worth it. Though the entrance is small, the first room you come to opens up into a world of colorful gems and rocks of all kinds. There are many tall display cases, showing huge crystals, with their names and information on where they come from. There is a wall where children, or indeed anyone, can touch and feel the rocks and gems. My children spent the whole time saying, "Wow!" and "Look at this!" It's the sort of place you go to where you don't want to rush; there is so much to see and examine. Moving on from the first room, you come to the Crystal Cave. It is a man made cave that is set up deliberately to show rocks and crystals in an underground setting. Every nook and cranny has a different crystal, and one area even shows stones that are naturally fluorescent. In daylight or under artificial light, you wouldn't know that they are fluorescent, but in the cave, their amazing variety of colors glows. There is also a large study, full of squashy sofas, where visitors can sit and watch a video on basic geology. It's just the right length to give the information everyone needs to know about the fundamentals of rock and crystal formation. Then, after having your eyes occupied and your brain informed, you can visit the Prospector's Pantry Cafe, and fill up on hot soup, sandwiches, quiche, and locally baked goods. It's a perfect spot to visit when you are in Galloway, rain or shine, with or without children, to enjoy the beauty of what is found in the earth, and to come away with more understanding of this fascinating subject.
Grammar notes.
Everyday expressions: rain or shine, the whole...., nook and cranny, believe me.
1. He works every day restoring old buildings, rain or shine.
2. Throughout the whole film they chatted. And then, the whole way home they sang loudly.
3. If you are going to clean the house, I expect every nook and cranny to be spotless!
4. It's a good job that I took my heavy coat and gloves to the soccer match because, believe me, it was freezing!
Have you ever been roped into a project that you didn't plan, or necessarily want? To be roped into something, is to be caught up, or carried along by someone else's idea. It's like being involved because you are forced to, or you feel obliged. Well, I have been roped into a project recently. My son Cass is having his birthday party soon, and wants to have a medieval battle with his friends on our back lawn......hmmm, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I have been given orders to collect as many Nerf swords as possible. These are replicas of real swords that are made out of a hard foam, like a spongey plastic. You can hit someone with them and not cause any damage. That is the whole point, - a friendly battle. There will be two teams, the Reds and the Greens. My other task is to buy some material to make the slip-on, sleeveless shirts. On the one hand, fighting with spongey swords shouldn't be a problem; but on the other hand, kids in battle can quickly get over excited and have accidents. I suppose the answer is to have a few rules, explain them clearly to everyone, and then to supervise. I will have my camera ready; there are bound to be some excellent photo opportunities that I would like to share with you. I should probably also have a box of bandaids or plasters, and some ice available for the wounded soldiers. I will be the nurse Florence Nightingale for a while during the party, I'm sure. Well, I've managed to collect five swords so far; I need to find seven more. And then I'll get to work, making the team shirts. I don't mind being roped into this really; it's quite fun, and it's what my son really wants for his birthday. If he has his battle, a chocolate icecream cake, and a pinata, he will be one happy birthday boy.
Grammar notes.
Common expressions: to be roped into, the whole point, slip-on clothing, to manage to.
1. I got roped into decorating all the tables at my sister's wedding; it was a big job!
2. Can you take off those dirty shoes and leave them in the garage? The whole point of having an area for shoes in the garage, is to keep the house clean.
3. This slip-on skirt is so easy; there are no zips, clips, or buttons to deal with.
4. They managed to reach the top of Mount Everest before it was too late; they still had time to climb down to base camp.
