Peace. Imagine this: a cool evening, a quiet street, no one around, birds already asleep in the darkened trees, a blanket on the grass, the stars appearing overhead, and a cat by your side. Can you feel it? My cup of decaf is already cold, ignored. I'm too enthralled by what I can see and feel. The moon is not full tonight, but is extremely bright. My mind (1)wanders over the night sky, until I sense the warmth of the quiet feline who has placed himself gently next to me. The nights here in North Central Washington are like a sensory sanctuary, at least for me. When the farenheits dip down into the lower seventies and then continue to decrease, I can finally surface. Even my mother, who is from Spain, doesn't make an appearance outside until it is cool enough. Everything about me seems to resist the extreme heat of the day; I must be the opposite of a lizzard. (2)There is no basking on a rock for me. The shade is what I like. And so, of course, night time is even better. It surprises me, actually, that more people are not outside. In the UK, if ever we get a warm or dry evening, most people make the most of it by staying outside, either eating, drinking in a pub, or just lingering with friends and family. It's a rare treat. So, here I am with my feet on the grass, trying to figure out the constellations. Finley, the brightest of my two cats, is staring at the moon. I wonder if he is sensing a connection to that celestial body. These night animals are special creatures, you know. Watching him basking in his most active time, the night, I realize how Finley is really part of another world. He is nocturnal, and comes alive once the sun has gone down. All his senses go into full gear when the day is over. As my body slows down in the evening in preparation for sleep, (3)his is doing the opposite. If you have a cat, you will have seen this happen. Their pupils dilate, their tales slash from side to side, and they become impatient. The time of dreams and visions falls upon humans, while the primordial instinct to explore, to stalk, and to hunt takes possession of cats. Our little tigers. It makes me realize that only half of my twenty-four hour day is of my dominion, the other half is quite a mystery. What do I really know about the stars, the phases of the moon, or the creatures that are active at night? Not much really. And what of the great subconscious that emerges while our limited consciousness gets sleepy? Lying here, it feels like the damp grass, the soft breeze, the vast sky above, and the movement of animals in the shadows, is all a perfect reflection of my internal world, and the change from one dominion to another: consciousness to subconsciousness, day to night, a beautiful balance of life in one turn of the planet. Grammar Points. 1. 'Wander' and 'wonder'. They sound exactly the same, sorry. Of course, they are 2 verbs with very different meanings. a. He wandered here and there for ten years, until he found a town where he felt comfortable enough to settle down. b. I'm just wondering if I should buy the sofa now, or wait until the sales. 2. 'There is no basking on a rock for me.' A very effective structure of a sentence where you name the opposite activity that you either do or promote. It can be used with objects instead of verbs as well. a. There is no consuming of sugar in this house! b.  There is no rude language in this class! 3.  'As my body slows down in the evening in preparation for sleep, his is doing the opposite.' This is a similar way of using a simple opposite (here using the actual word 'opposite') to make your emphasis. a. As the weary lighthouse keeper in the early morning finished his work and prepared to sleep, the fishermen in the bay were doing the opposite.    b.  He was always trying to help; she was the opposite.

"My soul has been tested today," is a saying that a friend of mine uses on a regular basis. Sometimes, when problems pile up, it feels that way, doesn't it? Of course, some are more serious than others; we know that. Some, however, are just downright bothersome, annoying, frustrating. I could go on. So, I am nearing the end of the renovation of my condominium. I still have a lot to do in the garage in order to transform it into something wonderful and useable. The last few steps needed inside my living area are to carpet the stairs, and to put the shower in my bathroom. For a year I have been working with a nationally known home improvement company for all of my renovation needs, and more recently carpetting has been the order of the day. I went through the normal steps of bringing samples of carpet home, choosing the one I preferred, ordering it, and having the stairs measured. The day came for the installation. I had to go to work, but my mother was at home and would deal with the workmen coming in and out. I imagined coming home to a lovely new carpet, and that thought made me happy, happier than I had been at the first attempt. I need to explain a short back story.  Two months previously, after having jumped through the necessary hoops to get my stairs carpetted, I found myself counting down the hours until the install. With a carpet finally on the stairs, that part of the house, at least, would feel complete, look clean and organized, and have that comfortable feel that only soft material gives. I was in and out for work, but was planning on driving home directly to see the finished product as soon as I could. As I waited in the spine clinic to see my next patient, the phone rang: "Miss Casswell? This is Juan, the installer. I'm so sorry, but I don't know what happened. I was ready to install your carpet, but when I went to pick it up, uh......,it wasn't there." "I'm sorry Juan, I don't understand. What do you mean "It wasn't there"?" "Well, the warehouse told me that it had arrived, but no one could find it. We looked for two hours...I don't know what happened. I guess you'll have to reorder. I'm so sorry." I was disappointed, but also curious and perturbed about how a whole roll of carpet could go missing. Had it been stolen? Had it been installed in someone else's house without them realizing it was the wrong one? Had the carpet-stealing-elves been busy? Or more likely, had the carpet not been ordered? Later that evening, as I sat in the carpet department of Lowes, I was told that nobody knew what had happened. I had paid for the carpet, and waited a month for its arrival, but a mystery had taken place within the home improvement store, as they do every now and again. "Weird, huh?" chuckled the employee, raising his shoulders, his eyes dilated. Suspicious body language, I thought. So I reordered the same carpet, knowing that it would take at least a month to arrive. The day came, finally, for the baby's arrival, at least that is what it had come to feel like. Juan the installer was back and busy stapling in the pad that goes underneath the carpet. I didn't have to work until later, so I hung out with my mum downstairs until his noisy work had finished. "Miss Anna," said Juan walking towards me. "Just to double check that this is the correct carpet, here is a sample." I looked down at the small, triangular piece of carpet he was offering me. No. No. "Oh great," I said to myself. "I'm sorry Juan, that is not my carpet. I would have never have ordered blue /grey." "Are you sure, Miss Anna?" Juan said weakly, realizing that he probably shouldn't have bothered asking me that question.  "It's completely the wrong color Juan. I'm sorry your time was wasted." So, you're probably wondering if I have my flipping carpet yet or not. Well, I don't. I became very comfortable walking on the plastic foam pad. However, after two months of doing that I realized that I needed to launch myself a third time into the mysterious, risky world of carpet installation. "A third time lucky," we English people say in many contexts, meaning that you must keep trying. So, the third order has been given. Maybe the process this time will produce an actual carpet on the stairs. Maybe it won't. If I ever get a carpet, I think I will curl up on it half way up the stairs, like a cat, and take a happy nap. But, shhhhh, we should keep it quiet; we don't want the carpet elves to find out.  

I'm sitting in the local library writing this podcast, and honestly, it is one of my favorite places to be. There are so many reasons to feel this way too. The Wenatchee library is situated in the center of town, close to the court house, the jail, and the other older, significant buildings. The south side of the library (1)overlooks Memorial Park. I wrote a podcast once which you might remember, about a spectacular tree in that park. It is truly an elegant green space. Even though there is a constant flow of traffic around it, the mature trees and their shady spaces provide an instant sense of refreshment and comfort. During Covid the library shut down, but underwent a full renovation. It was built in 1959, and, as you can imagine (2)reeked of the details of that era: orange/ brown carpets, yellowish countertops, and very boxy architecture. Now it is uptodate and bright, with a natural, modern palette, a wall of white windows, and an impressive choice of books to read and listen to. They offer book, film, and chess clubs, workshops of all different kinds, and of course kids programs. If any of my friends ever complain about taxes, I say to them, "Go to the library! You helped to pay for it!" I shudder to think how much the renovation cost, (3)judging by my brief experience with renovating. But having said that, this building is here to stay, and is certainly used by many patrons. I'll never forget the first book that inspired me to be a life-long reader: The Rats by James Herbert. I was twelve at the time when a friend of mine recommended it. I got it from the local library which had a series of his books. Horror, for some reason, was the genre that appealed to me at that age. I couldn't put the book down, and when I finished it, I immediately went back to the library and got another: The Fog. So, I have a soft spot for libraries; I think they are indispensible for a community. You never know who might try out the library, read a book, and because of it, set off on a direction of inspiration or adventure.   To overlook has two meanings. One is to physically look over or upon something. The second meaning is to ignore or forget about something or someone. a. Their apartment overlooks the lake. They sit there in the evening watching the yachts come and go. b. I usually overlook his rudeness, but I couldn't yesterday. His behavior was too much!   2. To reek also has a basic meaning and an idiomatic one. The first is to smell awful. The second is to give a definite, strong impression of something. a. The old garbage reeked. It should have been taken out a long time ago! b. Her attitude reeked of arrogance. She thought she knew better than everyone else.   3. Judging by + noun is another way of saying, "According to my experience/ knowledge." a. Judging by our past experience with this airline, the flight should be fine. b. Judging by his comments, he will probably lose his job sooner than he thinks.  

I thought I would start this podcast with a cheery English idiomatic phrase: (1)Things are looking up. This, (2)as you can probably imagine, means that the general situation at the moment is looking positive, or better than it has been. I've been looking up a lot recently, partly because of the new, green leaves on the trees, the very blue sky, and also partly because of my ceiling. I should actually say, "My lack of ceiling." Some of you know that I have spent the last year doing a total remodel of my condominium. Everything was stripped down to the bare wooden frame. It is a different story now. The vast majority of (3)the work is behind me; my mother and I have moved in, and I am involved in the finishing touches. One of my ideas for the remodel was to remove the ceiling of my kitchenette/ dining area so the roof and its beams would be exposed, to give a sense of height and space. I thought that it would be quite simple. Well, it isn't. If there is no ceiling, then the roof must be insulated, and to do that you need an approved plan of action from the city, or a permit, and a special kind of insulation. As the wooden beams that hold up the roof, or rafters as they are called, are skinny 1970's beams that only measure 2"x4" in width and depth, it is difficult to find any insulation at all that will fit. I did some research and ended up with a special spray foam. More complications: it is toxic for 24 hours, so we had to move in with a friend for 2 nights, and I had to make sure that the cats and our house plants were either in the garage or outside. But, it is finished. I won't freeze in the winter or be cooked in the summer, and the foam doesn't look bad. It has the appearance of concrete, actually. Once I paint it and hang up some cafe style lights amoung the beams, it should give me and my guests better reasons to regularly look up.   Grammar points: 1. Things are looking up.  A positive perspective on the general situation at present because of some improvement. I just got my first check from my new job, so things are looking up. They took the cast off of Peter's leg and now he is in therapy, so things are looking up. 2. As you can probably imagine. A wonderful phrase that screams of English fluency. Add it where you can, especially when you are recounting a situation. We organized the whole wedding and reception, so as you can imagine, we are exhausted! They just found out that they will be grandparents. They are very excited, as you can imagine. 3. The work is behind me (or another person or persons). The job or task is finished. It implies relief! He just graduated from medical school, so for a little while, the work is behind him. He retired from a busy construction company and now golfs every day. You could definitely say that the work is behind him.    

For many months, I have been involved in a renovation project that has extended into at least six months. Thankfully it is almost complete. The original plan was that my mother would move into a refreshed and updated downstairs area, and I would have the upstairs. This is still the plan; however, we have had to proceed in two different stages. My mum has moved in already, but my area upstairs is still quite bare and rudimentary. And by that, I mean exposed plumbing, no carpet, and a fully exposed roof! You would have to be desperate to live in my apartment at the moment, as you can hardly*(1) call it an apartment at all. Thankfully, I have a carpenter who is much more than his job description; he can do just about anything when it comes to constructing a house. He is from Venezuela, so I enjoy speaking Spanish to him. He is very accomodating and diplomatic as well. I seem to keep changing my mind and adding new ideas, and he simply smiles, clarifies what I would like, then nods his head and says, "Esta bien Anna." Very charming. But, gosh, there are a thousand things to think about, double-check, and schedule. Some days other workmen turn up late, or not at all, an ordered part might be delayed, or something breaks. You have to learn to manage your stress when you are up to your neck*(2) in 'stuff'! It reminds me of a man I used to know who was a general contractor, a man who organizes all of the different workmen on a jobsite. I asked him once what he did all day, and he replied, "I spend the whole day yelling at people." I wouldn't be cut out for that! So, as you can imagine, I make a trip every day up to my house, visit my mum and have a cup of tea, and then get on with the project upstairs. The days are flying by, and I so look forward to the move in date! Finally, I will be in my newly renovated, little sanctuary. 1. 'Hardly' is an adverb that means 'barely,' or 'almost not.' It is so useful, and definitely a daily use word. It is often used with 'ever.' Ex 1. He hardly ever reads the newspaper, so he doesn't know what is going on.      2. It was raining so hard while I was driving that I could hardly see. Something important to remember about hardly is that it is used to denote frequency or degree. It doesnot denote intensity. So, you could not use it in the following sentences: He tried hardly to finish his homework. You MUST use 'hard' because we are talking about the intensity of his 'trying'. Therefore we say: He tried hard to finish his homework. One way to remember this is that 'hardly' means very little, whereas 'hard' means a lot. Another example: He focused hardly through the binoculars. This also is WRONG. You should say: He focused hard through the binoculars.   2. 'Up to your neck' is used with the verb 'to be', and it means that you are extremely busy, stressed, or preoccupied in some way.         Ex 1: I am up to my neck in bills this week. I have to make sure I pay them.              2. She seems to be up to her neck in problems; I hope she resolves them soon.

"I had no idea that there are so many!" I said to the lady in the garden who was busy cutting off dry flower heads. "Oh yes!" she said excitedly. "There are at least 10,000 kinds of dahlias now, and new varieties are found each year," her wide eyes showed her enthusiasm. I had walked past the rows of dahlias earlier as I had hurried into the clinic without paying much attention. However, when I was walking back to my car, checking my phone messages, the kaleidoscope of colors caught my eye. I had to have a look. The look was more like a long, satisfying gaze. I walked slowly up and down each aisle, shaking my head in wonderment at how many varieties of the same flower were all in one place. And such unexpected petal shapes! Some flower heads were like huge dinner plates in size and full of frilly, rolled up petals. Others had the quintessential daisy look: seven or nine oval petals, but painted masterfully with colors blending into eachother. The pistils, or centers, were like bright alien landscapes with odd forms decorating the stigma bumps. The lady, who was a member of the North Central Washington Dahlia society, informed me that dahlias originated in Mexico, where there was one variety. Adaptations have developed, as they always do in plant life, through reproduction and genetic variety. It seems endless. In fact, it is! Like the saying in English goes: "God laughs in flowers." Plant life, and flowers in particular, are a painter's eternal canvas. "The bees must be happy," I thought to myself as I got in my car, "to suddenly find, in the middle of town, a paradise of pollen." And they certainly were happy, busy at least, their little bodies climbing all over the flower heads, hundreds of them. What a treat, to come out of work, and to be able to walk through a well manicured garden, brimming with beautiful flowers. Hat's off to the NCW Dahlia Society.

Shocking isn't it? If you can see this photo, I'm sure you will be thinking, "What a mess! What has Anna been up to?" It's renovation time, people. Everything is becoming new! Well, I have quite a long way to go, actually. My two bedroom condo is being transformed into a four bedroom one. Now how could I do that with a little condominium, you might ask? My answer is: "With the help of an architect, an engineer, and some very skilled builders, electricians, plumbers, and carpenters." Honestly, there are some very talented people involved in this relatively little project. When I say relatively, I am talking about the overall size of the place. With the help of some friends, I have managed to strip the place down to its bare bones: no sheet rock, just the wood that is holding up the roof! It has been a fun but dusty, messy time of smashing and crashing, and then throwing everything into the back patio. Thankfully, most of the demolition is over. Now comes the reshaping of the place. My plan is that, as my mother is just about eighty and has macular degeneration, it is best for her to not use the stairs. Therefore, the room that was previously used as a small dining room and office, will now be her bedroom. A clever extension has been added to the space under the stairs, and that will be her shower. Everything is being updated, and the kitchen will be the crowning glory, with new appliances, paint, flooring, and a special treatment for the ceiling. I'm expecting some excellent meals for all my efforts! The upstairs will be stage 2: my apartment. The stairwell had a very large, decorative hole in it, so anyone upstairs could look down to the first floor. This wasted space will be filled in to become floor space. The two bathrooms up there will be shrunk and moved away from the central space, and so, voila, a large third room will be available. The framers are working on that right now actually. So, this will be the home I share with my mum when its all finished. I'll have lots more details to tell you soon!

As I looked out of the kitchen window this morning, I was shocked but partly pleased to see a sheet of ice on the entryway to the back door. I say 'shocked' because the rain and warmer temperatures of last night were supposed to have melted the existing heavy snow and ice. The reason I was pleased, though it sounds silly, was that the ice was quite beautiful. It formed a quintessential, frosty, crystal pattern across the ground. My hope is that that beauty will soon melt away so I don't have to worry about slipping on the way to work! You have probably heard the news about the arctic blast the US has received recently. Even places like Florida and Texas have been hit. So what happened this year to make the usual winter weather so much worse? Apparently, frigid air from the North, the Arctic, expanded and moved southward because of air currents. It's what is called a Polar Vortex that has spread. I can only imagine what some people are having to deal with at the moment. I am very fortunate to have a cosy, decent rental that is close to work, and best of all, has an open fire. I can curl up in front of it with my two cats and be very thankful indeed! Of course, the conditions limit our activities. Even though I ski when I can, I am not half as active as I normally am. This gives a person time to do projects indoors. And so, here I am, back to podcasting, and, you know, it feels really good. At a time when many creatures go into hibernation, I'm coming out of mine! I have always found winter to be a magical time. There's the drastic change from autumn to winter, the otherworldly reality of snow, and a high spiritual vibe this time of year. The photo in this podcast is of a winter scene that my son Hudson 3-D printed. I was so thrilled with it, that I asked him for 10 of them for my friends. It is one of the most beautifully delicate snowy scenes I have come across. And, inspite of the chaos outside, it reminds me of the story-filled inspirations of winter that I have had since my childhood.

A week ago I went on a drive to explore an area of Eastern Washington that I'm not familiar with at all. It was the rolling countryside north of where I live, near the little town of Manson. The geography here is dry like Wenatchee, but lower, wider, and full of rolling hills. These stretch miles into the distance towards the East. It seems like a very rural, mainly uninhabited area, but actually, as you explore, you quickly realize that there are houses even in the most remote looking areas, little pockets of human life here and there. I think that they type of people who live in these areas are either retired, work remotely from home, or really need the peace and energy that the quiet countryside can give.  Driving up a lonely, winding road, suddenly there was a flash of color above that passed over the car. Of all things it was a peacock. What on earth was it doing in this remote area. It seemed really out of place. It flew from one side of the road to the hill on the other, joining about eight others that were already there, enjoying the sun. Their colors were brilliant. And yes, even though they seem more suited to palace gardens, they were totally comfortable in that terrain. They are, after all, very much like pheasants, just much more beautiful. Someone nearby must have bred them. I could only see one female; of course she wasn't as spectacular to look at as the males. Her plumage was much more like the grass and rocks of her surroundings.  These little day trips always seem to bring surprises, even in remote areas, there is always something that will prove to be unexpected.

Hello happy podcast listeners, I've missed you! However, I have resurfaced, as I have done in the past, with exciting news. I am going to run the New York City Marathon in November. I am both nervous and excited. I'm not actually a long distance runner; this is a new endeavor. I used to sprint, which means fast, short runs. At this point in my life, though, I would like to attempt something very special, and the New York Marathon is definitely that. It happens to be the 50th anniversary of the run, so the size and atmosphere of the race will be above average. It's a bucket list item, you could say. I am hoping that my 50 year old joints will cope with the impact of running 26 miles, especially as I have a little hip injury. So wish me luck while I get prepared. If any of you run, I would love to hear some good advice; I am all ears! One other reason why I am very excited about participating in this historical event, is that I'm doing it to raise money for The World Wild Life Fund. This is a very worthy cause which supports and funds educational programs that teach communities sustainable farming, land use, and life style, so people can eat what they grow for a long time, and develop an efficient and productive relationship with the land. Preserving our water sources and having food security, are the keys to global health and less wars. The charity does its part for plant and animal life also, so we can preserve this beautiful, fascinating planet.  The NYC Marathon is obviously an international event with professional, and olympic runners competing from countries like Ethiopia and Kenya, amongst others. It has been limited to 33,000 people because of Covid, but thankfully is still due to take place, unlike others that have been cancelled. The winner's prize money for both men and women is $130,000. Well, I certainly won't be seeing any of that; I will just be happy to be there, and fingers-crossed, cross the finish line. I will certainly do a podcast to let you all know what happens. As I am doing this to raise money for charity, I would really appreciate any donations any of you can make, even pennies would help. Just head over to   and click on the super-cute baby elephant if you'd like to do your part for this very worthy cause. If you donate, you will know that we worked together for charity in the 50th NYC Marathon. Thank you in advance for your help.

What do you do on your lunch break? Some people barely have one; they have to quickly grab a snack, eat for a few minutes, and then continue working. This summer, as my teaching job is over, I have been working as a medical interpreter in a local hospital, in rehab. I love it there. This job is such a contrast to teaching, and, of course, the environment is completely different! The day is divided up into 45 minute blocks of time when different therapists each visit the patients and work with them. Some of these patients only speak Spanish, so that is where I come in. I'm the interpreter in the middle, trying to be as accurate as possible. Most of these patients are recent stroke victims. Our task is to get their mobility and speech back to as normal as possible. The encouraging thing about the rehab department is that we see tremendous recovery every day. But the work is intense, even the interpreting. So a good lunch break is welcome, believe me. Thankfully, I have an hour! The hospital is located not far from the center of town, so in a short walk, you have access to shops and restaurants. However, my favorite place for lunch when I work there is in the hospital gardens. It is a medium patch of grass surrounded by trees, with a well maintained zinnia patch. Yes zinnias! If you have listened to my podcast over the years, you will know that they are one of my favorite flowers. They are hardy, and tolerate these dry, hot conditions. So, I sit in the hospital gardens, eating my food, and watching the bees make their rounds in the flower patch, a bit like the therapists visiting the patients.

Since my last podcast, I have started working full-time at a middle school. I am an eighth grade ELA and Social Studies teacher. ELA means English Language Arts, and is basically all about essay writing and critical thinking. Of course I feel very privileged to have this job, especially (1)in this climate of high unemployment! It's not (2)all smooth sailing, however. The hybrid system of teaching in person part of the time and via zoom the rest of the time is still evolving, so the curriculum is something we are having to develop from week to week. This might not sound like a problem, but, believe me it is a real headache. Also, we only have half of the students in school at a time.  I cannot complain, though. (3)I am more than happy to be back in a teaching environment, and am slowly bonding with the students. There is talk now about the whole student body coming back to school full-time. We will find out in a week or two if that will happen. It seems that, as more people are vaccinated, the government wants to get young people back to a normal, learning routine as soon as possible. In order to do that safely, we will have to follow certain protocols, and, of course, be vaccinated. I had the first vaccine by Pfizer about three weeks ago, so I am due to have the next one today. Exciting.... I don't mind vaccines; I certainly believe in them. I see this next one as a gateway to getting back to a normal life, so I certainly don't mind a poke in the arm, even if I get a few cold-like symptoms for a few days afterwards. When I had my first vaccine, it was a drive-through situation where I didn't have to get out of my car. Afterwards, I had to sit in line and wait for 15 minutes before leaving, just so the nurses could see that I didn't have an allergic reaction. I didn't have one. So, it looks like I'm on target for being 'covered' as we say today. I will be less likely to get infected and less likely to infect. That gives me great peace of mind. I am encouraged by the news of the many different types of vaccines for Covid that are now available, and the numbers of people who are receiving them each day globally. 1. In this climate of ..... means in this general atmosphere/ condition of society. It is used figuratively. a. In this climate of political divide, it is refreshing to be able to debate amicably. b. In this climate of apparent accountability, I hope we can all be more transparent. 2. 'Smooth sailing' or 'it's not all smooth sailing' are wonderful idioms to show ease or the lack of it. a. After we organized the wedding and sent out the invitations, everything else was smooth sailing. b. Running your own business is not all smooth sailing. You might have more control and independence, but you have all the responsibility. 3. 'To be more than happy to..' is obvious in meaning, and a great addition to a sentence. a. I am more than happy to help you; just tell me what you need. b. We are more than happy to help that charity because it does so much good for the community.

Winter is a special time. I suppose all of the seasons are. I find winter to be a struggle with disappointment which is relieved by exciting and meaningful moments. The main reason for this is the climate I live in. Wenatchee is a semi-desert region, so it is very dry. However, in the winter we get a lot of snow. The surrounding mountains give us the opportunity to play! Skiing it all its variety is available, and many people take advantage of it. I, at the moment, am really enjoying skate skiing. I plan to do some downhill skiing as well, that is, if I can find the time. So what did I mean when I said that winter is a struggle with disappointment? Well, sometimes there is no snow, and therefore no skiing. At times, we just get the cold, dreary, grey weather, and none of the white, fun stuff. When it does fall from the sky, however, it is magical. It transforms everything that you see outside into another world. The celebrations during winter also create moments that are very special. Diwali, Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Chinese New Year just some of the many holidays that are celebrated in winter around the world. We humans are very connected to the seasons, and see them as representing meaningful parts of our own lives, as well as being part of the natural world. As we approach February, I see small signs of spring here and there. In the shops, a few flowers have appeared. They were grown either in other countries or 'forced' to grow early in greenhouses. Either way, I appreciate seeing them in their rows in the stores. They contrast with the snowy winter conditions; they really seem out of place. But you know me: I love flowers! I'll buy them in any season. So when it is a disappointing, dull, snowless day, I can cheer myself up by looking at the flowerpot on the kitchen windowsill.

The frosty days of early winter are here, so most people are staying indoors. Covid, of course, has made that worse. However, everywhere I see people making an effort to get out of doors at some point so they can exercise. Our days are short now: at five o'clock it is dark. So, if you want to exercise in the daylight, you need to go earlier in the day, otherwise you won't get any rays at all! For a few days, I got up and actually went for a run. Now, that sounds impressive. It wasn't. I basically managed about twenty minutes to half an hour around the nearby neighborhoods. I felt great afterwards! As I stretched my hips and thighs I felt very proud of myself for doing something so crazy, especially as the mornings were frosty. There were other benefits that I found from jogging as well. I discovered a couple of lovely streets: Dogwood lane, and Castleview drive. These are very neat, elegant residential areas that have attractive homes, nice front yards, and mature trees. No all streets have those, so it's refreshing when you come across some that do. So, it was on Brandi lane where I discovered a type of maple tree that still has not lost its leaves. That is very unusual for deciduous trees here; they are all bare now because of the cold, but not these. I am aching to find out what their names are, because they stand out and look fabulous. It was a joy to run past them, and under them, with their masses of red and pink leaves hanging overhead, glowing in the sun. Whoever planted these along the road either knew how they would add to the beauty of the neighborhood, or that person simply got lucky. Either way, until all their leaves fall and they become bare, Brandi lane will be a road that I jog through quite happily.

Saddle rock is the name of one of the hills that overlooks Wenatchee. It's name comes from the fact that, from a distance, it looks like a horse's saddle. It is a popular hike for locals and visitors, and offers a wonderful view of the town, and the Columbia river flowing down from the North. I hiked up to its rocky crown a week ago, and sat for a while taking in the view. I only saw one other person, a lady hiking down the very steep trail, trying not to fall. The soil is loose and sandy, so it is easy to slip and slide(1), particularly when you are coming downhill. It's quite magical when you have the whole trail to yourself; it's as if it belongs to you. The Saturday that I hiked it was a perfectly still, autumn day at first. As I got to the top, the weather changed, the clouds moved, and I got rained on. By then, I was hot from the uphill (2)walk, so the rain didn't bother me at all; it was quite refreshing. The local authorities maintain the trails each year by fixing any erosion. I noticed that on the way up, there were signs of closure of certain areas. This happens every now and then, so the plant and animal life can be undisturbed for a while and recuperate(3) from the busy hiking season of summer.  The local school district has regular trips for school children up Saddlerock. It's considered a 'field trip', or an excursion. It's a great way to get out of the class, away from books and computer screens, and to exercise out in nature, and learn at the same time. Often the school children will do a unit of study on the local, natural environment, perhaps learning about the type of rock and soil, or a subject like erosion. Then, they will participate in their field trip and see a real life example of what they have just studied. It really validates what they have learned in the classroom. And then there are other groups who will hike up there too. A physical therapy patient I was working with, told me that his boss has been trying to get all of his employees fit, so they can stay healthy and not miss work. He created an incentive for them to hike up Saddle rock 10 times: those who chose to do it would get a $500 bicycle from him. What a clever idea! The hiking gets people in shape, and the cycling maintains their health. Everybody wins! I will certainly keep hiking up Saddle rock until the bad weather gets here, and hopefully I will be able to do it alone and at peace. 1. 'Slip and slide' we tend to put these two similar verbs together to emphasize the sense of losing your footing and your balance. a. I got out of my car and slipped and slid on the thin ice. b. Be cautious coming down the mountain and wear good shoes, otherwise you will slip and slide all the way down. 2. 'Uphill / downhill' these are obvious words to use when talking about hiking. They are often used figuratively. a. Biking downhill is easy, but remember to use the brakes! b. That class was an uphill struggle for me; I had to really focus and study so I wouldn't feel lost. 3. 'Recuperate' is a great verb that means 'to get better', or 'to return to normal health/ strength.' a. If she rests adequately and takes her medicine, she should recuperate from her accident. b. Sleep is a key to help us recuperate from illnesses, exercise, stress, and surgery.  

I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish my nurse's assistant training this summer because of Covid. The last part of the course was going to be 40 hours of work in a care center for the elderly in the little town of Cashmere. "How am I going to finish my course?" was really on my mind. A few weeks ago, however, I received an email from our teacher telling us that there was no more Covid in the center, and that we could go there to do our clinicals. We were assigned in pairs to work with one particular patient, to help in any and every way needed.  The first morning, when I arrived at 5:55am, I was nervous and excited. I am not from the medical field, so this was all going to be new for me. Our teacher showed us around, gave us as much advice as we needed, I think, and let us get to work. My partner and I were assigned to a lady I will call 'J'. She had several chronic illnesses and required total care. She could feed herself, but other than that, the rest was up to us. Our duties included: getting her up, toileted, washed, dressed, lifted into her wheelchair, fed, and back to bed. We worked on a tight schedule(1). Another thing that we had to do was reposition her in bed every two hours. This is essential for patients who cannot move themselves because if they don't change position, their circulation will get cut off at certain points of their bodies, which could lead to infection and death. Another thing that we had to think about all of the time was infection control, keeping germs away from our patients and ourselves.  So, needless to say(2), we were busy all day. It was exhausting but really rewarding because J was quite a character. She understood that we were there for her, and appreciated our help, but she was also very upfront, and quick to be sarcastic. I loved that! It's hard to sum up all of the learning experiences that you get in a clinical like ours. We had such close contact and communication with not only our patient, but also with many of the others who were in the longterm care ward. I actually feel privileged to have been there with these wonderful, fragile people. They each had so many stories to tell, but sadly most of them could either no longer speak or remember. So what now? I finished the course, but I still have to take the state exams in order to be registered as a nurse's assistant. Then, who knows? I definitely would like to work for a while in this capacity(3). It could very well lead to nursing, but as yet I'm not sure. Even if it doesn't, it was one of the most valuable courses I have taken, and has opened up a whole new area of human experience to me. 1. 'On a tight schedule' means that you have a lot to do in a given, limited amount of time. a. We need to feed all of the patients between 12 and 1pm; we're on a tight schedule. b. The builders of the cabin are on a tight schedule because it will snow soon. 2. 'Needless to say' is like saying 'this extra comment is obvious because of the context I have already given.' a. The dog got out, and needless to say, it chased the neighbor's cat. b. He was the most punctual and hardworking worker, needless to say, he was awarded 'employee of the month.' 3. 'Capacity' can mean one of three things: the potential for storage, a position/job, or an ability. a. The cinema was filled to capacity. b. He has the capacity to be a great doctor. c. She volunteered in her capacity as an interpreter, and really helped the project.

The Goldfinch is the Washington State bird. I learned this from my enthusiastic mother-in-law, who was trying to encourage me to get a specific birdfeeder. She has one that attracts mainly Goldfinches, and has spent many hours sitting and watching these yellow, social animals fly in and out of the area, fighting for a space on the birdfeeder. I didn't buy the bird feeder, but Margo turned up one day with it in hand, as well as a bag of seeds, and a laminated poster about Washington State birds. She was obviously adamant that(1) we have all the equipment. The birdfeeder is just outside of the kitchen window next to some trees. We have another one a few feet away for the general population, and a hummingbird feeder next to the sunnier side of our deck. So we are all set up to birdwatch! Well, you know what happens when you're ready to photograph animals, - nothing. Days went by and I didn't see a bird at all anywhere near the feeder. It wasn't until Margo came by several days later, that birds started to turn up. It was odd; as soon as she walked into the kitchen, three Goldfinches appeared and clung to(2) the feeder. We watched in amazement at their sudden appearance and their brightly colored feathers. Then as soon as she left, they did! She must be the Goldfinch woman.... Since that day, we have had a daily flock of them, mainly juveniles; they are so small! It's very satisfying to watch them. Not only are they beautiful, but they are so energetic and feisty! There is always a pecking order(3) in each crowd; someone always has to be the boss! This little bird only grows to about 5 inches long, with a wingspan of 8. It's unusual in that it molts twice a year, gaining new, bright yellow feathers just before the mating season, and again before Autumn. It only eats seeds, and loves sunflowers and thistles in particular. Thankfully, humans don't bother the birds. In fact, they are quite happy with us. Many eat and live in backyards, and also in cleared forests that have become fields, as they like open spaces. So what we have with the Goldfinch is a lovely, beneficial relationship.  1. 'To be adamant that + subjunctive' means to insist on something. a. They are adamant that their daughter break up with her boyfriend. b. The teacher is adamant that all her students read one book a week. 2. 'Clung' is the past of 'to cling' which means to hang on for dear life! a. I'm right here; you don't have to cling on to me! b. The cat clung on to the top of the curtain while the dogs barked at it underneath. 3. 'A pecking order' means a ranking, someone at the top who is most 'important' and then a descending order of others. a. The lion is the top of the pecking order in a pride. b. He would like to determine who is at the top of the office pecking order, but he doesn't have the authority.

I've been busy for a few weeks, as you might have noticed. I didn't mean to abandon you, but I had to for a short while. As you can see from the photo, I have been spending time with a boney friend. He has helped me learn about the body, and understand more about all of the body systems. I was really ignorant about these before I started the Nurse's Assistant course. I went to the local college for about a month, twice a week, to practice serving ill and elderly people. The other days of the week, we had classes via Zoom, to keep a social distance. It all worked very smoothly, and I believe we all passed. However, we were supposed to have two weeks of clinicals in a local retirement center, to get real, practical experience of working with patients. The Coronavirus interrupted that, unfortunately. As many residents suddenly got infected, the clinicals were postponed. Never mind! Washington State government is allowing us to do our clinicals while we work, that is(1), if we manage to get a job. That will be my next goal: to get a job. It's not the easiest job in the world at all; you have to be tough. But as I am a tough Brit, I think it will suit me. There are lots of people in retirement homes in this area who need good, kind care. My parents are elderly now, and I think that if I were(2) not available to help them, I would want them to have the best, efficient, and kind people to look after them. The course was taught by an excellent teacher called Tina. She has been a nurse for over 20 years, and has such insight into the job! I liked many things about the course. Firstly, getting to know the body on a level that I was unfamiliar with was very exciting. I don't have a science background, and I had never taken the time (3)to learn anything about anatomy. So, a new world opened up to me. Then came the practical application of the nursing process: observing patients, diagnosing problems, and forming a plan. Again, very exciting stuff. It's a tremendous responsibility to do these things with weak, ill people. They are so vulnerable. And then, at the end of the course, Tina worked her teaching magic, and made the knowledge we had gained very personal. We had to do a project, imagining ourselves as 87years old, living in a retirement center, and dealing with normal age related body changes. It was the perfect way to end the course, by developing empathy and understanding of patients. I will let you know if I get a job; I'm sure that will be quite an adventure. 1. 'That is..' is a little phrase that shows that we are going to restate something, or add pertinent detail, or a condition. a. I will find out what his plans are, that is, if he ever calls me! b. Economies should open up in a couple of months, that is, if everyone social distances in the mean time. 2. 'If I were not available to help them, I would want them to have the best.' This is subjunctive, right? Let's see some more: a. If they wore masks (if they were to wear masks), they would be safer. b. If he spoke that way to my mother, I would give him a piece of my mind! 3. 'To take the time + infinitive'. This idiomatic phrase is self-explanatory. You have spent some time deliberately doing something: studying, planning, thinking etc. a. Why don't you take the time to read that book; I think you'll find it worthwhile. b. We took the time to get to know our new neighbors. I'm so glad that we did. They are now our best friends!  

  Spring is notorious(1) for changeable weather. Over the past month that is certainly what we have been experiencing. We have had hot, still days, rainy, cool ones, and even a huge wind storm. It's the latter(2) that is worth writing about because it caused so much destruction! It happened in the evening when I had gone out with my husband to a friend's house. He and his wife happen to live on a hillside that overlooks the town. It is a great spot to sit and enjoy the view while having a beer or a glass of wine. We all knew that a storm had been forecast, so we decided to remain outside for as long as possible to watch it pass over the valley. Normally, here, storms involve thunder and lightening, so that is what we were expecting. As we talked, the wind picked up. It plummeted(3) down the hill, thrashing the trees around, and pounded against the windows. We could see that no one was outside in the valley; that would have been unsafe. And the storm went on and on. We eventually had to move inside as the rain was falling sideways on us, and we got the impression that debris could easily cause an accident. We needed to get out of the way, and into safety. So, we sat inside, next to a wall of windows, looking out onto the hillside. At one point, the scene looked as if we were underwater, the trees and grass waving and shuddering as if ocean waves were overhead pulling at them. After a couple of hours, the storm finished, it had grown dark, and we left. The next morning we were going to Seattle to pick up our oldest son from university, so we got ready to leave. As is my morning routine, I drank my coffee while looking out of the back window into our large garden. I noticed that there were a lot of green leaves from one of the trees all over the grass. That wasn't normal. And as I looked around I was surprised at how bright it was on our north facing deck. And then I saw it. One of our thirty foot trees was completely missing! I ran outside, and there it was, down on the lawn, snapped at the roots, without having caused any damage at all. I was shocked, and impressed! It was an Aspen, which has masses of round leaves that quiver in the wind. It had been dying back for a couple of years; I think this altitude and climate don't suit them actually. They are native to high, cold, dry mountains. My husband and I walked around the fallen tree, amazed at how perfectly it had fallen. "Well," said Tom, "at least that's one tree that I don't have to cut down," he smiled. Ours wasn't the only tree in town that had been blown over; there were many. And for the next few days, workmen all over Wenatchee were busy, cutting up trunks and branches, and hauling everything away. The hole where the roots had snapped has not been filled in yet. In fact, when I first found the tree down, I reached in the hole to examine the roots, many of which were rotten; they easily broke just like cork. I thought it quite symbolic of events that are taking place in the world at the moment. If something has rotten foundations, it is just a matter of time until it falls. And its when a particularly strong wind comes, that it will happen. 1. 'Notorious' means 'known for', it has a connotation of evil or bad character. a. He was notorious for exaggeration; you could never believe everything he said. b. The park is notorious for night time drug deals and other illegal activity. 2. 'The latter' means 'the last mentioned'. It is often used in a sentence with 'the former' (meaning the first mentioned). a. At the crime scene three people were found: the butler, the cook, and the gardener, the latter being highly suspected of criminal activity. b. She has a cat and a snake, the latter being the easiest to take care of.  3. 'To plummet', 'to pound', 'to thrash'. These three verbs are action verbs which denote violence and speed. 'To plummet' really means to fall extremely quickly, often with implied weight. 'To pound' is to beat repeatedly, and 'to thrash' is to attack or shred.  a. The meteorite plummeted to the earth, making a huge crater in the High School field. b. The artist pounded on the metal sheet consistently until he had created an even pattern. c. The dogs escaped and chased each other through the neighbors lilies which they completely thrashed.    

  Mother's Day in the U.S. is May 9th. It's supposed to be a day when people show their appreciation for their mothers in different ways. Some people will take their mothers out to a restaurant for lunch or dinner, others will buy them gifts, or perhaps have a special celebration at home. At my home, my family organized a special day for me. My oldest son turned up from university unexpectedly just for the day. We were going to go on a hike, but it would have been a hard one, and I really didn't fancy making a lot of effort. So I said, "Change of plans everyone, let's just go for a walk in the park, and take the dogs to the dog park." Walla Walla park is right next to the river, and has wonderful walkways with some lovely shady areas of mature trees. It was the perfect amount of 'effort' for me for Mother's Day. The walkway goes past new apartment complexes, Pybus Market, and pleasantly landscaped office buildings. Then the terrain changes a bit, and gets drier as you walk past a more industrial area. Here you get a glimpse of what Wenatchee is naturally like without irrigation. The drop-off to the river is steep, sandy, and rocky. And here you can often see ground hogs. These are big rodents that are well known. They form part of the tradition of bringing in the Spring, and predicting when it will start. They are nervous creatures, like most rodents, and certainly don't like dogs, who tend to charge after them. Ironically, these animals live right next to the dog park. Ah, but they have the advantage of a big, metal fence in between them and the dogs. This dog park was made just a few years ago to satisfy the dog lovers of Wenatchee; it's a clever way to use up dry, unusable land. It's a very large enclosure with gravel, trees, and a few benches. It's a dog's heaven, as it's their place to socialize. And, as it is enclosed, no one has to worry about dogs running off after a ground hog, or jumping in the river. I think also that the dog owners enjoy socializing with each other almost as much as the dogs do. So our Rottweiler and Border Terrier had a wonderful time. We even took a back carrier just in case the old lady, the Terrier, got tired and needed to be carried back to the car. She did. So we strapped her onto my son's back, and she rode in style, like a queen, ignoring the ground hogs, and the less fortunate dogs. She's not a mother, but she looked as though the day was all about her. 1. 'To fancy' means to feel like, to want, to be attracted to. a. Gosh, look at that chocolate cake. I fancy a piece of that! b. I didn't fancy going on a hike; it was too hot, and the thought of it made me tired. c. I fancy buying myself those new sandals that are in fashion right now. 2. 'To tend to' is to be in the habit of doing something. a. He tends to interrupt everyone when they are speaking. b. I tend to drive slowly; I just want to be careful. c. My grandma tends to suck her teeth after her meals; I don't think she realizes that she's doing it. 3. 'It's all about + noun' is a general comment (it) meaning that the focus of a situation is either a person (or some other noun). We often use it negatively to tell someone to not be selfish. It also has an existential meaning: the main significance/ what is most important. a. "Thanksgiving is not about you, Johnny, getting what you want; it's all about the family." b. I read the book in 3 days. It's all about health and wellness. c. The exhibition is all about the artist's blue period. d. It's not about just amassing wealth, is it? It's all about enjoying this gift of life, and helping others, right?

Online group chats have become so common in the recent few months. And is it any surprise? With so many people staying at home, and travel paralyzed, the only way to do any group work or meetings of any kind is by using online platforms(1). People I know have told me about Zoom, but there are many others: Google Hangouts, Adobe Connect, EZ Talks, Gotomeeting, and the grandfather of these platforms, Skype. And of course we can also use Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp on our phones. We have never been so connected. I have a friend who is very 'techy' which means that she is proficient in her use of computers and their software. She happens to be a teacher, and for many years has incorporated online work into her lessons. Now that students are at home, and school is online, she has transitioned effortlessly into teaching from home. Other teachers have not found the change comfortable at all. I suppose it depends on what you teach as well. Imagine being a woodwork and metalwork teacher. How would you convert your very physical classes, to online ones? I suppose, you could supply lots of links to fabulous sites that teach techniques, tools, and perhaps even the history of those art forms. I suspect that if teachers use the internet in their online lessons now, the teaching could become global in its perspective, and they could tap into sites of experts in their fields. My teacher friend, Jody, encouraged me to join one of these groups last week, to chat in French. I was delighted. The platform we used was Google Meet. There were only four of us, but one gentleman joined us from Normandy, in the north of France. I had no idea that he would be part of the group; it was a lovely surprise. Our session didn't have any glitches(2), thankfully. Everyone was able to get the link for the meeting. The cameras and sound were all working well. And after we had finished our introductions, we quickly, and naturally got right into conversation. I loved it. I felt connected in a meaningful way. We hope to continue these meetings once a week, and I hope to take a leaf out of(3) Jody's book, and become comfortable and proficient as a techy. 1. 'Platform' is a word that has multiple meanings. The first that springs to mind is a platform of a train station, which is where you wait and line up for the train. Platform is also used figuratively to describe a place or space that gives you an ability to work or perform. a. Skype is one of the oldest platforms for video chatting. b. Miss World has a great platform (of influence) which she can use to talk about girls' education. c. A large, rectangular platform was raised up to the church ceiling so the painters could repaint it. d. The Conservatives decided on their platform, hoping that it would appeal to the general public. 2. 'Glitch' is a noun that means a technical hitch or problem that stops proper functioning. a. A computer glitch made us lose all the sound. I think it was a software problem. b. The delayed plane was just a glitch in our plans. We eventually did fly. 3. 'To take a leaf out of someone's book' is a wonderful idiom. 'Leaf' here means a leaf of paper, or one of the pages. So, if you take a page from someone's book, you are wanting to use the information that they use, or imitate them in some way. a. I took a leaf out of my violin teacher's book, and started practicing for 30 minutes daily. b. Why don't you take a leaf out of your brother's book and get your homework done as soon as you get it?

One of the great distractions of this time of year are the dogwood trees. Like many other kinds of flowering trees, their display is brief but stunning. I have four in my garden that keep me company while I'm working outside. They look like pretty ladies showing off their new dresses. The traditional dogwoods in this part of the world are fairly round, with masses of medium sized white or pink flowers. The Korean dogwood, of which I have one, is upright, and has huge, creamy white flowers that come to a point. The climate here in Wenatchee seems to suit these trees. They put up with the dry climate and the heat, and seem not to suffer because of the cold winters. That's just as well, because I can't imagine my garden, or the town without them. Many people take photos of them; they create a great background for selfies or family photos. As I was driving my daughter to pick up one of her friends, I kept pulling over to video the trees whenever I would come upon a particularly perfect looking one. All you need is some sunlight, and a little breeze that moves the branches, that way the colors of the flowers show themselves well.  Because of the Coronavirus, the spring parade for Wenatchee was cancelled. It's called Apple Blossom, and is a quintessential American parade with Highschool bands, floats, horses, motorbikes, and dancers. It's great business for the town, and brings in a lot of tourism. This is the 100th year anniversary of the festival, so it's really unfortunate that it has to be missed. The apple blossoms have come and gone, and so has the month of April. Fortunately the dogwood blossoms are here, and in every part of the town. So this spring is definitely quieter for Wenatchee: no bands playing, or people lining the streets and clapping while the floats pass by. But, at least we have the gorgeous dogwoods. They cheer everyone up, and are a brief touch of perfection.

Here are some of my thoughts on the stay-at-home mandate because of the Coronavirus, and how I have been feeling about it. First of all, I must say that I am really thankful that the virus hasn't impacted my family, apart from a cousin in Madrid who is now recovering. The demographic here is spread out, and small and rural, so the infection rate has not been high. This is unlike many areas around the world where it is densely populated, and people are therefore more at risk. I'm also thankful that we are now in spring. If the virus had hit us as we approached winter, it would have been twice as difficult and depressing. However, we have glorious colors of flowers, trees, the blue sky, and the sun to comfort us. And to be honest, I think we all need comfort right now. Every morning the world seems so different, and we don't really know what to expect. I am very fortunate that my husband still has work. Mine has disappeared completely, and I find myself floating with no routine. Sometimes I will plan a routine of great things to do daily, like pray, exercise, garden, practice French, cook something unusual, work on some art, contact a friend, and perhaps dust off the violin and squeak a piece of music into the atmosphere. That all sounds really good. Honestly, if I could do those things every day, I would become extremely accomplished. The trouble is, the next day I sort of rebel or lose energy. Have you found the same thing happens to you? Perhaps you are more disciplined than me.  I was speaking with a butcher a few days ago in a supermarket who was telling me how thankful he is to have a job, and how he knows so many people who have no income, none. So what about food for their children, and the bills? When I consider the hardship that some people are facing, I certainly can't complain about my lack of routine, or lack of work. One of my Facebook friends posted about how the virus has impacted people so differently: some people have time to watch films, wear comfortable clothes, drink wine, and not worry about much, whereas others either have no money, work for less, or are worried about whether there will  be enough food to feed the family. "We are all in the same storm, but we are definitely not in the same boat," was what she said.  Something else I have felt, as many others have, is the psychological impact of the virus. This sudden change, sudden loss of control, is very destabilizing. It makes me acknowledge my mortality on more of a daily basis. It has me turning to my faith, and rethinking my priorities. These are all good things, excellent things. I have more time to rest, to communicate, and to see life through eyes that are not busy. And I have to deal with emotions that come up from my subconscious which I am usually too busy to deal with. The writer Victor Frankl talks about this in his memoirs of Auschwitz: "When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves." That, for me, has actually been the hardest thing, to dig deep and consider my view of myself, and the path I am on. It's a time of reflection for me, to get myself in alignment with my creator. I am not a health worker, nor am I a food producer or essential service provider, so I am at home, floating, thinking, thankful for the work of others, and reshaping who I think I am.

Staying close to home to exercise is one of the mandates that we have to follow to combat Covid-19. I see people biking, jogging, and walking, trying to de-stress, and stay healthy. For the most part, they are sticking to(1) social distancing (staying at least 6ft apart). I have also noticed that everybody who has dogs, seems to be walking them. Those dogs have probably never been walked as much in their lives as they are now! I took Rosie, our 11 year old boarder terrier, for a walk yesterday, up the hill, around the cemetery, and back home. She is old, so I walked slowly, and let her sniff and pee wherever she wanted to. "Well, I don't have to rush home for any reason," I thought to myself. I have practically no work, everyone at home can cook for themselves, and there are obviously no plans to go out anywhere, so I decided to let Rosie dictate the walk: how slow it would be, and every direction or change of direction. Well, that is easier said than done(2)! The first thing she wanted to do was to stand in the middle of the road and sniff the air. That was fine until a car came, and I had to pull her against her will, to the side of the road. Then she found a patch of grass and decided to spend the next 15 minutes eating it. "Oh come on Rosie!" I complained after 10 minutes, "I'm getting cold!" She's deaf, as it happens, so there was no point me saying anything. She just looked up at me and continued to munch on the grass. She was so happy. Finally she started to walk up the road and to head in the direction we usually take: the cemetery. She knows the routine. She stopped, sniffed, and peed on every corner. Finally, we started to walk at a decent pace, and I warmed up. But then, she put the breaks on; her little legs and grey body came to a definite halt. She decided to go in the opposite direction. "Ok," I said. "You lead the way; I'm just along for the ride(3)." So, I adjusted my pace to Rosie's, and everything that she did gave me a chance to observe something I hadn't noticed before: a knot on a tree, a carving of a flower on a gravestone, a blue jay looking down at me from up high in a pine tree. Rosie was relaxed, and finally I was. As we walked home, she still dithered about, but it didn't bother me at all because I had given up control. She walked painfully slowly across a busy road, so a kind woman in a car stopped to let us cross. She smiled and waved; she could tell that I was being lead by an old lady. We continued down the road and turned into our neighborhood. Normally by now Rosie is panting and looking exhausted, but she wasn't. She was definitely ready for a rest, but she hadn't been rushed or pushed, she had done exactly what she had wanted to do. And as it turns out, it was the best experience of walking a dog that I have had; the old, grey, lady had taken me for a walk, a proper one. 1. 'To stick to something' this idiom is often used in the gerund to express the idea that a person is committed to an action, a thought, or a perspective. a. The story I told you is the same one I told the police, and I'm sticking to it. b. They decided on their plan of action, and they're sticking to it. 2. 'That's easier said than done' is another useful phrase that is common, but quite self explanatory.  a. During the stay-at-home mandate I decided to learn how to do a headstand. That's easier said than done! b. We decided to save money by giving our dog a hair cut instead of taking her to the pet boutique. That was easier said than done! She looks terrible now! 3. 'To be along for the ride' is an idiom that means a person is taking part in an activity or event just because it is convenient for him to be there, and he is mainly an observer. This person is passively involved. a. You can order whatever the rest of you are having for me; I'm just along for the ride. b. "What's the name of the next dance troupe in the show?"      "I have no idea. I'm just along for the ride."

With all that is going on around the world with the Coronavirus, I have felt overwhelmed recently, probably you are too. If you are following a mandate to stay at home, like I am, then the challenge becomes what to do with one's time, and how to occupy the mind. I am so fortunate to have a large back garden. Normally, during March, I am thinking to myself, "How will I find the time to tidy up this huge garden, and get it ready for the spring?" With plenty of work outside of the home, it is always difficult to get projects at home finished. Well, all of that has changed now. With just a tiny trickle of work left, I now have no excuses but to finish everything I haven't at home. So, at the moment the garden is my focus. Working in it is like a mental health break for me. It's exercise, fresh air, sunshine, birds singing, and seeing progress. All of these things combat anxiety. I don't tend to be anxious normally, but we are living at the moment in a stressful situation globally, and quite honestly, I think we all must be feeling it. So I have raked leaves, pruned blackberry bushes, dug up grass, sown flower seeds, and transplanted some perennials. Wow! It felt good. Part of the benefit of physical labor in a garden is the fact that you are planning for the future, it's a sense of control or at least hope for the coming months. Even if you don't have a garden, perhaps you live in an apartment, a tiny bit of gardening can be done in a container. All you need is a pot, preferably a proper plant pot that has a drainage hole in it. Put it on a plate to catch the excess water, fill it with earth, and put some seeds in it. Grow something you love, perhaps even something you can eat. One of the most satisfying plants to grow from seed is a green bean. Why? The bean seed is big, very visible, and it germinates quickly. And they are not fussy, as far as seeds go. As long as they get some water and some sun, they are guaranteed to grow, and are therefore rewarding. Planting a seed is an exercise in faith, I think, because you trust that germination and growth will happen as it has for millions of years. It's a process we see all around us no matter what, and we can rely on it continuing to be there, and to be normal, even if our lives at the moment are not. That, to me, is a comfort. 

  My son was flying home. Thank Goodness! He was coming back from Sevilla, Spain where he had been studying. "I'm really sad to be leaving, mum," he texted. He had had such an amazing time, even though it had been cut short. His flight from Sevilla to London went according to schedule. However, once he got to London, things got chaotic. His flight was cancelled last minute. He ended up staying in a hotel, and I scrambled to get him another flight. Actually, from my end here in the States, it was almost impossible to talk to any airline sales assistants, or even the travel agency. "We are experiencing a higher than normal amount of calls, so if you are not flying in the next 72 hours, please call back," the recorded messages would say, and then they would hang up! A second flight was booked, but during the night that was also cancelled. I was getting stressed! Suddenly, though, I received a text from my son telling me that he had found a ticket and immediately bought it. He was on his way. Phew! So we drove to Seatac airport to pick him up. The airport didn't feel like it usually does. It was very empty, echoey. There is usually tonnes of human activity, noises, conversations, movement, the sound of luggage wheels rolling everywhere, kids making typical noises. There was none of that. It was a new kind of quiet, a new kind of empty. Even baggage claim was sparse, just a few bags here and there. The stress of a typical airport was not apparent either, in fact, the security personnel were standing in a group chatting and laughing. We found our son, got back to the parking area, and left. He was tired from his journey, of course. Unfortunately, we couldn't bring him home. He had to go to a different location to self-quarantine for two weeks, just in case he has the coronavirus. We will know soon enough. I've taken him groceries, of course: steak, chicken, bread, eggs, lots of fruit and vegetables. You know, I'm a mum. And he is quite good at entertaining himself. His university classes are online, so he can do those whenever he wants. He also group video chats with all of his friends. It's such a tremendous advantage to have access to messaging apps, especially videoing ones. I think if you can see the face of a loved one, it really helps when you are far away. So, we carry on with life, and wait another week or ten days to see if he develops symptoms. We're prepared for anything, but hoping for the best.

  As I work in the schools in Wenatchee, I see, on a regular basis, all kinds of posters in the classrooms. They are designed to encourage the students to be positive and responsible. They're also attractive. I have been impressed over the years with the choice of posters that teachers make. Some of the sayings quoted are from well-known, historical personalities who have made an impact on society.  For example, I saw one by Benjamin Franklin that said, "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." I like that. It really resonates with me. And what about this quote from Coco Chanel, "Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."(1) I suspect that only the oldest students in the High School will appreciate such quotes, but I could be wrong(2). I know that the teachers certainly appreciate the encouragement that they see on the walls. It can be a good practice to surround ourselves at work with positive words, so we remember our goals and our potential. I think it is easy to forget those things when we are tired or under stress(3). I suppose they could also serve as teaching points that can be shared with the students, at one point or other. Einstein is a person who is quoted a lot in schools, and not just in the Science departments; his picture is recognized everywhere. Even little children in elementary school know that he was a genius of some sort, even if they don't know everything about his life. One of his many quotes that I enjoy is about acceptance and individuality, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." This is a good one for a school environment. The children are emotionally immature, of course, so they might judge themselves or others far too harshly, instead of embracing differences and uniqueness.  1. 'Inevitable' means that something is definitely going to happen. We also use it in an adverbial form a lot. a. If the builders don't build the house according to code, there will  inevitably be a disaster. b. He is the most qualified and experienced for the job; it's inevitable that he will get it. 2. 'I/you/he/she ... could be wrong' this is a wonderful extra sentence that we add onto a preexisting one. It states something obvious in order to show a little humility, and familiarity. a. Your house will probably sell in the spring, but I could be wrong.  b. We think he will give up his candidacy, but we could be wrong. 3. 'To be under stress' is the same as 'to be stressed'. I think it sounds more native because it is more of an idiomatic phrase. a. I'm sorry I'm so tired; I'm just under a lot of stress recently. b. They must be under a lot of stress because their business is not doing well.

As I looked through my photos today of my recent holiday, I came across one of a bar in Sevilla. I hadn't gone inside, but I certainly did look in from the pavement for a long time. It was a gorgeous, very old rock building with wooden beams, hanging lamps, and bulls heads mounted on the walls. It had incredible atmosphere, and was very elegant. It was a restaurant and tapas bar. Tapas, if you don't know, are small portions of various, tasty dishes that are served in Spain to accompany drinks, like beer or wine. It helps to have a little something to eat at lunchtime when you drink alcohol, especially if you are going back to work afterwards; the effects of the alcohol are less. The food is so good, however, that many people have tapas for dinner. They order a variety of dishes, and simply share them. Olives, are a like a staple in Spain. Often you don't even pay anything for them when you have them with a drink. Tapas, however, are quite special, and chefs take pride in making high quality dishes that people will recommend. One of my favorites is 'croquetas'. These are a deep fried, tube shaped mass consisting of either creamy potato or béchamel sauce, with meat or fish of some sort. This is then covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. They are very flavorful and filling. My second favorite is 'ensaladilla rusa' which is like a potato salad with super powers. The ingredients that make it special are: boiled egg, tuna fish, peas, and a garnish of roasted red peppers. It is a meal in itself, and goes down so well with a light beer! It turns out that my son and I were in one of the best places in Spain for tapas: Sevilla. I have come across tapas bars in other countries, but as my Spanish mother always says, "No, the tapas just aren't the same." I would have to agree with her. They're not the same simply because they're not in Spain. You could have one of the best chefs making tapas in London, but they still wouldn't be 'the same' as the tapas in Spain. Atmosphere and location add to the experience of eating, I must insist. Perhaps we expect the tapas to taste better in Spain, and therefore they do. Mind you, I'm sure that it also makes a difference when you are using locally grown red peppers and olives as they do in Sevilla, compared to imports. Freshness of produce and the pride of tradition will always make Spanish tapas a little better than those found elsewhere.

  The news is full, these days, of reports about the Coronavirus, now called COVID-19. There is a sense of panic in the reports, as we hear about more and more people getting infected. But what is it, and what are the risks? Well, apparently, there are many coronaviruses which are similar to the cold or flu viruses. Most people in the United States, for example, will have had a coronavirus at one time in their lives. These viruses are spread from person to person by inhaling droplets that someone has coughed or sneezed, or by touching a doorknob or a tap that an infected person has touched. Once the germs have been touched, they can enter the body if that person rubs his eyes, or touches his mouth or nose. The symptoms you get from COVID-19 affect your upper respiratory area: your nose and throat, and usually the infected person will have a fever. As with other viruses, rest, lots of fluids, and anti-viral medications which can shorten the duration of the virus, are all recommended. The best way, of course, to prevent viral symptoms is to get the vaccine if it is available. The flu is a good example of this. However, at the moment, as far as COVID-19 is concerned, there is not yet a vaccine. So what has become an epidemic in China, is beginning to look like a pandemic, which means that it has spread to other countries and other continents. The fatalities have occurred when the virus infects the lungs in particular, causing pneumonia. The elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most likely to get the worst symptoms. So, for those of us who are wondering what we should do to stay protected, basic anti-virus hygiene is recommended. This is mainly: 1. Stay away from sick people, or those who have recently travelled to areas of infection. 2. Wash your hands often during the day with soap and plenty of water. 3. If you are around a lot of people, feel free to wear a face mask to cover your nose and mouth, to protect yourself. Of course, if you have a cold or flu virus, stay at home, and that way you will reduce the risk of spreading that particular virus to others. There are some encouraging statistics about COVID-19 believe it or not: out of the more than 60,000 reported cases, 84% are only mild conditions, and of the 7,300 who now no longer have it, 81% made a full recovery and were discharged.  So, let's protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community by being careful, hygienic, and proactive.  

  A couple of weeks ago, I took my son to Sevilla in Spain. He is staying there to study Spanish and the culture. What a place! I had been there a long time ago, and it was so marvelous to return. Of course, it was almost the perfect time of year: 70 degrees during the day, and the streets filled with orange trees full of fruit. Before we met my son's host family, we stayed spent the night right in the old center, next to the cathedral. We were offered a free upgrade to our room; another room with a balcony overlooking the cathedral was available, so of course I said yes. It was so special. As I gazed over the magnificent building that was all illuminated, I thought, "I cannot leave Sevilla without seeing inside." So, the next day, after meeting Cass' host mother, we wandered around the center, and went back to the cathedral. One thing I hadn't done was read about it. I had done no research at that point about its history, or the art inside the building. That lack of research lead me to get a really big surprise. Breathtaking is a word that comes to mind when I think of Sevilla's cathedral. I have been in many around Europe, but this one really is quite overwhelming. Cass and I slowly walked around taking photos, and reading information about different statues etc. After a while, I noticed a lot of people near a wall, under a large clock. I had actually never seen a clock in a cathedral before, and so I thought it odd to find one there. I went over to have a look, and as I approached, I saw a dark, but extremely elegant statue. It was of four kings, carrying a coffin. I knew that there was something special and different about this piece of art. It was subtle, powerful, and very regal. "What is it?" I thought to myself as I searched for an information placard. I looked and looked, and finally found a little piece of paper that was stuck to the base of the statue. I took my glasses out and put them on, as the letters were quite small. 'The tomb of Christopher Columbus,' it said. I gasped. I felt a lump in my throat. "Cass!" I called out to my son, "This is the tomb of Christopher Columbus!" "Woah!" he said in astonishment. We were both bowled over. It was quite a moment. Obviously, if I had read about it beforehand, it wouldn't have been such a surprise, so I'm glad that I hadn't. I knew there was something special about the monument. Since then, I have read that there is debate about whether all of his body is in the tomb. Well, as far as I'm concerned, all 206 bones don't need to be inside. Even if only one of his little finger bones is there, that would be enough for me. The piece is stunning, and it was built to commemorate someone whose destiny affected the world, and the royalty who sponsored him. That is enough for me.

  Have you ever met anyone who is afraid of airports? If you have, he or she is probably a person who is not familiar with them. It takes a while to get used to moving through an airport, and finding your way. Children for example can be intimidated such a large space. I think parents can be equally intimidated because children can get lost easily in such a huge building, so they must be over protective. The solution for everyone is basic training on how to use airports properly. Because I have regularly used airports for many years, and I have also been a nervous parent, I would say one of the most important rules is just to look up. All the information a person needs is up high. Do you need to know which direction to go in? Just look up. Where is security for the check in area? Are you hungry or thirsty? Do you need to use the toilet? Again, you just need to look up and find the signs. Children find the experience very exciting when you can point out and explain to them what everything means: where they find their flight in departures, the gate they must go to, and the number of the flight. It is a valuable lesson for them to see how their tickets and boarding passes correspond to information that is displayed overhead. I suppose for children, it is a little like searching for treasure. The other most important thing I would stress for children nervous adults is simply to ask for help. There always many people in an ambulance who are trained to help. Thankfully I have found on many occasions that a variety of people can always help, from the stewardesses, to cleaners, or those who exchange your money. So if you feel lost, you can always try asking people who work in the airport. They probably know where everything is, as they work there every day, and will probably be more than willing to help.So a place that at first seems so intimidating, where you can get lost and confused, turns out to be a place that is full of information, and people who can guide you to your destination.

Have you ever heard of the word ‘tacky’? This a word that I love. It’s actually more of an American term than an English one. I thought about this word yesterday as I was driving with my daughter. She was driving and I was looking out of the window at the different buildings and building signs. Here in the United States, business signs can tend to be very big, very tall, and very brightly colored. We had stopped at a traffic light, and on my right, I saw a hotel sign that said Super Eight. This is a chain of popular, cheap hotels here in the US. The sign was very high, very large, and bright yellow with red letters. I thought to myself, “How tacky!” Now tacky means two things. The first and original meaning is sticky. The second meaning is cheap, and bad taste. I decided to look into the etymology of the word, meaning it’s history. Interestingly enough, it was originally used to describe a weak horse. Perhaps there is a connection between a weak horse and the word tacky because of the production of glue from animal bones. That is just my guess. It is interesting how words develop and change their meanings over time. Nowadays in the United States it is very normal to hear the word ‘tacky’ describing something that is cheap, gaudy, and very bad taste. Personally I like the sound of it. It is easy to say, and sounds like a slap. Often we use the phrase, “That is not tacky (at all)” to sarcastically call something tacky, to point out its tackiness. Examples of these sentences can be quite amusing. Examples of ‘tacky’: 1. The paint is still tacky, so don’t touch it yet. 2. I can’t believe that she wore that beach dress to the funeral, how tacky! 3. It’s tacky to give a present that someone else gave you. 4. Put the glue on the wood first, then, when it has dried a little, and is tacky, you can put the new countertop on. 5. So many souvenir shops are full of cheap, plastic, tacky items. 6. I see that you decorated the Christmas cake with broken, plastic reindeer. Ha! That’s not tacky at all! to go to my Youtube channel.

            When I walked into my mothers house yesterday I smelled something wonderful. “What is that smell mom?” I asked. “Well you know what that is,” she said. “They are the cloved oranges that I’ve been making, you remember!” The smell was coming from oranges covered in cloves, an artistic tradition that my mother has followed for many years. And believe me the oranges and the cloves make the whole house smell delicious. In England cloved oranges have been made since the Elizabethan times. “Well everyone was so smelly back then,” joked my mother. In her kitchen on two metal stands, oranges dotted with cloves were sitting looking very pretty. It is an incredibly simple art project that many people enjoy in the winter in the UK. The more cloves you use, the longer the oranges are preserved. My mother actually has an orange that is completely covered with cloves which is many years old. When you finish putting the cloves in the orange skin you can thread a pretty ribbon through the orange from which you can hang it. “They used to wear smaller cloved fruit around their necks in the Elizabethan times,” said my mother. The smell of cloves is sweet, spicy and fruity. When you mix that with the wonderful smell of citrus fruit, you have an amazing combination. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia. They are grown more broadly now and enjoyed in many Asian, Africa, and Middle Eastern dishes, particularly those that are similar to curry. Some people believe that cloves relieve toothache and help to energize the body. But as is the case with many natural products, studies about their medicinal benefits are not conclusive or rarely even done. But I can tell you that whether or not cloves will relieve a toothache or give me energy, they are an enduring tradition and a personal favorite. to see Youtube channel.

Have you heard of the phrase, "Small talk"? Can you guess what it is? I have been thinking about it for a few days, as my oldest son sent me a video all about it. He dislikes it, but realized, after watching the video, that it might be more worthwhile than he had previously thought. So what is it? It is superficial, pleasant conversation that is not controversial in the slightest. It's the sort of conversation we have at a party when we have just met someone, or perhaps if you are sitting next to someone on the underground or the bus. It is non-threatening, and is supposed to be a pleasant, non-judgmental exchange of words. Some people do it a lot. I do, actually; I small talk in the grocery store, in line at the bank, with neighbors who I don't know very well, and on public transport. However, some people hate it. They see it as an unnecessary job, a burden even. "If I'm not going to talk about something that is important to me, or something that I'm really interested in, then why bother?" And that is a good question. We should spend our time wisely, and not just make noise that is meaningless. But, as the video explains, small talk is a very normal and necessary human activity. When we first meet someone, we know nothing about them. Even if someone has given us details about them, we cannot make up our own minds about them until we have spoken with them. How a person speaks, what he chooses to say or not say, how he moves, and the kind of look he gives you, all add up to give you a general impression about him. This helps you decide if you'd like to be friends, or if there is any sign of trust between you. And these are important decisions. Funnily enough, you can make these decisions based on small talk: talking about the weather, the rise in grocery prices, or whether or not the new traffic light in town is helping the traffic flow. And this is a global phenomenon; every culture has small talk. Us humans are funny creatures; we measure each other as we speak. Well, that makes sense to me. How on earth could you measure someone's character otherwise? Using language, you could say, is the quickest way to get inside someone's head. If you feel comfortable, then you can go a little deeper and find out each others' interests, work, and passions. You could look at this another way. If you went up to a total stranger at a party and asked, "How do you feel about investing in green energy to combat climate change?" That person would probably feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed. The question is a complex topic that brings up strong emotions and political views. He might not want to open up so quickly about something that is both controversial and important. So, that is why we have 'small talk'. It comes first, and prepares the way for both people to become willing to talk about deep issues. Having said that, I suppose that people who hate small talk feel that doing it is a risk because you might never reach the point of going deeper. You also might run out of time. So there is no guarantee that participating in small talk will lead to a substantial relationship or sense of agreement about important things. It is a risk that you take which might be worth it. So the next time a stranger brings up the subject of the weather, understand that this fairly superficial conversation could lead to great depths of discussion, or even friendship.

  New Year's Eve and New Year’s Day are the biggest times of celebration in the United States. New Year’s Eve iin particular is a time of parties, fireworks, and getting together.The 31st of December is the last day in the Gregorian calendar, and so it is considered the last day of the year in most non-Asian countries. Most people will get together in houses, restaurants, or public places to enjoy food, drink, and perhaps dancing. When you think of The New Year's celebration in the United States you think of Times Square in New York city. Each year tens of thousands of people crowd into the square to listen to live music and to watch celebrations in other parts of the country on large screens. Often famous television presenters or comedians host the show, adding details and memories of the past year. The Times Square celebration is famous for the large illuminated ball that drops to the count of 10, as everyone counts down the last 10 seconds of December 31st. At this point everybody hugs each other and says, “Happy New Year!” Television watching is very popular on the night of New Year’s Eve as there are special musical shows on most channels. One popular activity is to watch the last few moments of the year, and the beginning of the New Year around the world, usually starting in places like New Zealand. Fireworks are often a big part of many national New Year’s celebrations, and we are lucky enough to see one after another on television. Another way that some people choose to ‘bring in’ the new year is by going to church. Some Christian churches will remain open so members or visitors can spend time in contemplation and prayer. This is sometimes called Watchnight, and is a tradition that dates back to 18th century. Once January 1st has arrived, often people will make New Year’s resolutions which are decisions and plans for changed behavior. The question we often ask ourselves is, “How can I be happier and healthier this year?”The most common resolutions are: to lose weight, and to stop smoking. Some people, however, decide to help others, perhaps by getting involved in a charity or two. Of course, you can do both: improve yourself, and make the world a better place. The end of the year it seems, whether you are in the middle of Times Square, sitting in a church, or in your own home, is a great time for contemplation!

Well, here are the grammar points for the podcast about me resisting the temptation to buy a cat.  1. To drag your feet.  This gives a great visual of being unenthusiastic about doing something, taking a long time to do it. a. I'm dragging my feet to paint the house; it'll be such a big job! b. He's dragging his feet about studying for his finals. I'm afraid he's going to run out of time! 2. Fair enough. This means, "Ok, that's reasonable," or "Ok, I agree." It can also mean that you have been almost convinced by someone's argument but not 100%. Perhaps someone is insisting on something and you agree just to keep the peace, or with some conditions. a. "I'll do your homework if you wash my car." Answer: "Fair enough." b. "I don't think its right for me to make dinner and clean up every night after work. Why don't you do it a few nights a week?" Answer: "Fair enough." c. If you're making the rules around here, fair enough, but you'll be responsible for making sure they are followed. 3. To take up the slack. This means to complete what others have not finished, or to carry some responsibility for someone. a. One of our group didn't do any work, so the rest of us had to take up the slack to finish the project. b. As dad has broken his leg, you kids will have to take up the slack by helping around the house. c. After she had twins, her husband took up the slack by cooking dinner every night and cleaning the kitchen. Click image to visit my Youtube channel!    

There are only eight days to go until Christmas including today, so people are rushing around trying to get the last few things organized. Most people here who celebrate Christmas, have their tree up and decorated, perhaps a few lights decorating their house outside, and most of the presents bought and wrapped. This year I have been dragging my feet for some reason(1). I am usually a real enthusiast, and have the place looking festive and special. This year, however, I'm doing the minimum. And that is probably because I'm busy with work. Fair enough(2). My family can 'take up the slack'(3), and do what I don't manage to get done. Now, when it comes to presents, I was very tempted the other day to buy something that I know we absolutely don't need: another cat. It was a kitten to be specific. I had gone to the pet shop with my daughter to get our snake some frozen mice to eat. It's unfortunate, but true; after all, the snake has to eat something, right? And apparently mice is what they like. While we were in the shop, we saw a display of lots of cages of cats. They had been brought over from the Humane Society which takes care of unwanted animals. They bring these animals into the pet shop in order to encourage people to fall in love and buy them. Well, it's not hard to fall in love with a kitten, especially when it keeps staring at you as if to say, "You are the one, the one who needs to take me home!" Of course, you are allowed to take them out of the cages and pet them. And the paperwork is right there ready to be signed after you make your payment of $50. It's all too easy. But, at the moment, that is not a good idea for us. We already have two dogs, a cat, and a snake. That's enough responsibility! While we were in the pet shop, the kittens were selling quickly. After all, they are easier to look after than dogs because they are so independent. You don't need to take them for a walk; they can just go out at night and hunt for mice, climb trees, and get up to all sorts of mischief. That is their exercise. And, if you happen to have a mice problem on your property, the cat will take care of it. All of that and a cuddly companion for just $50. How could I say "No"? With difficulty. And the salespeople really know how to make it worse. They immediately tell you the name of the cat: sparkle, fluffy, daisy, petal, or something really sweet. Then they tell you how loving and playful they are....The best thing to do is to run out of the shop as fast as you can before you fall in love. It's the only solution, I think. The Humane Society's selling tactic is a smart and efficient way to get these animals a home for Christmas, but it's torture for an animal lover who is already up to her ears in pets! Learn English with my Youtube videos .

Here are some super useful grammar points from the last podcast. 1. A few ......... apart. This can be used with different measurements: time or distance.  a. My first two sons were born 13 months apart. b. My two surgeries were only a few weeks apart. c. We planted the trees 10ft apart. 2. Skin conditions: scratch cut bruise burn blister boil rash - breakout scar 3. "I would choose to have it anyway, even if I didn't work." Other examples of conditional plus negative subjunctive: a. We would still want to jog, even if we weren't training for a race. b. They would still have to sell their house, even if they got better jobs. c. You would re-paint the house a different color, even if your husband didn't like it.

"Ow!" I said to myself, as the pharmacist put the needle in my upper arm. I hadn't expected the vaccination to hurt. It wasn't a regular one, you know, like the flu. This was the shingles shot. In order to avoid the shingles, you must have a series of two, a few months apart. I'm so relieved that I have had my second injection, so I don't have to be concerned about getting the virus. Well, when I say 'I don't have to be concerned about getting the virus' I don't exactly mean that. Let me explain. I already have the virus. I had an illness when I was little, called chicken pox. It is very common, and normally not serious. Your symptoms are usually: a fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, headache, and an unusual rash. The rash that can end up covering all of your body, even your eyelids, is a blister rash. A blister is a thin lump of skin that is filled with fluid. Sometimes we get blisters after walking with either new shoes, or badly fitting shoes. The blisters from the chicken pox itch, and it is a challenge to not scratch them. If you do, the blisters burst, and can scar the skin. Most people my age had chicken pox when they were children. It is the varicella-zoster virus. After you have recovered, the virus actually stays in your body, and lies dormant in a nerve of its choice. Later, as we age, if we go through stress, or our immune system gets low, the virus can re-emerge as the herpes-zoster virus which causes shingles. It's like a baby monster has hibernated, and then emerges as a big monster.  After the shingles shot, my arm actually hurt for about four days. I couldn't believe it. The flu shot which I get each year doesn't bother me at all. I have to get the flu shot each year for my job, as a medical interpreter, otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to work around patients. However, I would choose to have it anyway, even if I didn't work. I hate being ill! It seems to be such a waste of time. And, as you might know, the flu can make you so miserable. Fever, headache, chills, a cough, a runny nose, night sweats, nausea, fatigue, and body aches are the typical symptoms. And those are just for healthy people. Babies, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems can suffer far worse, and end up in the hospital, or even die. That is why it is so important to protect yourself. If you don't get ill with the flu, you won't spread it to weaker people by coughing and sneezing, or touching them with the virus on your hands. It is spread by people coughing or sneezing, and droplets of fluid containing the virus fly through the air and are breathed in by someone else. Disgusting huh? Well, that's how many viruses are spread. The saying "cover your cough" is a helpful instruction to prevent the spread of viruses. The best prevention, though painful for a little while, is to get the flu vaccine, to protect yourself and the community you live in.

I love stones, rocks, and crystals. I always have. I wouldn't say that I am a student of geology, but nevertheless, that subject does fascinate me. Perhaps one day, when I have more time, I will learn about geology. I have a few rocks and crystals around the house that I have gathered over the years. Some are just smooth river rocks that caught my eye, and others are geodes which I bought for my children. The geodes look like plain, round, light brown rocks. However, if you break them open, inside you'll find a pocket of white crystals that sparkle. My mother knows all about precious and semi-precious stones, as she makes jewelry. She sells most of what she makes, but some things are just too pretty to give away. Recently, as she and I were looking around some shops, we came across a jewelry stand that was full of stones of different kinds. I was immediately drawn to(1) three smooth, dark ones. They were multi-colored: black, brown, tan, and white. They appeared to have  circles and spirals all over them. The combination of colors and patterns(2) fascinated me. So, because I didn't have my glasses on, I asked the owner if I could have a closer look. She took them out of the box and let me hold them. "That's turritella. It's a fossil, do you see?" she said. As I looked closely, I realized that the stone was indeed made of hundreds of fossilized see creatures. All that was left of them were their homes: tiny, spiraled(3) shells which were full of holes. The many shells formed the lightest patches of the stones, creating a beautiful contrast with the dark background. Gosh! I couldn't look at them long enough. I imagined how many tens of thousands of years these shells had been lying in an ocean, slowly becoming rock. It was something so old, that with a bit of craft had been made new.  And, of course, they had been ground and polished into a very smooth shape, so they were super comfortable to hold. A pendant made from one if these would be really beautiful, and above all, a real conversation starter. 1. 'Drawn to' I know I have covered this phrase before, but it is just so delicious, and useful in English. It means to be attracted to something. a. I am drawn to art museums. I love to walk around surrounded by art, talent, and quiet. b. I was drawn to him; there was a special magnetism about him. 2. 'Pattern' is  a repeated design which can be used figuratively. a. Mandalas are full of geometric and circular patterns. b. I see a pattern in his behavior that we should not ignore. 3. 'Spiral' is a noun, an adjective, and also a verb describing a long, twisted shape. Again, it can be used figuratively. a. Pasta comes in all different shapes; one is a spiral. b. Let's calm down and not spiral down into negativity.

1. 'To put your toe in the water' means to test something, to very carefully have a look, or try something out. a. When I first started my podcast, I put my toe in the water of internet projects, and slowly realized that I can do this! b. It was his first teaching job; he taught three days a week. So as he put his toe in the water and got experience, he decided that he enjoyed the career. 2. 'To show off' is to brag, to proudly display yourself or something you have or you can do. a. The little boy showed off his new toy car to his friends; they all thought it was very special. b. Don't show off! It's irritating! So you can walk on your hands, big deal! I can walk on my feet. 3. 'I can't read your mind' means that you should communicate clearly. It can also be a direct translation instead of an idiomatic phrase. a. When you ask me to get you something to eat, can you be more specific? I can't read your mind, you know. b. It's weird, she knows what I'm going to say before I say it. It's like she can read my mind.

Well, I've done it. I have waited long enough. You could say, "It's about time!" So, I finally decided to put my toe in the water and try it out. Am I making any sense? Did you notice that I am using several idiomatic phrases? I'm just showing off. I'm talking about my new Youtube channel called A Cup Of English. And the reason I'm using idiomatic phrases now is because I have a new, short video series on just that. To tell you the truth, starting a channel was a bit scary. I knew that I didn't want to show my face like most people do, so my videos would be animated, or with video clips and photos. So I downloaded a few apps to help me do that. That sounds easy, but believe me it isn't. It all takes much longer than it should. Things go wrong. However, when I have completely finished a video and uploaded it, it is very satisfying. Some of the other videos that I've made are quite long. I focus on pronunciation, so I speak fairly slowly, so everything is clear. I also have all of the words on the screen, so you can read along at the same time. If you check out my channel, I would love to hear what you think, and above all your suggestions. Do you prefer long or short videos? What areas of English do you really need to work on? And what kind of footage do you prefer? I can't read your minds, so I need to hear from you. One of the great things about Youtube is that you can learn most of what you need to know from Youtube itself. I don't know how many videos I have watched, or how long I have sat in front of the computer, but I certainly have learned a lot. And even when my computer updated itself and I lost important apps, I was able to find solutions right there on Youtube. After all, in 2018 there were 23 million channels, so now this year there are even more. That is a lot of information in one place! I hope that with the help of other people's channels, I will learn what I need to change my first baby steps into a confident walk.

One American tradition that I have experienced is Powder Puff. It has a strange name, I know. It is a high school tradition, and is centered around(1) a flag football game played by young women. It has been around since 1930's, and is a fund raiser for charity, or for a high school event, like a dance. It usually takes place in October, before Homecoming which is another, even better known U.S tradition. Now, do you know what 'flag football' is? It has the same rules as American football, but no contact is allowed, and instead of stealing the ball, you try to steal a flag or a belt from the waist of the members of the opposing team. It is fast, nerve wracking(2), and great fun. Even though it is for charity, team members do get very competitive, and things can get a little rough. Penalties are common because it becomes increasingly more difficult to have no contact. In fact, the last Powder Puff I watched seemed more like a rugby match than a girls' flag football game! There were bodies flying, and therefore lots of penalties. High school is the center of social activity for most young people between the ages of 14 and 18 in the States. It is certainly not just a place for academics. Most young people don't go out to bars or nightclubs until they are in their twenties, or at least in college, because the legal drinking age is 21. So socializing, clubs, and fun, generally take place through the high school. That is why, I believe, high school is such a central part of life in a community here, and a time that people reminisce(3) about when they are older. Powder Puff is one of the many traditions in the U.S, one that can leave you with a lot of bruises! 1. 'To be centered around' means to be in the context of, or to have a relationships to (a theme or person). a. The nativity story is centered around the birth of Christ. b. Homecoming is centered around ex-students coming back to visit high schools or colleges.  2. 'Nerve wracking' means it makes you very nervous. 'To wrack' is an uncommon verb which means to destroy, torture, or wreck. a. Waiting to go on the high speed train was nerve wracking for me. b. Checking my lottery ticket numbers is always nerve wracking for me! 3. 'To reminisce' is remember fondly or with positive emotions. To look back with nostalgia.  a. Most people reminisce about their childhoods. b. When his girlfriend left for college, he reminisced about their summer together. 

Come with me, for a walk around my October garden. This day has a touch of magic, so I must be in it; I don't want to miss it. For a few minutes we can put the busyness aside(1), and step out into a world of calm and color. While we have been so occupied with the things of life, the worries, the obligations, the plans, the world of plants and creatures has been turning. It turns with the seasons. It submits in the Winter, shuts down, stands still. All is white, quiet, buried. Then the Spring, with its warmth, its hope, its energy, bursting everywhere. Youth rushes in on the wind and paints the land. Summer comes, and with her beaming smile gets our attention. She touches our skin, even through a window, and all is green and color. But there is a fourth sister, the season born between Summer and Winter. She is Autumn, mild, and mysterious. It is her time now. She has been here, I can see her footprints. She left a trail of frost this morning, and hung a chill in the air. But then she will breathe warmth that moves through the trees, the brightest sun that brings out the colors. She loves the moon, and changes just like it. Her whisper is "Get ready; get ready for change." And as she passes over the land, the trees obey her, and blaze in reds, orange, pink, and gold. The birds and insects follow her skirt of colors as it moves in the daylight; the bats follow her in the moonlight. The busy squirrels, and tiny mice see her in the garden and know that it is time to prepare for the Winter. They gather seeds and nuts, and make warm beds for the cold months. They dart up and down, in and out of the old vegetable plot where the vines have faded, and the pumpkins have been picked. "Quickly now!" they think, as they scurry(2) to their secret places with the seeds of flowers long gone. The birds watch from up high; they see the movement, the colors, the swirling, and the changing. Autumn glances(3) up at them, a shimmer in her eyes. They too know that soon, when the colors have all turned to brown, and the trees are bare, that they must say goodbye, and fly away with their friends, or be brave, and like the squirrel, make a warm, safe place for the Winter. But that time hasn't come just yet. We have the gift of walking in this golden space, this fiery light of oranges and yellows, on the ground, in the air, falling here, there. The painted leaves nod at us gently, then shudder as the wind whips up and around, and off they go from their mother tree, through the air, tumbling like a wave, scattered where we walk. I want it to always be this way, to witness this beauty that shifts its shape around me. Autumn stay. Tell the moon to hold back your sister, to slow her steps towards us. We need to walk with you longer, to bathe in your colors, and to slowly breathe your breath of change.  1. 'Busynes. It's different from business, of course. It is the state of being busy, a busy bee. a. Yoga helps me escape from the stress and busyness of work. b. The busyness of modern life can be exhausting. 2. 'Scurry' is how a mouse, squirrel, or a similar animal would run, particularly because it has four feet and nails. a. I could hear the mice scurrying on our wooden floor! b. The little lizard scurried up the wall to safety. 3. 'To glance' is a quick look at something. a. When you're driving, you only have to glance up at the rear view mirror for a second. b. I glanced at him, but he wasn't looking at me. Check out my Youtube channel A Cup Of English for new English teaching videos and podcasts made into videos to help you learn!

  Is there a certain food that makes your mouth water? A few of my favorites are: curry, lasagne, pad Thai, and sushi. We are lucky enough to have a few sushi restaurants here in Wenatchee now. It took a while to get them! They are proving to be really popular. To satisfy the American palate(1), they serve hot food as well as sushi. I suppose, in a place that has cold, snowy winters, it is nice to have a hot food alternative. Like many people, though, my family and I love the sushi. Have you tried it? And what is it, exactly? Well, its Japanese, and it has a base of sticky rice that is prepared with a little vinegar, salt, and sugar. This is usually rolled up with seaweed, raw fish of different kinds, vegetables, and sometimes sauces. It is a very tasty, clean food experience. Sushi restaurants have the reputation of being extremely clean. The raw fish is deep frozen in order to kill any small worms that might be in the fish meat. And generally, the chefs prepare the food where everyone can see what they are doing. All the ingredients are lined up neatly under glass refrigerators, and step by step you can see the art of sushi making right in front of your eyes. The combination of ingredients, from my experience, are satisfying without making me feel too full, or bloated(2). Another thing about sushi is that it is very pretty. Most dishes that are offered have a combination of different colors, including the pink pickled ginger, and the green wasabi mustard, which are always part of a sushi plate. One of my favorite sushi dishes is called 'The Dinosaur Roll'. It has salmon which is pink, tuna which is red, asparagus which is green, avocado on top which is cream and light green, and a spicy eel sauce which is dark brown. It is a treat for the eyes! It's not the sort of thing you can eat everyday, unfortunately, as it is a bit expensive, but it is so worth(3) it every now and then. 1. 'Palate' means the roof of the mouth, or the range of tastes or taste preferences you have. a. The American palate is varied, but tends to like cheese, meat, salt, and sugar. b. This restaurant serves many kinds of food from different countries. You can really test your palate here. 2. 'To bloat' or 'bloated'. The verb means 'to blow up or inflate' but it has a sense of being uncomfortable or unnatural even. a. I don't know why, but bread always bloats me. My stomach gets big, and I feel heavy pressure inside! b. That type of dog gets a bloated stomach easily; it happens with that breed. 3. 'So worth it' is just the same as 'worth it' but more emphatic. We tend to emphasize the 'so' with almost a sign of relief in our voices. a. It was so worth talking to the principal; he managed to sort out my son's problem very quickly. b. Lining up for two hours to get into the exhibition was so worth it!    

The phrases: climate strike, greenhouse gases, and global warming should be familiar with anyone who listens to the news. And now with the help of social media, young people are becoming aware of the science behind how human activity affects the world.  "Mum, can you excuse me from P.E please? I want to take part in the strike,' my daughter told me over the phone a few weeks ago. "Strike?" I thought to myself. Usually a strike at school would be for the teachers to get decent pay, or something like that. I received a text reminder from my daughter later that it was one of the hundreds of thousands of climate strikes by children all over the world. They were taking time out of school to draw attention to their need for a clean, healthy planet. They are too young too vote, or to control politics, or industry, but they have a voice, and they want it to be heard. So, I read about the movement, about Greta Thurnberg from Sweden, and I quickly got up-to-date with this very organized global initiative. "Good for them!" I thought. Our high school is just one school, but if students all over the world are learning the science behind the effects of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide on our planet, then they can, with us adults, take responsibility to reduce these emissions. Do we have to be wasteful, greedy, dumb, or slaves to politics and industry in order to increase wealth? And if wealth is increased, who really gets it? Are there more intelligent ways in which such an intelligent species as humans can live, work, and profit? These are questions that students now have to ask themselves. They also have to look around and see what is being done about the speed of 'heating up' that is taking place, and all the consequences that come from that. Apart from doing all we can to recycle, reduce buying plastics and toxic materials, my daughter and I have decided to read the Fifth Assessment Report, that is the most recent scientific analysis of this big issue. We have a lot of reading to do! But there is a saying, "Who has mocked the day of small beginnings?" You have to start somewhere, right? Even in a small town, knowledge can lead to action, and that is a big thing.

For all of you nurses, nurses' assistants, doctors, and anyone else who is interested in, or involved in the medical profession, this podcast is for you. A subscriber to my Youtube channel , Maria, recently asked me to go over the nursing reading and practice that she needs as a nurse. As my job is medical interpreting, I am familiar with a lot of medical language. So, today I will start with some essential, medical basics. The following is a conversation between a nurse, the doctor, and the patient. Afterwards, I will repeat the essential medical terms, and then we will listen to the dialogue a second time. Nurse Winters: Hello Mr. Smith. What brings you to the clinic today? Mr. Smith: Well, I feel terrible. Nurse Winters: Can you describe how you feel? Mr. Smith: I feel weak and hot and shaky. Nurse Winters: Let me take your vital signs: temperature, blood pressure, height, and weight. Could you take your shoes off and stand on the scale please? Ok, 192lbs. Now I will measure your height. Ok, 6'2". Now, I need you to sit down, with your feet flat on the floor. Please don't move, and stay quiet, so I can get your blood pressure. It's a little high: 129 systolic over 75 diastolic.  Mr. Smith: What does that mean? Nurse Winters: I'm glad you asked. The systolic blood pressure is the pressure inside your blood vessels when your heart beats. The second number, diastolic, is the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests. Now, this thermometer runs over your forehead; it's digital. Yes, it looks like you have a temperature: 104 degrees. Do you know how long you have had it? Mr. Smith: Two days. I measured it myself. Nurse Winters: Do you have any pain? Mr. Smith: Yes, right in the middle of my stomach. Nurse Winters: Have you recently had an accident, broken anything or cut yourself?  Mr. Smith: No I don't have any cuts or broken bones. Nurse Winters: Can you show me exactly where it hurts? Mr. Smith: Right around my belly button, and then it seems to spread out to the rest of my abdomen. Nurse Winters: What kind of pain is it? Sharp? Dull? Pressure? An ache? Mr. Smith: It's sharp pain now. Like a stabbing pain. When it started, it was just an ache, like a headache. But now its a lot worse, and the pain comes more often, and lasts longer. It comes in waves. Nurse Winters: Ok Mr. Smith. I have put the details in the computer, and Doctor Mojan will be in to see you shortly (soon). Mr. Smith: Thank you. (15 minutes later) Dr. Mojan: Hello Mr. Smith, I am Doctor Mojan. I hear that you have a lot of abdominal pain, and a fever. Mr. Smith: Yes, that's right. Dr. Mojan: If you could please lie down on the bed, I will examine you. I'm going to press gently on your abdomen. Tell me if you experience any pain. Mr. Smith: Ow! Yes, that really hurts! Please don't press any more. It's just getting worse.  Dr. Mojan: Ok, I'm sorry about that. Have you vomited at all? Mr. Smith: Yes, twice today, yesterday, and the day before. Dr. Mojan: You appear to have an infection. I suspect it is appendicitis, but it could be something else. To make an accurate diagnosis, I need to see the condition of your internal organs. So, today, you will have several tests. First of all, a urinalysis. You will give a urine sample and we will see if you have a urinary tract infection. You will also have a blood test, to see if you have elevated levels of white blood cells. This will show if there is definitely an infection. Then, because of your pain and vomiting, I believe you need to have an abdominal ultra sound. It's perfectly safe; it uses painless sound waves to produce a picture of your organs.  Mr. Smith: So, will I need an operation? Dr. Mojan: We will know when we get the results back. Hopefully, you only need to take antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Nurse Winters will come in now and take you to the bathroom to get your urine sample. Then, she will take you to get your blood test. In the meantime, I will order and organize your ultrasound. Mr. Smith: Thank you Doctor Mojan. Dr. Mojan: I'm glad you didn't wait any longer before coming in.  Medical notes: Types of pain: sharp, dull, pressure, ache or achy, throbbing, constant, spreading. Sensations: Tingling (pins and needles), numbness, shakiness or shaky, weak, dizzy, exhausted, nauseated, sweaty, chilled. Blood pressure: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, a stethoscope, a blood pressure monitor or gauge, and an inflatable cuff. Temperature: thermometer, digital thermometer, fever, temperature, "I'm burning up", degrees. Abdomen, abdominal, exam, vomit, infection, diagnosis, internal organs, a sample (blood, urine, saliva). Elevated levels of white blood cells. Ultrasound, urinalysis, urinary tract. To give a sample. To get a blood test.      

