It's great to be back podcasting to you again. I had a lovely Christmas break with my family, and now have plenty to podcast about. I actually have had a problem of no internet connection for about four days which has been very frustrating. When that happens, it makes me feel as if I live in the middle of nowhere, or 'in the boondocks' as they say over here. Well, I'm up and running again. My husband took Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the following week off, so we have been spending time together, and going on short day trips. Leavenworth, as you probably know, is the nearest 'hot spot' for anything touristy. It's much smaller than Wenatchee, and totally different. We took the children there a couple of days ago. It was snowy and very festive looking, and thankfully not too cold. What most people do in Leavenworth is: walk around the main, high street block, go into one of the many restaurants, and shop. There is a river and a park very close to the main street, and as we walked past it, I noticed people cross country skiing right there in the park. It is a very pretty rural area, and bears are regularly seen even in the park itself! Well, they're hibernating now, so there is no reason to be scared. It was fun window shopping with the children. It was also great to see such a mix of ethnicities in such a small town. Leavenworth attracts people from all over the world who happen to be up in the North West. One of the shops that we actually bought something from, was the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I have often walked past this shop without going in. But this time we went in, and I'm very pleased that we did. The store smelled wonderful, and there was a long display case full of different chocolates and bonbons of all shapes and sizes. Everything was beautifully arranged. At first, I think, my kids didn't realize that they could choose something to eat at all. I had to say, "Go on, choose something." They each chose a treat which, by the time we left the shop, was already partly eaten.
Grammar notes.
Practice of the past participle as an adjective:
1. The flowers were artfully arranged in the entrance to the hotel.
2. Carols were sung by a choir while the shoppers went to and fro.
3. The parcel was sent but not received.
4. We were surprized to find that the car had a flat battery.
About nine years ago, I had some incredible luck in a local charity shop. It was coming up to Christmas, and I had gone to Goodwill to look around at all the second hand decorations, ornaments, and housewares. As I wandered up and down the aisle, taking my time to look at the hundreds of items that were for sale, I came across a house. It was a ceramic, Christmas-style house. I picked it up and examined it. It looked like an old English pub with several people here and there playing outside in the snow. There is a frozen pond next to it, trees, and a water wheel. I had seen this sort of decoration before, but brand new in the local stores. They are normally very expensive, as they light up. They often have moving parts, and play music. In a little plastic bag, attached to the item by some sticky tape, was a wire with a plug. I decided to take a chance. Normally, electronic items that are sold in charity stores are not to be trusted. They are often donated specifically because they don't work anymore. I bought it. After cleaning it up at home, I plugged it in. I reasoned that even if it didn't work, it looked festive and pretty. So, with fingers crossed I turned it on. It worked. If I push the button in one direction, lots of twinkiling lights come on that change color. If it is pushed in the opposite direction, lights and music come on, and the frozen pond turns around. The frozen pond is probably the reason that this house was donated. It had two skating figures, but one had his head missing, and the other lacked an arm and a leg. Thankfully, you can buy extra little figures in different stores, so I bought an extra snowman and boy. I very carefully twisted off the broken figures, and replaced them with the new ones. With a little help from superglue, the pond scene looked as good as new. My children would spend ages staring at it as its colors changed. They loved talking about all the details, like a story being told. It's a Christmas scene that I look forward to pulling out of the storage box, and putting on display each year.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: superglue, to stare, to cross your fingers.