The other day, when I went to lunch with my mum, I noticed that the restaurant was decorated in an autumn theme. It was beautifully done. The owner, or someone who works in that restaurant, must have gone to the local arts and crafts store to get the supplies. I love that place! There you will find all the bits and pieces you need to create beautiful projects for your house. The items are all expertly made, and imported mainly from China and Taiwan. There are artificial flowers, fruits, and feathers. Of course, there are all kinds of strings of lights that you can hang up, or wrap around something else to make a focal point. Candles, wooden boxes of about ten sizes, artificial birds and their nests and eggs, metal ornaments and stands, and all kinds of glass beads, paints, frames, and materials are available. It is a creators paradise! The nice thing is, there are examples, throughout the store, of the different projects you can make using items from the shop. All you need to do is take a few minutes to look at the finished project, make a mental list of the supplies you need, buy them, of course, and then put them together. Voila! A finished project. Most shops and restaurants, at this time of year, have something pretty that reflects the season. It's the pattern of things. After Thanksgiving, the autumn themes will be taken down, and Christmas decorations will go up. Until then, it's my turn to have a look in my storage boxes for the arts and crafts items that I have collected over the years, and to turn them into something pretty for my entryway. Candles look wonderful in the middle of these crafty arrangements. As yet, I can't use real candles, because my two youngest children would be tempted to touch them. There are, however, some tiny artificial candles, called tea lights, that I can use to add a comforting glow to whatever arrangement I make. And guess what? I'm out of them, so I need to make a trip to the arts and crafts store to buy some more, and ...perhaps a few more bits and pieces.
Grammar notes.
Bits and pieces, guess what, artificial flowers, to be out of something.
1. Can you tidy up your room and put things away? There are bits and pieces all over the floor!
2. He took me to a wonderful restaurant, and, guess what? He proposed.
3. You don't need to water those flowers; they are artificial.
4. We're out of groceries. Let's make a list and go to the supermarket.
Those of you who listen to my podcast on a regular basis, know that one of my hobbies is gardening. Whenever I have a free moment, I'm out there planting, weeding, or sowing seeds. It is September now, and the season for growing is just about over. There are still some Autumn flowers that are appearing here and there, but, judging by what you find in the shops, the time for gardening is coming to an end. You probably also know that the end of a season is, in shopping terms, the perfect time to find bargains. I popped into a local do-it-yourself store the other day that has a garden center. I quickly scanned the area with plants for anything with color that still looked plantable. I finally found a table that had bright orange flowers which still looked like they had a lot of life in them. I was in luck! These flowers were Summer flowering plants that nobody wished to buy. They had been put in the corner, and some were on the floor, and were at a very reduced price. I bought them and drove home, already knowing where I was going to put them. As I was digging the soil, I looked over at the biggest plant and saw something amazing. There was a huge praying mantis sitting right on top. I picked the plant up, and the insect turned its head towards me. Creepy! It didn't move though, even while I took the plant out of the plastic pot and put it in the ground. It seemed to be quite happy on the plant. It must have been a stowaway from the shop. I had put it in the car without even realizing. I think it's good luck, because these insects are great for the garden. They are serious predators who will eat most insects. It could have been a bad bug that I brought home from the garden center, but instead it was a garden helper.
Grammar notes.
Useful phrases: judging by..., to scan, to be in luck, a stowaway.
1. Judging by his negative attitude, he doesn't like living here.
2. The police quickly scanned the parking lot for any movement.
3. We arrived at the airport just in time. We were in luck; people were still boarding the plan.
4. The captain of the ship discovered a stowaway on board. He was a young man trying to get to the next port for free.
I called my mother the other day and arranged for us to meet up for lunch. She had been in Spain for two weeks, and had just returned. We had a lot to talk about, and I was really looking forward to seeing her. But, where would we meet up? There are quite a few restaurants in town, but we are fussy individuals. If we are going to pay for food, we don't want to eat just rubbish. Fast food was 'out', meaning that it wasn't an option. We didn't feel like having sandwiches or heavy pasta either. I love asian food of all kinds, but I fancied something more like salad, so we decided to go to the Wild Huckleberry. I arrived at noon to find that Mum was already there. She had chosen a table next to the window that overlooked the road. The inside of the restaurant is full of character. It is an Americana style house that has flowers and 'collectibles' in many places. Collectibles are similar to antiques, but not old at all. In fact, they can be brand new items that are made to look old. We ordered a soup and salad combination, and chatted about her time with the family in Spain. She was still very jet-lagged, and had not adjusted to the time difference. Now that all of my children are in school, having lunch with a loved one is a treat that I can enjoy. So, we caught up with eachother's news over a clam chowder and an asian salad. It was so pleasant to look out on a quiet street, on a mild Autumn day, just relaxed with nowhere to rush to. As we were leaving, we looked around at the decor and interesting items on the shelves and in corners here and there. I came across a large wooden statue of a waiter holding a tray. It's a place where you put your tips. I couldn't leave without taking a photo. It's a typical collectible, probably not very old, but unusual and attractive it its own way, another thing that adds to the charm of the Wild Huckleberry.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to be +'out', to overlook, a collectible, to adjust.