About one week ago, I found myself on a beach in Seattle called Alki Beach. I had gone there with my husband for a couple of days, just to get a way from it all(1). As we have been to Seattle on many occasions, we decided to do something different. For years, we have stayed downtown, gone shopping, and eaten in nice restaurants. Enough of that! We both love natural environments, and needed a refreshing break, so we googled the parks and beaches, and came up with(2) Alki. It is situated in West Seattle on a peninsular which is called Alki Point. The area is actually quite historic. The first white settlers arrived here in 1851. Apparently, Chief Seattle and his tribe greeted them and helped them build a cabin for shelter.  When we were there, it was full of activity. The sandy beach stretches for miles, so families and friends can hang out and do all kinds of beachy activities, like sunbathing, building sand castles, swimming, and playing frisbee. From where we were, the view of the Olympic mountains was spectacular, and the ferries going to and fro. The pair of binoculars that we had came in handy to look at the boats, canoes, and birds. Directly behind us was a wide sidewalk that was built to take all kinds of joggers, bicycles, strollers, and wheelchairs. The town built next to this beach caters to(3) the visitors, of course. There are many places to eat, or get supplies for the beach. It's so pretty too, as Seattle's climate allows the area to be really green and full of trees, the best of both worlds, I think. I could have easily stayed there until the evening, but we had other places to go. I suggested to my husband that the next time we come to Seattle, we stay close to the beach, and take in all that it has to offer.  1. 'To get away from it all' is to have a nice escape from obligations and responsibilities. a. I've been so stressed recently. I feel like I need to get away from it     all. b. Come and get away from it all on our cruises. They're only $6000! 2. 'To come up with' really means to discover, or to finally decide upon. a. I thought of a nickname for you. I came up with 'Crazy Hair'. b. It's interesting to hear how Starbucks came up with its name. 3. 'To cater to' means to serve or supply everything that is needed. a. The 'Happy Cooks' company will cater to all your special occasion needs. b. Stop catering to him; he's not a baby!

                                     Imagine being in a tiny, coastal(1) village in Scotland in the summer. The air here is pure: a mix of ocean and forest smells, as the village is sandwiched between both. The area of Dumfries and Galloway, in the South West, has intense sunlight during this season, even though there is intermittent rain and a fair amount of wind. It's when the wind stops, you feel the warmth of the sun, and everything around you glows: the forests and fields, the oh so blue sky, and the colorful houses that sit in a happy row, taking in(2) the view. As you walk along the main road, you go past a couple of hotels and tea shops on your left, a gift shop with local art, and holiday homes, of course. There is a bus stop, then the road narrows(3) to a single track that winds along the coast, with pretty hedges and private drives all the way. You see a glow of yellow coming from your right, through the vegetation. As you investigate and move a little closer, you realize that the color is coming from a very unusual beach: Cockleshell Beach. There is no sand here, and not many rocks. What you do have is shells everywhere, meters thick. They reflect the sun, and beam up a warm yellow-white light. You dig down to see just how far the shells go, but there is no end to them. And they all look like brothers and sisters, all Cockleshells. What adds to this unusual place is how clean it is; it's spotless actually. And being such a small village, about half an hour from any major town, the  visitors are minimal, and most of those are on the water in boats. You could get inside a sleeping bag and have an incredible night's sleep, with the stars above you, the shells beneath, the sound of the sea lapping on the shore, and the clean breeze surrounding you. I'm not sure if that would be allowed; humans do tend to make things messy after all. But if it were allowed, it would be a quiet and nature-filled experience not to be forgotten. 1. 'Coastal' means of the coast. a. The coastal breeze is constant; it doesn't stop very often. b. The houses in coastal areas in Scotland must be strong, as they take strong coastal winds and salty air all year. 2. 'To take in' is used in English when we talk about looking at, observing, and absorbing the view, or something we are looking at. a. We sat on the beach and took in the view. b. As they walked through the museum, they took in all the historical works of art. 3. 'To narrow' is a great example of an adjective being used as a verb. a. Her eyes narrowed into a squint; uh-oh, she knew what I was up to. b. The hallway narrowed and got darker; we wondered what was in the room at the very end.  

                 It was the first day out in a few months that my mum had had, when we came across a hidden treasure. I had expected simply to take my mother for a drive, stop somewhere for lunch, and find a place she had told me about that sells plants. She is an avid(1) gardener; she can make anything grow, and has an elephant's memory for plants and how to propagate them. This would be a welcome break for her, as she had been stuck at home, recovering from an illness, with only short trips chauffeured by me here and there. This trip would take at least half a day and give her a sense of really being out of town. We drove past extensive orchards on both sides of the highway. This otherwise very dry, semi-desert valley, has large patches of green throughout its area, thanks to the Columbia River. It looks like a quilt. (2)After a while I realized that I had driven for too long; we must have already passed the place my mum was looking for. I quickly pulled into the parking lot of a pleasant looking cafe to ask for directions. It was rustic and cheery. There were fridges full of fruit and vegetables, shelves loaded with local honeys and jams, and groups of people eating freshly made sandwiches and drinking coffee. "I'll ask for directions later, " I said to mum. "Let's eat!" We were very impressed with the quality of food, and the good service. Before we left, the owner wrote down the directions to the nursery that my mother was looking for. I put the address in Google Maps, and we were on our way. The last time my mother had been there was about ten years ago. "Oh yes, this looks familiar," she said as I turned off the road. We bumped along a very narrow, rocky road that winded into an almost derelict living area that had a trailer and a strange shed. There were small signs of life, like a tv satellite dish and parked vehicles, but everything looked broken and dirty. There was no-one around, but I got the impression that we were being watched. "Um, I think we need to leave," I finally said, and turned the car around. One road down we came across the correct turn off that lead us downhill towards the river. On the steepest, dustiest part of the road, the nursery plastic tunnel came into view. We were thrilled. There were actually 4 huge plastic tunnels bursting with flowers of all colors and kinds. My mum thought she was in heaven. We walked around oohing and ahhing(3) at all the beauty. All the plants had just been watered so it was quite humid of course. However, the person who had done the watering was nowhere to be found, and nor was anyone else! We were completely alone in this world of flowers.  "How are we supposed to buy anything?" I asked, looking around. "Well, this is extraordinary," said my mum. "Anyone could fill their car up and leave!" I searched for clues, and found a little shed near the entryway with an open book with lists of plants that had been sold and their prices. Nearby was a sign that was half covered with ivy. It said, "If nobody is here, we're not far away, simply call xxxxxxxxx and we will be with you soon." So, I called the number that connected me to a lady, and I told her that we had left ten dollars for three little plants. She was very interested in how I had found her nursery and where I was from. In fact, she talked so much that I had to tell her that I needed to leave. Before I did though, she told me that I needed to pay a few more dollars for the flowers I had selected. How strange, I thought. No one is available for customers, I call to tell her how much I have paid and for what, and she wants to chat, and then tells me that I owe more.....How unusual. Of course I paid more before I left, but laughed with my mother about the extraordinary lack of service. When I think about the nursery now though, its the thousands of flowers that come to mind. It was unusual and at the same time incredible to be in a vast place of plants and color but completely alone. It was like our own colorful secret. 1. 'Avid' means 'keen', 'enthusiastic', 'active', 'motivated'. a. He's an avid painter; it's a daily practice for him. b. She is an avid gardener; she does it all year round and is very knowledgeable. 2. 'A quilt' is a handmade blanket that has usually square patches of cloth of all different patterns. a. In this area, ladies do 'quilting'. They sit in groups, making their quilts, and sharing their stories. b. My great grandmother's quilt is worn, but so cosy. Some of its patches are missing, but it is still soft and comfortable.  3. 'Oohing and ahhing' are the noises we make when we are very impressed with something we find.  a. "Ahhh!" said my dad as the new, red, Porsche drove by.  b. I left the jewelry shop as soon as I could. I couldn't stand all of the oohing and ahhing of the ladies while they looked at the necklaces. 

                          They're furry, flexible, and playful. They have sharp teeth, and will nip (1) you if you are not careful. They are highly energetic, but will sleep for 16 hours. Like cats, they groom themselves, but they apparently have an 'odor'... Like dogs, they can be trained, but their attention span is short when it comes to 'lessons'.They prefer to be in groups because they are highly social, and love to curl up and snuggle(2) with their owners. Yes, I'm talking about a kind of animal. Can you guess which one I'm thinking about? It's a ferret. We don't have any, yet, but they are potentially our next  pets. I'm not really sure why I am even considering more animals; we already have two dogs, a cat, and a snake. It is my daughter who is strong-arming(3) me into considering getting them. She can be very persuasive. However, I have had my experience with house pets, and what I've found is that usually it is me who takes care of them. It is always 'mum' who takes the little creatures to the vet. I buy the food, monitor how much exercise they've had etc etc. But apart from the responsibilities, what would be the benefits of having, let's say, a couple of ferrets? According to my daughter who has researched them for months, they are extremely playful, cute, and cuddly. We have watched videos of them playing in people's houses, running around, jumping, play fighting with each other, even jumping on their owners.  So we planned a trip to the Seattle Ferret Shelter to have an opportunity to hold and play with a few. It is the only place in the whole area that takes in unwanted ferrets, and raises money to take care of them. The visit was going to be part of a weekend in Seattle, and it was our first stop. The only trouble was, it was closed because of an unexpected circumstance. Domini was so disappointed. I was too to a certain extent. I was looking forward to holding and playing with them. But, in a way I was relieved; the thought of having more animals at home is something I'm not completely comfortable about. It feels like we're on track to open a farm, and I'm not ready to be a farmer! So, I came to an agreement with Domini: if she does well during her first year in High school, and isn't too busy, then she can get two. She has been very responsible with Beau, her snake. Perhaps this will lead her into a career with animals, hopefully without me needing therapy.  1. 'Nip' is a verb and a noun. It means a little bite, usually a sharp one if we are talking about animals. a. The puppy will nip you if you are not careful; their teeth are always sharp when they are young. b. The cold wind nipped our faces; it was always like this in winter. 2. 'To curl up and snuggle' we use these verbs often when describing animals getting comfortable and close to you or each other when they sleep. We also use them for humans though. a. We snuggled together on the sofa under a blanket. b. The kittens curled up together on the rug in front of the fireplace, and went to sleep. 3. 'To strong-arm' means to force or oblige. a. He strong-armed me into going to the concert with him, what a mistake! b. I don't want to be strong-armed into buying that car!

Spring sports in our local school district have almost come to an end. This seems to be such a short season! The weather is also now closer to summer than spring. Those windy, mild days have changed into still, hot days. The blossoms on the trees are drying up, and the bees are buzzing. The school kids are buzzing also, with all kinds of activities. Track is a collection of sports that is very popular with kids of all ages. It includes sprinting(1), long distance running, the hurdles, shot put, javelin, discus, long jump, and high jump. My son Robert has been doing the throwing sports: shot put, javelin, and discus. He loves them. It's a complete change for him from his winter basketball. The track team is also a very relaxed and sociable group. There must be about 40 students or more involved, each doing one or two events(2) of choice. They compete with other high schools, which means traveling by bus. These trips are often a couple of hours away, and so by the time they finish all the events, have something to eat, and drive back to school, they get home at about midnight! Being in a sport in high school is quite a commitment.  I went to one of the track meets, as they are called, to see Wenatchee High School compete against Moses Lake. It's about an hour and a half's drive, across very flat countryside. The teams got to work, and I hung out(3) with a few parents to watch the kids throw. There was a consistent wind sweeping across the field that lasted the whole four hours that we were there. I was thankful that I had remembered to bring my coat and gloves! Robert and his friends stood around joking and waiting for their turn; they didn't get cold for a couple of hours, those big, strong boys, but they eventually put their hoodies(4) on. I walked around the field quite a few times just so I could warm up. And then with chattering teeth, and watery eyes, I watched Robert throw. He did well; he made a personal best in his javelin, his best throw so far. It's all about the technique, apparently. He showed me in detail how to hold the javelin, and then the dance-like steps you have to take to get maximum performance. Shot put was a bit different. He's one of the skinnier boys.  "Mum, you should see those shot put dudes, they're huge," he said later on. Some of the shot put girls were twice the size of my son. They were obviously built for that sport.  When the meet was over, the kids filled up the bus and headed home. I drove with Robert, to save him some time. We chatted and listened to music, but I could tell that as the car warmed up he got more and more sleepy. He stretched out his long legs and tired arms, threw a blanket over himself, and let his mother chauffeur him all the way home. 1. 'Sprinting', from 'to sprint' is to run in a fast, short burst. a. When I'm late for the bus, I sprint to catch it. b. She's more of a long distance runner than a sprinter. 2. 'Event/s' in this podcast refers to each sporting activity. The word can be used as a special occasion, or in this case generally what is used in track. a. Wimbledon is one of the greatest tennis events of the year. b. Discus is one of the least popular events in track, probably because it doesn't involve running, and it is difficult. 3. 'To hang out' is used all the time here in the U.S. and it means to spend time together.  a. Bats hang out with each other in caves, literally. b. I love hanging out with my friends. 4. 'Hoodie' is a sweater that has a warm hood. Everybody has a hoodie, right? a. He was wearing a large hoodie, so I couldn't see his face. b. I always keep a couple of hoodies in the back of the car, in case it gets cold.

As promised, today I will go over the grammar points from my last podcast, 'Jungle'. As you will remember, I danced the night away to the music of this British band. And all that dancing brought to mind some useful phrases. 1. Winter had been 'extraordinarily' long. We lose the sound of the first 'a'. Extraordinary - adjective Extraordinarily - adverb. a. The little boy was 'extraordinarily' descriptive about his day. b. The cat was extraordinarily brave; it fought the dog and won!  2. It's just as well that we spent the night, as the concert finished at midnight. It is similar in meaning to 'it's a good job that'. a. It is just as well that I checked my calendar. I have a dentist appointment in 10 minutes! b. It's pouring! I'm glad you insisted on bringing umbrellas. It's just as well (that) you did! 3. Their lyrics are clean, which for me 'is a (huge) plus'. a. I like going with you to places because you always bring snacks in your car. That's a huge plus.  b. Spending time with loved ones is important, and if you have time to listen to them, it's a huge plus.

                         About a month ago, a friend and I went to Seattle to do something that we don't normally do. We went to a concert. Winter had been extraordinarily(1) long here, so I decided that I needed to get away and do something fun. Thankfully my friend, Sandra, wanted to do the same thing. As she likes to shop, she suggested that we spend the night after the concert, and then spend money the next day in the shops! It is just as well that(2) we spent the night, actually, as the concert finished at midnight. I didn't fancy driving for three hours and getting home at 3am or later. So, which group did we see? Jungle is their name. They are a British band, and their genre of music is funk/soul/electronic. They have a very American sound when they sing, almost as if they had a motown base. I love their music, and their lyrics. In fact, their lyrics are clean which for me is a huge plus(3). I get so tired of hearing wonderful dance music, only to then realize that the lyrics are smutty or violent. I find that really annoying. Jungle, however, writes intelligent, sensitive lyrics that show a respect for humanity. So if you want to dance to really good rhythms while hearing some quality, clever writing, Jungle thankfully is available. The concert was supposed to start at nine o'clock, so Sandra and I rushed our dinner, and walked as fast as we could through downtown Seattle to get there on time. We found a long line of people talking and waiting for the doors to the concert hall to open. After half an hour, and the security check, we made our way into the Showbox hall which was already quite full with people at the bar, and beginning to fill up the dance floor. Another group was playing, you know, the warm-up group that's not very famous. They were actually quite good. People were swaying a bit, but not really dancing. I had deliberately bought a very comfortable pair of casual shoes, and was wearing just jeans and a t-shirt, so I could dance without feeling restricted. It's been such a long time since I have danced in public, or anywhere other than my kitchen. I wondered if I would be out-of-practice! Finally, the count-down started, the lights flashed until the title of Jungle appeared, and we all started cheering. Then song after song started flowing: 'Heavy California', 'Busy working', 'Time', 'Julia', 'Raindrops' and others. I know all of them. I jumped up and down just like the younger, elegantly dressed people around me, and wondered why Sandra wasn't doing the same thing. I think she was tired from getting up early for work, and also wasn't familiar with the songs. At one point, I even forgot that she was there because I was lost in the music. As the Showbox is a small concert hall, we were able to get really close to the group. That added a special dimension to my experience, a bit more intimacy. I feel that not only do I love Jungle's music, but that now we have a connection; I will always be a fan and wish them the best. The Showbox also is a venue I will keep my eye on for future concerts, and I will keep my extra comfortable shoes ready.

If you haven't heard of the shingles, then today I will teach you something both interesting and important for your health. The shingles is actually a virus. It is one of the herpes viruses. I have had close contact with it recently, as my mother has it. Don't let the pretty sound of the word fool you; shingles sounds like jingles, a happy ringing of bells. Well, its quite the opposite. It is horrendous. I think it should be renamed to something like, 'The dark knife', or 'The burning storm'. It is  actually the chicken pox virus. That is an illness that we tend to have as children. Nowadays there are vaccines for chicken pox, so children can at least be protected against a bad dose of the illness. If you have had it, the virus will continue to live in your body. It basically stays dormant in a nerve of its choice. Later in life, when your immune system is weak, it flares up(1), producing a burning rash and a lot of nerve pain. The nerves can actually be permanently damaged and  painful in a bad case. Thankfully though, there is a vaccine that we as adults can have when we are about 50. The shingles is also contagious. If you are touched by someone who has scratched their rash, you could catch it. It is rare, but possible. I will certainly get vaccinated, and I hope you do too. My mother told me that it is the most painful thing she has experienced, and it is taking weeks for her to recover. That means: loss of work, no socializing, no energy, and feeling miserable for a long time.  The good news is that she is recovering. Her rash has cleared up(2), and she has less pain. She had the worst case scenario; the virus was in her trigeminal nerve which runs along the top and left side of your head, into your left eye, and down to your chest. Her eye was so swollen at one point(3) that the doctor couldn't open it. Thankfully, now I can talk to her and see both of her lovely eyes, not just one. It will still take her weeks to get back to normal, but her very strong medicines are helping her recover. I will continue taking her to regular doctors' appointments and making sure that she has everything she needs. I'm hoping that as Spring comes, she will get her energy back and be able to enjoy the flowers and the nice weather. It has been a real education in health and medical care for me, one which I hope won't be repeated. 1. 'To flare up' means to surface or be activated. It can be used with physical symptoms or emotions. a. My rash flared up because I ate something I am sensitive to.  b. His anger flared up when he bumped into his ex boss. 2. 'To clear up' is almost the opposite of 'to flare up'. It means to get better, or get resolved. It also can be used in an emotional context. a. His acne cleared up after the dermatologist gave him some strong medicine. b. We talked about our problem, and finally cleared up the issue. 3. 'At one point' is super useful in just about any context. a. We waited in line for so long that at one point I was ready to fall asleep. b. My back hurt so much that at one point I couldn't even walk. c. The teacher made no sense; at one point I felt like pulling out my hair.

                       Does your mind ever wander? Mine does, all the time. I find that I am constantly thinking about things. My brain rarely(1) seems to keep quiet. In Tai Chi we call this 'The Jumping Monkey' which is a wonderful image. I suppose our brains are supposed to always be thinking, but sometimes it's really distracting. Shopping, for example, is a time when you want to have a clear plan of action with no distraction. If you don't, you could end up wasting time or money, or both. So many times I've come home from shopping with a car full of groceries, only to realize that I forgot the most needed items, like toilet paper or toothpaste. Or I get into the store and I realize that I left my shopping list at home. Perhaps its a fault in my genes; I can blame it on my parents. You can blame most things on your parents. But that doesn't help; it's the behavior that needs to change. So, I've figured out a solution to the shopping list problem: I either write it on my hand, or I simply remember a number, the number of items I need. If that is my approach, then when I am in the store, it's up to me to remember which items they are. And there's something else: shopping bags. Here in the States, predominantly plastic bags are used for customers. It's a real problem, as they are terrible for the environment. I have felt uncomfortable for years about bringing home so many. My son, Hudson, brought back some reusable bags from Paris as a gift for me last year. They are strong, large, and attractive. But do you think that I could remember to take them with me? So many times I would find myself in the store with a cart already half full of items, and it would dawn on(2) me that I needed the bags, and that they were, oops, at home. It was so frustrating. So I decided to make a change. I put three of the bags in the car, right in front of my nose, on the dashboard. Now whenever I go shopping, I remember to take them. I'm so happy. I know it sounds trivial(3), but I'm relieved to be making a difference to the environment this way - finally! And I'm also relieved to have freed myself from forgetfulness. The jumping monkey of my brain is now a little under control, and that is a good start. 1. 'Rarely' is the same as 'not very often' or 'hardly'. Out of the three expressions, it is the least used. a. We rarely go to my sister-in-law's house as it is three hours away. b. My mother rarely comes to our house as she is allergic to my husband. 2. 'To dawn on someone that ...' is a very imaginative way of saying 'to realize'. Think of what 'dawn' is: new, natural light rising up, just like a clear idea. a. It dawned on me that I was paying for an international phone plan that I wasn't using. b. After he bought the item online, it dawned on him that he had added an extra '0' and bought 100 pillows instead of 10. 3. 'Trivial' means of little importance. a. It seems trivial to you, but it's important to me. b. Our conversation was quite superficial; we talked about trivial things.

                                          We've lucked out this year (1). We're lucky because the winter has not been too hard. Yes we've had snow, and some freezing conditions, but it really hasn't been bad at all. I've been able to walk the dogs without falling on the ice, and my daughter has been able to practice her soccer moves on a more or less snow-free lawn. Everyone is back into a work or school routine, and Christmas seems like it was a long time ago. There are a few traces of decorations left around the house, but I'm not going to put them away for a few months. They keep a little bit of brightness and cheer in the house. Another thing that does, is the very colorful and very unusual present that Domini got this year. It's a snake, a corn snake to be exact(2). It's orange with yellow and white spots, only about 12 inches long, and is quite calm. Corn snakes are native to the U.S, and beneficial to humans as they eat rodents like rats and mice. They are not poisonous (of course I wouldn't buy my child a poisonous animal!), and they only get to a moderate length of 4-5 feet when they are adults. They kill their prey, which also includes frogs, birds, and bats, by constriction. As the snake is just a baby, we have to feed him tiny, newborn, bald mice which come frozen in a packet. Yes, I'm sorry, it sounds horrendous(3). I won't go into any more detail. But, you know, he has to eat something. Like other snakes, he can open his mouth up to a 150 degree angle in order to eat. I'm glad we don't do that! He also does it when he yawns, which is actually really cute. I suppose you can tell that I'm not scared of snakes. In fact, I've held him a couple of times and he felt very smooth, calm, and light. I held him close to my cheek, and I could feel his tiny tongue flickering in and out of his mouth as he smelled me. It wasn't creepy at all. Domini is very exact about looking after him, making sure that his environment is just right. Pets can be a great way to teach responsibility to kids as well. Beau is a very calming influence on Domini who she tends to be a bit hyper, so its good for her to handle a smooth, mesmerizing reptile,- her baby. 1. 'To luck out' is to be lucky or fortunate (an Americanism). a. We lucked out; there were just enough tickets left for us. b. He lucked out. He was late to the airport, but his plane was an hour delayed. 2. 'To be exact' is to be specific. a. We live on Idaho street, the last house on the left to be exact. b. He needs to take antibiotics for a couple of weeks, every day for 10 days to be exact. 3. 'Horrendous' is a great word that means 'awful'. It's used a lot in UK. a. The film was horrendous: the story was weak, the dialogues were unrealistic, and the acting was bad. b. Watching the snake eat is horrendous, unless you like that sort of thing.

  Things are changing fast in my household. My third boy, Robert, is now driving. He's only 16, and that to me seems far too young to be 'behind the wheel'. Thankfully, he doesn't drive very far, so the chances of(1) him getting into an accident are not high. As soon as he passed his driver's test, he bought a few things for his vehicle so he could look like and be a proper driver. Tissues, chapstick, hand sanitizer, phone charger, and gum, are of course essentials to have in the car. Then there was the lanyard. When he first mentioned it, I didn't know what he was talking about. It sounded like some boating equipment. So I looked it up.(2) Actually, it is a kind of cord or rope used to secure equipment on ships, and also used in the military. In general, however, it is a cord you put around your neck or shoulder, for your keys or ID. It seems that all high school students have these long, often colorful straps that hang out of a pocket with their car keys attached. It's a sign of being a mature driver, like a symbol of honor. It's certainly a symbol of privilege. "It's so annoying," he said to me the other day. "There are 15yr olds in the Highschool, mom, who have lanyards. Some of them don't even have  permits yet." The permit is the driving card you can get when you turn 15 and sign up for a driver's education course. With it you can legally drive with family members over 21, with or without younger siblings.(3) You are not yet allowed to drive by yourself. "Well, perhaps they use them for house keys," I replied. "That's lame," was his response. A lanyard, for him, represents all the hard work and hours of practice that he put into earning his license. And you can't miss his; it's bright red. As he walks around the high school with the lanyard hanging out of his pocket, younger students have no doubt what it all means. It's like his basketball uniform, he belongs to a group; no unqualified people allowed thank you very much. I don't have a lanyard. I'm too old for one, according to my kids. And I wouldn't want one anyway; I don't need to be part of a group. I picked up a keychain from Heathrow airport that has a blue, leather disc with a Union Jack on the inside. I love it. It reminds me, and the few other people who see it, of where this bird comes from. So, like the lanyard, it's a reminder, one that I see each time I turn the key.  1. 'The chances of ..+ gerund'. This is a great addition to conversation: hypothesis, prediction, but quite casual. a. The chances of him winning the race are high. b. The chances a fair election are low. 2. 'To look something up' is to search for information either in a book, or the internet. a. As you are new to the area, I would look up anything you need on the internet. b. I looked up 'local plumbers' on Google; there are only three licensed ones in town. 3. 'With or without' is also a convenient and native sounding phrase to add to conversation. a. He will achieve his goal, with or without anyone's help. b. You can continue to improve in English, with or without a teacher.

Halloween was fairly uneventful this year. It is a huge day of celebration here in the U.S, but as my children are teenagers now, we are less involved in the 'trick or treat' tradition of dressing up and visiting houses. Also, we don't tend to get many visitors in our neighborhood because it is actually quite spooky: no street lamps, no side walks, and a dark orchard with derelict buildings immediately as you turn into the area. It doesn't surprise me that parents don't drop their kids off to let them trick or treat. I wouldn't. The tradition now for my kids, as well as for their friends, is to watch the scariest movie they can find in the cinema. Apparently, its 'the thing' to do. I can't stand scary movies, though decades ago, when I was a teenager, I too would watch them whenever I could. There was just something thrilling about screaming together. It must have been a way to bond. After Halloween, we visited my son Cass in Washington State University. The university's American football team, the Cougars, were playing, so my husband and son went to watch the game, and my daughter and I went to the cinema. You probably can guess what is coming next. Yes, my daughter, after much begging, persuaded me to watch the horror movie 'Halloween.' The film had already started when we went into the auditorium. It was packed, pitch black, and you could hear the rapid, nervous chewing of popcorn. I half shut my eyes in a squint to see if that would make the film less scary.  The story started to develop. All the typical horror movie ingredients were included: the dark, the pop-ups, the slowly opening, creaking doors, and the very stupid females who scream at everything and don't fight back. I jumped, and again, then several times in a row, and then "Ahh!" came out of my mouth without me even realizing. "Mum, come on," said Domini, "its not even scary yet. Control yourself!" Then she advised me to plug my ears. She was right; it's not half as scary if you can't hear anything. I must have looked quite silly with my fingers in my ears and my face screwed up into a squint.  It wasn't long before the 'baddie' was revealed. He wore a pale mask, and towered above everybody. It was when he appeared in a little boy's closet that I managed by biggest jump, spilling my chocolate covered raisins as I grabbed my daughter's leg. "Mum," hissed Domini, "you're ruining it." She walked out of the auditorium in a bad mood. I gave her a minute to cool off, and then I went and brought her back. "You're so embarrassing! I'm not sitting with you," she said as she went off to find another seat. I didn't mind her rejection; I was actually really focused on the film, and had now managed to get my body under control. I relaxed enough to critique the movie, which is always fun. Horror movies in particular are very two dimensional. "Oh, well that wasn't totally predictable," I thought to myself sarcastically as another weak character did all the wrong things, and therefore was grabbed by the 'psycho'. What was most disappointing to me was that the worst of the stupid, weak females was English. She had a perfect opportunity to bash the baddie with a big piece of metal, but instead she sat down and cried. For goodness sake! She really let my country down. If I had been the one in a public toilet, with a giant, violent 'loco', I would have shown him what English women are really like.  When the film was over, Domini and I chatted about it all the way back to the university. We were full of criticisms and funny comments which helped to dissipate some of the scary images from our minds. I think she would have preferred to go with friends. I, however, was very proud of myself for surviving 'Halloween'. I was tired from all the jumping and squinting, but quite thrilled to feel like a teenager again.

          There's nothing like(1) being in a crowd of 60,000 people. There's nothing like it, if they are all happy and dancing to the same music. Yes, you guessed it; I went to a concert with 59, 997 temporary friends. We were all happy to be together. I took my daughter and a friend of hers, and I was as excited as they were. Ed Sheeran was the main singer of the evening. I pride myself in(2) being a sort of up-to-date mum, so I was already familiar with some of his songs, and what he looks like. And he's English, so that was a plus for me. He actually chatted a lot in between songs, and came across as a very friendly, intelligent person.  As far as his performance goes, he was dynamic, and gave a good rendition of all of his most popular songs. I was impressed with the fact that he was by himself on stage. He used a 'loop' machine to create his music by instantaneous recording of himself. It worked really well. How clever! The girls and I were unfortunately up in what we call 'the nose bleeds' which means that the seats were really high up in the stadium, quite far away from the main guy. Ed Sheeran, luckily, is a redhead, and so we didn't have to strain(3) our eyes too badly to see him. We could see a flash of red jumping and running around the stage; I assume it was him.... Though we had seats, most of the concert we spent dancing on the spot with everyone else around us. The energy in the stadium was electric. From our seats we could also see the sea with ferries coming and going, as the stadium is not enclosed. It was quite a night. 1. 'There's nothing like + gerund/ object' This is a way of saying that something is the best. a. There's nothing like my grandmother's chocolate cake; I've never tasted a better one. b. There's nothing like hiking in the mountains with friends. c. There's nothing like a cool drink of water after a hot day of work outside. d. There's nothing like opening the envelope that has your grades, and seeing all A's. 2. 'To pride yourself in  +noun/adjective'. This is quite self-explanatory: a. He prides himself in his work. b. She prides herself in her dedication to her instrument. c. They pride themselves in their charitable organization. 3. 'To strain' is a useful verb which means to over-use and therefore to hurt. a. He strained his back by carrying heavy boxes the wrong way. b. I didn't have my glasses so I had to strain my eyes to read the medicine bottle. c. Stretching before exercise can help reduce strains.

  Snakes are creatures that I rarely see. Actually, I have no desire to see them. They're not really my cup of tea. My sister, however, used to have a very large corn snake. It was yellow and white, and its very long body filled its glass cage where it would only occasionally move. Once a week Suzy would feed it a mouse which, in a flash, would disappear down the snakes throat, and then it would go back to its rather boring existence. It was, you could say, the easiest of pets. Here, where I live, there are some native snakes that people do run into every now and then. We have the garter snake that is black and white which can swim, and gives birth to live babies, no need for eggs. Then there is the harmless bull snake that is brownish grey that kills rattle snakes. And then the rattlers. They are the ones to watch out for. I suppose, the humans around here have respect for and fear of these stripy, unpredictable animals. I have heard many stories of people finding a rattler in their kitchen, or front garden, or that their dog was bitten by one. Last week, a gentleman came to work at our house, and while he was there, he noticed my rottweiler, so we started talking about dogs. He told me that he lives outside of town on 120 acres of hillside where it is fairly dry. His dog was bitten by a rattler and needed expensive treatment at the vets. Thankfully, it was alright. "It's dry land, so its where the rattlers like to be," he said to me. He continued with his story to tell me that this year alone he has killed eleven rattlesnakes, one of which had eight rattles. Yuk! That one must have been huge! "So, why don't you move closer to town where it's not so dry?" I asked.  He just smiled and said, "I prefer snakes to people."

We spent the 4th of July at Lake Chelan for the first time just a couple of days ago. As you know, the 4th is the national holiday celebrating the independence of the U.S from England. It is a day off for everyone, and usually involves a huge fireworks display. My sister-in-law owns a cabin that is right on the lake, a perfect holiday home, and an exciting place to get together and enjoy the water and the celebrations. I must say that the fireworks were definitely not the highlight of the evening. The cabin is located down the lake, far away from the spot where the fireworks take off. In fact, we were so far away, that they looked like a tiny display coming from someones backyard! A bit of an anticlimax really. However, we had had a wonderful time with our friends, and making new ones. I have never lived by water. When I was a child, I would spend summers in Mallorca, and go to the beach every day. But, actually living on the water, especially a lake, would be a very different experience for me. It struck me how relaxing it was sitting talking at a table, with the cool, clean water of Lake Chelan just a few feet away, gently lapping on the sand. I don't think anybody felt stressed. The wine and beer flowed, and then the music started. About half of the people at the party randomly jumped in the water, just like that. The sun gradually went down over the mountains that look over the lake, and all the lights of the houses on the other side of the water came on. That in itself was wonderful enough; it was so pretty. The air was a perfect temperature and smelled so clean, with a hint of pine. And we sat on the dock and swung our legs like children as a group of us talked about deep things. If I had my way, every holiday would be like that.

  Summer is a busy time, though some people think that it isn't. "So, what are you doing with all your time off, now that you don't have to drive here and there for school?" people have asked me. I smile politely, but think, "You have no idea." Yes, summer is busy. Mind you(1), that is partly my own fault. I am a project maniac. For some reason I feel compelled to constantly take on new projects. One of this season's tasks is to go through the whole house and garden. The aim is to minimalize and tidy. To reduce the clutter in a house, apparently you need a system of three boxes: one for items to throw away, one for donation, and the last for items to sell. So I am applying this system, and beginning to feel liberated. The garden, however, is the battleground for me. I have avoided it up until now(2) because of the heat, but everyday I look out of the window and see the growing need. Weeds, and lots of them. Right around my vegetable boxes, there is a mass of happy weeds, enjoying the sun and the irrigation. They don't just survive; they multiply, prosper, and have a great old time(3) just spreading. I should probably just make friends with them, and reduce my work. But no, my plan is to clear the whole area and to lay down landscaping plastic and bark to create attractive, weed-free pathways. I am determined. So, every now and then I will visit the jungle and pull a few weeds out while planning my project. Of course, I quickly get into a bad mood because it seems overwhelming. I usually get bitten by a few mosquitos, get a spider in my hair, and a splinter or two in my fingers. On one of these occasions, I was pulling out some litter from the hedge, when on the floor, a glow of white caught my eye. I bent over and looked underneath. There I found a group of three speckled eggs, quails' eggs. They were bright against  the background of dry, brown leaves, and looked perfectly smooth. I picked them up. They were surprisingly heavy for their size, and cold to the touch. I wondered where the mother was. The sunlight shone through the hedge in patches which moved with the wind, as if spotlighting the nest. It was a cosy place, safely tucked away, chosen with care. I knew that the eggs would not hatch; the mother was gone. I suddenly felt silly about getting so annoyed at my work. This nest that I had stumbled upon, like all nests, was a place of hope. What was inside was beautiful and vulnerable. Tiny, perfect eggs, laid by instinct, were part of a much greater plan than mine. So, I left them there, in the leaves, not far from my weeds. 1. 'Mind you' is a great, casual addition to conversation. It's like saying, "Well," "But think about this", or "However". a. The car is expensive! Mind you, it is top quality, so it'll run well for a long time. b. She wears very expensive clothes; mind you, she has a very good job and can afford whatever she wants. 2. 'Up until now' is the same as saying 'Until now', but it gives the sense of the length of time. a. We have always paid to park in the center of town up until now. b. I asked for a quote from the plumber last year, and I've heard nothing up until now! 3. 'A great old time' is one of those English phrases that has a word that is not necessary, but one that adds feeling. You could say 'a great time', but the word 'old' implies a little sarcasm to the context (weeds in the podcast), and a carefree length of time. a. Last night I dropped my car keys on the road while it was raining. I had a great old time looking for them. b. The old school friends talked into the night having a great old time.  

When my husband and I visited China, I must say that we weren't very organized. My husband was focused on work, but I hadn't done enough research into making our finances(1) work in China. Though I had notified my credit card companies that I would be using the cards in China, I failed to get a pin to withdraw cash. I also was completely unaware of Alipay. And Alipay is everywhere. If you are not yet familiar with it, you soon will be. It is a financial organization, owned by Alibaba, which provides 3rd party(2) on-line payments, with no fees. That means that like using PayPal, you can pay for almost anything without cash or credit cards. Every transaction is done over your smart phone. And let me tell you, the transactions are fast. There is no need for fumbling(3) around with passwords that you might have forgotten, or waiting for confirmation numbers. No, this is lightening speed, and I didn't have it. On a few occasions, I couldn't actually go into places because they only took Alipay. As the few Yuan that I had ran out, I began to feel uncomfortable, and quite silly. What made it worse was that we actually went to the headquarters of Alibaba, the very conglomerate that owns and operates Alipay. The museum we were invited to showcased for us the massive, and complex machine of Alibaba, with its retail, e-commerce, AI, and tech branches. "I really need to catch up," I thought to myself, "on everything!" I left the building in Hangzhou feeling a mix of emotions: very impressed, but very 'behind'. The presenter who took us through the museum, and showed us the evolution of the company, mentioned that Alibaba is focusing more and more on making systems and other companies more efficient. It is also tracking our carbon footprints and planting trees. Ah, now, those two things certainly got my attention. The fact that it is worth over $500 billion, of course is exciting and impressive. But you know me; my heart strings were pulled when I found out that it is being responsible about the well-being of the planet. And one of my favorite combinations of words is 'efficient' + 'systems'. Perhaps I can follow their example, become efficient, and do a bit more research on how to organize my spending before I travel somewhere new! 1. Finances means everything to do with money and its uses. a. I really need to sort out my finances; I don't know what I have coming in or going out! b. His life is finances; he lends money for a fee, and also invests whenever he can. 2. 3rd party is a person or organization that helps to organize an interaction between you and someone else. a. The counselor was like an unattached 3rd party who listened to both people talk, and who simply summarized what was going on. b. A 3rd party in finances is usually not associated with the seller or the buyer, but provides the service of the transaction and its security. 3. 'To fumble' is a verb which means to handle in an unstable way, almost dropping, and not holding properly. It is often used with the word 'around'. a. I fumbled around in the dark, looking for a flashlight, hoping that the electricity would come back on soon. b. She tried to put the key in the lock, fumbling, and dropping them several times.

  I never thought that I would get here, but here I am. China, that is. I'm so excited that I'm sure even my sentences will have grammatical errors. This was an unexpected(1) trip, an opportunity that suddenly came my way. I would have been an idiot to not take advantage of my good fortune. Of course, I could have(2) stayed at home for the week, and done the usual things, you know: work, cooking, laundry, walk the dogs. However, as I have my mother and in-laws available to help, I jumped at the chance to come here, to China, instead. So, this is my first day, in Shanghai. My husband is in a business meeting, and as I write, I am hanging out in the hotel room which has an incredible view of the city. We are up on the 59th floor; I'm surprised that it doesn't make me feel dizzy. My first surprise when I arrived was to see how many trees there are in the city. There are more trees than in Seattle! Even the highway is bordered by either a line of deciduous trees, or indeed a forest. In fact, wherever there is space between the buildings, there are masses of trees. And I have never seen so many buildings, high rises, in my life. They stretch out like a giant lego project into the horizon. And yet everything is so neat, organized, and clean. Directly below our hotel is a park that looks like a mini-forest(3). There is a large pond in the middle, and I can see the roof of a restaurant, partly hidden by the canopy of the trees. After my husband's meeting, we will go there for a walk, and maybe have a bite to eat. One thing I realize as I talk to the hotel staff, and move around, is how ignorant I am. Seriously; I know so little about China, and my Chinese is practically non-existent. When I was in school, our history curriculum taught us very little about China. And our news media in UK and U.S has only recently given some time to news about this country. I think we can be inadvertently kept quite separate from other continents if we're not careful, don't you think? Mind you, all of that can change with a little effort, especially now that we have access to the internet. So, one of my goals for today, when I have finished this podcast, is to get on Youtube, to watch some Chinese history, and learn a few words and phrases. That's where I will begin. 1. 'Unexpected' What a great word! It's very common, and with a bit of practice, is not too difficult to pronounce. a. I had some unexpected news yesterday from my sister. b. There was an unexpected interruption to their journey, so they had to rearrange their plans. 2. 'Could have/ would have'. We've practiced this plenty of times, but it's essential for fluency. a. I could have flown to Beijing, but instead I flew to Shanghai. b. You should have checked your receipt; I think they overcharged you. 3. The use of 'mini'. We can unofficially use mini with all sorts of nouns to create our own sentences. a. Our party was a mini-disaster. Frank fell on the cake. Sue fell down the stairs. And Rodger broke his ankle. b. Students, tomorrow we will have a mini-exam, so make sure you study your notes tonight. 

Coffee is very important to people in the U.S. Washington State is the birthplace of Starbucks, and the city where the first one of them opened is Seattle. You could say that the subject of coffee there is as natural as breathing. If you are lucky enough to visit that splendid, green, innovative(1) city, you will easily find your way to Pike Place Market where the famous coffee shop is located. There is always a long line of people waiting to buy a drink, and that line fills the standing space in the cafe, and continues out of the door and down the street. But why is Starbucks such an important place in the U.S? The answer, in part, is that it is indeed a place, not just a company. The founders, Baldwin, Siegl, and Bowker, had a vision of providing high quality coffee in comfortable places where people could linger. And 'linger' is the significant word here. The U.S culture, as far as I can see, has very little to do with lingering, spending time being in the moment(2), enjoying a meal, talking with a friend. These are, of course, activities that people love and crave; however, work and the drive to be rich have created a fast-paced society that counts the minutes by the dollars either made or lost. There is a counterculture to that materialistic drive(3), though which can be found across the generations. Some people seem more aware of activities like yoga, meditation, utilizing the parks, and art. Starbucks fits in with this desire to slow down, and provides a place where many can do so, no matter the weather. Ironically, by providing an environment for thought and relaxation, it has become a billion dollar company. So, while it has encouraged people to 'stop and smell the roses', it has also encouraged them to hand over their dollars. And its the very nature of the product they sell that enables that to happen, - caffeine: a natural but very potent psychoactive drug. We all love it, so we're happy to hand over those dollars. Great ideas and revolutions come from its consumption, plus its fashionable every season in one way or another. As Starbucks has carved its way into the U.S culture, I suppose it will be around for quite a while. 1. 'Innovative'- creative, inventing, new ideas/projects. a. The phrase 'you think outside the box' means that you are innovative. b. Their innovative company recycles waste plastic and uses it to make roads. 2. 'To linger' and 'to be in the moment' are similar. The first means to stay because you want to savor the experience. The second means to be fully aware and alive now. a. After the party, Thomas lingered. He was enjoying our conversation so much that he didn't want to leave. b. When we do yoga, our instructor encourages us to not think of anything, but just to breathe and to be in the moment. 3. A 'drive' means a push, tendency, instinct, a strong desire.  a. I think he will be successful; he has a strong drive.  (You can also say 'he is driven') b. She can't escape her drive to change the world.

It has been many years since I've lived in a big city. I used to live in London, and part of me is still there, I think(1). If you follow my podcasts, you will know that I go back whenever I can, even if it is just for an hour's lunch with one of my girlfriends before I fly home. There is just something about the city vibe(2) that I love. It's intense, a showcase of human creativity. Samuel Johnson, a famous English writer from 1700's said, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." This is an old English way of saying that there is all that you can experience/learn/admire in that city. To a large extent, I agree with him. There would never be any excuse to be bored in London, nor in any capital city. My good friend Sarah took me to a popular bar/grill/restaurant that is close to where she works, in an area called Shoreditch. Shoreditch is in East London, a very trendy, artsy place full of young energy, businesses, and development. As she works just around the corner from , she goes there frequently for lunch. It's sort of an all-encompassing venue. You can go there for a business meeting, to work by yourself on your laptop next to the fireplace, or to have a quiet coffee and read one of the many books they have in their library. But don't forget, it's a hotel as well, with over 200 rooms designed for comfort and with a modern flair. I too would be there often if I worked nearby. Its interior is inviting: cosy and warm colors, lots of brick and wood, and of course, large leather sofas. The main eating areas are more modern and compact to accommodate large numbers of people. When we were there, there was a loud hum of conversation as so many people had gathered in groups to hang out(3) and eat. I would definitely recommend the Hoxton to anyone visiting London. It's just the kind of place you need to have a good meal in  while you're exploring East London. So, of course I had a wonderful time with Sarah: great coffee, a trendy environment, and a good friend. 1. 'I think' ok, this sounds like an easy one, and it is. The reason I included it is because it is the sort of addition to a sentence that sounds native with a touch of humility and personality. There are many other additions to sentences that can be used. a. That was a good bargain, I suppose. b. We could wait until they can join us, I guess. Try putting some at the front of the sentence. c. Personally, I feel/what I think is that the meeting didn't cover all of the issues. 2. 'Vibe' is short for 'vibration' and is a very common and trendy word. We often talk of 'good/bad vibes' in a social situation or in a place. It is essentially slang, but is very mainstream. a. The party had such a good vibe; everyone there was so nice. b. I don't trust him; he gave me a creepy vibe. 3. 'To hang out' is also a trendy, mainstream phrase, though it used to be slang. It basically means to spend time with someone or in a place. a. When we were in Paris we just wanted to hang out at the Louvre all day. b. Why don't you come to the park with us and hang out?

Just about the time that I consider giving up sugar, I visit Belgium(1). It wasn't good timing! I wouldn't have missed my day in Brussels for anything, of course. However, as I walked around the shops near Grand Place, everywhere I looked, I was tempted. The Belgians like their desserts, and desserts are made with sugar.  Belgian chocolate is known all over the world for being one of the best. I expected to see some elegant displays of chocolates, but what I didn't expect was the amount of shops that were bursting with sweet treats. It was like edible art. Chocolates, pastries, and the famous macaroons were arranged beautifully to draw visitors in to buy. I ended up being one of those visitors. How could I not go in?(2) I only had one day in Brussels, so I had to experience all that I could while I had the time. Thankfully my pancreas works well, so I decided that that day would be my day of cheating. Sugar would still be my friend for one more day. I had sheltered in a coffee shop in the main square for about half an hour just to warm up because it was so cold outside, and I didn't have a hat. But then I decided to eat something. I bought a few pastries that were put in a very pretty box, and then I went to a waffle shop. There were so many to choose from it was almost ridiculous. I ended up(3) ordering a banana, nutella, and cream waffle with tea. It was delicious, of course. I do believe that chocolate, banana, and cream are one of the best combinations ever. I couldn't finish it, though. It was too much for me, but oh so good! Food is one of the many interesting differences to experience when you travel to a country for the first time. It's a shame that I didn't have enough time to sample more food. The next time I go to Belgium I would like to try their famous 'waterzooi' which is a very substantial and creamy vegetable and potato stew with either fish or chicken. Mmm, the thought of it is making me hungry. 1. 'Just when I consider giving up sugar, I visit Belgium.' Notice that this is in the present tense, even though I'm talking about the past. It is common in conversation,  especially when you are emphasizing a major event, that you use the present tense even when it is understood to be in the past. It makes it more immediate. a. We get lost three times on the metro, finally arrive at the Louvre and its closed! b. Our flight is delayed so we go for a quick coffee. When we come back, the plane has left!  2. 'How could I not go in?' In this case, I really wanted to go into the chocolate and pastry shops. Instead of making a statement like, 'I really wanted to go in,' I wanted to write something a little more interesting, so I used a question. Another question I could have written is, 'Why wouldn't I go in?' a. We were given tickets to the museum. We left immediately; why wouldn't we go? b. She offered me some of her famous chocolate cake. How could I refuse?/ How could I not accept? c. The new cafe was giving away free espressos. Who would not want that/one/some? 3. 'To end up' I know I have covered the use of this phrase before. It really is so useful, and sounds very native indeed. Remember, it is usually followed by a gerund 'ing'. a. After trying to contact several mechanics, we ended up fixing the car ourselves. b. The children in that class are from many different countries, so they end up learning each others' languages and customs. c. The government ended up allowing girls to go to school because they realized it would benefit the economy and society in general.

After my trip to Paris this January, I decided that I would spend one day in Brussels. I had never been to Belgium before, and I longed to(1) go to a place I had never visited. Brussels was the obvious choice for me, as the train journey from Paris is less than two hours. After saying goodbye to my son, I headed to Gare du Nord. Talk about(2) a busy station! I went through security quickly, and found my seat. I was relieved to be on a train and on my way. I was tired; jet lag and saying goodbye to my son were both heavy weights on my shoulders. I hoped to fall asleep during the trip, but that didn't happen. I was too curious. I watched the misty countryside fly by as the train rocked oh so slightly back and forth; it was comforting. We reached Gare du Midi in no time at all. I grabbed my only roller suitcase, turned on the data for my phone, and googled my way to my Airbnb. How efficient! The place I had booked for the night was delightful. It was a ten minute walk from the station, and owned by a lady called Mikaela. She gave me a warm welcome and showed me around the very spacious, clean, and uncluttered accommodation. I was tempted to take a nap, but I knew that I only had a few hours before the sun went down, and I had to make the most of it. I wrapped up and headed to the Grand Place. Thankfully, I had just enough data to find my way there. And it was so worth the trip. Even though I was tired, and the wind was really cold, the elegance of this main square made the whole journey worthwhile(3). This area is a UNESCO world heritage site, and is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. It is dominated by the Hotel de Ville, or Town Hall that was built in the 1400's. The Museum of the City of Brussels dominates the opposite side of the square. It was built in the 1800's and shows the history of Brussels through art, tapestries, photos, models, and sculptures. I would have loved to have had enough time to go through the museum, but alas, I only had a couple of hours. I wondered down the various streets that came off of the square, and took time to investigate the pastry, chocolate, and waffle shops. Everything was displayed with taste, especially in the Galleries Royales Saint-Hubert. I bought a gift for my father and step-mother who I was soon to visit, and then I walked around the square one more time, taking photos, and taking in the atmosphere, before heading back to the Airbnb. 1. 'To long to' is the same as 'to yearn to'. It means that you really, really want to do something. In fact, a 'longing'  (the noun) is a strong desire that has lasted for a long time. a. He longs to finally pass his exams so he can get his PhD. b. She longs to return to the land where she was born. 2. 'Talk about' is a very English expression that is one of exaggeration. It is similar to saying 'how' ..... a. You'll love le Grand Place in Brussels, talk about elegant! b. The line for the concert went all around the block, talk about a popular singer! 3. 'Worthwhile' really means that something is worthy of your time (your while). It merits your time/ attention. a. Learning Russian over Skype for a year was difficult but really worthwhile. b. I think that charity is worthwhile; it helps a lot of people.

During my recent travels, I had the opportunity to go to Paris. I was only there for a few days with my son Hudson. I went there to get him settled in school, and to make sure that he seemed happy with his arrangements. "Mum, I love this place," he said to me at one point. He was amazed by the city. There is so much history, art, and spectacular architecture that you can be pleasantly distracted for years. I hadn't been to Paris for decades, and only had vague(1) memories of certain places. One of my good friends, Lorraine, joined us for the weekend which was a special treat for me. She lives near London, and so caught the Eurostar train to Paris, a journey that only took two hours. I loved being back in Europe again, and having the chance to experience this intense city. Winter, I suppose, is not the best time to go to Paris to study; however, as Spring gets closer, the days get longer, there is less rain and more sun, my son will find himself in a city that is like a painted masterpiece(2). Like London, Paris is a place you can lose yourself in. That means that your mind can be totally absorbed by things other than yourself. And having two legs becomes especially important, as so much of what can be experienced needs to be walked to: you walk down narrow alleyways and discover art galleries, you walk around a historic building to take just the right photo, or you walk past cafe after cafe until you find the one that is particularly pretty, or has the best view. Another thing that I enjoyed was practicing my French. Because I love language, and I'm not particularly shy, I threw myself into conversations with all sorts of people. My French was very inaccurate and rough, but I actually didn't care because I knew enough to make myself understood, and the people I spoke with were very kind and patient. I believe that people really appreciate it when you make an effort to speak their language; I think it shows humility. Anyway, I'm not a self-conscious teenager, so I don't mind making a fool of myself occasionally. I encouraged my son who is a self-conscious(3) teenager to jump in and talk as much as possible with the Parisians.  I couldn't leave Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, of course. The day that we went there was very cold indeed, and windy. Thankfully I had brought a long, thick coat as I hate to be cold. Lorraine and I had arranged to meet up with Hudson for a coffee nearby. There were so many people! Underneath the Tower is now sectioned off for security reasons, which is understandable. So we decided to go into one of the nearby tents and have a hot chocolate. We lingered and enjoyed the atmosphere, and then decided to take some photos and head back to his student residence. Though the skies were grey, and the trees bare, the sight was quite magnificent, even in the gloomy colors. 1. 'Vague' means inaccurate, slight, approximate, or not present. a. His ideas are not expressed well; they are very vague. b. I had a vague notion that we had left our keys in the restaurant. c. He looks very vague, like he's off in the clouds. 2. 'Masterpiece' usually refers to a work of art or literature that is highly admired and considered close to perfect. a. The Mona Lisa, and 'Pride and Prejudice' are considered masterpieces of both art and literature. b. I wrote a poem; it's not a masterpiece, but I like it. 3. 'Self-conscious' is to have your mind too much on yourself, and to therefore feel shy. a. I often feel self-conscious when people want to take a photo of me. b. She's not self-conscious at all; she'll sing opera to anyone!

In your country, do you have a Humane Society? By that I mean an organization that looks after unwanted animals. The U.S does; it is a charity that works for the good of animals. Here, in each state, you can find these places under the actual title of The Humane Society. The animals that are rescued from bad situations, or found on the streets, are housed in buildings where they get the food and medical attention they need to be healthy. It mainly serves dogs and cats, as they are prolific, and unfortunately sometimes end up homeless, but occasionally other needy animals can be found there. Each dog has its own small room with a bed, a water dish, and a toy to chew. They are taken for a walk each day so they get strong and well, and so they can burn off some nervous energy. The cats, on the other hand, don't go outside because it is more difficult to control them. They can, though, share a roomy cat house that often has 2 or 3 small rooms. They're allowed into a room for their exercise, where they can run, climb, and play with toys. It is a generous and caring environment where many people volunteer, especially the retired, and children.  I went to Wenatchee's Humane Society last week with my daughter, as she has signed up(1) to be a volunteer. That actually means that I am now officially a volunteer because she is too young to volunteer without an adult. We were given a guided tour by a retired gentleman who likes to help the dogs that have experienced trauma. He pointed out ten new dogs that had arrived the day before from Texas. "Texas?" I asked, "Gosh, that's a long way away." He explained that the recent hurricane in Texas displaced(2) a lot of animals, and some were found wandering around in poor physical condition. A part of the funds that are donated to the Humane Society goes to the rescue crew who search for and find stray animals. Sometimes a person will call to inform the staff that there is an unfamiliar animal in their neighborhood. A crew will then go in a van to retrieve the animal and take it to the shelter. This is all quite a commitment of time and money, and that commitment comes from a love of animals and a desire to be humane. The first step a person takes before being allowed to volunteer is to sign up online, and then to attend an orientation meeting. About ten people including ourselves were in the meeting room with a lady who explained the philosophy behind the Humane Society, and the history of the Wenatchee chapter. The main focus is to get animals healthy and well adjusted as quickly as possible, so they can then be adopted. A vet works there each morning to spay and neuter the animals before they are adopted, so they do not breed. Population control is an intelligent part of the humane philosophy. The Wenatchee site is a brand new building which was funded by a kind lady who left the money in her will(3). It is modern, clean, and roomy. As volunteers, we have to work at least 12 hours in 3 months, as well as take cat and dog handling classes. There are all sorts of ways in which we can help, from doing the laundry to bathing the animals. I'm excited to share this experience with my daughter, and to be a part of the solution for stray and unwanted animals. 1. 'To sign up' is to register your name with an organization of some sort. a. The last day to sign up for basketball is December 20th. b. You can sign up online to help with meals for the hungry. c. Oh no, I missed the sign up date! 2. 'Displaced' is when people or animals have been forced to leave their normal home environment. It is also a verb of causing something to leave its natural environment. a. The refugees were displaced because of the ongoing war. b. Tropical species of fish have displaced some native fish of Florida. c. Natural disasters often displace people and animals. 3. A 'will' is the legal document that a person has which states that upon his death, certain named people will receive his money or possessions. a. A wealthy lady left a lot of money to the Humane Society in her will. b. If you make a will, usually other people have to sign it to make it legal. Practice your English at .

I am becoming a minimalist. It's a slow process, but it is definitely happening. For many years I haven't practiced giving or throwing things away, neither has my husband. It is so easy to put things that we no longer need in cupboards and closets, and then to conveniently forget about them. So, the result has been an accumulation of stuff. But, the season has changed, the tide has turned (1), and I'm in motion to do what I should do. There are many charity shops here where you can donate unwanted but good quality clothing and household goods(2). I often shop at some of these places because you can find great bargains. Some things, however, must be thrown away or recycled. That was the case with five, large, steel canisters that I had stored in our garage. Some of them had been there for years. They had been helium containers, for blowing up balloons. They were too big to recycle locally, and it is not permitted to put them in the garbage. I did an internet search(3) to find out where I could recycle them, hoping that it wouldn't be too far away. I came up with(4) Wenatchee Valley Salvage and Reclamation which is across the river and up towards the airport. Perfect. The drive took about twenty minutes; I only got lost a couple of times. I realized as I drove, that I'm unfamiliar with this industrial area that has been slowly expanding over the past ten years.  The entryway to the reclamation yard was a wide gravel road, overlooked by a large sign that was half hidden by dry bushes. There were rusty vehicles parked on the side which towered over my car. The road was long and windy, and it wasn't obvious at all where I had to go. As I turned a corner, the land opened up into a large, grassless area that had enormous piles of twisted metal, sections of buses and trucks, and parts of vehicles that I didn't even recognize. I finally noticed a small office. I pulled up to the window and read a notice that said, "Enter at your own risk". I laughed at first, thinking that it was a joke about entering the office. I soon realized that it wasn't a joke at all; the notice was about entering the yard itself. I looked around and realized how dangerous this place was. It was an alien garbage dump of sharp, heavy metal that at any moment could tumble onto your car. "Oh gosh!" I thought to myself, "I'd better get out of here as soon as possible." The lady in the office directed me to a cathedral-like shed where I could take my canisters. I pulled in and a man came over to help. All around were huge dumpsters, each filled with scraps made of a certain kind of metal. The place was dark and oily, and the man was too. He seemed angry, like his temper was boiling. So, I opened the car door to help get the canisters out, even though they were very heavy. He just snatched them from me and hurled them through the air without even looking where they were going.  All of them flew into a huge dumpster of similar items, and landed with a loud, metallic crash! I was impressed by the man's efficiency, but uneasy at his apparent mood. I thanked him and left quickly. On the way out, I realized that if I worked in a dark, dangerous, oily place, I would probably also be angry. I opened the window and took a deep breath of fresh air. "Canisters gone," I thought. "There are five less things to get rid of on my list. And hopefully, I don't have to risk coming back here again!" 1. 'The tide has turned' is a figurative way of saying that things have changed, or life in general. When the tide changes, the direction of the ocean flow reverses. There are variations of this phrase, a common one being '(at) the turn of the tide'. a. Intelligent systems can turn the tide of human poverty. b. The announcement of reforms turned the tide of the crowd's anger to satisfaction. 2. 'Household goods' is the same as saying 'items'. Goods are purchasable products as opposed to services. When we talk about 'household goods' we could mean appliances, furniture, decorations, or anything else that is permanent. a. Paper and pencils are not goods because we use them up completely. Whereas tables or lamps would be considered 'goods.' b. The train was carrying goods to the central market. 3. 'To do an internet search' is the phrase we use to look something up on the internet. a. My daughter did an internet search on tectonic plates for a science paper. b. If you need to hire a good plumber, do an internet search; you'll get a whole list of plumbers. 4. 'To come up with' is a very useful phrase in English which shows our almost obsessive use of the preposition 'up'. The phrase means to find, discover, or figure out. a. He came up with a plan to save a few hundred dollars each year until he could afford a plane ticket. b. Our plan is to learn five verbs a day for three months.

It's already the end of October, and everywhere there are signs of magic. There is no debate that this season, at least in this part of the world, is the most magical of the year. Over the space of just a few weeks, summer has melted into Autumn. Even though the temperature is cooler, the colors are warmer. Supermarkets have rows and rows of large orange pumpkins outside. The seasonal fruits and vegetables have changed from corn and zucchini, to squash and rosy apples. Shorts and t-shirts have disappeared and been replaced with long-sleeved, warmer tops, and long pants, with the occasional wooly scarf or cute wooly hat. All this change and preparation is like getting ready for a performance on stage (1): the scenery and the costumes. And of course, I can't forget to mention(2) the backdrop of all of this: the trees. We are fortunate in Wenatchee to have many of them, and a large percentage of what we have are deciduous. Orange, yellow, pink, and red are everywhere you look, and the pretty colorful leaves are all over the place, like the litter from a party, still blowing around on the floor. Of course it's all a result of the natural process of the shorter days and cooler weather depriving the leaves of green chlorophyll. When that starts to disappear, the other pigments show up. But the logic of the process makes it no less(3) magical and mysterious. Change is beautiful, a good thing, and we certainly see that in Autumn. If I had more time, I would lie under a tree and just stare at it for hours.  1. Details to do with a stage performance: a. 'The costumes' - the clothes that the actors wear. b. 'Scenery' - the setting of the scene, its place, furniture etc c. 'Backdrop' - a large cloth at the back of the stage that is part of the scenery, for example: a forest scene or an office wall. 2. 'I can't forget to mention'/ 'I mustn't forget to mention' is very common in UK. Of course, 'to forget to' can be followed by any verb.  a. I can't forget to mention how polite and helpful his son was. b. You mustn't forget to mention to the builder that the roof is crooked!  3. 'No less' is used in a couple of ways. Here in the podcast it is used as if I wished to say 'not less'. a. Today is rainy, but no less spectacular than yesterday when it was dry.  b. He is quieter than his brother, but no less intelligent. 'No less' is sometimes used at the end of a sentence to show surprise, admiration, or sarcasm. a. He has been invited to lunch by the queen, no less! b. He took control of the plane when the pilot fainted, and landed it successfully on a hill, no less! c. Well, he has passed his bachelor's, and after only 7 years in university no less.

I have recently updated my app. Some of you will be thinking, "Thank Goodness!" It was overdue (1), to say the least. Some people think that I'm quite 'techie'(2) because I have an app for smart phones and iPads, but I'm not at all. I simply supply the material, and someone else puts the app together. In fact, I wasn't even aware that an app producer needs to update the product. So how did I realize that this needed to happen? The answer is that my own app on my phone wouldn't work. "What on earth is the problem?" was my response. I would push the display button to be led only to a dark screen where my podcasts were barely visible. Well, problem solved! Frustration over! I submitted some new artwork of different dimensions, and the experts and software took care of everything else (3). So I am now pleased to be able to say that my own app works on my phone, and therefore on everyone else's. If you open the app and start to listen to a podcast, you will see five small, blue symbols below the large play button. The second one from the right gives you access to the photo and the pdf. There is also a share button, and a star to keep a favorite. However, there is still one tweak that needs to be made, and that is the button that connects to my website. It looks like it isn't connected. The great thing is that I can send an email about that, and a couple of days later, it will be fixed. How I love this technology! 1. 'Overdue' means that something should have happened already. We use this word a lot in libraries, when a book should have been returned earlier. It's like saying 'late'. a. I received a letter from the local library that my books and magazines are very overdue. b. My baby is overdue; I was due to have her last week! c. The train is an hour overdue! 2. 'Techie' is a modern noun that is short for ' a technological enthusiast'. It can describe anything, including people. Note that when a person is described, it can be used as an adjective or a noun, though formally it is known as a noun. a. He is such a techie. He designed a website when he was 12, and a video game when he was 14! b. That group of students is very techie. 3. 'To take care of everything (else)'. We use 'to take care' all the time in English, and in many ways. a. It was lovely to see you again. Goodbye, take care! b. It'll take you perhaps 20 minutes to drive to the concert. Take care on that road! c. The wedding planners took care of all the details; they did such a good job! d. I take care of my grandma because she is so special to me. Click the image to visit the app!

Monreith Animal World is a small petting zoo that is just down the road from my father's house in Scotland. When I was visiting him in August, we decided to go there for a day out. My daughter is an animal-lover, so she jumped at the chance(1) to go. It was a beautiful, breezy, sunny day, so the animals were visible and active. My father and step-mother chatted with the owner when we first arrived, so Domini and I ran ahead, down the allotted(2) path that took us past all of the cages, pens, and ponds where the animals live. The petting zoo has rare species including animals which are endangered. The tour begins with unusual rabbits, chickens, and ducks, eventually leading to bigger animals like alpaca and miniature donkeys and ponies. We were able to stroke the donkeys on their long snouts, but the alpacas didn't look very friendly, so we stayed away from them. As we circled back to the entry, we went past bizarre looking turkeys and chickens, and then we saw him, - a magnificent eagle owl, alone in his large wooden cage, staring at us with gorgeous orange eyes. He must have been about two and a half feet tall. The brown, black, and cream pattern on his body was excellent camouflage for the forest and high mountains. His ears were black and stuck up at either side adding to his serious look of frowning. But it was his eyes that stole the show(3). They looked like orange topaz with a black center. Every now and then he would blink. Owls have three eyelids: one for blinking, one for sleeping, and one for protection. And whenever he would blink, it was like someone turning a light off and then on again. His wing and tail feathers were neatly tucked behind him like a cloak. Apparently, the larger females have a wingspan of up to 6'2". They are effective, nocturnal hunters that can silently swoop down on their prey, grabbing even young deer. Their talons are long and sharp, and their body mass is muscular. I would say that this Eurasian owl is the crowning glory of the petting zoo. I think only a golden eagle would be more impressive. 1. 'To jump at the chance' is to seize an opportunity. a. They were going to Montana and there was room for one more person in the car, so I jumped at the chance. b. If I can ever go to Russia, I will jump at the chance. c. A sausage fell on the floor and the dog jumped at the chance to have a quick snack. 2. 'Allotted' is similar to 'allocated'. It also means something that is designed or given specifically for a certain place or purpose. a. You have fifteen minutes allotted for a break half way through the exam. b. The money in that account is allotted for the annual vacation. c. In the chicken farm, each bird was allotted its own cage where it would spend most of its time. 3. 'To steal the show' means to have most of the attention. a. He stole the show with his acrobatics. b. The new baby stole the show at the family dinner. c. The bride stole the show in her amazing wedding dress.

"Very unhealthy" reads the daily smoke report on the internet for our area. I've been checking this website each day for the past week, as the smoke from state wild fires has surrounded and filled our valley. The AQI is what I look at: the air quality index. I've only just (1)found out what that means. It is a number generated by measuring the levels of four things: carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, particles, and ground ozone. Each day a new number is generated several times, so the public can know if it is safe to go out or not. The situation is very frustrating because there is nothing you can do to change it. I had planned on getting some big projects done in the garden which involved digging and mixing concrete, you know, the heavy work. So, how on earth can I get that done in a garden full of smoke? The answer is a good quality face mask. It's big, and makes me look like an astronaut, but it's worth it because it filters out 97.9 percent of airborne contaminants(2), plus the filters are pink and make me look pretty. Of course, it's the type of apparatus that comes with hard-to-understand instructions. I had to fix two thin, long, plastic strips together to form a head band. One strip had nodules(3) or teeth; the other had holes, so I had to snap the nodules into the holes to form one band. Are you following me? This band goes on the top of my head to hold the weight of the face mask. The strips are attached to elastic cords that go through the face piece and out of the bottom. At the end of the cords are two plastic clips that fit together. You pull the cords on either side of your head towards the back of your neck, and you snap them together. Voila! Instant clean air. I think when you are learning a language, it is a good challenge to try and follow directions like that. There are so many uncommon words used when assembling a product, that it is worth the extra practice. Understanding the instructions is one thing, but giving them with no notes would be quite a test, don't you think? 1. 'I've only just' this is a common expressions that is very native-sounding. You could simpy say 'just', but the 'only' emphasizes that a lot of time has gone by while you were ignorant about something. When we say the two words together, generally we emphasize the 'just'. a. I've only just figured out how to turn on my air conditioning in the car!  b. I got the job in April, but I've only just received my contract! c. We came to the clinic for our 3pm appointment. It's 5:30pm and we've only just been checked in. 2. Some fire disaster words: 'Airborne contaminants' the 'borne' part of 'airborne' means 'carried', just like waterborne means 'carried by/in the water. Contaminants are the objects which contaminate. 'Filter out particles' is like saying 'to strain out/trap bits'. Filter is both a verb and an object. The word 'out' here simply shows how the particles will be separated from everything else, they are targeted to be trapped. 'Air quality, water quality, sound quality, light quality' 3. Some vocabulary from instruction manuals: 'Nodule' = like a lump in a certain shape, usually a simple small cylinder or ball. I also used the word 'teeth' because the nodules were in a row, just like teeth. 'Clip' is usually metal or plastic. It could be two parts that fit together, or one part that, when moved, bent, or twisted, will make the sound of 'clip!' or 'snap!' Clips are used to hold material in place. Ex: a hair clip, a tie clip. 'Band, strip, cord.' A band is a thick line which can be soft or hard or two dimensional. A strip is the same, usually thin. A cord is three dimensional, like a rope, but thinner.  

From my last podcast you already heard how impressed I was with Amsterdam. What I didn't talk about was how(1) much fun it was. Another point of its 'intelligent design' enabled me to feel like a kid again: the bicycle lanes. These run parallel to regular traffic, but are totally separate. Cyclists have their own lanes and even their own traffic lights. Everybody seems to give way to the cyclists, even the pedestrians(2)! Both cars and bicycles share the road in only a few places, other than that cyclists are totally safe, riding even without helmets. There are apparently one million bicycles in Amsterdam; young and old and everyone in between use them on a daily basis. Let me tell you(3), it was so much fun! I love riding a bicycle, but it's been decades since I rode without a helmet! It was so refreshing to whizz along the beautiful canal roads, over the bridges, and past the architecture that spans from 13th to 17th century. For two days, my daughter and I rode from morning until night, stopping only to eat. Apart from the  old canal district, we visited the zoo, and Vondelpark, where everybody else was riding. I was aching to visit the Van Gogh and Rembrandt galleries, but my daughter persuaded me to just keep on riding. Twelve year olds have little patience for galleries. There is so much more to see in the Netherlands that I am determined to go back. 1. 'What I didn't talk about was ...' a great way of adding personality and emphasis to a sentence. The main verb can be changed according to what you prefer to say: a. 'What I didn't mention was how the weather was great every day.' b. 'What they forgot to tell us was that the vacation was a gift!' c. 'What Henry didn't say was that he was ill and needed medicine immediately.' 2. Some people you will find near roads are: a. Pedestrians (people who walk) b. Joggers (people who are running) c. Cyclists (those on bicycles) d. Motorcyclists (those on motorbikes) e. Motorists (car drivers) Things you will find on or near roads: a. Traffic lights. b. Cross walks / zebra crossing (UK). c. Side walk / pavement (UK). d. Signs (can be for the traffic or general directions). 3. 'Let me tell you' is the kind of phrase that adds life to a conversation. It is similar to 'Seriously', or 'I'm not kidding/joking when I say ...' a. Let me tell you, as soon as she started to sing, everyone went quiet. b. Let me tell you, if I could, I would travel the world. c. I'm not joking when I say that yoga is the best exercise I have every tried.  .

I'm back from a trip; you might have noticed that I was gone for a few weeks. I apologize for the liberty; I do tend to(1) disappear once a year without warning my listeners. It's something that I need to do. I go in search of adventure and inspiration, so when I come back, I have interesting things to podcast about. It also makes me mysterious, don't you think? If you've been following my podcasts, you probably already know that I go back to the UK to see my family each year, and that is exactly what I did. However, this time, I took a detour and visited Amsterdam. I have always wanted to go there, and you know, from England, it is a very short flight. I took my daughter too. She is twelve, and at the perfect age, I think, to really start taking in the sights and sounds(2) of other places. So, you could say that it was a girls' trip, no boys this time. And if you ask my daughter what she liked most about the trip, she will immediately answer, "Amsterdam!" My first impression of the city was of its progressive nature. The taxi drove  past the newest area of land that has been reclaimed from the sea, Flevoland. The buildings and construction stretched out as far as I could see. This huge project is part of North Sea Protection Works which is considered by some as an engineering wonder of the world. Not only does it protect against floods, but it has provided 548 square miles of land. Hundreds of years ago windmills, which the Netherlands is known for, would drain the land. These have been replaced with motorized pumps in a long-term effort(3) to establish useable land. This is intelligent design, but it also shows how the Dutch character is courageous and determined. Who would dream of holding back the sea? The Dutch do.  1. 'To tend to' is to be in the habit of, or to do something regularly. a. He tends to overeat each year at Christmas. b. They tend to take a beach holiday during the winter. c. She tends to be late for meetings. 2. 'To take in the sights and sounds' means to experience and enjoy what you see and hear. It usually refers to going somewhere new. a. On our vacation, we took in the sights and sounds of Paris. b. After taking in the sights and sounds of Amsterdam, we had a lot to talk about. 3. 'Long-term' means something that lasts for a long time. a. He accepted a long-term placement in Delhi university. b. Her long-term memory is wonderful, much better than her short-term. c. The company has a long-term plan for expansion. Try if you wish to improve your pronunciation and fluency!

Bowling is, I think, an underestimated sport. It's often just considered entertainment. The nearest bowling alley to us is across the river, and is a place for both serious entertainment and serious sport. Half of the day is devoted to parties, and includes bowling for an hour, pizza, and a huge amount of pepsi or root beer. That all comes as part of a package that you can buy online. If a member of your family, or a friend, has a birthday, for example, you can arrange the party on your computer, invite your friends, bring a cake, and have the party at the bowling alley. The other half of the day is serious bowling: High School groups or semi-professional bowlers. The professional bowlers in this country can earn between 100 and 150 thousand a year. So what might have started out as a hobby, occasionally ends up as a career! I've never met a professional bowler, and if we ever go bowling it's just for fun. My son Robert took a group of his best buddies (1)bowling a few weeks ago. They competed against each other, but for the most part(2) laughed and goofed around(3). I noticed how each player has a very different style of holding and rolling the ball. Sometimes all the pins would explode and fly in all directions with the perfect hit, but most of the time just a few of them would fall over on one end of the line, and the boys would groan or laugh. The goal, as you probably know, is to roll the bowling ball down the wooden lane so it hits the bowling pins in such a way that they all fall down. That is called a 'strike'. You have two chances to knock down one line of pins; these two chances are called 'a frame'. There are ten frames in a game. There are many strange terms for parts of the game, but the two I like most are: 'hambone' and 'turkey'. 'Turkey' is when you make three strikes in a row, and 'Hambone' is when you make four. Well, I don't think I'll ever be using those words about my bowling performance. For a change, it's nice to be able to laugh when you perform badly! 1.'Best buddies'. 'Buddy' is a synonym for 'friend'. It is mainly an American term, but is usable in other English speaking countries. It is sometimes used to imply that two people are involved secret or bad activities, or it can be used in a negative or defensive sense. a. Tom and his baseball buddies ate hot dogs and talked about the game. b. Hey, take your hands off that phone buddy! That's not yours! c. I don't know about him and his buddies; they always seem like they're up to no good. 2. 'For the most part' is very similar to 'mainly' or 'generally.' a. Our business does well, for the most part. b. She is good humored, for the most part, apart from when she's very tired. 3. 'To goof around' is to play about and be silly.  a. Hey, I'm trying to explain something. Quit goofing around! b. The worst thing about being a substitute teacher is how the students goof around. c. The character Goofy in Mickey Mouse films is called that because he is silly.

So what do you do when it is too hot outside to garden or play? If you're smart, you will call some friends, jump in the car, and go to the nearest lake. Lucky for me (1), there is a lake 45 minutes away called Lake Chelan. It is huge. It's actually 50 miles long and 1,486 ft deep (at its deepest point). There are lots of little beaches around the edge of the lake, some of which have become camping grounds. As the water comes from the mountains during the spring, it is clean and cold. Some people fish for the salmon and trout that can be found. There are always boats, including speed boats, and skidoos that whizz around. Friday was the day that we went. I invited my friend Natalia, and my daughter and her friend also came. We brought all sorts of equipment so we would be comfortable. As the temperatures here increase dramatically during the summer days, I took a four legged canopy (2) so we could have plenty of shade. Nataliya brought inflatable beds, and both of us brought a picnic. It took a while to set everything up, but once we had, it was time to relax. The beach was full of tourists from Russia, India, and South America. Many of them had come from Seattle. That city, after all, is not as hot as this eastern region. So, if you want a hot day and a cold lake, Chelan is a good place to visit. The kids immediately got in the water and floated around on one of the inflatables. I waited until I was hot and desperate to cool down. Then I walked down to the slightly pebbly beach and put my toes in the water. It was freezing! I'm normally brave, but I knew at that second that I wasn't going swimming! I waded (3) out slowly and carefully, promising myself that I would at least dip myself in the water. "One, two, three!" I said and under I went. I sprang up like hot toast out of a toaster and ran to the shore. What a baby! I warmed myself in the sun, and then I realized how smooth the water had made my skin. The kids got an ice-cream, and Natalia shared her Russian bologna and bread, perfect! Three hours came and went, and before we knew it, it was time to go. I'm so thankful that it doesn't take hours and hours to get there. The next time we go I won't be such a baby; I'll actually go for a proper swim.  1. 'Lucky for me' is a shortened version of 'luckily for me'; both are fine to use. Of course this adverbial phrase can be used with other object pronouns (him, her, you). a. Lucky for him, he drove his car away before the parking officer put a ticket on his windshield. b. Lucky for them, they bought the concert tickets early before it sold out. 2. 'Canopy' is a shade. It is also used figuratively.  a. The houses all have canopies over the front doors as the sun here is unforgiving. b. The trees of the forest create a natural canopy, and everything underneath is shaded. 3. 'To wade' is to walk slowly through the water. It is, as you can see, a very specific verb. However, it is a great verb to use figuratively especially if you want to give the sense of having to move slowly through something thick. a. The fisherman put his rubber waders on his legs and waded out into the fast flowing river. b. My supervisor gave me so many papers to check that I spent all day wading through them.  

Ok, I've got your attention with the title. Not everybody has a tarantula in their garage. I don't, actually. It is a temporary resident at my mother's place. She, of all people (1), does not appreciate this unwelcome visitor. She doesn't tolerate insects in general, unless of course they are ladybirds that are good for her flowers. I have  memories from my childhood of hearing her yell, and then would come the sound of 'thump, thump' as she would use a shoe to squash some poor, unsuspecting(2) insect that had made the mistake of crawling into the same room as her. Bugs don't bother me that much really, the big ones do though. I once challenged myself in England to pick up a really big, black spider with my bare hands, and to throw it outside. "Look Anna," I said to myself, "it's only a spider. It's probably terrified of you. Look how much bigger you are than it!" I sort of convinced myself, even though my stomach wasn't in agreement. So I picked it off of the wall,    and holding it in both hands, threw it onto the patio. I shut the door quickly and shivered. I was nauseated. What is it about spiders that has this effect on people? Is it all the legs, the hairs, or the unpredictable(3) nature and movement? Tarantulas are a whole other ball of wax(4), as they say here. They are impressive in size, and meaty enough to cast a decent shadow. The one in my mother's garage which I have named Nigel, is actually dead and dry, and was ordered over the internet by my brother, Richard. As a teacher, he likes to stimulate discussion and fascination among his students by using interesting items; Nigel is his latest choice. I should imagine that my brother will point out Nigel's fangs to the children and explain how they work. I'm sure that Richard will be quite a popular teacher! "I don't care how interesting it is" says my mother. "It's not coming in my house, I can tell you that!" Poor Nigel is going to have to stay in his box in the garage until he finds his proper place in the classroom. 1. 'She, he, (a name) of all people' is a common expression which follows a subject, and emphasizes that  in the given context this person has an opinion, experience, qualification, or nature that is significant. a. We should ask Mr. Brown to speak at the book fair. He, of all people, understands the need to read, as he was a literature professor. b. I wouldn't buy Steve a fast car. He has crashed twice, and has many speeding tickets. He, of all people, should not get that kind of present! c. The naughty school children were joking about the principal without knowing that he, of all people, was standing right behind them. 2. 'Unsuspecting' is an adjective describing a person who does not understand the situation, danger, or threat. Un-sus-pec-ting   un-sus-pec-ting  un-sus-pec-ting 3. Another adjective meaning 'not easy to predict' Un-pre-dic-table  un-pre-dic-table  un-pre-dic-table 4. 'A whole other ball of wax' is an American expression. 'A/ the ball of wax' means the whole thing. So 'a whole other ball of wax' means something completely different. a. Many sports are popular, but the Olympics are a whole other ball of wax. b. It's cheap and easy to make instant coffee, but good, fresh espresso is a different ball of wax. c. Traveling to London in autumn is one thing. Being there in the middle of summer is a whole other ball of wax.

In the U.S, most school-aged children have a very long summer vacation indeed: two and a half months! Can you imagine? It's actually a huge relief for most of them, and an opportunity to try some activities that they haven't before. I'm a big believer in music and the benefits of playing a musical instrument. I have made a poor attempt(1) myself over the years of playing the violin; however, it is still on my list of things to accomplish. Work takes up so much time that I can't always devote time to practicing. When it comes to my children though, they have more time, and more choices. My second son, Cass, plays the piano beautifully, and simply does it because he loves it. So that leaves the other three. Domini, my daughter, bought a Ukelele yesterday and has already consulted some tutorials on Youtube. I will certainly sign her up for some classes, and hopefully get her into a routine where she can experience some success. And one of the good things about the Ukelele is that even if you play it badly, it still sounds ok. The violin, on the other hand, can sound like a big cat fight, screeching(2) and screaming away(3). My oldest son, Hudson, told me that now feels like the right time for him to take up the violin. I'm thrilled about that! So that is three out of the four kids. So, what about Robert? I have to tread carefully(4) with him; I don't want to force him, so I will have to use some good psychology to make him think that he wants to take up an instrument. Like the rest of my children he is independent and headstrong, a bit like his mother. Hmmm....so what should be my approach? Make him think that it's his idea. The trouble is that he is wise to my tricks; he's fourteen. In fact, he often uses that approach on me to get what he wants. I'll have to think about it and plan my action carefully. In the meantime I will enjoy the sound of three instruments playing in my house, hopefully not all at the same time!                           1. 'To make a poor attempt (at/to)' Poor in this sense doesn't mean a lack of money. It is more like a 'weak' attempt or a 'lack of effort'. a. You made a poor attempt at looking for the milk; it's right in front of your nose! b. My first attempt at painting a rose was poor. My second was much better! 2. 'To screech' means to make a very piercing, sharp sounding scream. We often talk about 'the screech of an owl'. It's the kind of sound that can hurt your ears. a. The rock band's singer screeched all night! b. I was woken up by a terrifying sound. I didn't know what it was, until I opened the window and realized that it was an owl screeching. 3. 'Away' is a word that will polish your English if you learn to use it correctly. After a verb, it denotes a length of time, and a sense of concentration in an activity. a. The pianist played away even when every one had left. b. We danced away into the night until we realized that the sun was coming up. 4. 'To tread' is an old-fashioned verb for 'to step/ walk'. It sounds like 'dread' so it can have a connotation of mystery compared to 'to step'. We often couple it with the word 'carefully'. Together they mean that the next move has to be well thought out, carefully planned.  a. You will have to tread carefully with your neighbor; she is very unfriendly. b. The UK will have to tread carefully in its communications with EU members.

I was at Pybus market a few weeks ago. It was a Saturday and the place was packed. I had gone with my mother and friend to a conference that was held in a multi-purpose(1) back room. We broke for lunch, and had an hour to do whatever we wanted to. As Pybus is basically an indoor market with restaurants and cafes, we decided to stay there for lunch and to try out a new restaurant, Pybus Bistro. We sat at the bar and chatted while the chefs prepared our food right in front of us. The place is mainly a large kitchen with a bar, and a few small tables on the periphery(2). It was both fascinating and entertaining watching the cooks fully focus on their individual activities. I love open-plan kitchens, as you can see exactly what is going on, and the cooks know that they're being watched. There was no doubt that(3) these were professionals. They were extremely clean, and worked efficiently and independently. Our food was served to us right from the pot and the chopping board, hot and fresh. As we ate, a choir moved into the main walk way where there is a stage, and started to sing gospel music. "There you are," said one of the chefs, "you have lunch and entertainment!" The food lived up to my expectations: nicoise salad, baguette sandwiches, and fondue. I felt like I was back in Europe! This kind of food is finally catching on here in Wenatchee. I talked to the pastry chef for a while and she mentioned that they are going to open a French bakery somewhere in town this year. Oh yeah! I will be one of the first customers.  1. 'Multi-purpose' is a word that can be used for multiple purposes! Some people write it as one word, and as I have researched, that is also correct.  a. Instead of buying lots of tools, I bought a few multi-purpose tools that do just as many jobs. b. This sofa is multi-purpose. It turns into a bed, and you can also divide it into two chairs! 2. 'Periphery' is similar to 'peripheral' meaning on the outer edges. 'Periphery' is the noun, whereas 'peripheral' is the adjective. a. The periphery of the town has the potential for parks or car dealerships. b. His eyes are incredible. His iris is light blue around the pupil, then dark blue, and then the periphery is light brown.  3. 'There is/ was no doubt that' is great for a sentence! a. There is no doubt that his perseverance will pay off.  b. There was no doubt that he had made the right decision; open doors of opportunity came his way for at least a whole year.

If you drive for about two hours South of Wenatchee, you come to a city called Yakima. It is another place that carries the name of the Native American Indian tribe that used to dominate that area. The journey to this city can go two ways: one is a mountain pass that is full of forest; another is a long, dry journey that seems to never end. I used both highways two weeks ago to take my daughter to a soccer tournament. Approaching Yakima, there is a wide stretch of dry land that is covered in sage brush, the bushes that grow in very dry areas. We stopped to use the bathrooms, and as I pulled up in the car, and parked in a spot that overlooked the valley, I realized that there was a sign right in front of the car that said, 'Watch for rattlesnakes.' It was like a scene out of a film, as the sun was going down to the right of the sign, and the shadows on the land were long. "We wouldn't find a sign like that in England!" I said to my daughter. The heat of Spring brings the snakes out from hibernation, and they lay around trying to get warm. They're everywhere. It makes me shiver to consider how many there are in that area.    After the tournament, I chose the other highway to go home. This one goes over nothing but(1) dry land for miles. The land stretches out to the horizon and there is not a tree in sight. Hidden away, however, in one area is the Columbia River, but its water makes no impact on the land, as it is not used for farming there. There is no one. Some huge bridges, a metal statue of wild horses on a hill, and spectacular sunsets are what you find here, and of course the snakes. If you are not used to dry areas, it makes quite an impact on you. It would be easy to think that(2) nothing anywhere nearby could grow. That is actually not true; the Yakima valley is irrigated and very productive with large quantities of hay, grapes, hops, and fruit. I can only imagine, though, how the first farmers who irrigated this area had to battle to take the land from the snakes. 1. 'Nothing but..' is a very useful addition to a sentence.  a. In the Spring, you see nothing but purple and yellow flowers in the hills. b. I tried to have a discussion with him, but I heard nothing but negative,negative from his mouth. c. If you don't look after your health now, you'll have nothing but problems later on. 2. 'It would be easy to think that ...' is another useful phrase to insert into a conversation to show off your fluency. a. It would be easy to think that she doesn't know much, but if you start talking to her, you quickly realize how informed she is. b. It would be easy to think that deserts have no wild life, but when you look closely you understand that some deserts are teeming with life.

Have any of you ever rock climbed? It's not the most common activity, but(1) its popularity is growing, I think. Recently, an indoor rock climbing wall was built in Wenatchee. It is right next to a major park, and has a workout room in it, and a cafe. I went there for a coffee last week with my friend Jody. The coffee drinkers can either sit outside, or they can be at tables that are next to a large window that overlooks the climbing room. The climbing wall was busy that day, and it brought back good memories(2) to watch all the people trying hard to climb up the wall like spiders. The activity requires some strength, of course. But actually, you don't need to be very muscley. In fact, the lighter you are the better. The people who have the best physical advantage for rock climbing are those who are medium height or short, light, thin, but athletic. Flexibility also helps, as you have to reach out with your limbs to find the perfect foot hold or hand hold. The room is very attractive, with windows, and colored holds all the way up to the ceiling. I was happy to see that a lot of mothers had brought their little children to climb. If you start at a young age, you can grow up with no fear of heights(3), and also with an understanding of what it takes to stay safe on the rock. As I looked at the website, I found a video clip that you can check out by , or by looking at my post on Facebook. 1. 'It's not the most...., but it's....' this is a great structure of a sentence to incorporate into your conversations every now and then. a. It's not the most elegant restaurant, but it's good quality. b. Having innoculations is not the most pleasant experience, but it's absolutely necessary. 2. 'It brought back good memories' is similar to saying 'it reminded me of good times'. a. The film brought back memories of my younger days. b. My conversation with him brought back memories of elementary school. 3. When we talk about the different things that we fear, we simply say 'I have a fear of ...' Here is a list of some of the most common fears: a. A fear of the dark. b. A fear of falling. c. A fear of spiders/ snakes. d. A fear of crowded spaces. e. A fear of heights.  

Across the river from where we live is a place called 'Annie's Fun Farm'. I have written about it before, as you might remember(1). It is a corn and pumpkin farm that has entertainment, and is open to the public. My two oldest sons have worked there. In fact, a friend of my husband owns the farm. He has had it for a few years, and each year he adds new items of interest to draw in the public. This year he is introducing animals: a family of goats, turkeys, and chickens. This new addition will make the farm into what we call a 'Petting Zoo', which means a place where people can come and feed and pet the animals. My son Cass worked there on Saturday and brought home eggs and goats milk. "Mum, I even got to(2) milk the goat!" He handed me a container of the milk and I  inspected it carefully. It was white, and there were no unidentifiable(3)things floating in it, so I said, "Ok, let's try it!" "Are you sure?" he asked. "Of course, " I replied, "I trust in my healthy immune system and strong stomach acid. So there are some bacteria here and there, big deal." We both drank some, and you know, it didn't even taste like milk; it was very clean and watery, a bit like coconut milk. Cass will continue to work with the animals on the farm, as well as planting and caring for all the vegetables. As he wishes to ultimately be a farmer, the experience is wonderful for him. He comes home dirty and tired, and a bit wind swept from a day of hard labor. It makes a real difference from his school life that is mainly indoors and full of technology. 1. 'As you might remember' is a great phrase to add to a conversation. a. Our cousins are visiting us for a week. They are from Australia, as you might remember. b. As you might remember, it's our parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary soon. 2. 'To get to do something' is a very American phrase meaning 'to be able to', 'to achieve', or 'to have an opportunity to...'. a. I got to meet the lead singer of the band at the concert! b. We got to tour the Microsoft headquarters. 3.  'Unidentifiable' a long word that needs to be practiced!       Un - ident - ifi - able.   Un - ident - ifi - able. Click the logo to view italki for English practice!

People watching is something that I love to do whenever I can. There are only certain places where it is appropriate to do so, I suppose. Looking at other people could be seen as insensitive; after all who likes to be stared at? The places where you can get away with it without bothering people tend to be very busy, like airports or shopping centers. Carnivals are also perfect for this strange pastime.  I took my daughter and her friend to the Apple Blossom carnival so they could go on the rides. It was packed with people. All the different rides added color and movement, and of course there was lots of noise, mainly screaming. As the big metal machines whizzed(1a) around dangerously, the expressions on people's faces changed from happy to terrified. Hair that normally obeys the laws of gravity stood up vertically as bodies went zooming(1b) towards the ground. Even those who weren't on the rides were very entertaining to watch. They were tall, short, fat, thin, dark, light, well-dressed, and badly-dressed. Some babies slept in their strollers, while others cried in their mothers' arms because they were tired or hungry. I calculated that most people over the age of twenty were wearing jeans and a warm jacket, as the wind was quite cold. However, the young singles or teenagers were all walking around shivering because they insisted on(2) wearing very few clothes, and exposing arms and legs as much as possible in order to look attractive. I was happy in my winter coat. Another interesting thing about watching people at a carnival is the mood watching. Carnivals are, after all, exhausting places. They are fun, yes, but exhausting. You might go to one with lots of energy, but after going on a few rides, sampling the greasy food, and squeezing through the noisy crowds, I guarantee you'll need a nap. Even the tough-looking young men who wished to test their endurance on the 'Wheel of death', or 'Dead man's drop' or whatever, would eventually look pale and fragile. What a wonderful transformation! Children who had initially been rosy-cheeked and excited, were now howling because they were far too over stimulated, and the parents should have known better. Some couples argued. Some parents were annoyed because their children wanted more and more tickets for the rides. Well, of course they did. And the older generation occupied the only seats available, and chewed on popcorn slowly. Looking around, it seemed as if the only people who were not exhausted or emotionally wobbled were the ride attendants who busied themselves(3) with safety precautions, locking people in their rides, and measuring the height of the kids. They looked like they felt quite splendid in their dark blue uniforms, holding their laser-guns. Very important indeed. 1a and 1b. 'Whizz and zoom'. You can't talk about a carnival without using these words. They are onomatopoeic which is a very fancy word that means they sound the same as the sound they are describing.  a. The model airplane whizzed up into the air, and zoomed down right over our heads! b. The kids played with their tiny cars that they would wind up and watch whizz and zoom around the curly, plastic race course that they had set up in the lounge. 2. 'To insist on' means to be determined about something. a. He always insists on paying each time we go to dinner. b. I'm not surprised your feet are wet! You insisted on wearing the wrong shoes for hiking! 3. 'To busy oneself' is the same as saying 'to keep oneself busy' or 'to be occupied with'. a. My grandma is retired, but she busies herself with voluntary work, gardening, and dancing! b. I love watching the birds this time of year. They busy themselves with making nests and caring for their young.