1. My sister-in-law uses superglue to glue the cracked skin on her heels back together!
2. It makes me uncomfortable when people stare at me.
3. We've set up all of the fireworks. Fingers crossed that they all work when we light them.
I have missed a couple of podcasts this week, oops! So here is the first of the two, a little late. My reason for writing this podcast late is that I've been spending time researching my options, as far as the education of my two youngest. They are in a normal elementary school which I like very much, and where they receive quite a lof of Spanish instructions. I'm thrilled that they have that extra benefit, as most elementary schools around here only teach English. But recently, I have discovered that my youngest son has a visual problem. He has what is called visual dislexia. It is not the well-known dislexia. When a child with this problem reads black writing on a white background, his eyes struggle to see clearly. The contrast is too much for his or her photoreceptors. Now that he has been diagnosed, he has green glasses to wear which really help him to see text clearly. I'm so thankful that we found out about his eye condition while he is young. Because this affects reading and writing, I have considered homeschooling him for the rest of the year. There is also a part-time support school where the classes are much smaller, and there are less transitions. I could teach him one-on-one which would give him an opportunity to really catch up. However, he is very happy in school, has lots of friends, and really likes a few of his teachers. So, what do I do? What is the best decision to make? I spoke to many people who homeschool, and asked a lot of questions. I thought, perhaps that my daughter who is in kindergarten could also be homeschooled and go to the part-time support school. I planned on creating exciting lessons for them, and of course, involving other children. So, I informed the principal of their school. All I had to do was sign some papers and that would be that. Well, as soon as I had made that decision, I started to change my mind. It was a struggle. I went back and forth, back and forth, thinking and rethinking. So finally, I went back to the school and told the principal that I had changed my mind. I will keep my kids in school, but have them at home a couple of mornings a week to teach them myself. He gave me a wary look, shook my hand, and politely went back to his office to change his records. Well, I'm a woman, right. Changing my mind all the time is what I'm supposed to do, isn't it? The important thing is that I do what is best for my kids. So, if they can stand to be around their back and forth mother a bit more than usual, I shouldn't have to change my mind for a while.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: Well-known, background, to diagnose, transition.
1. He didn't become a well-known artist until after his death.
2. The background of the image in the photo is saturated with color.
3. To find out what the problem is, his condition needs to be diagnosed.
4. Moving to another country can be an exciting but difficult transition.
We spent a noisy night on Saturday at the local arena. We had tickets to go and see a basketball match between the two big local rivals, Wenatchee and Eastmont. We were lucky enough to have box seats, so we were up high with a good view. We took all of the kids, and met up with my husband's brother's family, and another set of friends. We snacked and chatted while the match played. To tell you the truth, I didn't pay much attention to the game; I was more interested in catching up with my sister-in-law and my friend. I would hear comments every now and then from the men about the game. The Eastmont band was just below our box. Whenever they would play, it was loud. The atmosphere was exciting; there was definitely a spirit of competition in the arena that night. Before the game started, a group of students from each high school shot baskets, to see who would make the most. Wenatchee won by a small margin. I'm sure nerves of the event affected the accuracy of the shots. There were quite a few sporty looking, tall young men shooting baskets, but they only did as well as the girls. At half time, there was a dance performance by a large group of local young girls. It was a sort of hip-hop style which went down well with the audience. And then, of course, there were the cheer leaders doing their thing, their arrangement of kicks, moves, and claps. It was a spectacle, as is to be expected of these arena events. While we were there, it snowed heavily. At one point, I went down to the first floor to get a bite to eat, and, as I walked past the windows, I was amazed at the large, thick snowflakes falling. It made the occasion feel special. This weekend, we have tickets to see a country singer called Clint Black, so I'm sure I will be podcasting about that experience.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to catch up with, a margin, accuracy, to go down (well/ badly).
1. I hadn't seen my friend for years, so we spent a few hours catching up.
2. In our science class, we are allowed no margin for error.
3. Swiss watches have a reputation of having long term accuracy.
4. The joke was in bad taste; it didn't go down well at the dinner party.
Aren't holiday traditions great! I'm always fascinated by the many ways that people of different cultures celebrate special times. We use symbols, songs, colors, food, actions, religious rituals, and get togethers to express our humanity. And we all do it. When you think of just how different all of the countries on this planet are, how our histories have shaped us, and how we have developed our own traditions, looking at how we celebrate special occasions is similar to looking through a magnifying glass at us. Our celebrations reveal a lot about us. One of the traditions that we have adopted from other cultures is to decorate gingerbread houses around Christmas time. Gingerbread dates back to the early Greeks and Egyptians who used it in ceremonies. Monks brought ginger to France in 10th century. But it wasn't until around 11th century that crusaders brought ginger back to Europe from the Middle East. An early recipe for gingerbread was ground almonds, dry bread crumbs, rosewater, sugar, and ginger. This was pressed into wooden molds that depicted the news of that time, a bit like small edible newspaper. In the 16th century, the English replaced the bread crumbs with flour, and added eggs, making a lighter bread. The first gingerbread man is credited to Queen Elizabeth 1, who impressed visitors with gingerbread men made in their images. Gingerbread quickly became more and more popular. It was in 19th century that gingerbread houses appeared in Germany after the brothers Grimm published their stories, especially Hansel and Gretel. They are a common Christmas tradition in Europe and North America. There are even competitions to build the biggest ones, and there is also an annual gingerbread city in Bergen, Norway. So, you see, our tradition of making a gingerbread house didn't originate here at all. It's development has taken a long time, and each time it has reached a different country, it has been slightly changed. And that is the way that traditions evolve.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a magnifying glass, crusaders, to replace, to originate.