1. That skirt is really 'out'. She should follow fashion and get one that is up to date.
2. His bedroom window overlooks the garden; sometimes he sneaks out at night.
3. That shop doesn't sell antiques, but it does sell collectibles that are quite attractive.
4. It took me four days to adjust to the time difference after I came back from China.
One thing that I do in the morning, is to drive my children to school. It doesn't take very long, perhaps five minutes. Parents can pull up into a parking area that is near the school playing field to drop their kids off. Something caught my eye, the first day of school, which I hadn't seen before. A school garden has appeared, and is full to the brim with all kinds of plants. I had completely forgotten that it existed. Because I was out of town for most of the Summer, I hadn't seen the progress that this new garden had made. It was designed and planted this year, so it is new. After the funds had been raised for this project, some volunteers got together and sectioned off a piece of the school property that is right next to the road. A fence was built, and the grass was removed. Then, good quality soil was added, paths were made, and tiny plants were planted. It seemed like nothing at first. Mostly what you could see was the bark that was put on top of the soil which keeps the weeds away. By the time school finished in June, there were quite a few perennial flowers and some vegetables. But that was all that I got to see. My goodness, what a difference now! I had a good look at the garden the other day, and was very impressed at what I saw. There are several, large pumpkins which will be huge by the time it is Halloween. Tomato plants, vines, and a mix of vegetable friendly flowers are also there, you know the kind, like Marigolds which keep certain insects away, and encourage others. It's a jumble of healthy plants, which is what I like to see, - not too neat and tidy. I'm sure the teachers have some lessons planned that will include the garden and its produce. It's a great example of 'hands-on' learning.
Grammar notes.
Common expressions: full to the brim, to section off, hands-on, -friendly.
1. The bucket was full to the brim of blackberries by the time we had finished picking.
2. The workmen sectionned off the ground for excavation.
3. This museum is very hands-on; you can actually touch the exhibits.
4. That shop is very customer-friendly; they are so helpful. I bought a computer there which is very user- friendly, not difficult to use at all.
Over the weekend, one of my sons had a couple of baseball games in a local park. It's that season again! It was actually a perfect day for the sport as well; it was sunny but cool. There were lots of people sitting and watching the event. In fact, there were more people than usual because there was a huge Mexican fair taking place in the same park. There was live music from various mariachi bands, lots of food stands selling authentic dishes, toys and ceramics to buy, and even bouncy castles for the little children. It was very colorful and fun, and more and more people came to it as the day went on. The place was packed by mid-afternoon. The fair was to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the independence of Mexico from Spain. So, as you can imagine, the parents and family members who were watching the baseball game, would smell the delicious Mexican food, and briefly disappear into the crowd to buy a plate of fresh tacos. It was unusual and quite amusing, to watch a serious baseball match to the sound of loud mariachi music! One thing I noticed was that people were dressed up very smartly. Families had made the effort to look extra elegant for this event. And there were traditional costumes and flags everywhere. Accompanying the crowd, were a multitude of dogs, who also were very elegantly dressed! They were everywhere! There were dogs of all sizes, wearing all kinds of costumes! One caught my eye because she was so, so tiny. A 'tea-cup Yorky' called Daisy who belongs to a family I know, was showing off her pink, flowery dress near the game. I couldn't believe how small she was. She actually didn't look real, I think because the combination of her size and her dress made her look like a toy. How small do these animals get? And how fast she was! Her owner told me that if she escapes, no one can catch her. It's a good job that she was on a leash in that busy park, otherwise she would have been gone like a flash. Daisy is a cute name, but one that suits her better would be Mini Lightening!