I learned recently that April here in the States is the national child abuse prevention month. I had no idea that this was the case, until I saw a lady putting hundreds of blue pinwheels on the grass in a local park. The blue pinwheel has come to represent the commitment of legislation and the community to encourage educated and compassionate treatment of children. This is close to my heart(1), as I have four children. As I read through the literature on this movement, I was happy to find that since 1974, the government has passed laws and created funding to protect children. One of the most progressive ways is, of course, educating young people who have newborns. Often, teenagers lack the knowledge of how to look after a baby physically and emotionally. They might not understand the signals or 'cues'(2) that a baby gives that communicate its needs. One solution that offers tremendous support for the young parent is home visitation by parenting professionals. They can observe, encourage, and teach, as well as offer a listening ear(3) to the parent who might be frustrated. As the pinwheel spins in the wind, it has come to represent how we must change and adapt, and focus on prevention. I suppose it is just like keeping a person healthy. With the right food, sleep, exercise, and hygienic practices, a person can avoid a lot of illnesses. In the same way, forethought, education, and social support, can encourage young families, or those experiencing stress, to have a plan of appropriate and caring behavior for their children, no matter what.  1. ...'is close to my heart'. This phrase creates an image of something being very important to someone. a. She thought about her sister often, and kept the memory of her close to her heart. b. Land preservation is something that is close to his heart, as he comes from generations of land owners. 2. A 'cue' is a prompt; it is like an action or sound made to communicate. a. During the play, the director waved a white handkerchief. That was my cue to go on stage. b. A baby will give a cue of being fussy or groaning when he needs to be burped. 3. 'A listening ear' really describes the person who owns that ear. This person is caring and interested enough to listen to a person who needs to talk. a. The nurse was very professional, but also caring. She always offered the patients a listening ear. b. I don't need a bossy person telling me what to do. Right now I need a listening ear. Click here for  to improve your pronunciation and fluency!.

For my podcasts I usually always add a photograph, to show what I am talking about. For years I carried around a cheap little camera with me, on the off-chance(1) of seeing something worth photographing. Now, I use my iPhone. Of course it's very convenient to have a phone and a camera all in one device. Recently, I have realized that my 12 year old daughter is a very good photographer, much better than me. I will often take a photo and then say, "Domini could you take one so I can use it on my blog?" She is proud that I defer(2) to her to get the best result. She seems to have 'the eye' for the job. If I take a photo of a flower, for example, she will improve upon(3) it by taking the same photo but from a different angle. She notices what is in the background, the foreground, and the light. She also very quickly chooses filters on the phone that bring out the best of the subject. And then she finishes off by cropping the photo, to cut out anything that is unnecessary. I suppose she has got to this stage by observation and practice. We all love to take pictures, and so she does also. Just imagine if she becomes a BBC photographer for documentaries like 'Planet Earth'! We talk about the possibilities. I also get her photography magazines from the library, and she pours over them. You never know, if she keeps practicing, this budding 12 year old photographer could become a professional. 1. 'On the-off chance' is an expression that means 'just in case there is an opportunity, though it might be unlikely'. a. When we go hiking, let's take the binoculars, on the off-chance that we can spot a bear. b. When we arrived at the beach in Spain, I looked around on the off-chance of seeing someone I knew. 2. 'To defer (to)' actually means 'to postpone' but it can be used as 'to prefer someone else's action/skill'. a. They deferred payment because the shipment of their new sofa was delayed by several months. b. I didn't know what to do about our broken car. I deferred to my husband's judgment as he has some mechanical experience. 3. 'To improve upon'  a. I wrote the essay, waited a few days, and then improved upon it substantially. b. It would be impossible to improve upon that garden; they have dedicated years to it's design. Click  to improve your pronunciation and fluency!

While my family and I were spending time in Seattle, we went to a bagel company for brunch. The company is called , and they are based in Redmond. We weren't sure what to expect; we were simply hoping for some good food. We pulled the car into a small area of businesses near the circus tent where we had been the night before. The building was very basic, in fact, when I walked in, it reminded me of a warehouse(1), rather than a bakery. Its walls were made of corrugated iron(2), and its seating arrangement was basic and understated. But, as you know, first impressions can easily be wrong; you can't judge a book by its cover(3). The bakers in this place were definitely bagel experts. Not only did the whole building smell like fresh, yummy bread, but there were dozens of different kinds of bagels to choose from, all within reach. They had sesame, egg, pumpernickel, cranberry orange, and even snickerdoodle, which is traditionally a sugar-cinnamon cookie. There were many others as well, a huge variety to suit anyone's tastes. They even had vegan food items for the bagel sandwiches. When I lived in London, I had heard American students talk about bagels and how much they missed them. At that time they weren't common in England. However, times have changed. And now that I live in the U.S, I eat bagels on a regular basis. The best thing about them, as far as I can see, is their texture. They have a thin chewy skin, and are moist and substantial inside. My son Cass, who likes to cook, made some one day. I was surprised to find that before you put them in the oven, they must be boiled for a few minutes. This helps to cook the outside layer, but at the same time keeps a lot of the moisture inside. That must be the Polish secret. So we had our fill at Blazing Bagels, and took a big bag home. I should try and cook them one day, but, on the other hand, I would rather leave the hard work to the experts. 1. 'Warehouse' is a large storage area or depository for manufactured goods or raw materials. a. The warehouse was huge; it had machines in it of all kinds that were going to be shipped to China. b. That abandoned warehouse would be the perfect place to play laser tag. 2. 'Corrugated iron' is a sheet of metal that has an undulated or wavy appearance. It is a good material to use for roofing or for building sheds. a. We built the roof of the chicken coop (house) out of corrugated iron because we get so much snow in the winter. b. The old corrugated iron had rusted and come away from the roof. It was blowing around dangerously in the storm. 3. 'You can't judge a book by its cover' is an English saying which means that you cannot judge only by appearances. a. I gave the homeless man some money, and he talked to me about philosophy and mathematics. You certainly can't judge a book by its cover! b. The restaurant looked elegant and new, but inside it was dirty and had poor quality food. You can't judge a book by its cover. Try  for pronunciation and fluency practice with natives!

Last week was vacation for the whole school district. It's a time we call Spring Break. It is a much needed rest for students, teachers, and principals. I had wanted to do something special with the family; I have always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon, so I thought perhaps that would be a feasible(1) trip. Unfortunately, I lost track of time and was too late to make any arrangements. Also, my oldest son, Hudson, goes to the local junior college and didn't have the same vacation schedule. So, it looked like the only way we could have a family trip would be to spend the weekend away somewhere. I got online and looked for special events. It just so happened(2) that the Cirque du Soleil was going to be in Redmond which is in the Seattle area. I booked the tickets, and before we knew it we were there, under a big tent that was packed with people. In front of the crowd was a circular stage, above which hung all sorts of equipment. The lights were dimmed, and some characters came out dressed like hummingbirds. The theme of the circus was Mexico. The hummingbirds danced while a man played on a guitar. Next, a man who was suspended from the ceiling pretended to be parachuting. He was a great mime artist. He pretended to pull his parachute cord, and then find that it could not open. The story goes that he opens a small umbrella and floats down into Mexico. Scene after scene had images and symbols of the country, from underwater life, to the desert. At one point the mime artist got the crowd to play a kind of soccer. All of his instructions and comments were made with a whistle, which was very clever and very funny. And then came the turn of the snake. Well, it was a young man dressed like a snake. He was a contortionist who expertly twisted and bent himself into the most unhuman positions. I gasped and had my mouth open for most of his performance. He was very skinny and strong, and moved very smoothly. He finished his act with an incredible position in which he was all folded up, but looking like he could strike at any moment(3). I have never seen anything like it. The whole show was really what you call a 'once in a lifetime experience.' 1. 'Feasible' means possible or 'realistic'. a. I don't know if renovating the school will be feasible. b. It's not feasible to send a letter to every resident in this community; it's just too big. 2. 'It just so happened' is usually followed by 'that', and means that something occurs by chance. a. I talked for a while with a lady on the bus, and it just so happens that our sons are in the same math class. b. I was thinking about my neighbor when it just so happened that I bumped right into him. 3. 'At any moment' is the same as 'any minute'. a. We ran because we knew that the building could fall at any moment / any minute. b. The bus will be here any minute/ at any moment. Try now for pronunciation and fluency practice!

I was in Seattle last week visiting colleges with my oldest son, Hudson. We happened to be quite near the Space Needle, in an area of the city that is now nicknamed Amazonia because of the amount of buildings there that belong to the company Amazon. I love looking at architecture and analyzing structures, but it's not every day that(1) I get to photograph round, glass buildings. Well, there were three of them contrasting elegantly with the tall dark buildings around them. When they are finished in 2018, they will be 65,000 square feet of biosphere, filled with about 3000 plants, 300 of which are endangered species. This oasis of sorts(2) will not, however, be open to the public. It will be Amazon's gift to its employees. It is well known that plants in any room reduce stress, improve air quality, and increase a person's creativity. Studies in England and Australia have also demonstrated that offices that have plants increase productivity by 15% and creativity by 45%. So these biospheres are both a gift for Amazon employees, and a good idea for the company. A usual perk(3) for employees is free coffee on Friday mornings, or perhaps an extra day of vacation. Well, this is quite different! Other companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook give their employees perks like supplying a gym, free healthy food, and even doing their laundry. Perhaps this is becoming the age of an intelligent approach to workers. Their well-being directly affects the success of the company they work for, so the goal is to treat them well. 1. 'It's not every day that ...' is another way of saying 'it is unusual to...' a. We went to the circus last night. It's not every day that I see elephants and tigers! b. On the way to the Grand Canyon we stopped to see the desert in bloom. It's not every day that you see a desert full of flowers! 2. 'This .... of sorts' refers to something that has already been mentioned, and basically means 'this kind of ......' a. My friends and I have been meeting every Wednesday for years. This support group of sorts has been very beneficial./ This kind of support group has been very beneficial. b. Our office has hot and cold filtered water. This perk of sorts is to keep the employees hydrated. / This kind of perk is to keep the employees hydrated. 3. 'Perk' is a benefit or gift that is freely given by an employer or company to its employees. a. A long lunch is the best perk in our company. b. You get paid holidays? You lucky thing! What a perk! Click here for conversation practice with !

I have discovered a place where I like to spend time. It's a strange, little cafe called Bella Bistro. I come here as often as I can to write my podcasts, and to work on my other projects. They have food, of course, and some of the best coffee in town. I called it 'a strange' cafe because it is shaped like a triangle, hemmed in(1) my three roads, and still has large metal garage doors, as it used to be a mechanic's workshop. I think those characteristics make it appealing. It buzzes with activity as people of all ages come here to meet their friends or work on their laptops. Usually when I write, I need peace and quiet. I find it hard to concentrate at home when my dogs are playing and people are coming and going(2). However, for some reason I can really focus at Bella Bistro, even with the human activity and background music. The design is simple: rustic with lots of windows. It has a great internet connection, and the ladies who own it and serve the food are fast and energetic. It also has a comfortable international feel with coffee sacks hanging on the walls from Columbia, Guatemala, and Mexico. I find it interesting how some buildings can make you feel comfortable and welcome, and others are repulsive. I find this true of towns and cities as well. Maybe I'm an over sensitive person. Or perhaps it has something to do with(3) the design and textures of places. I know that a lot of people use Feng Shui to create pleasing, peaceful environments. Perhaps Bella Bistro naturally has a good arrangement and good energy. I'm at Bella Bistro right now, actually, enjoying my twelve ounce soy latte, sitting on a high stool facing huge windows. And, ah, it's a sunny day. Thank goodness! So cheers, here's to good coffee, sunshine, and a good Feng Shui. 1. 'Hemmed in' comes from the verb 'to hem' which means to sew into a fold that is at the end of a piece of clothing. So 'to be hemmed in' means 'surrounded' or 'trapped'. a. My trousers were far too long, so I cut the legs and then hemmed them in.  b. The bottom of her dress was frayed, so she got her sewing machine out and hemmed in the material so it was neat and tidy. c. I was uncomfortable at the party as there were too many people. I felt hemmed in! 2. One of the ways to sound natural with your English is to use common expressions like 'coming and going'. Being in present continuous, it gives the impression of a flow of movement. a. There is a constant coming and going of teenagers at our house. It's like indoor traffic! b. The old man sat in his garden watching the coming and going of the little birds that would come to eat the seed that he had thrown on the grass. 3. 'It has something to do with' makes a connection or clarification of a previously mentioned point. a. The Netherlands produces the tallest people in the world. It /this has something to do with their diet. b. English people talk about the weather a lot. This has something to do with the changeable weather in England.    Click here to visit . It will improve your pronunciation and fluency!

Olma: Liz, a package arrived for you today.  Liz: Oh thanks. Let me see. Oh it's from England, from my friend Steve in York. I think I know what it is. Olma: What is it? I'm dying to know! Liz: Do you remember me talking to you about him studying archeology in York, and all the things he has found? Olma: Oh, Steve, yes! He's so lucky, going on all those archeological digs! Liz: I know. There are so many artifacts in York and the surrounding area that he promised that he would send me something. And here it is. It's small and wrapped up really well. Olma: Oh hurry up! I can't wait to see what it is. Liz: Beads. And his card says that they are Roman beads found at an excavation site. I feel really honored! You've seen a lot of ancient artifacts haven't you Olma. Olma: Yes, Mexico is full of them, as you can imagine. Our ancient peoples, the Maya, the Aztec, and others, were very inventive and left artifacts all over the place, not just in the famous pyramids! Try  for convenient English practice with a native!

I have made multiple trips to the supermarket over the past two months to buy glue, shaving foam, liquid starch, and food coloring. Multiple. It's because of a hobby that my daughter has adopted: she makes slime. Slime, I suppose, is the general term used for a moist, gelatinous paste that is made simply to play with. There are many kinds of slime, which is something that I have learned by watching my daughter while she is mixing the ingredients and chatting to me about their consistencies and names. Slime is used just for fun, to squeeze, mould, or even throw at people. It makes a mess most of the time, unless it is a 'fluffy' slime which though appears wet and gooey, is actually fairly dry to touch. When she first discovered slime on Youtube, her mixing sessions in the kitchen were a disaster and chaotic. I would find slime in various places, open containers, and a sink full of used bowls and pots. However, thankfully she has become more responsible about cleaning up. She also has developed a better sense of careful measurement. So, what is the slime like? My favorite one is the 'fluffy'(1) slime which gets that name because it has a lot of air bubbles in it which don't seem to pop. It feels slightly wet, it wobbles, and it can be squeezed and manipulated all day. You can also add glitter, or tiny styrofoam balls to change the look and texture. Word has got around(2), and it turns out that lots of my daughter's friends are into the same thing. They even make slime for each other as gifts. I told Domini that slime is the perfect Christmas or birthday gift for kids her age. She could even start a small business. I'm quite happy for her to do so, as long as she cleans up (3)after herself. 1. Some vocabulary to do with textures: 'Fluffy' is light, airy, furry (an animal or soft toy). It can also be moist (as in food, like a mousse). 'Gooey' is usually something that is gelatinous and moist. It can be sticky, but not necessarily. 'Slimey' is something that feels wet, even oily. It slips and runs off of surfaces easily, like a slug or an old peeled banana. 2. 'Word has got around' or 'word will get around' is a set phrase, used a lot in the U.S. It's like saying, 'People are finding out that....' a. Word has got around about the new bakery, and people are lining up for the fresh bread! b. This town is so gossipy; word has got around already about their recent divorce. 3. 'As long as' means 'provided that'. In another context, it can mean 'for the whole duration of'. a. I don't mind you going to the cinema, as long as you come back before 11pm. (provided that/ on the condition) b. I have known that family for as long as I can remember.

Two and a half hours drive from where I live is a small city called Kennewick. It is similar to other towns in Washington State that are east of the Cascade mountains; it is dry, flat, and has a climate that is close to that of a desert. In this area, at a park next to the Columbia river, two men came across an intact(1) skull just ten feet from the shore. The whole skeleton was excavated soon afterwards. As scientists studied it, they found that it was the most intact and well preserved skeleton of any ancient tribesman of the Americas. But who was this man, and which tribe had he belonged to? Five Native American tribes claimed that he belonged to one of them, and therefore legally the skeleton needed to be returned to his land of origin and given a proper burial. These tribes are: the Colville, Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce, and Wanapum. A court case developed because of this. The man had been found on federal land, and so the 'Kennewick man', as he was named, became the property of the U.S Army Corp of Engineers. However, Native Americans have a lot of legal rights, especially when it comes to excavations(2) of bones or artifacts(3) on land that used to be theirs. Years went by, and many studies were carried out on the skeleton. Some scientists believed that the man was one of the early natives who had originally crossed the Bering Straight ice bridge from Russia. Others believed that he had come to the Americas by sea from Asia. So who was right? The case came to an end after the Corp of Engineers had scientists in Copenhagen, Denmark study the skeleton using the latest DNA testing. The results were that he was about 8,500 years old, and genetically closest to Native Americans such as the Colville Indians. This discovery was a victory for the native tribes, and so, with reverence and satisfaction the Kennewick man was reburied in tribal territory.  1. 'Intact' means 'altogether' or 'in one piece'. A verb that we often use with 'intact' is 'to remain'. a. When we bought the old house, we found very old documents in the attic. They were all intact. b. Even after our terrible argument, my dignity remained intact. 2. 'Excavations' from the verb 'to excavate'. This noun and verb are used in contexts of archeology and construction. a.The land must be excavated and leveled before the concrete is poured for the main floor of the house. b. Excavation will continue at Stone Henge because of the recent, extensive discoveries. 3. 'Artifact' is another archeological word meaning an object that was made or used by man. a. In the local museum, you can actually find many artifacts used by Native American Indians. b. York is a place where artifacts are being found all the time because of its rich and ancient history. i for online English practice with a native teacher.

I consider myself fortunate to have my mother living in the same town. Her home is just five minutes away from mine by car. Every now and then she asks me to help her with something, and as I like to think of myself as a 'handy woman', I will quickly say "yes", grab my tools, and drive over to her house. So she decided that because she likes to read in bed, she wanted to mount(1) two lamps to her bedroom wall, one on either side of the bed. Thankfully there wasn't any complicated electrical work to worry about. The lamps would actually plug into the socket(2/3), and their electrical wires would run neatly down the wall, hidden inside a tube. Simple. So I turned up, full of enthusiasm, ready to figure it all out. As I laid out all the different parts of the lamps on her bed, I realized that the job would take longer than I had expected. The end of each wire had no plug. I would have to attach a very simple, flimsy version that came in a plastic bag, and hope for the best. "Where's the drill Mum?" I asked and she pointed to a tiny appliance in an open box. It was a little drilling tool that is used for crafts. Hmmm. "What about the phillips heads and screw drivers?" Again, she motioned towards two little things that she had used to open paint cans. "Oh no," I thought. I didn't want to drive home to get my tools, so I searched around in her cold, dark garage and found several things that would work. I started putting bits and pieces of the lamp together, each time reading and re-reading the instructions. My mum sat opposite me in an arm chair to observe. It was a bit irritating actually as she questioned and commented on everything I did, adding sweetly, "Can I help you with anything darling?" I would just look at her with slight annoyance, as I needed to concentrate. I did manage to drill into at least one stud to support each lamp, even though the hardware that came in the bag was quite light and thin. I worked away, putting the puzzle together, and finally stood back, proud, with a smile on my face. "There you are Mum. What do you think?" She got out of her armchair and stood with me at the end of the bed, looking at one lamp and then the other. She remained quiet. I looked at her, and she said, "Are they at the same height?" My heart sank. I was annoyed again. I tried to see them at the same height, but I realized that she might have been on to something. I grabbed the tape measure and measured the height of each from the floor. She was right; the one on the right was one inch lower. "Bum!" I said loudly, and started unscrewing the lamp. I re-measured, and remounted it, and then double checked. There, now they were the same height. My old mum had been right, as usual. Another job well done, well almost.  1. 'To mount' is used when putting up a picture or something on a wall or a stand (like a statue). a. When I worked in the art gallery, we would go to people's houses and mount their new pictures. b. The sculptor mounted his latest work on a big stone block in the square. 2. Okay, here is some vocabulary to do with using tools and mounting objects on walls. a. A stud = the large, vertical wooden post inside a wall or ceiling. b. Phillip's head = the tool used to screw in a screw. It's end looks like an X c.  A screw driver = similar to a phillip's head, but it's end looks like  - . d. Socket = the electrical outlet that you plug a plug into.  e. Hardware = all of the screws, nails, and other metal pieces that a piece of furniture needs. f. A drill = the electric tool that makes a whole in the wall or in wood/ metal. It is also the verb. Try for English practice with a native teacher!

I'm recovering. It was a shock, you know. I'm talking about my experience at the hair dresser's. Okay, I'll give you some background. I have naturally very dark brown hair, fine, medium length. So, last year, as I realized that I had a few white hairs announcing themselves quite loudly from amongst the dark hairs, I decided to have some highlights. I happened to be in Seattle at the time, and I had a few hours to kill, so I walked into a salon and walked out two hours later with gorgeous, natural looking highlights. The story is great so far. The trouble with highlights, or any kind of hair coloring, is that it grows out in a few months. Now, a smart person is supposed to realize this, take it into account(1), and therefore make an appointment two or three months ahead to get new coloring. I didn't. I don't know what I was thinking. Perhaps I assumed that an angel would appear in my hour of need and give me some divine highlights, just like that. Well, the angel was late, so I went into a local hair dresser's which is known to be cheap, and I asked the lady there to do my highlights. I gave her some vague instructions like, "I just want them to look natural," and, "I think I like toffee color." I grabbed(2) a couple of magazines and prepared myself for a long sitting session. However, before I had even read through the first one, she was finished. "Oh," I thought to myself, "she does work fast!" "What do you think?" she asked as we both looked in the mirror. The room was actually quite dark, so I couldn't see very well. It did look more light than usual, but I chose to just pay, and go and examine her work at home. Little did I know that(3) I would get a big shock. The lighting in my bathroom is bright, not very flattering. But I needed an honest look, after all, I have to live with my hair. It was bright orange, right where my parting is. The highlights on the rest of my head were in thick, two inch chunks. And, for the crowning glory, I had three leopard spots on the top of my head, yes leopard spots. My dark color had formed circles surrounded by the pumpkin orange that was on the rest of it. I think I stopped breathing for a while. My mind flew into a panic. What was I going to do? Fly to a remote part of Alaska? I jumped in the car and went back to the salon. "You have to fix this," I told the lady. "I wear my hair back for work, but I can't now because the side highlights make me look bald! Plus I have leopard spots. Look!" Couldn't she see how bad it was? "So, you don't like it?" she asked. I just looked at her. This must be the local zombie salon, I thought to myself. Is anybody awake in here? She did her best to 'fix' the problem and remove the look of a partially bald leopard. Then I immediately made an appointment with a colorist in town who is a hair expert. Luckily, I didn't have to wait for months to see her. Her salon is calm, beautiful, and very classy. So is she. "Did you do this?" she asked me. "No," I replied, and I told her the whole, ridiculous story. "I've never seen anything like this," she said with a deep look of curiosity on her face. Well, she worked her magic, and POOF, transformed me from a pumpkin into a princess. I was elated. I was so thankful. I felt like paying her, and then giving her my watch and my car as well. And yes, I made another appointment with her. I'm going to stick with her like glue. No more leopards for me. I have learned my lesson. 1. 'To take into account' is the same as saying 'to bear in mind'. 'To bear' is the old verb meaning 'to carry', so the phrase really means to carry something in your mind, to be aware. a. I know that she is grumpy, but bear in mind that she is awake every night with her sick child. b. The car is a good price, but bear in mind that you will also have to pay tax and insurance. 2. 'To grab' is a very common English verb. We English use it a lot more than Americans. I could have used 'pick up' when referring to the magazines in the salon, but grab sounds more aggressive and basic. It helps to add to the essence of my ridiculous story. This is something that you can bear in mind when you wish to tell a story, word choice. How can I make what I say funny or effective? a. The policeman grabbed the young man by his collar. b. I was in a hurry. The bus was leaving, so I grabbed my bag and keys, and I flew out of the door. 3. 'Little did I/ another person know that' is also used a lot in English. It is the same as saying, ' I (another person) had no clue that ...' or 'I (another person) was about to discover that ....' a. I got in the elevator. Little did I know that I wasn't going to get out for 6 hours!/ I wouldn't get out for 6 hours! b. I talked about how bad the hotel was. Little did I know that the owner was standing right behind me. c. I put my flip-flops on and left the umbrella at home. Little did I know that it was going to rain and hail when I got to the beach.  Try  for pronunciation and fluency practice!

They say that America runs on coffee. It is the drink that gets people awake and focused for another day of work. I personally have two cups each morning. Of course, most of the coffee consumed in the U.S is grown in  Columbia and Brazil. In recent years, coffee drinking has become fashionable amongst young people. Chains of coffee shops have sprung up(1) all over the country, each with their own style and marketing. One of the American chains that has gone global is Starbucks. I have seen it evolve from a Seattle based coffee shop to the largest coffeehouse company in the world. It seems almost unbelievable(2) that it is in 62 countries and is still growing. So why is it so popular? It's appeal lies in(3) its quality roast and its elegant surroundings. It is a place where it is pleasant to linger. The muted, earthy colors of its decor, and relaxing selection of music draw people to not only relax and chat over coffee, but also to do work on their laptops, or even to have small business meetings. This kind of cafe has existed in Europe since 17th century, with the first opening in Damscus in 1530. The U.S, it seems, lacked a casual, non-alcoholic meeting place, away from both the office and home. It was this concept that the creator of Starbucks applied to his business. Now, young people will regularly buy a Starbucks on their way to High School. I occasionally treat my children to one of their non-cafeinated drinks, or a pastry, but not too often as it has become very expensive. Their business still thrives, however, even though they are not cheap. And in this culture of the 'drive thru', coffee is quickly and conveniently available. There are, though, other companies springing up that are providing competition for this coffeehouse giant. 'Dutch Bro's' is a company that the High Schoolers flock to. It is drive through only, so the sales are quick, and it appeals to teenagers as it always has very loud dance music playing while the young servers dance around inside the building preparing the coffee. And I'm sure that there will be other companies with other marketing strategies, all competing for people's money, and offering our favorite drug in a variety of ways. 1. 'To spring up' is a way of saying that something has suddenly appeared or been developed. It can be used figuratively. a. Mushrooms sprang up all over the garden after the previous day of rain. b. Complaints sprang up all over the restaurant when the new chef started working there. 2. 'Unbelievable' is an effective word to use in conversation every now and then. It means surprising, baffling, ridiculous, and not-credible. a. Did you see goal that he just scored? It was unbelievable! b. It is unbelievable how he continues to lie even when we all know the truth. 3. 'It's appeal lies in ...' is like saying that an attractiveness is found in... a. The building's appeal lies in its modern lines and open style. b. His appeal lies in his humility.

Liz: Hi Mum. Mother: Hello darling, how are you? Liz: Fine thanks, and you? Mother: Oh, really well thanks. How is your class selection going? Liz: Fine. I met with my school counselor, and he showed me which classes I have to complete by the end of the year, and which ones I can choose as electives. Mother: Anything interesting? (1)Liz: Well, yes. Even though I'm in a psychology program, I can still take an elective or two. (2)History of art really appeals to me; it might even help with my major. Mother: Yes, it'll help you understand how thoughts and attitudes have developed in society. It'll also give you a break from so much heavy thinking! I would certainly do it. You'll probably learn a lot more from it than you realize. Liz: Yes, that's how I feel about it too. I still have a week to make my final choices. I'll let you know once I've made them.  1a. Subject 'he' + 'a business man', + verb 'to continue' + with his hobbies. b. Subject 'they' + past + science, + time to paint. 2.  'Nursing', 'family's medical problems. b. 'Traveling' + 'them', 'their Youtube channel'. 

It's the time of year when everyone is thinking about the Spring. As the big machines pile up the remaining snow into huge piles in the parking areas, we find ourselves longing for(1) a more pleasant season, and greenery and flowers. Preparations are being made for life beyond the snow. Bulbs and seeds can be found again in the home centers, new Spring fashions are appearing in the shops, and soccer clubs are starting their practices in whichever gyms are available(2). Even though we still have a couple of months of winter weather, we know what is coming next, and we are waiting anxiously for it to come. As we celebrate the blossoming of apple trees in Spring, we also choose three young ladies to represent the Wenatchee Valley. They are from High School, and have to compete to be voted for. It is like an election campaign. They are judged on their character, intellect, community involvement, and future goals. It is quite different from a beauty contest, thankfully. It isn't just the(3) prettiest girls who become Apple Blossom Princesses. The selection process is quite rigorous, as the girls really need to show what they know, and communicate what they care about. This year's ladies have just been chosen. They will receive scholarships for college, and opportunities to visit businesses and organizations in the town. And they get the opportunity to dress up and look beautiful for a season. It's an American thing, and these ladies are our princesses for a year.  1. 'To long for' is 'to yearn for' or 'to wait impatiently for'. a. He longed for a reunion with his family; he hadn't seen them in so many years. b. She longed for him to hold her hand. c. We longed for rain; the crops wouldn't grow if the rain didn't come. 2. Use of 'whichever'. a. You can take your food to whichever till is available, and then pay there. b. I will have to take whichever plane is available, as mine has been cancelled. 3. 'It isn't just the ...' can be followed by a singular or plural subject. a. It isn't just the ice that's a problem for traffic, it's the freezing temperatures also that affect the vehicles. b. It isn't just the students who need new computers; it's the teachers and staff as well.  

Mathematics is one of the foundations of education, with some people being inclined towards(1) it, and others finding it quite difficult. My sons seem to have a natural ability, including my youngest, Robert, who is in middle school. He has just started an online Algebra 1 course. Even though they do offer Algebra 1 in his school, he missed the admittance grade by one point. He was so disappointed, as he knew that he was capable of learning Algebra. As he had expressed his disappointment to me several times, I asked him if he would like to sign up for a course. "You will have to do the work at home, right? You do realize(2) that it's your responsibility?" I asked him. He answered "yes" to all of my questions, so before I knew it, I had found a recommended site, paid, and received the curriculum. "Things are certainly different nowadays," I thought to myself. And it's true; our children have so many options that weren't available when I was young(3). At the High School meeting I went to recently, the principal showed us that many new and exciting classes have been added to those that are offered. For half the day, if Robert qualifies, he could actually go to a technical center to study robotics. In this place, called The Tech Center, students can also do cooking, mechanics, crime science, and even work towards becoming a firefighter! Back at the regular High School, they have added classes like mixing electronic music, and 20th century pop culture. It seems like school could actually be a lot of fun. I suppose the world has changed radically, and in this era of technology and entertainment, the next generation needs to be prepared to qualify for many of the jobs that will be available. 1. 'To be inclined to/towards' meaning to lean towards, to have a tendency, or a willingness to. a. I am inclined to agree with what you say. b. As she criticizes him all the time, he is inclined to stay quiet. c. He inclined his head towards the people sitting at the table next to him so he could hear what they were saying.  2. 'You do realize...?" in English we emphasize the word 'do' as a way of looking for affirmation or a response. It is similar to saying, "I hope you realize that...". It sounds like a statement, but it can end with a question mark. a. They do realize that they have to pay for their food and lodging if they stay? b. You do realize that we will miss the bus if we don't leave now?  3. Our children have so many options that weren't available when I was young.  What a sentence! Anyone could use a sentence like this, and if you happen to be young, you could slightly adjust it to fit what you want to say. a. Our university has so many class choices that weren't available for my parents. b. There are so many civil rights now that weren't in place when my grandparents were young. c. There are so many laws that protect the environment that didn't exist when I was young.

There is so much good news around that we often don't hear. Very soon, for only the second time in history, a human infectious disease will be eradicated: Polio. I remember receiving my oral vaccination for this disease when I was in secondary school, but, at the time, I had no idea what it was, nor(1) had I ever been around anyone who had suffered from it's symptoms. Being infected with this disease at a young age can result in paralysis, and it is also highly contagious. However, without most of us knowing, 155 countries have been working together in a monumental effort(2) to vaccinate all children. They have done such a good job that over the past 30 years, the cases have dropped 99.9%, with the actual number last year being about 40. There is a risk of recontamination, however, if some children are not immunized and left undetected in rural communities. Therefore, the World Health Organization, Rotary International, Unicef, and their partners have mobilized an army of volunteers, supervisors, laboratory workers, and surveillance experts, to stamp out this disease once and for all. All children must be vaccinated as soon as possible by taking a liquid orally, starting at two months of age, and having a total of four doses at different times. The vaccination has changed from three strains of the virus to two, as one has already been eradicated. Here in the U.S, every dollar spent on vaccinations saves three dollars in direct healthcare, and ten dollars in societal(3) costs. You can imagine how this can multiply! The billions of dollars in savings each year are mainly experienced by low-income countries. And that means money can be spent on other areas of preventative healthcare, or better infrastructure. It should be this year that we will hear on the news the announcement about the eradication of Polio. And when it happens, we will need to celebrate. One of the great legacies of this movement is that after each unvaccinated child has been vaccinated, the structure will be in place to continue vaccinating new children each year. What a collaborative effort! If you wish to donate, or read about the End Polio Now movement, simply click . 1. 'Nor' can be used by itself (without 'neither') if you are continuing with a second sentence and speaking negatively in some way. a. I didn't wake up until noon. Nor did I have energy to get  out of bed! b. They didn't attend the history lectures; nor did they turn up for the field trip! 2. 'Monumental' and 'effort' go really well together in English, with 'monumental' being one of the expressions of a large size that is impressive or even historical. It is also a great word for insults and exaggeration. a. Taking care of all the refugees will be a monumental effort that must be shared by many. b. I made a monumental mistake when I called my ex-boyfriend's mother, instead of my own! c. We could have a decent conversation if he wasn't so monumentally silly. 3. 'Societal' is an adjective which means 'of society'. a. Many future societal problems can be prevented in elementary schools. b. There is a lot of societal pressure to be rich. Try  to improve your pronunciation and fluency!

Emilie: Liz, this packing is exhausting! Liz: I know. I didn't realize that I had so much stuff! Look at all of these boxes. Those over there are so heavy. I'm getting quite thirsty with all of this packing and lifting, my thigh muscles are getting a good workout! Emilie: This will be the third time that we've loaded up the car. It was so thoughtful of Peter to give us all of these cardboard boxes. Liz: I know. Hopefully there'll be just one more trip. Emilie: This box is really heavy. Do you need all of these books? They're nothing to do with your course. What do we have here? There's a book on the theater, one on theology, and a thin one on therapies of different kinds. Liz: You know, I'm such a hoarder. I don't like to get rid of anything! Thinking about it, I could donate those three because I'll never read them again. Emilie: Alright! Liz is becoming a minimalist, finally! Liz: Oh no, think again lady; I definitely like my stuff. Hey, after we load up the car, I'll invite you to a drink. My throat is so dry; I feel like I've just run a marathon!

When I first came to live in Wenatchee, the town was very small. That was 25 years ago. I had just moved over here, and I was in shock, as I had lived in London for 3 years and was totally comfortable there. You could describe me at that time as being 'a fish out of water'. I experienced a major culture shock. Although I found the people here friendly, they seemed to be unaware of a lot of the world. Not many people from this town traveled anywhere else, unless they had to. As the town had started with fruit orchards, the people here had been tied to(1) the land, and as a result had stayed locally for the most part(2). London, on the other hand, was and still is(3) the vast, multi-ethnic, cosmopolitan hub of England, with a constant flow of people into and out of the city. I remember walking along one of the streets in Wenatchee feeling stripped of everything that was comfortable: architecture, history, greenery, and a mix of ethnicities. In fact, people were staring at me from their cars because most people here don't walk; they drive. The town was built around cars, not pedestrians. It was a very strange experience. When I think of the students who listen to my podcasts, I do realize that many of them will live in an English speaking country in order to improve their fluency. This can be a challenge. All over the world people are stepping out, moving abroad for education or other reasons, and they too feel like 'fish out of water'. The process of getting used to a new culture while living in a new country is 'acculturation'. It basically means 'to get used to a new culture/ to assimilate into a new culture.' From my experience, and what I've heard from other immigrants, is that acculturating is a process that involves gains and losses, high points and low points. It would be even more of a challenge if you have to learn a new language as well; surely that could potentially hold you back from feeling comfortable and with any sense of being 'at home'. I remember once seeing a young lady sitting on the floor against the wall in King's Cross Station crying. I went up to her and asked what was wrong. She told me that she was from Spain, had come over for a nannying job, but didn't know which platform she needed for her train. She felt lost. I was able to speak Spanish to her, get her to the correct train, and also call her new boss. She was actually fine, but she didn't realize that she was. Sometimes a person simply needs some encouragement to keep going in the right direction. I was lucky that I had encouragement when I first came here. Those of you who will live abroad must be brave, and surround yourselves with encouraging people. Reward yourselves for every step forward you make, and realize that you are making progress, and that that is to be celebrated. 1. 'To be tied to' is a great way of expressing how a person  cannot escape their responsibilities, or how they cannot deny an emotional link to someone or something. It can also mean that something is related to or depends on something. a. He is tied to his contract; he won't be free until it finishes next year. b. She couldn't imagine leaving town; all her family and friends were there, and she was tied to them. c. The success of the apple trees is tied to the health of the bees. 2. 'For the most part' is another way of saying 'mainly'. It is good to have this sort of phrase in your repertoire so you can add variety to your sentences. a. The youth center is sponsored, for the most part, by the local shoe factory. b. For the most part she is even tempered, but when she talks about politics, she gets furious. 3. 'Was and still is' is self explanatory, but a wonderful phrase. Simply by using the verb to be it indicates that a person or thing still has the characteristics that it had in the past. a. She was and still is the best singer in the choir. b. The best way to stimulate the economy has been studied and debated for decades. It was and still is the biggest issue of the government agenda.

A market that is in the center of Wenatchee and that is popular with both locals and tourists is Pybus Market. It is open 362 days a year, and is an indoor mixture of open fresh fruit and meet stalls, gift shops, and restaurants. There is also regular musical entertainment, and even dance lessons! During the nice weather, it has an open market in the parking area, where local growers sell fruit, vegetables, flowers, and baked goods. It is a great place to go to in the winter as well, as you can walk around inside, keep warm, eat, and get some entertainment. I had no idea, however, how well known it actually is. You know when you live somewhere, in a way, you take it for granted(1). I have my perspective about Wenatchee, but I am a local(2) (and a foreign transplant). I am not aware of the numbers of tourists who come here each year. There is a display area(3) in Pybus Market that has large maps of each continent. Each map has many different colored pins in various places that have been put there by tourists in order to show which towns and countries they come from. I was really surprised to see how many hundreds of people have come here, and from all over the globe! There were pins from every continent! I suppose Wenatchee can be considered a tourist destination as it is close to Leavenworth, has a large ski resort, and also has hot summers when you can enjoy both water and land sports. I have certainly met foreigners like myself who live here, but the few times that I have met a tourist from another country, that person usually knows more about this town than I do. 1. 'To take for granted' means to not fully appreciate, especially when you are very used to something or someone. It can also mean that you assume that something is real or true without being 100% sure. a. I was so used to him helping me, that I soon took him for granted. I realized that when he left. b. I took for granted that he would pay for the meal, but then he asked me to! 2. 'Local' is understood as a person who lives in a town that is already mentioned. It's a very common adjective to describe really any noun. Also, the noun 'the local' or 'my local' can refer to a pub or bar that you go to on a regular basis (UK). a. I bought the local newspaper and read it in the cafe. b. Ask him where the post office is; he is probably a local. c. Do you want to meet at our local and we'll celebrate your new job? 3. 'Display/ area' is where items are shown so the public can either buy them or get information. a. The new dresses were displayed in the window. b. The charities had a display area where they showed photos and essays of their work around the world.

Today was an important, historic day here in the U.S. Today the President-elect, Donald Trump, was inaugurated. This means that a ceremony was performed at the Capitol Building in Washington DC, where he took an oath (made a promise) to serve the country as its president. This ceremony is the beginning of his presidency, the beginning of his 4 year term in office. The word 'inauguration' comes from the Latin word 'inaugurare' which means to install or consecrate when omens are good. Omens, as you might know, are signs that we see in the natural world that are supposed to reflect luck or good fortune. So, the inauguration is a tradition of promises, rituals, and hope for the future. The person who leads the new President through his oath is the Chief Justice who is the head of the nine Supreme Justices or judges of the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the country. Among the people watching the ceremony are previous presidents, obviously Barack Obama, and also a few others. A huge crowd of thousands of people also gathers to hear the new President's speech. President Trump's speech focused on all the usual things: jobs, industry, tolerance, and greatness. Political speeches are not really my cup of tea; in fact, I think that most of them are a complete waste of time. Everybody hopes that a new president will bring great, positive changes, and be honest and reasonable. But, as we say in English, 'Time will tell'. We have to wait and see the actions of the individual; words, to a certain degree, are much less important. Today's inauguration involved some violent protests which is highly unusual for U.S inaugurations. Political divisions here between the Republicans and the Democrats have degenerated into hatred, unfortunately. Trump must realize, that his campaign did lead to a lot of anger and resentment because of his careless words of prejudice and bigotry. Perhaps that is why in his speech today he said, "Whether we are black, brown, or white, we bleed the same color of patriotism." So let's wait and see, as we do in any country with each change of political leader. There are, after all, 196 countries in the world. So let's wait with patience and hope to see which of the leaders are brave and honest, and can follow their words with intelligent actions.

Peter's cell phone rings: "Hello." "Peter, it's Liz" "Oh, hi Liz, you don't usually call me. What's up?" "Actually, I really need your help. My car broke down. Thankfully I'm in the parking lot of a highway cafe. I stopped to get gas, and when I tried to start the car, nothing happened." "Have you asked anyone to jump the battery?" "I would have but there's no one here! It's just me." (1)"How about you text me your location. How far do you think you are from the college?" "Only three miles. (2)I'm sorry to ask you, but I didn't know who else to call." "No problem; never hesitate to call me if you need help." "Thanks Peter, I really appreciate it. (3)I was beginning to worry as it's so late." "Look, just stay in the car, keep warm, and I'll be there soon. I'm leaving right now." Try  now for live English practice with a native teacher.

Vegetarianism is growing in the U.S at a dramatic rate. It is estimated that 16 million, out of the population of 320 million people, are now vegetarian, and the number is probably much higher as not all of them have been counted. Half of those vegetarians are vegans who eat no animal products whatsoever(1). This is an unusual, counter-culture trend(2) for this country, as so much  of the general culture's diet includes meat and animal products. As you probably know, there is a health crisis here in the States. Obesity, cancer, and diabetes are accepted as normal. Most of this stems from(3) a huge consumption of sugar and a stressed and sedentary lifestyle. However, there is also more information available to people, and many are taking control and making healthier choices. Even the schools are trying to reduce the amount of sugar that they serve the children, and are also including more vegetables in their lunches. There is much work to be done and a long way to go before the young generation experiences a healthy balance of exercise and diet. A type of vegetarianism that is being adopted particularly by women and young people is veganism. Studies have shown that vegans can expect much lower rates of cancer of all types compared to the general population. Veganism has also become fashionable which, I think, is a good thing, as it exposes young people to healthier options for a longer life. My oldest son, Hudson, has been a vegan for about eight months, and is now committed to his vegetable based diet. He says that he feels so much better. He used to have migraines and gastric problems, but they have completely stopped. He has lots of energy, and his skin is perfect! He has also become a good shopper! He will go to the supermarket and buy bags and bags of vegetables, beans, grains, and fruit. Then he will rush around the kitchen like a chef, chopping, mashing, and stirring, and produce colorful, healthy dishes. I tried his vegan burrito the other day, and I was totally surprised at how it tastes like a burrito but so much better. Instead of a flour tortilla, he used Swiss chard. Instead of meat he used spiced beans and onion; and instead of rice he used finely chopped cauliflower. It was like a revolution in thinking. My son's example certainly has me thinking about my diet. I could probably give up meat and milk, but giving up eggs and butter would be very difficult. Also, I love to bake, and how can you do that without those two ingredients? I'm not quite ready for that step. 1. 'Whatsoever' is emphatic after a negative and means ' at all'. a. The newspaper made no mention whatsoever of the charity that made a generous gift to the homeless. b. It will be no problem whatsoever to beat the other team. c. The hospital didn't have clean water, bandages, medicine, or any other supplies whatsoever! 2. 'Trend' is like 'fashion' or 'temporary tendency'. We also use the word 'trendy' instead of 'fashionable'. a. She likes to follow Japanese trends in fashion. b. Economies change their trends every few years, it seems. 3. 'To stem from' is similar to 'to come from'. When observing plants, most of a plant comes from the stem, its base. It is supported by the stem and develops from it. a. His problems stem from a lack of communication. b. The regrowth of forests stems from regulation that protects them. c. The growth in industry and jobs stems from a general cut in taxes. Try  for conversation practice!

In your country, do you have many telemarketers? You know, the people you don't know who call you on the phone and try to convince you to buy something. Well, in this country they are like a plague (no offense intended if you are one!). Most people I know will tell me of difficult experiences that they've had with telemarketers who are pushy, or over enthusiastic to the point of being bizarre. It must be a difficult job, I think, to approach a stranger by phone, often while he's at home, and to try and sell him something. I'm not a natural salesperson, and being pushy is not me at all. I don't think I would be very good at it. I have, however, had a lot of experience of awkward telephone conversations with telemarketers. As an English person, I try to be polite. That's not to say(1) that all English are polite. But in general, our society does train us to offer politeness on a daily basis to strangers and to people we know. I think it comes from a general desire to avoid conflict and to get along. So, when I first found myself talking to telemarketers, I would always give them plenty of time to talk, even if they were talking so fast that I couldn't understand them. I would ask questions, make friendly comments, and then really apologize if I didn't want to buy the product they were offering. In fact, my first experience led me to(2) buy two dozen light bulbs for some reason or other. I had recently got married and moved to this country, and certainly wasn't used to telemarketers. When my husband found out, he shook his head and asked me why we needed so many light bulbs, and couldn't we just buy them in the shop when we needed them? The word 'naive' comes to mind. Yes, I was young and very naive. Well, not anymore. I'm older and wiser. So, yesterday as I was getting ready for work, the phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered anyway. Immediately, a high-pitched, giggly voice of a lady presented itself, and with breathy(3) enthusiasm told me that I had won a vacation somewhere. She spoke very fast, so fast that I wasn't sure if her voice was a recording or not. She raced through a list of details and values of the vacation while I stood there, looking at myself in the mirror, with only half of my makeup on my face, wondering why I was wasting my time. Would I listen to her and then politely respond with, "Oh really?" or "That's a generous offer!" or even, "I'm so sorry, but at the moment I don't think that spending X amount of dollars is in my budget." No, politeness didn't even occur to me, instead, I felt a definite instinct for survival rise inside me. I touched the red, round button on my phone, and welcomed the following silence. Then I went to 'recent calls' on my phone and blocked her number. That was it, done; it was over. My thought had been translated into action which had brought relief and success. It was thrilling, like I had just robbed a bank and driven away in a  Lamborghini. I continued putting on my makeup, and found that I looked prettier than usual. Well, they say that success makes a person glow. I look forward to another opportunity of hitting that adorable, little, red button. 1. 'That's not to say..' is used to balance a previous comment. a. When I go to London, I visit my friend Sarah. That's not to say that I go there frequently. b. The French are known for their cuisine. That's not to say that all French people love cooking. 2. 'Led me to' begins with the past participle of the verb 'to lead', and the general sense is that something has influenced you or guided you to a course of action or thought. a. The salesperson led me to believe that my vacuum cleaner was the worst on the planet, that I should have never bought it, and that I should buy a new one from him immediately.  b. The professor's lecture led the student to feel confident and hopeful about the next day's exam. 3. 'Breathy' is an adjective used to give a sense of the sound and 'windiness' of the lady's voice. Many nouns can be made into this kind of adjective by simply adding a 'y', like 'scratchy'. a. She was nervous when she gave her speech; she stammered and sounded breathy like she had been running. b. He had had a cough for a week, and his voice sounded scratchy.

The title question for this podcast might seem unusual. A more normal question would be, "What have you experienced?" My choice of words was inspired by a conversation that I had with a friend of mine from Bangladesh, Suman. He told me that because his country is warm and tropical, that he and his countrymen have no experience of snow. A friend of his now lives in Japan, and was able to describe to him how amazing and beautiful this white phenomenon is. Having never experienced(1) it before, it was a surprising and pleasant shock. I searched online to find out how many people, similarly, have never experienced snow. Well, I only came up with(2) a rough estimate, as nobody can be absolutely sure of the number. About 40% of the world's population has never seen snow in person. The areas that get no snow are equatorial South America and Africa, and the desert areas of the Middle East. This made me think of natural phenomena that I have never experienced. Coming from England, a green, cool country, I have never experienced a vast desert. This might seem funny to those of you who come from drier countries. And even though I have traveled fairly extensively, I have only seen the desert briefly in Arizona, and also the semi-arid La Mancha in Spain. I am not familiar with miles of sand. And how about you? Which kind of climate or phenomenon have you never experienced? Would you feel comfortable, for example, in a very green, rainy country, or is it more normal for you to see sand and sun? I wonder what it would feel like for an Eskimo who has never been around greenery to experience a tropical forest, or rolling, green hills full of sheep. It would take some time to get used to it, for sure(3). Another thing that I haven't experienced is the Aurora Borealis. I'm sure that the sky full of shifting colors would hypnotize me, and it would take a while to realize that it is real. Let me know which phenomenon you have never experienced but would like to. 1. 'Having never experienced it before,..' having + a past participle, is a great way to make a sentence interesting and different, as the main clause has to come afterwards.  a. Having gone shopping, she came back with ten bags and a big smile on her face. b. Having never scuba dived before, he was nervous but excited. c. Having studied non-stop for eight hours, he ate dinner and went straight to bed. 2. 'To come up with' is another interesting use of 'up' in English that adds to an idiomatic phrase. In this case, the phrase means to produce, discover, or to come to a conclusion. a. The investigators examined the room for hours, but only came up with one fingerprint. b. We brainstormed about how to fix the problem. It was our youngest child who came up with the solution! 3. 'For sure' is a little add-on that we often use to just confirm what we have stated. It can also be said to agree with what someone else has just stated. a. If we want to avoid the traffic, we'll have to leave early, for sure. b. "If she keeps practicing, she will be a proficient driver in a few months."   "For sure!" 

"Anna, do you want to go cross country skiing in Leavenworth tomorrow?" was the text I received from my friend Nataliya on Sunday. I thought about it for a few minutes. The lazy part of my brain thought, "Oh, just stay at home. It's cold, and you only have one day left of vacation." However, the better part of my brain thought, "You must go. It'll be fun, you'll spend time with your friend, and who knows when you will have another opportunity like this?" So I texted back, "Yes!" As Leavenworth is only twenty five minutes away, it's really not a hassle to get there. I had my skis, poles, boots, and warm clothes ready in the car when Nataliya turned up at seven the next morning. It was still dark. The neighborhood was perfectly silent, and my outside Christmas lights twinkled against the snow on the trees. I felt as though I was escaping! We arrived at The Sleeping Lady resort and parked in the skiing area. The pathways and ski tracks had been freshly groomed(1). I brought my skate skis, and Nataliya brought her cross country skis. The only difference between them, that I can tell, is that you use a different method to propel yourself forward. My skis require a sideways/ forward motion, whereas cross country skis need a simple forward and backward motion. Nataliya is quite good at the sport, but I am a complete beginner. She was very gracious, as I stumbled and slipped along next to her, she would wait patiently for me to catch up. We chatted the whole way, and stopped every now and then to photograph the amazing scenery. It was thick with snow, as Leavenworth is more mountainous and certainly gets more feet of snow than Wenatchee does. As I warmed up, several skate skiers came whizzing past me with the look of triumph on their faces. They really knew how to move! I studied their movements as they disappeared into the distance, and I mimicked(2)what they did. And it worked. I found myself more relaxed and moving quickly. When we got back to the car I was actually sweaty. I had been working much harder than I had realized, but I was content, and looking forward to a big breakfast. We will go again on Friday. The forecast is between -12 and -9 degrees C, so the conditions should be perfectly(3) snowy and cold, with hopefully some sun. 1. 'groomed' describes how the snow had been combed neatly in preparation for the skiers. 'To groom' is used mainly in reference to people and also animals. a. I've never been really into grooming myself. Some of my friends spend hours doing their hair and makeup, but not me! b. For the dog show, the owners spent a long time grooming their animals. 2. 'To mimic' is to copy the actions or expressions of someone or something. a. My father can mimic the call of a lion perfectly. b. The rude students were mimicking the teacher's instructions and making fun of him. c. Some birds can mimic the voices of humans. 3. 'Perfectly' is a very useful adverb. a. He painted every line and shadow of her face perfectly. b. The contract was carried out perfectly. c. Our customers are perfectly content with our services. *We even use 'perfectly' ironically. d. When we went camping, it poured with rain the whole time. I was perfectly miserable.   Help with pronunciation and fluency from

Every year, at about this time, I start to put away the Christmas decorations little by little. The whole process usually takes me about two months. Yes, two months. Why? Well, it's because I deliberately(1) delay it. I don't like saying goodbye to the Christmas period, nor do I like going back to a plain looking house that's no longer full of color and sparkle. Once I actually left our plastic tree up until March which was, admittedly, ridiculous. The winters are long and quite dark, and I try to compensate for(2) that by having cheerful lights and decorations for as long as possible. Also, I'm full of nostalgia during the winter months and so I try to extend that feeling of winter wonder for as long as possible. So I was sorting through my Christmas photos at the kitchen table, deciding which ones I should use for my podcasts, when I came across one of a happy, fat man dressed in red. Yes, you guessed, it was Santa. He was one of the hundreds of thousands of hired Santas that you find all over the world, but there was something special about him. I came across him as I was hurrying out of Walmart, pushing a shopping cart full of stuff, and trying to get through the crowds of Christmas shoppers. Normally, I would briefly glance at the Santa 'employee' and continue on my way. However, I looked once, then again, and then I stared. He was the quintessential Santa, the type you find on the lid of a Christmas box of chocolates. He had the perfect, friendly, grandfather features, a long white beard, he was plump but not disgusting, and his smile was warm but not overpowering. (Some Santas can be a little intense and scary). So, I had to say something. When I see something this perfect, I just have(3) to comment. "You are the most Santa-like Santa I've ever seen!" I said to him. "Why thank you, young lady," he replied. And then he promptly positioned himself just right for a photograph. I giggled to myself, "He is a confident model as well!" I thanked him, and said goodbye, and he replied with a "Ho-ho-ho!" which was so perfect that I had to shake my head, and wonder if there is such a thing as a Santa training course. If there is, he is one of the 'A' students.  1. 'Deliberately' means on purpose. It is very useful in conversation, so it is worth practicing the pronunciation as it is a long word. Pronounced: del-ibrut-ly. a. He deliberately parked in the middle of two parking spaces. How greedy! b. I deliberately bought twenty pounds of meat, so I could cook and freeze some of it, and give away the rest. 2. 'To compensate for (that/it)'. a. The lunches at work are very stodgy, so I compensate for that by having salads for dinner. b. Our neighbor travels for work and is away from home a lot, so he compensates for that by several,lovely, family vacations each year.  3. 'I just have to comment' this is an example of emphasis on 'have'. This is common in English on all forms of the verb 'to have' especially after the word 'just'. It gives a sense of obligation, encouragement, or opinion. a. When I saw the chocolate cake in the window of the bakery I just had to have a piece. b. You just had to drive too quickly around the corner, didn't you, even though I told you not to? c. If you visit London, you just have to visit St. Paul's Cathedral.

Recently the landscape here turned into a winter wonderland(1). It snowed for two days in a row, and transformed the whole area into a white fairytale. During my coffee break, I walked out of the school and found that the sun was shining brightly while the snow was still falling. How was that possible? Everybody seemed happy. The school children were excited, and even the teachers were more lively than usual. It was quite magical. Well, that lasted for a day. Today was a different situation altogether(2). It was dull and freezing, -5 degrees C. And what made it worse was that the wind was blowing. Ouch that felt icy on my face! Later I noticed in town that some people were well prepared for the weather. They were bundled up in winter clothes, lots of woolens, and their heads, necks, and hands were wrapped up. Some people, however, had been caught out(3). They were the ones who were walking quickly with their heads down trying to avoid the wind. Their skinny jackets offered no protection against the cold, and their hands didn't come out of their pockets. The only creatures who were fully prepared for this weather were the hundreds of geese that have not yet flown south for the winter. They are still resting and feeding in the school fields, and already fat enough to stay warm. It's surprising how many of them are still in the fields; they seem to be everywhere. Their black and grey bodies contrast with the snow, and look like freckles on a white face. Any day they will fly away and make their journey to a warmer part of the country, leaving us to shiver for a few more months. 1. 'A winter wonderland' is a set phrase that we always use when describing a very snowy scene that seems to be perfect. a. The boy ran into his parents room early in the morning, "Mum, dad! Look out of the window! It's a winter wonderland!" b. The town of Leavenworth relies on the snow to turn it into a winter wonderland for the tourists. 2. 'A different situation altogether.' Here, the 'altogether'  emphasizes the meaning of the first part of the sentence, as I am trying to emphasize that the weather totally changed from one day to the next. It can be substituted by 'completely'. a. Mix the sugar and butter until the sugar has dissolved altogether. b. His answer was not altogether surprising. 3. 'To be caught out' can mean to be discovered, to be proven wrong, but when it comes to weather it simply means that you were unprepared and suffered the consequences. a. I had not checked the weather that day, and so when the downpour started, I was completely caught out. b. In the card game BS, the other players will try to catch you out. They will judge if you are saying the truth or not.

'Never judge a book by its cover' is a saying that we have in English that you can apply to so many areas. If you think about it, in order to judge a book, you have to open it and read it, not just look at the cover. If you make an assumption about the book based on what it looks like, your judgment is likely(1) to be wrong. I was guilty of this when I went to an estate sale. First of all, let me explain that an estate sale is different from a yard sale. It is the selling of the entire contents of a house because either the owner is going to move, or has died. There was one of these sales last weekend very close to my house. I was in two minds about going; there always seems to be something else that I could be doing. But, I felt like looking for treasure for a few minutes, so I went. As I approached the house my expectations lowered. It was a small, run down place that had peeling paint, a rotten carpet on the porch steps, and a dingy(2) garage which, though it was open, was as dark as a cave. I assumed that I wouldn't find anything of any worth there. I walked into the garage and the man, who was about my age, greeted me. He showed me some items that he called 'brand new' and others that he said had not even been taken out of their original box. He wasn't a good salesman. So as I ignored his attempts to get my attention, I wandered towards the back of the garage and came upon a table that was covered in art. When I say art, I'm actually talking about pottery. The whole table was covered in gorgeous, shapely pots of all different sizes and colors, some with lids, others with delicate, thin openings. "Those are my mom's," he said. "She's got a ton of them downstairs too. Help yourself." "Your mother made these?" I asked with a mixture of surprise and admiration. "Oh yeah," he said dismissively. "She's always been into her hobbies." I gathered three pots that I absolutely had to have, put them to one side, and went downstairs. Two dusty, concrete rooms were filled with pots, bowls, and vases. There were patinas that shimmered(3), paint that was crackled, and enamels that were dabbed and mixed and swirled like the colors at a geological site. As I went upstairs I bumped into a local art teacher who is herself a very good artist. "Hello Anna," she said as she held up one of the cream colored crackled pots that rounded perfectly up to an opening that looked like a small flower. "Oh, that's just beautiful," she said. And she was right. This dark, dingy place was full of beauty. A lady had been working away for years with care and thought about her craft. I took my treasures home, examined them, and realized that the artist hadn't put her name on them. The sale is over now; the lady has gone, and the house is empty. But I have three blue pots that shimmer and wink at me, as if to say, "You can expect good things even from dark places." 1. The use of 'likely'. In this podcast it is used in a similar way to 'will probably'. It is an adjective, but can be used in front of a verb. a. Storms have closed the roads; he is likely to arrive late.    Storms have close the roads; he will probably arrive late. b. What is the likely outcome of the boxing match?     What is the expected/ forecast/ probable outcome of the boxing match? c. The government is likely to lower taxes next year.     The government will probably lower taxes next year. 2. 'Dingy' is another word for dull and dark. It has negative connotations, implying that a place is old and worn out. a. The man went down to a dingy room and handed over the suitcase of money to a man with a gun. b. I could not buy that house; it is far too dingy and needs total renovation. 3. 'To shimmer' is a mild shine; it is similar to glimmer. a. The sunshine shimmered on her silk dress. b. The gold pot shone brightly, but the bronze pot shimmered.

On my recent trip to London, I met up with a dear friend of mine who I hadn't seen for at least three years, Sarah. We met in university and have been close ever since. Since she lives in London, and I was passing through on my way to Spain, we decided to meet up at King's Cross station and find a place to have dinner. The weather had turned really cold that day, and I wound my scarf around my neck to keep out the cold while I waited for her outside of the station. There were the usual London crowds of all sizes, shapes, colors, and humors which I love to be part of, so I lost myself in 'people watching'(1) when suddenly I heard a voice say, "Anna!" We threw our arms around each other and giggled like college girls again. It was so good to see her. She suggested that we eat in St. Pancras station. I had actually not been there since the big renovation 9 years ago. It is a massive place that is used by 50 million travelers each year. There is a lower floor that is filled with elegant shops and cafes, and then upstairs, looking like strong, young horses all in a row are the Eurostar trains, ready to gallop into Europe. We ate at a restaurant on the upper floor in the shadow of the Lover's Statue. Well, alright, it's not really called that; its real name is The Meeting Place, and it was created by Paul Day. It is a 20 ton, 30 ft bronze statue of a man and woman in an affectionate embrace, touching foreheads. Significantly, the artist is married to a French lady, and the sculpture reflects the two of them. Just as England has a port to France and the rest of Europe through train travel, so the two figures, each from a different country are connected. Paul Day said, "I wanted to create a statue that showed a meeting of minds as well as a physical connection." And I think, for me, that is the hope of international travel: to meet the minds of others. Sarah and I certainly made up for lost time(2). The poor waitress kept coming to our table to see if we were ready to order, "Just a few more minutes," we would say, and then continue talking. Three hours later we finished our meal, but we were not even half way through our conversation. It had been a perfect encounter: a dear friend who I hadn't seen for a long time, meaningful conversation, and a beautiful, cosmopolitan setting filled with art. 1. 'People watching' is self explanatory, and an activity that many people enjoy in busy areas. a. I had a four hour layover at Los Angeles International, so I bought a coffee and people watched. b. The very best people watchers are babies; they are so curious and fascinated by human activity. 2. 'To make up for lost time,' is a common expression used often when talking about conversing with someone you haven't seen for a long time, or getting work done that you have delayed for a long time. a. She got out the sheet music from storage and played the piano, making up for a lot of lost time. b. My cousin and I have been so busy for the past ten years, but at my aunt's wedding we talked for hours and made up for lost time.  

"I love to cook," said Sue as she passed me my plate. It was early evening, and the Scottish farmhouse kitchen was filled with delicious smells of fresh seafood with a hint(1) of spice. We were warm, tired, but content after a day spent walking on a hidden beach with the colors of Autumn looking over us from the adjacent forest. I was ready for this meal, and I knew that it would be good. What I hadn't expected was its presentation. "What?" I exclaimed as I saw the huge oyster shell stuffed with shrimp and mussels in a creamy sauce, with garden herbs and a flower on top. "Good grief, this is gormet," I commented, a little unsure of whether or not(2) I should actually eat it; it looked too pretty. Sue does love to cook, and every time I come and visit my father and step-mother, she quickly throws together flavors and textures of food that are satisfying, memorable, and as colorful as her oil paintings. "I always cook what I like," she said, emphasizing the "I". "And it's just as well(3) that your father likes what I cook," she smiled. "Dad, you're a lucky man," I said as I heaped shrimp onto a large piece of potato. Even the vegetable side dish was unusual: raw zucchini in thin curls, tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Well, my plate was empty in only a few minutes. I resisted the temptation to eat my dad's baked creation: an Eve's pudding which is a dish of baked apple with vanilla cake on top. I'm trying to avoid dessert for health reasons, and because I have too much of a sweet tooth. It wasn't difficult though to resist this time, as I wanted to savor the flavors Sue's seafood work of art. 1. 'A hint' is like a little clue, or a small taste. It is also a verb. a. I don't know what the answer is; give me a hint. b. He hinted that there might be a wedding in a few months. c. The dessert had a hint of sherry which gave it a small kick. 2. The position of 'whether or not' should be practiced as it is a very native-sounding expression. a. He was trying to decide whether or not he should study abroad for a few months. He was trying to decide whether he should study abroad for a few months or not. b. She couldn't remember whether or not she had paid her phone bill. She couldn't remember whether she'd paid her phone bill or not. c. They discussed whether or not to invest. They discussed whether to invest or not. 3. 'It's just as well' means 'it's a lucky thing that...' a. It's just as well that you brought your umbrella because it's started pouring with rain! b. It's just as well we caught a taxi. We would have never got to the train station on time by walking!

Have you ever wondered around Youtube, looking for inspiration? I did a few years ago, and I stumbled upon(1) an activity called Zentangle. It is an art form that really suits everybody. Let me explain. A 'tangle' is a pattern that doesn't have to look like anything in particular(2); it is a simple pattern, repeated over the paper. It's similar to 'doodling' which is when a person draws any random shapes, connected or not, as a way of relaxing. There are no expectations of drawing a particular object or scene, just shapes. Well, a Zentangle is a collection of several different patterns on a small paper (usually 3.5 inches squared). The 'Zen' part of this practice is that a person is completely free to choose the patterns, style, and combinations, and to simply enjoy the process. There is no stress involved, no expectations of artistry or perfection. In fact, it has been proven that tangling reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and increases focus and happiness. Amazing! It seems to work with the human brain in a similar way to yoga: relaxation, freedom from competition, and focus. It has actually surprised me how this kind of organized doodling improves my mood. A booklet called 'Beginning Zentangle' lists why it is so popular: 1. It is unplanned, so its results surprise you. 2. Without up or down - can be viewed and drawn from any orientation. 3. Abstract nonrepresentative art, a collection of patterns - not a drawing of something. 4. Can be drawn with either hand. 5. Small enough to be drawn in 15 minutes. 6. Portable. 7. Not limited by technology. All you need is a paper and a pencil or pen. (3) So, if you think about it, you can tangle in most places in order to relax and enjoy the moment. I'm going to slip a pad of paper and some fine black pens into my handbag so I can tangle with Zen whenever I feel like it. 1. 'To stumble upon' means 'to come upon' or 'to find by chance'. The verb stumble means to trip (over), so the phrase implies that a person finds something by actually falling over it. What a great picture! We often use this phrase when we explain that we have found something interesting in a book or a newspaper. a. In a medical journal, I stumbled upon a remedy for my skin problem. b. In the park, we stumbled upon a hidden path that led to a cottage next to the river. 2. I use the word 'particular' twice in this podcast. Once as an adjective 'a particular object', and once in the phrase 'in particular. This can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, but is most commonly placed at the end. It singles out a noun as being special or focused on rather than others. a. They loved to meet in cafes on Saturday mornings, in Cafe Mela in particular. b. The theme of literature in schools in the month of October is Autumn, and Halloween in particular. 3. The list quoted from 'Beginning Zentangle' is written in incomplete sentences. This is fine to do when you are writing a list of basic information, or sharing facts; sometimes we will omit the verb or the article. a. The advantages of exercising regularly: 1. Improves mood. 2. Speeds metabolism. 3. Less need to diet. 4. Body repairs itself more quickly. b. Math class supply list: 1. Large eraser. 2. Packet of #2 pencils 3. Protractor and ruler. 4. No need to buy graph paper, - supplied by teacher.  

The Riverfront Park is a great asset(1)that we enjoy in our community. It opened about the same year that I came to live here. It’s focus, as you can tell by the name, is the Columbia river. This wide and deep body of water starts in Canada, at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It travels about 1,200 miles, through to Washington State and Oregon and then it flows into the Pacific Ocean. So, Wenatchee is actually one of the many towns that it flows through. It is very pleasant to walk or bike next to the river, especially during the Autumn. Often in the morning, there is a slight mist rising from the surface of the water before the day heats up. The leaves on the deciduous trees have changed to yellow, orange, red, pink, or brown. You could say that it’s a perfect spot for photography. And that is probably why I received a phone call two weeks ago from the High School Photography teacher, asking if I could accompany a group of students to the Riverfront Park. Their field trip(2) was planned to encourage their photography of textures and colors. There are a few wooden buildings, benches, and winding(3) pathways in the park, as well as all the natural surroundings that you can take pictures of. I was there for the safety of the students, but as they were all mature and well behaved, I didn’t have much to do. I took some photos myself, and also observed what they were doing. Many of them got down on the ground to find the perfect angle of tree roots or a bench. There was also a lot of reflection on the water that was very bright and danced up the tree trunks, so the students took videos and pictures of that. They seemed to know exactly what to do. The teacher really only facilitated by adjusting camera settings every now and then. And I felt a bit like a spare part, but it was such a perfect day that I was glad to be in the park taking photos. 1. An ‘asset’ means a positive resource, a benefit, blessing, or beauty. a. A helpful citizen is an asset to a community. b. She has a million dollars in assets. c. His greatest asset was his sharp mind. 2. ‘Field trip’ is another way of saying an outing that is organized by the school. a. I will volunteer on the school field trip to the chocolate factory. b. Museums are the perfect place for a field trip. 3. ‘Winding’ and ‘winding’. Ok 2 verbs that are spelled the same but pronounced differently. The most familiar is ‘to wind/ winding’ like the Beatles’ song ‘The Long and Winding Road’. It means to move in a snake-like manner, and also to tighten the main spring of a clock or watch so it functions. A very common British phrasal verb is ‘to wind up’ followed by another verb, meaning ‘to end up’ or ‘to irritate someone’. The meanings are quite different from each other. The other verb ‘to wind’ simply means to physically cause someone to temporarily stop breathing by either kicking or punching them below the ribs. Let’s see examples of all of these: a. I forgot to wind my clock, so my alarm didn’t go off in the morning. b.That path winds through the forest and out to a main road. c. It is so easy to wind him up; he gets angry so fast that it’s funny! d. While we were practicing our Karate moves, I accidentally kicked my partner in the stomach and winded him!

As I work in the schools in Wenatchee, I notice lots of things about the school culture. Each school here has its own mascot. Foothills Middle School, for example, has the Falcons. Any child who represents the school in any way, whether in sports, mathematics, art or anything else, is called a Falcon. Other mascots in the area are: The Wenatchee High School Panthers, the Eastmont Wild Cats, and the Pioneer Middle School Bears. Mascots help to create a sense of belonging to a group in each school. Another thing that helps children feel like they belong to a school is a set of guidelines, or rules. Recently, the school district has adopted(1) a framework of positive ideas about behavior at school. Each school uses this framework to make up its own expectations in the form of a mnemonic. An example from Foothills is: S - solve problems O - opt for excellence A - always make good decisions R - respect self, others, and environment  So, I suppose, you could say that each school tries to establish the expectations of attitude. Then, in each classroom, guidelines of noise levels and steps in learning are also put on the walls and talked about. 'Restaurant voice' and 'spy talk' were two volume levels I saw the other day. The teacher uses these to describe how loudly the children can talk in a given situation. So while they are busy writing, they might have to use 'spy talk' or whisper, whereas(2), when they are working in groups they could use a 'restaurant voice'. These expectations are described and practiced at the beginning of the school year, and then referred to whenever necessary. I thought it was a very creative way of guiding the students to control the noise. Another element of this system of behavior management is capturing the imagination of the students by rewarding them for positive behavior. If a student has been particularly helpful, caring, or a good example in a class, the teacher can give him a blue note called a 'soar' ticket. The word 'soar' relates to the Falcon mascot. Two tickets can be traded in for a cookie which is handed out by the vice principal at lunchtime. Education has certainly changed since I was young. We had rules and expectations, but, as far as I can remember(3), there was no creativity involved, and certainly no cookies. 1. 'To adopt' is used in this podcast to mean 'to take on' when speaking about the 'framework'. So, ideas can be adopted, philosophies, behaviors, and, of course, people and animals. a. The behavior management of schools used to be based on punishment. Now a more positive approach has been adopted. b. We went to the animal shelter just to have a look. Of course, we ended up adopting two cats. 2. 'Whereas' is used in a similar way to 'but' to show contrast. a. You would use this shoe in tap dance, whereas in jazz a completely different shoe must be worn. b. The color black absorbs heat, whereas white reflects it. (borrowed from useinasentence.com). 3. 'As far as I can remember' is a wonderful way to inject some personality into a statement about remembering something. It can be used with short or long-term memories. a. Did you put the hammer back in the toolbox?     As far as I can remember, yes. b. He was an honest man, as far as I can remember.

Oh yoga, yoga, yoga! It's such a passion of mine. And I started doing yoga only recently. I have found it to be so beneficial in so many ways: it gets rid of my stress, it loosens my joints, and it strengthens me, but gently. Why didn't I start it years ago? I sometimes turn on Youtube and do yoga in my lounge. However, my favorite place to do yoga, so far, is the WRAC, which stands for Wenatchee Racket and Athletic Club. It's a friendly gym with a host of different classes, and very experienced teachers. You can do anything from tennis, squash, swimming, and aerobics, to yoga, dance, and tai chi(1). I love it. Sometimes I will use some exercise equipment like a treadmill for an aerobic exercise, and then I'll finish my session by lifting weights. My favorite activity though is yoga. Now, for a few weeks, there have been renovations taking place throughout the building. A whole new exercise equipment room has been built, and the construction continues. When I walked into the yoga room and chose my mat, blanket, and towel, the room was nice and quiet. I chatted quietly with some of the ladies while we waited for the session to begin. The teacher dimmed the lights, put on some very relaxing music, and we began the deep breathing exercises. I thought of nothing. All obligations and plans for the day were instantly forgotten as I focused on my breath.Quietly the teacher guided us to, "Let go" of the day and to relax. I did, well, for a while. I suddenly realized that next door there was an aerobics class. It sounded very serious, and it was getting louder. Michael Jackson was playing on their sound system 'Beat it' which didn't help much with my relaxation, and it drowned out (2)the Indian meditative music. "Make it burn!" yelled the aerobics teacher suddenly while his class was bang, bang, banging on the floor. "Breathe in your positive desires," said my yoga teacher, "and breathe out any stress and tension." My empty mind was unfortunately starting to jump around, going back and forth between the tranquility of my class, and the commotion and pain of the aerobics class. I tried to block it out(3) but because I know the lyrics of 'Beat it' by heart, I couldn't help but follow the words, 'it doesn't matter who's wrong or right, just beat it!'. I brought myself mentally back to yoga and tried to focus on the 'Downward dog' position with big belly breaths and a good stretch of the spine. "Hold it! Squeeze, harder! Don't stop 'till I say so!" was the next instruction yelled out by the aerobics teacher. I found myself holding my breath, but then I realized that I shouldn't. I was supposed to be doing 'Pigeon pose', stretching my hips and releasing any tension. This was beginning to be a mental challenge. A few seconds past and I heard, "Wow! Awesome, good job everyone!" and some hand clapping. "Oh good," I thought to myself, "the class must have finished." I settled into the last few poses, thinking that I wouldn't have any more distractions. This time I was in 'Happy baby': legs in the air, knees bent, holding on to my feet, and rolling my spine  from side to side. I was back in the zone, at last! The teacher turned the lights down even more, and turned the music up. It was time to cool down and lay quietly. "Imagine yourself leaving your body and floating up to the top of the building..." she was saying when suddenly, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The construction men had moved in next door. I giggled. The teacher jokingly said, "Come in!" 1. 'Anything from .....to .....' demonstrates a variety available. a. The clothes shop has everything from cheap shoes to Gucci hand bags. b. The university offers everything from philosophy to engineering. 2. 'To drown out' is an expression we use that refers to one sound covering another. a. My son's rap music drowned out my classical music. b. Your loud talking is drowning out the film! 3. 'To block out' is similar to 'to drown out', but it's a mental effort to not hear, see, or think about something.  a. I blocked out her negativity by being positive. b. I raised my hand to block out the sun.

The end of summer is one of the best times to have a party, especially if it's in the evening. The hot summer days give way to slightly cooler but long summer nights. You can linger(1) outside, barbecue, or even dance. And if you want to do what a friend of mine did, you can have a big country party. Kim and her boyfriend Casey both turned(2) 50 this year, so they decided to have a big 'bash'. They have a house with a large front garden where they usually ride a 4-wheeler for fun. They converted this place over a two week period into a cowboy-style venue for their celebration. Kim bought hay bales to put here and there for people to sit on. They built a dance floor out of apple pallets (which are strong, flat wooden boxes used in the apple industry). They strung lights all over the dance floor, the trees, and the fence. And then, they hired some caterers(3) to cook and serve a barbecue style meal, plus a birthday cake. The band they hired was actually very good; they played a lot of American rock and some country music too. The place gradually filled up with people wearing cowboy hats and boots, and there was lots of singing and beer drinking. There was even a trampoline! I took my daughter, Domini, as she is friends with Kim's daughter. They jumped on the trampoline and ran barefoot over the dance floor to the dessert table and back again. It was very casual. Even the smell of a nearby forest fire added to the atmosphere. "Anna, Domini's staying the night," Kim said to me, "and you should too! We could sit by the fire, drink wine and talk all night," she beamed at me enthusiastically. "Oh Kim, I turn into a pumpkin at midnight," I replied. This is one lady who both loves and needs her sleep! Before I knew it, it was midnight. I had really enjoyed myself, but it was time for this cinderella to pick up both of her shoes and go home. 1. 'To linger' is a fabulous verb which means to spend time in one spot because you choose to, or to be the last remaining .... a. The sunset on the beach was stunning. We didn't want to leave, so we lingered and just took it all in. b. The ceramic industry still lingers in the town, though most of the businesses have closed or moved to the bigger cities. 2. When it comes to having a birthday, we use the verb 'to turn' followed by the number of years. a. Her baby turned one last week, and we were invited to the party. b. When children in the U.S turn 16, it is legal for them to drive. 3. A 'caterer'/'catering company' is a person or company that is hired to make food for a special occasion. Another type of company that is used to help with the arrangements of a party is a 'rental company' which rents equipment or furniture. a. The wedding planner advised us to hire a caterer, but I didn't realize how expensive it would be. b. Robert's Rentals has all you need for your next big 'bash': tables, chairs, plates, cutlery, and even a chocolate fountain!

Washington State University veterinary hospital is a place that is renowned throughout the state for being the best place to treat animals who have diseases. It is located in a small town called Pullman, in rolling, tree covered hills. All around it, however, are miles and miles of dry wheat fields, and so the town forms a kind of oasis. We went to Pullman two weeks ago because our rottweiler needed an operation. It was a first experience for me in many ways. First of all, I had no idea that Pullman was so famous, or that it was a three hour drive. Secondly, I am not used to having rottweilers. I love our dog, Chucho. He is well behaved and getting well trained. However, I was not prepared for his reaction to the hospital or the staff. We arrived at about 10:30, having left at 6am. Chucho didn't sleep all the way; he just panted, and wanted to put his head out of the window. He wasn't allowed to eat anything either, so by the time we arrived, he was obviously feeling anxious. He went in for a preliminary examination, before having an MRI. After only ten minutes, the veterinary student came back to me, looking a little out of breath, "We can't do anything with him; we can't even touch him, and he's really strong. Could you help us by holding him down?" When I went back into the examining room, I found him on guard, with a muzzle on his snout(1), and totally non-cooperative. The vet was surprised that she couldn't touch him. "He is a very intelligent dog," I said, "and you are a complete stranger who is trying to manipulate his body. Of course he is not cooperating!" I suggested that they put him to sleep and then examine him(2). She nodded in agreement. Well, we didn't see him for the rest of the day, or the following day. He had to spend the night and then have the operation the next day. When we finally picked him up, he looked like a real invalid; his front legs were shaved and he had a plastic cone around his neck. And he was on some serious medication! So Chucho is on the mend. Rottweilers are certainly not too much for the university hospital to handle. In fact, he is considered a 'small' animal. They have a part of the hospital reserved for large animals like horses and bears! 1. 'Snout' is the word we use for the nose and mouth of an animal, particularly of mammals like pigs or dogs, but others as well. a. My dog buried his bone. He dug a hole with his front paws, and then covered the bone with soil using his snout. b. At the farm, the pigs would stick their snouts through the bars of the fence. 2. The use of the subjunctive in English is quite simple. It is written like the indicative, especially after verbs like: advise, ask, command, demand, desire, insist, propose, recommend, request, suggest, and urge. a. I recommended that they stay the night instead of traveling in bad weather. I recommended that they should stay the night instead of traveling in bad weather. b. The doctor insisted that she take the medicine until she feels better. The doctor insisted that she should take the medicine until she feels better.

The tour of Boeing started with us being bussed to the building where the seven hundred series of planes are made, particularly the 747s. It is the largest building in the world, measuring 13,385,378 cubic meters.  It has several entrances, several floors, and, of course, huge double doors through which the new planes can be rolled out. Our guide told us so many facts that I actually stopped listening; I just wanted to watch the men and women working on these huge planes. I did, however, pick up some information. The wings of the 747, for example, can hold up to 57,000 gallons of fuel. I saw that every piece of large equipment either had wheels or hung from the ceiling. This was because as the planes develop and get bigger, equipment needs to move out of the way. And, the day that a new plane leaves, a clear path must be made for it to get out of the building. The Boeing plant is in Everett which is to the north of Seattle. It has been there since 1943, the giant factory being planned in the 60's. Mr. Boeing had a German father and an Austrian mother, but was born in Michigan. After he became a pilot, he bought a hydroplane and came to Seattle. He soon broke the plane, and then told a friend of his, "We could build a better plane ourselves and do it faster." And that became the mission and destiny of Mr. Boeing. Looking around the factory gave me a sense of how serious and efficient Boeing is. The building itself(1) has to be organized by a mastermind! It is so packed with equipment, parts, and people, that to function correctly, someone with a great sense of design has to be in charge. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed on any planes because they already belong to airlines. Also, I'm sure, hundreds of tourists would be a distraction to the workers and also create a risk of injury or an error in building. We were kept far away from the important work. As we left, the guide told us about the new line(2) of planes called Dreamliners. They are smart planes that adjust the interior light and air to reduce jet lag. Also, more original materials are gradually being replaced with things like carbon fiber to make the planes stronger and lighter. This really is a time of advancement in technology, and the factory shows a sense of excitement about the future of flight. 1. 'The building itself' the word 'itself' is not totally necessary. I used it because I went on to emphasize the use of space inside the buiding, as if I was focusing in on what it looks like. a. The singer signed my notebook herself! b. The homework itself is easy, it just happens to be tedious!  2. 'Line' of planes really means a series or a group. a. Gucci has come out with a new line of handbags. b. Nissan has a line of electric cars, the first of which came out in 2010.

I found myself in Seattle for the third or fourth time this summer on Monday. It was time to take my cousin to the airport for his flight back to Mallorca. He had asked to go to the Boeing plant to see the planes being made. "Sounds like a good idea," I replied, remembering that, years ago, I had visited the second, smaller Boeing plant in the south of Seattle. We arrived at 4pm, early enough to look around the Museum of Flight. It is an impressive, modern display of the science behind flight, and how it is continually developing and improving. There were displays that people could interact with which demonstrated the physics of flying. Airplanes hung from the ceiling. A part of one plane was sliced open to show all the components of a typical plane. There was even a Lamborghini, yes a Lambourghini. It was there to demonstrate the need for aerodynamics in cars as well as planes. It also showed the advances in materials like carbon fiber. My cousin, my daughter, and her friend climbed into a flight simulator which was like an enclosed room that was elevated. Inside were the kind of seats you find on a plane, and in front of them was a large screen. The door was locked and suddenly the room started to move. I was watching from the outside. It went up and down, side to side, and then it started bumping and jerking forwards and suddenly dropping. I could hear noises coming from inside the room, like little squeals. From the outside, it didn't look like it was a very exciting ride. However, the employee who was manning the display turned on a screen so I could see what the people inside were watching. Their screen showed jet planes flying fast all over the world, and making drastic maneuvers. "Oh," I thought to myself. "That is why they are squealing!" Even though we had an hour before the tour started, we weren't able to do and see everything that the museum offered. The tour was about to start. We were going to be placed on a bus and driven to the biggest building in the world.  1. 'Display' is both a noun and a verb. It means 'a show' or 'to show'. a. The peacock gave a glorious display of its feathers. b. The science competition in school will require the children to make displays about recycling. 2. 'Jerk' is also a verb and a noun. A 'jerk' is an insult for a person who is difficult and silly, and who makes life difficult for people. 'To jerk' is actually very different in meaning. It means to move sharply, in a choppy way. a. That man is a real jerk; when he was in line at the bank, he started shouting, and then he cut to the front! b. The brakes on my bicycle froze when I was riding, so it suddenly jerked forward and I fell off. 3. 'To man' is a very basic verb that means a person is employed to physically be somewhere, especially a vehicle or a place of work. a. He will man the fishing boat because he is the most experienced. b. The telephones are manned by volunteers who will take your donations for the charity.

Did you know that the First Lady of the U.S, Michelle Obama, has been trying for years to get people exercising? Over a third of people in the U.S, including children, are obese. This is an epidemic, and a huge national problem which leads to all sorts of medical complications and expense. However, something has taken the nation by storm(1) which is getting people of all shapes and sizes outside walking, running, skateboarding, and biking. It's Pokemon Go. It has become a craze. The most unlikely(2) people, those who would normally be at home sitting in front of a computer, are out walking along the streets, or moving around in parks looking for Pokemon creatures. The game came out in July, and had 80 million downloads in the first week. It is a free game that is location based and uses augmented reality, which means a view of the real world with a touch of fantasy added to it. Players download the game on to their phones, they create an account with a personalized avatar, and then they move around looking for Pokemon. The aim of the game is to find, catch, battle, and train the creatures. So who are the Pokemon? They are cartoon characters that first came out in the late 1990's in a Nintendo game called Game Boy. Films, books, and cards also popularized them. They have names like: Greninja, Arceus, Mew, and Pikachu, and are generally very cute, blending the look of animals and fantastic creatures. Pokemon are trained by their human owners to battle other Pokemon and evolve. Thankfully it isn't a game that is violent or deadly, so it is appropriate for young people, and therefore a wide audience. If you think about it, it is a very involved game, with different levels and many different elements, and now the physical aspect of it makes it even more addicting. Two of my boys have certainly become quite addicted to it. My oldest son even walks around the parks with his group of friends at night, searching for the most valuable Pokemons. I can't see Pokemon Go losing(3) its popularity for a while. If that is the case, people large and small will be dressing up in warm clothes to find their creatures in the snowy parks in the winter. 1. 'To take something by storm' is to make a huge impact on something, a person, or a place. a. The Harry Potter series took the world by storm. b. The Beatles took the U.S by storm in the 1960's. 2. Unlikely means 'doubtful or not very probable'. However, it can also be used as an adjective. a. Their house was in the woods in a very unlikely place for a home. b. Out of the people I knew from school, he was the most unlikely to become a singer. 3. I can/ can't see .......+verb in gerund. a. I can see him slipping and falling (prediction). b. I can't see him calling back today; he never returns my calls. c. I can see them missing the bus my two minutes; they need to hurry up if they want to catch it.

I look through my emails each day to see if anyone who listens to my podcasts has written to me. I was doing that last week when I came across an email that took me by surprise(1). It was an invitation to be a guest speaker on an educational podcast called Scalar Learning. I immediately looked up the website, and found a very professional, mathematics focused site that offers both tutoring and regular podcasts. Well, how could I say "no"? I was intrigued and flattered(2). I sent an email back to say that I would love to be interviewed. We went back and forth(3) until we agreed upon a day and time. I told all of my children, "Now, this is very important, so I need you all to be quiet for half an hour.  Is that possible?" They nodded. "I'll be up in the bedroom, so it will be nice and quiet. You can play or watch television, but please, I don't want banging or crashing or dogs barking, ok?" I think they got the message(4). The time for the interview came, and I was quite nervous. Huzefa, the gentleman who created and runs Scalar Learning, is a young man who used to be a lawyer, but who has a passion for education. He was very personable, so I immediately felt relaxed. We talked for about thirty minutes, and he asked me all kinds of pertinent questions about: my background, my podcasts, culture, and how to be an effective teacher. Huzefa is on a mission to enable students to be successful with mathematics, and to have the right approach to exams. His insights about teaching obviously come from experience and study. The time flew. The next day, he released the podcast, so I listened to it. I'm happy to say that it is very informative and clear, and if you  you can hear it too.  1. 'It took me by surprise,' is the same as saying 'it surprised me'. This expression is simply longer and more descriptive because of the verb 'to take'. a. His decision to go and live in Australia took us all by surprise. b. We were completely taken by surprise when she walked out of the wedding. 2. 'Intrigued' means very interested and curious. 'Flattered' means that I felt complimented. a. I was intrigued by his political ideas; I had never heard anything like them. b. The young lady felt flattered by all the attention she was getting. 3. 'Back and forth' really means 'one way and then the other way' or 'from side to side', but we use this phrase a lot when talking about discussions and verbal agreements. a. The politicians went back and forth until they finally agreed. b. We talked all night, and went back and forth, but we still don't understand each other. 4. 'I think they got the message' is a casual and slightly joking way of saying that 'they understood'. a. My mother put up two posters saying 'please remove your shoes'. She put one on the front door and another in the entryway. We got the message! b. If you travel on the underground, or 'Tube', in London, you will hear "Mind the gap" all the time. You will eventually get the message.

The number of people in my house has grown from six to seven recently. A young man from Spain has come to spend six weeks with us. He is no ordinary young man; he's actually my second cousin, and is here to spend time with this side of the family, and of course, to learn English. Thankfully, he is the same age as my youngest son, and is very fun-loving. I'm sure that he will pick up(1) a lot of English while he plays with my kids. That was actually how I picked up a lot of Spanish when I was a child. My mother would take me to Mallorca in Spain, to spend about a month in the summers. Because children play so much, and are less inhibited than adults, they absorb language like little sponges. Well, that's what happened to me, and I'm very thankful for the experience. So far(2), we have taken my cousin to Seattle for a couple of days, and down to a local river to look for gold. Today, I plan on taking him to the museum in the town of Cashmere which is excellent. He will get his first view of Native American life, and be able to walk through some of the original pioneer cabins of this area. Like most boys who are thirteen, he is very curious and constantly asks questions. Of course, I don't always have the answers! Coming to the U.S is a big step for him, especially being so young(3). Mind you, he is a world traveller. His mother is an air hostess and is able to get cheap airline tickets, so they travel internationally all the time. So he is extremely comfortable in airports, and understands the routines of getting from one place to another. I hope that him being here will encourage my children to spend time in Spain, and also become international travelers. 1. 'To pick up' is used in this podcast to mean 'to come to understand', ' to learn in a natural way'. a. When we went to Iceland, my kids picked up a lot of vocabulary. b. I used to watch my mum cook, and so, over time I picked up how to cook. 2. 'So far' is like saying 'up to this point'. It is a very simple and conversational phrase. a. So far this summer, we have only had a few very hot days. b. The fund-raiser so far has made $2,430,000. 3. 'Coming to the U.S is a big step for him, especially being so young,' the last part of this sentence has a great structure that is flexible. You can add many things to 'especially being so ...'. a. They will have a great time at the party, especially being so sociable. b. She will feel so much better with the new medicine, especially after being so ill. c. It will be a relief when the presidential race is over, especially after so much news coverage.  

With the fire season approaching, we have been preparing our back garden. My husband trimmed off some old, dead branches from our pine trees. These trees are notorious for(1) burning easily because they are both dry and oily. Most of the horrendous fires that make international news are those of pine or fir forests which are both conifers. We have seen this kind of devastation in Canada recently, in Alberta. To avoid as many fires as possible, it is always best to clear forest floors of dead wood, dry bushes, and diseased trees. There is a new community effort in Wenatchee to do the same in as many places as possible to avoid the problems that we had last year. So, the garden is clear, but what do we do with the huge pile of branches and pine needles? "Take everything down to Stemilt Organic Recycling Center on Columbia street" my husband texted me early in the morning. I didn't even know that this place existed. I've lived here for over twenty years, and I'm still discovering things about this town. I looked up the direction on Google Maps and their website. They take all kinds of garden waste and shred it up(2) with a giant shredding machine. This then gets composted and delivered to many of the orchards in town. The rich compost increases the levels of sugar in the fruit. So my oldest son and I loaded up two trucks and made two deliveries to the recycling place. It was hot and heavy work. When we drove in, I was impressed to see an enormous pile of branches and green garden waste. Other people were there emptying bags of weeds, old bushes, and garden clippings (3). Next to the pile was a machine that looked as big as a brontosaurus. "Now that would be fun to operate," I thought to myself. We emptied the trucks, paid a small fee, and left. It's good to know that our waste will become a compost that feeds and nourishes the trees that make up so much of this valley. 1. 'To be notorious for ...' means that a person or thing is well known for something, and it has a negative sense. a. He is notorious for being late. He was even late to his own wedding! b. Those valleys are notorious for flooding every spring. 2. 'To shred (up)' this verb describes a way of cutting which leaves the item being cut in thin, long pieces. In cooking, we talk about shredding carrots or cabbage to add to a salad. Notice that I didn't have to use 'up'. This little word is used a lot in the UK to give a sense of completeness or fullness. a. Fill (up) the watering can and water the flowers please. b. We need to finish dinner now and get to the cinema; the film starts in six minutes. Eat up! c. Children, button up your coats, it's really cold outside. 3. 'Clip, cut, trim, cuttings' are all ways of cutting that you can use in the context of gardening. 'Cuttings', however, is a noun. It is the piece of a plant that you break off and encourage to growing roots and become a completely separate plant. 'To clip' is a brief cut that is deep enough to shape or prune a plant. We can use this for our finger and toenails as well as 'to cut'. 'To trim' is more superficial. We often say 'I will trim the hedge' instead of 'I will cut the hedge' which sounds too deep. Likewise, a trim at the hair dressers is a superficial cut, one that just shapes the hair a little. a. I clipped off the dead rose heads to encourage more blooms. b. I took cuttings from my hydrangea; I hope they all root and become big, healthy plants.  c. I went to the hairdresser for just a trim, but she gave me a serious hair cut!