1. At school, the children examined bugs under a magnifying glass.
2. Richard the Lionheart was a crusader.
3. That light has gone out. Could you replace the bulb?
4. They originated in Russia, but their family has settled in many different countries.
A recipe I have been making recently that happens to be very easy is baked apples. What could be nicer than hot, cinnamony apples, oozing with deliciousness, and making the whole house smell great? I have recently discovered an apple that has become one of my favorites. It is the honey crisp. It is unusually large, and has little bumps or dimples. It is very juicy, and has a similar flesh to the pacific rose of New Zealand, one that is light and breaks up easily in the mouth. The skin is not too tough, so it's fine to eat raw. The thing I like most about it, however, is it's flavor. It has the perfect combination of flavors, both sweet and tart. Believe it or not, the sweetest apples are not my favorites. Some, I actually find too sugary! To choose the right apple for baking, and I think for eating as well, I like to be able to taste some acidity in the fruit. When I was in the supermarket looking at all the different types of apples, I didn't know which one to pick for baking. I asked an assistant, and he very enthusiastically took me to the honey crisps. So, this is what you do: after washing them, you must remove the core. That can be tricky if you don't have a proper core remover. I've misplaced mine, so I had to struggle with a sharp knife, which annoyed me. But I managed, finally, to remove the cores without cutting myself. Then you place them on a baking sheet, with the core holes facing vertically, and fill them alternately with raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Leave a little space at the top of the core for some butter. Then, put them in the oven for about an hour on 350 degrees, or medium heat. You will be able to tell when they are ready, because your house will smell divine, and the apples will have shrunk, there will be juice in the pan, and the skins will be wrinkled. Enjoy them with either vanilla icecream, or thick whipped cream. Mmmm, they are a winter favorite in this house.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to ooze, dimples, tart (sour), the core.
1. The soldier's wound needed cleaning, it was dirty and oozing.
2. That baby is so cute! He has a dimple on his left cheek just like his mother!
3. We can't use those berries for the pie; they are not ripe yet, and would be too tart.
4. Apparently, the earth's core is hotter than the surface of the sun!
When you have a hobby, and you want to improve your skills, you have to practice. There is no substitute for practice. Those of you who come from disciplined nations will know all about this. In the Western world, I think, dedicating ourselves to long-term practice is sometimes a challenge. It isn't in the fabric of our society. We are innovative, but not necessarily disciplined. Speaking from personal experience, and looking at myself, the practice of a hobby, whether it is a podcast or a musical instrument, a new language or a physical exercise, can be a painful process. Encouragement helps. For example, when I get positive emails from my podlisteners, I think, "Wow! People are listening! I must keep going!" Or if my violin teacher says that I sound better when I play, I feel so relieved that I am spurred on to continue practicing. My oldest son has shown some dedication recently that has reminded me of all of this, and I am impressed. He has basketball practice in middle school at six thirty in the morning, four days a week. Oooooo, now that's painful! I am barely conscious at that time of the morning. I drive him to the school, still in my pyjamas and slippers, wearing a big coat and an extra large scarf. The poor boy must think that his mother looks like a clown. The school is actually very close, but I choose to drive him because it is pitch black that early in the morning, and it is freezing cold, with snow and ice all over the place. As I watch him walk into the school building, I am encouraged that he is being consistent with his basketball. I know that he will see himself improve, and reap the rewards. When I drop him off, I see other boys appear from the darkness, and walk into school, their skinny legs only half covered by their long basketball shorts, and carrying backpacks that look bigger than they are. My heart goes out to them. Hopefully, they do it out of a love for the sport, and not just a sense of obligation. Either way, seeing them encourages me to keep going with my hobbies, and my efforts at self-improvement.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a substitute, innovative, to (be) spur(red) on, barely conscious.