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: it's a good job that..., to suit (someone/ something), more/less than usual.
1. It's a good job that brought money; they don't accept credit cards in this restaurant.
2. Her dress suited her, but her hairstyle didn't at all!
3. It has been more windy than usual this month, and we have had less sun than usual, too.
One of the things that we enjoyed most about our vacation this Summer was the beach. I've always been an inland person; I love forests and mountains. However, this Summer we were in very beachy places. It was the first time that I had been on the Costa Brava in Spain. It is renown for its interesting, rocky beaches, fishing villages, and small, sandy coves. Because we stayed in Girona, in the north of Spain, we were about half an hour from a whole list of beaches. It happened to be an extra hot Summer in Spain, so being close to the sea was very appealing. We went several times. We would pack a lunch, get our supplies of towels, swimming suits, goggles, and water bottles, pile into the rental car, and off we would go. One of the beaches that we went to was unusual in that the grains of sand were much bigger than normal. I know this seems unimportant, but for me it was. Once you were dry, the sand just brushed off perfectly cleanly. Magic. There was no hassle of sticky sand in your shorts, between your toes, or in the car. It came off with a quick wipe. And, of course, the views were wonderful. You could look along the coastline and see other towns and villages to the north and to the south. Our children begged us to rent one of those, ..., well, I'm not sure what they are called, but they are like a paddle boat, but shaped like a car with a slide ontop. Crazy! And crazy fun it was. My husband and I did the hard work of pedaling, and the kids had the job of sliding down into the water and making lots of noise. Both of us tried a couple of times, but when we did it, it was like a couple of whales sitting on top of the boat, sliding slowly, and making the whole boat lean to one side.
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: inland, a whole list of, goggles, to pile into..
1. That hotel is inland. If you want to be right on the coast, you will have to find a different one.
2. There is a whole list of gardening equipment in that store. They have everything you could need.
3. I can't swim in the sea without goggles; the salt hurts my eyes too much.
4. Everybody piled into the tent for the night; there was hardly any room for all of us.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to A Cup Of English. I'm very excited to start this season of podcasts; I have a lot to tell. I have been away, with my family, travelling around Europe, visiting family, for about 6 weeks. We had a great time, but now it is time to get back to work, and to 'hook up' with my listeners again. I hope your Summer was a very good one, and that now, you are ready to learn some more English. For the first week back from vacation, I dragged my feet a little. That means that I didn't have a lot of energy to get on with normal activities. Jet lag was one reason for my tiredness. And then, when I saw the huge mountain of laundry that I had to do, I felt like running and hiding. But, hey, I have nothing to complain about. It is nice to be back in familiar surroundings. The kids were pleased to play with their toys again. My boys immediately set up a big 'battle' with their various soldiers, plastic monsters, robots, and bionicles. They kidnapped a few of my daughter's dolls to make their game more interesting. She was pleased to see her Hello Kitty soft toys again, and to color in her coloring books. The best part of getting back was the beds! To sleep in your own bed is heaven! My son Cass giggled when he went to bed because he was so relieved and comfortable. Those long, transatlantic flights are not the most comfortable, are they? So, what about your English? Have you kept up with it at all? It is difficult to do so during vacation, unless you are lucky enough to be around native speakers. I was able to practice my Spanish quite a bit with my family in Spain. And I even had a few short conversations in French when we were near the border with France. It may sound silly, but it was very exciting for me. Well, now, I have to drive off and pick up my kids from school, but I will be podcasting again tomorrow, and talking about some of the fascinating things I saw this Summer. So join me for some practice!
Grammar notes.
Useful expressions: to drag one's feet, to 'hook up' with someone, to kidnap, the best/ worst part was ....
1. I didn't want to wash my car but I had to. I dragged my feet, but then decided to just do it.
2. They hooked up with their old college buddies after not seeing them for many years.
3. The President of the new Republic was kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded one million dollars to release him.
4. The best thing about podcasting is the emails that you receive. The worst thing is having computer problems when you are trying to write. ** the verb to be is singular because the best or worst thing is singular, even if the 'thing' you are talking about is plural.