I'm a little nervous today. It is a very important day for the UK, as it is the Brexit referendum. Most informed people will know that UK citizens will vote today to either leave the European Union or to remain in it. This isn't a small issue(1). The country is divided on the subject. I have been reading about it and watching videos, some that are for leaving and others that are against it. To be quite honest(2), my head is spinning with all the information. I find it difficult to get on with other activities like cooking and cleaning, because I really want to know the result, and have a clear idea about the consequences of leaving or staying. I had planned to make a pumpkin cake yesterday. I had the ingredients on the kitchen counter, and the recipe. It would be a simple treat to make for my family, but every time I approached the cans of pumpkins, I would immediately turn around and surf the internet for more information about Brexit. How can I think about pumpkin cake now, when the UK is about to, perhaps, make a huge change? The economy and immigration are the two biggest issues that have been talked about for months. If Britain leaves the EU, trading with it will be more complicated, and the free flow of immigrants will be stopped. More power will be given back to the UK government to determine laws and regulations. However, does anyone really know if the changes will be beneficial? And will the EU suffer if Britain pulls out(3)? Perhaps it won't leave, but regulations from the EU will change? It's all a big unknown at the moment, like the quality of my future pumpkin cake. I know the ingredients, I know the process of making it, but you can never really tell how good it will be until it is cooked. So what do I think? Well, I believe in independence, but I also support unity. I think that humans and communities are supposed to work together. The trouble is, that is exactly where problems occur if members are ignorant or corrupt. I think that we are also supposed to think for ourselves, and determine what is best for us, but advice from many can often help generate creative and efficient ideas. I have decided to hope that however the vote goes, man's ingenuity will solve problems that arise, and find creative and fair ways to keep good relations between Britain and the rest of Europe. And for now, I will open the cans of pumpkins, mix the ingredients carefully, and hope for the best. 1. 'Issue' in this context is similar to 'matter' or 'subject', it is also used as 'a personal problem'. a. The cost of living is an issue that any government has to deal with. b. Needing to control everything is a real issue for him. 2. 'To be quite honest' is a phrase that is often used at the beginning of a sentence, expressing a strong opinion. a. To be quite honest, I don't want her to stay with us. b. To be quite honest, I think he treated you unfairly. 3. 'To pull out' is similar to 'to leave'. However, we use 'to pull out' more in the context of competitions, unions, and groups where the members are invested. a. The long distance runner pulled out of the competition because of an injury. b. The teachers' union pulled out of the discussion because they disagreed with the terms.

Peter: Hi Liz. What are you looking at? Liz: Oh, hi Peter. I'm looking through some information about cars. It's about time I bought one, but I'm quite fussy. I don't want to spend a lot of money, but there are certain things that I definitely want. Peter: What kind are you after? Liz: Well, I'd like a hybrid. Eventually when I'm working, I don't want to spend a fortune on gas. Other than that, I'd like a medium size, four-door that is reliable and safe. Peter: Why don't I go with you to some dealerships and we can have a look? I know a lot about cars, you know. Liz: Ha! Why is it that men know so much more than women (do) about cars? Peter: It's probably because we're really interested in them....Anyway, I can protect you from the greedy salesmen who want you to spend too much money. Liz: Yes, protect me, please! 

The most popular sport in the world is seen everywhere these days in Wenatchee. As you drive around the town, most days of the week, you can see colorful teams of players running around the parks practicing and competing. The goals are dragged into position, bright orange cones are set up in lines for the players to zig-zag(1) through with the ball. Parents, like myself, either drop the kids off and go and run errands(2), or stay and chat with each other during the practice. Game day transforms the parks with team after team competing. Yells and cheers ring out(3), and there is applause from the multitude of parents and grandparents who sit in their fold-up chairs. The U.S has quickly gone from a country that had little to do with football (the real name), to one that has embraced it. Even young children in this town have the opportunity to do year-round soccer. During the snowy months, it simply takes place indoors. And the sport seems to be transforming children from overweight, sedentary kids, to leaner, faster, and more competitive children. Another thing I have noticed is that international soccer is part of conversation in schools more than it used to be, which is partly because the population of Wenatchee is 50% hispanic, and soccer is an important part of their culture. This influence has spread to the non-hispanics, and has caused them to contemplate other countries and their sporting talents. I'm happy that a sport can do this for children, giving them a more global perspective. 1. 'To zig-zag' is any action that goes from side to side.  a. The car in front of me was zig-zagging all over the road; I think the driver was drunk! b. The kids had to zig-zag past the cones with the football, keeping as close as possible to them. c. I saw something zig-zag across the road; it was a rattle snake! 2. 'To run errands' is to drive around to shops and other places in order to shop or get other things done. a. I had to go to the post office, buy vegetables, and then buy some nails from the hardware store. I always have errands to run. b. While you're running errands, could you please get me some stamps? 3. 'To ring out' is what we often say when you hear cheers, singing, or even bells. a. The church bells rang out across the valley. b. I heard her voice ring out over the rest of the choir.  

I had always heard about cowboys before I came to the U.S, but I had never met any. I suppose I had seen many in typical Western films, so I had some idea of what they looked like. I wasn't sure, however, that the style of cowboys I had seen still existed. I thought that perhaps in our modern day, there would be less need for them, or perhaps there was a more modernized version of a cowboy. Well, since I have lived in Wenatchee, I have met plenty of real cowboys and cowgirls. One of my husband's cousins is a rancher who owns many cows, is himself a cowboy, and employs quite a few cowboys as well. There are also cowgirls who live on farms and who help to take care of the cattle. Now, there is some debate(1) about 'real' cowboys. Some people dress like cowboys and listen to country music, but certainly are not the real thing. A cowboy or girl is a person who rides a horse and takes care of cattle. Simple. And, in case you didn't know, the first cowboys were Mexicans who worked with the cows and horses that the Spaniards brought to the Americas.  A few weeks ago, I went to a rodeo which is a show of cowboy skills, tricks, and even bull riding. I certainly didn't want to miss the bull riding. It is essentially a crazy sport. Each time you ride a bull, even if you are experienced and strong, you run the risk of getting terribly injured. The bull rider has the support of other men in the ring(2) who, if need be, will distract the bull and lead it away from the bull rider when he falls onto the ground. We all gasped and said, "Oh, my gosh!" when the bull charged out of the cage, bucking and kicking, with the man on top. Each man fell off, of course, with the winner being the one who had stayed on the longest. What a show it was! There were also cowgirls who raced each other, and even children who rode on running sheep! The cowboys and cowgirls are professionals who earn money by traveling the country and doing what they do(3). The rodeo was a real eye-opener for me, an interesting look inside this very Western culture. 1. 'There is some debate' is a phrase that adds some sophistication when added to your conversation. a. There is some debate over the use of natural or artificial sugars. b. There is an on-going debate over global warming: is it a real phenomena, or is it scientifically inaccurate? 2. 'The ring' is used in many contexts to describe the area where an activity takes place, particularly a circus, a boxing arena, and a general event location where there are performances such as a rodeo. a. The boxer punched his opponent so hard, that he fell out of the ring! b. The elephants formed a pyramid in the ring and then the clowns stood on top of them. 3. '...doing what they do.' This repetition of the verb 'to do' is used when the context has already been explained or is understood. a. I do what I do because I love to teach and communicate. b. The presidential candidates spend most of the year giving speeches and traveling. They do what they do/ they are doing what they do because they want to win.

May in Wenatchee is the month when Apple Blossom is held. It's an annual festival that starts with a parade. There is also a food fair, a classic car show, and a medieval fair. A spin-off (1)of all these activities, is a 3 on 3 basketball competition at the local college. Students of all ages compete in teams of only three people, so the games are intense and exhausting. You're never really sure what the weather will be like in May either; sometimes it's windy and cool, but other times it's quite the opposite(2). This year, it was very hot indeed. I watched some of the games, and felt quite sorry for the players. As the day went on, I moved from one patch of(3) shade to another, trying to keep cool. There was lots of huffing and puffing, gasping, and calling out like, "Here, I'm open, pass, pass!" The crowds were kept happy with a DJ and food and drinks. Watching the athletes made me feel quite lazy, as I was perfectly relaxed, but they were fighting hard to win. Most of the young people who were participating have dreams of playing on the High School or college team. Many of them dedicate years to playing basketball, playing on both school and local teams. Perhaps that sort of occasion is a stepping stone for them; another stretch, another effort, and they might get closer to their goal. 1. 'A spin-off' is like a result of a process or event. a. A spin-off of the Apple Blossom parade is the 3 on 3 basketball. b. A spin-off from recycling is sometimes profitable business. 2. 'Quite the opposite' is a more definite way of saying 'the opposite'; it just adds a bit more character and confidence. a. The evening was calm and relaxing; however, my first class in the morning was quite the opposite. b. Her words seemed gentle and kind, but later her actions were quite the opposite.  3. 'A patch' is used in many ways. It can be a section of material used to repair a piece of clothing. It can also be an area of grass, shade, light, or a figurative way of saying an approximate project. a. I didn't repair the wall properly, I just patched it quickly. b. We found a patch of grass under a tree in the shade, and we sat down and slept.

I have been working in a middle school for the past couple of weeks in the place of a teacher who is taking paternity leave. His wife has just had their second child, and so he is taking 5 weeks off of(1) work to be at home. So, I am teaching 13 to 14 year olds each day about essay writing and poetry. I usually only work a couple of days a week in the school district, so adjusting to(2) working every day has been a challenge. For the first week, after school, I would go home, sit down with my cup of tea, and fall asleep! Now that I am in my second week, however, I have toughened up(3). This week also happens to be 'Teacher Appreciation Week'. Parents and other volunteers organize a nice lunch, or small gifts for the teachers to show that they are appreciated. Teaching, after all, is not the easiest job. It can be stressful working with students of different levels of ability and motivation. However, there is satisfaction when you see your students learn, and also feel happy and relaxed in your class. Lunch was a great surprise yesterday. I went into the staff room, and found a long table full of delicious dishes of all kinds. Some parents were arranging plates, cutting cheese, mixing salads, and warming up desserts. Gosh, I suddenly felt like I wasn't at work! It was tempting to eat a lot, but I didn't want to feel sleepy during my afternoon classes. I went back to class in a great mood. We all need to feel appreciated, even if it's not with food, a thank you makes a big impact. 1. 'To take ....days/weeks etc off of/from...' means to take leave for a while from an activity. a. The football player took two months off of/from training to rest his injuring. b. The teacher was able to take 5 weeks off from/of teaching to be at home with his wife and new daughter.  2. 'To adjust to' is something that we all do. It means to get used to something different. a. The nurse had to adjust to her new night time work schedule (night shift). b. Moving to the city from the country was something that was hard to adjust to. 3. 'To toughen up' means to become stronger, more resilient, adjusted. It is often used figuratively. a. Biking every day has toughened me up and prepared me for a 10 mile race. b. Living in a racist community toughened up the boy, and made him determined to work for tolerance.

The world of usernames and passwords is quite simple for some people. Choose both, and stick to them(1); don't change them unless you have to, and your life will be easy peasy. Most people I know, however, have a love-hate relationship(2) with the two words. First of all, it's easy to forget a password, especially if you haven't written it down somewhere, or if you've forgotten where you wrote it! Secondly, to reset(3) your password often requires a process of getting into a secondary email, which, again you need a password for. Now this isn't really difficult, until you find that some on-line companies require a password with letters, numbers, and special characters, like an exclamation mark, or a comma, but other companies don't require a special character. So, what do you do? Your ingenious plan of having  the same password for all of your on-line activities is ruined. One or two of them will have to be slightly different. Will you remember which accounts they are? Perhaps you can make them memorable like: 'Ihatepasswords99!'  or 'Passwordsareapain22*'. Unfortunately, it is totally necessary to make good passwords for our own security. I have to be more creative than 'anna123'; that just isn't secure enough. Another problem with them is that often one is needed immediately by someone in the family, which makes you automatically forget it. Once, when I was visiting my father in England, my son texted me from the U.S, wanting to know the password for his Minecraft game. It was three o'clock in the morning. Passwords can't wait, you know.  1. 'To stick to something' means to not change your plan, idea, or situation. a. We've accepted the offer on the house, and we're sticking with it. b. Our company is going through a difficult time, but I'm sticking with it. 2. 'A love-hate relationship' is one which involves both emotions, or one in which you enjoy hating something. a. I have a love-hate relationship with my car; I love having a car, but it causes me endless problems. b. He and his neighbors have a love-hate relationship; they enjoy annoying each other. 3.'To reset' means to reprogram, or start back from the beginning. a. I will reset my alarm clock as I have to get up extra early tomorrow. b. I forgot my itunes password, so I have to reset it.

My daughter wants to join everything. She loves football, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, acting, dancing, and almost anything else. I don't know where she gets her energy from. Of course, I'm glad that she's energetic; its a sign of being healthy. Her friend, Lilly, has been involved with the Wenatchee Youth Circus for four years, and is a rope performer. She twists and turns (1) on two ropes that have a bar of wood joining them, like a seat. She hangs from the bar, spins, and does all kinds of acrobatics. For an eleven year old, she is very strong indeed (2). She spent the weekend with us, and as she had practice, my daughter went with her. The practice was two and a half hours long! When I went to pick them up, I expected to find two very exhausted girls, but they were still full of beans (3). Domini begged me to let her join the circus, "I'll think about it, Domini," was my reply. "It's not very likely though," I said. "You can't possibly do everything, you know," she gave me those big, disappointed eyes. I videoed her friend practicing her routine before we left. Her trainer called out names of moves and positions that she had to make. By the time she had finished, I could see that she was breathing heavily, and needed a rest. She will go with the circus all over Washington State to perform in various towns. It is a big commitment to be part of the circus, even though it is just a small one. It doesn't have any animals; however, it has a surprisingly large amount of acrobats, fire breathers, Spanish rope performers, and high wire riders. Some of these young people have been involved with the circus since they were little. It makes me wonder if Lilly will be performing when she is an adult with bigger circuses. Who knows? Domini and I will certainly join the crowds in Wenatchee when she gives her first performance. 1. 'Twists and turns' go together very often, and the phrase is used figuratively. a. English country roads are full of twists and turns. b. He navigated the twists and turns of a difficult life, and finally found happiness. 2. 'For a/an + adjective +noun, main clause' this is a more common sentence structure switched around. The 'for a/an ...' is a great way to reintroduce, or point to character traits in the subject. a. For an inexperienced climber, he did very well. * You can, of course, switch the sentence around and say: He did very well, for an inexperienced climber. b. For an old lady, she sang as well as the younger women. (She sang as well as the younger women, for an old lady). c. For beginning English students, they did very well on the intermediate test. (They did very well on the intermediate test, for beginning English students). 3. 'To be full of beans' is an idiomatic phrase which means to be full of energy. a. I hoped that the trampoline would make the kids tired, but they were still full of beans! b. I have recovered from my illness, and am now full of beans.

My house is almost surrounded by orchards of pears and cherries. On the west side, beyond my neighbor's house is the pear orchard, and to the north is the cherry orchard. It makes us feel as though we live deep(1)in the country. This time of year, the orchards are full of life. Of course, they are in bloom, but also there is a lot of human activity going on(2) inside the orchards. Tractors rumble away(3), along the lines of trees, spreading fertilizer, or spraying the branches and flowers. There is no time to waste! If the farmers want healthy, good looking fruit, they have to feed the trees important nutrients, and they need to find a way to keep harmful insects away. I have learned a few things about fruit trees since I have lived here. One interesting thing is that the trees are given a large dose of calcium, both in the form of spray, and also on the ground. This helps the fruit last longer, and it also helps to prevent diseases. There are lots of preparations to be made in order for the growing season to be successful. Pruning is another activity which increases the fruit production. In order for the pruning to happen, a large group of workers will come into the orchard, and cut off dead branches, and some of the healthy ones from the middle of the tree. Why do they do that? Well, it opens up the whole tree to the sun, so the tree can be productive, and the fruit can mature at the same time. The Wenatchee and surrounding area is still the second biggest producer of apples in the U.S, so spring time is busy time, and a very serious business. 1. 'Deep' is often used when talking about a location that is almost hidden, or really inside a certain area. a. We have to walk deep into the forest to find the mushrooms. b. The drug network is deep inside the urban area. 2. 'Going on' is a very common way of saying 'taking place' or 'occurring', and sometimes 'continuing'. a. What's going on next door? They must be having a celebration. b. Their arguments have been going on for years; when will they stop? 3. 'Tractors rumble away', ok 'away' here isn't necessary, but it does add a 'storybook' feel to the paragraph. The words 'away' and 'along' are used to do just that; they give the impression of time passing, and the activity continuing. a. The boy yawned, grabbed his pillow, and drifted away into sleep. b. We danced away all night; we didn't stop for hours! c. He came along to help paint the house. d. On saturday I could hear the lawn mowers humming along in the neighborhood.

A shopping center called 'Whaler's village' was very close to where we stayed in Maui. At its entrance was a very elegant, metal statue of a mother humpback whale and her baby. You might know(1) that the water right next to Maui is the one place where humpbacks breed. The ocean here is called the Au'au channel; it is, remarkably, only 300ft deep at the most. Its name in Hawaiian means 'to take a bath', and that makes sense because the channel forms a circular area, with 3 islands around it, so it is sheltered as well as warm and shallow. These conditions make it perfect for the humpback whales who migrate all the way from Alaska where they have been feeding. They spend the winter here, mate or give birth, feed their babies, and then make the 3,500 mile journey back to Alaska. A very special event for anyone who happens to be(2) on Maui between November and April is the breaching of the whales which is their jumping. The mothers teach their babies how to do this. With one flip of their massive tails, they fly out of the water upright, and crash back down with a huge splash. My family and I went out on a boat especially to see this performance. We were very lucky, because about 20 minutes into our trip, the owner of the boat spotted a mother and her baby playing. All the people on the boat were saying, "Oooh!" and "Ah!" and clicking their cameras. The mother only jumped a couple of times; that's usually all they do. The baby, however, was in a very playful mood, and jumped and jumped until he got tired. He then made a circle above his mother and disappeared. The boat owner told us that this is a sign the babies make when they are hungry for milk. Once he was busy feeding, we moved on(3) to another part of the Au'au channel to find more whales. The baby whales get strong quickly; they are 10 to 15 ft long when they are born, weighing 1 ton, and drink 200 to 600 litres of fat-rich milk per day. They generally end up being 40-60 ft adults who weigh 44 tons or more. As you can imagine, it was both surprising and dramatic to see these huge creatures playing around. It's not every day that you witness such an event. 1. 'You might know (that)/ you might already know that' is a useful phrase that helps to engage your listener. a. You might know that the first explorers from Europe who discovered America were the Vikings. b. The presidential race is continuing; you might already know that Rubio is out. 2. '(A person) happens to be.../ you happen to be' is another  idiomatic phrase that is common. a. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to see the lunar eclipse. b. So Michael, can you explain how your hand happened to be in the cookie jar when I walked into the kitchen? 3. 'To move on' means to continue on your way, or to finish doing something and to start doing something else. a. We finished our paintings, and then moved on to our sculptures. b. Ok, can we stop arguing and move on to the next subject? c. We lost our house in an earthquake. We wanted to rebuild, but we decided to move on and find somewhere else to live.

I'm back in Wenatchee, and already missing Maui. We had such a wonderful vacation, and there were so many highlights(1). Some of you will know that I am into plants and trees, so it won't surprise you that a highlight for me was meeting the Banyan tree in the little town of Lahaina. I say "meeting" because it felt as special as meeting a person. It is about 150 years old, and was imported from India. It is from the fig family, and produces a little red berry that is not that good to eat. What is impressive about the tree is that it has spread through its aerial roots, and has become many trees. Its limbs(2) are massive, and it looks as though many trees have joined together. When we first went to the park, children were playing underneath the huge limbs, and running through the natural arches that the Banyan tree had made. The aerial roots are long and thin, growing from upper branches. They eventually touch the ground and attach themselves. These attached roots quickly get thicker, always maintaining their link(3) to the original tree. Compared to other trees, it must be considered a fast-grower because it has filled the Lahaina park in only one and a half centuries. It's right next to the beach, so it is ideally placed for people to hang out in its shade to enjoy the sea breeze. Lahaina is a tourist attraction, tastefully lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants, but you could say that the Banyan tree is its crowning glory. 1. 'Highlights' are special moments or places, or light-colored streaks in your hair. a. He was the highlight of the show; his singing was amazing. b. Your hairdresser did a great job. Your highlights make you look much younger! c. The highlight of our trip was snorkeling with turtles and sharks. 2. 'Limbs' means parts of the body that project and are useful, like an arm or a leg, or a similar body part of an animal, like a wing. It is also another word for a branch. a. The limb bones in a spider monkey are thin. b. After rock climbing all day, her limbs were sore. c. We must cut that limb off the tree before it breaks a window when it's windy.  3. 'Link' is a commonly used word, especially in computer circles. It also means a physical or figurative attachment, and a piece of a chain. a. Follow the link on my blog to see more pictures of Lahaina. b. All his family members are creative, and he is linked to them by the same characteristic. c. The metal chain on the gate has some broken links that we must replace.

The fresh, warm morning air blew gently against my face as I looked out towards the nearest island. The sand between my toes was clean and soft, not irritating at all. As I let it fall through my fingers, it occurred to me that I was looking at the Pacific ocean. Now, that is something that I don't always do. It was still early; there were only a few people here and there, some jogging, some like me, experiencing the beach in the quiet of the morning. The birds up in the palm trees, however, were anything but quiet. They chirped and chatted noisily, arguing with their neighbors. The waves lapped softly on the shore; they were also waking up. I knew that later on the wind and the waves would grow, and soon become quite intimidating. But in this paradise, how could anything be intimidating? As I looked over at a hedge blooming with tropical hibiscus flowers, I couldn't imagine anything on this island being anything but beautiful and relaxed. I was soon to find out that there was a lot more to this island than I realized. I walked over to a beach hut to order a coffee. It had a view of both the beach and the high volcanic mountains that are at the center of the island, the two volcanoes that are responsible for the island itself. They are densely covered in trees, with their tops hidden by cloud all day. Apparently, the Haleakala Observatory sits way above the clouds, in the dry summit of the dormant volcano. There, far above human activity and artificial lights, the stars and planets are observed all year long. "Click, click, click,click," went a camera right next to me which made me jump. A man at the coffee bar was taking photos of the whales that were surfacing out at sea, not too far from the shore. It is the breeding ground for the humpback whales who come here every winter from Alaska. The ocean here is rich with sea creatures, and full of color. And it is the ocean that brought the first people to this island and the other eight that form Hawaii; the Polynesian and Tahitian came bravely on boats crossing huge areas of dangerous ocean. This relaxed atmosphere makes it easy to forget about the struggles of the first people, and the perfect weather makes you forget about the violent, tropical storms, and giant winter waves that crash into the island. Yes, there is a lot of beauty and peace to be enjoyed in Maui, but that is not all. Its volcanic beginning was violent, but like a mother, it nurtures life all around its shores. It stands strong against winds and storms, but it also reaches up through the clouds to gaze at the stars.

Dentist: Hello Liz. What seems to be the problem? Liz: One of my small molars has been aching for a while. I was waiting, and hoping that the pain would go away, but it hasn't. Dentist: You are due to have an x-ray, so let's do that and then talk about all your teeth. Later. Dentist: Ah, yes, you have quite a large cavity in the side of a molar. The hole in the enamel is small but deep. I'm afraid the pain won't go away until you have a filling. Liz: Oh, ok. I'm so disappointed. I brush and floss my teeth twice a day, and I avoid sugary food. Dentist: I know you have good dental hygiene. Well, because you have a brace, it is hard to clean in between your teeth. And some people have cavities, root canals, abscesses, and even gingivitis, while other people , don't have many problems. Liz: That seems unfair. Dentist: It's to do with the level of bacteria in your mouth which is affected by hygiene, diet, genetics, and even stress. I know that you have good dental hygiene because your teeth are healthy and your mouth is very clean. Generally speaking, brushing and flossing and avoiding sugar are the keys to cavity-free teeth. The good news is that soon we will be able to take off your braces; your teeth are almost completely straight.  Liz: That will be a big relief!

Every six months, my family members and I are supposed to go to the dentist for a check-up. I say "supposed to" because we don't rush to get there. Sometimes it's several months later that we have our appointments. I don't have a problem with going(1) to the dentist; I don't have tooth problems, and I like looking after my teeth. My children, however, have needed more of a push to take care of their teeth. Through the years, I have become familiar with the phrases and vocabulary related to dental hygiene: floss, cavities, fillings, molars, x-rays, enamel, and root canals. The dentist office is a scary place, if you think about it. Perhaps that's why the staff is so friendly, almost over-the-top friendly. Everybody smiles so much that it makes me nervous. Anyway, my son and I went to a different kind of dentist: an orthodontist. He is a person who corrects crooked teeth, an overbite, or an underbite. He doesn't pull teeth out, fill them, give injections, or fix any surface problems. Rather, he rearranges the position of the teeth by using braces and retainers. Robert doesn't have any of these problems, but he does have a canine tooth growing into the roof of his mouth. One of his baby teeth is in the way, and so the canine cannot grow into its space properly. I'm a believer in letting(2) nature figure things out as much as possible; the baby tooth will probably fall out, and the canine will grow in properly. I made a point of letting(3) the orthodontist know that I would rather wait than intervene. I noticed that he looked at my teeth the whole time that we were talking. That made me nervous as well. He, of course, is running a business, so intervening makes money for him. The conclusion, thankfully, in Robert's case, was to simply pull out the baby tooth, and then wait to see what happens. He has a lovely set of teeth at the moment, so maybe the strange activity in his mouth will correct itself. They told us to wait six months and then go back for another consultation. When we do, I'll make sure that our teeth are well polished, and we smile as much as they do. 1. 'I don't have a problem with + gerund'. a. I don't have a problem with waiting for the bus. b. They don't have a problem with paying extra for a room with a view. 2. 'I'm a believer in + gerund'. a. I'm a believer in getting up early to get organized for the day. b. I'm a believer in exercising and eating well. *Note, I could follow 'believer' with the nouns 'exercise and good food'. 3. 'I made a point of + gerund'. a. I made a point of telling him that I was leaving the party; I wanted him to notice. b. The students made a point of going to the professor's office at the end of the year, and thanking him for his teaching. Click the link for the Android app

Advertising is everywhere nowadays. Most of us are used to seeing advertisements every day. Having coffee with one of my friends a week ago, I saw an amusing advertisement for the coffee shop. It wasn't pushy(1), or overly dramatic, but just funny. It's actually the photo for today's podcast. It made me think of a unit of study that I was helping to teach recently. The students were learning about the science of advertising to children in the U.S. Apparently, there are no regulations(2) to protect children from the influences of adverts. Psychologists and child development experts are also employed by advertising agencies to make sure that advertisements for children are irresistible(3) to them. We watched a video series about the subject, and then the students and I had a discussion. So often, it seems, advertising is not accurate. And here there is an overwhelming amount of advertising, especially on television. We recently cancelled our television contract, so now, we don't have regular channels; instead, we have apps, so we can choose specific programs. Why is that better than television channels? Simply, there are no commercials, and no awful news flashes. If I want to hear the news, I listen to a podcast, or I watch a news app. I realized, just the other day, how much more peaceful our house is. Imagine a house with no commercials or advertising! It's like being on vacation. My youngest children ask for things less, because they no longer see products like toys advertised. When I finished teaching the unit, I asked the students if they will now have a different opinion of the advertising they see in shops and on television. "Oh yes!" was their group reply. Just by learning about it, they are now more informed about the big business behind the powerful machine of advertising. 1. 'Pushy' means 'aggressive' or 'insistent'. a. I bought an iPad even though I didn't plan to. The sales representative was so pushy! b. I feel as though she just wants to argue. She is so pushy about everything. 2. 'Regulation' is like a restriction that is the law. a. If we build a house, we must follow the size regulation, otherwise, we'll get into trouble. b. Seat belts and speed limits are all forms of regulation. 3. 'Irresistible' means that it is impossible to avoid or not want. a. Lindt uses the very best ingredients in their chocolates; they are irresistible. b. Our perfume is extracted from camels' ears and goats' nostrils; it will make you irresistible.

“Mum, what are all those scratches on your arms?” my daughter asked me with a look of fright. I laughed and told her that I had got into a fight with a bush. She frowned and looked at me with questioning eyes. “I transplanted a giant bush from Barbara’s garden into ours. It was a struggle, and I had forgotten to put on my long sleeve top(1), so my arms got scratched,” I explained. It had been quite a battle. Barbara moved a year ago into her home, and has been wanting to get rid of some of the plants since then(2). The very early Spring is, of course, the best time to transplant, just before the growing season. In the winter it would have been impossible to dig up the plants because the ground is frozen at least a few inches deep. Now that most of the snow in town has melted, the ground is much softer, so people like me can start working again in their gardens. My body is still aching a little from the effort! The bush was about five feet tall, round, and prickly. It was also right next to a wall, so it was very difficult to squeeze myself in between the bush and the wall. I used a super steel shovel which is made out of one piece of metal. It is moulded that way so it doesn’t have any weak spots. After clearing away the stones and cutting the landscaping plastic, I started digging. Because the bush was so big, I could be quite rough with it. It’s root ball was very large, so I know that it had a lot of stored energy in it. When plants are very strong like that, you can actually cut a lot of the roots, and it will still transplant well. Quite magically, now that the days are longer, the sun will stimulate the growth hormone in the plant, and it’s roots will recover. So I dug and dug, and hacked and hacked some more(3). It was like a war, a battle of wills between the bush and myself. Then, when I had cut through enough roots, as tar as I could see, I sat down on the ground with my hands behind me, and pushed the thick stem with both of my feet. I did this all around the plant until, “Crack!” What a beautiful sound, the bush was finally free from the ground. But that wasn’t the end of it. How was I going to get it into my truck? It was so heavy; I couldn’t possibly carry it. I had a solution to that problem. I had brought a plastic tarp with me which I laid out next to the bush. I pushed and pulled and rolled the plant onto the tarp, and then dragged the tarp with the plant on it, to the truck. I counted to three, took a large breath, and lifted the bush, making sure that I used my knees and not my back. What a strong woman! I hope my efforts were worth it. I will find out in about a month when buds start to form and flowers slowly appear. 1. ‘Top’ is often used in the place of t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, and even shirt.a. I like your new top, where did you get it?b. She wore a sleeveless top with a long skirt to the dance; it looked very elegant.c. The boys have grown so much that their tops are all too short.2. ‘Barbara ….has been wanting to get rid of some of the plants since then.’ This present continuous was used in the podcast because Barbara has mentioned several times during this year that she wants to get rid of the plants. It shows a long-term desire.a. We have been wanting to join a gym for two years, but we haven’t had an opportunity yet.b. Since the flood in their house, they have been wanting to move to a different house, but they haven’t found one yet. c. He might get a job in the college. He has been hoping for two months to hear from them, but they haven’t made their decision yet.3. ‘To hack’ is similar to the verb ‘to dig’ or ‘to chop’, but the action is not as accurate; it is more messy. a. I had never chopped wood before. I hacked as much as I could, and then I gave up. b. Oh my haircut is terrible. The lady hacked my hair at the side, just look at it! Click the link for the Android app

In an effort to(1) get my children away from computers and the television, we play games. Mostly we play cards, but we also have a cupboard full of games of different kinds. One of them is called Suspend. It requires calculation and a sense of balance. The main point of the game is to hang as many colored, plastic sticks as you can from a metal hook without any of them falling. This sounds easy, but its not. The sticks are long and wavy. Each stick has to go in a different place, so the places you can hang your stick become more and more limited(2). The metal hook is at the end of a long, straight metal stick that has a wide wooden base, and two stabilizers. There is also a spinner ( an arrow that spins around on a card that has choices). Each person must spin the spinner to see which choice it lands(3) on. For example: it might land on red 2, which means that you have to suspend two red sticks somewhere. It might also land on -2 which means that you have to remove two sticks. The winner is the person who manages to hang all of his sticks first. Of course, any game that involves the risk of a lot of things falling is fun. There are similar games that use blocks, such as the game Jenga. You start with a tower of blocks that is three blocks wide. Each person has to remove a block without the tower falling down. The bigger the tower, the more fun it is because there is a bigger risk of a bigger crash. In any of these games you can add to the excitement by placing bets of chocolates, candies, or even shells. You can also play the games in a different language, or take note of any mathematics that is involved. 1. ‘In an effort to..’ is a useful phrase to add variety to your English. It is like saying ‘in order to’, or ‘trying to’.a. In an effort to organize her classroom, Mrs Brown bought ten plastic containers and labelled them.b. In an effort to put the fire out, the local government asked all the residents to turn on their irrigation systems.2. ‘More and more’ is also great occasionally for some variety in speech.a. I don’t think he likes his job; his attitude is becoming more and more negative.b. We need to employ more workers because our farms are producing more and more vegetables.3. ‘To land’ is to arrive at a geographical spot, or by plane. It is also used a lot in games when and arrow points to a choice, or a game figure/piece arrives on a part of a game board.a. I won Monopoly last night; I kept on landing on the best streets, so I bought them all!b. Spin the spinner and see where it lands.c. In the game Snakes and Ladders, if you land on a snake, you have to slip down it and go back several spaces. However, if you land on a ladder, you can climb up it and go forward several spaces. Click the link for the Android app

Isn't it fun when you stumble across(1) something interesting or worthwhile in a very unlikely place? Perhaps you have gone for a walk through a forest, and along the way you find a beautiful stone statue. Or you are at the beach, and you find a small cave with hieroglyphics in it. These are exciting things to find. My daughter and I found the largest party store in the whole of the U.S in a small town called Moses Lake. Ok, it's not historic, or beautiful, but it is fascinating. If you heard my previous podcast, about Moses Lake, you will know that it is really in the middle of nowhere. And it isn't even a very populated town. So why would the company called Party Central decide to build their biggest store in this out-of-the-way(2) place? My answer is really that I don't know, but I'm assuming(3) that the company has a good reason. Domini had finished a weekend of basketball and wanted to have a quick look in some shops. This store looked entertaining so we walked in. From the outside I couldn't tell how big it was; however, when we went in, it seemed to open up into a huge, cathedral-like place that was filled with plastic this and plastic that. There were enormous shelves on every aisle that must have been at least 20ft tall, and about 200ft long. And there was aisle after aisle of party supplies: plates, hats, cutlery, masks, balloons, makeup, presents, prizes, oh the list goes on to infiniti. I noticed that the employees who worked in this store were quite slim; its not surprising, seeing as they probably walk for miles each day just around the store. My daughter and I had a good look around. We only bought a Valentine's card and a small box of candies. I really didn't want to buy anything; I found the huge quantity of products quite off-putting. When I went to pay, I said to the employee, "This is the biggest party supply store I have seen!" That's when he told me that it is the biggest in the U.S. "Really? In Moses Lake?" I asked, wondering why it wouldn't be in a big city like Chicago or Los Angeles. Hmm, I'm still puzzled. Perhaps the middle of nowhere is the best place for a huge party. 1. 'To stumble across/ upon' means to find accidentally. a. The children stumbled upon a purse in the mud. It looked like it had been there for years. b. While she visited her grandmother, she stumbled upon a family secret. c. Howard Carter and George Herbert, with the help of many workers, stumbled upon Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. 2. 'Out-of-the-way' means remote. a. Even in the middle of nowhere, in this out-of-the-way place, you can places find to stay. b. After getting lost on the moors, the travelers took shelter in an out-of-the-way abandoned farm. 3. 'To assume' is to have an idea about something without really knowing facts. a. He comes to see us every weekend, so I'm assuming he will this weekend. b. I assumed that he was an athlete because he is tall and strong, but actually he is a dancer.  Click the link for the Android app

Liz gets pulled over for speeding by a policeman. Liz: Hello Officer. What seems to be the problem? Officer: Well, Miss, you were going eleven miles per hour over the speed limit. Can I see your driver's license please? Liz: Yes, of course. Here it is. Officer: Also, I need to see your car insurance card. Liz:Ok, let me find it. I think that its mixed in with all of my papers. Ah yes, here it is. Gosh, I didn't realize that I was going so fast; I must have been distracted by the music on the radio.... Officer: Please stay in your car. I need to go back to mine to radio-in this information. Liz: Ok Officer. Officer: Well, it looks like you have a clean record, no outstanding fines. I will, however, have to give you a ticket for speeding. This is a fast highway, and speeding makes it more dangerous. Liz: $70? Wow. This will teach me not to get distracted. Officer: That's the one good thing about fines, they make you think. And if we think, then we become safer drivers. Liz: That makes sense. I've  certainly learned my lesson today. Have a good day Officer. Officer: You too, Miss. Click the link for the Android app

Moses Lake is a town that is situated about an hour and a half from where I live. I don't usually choose to go there; however, in the winter, my children will often have basketball tournaments there once or twice. The journey there takes you through flat farmland, and then through miles of dry open areas of, well, nothing really. The type of land is called 'scabland' where there is very little rainfall(1), and a bush called 'sagebrush' grows everywhere. Geologically speaking, it's part of the largest lava plateau(2) in the world, and it stretches for miles and miles and miles. Part of the road to Moses Lake travels along side the Columbia river which is impressive. But as the road turns away from the river, the land stretches out for miles with no sign of trees or houses. Moses Lake has, of course, a very large lake which initially provided fish for the inhabitants of the town. It was named after Chief Moses, the leader of the Sinkiuse tribe, who had to negotiate with the U.S government to give up the land in exchange for a reservation. The High School is named after him. His picture is on the walls, and a point of pride for the town. As each basketball team has a name, like The Wenatchee Panthers, Moses Lake High School athletes are called the Chiefs, meaning the leaders in Native Indian tradition. The rest of the town doesn't seem to reflect much of its Indian roots(3) which is a shame. It has an important airplane training base, and some farming, but the town itself is not very attractive. I can imagine, however, Moses Lake transformed by some good planning and creativity. It could become an attractive reflection of Native Indian history, and modern progress. 1. I used the word 'rainfall' in the podcast instead of 'rain'. Why? Its because I was talking about the average amount of rain in a year. You can also use the word when talking about a shorter amount of time, like a month. It implies a measurement. a. The rainfall in Seattle is actually a lot more than in the U.K. b. The rainfall each Spring causes floods in town. (Here you could use 'rain', but I wish to indicate volume). 2. The word 'plateau' is a geological term that is sometimes used figuratively. a. The castle is situated on the edge of a plateau that sits in the middle of the valley. b. The computer sales plateaued after three weeks, and then went down. 3. 'Roots' here in the podcast refers to the Native American ethnic heritage. The use of the word is figurative, but of course we use the word literally as well. a. Cutting down the tree was easy, but pulling up all of the roots was hard work! b. They have just moved to a new town, and hope to eventually put down roots there. Click the link for the Android app

Have you ever walked into a house when someone has just made a delicious dessert? What is it that most people do in that situation? Yes, they sniff. I know that when my family comes home from school or work, they are hungry(1). So, when they walk in the house and smell some good food that is ready, I know that it brings a smile to their faces(2). One such dish that smells really good is baked apples. It is a super easy, and healthy alternative to other desserts. The key is to choose the right kind of apples. When apples cook, they go soft and a lot of their juice comes out. Therefore, its important to choose apples that are not too juicy, otherwise, after cooking, you will be left with a very small dessert, and a lot of juice! After washing the fruit, you have to remove the core, which is tricky(3). The typical kitchen vegetable peeler works well for this job because it has a rounded end that helps you dig out the flesh from the middle of the apple. It is only a small kitchen tool, but it really does the job. Next, the apples go in a glass or ceramic dish with the holes facing up. You pour a mixture of saltanas or raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon into the holes, and then you put a square (knob) of butter on top, like a little lid. Put the dish in the oven at about 350 degrees for twenty minutes. And that my friends is that. The smell of the cinnamon and cooking caramel will fill your house and make everybody sniff, sniff, sniff. 1. 'Family' with 'is'. Ok, family is a singular noun, so we use a singular verb with it, 'is', 'was', 'goes' etc. However, it implies more than one person, so a sentence that expands on that idea could say, 'they are ...' Think about the sentence in my podcast: 'I know that when my family comes home from school or work, they are hungry.'   I could not say 'it is hungry', - that just doesn't sound correct at all. HOWEVER, I could say 'my family is hungry'; that sounds very good.  I could change the sentence to something like this: 'After school or work, my family is hungry.' Let's see some examples of using 'they' or even 'we' after family. a. When my family gets together for Thanksgiving, they all help with the washing up / or 'everybody helps with the washing up. b. When my family had a disagreement, they talked about it until they found a solution.  c. When their family goes on vacation, they always choose to go to the beach. 2. 'To bring a smile to someone's face.' This means to make someone happy; it shows the action of the subject on the person who becomes happy. a. That photo of you really brought a smile to my face. b. When she sent me a friend request on Facebook, it really brought a smile to my face. 3. 'Tricky' means difficult in many ways. a. That History exam was very tricky because the questions were worded strangely. b. Doing the Rubick's cube is tricky; you certainly need to practice it a lot.   Click the link for the Android app

In our modern societies, its quite normal to coexist quite happily with other species: dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and many other kinds of pets. I have seen people take their animals into shops, take them into restaurants, and even travel with them on planes. I think it is becoming more common. Being a pet owner myself, I understand the strong attachment that some people have to their animals. However, there are some places where you don't expect to find animals of any kind. I picked up my daughter from the cinema the other day, and found that her friend's teenage sister who had accompanied them had secretly taken her pets as well. She reached in her pocket and brought out two very colorful geckos. I was shocked. First of all I was surprised that they hadn't escaped, as I know that they can move very quickly. If they had, it would have been a disaster, because the cinema is huge and it would have been impossible to find them. Just imagine them running around on the floor of the dark viewing room, around people's feet, and slipping into someone's handbag or up a trouser leg. Ugh! The thought makes me shudder(1)! Secondly, I couldn't stop thinking about salmonella bacteria. I hope Maria, the owner, wasn't eating popcorn while watching the movie and stroking her pets at the same time! Well, she seemed perfectly healthy. She then told me that the reason she had brought them to the theater was that she didn't want to keep them at home. She had a four year old cousin staying at home, and he was a bit rough. She didn't want to risk (2)them getting hurt. So, she sneaked(3) them into her pocket without anyone knowing. Maria loves reptiles and wants to be a responsible pet owner. As I drove home I realized that we were lucky that she didn't own any snakes! 1. 'Shudder' is the verb which means 'to shake' with horror or disgust.  a. Elizabeth looked at the large cut on the man's face and shuddered. She knew that she could never be a nurse. b. The new boy shuddered to think of sitting next to the school bully on the bus. 2. 'To risk' plus a verb in the present continuous, is a shorter version of saying 'to run a/the risk of + verb in continuous. a. I left early because I didn't want to risk being late / run the risk of being late. b. The prisoners escaped quietly so they wouldn't risk waking the guards / run the risk of waking the guards. 3. 'To sneak' has a very different ending in the past tense in the U.S compared to Britain: 'snuck'. a. The children sneaked into the cinema without paying (British).     The children snuck into the cinema without paying (U.S.) b. The cat sneaked slowly up the tree while the bird was away from its nest (British).     The cat snuck slowly up the tree while the bird was away from its nest (U.S.) Click the link for the Android app

I have written on several occasions about Leavenworth. It's about 30 minutes by car from where I live, and a very popular destination for tourists. Because of its mountainous landscape(1), it receives more snow than we do, and stays a few degrees colder. There is a skiing area in Leavenworth that is busy each winter. It offers regular downhill skiing, tubing, nordic skiing like cross country and skate skiing, and also a ski jump. We usually go tubing there. It's the easiest of all the activities because it just involves sitting down! You sit on an inner tube, which is the inside rubber tube of a wheel. An assistant hooks you onto a pulley that pulls you up the hill where you are detached, and then you slip down the hill very quickly indeed. It's great fun, and even young children can do it safely. The other skiing activities are spread out over(2) three different locations: on the ski hill itself, along the river, on a golf course, and in the central park. In fact, when there is enough snow, you can see people moving around the town, going here and there on skis, because it seems to be safer than walking. One sport that I think I will never attempt is the ski jump. Instructors are available so beginners can slowly learn to make little jumps, gradually increasing the length of the jump to 15 meters. Those who are more experienced(3) and confident can graduate to 27 meters. I think that would make me dizzy! The Leavenworth ski jump is actually the only one on the West Coast of the U.S, so it's very special. Some people like heights, and enjoy the feeling of flying through the air, so it's perfect for them. I, however, like to have my feet on the ground...Then after a few hours of tubing, or some good exercise skiing, you can't go home without having hot chocolate in the ski cabin. 1. Different kinds of landscapes: a. Because of the arid landscape, water is expensive, and the farms are irrigated. b. The flat landscape of Texas makes it prone to tornados. c. The mountainous landscape of the highway becomes dangerous in rain storms, resulting in landslides. 2. 'To spread ... out over/to be spread out over ...' is a very useful phrase that can be applied in many situations. a. The talks will be spread out throughout the day, so we can have breaks in between. b. The fire fighters spread out over the whole area, trying to surround the fire. c. The gypsies are an ethnic group that is spread out over many nations. 3. 'Those who are more .../ the ... who are more...' a. Those of you who are more athletic can climb the 259 steps up to the Whispering Gallery; the rest of you can explore the main level of St. Paul's Cathedral.  b. The children who are more studious will be picked for the advanced math competition. c. The women who have access to good medical care will do well in their pregnancies and have healthy babies.   Click the link for the Android app

Mr. Brown: "Did you want to see me, sir?" Principal Stevens: "Ah yes, Mr. Brown, do come in, please." Mr. Brown: "Do you want me to close the door?" Principal Stevens: "Yes, if you would. Don't worry about the broken handle; it doesn't work. The custodian was going to fix it, but he didn't. I don't know what he does with all of his time... Make yourself comfortable; you can take your coat off. I'll get the secretary to bring us some coffee." Mr. Brown: "Thank you. I'll keep my coat on; its a bit chilly." Principal Stevens: "It does feel cold in here, doesn't it? Don't tell me the heating isn't working now! I'll have to see what the custodian can do about that as well." Mr. Brown: "Do you need a copy of the class grades? If you do, I have extras." Principal Stevens: "No, don't worry. I have it all on my computer. I'll get to the point, Mr. Brown. The counselor has told me that she doesn't have any concerns about the girls in your class, but she does about the boys. We expected them to do well on their exams, but they haven't. The girls have done well, very well. That group of boys that you have just hasn't done a good job in anything: attendance, projects, or studying. Do you know why?" Mr. Brown: "Well, they had a plan of working together to finish their projects, and also to have study groups. That didn't work out because they have been so ill with the flu. They had done a lot of traveling together for basketball. One of them got the flu, and so all of them did. They had done quite a lot of work before the basketball season started, but they hadn't done enough to get a good grade. I gave them an alternative test that involved working in a group, but it didn't improve their grades. I don't know what to do at this stage." Principal Stevens: "It sounds like you've done all that you can. Sickness is sickness, I'm afraid. I will talk to the superintendent to see if we can give those boys a pass or fail for the year, instead of a grade. We do do that sometimes, when it's necessary. And don't worry, Mr. Brown, I don't see this as a reflection of your teaching abilities. You have always done a good job." Mr. Brown: "Thank you Principal Stevens. I did urge the parents this year to vaccinate their children. When the boys got sick I realized that they hadn't done that. " Principal Stevens: "Well, there's nothing else you can do, really. I'll let you know as soon as I do about the grades. Thanks for meeting with me." Mr. Brown: "Thanks for your time, Principal Stevens."     Click the link for the Android app

Liz calls Barbara on the phone: Liz: Hi Barbara, are you up for yoga tomorrow at 7?(1) I know its a bit early, but it'll be worth it.  Barbara: I'm really sorry Liz, but I can't go. (2)I threw my back out yesterday, and I'm really miserable. Liz: Oh, you poor thing! How on earth did you do that? Barbara: You know I work in the library on Wednesday's. Well, I had to carry boxes of books from the storage room and stack them on the shelves. I overdid it, of course. That kind of thing always throws my back out. Liz: Do you need to see a doctor or a chiropractor? Barbara: Not really. I'm taking meds for the pain because I think that the injury is just muscular. When my muscles finally relax, I'm sure the pain will go away. Liz: What have you been doing to help it? Barbara: Apart from the pain killers, I have been lying flat on my back with my head on a small pillow and my knees up a little. I've also iced my back. Last night I wrote my essay lying down. I probably looked ridiculous! Liz: Well, who cares what you look like? The important thing is that you feel better. It sounds like you're doing everything you can. I hope you get better soon! I'll miss you at yoga! Barbara: Yeah, have fun!   Click the link for the Android app

My husband and I have developed an addiction to Japanese food. We are so happy that a few Japanese restaurants have finally opened in our town. Though we don't often have the opportunity to go out to dinner alone, when we do, we choose to eat at one of those restaurants. For a long time, we have enjoyed shushi, with its mixture of sticky rice, vegetables and a small amount of raw fish. It has been our only experience of eating uncooked fish, as I am British, and my husband is American, we are accustomed to(1) only cooked meat and fish. However, we have come to really appreciate the extremely clean taste and soft texture of the raw fish. Also, after eating shushi, our stomachs always feel satisfied but not bloated at all. So, the other day, when we went to Iwa's restaurant, all we wanted was raw fish(2). We ordered a plate for two people which had a variety of different fish. When the waitress gave us our plate, I was impressed. It was beautifully presented, and looked artistic and colorful. I ate some tuna and salmon which I am very familiar with. Then I tried the mackerel which had a flaky texture, similar to cooked fish. I wasn't sure about the octopus, however. I did eat a piece, but found it really chewy. It's surprising how filling raw fish is! We couldn't finish the plate. One of the many reasons we keep returning to Iwa's is because we trust the chefs. We can see them working in their spotless(3) kitchen, and the fish is always cut carefully with very clean knives and very clean hands. And that, I think, is the philosophy of making sashimi: getting an amazing taste from the freshest fish, and the cleanest hands. 1. 'To be accustomed to' is like saying 'to be used to' but it implies a cultural habit. a. I am accustomed to having coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. b. He is accustomed to watching American football every Sunday during the winter. 2. The word placement of 'All we wanted was raw fish' is worth mentioning. The sentence could be written the other way around: 'Raw fish was all we wanted'. Both are perfect sentences, but there is a subtle difference between the two. The first sentence shows more focus and intent; it feels more exclusive (no other food should be considered). However, in speech, you can always emphasize a word or parts of a sentence as you wish in order to make an impact. a. Peace and quiet is all I want. All I want is peace and quiet. b. To pass the last exam is all he needs. All he needs is to pass the last exam c. Money is all they ask for. All they ask for is money. 3. 'Spotless' is absolutely clean. It can be used figuratively. a. She spends a lot of time cleaning her house; it is always spotless. b. As a business owner, he had a spotless record of paying his taxes on time and treating his employees with respect. Click the link for the Android app

Last Tuesday, I had an impromptu trip(1) to Olympia, the capital of Washington State. I have been taking exams to become a medical interpreter in Spanish and English, but those exams can't be taken in Wenatchee. If you want to take the test, you have to sign up online when a spot(2) becomes available, and that doesn't happen very often. You usually have to wait for at least three months. I have become impatient with the whole sign up process, and all the waiting involved, so when I found an opening(3), I immediately signed up. I had only a week to prepare, and then a three and a half hour drive to get there. The drive was easy enough as I drove on main roads the whole way. I also took the opportunity to record a lot of vocabulary and sentences to listen to in the car. As I approached Olympia it poured with rain. I could tell that the area receives a lot of rain each year as the trees are covered with moss. This was quite a contrast to where I live now. I arrived in plenty of time to find the testing center. It was in a very large social services building, up several flights of stairs. The closer I got to the exam room, the more nervous I became. "Now calm down Anna," I said to myself. "If you don't pass it this time, you'll just have to try again." The lady who administers the test was very nice. She made me feel comfortable, and she also gave me some good advice about relaxing and speaking clearly and slowly. After the exam I headed over to the State Legislative building which is the main landmark of the city. It was surrounded by mist, and looked as if its domed roof was going to disappear into the clouds. I didn't stay long, as I had a long drive home. I just wanted to catch a glimpse of this political center, and the beautiful building that represents it. 1. 'Impromptu' describes a sudden and unplanned or unexpected event or other kind of noun. a. Our get-together led to an impromptu group singing. b. As I was volunteering in the class, I became an impromptu teacher because Mr. White, the English teacher,  suddenly felt ill.  c. After talking on the phone with her brother, Mary bought a ticket and took an impromptu trip to see him.  2 & 3 'A spot' can mean an available place or appointment, as can 'an opening'. Opening, however, is more common, and applies better to appointments. In speech, we can often use both in the same sentence. a. She had a spot on the radio show where she read a few lines and sang a song. b. Finally there was an opening to see the dentist; I had waited for weeks. c. There were a few openings for the exam to choose from: 11am, 2pm, and 4:30pm. I chose the 2pm spot/ opening.   Click the link for the Android app

The old man woke to the sound of his dog barking. He knew that his companion could smell the deer outside, so he slipped his winter boots on, and opened the door to let him out. The biting cold wind blew on him; he shivered and closed the door. Thunder, his Karakachan Bear dog, could be heard in the distance barking at the deer. He didn't feel the cold because he was so fluffy, a true winter dog. It could be far below zero(1), and he would still want to play and run in the snow.  The old man stoked up(2) the fire and looked out of the window. Icicles hung from the roof blocking his view of the mountain road. He looked through the evergreen forest to the distant glacier that always seemed to look back at him, another wilderness companion. His son and family were coming to visit; they did so often. They loved to go snowshoeing together and build an army of snowmen. But today was bitterly cold, and the road was probably blocked. "I'd better snowplow down to the main road, or they'll never get here." he thought to himself. Sometimes, the snow was so deep that he would have to transport his family, two by two, on his snowmobile, from the main road up to his house. For years his son had tried to convince him to move into town. "Why do you insist on living in such a place?" he would ask him. "You've already lost two fingers to frostbite." But the old man would no longer even reply. This was his place in life, in his cabin, on the mountain, through the storms, the snow, the freezes and the thawing and melting of the Spring. He couldn't imagine a better place to be. He pulled on his winter boots, buttoned up his fleece coat, and grabbed his gloves and ear muffs as he left. Oh yes, it was nippy. The wind chill factor(3) made the cold feel sharp against his face. His eyes watered, and he pulled his warm hood over his head and buttoned up the neck. He pushed the fresh snow off of his snowplow, and started the engine. Thunder came running up behind him enthusiastically, ready for an adventure. "Come on boy!" said the old man. "Let's get to work!" 1. 'Zero, zero degrees, below zero, far below zero.' a. It's below zero but the snow is still melting! The ground must be warmer than the air. b. As the sun went down, the temperature dropped to far below zero. Everything was dark and frozen and still. 2. 'To stoke up the fire' means to make the fire bigger. It can, of course, be used figuratively.  a. The fire has died down. Let's stoke it up! I'm getting cold! b. His words stoked (up) the argument. They were not very helpful. 3. 'The wind chill factor' is how the wind can add to the effect of the temperature. a. The temperature didn't seem too bad, but the wind chill factor made quite a difference when we started hiking. b. The movement of the air on your skin chills you more than just the outside temperature. Click the link for the Android app

Two days ago, we were hit hard(1) by snow. It snowed all night, leaving a thick blanket that seemed to insulate everything. The entryway, driveway, and neighborhood road looked like they had been carpeted with white. The back garden has got deeper and deeper with snow, as we don't clear it. There is nothing to do in the garden now that it is winter, nothing other than playing and building snowmen. There is, however, one place in the back that I have to keep clear of snow. That is the bird feeding area. Because we live in the country, and our neighborhood has many trees, there is a huge variety of birds that live here. The ones who stay in the winter need food, and that is where I come in(2). I like to help them a little, even though I know that they are very capable of helping themselves. I put a couple of dishes of bird seed out for them, and then I made frozen balls of bacon fat and seed. I hung these balls from the trees, and hurried back into the kitchen to watch from a comfortable spot. Gradually more and more birds swooped into my garden and came to the feast. They were little round birds who hopped quickly, fought with each other, and twittered(3). They acted like excited, young school girls at the shopping mall. Before long, the seed was gone. I hunted around in my garage for more bags, and managed to find just enough for the birds' second course. I decided to add some dry dog food to the mix. The birds came in a second time, but then suddenly flew away. There was an ugly squawking sound, and suddenly, I saw four beautiful blue jays. They swallowed up the dog food in no time, and left as soon as it was gone. Bird watching is proving to be quite addicting, especially when these loud but lovely birds come to visit. 1. 'To be hit hard by ...' is a phrase that can be used in the context of weather, financial problems, or many other kinds of changing situations. a. We were hit hard by job losses when the factory closed. b. The whole state was hit by a heat wave that dried up the farms. c. A migraine hit me hard, so I had to pull over and take some medication. 2. 'That is where ...come/comes in' is a casual and slightly playful way of introducing something into a clear context. a. The skiers will come in the restaurant looking for a warm meal. And that is where the new chefs come in. They will have hot stews and soups ready for them. b. Tourists typically try to see the most historically significant places in a city, but it is difficult. That is where a guide comes in. He can save the tourists a lot of time and frustration. 3. 'To twitter'. It must be one of the most well-known words at the moment because of the social media giant, Twitter. It describes the quick, chatting noise that a bird makes which is different from its singing. a. I love the spring, but oh my goodness, the birds start their twittering at 5am! b. What are you two twittering about?                                   Click the link for the Android app

Barbara: Hi Liz, sorry to bother you. I know you're busy studying, I just wanted to double-check(1) the time that we're going to the basketball game. Liz: Uh, let's leave at about six thirty. It starts at seven thirty, but it'll be packed, so we'll need time to park and find seats. Barbara: Ok. Oh, I love what you've done(2) with the Christmas cards! Liz: Thanks. I like to arrange them on the wall and save them for at least a month. Look, I got several from my friends in York. This one is made from photos. See how snowy it is? And those are my three friends: Suzy, Jeff, and Peter. They took a selfie next to the(3) statue of Emperor Constantine. They look so goofy! Barbara: Oh that's great! That is definitely worth keeping! Click the link for the Android app

I hear almost every day about useful apps. I have many already on my iPhone that make my life easier and more productive. One of the most practical that I have found is Google Maps. It has saved me so much time and frustration. It is essentially a map with a voice that guides you, step by step, to your destination. Hurray for that! For those of us who love languages, there are hundreds of language learning apps. A friend of mine from Iran recently told me about an extremely popular app that can be used for anything from teaching languages, business communication, sharing of files, or simply messaging and friendly chats. It's called Telegram. I have read quite a lot about it, and will continue to do so because it sounds very useful indeed. It was developed by the Durov brothers from Russia, but has its head quarters in Berlin. And the founders have covered all the costs(1), so it is free, and there is no advertising at all. Hamed, my friend from Iran, is an experienced English teacher who is quite the perfectionist(2) when it comes to learning English. In fact, he used to Skype with me in order to perfect his accent. Telegram is an easy platform for him to share videos, grammar notes, or even to have general discussions. It sounds like something that I can use! It is also dedicated to its users' privacy. In this competitive world of social media, it will be interesting to see if Telegram outdoes Facebook and Twitter by offering better service and more privacy. Hamed certainly gives it the thumbs up(3), and invites anyone who wants to learn English to try his free group. Just install Telegram on your device and try the link:      1. 'To cover the cost' means to pay for everything. This phrase it usually used in the context of business or insurance. a. The company covered the cost of the business dinner. b. Thankfully, my insurance company covered the cost of getting a new engine for my car. 2. 'To be quite the (perfectionist) etc'. This phrase is emphatic, and similar to saying, "He is such a perfectionist." a. I was surprised. My shy brother was quite the entertainer at the party last night. b. She is quite the activist. She never misses an opportunity to speak for those who need help. 3. 'To give someone/something thumbs up/down'. This phrase describes giving approval or disapproval. It is related to the Roman Caesars' thumbs up or down given at the end of gladiator games. a. We got the thumbs up from the principal to hold a health assembly in the High School. b. I give Google Maps an enthusiastic thumbs up. Click the link for the Android app

Ellensburg is the home of Central Washington University. I have been lucky enough to be a student there twice. The building was constructed in the late 1800's, and makes a lovely center piece for the town. The town is quite small really; there are only about 18,000 residents. It is odd, actually, to think of such a large university being in a small town. This happened because, in the 19th century, Ellensburg made a bid(1) to be the political capital of the state, but lost. As a consolation(2), the university was built. The rest of the town is agricultural and fairly modern, with a few historical buildings here and there. I have a soft spot(3) for both the town and the university because of my good memories of being a student. Now I have another reason for visiting the town. Two of my children play AAU basketball, which is a non-school league. Last weekend their teams played in the university gym, so we spent the whole weekend there. Just outside of the gymnasium is a very large statue of a wildcat which is the mascot of the university. It was covered with a thin sheet of frost, and looked very intimidating. There were people everywhere, mainly students, of course. Above the gymnasiums is a jogging track, and next door is a huge weight room, and a climbing wall. It is a wonderful and useful modern addition to this historic place. The weekend came and went quickly, with lots of wins and losses, and before long, we had driven over the mountain pass and were back at home in Wenatchee.  1. 'To make a bid' is to ask to win/receive a contract. We also 'ask' for bids from companies to see which one can give us the best service. a. Many countries made their bids to host the next Olympics. b. We asked for bids from several builders, to see which one could build our garage for the most reasonable price. c. At the auction, the highest bid for the antique chair was $1000. 2. 'Consolation' is a gift of some kind to compensate for a loss. The verb 'to console' is to offer kind words to someone when they have lost something. a. The loser of the competition received a consolation prize of a laptop. b. I consoled her after her pet died. c. The policeman gave the child a teddy bear, as a consolation, until they could find her parents. 3. 'To have a soft spot for something/someone' is to have positive/ tender feelings sometimes related to memories. a. I have a soft spot for the college because I have good memories of being a student. b. I have a soft spot for cats; we always had cats when I was a child. c. They have a soft spot for Madrid; they first met and later got married there. Click the link for the Android app

Thanksgiving was on 26th of November. It is always on the fourth Thursday of that month. It is a day that everyone looks forward to. It is a welcomed break for school children and anyone who works. And, of course, there is a big meal to share with family, friends, or both if you are lucky. This year, I decided to try something different. Each Thanksgiving morning here in Wenatchee, there is The Turkey Run. It is a 5km run or walk that is organized to raise money for charity. Participants(1)need to pay a certain amount to receive an official number in the race. Then, all you need is a good pair of running shoes, and some warm clothes. I had got(2) up early that morning to go to the supermarket. It was freezing cold. "Uh!" I thought to myself, "The race will be miserable if it stays this cold." Thankfully, by the time my daughter and I were ready, the sun had come out, and it was a few degrees warmer. At the starting line, there were hundreds of people of all ages, all dressed in winter clothes, some wearing funny hats, and even a couple of ballet Tutus. There were lots of smiles and laughter, and a few serious runners who disappeared along the road and up the hill as fast as lightening. My daughter wanted to run ahead to find one of her friends, so I jogged behind her. I kept my eyes on her bright pink sweater, as it darted through the crowd. During the run, I saw people I know, and was able to walk and talk with a few. I also was able to admire those in wheelchairs who were making a wonderful effort for charity. There were people with turkey hats on, others dressed in the Seattle Seahawks colors, and even babies bundled up like Eskimos being carried by their parents. I can only imagine that  with such a good turnout(3), a lot of money was raised for charity. I will definitely take part in the race next year; I'm tempted to buy a silly turkey hat just for that occasion. 1. 'Participants' is the noun, from the verb 'to participate' meaning to take part in something. a. We were participants in the race, but not serious runners. b. Now it is time for the participants to be judged. 2. 'Got' is used in British English as the past participle, instead of 'gotten' which is used in the U.S. a. We had got tired of the cold, so we went back to the house. b. They missed the bus because they hadn't got up until really late. 3. 'Turnout' is a number of people coming to an event. a. I'm so pleased at the turnout of this political rally. b. The turnout for the new video game was a record breaker.  Click the link for the Android app

"Wake up! Look at the frosty morning!" I said to my children on Monday. I knew that they wouldn't want to get out of bed; after all, it was a school day. But something about the beginning of winter makes the morning more interesting for them. I opened the curtains in the rooms of my two youngest, who normally moan and complain when they have to get up. "Wow, look at all the crunchy frost," my daughter said. She was right. As we looked out on the back garden, there seemed to be a sheet of sparkling powdered glass laying on everything. It twinkled(1) in the morning light. "I'll make some hot chocolate," I said, still trying to coax(2) them into coming downstairs. I had their winter clothes laid out on the lounge floor:coats, boots, gloves, hats, and scarves. While they ate their porridge, I spoke to my oldest sons. "Now, its best to leave early, so you don't have to hurry. Keep your distance when you drive because its icy." They both nodded in agreement, and gave me that look, the look that says, "Mum, I already know all of that. I'm a teenager, remember?" As I went outside to warm up the car, I noticed a neighbor was scraping the ice off of her windshield(3). Another neighbor was sprinkling ice melter on his path. I realized that winter has arrived, and we need to prepare ourselves in order to live comfortably with the cold. Just then, I got a text from my husband, "Remember to get the snow tires put on your car" it read. Yes, it was another thing to add to my list of preparations for winter. Here are some more things to add to it: Flu shots for everyone. Chop wood for the fire. Buy vitamin C and Zinc. Ingredients for soups and stews. Put fuel in the snow blower, and get the snow shovels out of the shed. Each day I try to check off one or two things from the list so we will be ready for the chilly season. Nobody likes to be unprepared, especially when it is so cold. 1. 'To twinkle' is a verb that refers to an intermittent shining of light. We associate the verb with Christmas lights, frost, stars, and other kinds of light. a. It was a very clear night. There was a full moon, and the stars were twinkling. b. Look at those twinkling lights on the trees. They are so pretty! 2. 'To coax someone into...' this phrase is similar in meaning to 'to persuade someone to do something'. a. I coaxed my dog into going to the vet by giving him pieces of bacon. b. I coaxed my husband into going to see a ballet with me by promising that I would go hunting with him.  3. 'Windshield' is the main front window of a car. It shields/ protects you from the wind.  a. My windshield cracked when a big truck went past me and threw up some stones. b. You might prefer a motorbike with a windshield if you are traveling far. Click the link for the Android app

The Redwood forest is located on the west coast, from the south of Oregon to the south of California. There isn't just one forest; there are several along and near the coast. Together they cover 133,000 acres. In the 1800's many people went to the west coast to mine gold. Of course, a lot of people didn't find any, and so logging became a second option. At that time there were 2,000,000 acres of redwoods. The trees were quickly chopped down and used for buildings in the San Francisco area. In 1920 a movement started to preserve the remaining trees, but it wasn't until(1) the 1960's that they were finally safe. And I'm so glad that they are. I was lucky enough to take my family there this summer, and we were amazed at their size and beauty. Their age was just as astonishing(2). We came across a slice of a massive tree that was around(3) before the Vikings came to the Americas. Some trees had fallen over, and their root systems were the size of houses! We walked around the forest, straining our necks to keep looking up, up, up. I noticed a few things in particular. First, the bark of the redwoods is spongey, not hard. Second, there are hardly any plants on the forest floor because of the lack of sunshine. And third, the forest is so, so quiet. There are so many photos on the web of these amazing trees. 1. 'It wasn't until...' is a phrase that indicates the passing of time until an event/ change/ an action. I mentioned that a movement to preserve the trees had started in the 1920's, but nothing happened until the 1960's. That is why I used 'it wasn't until...' a. We asked for building permission, but it wasn't until 3 years later/had passed that we were given permission. b. I asked him to close the door, but it wasn't until he got cold that he closed it! c. We bought our ski gear, but it wasn't until February that we were able to use it. 2. 'Their age was just as astonishing.' This is a separate sentence which refers back to the size and beauty of the trees of the previous sentence.  a. The boys received excellent results in English. Their mathematics results were just as good. b. She is tall and attractive. You are just as beautiful. c. The new car is computerized and stylish. It's fuel efficiency is just as impressive. 3. 'a tree...that was around before the Vikings..' Here I could have used 'was growing' or 'was alive', but 'to be around' is a highly used phrase for something or someone being alive or present. a. I am wise because I have been around for a long time. b. That radio program has been around for about 50 years! c. How long are those noisy kids going to be around here?   Click the link for the Android app

American football is an autumn sport here in the U.S. The season goes from September until December approximately. Out of my three sons, only my youngest likes to play it; infact, he loves it. His last game was a couple of weeks ago, as middle schoolers have a short season. We went to the local High School stadium, and sat with a small crowd to watch the game. It was a chilly day, so most people had brought blankets and warm coats. I am more accustomed to football (soccer) and rugby, and so, it has taken me a while(1) to get used to the stopping and starting that take place in American football. The sport was based on rugby when it was first invented, but evolved during the 1870's into what it is today. Here, in the U.S, it is called 'football'; they call 'football' 'soccer' to distinguish between(2) the two. In order for a team to win it has to, first, have possession of the ball, and then advance into the opposing team's end zone. A 'touchdown' is the term used for a 'goal', just as in rugby we say a 'try'. There are also goal posts that the ball can be kicked through. So, you can see how American football is a hybrid of rugby. My son's team ended up(3) losing, but it was a great game. A few times the possession of the ball changed from one team to the other, and that is always exciting. The sport is the most popular in the country, and the amount of children who play it increases each year. It's following on television is also huge, with last year's Superbowl having 114 million American viewers. 1. ' It takes a while / it has taken (a person) a while to + verb'  is a very common expression which shows how time is needed in order to accomplish something. a. It takes a while to get onto the highway because the traffic in town is bad. b. It takes me a while to wake up in the morning!  2. 'To distinguish between' is similar to saying 'to show/tell the difference between' when contrasting two things. a. We can only distinguish between the twins when they are wearing different clothes! / We can only tell the difference between the twins .... *Note 'to tell the difference' is used when we figure out/ calculate the difference, whereas 'to show' the difference is used when you are teaching or explaining what the difference is. b. Can you distinguish between your father's voice and your grandfather's? 3. 'They ended up losing..' is a very natural sounding way of saying 'the end result was that they lost'. You could simply say 'they lost' of course, but 'they ended up' refers back to all the effort and time that went into their activity. a. We won eight out of ten matches and ended up going to the state competition! b. My car broke down and I missed the bus. My bicycle had a flat tire, so I ended up walking to work. Click the link for the Android app

On one of my many walks on the Apple Capital Loop Trail, I came across an amazing patch of flowers. On a corner of land, next to an indoor market(1), a garden of only one kind of flower had been planted. They were dahlias. I happened to have my iPhone with me, so I climbed in amongst (2)the tall plants, and tried to find the perfect angles for the photos. So what is so special about dahlias? Their variety and sizes are quite incredible. There are 42 species, and many hybrids, so the colors, shapes, and sizes vary tremendously(3). I grew just a few this year for the first time. One was a huge, yellow dahlia called a 'dinner plate'. You can imagine how big the flower head is! The dahlia also has an interesting history. It is the national flower of Mexico, and used to be grown by the Aztecs for its tubers (which are like bulbs) which they would eat. One of the dahlias I photographed was a red and cream stripy flower with a very large head. I played around with the photo for this blog, and actually decided that it looks better in black and white because the petals have so much texture. See what you think.  Check out my Facebook page for more dahlias! 1. 'Indoor/ outdoor' is quite obvious in meaning, but let's practice some examples: a. We have indoor markets all winter because it is too cold outside. b. They have an indoor swimming pool. How lucky! c. There will be an outdoor theatre all summer long. d. They live in Arizona where it is nearly always dry. They have an outdoor pizza oven. 2. 'Amongst/ among' are interchangeable. Note, however that in the US people don't really use 'amongst' as it sounds out of date.  a. Divide the chocolate among you three. b. In this group, you are always among friends. 3. 'Tremendously' is a powerful adverb that is similar in sense to 'enormously'. a. She is a tremendously talented mathematician. b. He is tremendously helpful. c. The personalities in my classroom vary tremendously.   Click the link for the Android app

Walla Walla park is right next to the river in Wenatchee. When I first came here twenty three years ago, it had just opened. Now, twenty three years later, the trees are so much bigger, and the park is well used by the locals. Its biking and walking paths run(1) for about five miles along the Columbia river. Then they continue over a bridge to the north, follow the other side of the river south, and finally, cross over the southern bridge to form an oval, or what we call The Apple Capital Loop Trail. It actually gets very busy as the walkers and bikers share the same paths. There is a courtesy rule(2) that as a biker approaches people walking in front of him, he must call out, “On your left!” That way, the walkers can move over to the right and let the biker pass safely. Safety is, of course, very important when lots of people are using the same place for sport. The water sports, such as kayaking and fishing, also need safety precautions. The local council has supplied life jackets for anyone who wishes to use them. So, if a family brings a boat to go fishing, they can use as many life jackets as they need, as long as(3) they put them back afterwards. The same goes for kayakers, water skiers, and paddle boarders. It is a generous and practical idea. It also encourages people to be honest, and to give back what they have borrowed. Along with the drinking fountains, toilets, play areas for children, and coffee hut, the free life jackets ensure a safe and enjoyable experience of the park. 1. ‘Run ….along/ the length of’ describes how a physical or imagined road travels, and what it is next to. a. The route we will take runs up the mountain face and then along to the right.b. The state boundary runs right along the river.c. Semi-precious stones can be found on the entire length of the stream. 2. ‘A courtesy rule’ is a rule that is established for the good of the general public, for safety, and for comfort.a. Opening the door for a lady used to be a courtesy rule.b. Waving at a driver who has just let you into traffic is a courtesy rule. 3. ‘…as long as…’ is similar in meaning to ‘if’, but it implies that a condition has to be met.a. You can go to the cinema, as long as you are home by eleven.b. They can borrow our car, as long as they buy extra insurance.c. She can borrow twenty dollars, as long as she pays me back by Thursday.   Click the link for the Android app

1.Barbara: Liz! How are you? I'm so glad you're back. We all missed you! 2.Liz: Oh, thanks. I can't believe that the six months have been and gone! 3.Barbara: So, you must be super-fluent in English now, right? It sounds like the language course in York was really thorough. 4.Liz: My English really is so much better! Well, when you live around it everyday, it has to get better, right? The people in York are so friendly and chatty. And the city is amazing. 5.Barbara: We have to go to our favorite coffee shop, so you can tell me all about it. And don't forget your photos! 6.Liz: That's a great idea. But gosh, I have so much to tell; I don't know where to start! Click the link for the Android app

They walk sideways on their ten, bony legs. They are hard, and seem unfriendly. They run away from humans. Some people have them as pets, but I wouldn't! Their world is water, rivers, oceans, where they live with other cold-blooded animals. They are experts at hiding. And if you catch one, watch out! Your fingers will be pinched if you're not careful. You've probably guessed that I'm talking about the crab. It's a wild, sea creature, though some of them live in rivers. And it is unusual, compared with(1) most animals. It doesn't have any fur or feathers, and it doesn't seem to show emotion. It even wears its skeleton on the outside! One thing that it really does have is a good taste. It was that delicious flavor that prompted (2) my family and some friends to go to . The place is 100 miles north of Seattle, and about 35 miles south of Canada. It is a beautiful, wide bay, that is surrounded by forest. Our friends had a boat, crabbing pots, and all the equipment needed to trap our dinner. The sea must be healthy in that area, because after waiting for just a few hours, we had 30 crabs, far too much for us! We cleaned and boiled them right next to the beach, and then had a feast! The sun went down as we ate, and the most amazing colors developed on the horizon and through the sky. It was really a magical time. Those hard, but delicious creatures had lead us to a beautiful part of the country. We took so many photos of the sunset and its changing colors, and we sat after our meal, and enjoyed the gentle lap(3) of the waves on the shore. 1. 'Compared with..' is an essential tool to use in English conversation and writing. It allows you to create interesting, intermediate sentences. It points to differences, whereas saying 'compared to' points to similarities. a. Life can be compared to a journey. b. Ludovico Enaudi, as a composer, can be compared to Vivaldi in many ways. c. My life in London was very different compared with my life in Wenatchee. d. Compared with our school funds from last year, this year's funds are really low. 2. 'To prompt' is to encourage or remind. It can be used in many ways. a. The wonderful weather prompted us to go for a hike. b. The taste of crab prompted us to go fishing in Birch Bay. c. During the play, the drama teacher prompted Deborah when she forgot her lines. d. The rise in the price of milk prompted demonstrations in the capital city today. 3. 'Lap' is a noun and a verb. Your lap is the top of both thighs when you are sitting down, where someone or perhaps a pet can sit. 'To lap' is a gentle forward and backward motion, like a wave on the edge of the shore, or the tongue of an animal when it drinks. a. We sat at the edge of the river and watched the water lap on the shore. b. I gave my cat some milk and she lapped it up! c. Her granddaughter sat on her lap and told her about her day at school. d. My dog jumped up onto my lap and got me covered in mud! Click the link for the Android app

Marie Tussaud was a French woman who became famous for her wax models. She was born in Strasbourg in 1761, and developed her hobby by watching the doctor who her mother worked for. He taught her the difficult art of wax modeling. When she was older, she travelled around Great Britain, showing many of her creations, and eventually settled in London, opening up her famous wax museum. There are actually many Madame Tussauds. One that I went to this summer was in San Francisco. It was the first time that we had been to that city, and as (1)we were there for only a couple of days, we wanted to see all the main tourist attractions. We had a great time in the museum, and really laughed a lot. I was surprised when I learned that you are allowed to touch the wax models. When we learned that, there was no stopping us(2). We hugged them, kissed them, pulled faces near them, and copied their poses. When I spotted Leonardo di Caprio, I had to pose with him. He is one of my favorite actors. I pretended that he and I were walking on the red carpet to see the premier of his latest film. When I looked at the photos we had taken, the wax models looked more real than we did (3)! The figures are so perfectly made. I couldn't decide which one of us looked more real, me or di Caprio! 1. '..as we were there for only a couple of days, we wanted...' as here is used the same way as 'because' or 'seeing as though'. It is good to practice producing such long sentences with as. a. We got off the bus, and as we already had the tickets, we went straight into the theatre.  b. Maybe you can explain our car problem to the mechanic, as you know more about cars than I do. 2. 'There was no stopping us/ there's no stopping us' is obvious in meaning, and is used to express enthusiasm or determination. a. We wanted to hike, but it had rained for two weeks. When the sun finally came out, we put our boots on and headed out. There was no stopping us! b. The business owner was so angry about the rise in taxes, that he went to the local government building to complain. There was no stopping him! 3. 'The wax models looked more real than we did!' I chose this sentence in order to practice the end auxiliary 'did'. This type of sentence sounds very natural. Remember, that we don't use 'did' with the verb 'to be'. a. He ate more cake than everyone else did! b. He is definitely taller than you are. c. She is more generous than you are, but she has less money than you do. d. She studies less than you do but still gets good grades. e. They saw the movie before we did. Click the link for the Android app

A museum that is close to my house is the Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village. Cashmere is a little town that is just eight miles away. It is a very small, country town surrounded by hills, and is known for(1) two things: a candy factory, and the museum. As my aunt was visiting from Spain, and is very interested in history, I thought that it would be nice to take her and my mother there for a day out. The museum had a lot of Indian artifacts and photos, and by Indian, I mean Native American Indian. There was an impressive amount of tools, baskets, and ceremonial instruments. This area is rich in Native American history. Outside of the museum building, however, was a collection of original pioneer houses. They were wooden cabins, and had been collected from a forty mile radius(2). They were arranged in a square, and together formed a perfect little village. There was a school, a few shops, a jail, a saloon, a church, and a couple of private houses. They had all been built around the 1880's. Everything inside the cabins revealed the progress of history. There was a printing cabin, with an original printing press. This reminded me that printed news, at that time, was quite a new thing. The cabins revealed to me how sophisticated our lives are now; back then(3), they were very basic. The homes usually had just one or two rooms, with the beds quite close to the oven, so they could stay warm in the winter. The that you can see on this link show a how the pioneers of this area lived, just before the Industrial revolution reached the U.S. 1. '...is known for' means 'has the reputation for', 'does something regularly' or 'has done something memorable'. a. Rosa Parks is known for initiating the civil rights movement in the U.S. b. Paul Klee is known for experimenting with color in his art. c. Mrs Brown is known for her fabulous pies. 2. 'Radius' is a mathematical term meaning the line from the center of a circle to the perimeter. a. To calculate the area of a circle, you need to know the radius. b. The police searched a radius of two miles outside of the city.  3. '..back then..' refers to a point in time that has already been mentioned. It is mainly used to refer to the distant past. a. When my father was a boy, the Second World War was taking place. Back then he lived on a Canadian island. b. The pioneers came to Wenatchee in the 1800's. Back then, they didn't have electricity. Click the link for the Android app

Did you know that there are over 30 different varieties of pumpkins? They are grown on every continent apart from Antarctica, and they are used for cooking, for livestock(1), and for decoration. They have been around for a very long time. The oldest recorded evidence of pumpkins dates back 7000 years to Mexico. Although it grows like a vegetable, it is actually a fruit. And what a pretty fruit it is! A friend of ours has recently opened a special pumpkin patch(2), that is a few acres in size. It is called Annie's Fun Farm, and is open to the public for family entertainment. Paths lined with pumpkins have been made, as well as an area to throw apples with giant elastic ropes. There's an inflatable castle, a corn maze(3), and rides on a tractor and trailer. It is a perfect place to take family or friends to have some fun, and to choose that special collection of pumpkins, if that's what you like to do. I filled up a little shopping cart with pumpkins of different shapes, sizes, and colors, to put next to my front door. I also walked through the corn maze. Believe it or not, I got a little scared by the rustle of leaves behind me! What a big baby! But that is actually what the public likes: a little fun, a little scare, and a car load of pumpkins to take home. 1. 'Livestock' means animals that are raised for profit. They are usually farm animals, but can also be horses and similar animals that can be sold as workers instead of for their meat. a. The farmer has a lot of corn and also livestock. b. In New Zealand, sheep and deer are bred as livestock. 2. 'Patch' in this podcast means an area of land where the pumpkins grow exclusively. Patch is also used to mean a square piece of material that covers a hole in clothes, or the cover for a blind eye. It can also be used figuratively meaning 'to cover' or 'to repair'. a. The pirate wore a patch over one eye. b. Last year we had a huge cabbage patch in our vegetable garden. c. My grandmother sewed a patch onto my jeans. d. After arguing for years, we have finally patched up our relationships. 3. 'Maze' is a noun that means a labyrinth or a complicated area. a. It is common in the Autumn to find places of entertainment with mazes made of corn. b. Some traditional English gardens have mazes made of very tall hedges. Click the link for the Android app

One of the benefits of growing your own flowers is picking them and bringing them into the house. Bouquets, after all(1), are expensive in the shops. They bring color, and light, and cheer to an entryway or a kitchen table, but I hate to pay ten dollars for something that I can grow for just pennies. It's not just the cost, however. My biggest thrill in gardening is growing plants from seeds. There is something magical about seeing a little piece of nothing sprout, and then eventually produce a flower. So, with scissors in my hand, and a vase full of water, I walk around my back yard and snip(2) here and snip there until the vase is full. But now it's October, and the summer blooms are coming to an end(3). However, you can extend the season a little by doing two things: you cut off the dead heads, and you fertilize. It's a little trick that I learned from my mother who is also a gardening fanatic. This way, you can double the amount of flowers that you get in one season. It's really worth the effort. In fact, a couple of years ago, my garden produced so many flowers while I was on holiday, that my relatives came regularly to gather the flowers for bouquets for their own homes. 1. 'After all' is powerful idiom that means many things: nevertheless, considering the evidence, ultimately. It points to the most important part of a sentence. a. The train was an hour late, but we arrived on time after all (like nevertheless) b. I painted each room and rearranged the furniture; after all, it's my house!(ultimately) c. Heathrow is always packed with people, after all it is one of the busiest airports in the world. (considering the evidence) 2. 'Snip' is both a noun and a verb, and mean a quick, small cut of scissors. a. I will go to the hair dressers, but I only need a few snips. b. The instructions for cooking the noodles say," Snip one corner of the plastic packet, and cook in the microwave on high for two minutes." 3. 'To come to an end' is a longer way of saying 'to finish'. It implies that the finishing is taking some time. a. The long summer days are coming to an end. The days are slowly getting shorter and shorter. b. The days of the museum are finally coming to an end, after being open for 50 years. (it will close in a few weeks/months) Click the link for the Android app

The hills of Wenatchee are an unusual color for this time of year. They are usually a sandy brown, due to the dry climate. The brief green of the spring quickly changes into tan(1) as the sun gets hotter and hotter, and the rain stops. The hills are a popular place for hikers and bikers. We walked up one of the many trails a few weeks ago, and experienced a very different hike than normal. The whole area, reaching up to the top of the highest hill, was black. The fires that we had this summer completely consumed the grass, and left nothing but ash. And that's not to mention(2) the houses that also burned. It was a disaster. But now, as the cooler weather is here, there is a stream of(3) people walking at the weekends. As we headed up to a summit, we came across a sign that read, "Keep on the trails; give the plants a chance." What that meant was that we should not walk off the path because plants are beginning to grow again. And sure enough, as I looked around, here and there I saw green shoots(4), and even some plants that are ready to flower. There is a purple lupine that normally flowers in the early spring that is emerging again. The fire must have stimulated the deep bulbs, and now, in October, they are ready to bloom! Nature has been tricked. As I looked around, I realized that although the fires had been overpowering, they were only superficial.All the potential under the earth was still there; the unseen was unaffected. Life was coming again from the ashes. And now, in a short time, the hills will be covered again in purple lupines. 1. 'Tan' is both a color and two verbs. 'To tan oneself' means to spend time in the sun to brown your skin, and it also means to treat an animal skin in order to turn it into leather.  a. I try to avoid the sun; however, I do look good with a tan. b. The people on the beach are all tanning themselves. 2. 'Not to mention' is a phrase we use that introduces extra information into a sentence. The information is usually important or significant. It is similar to saying 'also', but more emphatic. a. His popularity as a singer has grown, not to mention the sales of his records. b. He was stressed out by the wedding arrangements, not to mention the expense! 3. 'A stream' or 'a constant stream' is a useful expression that describes a consistent amount of something, often people. a. There was a stream of people all day at the book signing. b. I had a stream of phone calls this morning, and I couldn't get anything else done! 4. 'Shoots' are the first signs of a plant growing, the new, upright leaves that come out of the ground, as if they are being shot out of a gun. a. When I plant mangetout, I cover them with a net because the birds like to eat the shoots. b. When cows eat grass, it stimulates the growth of new shoots. Click the link for the Android app

Glass beach is an interesting place that we visited this summer. It is on the coast of California, to the North. The town is not spectacular; it's the beach that draws(1) the tourists. I had never been to a California beach, and I suppose I was expecting it to be hot and sandy. However, it was cool and foggy for the first day. And there were many beaches. They were small, rocky coves(2), that had caves, and sandy cliffs. Seagulls and seals were here and there. It was the perfect place for exploring. My children climbed and jumped around like monkeys that had been let out of the zoo. There were many rock pools where sea water had become trapped; these are the perfect places to look for crabs, fish, and other sea creatures. We spent hours walking around and searching for treasure; not gold and silver, but glass. As its name suggests, Glass beach is full of old glass that has been broken and made smooth by the waves. For years, the tides (3)and the waves have tumbled bottles of different colors. And the result is wonderful. You can literally pick up handfuls of smooth glass pebbles. Interestingly, most of the blue glass has been picked up by tourists, leaving the greens, reds, and yellows still on the beach.  1. 'The beach draws tourists'. 'To draw' can mean 2 things: to create a design with a pencil or pen, or to pull in, to attract. In the podcast, I use the verb with the second sense: to attract. a. Donald Trump always draws lots of media attention. b. The honey face mask draws out impurities from the skin.  2. 'A cove' is the same as a bay: a small, rounded area of beach that is sheltered. It is also a sheltered area in a mountain or a narrow pass between woods or hills. a. We had a picnic in a small, sandy cove. b. We sheltered from the storm in a cove. 3. 'The tide/s' are the regular coming and going of the sea from the beach. We talk about 'high tide' and 'low tide': when the water is high and low at different times of the day. a. The tide brought in a lot of sea weed and jelly fish. b. We can't go onto the beach until low-tide. Click the link for the Android app

Summer can be such a relaxing time. If you're a teacher, it's your turn for a long vacation. However, if you have kids at home, sometimes that summer can become downright (1)stressful. "Mum, Jenna can't come over, and I'm so bored!" said my daughter to me with a look of pain on her face. Her friends are everything to her, and life is just not as colorful(2)when they're not around. I didn't say it, but I thought of something my mother used to say to me whenever I was bored, "Only boring people get bored," she used to say. Well, I decided not to use that phrase; it wasn't very helpful. "Do you want to use my laptop?" I asked, knowing that it would help her get some ideas. "Ok," she half-protested(3). Later, my son Robert came into the kitchen and also complained about being bored, again as if he was in pain. "How about your bike?" I suggested. He went into the garage and didn't come back. "Oh good," I thought to myself, "he must be riding his bike."                                   About an hour went by. The house was quiet, so I became curious. Were my kids ok? Were they asleep? What had happened? Just then, Robert came running in, "Mum, tell Domini to come out. I drew a racing track on our driveway with chalk(4). It's perfect for racing her Crazy Cart." And then Domini came running down the stairs, "Hey mum, listen to this piece of music I just made on Garage Band." They had both become creative, and had forgotten about being bored. So now the plan was to video the Crazy Cart race, and put it to her music. What a plan! They took turns racing around the driveway while Domini's music played. It was a burst of creative energy. I was impressed.  1. 'Downright stressful'. Downright is a very emphatic way of saying 'very' or 'completely'. It is usually used when emphasizing something negative, although I have heard it used in sentences like: "She is downright gorgeous." a. That book was downright boring! b. The service in that restaurant is downright sloppy! 2. 'Life is just not as colorful..' this expression here is figurative when talking about Domini's friends. The idea of something adding color or light to life is often used in English. The word 'colorful' is used to mean interesting even to an extreme. a. His language was very colorful (this can mean that he used a lot of rude words). b. You light up my life, darling. 3. 'Half-protested.' The 'half' here indicates that the action carried out was weak, soft, or not very determined. a. "Here he comes now," she half-whispered. b. When he told me that bad news, I half-laughed out of shock. 4. 'I drew a racing track on our driveway with chalk.' This practice is very common here in the U.S, especially in summer. Children will often draw images, tracks, and even gameboards in chalk, and then play on them. Click the link for the Android app

Those of you who listen regularly to my podcast will know that I am a gardener. However, you might not know that gardening can be a challenge. This year I have come to realise(1) that I need to learn more about bugs because they can make the garden a success or a failure. Some of my most prized(2) vegetables and flowers get infested at times, and I am left scratching my head, wondering(3) what to do. Bugs are everywhere, and they all serve a purpose, but if I choose to have certain plants in my garden, I must understand what their strengths and weaknesses(4) are, and which bugs either attack them or help them. So, what do you do if you need about 3000 beneficial(5) bugs? Well, you order them online. And that's just what I did about a week ago. Before I knew it, the box arrived on my doorstep. It was a strange experience opening a package, and finding a bag full of bugs inside. I had to follow some instructions before putting them in the garden: wait until it was dark, mist the infected plants with water, gently release the ladybirds. It was fascinating to see the colony slowly leave the bag and start to crawl in all different directions. Success! I felt good about using some of Nature's medicine to keep the garden healthy. The next morning, I went outside early to see what had happened to my new friends. Some of them were still where I had left them, but the rest had disappeared. They must have crawled off to explore, and search for food, or a perfect spot to hide. I hope that they will establish a new home here, go to war on the bad bugs in my garden, and decide to stay. 1. 'To come to realise' means that over time, a person has formed a conclusion or opinion, based on experience. a. After working all summer in the orchard, I came to realise that it is one of the hardest jobs around! b. After being overcharged by mechanics for years, I came to realise that I should learn how to fix my own car. 2. 'My most prized + noun'. It's just like saying 'something that I really value.' a. Out of my stamp collection, this old one from Germany is my prized possession. b. Our new puppy carries a certain bone everywhere; it's his prized possession. 3. 'To be left scratching one's head, wondering' this phrase gives a visual of a person scratching her head. This action is supposed to represent someone wondering, or trying to figure something out. It is figurative most of the time. a. When the train was canceled, we were left scratching our heads, wondering how on earth we would get to the airport on time. b. The cat jumps on the dog's back, and then shoots up the tree, leaving the dog wondering what happened. 4. 'Strengths and weaknesses' are often used in the same sentence. a. The student survey asked about our strengths and weaknesses. b. The book definitely had more strengths than weaknesses. 5. 'Beneficial' is often used when talking about nutrition, insects, and bacteria. a. Fish oil is beneficial for the brain; it improves its function.   b. Bacteria can be good and bad for us. We even have beneficial bacteria in our intestines. Click the link for the Android app