1. You can substitute honey for sugar in this recipe.
2. Apple is a very innovative company; they are so successful because of their creativity.
3. We were spurred on by our teacher to finish our science project; he chooses just the right words to spur us on.
4. When we found the puppy in the snow, it was barely conscious. But after warming up in the house, he was soon running around and playing.
It was only this evening, after a busy day, that I realised that my phone had not rung all day. That is unusual. I checked my messages, and there were twelve! How come I hadn't heard the phone ring? I checked the setting, and it said 'silent'. "Oh, great!" I said to myself as I scrolled through the numbers that had called me. There was one particular one that had tried calling me eight times. Thankfully, it wasn't an emergency. It was the automated telephone system for the substitute teachers. It had called me all those times to offer me a morning job for tomorrow. I have already subbed in that class, which happens to be where one of my sons is. It would have been a perfect job, but it just so happens that I have two appointments in the morning, so I can't make it. I'm lucky, though, to have the teacher request me. Young students like to have a familiar face, instead of a different sub each time. The trouble with my phone is that it's an old design which has buttons on the outside. When I put the phone in my handbag, which I do often during the day, sometimes the buttons get pushed. The settings get changed without me even knowing anything about it. So, sometimes a call will come in, and my handbag will start vibrating, or music will play that I don't recognize. I never know what to expect from my phone. I should probably upgrade to a decent model that doesn't change its settings so easily. Come to think of it, my husband has an old Blackberry that he used to use. It has been sitting around, gathering dust because he has upgraded and no longer needs it. I actually think I understand why I have stuck with my little, old phone. It's because it is cheap, beaten-up, and not important. If I lose it, it's no great loss. However, if I were to lose a Blackberry, I would probably feel bad about losing something expensive. So, for now, I'll just have to double-check my settings, and put up with my comfortable old model.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: to scroll, it just so happens, decent, come to think of it.
1. You scroll on a phone or a computer when you go up and down the page using the side bar or the cursor.
2. It's your birthday today? It just so happens that I have a present for you.
3. Those shoes look worn out and yucky; why don't you buy yourself some decent ones?
4. He hasn't called me this month. Come to think of it, he's never called me!
If you have the blog or the app of A Cup Of English handy, you will see from the photo or the video clip just what the 'it' is. Yes, the snow. Last year, we hardly had any at Christmas, and not even a hint of it at Thanksgiving. This year is very different. People have been saying that it is going to be a long, cold Winter because of La Nina. So far, they are right. The snow started several days before Thanksgiving, and now, today, it is snowing consistently. One thing that tends to happen during the first few days of snow, is that the traffic goes into a mild panic. Some people still drive as fast as ever, as if there was no difference in the weather. Other people go painfully slowly, even when they're on a dry road. Moods go up and down. The last thing you want is to be in a hurry when you are driving in the stuff. On the way home today from the supermarket, I drove past a man who was trying to push his car out of the middle of the road. It had obviously 'died' right there, and was in the way. I pulled over to see if I could help. Another man ran over, and the three of us managed to push the car back away from the moving traffic. I felt like a knight in shining armour, rescuing someone. The man didn't have a cell phone either, so he borrowed mine and called his family to come and help him. It's good insurance helping someone like that, because when your car dies in a snow storm, a couple of people will appear from nowhere and help you. That's my theory, anyway. So now I'm at home, looking out of the window. I have a beef stew bubbling away on the stove, so my kids can have something hot to eat when they get home. And I'm all wrapped up in my woolly clothes, quite happy to stay inside. Mind you, I'm going to have to get out the snow blower and clear the drive way, or our cars will get stuck. That machine will come in handy this season, I bet.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: a video clip, to tend to, a knight, to come in handy.
1. My sister sent me several video clips of her and her family by E-mail.
2. He tends to plan something, and then cancel at the last minute.
3. The brave knight killed the princess and saved the dragon, or was it the other way around?
4. My cell phone comes in handy all the time, and not only for myself. Other people use it all the time.