In June, I went to the U.S golf Open with my husband for two days. It was at a place called Chambers Bay in Seattle in a very interesting location that overlooked the beautiful Puget Sound. Let me explain: the Puget Sound is an area on the coast where there are many islands. The golf course was built on an old sand and gravel(1) quarry. It is unusually dry compared to most U.S golf courses, but it has its own unique charm, and what a fabulous view of the ocean and the islands. We traveled to the golf course from Wenatchee with friends, and then split up(2), and walked around from 'hole' to hole. It was a hot day, and quite humid. There were crowds of golfing fans(3) everywhere, and funnily enough, a lot of them looked the same. Most of them were big men, in shorts, wearing baseball hats. I'm not a golfer, but I could certainly appreciate their excitement. It must have been a thrill for many of them to get close to the professionals. At one point, I came close to Ryo Ishikawa of Japan (well, I think it was him). His ball had gone off the green and was on a steep hillside. There was a huge crowd of people, squashed together trying to get as close as possible to him. Just before he took a swing at the ball, everyone went quiet, out of respect, and the ball went flying gently in a perfect arc, over a road and back onto the green. You could see the people around gasp(4) at his skill; shaking their heads they said things like, "That's why he's a professional and I'm not!"  I was amazed that the golfers could concentrate with so many fans around. They even had to hear trains going by the 16th and 17th greens: when the sand and gravel quarry was converted into the golf course, the very important train was not diverted. It still needs to go on its route along the coastline, carrying freight(5) and people. We sat down for a while and watched the golfers. Every now and then cheers and applause could be heard; it was quite relaxing, just looking out to sea, and hearing the sounds of the competition. We left the next day after buying some memorabilia, and decided on the way home, to definitely come back and visit the beautiful Puget Sound, with or without the golf. 1. 'Sand and gravel' usually both come from the same quarry, gravel being the very useful small, straight-edged rocks that are used for driveways and roads. a. The car was speeding along the road, making the gravel fly in all directions. b. You can always find sand and gravel at construction sites. 2. 'To split up' is used to mean 'to separate' temporarily and also permanently. a. The couple argued all the time, and finally split up. b. The hunters split up: two went up the hill to look for bears, and the other two went into the forest to hunt for deer. 3. 'Golfing fans'. In the podcast I said, "There were crowds of golfing fans every where'. However, I could have said, "golf fans". The reason I didn't is that "golf fans" is less clear because the two words become one orally. Similarly, 'to golf', 'golfing', and 'golf' can all be used correctly in sentences. a. Do you like golf? to golf? golfing? b. He is such a golf fan/ a fan of golf/ a golfing fan. 4. 'To gasp', 'a gasp'. It's a fabulous word. It's the noise someone makes when they suddenly breathe in out of surprize or shock. a. She gasped in horror when she realized that she had left her passport in the taxi. b. I gasped when I opened the door and found a huge bouquet of roses on the kitchen table. 5. 'Freight' is a noun and a verb. It refers to products, like metal, minerals, and even food that need to be transported by train, truck, ship, or plane. It has a similar meaning to 'cargo', 'merchandise', and 'goods', or as a verb, 'the sending of the goods.' a. That is a freight train; today it is carrying sugar. b. I ordered a table online, but the freight was so expensive. Click the link for the Android app

A few weeks ago, I had just answered an email from one of my listeners. "When are you going to write another podcast?" was her question. And it was a good question, as I have been absent for some time. My plan was to write one the next day. In the afternoon, however, as I drove my kids to the swimming pool, I looked to my right, across the river and up to the hills, and saw a huge column of dark smoke. "Oh, no!" I said to myself, and my heart sank(1). "Not again!" This dry, windy climate is prone to fires in the summer, and there are often more than one. I swam briefly in the swimming pool, and then sat on a lawn chair and tried to read, but I was preoccupied with the smoke. As I turned the pages of my Harry Potter, I noticed some flakes of ash(2) on my black swimming suit. "Ok kids, we're going home," I announced. I had a bad feeling; the wind was picking up(3), and that only meant one thing: a big fire.  Within a few hours the view from our house was all smoke. Our dogs wouldn't stay outside because of the huge helicopters that thundered(4) overhead. A firefighter rang our doorbell and announced that we were on evacuation level number two: soon we would have to leave. It was the first time that we had been so close to a disaster. My in-laws' houses were right where the fire was blowing. We knew that they had left their homes, but we had no idea what would happen next. We each packed a bag, and waited. The hours ticked by slowly, and one by one we fell asleep in our chairs.  The next morning, I woke up early to the sound of a thunder storm. I walked outside into a warm, smoky rain. The fire had stopped. Our neighborhood was safe. But as I looked up to where my in-laws' houses were, I could see that many were no longer there. The hill was black, and in some places, only chimneys were left. I couldn't believe that it was over. And as I sipped my coffee, I realized that some people no longer had a coffee machine, or a kitchen, or even a house. It was later that I found out just how big(5) the fire had been. 1. 'My heart sank' is a wonderful expression of a feeling of hopelessness or sadness. The verb 'to sink' implies that the heart is heavy like a stone. a. When I received his letter my heart sank; I knew that the wedding was cancelled. b. The lost hiker's heart sank as the search helicopter flew over him and disappeared. 2. 'Flakes of ash'. The word 'flake' is used in many contexts. It really means a light mass, or a thin piece. As ash is so soft and powdery, 'a flake' is a good way to describe one thin piece of it. a. The paint on the door was coming off in flakes. b. The snow flakes were so light and fluffy. 3. 'The wind was picking up.' In this instance, I could have said, 'the wind was beginning to blow hard'. We use 'picking up' often when talking about the wind. It is short for 'picking up speed', just as a car or a horse will also pick up speed and get faster. a. The train picked up speed as it went downhill. b. The runner picked up speed in the last few meters. 4. 'The helicopters thundered overhead.' 'Overhead' is a convenient way of saying 'over our heads', and it is a bit more interesting than saying 'above'. I used the word 'thundered' here to describe the noise of the helicopters. 'Thunder' is of course a noun, but it is also a verb. a. The children thundered down the stairs like a herd of elephants! b. When we lived in an apartment next to the motorway, the lorries would thunder right by my window. 5. '...just how big the fire had been.' The word just is quite a powerful word. It can mean 'slight' or 'only', but in this sentence, it is emphatic. Together with the word 'how', it emphasizes the adjective. a. We had no idea just how beautiful the statue was going to be.  b. They complained about just how rude the employees were. c. He talked all evening about just how successful he is! Click the link for the Android app

I remember when the internet became available in the 1990's. It was a revolution! It was, as they say, 'the next big thing'(1). Since then, different applications and social media have given us access(2) to huge amounts of information, ideas, and connections with people. One that I discovered recently was Pinterest. My mother had told me about it a year ago, but I didn't pay any attention until a couple of weeks ago. It is a collection of information, projects, photographs, and videos that you can select and collect. Selecting something that you like is called 'pinning' it. You pin what you have found onto what is called a board. It is just like in an office, when you pin a poster onto a notice board(3). You name your board, and you pin more items. My boards are: 'gardening', 'recipes', and 'fun projects'. Every day I add more pins to my boards. Two days ago I used one of the recipes: tender, juicy, barbecued chicken. I followed the instructions, and it turned out wonderfully tender. Later, my husband was shocked when he asked me what I was looking at on my phone, "Oh, I'm on Pinterest," I replied. "I'm looking at how to build a brick wall." "You're looking at 'how to build a brick wall'?" he repeated with a look of horror on his face. He probably imagines that he'll come home, and there'll be a big, brick wall in the middle of the lounge. Well, of course there won't be. It'll be for the garden, and maybe I'll grow some ivy on it. Let me check; there must be some pins about that. 1. 'The next big thing' is a phrase we use when a discovery or invention has taken place. It is one that will have a huge impact on our lives, such as the internet. a. Probiotics are the new big thing in health. b. Space exploration is the new big thing in travel. c. Collaboration is the new big thing in politics. 2. 'Access' is a useful word taken from the verb 'to access'. We use it literally and figuratively. It means to be given a way, a path, an open door. a. If you go through the gate, you will access the company office. b. They accessed all of my personal information that was stored on my computer. c. We accessed the files and found what we needed. 3. 'Board' is usually any rectangular or square piece of wood, cardboard, or similar material. You can put something on it, under it, use it in construction, or in crafts. There are multiple ways to use a board. a. I stuck the new health pamphlet on the notice board. b. He put a long, wooden board from one tree to the other and walked along it. c. Let's use those old boards to fix the play house roof. Click the link for the Android app

Chelan is a town here in Washington State that is famous for its huge lake. Its a forty five minute drive from where we live, and about 500 ft higher. To get to Chelan, we travel right along the Columbia river, and then wind up through some steep hills, before dropping down towards the lake. Many of these hills are wild, and still covered in snow. Last weekend I went up with my husband to one of these places, called Bear Mountain. As my husband is a hunter, he wanted to put out some apples and salt blocks for the deer. So, we loaded up(1) our little four wheeler, and headed up a dirt track. I drove while my husband looked around for deer, but for a while, there was no sign of them. What we did see was lots and lots of snow. It was like a Christmas scene from a chocolate box. We found the group of trees where we needed to dump(2) the apples and salt, and headed back. Well, that was the plan. We tried to head back. What we hadn't realized was that we had parked in deep snow. We were stuck. We tried reversing. That didn't work. We tried going to the left, and we tried going to the right. We pushed, and we pulled. By now, my husband was using some interesting words for the snow. So, we sat and thought about our situation. I looked around for a solution. The snow was so soft and deep, and underneath, near the ground, it was compact and icy. The wheels just kept on slipping. What were we going to do? "That's it!" I said, "Let's put twigs under the wheels." There were large, dry bushes all around near the trees. So we snapped lots of twigs(3) and stuffed them under the wheels. It worked! The wheels turned without slipping, and we were able to get out of our deep, white trap. We drove back, slipping here and there, and getting sucked into deep patches of snow, but we managed to get back to our truck. As we left, the sun came out, and the snow shone brightly. I remembered hearing that the Eskimos have 50 words for snow. I'm not sure if that's true, but I certainly heard about ten to fifteen unusual words from my husband about it on our trip. As we came down the mountain, we laughed about getting stuck, and both decided that the only word we needed for the snow, at that point, was 'magnificent'. 1. 'To load up' is a verb that we often use, meaning to put or pack items onto a vehicle. It is a general verb that can be used with many different products: food, furniture, rocks, soil, supplies, or anything really. We also use it figuratively, especially to express filling a plate with food. Often you can miss out the 'up'. a. We loaded up the truck with soil for our back garden project. b. You can load up your plate with food; we have plenty. c. We loaded our car with our neighbor's boxes to help him move to his new house.  2. 'To dump' is a verb that means several things: to throw away, to unload, and to finish a relationship. a. Just dump that old bicycle. Its broken, so get rid of it. b. We drove the truck full of soil to the back garden and dumped the soil. c. She dumped her boyfriend after only one week! 3. 'We snapped lots of twigs'. Here 'to snap' means 'to break'; it is a verb that describes the sound of breaking something thin and wooden. So it is perfect to use with 'twig' which is a small branch.  a. I snapped my fingers and my dog stopped running and sat down. b. I snapped off the extra twigs from the bottom of the tree. c. He fell off the roof and snapped his wrist! Click the link for the Android app

Parks are a breath of fresh air, especially when they are in cities. I found that when we visited London in the summer, we really needed to escape into the parks at least once a day. Children can only take a certain amount of (1)site seeing, and then they need to run and play, and be around trees and grass. The parks in London are wonderful, my favorite being St. James's which is central, right near Buckingham Palace. It is one of the oldest in the city, and has a lake, and many kinds of birds. These animals are used to being around people; they seemed quite tame. We fed the ducks, geese, and swans with some of the sandwiches from our picnics, and we soon found that we were surrounded by pigeons as well. Deeper into the park, we came across another surprisingly comfortable creature: a squirrel. In fact, there were lots of them all over the place. I spotted a man who was feeding one of them nuts from his hand. "Wow!" we all said, as we watched him. He had the right 'touch'(2) with these animals, and they accepted all of his food. He was kind, and gave us some of his peanuts, showing us how to call the squirrels. And, would you believe it, they came scurrying(3) from the trees over to us and ate out of our hands. It was magical. I had no idea that they were so tame! When I worked in central London, I used to relax in St. James's park on my breaks, so I am quite familiar with it. However, I had never taken the time to be around the animals, so I was surprised how close they got to people. Each day we made a point of(4) visiting the squirrels in St. James's park. We would have an ice cream, play frisbee, and then feed the little creatures. We spent quite a few pounds on peanuts, and not one of them went to waste. They would jump up on the fence, take a peanut from one of us, and then jump down and scamper(3) off. I'd like to think that they appreciated our company, but really they just wanted the nuts. Once our peanuts were all gone, they would disappear in a flash, and look for other friendly people with bags of good things to eat. 1. '...can only take a certain amount of' means that too much of something would be intolerable. In this case, site seeing has to be limited, otherwise it becomes exhausting. a. I can only take a certain amount of country music, and then I've had enough. b. The crowd was beginning to leave; they had been waiting in the cold to see the actors, but they could only take waiting for so long. c. At Christmas time, I can only tolerate a certain amount of shopping. I can take a day or two, but then I've had enough of the crowds. 2. 'To have the right 'touch',' can apply to many situations. a. The animal trainer has the right touch with the animals; he is very gentle and careful, and seems to understand what they want. b. Gosh, you have the right touch with plants. You can make anything grow! 3. 'To scamper/ to scurry,' these are two fabulous verbs that describe how small animals (rodents) run. We use these verbs particularly with mice, rats, rabbits, and squirrels. 'To scamper' implies a bounciness to its running, while 'to scurry' implies a scratching and grabbing while the animal runs. a. It was fun to see the rabbits scamper all over the field, jumping around like they had springs on their feet. b. The rat scurried away from the dog, up the metal pipe and onto the roof. 4. 'To make a point of,'  means to deliberately do something; to be intentional. a. My neighbor is an animal lover, and every day she makes a point of feeding a stray cat. b. When we visited Amsterdam, we made a point of visiting a historical site each day. Click the link for the Android app

It all started just before Thanksgiving. My daughter had a temperature of 103 and a bad cough. I had kept her home from school, and didn't plan on her going back for a while. The next day, as the twenty-two guests arrived for lunch, I noticed that one of the cousins had a similar cough, but I was really too busy to be thinking about illness. Well, Thanksgiving came and went; the plates and cutlery were washed, the tables were put away, and everything was back to normal. But then I noticed that one of the guests hadn't left. He had actually not even been invited. He was a most unwelcome(1) guest, and his name was 'The Flu'. I opened the front door and asked him to leave, but he he just smiled at me. He was comfortable, and obviously planned on staying.  Before I knew it, everyone was ill: coughs, temperatures, weakness, and stomach problems. Most of our relatives who had been with us were also miserably sick. I, at that point, wasn't. Usually, I take care of everyone else, and I'm fine. But it was my turn. I had looked into the face of The Flu too many times. After a few days of doing nothing, and feeling sorry for myself(2), I went to the shops. "Anna, is that you? You look terrible!" said a friend of mine I bumped into. "Oh, thanks," I said, not feeling very thankful, and not wanting to hear any more about how I looked. I made a few phone calls and wasn't recognized, "Anna, you sound awful!" was the comment I received. I'm not surprized. I sounded as if I had gravel in my throat(3). After a few more days, I was much better, and so was everyone else. In fact, I have bounced back. My energy level is up to the roof. I'm studying for my classes, seeing friends, and rushing around preparing for Christmas while listening to a very loud version of Handel's 'Messiah'. Now that the gravel has disappeared from my throat, I can do a podcast. It's good to be back! And if you want any advice from me, be very careful which guests you invite to your house. 1. 'A most unwelcome guest' can also be expressed as 'a very unwelcome guest'. The word 'most' sounds more formal, and is good in stories. This use of 'a+most' can be used with all sorts of adjectives. a. She was a most gracious relative, always giving and patient. b. They were a most unbearable gang of young men, always causing conflicts and violence. 2. 'To feel sorry for oneself' is like feeling sad about your situation. You feel pity for yourself. a. The dog is feeling sorry for himself because he's lost his bone. b. We all feel sorry for ourselves sometimes, but it is healthier to try and be thankful. 3. 'Gravel' is a noun that is used in the expression of having a bad voice because of illness. We often use the term, 'a gravely voice,' which describes a rough voice that is not clear, as if something is stuck in the throat. Some people might have this without being ill. a. The old fisherman had rough, wrinkly skin, and a gravely voice. b. My throat was feeling better; it wasn't sore any more, but my voice was gravely. Click the link for the Android app

I love to learn, especially when what I'm learning is practical and meaningful. And, also, being from England, I love Indian food. Most people who are not from England think of English food as boring, or that we only eat fish and chips, or roast beef. Tut-tut. Oh, those stereotypes can be so wrong. For a very long time, our national dish in England has been curry, which, yes, is absolutely Indian. In fact, there are more than 10,000 Indian restaurants in England. We're crazy about the spicy, rich food. And if you know your history(1), you will know that the English-Indian connection comes from the days when India was a British colony. Well, a few weeks ago, when I was having dinner in the only Indian restaurant in Wenatchee, I saw a poster there advertising Indian cooking classes. I quickly signed up. So, yesterday, I and about fifteen other people turned up at the house of the restaurant owners. We were each given a booklet(2) of recipes. Deedee, the master chef, did all of the cooking while we stood around and took notes. Her house filled with the smells of garlic, ginger, coriander, and masala. One by one(3), we had samples of each dish. The four hour class went by fast, and I drove home imagining myself producing these dishes for my family. The first thing that I'm going to make for them will be chicken curry, with cream and coconut milk. I can already smell it! 1. 'If you know your history'. This is an interesting phrase because of the word 'your'. The phrase doesn't  mean 'your own' history at all. What it means is 'the history that you should have learned', or 'the history that you should remember.' a. If you know your history, you'll remember that the West of the United States was settled only about 150 years ago. 2. 'A booklet' is a small, paper book that is usually only a few pages long. The suffix 'let' indicates that it is small. a. My new vacuum cleaner came with a booklet of instructions. b. The local council produced a booklet about the statues in the local parks. 3. 'One by one' is like saying 'one at a time', but its use is more 'storybookish'. 'One at a time' is also used as a command, when you're telling people to take turns. a. One by one the children stepped into the dark, abandoned building. b. We let the balloons go, and one by one they floated up into the sky, their colors shining brightly against the blue.   Click the link for the Android app

I'm sure that many of you who are listening to this podcast have been to Trafalgar Square. It is one of the most famous places in downtown London. In fact, if you visit London, you will find that all the major landmarks(1) are concentrated in the central area of the city. When I went there this summer with my children, we caught the bus every day to Trafalgar Square. The bus terminated(2) there which was perfect for us. So, the first day that we were there, we got off the bus and proceded to sightsee. My children were quite impressed when they looked around: the statues, the fountains, the great circle of architecture around the square, and of course, the lions. Everybody climbs on the lions to have their photo taken; it's a tradition. Another great thing about the square is the street entertainment. There is always someone doing something, either dancing, singing, playing a musical instrument, or doing something extraordinary(3). On this particular day, we found a man dressed in a silver suit, being extraordinary. He was sitting up in the air on what looked like nothing. He was suspended above the ground with nothing but a walking stick touching the floor. Was he magic? Or was his floating just a clever trick? My youngest children were fascinated. With smiles on their faces, they gave him some money and said, "How do you do that?" Of course the mysterious silver man couldn't talk; that would have destroyed the mystery. He simply lifted his hat as if to say "Hello, and thank you" and continued looking shiny and magical. I wonder how long he sat like that. And I also wonder if anyone saw him get down from his invisible chair. 1. 'Landmark' is a building or structure that is historically or culturally important. a. Stone Henge is one of the oldest and most famous landmarks in England. b. Look! There's some kind of landmark. Let's head in that direction. 2. 'Terminated/ to terminate' simply means 'to finish' but it sounds more official or not so every-day. a. My contract was terminated suddenly. b. This train terminates in New York at 7pm. 3. 'Extraordinary' is a wonderful word for 'out of the ordinary', 'amazing' or 'odd'. Notice that we don't pronounce the 'a'. a. His photographic memory is extraordinary. b. What an extraordinary creature! It is so strange that it's actually a bit scary. Click the link for the Android app

This summer we went to visit my father in Scotland. He lives about 3 hours from Glasgow, but had arranged for us to meet him in the Highlands, a little place called Acharacle, near Fort William. We drove up from Yorkshire where I had visited my sister, spent the night in Glasgow, and continued our journey the following day. Acharacle is a very remote, beautiful area. It's a tiny village, with houses hidden all around it in the trees. It is very close to the sea, so that is where we spent most of our time. Several beaches there are unspoilt(1), and all of them are so clean. I took Robert and Domini with me to one of the smaller beaches to play in the white sand. As soon as we got there, they ran over to a rock pool and discovered a school(2) of trapped fish. It was as if they had discovered treasure. They could scoop up(3) handfuls of them with delight. I even did. They stayed in this rock pool for what seemed like ages, until their sleeves were wet and they started to get cold. Then we walked along the beach, collecting shells which we now have at home. Catching fish in Scotland is fun, especially when you can do it with your hands. 1. 'Unspoilt' when we talk about a beach or other geographic area means untouched by humans. The ending of 't' is the English spelling. In the U.S, they spell it with an -ed, 'unspoiled'. a. I'm glad to say that area is unspoilt by tourism. b. The forest used to be unspoilt, but now there are shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions here. 2. 'School' is the noun we use to describe a group of fish. a. We saw an enormous school of silver herring from the boat. b. We say 'a pack of dogs', but 'a school of fish'. 3. 'To scoop (up)' means to collect in a container of some sort. It can even be done by the hands. The word 'up' shows that you are collecting something from ground level and bringing it up level with yourself. 'A scoop' is usually a rounded quantity of the item you have just 'scooped'. a. Shall I scoop the icecream? Would you like vanilla or chocolate? b. The lady scooped up water from the river in her bucket. Click the link for the Android app

I appologize for not releasing a podcast last week. There was good reason for my absence. I have started a university course which teaches and qualifies me to instruct English language learners. I have been buried in books(1) for a week! I started the course late, actually, as there was some sort of mix up(2) in my application. Well, that was all sorted out, and I was accepted as a student. Thankfully, all of the classes are online, which makes it very convenient for me. I have to keep track of(3) the reading requirements and the homework. The professor from Central Washington University is very friendly and knowledgeable. We have even had a live, online session where we have met everyone in the course, and have given presentations. I love it! I thought at first, that the lessons might be a little dry and boring. But, I'm happy to say that they are not at all. We are learning at the moment about educational theories and the psychologists that created them, and also what works best in a classroom. It's very stimulating. So, now that I am back on track(4), I will bring you more podcasts, and some of them will include the things I'm studying. 1. 'To be buried in books' means to have lots of reading to do. Students are usually 'buried in books'. Of course it is figurative, not literal. I think it is a great idiomatic phrase, and really gives a good visual of someone being covered in books. a. My poor son is buried in books at the moment, as he has a science exam tomorrow. b. I am swamped! I'm buried in books, and I need a break! 2. 'A mix up' really means a confusion and a problem. It can be used in any context. a. There was a mix up at the airport, and I ended up with someone else's luggage. b. There was a mix up at the restaurant, and I received the bill for the party of 30 people! 3. 'I have to keep track of the reading requirements'. To keep track means to pay attention, to stay on the correct path, to remember.   a. It's your responsibility to keep track of what you spend. b. Let's keep track of her illness to see if she improves or not. 4. 'To be back on track' is related to 'to keep track of'. We use this phrase when we have returned to a desired routine. a. I'm back on track with my running; I jog with my friend three times a week. b. Now that I am over the flu, I'm getting back on track with the household chores. Click the link for the Android app

The photo for today's podcast, comes from a calendar of Washington State that I bought yesterday. The photographer is Rick Schafer, well known and loved for his landscape photography of the Pacific Northwest. Though he lives in Oregon, much of his work is about Washington State. And he has his photos in well-known magazines, such as: Conde Nast Golf, Alaska Airlines, and National Park publications. One of my listeners had asked me a long time ago to show scenes of Washington State, as this is where I live. However, my photos are scattered throughout the house, and limited. So, when I found this calendar, I immediately knew that I needed to borrow these beautiful scenes (and of course, I give Rick Schafer all the credit). This is the first of 12 scenes in the calendar, and it's actually taken from the month of July. The photo is of the Columbia River Gorge, which is close to where I live. The two flowers you can see are typically found in these dry, semi-desert areas in spring and summer. They are wild, purple lupines, and small, yellow sunflowers. They contrast perfectly with eachother, and make a real show on the hills. The gorge area stretches over 290,000 acres, from southern Washington to northern Oregon. It's quite unique, and has its own Native American history, including tribes such as the Nez Perce which you may have heard about. There are 218 miles of trails that you can walk on to explore the area, 800 kinds of flowers, many different animals, and even 1000 historic buildings and archaelogical sites. I live in this area, and I haven't even seen a tiny percentage of all that is here. There's more to see and learn about if you wish to follow the link: Click the link for the Android app

Each year for the past ten years, I have seen advertisements for St. Joe's harvest fundraiser(1) on the backs of cars. I have often found myself either driving or sitting at a red light behind one of these cars. Finally this Sunday, I actually went to the fundraiser. It took place on the playing field(2) that belongs to St. Joseph's Catholic school which is situated inside the church building of the same name. The fundraiser is for the school, to raise money for all its different needs. The organizers do a good job of advertising, and getting the word out(3) into the community. It was a glorious day, typical Autumn, sunny but slightly cool. There was already music playing when I arrived, even though it was only mid-morning. A little hispanic boy was singing 'Cielito lindo', and a crowd was gathering to watch him. I walked past the row of Mexican food stalls and stopped at one which was selling cups of sliced fruit. As I ate the mango, melon, and jicama slices, I walked around and looked at the rest of the fundraiser. There were giant bouncy areas for children, ceramic and craft stalls, jewelry, clothing, and a second-hand area that had a bit of everything. I rummaged (4)around in the household items, looking for something useful. "I'll make you a good deal, Ma'am," said the owner. "Make me an offer; I'm not fussy," he added. I didn't find anything really exciting. However, I did end up buying a red box with sequins on it for my daughter, just one dollar. "I can't go home without buying something," I thought to myself. The fundraiser was a great little event. Hopefully the school will receive the money it needs to keep its standards high. 1. 'Fundraiser'. This word is a combination of 2 nouns, and means an event at which money is raised for a cause. Fundraisers often take place for charities and medical research. a. We made over $1000 at the fundraiser last night. That money will be well spent. b. You can make more money from a fundraiser by involving celebrities. c. Cancer research always needs more money, that's why there are so many fundraisers for that cause. 2. 'The playing field' is the area of grass that is used by a school for its outdoor activities and sports. a. The annual Sports Day for the elementary school was held on the playing field yesterday. b. That school is lucky to have such a large playing field. 3. 'To get the word out' means to 'spread the news', 'to advertise', or 'to inform the public.' a. If you want to get a lot of business for your shop, you should get the word out. b. The Performing Arts Center will have a ballet performance in December, so they are getting the word out now. Click the link for the Android app

You must have all heard about the recent Scottish referendum. Of course, I have to write a podcast about it; it is too important not to(1). So what was it all about? Scotland, England, and Wales have been united for over 300 years politically and economically. Some people in Scotland want total independence, and to no longer be part of that union. So they voted on it. The vote was 'close', meaning that the 'No' votes were only 10% greater than the 'Yes' votes. Now that the dust has settled(2) after the vote, the U.K government is considering making changes to its system, so each part of the union feels totally satisfied in how it is represented in parliament.  Scotland is definitely different from England. Its' terrain is more mountainous. It has hundreds of islands. It's education system is said to be(3) much better than England's. The Scots have their own history, culture, and native language. And of course, they have their own successful industries, particularly the North Sea oil. However, the tax base for the Union comes mainly from England, as there are so many people there generating the taxes. Also, the military is paid mainly by English taxes. Splitting up would not be a simple matter. I, personally, would not want the Union to divide, as I think it has worked well for so long. My father who is English actually lives in Scotland. He loves it there, and didn't expect the Scots to vote for independence. However, we all want to govern ourselves, and why not? Perhaps it would work. So far, though, there isn't enough support in Scotland for independence. I'm proud to say that the democratic process was carried out peacefully, and fairly, with both sides accepting the result. And that's how it should be: ultimately the people's decision. 1. '..;..it is too important not to.' The end of the sentence is a shortcut. Instead of writing,' ...; it is too important to not write about the referendum,' I can simply put 'not to' after important. As long as the first part of the sentence is complete, and has a verb, you can use this shortcut. a. We need to turn the air conditioner on; it is too hot not to. b. He should apply for that job; he is too qualified not to. c. They will travel there by plane; it's too far not to. 2. 'Now that the dust has settled/ when the dust settles' is a great phrase that points to the clarity that comes after an incident or event is over. When a bomb explodes, for a while, there is dust in the air, and you cannot see clearly. 'When the dust settles' you can see clearly, therefore you can make correct decisions or opinions. a. When the fight is over, and the dust settles, we will see who was guilty and who was innocent. b. The riot was caught on film. When the dust settles, we will see who caused it. c. Now that the dust has settled after the divorce, and the anger and emotion are over, perhaps the man and woman will behave better. 3. '....is said to be' is similar to '..is known as'. a. She is said to be stronger than any man. b. The orangutan is said to be one of the most intelligent animals in the world. Click the link for the Android app

Barbara: Hi Peter, sorry to bother you, but do you know where Liz is? Peter: Yes, she's actually in hospital. Barbara: Hospital? Oh, no! Is she alright? Peter: Yes, it's nothing serious. She had gone to her mother's surprise party, and when her mother walked in, Liz jumped forward and slipped on a slippery rug. She fell forward into a table, and broke her nose. Barbara: Ouch! Oh, the poor thing! And at her mother's party too! Peter: I know. I feel bad for her. She needed a small operation, but she should be home tomorrow, I think. Barbara: I must go and take her some flowers. Thanks Peter, I'll see you later! Click the link for the Android app

One of the things that I love about London is how multicultural it is. Every nation on the planet has some representation in London. So, living in a place that is so cosmopolitan, makes a person the same. You become totally at ease around people of all different ethnic groups. That's one of the things that I wanted to expose(1) my children to. As we live in a very rural and fairly isolated community, they don't get exposed to the rest of the world very much. So their trip to London was an 'eye-opener'(2) for them. As we travelled around on the number 9 bus, past shops, parks, monuments, and restaurants, we saw all sorts of things that we wouldn't normally see. Near Holland road, there was an Iranian restaurant with an Iranian shop next door. We first noticed the shop because it had a huge and luscious(3) looking fruit stand on display. "Wow, look at that fruit!" one of my boys said. The bus had stopped just opposite the shop, so I had time to get my camera out. But, what really caught my eye was the banner above the restaurant. It was wishing the best of luck to both the Iranian soccer team, and the English team during the World Cup. It said, "From Iranian UK." Seeing it made me happy. It was an expression of good will by people who themselves are in a foreign land.  1. 'To expose' either means to uncover, or to bring something into contact with something else. a. Our visitor from Mexico had never been exposed to a snowy winter before. b. Keep your cut clean and covered; you don't want to expose it to germs. c. Their trip to Japan was their first trip abroad. They had never been exposed to another culture before. 2. An 'eye-opener' is something that teaches you something new. It is implied that you are surprised or fascinated by the new information. a. The first week of college was a real eye-opener for him. b. I had heard the rumors about the case. However, it was a real eye-opener to sit down and read the facts. 3. 'Luscious' is a fabulous word that means 'juicy' and 'delicious'. a. They call that actress 'Luscious lips' because she has full lips that are always painted red. b. These mangoes are luscious; they are perfectly ripe! Click the link for the Android app

Have you ever been on a long plane journey? It's quite an experience. Just getting on the plane takes a while. You have to arrive at the airport two hours before the flight. You have to check your luggage in, make your way through security, and have your passport checked and re-checked. Then you sit in the waiting room, and, well...wait. After lining up(1) with the other two hundred passengers, having your passport and boarding card checked again, and walking through the tunnel to the plane, you really need to sit down! Hopefully you can find a place in the overhead container for your carry-on(2) luggage. But be careful moving other people's bags around to make space for yours; you might get some suspicious looks or angry faces. Finally, you are sitting down and ready for the flight. You look to see who is sitting next to you. Hopefully it's someone nice, afterall(3), you have to sit next to him or her for the next 9 hours! You'd better introduce yourself and be pleasant; it helps. But then, what do you do for the next 9 hours? On the long, transcontinental flights, there is usually a television screen right in front of you, with a variety of films, programs, or music to choose from. It's called the 'inflight entertainment'. All the passengers are glued to the screens for most of the journey. As I don't like to sit down for very long, I get up and walk around, and stretch. It always fascinates me how so many people can sit down for so long. Their bottoms must really suffer! Mind you, if the in-flight entertainment is good, people forget about their bottoms, and their need to move, and they simply watch and watch. What else is there to do on a plane? I am always thankful for the screens when I fly with my children, because, for their generation, watching a screen is as normal as breathing. If there were no screens, they would feel as if a part of their bodies was missing. So thankyou to the airlines for our entertainment, and appologies to our bottoms. 1. 'To line up' means to form a line in order to wait for something. In England, we still use the verb 'to queue'. a. We had to line up to get the tickets, and then line up to get it! b. Some people are so impatient and find it difficult to line up. 2. 'Overhead container and carry-on luggage' are two nouns used all the time when you fly. The cupboard above your seat on the plane is called your 'overhead container' because it is over your head. 'Carry-on luggage' refers to the small bag that you are allowed to take into the cabin, or room where everyone sits. a. The overhead container was full, so I had to squeeze my bag under the seat. b. My carry-on luggage was too big, so I had to check it in. 3. 'Afterall' is a great word that is similar in meaning to: 'if you think about it', 'if you understand all the options'. a. I can give you a lift to the university, afterall, we both need to be there at the same time, and I have a car. b. I recommend you include fruits and vegetables in your cooking, afterall, it's for the health of your family. Click the link for the Android app

When we stayed in London this summer, our apartment was on Holland Road. It was inside a row of typical London town houses: white with black window frames, and black iron fences. I love that simple, elegant style. However, this row of houses needed some TLC(1). New paint would have been good, a  bit of renovation as well. But, for our purposes, the apartment was fine. I asked the owner for his recommendation on getting to the center of town. He advised against using(2) the underground (the Tube), as in the summer it is packed with tourists. So, I got on-line, and found that the number 9 bus went from just around the corner, right to the center, to Trafalgar Square. It was comfortable, convenient, and cheap. We spent most of our time exploring London. Back at the apartment, we would have dinner and then go for a walk. Our street was very noisy, but just one street away everything became quiet, and the neighborhoods were much nicer. We stumbled upon a huge park, called Holland Park which had everything in it: large open areas, lots of trees and flowers, a play area for children, and even an opera house. It was a wonderful, green relief from a busy day in the city, a quiet place away from our noisy apartment. 1. TLC is short for 'tender-loving-care'. It can be applied to anything. We tend to use it when talking about inanimate objects, like houses. It means that the mentioned object needs to be cleaned up, repaired, or decorated. a. The old house needs some TLC, so we'll start by replacing the roof. b. That truck is in a terrible state. It needs some TLC. 2. 'To advise' can be used negatively or positively. When you advise someone to take action there are 2 ways of expressing it: a. I advise you to talk to your teacher. b. I advise talking to your teacher. However, when you are advising someone to 'not' do something, the structure of the sentence is different: a. I advise against you going to your teacher. b. I advise against going to your teacher. * We don't say 'I advise you against going to your teacher.' It sounds bad; the against should come before 'you'. If you don't want to use the word 'against', you can say: c. I advise you not to go to your teacher d. I advise you to not go to your teacher.   Any of these is correct. Click the link for the Android app

Point number 5 from yesterday's podcast was missing! Sorry! So here it is, plus a couple of extra pieces of English that are worth learning. 5. In the podcast, I wrote that my children 'had had enough of being with their mother 24 hours a day.' It sounds strange to say , 'had, had', but don't let it intimidate you. Remember, the verb I am using is 'to have enough of something' which means that you have been over exposed to something, or are tired of a situation or person. So, in order to use the pluperfect tense I have to use 'my children had had enough...'. Here are some examples using different tenses. *Note, this verb is usually used in the past. a. I left because I had had enough of his arguing. b. She yawned because she had had enough of the boring lecture. c. I have had enough of the bad weather; I need to go somewhere sunny! *Note, this is present perfect, not pluperfect.   I also would like to share one English idiom, and one new English phrase, both of which I found on the website, Learn English Today (highly recommended). Idiom. To be 'all ears' means to be very interested in what someone is about to tell you. a. I can't believe that she's going to climb Mt. Everest. Tell me all about it; I'm all ears. b. Are the rumors true? Tell me all the details; I'm all ears. New Phrase A 'Black Swan' is an unexpected event of great magnitude. It can be a sudden natural disaster, or a political event that was not expected. Click the link for the Android app

This summer I disappeared for a while; you might have noticed(1). I left Wenatchee, with my children, on 22nd of July, and didn't return until 23rd of August(2). We escaped for a whole month! It was a trip that I had planned for a year, and what a trip it was!(3) We went to five places: London, Spain, Yorkshire, Scotland, and Iceland. I feel very privileged to have  traveled so much, and to have done it with my kids. It was very memorable, and inspiring. Before we left, I had been feeling like a deflated balloon, but now that I'm back, I am totally inflated again, full of adventures and things to write about. Probably the place that I found most exciting was Iceland, because I had never been there before. I will certainly write some podcasts about that mysterious country. It made a big impression on me, and I definitely would like to go back. By the last week, my children were moaning(4) to come home and play with their friends. They had had enough(5) of traveling and of being with their mother 24 hours a day! However, I think, for the most part, they had a really good attitude. As we look back at the photos of our trip, they have plenty to say. This photo of London is one of the best that we took. I was so happy to visit all the places that are familiar to me, to walk along the Thames as the sun was going down and the historical buildings were being illuminated. It was the first place we visited, and so I will have several podcasts about that great city for you to listen to soon. 1. 'You might have noticed' is like saying, 'Maybe you noticed.' The meaning is the same. Here are some more examples: a. Your brother just left; you might have seem him leave. b. The neighbors were having a party last night; you might have heard the noise. c. The new teacher arrived today; you might have met him. 2. In this sentence I use the negative. I could have told you about my dates of departure and return positively though: I left on 22nd of July and returned on 23rd of August. So, why did I use the negative? I did it to add to the sense that I was gone for a long time: I didn't return until ..... adds to the idea that I was gone for quite a while. You can use this with the time, as well as with dates. a. He didn't come home until 11:30pm. (The negative implies that he was late). b. She didn't renew her driver's license until 10 years after its expiration date! 3. 'What a trip it was!' is an exclamation that needs no adjective, though you can have one in front of the noun if you like. a. What an exciting trip it was! What a trip it was! b. What a crazy party it was! What a party it was! c. What a rude man he is! What a man he is! 4. 'My children were moaning to come home and play with their friends.' To moan is literally to make a complaining noise. We also use the verb to show that a person wants something. a. He's moaning because he's hungry. b. They've been moaning all day to go to their friend's house.  Click the link for the Android app

The most delicious smell filled the house yesterday. My son, Cass had made bread. He has made it successfully many times, and I have had to go to the supermarket on many occasions just to get more flour. Of course, when he first started making bread, there were a few disasters. It took a while(1) to teach him to clean up after cooking, and to use the right ingredients and the right method of cooking and baking. However, with practice he has become an expert, and we all look forward to sampling(2) his baked goods. There was something extra special about yesterday's bread though. Cass had actually(3) grown the wheat, harvested it, and made it into flour for the bread. He's a purist, and like me, an avid gardener. He planted the wheat in the autumn, and waited patiently for it to grow. So far this summer, he has been checking it every day. When he saw that it was ready to harvest, he cut it all down, threshed it, and put the grain in a large bag. We have a grinding machine which he used to crush the grain into flour. So he went through the process from the very beginning to the end. He even cleaned the kitchen! It was a labor of love.  1. 'A while', 'it took a while'. These phrases are commonly used in the same way as 'some time'. It's very non-specific, and good usage. a. It'll take you a while to get used to those high heels. b. It took me a while to learn French, several years actually. c. He has been going to the gym for a while, ten years I think! 2. 'To sample' is to have a little bit of a larger item, often food. However, it can also be non-edible items like perfume, detergent, creams. The verb and noun are also used in science, when tiny pieces of substances are taken to be examined. a. I sampled some unusual cheeses in the deli. b. The sunscreen company sent me a sample in the mail. c. The biologists took samples of the pond water and later examined them in the laboratory. 3. The use of 'actually'. It's a fabulous and common word. Here it's used as emphasis. We do this by putting it in front of the verb. a. I couldn't believe that the two-year-old actually read the novel! b. Everyone thought they would lose, but they actually won the race. c. His friends were supposed to help him, but he actually did all the work himself. Click the link for the Android app  

Peter: Hi Liz, are you just about ready? Liz: Yep. Thanks again for giving me a ride. I appreciate all your help. Peter: Oh, don't mention it. Anything for my friends! Liz: You're so sweet. Peter: So, your dad will pick you up at the train station? Liz: Yes. She'll be in her aerobics class, so she won't know that I'm arriving. We'll pick up three more people, plus the birthday cake, and get back to the house before she comes home. Everyone else will be waiting there. Peter: Oh, I love surprise parties. Liz: Me too! Click the link for the Android app // //   //   //

I laughed when I saw the cartoon scene from this podcast, of a boy talking to his teacher, and giving a very weak excuse as to(1) why he hadn't done his homework. I remember telling a similar tale(2) to the principal of my elementary school. However, all those years ago, we didn't have computers, and we certainly had never heard of technology viruses. I told him that my mother had burned my homework. "She burned it?" he exclaimed, looking at me with judging eyes. Of course, he knew that I was lying, and I knew that he knew. Why did I even try to lie to my principal? I suppose I was scared of his anger; I didn't expect him to be ok with me not doing(3) the homework. Plus it's always easy to blame your mother when she's not around. I come across similar situations with my children, "Robert, why didn't you clean up your mess?" An answer to that is often, "Domini didn't clean up hers either." In English we call it 'pointing the finger'. We mention someone else's fault to make ourselves look better, and feel less guilty. Nowadays, of course, we are not limited to blaming our mothers, brothers and sisters, or our family pets  (children are known to say that the dog ate the homework). We can now add computers, printers, and viruses to the list. 1. The use of 'as to' in the first sentence. It's a little bit old fashioned, but still sounds good in sentences that we are trying to stretch out, or lengthen. It means the same as 'regarding' or 'concerning'. It also sounds less formal than 'regarding' or 'concerning' and that is often why it is used. a. I'd like to hear an explanation from you as to why you fired Jim and then hired Bob. b. I understand the project, but I don't have a clue as to how it will be financed. 2. 'Tale' means a story. It is often used as a kind way of saying 'a lie'. a. I don't believe what she was saying; I think she was telling a little tale. b. The fishermen always tell tales about the giant fish that escaped from the net. 3. 'To be ok with something' means that a person is comfortable or agrees with a situation. a. Are you ok with me coming to your house at 10pm? b. I'm not ok with this situation; it makes me feel uncomfortable. c. I can't believe that you're ok with your noisy neighbors.    

While substitute teaching in a local school for an art teacher, I came across junk art. I had heard of it(1), but I had never really looked into it. Actually, elementary school art often involves items that are for recycling, like boxes, bottles, or packages. However, there is a difference  between using recycled objects for art projects, and junk art. In junk art, the object used is not disguised by colors, shapes, or textures. Pablo Picasso was the first well-known artist to include junk in one of his pictures, in fact, he stuck a piece of a chair onto a painting. Later, junk art was practiced and perfected by(2) Marcel Duchamp. As I looked around the art room where I was teaching, a red glow caught my eye. The color was coming from(3) a string of fairy lights that had been placed inside empty, red cartridges that had been used in a shot gun. Usually, these are just thrown away. However, someone must have had the idea of saving them for a creative reason. I think that the idea of using shot gun cartridges as a string of lights is delightful. Its use in art is so different from its original intention; it's a great contrast. 1. 'I had heard of it' and its variations can be used in conversation to increase the impression of your fluency. a. I had heard of him, but I had never met him. b. I had heard of the book, but I had never read it. c. We had heard of them, but we had never met them. 2. To have something 'perfected by' a person. a. My grandmother created the recipe, and my mother perfected it. b. He came up with the idea, but you perfected it. 3. '....was coming from...' is used in this podcast to add a bit of description to the text, and is good to use in conversation. a. The noise was coming from next door; I don't know what was going on. b. There's a strange smell in the garage; it's coming from one of the storage boxes. c. What beautiful music! Where is it coming from?   Click the link for the Android app    

Our recent camping trip turned out to be more interesting than I had expected. My family and I drove up to a remote forest area near Lake Chelan. There were no houses nearby, and only a few signs of human life(1). We set up our campsite next to a dirt path, overlooking a spectacular view of some distant mountains. It is very dry this time of year, but there are enough trees to offer some welcome shade(2). We rode our dirt bikes, built a campfire, the boys did some target practice with their BB guns, and we generally relaxed and explored. Some friends also joined us, one of whom is a hunter, and a bit of an animal expert. When he arrived, before he even said, "Hello," he presented us with a snake that he had just found on the property. "It's a kind of Boa," he explained. We all leaned forward to have a better look. It was small and green, and seemed to be a very gentle creature. It doesn't eat, bite, or sting humans, so I was quite happy to hold it. My daughter, who is an animal lover, borrowed it for quite a few hours. It curled around her hands, wrists, shoulders, and even her neck. I think it appreciated her warmth(3). The snake is now in a very nice terrarium back at the house where it is being thoroughly spoiled, and is growing longer and fatter.   1. 'Only a few signs of human life,' shows how remote the place was where we were camping. ' A sign of/ a few signs of' is an effective way of expressing the lack of impact of humans. It can also be used with many other subjects. It is similar to using the expression 'traces of'. a. As we walked through the forest, we could only see a few signs of the fire that had happened five years ago.  b. There were signs of animal activity in our garden: bear tracks and claw marks on the trees! 2. 'Welcome' is used as an adjective in the context of something being  appreciated, a help, or a relief. a. At the end of my marathon, I was offered some cold water. It was truly a welcome drink. b. The old men meet at the coffee shop where they have a welcome conversation. 3. The verb 'to appreciate' can be added into conversation easily and effectively to show fluency. a. Thanks for helping me with the paperwork; I really appreciate it! b. I appreciate how you listen so well. Click the link for the Android app // //   //   //

For the past five weeks, I've been working on a very exciting project. It is something that I've wanted to do for years and years, but have not got around to doing it.(1) I have written my first ebook. It's called , and is free for one month at Smashwords.com. The book is for older children or young adults, and is a silly, funny story about a substitute teacher who gets involved in an adventure when she goes to work at a certain school. The story actually came to me(2) when I was substitute teaching in a local elementary school here in Wenatchee. The language level is perfect for English language learners, as it is not too complicated. The process of writing the book, formatting it for online reading, and finding an artist for the front cover, was long and exhausting. However, I'm so happy that it's finished and available to anyone. My family was surprised when I told them about it. My husband said, "That explains why you haven't been doing much housework recently." Yes, the laundry has certainly been piling up.(3) Well, the laundry can wait. This was more important. I hope that if you find the time to download it and read it (it's quite short) that you can do me the favor of leaving a comment on Smashwords.com. I love hearing from my listeners, but it would also be great to hear from you as my reading audience.  1. 'To get around to doing something' means to eventually find the motivation or opportunity to do something. a. I'll get around to paying the bills this afternoon. b. I did get around to washing the car when everyone left. 2. 'The story came to me' we use the verb 'to come' + 'to' + a person, referring to an idea or inspiration of some kind being received, as if it had approached that person. a. The idea of building a holiday cottage came to me when I was on the beach. b. The story came to me while I was on the train. 3. 'To pile up' is to place layer after layer of items in one area. We often talk about unpleasant things piling up. a. The bills are piling up; it's so depressing. b. The dirty dishes have piled up; someone needs to do the washing up!   Click the link for the Android app    

Do you find waiting frustrating at times? I do, especially when I'm waiting for someone else to complete their work, so that a project can be finished. Waiting for emails, paperwork, for someone to make his or her(1) mind up, or waiting for a telephone call, can all be exasperating(2). When I think about it, I realize that I always have a project going on. It's either one thing or another. I love projects; I love having an idea, doing some work, and seeing that idea become a reality. In my garden, it's simple. It's all up to me. I get the idea, I plan, I work, and I finish. However, when other people are involved, it's not that simple. Immigration papers are a perfect example. When I was trying to get my mother's immigration papers for the U.S approved, it was as painful as pulling teeth out. We had to wait. We had to make phone calls. We had to fill out more papers. And we had to wait again, for months and months. I can't complain, because, in the end she got her green card. The project was worth the wait(3). Well, I've just been informed of another project that was worth the wait: my Android app is finally ready. I have been emailing my host company, asking for the release date. They have been patient with me, but it has been really hard to wait, especially considering that many of my listeners have Android devices. Well, it's out; it's here, and I'm relieved. There's no more waiting; just click and enjoy. 1. 'Someone ...his or her'. The objects that follow 'someone' can vary in English. Even though 'someone' is like saying 'a person' and is therefore singular, we do cheat and sometimes use the possessive object 'their' afterwards, especially in speech. In the second sentence of the podcast I say: '...especially when I'm waiting for someone to complete their work..' Later I say, 'waiting for someone to make up his or her mind' which shows the word 'someone' as singular. Of course, the second example is the correct one, but using 'their' after someone is very common and accepted. a. Someone needs to move their car; it's blocking the exit. b. Someone left their muddy shoes on the carpet! 2. 'Exasperating' is one of my favorite words. It means that something is annoying, frustrating, and exhausting. It even sounds like its meaning. a. Waiting in line in Disney Land in the middle of summer can be exasperating. b. The argument that I had with my neighbor was exasperating; we didn't agree at all, and she didn't make any sense. 3. 'Worth the wait'  is the same as saying 'worth waiting for'. a. The app for Android was worth the wait. b. My mother's cooking is great, even if it takes a long time for a meal to be ready; it's worth the wait. Click the link for the Android app Click the link for the Apple app // //   //   //

If you can see the photo of the bee that I recently took in my garden, you will see that it is right in the middle of a big flower. It is sitting on its target(1), working to get the pollen and the nectar. Bees are determined(2) little creatures that always make me feel lazy when I compare myself to them. I assumed that there were a few different kinds of bees, but I had no idea that there are 20,000 different kinds. Some live in communities, and some live alone. Some produce honey by gathering nectar and pollen, and others spend their time stealing those two things, instead of getting their own. We get honey and beeswax from them, but, more importantly, they are the pollinators of the world. They actually have an electrostatic charge(3), which makes pollen stick to their furry bodies, so, as they go from flower to flower, they pollinate without even realising. As well as a furry body, they have a long proboscis which is like a tongue, and two pairs of wings.  Not all bees sting. The honey bee will only do so if it is threatened, and the worker honey bee actually dies if it stings.  Throughout history, the bee has been a symbol of industry and hard work. Some industrious(4) cities, such as Manchester in England, have adopted the bee as its city symbol. I have taught my children to never kill any bee; they are too valuable. Plus, for quite a few years they have been under threat due to loss of habitat, parasites, and pesticides. So, when we hear a "buzz, buzz", we shouldn't be scared, we should actually be pleased that a bee is near. 1. A 'target' is a point that is aimed at. a. The hunter practiced shooting targets before he went hunting. b. The advertisers of diapers target mothers. 2. 'Determined' is an adjective that describes a eprson as being focused and single minded. a. That dog is determined to catch the cat; he won't give up until he does. b. He was determined to win the marathon, so he trained for two years. 3. 'Electrostatic'. Here we can see 'electro' from 'electricity', and 'static'. We don't often use them together. a. If you rub a balloon on your head, your hair will stick up with static electricity. b. An electrostatic charge is an electric charge that doesn't move, or does so very slowly. 4. Industrious is a great word. You can see that it comes from the noun 'industry'. It can describe a person, and animal, a factory, a city, or even a country. a. Manchester is known as being an industrious city because of its history of production and invention. b. China is an industrious nation, determined and industrious. If you would like my app for iOS, click the following link. // //   //   //

Have you ever seen a diamond made up of circles? Or a mosaic(1) made up(2) of straight lines? Art that is based on geometric shapes can be fascinating. In Seatac airport near Seattle, I discovered a picture that uses only geometric shapes. It actually wasn't a painting; it was a panel of lights, each one having a color and shape in front. The main shape was a diamond or a rhombus, made up of multiple lines. Each line was a different color, and made up of many circles. The combination of colors was very striking. But what I liked more than that was its imperfection. The lines were not perfectly straight. The circles had tiny shapes inside of them, sometimes triangles, sometimes stars, but these were irregular. The art work reminded me of a picture I have at home by an artist called Paul Klee. It's called Cityscape, and is made up of squares, rectangles, triangles, parallelograms(3), trapezoids(4), and one large circle, representing the sun. I don't know why I find the combination of shapes to be so beautiful; but it is. And again, the artist makes each shape irregular in color and form. They are more like shapes that you find in nature, soft, not so sharp. Well, waiting for my mother's plane to arrive was not boring at all, because I had this fascinating panel to stare at, and was very happy to do so. 1. A mosaic is a picture or pattern made by putting together tiny pieces of colored material. a. The mosaic in the public spa is from the Roman era. b. The students were making mosaics out of glass squares in their art class. 2. 'To be made up of' is the same as saying 'consists of', but the former is better to use when talking about something that has been fashioned like a piece of art.  a. The floor mosaic is made up of tile and glass. b. Our reading club is made up of people from all over the world. 3. A parallelogram has four sides, with two sets of completely parallel lines.  a. A square is a kind of parallelogram. b. If you think about it, a diamond is a rhombus, and a rhombus is a parallelogram. 4. A trapezoid has four sides, but only one pair of parallel lines. a. I love that modern table design; it's a trapezoid which is unusual for a table. Click on the following link if you need my app for iOS.  // //   //   //

I have been in and out of the sporting goods store recently, as my children are all involved in sports. I had to get some soccer shoes for my daughter, and some shin pads(1), so we made another visit to the place. I don't particularly like to shop; I have to do it more than I would like to(2). My daughter, however, adores shopping. It's always a problem taking her to any clothes shop, as she sees many things that she loves and wants to have. I usually move around the shop as fast as I can, buy what I need, and leave, before she can fall in love with trousers, t-shirts, shoes, and hats. "What's the rush, mum?" she'll ask me. "I just have a lot to do at home, darling," will be my reply, as I drag(3) her out of the shop. When we went to get her shoes, though, I took my time, gazing(4) at the latest Nike soccer shoes. They were so attractive and impressive. Bright colors are in fashion now, on the soccer field, so I had to photograph a row of beautiful Nike shoes. The company has a knack for design; they've been in business since the '60's, and have grown to become a Fortune 500 company. Most highschoolers here in Wenatchee wear Nike everything to school; it gets expensive for the parents, but it's great for the shops that sell the clothes. Professional basketball, advertising, and music videos totally influence teenagers to buy Nike; it's a huge business. I must admit, that the clothes are good quality, and last quite a while. My oldest son, thankfully, is beginning to experiment with other clothes, less well-known brands, and is enjoying being more of an individual in the way he dresses. Thankfully that stage is over, but I can understand why teenagers find it hard to give up their Nike addiction. 1. 'Shin pads' are pads that protect the front part of your leg, in between your ankle and your knee. Your shin is a thin bone that can easily get kicked in soccer. a. He had bruises all over his shin after the soccer match. b. My shins really hurt; I think I've been running too hard. 2. 'I have to do it more than I would like to'. This sentence is in the grammar notes because of its ending. It is actually short for 'I have to do it more than I would like to do it.' We do not want to sound repetitive, so we miss off the 'do it'. It is also common to miss off the final 'to' of the verb. a. I have to work more than I would like (to). b. She has to clean more than she would like (to). c. They have to study more than they would like (to). 3. 'To drag' is a verb that is similar to 'to pull' in meaning. However, it implies that the object being pulled is on the floor, and it is either heavy or unwilling to be pulled. a. I had to drag the heavy bag of tools to the garage. b. I had to drag the dog away from the neighbor's cat. 4. 'To gaze' is similar to 'to stare'. You gaze at something when it is beautiful or fascinating; it isn't a quick look. It's as if you cannot stop looking at it. a. We gazed at the sculpture for at least 20 minutes. b. The children gazed at the fireworks with their mouths open. Follow the blue link to rate or buy my app, or find it in iTunes, called A Cup Of English. // //   //   //

As I was cleaning the kitchen sink yesterday, I saw something move outside. There is a red leaved tree right outside the kitchen window, so the movement could have been one of the leaves. I looked carefully, and through the shadows, the lines of lights, and the leaves that were rising and falling(1), I saw a bird. It was hopping about on a branch, and looking at me. In its mouth was a white feather, which contrasted with its own dark brown color. "It's nesting," I thought to myself. All of the birds in my back garden are doing the same thing. They are busy, and noisy, and aggressive at the moment; they have a very important job to do, and a short time in which to do it. The eggs will be coming soon, and then the chicks, so their home has to be ready, and just right. Last year, I noticed another bird building a nest in the bird house that is also just outside of the kitchen. It was trying to get into the bird house, through the small, round hole. However, in its mouth were some long pieces of dry grass. It tried and tried, but didn't realize that it had to turn its head sideways(2) in order to get in. It finally just forced its way in, bending the grass. Most birds build new nests each year. However, eagles will often reuse a nest for many years. Incredibly, there are some birds, like the cuckoo, don't rear their own young(3). They steal an egg from another bird's nest, quickly lay an egg there, and leave. The other bird raises the chick, thinking that it is one of its family. There is a lot more going on in the bird world than we realize. 1. 'Rising and falling' describes the movement of the leaves in the wind; it is an up and down movement. We talk about leaves falling in the autumn, which means that they fall to the ground. However, rising and falling is a phrase in which both verbs go together. a. I saw the balloon rise and fall as the wind took it into the sky. b. His chest was rising and falling while he slept. 2. 'Sideways' is a perspective, movement, or position that is not straight on; it is when the sides face forward. a. It's so funny to watch the crabs walk sideways. b. He looked at my sideways, out of the corner of his eye, without turning his head. 3.'To rear their young.' Here we have the verb 'to rear' which we use when talking about animals raising their children. 'Their young' is the noun that describes the babies, as we do not use the word 'children' with animals. a. Polar bears rear their young until they are fully independent. b. Some birds rear their young only until they learn to fly, and then they leave them. // //   //   //

1. Peter: Hi Liz, hey great jacket. 2. Liz: Thanks Peter. It's new. What do you think? Does it suit me? 3. Peter: Yes, its the perfect color for you. 4. Liz: I decided that it's time for a new coat. My other clothes are for the winter, and I end up getting too hot, now that it is spring. 5. Peter: I know what you mean. The weather changes a lot; sometimes the wind is quite cold, and then the next thing you know, it's sunny. 6. Liz: Exactly. That's why I bought this jacket. It's a wind blocker, and it's light. I can have more layers of clothing underneath. Peter: I didn't know you were so fashionable, Liz! Follow the link to buy or rate my app. // //   //   //

On Saturday, I scrambled(1) to buy as much chocolate as I could. It had to be really good chocolate, Swiss. I had a project in mind(2), and I only had a few hours to finish it. I had decided to make an English style chocolate Easter egg for my children. Traditionally, in England, that is the gift that we give on Easter Sunday. The egg represents new life, and new hope; it's one of the main symbols of Easter. And you wouldn't believe the sizes of some of the chocolate eggs that you can find in the shops in the U.K. Over here, a very different tradition takes place. People boil eggs, and then color them. They will then hide them all over the garden, or in a park, and children have to find them. The Easter bunny is also a well-loved(3) Easter character, but really a commercial one. It has taken me a very long time to get used to boiled eggs instead of chocolate ones. Honestly, I still haven't got used to that. So, I set about(4) making the Easter egg. I unwrapped several bars of chocolate and a couple of bags of wrapped chocolate pieces. I put them all in a bowl, melted them over hot water, and then coated the inside of a plastic mold(5). I did this four times, each time putting(6) the egg in the fridge to make the chocolate hard. Everything went well, until I had to remove the chocolate egg from the plastic. I had to bang, and squeeze, tap and shake it. The bottom piece actually broke into several pieces; however, the large top part of the egg came out in one piece. I was so happy. Instead of an egg, it was more like a dome, but at least it had worked. The kids loved it. I aim to improve the technique, so next year I can make excellent Easter eggs. They're a sweet way to celebrate new life.  1. 'To scramble' has a few meanings. We scramble eggs when we beat them. A radio message can be 'scrambled' if it is mixed up. And finally, to scramble to do something means to rush or hurry. a. We scrambled to pack our bags and get to the airport on time. b. We scrambled to clean the house before the guests arrived. 2. 'To have something in mind' is to have a plan or an idea. Once the idea is expressed, the speaker can say ,"I have ....." in mind (to add further detail) or a listener can ask 'What do you have in mind?' to get further details. a. I'd like to buy a book. I have a horror story in mind. b. I plan on going on vacation.     Oh really, where?     I have somewhere exotic in mind. 3. 'Well-loved' a. Their pets are well-loved. b. Those kids are well-loved by their grandparents. 4. 'To set about doing something' is to get on with, or to start doing a project. 'To set about' indicates that the project has several steps, needs equipment, ingredients, or stages, whereas 'to start' is very simple and can be used for 'one step' projects, like writing an essay. a. I set about organizing all of my packets of seeds for my vegetable garden. b. We set about painting the house; there was a lot to prepare. 5. 'Mold' is a growth of fungus, but it can also be a shape or frame that is used to create other similar shapes from different substances. Note that in England, both words are spelled 'mould'. a. The plastic mold that I used for the Easter egg was too hard. b. There is mold growing on the bread; throw it away. 6. 'I did this four times, each time putting the egg in the fridge.' The second part of this sentence (with the gerund) is a quick and fluid way of adding detail to a sentence. I could have said, 'I did this four times, and each time I put the egg in the fridge' which is correct, of course. But the first sentence flows better. a. She vacuumed every room, each time making sure she got the corners really well. b. He sent the invitations, writing each one by hand.  Need my app? Follow the blue link. p> // //   //   //

There is a bird in my back garden that has a special meaning for me. Here they call it a dove; in England its name is a wood pigeon. It isn't spectacular to look at, in fact it's quite difficult to see because it is mainly grey. Its looks vary from country to country. Here it is totally light grey, whereas in England, it has a blue-green head, and some pink on its belly. Both, however, make a haunting(1) sound that takes me back to my childhood. As I grew up in a small, rural town, surrounded by farms and woods, I heard the call of the wood pigeon most of the year. I used to climb trees a lot, and sit and daydream(2) in them, so I became familiar with the sounds of all the different birds. The wood pigeon sounds like an owl; it hoots or coos(3) five times in a row. The sound is soothing(4). Now that I live in the country, after spending years in cities, I have found wood pigeons again, and it feels like I'm back, as a little girl, sitting in my tree daydreaming. They are a strong bird that eats a variety of things: young shoots(5), seedlings, pine nuts, worms and ants. They actually produce a thick milk, so their babies get fat quickly. They pair(6) for life, and each year both the mother and father sit on the eggs to keep them warm. The wood pigeons that live in cold, northern areas migrate, whereas those in warmer countries don't need to. I have two pairs in my garden who disappear in the winter, but return in early spring. They are always welcome here, my garden companions. 1. 'Haunting' comes from the verb 'to haunt'. Though the verb is related to ghosts, and their scary presence, the word haunting is used quite poetically and beautifully. A piece of music, a memory, or a sound can all be haunting. They leave a strong impression, an echo of some kind, often deep and emotional. a. His words still haunt me. b. Some of Mozart's music is haunting; I keep thinking about it. 2. 'To daydream' is simply to dream during the day. a. Children need time to daydream; it's good to let their imaginations be free. b. Sorry! I wasn't listening; I was daydreaming! 3. 'Hoot and coo'. Both are sounds. An owl hoots, other birds  coo. Both sounds have the long 'oooo' in them. 'Coo' is often used to describe the noise that a happy, young baby makes when it is making an 'oo' sound. a. I couldn't sleep. There was an owl on my roof hooting all night. b. I love baby noises, especially the cooing. 4. 'Soothing' comes from the verb to soothe. It means to give relief, to ease pain or discomfort. It can be figurative as well. a. The cold water on my hot forehead was very soothing. b. After a stressful day, violin music can be very soothing. 5. 'Young shoots' refers to very new plants that are just emerging from the ground. Animals and birds like to eat these because they are sweet. a. I will keep the pea shoots covered otherwise the birds will eat them. b. I can tell its Spring; there are shoots all over the garden. 6. 'To pair' means to join together as a couple.  a. Pair (up) with a partner to practice the conversation. b. Those monkeys pair for life; they stay with the same partner.   Click on the following link if you'd like to buy my app. // //   //   //

Today, as I drove my oldest son to High School, we got stuck in traffic. The road where we were stuck isn't usually a busy one. It is a windy road that goes through a residential area. The people in the traffic jam were not adults going to work; they were highschoolers. Here in the U.S, most students who are 16 years old or older have cars. Often they work after school to pay for the gas and insurance, and perhaps also to make the monthly car payment(1). They spend a lot of time working, so they can afford to have a car. Of course, it's not necessary when there are buses; however, it's an expectation. As I sat in the traffic jam, I thought about how wasteful the situation is. If only half of the students had cars, a lot of people would save money and time. Two people could travel to school in each car, instead of just one per car. There could be a car pooling(2) system, so a car owner could receive a little money for giving other students a lift. That would help him to pay for the gas, and he might not need(3) to work after school, but focus on his homework instead. The first time that I heard about car pooling was years ago. My mother-in-law was driving me somewhere, and we drove past a sign that said 'Park and Pool'. "Oh," I said. "I didn't know that there was a park and a swimming pool there." My mother-in-law laughed loudly and said, "No Anna, that's where you park your car and then car pool to your next destination." I had never heard of car pooling. Soon, after that, I found myself carpooling with about 10 other people. We would park our cars in that parking lot, and then get on a  van to go to Central Washington University. It was a very economical way to get there and back, much better than each person taking his or her own car. Car ownership(4) in this country is a huge part of the culture, an expectation. I think, though, that life would be much easier if more people car pooled. 1. 'The monthly car payment' is the payment made to the bank every month for ownership of a car. a. Our monthly car payment is about $300 dollars. b.  They couldn't make their monthly car payment, so they sold the car and bought a smaller one. 2. 'To car pool'. The word 'pool' is often used in English to mean 'share'. So car pooling is basically sharing a car. Here are some examples: a. The lost mountaineers pooled their resources, and found that they had enough to survive. b. They pooled their ideas and came up with a great solution. c. How about the four of us car pool, instead of driving four cars? 3. 'He might not need to' is a very native sounding phrase that introduces hypothesis. a. If you work more hours during the week, you might not need to work at the weekend. b. If you car pooled, you might not need to get an extra job. 4. 'Ownership' is the noun, like owner, that means that you possess something. It is the state of owning something. Let's see the examples. a. House ownership is something that most people want.  (You could also say, 'Everybody wants to be the owner of a house/ everybody wants to own a house). b. The company is focusing on land ownership because, at the moment, land is a good price. // //   //   //

On Sunday, we had a family picnic. It was one of the rare days(1) when the children didn't have any sports tournaments, and the weather was perfect. We quickly made plans to go down to a local river to spend a few hours. The river was quite high because it is early spring, and there is a lot of snow melting(2) in the mountains, filling the rivers and streams. We walked along the riverbank until we found a flat, beach area where we set up our chairs, food, and equipment. When I say equipment, I mean specifically our metal detector, and our gold panning (3)tools. There is gold in the Wenatchee Valley; a gold mine was quite profitable for many years. And now, you can find small deposits (4)here and there, especially in river banks. After we ate, we immediately started digging up the muddy sand, putting it in the sieve(5), and rinsing it in the river. As the fine mud washed away, small rocks and bits and pieces were left behind. It was so exciting whenever we would find a shiny, yellow flake(6). "This has to be gold," my kids would say. Each time they found a piece, they would put it in a small, glass vial(7) filled with water, and show it to my husband. "Nope, that's fool's gold," he said most of the time. Of course, they chose not to believe him. And they carried on gold panning as if their lives depended on it. Funnily enough, three groups of people walked past us, carrying serious gold panning equipment. So we realized that we were probably in the right place. So what is the difference between real gold and fool's gold? Well, they are chemically totally different. The symbol of gold is Au, and that of fool's gold is FeS2. One is a pure mineral, the other is iron pyrite. Gold is shiny yellow even in the shade, and has round edges, whereas iron pyrite is not as shiny, and has straight edges. You can often find gold and pyrite near eachother, so some of the flakes we found could be real gold. I have them now on a dark plate, and one or two of them look like they could be the real thing. I have a feeling that we will be visiting that riverbank more in the future. 1. 'One of the rare days' a. It was one of the rare days that there wasn't any rain. b. It is a rare occasion when he gives a speech. 2. 'Snow melting/ snow melt'. a. The trees will be watered by the snow melt. b. You can see the snow melting in the sun. 3. 'Gold panning'. a. We went gold panning, and found a few flakes. b. Gold panning is a verb and also the noun; just like 'cooking'. 4. 'A deposit'. a. The minerals get deposited/ deposit themselves on riverbank. b. I went to the bank and made a deposit. 5.'A sieve'. a. You always need a sieve when gold panning. b. I need to sieve the flour to get the lumps out. 6. 'Flake/fleck'. a. You can use 'flake' for many things, like snow flake, potato flake, a flake of gold, a flake of paint. It is also a verb. b. Fleck is used specifically to talk about a tiny, thin piece of gold. 7. 'A glass vial'. a. Glass vials are small, long, glass containers used to collect samples. b. We put our gold flecks in a glass vial. p> // //   //   //

At this time of year, the schools have tests of all kinds for the children. Reading and writing tests, math skills tests, and tomorrow, there will be hearing and vision tests for the whole school. If you think about it, the two last mentioned tests are fundamental; if a child cannot hear or see properly, he will have a very hard time in school. My youngest son had a vision test today with an eye specialist. He had had a reading test the other day that raised a few questions about his eyes. His eyes are very sensitive to the white and black contrast of the print and the paper. It was found that when a blue plastic sheet was put on top of a text, then he could see the words clearly and read properly. This is considered a syndrome of the eye called Scotopic Sensitivity. I had never heard of it. It is a newly found syndrome, apparently. It is so new that some eye specialists don't take it seriously. Well, I bought some blue plastic to help my son read without getting frustrated, and I also made an appointment for a thorough eye test. We arrived at the clinic, where my son was first tested by a nurse. She asked me questions, put drops in Robert's eyes to dilate(2) them, and then left us in a room full of fascinating eye equipment. Robert and I both looked around and wondered how the doctor was going to use the devices(1) that were hanging here and there. Finally, the doctor came in and immediately started testing Robert's eyes. He put one metal device up to Robert's face and asked him to look into it and to tell him what he could see. He did the same with another larger piece of equipment, and wrote down a few things while Robert was talking. It turns out that his eyes are fine, but he is a little far-sighted(3). We become more near-sighted as we mature, so reading isn't such a strain. He gave us the option of Robert having glasses for school, until his near-sightedness develops. Thank goodness there is no real problem with his eyes. It's definitely worth having a test so you know what your options are. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: A device, near/far-sighted, to dilate, parts of the eye: pupil, iris, white, bags, eye lids, eye lashes. 1. A device can be a tool, or a piece of equipment. 2. I have no problem seeing far away because I am far-sighted.  3. The nurse put drops in his eyes to dilate them; his pupils got really big, and they were very sensitive to light for a few hours after that.   4.  The fascinating eye has many parts. The pupil is the black center of the eye which regulates the light going into the eye. The pretty colored circle is the iris. This is surrounded by a white area which we just call ‘the white of the eye’ in English. The  eye is protected by the two eye lids. The row of hairs on each eye lid is called ‘the eye lashes’ which also protect the eye. And if you don’t sleep enough, you might get ‘bags’ under the eyes which are also called dark circles, even though they are actually semi-circles. // //   //   //

Primulas are one of the first spring flowers to appear in this area. I was thrilled to see them this morning. Most people I know are excited about the spring, and hoping that the snow will not come back, and that the cold conditions will wait for next Winter. It seems miraculous and surprising when you spot a flower in an area where there are still dead leaves from the previous autumn, and when there are patches of ice still around. So, how is it that plants know when to grow? The science behind it is interesting. During the autumn, a hormone that brings on dormancy(1) builds up(2) in the plant. It makes the plant ‘sleep’ during the coldest months, so the plant is protected from winter damage. The cold of the winter slowly destroys this hormone, and produces a growth hormone which builds up in the plant. Trees and bushes store food in their roots. The warmer temperatures of spring help this food to flow up to the buds. But what about light? We all know that it is essential(3) for plant growth. You could say that plants have an internal clock. They have genes that tell them when they are exposed to the light or to the dark. Proteins are activated by light, specifically  red light which is found in full sun light. So the plant produces these during the day, and the process is turned off when the red light stops. That’s why, if you look at a fast growing plant in the morning, and then again in the evening, sometimes you can see that it has grown. We are similar to plants, not by the way we grow, but by mental activity and feelings. When we are in the sun, our brain produces serotonin which makes us feel happy and energetic. Also, our skin produces vitamin D which protects us from some cancers, and maintains serotonin.  As the light fades, our brains produce melatonin which starts our sleep cycle. So, now that there is more daylight, our bodies are ready to get active, just like plants. We have been sleepy all winter long; it’s time for some light, and some growth.   1. a. It is best to transplant trees when they are dormant.     b. The volcano is dormant; it hasn’t been active for 100 years. 2. a. There was a build up of rubbish in the river, so the council cleaned it.     b. I could feel that the tension in the room was building up, so I left. 3. a. Clean water and good food are essential for basic health.     b. It’s essential that you listen to him.       // //   //   //

It has been some time since we had an episode of A Tour of Homes, so today we will take a close look at the dining room. It, like the kitchen and lounge, is a focal point of family life. A lot of good things happen here, and it is a place where we celebrate special occasions. This room centers around a table and chairs. Here in Western society, there are often more than four chairs around a table. When there is a special occasion, often friends and family come to celebrate, so more chairs are needed. The table is 'laid' (what we say in England), or 'set' (which is what we say in the U.S.) To do this, we need cutlery, crockery, glasses, sometimes a table cloth or a 'runner' which is a much skinnier version of a table cloth, and a salt and pepper shaker, and perhaps some candles. Don't forget serviettes, or napkins as they call them here in the U.S. For special times, the table can be decorated with candles, flowers, or some craft type arrangement. Here in the North West, it is very popular to mix candles in some pretty arrangement for the table, especially during the Winter. I have seen some center pieces that are a mix of flowers, pebbles, plastic fruit, and candles. But it's up to the imagination of the owner. Anything goes. Other furniture in the room includes dressers to store crockery and cutlery, wine glasses, and wine bottles. Often a dining room is decorated with art work of different forms, pretty curtains, perhaps a rug, and often a chandelier or other light fixture that has more than the average amount of detail. We use our dining room for family meals often during the week, even though sometimes we will eat at different times depending on our schedules. The special occasions are: Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Birthdays. These are the times that I really dress the place up, get out the nice plates and glasses, and make the effort of ironing a table cloth. Even though the way of life in the U.S. is crazy busy, the dining room still can be a place of togetherness and relaxation. Grammar notes. Dining room vocabulary: cutlery, crockery, runner, center piece. 1. We like to get out the decent cutlery when we have people over to dinner. 2. We store the nice crockery in the dresser in the dining room to keep it safe and on display. 3. My mother bought me a lovely Indian table runner the other day which goes perfectly with the art in the dining room. 4. At Thanksgiving, we usually have a center piece that has Autumn flowers and fruit of the season.   Could you rate my podcast? Follow the link. Thanks.   // //   //   //

Recently, we gave our dog, Foxy, to another family. It was a difficult decision, but a necessary one. She is a working dog, very intelligent and very active, and she needs a job. The family that has adopted her has other dogs of her breed, a lot of land, and horses. She is in a much better situation, and is able to run over acres and acres every day. Now, my other dog, Rosie, has become more of a spoiled house dog. She has a very different personality, and it seems, her instincts are focused on eating, sleeping, and being petted. Leave the exercise to the athletes! Her life has also changed for the better, but now she has a different challenge: the cat. Lilly, my miniature tiger, owns the house, or at least she thinks she does. She and Rosie don't tolerate each other; they have different ideologies. But, are they really natural enemies? Research will tell you how similar they are: they both walk on four legs, they are carnivores, they have super senses of smell and hearing, and they are both very territorial. It's this last point that apparently makes the difference. Both species compete with each other for territory and food. Add to that the attitude of a dog to its owners: it is protective. It might see a cat as a threat to its human family. Cats, on the other hand, see dogs as a threat to their lives; dogs will hunt and eat anything small and furry. Plus, cats are independent, not a group animal like dogs. Of course, all of this isn't a rule. Some domestic cats and dogs get on really well, especially if they have been raised together. It must be a question of getting used to eachother. Over time, my animals are. I'm training Rosie to not bark when she sees the cat. Now, they are able to be in the same room without a war starting. Hey, that's progress. I read that there are some tricks you can use to make them like each other. If you feed the their favorite food when they are quite close to each other, they will transfer the good feelings of eating to their relationship. They will even get used to each other's smell. I wonder if anyone could try this on the Republicans and the Democrats; they might learn to control their barks, and to tolerate each other's smells. However, unlike cats and dogs, I don't think that sharing territory will ever be possible.  1.a.The little girl asked if she could pet the lady's dog. b. Cats don't like to be petted very much. 2.a This breed of dog is good for working on a farm. b. If you want a relaxed dog, choose the breed carefully. 3.a He took the man's words as a threat. b. They received threats in the mail! // //   //   //

"Mum, I want to make a volcano," said my son Cass on Sunday morning. "You know, the kind that we can make out of paper," he added. That is an unusual request for a Sunday morning. Papier mache is what he was talking about. I remember making heads and masks out of papier mache in school. We would blow up balloons, and then cover them with a mixture of torn up newspapers, flour, and water, and then leave them to dry for a couple of days. Then, the balloons would be popped and removed, and we would paint and decorate the project. Sounds like fun. This would be a bit more special because, in its center, we would put a plastic container, into which vinegar and baking soda could be poured, in order to get the bubbling, lava-like reaction. We sat and brainstormed for a while: what its base would be, did we have enough newspaper, how to make the lava realistic, could we put model villages at the base of the volcano, etc etc. Our imaginations took off. After we came to a consensus, we made the preparations. We covered the dining room table with newspaper, mixed the glue, tore up lots of pieces of newspaper, and decided who would do what. Oh, it was so messy! The flour water mixture was wet and gooey, and I had to really supervise my kids who unintentionally would flick the goo from their fingers, and it would go all over the place. Slowly, slowly, the volcano took shape. It even has a lake on one of its slopes. It is drying at the moment in the garage, soon to be painted, varnished, and made more real. Some people I know are quite anxious to see the lava flow, and the warring villagers fight. Grammar notes. Practice of the past continuous with related vocabulary: gooey, warring, to brainstorm, to tear. 1. When I was little, my brother and I would make gooey mud pies in the garden by mixing soil and water. 2. The warring island nations would stop fighting for a few years, and then start all over again. 3. Our high school English teacher would make us brainstorm in groups, in order to get lots of ideas for stories.   4. Oops! I have torn a page in my book. I used to do that deliberately when I was a toddler.   Rate my podcast by following the link. Thanks! // //   //   //

You have probably heard that President Barack Obama signed into law his medical reform bill. 'Obama Care' is its nick name. Some people are very excited about this new development, and other people are not. The question of whether the U.S. needs universal health care has been debated for months. The government has been split about the idea. Democrats, in general, are in favor of it, but Republicans have not wanted it. The main problem is cost. The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country. There are lots of federal programs that help people receive health care. The two biggest ones are Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare supplies low-cost health insurance to the elderly and disabled, while Medicaid is for the poor. All of these programs are very expensive to run, and yet not everybody is covered. There are millions who have no health care coverage. Even those who can afford health insurance are not guaranteed help for all of their needs; some who have a pre-existing condition are refused help for that illness. Another problem has been the huge expense of medicine in this country. Lots of people actually go to Canada to buy cheaper medicine. Regulations need to be made on how much pharmaceutical companies can charge for their products. Historically, costs have also risen because of the many malpractice lawsuits, and the legal system allows huge sums of money to be paid in compensation. This has driven up costs in general. There is a lot of work to be done in the government to make the system fair. I suppose health care systems always need to be monitored and improved. Personally, I agree with universal health care coverage. It must be absolutely dreadful to be in a position where you cannot get medical care for your own children or other loved ones. Plus, a healthy nation is a productive one. Mind you, I can also see the Republican's concerns about 'big government' and too much taxing of citizens. The central question is, as far as I can see, a person's right to have health care. It's a moral question, not just a financial one. So it becomes a little more complicated. Perhaps, if the government is smart about the details, this could be the beginning of a very good thing. Grammar notes. Medical system related vocabulary: universal coverage, health insurance, pharmaceutical, to reform. 1. Universal coverage is when everyone is covered, or has access to something. 2. People pay health insurance companies every month, the same way we pay car insurance companies. 3. The pharmaceutical companies are very wealthy and have a lot of power. 4. The health system is being reformed; it is being changed and updated.   Click on the link to rate my podcast. // //   //  

Liz: I came as soon as I found out. How is she? Parent: Thank you, Liz. She went straight into the operating theater when she got to the hospital, and now she's sleeping. She'll recover, but it'll take a while. Liz: Car accidents are so scary. Parent: I know. We're just so happy that she's alright. The person who hit her was busy texting, not even watching the road. He's also in this hospital, but not much happened to him. Liz: Oh my gosh! Everyone should ignore their phones while they're driving.   Parent: I agree. I suppose it's easier said than done. If you have time, could you rate my podcast by clicking on the following link?    // //   //  

Liz: I came as soon as I found out. How is she? Parent: Thank you, Liz. She went straight into the operating theater when she got to the hospital, and now she's sleeping. She'll recover, but it'll take a while. Liz: Car accidents are so scary. Parent: I know. We're just so happy that she's alright. The person who hit her was busy texting, not even watching the road. He's also in this hospital, but not much happened to him. Liz: Oh my gosh! Everyone should ignore their phones while they're driving. Parent: I agree. I suppose it's easier said than done. Please rate my podcast/app by clicking the link. Thanks.   // //   //  

Easter Sunday, a day of family, celebration, and fun. Today, after church, my family and I got together with my in-laws in the East Wenatchee Country Club for lunch. The club is actually for golf, but even if you don't golf, you can go to the restaurant which is really very good. For special occasions, their kitchen puts on quite a spread. Today they had lamb, ham, and chicken with mushrooms. Often they will serve prime rib beef which just melts in your mouth. And for those of you who are vegetarians, they also have a variety of egg and bean dishes with lots of fruits and vegetables. We dressed up a little more than usual for this lunch; it's a tradition, I suppose. While we ate, the children had an Easter egg hunt on the golf course. It was so cute to see little girls running around in their pretty dresses carrying baskets, and the boys dressed up like little men, all searching for the plastic eggs that had been hidden by the club staff. As we ate, we chatted away, and finished up with dessert. As usual, there was a choice of about six different desserts: cheese cakes, brownies, tiramisu, and some other rich chocolatey thing that I have no name for. It was a time for indulgence! Everything looked so good! I scanned the table to see what everybody else was eating, so I could make my choice. I noticed that each of my children had chosen about three things. "Well," I thought to myself, "it's Easter; I'll let them this time." As I chose my desserts, I made a quick trip to the table where they had fruit, cheeses, and pastries laid out. I piled a few of the freshest looking berries on my plate and headed back to our table. When I got there, my children noticed the strawberries on my plate and said, "Hey, good idea, Mum," so they went off and got some. What can I say? There was too much to choose from, and everybody was being greedy. Before I knew it, my kids were tucking into plates of strawberries and cream, as if their lives depended on them. It really is the perfect combination of tastes and textures for an Easter dessert. Grammar notes. Common expressions: as if their (his, her etc) lives depended on it (them), to put on a spread, to melt in your mouth, to tuck into. 1. The girl clung hold of her balloon as if her life depended on it.   OR     They ate their hamburgers so fast, as if their lives depended on them. 2. My grandmother is such a good cook. She always puts on quite a spread at Christmas. 3. How did you make these cookies? They melt in your mouth! 4. The hungry travelers tucked into the stew because they hadn't eaten in such a long time. Please rate my podcast by clicking the following link. Thanks! // //   //  

Leavenworth is fast becoming my favorite local place to have lunch. I took my mother up there today for a yummy trip to Pav's restaurant as an early Mother's Day gift. It was a perfect day, sunny and cool. Actually, they had had a heavy snowfall a few days previously which everyone thought was a bit crazy, but considering that it is a mountainous region, it's not that surprising. We wandered around the main streets a little and window shopped, until we got hungry enough for lunch. Pav's opens at eleven thirty, and we got there bang on time. We were the first ones there, so we chose the very best spot to sit. After we had ordered, we chatted, both admiring the surroundings at the same time. The metalwork on the walls caught our attention, and as we commented on it, the waitress told us that they had bought it all from Haiti. Each piece was for sale, she said, but they weren't sure if they would ever get any more, because of the situation in Haiti at the moment. "They are made out of oil drums", she said. We were immediately intrigued, so we got up, and wandered around the other rooms, looking at the different wall decorations. There were motifs of hearts, crosses, birds, and twisted vines. They were simple yet beautiful, primitive but with delicate detail. My mother couldn't resist it; she had to buy one. As we ate our meal, we read the little attached paper that came with the piece that she had bought. It said that the artisans cut the oil drum open, stuff it with straw, and burn the inside to get rid of residues. Then, sections of metal are cut, and the wall decor evolves out of the use only of a hammer and a chisel. It must be time consuming work, and one that shows how people can become imaginative and resourceful when in need. Looking at the art, we would never have guessed that it came from Haiti. The restaurant, after all, is supposed to look French. However, I can see a connection, and these unusual pieces of art add something special to any decor. Grammar notes. Useful expressions: considering that..., to window shop, to intrigue, to evolve. 1. Considering their financial situation, I'm surprised that they've bought a new car. 2. I don't want to buy anything; I just want to window shop. 3. That man intrigues me; he seems shy, and yet he speaks very confidently.   4. This has evolved from a small project into a time consuming major one. Click the link to rate my podcast or buy my app. Thanks! // //   //  

I was just listening to a Swiss podcast about health. The presenters were talking about free radicals and how to fight them. They first of all listed all the situations in life that cause free radicals to be produced in our bodies: emotional and physical stress, pollution, medicines, a poor diet, alcohol, smoking and more. Jokingly, one of the presenters asked, "What doesn't produce free radicals?" because it seems that everything does. A discussion developed about a healthy life style, the importance of eating right, and how physical activity is crucial to general good health. So, what are good forms of exercise? Walking and swimming are probably the two best; you get the most movement with the least strain. Then there is cycling, running, weight training, ball sports, types of skiing, and yoga. Really, anything that moves your body, uses your muscles, and increases your heart rate is good. There are different benefits to different types of exercise. Some will build muscle, while others will make you flexible. When I was young, the idea of being strong was based on muscle that can lift a lot of weight. Thankfully, now the definition of strength is broader. Weight lifting strength is just one kind, then there is endurance (which is how long you can keep doing something), and flexibility. There are other kinds, as well, but in this podcast, I'm focusing on these three. It's not difficult to keep kids active. I find that my children just need to be given an opportunity to do something physical, and they will take it. While my sons play ball sports, my daughter does gymnastics. Watching her and other older children do gymnastics certainly makes me think of strength. They stretch, they bend, they hang from bars and swing. You can see that they use all of their muscles without even realizing (realizing). There are posters in the waiting area that show how, with the right training, a body can become both flexible and strong, where the muscles are useful and quick, not just big and bulky. Gymnastics reminds me of martial arts: both require speed, accuracy, strength, and flexibility. I hope to introduce my daughter to martial arts at some stage. The physical discipline is admirable, and self defense is very useful. Maybe we could do it together. As she grows up, she needs to develop physical confidence, and as I get older, I need to maintain my flexibility. Grammar notes Related vocabulary: free radicals, flexibility, broad, crucial. 1. Eating burned meat releases a lot of free radicals into your body, so be careful when you barbecue. 2. That gymnast has incredible flexibility; she can bend her body into all sorts of positions. 3. The term of strength is very broad; it means many things. 4. It is crucial to get regular exercise and quality food to maintain a healthy life.  Please rate my podcast or app by clicking on the link.  // //   //  

I heard today that eating nuts helps to lower bad cholesterol. That's good news because I love nuts of all kinds. I always have a stash of almonds and walnuts in the fridge. Apparently, in order to have the full benefits of these nuts, they should be plain: not salted, not sugared, and obviously not roasted. There are some naturally occurring chemicals in nuts that counteract the LDL (or low-density lipoprotein which is the actual name of the bad cholesterol). You probably all know that here in the U.S there is quite a cholesterol problem. Obesity is on the rise, and of course, all of the related diseases as well. As I was thinking about this today, I remembered a sign that I saw in the recent carnival a few weeks ago. It was a list of some fast food items that were particularly high in saturated fat, sugar, refined flour, and all of those dangerous foods. If you check out the blog you will see the photo of the list. The worst item, I think, was the 'deep fried candy bar'. Wow! Just imagine, a candy bar that is already full of calories and so, so sweet, being dipped in a batter (made of flour, milk, and oil) and deep fried in oil. Now, I have a sweet tooth; I like to have something sweet in the house most of the time, but that treat sounds ridiculous. I wonder how many grams of saturated fat were in those fried candy bars. And how much sugar, come to think of it. Curiosity probably makes a lot of people try one of them. Let's hope that it doesn't become a habit. Obesity is predicted to cost the U.S health care 344 billion dollars by the year 2018, because of all the related diseases, complications, loss of work time, and extra health care needed. That is a huge cost! It sounds like some people should trade their candy bars for a few healthy nuts. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a stash, naturally occurring, on the rise, saturated fat. 1. She has a stash of candy bars in her car. No wonder she is overweight! 2. Vitamin C is a naturally occurring vitamin found in many fruits and vegetables. 3. Many people are trying to get fit. However, aerobic related injuries are on the rise.   4. Animal meat has saturated fat. It's best to cut it off rather than eat it.   Click the link to buy or rate my app. Thanks! // //   //   //

Liz: Thank you guys for all your help. I couldn't have organized this event without you! Mary and Peter: You're welcome. Mary: There's no way that one person could do all the work, and get it done on time.  Peter: It's a pleasure to help. I really think that the concert will be a success. Mary: Yep. I've heard that the community is buying a lot of tickets. The way things are going, we'll be able to raise all the money we need for our health and safety campaign. Liz: Let's hope so. We've tied up the loose ends, so that's it! I can't believe the concert is in two days! Peter: Me neither. Talking on the radio and to the newspapers made all the difference, Liz. Well done for that! Liz: I think so too. I'm looking forward to seeing the money come in, so we can afford a great health campaign. Click the link to buy or rate my app, or to rate my podcast. Thanks! // //   //  

Liz: Thank you guys for all your help. I couldn't have organized this event without you! Mary and Peter: You're welcome. Mary: There's no way that one person could do all the work, and get it done on time.  Peter: It's a pleasure to help. I really think that the concert will be a success. Mary: Yep. I've heard that the community is buying a lot of tickets. The way things are going, we'll be able to raise all the money we need for our health and safety campaign. Liz: Let's hope so. We've tied up the loose ends, so that's it! I can't believe the concert is in two days! Peter: Me neither. Talking on the radio and to the newspapers made all the difference, Liz. Well done for that! Liz: I think so too. I'm looking forward to seeing the money come in, so we can afford a great health campaign. Join me on my FACEBOOK  page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Need the app or want to rate it? Click the link. // //   //  

What do you feel like eating in the morning? Are you a breakfast eater, or do you just have a coffee or tea? There are so many things to choose from when it comes to the first meal of the day. Traditionally, in England, we have what is called the 'great British breakfast'. It is a substantial meal; if you happen to miss lunch, it doesn't matter because you will still be full with breakfast. Normally it includes: bacon (meaty not fatty), eggs, toast, stewed, skinless tomatoes, sausages, sometimes some black pudding (or blood sausage), orange juice, and coffee or tea. It's perfect if you are going to do lots of physical labor all day. Personally, I can't eat very much straight away after waking up. My stomach isn't ready. I need to be awake a good hour before having a heavy breakfast. A lighter, sweeter kind of breakfast would be french toast or waffles. They are two of my children's favorites. And, nowadays waffles are very conveniently found in the frozen breakfast aisle, in the supermarket. I do make them fresh sometimes, but I've found a brand that my kids like; it's fortified with vitamins, and they can pop them in the toaster themselves. Mind you, I have to supervise them, not just for safety either. They tend to go a little heavy on the syrup when they make their own waffles. As I say to them,"Do you want some waffle with your syrup, or syrup with your waffle?" I much prefer French toast; I find it more substantial and nutritious. It's quite a simple recipe: two eggs, about one cup of milk, beat together, and dip in the white French bread. Then fry in a little butter until both sides are light golden brown. Then you can put whatever you want on top. Syrup is the norm, but we like to put peanut butter, or jam, or sometimes even a piece of ham.It's up to you to choose what you want for a topping. Sometimes getting creative in the kitchen is worth it; it's just a little more interesting than a bowl of cornflakes. Grammar notes. Common expressions: to happen to, to pop (British), to go heavy/to go easy (American), the norm. 1. I happened to see an old college friend in town. 2. Pop over for a cup of tea this afternoon. OR I'll just pop to the butchers. OR My neigbor popped in to borrow some sugar. OR Spread the cream on the cake and then pop it in the fridge. 3. Go heavy on Peter's plate with the icecream, but go easy on mine. 4. The weather has been so different this year. Daily rain is the norm, but it hasn't rained yet. Please click on the link to rate my app or podcast, or to buy the app if you need it.    

As I was going to the recycling center today, I passed the postman (or, the mail man in U.S). He was sitting in his cute little mail van, next to the mail boxes where he was inserting all of the letters, cards, and junk mail. I pulled over and asked him for our mail which he very kindly gave me. Back in the car, I had a quick look through the collection of things that he had given me, and I found two official looking envelopes from the U.S Department of State, - the place where you get important documents. "I don't believe it," I said to myself, "they've arrived!" The passports that I had sent off for, for my two youngest children, had been issued. When I sent in the applications, I was told that it would take six weeks. It had taken only three, so I was amazed to see them in my hands. It's a miracle! Government paperwork has been completed early! This is one for the history books! Okay, I won't go on. I opened the envelopes and found two, brand new, dark blue U.S passports. Of course I quickly looked for the photos. My son looked very serious; he had had a big smile on his face, but then the photographer had told him not to. So he had quickly turned his happy face into one that looked very serious indeed. My daughter, the day before the photos, had decided to cut her fringe (or bangs in the U.S). So, her forehead had a large, triangular chunk of hair missing. Well, I suppose she is still very cute in the photo, and she'll be able to change it in about five years. So, our most important documents for traveling this Summer are ready. That's one thing that I can cross off my list of things to do. Most of our flights are booked; I just have to tie up a few loose ends and book some rental cars, and our plans will be complete. There is a lot involved in making a big trip, but I'm glad that we have the all-important documents already here. Grammar notes. Expressions with the preterite: to tie up loose ends, kindly, this is one for the history books. 1. Why did you leave the project unfinished? You need to tie up all the loose ends. 2. My car broke down, but a passer-by kindly helped me get a tow-truck. 3. I don't believe it! You did the washing up! This is one for the history books.   Please rate my app, or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

Do-it-yourself is more than a hobby in this town. It is more like a craze. When a job needs to be done around the house, a lot of people will do it themselves, instead of hiring someone else. You don't always need to be an expert to fix a pipe, to paint a wall, to hang a door, or to replace a window. You just need to know how to do it, and you also need the right tools. There are a couple of stores where I live that supply those two things. They have employees who are very knowledgeable about all 'fix it' possibilities. And they have aisle after aisle of tools and equipment which will help you get the job done. As you might have guessed, these stores are huge. They are the biggest shops in the whole town, and they are always busy. They have a gardening section, a lawn care area, a lighting area, a lumber yard (which is where different kinds of wood sheets are available), doors, bathroom and kitchen appliances, floor coverings, paint, and tools. Phew! You could be in there for weeks without seeing everything. People keep coming back out of a desire to improve their homes, to save money, and to take pride in something they have done with their own hands. But now, something else brings them back, the chance to win $5000. Every time you buy something and receive your receipt, you will see on it an invitation to do a survey and enter the code that is on the receipt for a chance to win some big bucks. I have a few receipts at home that I haven't used yet. I should do. A $5000 card to the hardware store would be extremely useful. The list of things I could buy is very long: light bulbs, batteries, fertilizer for the lawn, cleaning fluids, paint, plants, picture hooks, garden tools.....well, I could go on. Apparently, one person each week wins the shopping card. That means that there is probably someone who comes to the store near me, who has already won, and who is buying 'freebies' for his projects. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a freebie, a survey, to take pride in, knowledgeable. 1. A freebie is something that is free to buy, or a gift from a store. 2. After staying at the hotel, we were asked to do a survey about our stay. 3. That gardener really takes pride in his work, and, as a result, his garden is spectacular. 4. My father is knowledgeable about the world wars; he is always reading the war history books. Click the link to buy or rate my app // //   //  

My children have begged my husband for years to build them a tree house. He has said "No," for a long time, but in 2013, for some reason(1), he changed his mind. I always agreed with the kids, because secretly, I think it would be very exciting to have a tree house. So, when he told us that he wanted our ideas about the project, we were all surprised and excited. The kids drew all sorts of designs, some realistic, and some pure fantasy. As Tom and the boys were going to do all of the building, the plans had to be very clear and simple. Each person had to know what his job was(2). Also, Tom decided to cut the cost(3) by using unwanted wood and fallen trees from land owned by relatives. So off he and the boys would go in the truck to search for wood. They would come back a few hours later, with the trailer full off tree trunks. One by one they would carry them to the back garden. It was heavy, hard work for the boys, but they're all big and strong, and if they wanted a tree house, they had to work for it. Gradually, the building started to take shape(4). The support wood went in the ground first, then the floor was placed on top of that. It seemed that in a few days the walls went up, and then the roof appeared. This all took place towards the end of November, because Tom knew that usually we get snow right at the beginning of December. Well, that didn't happen this year at all. We've had a snowless winter. Because it hasn't been too cold, the kids have already been playing in the house. Inside it you'll find a mattress, a lantern, and a stash (5)of food which went missing from my kitchen. My little squirrels must have transported it up into the tree house for their winter supply. 1. 'For some reason' is like saying 'I don't know why'. a. I called her three times, but for some reason she didn't pick up the phone. b. He's highly qualified, but for some reason he can't find a job. 2. The use of the verb at the end of the sentence shows that it's not a question. We would not say, 'Each person had to know what was his job'; that would be incorrect because that has the structure of a question.  a. He asked me what time it was/ what the time was. (We would not say 'He asked me what was the time). b. I need to know how much the cakes cost. (We would not say 'I need to know how much cost the cakes). 3. 'To cut the cost' means to make a project cheaper. a. The council is cutting the cost of lighting the streets by turning on only half of the street lamps. b. We cut the cost of painting our house by having our friends help us. 4. 'To take shape' is a phrase we use that describes the progress of a project. It can be used figuratively as well. a. The garden shed is half finished; it's really taking shape. b. We're planning the wedding reception; it's really taking shape. 5. 'A stash' is a collection of food or other substances that are hidden for some future use/ secret use. a. I cleaned my son's bedroom and found a stash of chocolates under his bed. b. The police came across a stash of marijuana in the boys' locker room in the High School. Click the link to buy or rate my app. // //   //  

At the radio station. Greg: Today we have a special guest from the university who is here to talk to us about the Student Union, and some of its important activities. Welcome, Liz. Liz: Hello Greg, thanks for having me. Greg: Congratulations on becoming the Student Union President. What are your goals for the students for this year? Liz: Three things really. I'm working with the other elected students to increase safety on campus; we'll have visiting speakers from the community who will educate us about safety issues: not walking alone late at night, reporting suspicious behaviors, and keeping personal property safe. Greg: Good, because crime on campus should be unacceptable, don't you think? Liz: Absolutely. We're also organizing a big concert to raise money for a health outreach. Some students deal with depression, drug addiction, bullying. So we want to spend that money on speakers, counselors, and workshops. We're also working with the universituy to see if students can get credit for going to the workshops. Greg: Well that's impressive, Liz. You're trying to solve some very important problems. I wish you all the best. We'll support your efforts by running ads about the concert every day. Liz: Thanks Greg, I really appreciate it.   Click the link if you wish to rate my app or buy it // //   //  

I'm happy to tell you that I'm building a website that will soon replace the blog for A Cup Of English. I'm very excited about the change, and I hope that soon I will have it finished. One thing that I did a few days ago for the website, was to have a personal photo shoot. I have had the podcast for over five years, and have only shown my voice. However, the website will be a little bit more personal, so there will be a page about me, Anna, with a few photos. So you will be able to connect a real human being to the voice that you hear in the podcasts. I normally take photos; I don't usually have them taken of me. So, I'm more comfortable behind a camera, instead of infront of one. I had an idea of what I wanted: relaxed, casual photos of me looking fabulous but professional at the same time. Well, was that too much to ask? The cameraman seemed really nice, but was young and very quiet. He sat me at a desk that was very low, on a chair that was too high, told me to sit up straight, but lean forward. Then I had to lower my chin, but look up. Finally I had to turn my head to the left, but tilt (1)it to the right. Oh my gosh, I was so uncomfortable! I was as stiff as a board, which means as hard as a piece of wood. I tried to give a relaxed smile, but that just wasn't going to happen. We checked the photos and my smile looked like the corners of my mouth had been pulled back by big, metal hooks(2). What made it worse, was that the photographer was really quiet, as quiet and still as the camera. "Why don't I make myself laugh?" I said pathetically. I tried doing some fake laughs, hoping that that(3) would make me laugh. It did, once, but the camera didn't go 'click', and so the moment was lost. I  was feeling ridiculous. An hour and a half had gone by and I was exhausted. But I think, that's when it happened. I was tired and wanted to go home, so I stopped caring about the photos. When I stopped caring, I relaxed. And when I relaxed, suddenly 'click, click, click', the photographer got to work(4). The poor man was probably desperate to get rid of this stiff English woman. Anyway, three decent photos were the result of the photo shoot. I never realized that posing for photos could be so painful. 1. 'To tilt' is to put something on its side. a. Can you tilt the lampshade, the light is right in my face. b. He tilted his hat to cover his eyes; he looked very cool. 2. 'Hook' is a noun and a verb. In this podcast it is used as a noun. It can be made out of metal or wood, is formed like a sharp 'U', and is used to grab items. a. We need some hooks if we're going fishing. b. The butcher hung the meat up on the hooks. 3. 'That, that' here the word 'that' is used as both a conjunction and a pronoun. a. I read him a story, hoping that that would send him to sleep. b. She cooked a chicken stew, knowing that that would satisfy her family. c. We sent the rent check early because we know that that will keep the landlord happy.   Join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. You're all welcome.  Need the app? It's in iTunes called A Cup Of English. Click the link to buy or rate it. // //   //  

I made the mistake, last night, of turning up to the High School too early to pick up my son. He was in basketball practice, and still had almost an hour left(1). "Oh, silly me!" I thought to myself. There was no point driving back home and then returning later, so I decided to check my emails on my iPhone. Well, most of them were advertising or spam, and after deleting all that I could, I looked around for something to do. The hallway, where I was waiting, was covered in posters that High Schoolers had made. As I started to read them, I could see that they were all about drug addiction. This is a real problem in High Schools. Somehow drugs make their way(2) into the schools, and have become big business. Often students who are depressed or who have family problems, will start taking drugs as an escape. There is pressure also to look 'cool'(3), and to do what others are doing. I think that having informative posters on the walls about common drugs like LSD, Morphine, Crack, and Marujuana, is a good thing. I learned a lot by reading them, and I'm sure that there are many parents, like myself, who don't know enough about all the drugs that circulate in the High Schools. I was pleased to see that each poster had a section called 'drug prevention' which gave advice about avoiding the trap of taking drugs. They said things like: "Just say no," "Stand alone," "Avoid drug users", "Stay busy with healthy activities", and "Talk with a counselor". I talk to my children about the dangers of taking drugs, and how they should always respect their bodies, and never feel pushed into dangerous behavior, even by good friends. Reading the posters reminded me that High School can be a wonderful place of development and learning, but also an environment that has its potential dangers. 1. 'Left' is a word we use with 'time' to show that there is still time remaining. We also use the phrase 'to go' after an expression of time. a. There are still three hours of daylight left. b. You can finish writing your paragraph; there are still 45 minutes to go/ left. 2. 'To make one's way into something/ somewhere'. This phrase is used to describe how someone or something can get into/ appear in a location. a. I don't know how it happened, but the rats made their way into the building, and started to live in the walls. b. The soldier made his way slowly over the snowy fields. 3. 'Cool' is used, particularly in the U.S to mean sophisticated, confident, fashionable, individual, and a maverick (which means a person who does what he wants to do and is admired/ a person who is confident to go his own way). It is used a lot as slang, and can describe events and places as well as people. a. Your new bike is so cool. b. My English teacher is really cool; she's patient, kind, and teaches really well.   Please rate my app, or buy A Cup Of English in iTunes. // //   //  

Last year, for the first time, I got involved in(1) a political campaign. A friend of mine decided to run for a position(2) on the local School Board. She is a busy mother of four, and running for that position would take a lot of time and energy, so a group of us decided to help her. The campaign was like many others; she had to get her name out(3) into the community, talk on the radio, go to public events, and attend lots of meetings. It just so happens that(4) those are the sort of things that she does anyway; she is a natural politician. Where I had to help was handing out information flyers on her, and waving banners on the street corners. For years, I have seen other people do that. They stand in small groups, near busy roads, and wave banners that say, "Vote John Brown for Council," or "Vote Judy Green for Mayor". These people generally face the traffic, show the banners, and wave. I could never imagine myself doing that(5). However, when I found out that my friend Jennifer wanted to run for the School District position, I was willing to do anything to help her. For years she has volunteered in schools, and has helped on the Parent Teacher Association, so she knows about our education system, and where it needs help. The School Board represents all of the schools in our area, about ten of them. They help to decide on spending, renovations, employment, and program(me)s of all sorts. As Jennifer is energetic, studious, determined, and personable, I knew that she would be a perfect addition to(6) the School Board, and would help to make positive changes. So, I found myself on the busy street corners, waving banners, smiling and waving, and saying, "Vote for Jennifer!" My kids even helped me. They got plenty of attention from the passing drivers. And guess what? Even though the person running against(7) Jennifer was well known in the community, and had huge banners, Jennifer won. The campaign was a success. I look forward to hearing about the changes in the School District, now that a new, dynamic person is on the board. 1. 'To get involved' - means to become part of a project, goal, or work. To do something to help. a. I want to get involved in the local community, to help solve some of its problems. b. She is very involved with a volunteer reading program. 2. 'To run for a position', the verb 'to run' is used when someone is in a political campaign of any kind. a. No woman has ever run for President yet in the U.S. b. My uncle is running for Mayor. 3. 'To get one's name out' means to inform the public about yourself, your name, and what you do or wish to do. It's like 'spreading the word' about yourself. a. Part of any campaign is getting your name out into the community. b. The business will increase as its name gets out. 4. 'It just so happens that' is the same as saying, 'it happens that', 'coincidentally', 'it's significant that'. It shows a connection between two things. a. My father makes shoes; it just so happens that he has huge feet, and finds it difficult to buy shoes. b. We need a large location for the party; it just so happens that the school gymnasium is available on that day. 5. 'I could never imagine myself (doing something)..' / 'I can't imagine myself (doing something)...' These phrases are interchangeable, but the first is also used when the action or event that you could not imagine, has taken place. a. I could never imagine myself singing on stage, but then I did it, and I wasn't too bad! (the event actually took place). b. I can't imagine myself as a politician. (the event hasn't taken place). 6. We talk about a person being 'a perfect addition to' a company, an organization, and even a family. a. When Julie marries Peter, she will be the perfect addition to the family. b. He's the perfect addition to the company; it will really benefit from his skills and experience. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish, and send your questions to my email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you!   Need the app? You can find it in iTunes, called A Cup Of English. Click the link. // //   //    

Liz: Excuse me Professor Cameron. Prof: Yes Liz. Liz: I just wanted to hand in my essay today. I know it's due tomorrow, but I won't be here, and I don't want it to be late. Prof: Ok. What are you up to tomorrow? Liz: Actually, I'm having an interview for the city newspaper. Prof: Really? About what? Liz: Well, I was just voted the President of the Student Union. Prof: Congratulations. Liz: Thanks. So I will be talking to them about my goals, raising money, and student activities this year. Prof: I had no idea that you were political, Liz. I look forward to reading the article. I invite you all to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected] Buy or rate my app by clicking the link. // //   //  

When it's a special time of year, most cultures celebrate, among other ways(1), with traditional food. In England, we have lots of special food, both savory and sweet, that we enjoy during Christmas and the New Year. I have started my own tradition of making English trifle during the winters. It is a very well-known dish that can be enjoyed any time, really. But for me, because it is my favorite, I keep it for the winter holiday season. One reason for that is that it is creamy. In the long, cold winter months, most people I know feel like eating heavier food. Instead of salads and other light dishes, we feel like rich food, lots of calories, things like meat, potatoes, cheeses, and cream. Well, I'm a fan of cream, but it has to be respected: don't use too much, and don't make it too sweet. I make trifle from scratch(2), and cream makes it extra special. The base of a trifle is custard: a mixture of milk, eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and vanilla. My secret ingredient is evaporated milk which I add after I have cooked the custard. It's heaven! Then, I pour some sherry over 'ladies' fingers' which are like a very light sponge cake. Then the technique is simple: you layer everything. So, you layer the ladies' fingers with jam, thin slices of banana, and then custard. When the bowl is full, you make a layer of heavy, whipped cream (not sweetened), topped with toasted, sliced almonds. When you have finished, the trifle needs to be chilled all night. Then, finally, you use a long, large spoon to serve it, because each person needs to have several layers of the trifle. I suppose it's like making fine art; you have to take time, and work hard to produce something special. 1. 'Among other ways' in the first sentence means 'there are many ways, but we will focus on one particular way.' The phrase is used with other nouns, not just 'ways'. a. What I need for college, among other things, is a laptop. b. He explained, among other grammar points, the subjunctive and imperative. c. We visited Stonehenge, among other sites. 2. 'From scratch' when you are talking about cooking, means that you made it yourself; no part of it was premade.  a. If you make the meal from scratch, it will take longer than using premade food. b. They never make anything from scratch; they always eat food from a box. 3. 'To whip' is the verb we use when we beat cream or butter. When we do the same thing to eggs, we use the verb 'to beat'. a. Whip the cream and slowly add some powdered sugar, then spread it on the cake. b. You must beat the eggs; add the spinach. Fry the omelette and then add cheese. 4. 'To chill' or 'chilled' are used in cooking. a. You must chill the dessert to get the right texture. b. He poured the martinis into chilled glasses. 5. 'To sweeten' is to add sugar or something else that is sweet. a. Do you like to sweeten your coffee? b. The Cherokee Indians would sweeten their food with honey or sap from the maple tree.   You're invited to my Facebook page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. If you have questions or comments about my podcasts, please let me know at [email protected].  Click the link to rate or buy my app.  // //   //  

I can't believe it's January, 2014. We say that Christmas 'came and went', which means that it was over very quickly, in the blink of an eye. I know that all around the world, people celebrate New Year's Eve with big parties, and in many different ways. Usually, we have a quiet, family time at home.We typically buy food like smoked salmon, cheeses and wines, and chocolates. As it's cold and dark outside, we always light a fire. And then we watch the New Year being celebrated around the world on telelvision. It's a quiet, lazy evening for us. However, this year was quite different. We were invited to the house of a couple who always have a big celebration on New Year's Eve. They have what we call an 'open house'. It means that anyone can turn up. Their house is really decorated with Christmas lights outside; it looks like something out of Disney Land. They have won awards for their decorations, and often you will see cars slow down as they drive by, so the people in the cars can have a good look. Well, this year, they had a fire pit outside, where we could roast hot dogs, and marshmallows. Inside, the kitchen was full of more food and drinks. We played Bingo in the lounge, and we also had fireworks outside. At one point, a policeman came by to warn us about the fireworks: they were too close to the road. But by then, Dan, the home owner, had already let off the big fireworks, so we were quite satisfied. The children ran around the property, through all of the Christmas lights, playing games, and squealing with delight. And I wandered around, as I usually do, with my camera, photographing all the pretty scenes that Dan and his wife had created for the holidays. I came upon an angel blowing a trumpet, next to a group of Christmas trees. "Perfect!" I thought. The scene glowed with hope, beauty, and goodness. It was a physical representation of what, I think, we all want for the New Year. It's interesting how a simple scene like that, even one made of plastic, can give a powerful image of the beauty that we can find in life, and of the meaningful future that the human family desires. 1. 'Came and went' is a useful phrase that emphasizes how time goes quickly. a. Our vacation came and went. The time flew (by) because we were having so much fun. b. I was nervous about the interview, but it came and went. It was over in the blink of an eye. 2. 'As it's cold and dark outside'.... Here the 'as' is used the same way as 'because'. a. As it's raining, we won't go for a walk. b. As the flight is cancelled, we will catch the train instead. 3. 'At one point, a policeman came by...' Here the phrase 'at one point' is used to mean 'at a certain time in the party', 'during the party', 'while the party was still going'. a. At one point during the movie, we got up and left because it was so bad. b. At one point during the lecture, I fell asleep. My friend had to wake me up! 4. 'To let off/ set off fireworks'. Two verbs are used when we talk about lighting fireworks. The preposition 'off' is used to add the meaning that the fireworks 'fly off' once they have been lit. a. We all stood back, and Mr. Jones set off the first rocket. b. He was in charge of letting off the fireworks. 5. 'Squeal' and 'shriek' are fabulous verbs that describe a kind of scream. They are both high pitched, the first probably being the highest. It is the noise made by young children having fun, or a pig and sometimes other animals stuck somewhere, or in pain (a squeal). 'Shriek' is like a scream when someone is scared or angry. Again, because it is a high pitched sound, it is associated with women more than men. a. The children squealed with delight when the clown walked in the room. b. The lady shrieked, "You clumsy fool!" when the waitress spilled red wine on her white dress.   Thanks for joining me. You're all welcome to my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Send your questions or comments to [email protected] and I will get back to you.  Please rate my app or buy it by clicking on the link. // //   //   >

Jennifer: Hi Liz, I just thought I'd come by to say "Hi", and "Happy New Year." Liz: Happy New Year to you too Jennifer. Did you have a nice time with your family? Jennifer: Yes, we just had a quiet and relaxing time. A few friends came over and we had dinner. How about you? Liz: I had an amazing time. A large group of us went to China Town for the celebrations. I was amazed at how exciting and lively they were. We usually have a quiet New Year's Eve, so I was really surprised at the difference. Jennifer: So what did you all do? Liz: Well, first of all we had dinner: fish and dumplings, delicious! You know how much I love fish! Then we walked through the center of China Town to see all the decorations; there were lanterns and red paper art everywhere. I bought an upside down 'Fu' and 'Dui Lian' to hang in my room, for future good luck and prosperity. Then the fireworks started. Oh my goodness, they went on all night. Infact, the celebrations go on for about two weeks! We actually stayed up all night, and went to the morning market which is traditional. They were selling lots of flowers, so I bought sunflowers and plum blossoms which are supposed to give me a good year. Jennifer: Wow! You really had a cultural experience. My New Year's Eve was really boring compared with yours.   Thanks for joining me. You're invited to my FACEBOOK page which is called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Send your questions and comments to [email protected].   Please rate my app, or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

Peter: Are you going home for the holidays? Liz: Yes I am. We're going to have a big, family get-together. It'll be fun, but there's loads to do. I think my mother is already stressed. Peter: Stressed? Why get stressed at such a fun time of year? Liz: She doesn't choose to get stressed. It's just what often happens. She has most of the responsibility for the get-together, so there is a lot to think about. Peter: I can't see what the fuss is all about. She just has to do the cooking, right? Liz: No, there's much more to organize. She has to make the sleeping arrangements for all the visitors, including buying more bedding. We can't have eighty year old aunt Betty sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. Then there's the food. I don't think we have enough chairs, so where will everyone sit for dinner? My job will be to make a huge grocery list, buy everything, and then put it all away neatly. My Dad and I will drive to the airport to pick everyone up, but they're all arriving at different times. Peter: What a headache! When I go home for the holidays, I just turn up! Liz: Well you're lucky, and spoilt! Please rate my app, or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

A few weeks ago, I went to pick up my son from High School. Usually I park away from the heavy traffic, on the right side of the parking lot, and he meets me there. I usually sit waiting for a few minutes, and catch up with(1) my emails while I wait. This particular day though, I suddenly heard the back of the car open, and a voice say, "Hey Mom, can you help me with this?" I looked back and saw an enormous, brown, wooden tower. Hudson was carrying it, and it was so large that I couldn't even see him. "Wow!" I said, as I jumped out of the car(2). "Let me put the back seats down for you(3), otherwise, it won't fit in the back." I lowered the two back seats of the car, and helped Hudson put his creation from his art lesson in carefully. As we drove home he showed me the gift certificate(4) that he and his team mates had won for building this mini- Eiffel Tower. "Well done, darling," I said. "It's quite a work of art." The night before, he had asked me if I had any extra Christmas lights that he could use for his art project. I gave him some, but didn't ask him about the project. I actually expected it to be some normal, small art project, perhaps something that shows a certain painting technique, or some specific medium, like oil paint, clay, or metal paper. This, however, was much more than I had expected(5). It completely took me by surprise(6). It sits in his bedroom now, and is lit up. I'm considering bringing it downstairs for our Christmas entryway decoration. It'll make a change from a Christmas tree. 1. 'To catch up with my email' this verbal phrase can be used in many contexts. It means to get up to date, or to read the latest emails, to hear the latest news etc. a. Yesterday I caught up with my bills; thankfully I paid every one on time. b. Last week I caught up with my best friend. She had a lot of news to tell me. 2. "....as I jumped out of the car." In this part of the podcast, I don't literally mean that I jumped out of the car. In English, we often use a verb such as jump to describe a quick, enthusiastic movement or decision. a. I jumped to volunteer; I could see that he needed help. (speed) b. He jumped up from his chair and started to sing. (enthusiasm). 3. "Let me put the back seats down for you." Here in the podcast, I literally mean, " Let me fold down the seats so the project will fit," or "Let me fold down the seats so we can fit your art project in the back of the car." You can see that these two sentences would be quite long and unnecessary. As in any language, English will often use a shorter version. It is understood that we have to make room in the back of the car for the project, so it is much simpler to say, "Let me + verb for you." If you are helping someone do anything physical, you can just use this phrase instead of going into detail. a. Let me open the door for you.  (to carry the old tv out and to bring the new one in). b. Let me hold that up for you. (the sofa, while you look underneath for your phone). 4.  Gift certificates are a very popular present for all occasions. a. I got a Starbucks gift certificate for my birthday. b. Let's buy him a gift certificate to the hardware store. 5.  "This was much more than I had expected." I have included this sentence in the grammar notes because it is perfect to learn by heart in order to use it in multiple situations. a. (Realising that there is a surprise party for you) "This is much more than I had expected." b. (Being given the award for excellence by your company) "This is much more than I had expected." 6. "It completely took me by surprise." This is another 'ready made' sentence that you can use in your conversations. a. The rain storm caught us/got us while we walked home. It completely took me by surprise. b. He turned up with his luggage at midnight. It completely took us by surprise. Click here to rate or buy my app. Thanks! // //   //  

'Luminous', 'glowing', 'radiating' are the words which came to my mind(1) after reading an article about a very special, new technology. It's called 'Starpath', an earth-friendly(2), inexpensive, and efficient way to light our streets. A company in England called Pro-Teq Surfacing, has developed a material made out of ultraviolet particles. These particles are spread onto a path, where they absorb sunlight during the day, and then they glow(3) blue at night. The first public demonstration of this took place in the city of Cambridge. I found a photograph of the path in the newspaper called 'The Telegraph', and it does show the path glowing at night. This is a very exciting development in lighting because it is clean, sustainable(4), and very cheap. I can imagine the cost of lighting our streets with traditional street lamps. However, this Starpath technology could cut our national lighting costs by hundreds of millions each year. We certainly cannot do without(5) light at night, to keep us safe, to help us find our way home, and to discourage crime. What a fantastic development. And this is just the beginning. Starpath technology offers the possibility of different colors of light as well. Also, the material used can last up to seventy years, so it is very sustainable stuff. As councils are turning off street lamps to save money and to meet carbon emissions targets, Starpath could be a valuable solution to both problems. 1. 'To come to mind' means that something reminds you of something else; it could be an image, a word, even a color. a. When I think of my Kindergarten students, a tornado comes to mind. b. When I think of my good friends, a garden of flowers comes to mind. 2. 'Earth-friendly' is a very popular and very important phrase. It means something that doesn't harm the natural environment. a. This plastic bag is earth-friendly; it decomposes quickly and is not toxic. b. My earth-friendly light bulbs take a few minutes to produce bright light. 3. 'Glow' is one of the main ideas in this podcast, and it means the same as 'radiate', or 'emit light'. It can be used figuratively as well. a. His face was glowing with success when he found out that he had passed the exam. b. The moon glowed through the clouds. 4. 'Sustainable' comes from the verb 'to sustain' which means 'to keep going' or 'to support'. a. That forest is sustainable because the trees that are cut down are quickly replaced. b. We need an educational program for prisoners that is sustainable. 5. 'To do without' is interchangeable with 'to go without', but the latter often means that a person lacks some basic necessity. a. The homeless shelter cannot do without funding, even for a day. b. The play cannot do without the main actor; it just wouldn't work. c. People can only go without water for a few days, but they can go without food for about a month. d. I can't do without/ go without my coffee in the morning.   Thanks for joining me! You're welcome to join my Facebook page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Send any questions and comments to [email protected] Please rate my app or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

Brian: "What are all these boxes doing out in the hall?" Liz: "I decided that it was finally time for me to get organized?" Brian: "You? Organized?" Liz: "I'm not that bad, am I?" Brian: "Well, I don't know anyone else who loses her keys everyday, or her phone, or her bag." Liz: "That's called being normal." Brian: "Well, I don't lose my things everyday." Liz: "That's because you're not normal, ha, ha! I've made a resolution: I will be more organized. I'll use my iPhone calendar. I'll get rid of my junk, and become more efficient." Brian: "Wow! God help us all! An efficient Liz is hard to imagine." Liz: "That's because overly organized people like you lack imagination."   Questions or comments? Email me at [email protected]. Feel free to join me on my Facebook page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. You're all welcome.  Please rate my app or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

Recently, when I was substitute teaching in a local school, I came across a very unusual creature. It was an Austrian leaf bug. It was in the elementary classroom, along with(1) other animals such as a corn snake, a hampster, and an old display of tarantulas, moths, and beetles. This particular(2) insect didn't catch my eye at all at first because it was perfectly camouflaged. It was hanging from a raspberry branch, but it was so still, and looked so much like a dry leaf, that I thought there were no creatures in the cage at all. I asked the students about their classroom pets, and they had lots to say. They called the bugs, "gross", "wierd", "freaky", and even "boring". "They don't do much," said one boy. "They just hang there all day. They eat, and they poop, and that's all." I took a video of one of them and then looked them up on the internet. I found out that they are not as boring as they seem(3). They live a long time: 18 months for females, and about 6 months for males. The females produce huge amounts of eggs, and what's amazing is that(4)they don't even need the males. If there is no male, their eggs will all be female bugs; it's called parthenogenesis. The females are also twice as big as the males, but unlike them, they cannot fly. Poor males, they may aswell fly if they're not needed. So, for a classroom, the female Australian bug is an ideal and easy pet: cheap, durable, static, and 'wierd'.   1. 'Along with' is similar to saying 'as well as' or 'close to'. a. Cats are perfect hunters. They are fast, quiet, and along with their sharp claws, they have nocturnal vision. b. The kitchen drawer was a mess. In it were coins, wires, papers , and pins, along with old receipts and pebbles. 2. 'This particular..'  is a useful short phrase used to emphasize a noun that you then describe.  a. There was a man in the crowd in a red coat. This particular man was well known. b. Snakes can dislocate their jaws; this particular ability enables them to eat animals larger than themselves. 3.  'as ......as' praticing comparisons: a. He's as tall as the man. b. It's as sunny as it was yesterday. c. She's as capable as anyone in the class. 4. 'What's amazing is that..' Here, 'amazing' can be replaced with any adjective, and often 'that' is omitted in speech, and after 'who', 'when', 'where', 'how' and 'why', or the infinitive or gerund of a verb. a. What's tragic is (that) he doesn't study for his tests. b. What's funny is how he eats so fast. c. What's encouraging is seeing their progress. 5. 'Durable' means that it either lives a long time, or that it doesn't wear with age or use. a. The new, efficient light bulbs are durable; they last up to 7 years. b. those cheap tires are not durable; they'll wear out in a year or two.   Questions? Comments? Email me at [email protected]    Please rate my app, or buy it by clicking the link.          

John: Hi Liz, are you still playing with that thing? Liz: Oh yes, hi John. I'm still getting used to my new iPhone. I'm getting to know the apps really well. John: I can see that. I was standing next to you for 5 minutes before you looked up. Liz: Oh gosh, sorry! It's just so fascinating. I actually missed the bus yesterday because I wasn't paying attention. John: Well, at least you weren't waiting to catch a plane! Liz: Ha! Yes! It's absorbing a lot of my time at the moment. But, once I get used to it, I'm sure I'll be back to normal. John: Sure, it takes a while to get used to new technology. How are you liking the bigger bill? Liz: Not much. But I suppose you get what you pay for. Why do they make cell phone bills so complicated: data, minutes, plans, taxes, surcharges? It's more confusing than my Science teacher! John: I know. I just pay the bill, and hope that they're being honest.   Would you like to join my FACEBOOK page? It's called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Just send me a friend request. If you have a question or a suggestion, let me know at [email protected]  Rate my app or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

In the United States, young men and women are allowed to start driving lessons when they are fifteen. They apply for an 'Initial Permit', take lessons, and have the opportunity to drive the family car. They have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian(1) who is over 21 and who has a proper(2) driver's license. After a year of good driving, on their sixteenth birthday, they can get their driver's license. None of this meant anything to me until my oldest son, Hudson, asked me if he could apply for his initial permit. "What!" I said to myself. "This is crazy! He's only fifteen! His brain isn't fully developed yet!" When I had calmed down, I realised that everybody starts young over here. And, the best way to keep my son safe, is to allow him to get proper training, and lots of experience. So, even though(3) I would like to say "No", I haven't. I am actually the one who sits next to him when he is driving around. Thankfully, he is very careful. It's nerve wracking(4), however, as a parent, to sit there in the passenger seat, and have no control at all. I'm definitely more nervous than he is in that situation. I have to control my breathing, bite my tongue(5), and try not to slam my foot onto my imaginary brake. As he is enouraged by his driving instructors to drive everywhere, in the morning, he drives his three siblings to school, and then goes on(6) to the High School. So, first thing in the morning, I find myself sitting in the passenger seat in my pyjamas, heart racing, wild eyed like a trapped cat, just hoping for it all to be over soon. I smile, of course, and say things like, "That was a really good corner, Hudson. You used the brakes really well." By the time I get home, though, I look like I've seen a ghost. So I destress with some Yoga, and a long shower. 1. 'Guardian' is a person who looks after someone, even though he is not a parent. a. Tell your parents or guardians about the school meeting tonight. b. Their aunt became their guardian. 2. 'Proper' is often used in English to mean, the 'actual', 'real', 'authentic'. It is also, occasionally, used as 'neat', or 'fully prepared.' a. The little boy has a toy computer, but his older brother has a proper one. b. He has become a proper baker, with his own business and delivery van. 3. 'Even though' is worth practicing: a. Even though it's raining, we should go for a walk. b. Even though it's late, you should do your homework. c. Even though they didn't want to, they stayed behind after school. d. She decided to quit her job, even though she had been offered a raise. e. We went by train, even though by car would have been quicker. 4. 'Nerve wracking' is a common expression that expresses extreme stress. a. I can't go on roller coasters anymore; it's too nerve wracking. b. All the noise and demands of running a preschool can be nerve wracking. 5. 'To bite your tongue' means to deliberately keep quiet in order to not say the wrong thing and cause a problem. a. He was going to say that she looked fat in her new dress, but he bit his tongue. b. Please bite your tongue instead of arguing. 6. '...goes on' here is used instead of 'continues driving to'. Using the verb 'to go' + on is a quicker and more informal way than repeating the original verb. a. We'll drive to the park first, and then go on to the shopping mall. b. They skied to the valley, and went on to the hotel.   Please send me your emails with any questions and comments that you may have: [email protected]  Remember, you're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Need the app? Rate it if you have it. Click the link. // //   //  

As I look at the calendar, I realise that I have about five weeks left, five weeks before the snow 'flies'(1). There are lots of things to do before the beautiful, white blanket of snow covers our town. I'm a gardener, a self-proclaimed (2)addict. But that's not a bad thing. As I sit here typing, looking out at the back garden, or 'yard' as they say here, I see a transformation slowly evolving. There is a long, raised bed(3) of soil, two trees, and one, two, three bushes. Soon, I hope, that amount will be multiplied by four. So what is my goal? It's a mini-forest that will have a seating area in the middle, accessed only by two windy(4) paths. It will also hide the neighbor's ugly white barn that looks over my garden. To take on a project like this, you have to have a vision. And my vision has helped me to continue working hard. When the soil or 'dirt' was delivered, I thought, "Gosh, that's a lot of soil. Will I really be able to transport all of it from the front garden to the back garden?" The thought was intimidating. My children helped me a little bit, but I think they did that just to keep me happy(5). They had their own agenda. They took possession of this mountain of soft soil, like it was powdered gold. Before I knew it(6), they were digging tunnels, building rooves, and having battles right in the 'dirt pile'. In fact, my son Cass, who had just celebrated his birthday, suggested that next year I buy him his own dirt pile for a birthday present. My! How life has changed! When I was young, I played in dirt all the time, and drove my mother crazy. Now, in our ultra-clean, ultra-scheduled society, children are requesting dirt piles as presents. They are abandoning their computers and iPads, and waiting for Santa to pour three cubic feet of soil down the chimney. I applaud their connection with the soil. It's magnificent stuff, the foundation of nature's architecture. 1. 'Before the snow flies' is a phrase used here in the U.S which really means 'when the snow comes'. a. I must get the bulbs planted before the snow flies. b. After the snow flies we will build a snowman. 2. 'Self-proclaimed' is when a person calls himself or herself something. a. Michael Jackson was the self-proclaimed 'Kind of Pop'. b. She is a self-proclaimed authority on fashion. 3. 'A raised bed' is an area of soil that has been built up. It can be used for flowers, vegetables, or trees. However, planting beds do not have to be raised. a. The raised bed will help to hide the neighbor's barn. b. There is a bed of roses around the corner. 4. 'Windy' note the spelling. With a sharp 'i', as in 'ink', it describes weather that has a lot of wind. With a longer, softer 'i', as in 'hi', it describes a curvy line or path. a. Hold on to your hats! It's a windy day today. b. To get to the abandoned house, you must follow a windy path that goes through the forest. 5. 'To keep someone happy' means to appease them, usually for a purpose. a. Walk your dog and feed him everyday. That will keep him happy, and stop him from misbehaving. b. Big speeches with lots of promises often keep the voters happy. 6. 'Before I knew it' is a great phrase that communicates something quickly happening, taking you by surprise. a. The carpet cleaner arrived while I was cooking, and, before I knew it, he had finished the carpet and left. b. Dark clouds gathered while we walked, and before we knew it, we were in the middle of a storm.   Click the link to rate or buy my app. // //   //  

John: What have you got there? Liz: Oh, it's a new cell phone. John: Nice. Is it a smart phone? Liz: Yep. I decided that it was about time for me to get one. John: What kind is it? Liz: An iPhone 4S; it's quite basic really. There are newer models, but this is all I need.  John: Well, you've got internet access and a camera. I think those are so useful. Liz: And don't forget the apps. They really make life easier. My favorite is Google Maps. It's free, and there is a pleasant voice that tells me exactly where to go and when. I never get lost!   You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at [email protected]   Need the app of this podcast? Find A Cup Of English app in iTunes. Click the link. // //   //  

Sam: So Liz, are you going to go to the doctor, or do I have to take you myself? Liz: Yes, yes, I'm planning on going. You don't have to force me; believe me, I feel terrible. Sam: Well, you look terrible. Liz: Oh thanks! That makes me feel better. Sam: You know what I mean. Look, you've had a temperature for two days, you have a sore throat, and you have no energy. If I were you, I would go immediately. Liz: Yes, I suppose you're right. It's just that.... Sam: What? Liz: I hate hospitals, and clinics, and needles, and pills.... Sam: So do I. I don't even like smell of hospitals, but what choice do you have? If you delay seeing a doctor, you might end up with an infection. And you know what that means. Liz: Yes, antibiotics. Okay, you've convinced me. I'll call and make an appointment.   Join me on my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Send your questions and comments to .  Please rate my app or buy it by clicking the link. // //   //  

These September days are glorious. They are still extremely sunny, but there is a coolness in the air which makes it easier(1) to be outside. On Sunday, we took a trip to Leavenworth, a nearby town. I often go there for a change of scenery. It is very mountainous and well kept(2). The town has been deliberately made to look German, and the calendar in Leavenworth is full of special German-style(3) celebrations. The reason we went, was to go to the park. What makes it special, is that part of it is an island, called Black Bird Island. It is surrounded by the Wenatchee River, and accessible from one bridge. As you cross the bridge, you enter into a gentle forest that has a maze(4) of pathways. We walked until we could see the river through the trees, went down an embankment, and chose a spot on one of the rocky, sandy beaches. I found a shady area to sit and take photos, while my kids took off their socks and shoes and got straight into the water. They became hunters, hunters of fish and unusual stones. We also took our metal detector, to see if we could find some treasure. Well, a coke can and an old nail aren't exactly treasure, but it was fun to hear the metal detector come alive and make noise. The embankment next to us was actually full of natural treasures. We found a snake, empty birds' nests, a bird's egg, and a little den full of seeds; it must have belonged to a mouse or some other rodent. The hours flew by(5); and before we knew it, we had to leave. It was a perfect day of simple relaxation and childlike discovery. 1. 'To make it easier' is a phrase that we use often in English. a. The new parking area makes it easier to access the shops. b. On-line shopping makes our lives much easier. 2. 'Well kept' means 'well looked after' or 'neat and tidy'. a. My neighbor's garden is so well kept; it looks like a park. b. The baskets of flowers outside that shop are really well kept. 3. 'German-style'. The use of '-style' is very common, and almost any noun can be put in front of it to add sense to a sentence. It is correct to do this, even if you the phrase appears 'made up' or 'newly created' by you. It is an informal grammar structure. a. I love their French-style house; their English-style garden compliments it. b. Their 1920's-style wedding was very classy. 4. 'A maze' means the same as 'a labyrinth'. a. You can pay to walk around the corn maze, and try to find your way out. b. The hotel was like a maze; there were so many hallways that you could get lost easily. 5. 'The hours flew by'. Time is often expressed with the verb 'to fly' to give the meaning of it going quickly. a. The summer flew by; before we knew it, it was over. b. The time I spend with my sister always flies by because we have so much fun.   Questions? Comments? Email me at   You are all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Click the link to rate or buy my app. // //   //  

Samantha: Hello Liz! Liz: Hi Samantha! How are you? Samantha: Really well thanks. I'm calling because I have a question. Liz: Oh, go ahead. Samantha: Do you want to join us for the protest tomorrow? Liz: What protest? Samantha: Haven't you heard? The teachers' salaries are going to be cut by 30%, and the cost of tuition is going up. Liz: Oh my gosh! No, I hadn't heard. When will the changes take effect? Samantha: In a month. So, tomorrow, at noon, the teachers and some students are going to walk from the university to the governor's building in protest. We've got some banners to carry; it'll only take about two hours. Liz: There won't be any trouble, will there? Samantha: Oh of course not; it'll be totally peaceful. Nobody wants to cause any trouble. But something has to be said about the cuts, those poor teachers! Liz: I agree. And students can't afford another rise in tuition. That's crazy! Well, count me in. I will definitely be there. Samantha: Excellent. We'll meet  at the fountain just before noon. I'll see you there! Liz: Ok, thanks for letting me know. I'll see you at the fountain.   You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Send your questions to Click the link to rate or buy my app. //   //  

Those of you who have followed my podcasts for a few years, will know that (1) I love trees. One of my dreams is to have a tree farm. Another, more ambitious dream, is to take back (2)deserts by planting heat tolerant trees. At the moment, I can't do any of that, but instead, I spend time in my large garden. I have plans this autumn to (3) plant quite a few trees to create a mini forest, a place of shade and comfort. One tree that I learned about this summer is the Mimosa. It is actually called the Persian Silk Tree, though it originates from China. It has a beautiful, round shape, with many thin leaves, and huge pink flowers that look like collections of feathers. It's also associated with sleep. It's Persian modern name is 'shabkhosh' which means 'sleeping tree', and in Japan its name is 'nemunoki' which means the same. Its leaves slowly close each night and bow down, and that is why it is associated with sleep. I came across this tree at a wedding. The event took place in a large, back garden which had been decorated with lots of pots of flowers. As I looked around and observed all the decorations, I found the Mimosa tree. It took my breath away (4). It looked as if it had been planted deliberately (5) for the wedding because of all the soft, pretty flowers. A lady there told me that she was surprised to see a Mimosa in Wenatchee. She grew up in New York where they are quite common. But here, they are very rare, in fact, that is probably the only one in the whole town. One place in the U.S where you find them a lot is Florida. They are classed (6) as 'invasive', just like a weed. In that state, many methods are used to get rid of them. Well, I wouldn't want to do that. In fact, Mimosa is at the top of my list of trees that I want to buy. 1. The use of 'will' in the first sentence is to be noted. It could be missed out. Both are correct. a. Those people who have listened to his songs for thirty years, (will) know that he sings alot about his childhood.  b. Those of us who have skied for years, (will) have issues with our knees. * There is a very slight difference between using 'will' in these sentences, and not using it. The word 'will' shows hypothesis, suggestion, not a definite conclusion. If you do not use 'will', the feeling is that you are sure about the experience of the subjects 'those of us', 'those people' etc. 2. 'To take back' has several meanings. Here, I'm using it in the sense of 'to reclaim'. a. They took back the wasteland by introducing water, and planting crops. b. They took back the land that had been stolen from them. 3. 'To have plans to ...' a. We have plans to paint the house next month. b. She has plans to move next year. c. The government has plans to boost the economy by lowering taxes. * Note that we usually use the word 'plans' and not 'a plan'.  4. 'It took my breath away' shows surprise and admiration. a. She was so beautiful that she took my breath away. b. The building was so impressive that it took my breath away. 5. 'Deliberately' can replace 'on purpose'. a. He left his muddy boots on the carpet deliberately. / He deliberately left his muddy boots on the carpet. b. They interrupted the film by deliberately make noise. / They deliberately interrupted the film by making noise.   You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish.  And remember, for an instant download, my app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English. Just click the link. // //   //  

Liz: Come on you two, we need to get going. Mother: I thought we didn't have to leave for another half hour. Liz: We don't really. I want us to have extra time though, just in case there is a traffic problem. Father: Good idea Liz. There's nothing worse than rushing to an airport. It's such a hassle! Liz: Well, is this  all your luggage? Tickets? Handbags? Let me help you. Mother: How about you lock the door and Henry will press the button for the elevator? Liz: Ok. Mother: I can't believe that we're leaving already.  Father: Yes, the time has really flown. Great, there's the taxi; come on. Liz: Mum, are you sure you have your passports? I have a feeling that we're missing something. Mother: Yes darling, they're right......oh, hang on....they were here. Gosh,I must have left them in the bedrooom! Liz: Oh great! Tell the taxi to wait. I'll run back up and get them. It's a good job we have some extra time!   Join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. Questions, comments, need Skype conversation classes? Email me at [email protected]. Click the link to rate or buy my app. // //   //  

'There is an animal that helps to fight crime, is therapeutic(1)to be around, and is a good companion. However, this animal is also used for fighting and guarding illegal drugs. It's a Pitbull. It's a dog with a reputation. Over the past few centuries, this dog has been used as a tool and a weapon. When immigrants first came to North America, they brought this mixed breed(2) for defense and hunting. The English had crossed(3) bulldogs with terriers, and the result was an animal that had the best characteristics of both. Bulldogs are very strong and athletic, while terriers have a 'never-give-up' attitude. That combination makes a naturally dominant breed of dog. In fact, pitbulls, along with german shepards and rotweillers, are the three notorious(4) breeds that have been involved in attacks on humans. But there is no concensus about this. Some studies show that it is bad training, no training, and poor conditions that lead these dogs to violence. It's a bit like trying to drive a tank through town when you actually don't know how to drive. Something bad is bound to(5) happen. Humans need lots of guidance, and dogs are no different. Any dog needs to be trained properly, but a dog that has natural aggression and strength needs extra training. I saw a pitbull the other day while I was having coffee with a friend of mine. It wasn't aggressive or dominant. In fact, it wasn't even very big. It was a puppy, and oh my goodness, how cute. It's owner asked if he could leave 'Sally' with us while he went into the cafe to get his coffee. "Of course!" was our answer. "Be careful, because she nips when she gets excited," warned the owner. The little puppy was warm and wiggly and very enthusiastic. I could see how anyone could fall in love with a young pitbull, without realising the work and responsibility needed to bring it up properly. And yes, she did nip me. I thoroughly enjoyed petting and playing with her. I hope that Sally will be well trained, so she and people around her can always enjoy eachother safely.  1. 'Therapeutic' means healing in some way. a. Foot massage can be quite therapeutic. b. Knitting is very useful and also therapeutic. 2. A 'breed' is a kind of animal, a type of the species. a. That breed of dog is very energetic. b. Mixed breeds are often healthy and intelligent. 3. 'To cross' sometimes means to mix different breeds of animals, or types of plants. a. They crossed a plum tree with a cherry, and made a tree that produces giant cherries. b. What do you get when you cross a dinosaur with a pig?   Jurassic pork. 4. 'Notorious' means a person, animal, or thing with a bad reputation. a. He is a notorious thief. Don't lend him any money! b. She is notorious for spreading people's secrets. 5. 'Bound' is followed by the infinitive of a verb. This combination means that something is destined to happen, like a natural consequence. a. He's naturally clumsy. He's bound to have an accident sooner or later. b. They are so talented. They're bound to be famous one day.   You are all welcome to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions, comments, or need conversation practice via Skype? Email me at [email protected]. Check out my app in iTunes called A Cup Of English.Click the link. // //   //  

Liz: It's nice to get back and put our feet up. Mother: You're telling me! My feet are killing me. But we had such a lovely day, dear. Father: I had no idea that there were such wonderful museums in this city. Mother: I could have spent all day in the art gallery.  Liz: Me too Mum; and I was thrilled that there was an exhibition of Paul Klee. I love his work. Father: No, that's not my cup of tea, - too many squares and rectangles. Liz: Oh Dad. It's expressionism. There's a world of expression and depth in all his shapes. Father: Well, there's nothing quite like a Rafael Santi's battle scene. Liz: That's not my cup of tea, thank you very much. I'm a pacifist. Mother: Oh, they're all splendid in their own ways. Today was just the ticket. We're so fortunate to have access to great art.   Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. If you have questions or comments, or need Skype lessons, email me at [email protected]. My app is available in iTunes. Click on the link here. // //   //  

"It's the best place in Wenatchee," I said to my husband, as I described the new Pybus Market. This all-year-round(1) shopping center and farmer's market is the latest addition(2) to Wenatchee. It is a real step forward for this town which, up until now, hasn't had a substantial farmer's market. Also, because our climate has very cold, snowy winters, and very hot summers, we need a place indoors where shoppers can find fresh produce and locally made goods. But it's not only about food. There is a certain amount of art in Pybus. Past the rows of fruit shops, cafes, and a bistro, is a side door that leads to a very different space. The first thing you see is a huge, unfinished clay(3) statue of Mr. Pybus, the English immigrant who built the steel(4) building that now houses this market. Beyond him, is a very hot and colorful corner of activity: glass blowing. It's the first I've ever seen in Wenatchee. There is a long, glass display cabinet full of large, ornaments of all colors of the rainbow. The craftsman sits at the end, goggles(5) on, holding a torch that has a white hot flame. He focuses totally on his art. He is melting a long stick of glass and shaping it into a flower. A small group of observers gather(6), and we all stand silently watching while he creates his art. When he finishes, he introduces himself and hands us some pamphlets, "We do glass blowing classes now down by the river," he says enthusiastically. Now that would be something unusual to try, fascinating, potentially dangerous, but also beautiful. I will return to Pybus, regularly I think, and perhaps eventually take a private class in that colorful craft. 1. 'All-year-round' is an adjectival phrase. Can you guess its meaning? Yes, it means 'all year long' or 'all year'. a. They opened an all-year-round heated swimming pool. b. The shop has all-year-round Christmas supplies. 2. 'The latest addition' is an efficient phrase that can be used in multiple ways. a. That baby girl is the latest additon to their family. b. The latest addition of the iPhone is now available in shops. c. Do you have the latest addition of the monthly magazine? 3. 'Clay' is a super thick soil that can be used to make bricks and pottery. a. Some bricks are made of clay mixed with straw. b. He makes clay pots. 4. 'Steel' is a very strong metal alloy, made mainly from Iron. a. The frame of the skyscraper is steel. b. The film 'Man of Steel' is about Superman. 5. 'Goggles' are special glasses used in sports of all kinds. They usually have a rubber rim that has contact with the face. a. Put your skiing goggles on so you can see when you come down the mountain. b. These are the best swimming goggles I have ever bought. 6. 'To gather' means to collect. a. We gathered the new flowers from the garden. b. A crowd gathered outside the club. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]. Need Skype lessons to improve your pronunciation and fluency? Send me an email request and I'll send you the details. //

Liz: I hope the food gets here soon; I'm starving! Father: Yes, sorry I slept for so long, I just couldn't seem to wake up. Liz: That's alright Dad. It's better that you sleep than be grumpy all day..... Father: Me? Grumpy? Never! Liz: So, after breakfast what would you two like to do first? Art museum or park? Mother: Well, we should do the park first while it's still cool, don't you think? Then, when it's hotter we can go to the art museum. Father: Good thinking dear. But if I don't eat soon I'll pass out and you'll have to carry me. Where are my eggs and bacon? Liz: Yes, they are taking a long time. I wonder what the problem is. Father: It sounds like they're still gathering the eggs from the chickens and chasing the pigs! Liz: Oh, so you're never grumpy, eh? Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Need the app? It's in iTunes and called A Cup Of English. Please send your questions and comments to . Thanks! // //

Well, you've probably all heard about Nik Walenda, the man who recently walked 1,500 ft above the Gran Canyon on a two inch thick wire, with no protection, and no net. I watched him 'live' as he took every step, and every breath. I actually found myself(1) holding my breath while he walked and balanced and prayed. Judging by(2) his facial expression, he was more relaxed than I was. I was so nervous; my hands were sweaty, and my fingers were tingling. And then I remembered to breathe. "Oh, that's right. He's doing it, not me." It was too much for any normal person to see comfortably. And the "Thank you Jesus", and "Halleluyah" that he repeated, which I'm sure helped his performance, made it worse for me, because I kept on(3) imagining one of those Halleluyahs turning into a "Halleluyah!" His wife and three children and a group of friends and family were watching him from the other side of the Canyon. I couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Of course his family wanted to support him by being there(4), but what about them? What if he f-e-l-l in front of them? What a tragic and bizarre situation that would be for his kids. What would they do? Gasp, and then call out a quick, "Bye!" But, Nik Walenda is good. Infact, he's spectacular. He is 7th generation of a family of tightrope walkers, so as he says, "It's in my blood." I bet his wife wishes that accounting was in his blood instead. Imagine the sleepless nights that she has experienced, the nerves, and the stress. She must be a woman of steel, and unusual patience. He's done the same across the Niagara Falls, and plans to walk between two skyscrapers in New York. He is brave, focused, and determined. And he's now a bit of a national hero. But my hat goes off to(5) his wife. Most husbands come home and talk about what went on at the office. He comes home and talks about how much he wobbled(6) in practice. She's the one who I'd love to interview. What does she do to relieve stress? Does she have any hobbies? Is she an extreme knitter? If she is, her house must be full of the most amazing sweaters and socks. Maybe it's her knitting that drives(7) Nik Walenda to get as high up and far away as possible. Ok, I'm being strange and random. But, don't you think that crossing the Gran Canyon at 1,500 ft is strange and random? Add to that a wife and children. How does that all work? Well, even though I don't understand how extreme tightrope walking and a family can work well together, it does seem to. And I think it all works because of the wife. She is like the Gran Canyon, solid as a rock, and her patience just as big. As they say here in the U.S, "He owes her big time!" 1. 'To find oneself' + gerund is a common expression in English. It implies that you started doing something almost unconsciously or that some emotion or instinct pushed you into doing it. a. She found herself agreeing with everything he said because he was so handsome. b. He found himself washing his car. It was a habit; he always did it on Sunday's. 2. 'Judging by' speaks for itself really. It is like a comment on what you hear or see, and then a conclusion follows. a. Judging by his tone of voice, he was not please at all. b. Judging by their lazy attitude, the project won't be finished on time. 3. 'I kept on imagining' to keep on + gerund is the same as 'to continue + gerund'. a. He kept on golfing even though it was raining hard. b. They kept on interrupting while we were talking. 4. 'To support someone by + gerund' a. We support them by donating every month. b. They support the arts by giving talks in schools. 5. 'My hat goes off to' means I honour/ respect/ look up to/celebrate. a. My hat goes off to the second place runner who had a knee injury. b. Our hats go off to the even organizers who did such a great job. 6. 'To wobble' is to move in an unbalanced way. a. The gymnist walked across the wooden beam and didn't wobble at all. b. That ornament wobbles each time someone walks in the room. 7. 'To drive someone to do something' means that a person is emotionally forced into a situation. a. My noisy neighbors have driven me to talk to the police about them. b. His bad behavior drove them to leave early. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Need the app? Click the link to buy or rate it. // //

It's so good to see you both again; I can't believe it's been almost 3 months! That's what your father and I were saying darling. Time flies, but especially for you. Yes, it's been a busy two and a half months. Lots of ups and downs, but mainly ups. I'm glad. It's such an exciting time of your life. Well Mum, I was thinking that as soon as Dad wakes up, we'll go to my favorite cafe for breakfast. Oh, that sounds lovely. Frank does get jet-lagged quite badly, much more than me. I'm sure it's because he insists on drinking wine on the plane. It gets you so dehydrated, you know. Yes, he would be better off drinking water on the plane. But hey, he's on vacation! Join me on my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Need an instant download? My app is available in iTunes; click on the link to buy or rate it.  // //

"A change is as good as a rest" is a common saying in England. And that's what I've been having. It's summer, the children are out of school, our routine is up in the air(1), and we've been getting out of town. Have you noticed? I haven't been talking into my little snowball microphone recently because I've been going here and there(2). The place I've been to most recently is Lake Chelan. It's only a forty-five minute drive(3) from Wenatchee, but it feels as if you are in another state. Obviously, there is a lake there, and it's a huge one. It's actually the 26th deepest lake in the world, at 1,486 ft. It's name, Chelan, is taken from the Native American word 'Tsillan' which means 'deep waters'. It's also very long: 55 miles total. It's a popular place for boating, water skiing,  and fishing. There are many species of salmon, trout, and bass in the lake. The salmon, called the Chinook, can get up to 30lbs in weight, with the average weighing between 9 and 16lbs. It's very exciting fishing when you can get such a big fish, and one that's so delicious. When we fished there unfortunately the salmon were not interested in our bait(4) or hooks. Maybe we were making too much noise because we were having too much fun. The fun continued later, back at the campsite, when we rode our dirt bikes(5) along a dirt road(6) that circled through the forest and back up to where we were camping. Night came, and we settled into our trailer, the trailer that we use for the dirt bikes. We slept on mats and in sleeping bags, all packed in like sardines. It was funny, uncomfortable, and we didn't sleep much, but that's all part of the camping experience.  1. 'Up in the air' is a phrase that means 'random', 'unorganized', 'unsure' and 'unplanned'. a. My plans for summer are up in the air still; we haven't planned anything definite. b. I don't know if their wedding is on or off; it's all up in the air. 2. 'Here and there' talks about unspecific locations. a. Where have you been?    Oh, here and there.  b. He leaves his shoes here and there, all over the house! 3. 'A forty five minute drive' 'a thirty minute walk' 'a two hour hike'. Can you see a pattern here? Even though we're mentioning more than one minute or hour, the phrases are singular. a. It's just a twenty minute train ride into town. b. It's a three hour flight to the capital. 4. 'Bait' is the word for food that is put on a hook for fish, or that is put in a trap for hunting. a. The bait for fishing is usually worms. b. Fresh meat is good bait if you want to hunt cougars. 5. 'Dirt bikes' are motor bikes that can ride on hills, and rough roads. They usually get very dirty. a. I took the dirt bike on the mountain trail; it was so much fun! b. If you get the right license, you can use a dirt bike on a normal road. 6. 'A dirt road' is usually a primitive road that is not paved, or tarmacked. It can be a private road that is not maintained by the local council. 'Dirt' in the U.S means 'soil' or 'earth'. In England it means any substance that is 'dirty', not necessarily soil. a. We walked up the dirt road until we came to a sign that read 'Private Property'. b. The road up to the houses is a nice asphalt, smooth road. Beyond the houses it turns into just a dirt road. Join me on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions, comments, or do you need conversation classes to improve your spoken English? Email me at [email protected] // //

A poet called Robert Southey who lived in the late 1700's and early 1800's wrote: What are boys made of? Slugs and snails and puppy dog tails. That's what boys are made of. What are girls made of? Sugar and spice and all things nice. That's what girls are made of. I think that there is some truth to this poem. I know we can't always generalize, but I have noticed some differences between my boys and my girl and her girlfriends. The boys take more risks as far as physical danger, whereas the girls seem to be careful. The girls are very interested in social situations and 'playing' like adults, but the boys are more interested in adventure, survival-type situations, and the wilderness. And finally, boys seem to bring the outside world into the house a lot more than girls do(1). My boys went to a large pond to fish with their father, and came back happy and tired. They had managed to catch creyfish. They talked about their trip, put their gear(2) away, and then didn't really say anything else. The next morning I woke up to a humming(3) sound coming from downstairs. I went down and found, on the desk next to the computer, a large, plastic box half full of brown water. The hum was coming from an air pump(4) that had been placed inside (this was one that we had used in the past for gold fish). I looked inside.To my horror, I saw about five shiny, black creyfish sitting on top of eachother on a rock. Their antenna were moving, their eyes were slimy, and when they saw me, they slid into the water. The smell that came up from the water was just like the stinky pond weed that they live in. I was not a happy camper(5). "Just how many days were you planning on keeping these creatures in the lounge?" I asked my boys with a frown. "I don't know," was their answer. Great! We've got two dogs, a cat, a mouse that sneezes all the time, and now some stinky, creepy wet things. As I put them outside under a tree, I asked myself, "What next? Frogs in the fridge? Slugs on the sofa? Beetles in the bathroom? Why don't I rename myself Noah, and open my front door to all the creatures of Wenatchee?" When I had calmed down, I told my boys that they had to look after the things in the box. I washed my hands, and sat down to watch television with my clean little girl. 1. The use of 'do' and 'does' at the end of a comparative sentence. a. He reads a lot more than you do. b. She eats a lot more than her husband does. 2. 'Gear' is a general word for all types of equipment, especially used for sports and hobbies. a. After skiing, it takes a while to put all of the gear away. b. The fishing gear had to be sprayed with water to wash off the stinky pond weed. 3. 'Humming' comes from the verb 'to hum'. It is a sound made by a human, animal, or device that is like a vibration. Someone 'hums' to music when they don't sing the words, but make the melody with their mouths closed. a. He hummed happily while he worked in the garden. b. I didn't know the lyrics, so I just hummed the tune. 4. An 'air pump' is a device which forces air to flow from one place to another, usually via a tube or pipe. a. We need to find a high pressure air pump because my tires are flat. b. We pumped air into the plastic mattress for a more comfortable camping experience. 5. 'Not a happy camper' is a jokey phrase often used in England to mean that a person was upset or angry. a. He borrowed the car without asking permission; his mother was not a happy camper! b. A stinky creyfish escaped and crawled across the carpet. I was not a happy camper! You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions? Comments? Do you need Skype lessons to improve your English? Let me know at [email protected] // //

Last week we had the opportunity to spend the weekend in Spokane. It's a city of about 210,000 people, making it the second largest city in Washington State. It's about a three hour drive for us, but it's only 90 miles from the Canadian border. It's name is taken from the Native American Indian tribe that used to live in that area; Spokane meaning 'Children of the sun'. The reason we went there was for a basketball tournament. My son Cass had four games to play, two on Saturday, and two on Sunday. We set off early on Saturday morning, with everybody yawning and dozing(1) in the car. We checked into our hotel, and then made our way(2) to the High School where the basketball games were going to be played. When the second game was over, we decided to go downtown(3) and look around, as we are not familiar with the city. The center has a very large park with a river running through it that becomes Spokane Falls. This is a huge waterfall that tumbles(4) under a wide bridge. The river was high because of the recent melting of snow in the mountains, so the waterfall was extremely turbulent. In another part of the park we saw a monument that was built for the 1974 World's Fair. It was refreshing to be in a city again, especially one that is clean and interesting. We had dinner in the center of downtown Spokane, and then wandered through the shopping area. I happened to see the 'Mobius' center which is an interactive museum that I wrote about a few months ago. The streets, hotels, and restaurants were quite full, as it was the graduation weekend for both universities of Spokane: Whitworth, and Gonzaga University. So there were celebrations going on everywhere, and lots of students dressed up(5) looking very smart. Normally, our children's tournaments are only about sports, but I'm glad to say that(6) this trip turned into a cultural outing. 1. 'Dozing' comes from the verb 'to doze'; it's a sleepy verb. It means to half sleep. a. During the university lecture I dozed. b. We all doze during political speeches. 2. 'To make one's way..' means to find your way to a place; it can be figurative as well. a. We made our way through the crowd to the museum. b. She made her way through a difficult career. 3. 'Downtown' is the word we use to describe the center of a city or town. Note that it is not necessary to use 'the' with 'downtown' unless it is followed by another noun, such as area. a. Let's go downtown and see what we can find. b. They'll go downtown Spokane to visit the park. c. I would like to visit the downtown area, as I've never been there before. 4. 'To tumble' is a wonderful verb that means to fall in a turning motion. a. I opened the dryer and all the clothes tumbled onto the floor. b. The children's toys tumbled down the stairs. 5. 'To dress up' is when a person puts on special clothes or a special costume. This is different from 'getting dressed' which is the normal, daily act of putting your clothes on. a. You can't wear jeans to the wedding! You have to dress up! b. We dressed up as ghosts for Halloween. 6. 'I'm glad to say' is a wonderful set phrase that can be included in many sentences, at the beginning or at the end. a. He finally passed his exams, I'm glad to say. b. I'm glad to say that the council approved the plans for the park. Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Let me know your questions and comments, or if you need to practice English through Skype by sending me an email at [email protected].  // //

Liz (on the phone): Hi Mum, are you all packed and ready for your visit? Mother: Yes darling; we're so excited to see you again. Liz: Me too. But there's been a change of plans. Mother: Oh, yes? Liz: I've booked you into a hotel that is opposite my appartment. Mother: Why? Don't you want us to stay with you? Liz: It's not that, Mum. It's just that the appartment is tiny. You and Dad would have to squeeze into my bed or the sofa. That's not going to work. Mother: Oh, I hadn't thought about that. Mmm, well, whatever you think is best is fine with us darling. Liz: Your room has a King size bed; it's non-smoking, and has internet access. Mother: Perfect. It sounds lovely dear. We'll see you in a couple of days! You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; just send me a friend request. Comments, questions, need Skype lessons, email me at [email protected]. // //

I volunteered this year to build my mother an arbor in her back garden. She has a small patio at the back of her house with three borders(1) for planting. Because it gets so hot from late spring to the middle of autumn, she decided that she'd like a cover of some kind. Parasols are not big enough to cover the whole area, and the housing rules(2) do not allow her to attach anything to the house itself for extra shade. So, the only option is to build a 'free standing' arbor, or one that stands alone. Now, I actually like building things, believe it or not. I have slowly accumulated some experience of cutting and shaping wood, using power tools, digging holes, measuring and leveling(3), and mixing and pouring concrete. It's hard work, but it's so satisfying to see the finished product. To make my mum's arbor safe, I have to use 10 ft poles(4) that go into 2ft holes, and sit in concrete(5). Then, the lateral beams(6) will be screwed across the length and width(7) of the patio on both sides of the poles. It'll be a very strong structure; well it has to be. I can't have anything falling on my mother's head! Then, when the basic frame has been made, I will attach a lattice in between the beams. A lattice is a criss-cross pattern of wood. This will create shade with a pretty pattern. I'm almost half way finished, and I need to hurry up and get it built(8), because the days are getting hotter. Shade is what we're after. 1. 'A border' is an area of land, usually in the shape of a strip. It is here that you can plant. This word is also used to represent the line of separation between two countries. a. The border is full of flowers all year long. b. We'll cross the border to Mexico next week. 2. 'Housing rules' are usually called 'covenants'. The limit what you can and cannot do with the outside of your house. Notice the word 'housing' sounds like it has a 'z' instead of an 's'. a. The housing covenants don't let us paint the doors anything but brown. b. I'll have to read the housing covenants to see if I can buid an attached arbor. 3. 'Measuring and leveling' could be one of the most important parts of building. You have to get the lengths correct. Making a pole or piece of structure level, means that it is either exactly 90 degrees, 0 degrees, or 180 degrees. A 'level' is the device which is has liquid and a bubble to show if something is level. a. Make sure the pole is level; that way it'll be strong and safe. b. The bubble in the level is not in the middle; it shows that the shelf is not level. 4. A 'pole' is a long, piece of wood used as a support. a. The pole that holds up the raspberries is rotten. b. We need lots of poles to build a tree house for the kids. 5. 'Concrete' is the white, pasty, rocky substance that we use to make side walks and floors. a. The concrete will take all day to dry; then we can walk on it. b. Mix the concrete with water, but don't breathe in the dust! 6. 'Lateral' is the same as saying 'side'. a. She'll hang baskets of flowers from the lateral beams. b. Side beams will make the structure even stronger. 7. The 'length and width' are the two most basic measurements. They measure how long something is and how wide it is. a. She can swim a width of the pool, but not a length. b. Check the length of the sofa before you buy it. 8. 'Get it built' is a command using the past participle. Most verbs can be used this way. a. Hurry up and get the bathroom painted; you're taking too long. b. Get the essay written and handed in as soon as possible. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions or comments, email me at [email protected] // //

Peter: Hi Liz, I see your cast is off. Liz: Yes, finally! Life is so much easier without one. Peter: You had some bad luck breaking your arm. Liz: Yes I had two lots of bad luck: breaking my arm and losing my job. Peter: Wait a minute. You lost your job? Liz: Yes, well not exactly. I quit. Peter: Because of the lady you were working with. Liz: Yep. I told the boss that I was doing my work, and most of hers. Peter: And what did she say? Liz: She told me that the woman denied it. What could I do? I hate confrontation, and I don't like complaining, but I couldn't take it any more. Peter: That's too bad. Liz: Well, never mind. I'll take some time off before looking for another job. My parents are going to visit soon, so I'll job hunt after they leave. Join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Need an app of the podcast? Find my app in iTunes called A Cup Of English. Questions or comments? Email me at . // //

It's 8:45 at Tom, Dick, and Harry's. The coffee's hot, the door's unlocked, and that corner table - the one by the jukebox(1), is gathering a familiar crowd. They're retired farmers, contractors, businessmen, a few old law enforcement guys(2), a former postmaster(3) and more. There are about 17 in all, with ages ranging(4) from the early 70's to 90. They meet daily, but show up(5) in greatest numbers on Fridays, when they take turns(6) bringing doughnuts. They've been around the block once or twice(7), and they love talking about it. In fact, they love talking in general, about everything from football, to politics, to how best to plant tomato seeds. "Sometimes there are three or four stories going on at once and you can't hear anything," says Kenny. "Put it this way," adds Bill, "when I started coming here I didn't have hearing aids(8). Now I do." Another of them adds, "We enjoy each other's company. We don't always agree, but we don't get too annoyed at each other." There is a real diversity of opinions and life experiences in this group. "We have a vast table of knowledge," says Sackman, a retired state trooper. His comment provokes snickering(9) and eye rolling from his friends. The first members of this group started getting together 35 years ago. When asked if wisdom does really come with age, half of the members say "yes", and the other half, at the same time say "no". And then there's more laughter. 1. 'Jukebox' is a typically American word which describes something that is very important in American culture. It is a machine which plays different pieces of music when money is put in it. a. This jukebox takes quarters. You need to put a quarter in it before you can choose a song. b. The diner is very retro; it has 60's style decoration and even a jukebox. 2. 'Law enforcement'/ 'a law enforcement officer' basically means a policeman. a. He's taking his law enforcement class in order to become a policeman. 3. 'Postmaster' is the same as a postman or a mail man. 4. 'With ...ranging from ....to ....' when comparing ages, weights, sizes, colors, or other characteristics. a. The shop has antiques with prices ranging from $50 to $3000. b. The concert has performers from countries ranging from India to South America. 5. 'To show up' means the same as 'to turn up' which means to arrive, appear, or be present. Both imply that the opposite would be possible. a. I'm glad that you finally showed up! b. They didn't show up until the party was over. 6. 'To take turns' is fairly self explanatory. In a game or arranged activity of some sort, one person will have a turn, then another, and so forth. a. When we play cards, we have to take turns. b. If you don't take turns, it's not fair for everybody else. 7. 'To go around the block' or 'to have been around the block' means to have lived a long life. 'A block' refers to a block of houses, or a square formation of homes around 4 streets. a. He speaks from experience; he's been around the block a few times. b. He's too young, he hasn't been around the block yet. 8. 'A hearing aid' is a small device that you put in your ear to help you hear. a. My hearing test showed that I need a hearing aid. b. His hearing aid is so small that you can hardly see it. 9. 'To snicker' is a way of laughing. There are many verbs for different types of laughter, 'to chuckle', 'to chortle', 'to snigger', 'to giggle'. The most common ones are 'to giggle' and 'to chuckle'. 'To snicker' is more American, and implies that you're laughing at someone or disagreeing with what has been said.  a. The children giggled while they mixed the mud with water, and wiped it on the dog. b. He snickered at my comment. I knew that he disagreed with me. Thanks for listening! You're all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Comments, questions, suggestions? Let me know at [email protected]. Need an app to learn English? Check out A Cup Of English in iTunes. // // //

At the clinic: Doctor: So, how have you been getting along with this arm? Liz: Fine. I can get around alright, but it has definitely slowed me down. Doctor: Have you had any pain? Liz: At first I had some at night, but that only lasted a few days. Doctor: We'll take the cast off today, so you will be almost back to normal. I need to take an X-ray first, to make sure that the bone has healed completely. Liz: Will my arm be back to normal once the cast comes off? Doctor: Not immediately. If you have no pain, and a good range of motion, you can slowly start to use the arm, but you have to take it easy. You might have some swelling, or loss of muscle. Liz: Okay, I'll make sure I'm careful with the arm. // //

In a study in The Harvard University Gazette called 'Social Activities Found to Prolong Life', scientists talk about the great importance of socializing as we get older. A healthy diet and regular exercise are the foundations of good health, but scientists now say that socializing is just as important. Thomas Glass, an assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health says, "Social and productive activities that involve(1) little or no physical fitness lower the risk of all causes of death as much as exercise does." So, how did the scientists reach this conclusion(2)? They studied 2,761 elderly(3) men and women for 13 years. Activites such as going to church, restaurants, and sports events, taking short trips, playing cards, gardening, cooking for others, community work, and paid employment can all impact a person very positively. Ideally, the elderly would also exercise, preferably(4) with friends or in small groups. That way they would get double the benefits(5). It is best to do both: to exercise and to socialize. Scientists admit they don't know exactly why socializing is so beneficial. Glass says he believes that keeping social and busy causes, "changes in the brain that protect against damage and keep the immune system healthy." Knowing this affects not only the individual, but also society(6) because in most societies people are living longer. Programs are developing in the U.S. to keep the elderly active in society, helping in schools, volunteering, and exercising. This way, society benefits from the wisdom and experience of the elderly, and the elderly benefit by staying healthy and happy. 1. 'To involve' is a concise verb that means 'to have something to do with' or 'to work with'.  a. Teaching involves preparing, communicating, and correcting. b. The community project involves hundreds of people, lots of money, and lots of time. 2. 'To reach a conclusion' can also be expressed as 'to come to a conclusion'. a. They came to the same conclusion/ they reached the same conclusion. b. We came to the conclusion that the house had to be pulled down. 3. 'Elderly' is a polite way of saying 'old' when we are talking about people. 'Old' can give a negative impression. a. The elderly are a great source of wisdom for the community. b. She is elderly now and needs extra help. 4. 'Preferably' is like saying 'ideally'. a. Arrive at the office for the interview prepared, and preferably 10 minutes early. b. I need an internet connection for my home, preferably a wireless one. 5. 'Double the + noun' is similar to saying 'twice as much .......' a. In his new job, he'll get double the pay that he gets now/ twice as much pay as he gets now. b. Compared to that computer, this one has double the speed/ is twice as fast. 6. 'Not only..., but also...' remember we had this the other day; it's worth practicing again. a. Encouraging the elderly not only affects their feelings, but also how active they are. b. Socializing not only improves the brain, but also the immune system. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. Download my app that's in iTunes for instant downloads, and send questions and comments to [email protected].  // //

Hi Liz, what happened to your arm? Oh, you won't believe it. I was coming out of the cellular phone store the other day, and I slipped on something and landed on my arm. It's broken in two places! You're kidding? No, I wouldn't joke about something like this. It's a pain! What did the doctor say about the break? Well, he said it's a bad one, and it'll take about two months to recover. Is that your writing hand? Yep!  So, what will you do for writing? The professors all said that I can dictate my essays, or type with my other hand. That'll be interesting! Hey, if you need help typing, I can do it for you. That's really sweet of you. I might just ask you for some help. Thanks. // //

I listen to podcasts nearly every day. Not only do I love the fact that I am learning each time I hear one, but I also(1) love the fact that they are free and accessible. It's interesting to consider(2) the differences between one podcast and another. What makes one better than another? What are the elements of a good podcast? One that I've been thinking about for a while is sound quality. For years, I have used a cheap, skinny microphone that is really basic. It has done a reasonable(3) job, but you can't expect very much from a cheapo(4) product. At times I have been editing, and have realised that the microphone records not only my voice, but also the noise of my dog barking at the cat, my children arguing in the kitchen, or even the general creaking(5) of the house. So, I've upgraded. I went on-line and looked up(6) the company called 'Blue'. I had heard that they make quality microphones. And they do. I ordered a 'Snowball' which arrived just a few days later. I was so excited to receive it; I opened its box like a child opening a Christmas present. It works beautifully, and gives digital quality sound. I'm so glad. And it's so cute! It has a big, round head, and a tripod underneath, like a mini-robot. And it's retro(7) style, so it has personality. It's my prized possession(8), and nobody is allowed to go near it apart from me. It's like my new pet, but a useful one that doesn't bark or scratch the furniture. So I'm motivated to continue podcasting. Good job Blue! 1. 'Not only....but also' is a great sentence structure which enables you to show two ideas. a. Not only does he work all day, but he also cleans homes every evening. b. Not only can you speak commands to the new phone, but also it can lock and unlock your house when you are far away. 2. 'To consider' is a verb that means 'to think about'. a. Consider your options, and then make a decision. b. Consider the differences between the two candidates; one is more experienced, the other is more personable. 3. 'Reasonable' is like saying 'logical' or 'rational'. It also means 'just okay' when you are judging a performance. a. He made a reasonable argument; it really made sense. b. The car's performance was reasonable, but not great. 4. 'Cheapo' is slang for cheap. It also adds the idea of something being poor quality as well as cheap. a. This cheapo can opener broke the first day I got it. b. Don't buy those shoes; they're cheapos and will hurt your feet. 5. 'Creaking' comes from the verb 'to creak' which means to make a noise like an old door opening. a. I heard footsteps and then a door creaking open; who was there? b. I can't play football anymore; my bones are too creaky. 6. 'To look up' means to search either on-line, or in a directory or list. a. I looked up her name in the phone book, but it didn't show her address. b. I looked up the website and bought an item. 7. 'Retro' or 'retro style' means a fashion that is no longer in fashion, but that is considered good taste, or perhaps is coming back into fashion. 8. 'My prized possession' is self explanatory. It is an item you own which you really value. If something is prized, it is considered as important as a prize even if it isn't one. a. My grandmother's books are my prized possessions. b. The flowers she grew from seed are her prized possessions. Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. Do you need an instant download? Get my app in iTunes called A Cup Of English. If you have questions or comments, or need Skyped lessons to improve your English, let me know at [email protected] // //

In the cellular phone store. Customer service assistant: Hello ma'am, how can I help you today? Would you be interested in one of our 4G phones with voice command? Liz: Oh, no thanks. Actually I came in because my phone isn't working. I dropped it in the sink, and I think the battery got wet. C.S.A: Could I have a look? Liz: Sure. C.S.A: I'll have to take it in the back and open it to see what I can do. Liz: Ok. A few minutes later. C.S.A: Here you are ma'am. It's working fine. We had to replace the battery, but I believe your insurance covers that.  Liz: Great! That's a relief! C.S.A: You know, you've had this phone for two years, so you are entitled to a free upgrade. Would a smart phone interest you? You can access email, the web, and do word processing on it. Liz: How much is it per month? C.S.A: It depends on the model. Between thirty and a hundred dollars. Liz: Well, I'll have to think about it. C.S.A: Of course. Here's my card. Just give me a call if you're interested.   Send your questions, suggestions, or your request for Skype lessons to . Need an app for your smart phone or iPad? My app of A Cup Of English is in iTunes. // //

The Spring season brings all sorts of life and activity to this valley. You see people out on the streets, walking their dogs, in the parks with friends, and the school fields are full of sporting activities. For the first time, my daughter is in soccer. There was a big build up to this(1) as we had to register a long time ago, and she has been waiting, counting the days(2), for the sport to begin. It's also her first time playing a team sport. Previously, she has done swimming, gymnastics, and tennis. But her excitement for soccer is much greater than anything else. Being the youngest(3) in the family, she has watched her brothers play team sports for years, and has cheered for them. But now, finally, it's her turn. She made her debut(4) yesterday with her team, The Blue Bees. And gosh, are they cute! You can imagine a team of little eight year old girls, in a blue uniform, with their hair in ponytails(5), running around and trying to score goals. They played against a green team, and they won. It was a wonderful first experience for Domini; she even scored two out of(6) the winning four goals. I jumped up and down, and cheered and clapped so much that my husband moved about ten metres away from me. But I didn't care; it was so much fun to watch. One thing that I realized, is that all the girls were polite, and would kick the ball, then allow others to have a chance. Unfortunately, that gave the opposing team lots of chances to take the ball. The girls haven't learned to be aggressive yet, but they will. Judging by(7) the older girls who were playing soccer close by, they will learn to be aggressive quite soon. 1. 'A build up' is like saying 'anticipation', 'excitement', 'expectancy' when you are waiting for something to happen. a. There is always such a build up towards Christmas; you can feel it in the air. b. There was an orchestral build up to the main speaker. 2. 'Counting the days' also adds to the idea of a 'build up' of emotions. When you are impatient for something to happen, you count the days that are left before the event. We also use the expression 'to be on the count down.' A count down is said before a rocket takes off into space 5-4-3-2-1 blast off! a. It's his birthday in three weeks, and he's counting the days/ he's on the count down. b. They'll marry in May, so they're counting the days/ they're on the count down. 3. 'Being the youngest, ....' Using a gerund at the beginning of a sentence allows you to make a 2 part sentence and avoid an 'and'. Listen to the two sentences: She's the youngest, and for years has watched her brothers play sports. Being the youngest, for years she has watched her brothers play sports.  Both are perfect sentences, but it's worth noting the use of the gerund to create variety in your sentences. a. Being an honest man, he gave the lady the money that she had dropped. b. Seeing the bus in the distance, he ran fast to the bus stop. 4. 'Debut' is used in English, as are many other French words. It means 'the beginning' or 'the first show'. a. The magician made his debut performance last night in Las Vegas. b. The singer's debut album will come out in July. 5. 'Ponytail' is a hair style. All the hair is pulled up towards the back of the head, and held by an elastic band at the scalp, the hair hanging down freely. It looks like the tail of a pony or horse. Another common hair style is a braid or platt. The hair is divided into 3 parts which are woven together to make one rope-like patter. A 'bun' is also a common hair style. All the hair is placed near the top of the head in a secured, round shape, like a bread bun. 6. 'She scored two (out) of the winning four goals.' a. He ate seven (out) of the ten cookies that I had made. b. We saw three (out) of the six houses that were for sale. 7. 'Judging by' economises your sentences. It enables you to make one sentence out of two: I saw that the older girls were aggressive. I think the younger girls will learn to be aggressive soon. Judging by the older girls, the younger ones will learn to be aggressive soon.  This second sentence sounds more fluid and natural. a. Judging by the restaurants popularity, the food or prices must be good.  b. Judging by his behavior yesterday, we won't invite him to dinner. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. Check out the app A Cup Of English in iTunes for convenience. Questions? Comments? Do you want to have lessons via Skype with me? Let me know at [email protected].  // //

Liz:How are you feeling today? Maria:Oh, much better. Thanks so much for taking care of me. The soup you made, and the medicine you bought me really helped. Liz: I'm glad. Maria: Are you working today? Liz: Yes, unfortunately. Maria: What do you mean? Liz: Well, I'm having some problems with the lady I work with. Maria: Oh yeh? What's going on? Liz: Well, I have to do my work, and some of hers, and she's started to leave early. Maria: It sounds like you need to talk to the boss. Liz: Yes, I do. I'll do it today.   //

Sorry everyone, I have finally caught my daughter's horrible cold, so I won't do podcasts this week. My voice is very difficult to understand, so it would be a waste of time! Hopefully I'll be 'back in business' next week. Have a great weekend! //

"Clunk, clunk. Clunk, clunk," it was time to have the wheels looked at(1) and the tires changed from winter tires to summer tires. For a few weeks I had felt something bump and rattle(2) under the car; it must be the wheels. So, I took the car down to 'Dick's tires' and left it there for an hour. I walked out of the office, and headed to the shops. As I left, something caught my eye. It was a huge pile of wheels, hundreds of them. They looked like they had already been used. I don't know if they were going to be reused, but they reminded me of dinosaur bones, big, dry, heavy things. I thought about wheels in general, how we take them for granted(3), and how old they are. They have been around for a long time, in their most basic form since the Paleolithic Era. Then came the clever Mesopotamians, or Iraqis. In around 3,500BC they made the first wheels for chariot transportation. Then the Egyptians and the Greeks improved upon the first models(4) for better and faster transportation with spokes, and the H-type wheel. The first iron rims(5) around the wheels were seen in 1000 BC on Celtic chariots. Then, for a long time no great changes were made until the 1800's when Dunlop invented the pneumatic tire. Since Karl Benz's 1885 Motorwagen, wheels have changed dramatically, using greater technology, and new materials. It's amazing what a "clunk, clunk" can lead you to, a trip back in time, and a look at distant history. 1. 'To have ... looked at' is like saying 'to have ...checked'. It is used for people's health as well as items. a. You need to have your tooth looked at; it might have a cavity. b. I need to have those pipes looked at; there might be a leak. 2. 'To rattle' is an intermittent sound; it sometimes indicates that something is loose that shouldn't be. a. That window is rattling again; I'll need to fix it. b. The snake rattled its tail; there was no mistake about its identity. 3. 'To take for granted' means to not value a person or thing when you should. a. He takes her for granted, eats her cooking without saying thank you, and borrows money without paying it back. b. It's easy to take our modern comforts for granted. When they're gone, then we realize how useful they improve our lives. 4. 'To improve upon something' means to take something and make it better. a. They took our idea and improved upon it. b. He improved upon his previous exam results. 5. 'A rim' is usually the top edge or lip of a circular item, like a cup, or a volcano. a. He ran his finger over the rim of the wine glass and it made a loud note. b. We walked around the rim of the volcano. Join me on FACEBOOK; you're all welcome to join me at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Need an app? A Cup OF English is in iTunes. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email me at [email protected] and I will email you back. // //

In the supermarket, Liz is on the phone: Liz: Maria, I'll get the stuff for the soup. I'm in the supermarket right now. Maria: Oh, thanks Liz. But you really don't have to bother yourself. Liz: Listen, you've got a really bad cold, so you need sleep, medicine, and some good soup. I'll be back at the appartment soon. Maria: Okay, see you then. And thanks again. Liz: Excuse me, can you tell me where the chicken stock is? Assistant: It's on aisle five with the spices. Liz(to herself): Okay, what's next on my list? Celery, garlic, chicken, and potatoes. There they are. This soup will be ready in no time. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. Questions? Comments? Do you want to have lessons on Skype? Email me at [email protected] and I'll email you back. // //

I love to discover good places to eat. I know what it is to cook a lot, and clean up afterwards. So, if I stumble across(1) a place that can do all of that for me, and do it well, then I am happy. Sissy's diner(2) is just that kind of place. It is an American style diner, with decor from the '60's, and large, fresh portions. I discovered it a week ago after I left my car at the mechanic's(3); he was changing the tires, so I was without(4) a car for about an hour. I walked along the main street in Wenatchee and window shopped, until I became hungry. As I looked along the street, I could only see furniture, clothes, and appliance shops. But then, I noticed, right on the corner, a colorful building with 'Sissy's diner' written at an angle. When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was that it smelled really good, like fresh bread. At a glance(5), I could see that it was clean, and the people who were eating there were happily talking and eating at the same time.These were all good signs. I ordered a beef and vegetable sandwich, sat down, and checked my emails. A few minutes went by, and a friendly waitress put a plate in front of me. "Gosh!" I said. The plate was full. The sandwich was huge. "That's a good choice," said the waitress smiling. "There is no way that I can eat all of this," I said to myself. But I did. I ate every crumb, every last bit of it(6). After the first bite, I realised that the bread was fresh from the oven and light. The meat was lean(7), and the vegetables were perfectly cooked. And when I finished, I felt satisfied but not bloated(8).Oh Sissy! I should have discovered you years ago! 1. 'To stumble onto/across' means 'to discover', 'to come upon', 'to find by chance'. a. I stumbled across some good silver in a yard sale, and I bought it for just a few pennies. b. The detective stumbled across some new information. 2. 'Diner' is a word from American culture for a simple, often 50's or 60's style cafe. It is often long in shape, has a bar that you can eat at, and serves simple, American style food. 3. 'The mechanic's' is short for 'the mechanic's shop/workshop'. The apostrophe followed by an 's' shows that something belongs to the mechanic, but we don't have to say what. Why? Because from the context we know that we're talking about: the mechanic's workshop. a. Pick up the cake from the baker's, and I will get the meat from the butcher's. b. I love the vegetables from the grocer's; they're always fresh. 4. 'To be without ....' is another way of saying 'to not have something'. Instead of saying 'I didn't have my car for an hour', you can say 'I was without my car for an hour.' a. My husband went hunting yesterday, so I am without a husband for a week. b. I dropped my cell phone in the toilet, so I am without a phone until I get a new one! 5. 'At a glance' means 'with a quick look'. a. At a glance the policeman could see that the man had a gun in his pocket. b. At a glance she didn't like the shop. 6. 'Every last bit' means 'every final piece'. We often use this phrase when talking about food, but it can be used in other contexts. a. You need to eat every last bit of that meat, or you won't get any dessert. b. I picked up every last bit of the rubbish that the wind had blown on the lawn. 7. 'Lean' means 'with no fat'. It can be used with food or animals and people. a. They are opposites. He is fat, and she is lean. b. I can't eat fatty meat; it has to be lean. 8. 'To bloat' is to 'blow up' or 'inflate'. We describe feeling too full as 'bloated'. a. I ate too much cake and felt bloated afterwards. b. Stop eating before you get too bloated. Join me on my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. If you have questions or suggestions, or if you'd like to get information about Skyped le ssons, email me at [email protected].  // //

Hey Peter, fancy meeting you here! Hi Liz, I've come to book a holiday. Really? No, I'm only joking. I'm a poor student, remember? I can't afford a holiday yet. Carl told me that you work here, so I thought I'd pop in to see you. What a lovely surprise! So, how is the job so far? So far so good. The people here are really nice, and helpful. I'm learning a lot. It sounds like the perfect part-time job for a student. I think so. // //

As a parent(1), I think a lot about my children's education(2). Is it good or bad? Is it varied, hands-on(3), relevant? The only way to really(4) find out, is to look at their text books, go to their schools, and talk to their teachers. And then, we have to remember that each person is unique; each has different preferences, ways of learning, and abilities. Some people are comfortable with academics, and others are not(5). Some students are good at taking exams, and others prefer to demonstrate their knowledge in other ways. Recently, my son Robert has been at home with a bad cough. He has been bugging me to buy him an electrical circuit. So, we shopped around until we found the perfect 'kit'(6). It has batteries, a light, a motor that spins, sound devices, and connecting wires. There is also a booklet(7) that gives instructions and warnings, pictures, and general advice. So Robert has spent hours connecting, fiddling(8), and creating, and every minute that goes by he learns something. Play and imagination are great teachers. And learning doesn't necessarily happen on paper, or on a computer screen. When I asked Robert what was so good about his kit, he said, "It's the energy hook-ups(9), and seeing what you can do with them." 1. 'As a parent' this kind of phrase is used with different nouns/titles.  a. As a teacher, I try to understand how my students learn best. b. As a policeman, he tries to be observant. 2. 'I think a lot about my children's education'. This is a good format for other sentences. a. We think a lot about our father's health. b. They think a lot about their safety because they live in Hurricane Valley. c. He thinks a lot about buying land in the future. 3. 'Hands-on' refers to activities that involve touch and manipulation. a. The new children's museum in Spokane is hands-on; the kids can really touch, feel, and play with the displays. b. Babies and toddlers learn most of their lessons in a hands-on way. 4. 'The only way to really +verb..., is to ...' another great format for a sentence. a. The only way to really make money, is to work hard for a long time. b. The only way to really make a point, is to speak intelligently. c. The only way to really understand a culture, is to live in that country. 5. 'Some people are comfortable with academics, and others are not.' In this sentence, the adjective doesnot have to be repeated at the end. a. Some people love chocolate, and others don't. b. Some laws are fair, and others aren't. c. Some people work eight hours a day, and others don't. 6. A 'kit' is usually a set of objects that all fit together or work together for a common purpose. Like Robert's kit, all the parts in the box can be used to build different electrical circuits. a. I bought a kit to build a bird house for the garden. It had wood, nails, glue, and paint. b. My husband always has a tire repair kit with him when he goes biking. 7. A 'booklet' is a small, soft book, similar to a pamphlet but bigger. We usually receive booklets with new appliances for instruction. a. The booklet that came with my new vacuum cleaner is not clear.  b. You need to read the instructions that came in the booklet so you know how to put the drawers together. 8. 'Fiddling' comes from the verb 'to fiddle' which means 'to manipulate with your hands', 'to mess about', and 'to experiment physically with something'. Kids are good 'fiddlers'.  a. Someone has been fiddling with my alarm clock, and now it doesn't work. b. I wish you wouldn't fiddle with my make-up; it's all untidy now. 9. A 'hook-up' is often used generally for a connection of some kind, especially electrical or metallic. a. Where is the hook-up to the power supply? b. We need the correct hook-up to connect the boat to the truck. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Questions and comments? Would you like Skype lessons? Contact me at [email protected]. // //

Hello Mrs Fontaine. Oh, hello Liz. Welcome back to Fontaine's Travel Agency, and this time as an employee. Thanks, I'm excited to start. Well, we're glad to have you. What would you like me to do first? I think if you sit at Angie's desk, she'll tell you what to do. Just watch her use the computer system, and maybe you can help her with paper work.  That sounds like a good plan. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Feel free to email me questions and comments to . And if you're interested in Skyped lessons with me, let me know, and I'll send you the details. // //

 Sales of low-priced(1) homes here continue to feed(2) a housing market that has buyers eager(3), sellers satisfied and some real estate agents scrambling(4) to keep up the pace."Put an entry-level home on the market and - wham! It’s gone in no time," said a broker in Wenatchee. "They go almost as fast as we can list them. Sure, we’d like to see prices rising and more sales of higher-end(5) homes, but these low-end sales can be a good thing— sell a lot of entry-level homes now and, down the road, you’ll likely have a lot of second-home buyers." Looser credit and some of the lowest interest rates in recent history(6), this week at 3.875 percent, have juiced(7) sales and spurred activity across the market, regardless(8) of price. "We’re seeing more interest, more showings in the $400,000 range than we’ve seen in years.“ It’s welcome activity. "Buyers are also wiser in their preparations to buy a home," said Paine, another  broker. "They come to the table with cleaner credit, higher incomes and better documentation —They’ve got their ducks in a row and are ready to purchase." 1. 'Low-priced homes' is the opposite of 'high-priced homes'. 'Low' and 'High' can be added to other nouns as well. a. Low-priced land is selling quickly in our area. b. High-priced furniture is finally on sale. 2. 'To feed a housing market'. When it comes to markets, we say that they are 'fed' by sales or demand. 'To feed' is used figuratively in many situations. a. What you say will only feed the fire of his anger. b. Play feeds the imagination of children and adults. 3. 'Eager' is the same as 'keen' or 'very willing to'. a. They're eager to find jobs and a home in their new town. b. I'm eager to meet my new boss. 4. 'To scramble' means several things. We scramble eggs (beat them and add milk). It can also mean to hurry, or to run with both hands and feet on the ground, usually up hill, in an uncontrolled fashion. a. The cat scrambled up the tree to get away from the dog. b. I was late! I scrambled to get all of my things, and then I ran to catch the bus. 5. 'Higher-end' is similar to 'high-cost'. It is usually to describe property. a. The higher-end houses are around the golf course. b. The company party is always at a higher-end restaurant (high-end). 6. 'In recent history' the word 'recent' can be put in front of other nouns, such as 'years', 'months', 'governments' etc. a.  In recent weeks, demonstrations have increased. b. In recent years, there has been less rainfall. 7. 'Interest rates have juiced sales' the word 'juiced' here is American terminology. It is the same as saying 'encouraged' or 'fed'.  Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Comments or questions? Send them  to .  Do you need English lessons via Skype? Email me to find times and prices for lessons. // //

So, tell me about your job hunting. Well, I needed something part-time. So, I tried several places. And what did you end up with? Believe it or not, I'm going to work on Saturdays in a travel agency. Wow, that's interesting. You'll probably learn a lot. Yes. I've done waitressing before, so I think this should make a nice change. Plus it leaves my week days free for studying. Congratulations! Thanks. // //

How was your night out? Great, thanks. We went to dinner and then went to a club called 'Shapiro's'. We danced for hours. You look tired. I am. It was really loud, but we had a great time. What have you been up to? I've been looking for a part-time job. Really? Had any luck? Yes, I'll tell you about it after class. // //

Those of you who have followed my podcast for a few years will know that I'm obsessed with gardening. Trees, bushes, flowers, vegetables, seeds, and even soil get me all excited. After a long, dull winter, it's time to spring into(1) life. People have been telling me, "Anna, it's too early to dig; the ground is still too cold," "you can't transplant anything now," "you have to wait to put (2)seeds in the ground." But, I've been doing all of that. I don't always 'go by the book'(3), sometimes feelings and instinct can be more accurate. Anyway, about one month ago, I got out the chainsaw. You know, a woman can have a wonderful time with a chainsaw. Using a chainsaw is usually the domain of men, like war, and boxing. However, as I told my husband, "It's not rocket science(4), you know." It really is quite simple, if you're careful. I cut down a large area of 30 year old bushes, then dug up(5) the huge roots. I've transplanted blueberry bushes there, and planted a lot of bulbs. My plan is to have a mass of flowers. Also, I've started flower seeds in containers on my kitchen window. They have all sprouted(6), and look like happy, little faces, all in a row. When they are bigger, I'll put them in this newly planted area and show you photos of all the pretty and colorful growth. 1. 'To spring into life' means to jump or leap into life. The verb can be used by itself to imply enthusiasm. a. I had a good night's sleep, so when I woke up, I sprang out of bed. b. The basketball players will spring into action when the game starts. 2. 'You have to wait to put...' this is a string of three verbs, as you can see. The sentence could have been written as 'You have to wait before putting...'. We often use the phrase 'to wait to + verb'. a. You need to wait to go outside; it's still raining. b. They'll have to wait to order their meal; the restaurant is very busy. 3. 'To go by the book' is a set phrase that means to follow the normal pattern of behavior, or what is generally recommended or taught. a. The strategies for taking exams that we learn are helpful. It's best to go by the book to get a good result. b. The artist doesn't go by the book when he uses color. 4. 'It's not rocket science' is also a set phrase that means 'It's not very difficult'. a.  I can build a shed; it's not rocket science. b. Of course you can make dinner; it's not rocket science. 5. 'To dig up' the preposition 'up' implies that you're not just digging a hole, but you are removing, 'pulling up', 'lifting up' something from the ground. If you were digging a hole without removing anything, we would just use 'to dig'. a. We must dig up the rocks before we can plant the trees. b. I accidentally dug up a water pipe! 6. 'To sprout' is similar to 'to spring' but it refers to a plant emerging from a seed. It can be used figuratively. a. The onions have sprouted. b. Those children have really sprouted; they're getting big! Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. You're all welcome! If you have questions or comments, email me at . // //

 What did you find out about retakes?Oh, we can retake small tests, but not end of term finals.That makes sense.Thankfully, I did ok on the last test, so I won't need to.Yes, my result wasn't too bad; I got 85%.Good job! I got 80%.Are you going to the library later?No, I'm going to a club with friends; I need a break!   Thanks for joining me. You're all welcome to my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. Also my app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English. // //

What do you do when you have time to kill? It's a bit of a violent phrase, isn't it? It really means to use up spare time, or extra time. That is just(1) what I was doing this weekend, while I was waiting for my son's basketball game to start. We had a break of three and a half hours in between(2) games which is a long time. My thoughts were(3): lunch, a walk, Facebook, and maybe a podcast. And surprisingly enough(4), I got all of those things done. Robert and I went down to the lake for a walk, and watched the ducks and geese land on and take off from the water. It was there that I found the fox statue. Later in the gym I searched the web for info(5) on the statue. Well, that wasn't so easy. You know how web searches go(6); often they take you all around the world, and you end up with unimaginable(7) results. I ended up reading about a famous German sculptor called Julian Voss-Andreae who does sculptures about physics. One of his sculptures called 'Quantum Man' is here in Moses Lake, of all places(8). I looked through the list of his works and was amazed at his uniqueness(9). So, I'm glad I had time to kill because it led me to a lake, which led me to a fox, which led me to a very unusual German sculptor. 1. 'That is just what I was doing'. 'Just' here means 'exactly'. It can also mean 'only' or 'almost'. Let's see examples of it used as 'exactly'. a. It's funny what you said. It's just what I was thinking! b. They look just the same. 2. 'In between' can often be replaced with just 'between'. Both are correct. a. You've got food in between your teeth. You've got food between your teeth. b. I parked in between the bus and the truck. I parked between the bus and the truck. 3. 'My thoughts were...' is a short way of saying 'what I was thinking was....'/'what I was planning was'/ 'my thoughts about the matter were../. The use of 'thoughts' to express plans and ideas can be used with any person and in any tense. a. The company needs to invest. What are your thoughts? b. They were thinking: eat, play basketball, sleep. Those were their plans. 4. 'Surprisingly enough' in this phrase you can miss out 'enough'. The meaning of 'enough' is quite vague, and not always necessary. It's meaning when following an adverb is 'quite' or 'somewhat'. a. Interestingly enough, he works nights and studies during the day. c. Oddly enough, she works and he stays at home. 5. 'Info' is often substituted for 'information'. 6. Adding 'you know' at the beginning of a sentence is good practice, and there are many examples of this usage. a. You know how much work it is. b. You know when they're coming, don't you? c. You know the teacher won't allow that. d. You know what he's like. 7.  Un-imagin-able    un-imagin-able    un-imagin-able   un-imagin-able 8. 'Of all places' means 'it is really unlikely to be here'/'this place even though it is unexpected'. 'Of all' can be put in front of other nouns to show a similar 'surprise'/'disappointment'/'sense of irony'. a. Of all people, I bump into my ex-husband in the middle of Tokiyo! b. Of all places, we had to have a flat tire here (e.g  in the middle of the desert). c. Of all things, you had to lose your passport! 9. 'Uniqueness' is the state of being unique. Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Remember, basic pronunciation practices are on Monday's and Wednesday's. // //

That test was really hard. How do you think you did?Alright, I suppose. I'm glad I studied all of the notes that the teacher gave us.Yes, me too.When do we get the results?Next Monday, I think.Can we retake it? I'm not sure. You'll have to ask the teacher. I know she let's us retake some of them. Let me know what she says.Sure, I will. // //

Technology being(1) developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory could put(2) explosive-sniffing(3) dogs out of business. Just like dogs, the technology can 'sniff' the air to detect vapors from explosives. Unlike dogs, it doesn't need to be fed, exercised, rested, and given breaks(4). It also shows promise(5) to accurately detect minute(6) amounts of explosives. It takes in a sample of air from around an object and examines that air. An explosive called RDX does not easily vaporize, and so it is difficult for dogs to detect it. However, this new technology can detect vapors of RDX from a fingerprint when there are less than 25 parts per quadrillion. "This technology is more sensitive than anything out there(7) now," said a senior research scientist. The technology could be used to screen(8) passengers or luggage at airports or large containers at ports. 1. 'Technology being developed' is a shorter than 'technology that is being developed'. Both are accurate and work in the sentence. There are many other occasions when you can miss out the pronoun 'that' and the verb in the first half of the sentence, and simply use the second verb in the gerund form. a. The teacher helping students every day can make a difference. b. Clouds gathering show the promise of rain. c. Flowers appearing show us that Spring is around the corner. 2. 'To put someone out of business'. We use the verb 'put' here when referring to a business or a person who is being forced to stop work, usually because of competition. a. The bigger shops have put the smaller shops out of business. b. High prices put the shop out of business. 3. 'Sniffing' comes from the verb 'to sniff'. I love this verb; it is onomatopeoic, which is a fancy way of saying that it sounds like its meaning. a. "I have lost my last penny," sniffed the sad old lady. b. The dog sniffed the air; someone was cooking bacon. 4. 'It doesn't need to be fed, exercised, rested, and given breaks.' This sentence shows how adjectives, or past participle verbs can be used in a list. a. The car was washed, dried, waxed, and driven to my house. b. The document was signed and delivered to the office. 5. 'To show promise' means that the subject gives signs of usefulness, hope, health, or some kind of positive capability. a. He shows promise of becoming a great chef. b. She always showed promise of singing success. 6. 'Minute' is spelled the same as 'minute'. The first means 'tiny'. a. The shells are minute; you can hardly see them. b. There was just a minute amount of bacteria left. 7. 'Anything out there' means 'anything available/ that can be found/on the market'. a. This is the most powerful motorbike out there. b. I don't think you'll find a cheaper computer out there. 8. 'To screen' is 'to examine for substances'. a. All the passengers in the airport were screened before boarding the plane. b. Screening luggage keeps us all safe. // //

That was a really good lecture. Yes, it was. That professor keeps it interesting. Well, I have a lot to study for the next test. Me too. Do you need a study partner? That would be nice. Okay, let's go to the library.   Join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. If you have questions or comments, email me at . And remember that my app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English. // //

Xylitol is a wood sugar that I've been using for a few years. It has many benefits. A dentist friend(1) told me that because its molecular structure(2) is different to normal sugar, plaque bacteria cannot absorb it; they try to, but they can't. Because of this, the plaque dies, and our teeth stay healthier. It might sound strange if you're unfamiliar with it. I'm impressed with it, and so I thought I would share(3) it's description as it is written on the packet that I buy. Xyla has 40% fewer calories than processed sugar, and 75% less carbohydrate(4). Xyla is a natural sweetener derived(5) from 100% North American hardwood. With many benefits, it is a popular sweetener widely(6) used in Europe, Scandinavia, and many other countries for its similarity to sugar in taste and texture. It is a low-glycemic sugar, and is safe for diabetics or anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle. It is perfect for coffee, tea, and cereal. It doesn't promote(7) cavities, and it leaves no after taste, and dissolves quickly.  1. 'A dentist friend' this is a quick way of mentioning the occupation of a friend; you simply put the job title next to the word 'friend'. a. An electrician friend of mine told me that our garage is electrically unsafe. b. A plastic surgeon friend of mine told me that he can change my nose. 2. 'Molecular structure' is a great thing to say to impress people, so let's practice the pronunciation: mol-ec-ular  struc-ture   mol-ec-ular  struc-ture   mol-ec-ular   struc-ture 3. 'To share' here has a second, less common meaning. Normally it means 'to give what you have', 'to pass out to people'. It can also mean 'to tell' or 'to open up(in conversation)'. a. He shared with me that he's having a lot of trouble at work. b. She shared some difficult secrets with me. 4. 'Carbohydrates' is often shortened to 'carbs'. a. They're eating a low-carb diet. b. These growing kids need more carbs. 5. 'Derived' means 'to come from', 'taken from', 'produced from'. 6. 'Widely used', are two words that go together. When talking about a large usage, such as state-wide, nationally, or globally, we use the word 'widely' with 'used'. a. Safety belts are widely used in Washington, but less so in Idaho. b. Organic produce is widely used in Europe. 7. 'Promote' means to 'spread', 'accelerate', 'encourage'. In this podcast it means 'to cause'. a. Schools are promoting the consumption of vegetables. b. His words will promote a disturbance. Please send me your questions and comments to , check out my app in Tunes called A Cup Of English, and join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

After you (holding the door) Thank you, that's very kind. Are you new to the class? Yes, I'm starting late because I've just moved here. Well, I'm sure you'll fit right in. It's a great class. I hope so. So far, so good. Thanks for joining me. Please send me your questions and comments to . You're all welcome to join me on my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

Science education has taken new life(1) with the opening, six months ago, of the Mobius Science Center in Spokane, Washington. A $14 million fund put the new Science Center into operation. It is operating along with(2) the Mobius Children's Museum which has been open for seven years. The museum, aimed at children up to 8 years old(3), has been a very successful part of downtown Spokane. The demands for better-informed(4) and trained people in science have led to support for both centers. The Mobius Science Center has 26,000 square feet of exhibition space. There are 65 hands-on(5), interactive science and technology exhibits, plus educational programs. Here, young people can experience the worlds of Robotics, Flight, Space, Optics, Earth Science, Math and many more. It's a lively place that curious minds of all ages(6) will love. 1. 'Science education has taken new life....' this is an unusual sentence, though we can understand the meaning. Another phrase that talks about new life is the following: 'New life has been breathed into...(science, business, the district, education etc). We talk of new life being 'breathed into' something. a. The project has breathed new life into the city. b. The updated curriculum has breathed new life into my class. 2. 'Along with..' is like saying 'as well as' or 'side by side'. The meaning here is that the Children's Museum and the Science Center are two parts of the same project. a. The water park, along with the golf course, are open to the public 6 days a week. b. School children, along with other people from the neighborhood, planted trees in the park.  3. 'Up to 8 years old' here 'up to' is showing the limit, or maximum age of those served in the museum.  We also use 'over' to show the minimum and above. a. This film is for eighteen year olds and over.  b. The class is for children up to the age of 12. 4. 'Better' can be attached to many adjectives with a hyphon. a. We need better-equipped police on the streets. b. We need better-educated teachers in the schools. c. I wish the teenagers were better-behaved. 5. 'Hands-on' is a very popular expression. It means that a person can physically touch, play with, and experiment with something. a.  It will be a hands-on experience for the kids. b.  It will be a hands-on job, action, not just talk. 6. '....of all ages' is also a common expression when mentioning people of many ages who have a certain hobby or preference. a. Sweet lovers of all ages will adore this new chocolate shop. b. Children of all ages will appreciate this book. c. Dance fanatics of all ages can use this new dance video. Thanks for joining me. Send your questions and comments to [email protected] Also, you are invited to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

Excuse me, am I close to the college? Yes, it's just around the corner. Which department do you need? I need to go to the Science department. Ok, that's on the fourth floor. Go through the main entrance, and on your left you'll find the stairs. Thank you so much! You're welcome. Questions or comments? Email them to me at and I promise to email you back. You are welcome to join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

It's not often that(1) I find myself trapped, stuck in the middle of two things. However, I put myself in the middle of two things the other day deliberately(2). The two things were my dog and cat. The dog wanted to get the cat, and the cat wanted to test her young claws on the dog's nose. I have been training my little kitten. She is getting used to(3) the front garden, so when she's older, I can let her out by herself. I have a little harness(4) for her, (I call it her bra), which attaches around her chest. Then the leash(5) clips into it, so I can gently hold the leash and follow her while she explores. Perfect. Well, not really. My dog Foxy can jump over the gate and come to the front garden whenever she wants to(6). That's the problem. She is very, very smart. She approaches us, focusing on the cat. I tell her "no" and act like a confident boss. She responds by lying down and acting sweet. However, I can see in her eyes that she is just pretending for her stupid human owner. Really, she's ready for war, and her enemy is the cat. She looks at me with sad, sweet eyes, and then back at the cat with an unbreakable(7) stare. She licks her lips. I feel quite proud of myself for staying(8) right in the middle, the great protector. Suddenly a car scares the cat and she runs for the door. Foxy, the dog, jumps to attack, but the cat is too quick. She gets out her weapon, her claws, and goes for the nose. This is a new experience for Foxy; her precious nose must be protected, so she backs away(9). When the cat and I are back inside the house, I realize how ridiculous that scene was. And was I even necessary? I'm sure the natural dog and natural cat don't need a civilized woman to keep the peace. Why? Because naturally speaking, there is no peace between a cat and a dog. 1. 'It's not often that I...' this sentence and the use of 'often' could be written a different way, and with 'often' at the end. a. I don't find myself trapped (very) often.  OR   It's not often that I find myself trapped. b. It's not often that he reads all night.       OR  He doesn't read all night (very) often. c. It's not often they visit us.                    OR  They don't visit us (very) often. 2. 'Deliberately' means 'on purpose'. Let's practice the pronunciation.     Del-i-ber-ate-ly         Del-i-ber-ate-ly      Del-i-ber-ate-ly      Del-i-ber-ate-ly 3. 'To get used to' is a phrase that we have covered before. It is the same as 'to familiarize yourself with' or 'to become accustomed to'. It is much easier to use 'to get used to', a. It might take a long time, but you will get used to the weather here. b. I just can't get used to my new work schedule. c. Get used to it! You have no choice. 4. 'A harness' is like a piece of clothing made of straps that fits around the body. In rock climbing, a rope is attached to it to keep the climber safe. a. The rock climber checked his harness before he started climbing. 5. 'A leash' is the cord or rope that is attached to a dog or cat collar when you take them for a walk. a. I bought a new leash for my dog because she had chewed the other one. b. You need a stronger leash for that big dog. 6. 'Whenever she wants to' in the U.S the preposition 'to' is often missed out. In England, however, we normally include it. a. They'll do it whenever they want to.     OR    They'll do it whenever they want. b. I'll say whatever I want to.                  OR    I'll say whatever I want. c. They always went wherever they wanted to.     OR They always went wherever they wanted. 7. 'Unbreakable' means that it is impossible to break.   Un-break-able       un-break-able      un-break-able     un-break-able 8. 'I feel quite proud of myself for staying.....' it is the structure of this sentence that is useful:       Subject + emotion + preposition + (oneself) + for + gerund a.  He's happy with himself for getting the promotion. b. I'm disappointed in myself for getting angry. c. She's ashamed of herself for being lazy. d. They're proud of themselves for building the house. 9. 'To back away' can also be expressed as 'to back off'. 'To back down' is similar, but it also means to give up in a fight, or to stop offering a threat. a. The protesters backed off when the police arrived. b. The younger lion backed down when the alpha male confronted him. Thanks for joining me! Let me know your questions and comments at [email protected], and I will send you an email in return. You're all invited to join my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

Can I help you? Yes please. Which way is it to the college? You are on the right road. Keep going straight, and then take a right. Is it far? No, you're quite close. It'll take you about five minutes.   Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.   Join me on Monday's and Wednesday's for more basic pronunciation practice. My regular intermediate level podcasts are Tuesday's and Thursday's. I hope it helps! You are all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; just send me a friend request. // //

Throw it, chuck it(1), give it away! All of this furniture can't possibly stay! Every room, cupboard, and closet is filled to the brim(2), But most of this stuff should be thrown in the bin!(3) So off to(4) the dump with these old, broken possessions, Chairs, tables, and computers that long ago were in fashion.  Just look at this old sofa; it's seen better days,(5) Why do you think that keeping it pays?(6) The mattress, pillows, and table are on their last legs,(7) They're covered in stains, holes, scribbles, and bacon and eggs!(8) The kids have used them as a castle, a playground, and even a hobbit's hole, But to throw them all away is definitely my goal. So, give away want you want, and don't forget to recycle, Take our ornaments, broken kitchen appliances, records, toys, and bicycle. The dump is a glorious place, with an unforgettable smell, It's there we get rid of our trash, and feel free, and clean, and well. At first sight it's quite scary, deep, and dark, with mold, dust, sticky stuff, and fungus,(9) But be brave, chuck that ancient computer in there, and come and join us. We'll celebrate our clean houses and new lives with martinis one, two and three, And promise to never again spend too much on junk, now that's the key!(10) 1. 'To chuck' is the same as 'to throw away' or 'to get rid of'. It's mainly used in England. a. Chuck those old papers in the fire, would you please? 2. 'Filled to the brim' we have seen before. It means to be completely full, up to the very top. a. He filled my wine glass to the brim. 3. 'Bin' is another word for 'the garbage can' or 'the trash can'. a. Oh dear, I think I threw ten dollars in the bin! 4. 'Off to' is like saying 'go to' or 'let's go to'. a. Off to the swimming pool! Let's go! 5. 'To have seen better days' means that something or someone is very old and in bad shape. a. My television has seen better days; it huge, black and white, and only three channels work. 6. 'Something pays' means that something is worth it or worthwhile. a. It pays to study a little everyday instead of once a week. 7. 'To be on your last legs' can apply to people, animals, or objects. It is just like 'to have seen better days' in meaning. a. That car is on it's last legs; it will break down any day! 8. 'Scribble' is a messy piece of writing or drawing that children do on paper, and sometimes where they shouldn't do it, like furniture, or on the walls. a. My son scribbled all over our new table with a permanent pen. 9. 'Fungus' is a growth similar to a mushroom. We generally think of fungus growing on old food, or damp materials. a. I opened the closet and found fungus growing on the wall. 10. 'That's the key!' is a set phrase that means, 'that is the solution', 'that is the answer'. a. Prepare yourself for your classes if you want to be successful; that's the key! Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish and I will friend you. Please send me your questions and comments to [email protected] and I will email you back. Remember my app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English. // //

Do you have photos around your house? Perhaps photos of family and friends? I have been in some people's houses where there are photos in every room. The fridge, in the kitchen, is a place where a lot of people place photos of loved ones or fond memories. I have had our family photos in a huge box for quite a few years. The project of sorting through them, putting some in chronological albums, and others in frames, has been a project that I have avoided for all this time. Am I lazy? I don't think so. It's just a really big job that requires a lot of time and concentration. I want to do the job right, after all. So, the other day, after buying some frames that were on sale, I decided to at least start the project. The photos I selected to put in the frames are our most recent family and individual photos. We had a professional photographer come to our house in the Autumn (Fall). It was the first time that we had hired anyone to take semi-formal pictures of us. It happened to be the perfect time of year, because the light in the Autumn really adds color and depth to a picture, plus the leaves had changed color and fallen on the ground, creating a pretty background. I love how these photos turned out. They are casual, and show each person's character. She did such a good job. A few days ago, I cleaned up the frames, and divided up the pictures. There were twelve photos and three frames, each with four holes. A perfect match! Every frame would have one of each of the children. I placed the photos carefully in each frame, put sticky tape on the back to secure them, closed up the back of the frames, and then decided where to hang them. Should I put them in the entryway next to the mirror, or on the stair wall? Should I put them all together, or separate them? Decisions, decisions. I ended up putting two on one wall, and one a little further up the stair case. I've had positive comments about them already, and I am quite satisfied with what I have done. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: chronological, to avoid, after all, (it) happens to .... 1. The video of the man's life was not in chronological order, so it was a bit confusing.                                                              2. I would avoid that part of the city, if I were you.3. Sit down and relax. You have been working hard all day, after all.4. It happens to be my mother's birthday. OR She happens to be my best friend. OR They happen to be our relatives. Click the link to rate my podcast if you like. Thanks! // //

These days(1) everybody seems to be trying to(2) save money. On the television, we hear about sales, discounts, and 'cash back'(3) on things that we buy. Most receipts now give opportunities to win money, or products. And the shops do the same. Have you noticed generic brands in your local shops? A generic brand is a line of products made for that shop, not a famous brand name. They are always cheaper than other brands. The question is, "Are they good quality, or of the same quality as(4) the brand name products?" Over the past few years, I have shopped almost exclusively(5) at Walmart, and I have got to know(6) some things about generic brands. Great Value is a brand name made for Walmart. The boxes, packets, and bottles(7) of products are simple to look at, and stand out from the rest. In my opinion, the basic products like detergents(8), paper products, and simple house items are worth buying. However, when it comes to eating, the cheaper product often doesn't taste as good. Pastas, bread, dairy products, and canned goods are not quite as good as(9) the brand name ones. I'm fussy about what I eat, and so cheaper ingredients are not always the best option(10). It might be better to spend a few more pennies, to taste good quality food. However, you can always save your money on the non-edible(12) items. 1. 'These days' can be replaced with 'now-a-days'. They are interchangeable. a. These days, we spend a lot of time in the car. b. Now-a-days, people drive a lot. 2. 'Everybody seems to be trying to save money'. Notice there are 3 verbs in a row. This isn't complicated, you just have to decide how you wish to follow 'seems to be'. a. The cat seems to be trying to climb the tree. b. They seems to be walking very fast. c. The clouds seem to be getting dark over the mountains. 3. 'Cash back' is a very common thing over here. When you buy something with a credit card, sometimes, if it is a big purchase, like a car or a computer, you might get 'cash back', meaning a check from your credit card company in a few months or at the end of the year. a. I will get my cash back at the end of the year; I have bought a lot of things, so I should get a big check. b. With the cash back from buying my car, I bought an iPad. 4. '...of the same quality as..' a. That material is of the same quality as the more expensive one. b. That sofa is made of the same leather as the chair. 5. 'Exclusively' means 'only' when excluding other options. It is a great word to practice as, when used correctly, gives the impression of fluency. Ex-clu-sive-ly    ex-clu-sive-ly   ex-clu-sive-ly   ex-clu-sive-ly 6. 'To get to know' is the same as 'to come to know', and 'to become familiar with'. a. When I stayed with my grandmother in the summer, I really got to know her. b. Let's get to know eachother before we go on a date. 7. 'Boxes, packets and bottles' are some of the containers of products. Others are 'cans, jars, tubes, bags, containers and tubs'. a. We need a packet of cookies and a large container of icecream, like a tub. b. I have jars of spaghetti sauce and cans of soup on the shelf. 8. 'Detergent' is the name of a soap that is not used for the body. a. I like the new laundry detergent; all the clothes smell really nice. b. That detergent makes me itchy. 9. '....are not quite as good as..' is an effective use of comparison, but in the negative. a. The second and third films were not quite as good as the first. b. The painting is not quite as colorful as the photo. c. My new gloves are not quite as comfortable as my old ones. 10. 'The best option' could be replaced by 'the best choice', 'the best idea', 'the best decision'. a. I think that the cheaper hotel is the best option. b. He recently broke his leg so I don't think that night skiing is the best option. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish and practice posting and chatting in English. If you have questions or comments, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I promise to email you back. // //

Over the years I have collected books and cassettes to learn different languages. I have them lined up(1) on my desk, all in a row: Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian. Unfortunately I don't speak all of them, only Spanish and French. I learned a little Russian as well, but only a few sentences. I would love to know all of these languages, but I know that it would take me years and years to both study and practice(2) them. I pick up the books sometimes and look at the Chinese and Arabic characters. "Wow!" is usually what I say to myself as I look at these beautiful but unrecognizable(3) shapes. So, what are the steps to learning a language? First, decided which one you need to learn. That sounds obvious, but, if you're like me, you will want to learn several. Limit yourself because you need lots of time to learn a language. Perhaps you can plan to(4) listen to 2 podcasts a day, read a paragraph, and practice singing a song. If you did this five days a week, you would progress quickly(5). Memorize some basic conversation sentences. Make a list of the twenty most important verbs and expressions. Read a joke book in that language, perhaps a children's joke book. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? Is there a better way to learn a language? Personally, I think that the ear is the key. If you hear a language a lot, it will become part of you. And then, you must repeat what you hear, to hear yourself speak the language. And, finally you must have fun! Humor, laughter, and silliness can make you relax and remember. 1. 'To line up' is to put in a line or a row. It can be used for things or people. It is similar in meaning to 'to queue up';however, we would not use 'to queue up' with objects. a. The child lined up all of his cars in a straight line. b. We queued up outside the cinema, and the taxis were lined up on the street. 2. 'To both study and practice'. The use of 'both' here gives a nice sound of fluency in English. It can be used in front of two verbs, or two adjectives, and two nouns in many different occasions. a. He will both run and swim in the race. b. She has both intelligence and generosity. c. The bank employees are both unprofessional and slow. 3. 'Unrecognizable' means something that you don't recognize, that is not familiar at all. Un-re-cog-niz-able     un-re-cog-niz-able    un-re-cog-niz-able     un-re-cog-niz-able 4. 'To plan to ..' is useful when talking about the future. a. I plan to travel this Summer if I can get plane tickets. b. He plans to finish his exams and then look for an apprenticeship. 5. 'If you did this...., you would progress quickly'. This is an example of subjunctive with conditional. The simple past is used in the first half of the sentence, then 'would' plus the infinitive with no 'to'. a. If you drank this, you would feel better. b. If he read the letter, he would understand. c. If they came early, they would have time to talk. d. If they invested now, they would make an early profit. Thanks for joining me today. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected], and feel free to join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. // //

The subject of many people's conversations is the flu. Everybody is talking about it. The clinics and hospitals are full of people who have flu symptoms, and supermarkets have shelves full of medicines, tissues(1), and vitamin powders. I've been lucky so far(2); my children and my husband have had it, but not me(3). And I'm not going to, I keep telling myself. I'm using mind over matter(4). When I do go to the supermarket, I'll often hear a horrible cough in one direction, and a sneeze in another(5). So what do I do then? I get as far away as possible(6). I push my shopping cart to the opposite part of the store as quickly as possible. I bumped into a man I know the other day, and he said, "Anna, you are the fastest moving thing(7) in the store!" At home I've been moving fast as well. There is extra washing to do. I wipe the countertops with disinfecting wipes(8). I remind the kids to wash their hands with soap and water, and to drink lots of water and juice. And I open windows as much as possible. And after all of that, really the only thing you should do is rest, stay warm, and sleep.  1. 'Tissues' here mean paper handkerchiefs. The word 'tissue' is the general word used, as 'handkerchief' is out dated. It is also the general word for organic material. a. Do you need a tissue? It sounds like you have a bad cold. b. He lost tissue from his hand in the accident. 2. 'So far' could be replaced by 'up until now'. a. So far he has been very successful in his career. b. We haven't been able to get a loan so far. 3. 'My children and husband have had it, but not me.' The last part of this sentence is a simplified way of speaking. It is equally normal to say 'but I haven't' at the end of the sentence, as I have already used the verb 'to have'. However, I think an easier way of completing the sentence is by saying 'but not me'. It is correct and also common use. Even if I had used the verb 'to do', I could have finished the sentence the same way. a. They did it, but not me (but I didn't). b. The class read the book, but not her (name). 4. 'Mind over matter' is a set phrase which means that you are trying to convince yourself, and control your own physical symptoms. a. I was terrified of bungie jumping, but I used mind over matter, and I did it! b. He doesn't like giving speeches, but with mind over matter he manages. 5. As with most languages, the word 'another' or other implies the repetition of a noun, so you don't have to mention it twice. a. In my kitchen I found a mouse on one chair, and a spider on another! b. He cut his finger on one knife, and his thumb on another. 6. 'As far away as possible' is an example of the phrase 'as ....as possible'. The words 'far away' might make it seem more complicated, but it's actually not. 'Far away' is simply put in between 'as' and 'as possible', like many, many other things. a. He ran as fast as possible to catch the bus. b. He always stands as close as possible to people, but his breath stinks! c. She writes her essays as carefully as possible. 7. "Anna, you're the fastest moving thing in the store" this sentence uses 'moving thing' to add humor because it shows me as a thing and not a person. In fact, the speaker could have said just 'the fastest thing in the store' and missed out 'moving'. We use a superlative adjective with 'thing' in these sentences. a. That child is the loudest thing in the whole shopping center. b. That dog is the ugliest thing I've ever seen! c. That article is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read! 8. 'Disinfecting wipes' are disposable cloths that have disinfecting liquid in them. The word 'wipe' is a verb, and a noun with two meanings: the action of wiping, and the cloth, a. I need a 'baby wipe' to clean the baby. b. Wipe your mouth, you have spaghetti sauce on it. c. He cleaned the glass with one wipe. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. My app is available in iTunes called A Cup Of English, and my email address is [email protected] if you wish to give me any suggestions or if you have any questions.  // //

It's been a rough couple of weeks(1). My three boys have had the flu, and one of them has had two different kinds. As a mother, I try to do all that I can to make them comfortable: medicine, liquids, blankets, and peace and quiet(2). I try to give them some extra attention, if they want it. At times(3) I have taken their temperatures, asked them how they feel, felt their foreheads, and given them popsicles(4) for their sore throats. Sometimes, however, they have wanted to be left alone(5). I can understand that. As a mother, you have to become a judge of who will want what and when(6). My daughter gave me a good suggestion today, to help Robert feel better: buy him a teddy. He is ten years old, almost too 'cool' to have teddies, but not quite. And, of course, there are teddies and teddies(7). The one she chose for him is a gorilla with a tie and a big smile. That's perfect for an 'almost too cool boy'. It's soft, cuddly(8), and funny, but it's also masculine looking, and it goes well with his giant soft lion that he uses as a pillow. It was a good idea, I told Domini. It's a little, soft creature that wishes him well, with a huge smile to make him feel better. 1. 'A rough couple of weeks'. 'Rough' is a common word to describe a length of time that has been difficult. a. This week has been rough at work. b. The two years after the divorce were very rough. 2. 'Peace and quiet' is a set phrase that is used in both England and the U.S. The meaning is self-explanatory, but it should be noted that they often, automatically go together. a. After a noisy week, I really need peace and quiet at the weekend. b. When you have the flu, you need medicine, liquids, rest, and peace and quiet. 3. 'At times' is the same as saying 'sometimes', though it can indicate less occasions than 'sometimes'. a. At times he looks happy, but then at other times he looks sad. b. At times I really don't know if he is joking or not. 4. 'Popsicle' is like a cross between 'pop' and 'icicle'. It is a frozen lollipop, and comes in many different flavors and shapes. a. In the Summer we always fill the freezer with popsicles. b. Popsicles can help a sore throat feel better. 5. To be 'left alone' often goes with the word 'want', or it is phrased to show that the person desires to be alone. 'Left' indicates other people letting go, or permitting. a. I just want to be left alone. b. I'm sure he'll calm down if you leave him alone/ if he's left alone. 6. 'Who will want what and when' is an example of a string of interrogatives. Because I have already mentioned the medicines, blankets, liquids etc and the boys, I don't need to repeat these nouns. The sentence that is full of interrogatives is simply referring back to those nouns. a. We have ham, cheese, salad, soup, and cake for everyone. Anyone can help themselves to what they want, when they want it. b. I don't know why, when, or how this mess was made; I just want it cleaned up! 7. 'There are teddies and teddies' echoes a similar sentence that I discussed in a previous podcast. This sentence format is comparing equal things, but it implies that they are not equal. Some teddies are better than others. a. We saw the musical Les Miserable. Of course there are musicals and there are musicals, but that's one of the best. b. I wish you didn't buy that cheap ham. It's not all the same you know. There's ham and then there's ham. 8. 'Cuddly' is one of my favorite words. It means something that is easy to hug, perhaps even built to hug. a. That homemade pillow is so cuddly; I could just hug it all day. b. When our cat is sleepy, she is so cuddly. You're all welcome to join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. I will email you a reply if you write to me at [email protected] to send me your questions or comments. // //

Some state lawmakers are pushing to ban(1) potentially(2) cancer-causing(3) chemicals from children's products and sofas. The two flame retardant(4) chemicals are known as TCEP and TDCCP and are found in car seats, strollers(5), changing pads(6), other children's products, and furniture. Manufacturers often add the chemicals to foam(7), plastics and fabrics to prevent fires and to slow down fires if they have already started. The chemical industry says that flame retardants have been useful in reducing fires and saving lives. However, supporters(8) of the bill say there are better ways to protect against fires without the chemicals. 1. 'To ban' is the similar in meaning to 'to forbid', 'to stop', or 'to not allow'. a. Certain weapons are banned for civilian use. b. Chewing gum is banned from the schools. 2. 'Potentially' means 'having the power to' or 'possibly'. It is a powerful word to use in the right context. a. The new flu virus could potentially affect all of us. b. The recession could potentially cause the cost of flights to double. 3. '-causing' can be added to many nouns, especially names of diseases. a. The street party had lots of conflict-causing elements; I'm not surprised there was a riot. b. Cholera-causing bacteria were found in the drinking water. 4. 'Flame retardant' is a set phrase used for particular chemicals that reduce the risk of fire. 'Retardant' means 'stopping' or 'slowing'. a. Often, kids' pajamas are flame retardant. b. Sofas also have a flame retardant chemical added to them. 5. 'Stroller' is the American word for a 'push chair' used to transport a baby or youngster while the parent is walking. It's basically a seat with wheels and handlebars at the top. The word is taken from the verb 'to stroll' which means to walk slowly. a. It was such a lovely day that I put the baby in the stroller and walked in the park. b. We need some equipment for the new baby, including a stroller. 6. 'A changing pad' is another piece of equipment or furniture used when a person has a baby. It is like a long, flat, waterproof pillow that you lay the baby on in order to change its diaper. The word 'pad' is used for many things, such as: a seat pad, a panty pad, a pad of paper. Also 'padding' is similar to a material filling, such as in a cushion. It can be used figuratively. a. The changing pad needs to be disinfected after each use. b. He's on a diet. He said that he has five pounds of padding on his stomach that he wants to lose. 7. 'Foam' is an aerated, bubbly substance that is either made out of rubber or plastic material, or an organic substance such as egg, toothpaste, or sea water. The padding in furniture is often made out of 'foam'. a. The foam padding in the sofa has gone flat; it needs to be replaced. b. There is a lot of foam on the waves today. 8. 'Supporters' are people who agree with a person, a group, or a cause. A supporter is also someone who helps financially. a. The supporters of the presidential candidate filled the stadium. b. It was the supporters of the Committee of Arts and Culture who paid for the statue. You are all invited to join me on my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. Send me your questions and comments to [email protected] and I will get back to you. // //

Farmers, ranchers(1) and county officials(2) from Eastern Washington said a plan to manage(3) wolves as they are re-established in the state has good ideas but doesn't go far enough to cover their potential losses(4) or protect their property. Wolves are making a remarkable comeback(5) in Washington. A year ago there were five confirmed wolf packs in the state: now there are eight confirmed packs and three more suspected (6)packs. But wolves will remain protected under Washington's endangered species(7) law until there are at least 15 packs for three years. In the meantime(8), the department has developed a management plan with farmers, ranchers, wildlife experts and conservationists to minimize damage caused by wolves to livestock(9) and domestic animals. It's a combination of nonlethal techniques to keep wolves away and capture and relocate them, and includes killing them under certain circumstances. Senator John Smith said the state should be ready to list wolves as a big game(10) species, which would allow for hunting when they reach a certain level. 1. A 'rancher' is usually a farmer who has cattle, sheep, or pigs. a. The rancher takes his cows up to the mountains for the good grass. b. The rancher uses sheep dogs to help him control and direct his sheep. 2. 'Official' refers to a person with a recognised position in government, and has sometimes been elected. a. Local officials said that they will make safety their priority. b.State officials met today to discuss the new tax laws. 3. 'To manage' in this context means to control. Managing the wolves would mean allowing them freedom to populate an area, but only up to a certain number. a. The deer population in this area is managed by the department of fish and game. b. Predatory animals need to be managed for our safety and to maintain healthy numbers of their prey. 4. 'To cover a loss' relates to insurance paying to replace valuable property or possessions, including livestock. a. What we got from the insurance company will cover our loss of sheep. b. We must cover our losses before we look for any profits. 5. 'A comeback', the meaning of which is self-explanatory, is often paired with the word 'remarkable', which means 'to be noted', 'astonishing', or 'surprising'. a. The old singer has made a remarkable comeback, and still sings very well. b. Tight jeans have made a comeback; I remember wearing them twenty years ago. 6. 'Confirmed and suspected'. Studies have been carried out to count the number of packs of wolves. The 'confirmed' packs are definitely there; the 'suspected' packs have not been proven to exist. a. The suspected engagement of the Royal Prince and his girlfriend has been confirmed; they will marry in May. b. Cadbury has confirmed international contracts for the next year of up to two billion dollars. 7. 'Endangered species' are the groups of animals that are in danger of extinction.      En - dangered  spe - cies     En - dangered  spe - cies   En - dangered  spe - cies 8. 'In the meantime' is a handy phrase to add to a conversation. It means 'until then' or  'while we are waiting for that to happen'.   a. They'll get here in two hours; in the meantime, let's get the food ready. b. We're still waiting for rain; in the meantime, the grass is getting dryer and dryer.  9. 'Livestock' means farmed animals of all kinds: cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, geese, chickens etc. 10. 'Game' is used in hunting terms to describe the animal as being available to be hunted. 'Big game' are the larger animals, of which the wolf would be one. a. Does the hunter prefer small or big game? b. He's a big game hunter; there are big heads all over his walls. Remember you are all welcome to join my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. I can answer your questions and comments at [email protected], and if you email me, I promise to email you back. // //

Do you ever check your bills? It's a good practice(1), but sometimes seems unnecessary. If you do, however, you might find the occasional odd charge, or you might have a question about something on the bill that you don't recognize. That is exactly what happened to me last week when I took my dog, Rosie, to the vet. The poor thing had a skin infection of some kind. Apparently it was the result of an allergy. She obviously felt itchy because she would scratch herself all over. Well, the vet got to the bottom of (2)the problem, gave her a medicinal (3)bath and prescribed antibiotics and steroids. As I sat in the waiting room, I looked over(4) the bill and spotted(5) an item that immediately made me curious: an Elizabethan collar. I blinked because I thought I had misread(6) the words. An Elizabethan collar, no I wasn't mistaken; those were the words written, along with the pills, the bath, and the ear cleaning. A mental picture of Queen Elizabeth I came to my mind, with her wide, ruffled collar. What was she doing back there with the animals? Pet owners can never really know what is going on beyond(7) the waiting room. Perhaps the vet likes historical costumes....Maybe her assistants dress up all the animals to put on a Tudor play, “Ok people we need an Elizabeth, a Henry VIII, and a Mary Queen of Scots, … and a few servants and advisers of course. Rosie, if you want to play Elizabeth, make sure you put on her collar..., and get ready for that Armada scene, ok?” “Woof!” replies Rosie. Oh my! My imagination can certainly run wild(8) when I'm bored! So, I asked the lady behind the counter about the Elizabethan collar, and she told me that it's just a plastic cone that is put around the dog's head so it doesn't scratch it's ears. Oh, well that's disappointing. It's not even frilly(9). My idea was far more interesting. 'A good practice' is something that you do that is beneficial, practical, or helpful. a. It's good practice to double check that your doors are locked. b. Helping your neighbors is a good practice. 'To get to the bottom of...' is to find the solution or the answer. a. The detective got to the bottom of the crime. b. We need to get to the bottom of what happened. 'Medicinal' means 'of medicine'. It is used when we refer to a treatment. a. He put a medicinal wrap on his wound. b. That tea is medicinal; it has many health benefits. 'To look over..' is often used when we talk about examining a document of some kind, a collection of information, or a list. a. We looked over the plans for the house and found three things that we didn't like. b. I looked over the phone bill; it was higher than last month. 'To spot' something is 'to notice'. a. I spotted her orange coat in the crowd. b. I've spotted a family of doves in my back garden. 'To misread' means to read incorrectly. The prefix 'mis' shows an error or negative slant given to the verb. Similar words are: mistake, mismanage, misinform. Notice, the past of 'to misread' is spelt exactly the same but pronounced 'misread'. a. I misread the highway directions, and ended up in Canada instead of Idaho! b. Read slowly so you don't misread the words. The use of 'beyond' here shows three things: distance, separation, and mystery. It is the context that gives 'beyond' those meanings. Normally, 'beyond' means 'further on from/ than', especially when you are giving directions. However, because 'beyond' often refers to a place that is not yet seen, there can be an element of mystery attached to it. a. I love the series 'Stories from beyond the grave'; it's really scary. b. God exists probably beyond space and time, beyond what we see. To have your 'imagination run wild' is an expression that is self explanatory. a. When you write this descriptive essay, let your imagination run wild. b. When the kids are playing, their imaginations run wild. 'Frilly' refers to the 'ruffled' collar in the paragraph. It describes material that is folded, wavy, or doubled, often with delicate edges. a. The edge of the skirt is frilly; it looks like a country dress. b. Queen Elizabeth's collar was very wide and very frilly. Remember to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all invited. If you have questions or comments feel free to email me at and I will get back to you. There is an app available for your smart phone called A Cup Of English in iTunes. // //

  Nationwide(1), metal theft has become a serious problem since about 2005, according to(2) a 2010 report on metal theft by the U.S. Department of Justice. That's when metal prices rose substantially(3). In 2002, for example, copper prices hit a record low(4), falling to 65 cents a pound. By 2006, it was worth $4 a pound, prompted mainly by the industrialization(5) of Asian countries. One figure(6) was available for copper losses. According to a survey, about $20 million worth of copper was stolen in(7) more than 50,000 incidents at U.S electric utilities in 2008. Another indicator comes from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which reports that claims(8) for metal theft are up significantly. 'Nationwide' is similar to 'nationally' or 'national'. a. The program is being broadcast nationwide. b. There will be educational improvements nationwide. 2. 'According to' is used in front of persons, organizations, or bodies of information, such as surveys or polls. a. According to a recent survey, women prefer the color green to blue. b. According to the boss, we can't have another raise. c. According to the weather update, we will get snow tomorrow. 3. 'Substantially' is a difficult word to pronounce, so let's practice it in sections Sub – stan – tially sub – stan – tially sub – stan – tially 4. 'Record low' similarly to 'record high', is used for financial decreases or losses, and also temperature changes. Occasionally, it is used for emotion. a. Record low temperatures have been reported nationally. b. The value of gold is at a record high. c. He told me that his confidence is at a record low these days. ' 5. 'Industrialization' is a long word and needs to be practiced In-dus-triali-zation In-dus-triali-zation In-dus-triali-zation 6. 'A figure' can be a shape, the shape of a person, or a number. a. That dress suits her figure. b. Write the correct name under each figure on the math sheet. c. The latest figures show that the stock market has improved. 7. 'Copper was stolen in more than 50,000 incidents'. I'm going over this phrase to talk about the use of 'in'. 'In' is referring to the incidents of theft, the occurrences 'in' which the thefts took place. You will more usually hear the word 'from' with the verb stolen, because often we will mention the person or place 'from' which something was stolen. a. The diamond was stolen from the museum. b. Three cars crashed in the incident. c. Five homes were lost in ten flooding incidents in the state. 8. 'A claim' is a noun, as opposed to the verb 'to claim', though both are obviously related. If you have suffered a loss due to fire, flooding, theft, or some kind of accident, you make or report a claim to your insurance company. a. We will have to make a claim to the insurance company because of the fire. b. They made claims that were false; they just wanted the insurance money. // //

"Mum, can you put in your password?" is a question that I hear almost on a daily basis. My kids are into apps in a big way(1). We are slowly getting sucked(2) into the app market. I allow my daughter to play on my iPhone every now and then(3). That's fine. There are lots of fun, creative apps that you can download for free, so we do(4). After a few days, however, the credits, or ammunition, or points, or whatever currency it is that you need to play the game, run out. Then my children look around to find their saviour, me. They suddenly remember how much they love me. They become very polite and very sweet, as they ask me to solve their problem of a lack of (5)credits. They do this with one eye on me, and one eye on my purse. Ha, ha! I have their full attention, the power of an emperor. Will it be thumbs up or thumbs down(6)? Exactly how nice(7) can they be to me if they really need those credits? May be they can vacuum the lounge, or clean out the cat's litter box(8). Or maybe I'll just have them kiss the ring on my right hand. Oh the power has gone to my head(9). I do realise that the older I get, the less power I will have. So, for now, I'll make the most of it(10). A few dollars here and there for app credits is fine; I let them buy them most of the time. It would only be a problem if I had an iron will. However, it is satisfying to know that my hand holds the purse strings(11). 1. 'To be into something in a big way' is an American expression for really liking something, or really practicing something. a. My brother is into photography in a big way; he does it as often as he can, and he's very good at it. b. They're into Minecraft in a big way; they play it everyday. 2. 'To get sucked into something' is an expression that means that you are slowly being forced to do something. You can get a mental image perhaps of stepping into mud and getting sucked into it. It is used figuratively, and implies that you are not happy about it. a. I have been asked to be the president of the committee; I don't really want to, but I'm getting sucked into it. b. He got sucked right into buying that car, but it was a bad one and broke down in two days. 3. 'Every now and then' is similar to saying 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'. 4. The verb 'to do' has many uses; one is emphasis.  a. They told us not to, so we didn't. b. He won't let us eat in the lounge, so we don't. 5. 'A lack of' is not having enough of something. a. The project cannot continue due to lack of money. b. This talent show has a real lack of talent. c. She has so many shoes that you won't believe it; she really does. 6. 'Thumbs up' is a phrase that is used sometimes to give approval of something. However, the 'thumbs up or thumbs down' is a reference to Roman Emperors and their 'life or death' use of this signal. 7. 'Exactly how + adjective / noun' is used a lot in both questions and statements to show doubt about someone's attributes, actions, abilities, or about something that has or will happen? It can show attitude, impatience, or sarcasm. a. Exactly how clever is he supposed to be? b. Exactly how late are they going to be? c. Exactly where are we supposed to be? d. Exactly how tall is he? 8. 'A litter box' is the box filled with a sandy substance that cats use as a toilet. I'm not sure why it's called a 'litter box'. 9. 'To have something go to your head' means that you become proud or fixated on an accomplishment?desire, and because of that, your behavior is affected. a. He won the race, but his win went to his head and he spent the whole week bragging. b. Don't let your new wealth go to your head; you might do something stupid. c. She let his words go to her head; she was easily influenced. 10. 'To make the most of ....' means to either thoroughly enjoy something, or to take advantage of an opportunity. a. I have nothing to do tonight; I'm going to make the most of it and relax. b. We made the most of our free cruise; we tried all the food, and went to every activity. 11. 'My (someone else's) hands hold the purse strings' is a saying which means the person has control of the money. Purses used to have string tops instead of zips or buttons, so if your hand is holding the strings, you control when the purse is opened. // //

Facing powerful opposition to new gun laws, President Barack Obama is considering(1) 19 steps that he could take through executive action(2). The steps could include punishing(3) people who lie on gun sale background checks(4), getting more complete records in the federal background check database(5), more federal research into gun use, ordering tougher(6) penalties against gun trafficking, and giving schools flexibility to improve safety. "My starting point is not to worry(7) about the politics," said the President. "My starting point is to focus on what makes sense, on what works." At the same time Obama said that he will not back off(8) of his support for sweeping(9) gun legislation that requires  congressional support. There is, however, great opposition from the very influential gun lobby(10). "Will all of these (changes) get through Congress? I don't know," Obama said at a news conference on Monday. 1. 'To consider' is to think about before making a decision. The word 'considering' is used a lot in English in the same way as 'understanding that' or 'taking into account'. a. We're considering buying the house; we'll make a decision in a few weeks. b. Considering the bank's past mistakes, I wouldn't invest in them. 2. 'Executive action' is the ability of the President to pass laws, or make changes to laws without Congress. This power is limited. The word 'executive' comes from the word 'to execute' meaning to put into action, and also to kill. It is, therefore, used as the title of the head of a company. The person who makes the decisions. 3. 'The steps could include punishing...' this sentence has a list of verbs, all in the gerund form. You wouldn't actually use the infinitive form of the verbs instead; the gerund sounds more normal. a. To make a cabinet, the steps include buying and cutting the wood, finishing it, drilling holes, measuring, and putting it all together. b. The steps to make a good cake should include buying good quality ingredients, and having the right setting on the oven. 4. 'A background check' is an investigation into someone's background or personal, past life. 'Background' is like the back scene of something, a picture, or a person.  a. You have to have a background check before you can become a teacher. b. His background check revealed that he had been in prison for stealing. 5. 'Database' is a collection of information or 'data'. It is like a big file. a. Your computer's database is full; you need to get more memory. b. They lost information from their database. 6. 'Tough' or 'tougher' can be used when talking about penalties, punishments, laws, or luck. a. He lost his job and then crashed his car; what tough luck! b. We must have tougher punishments for violent crimes. 7. "My starting point is not to worry.." here you could say 'to not worry'. There is only a slight difference. If you want to emphasize that you are deliberately avoiding worrying, then it is more effective to have 'not' first. The other way around emphasizes the whole meaning rather than the negative of the verb. a. I will control my classroom by not paying attention to noisy, distracting students. b. They were advised not to go on the lake while it was frozen. 8. 'To back off' means to walk away from, to back away, to leave alone, or to forget. I have mentioned it before in a previous podcast. In this instant, it describes how President Obama doesnot want to walk away from proposed changes. 9. 'Sweeping ' is often used when talking about the making or changing of laws. When a big change is made it is described in this way. a. Sweeping changes have been made to the way the office is run. b. Sweeping legislation about school safety will be proposed. 10. 'Lobby' is a noun and a verb. The verb means to try and influence, and the noun is a group of people who do just that. It is also the entry into a hotel, where you book your room, or like an ante room or a gallery. a. The environmentalists are lobbying for forest preservation. b. The turkey protection lobby is asking for more rights for turkeys. You are all invited to join my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish. Also, if you need instant downloads, you can purchase my app from iTunes called A Cup Of English. Send me any questions and comments to [email protected] and I promise to get back to you. // //

We have a new addition to our house. It's a furry, playful little thing that, at the moment, is fast asleep(1). Lilly is her name, but I'm not sure if it suits(2) her. Most of the time 'mini monster' would suit her, as she hides around the corners, waiting for us, and then jumps out and attacks our ankles. Thankfully, she doesn't use her claws very much, and she's not big enough to do any damage, though she seems to think that(3) she's as big as the local mountain lions. We bought her a few weeks ago from the humane society, or the pound(4). She was, what they call, a throw-away(5)cat. They have so many of them in the pound; they're often not wanted, and so they are very cheap. When Lilly's not dashing(6) around, or attacking us, she naps. Well, of course she naps, she's a kitten. And then, everybody fights over her. We all want her to be on our laps(7) because she is so cute and warm and cozy. It's surprising what a comforting influence a cat can be. Mind you, our dogs would disagree. They are outside dogs, and only rarely(8) come in the house. Lilly has learned that a window can be the ultimate weapon. She stands at our glass door and stares, while on the other side, both dogs are going bananas, barking and jumping up and down, trying to get her. "Oh, what a fuss," she seems to think, as she licks her paw, gives them one last look, and climbs onto my lap. 1. 'Fast asleep' means to be deeply asleep. 'Fast' is an old English word meaning 'thoroughly', 'quickly', or 'deeply'. We often use 'fast' in this way when talking about something being thoroughly stuck (with glue). a. The two pieces of wood are stuck fast and can't be separated. b. When he is fast asleep, it's very difficult to wake him up. 2. 'To suit' means to go well with, to look good on, to complement, to seem natural with. a. The landscaping really suits the house. b. Red suits you; you look good in it. 3. '...seems to think that...' is a normal part of English speech, and is good to practice. It can be said as an observation, or it can be used humorously or ironically. a. He seems to think that women don't have opinions of their own. b. The Chancellor seems to think that the public loves to pay taxes. 4. 'The pound' is a nickname for the humane society, where unwanted animals are cared for and held up for adoption. It is obviously written and pronounced the same way as the currency and weight 'pound'. a. Our pets came from the pound; they had been found on the road, and taken there for safety. b. Some teenagers volunteer at the pound. They walk the dogs and play with the cats. 5. 'Throw-away' is a made up compound. It is self-explanatory, and used infront of items that are for sale. a. I bought a throw-away camera for our vacation. When the film was used and developed, I threw it away. b. Those are throw-away knives and forks; you can only wash and reuse them a few times, they they need to be thrown away. 6. 'To dash' is similar to 'to dart' which means to move very quickly and suddenly. 'Dashing' is also used as 'handsome'. a. The cat dashes here and there around the house; you never know when she will do it. b. He looks very dashing in that long, black coat. 7. 'Lap' is the top of your leg, between your knee and your hip. It is where a child or animal will sit, if they sit on you. In fact, we never say, "Come and sit on my leg"; we use the word 'lap'. The same word is also used in sports: a lap of a swimming pool (is one length), and a lap when running (is one circuit). a. The cat sat on my lap and fell fast asleep. b. We swam ten laps and then had a break. 8. 'Rarely' means not often. It is mainly used just before the verb. a. We rarely go to the theatre, but I do love to go there. b. There are coyotes in town, but you rarely see them because they are so well disguised. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish, and send me your questions and comments to [email protected]. If you do, I promise to get back to you. Remember, also my app is available in iTunes under A Cup Of English. // //

This following paragraph was taken from a home magazine that focuses on storage and using spaces well in the home. It might seem, in this age of electronic books and computer tablets, that a library is an outdated (1)room to include in a home. But, it could be argued(2), that it is because we have so much noise and technology in our lives that we need a quiet room of books. Libraries are places of peace. When we are in them we need to whisper (3)and walk quietly. Sometimes they are the perfect place to go to when we want to be alone, or perhaps when we need time to think. In such moments(4), books are the perfect companions - not a TV and certainly not a computer. Books are silent and respectful(5) and their weight and even their smell can be comforting. Even though we are all attached to(6) e-books, most of us still have many real books in different parts of the house. Why not put them all in one place, and make that place special, cozy, and quiet. It would be a place to enjoy a new book, or an old favorite.  1. 'Outdated' is a funny combination of two words which together mean 'old fashioned' or 'no longer fashionable'. a. Our house is so outdated; it's not historic, nor is it modern. It's just out of fashion. b. Some people thinkt that curtains are outdated, but I think they are an important part of decor. 2. 'It could be argued' is like saying 'you could say' or 'the point could be made that...' a. He is the laziest music student, but one could argue that he's the most talented. b. The building is impressive, you could say that it is over-the-top. 3. 'To whisper' is one of my favorite verbs; it just means to talk very, very quietly. I like it because it sounds like its meaning. a. Grandma is asleep; you should whisper. b. The library rule is that everyone whispers. 4. 'In such moments' is like saying 'at times like these', or 'on these occasions'. a. National holidays can bring us together. On these occasions we can enjoy being with family and friends. b. Being stuck in an airport is no fun. At times like these it's really handy to have an iPhone. 5. 'Respectful' has a meaning that is easy to imagine: full of respect. It only has one meaning. a. He is very respectful; he always listens carefully to whatever anyone says. b. I wish they would be more respectful in this public area. 6. 'To be attached to' is an interesting expression which means that a person likes something very much. You can visualize the meaning of being connected to the thing you like. a. I know my car is really old, but I'm very attached to it. b. My neighbor is so attached to her five cats that she takes them everywhere, even to her doctor's apppointments! Join me on my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish; you are all welcome. Feel free to email me your questions and comments to [email protected] or [email protected] and I promise to send you an email. // //

One of the great  consolations(1) of the end of the year is a New Year's Eve party. We don't always go to a party on New Year's Eve. Sometimes we prefer to stay at home, by the fire, with good food and drink, family and maybe a few friends, and welcome the new year quietly. This December 31st, however, was different. We were invited to two parties, and we decided to go to both of them. The first was  quiet and relaxed. A friend of mine, Barbara, was hosting(2) it, and she had decided that it should only be two hours long. It went from five o'clock until seven(3). She has two small children and wanted to be able to put them in bed by eight o'clock, which I understand. So, it was an unusual party, short and sweet(4). "The party will finish when it's New Year's in Sao Paolo" she joked. The next party was quite different. There were lots of people, lots of noise, food, music, drink, and games. This felt like a celebration. I bumped(5) into a few people I knew, and we caught up with eachother. Then the hostess of the party announced that we all had to go outside. There was a large wooden fire burning in a round fire pit; people were standing around it keeping warm. Large, colored paper rectangles were handed out to groups of three or four people. They gently opened them, and I could see that they were tissue paper (6)bags. But they weren't just bags. These groups of people then held them upside down and lit a pad(7) of paper that was attached to a small wire frame. The paper had some kind of flamable fluid in it that burned well, and filled the paper bags, or lanterns with hot air. After a few minutes each lantern lifted slowly into the air and we all cheered and clapped. It was a beautiful sight. About seventeen of them, of different colors, floated up into the night's sky. We were all moved by the scene; it seemed to symbolize part of us leaving, and new hopes rising, a silent prayer for the New Year. 1. 'Consolation' is a noun that means a 'benefit' or 'positive element that makes up for negative ones'. a. He didn't win; he was second in the race. However, he got $2000 which was a great consolation. b. We missed our plane, and got home late. Our only consolation was that there was no traffic. 2. 'To host' means to organise an event, and to be in charge of the location. a. Toyota will be hosting an international party celebrating clean energy cars. b. I'm going to host a surprise party for my best friend. 3. Often with expressions of time, we miss out the word 'o'clock'. a. The movie starts at five thirty and finishes at seven. b. We'll leave at six o'clock, so we should arrive at their place by eight. 4. 'Short and sweet' could be a literal description, but it is often used figuratively as 'conveniently brief and to the point'. a. My doctor's appointment was short and sweet. She answered all my questions and explained everything without going on and on. b. "Did you get your wall painted?"          "Yes, thanks. The project was short and sweet." 5. 'To bump into someone' can mean the literal act of knocking into someone, but it often means to meet someone by chance. a.  I was coming out of Safeway, and I bumped into my neighbor. b. You'll never guess who I bumped into...my ex-husband. 6. 'Tissue paper' is a very fine, very breakable paper that is often used to fill up a gift bag. a. Fill the bag with tissue paper so the present inside doesn't move around. b. You can use tissue paper for many craft projects. 7. The word 'pad' has several meanings. 'A pad of paper' is like a small book of paper, pad being like a block. 'Pad' is also slang for a house/home. And 'cotton pads' are often used to cover injuries that have bled. a. I need to buy each of my children 6 pads of writing paper for school. b. Hey, this is a nice pad. How long have you lived here? c. In the hospital they put cotton pads on his injuries and held them in place with bandages. Remember to join me on Facebook at Anna fromacupofenglish; you are all welcome! Also you can email me at or if you have questions or comments. // //

Now that the Christmas vacation is coming up, we will probably play some board(1) games in the evenings. We have so many of them! There is a big collection of them, stuffed(2) into a closet in the lounge. Monopoly, Axis and Allies, and Scrabble are three of the more well known ones. My favorite is probably Monopoly; I love games that lead you along a path to a destination, with question cards, and unexpected(3) opportunities or problems along the way. I was actually playing a similar game this morning on the computer, except it wasn't(4) about buying streets or buildings. It was an information game created by a company that deals with retirement. I'm not close to retiring, in fact, I'm probably still about twenty years away from it(5). But the reason I was playing the game, was to try a win the 1st place prize of $50,000. I probably don't stand a chance of(6) winning, but you know, the game turned out to be very interesting. You had to spin a wheel, walk up to 5 steps along the path, and then answer questions, or read and watch informational video clips. The whole point is to get educated about retirement, health, finances, and volunteering. It was an interesting, casual(7) way to learn a lot about retiring. What I realized is that I don't know very much about retiring. One of the aims of this organization is to get retired people involved in the community, to keep them socially healthy. The game, with its spinner and pathway, is a great teaching tool for any subject. 1. A 'board game' is a game played on a board (ha! ha!). And by a 'board' I mean either a piece of strong cardboard with a picture on it which can be square or rectangular, or it can be wooden. The board serves as a table on which the other pieces are put. A board can also be a useful table-like structure, like an ironing board or a bread board. The word sounds exactly like 'bored' which has different meanings. It can mean that you are not entertained at all, or that you have drilled a hole. Let's look at some examples: a. Where is the game board for Monopoly? I have the pieces and the houses but not the board. b. I need to buy a new ironing board, because mine is broken. c. I'm so bored; I don't know what to do. d. The insects bored holes in the wooden door, so it had to be replaced. 2. 'To stuff' is a verb that I've covered before in a previous podcast, but it is very common, especially in England. It basically means to fill until very full. It can be used figuratively, and is also a noun. It also can be used in an insult, or a way of dismissing something. a. He built the chair, and then stuffed the seat cushion so it was very soft and comfortable. b. We ate too much and felt completely stuffed. c. My attic is full of stuff! d. I was so angry that I told him to get stuffed! e. We can't go into work because the office is flooded. Stuff it! (forget it!) 3. 'Unexpected opportunities' is quite a mouthful; however, it's a great phrase, and will impress people if you use it correctly, so let's practice the pronunciation. Un-ex-pected  opp-or-tun-ities       un-ex-pected  opp-or-tun-ities    un-ex-pected  opp-or-tun-ities 4. The use of 'except' is a tool that is similar to saying 'similar but different'. A sentence is written or said, but then 'except' is put in half way, and then a contradiction is added. a. I bought a coat just like yours, except it was red. b. We also went to Mexico for a vacation, except we went in the winter not in the summer. c. They'll come to visit again, except next time, they'll stay longer. 5. To be 'away from' in time means that you are not yet ready for something chronologically or in some other way. a. He's a few years away from retiring, but he's thinking about it. b. They are dating, but she is a long way away from getting married (marriage).  c. He's just started High School, so he's four years away from graduating. 6. 'To stand a chance' means to have a chance; both are interchangeable. a. They stand a good chance of winning the race.   They have a good chance of winning the race. b. That boxer doesn't stand a chance of winning.     That boxer doesn't have a chance of winning. 7. 'Casual' is relaxed, comfortable, and not formal. a. It's just a casual dinner party, nothing formal. b. When we go for walks we wear just casual clothes. // //

In a recent interview with Howard G. Buffet, farmer, philanthropist, and son of billionaire Warren Buffet, he commented on the relatively unknown problem of hunger in the U.S. Studies show that one in five children don't always know where their next meal will come from.  Interviewer:You've supported global(1) hunger relief for years; what made you turn your attention(2) to America? Howard Buffet :Before, I never understood how difficult things were in this country, and how they were getting worse. In America, hunger is hidden; people are ashamed of it.The number of people who are living on the edge(3) has exploded. If you're choosing between medicine and food, or paying the electric bill and food, those are tough(4) choices, and they happen everyday. But there's no reason why we can't put hunger out of business(5) in this country. Farmers produce more food today than we did five years ago. People are hungry not because there aren't enough farmers or food, but because they can't afford it(6). There's also an estimated $3 billion worth of food(7) wasted because farmers either can't get the labor to harvest it or it doesn't look perfect enough for the store shelves(8). There are some great programs that collect produce that isn't acceptable for the supermarket and get it into the food banks. That's next on my list - making that system work better(9). 1. 'Global' is self explanatory. The word 'world' can also be substituted. a. The global economy is in recession. b. That piece of news will go global. *Here we wouldn't substitute with 'world'. c. Global wheat prices will go up because of droughts. 2. 'To turn one's attention to...' is to focus on. You can imagine someone turning his head to look at something. a. He finished fixing the broken pipe, then turned his attention to mopping the floor. b. When I finish my essay, I will turn my attention to my art project. 3. 'To be on the edge' or 'to live on the edge' can mean a couple of things. The first could mean that you are at risk (in danger, eg. in poverty, likely to get ill). It can also mean that you are very stressed or close to having mental health problems. The second phrase implies that you either enjoy living a risky life, or that you are poor. a. I sky dive in the morning, and cave dive in the afternoon; I like living on the edge. b. That neighborhood lives on the edge (of society); most of the residents are hungry. c. If he gets any more pressure from work, I'm afraid it'll push him to the edge. 4. 'Tough' is one of those miserable spellings in English that I'm afraid you just have to memorize. It's actual meaning is strong, durable, or hard to chew, but it's used often as the word 'difficult'. a. That apple pie was as tough as an old boot! b. Having a knee operation was a tough decision to make; but I can now walk without pain. c. That truck is so tough; it can handle heavy loads and bad weather conditions. 5. 'To put something out of business' can be used figuratively meaning to stop something. a. Good education will put ignorance out of business. b. That chain store put the smaller shops out of business. 6. The format of this sentence is important to understand and use: '.....not because, .......but because....'. This is good practice. a. The students do well in his class not because he's friendly, but because he explains things well. b. He should be respected not because he's rich, but because he is generous. c. The film was a success not because it was good, but because it was popular. 7. '....worth of ....'  a. There are 5 million pounds worth of gold coins in the chest. b. There are $150 worth of lottery tickets in her bag. c. There were $10,000,000 worth of investments in the project. 8. 'Store shelves' here means the shelves that are in the shops and supermarkets. Remember 'shelves' is the plural of 'shelf'. Words with similar singulars and plurals are: Self, selves; elf, elves; half, halves;wife, wives. 9. More examples of this sentence are: a. That's next on my list, - getting (to get) into shape. b. That's what we need to do next, - employ more staff for each store. c. That's his plan, - going (to go) to Germany and finding (to find) a job.  You're all welcome to join me on my FACEBOOK page called Anna Fromacupofenglish. My app is available for you in iTunes, and you can send any questions or comments to [email protected]  or [email protected]. // //

Recently, when I went back to England, I indulged in(1) something that I don't often get to indulge in; fruit cake. It might not seem very important, in fact, it might seem like a joke, depending on where you come from. Here in the U.S, for some reason, fruit cake is a joke. People joke about receiving a fruit cake at Christmas, and then trying to find a secret way of disposing of (2) it: put it in someone's mailbox, disguise it as a pet, or leave it in a basket outside a hospital......I've even heard of a book called 'One hundred and one ways to get rid of(3) a fruit cake.' Well, this is all a new experience for me. I love fruit cake. But, then again, there's fruit cake and there's fruit cake(4). Maybe the problem is that people here have never had a decent one. In England fruit cake is on the essential list when it comes to(5) baked goods. The recipe originates in Roman times, and was changed a little in the Middle Ages. Traditionally, it is made with wheat, and loaded with(6) dried fruit, nuts, and brandy. It's just the thing(7), after a long walk, with a slice of quality cheese and a cup of tea. And that is how I ate it in Yorkshire with my sister. We had been for a long walk through a forest and fields, to a panoramic (8)viewpoint. Then we walked back to a cafe that is actually a converted farmhouse. It was a warm, rock building, with wooden tables, views of the fields, and the smells of a bakery.  1. 'To indulge in' often means to eat or drink something that is quite special, though it can also be used as 'to experience' with some non-eating activities. You can miss out the word 'in' if the object is not mentioned. 'To indulge oneself' is used as 'to treat oneself'. a. We indulged in the most delicious chocolate cake I've ever had. b. They over-indulged at the New Year's party, and felt ill the next day. c. I indulged myself in the spa with a manicure, pedicure, and a facial. 2. 'To dispose of' is the same as 'to throw away' or 'to get rid of'. a. Dispose of old batteries responsibly: take them to a recycling center. b. He disposed of the evidence; he threw it in the sea. c. The waste disposal is in the sink (machine that liquefies food waste). 3. 'To get rid of' is an English expression that is very common: a. Could you just get rid of that old pair of shoes? b. What did you do with the car?   Answer: I got rid of it. c. What should we do with the corrupt politicians?    Answer: Get rid of them! 4. 'There's fruit cake and there's fruit cake.' Why did I make this repetition? What does it mean? It means that there is good fruit cake, or real fruit cake, and there is also bad, or not real fruit cake. You can use this repetition about anything. Sometimes the word 'then' is used in the middle of the comparison to emphasize the contrast in quality. If you really want to contrast one with the other, you can also add an adjective in front of the second object. a. My mother doesn't like hamburgers. But, you know, there are hamburgers and (then) there are hamburgers. b. That shop says that it sells antiques. Well, there are antiques and then there are antiques. c. There are tires and then there are quality tires. 5. 'When it comes to...' is similar in sense to 'on the subject of' or 'while we're talking about...' a. It's always best to double check your plans when it comes to traveling. b. When it comes to baked goods, we should always use quality ingredients. c. When it comes to the house, I think we spent too much money.  6. 'To be loaded with' or 'to load with' is, again, a very English sounding, common expression that can be used for more or less anything. a. They loaded my plate with chips; there were far too many. b. His car is loaded with all kinds of junk. c. This cereal is loaded with iron. 7. 'It's just the thing' is an odd expression that means 'it's the perfect thing'. a. Ah! A hot bath is just the thing when you're cold. b. Some discipline is just the thing for lazy people. c. My muscles ached after work, so I took an aspirin, and it was just the thing. 8. 'Panoramic' is a difficult word to say, so let's practice it. a. Pan -o-ramic, pan-o-ramic, pan-o-ramic. b.  That photo is panoramic; you can see the whole view. c. My camera has a panoramic setting. Remember you can join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish. If you need my app. you can find it in iTunes under A Cup Of English. And feel free to email me at [email protected] or [email protected].  // //

When I travel I feel really alive. There is something about getting away from my daily routine that helps me see things from a different perspective. I find it exciting, refreshing, and inspiring(1). Even when I travel to familiar places, such as England, I'm open to learn, and I thoroughly(2) enjoy observing. Another thing that I love about traveling, is the unpredictability(3) of it. Sometimes the unexpected happens. Recently, I went back to England for a couple of weeks to visit my family. While I was there, I visited the historic town of York with my sister. I have been to this rural city many times, but I never get tired of going there. I think, for me, it is just about(4) a perfect place. First of all, it's beautiful. It's cathedral, fourteenth century buildings, and Roman wall, are both perfectly preserved, and fully used(5). It's very clean, very green, and also prosperous. It's a university town, so it has a culture of learning, and it is also very arty. By arty, I mean that there are many places in York where art of all kinds can be experienced. You even find it in the streets. Now, I expected to see(6) buskers on the streets: people playing an instrument, or singing for money. But, as my sister and I walked into the heart of the city, we had a little surprise. Standing at the side of the pavement, dressed completely in white, hard, plastic, and carrying a long, black gun, was a Storm Trooper, a Star Wars Storm Trooper. We were delighted. We had never seen one in person (7) before. He was standing around, displaying his costume for money. I asked if I could take a photo of him, and he suggested that my sister take one of both of us. He handed me the gun, and we posed for a "Hands up!"(8) photo. He told me that he had bought this genuine costume in the '80's for quite a lot of money, and now he was having fun making money by wearing it. Brilliant! It's a good idea. Perhaps our politicians can get out their old costumes, dress up, and make some money to help with the financial crisis. Disney costumes would be the best for them. Anyway, I was thrilled to be with a Storm Trooper,especially considering that I was the one with the gun, and the force. 1. 'Exciting, refreshing, and inspiring'. A list of adjectives like this is a great way to make yourself sound natural when you speak English. It's worth choosing and practicing a few adjectives that you feel comfortable with, so that you can throw them into conversation. Here are a few examples of lists of adjectives: a. The situation was difficult, uncomfortable, and negative. b. My teacher is encouraging, knowledgeable, and positive. c. The project was long, ambitious, and expensive. 2. 'Thoroughly' is a very English sounding word. It means 'fully' or 'totally', but there are specific occasions when we use it. a. We thoroughly enjoyed the play.    (You will hear it most often with the verb 'to enjoy'. It sounds most natural when it is in front of the verb. Note: if you hated the play, you would probably say, "We completely/ absolutely hated the play", you wouldn't use 'thoroughly' with 'hated'. b. Wash the pot thoroughly before using.  (it is often used with 'to wash' in instructions). 3. 'Unpredictability' is a difficult word to say. It's meaning is 'the not knowing, and the changeability' of a situation. Let's practice the pronunciation: Un-pre-dicta-bility 4. 'Just about' is a highly useful phrase used in front of adjectives, 'the' + adjective, and before or after verbs. It's meaning is 'almost completely'. Used by itself (as a response) it means 'more or less'. a. It was just about the worst party I've ever been to. b. She is just about the best singer in the whole competition. c. He ran just about the whole mile. He just about ran the whole mile. d. We painted just about the whole building. We just about painted the whole building. e. Did you understand the lecture?  Answer: Yes, just about / more or less. 5. 'Fully' is another word that means 'completely', and is used after a past participle. a. The hospital has been fully renovated. b. The project is fully funded by donations.  *Note:'fully funded' is one of the more common uses of 'fully'. 6. 'A busker' is a person who entertains on the street by playing an instrument or singing. a. The busker was fully clothed in silver. b. That busker is just about the best that I've ever seen. 7. 'In person' means 'live' or 'in the same place' when referring to an individual. a. I've never seen that singer in person, but apparently she's quite beautiful. b. I've seen pictures of the Queen, but the other day, I saw her in person. 8. "Hands up!" is usually what is said when someone is arrested. Other phrases are "Stick them up!" (meaning your hands, though this phrase is used mainly playing), or "Drop them!" if the person is carrying a gun. a. "Drop them buddy, and hands up!" Remember you are all invited to join my FACEBOOK page called Anna fromacupofenglish. Also, if you have questions or suggestions, feel free to email me at [email protected] or [email protected] and I promise to email you back. If you wish to have instant downloads, you can purchase my app in iTunes called A Cup Of English.  // //

Halloween is a time of screams and fright, horrible faces and hideous (1)costumes. It's a time when people who love to be scared can fill up on that experience(2). Those of us who don't like witches, skeletons, zombies, and Draculas hope that the day of Halloween passes quickly. Though the roots of this holiday are ancient, it has become a very modern celebration. By this, I mean that each year Halloween is updated. My almost daily(3) trips to Walmart showed me that that is very true. If you want to give your neighborhood a full Halloween night of fright, you have to jump into the world of shopping. It's no longer enough to carve out a pumpkin(4), put a candle in it, and leave it on your front door step. Your house has to undergo(5) a full theatrical production. While most houses in our town had not been decorated, there were some that should have received awards for their effort and creativity. We took our two youngest children out to 'trick or treat', and we knew just where (6)to go to make the occasion memorable. The neighborhood up the road, ironically next to the cemetery, has one particular house that has to be visited. We weren't sure which road the house was on, but as we walked along the dark road, flashes of blue light and sounds of screaming were coming from the next street. When we got there we found a house on a steep hill, fake fog floating all around, robotic spiders and skeletons, and three humans at the top of a very long flight of stairs, but they certainly didn't look human. My children, who are usually very brave, stood still and stared. They didn't want to go up the stairs. “Come on,” I said. “I'll go first.” I took my daughter by the hand, made a joke about the silly dressed up teenagers who were trying to look like zombies, and up we went(7). My son followed right behind me. By the time we got to the house, I was actually a little scared, but I didn't admit it. The zombie teenagers were hideous, and the atmosphere was even worse. Was it worth going through this(8) just to get some candy? Well, we didn't stay to find out. Before long we were back at home, and the kids were counting out their candies. They soon forgot about the house of fright as they made their Halloween harvest disappear. 'Hideous' is another word for ugly or scary. Or more like really ugly or really scary. a. At the Halloween party I couldn't look at him, his mask was so hideous. b. That chair is just hideous, plus it looks terrible with the rest of the furniture. 'To fill up on an experience' means to have a complete experience, or a lot of it. This expression can be used in different ways. a. The night at the opera really filled us up; it was a wonderful experience. b. You should fully experience what it is to be a patient, if you want to be a doctor. 'Almost'. I'm sure that you're very familiar with this word; however, it is used in many different ways in a sentence. In this instance I am using it in front of expressions of time and routine. a. My almost weekly visits to the spa soon stopped my migraines. b. His almost hourly snacking makes him fat. c. Their almost constant complaining drives me nuts! 'It's not enough to …' It is useful to learn how to copy this sentence format. a. It's not enough to appologize; he needs to give back the money he stole. b. It's not enough to talk about the dinner party; we need to plan it and invite people. c. It's not enough to eat right; we have to exercise as well. 'To undergo' is used for surgery, and for building renovation. Sometimes we use 'to go through'. a. Our house will undergo a complete renovation. b. You'll have to undergo some surgery if you want your hip to function. 'Just' in the given sentence 'we knew just where to go' has a special meaning. It's the same as saying 'exactly' or 'precisely'. a. He knew just what to say to make me feel better. b. She knew just what to cook on a cold wintery day. c. I'm sure they'll know just what to do. 'Up we went.' You know in English we usually always use the verb before a word like up. But, if you have already given the context of going up by mentioning stairs, or a mountain, or an elevator (etc), then, a phrase like 'up we went' or 'up we go' can be used as the final mention of the action. a. We will dive down into the cave. Come on, down we go! b. We thought a long time about going into the Halloween house, and finally in we went. c. Your plane will climb to 35,000 ft.. You'll get in your seat, put on your seat belt, and up you'll go. 'To go through something' has 2 meanings. It is the physical act of passing from one place into another. Or it is the same as 'to experience'. a. I can't go through another night of no sleep. b. They went through the forest and out into the field. c. She'll go through another divorce if she's not careful. Please join me on my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome. Also, feel free to email me questions and comments to or and I promise to email you back. // //

My sons love anything to do with survival. I have often seen them playing in the garden, pretending(1) to be lost in a forest. They act out a story(2) of being three brothers, helping eachother to survive by building a  cabin, finding water, catching fish, and making tools. Usually, in my garden, they only get as far as(3) digging a big hole in my vegetable area, and propping up(4) odd bits of(5) wood in it for the cabin walls. By the time they do that(6), they're hungry, so they come into the house to eat, and forget about any more surviving. Their half-made cabin usually falls over, and I clean up the mess. But, I understand their excitement about survival. It would be a challenge, and adventure. It would even be a little scary, but they would have eachother. It would be very different to their real lives. Thankfully, we have a big back garden. It is mainly grass, so the kids can run around and play. However, we do have a fire pit. It's a circular area that my husband built: he brought in(7) extra earth and rocks to make a slight hill. Then he planted all sorts of trees and bushes on the hill. Right inside, at ground level(8), is a flat, grassy area with rock walls all around, and a rock fire pit right in the center. Now that the plants and trees have really grown, it is like a mini forest. Robert was in a survival mood(9) the other day, and persuaded me to help him make a little fire and heat up some hot chocolate. He chose not to(10) use the fire pit, but to make his own very small fire on the hill. We found small, dry twigs, moss, and pine cones for the fire, and we put rocks all around in a circle. Robert was the chef. He mixed the water and hot chocolate powder, and tasted it a few times until it was sweet enough and hot enough. And, you know, it was an adventure. We were out in our mini forest, surrounded by trees, surviving for just a few minutes. 1. 'To pretend' is a verb which means 'to act as if'. Children do it all the time when they play, and sometimes adults do too. a. He pretended to be Darth Vader, and his sister pretended to be Luke Skywalker. b. She'll make a great actor one day; she's very good at pretending. 2. 'To act out' is the verb used 'to perform'. It is followed by the noun, or the scene or play that is performed. It has a second meaning as well. It can mean to behave disruptively. This second sense can be expressed as 'to act out' or 'to act up'. a. The students acted out the play they had written; it was very good. b. The class was really acting out/up; they weren't listening, and they were hard to control. 3. 'To get as far as' means 'to accomplish' or 'to achieve' but not enough, or not totally. It has a sense of measuring how much was done, but knowing that it the job wasn't completed. It is often preceded by 'only'. a. He wrote for two hours, but only got as far as the middle of his essay. b. I bought the book that you recommended, but I have only got as far as page 28. c. We visited the art gallery, but we only saw as far as the second floor. 4. ' To prop up' is like saying 'to lean something up'. The item that is propped is not securely fixed. a. The tree branches were propped up with wooden poles because they were so heavy with fruit. b. I don't have time to fix the table legs; I'll prop it up now, and fix it tomorrow. 5. 'Odd bits of' is similar to the expression 'bits and pieces'. a. My daughter found odd bits of string, and made a pretty collage. b. My dad made a path of odd bits of broken pots. 6. 'By the time....' is similar in meaning to 'when' but it indicates that time has been spent, or has gone by before something has been achieved. It can be used with any tense. a. By the time we arrived, the party had finished. b. By the time you hurry up, you will have missed the train. c. You need to stop talking because by the time you eat your soup, it will be cold! 7. When there is building or construction of some kind going on, often we use the phrase 'to bring in' when talking about equipment or machinery; we don't just say 'to bring' or 'brought'. a. The workmen brought in a bulldozer to make the land flat. Later they brought in a crane to put the roof on the house. b. To build our fire pit, we brought in lots of rock and soil. 8. 'Ground level' is easy to understand; it's the level of the land.  a. The restaurant is at ground level, near the reception area. b. Let's park the car at ground level, and then take the elevator to the shopping area. 9. 'To be in a .... mood' is a useful phrase. Notice that an adjective or a noun can go before 'mood'. a. I'm in a coffee mood; I haven't had a good coffee for ages. b. They're in a party mood; they've finished their studies, and they want to celebrate. c. He's in a cozy mood; it's snowing outside, and he wants to stay by the fire and read. 10. 'He chose not to use the fire pit' has an important and flexible format. You could  say 'He chose to not use the fire pit'. The sentences are interchangeable. Both are more specific than 'He didn't choose to use the fire pit.' They are deliberately rejecting the fire pit. The choice is 'to not use the fire pit'. a. I chose to not take my iPhone; I didn't want to lose it.  b. She chose not to wear her engagement ring; she didn't want anyone to know about it. c. They chose not to drive; flying would be safer. d. We chose to not stay in that hotel because of its bad reviews. Remember you can email me questions and comments at [email protected] or [email protected] and I promise to email you back. Also, check out my app in iTunes called A Cup Of English. And all of you are invited to join my FACEBOOK page Anna Fromacupofenglish.   // //

I have been trying to think of ways to save time recently. I even read a book once on how to save time, but that took too long. I really admire people who are efficient, can plan well, and can get lots of things done. It takes a lot of thought. My children and my husband have been telling me to get a smart phone for a long time. I don't know why, but for some reason I thought that more technology in my life would take up(1) more time. It wasn't until last Saturday that I realized that my family was right(2). It was the day that we had four baseball games. If you're not familiar with baseball, you might not understand how time consuming(3)it is. The games are two hours long, and the players have to warm up before the game for about forty five minutes. So, if you're any good at mathematics, you can calculate that we were in the park all day. I should have been prepared with books, and perhaps my iPod, but I wasn't. And in between games(4), I had to drive home to check on everyone else to make sure that my other kids were okay with their babysitter. So, I was flying around all day, but standing around (5)at the park. What could I do with my time there? If I had had a smart phone, I could have answered emails(6), sent emails, written a bit of a podcast, or even skyped with my sister. It was half way through the third game that I made the decision. I had to stop being a dinosaur. I needed to update my phone, and update myself. Wow! What a revelation! What a great step forward for mankind. Well, a couple of days later, I found myself in a very busy Verizon store. It was full of customers who were being served by very smart looking Verizon employees. They each had an iPad, and would quickly take the customers details, and just as quickly, take their credit cards. It was so efficient that it was almost scary. And before I knew it(7), I was getting in my car with my brand new iPhone. So, yesterday, while I was waiting at my daughter's tennis lesson, I read my emails. Great! Then I tried to write a podcast. That is still a bit difficult. My fingers are not used to the small keypad(8). They seem to touch the screen like heavy elephants, and I misspell words, or accidentally change programs from one second to the next. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I look forward to the day when I upload a podcast, and at the bottom it says 'sent from my iPhone'. 1. 'To take up' is used when referring to time or space. a. That sofa takes up too much space; there's no room for anything else! b. My dog takes up so much of my time! He demands that I play with him every five minutes! c. Our Friday office meetings take up too much time. 2. This sentence format is worth practicing. a. It wasn't until I arrived at work, that I remembered (that) I had left my front door open. b. It wasn't until sixth grade that we started to learn Spanish. c. It wasn't until two months later that he apologized. 3. 'Time consuming' literally means 'eating time'. It is used as an adjective. a. Gardening can be very time consuming, though it is also very beneficial. b. Setting up parental controls on computers is very time consuming. 4. 'In between' is an efficient use of words. Instead of saying, for example, 'After the first practice, and before the second practice....' we just use 'In between practices'. a. In between lectures, the students have a coffee. b. In between meetings, I took a nap. 5. 'Around' is one of those multi-purpose words in English that you just have to get used to. 'To stand' is just the physical act of standing; it could be brief, or go on for a long time. It also seems deliberate. BUT, if you say 'to stand around', it means that you don't have anything else to do, or that you don't know what else to do. a. We were standing around waiting for the game to begin; it was so boring. b. She just sits around all day. I wish she would find something to do. c. He's always racing around. Is he really that busy, or is he hyper? 6. This type of sentence with the past subjunctive is not that difficult; we basically use the pluperfect tense. Let's practice: a. If they had needed money, I would have given it to them. b. If he had studied every night, he would have got a better grade. c. If we had known you were in town, we would have visited you. 7. 'Before ... knew it' is a very native sounding phrase, also used in the present (for a  future sense). a.  Before you know it, you will arrive. b. Before they know it,  they'll be married. c. Before he knew it, he had graduated. d. Before we knew it, a storm had come, and we were lost at sea. 8. 'A keypad' is the part of a computer or device where you type. It is also numerical. a. One of the letters is missing from my keypad. b. The door lock has a keypad. You have to put in the correct code to open the door. Remember to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish ; you're all welcome to join.  Also, if you have any questions or comments, email me at [email protected]  and I promise to email you back. // //

"Practice makes perfect" is a saying that I've heard ever since (1)I was a little girl. To become good at something, you must practice.  We all know that. Those of us who are naturally disciplined are quite happy with that saying. Those of us who are not find it annoying. Academics, hobbies, sports, and languages all require loads of (2)practice. Tonnes of practice(3). Here, a recent fashion has appeared that needs a lot of practice. It is the hobby of playing with a Kendama. A Kendama is a Japanese, wooden toy that has three cups of different sizes, a spike, and a ball attached by a string. Children of all ages are begging(4) their parents to buy them. They play with them individually or in groups before and after school. And of course, they compete. The idea, is to flip (5)the ball up so it can land in one of the cups, on the spike, or even balance between the spike and a cup. There are, apparently, 101 tricks that you can master with practice. It's refreshing (6)to see children using a wooden toy, for a change. I'm so used (7)to seeing them with digital, plastic toys that have screens and internet connections, that it is quite surprising to see them play with something that is non electronic, and quite basic. All the creativity comes from themselves, not the toy. We have two, so far, in our house. "Mum, I know a kid who has 32 of them," said my son Cass, as he flipped up the ball of his Kendama with skill. "Why on earth does he want so many?" I asked. The conclusion was that this boy likes collecting, and has too much money. So, the competitions have started at my house. I haven't got involved(8) yet, and I'm not sure if I will, because my children are already way ahead (9)of me. There are formal competitions in Japan, where the skill level is extremely high. I'm expecting to see a lot of practicing here, and I'm quite happy for the kids to do so, as long as it's away from the television and other breakable(10) objects. So, for a while, instead of watching something on a screen, we can have live entertainment in our living room, and see who is the latest Kendama king or queen. 1. 'Ever since' is used on a daily basis in many situations in English. a. Ever since he crashed the car, he hasn't wanted to drive. b. He got promoted, and ever since (then) hasn't spoken to us. c. Ever since he had the operation, he has had more energy and has been able to work. 2. 'Loads of...' is an informal way of saying 'lots of'. a. There were loads of people at the school meeting. b. I couldn't believe how much spaghetti she ate, loads of the stuff! c. You'll need loads of practice to be able to play that piece of music. 3. 'Tonnes of..' is more or less the same as 'loads of', but with a sense of even more. a. Did you say that he owns four hotels? Well, he must have tonnes of money! b. I have tonnes of bills to pay today. 4. 'To beg' is often used figuratively instead of 'to ask for' a. My daughter begged me to buy her a Hello Kitty jacket, even though she already has one. b. I hope I get a raise, but I'm not going to beg for one. 5. 'To flip' describes how, with your wrist, or with your fingers, you can throw something up into the air quickly. a. He read the note and then flipped it to me. b. I'll flip a coin. If it lands on 'heads' I win; if it lands on 'tails' you win. 6. 'Refreshing' can be used to describe a cool drink or cool food, or it can be used to mean 'a nice change'. a. Cold watermelon is so refreshing on a hot day! b. His speech was refreshing; it wasn't the usual boring nonsense. 7. 'To be used to ...' is a daily expression that is worth learning. When you are familiar with something, or have had a habit of doing something, then you are 'used to it'. a. She was used to getting up very early to milk the goats. b. I have to give myself insulin injections, but I'm used to it. c. We are used to the noise of the construction work; even my baby can sleep through it. 8. 'To get involved' means to take part, to become informed, or to become mixed up in something unpleasant/ dangerous. It can also mean to have a romantic relationship with someone. a. I became involved in the movement for the rights of girls to be educated. b. Don't get involved in their argument! They'll upset you! c. She became involved with the main actor, but their relationship didn't last long. 9. 'To be way ahead of...' is an American phrase that is also used in England. It means to know more, or to have gained more skill than someone else. a. He's way ahead of me when it comes to computers. He's had tonnes of practice, and I've had very little. b. That company is way ahead of its competitors. c. I'm way ahead of the class because I have already read the book. 10. 'Breakable' is easily understood. It refers to an object that can break. a. All of those antiques are breakable; please don't let your dog in there! b. The package said breakable, so the mail man carried it carefully. Remember you can always join me on my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish    or email me at [email protected] or [email protected] and I will email you back. My app is available in iTunes! // //

It's time you had an update(1) on the fire situation here in Wenatchee, and the rest of Washington State. Most of the month, we have had smoke in the valley. We have been told that the air quality is hazardous(2). The local shops have been selling face masks for people who need to be outdoors. I actually bought a box of them the other day, and used one for the first time in my life. The smoke was really thick that particular day, and I found myself holding my breath as I went from the car into shops and out again. "This is ridiculous!" I thought to myself. "I have a box of brand new breathing filters at home; I should be wearing one!" We have got used to the situation now. It has become normal to see people walking around with filters or face masks on. It's also normal to receive emails each day of activities being canceled. It's funny how you quickly get used to a change in lifestyle when you have no choice. And this situation, like a natural disaster, has been ruling our lives. It all started with a lightening storm. I have been in storms before, but never like that one. That day, I had actually been thinking that my life needed a bit more excitement; I was bored and uninspired. By the early evening, however, I was riding on the back of my husband's new motorbike, going up through the wheat fields, and at the same time, watching the drama of a violent lightening storm. The valley was all in shadow, and fork lightening was coming down out of thick clouds. The bolts(3) were striking all over the place, and in the wheat fields as well. I suddenly realized that my life was far too exciting, almost scary. The lightening was getting closer and closer, and I wanted to go home. Most of the fires near us have been put out, but the wind will often blow the smoke from distant fires into the valley. So we have to keep our face masks at the ready(4), and be flexible with our schedules. The 2 or 3 clear days that we have had, have been glorious. Everybody has poured out of(5) their houses into the parks for walks. The noise of children at outdoor recess has been in the air. And people like me have charged into the garden to dig, and plant, and enjoy every second of clean air. For a while, we were let out (6)of prison. If we had rain, it would be over by now. Those of you from dry climates probably understand what I'm saying. When the fires are out, there will be a big celebration, but until then, I will have a face mask in my handbag, just in case(7). 1. 'An update' is a very common word. We see it used when talking about computer programs, and also news. a. Your photo editing program has been updated, but your anti-virus program still needs to be updated. b. The following is an update on the situation in Syria. 2. 'Hazardous' means the same as dangerous, but it is usually associated with chemicals, gases, or building materials. 'Dangerous' can be used more broadly. a. Old batteries are hazardous; they must be recycled properly. b. The air quality is hazardous; the gases and poisons in the air can affect our health. 3. 'A bolt' is a metal lock that slides into place. 'To bolt down/in' is used when meaning to lock something into place with metal or chains. However, we use the word bolt with lightening, especially if it strikes the ground. a. The bolt on the door will keep the wild animals out. b. The bolt of lightening struck the tree, and split it in two. 4. 'At the ready' is a military expression. It means to keep something close by, so it can be quickly picked up and used. In the military this term would be used with weapons, but we use it also for everyday objects. A more everyday and less serious expression to use would be 'handy'. a. Keep your medicine at the ready /handy in case your symptoms come back. b. The doctor keeps his beeper at the ready / handy in case he gets called to the hospital. 5. 'To pour/to pour into/out of' is used figuratively to describe how living and non-living things move. a. The sheep poured out of the field as the dogs chased them. b. The smoke poured out of the building and covered the surrounding parking lot. 6. 'To be let out' is a phrase that is easy to understand, but again, it is used figuratively a lot. It means 'to be allowed to exit'. a. When the neighbor's dog had gone, we let the cat out. b. They let the children out early to play because they had finished their work. 7. We have already seen a couple of examples of 'just in case', but because it is such a common expression, let's see some more. a. Just in case the baby gets hungry in the night, I've left a bottle of milk in the fridge. b. I'll check the route on the GPS just in case we get lost. c. They checked in early at the airport just in case. They wanted to avoid large crowds. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish; you're all welcome.  And, if you have comments or questions, please email me at [email protected]  or [email protected]   // //

"Mum, please don't buy me any clothes. I just want to go shopping for clothes with Dad." This request was made by my almost thirteen year old, and echoed(1) by my fourteen year old. It was totally unexpected. In fact, I have never heard anything like that before(2). I've shopped for my children's clothes all of their lives, and now, suddenly, I've been told not to. Did their request hurt my feelings? Not really. I understand that my two oldest are adolescents; they have what we call a 'mental fog'(3) of hormones and changing feelings. I was the same. Perhaps they no longer like my style. Perhaps the brand names I buy are just not cool. Or perhaps they know something that I don't know about fashion. I have never really followed fashion; I just buy what I like. But fashion, for my boys, has suddenly become quite important. The reason they want to shop with their dad, is that he doesn't care about bargains, sales, or saving money. I, on the other hand, am always looking for a bargain. I shop around(4). My husband will find the nicest shop, and buy whatever(5) the boys want. That's why they now prefer dad over mum, the traitors. So, I decided to show my kids that I'm not out of touch(6), I can be fashionable, and perhaps even cool. The latest thing now, apparently, in middle school are Elites. They are a super duper(7), special, wonderful, cool-to-the-extreme(8) type of sock. Everybody wears them, well, everybody who is anybody(9) wears them. If you want to be seen as normal you have to have Elites, otherwise your life is meaningless. So, I followed the dictates of fashion, and spent far too much money on socks. And, you know, I think there is something special about them, some kind of magical power. As soon as my boys put them on, they seemed happier, more confident, and definitely cooler. They walked into school like two zebras joining the herd(10); they belonged. 1. 'Echo' can be used figuratively when someone's words agree or reflect someone else's. a. My sister's words were echoed by her husband: I should go to the doctor immediately. b. My grandmother's voice echoed in my daughter's laughter. 2. 'I have never heard anything like that before' is a useful sentence to practice with different verbs: a. I have never seen anything like that before. b. I have never eaten anything like that before. c. We have never been anywhere like that before. d. They have never done anything like that before. e. She has never said anything like that before. etc etc 3. 'Mental fog' is used when talking about health issues, when a person feels forgetful or not fully awake. a. If I don't sleep enough, I have a real mental fog. b. Depression gives you a mental fog, but exercise and a good diet can make you mentally sharper. 4. 'To shop around' means to spend time going from one shop to another to find the best price. It is also slang for dating lots of people to gain experience. a. I liked the car, but it was too expensive. I think I'll shop around. b. You don't have to marry the first man you meet; shop around a little. 5. 'Whatever' is too important to not mention. It's a great word to use in many situations. a. Buy whatever you want. Eat whatever you want. Listen to whatever he says. (The negative of this is 'don't listen to anything he says'). Do whatever you want.  6. 'To be out of touch' is to not see or respond to reality the way most others do; or to not be realistic. It is also used for being non-communicative with friends and relatives. a. My family thinks that I am out of touch because I don't have a computer. b. I'm so out of touch; I really need to get on Facebook and catch up with my family and friends. 7. 'Super duper' is a traditional slang; it's an extension of super and is lighthearted. a. After dinner, we had Maria's super duper yummy apple pie. b. I think the Honda Leaf is a super duper car. 8. '.....to-the-extreme' can be used with many different adjectives. a. They are sporty-to-the-extreme; it's all they talk about, and all they do. b. They are unhealthy-to-the-extreme; they smoke, drink too much, never exercise, and only eat at McDonald's. 9. 'Anybody' or 'somebody' are both used to refer to someone who has social importance. The opposite is a 'nobody'. a. He really thinks he's somebody. He left the party because he said it was full of nobodies. I'm glad he left. b. You must see the Oscars; anybody who is anybody will be there. (Here you can say 'everybody who is anybody will be there') also. 10. A herd is a group of animals, usually 4 legged. a. The herd of cows ran when the thunder started. b. The huge herd of zebras covered the plains to the horizon. // //

Do you remember a few episodes ago, a podcast called Smoke to the North? We learned how to say that something is going on in  a particular direction. Well, recently, we have had very bad fires to the West which are still burning. The photo on the blog page was a late afternoon view from my back garden, unusually dark, with a beautiful but very unusual sun. That was taken a few days ago. Now the hillside is completely black, and the fire has swept up(1) to the forests and hills behind our valley. First of all, when the fire was small and confined to an area of empty, dry hillside, it seemed just interesting, and even a little exciting. You could hear the whining (2)of emergency sirens here and there, and of course, it was the main topic of conversation. But these fires have dragged on(3). For the past two mornings we have woken up to a valley full of smoke; you can't even see the hills anymore. The local school district has cancelled all outside sports and recesses, and sporting clubs have done the same(4). People we know have had to evacuate their homes, though some have decided to stay in order to wet their rooves, trees, and gardens, to prevent fire. And remember, it's not just people who have been affected. The hills around here have many different kinds of wild animals, including predators. They are on the move(5) now, trying to get away from the smoke and ash, to reach cleaner, greener areas. One of my husband's favorite hunting areas is getting heavy traffic of deer and coyotes; the bears and cougars will be following as well. The whole thing started with a lightening storm several days ago. There was fork lightening everywhere, and of course, after the summer, the surrounding hills are completely dry. A fire was bound to (6)start. Add to that our desert climate of very little to no rain, and you find us here, still in this smokey situation. The fire fighters have been working around the clock(7), and helicopters go to and fro(8) collecting water from the rivers and taking it up the mountains. Now, it's a question of sitting and waiting. There's nothing really that we can do. It is not so bad that we have to leave, but it's certainly not yet under control. I hope that in a few days we will be back to normal; I look forward to breathing clean air again. 1. 'Swept' or 'to sweep' is used often to describe how something has moved, especially if that something looks similar to a brush, or acts like a brush. It is similar, in this case, to 'wipe'. a. She swept her long, thick hair out of her face, and pinned it up at the back of her head. b. The fire swept through the fields in no time, burning up the wheat. 2. 'To whine', 'whining', or 'whiny' is an uncomfortable sound used to describe a certain noise that people make, though it can be used to describe mechanical noises as well. a. I can't stand it when children whine; their tone of voice when they moan, beg, or complain is tiring. We must teach them to express themselves differently. b. That man is a whiner. He complains about everything; he's always negative. c. The fire alarm whined loudly, and immediately everybody evacuated. 3. 'To drag on' means to continue tiresomely. a. The musical rehearsal dragged on; the beginner players tried their best, but sounded awful. b. Gosh that meeting dragged on! I wish people wouldn't repeat themselves  and talk on and on for no good reason. 4. 'The same' is short for 'the same thing'. The sentence talks about sports clubs doing the same thing as the school district; it is unnecessary to always add 'thing'. a. They have just painted their fence, and we've done the same (thing). b. She got 99% on the math exam, and he got the same. (* Here, you wouldn't use 'thing' because you are specifically referring to the percentage). 5. 'To be on the move' is used when referring to animals migrating, or large amounts of vehicles moving. a. The wildebeest are on the move, walking many miles each day in search of food and water. b. The tanks have been given their orders, and are now on the move. 6. 'To be bound to...' means the same as 'was/were going to'. 'Bound' is the past participle and adjective of 'to bind' which means to tie up, to secure. So, 'to be bound to...' means that something will happen, and there is no other choice. a. With the economic crisis hitting this town, there is bound to be a lot of unemployment. b. He's bound to go to the pub; he can't stay away from them. 7. 'Around the clock' is a phrase we use in order to say 'a lot' or 'for many hours' or 'night and day'. a. The builders have to work around the clock to get the stadium finished on time. b. The investigators are working around the clock to find the criminals. 8. 'To and fro' is similar to 'back and forth'. a. The deer would come into our garden and then go back to the forest, to and fro all Winter. b. We watched the tennis players hit the ball to and fro, until our heads got tired. Remember to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish; it's an open invitation to all listeners! If you wish to contact me, you can do so at       My app 'A Cup Of English' is available in iTunes. // //

We're back in business! In fact, I'm back in business. This is an English expression, an idiom(1). And what does it mean? It means that things are working again as they should. I decided to call this podcast 'Back in business' because I am beginning to do my podcasts again, after missing several weeks. I do apologize for disappearing during the summer, but life became very hectic(2). Now that there is more of a routine in my home, I can take time to work on my podcasts, and enjoy bringing you the expressions and useful language that will make your English sound natural. It's good to be back in business. You will hear this expression in all English speaking countries. If, for example, your car has a flat battery(3), and you charge it, hoping that when it has enough power, you will be able to start your car. You finish the charging process, detach the cables(4), and turn the key. Suddenly, "Vroom!" it works; the battery is full of energy, and your motor is working. That is when you say with a smile, "We're back in business." The car is working as it should. This idiom can be used in most situations. Let's say that you are going to catch a plane but it is delayed(5). After waiting and waiting, you hear the airport announcer say, "Flight 801 to Madrid will begin boarding (6)in 15 minutes," your response could easily be, "Hey, we're back in business!" So, this expression is often said with a smile. An opposite expression that you use when your plans have to suddenly change, or when things are not working, is "There's a bump in the road." You can imagine a smooth road that you are traveling on, and suddenly you can't go any further because of a big bump. There is a delay, you need to call for help, or you have to solve the problem yourself. This expression can also be used in many situations. An example of a coversation that you might have using both expressions is the following: "Our company had its annual meeting yesterday." "Oh really? Did it go well?" "Yes, but there was a bump in the road." "What happened?" "The main speaker choked on an olive and had to be taken to hospital. Thankfully, his assistant was familiar with the presentation, so we were back in business." 1. The word idiom sounds a lot like 'idiot' but has nothing to do with it. An idiom is an expression that is native to a country, and not obvious in meaning. For example, in Spain, if you want to describe someone as being talkative, you could say, "He talks through his elbows." In other countries, it might not be obvious that that person talks a lot. The expression is typically Spanish, and needs to be interpreted, and learned as a complete expression, not translated. 2. Hectic is another word for 'too busy'. It is like a mix of 'chaos' and 'busy'. a. I have a hectic schedule at work. I hope I can surivive! b. The tour of the city was too hectic; we were in a rush, and we saw too many things. 3. There are certain words that we use with batteries. A battery has 'power' of course. When it has its maximum power, we say that it is 'full'. When it no longer has power, we say that it is 'flat'. You could say 'empty' as people would understand, but the correct word is 'flat'. And, in order to regain power, we 'charge' batteries. a. I need to charge my cell phone battery because I have almost no power left. b. My car battery is completely flat. I don't think I can charge it anymore. I just need to buy a new one. 4. In the podcast I mentioned detaching the cables from the car battery. In other words, I was talking about taking off the wires that were charging the battery. A cable is generally a wire conductor that is covered in plastic. A 'wire' is not always a conductor of electricity; it might be used for something else (like hanging a picture). Cables are used when charging cars. Infact, those specific cables are called 'jumper cables'. a. Be careful when you detach the jumper cables from the car battery. You could get a shock! b. She makes the most beautiful art  out of copper wire. 5. 'Delay' and  'delayed' are essential words in English. Delay is a verb and a noun, and delayed is used as an adjective. a. The plane was delayed for three hours, so we took the train instead. b. He's going to delay our plans if he keeps talking/ he's going to make us late if he keeps talking. 6. 'To board' is another essential verb in English which means to get on a plane/ boat/ train. It sounds exactly like 'bored' (which means unentertained) but has a slightly different spelling. a. It's time to board the train; hurry up, let's go. b. We can't board the plane for at least 15 minutes. // //

Oh, I'm frustrated. I haven't seen the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. I've been searching on the internet, but all I can find are a few highlights(1). NBC, here in the U.S. refused to show a live stream (2) of the event. They had their reasons. They said that, because of the time difference, not many people would watch it, plus they would make more money if they waited until prime time(3) the next day. Because they paid $1.3 billion for the rights to show the games, the National Broadcasting Company wanted to show the opening ceremony at a time when they would make the most money from advertizing. Unfortunately, the television network  made the mistake of cutting out  a lot of the event, and switching to studio commentary. I've heard many disappointed, and even angry comments about this. Danny Boyle, the film director who created and organized  the ceremony, did so as a continuous production, like a play that needs to be watched completely, unlike a Superbowl intermission (4) when you can leave the room and get popcorn, or cut your toenails. When so much time has gone into a work of art, it deserves attention and recognition. Many, many television viewers here in the U.S were deprived of the live showing, and that's just not on (5). So what could have happened? What would you or I have done? Nobody wants to lose huge sums of money, even for historical art, and global traditions. Could NBC have had a live showing of at least part of the ceremony, and then said,"For the whole ceremony, join us again tomorrow at such and such (6) a time,"? Perhaps they could have explained as well that the time difference was the main problem. Perhaps a link on their website with the whole opening ceremony could have solved the problem. Who knows? I have, actually,  been enjoying the sporting events very much, and recording them, but I'm still not a happy camper (7). I found  the commentaries by the NBC commentators, as the teams came out, to be very negative, and not in the spirit of the games. They were even derrogatory about the team from Greece, immediately talking about the country's financial problems, and saying that they were "lucky" to be at the Olympics. How condescending! The past 4 Olympics that I have seen here have been the same; the U.S commentators tend to be patronizing to other countries. Surely NBC must realize that commentators of an international event have a tremendous responsibility to educate the public, and to be a good example of their country's best values. It's not just about sports; it's about being globally minded. And,what is the spirit of the games? Several things:  friendship, excellence, respect, and peace. It would be so refreshing to hear more informed and impartial comments. I understand that each country has its perspective, its sense of patriotism, and its pride. We all have it. But commentators of international events surely should be intelligent and sensitive, and very carefully chosen, otherwise they do their own public a disservice(8). Well, I have vented, but I don't think that I've been unjust. I look forward to the day, perhaps at the next Olympics in Brazil, when I can hear the U.S commentators really reflect the spirit of the games. 1. 'Highlights' is a word that has several meanings. In this context it refers to the most important parts of an event. Highlights are also a lighter, random hair coloring. The verb 'to highlight' is often used in place of 'to emphasize' or 'underline with a pen'. a. Later tonight, I will watch the Olympic highlights to see who won what. b. Just for a change, I had highlights put in my dark hair. c. A good way to study history is to highlight the important dates, names, and other details. 2. 'A live stream' means a showing of something on television (or computer) that is taking place right now. a. There was a live stream of the royal wedding, so the whole world could see it as it happened. 3.  'Prime time' is the hour or two when the most people watch television. The word 'prime' means 'best'. a. That obscure film won't be on prime time; most people won't want to watch it at 7pm. 4. 'Intermission' is basically a break, a time during a film, a show, or some performance, when you can get a drink, stretch your legs, or use the bathroom. a. It's a good job that there's an intermission because this play is two hours long. 5. 'It's not on', 'That's just not on' is a term that is used (mainly in England) to say that something isn't right, fair, or appropriate. a. He volunteered his time, and nobody even thanked him. That's just not on. b. Taxes are going up for businesses again.           Well, that's not on.      I know. It's not on at all. 6. 'Such and such' is a very common phrase used when giving examples or hypothesis, butwhen you're not wanting to be specific. It is often used instead of a specific person, place, or time. a. Angie could tell him, "Come back later, at such and such a time".   Here a person is suggesting that Angie could tell a man to come back later, but the time is not specified. b. "Let's pretend the party has started, and the guests are arriving. You need to say,"Good evening Mr. and Mrs such and such, please take a seat. The waiter will be with you shortly.'"  7. 'A happy camper' just means a happy person. It's a playful phrase used in England. a.  I got a free watch when I bought my laptop, so I was a happy camper. b. He was thrown out of the theatre before the play started. He was not a happy camper. 8. 'Disservice' is a lack of service, or bad service. The phrase is 'to do someone a disservice'. // //

  The view from the back of our house faces north, looking at the hills on either side of the Columbia river. They are brown this time of year, after a hot and dry summer. For a few days, the view was hard to see because there was smoke to the north(1). The bridge that crosses the Columbia from Wenatchee to East Wenatchee has a view that follows the river upstream(2) for a long way. As I drove across it the other day, I took a quick photo on my phone of the thick smoke that was now filling the valley. I know that I shouldn't really do that when I'm driving, but it was just a quick second snap, and I had the picture. A fire had started in a place called Chelan, and the smoke had blown in our direction. Thankfully, it cleared up(3) in a few days. If you are familiar with forest fires, you might know that they can last much longer, and the smoke can invade surrounding towns, bringing everything to a halt(4). Once, a long time ago, my husband and I left Wenatchee for the day because the smoke in the valley was so bad; we couldn't stand it any longer(5). I don't envy the work of the firefighters this time of year. It's grueling(6). Smoky the Bear is a cartoon character that appears on television and talks about avoiding forest fires. He is part of a campaign by the government to educate the public. He appears as a friendly bear in a hat, carrying a shovel, and his motto is “Only you can prevent wildfires.” Statistics show that, in this country, 9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans. And, as you can imagine, a 'wildfire' is one that is unwanted, and out of control. As you drive near forests, you will randomly see Smoky the Bear posters on the side of the road as a reminder to be careful with fire. The effects of being careless can be devastating. The wildfire up in Chelan is out now, and the smoke to the North has cleared, but the expense and waste of forest will be long lasting. 'Smoke to the north'. When we talk about what we see in a certain direction, we use 'to the..' a. The mountains are to the north, and the desert is to the south. b. This house has a lot of windows, and to the east is a view of a golf course. 'Upstream' is a direction. It refers to rivers and streams, and it is the opposite direction of the water flow. Generally it is said that a river flows 'down', and so 'upstream' is against the flow of water. a. Salmon swim upstream when they return to their birthplace to lay eggs. 'To clear up' has several meanings. It can mean to tidy up. It can also be used when an infection is going away/getting better. And it is an expression used with the weather. a. Let's clear up these toys; the place is a real mess. b. Her ear infection has finally cleared up. c. The thick clouds have cleared up/ the storm cleared up later in the day. 'To bring something to a halt', 'to grind everything to a halt', or 'to bring everything to a grinding halt' are often used to describe how something (powerful or unwanted) will stop normal activity. 'Grinding' is an excellent descriptive word that refers to metal brakes. a. The sudden snow storm brought the whole town to a grinding halt. b. When Lady Sotherby found the cockroach in her salad, it brought the dinner party to a halt. 'To not stand it any longer' is a very common phrase which means the same as 'to bear' or 'to put up with'. a. I had to put earplugs in last night. The neighbors were having a party, and I couldn't stand the noise any longer. b. I tried so hard to not scratch my mosquito bites, but then I had to do it. I couldn't stand it any longer. 'Grueling' means extremely exhausting and physically punishing. It comes from the word 'gruel' which is an old, rare word meaning a kind of soup. The exhausting activity leaves a person like gruel. It can be used figuratively as well. a. The triathlon was grueling; it took us days to recover. b. My interview was grueling. I don't feel confident about the result. If you have comments or questions, feel free to email me at And join me on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish. //

 Once in a while a fabulous opportunity comes along, an opportunity to experience something excellent and unusual, a wonder of the world, perhaps. I had just this kind of opportunity in Seattle this month. The Pacific Science Center has the collection of items found in King Tutenkhamun's tomb. My son's class had planned on making(1) a special trip to this exhibition as a final field trip. All year long, the school had been raising money for this special event by having bake sales(2). Everyone had bought and eaten cakes and cookies all year, and helped to pay for the museum visit. My job was to drive. I was lucky to go; in fact, once I had heard about the Egyptian exhibit, I was determined to find a way to go. A teacher, a parent, and an extra student came in my car, as well as my son. Each driver was given an itinerary and a map of the museum. Our schedule was going to be busy and packed. In the space of(2) five hours, we were going to go to the planetarium, see a laser show, see an Imax movie, and finally see the tomb items of King Tut. Somewhere in the middle we were going to squeeze in (3)lunch. So, we had lots to chat about on the way there. The three hour journey went very quickly. We all gathered in the parking lot, and made our way into the Science Center. The place is huge. There are different floors, and different rooms filled with exhibits from dinosaurs to insects, and planets to robots. It's impossible to see everything in one day; you have to be selective. We made our way through the exhibits, lunch, and the movie, and finally it was time to see King Tut's gorgeous stuff. I was so excited. The whole area was elegantly painted black, with spotlights on each individual item. I was amazed by the amount of relics, statues, and jewelery found in his tomb. I was busy photographing a statue, when I realized that my son had disappeared. He had raced through each of the rooms, just glancing briefly at everything, and was near the exit. He wasn't interested in reading about anything; he's nine. It was fun enough for him to sneak through a series of dark rooms. When I caught up (4)with him, I asked him if he had seen the king's mask. “Yep,” he said, “it's right over here.” He took me to a glass case and pointed at a statue. Well, it looked like King Tut's face, but it wasn't the mask. I looked around quickly, wondering where it could be. A security guard was standing nearby(5), so I asked him where it was. “Oh, it's not here,” he said. There was a pause. “It has stayed in Egypt since the late 70's.” I felt completely deflated. How disappointing! Everything else was stunning, of course, but I had been expecting to see what was on the posters that advertised the exhibition: the mask. The icon of Egypt simply wasn't there. If I want to see it, I need to take a trip to the Cairo Museum, and, in order to do that, I'll have to do a few bake sales of my own. 'To plan on doing something' is good, native sounding English which can have many variations: a. We planned on driving all night. b. They planned on meeting us half way. c. She planned on freezing the cake after she made it, and keeping it for Christmas. 'In the space of....' in this case refers to time. The word 'space' means an area or span of time. a. In the space of two hours, I cleaned the house, taught a class, and paid the bills! b. In the space of three days, they hiked over the mountain and across the border. 'We were going to squeeze in lunch' means that you are trying to 'fit' lunch into a busy schedule. a. If we hurry, we can squeeze in a nap after lunch, just before the meeting. b. They didn't have much time, but they managed to squeeze in a museum visit before they caught their plane. 'To catch up with someone' has 2 meanings: it is to physically follow and meet up with a person, or it is to find out what has been going on in the life of someone who you haven't been around for a while. In this paragraph, it is the former. a. He ran ahead of me, but soon I caught up with him. b. I hadn't seen them for years, so we spent some time catching up. // //

 Field trips are always fun for school children. The typical trips are to museums, parks, and science centers. Of course, it depends on where you live. You have an advantage if you live in a city because there is more variety and entertainment. In a rural area, a school may have to be more creative to keep their field trips interesting. One activity that my kids took part in recently was geocaching. It has very quickly become popular globally, even in this small, rural area. So, what is it? Geocaching is considered an outdoor sporting activity in which players use some kind of navigational device (1). Coordinates (2)of a certain place are given, and the participants have to find their way there. Once they reach the exact spot, they search and find a container of some sort(3). Inside are inexpensive items such as toys, nicknacks(4), or items of interest or meaning. These can be taken and kept by the person doing the geocaching, but it is expected that the finder replace these items with something else. Also, inside the container will be a logbook where the geocacher will write the date and his or her personal geocaching code(5). You can receive a code by registering on-line as a geocacher. So, basically, this sport is like hide and seek, except that you're not hiding yourself but a cache, a treasure of some kind. As long as the container of the cache is waterproof, it will be safe until someone finds it. Geocaching started in Oregon in the United States in May of 2000, when a man by the name of(6) David Ulmer hid a cache and posted the coordinates on-line on the international Usenet newsgroup. Since then, geocaching has taken off(7), and is currently in 100 countries, even in Antartica. People continue to register on-line at sites like 'Geocaching.com' where you can find coordinates of caches in your area, and the rules of the game. So, it sounds like fun, doesn't it? It's a great, free activity that you can do with friends and family. Schools, of course, are taking advantage of this as well. When we went geocaching, my childrens' school split up into several groups and hunted around in the parks. While they walked from one cache to another, they picked up litter. As they came to the spots where the coordinates met, there was a lot of excited hunting, looking in bushes and trees, until someone would shout out excitedly, “I've found it!” One cache was tiny. We wouldn't have found it without the help of the teacher who had been there before. The container was a tiny, metal cylinder, about a third of the size of (8)a pencil. It had a screw top, and was inserted into a hole in a sign post. The logbook was a very small rolled up paper, and the cache was a sticker. The students were fascinated. After finding that cache, they discussed the possibilities of creating tiny and unusual caches that they could plant. I'm forming a list of activities to do this summer, and I think I have found one more thing to add to it: geocaching.   'A device' is a general word for a useful tool. It can range from a simple pair of scissors, to an iPad. a. When scissors were first invented, they must have been considered incredible devices. b. To geocache properly, it is best to have a navigational device. 'Coordinates' is an unusual word. Two 'o's' together usually create the 'ooo' sound, but not in this case. A similar word is 'cooperate'. Let's practice. 'Of some sort' is the same as saying 'of some kind'; the two expressions are interchangeable. a. When you plant a new tree, you should use some sort of support for it for the first year. b. He contracted some kind of skin disease, and had to use antibiotics to get rid of it. 'Nicknacks' has the same meaning as 'trinkets'. They are usually small items of little value such as collectibles, ornaments, fridge magnets, and memorabilia from vacations. a. After lunch, we walked around the town and looked at the trinket shops. We bought a few nicknacks. b. I wish you'd buy something decent, and not all of those cheap nicknacks. 'Geocaching' is the topic for today. One point to remember is the pronunciation of the 'ch': it sounds like 'sh'. 'By the name of' is used instead of 'called' or 'is called'. a. A woman by the name of Elizabeth Brown established this line of ceramics. b. A man by the name of Rodger Snoops informed the police about the suspect. 'To take off' is used in several contexts. A plane can take off (when it first leaves the airport). Also, a hobby or sport can take off, as in become very popular. a. Geocaching has taken off over the past twelve years because everyone likes to hunt for treasure, and it is inexpensive. b. Reality shows took off about ten years ago, and are now in every country. When comparing sizes using fractions, we use expressions like 'half (of)the size of' or 'three quarters (of) the size of'. The first of is usually included in British English, whereas in the U.S it is missed out. a. The dog is half (of) the size of the cat. b. The museum is three quarters (of) the size of the bus station. // //

 I came across some interesting information the other day, bizarre information, crazy information, that has led me on a journey of discovery. I was watching one of my sons run during a track meet (1). There were six middle schools all competing in the various track events, and the place was packed. I sat in the middle of the large crowd of parents who had come to cheer on (2) their children. A lady who I knew was talking to me about children growing up, entering high school, and applying for scholarships. “My oldest is a few years away from all of that,” I said. “But still (3), I should probably start looking into (4) scholarships.” She told me that she had already done so, as her son is older than mine. “There are all kinds of private scholarship funds out there. You won't believe it. There's even one for being blonde!” There was a long pause, as I frowned and thought about what she had said. “For being blonde?” I asked in disbelief(5). So many questions rushed into my head. “How blonde do you have to be?” “Could I bleach (6) my hair blonde to get a scholarship?” “And who decides if you qualify? Does a little old lady with a huge Madonna wig come to your house and check-out your hair?” This couldn't be true, I decided. How ridiculous. But, my friend told me that lots of rich individuals will leave money for people who have certain qualities. I had to investigate. So, back at home, I did some research on the internet. I came across a website called '45 of the weirdest college scholarships'. Well, I didn't find any scholarships for being blonde, even though there were many searches for 'scholarships for blondes'. But I did find a lot of other bizarre ones: if you are a male over 6' 2'' or a female over 5'10'', you could qualify for $1000 by writing an essay entitled 'What being tall means to me.' If you're a nudist, a vegetarian, if you wish to study fungi, if you enjoy duck calling, or if you like to watch the series 'Star Trek', then you can get money for college! Or if you can predict the future, play the bagpipes, or can design clothes for the prom (7) out of duct tape (sticky tape), then you are also eligible (8) for money. If only I had known about all of this 20 years ago! I could have joined all of those groups, and got a PhD for free! I could have been a duck calling, bagpipe playing, fungi studying, future predicting nudist vegetarian (well, perhaps not the nudist part) who could predict her own shining educational future..... and not even have to change from a brunette to a blonde. 1. 'Track' has several meanings. It can mean a small path created by man or animals. It can mean 'to follow', or it is a noun meaning the sporting events that are running based. a. My son competed in the running long jump and did quite well. b. The mile run was the last event in the track meet. 2. 'To cheer on' can also be expressed as 'to cheer for'. The first expression implies encouraging someone in their event, the second implies supporting an individual or group. a. As the athletes ran, we cheered them on. b. Though he was last, we cheered him on, and tried to encourage him to go faster. 3. 'But still' is often used like 'however' when you are using 2 slightly contrasting ideas. a. They won't arrive until later, but still we should get the house ready now. b. We have plenty of food in the fridge, but still we shouldn't be wasteful. 4. 'To look into' can mean to investigate. a. We looked into getting a loan, but we didn't qualify. b. They looked into scholarships and found one for bald people! 5. 'Disbelief' means 'not believing' and is usually preceded by 'in' or 'with'. a. I looked at him in disbelief; I couldn't believe what he had just said. b. He put his hand to his mouth in disbelief when he saw how beautiful she looked. 6. 'Bleach' is a powerful chemical cleaner that is used to remove color from hair. It can be used as a verb sometimes. a. I used some bleach to clean out the garbage can. That should clean it! b. The sun has bleached our patio chairs; they look so pale now! 7. The 'Prom' is a very important dance at High School. a. Are you going to ask someone to go to the Prom with you? b. Their Prom costume is very elegant, but if you look closely, you can see that it is made of duct tape! 8. 'Eligible' is when you satisfy characteristics for something, it could be age, gender, ethnicity, background etc. a. He wants to run for President of the Student Body, but he is too young; he's not eligible. b. At 65 years of age, you're eligible for a pension. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish or email me at or with questions and comments. // // //

 Recently I've had the strangest feeling when I've been alone at home. My husband is at work, and my children are at school, so I should be alone. I don't hear footsteps(1), or anyone moving around in the house. I don't hear talking or breathing in any of the rooms. But I sense that someone else is in the house, or something else. When I'm upstairs, folding laundry in the laundry room, I feel it less. But as I walk downstairs, I become aware(2)of a presence, gradually with each step. As I write this, I'm in the living room, where the feeling is strongest. It reminds(3) me of when I was a girl, and I would stare up at the ceiling at night, in my room, in the darkness. My imagination would make me see all sorts of things up there, or coming out of the walls. Shadows of toys would become people or creatures, fairies and figures. So, here I sit, and it feels as if a pair of (4)eyes is watching me. Something has made its place in here, silently. And, as I sit here writing, I can feel that it is directly above me. Should I turn and look? Am I brave enough to reach out to touch it? Yes, I will. And I do. My fingers immediately feel something very large, cool, and smooth. The more I touch, the bigger it appears. It's body goes up and up. It feels strong, and what's that? It's not skin, but fur(5), and lots of it. In fact, it's completely covered in fur. Up my hand goes to its face. A long snout, and big bulging eyes, those eyes that never close. I feel a small forehead. This creature has a small brain for such a big, strong body. Large, hairy ears are alert at the sides of the head, listening for danger. This creature is wanted. This creature was wanted. Its powerful legs weren't enough for it to get away. It was wanted for its crown; and what a magnificent crown it is, unique, impressive, a crown of battle. It was a guardian(6) of the forest. And now it is here, still a guardian, quiet, watchful, always alert. It was barely seen among the trees, a passing shadow. And here, it's barely noticed, until you are alone. Then, you hear a whisper from the forest, you read its story in its eyes, and you feel the glory of its crown. 'Footsteps' can be heard. 'Footprints' can be seen. a. I knew that he had arrived because I heard his footsteps in the entryway. b. I followed the footprints in the sand and found where you were. 'To be aware' of something is to know or recognize. a. I was suddenly aware of being followed by a man in a long, black coat and hat. b. I wasn't aware that they had moved to the city. 'To remind' or 'to be reminded' is very similar to remembering. a. She reminds me of her grandmother; they look and act the same. b. Please remind me that the pie is in the oven, otherwise I'll forget and it'll get burned. 'A pair of' is singular, so the verb form used with it is the same. a. That pair of shoes is too expensive. b. That pair of socks isn't the right color. You need to wear this pair with those trousers. 'Fur' is a kind of coarse hair that animals have. a. There is something furry moving through the trees. b. Native American Indians would use the fur and skins of animals for clothing. 'Guardian' comes from the verb 'to guard'. We don't pronounce the 'u'. a. He was the guardian of the temple, and had to protect it at any cost. b. He takes his job as palace guardian very seriously. Remember to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish and I will friend you!  I also love to get your comments and questions by email          or  // //

 There is a festival in this town that brings in thousands of visitors, and livens(1) the valley for over a week. It's called Apple Blossom. By the name, you can tell that it coincides with the blossoming of the many apple trees that grow here. The weather is still playing a tug-of-war(2) between cold, windy days, and hot ones, but usually, by Apple Blossom, the sun is winning. For a few weeks leading up to the festival, groups of people are busy building floats that have varying(3) themes. There is always one for the three Apple Blossom princesses who have been elected by the local high schools. Their float is often something to do with Spring, or flowers. They stand and wave and look pretty; it must be a very hard job. And then there are all the floats of schools, sports groups, charities, and some businesses. If you are involved in one of these organizations, you have the opportunity to walk next to the float. My daughter, who does gymnastics, was chosen with her friends to hold the sign of the gymnastics group, while other girls and boys did cartwheels(4) and flips all along the road. I walked with the proud parents and handed out water bottles. It was very exciting. I was tempted to do a flip, just like the children were doing. But then I realized that if I did do one, it would be the very last thing that I ever did. So, I took photographs instead. I waved a little, trying to mimic(5) the princesses (my wave was better than theirs). A few people I knew were standing along the road; they called to me and waved. I began to feel famous. In fact, other people waved enthusiastically and called to me, “Oh hi there..” but then used a name like Angela, or Rebecca, or Mary. But I was caught up in the enthusiasm, so I waved back and smiled. What lovely confusion! The parade was a big event. There were bands and schools from all over the state, and visitors from Japan. A carnival had been set up down by the river, and a food fare was crammed(6) into one of the down town parks. There are so many people in the center of town for the parade that it's impossible to find parking close by, so you need to park far away on a street in the residential area. Our parade finished, we rested and had icecream, and then Domini and I had a long, hot hike back to the car. To liven means to bring a place alive with excitement, movement, or color. It is often followed by the word 'up'. a. The new paint in the kitchen really livens up the place. b. When the DJ gets here, the party will liven up. A tug-of-war is a game played where two people or groups pull on a long rope. The winning group is the one who manages to pull the opposing team over a half-way line. a. We played tug-of-war, but our opponents won; they were much stronger than us. Varying comes from the word 'vary' or the verb 'to vary' meaning to offer variety. It's pronunciation can be a bit tricky, so here's some practice. a. The artist's pictures were all blue, but varying in subjects. b. I think that everyone enjoyed the comedian, to varying degrees. To mimic means to copy, usually in action or a facial feature. a. The monkey mimicked the lady drinking coffee. b. The boy mimicked his teacher when he wasn't looking. To be crammed comes from the verb 'to cram' which means to stuff or pack something in tightly (do you remember the phrase 'jam packed'?) a. He crammed the crackers into his mouth and threw the empty packet in the bin. b. The pencils are crammed so tightly in the box, that I can't get them out! Remember, you can join my FACEBOOK page at Anna Fromacupofenglish. Also, feel free to send me an email to or . Your questions and comments are welcome. // //

  I was fortunate enough (1)the other day to go on a field trip with the school that my son attends. As his school doesn't have a bus, parent volunteers are needed to transport the kids here and there. I am one of them, and, you know, I benefit from volunteering in many ways. That particular day, I learned a lot about the Wenatchi Indians, and the pioneer days of this area. We visited a museum in the town of Cashmere which is about eight miles from here. It's a small building, but jam packed(2) with artifacts and donations. I had been to the museum before, but this time, we had a very knowledgeable (3)guide who happened to be a Native American Indian. As time went on, and he took us from one display area to another, I began to realize that he had deep knowledge and deep personal interest in the museum. He was half Cherokee and half Sioux, and knew not only about those Indian nations, but also a lot about the Wenatchi nation. He told us that the baskets that were made by Wenatchi women are worth thousands of dollars. He went into detail, telling us how they would gather(4) the grasses, chew them, dye them with berry juice, and then weave them. These baskets were made so well, that they could carry water. In fact, the Wenatchis would boil water in the baskets by placing boiling hot stones from a fire inside a basket full of water. That kind of information, and many other things that I learned, gave me new respect for the history of this local area. Then, we moved to the outside area of the museum where there's a collection of original pioneer (5)homes. There was a home, a jail, a hat shop, a print shop, a school, and a hotel. My son's class loved the school. It was obviously very basic, all wood, dark, it had a stove, small chalk boards for the students, and a metal bucket that everyone drank out of. The guide told us that school was only available for a few months a year; during Winter it was too cold, and, as all the children helped to farm, they couldn't go to school during planting or harvest seasons either. My son thought that that (6)was great, “Only a few months of school? Awesome!” he said. If children could basically learn to read and write, and do a little mathematics, then the main goal was accomplished. Their lives were agricultural and they were hard working, so school was considered a luxury. How different it is today! 'To be fortunate/lucky/unlucky enough' the use of 'enough' speeds up a sentence that could otherwise be a bit awkward. a. I was fortunate. I got into the theater for free. OR I was fortunate in that I got into the theater for free. INSTEAD with the use of 'enough' we can say : I was fortunate enough to get into the theater for free. b. She was unlucky enough to miss the bus, so she was late for work. 'Jam packed' is an expression that means tightly squeezed or squashed into a place. It can describe the subject or object. a. The cinema was jam packed last night. b. The students were jam packed into the assembly hall for the graduation ceremony. 'Knowledgeable' describes a person who knows a lot. Let's practice the pronunciation. 'To gather' is the same as to collect or to pick (as in flowers); it also means to congregate. a. The Wenatchi Indian women would gather grasses to make their baskets. b. A group of protesters gathered in the main square.     5.'Pioneer' means the first person to do something, or to settle somewhere. a. The pioneers in this area were the first Europeans to settle and farm here. b. Santiago Ramon y Cajal was the great pioneer in the field of neurobiology. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish   or email me your comments or questions to   or il.com   // //

Scientists say the notoriously dry continent of Africa is sitting on(1) a vast reservoir of groundwater. They say that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface. The British Geological Survey and the University College London team has produced the most detailed map yet(2) of the scale and potential of this hidden resource. Across Africa more than 300 million people are said to (3) not have access to safe drinking water, and the demand is growing because of population growth and the need for agriculture. "Where there is the greatest ground water storage is in northern Africa, in Libya, Algeria and Chad," said Helen Bonsor from the BGS. In fact, according to the studies, there are aquifers even across sub-Saharan Africa. Water, over many years, can collect in the spaces between rocks underground, and even in the tiny spaces inside sandstone. This watery, wet stone area is an aquifer. The water found in these reserves(4) is usually cleaner than surface water. These huge bodies of water are equivalent to(5) a quarter of the Mediterranean Sea, or three times the Red Sea. The British experts caution (6) that drilling for water should be done carefully, and with a lot more research. The UK's secretary of state for international development, Andrew Mitchell said, "This is an important discovery which the British Government has funded, and could have a profound effect on some of the world's poorest people, helping them become less vulnerable."(7) 1. 'To sit on' can be used to say "He sits on the chair", but it can also be used figuratively with words like 'a fortune' or 'a time bomb'. a. That boy comes from an extremely wealthy family; he's sitting on a fortune, and doesn't even know it. b. That situation is like sitting on a time bomb; any day disaster can strike. 2. 'Yet' can be used in many instances. In this particular case, it means 'so far'. Here are 2 similar examples: a. I have had fifteen job interviews, and the last one was the best one yet. b. I have tried this new cookie recipe a few times, but this batch (collection of cookies) is the best one yet. 3. 'To be said (to)' can be followed by a positive or negative verb, or the verb 'to be' followed by an adjective. a. The whole population is said to be musical. b. Now, after the disaster, the ground, the river, and the plants are said to be radioactive. 4. 'A reserve' means a place where something is conserved, either naturally or deliberately. a. Because the bird is so vulnerable, an island in the very south of New Zealand has been dedicated as a reserve for the kiwi. b. Poland, apparently, has some of the biggest reserves of salt in the world. 5. 'Equivalent to' basically means 'equal to' or 'the same as'. a. My son and his grandmother are equivalent in height. b. The time we spend sleeping is equivalent to a quarter of our lives. 6. 'To caution' is a verb that means to warn. Note the difference in these two following sentences. a. We cautioned him about driving fast. b. We cautioned him that driving fast in icy weather would be a mistake. 7. 'Vulnerable' is another way of saying easily affected, weak, or exposed. The pronunciation is a bit tricky, as the 'l' isn't  always silent. a. He feels vulnerable without his glasses on. b. Hopefully, as Africa utilizes its vast water reserves, its people will no longer be vulnerable to drought or famine. Feel free to join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish   or email me your comments and questions to   or     and I promise to email you back. // //

Today's podcast is going to test your knowledge of ethanol. What is it? How is it made? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using it? I asked myself these questions recently, when I drove past a gas station that had a sign saying 'No ethanol in our gas'. I asked myself why it would be good to not have ethanol in petrol? I remember hearing about large amounts of the stuff being produced in this country, and how some people are for it, and others are against it. So, what exactly is ethanol, and what are the issues surrounding it(1)? Ethanol is a fuel that, for a long time has been produced from corn. In the U.S., the government subsidized (2)corn growers for many years specifically for the production of ethanol. But,  why would they do this? First of all, a desire to be self sufficient was at the heart of this project. If you can produce your own energy, then there is no longer any need to rely(3) on other countries. Secondly, some believe that the cost would be less than petrol. Thirdly, ethanol reduces greenhouse gases(4) by 18%-29%. Ethanol is easily mixed with petrol, so all cars can use gas (petrol) that is 10% ethanol. There are some cars that can use 85% ethanol with 15% gas. Continuing research has raised questions(5) about ethanol. If we are using millions of acres of agricultural land to produce corn that nobody eats, surely this will raise food prices globally. Also, farming corn is costly, and uses a lot of gas and gas products when you think of the heavy machinery, the transportation, and the petrol-based chemicals used on the plants. How much cleaner is this biofuel than traditional gas? And, should the government be spending tax payers' money on subsidies for a process that isn't overwhelmingly (6) beneficial? Well, as I continued to research ethanol, I found that globally, research has improved its production, and removed the two major problems: using food for fuel, and only reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a small percentage. Apparently, a new ethanol, called cellulosic ethanol is now produced from nonfood crops, such as bark, corn stalks and leaves, and switchgrass. These are agricultural and industrial leftovers, and switchgrass is a rapidly growing weed that is used to prevent erosion. So, instead of expensively growing corn, we can use by-products. Just think of the savings. The carbon footprint(7) is tiny compared to that of growing, transporting, and processing corn. And, talking about our carbon footprint, cellulosic ethanol reduces greenhouse emissions by 85%. Now, that is substantial. Don't you think that collaborative(8) research is always our best route to good ideas? Globally, this is already believed, because research into improving ethanol and making its production efficient and highly beneficial is continuing. Facilites for production are all over the globe, the biggest one being in Italy. People want a home-based, clean alternative to fossil fuels; it will improve global health and national economies. So, on our list of cleaner energy sources, we can add cellulosic ethanol. 1. 'The issues surrounding ..'  means the important questions or problems that are linked to something. The phrase gives a good visual of a central idea or thing being surrounded. a. There are lots of issues surrounding the government's political agenda. b. There are a lot of questions surrounding his proposal. 2. 'To subsidize' is when money is given to a project to protect and enourage it. a. The corn growers of the U.S have been subsidized for many years. b. Tax payers' money is often used to subsidize projects. 3. 'To rely on' is the same as to depend on. a. I rely on him to tell me the truth. b. We rely on email to keep in touch with family and friends. 4. 'Greenhouse gases' a.Greenhouse gases are the gases produced by burning fossil fuels, such as coal or petrol. b. Greenhouse gases can be reduced by using clean energy sources. 5. 'To raise a question' is slightly different from 'to ask a question'. It is less specific; the question might not have been vocalized yet. It might just be in someone's mind. a. His actions raised a few questions in my mind: is he fit for the job? Does he need more training? b. I'm sure questions will be raised when the employees hear about him leaving the company. 6. 'Overwhelmingly' here is used as an adjective, but of course, it comes from the verb to 'to overwhelm'. a. The votes show that she is overwhelmingly the most popular singer. b. I was overwhelmed by your act of kindness. 7. 'Carbon footprint' is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we cause on a personal level. a. This year, I'm going to do all that I can to reduce my carbon footprint. b. There are some simple ways to reduce our carbon footprints, like recycling, and turning off lights that don't need to be on. 8. 'Collaborative' comes from the verb to collaberate, meaning to work together and share ideas. a. The project was a collaborative effort; many experts were involved. b. If we collaborate, we will probably find the best solutions to our problems.   Feel free to join me on my FACEBOOK  page   Anna fromacupofenglish    or email me at or     and if you do, I promise to email you back. Remember, the app of A Cup Of English is available in iTunes.   // //

Waiting, waiting, waiting. It's difficult to do sometimes. I found myself waiting a couple of weeks ago at Seattle International Airport. My sister and my two nephews were coming for a two week visit, so I made the three hour drive over the mountains to pick them up. I don't often go to Seattle, but I love to. It's a gorgeous place, if you like forests, the sea, and modern buildings. So, I take any opportunity I can to drive there. The airport is actually outside of Seattle, half way between Seattle and Tacoma, and is therefore called Sea-tac airport. It is a smart, modern facility that, believe it or not(1), smells of coffee. How wonderful! You might think that I'm joking, but it's true. You know that Seattle is where Starbucks started, and Seattle is known for being the coffee capital of the U.S. In fact, it has more coffee houses per 100,000 residents than the U.S. has overall(2). So, even the airport is fully equipped with coffee all over the place. While I waited for my sister to arrive, I found myself(3)at one of the many coffee shops. I bought my soy latte, and wandered around a magazine shop. The plane had come in on time, there was no delay(4). However, because the flight was an international one, my sister and her boys had to go through immigration(4) and customs(4). That is a time consuming necessity. Also, the flight was full, so the two hundred or so sleepy passengers took extra long to arrive at baggage claim. I kept on returning to the arrivals escalator, to see if anyone from the flight had turned up. Nope(5). It took about an hour and a half for the travelers to arrive. It was interesting to stand back and see the different people step off the escalator. There was a real mix of shapes and sizes, ethnicities, and demeanours(6). Some people were dressed professionally, pulling behind them small, black cases on wheels, and obviously focused on business. Others were more casual, looking for family or friends, and openly emotional. There was a tall, military man returning from service abroad(7), who was greeted by his young wife and three year old daughter. She had stood at the top of the empty escalator and called "Daddy, daddy!" impatiently. When he finally arrived and picked her up, she stared at him for a long time with an unsure, curious expression. Then came the stragglers(8): a very hairy man carrying a large, framed picture, a tall African lady with tons of luggage, and a skinny young man with a huge cello case. What a variety of people! Then, last but not least(9), my sister and her two boys came up the escalator with big smiles. Finally, they were here. We hugged and kissed, and immediately started chatting and giggling about the journey. We picked up the luggage and were in the car before we knew it. 1. 'Believe it or not' is not an essential phrase. It is light hearted and introduces the idea that something interesting or unusual will be mentioned: a. My daughter has, believe it or not, joined a traveling circus. b. Believe it or not, that very small shop grossed half a million dollars last year. 2. 'Overall' is another way of saying 'all together' or 'in general' or 'added up': a. There were some imperfections, but overall the performance was a success. b. The population, overall, prefers coffee to tea. 3. To find oneself can be used with any person: a. We found ourselves pennyless, out of petrol, and in the middle of nowhere. b. So, you met the prince in the party, and before you knew it, you found yourself  in the palace! Unbelievable! 4. 'Delay, immigration, customs' are all useful words to do with international travel. a. The plane was delayed, I had trouble in immigration, and customs confiscated my Elvis toothbrush! b. The plane was on time, thank goodness. My visa was still valid, so I got through immigration quickly, and then I had nothing to declare in customs. 5.'Nope' is basically 'no' but with attitude. It is used frequently in the U.S. a. Do you want to go out tonight?       Nope! b. I've lost the receipt for the bookshelves. Could you look for it?      Nope! 6. 'Demeanor' means the manner or behavior of someone: a. She looked elegant and formal, but her demeanor was unsure. b. I can tell by his demeanor that he is confident. 7. 'Abroad' is often used instead of 'overseas'. The two are interchangeable: a. She will study abroad for six months to learn a different language. b. They had studied overseas all year, and had decided to stay longer. 8. 'Straggler' describes the odd, few people who are the last to arrive, either from a journey, trip, or race: a. At the end of the Tour de France we see the stragglers coming in. Some are well known cyclists who unfortunately fell off their bikes, and others are less known riders. b. The displaced villagers got to the shelter by nightfall, the stragglers arriving by midnight. 9. 'Last but not least' is a quick way of saying "I'm mentioning this person last (on the list) but he is just as important as anybody else". a. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Princess Sofia, Prince Filipo, and, last but not least, their little sister Princess Angelica. b. Here we have to crown your dinner tonight, last but not least, a pineapple chocolate bomb for dessert. Remember to visit me on FACEBOOK  at Anna fromacupofenglish. Also feel free to email me at or     and if you do, I promise to email you back. // //

Science can be so exciting. I was listening to the BBC World Service the other day while I was driving in my car. Their series called Science in Action, which, by the way, comes out in podcast form, is a lively presentation of the most up-to-date science innovations(1). I don't always listen to it, but the other day I was on my way to pick up the kids from school, when I turned on the radio just at the right time. By the time I reached the Middle School, I was bursting to(2) tell my boys the latest scientific news. They were impressed. Since then, I have told everyone I have been around. Well, you shouldn't keep good news to yourself, should you? There were two main points that I managed to catch(3). The first discovery was made by an Australian scientist who has been involved in genetically engineering plants. He and his team have successfully managed to grow and harvest from a salt tolerant(4) wheat plant. It can grow in salty soil, which up until now has been impossible for many kinds of grains. Changing its genetic makeup allows the plant to keep the salt at its roots, so it doesn't get into the plant and affect it at all. Just think what that could mean for global production. That kind of wheat could be grown in many more areas, and perhaps even be watered with sea water! The next discovery is also something to do with salt. An Irish scientist is finding a way to make the leftovers(5) of desalinization(6) profitable and practical. After salt water is processed so it can be used for drinking water, there is a super salty solution left over. He has found that if you add naturally occurring (7)bacteria, plus natural food for them, they begin to give off an electrical charge. When this happens, particles of metals from the salty water stick to the bacteria. The more they eat, the more metal sticks to them, until they get so heavy that they sink(8) to the bottom of the container, and can be easily separated. Metals such as Magnesium which are expensive and really useful, can be gathered in this way. By doing this, scientists will be able to use the waste product of desalinization, and offset(9) the cost of producing clean water by harvesting metals. I was blown away by all of this(10). It seems that, in spite of what the general media tells us, science may be innovating just in time to keep up with our global needs. 1. Innovation means a new idea, method, or device. It is often used in the fields of science and technology. We also use it in its verb form 'to innovate'. a. These scientific innovations will improve our daily lives. b. You have to be creative and have a vision to innovate. 2. To be bursting to tell someone something. This means that you are so excited that you can hardly wait to spread the news. 3. Catch is sometimes used when we talk about hearing the remainder of a conversation, perhaps the last part, or something that is hard to hear. a. Did you catch what he said at the end? I'm not sure if he said that the bank is to the right or to the left. b. I'm so glad that I caught the news summary when I turned the tv on; I really want to keep up with the daily events. 4. Tolerant means that you put up with, you cope with, you can manage something. You can be tolerant of people, conditions, or elements. We use the word tolerant a lot when we talk about peoples ability to digest food. a. She is wheat tolerant, but lactose intolerant. She has to be careful with her diet. b. I planted drought tolerant plants in the area of my garden that I don't water. c. They are so intolerant of people who are different from themselves. 5. Leftovers are one of my favorite things. They are different foods that are left over, or have not been eaten by the end of a meal. You can also have leftovers of a process, similar to by-products. a. Thanksgiving leftovers are yummy. There are usually enough to feed us for a whole day. 6. Desalinization, as you probably know, is the process of getting clean, drinking water from sea water. As it's a long word, let's repeat it a few times. 7. Naturally occurring is often used in science or natural history arenas. a. There are naturally occurring minerals in that water. b. The naturally occurring process of photosynthesis keeps our planet alive. 8. To sink is to fall down in water, to go down, to do the opposite of float. It is the same word and pronunciation as the kitchen and bathroom sink. The verb has an irregular preterite. a. The ship crashed on the rocks and sank out of sight. b. When I woke up at the end of the math exam, I had a terrible sinking feeling when I realized that I had slept through the whole thing. 9. To offset is to make up for, or to counteract. a. The company's profits this month offset its losses from last month. b. Planting hundreds of trees on the mountainside will offset the risk of erosion. 10. To be blown away by something means to be completely surprised. It can be used negatively and positively. a. When he opened his mouth and started to sing, I was blown away. b. I was shocked at his ignorant comments; infact, I was blown away by them.   // //

Yakima is a small city located an hour and a half's drive(1) from Wenatchee. It is a wide valley, famous for its grapes and apples. We were there last weekend for a baseball tournament, the first of the season(2). One interesting fact about Yakima is that its name is taken from the Yakama indians who are from this area. There are actually indian names in many areas of the state. When the baseball tournament was over and we were leaving Yakima, we drove past a barren(3), rocky few miles and crossed over a bridge. Immediately after the bridge, I saw a sign 'Umtanum Canyon'. The name sparked my interest(4). "Now, that must be an indian name," I thought to myself. When I got home, I looked up the name on the internet. I found quite a few pages about Umtanum, but no translation of its name. Reading about the canyon made me even more eager to find out its name, because the land is geographically interesting, and has a wealth(5) of wildlife. Hunters would love it because there are big horn sheep, deer, and coyotes, aswell as pheasants and all kinds of rodents(6). Most of these creatures come to the creek, which is a small river, to drink. The predators obviously take advantage of this being the only water source for all the animals nearby. The canyon walls are steep and rocky, which are perfect for big horn sheep who are expert climbers. The banks of the creek are grassy with wildflowers, a perfect place for ground squirrels, marmots, and rabbits. They have to watch out for the coyotes all year round, and the rattlesnakes in the summer. Infact, it's recommended that hiking parties go during the autumn, winter, and spring, and avoid the snakes in the summer. Umtanum, I would say(7), is typical of eastern Washington. There are many such large expanses of land that look seemingly(8) empty, lifeless, dry, even boring. But, when you get out of the car, and walk deeper into the countryside, you find that it is full of life. 1. An hour and a half's drive. When the duration of something is between one and two hours, we use an apostrophe s to show possession. a. It's a two hour walk. It's a three day hike. It's a four hour swim. b. The mall is an hour's drive from here. It's an hour and a quarter's wait until the next bus. Note that it is used mainly with one hour or when 'half' an hour is being used. 2. The first of the season is easily understood. I am emphasizing this because it is a very natural sounding add-on to a sentence that will make you seem more native. a. On May 2nd there is a country dance, the first of the season.  b. We waited to see the main ballerinas, the best of the dance troupe. c. The politician answered the questions, the most difficult ones he has been asked. 3. Barren is a word often used for being lifeless, bare, or childless. It is quite poetic, and often used for bare landscapes. a. The land looked like a barren wasteland. 4. To spark someone's interest means to get someone's attention and create curiosity. You can also spark anger. a. The sudden movement of something in the dark sparked the cat's curiosity. b. The conversation sparked his anger. 5. A wealth of wildlife. 'A wealth of' is used to describe a large quantity. It implies something positive. a. On that beach, you'll find a wealth of different crabs. b. My grandmother and her friends are a wealth of knowledge and experience. 6. 'Rodent' is the general name for mice, rats, rabbits, and other small ground creatures. 7. 'I would say' is a little phrase that expresses opinion. Sometimes 'you could say' is used in its place. It's rare now for people to use 'one could say' or 'one would say'. a. Elizabeth, you could say, has the destiny of becoming a star. b. I would say that growing wheat on that barren land is a rough, tough job. 8. Seemingly means to have an appearance of. It comes from the verb 'to seem' and, as you can see, it implies that perhaps reality is not what is seen. a. The house was run down, lightless, and seemingly deserted. But then, from a distance they heard music coming from the upstairs. b. When I spoke to him he didn't respond, was quiet, and seemingly uninterested.  Let's hear the paragraph once more. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish  or email me questions or comments to or   and I promise to email you back! // //

Because many of you have responded positively to my new series 'Analysis time', we will continue with a particularly interesting one today taken from an article about 'break-through' scientific technology. If you haven't come across the phrase 'break-through', you might be able to imagine its meaning. It is literally the idea of breaking through a wall of ignorance, and arriving at new knowledge and new technology. A break-through is positive and exciting, and it can be used in many different areas: science, medicine, even psychology. Infact, you can even use it on a personal basis Ex: I had a break-through with my counselor yesterday; I realize that I must forgive my parents. So, there will be many more examples coming up. Let's here the article. A plant that was frozen in Siberian permafrost for about 30,000 years has been revived by a team of Russian scientists - and borne (1)fruit, to boot(2). Bacteria and other simple organisms had been known to survive in the ice for thousands of years. But reviving a life as complex(3) as a plant is an entirely different matter(4), scientists said. For this study, the researchers managed to(5) grow a plant without even using a seed. Instead(6), they thawed, washed and disinfected the fruits and took out bits of nutrient-rich fruit flesh known as placental tissue(7). When bathed in the right broth(8) of chemicals, placental tissue acts like the plant version(9)of stem cells. The study is an encouraging sign that it may be possible to revive larger and more complex beings that were preserved in the frozen tundra. 1. Borne comes from the verb 'to bear fruit' . The sentence should have said 'and has borne fruit' to be clear. The plant has produced fruit. It is an irregular past participle that obviously looks nothing like the original verb 'to bear'. It is spelt the same as the predatory animal 'bear', is pronounced the same, but has nothing to do with it. It is also often used with other meanings, such as 'to accept' or 'to carry'. There are other meanings, but these are the most common. Exs: a. He bore all the criticism, even though other people were guilty.        b. I can't bear the pain anymore; I'll take a headache pill. 2. To boot is a funny little phrase that means 'also'. or 'besides'. It carries (or bears) more of a sense of surprise or significance than 'also'. Exs: a.  He not only sailed the Atlantic, but he wrote a novel at the same time, to boot.        b. I returned the dress to the shop and got my money back, and a gift certificate to boot. 3. Complex is a straight forward word meaning complicated or difficult. It is used in any arena. Exs: a. She is a complex individual. Just when you think you know her, she says something very unexpected.        b. The math that my son is doing in school is too complex for me! 4. 'An entirely different matter' is a very useful phrase that adds seriousness to a second idea. Exs: a. Why they argued is one thing. The state of their marriage is an entirely different matter.        b. Making austerity cuts might be necessary, but creating economic growth is an entirely different matter. 5. 'To manage to + verb' is a very useful and common phrase implying that some effort has been used to achieve an outcome. Exs a. I managed to find my wedding ring; it had been missing for two months.       b. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to pull himself out of the hospital bed and walk out of the building. It is also used when asking questions in an accusatory way:      c. How on earth did you manage to crash the car into the mailbox? 6. 'Instead' means 'as a substitute for' or 'as an alternative':     a. I was going to call you, but I decided to walk to your house instead.     b. I told him to study, but he played outside instead. 7. Tissue is the soft paper we use to wipe our noses. It is, however, also used as 'material' or 'substance' when talking about animal or plant life. Exs: a. They took some brain tissue to do a biopsy.        b. Some of the inside tissue of the leaf was studied. 8. Broth means a thin, watery soup that usually has meat or fish extract in it. It can be used, as in this case, in science when talking about a mixture. Ex: To make the best chicken broth, boil the bones for at least half an hour, then add vegetables and seasoning. 9. The ... version of indicates that something is similar to something else in function or essence, but different in a fundamental way. Exs: a. That boy is the young version of Elvis Presley!        b. 'Lovesong' by Adele, is a slow jazz version of a song by The Cure.        c. I met Mary's mother the other day. She is an older version of her daughter; they are so similar. Let's here the excerpt one more time. Join me on FACEBOOK  at Anna fromacupofenglish and I'll friend you. Or email me at or   // //

Today we will analyze part of a newspaper article in depth.  Wukan, China - The Chinese fishing village that went into open revolt(1) against government control last year held elections on Saturday, an event that(2) some local people said was the first time they'd been able to elect their leaders. After years of resentment(3) about real estate(4) deals (5)between local leaders and businessmen, villagers staged a series of demonstrations. "We will solve the land issue (6)step-by-step," said Lin, the newly elected chief of the village. If those efforts to reclaim land come up short(8), then the experience will have been an empty one, many said. 1. Open revolt is when people demonstrate, express disagreement, rally together, and do so in a very public and obvious way. Ex: After the votes were counted, the people went to the town hall in open revolt at the result.     There has been open revolt in Greece over the government's plans to raise taxes and cut public spending. 2. The arrangement of (2) 'the event that' is a good stylistic way of adding more information about the elections. Many nouns that describe times or events can be reviewed and have more detail added to them. The arrangement of words, reflecting on the event, avoids having to make two sentences out of one, or one that doesn't sound as well crafted: The Chinese fishing village ..........held elections on Saturday, which some local people said was the first time..... . Or it could have been written: The Chinese fishing village........held elections on Saturday. Some local people said that this was the first time...... . The sentence structure in the article is much better than these two: The Chinese fishing village ........held elections on Saturday, an event that some local people said was the first time ...... . Let's see some other examples of this structure, and how it improves the flow of a sentence: Exs: The ball was a magical occasion, a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget. This sentence flows nicely because of its second part. It could have been split into 2 sentences: Either: The ball was a magical occasion. It was a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget. Or       The ball was a magical occasion, and was a special moment in time that Cinderella would never forget. Let me give you a few more examples of sentences using the more successful format: a. They bought the company in 1902, a decision that changed their lives completely. b. She sang "We'll meet again", a rendition that had everyone standing and applauding. c. He will analyse the book for a class, a job that most people would hate. d. We left town in winter of 1988, a season no one will ever forget because of the record snowfall. e. Their private conversation was not quiet enough, a mistake that caused a lot of embarrassment. 3. Resentment is similar to anger, or holding a grudge, or not letting an offense be forgiven or forgotten. Exs: He didn't get the promotion, so he was full of resentment.      The teacher was unfair, and that caused resentment among the students. 4. Real estate is property in the form of land or buildings Exs: She bought good real estate at just the right time; now it is worth ten times as much money.      The real estate market is slow at the moment, a sign that the economy isn't healthy yet. 5. Deal is both a verb and a noun. To deal is to hand out cards in a card game. You can also 'deal a blow' which basically means to punch. That expression is used figuratively as in this example: The financial crisis dealt a blow to the car companies.         It sounds old fashioned to use this expression when talking about punching someone; it's best to use 'punch'. A deal is a business or personal arrangement, some kind of agreement: Exs: The banks made a deal.  The buyers made a successful deal with the sellers. Note that the word 'dealings' has a sense of something illegal or secret, or unpleasant: Exs: The govenor's dealings with oil companies were exposed.     I don't want to talk about his dealings with the mafia. 6. Issue is an emotional or psychological problem. It can also be an important topic, or a disagreement with something. Exs: The issue of raising taxes always causes a lot of discussion and emotion.       He disrupts the class, is rude, and doesn't do any work. I think that he has serious issues.      I have an issue with the way he talks to people. I don't like it, and I think he needs a different approach.   Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish or email me at   or // //

Last week, as some of you know, I met with the Superintendent of Wenatchee Schools. I was very nervous, for some reason. I had never met him before, though I had seen him a couple of times in School Board meetings. My intention was to encourage changes in the school district, changes that have been wanted and recommended for a long time but haven't taken place. But, as I stepped into the office, and sat down in the waiting area, I began to feel very small. For some reason, I started to doubt my right to be there. Was I informed enough to have a pertinent conversation with this very busy man, a man who obviously knows more about the school district than me? Would I forget what I had planned on saying half way through a sentence? Would I stutter, or burp, or trip and fall and smash something important, like his laptop? "Okay Anna, what's your problem? Are you losing your edge?" (1)I said to myself, "Whatever happened to the girl who did public speaking, or the rock climber, or the hitchhiker? Pull yourself together!" (2)I talked reasonably to myself in order to calm down my thumping heart, and my sweating armpits. I did some deep breathing exercises, and focused on the meeting being over, rather than the meeting itself. "Hello Anna," a voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up, and standing there was a smiling man, reaching out his hand to shake mine. I quickly got up and shook his hand, "Hello Mr Flones, how are you?" The Superintendent had just got back from lunch, and had approached me while I was in the middle of my deep breathing exercises. He led me to his office, which was moderate, and practical, and not intimidating at all, plus there was nothing that I could easily break, so I started to relax. "I appreciate you meeting with me, Mr. Flones. I will be brief, I won't take up much of your time." "That's fine," he replied, looking at the clock, "I'm good."(3) I realized that I could stop being apologetic, and could just get on with what I wanted to say and ask. It turned out, actually, to be the opposite of what I had expected. He was not only very open, but he was very candid about the state of schools, and changes that needed to be made. What a relief! We agreed on many things, and towards the end, I said, "Really, I want to offer my hand of friendship, and to help in this transition to an upgraded school district." I said this because I have felt in the past that there were two separate and conflicting groups: parents and the school district. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way. If we work together, we can get twice as much done in half the time, as long as we really listen to eachother. I left the meeting feeling very satisfied, and stood outside for while, taking in the early Spring sun. As I walked to my car, I pondered why I had been so nervous. Well, if you've recently raised four children, and not worked, then you've been out of the loop(4): no office meetings, no business lunches, no professional decisions etc. It can be intimidating to step back into that arena when my world has been diapers, a-b-c's, and the price of milk. But, the impression that I got from the Superintendent was that, as a teacher and a parent, I have very valuable things to say. It didn't take long to adjust back to the school-decision making world. So, I've planned for another meeting in a few weeks, to check on progress, but this time, I won't need the breathing exercises. Related expressions: to lose your edge, pull yourself together, I'm good, to be out of the loop. 1. To lose your edge means to lose the quality of a skill through lack of use or fear. Exs: I used to tell jokes at parties, but I haven't done that for years. I've lost my edge.       I couldn't possibly skydive anymore; I've lost my edge. 2. To pull yourself together means to become brave by effort. You can use this as a command, even for yourself. Exs: Pull yourself together, man, you only need one filling. Your other teeth are fine.       I need to speak to him right now, but I really don't want to. "Pull yourself together Anna! Just do it!" 3. I'm good is used in the U.S. It's an expression that means "That's okay, I'm fine" or "I don't need anymore". It is used when people are asked if they want some more to eat, or if they want to communicate that they have plenty of time. Exs: Do you want some more cake?       No thanks, I'm good.       Here it means that he is satisfied and has had enough.        I won't take up much of your time.       I'm good. I've got plenty of time.        It can be used by itself without specifying 'I've got plenty of time' afterwards. 4. To be out of the loop means that you have been away from a certain arena, perhaps work, or a circle of friends, or an activity. Exs: I haven't sung in the choir for a few months; I'm out of the loop.       I used to meet with the ladies from my dance class, but I haven't been to it for two years. I'm out of the loop.               Here, 'I'm out of the loop' is used because she hasn't been to class, and she hasn't had connection with her social group.   Join me on FACEBOOK  at Anna fromacupofenglish and I'll friend you!    Or email me at   or   // //

Community colleges still don't get the dollars of their four-year counterparts(1), but they're standing very much in the spotlight(2) these days. President Barack Obama made them the focus last week when he unveiled(3) his proposed budget. Why all the attention? One reason is that so-called(4) 'middle skill' jobs - requiring more than high school but less than a full college degree - look like the most promising source of fuel(5) for quickly revving(6) up an economic recovery. Federal data show they account for roughly(7) half of all jobs, and even when unemployment was over 10 percent, companies reported shortages(8) of qualified workers. 1. Counterpart is a very effective word for referring to a related item, especially if you want to avoid repetition. So, instead of saying : Community colleges still don't get the dollars of four-year colleges, you substitute in 'their four-year counterparts. We usually use a possessive adjective with counterpart(s) because it relates to the subject. Also, often an adjective or two about the counterpart are often given in order to make it clear what the counterpart actually is. In the paragraph 'four-year' obviously relates to larger, full-time universities. Ex: He was much faster than his stronger, heavier counterparts on theteam.                                                                        Ex: The country dental clinics are more personable than their larger, urban counterparts. 2. To be in the spotlight, or to stand in the spotlight means to have a lot of attention. It's a great visual description of someone or something having all eyes on them. Ex: Senator Brown is very much in the spotlight after his comments on the new tax bill. Ex: The financial difficulties of Greece are still very much in the global spotlight. 3. To unveil is to show something for the first time, or to show something that has been hidden. Ex: The sculptor unveiled his latest statue that has been donated to the city. Ex: The city has just unveiled plans for a new park. 4. So-called is used to qualify a description that might not be accurate. Ex: He's the so-called 'King of Pop'. So-called here shows that perhaps not everyone agreed with the title. There is no way of measuring if he really is the king of pop. Ex: The so-called free medical care has proven to be quite expensive. 5. Fuel, in this instance, doesn't mean actual combustible fuel. It is used to show the idea that the President wants to stimulate or ignite the economy. It is implied that he wants the economy to grow like a fire gets bigger and bigger. Ex: I wouldn't argue with him. You'll just add fuel to his argument (fire). 6. To rev up is similar to the word fuel. It is short for revolutions. To rev is usually used with engines, when you push the accelerator in and out and make the engine noise increase and decrease. It is often used figuratively. Ex: Wake up, have your coffee, let's get revved up for the meeting. Ex: My neighbor likes to rev his engine, even though his car is tiny. 7. Roughly is often used instead of approximately or nearly. Ex: The company has increased production by roughly 50 percent. Ex: Roughly a third of elementary school children are obese. 8. Shortage(s) is often used for a lack of. We see it a lot when talking about employment or produce of some kind. Ex: There is always a shortage of laborers and nurses. Ex: There will be a global shortage of wheat this year. Let's hear the paragraph one more time at normal speed. You can always join my FACEBOOK  page under Anna fromacupofenglish or send a request or question to :      or       // //

This title is the kind that gets attention, isn't it? I first heard about these two characters a few days ago. My three boys play an on-line game called Minecraft. It's actually quite fabulous. It is an unending arena, where you can discover and create different worlds made out of blocks. My sons' favorites are the survival worlds, where you have to find raw materials* such as wood, edible plants, animals, tools, and fire. In order to survive and prosper, you must build yourself a house, and be in it by nightfall*. The reason is that zombies, or 'creepers', come out at night and attack you if you are not safely hidden in your house. Every day, I hear of their new discoveries such as exotic animals, or useful tools of some kind, diamonds, gold, enemies, friends, and even lava. It is hugely popular and globally played and loved. I can see why. If you have a look at Minecraft, you will see that it is a perfect combination of computer game, interaction, creativity, and adventure. My boys tell me all the time how educational it is, "Mum, you have to read a little, and even type!" And, you know, compared to a lot of the mindless, destructive video games out there, Minecraft is superior because a player not only has to be creative and curious, but he can add his own personal touch in a world of his choice. As with many on-line games, you have the ability to chat with other players. Mind you, you have to be careful what you say. If you accidentally offend a person who has created the world that you are in, you get banned. There are rules. Two people who know these rules very well, are Xephos and Honeydew. They are gurus of the Minecraft world. Infact, they have made their knowledge and practice of this game into profit. They have a website with up-to-date* video blogs of their Minecraft activity and discoveries. They are two, young English gentlemen, who are friends, and devoted gamers. They give regular commentaries while they game together in the same world in Minecraft. They have, what we call in England, 'the gift of the gab', which means an ability to talk and entertain. They are funny, expressive, and energetic, and other gamers, like my boys, love to follow their progress and listen to their advice. They battle evil characters, build detailed and unusual homes, and even search other people's homes and 'borrow' items that they find. The accumulation of riches is an important theme in Minecraft, and Xephos and Honeydew are expert miners who manage to collect all kinds of precious metals and gems* from the ground. I have come to terms with the fact that* my boys are addicted to this game, as are millions of others. And, thanks to Xephos and Honeydew, they will be encouraged to continue for a long time.  Related vocabulary and expressions: raw materials, nightfall, up-to-date, gems. 1. Raw materials are materials that are obtained from nature, and have not yet been processed. Some examples of raw materials are: rock, wood, metals that have come straight from the mine, and unrefined oil and gases that are collected from the earth. 2. We must find shelter before nightfall. As soon as it gets dark, who knows what dangers will appear in this forest. 3. If you want to download from iTunes, you should get an up-to-date version of it first. You can get an update on the website. 4. Look at the gems in the Queen's crown. They are so beautiful. There must be ten different kinds. Gems or gem can also be used as a compliment for a thing or a person using the word 'of': Ex: He's a gem of a person. He'll do anything to help. Ex: We bought a gem of an antique car; there is no other like it. Ex: I've just finished reading a gem of a novel. It's probably the best I've read in ten years. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna fromacupofenglish or email me comments or requests to:        or   // //

Every Tuesday, I volunteer to drive several kids from school to the local swimming pool. They go once a week* for six weeks for a full hour*. It's actually a new experience for my  children to be able to swim during school hours; usually, P.E., or Physical Education, doesn't involve getting wet. So, this is a real treat. The first week, the children were separated into swimmers and non-swimmers. Since then, the swimmers can spend half of their swimming session playing with beach balls on teams. They also are allowed to use various diving boards, while the non-swimmers have an intensive swimming lesson. You could call this their 'immersion' session, ha, ha, do you get the pun?* Anyway, for us, it's an unusual and exciting morning. Thankfully, at the swimming pool, there are comfortable seats near the pool, and even internet connection. Infact, I'm writing this as I watch the children swim. The pool is divided into three sections, so three different activities can take place at the same time.* Closest to the edge where I'm sitting is one lane for elderly* people. They usually do gentle exercises, in groups, often with floatation devices. From what I can see, it's more like a social get-together. Next to them are two lanes dedicated to adults who just want to swim laps. A lap is a length of the pool. They go back and forth at their own pace, and have about one hour to get their exercise done. They are the most serious swimmers out of everyone here. Perhaps they have a background in* swimming, or simply enjoy the sport, and wish to include it as part of their healthy routine. So, as you can imagine, I sit here on Tuesday mornings, looking out over the pool, and observe all sorts of interesting activity. This pool is well equipped as far as safety is concerned*. There are two lifeguards on duty at all times, who constantly scan* the pool. They wear red t-shirts and carry red floatation devices, and are ready at any second to either blow a whistle, or to jump in and rescue someone. As I look around the room, I see more safety devices: rubber rings, stretchers for enabling disabled people to float on and enjoy the water, and even a fire extinguisher! You would have thought that that wouldn't be necessary. The swimming teacher is explaining to the kids at the moment the importance of timing in swimming, how you have to use your arms and legs at different times in order to get fast movement through the water. She explains this with the help of a swimmer volunteer, and now the children are taking turns swimming a lap using her advice. And guess what? I see improvement already! She is a devoted swimming teacher. I've never seen her out of the water; it's as if she's a part of the pool. They've got ten minutes left to swim; the kids never want to get out of the pool. They would rather stay here than go back to school.  Related vocabulary and expressions: once a week, a full hour, a pun, at the same time. 1. She has a piano lesson once a week, and a painting class once a month. 2. I wish this class was longer. It's only 45 minutes. I would prefer to have it for a full hour. 3. 'Immersion' is a pun when talking about swimming. A pun is a joke created by words that reflect the situation you're talking about. In this example, immersion is exactly what you have in water when you are swimming. An intensive lesson is also immersion. So, when I say that the children's swimming lesson is like an 'immersion course', I pun. 4. He is a multi-tasker. He can do several things at the same time. Yesterday evening, he was making dinner, practicing Russian while listening to a podcast, and helping his son with his math homework! Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna Fromacupofenglish  or email me at or // //

What's one of the best ways to get refreshed? Exercise. I find, that I am a different person after I've exercised. What I mean by this is that I feel very positive, focused, and inspired when I have pushed myself physically. Mind you, it isn't just going to the gym that does it. Walks in the country are the very best for me. I think it's because, not only do I get all the physical benefits of exercise, but being in nature reminds me deeply of what's real and what's good. You could say that it's a scientifically proven huge dose of medicine. However, when I don't have the time to walk in the country, I'll go to the gym. The one I go to is just a few blocks away. It's one of those places that you can go to any time of the day or night. Each member has his or her own entry card that opens the locked doors automatically. This sounds very fancy, but it's actually just a safety precaution, so only members enter the gym at night. And because there are no staff members in the gym, the cards guarantee that members can work out safely, and alone. I've only worked out at night once, as I prefer to do so during the day. I usually go there mid-morning. Generally, there are elderly people working out when I get there, and an occasional younger person. I often wonder what the non-retired people are doing there in the morning. Do they work a night shift*? Are they unemployed? Perhaps they are in college. Or maybe, like me, they are a stay-at-home-parent-blogger. But my imagination isn't enough to keep me walking uphill on the treadmill*, or lifting weights. I need something to help me. Music works best for me, dance music, in particular. My problem is that I'm fussy about what I listen to. I like a huge variety of modern hits, music from the eighties, jazz, and Motown. However, because I really pay attention to words, I get tired of songs if I have heard them ten or twenty times. The music and the beat* really keep me going in my workout, but the words, often, put me off*. Some modern songs have great beats, but the words are either appalling or cliches. "Baby, it'll be alright in the night, hold me tight, our love is right, let's fly a kite, here's my sandwich, take a bite...." you know what I mean; a good piece of music can very quickly become annoying because of the childish* lyrics*. If only my ears didn't care about words. But that's how I am; I'm into* words, and I listen to everything. So, recently, after seeing the movie Tron, I bought the soundtrack. No words. Just a lot of great techo beats and rhythmns. For now, that is doing the trick*. I hope I don't get tired of it. I need to go to a music shop and look for instrumental versions of dance hits. Hopefully, I'll find some good music with no words, if not, I'll have to develop a sense of humor about modern music's silly lyrics. Related vocabulary: night shift, treadmill, the beat, to put someone off. 1. He prefers to work at night, so he has the night shift in the hospital. 2. A treadmill is the walking machine that can vary speed and gradient. It offers a really good, custom workout. 3. The rhythm of a piece of music is what we call the beat. 4. While I was eating lunch, he blew his nose really hard. It totally put me off my food. I couldn't eat anything after that because I was so disgusted. Join me on FACEBOOK at Anna from A Cup of English, or email questions and comments to or // //

Some of my listeners have asked me to examine and explain English phrases and vocabulary in depth. I think that that is a great idea. In order to do this, I have selected a small paragraph from a magazine that is about wasting money. This will be the first in a series of 'Analysis time' that will, hopefully give you deeper understanding of certain, common vocabulary and phrases, so you will find them easier to use. Stop wasting(1) food! With a little creativity(2), you can use commonly(3) trashed(4) items and save yourself some major(5) dough(6). Did you know that, on average, Americans throw out 25 percent of the food they bring home, worth(7) an astonishing(8) $2,200 per year. Think of what you could(9) do with that cash(10)! 1. Stop wasting...! It's a command. You could add various words at the end, such as, money, time, my time, the milk. 2. With a little creativity, a little thought, a little care, a little attention to detail. You're using your brain to think carefully.               Ex: With a little effort, you could finish this project in an hour. 3. Commonly: normally, regularly, daily. It is used to describe the items that are 'trashed'. How often are they trashed? Answer is very often, normally, daily, commonly. This action is committed by most people; it is common. 4. Trashed, comes from the noun trash which means rubbish or garbage. It has become a verb, 'to trash'. Ex: We trashed the old car. This means that we threw it in the rubbish, or that we smashed it up first, and then threw it away. It is an Americanism. It essentially means the same as 'to waste'. Garbage and rubbish are only found in noun form; they are not verbs. 5. Major is also an Americanism. It means 'a lot of'. It implies an important amount, or an important position. Ex: I have major bills to pay. This could mean big bills, or a lot of bills. 6. Dough, is taken from bread dough, the uncooked bread. It means money, again slang. * A note about using slang. If you are going to use it, make it consistent. For example, in this paragraph, both 'major' and 'dough' go together well because they are BOTH slang. It sounds like a good fit. If you mix formal language with slang, it doesn't sound so good. Ex: Save yourself quite a lot of dough.   'Quite a lot of' sounds more English, precise, and from England. Whereas 'dough' is definitely slang, street language, and very informal. 7. Worth means 'has the value of'. Ex: This coat is worth a lot more than $100. 8. Astonishing here means surprising and shocking. To be astonished. Ex: I am astonished by his progress! Ex: The opulence of the palace was astonishing. 9. Think of what you could..... is a very useful phrase to which you can add a variety of verbs: Think of what you could eat at the buffet. Think of what you could learn if you went to that university. Think of what you could paint if you had the right equipment. Think of what you could achieve if you were President. 10. Cash, as you probably know is money. It's not as slang as 'dough', it can be used even in formal situations with more formal language. So, let's hear the paragraph again, first slowly, and then at normal speed.   // //

During Christmas vacation, we took a trip to Seattle to see the Nutcracker ballet, and to enjoy some time in the city. You might not know a lot about Seattle, but if you google it, you will see that it is a stunningly beautiful area, and a very cosmopolitan city. We stayed in a hotel, right downtown, and fortunately were on the thirtieth floor, so we had an impressive view of the city. After leaving our luggage in the hotel room, we decided to go for a walk around the center of town, and find a place to have lunch. We ended up choosing Ivar's restaurant, which is right on the water. It has been around for a long time, and is famous for its chowder. Chowder is a thick, creamy soup that has clams in it, though sometimes it can just have potatoes. Ivar's chowder is so popular, that it can be bought all over the Northwest in supermarkets. As Seattle is a prime spot* for seafood, we all had fish. While we were eating, our waiter gave the kids a mask each, called Ivar's diver. It goes with the sea theme, and has been Ivar's mascot since the 1960's. It was a sunny, Winter day, and we enjoyed sitting by the windows and watching the boats come and go. On such a day, this is the place to be. There is the view of the water, and also of the islands on the Puget sound, with ferries making their regular trips. We had over an hour before we had to be at the theater, so, when we finished our meal, we walked out onto the deck to have a look around. There were tables with people having lunch. They had company. There was a huge gathering of seagulls that were making a tremendous racket* begging for crumbs and leftovers. I was impressed at their size; they're much bigger than I realised. And they were quite aggressive as well. We had deliberately taken some leftover fries with us to feed them. My children threw them up into the air, over the water. These strong, hungry birds whipped* through the air, and ate most of the food before it even landed on the water. It was like watching an acrobatic display. And these birds are on to a good thing*. They are a permanent part of Ivar's because they know that there is a constant supply of food coming from the restaurant. Some people visit Ivar's just to feed the seagulls. Infact, I think that they would be a better mascot than Ivar's diver. Related vocabulary:  a prime spot/ location, a racket, to whip (through). 1. That place is a prime spot for a restaurant. It will be visible and accessible to pedestrians and drivers. We should get lots of business if we have it in that location. 2. What a racket! What a horrible noise! You don't call that music do you? It's awful! 3. The wind whipped through the building. It was so cold and uncomfortable. * Whip is both a noun and a verb. A whip is a nasty, long, leather device to control and subdue animal, and, in the past, slaves. So, here it describes the 'sting' of the wind, as if it is punishment. Feel free to EMAIL me at or Or friend me on FACEBOOK at Anna from A cup of English. // //

Studies show that the favorite food in the U.S is Mexican. The traditional hot dog and hamburger have to take second and third places, because the tasty and sometimes spicy food found south of the U.S takes first place. When I first came to the U.S., I had very little idea of how much influence Mexico has, in general, on this country. As I am English, and England is very far away from Mexico, I had only ever been to one Mexican restaurant that was in London. I didn't know much about Mexico either.  Now, twenty years on*, I'm sure that there are many more, up and down the country, especially the popular food chains like Taco Bell and Taco Time. So, during my first visit here, I ended up eating more Mexican food than I had expected. You could say that while I have lived here, I have learned not only about the U.S way of life, but also about Mexico, its food, its culture, and its people. I've been fortunate enough to* go to Mexico a few times, see its capital, explore some of its major historical buildings, and experience some of its traditions. And Wenatchee, believe it or not, is very influenced by the Mexican culture. Although it is a small town, of about 40,000, a large percentage of the population is from Mexico. Their culture is attractive and lively, and very proactive*. There are more and more restaurants, bakeries, dance clubs, travel agencies, and daycares that are Hispanic and Spanish speaking. A healthy bicultural nature is emerging in this town. Because of this, even the traditional supermarkets are offering products that Hispanics like to buy. It's good business. And one of the prefered dishes is nachos. It is based on corn or flour tortillas, which are flat and round. These can be fried to become crispy, toasted slightly in a frying pan with no oil, or simply warmed in the microwave. Nachos typically are crunchy. Bags of tortilla 'chips' are purchasable anywhere, so it's easy and convenient. Some people make a simple nacho dish of tortilla chips with tomato salsa and shredded cheese on top. However, 'loaded nachos' is a much more substantial dish that is varied and filling enough to be a full meal. The word 'loaded' is used to mean that it is a full, and quite heavy dish. A loaded gun comes to mind; it's ready to do some serious firing, and the nachos are ready to deliver some serious taste. So, we have the tortilla chips, and on top, fried , seasoned, minced beef, salsa, sour cream, advocado slices, black olives, shredded cheese, and sliced chili peppers. Wow! Beat that! It is full flavored, as you can imagine. This dish is perfect for parties and get-togethers. Recently, the Superbowl was on, and it is a tradition to have loaded nachos available as one of the dishes to enjoy while watching the football on television. The supermarkets stock up with all the ingredients, so you can easily throw them all together to make this easy but satisfying dish. Related vocabulary: ....years on, to be fortunate enough to..., proactive. (Get-together found on Facebook under Anna from A cup of English. 1. She started a naturopathic clinic. Several years on, she had to open two more; it was that popular. 2. We were fortunate enough to find five pairs of shoes on clearance. 3. He is so proactive. He is always making good things happen, and when there is conflict, he finds a way to create a good situation out of it. Feel free to EMAIL me at:   or  OR join me on FACEBOOK at: Anna from A cup of English. // //

I haven't ever had a reason to visit a podiatrist (which is what we call a foot doctor), until recently. I don't have any problem with my feet, thankfully. I suppose, over the years, the shoes that I have worn have been good enough to keep me out of the clinics. My feet rarely complain, so I ignore them most of the time. However, my son Cass, who is twelve, has been complaining for a while of heel, ankle, and arch pain. I reasoned that he is growing fast at this stage, and that growing pains of all sorts are quite common. He does play a lot of sports, and so, any problem or tenderness* can get worse. As he practices basketball twice a week, and has to do lots of running, I researched a little on the internet the ways I could ease his pains. You know I love to Google; well, I also love to find tutorials on You-tube. It's a wealth of information! In an instant, I found a video clip that demonstrates how to wrap your feet before you take part in any sporting activity. It was surprisingly simple, and really made sense. It started by showing a 3-D image of the inside of a foot. I thought it looked freaky!* The visual* made it very clear how the foot works, and why a person might experience pain. So, I wrapped Cass's feet, and he told me after practice that it had really helped. I also made an appointment for him to see a podiatrist. It was just a few days later that we went to see Dr. Hoover, a softly spoken, straightforward man. After looking at Cass' feet and his shoes, he came to the conclusion that stress from sports, and the wrong shoes, have brought about the problem. Cass normally wears Adidas shoes. They are fine for walking, but they don't provide a lot of arch support, and the basketball shoes bend in the wrong place. Apparently, a good sports shoe bends where your foot does, basically at the toe area. If it bends in the middle, it puts stress on the joint that we have in the middle of our foot, because this joint is very limited, and is not supposed to move much at all. So, after he gave us a brief lesson on how the foot works, and a list of recommended* shoes and shoe inserts*, Cass had an xray. It turns out that he has normal feet, and just needs some good support during sports. That was a relief for me; I didn't have to worry about anything serious. The next day I bought him two kinds of inserts, and different basketball shoes. These things have made all the difference. He's much happier now after practice, and no longer has stiff, tender feet in the morning. How wonderful that we have such quick access to information that can educate us, and help us avoid making mistakes with our health. Related vocabulary:tenderness, freaky, a visual, recommended: 1. When a part of your body is injured, the area around the injury can feel tender, sensitive to pain. 2. That Halloween costume is freaky! It's one of the wierdest and scariest I've seen. 3. It's much easier to study if you have a visual, because, as Shakespeare said, "A picture paints a thousand words." 4. That hotel is recommended; it has everything we need. However, the one next door isn't recommended at all. *JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK, AT   Anna from A cup of English. // // //

It was Friday night, and we had tickets for a special event. Our local Town Toyota Center was going to host a dirtbike show. We had six tickets, so there were enough for me, the kids, and my brother. I had never been to a dirt bike night at the arena, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I do like motorbikes; I took a riding course many years ago, and my husband had several, so they are an area of interest for me. We had been told that a company in town had been asked to bring in ton(nes) of earth (soil) to make a course for the bikes. "That must mean that there are some jumps!" I said to my kids, who got very excited at the thought of it. And there certainly was a lot of earth. The view from our box showed a racing course that was made entirely of soil, with about seven hills for jumping. The arena slowly filled with spectators, while a giant monster truck revved* its engine, and gave people a short ride, forwards and backwards along the length of the course. It was an enormous vehicle that was perfect for the show, but I can't imagine using it in day to day life; it wouldn't fit anywhere. The announcer stepped forward, introduced himself and the sponsors of the show, and then called forward the first set of *bikers. They were semi-professional, looked like they were in their mid twenties, and they were all riding three to four hundred cc bikes. Ten of them lined up and revved their engines. There would be money for the winner, and you could tell that they were eager.*The flag signalled go, the line dropped, and they were off with a loud, drilling machine noise from their engines, and soil flying from their back tires. They rounded the corner, and came up to the a set of bumps in the course. They had to slow down substantially to get over them without falling off. Then there was another sharper bend, and two large jumps. One by one, they flew through the air, their colors blurring* with their speed. Two more lengths of the course and they were finished with the first round. Five rounds in total and they finished. One lucky one received five hundred dollars, but the rest went home empty-handed. There followed about nine more performances from different age groups and categories, ranging from five year olds (believe it or not), to professionals. Funnily enough, the shortest session, was that of the over fourties category. They looked heavier than the first lot, but just as enthusiastic. However, when they rounded the first corner, three of them fell over, two quite badly, and that was the end of that! Two of them limped off, injured, and none of the others completed the course. My brother and I looked at eachother and shook our heads. We're both in our fourties, and we both understand that people our age don't bounce like rubber anymore. Well, by the time each category had run the course, the arena was full of exhaust fumes, and we were more than ready to go home. It had been entertaining, though quite noisy. Actually, the noisiest part was the announcer, who felt like he had to shout through the entire evening for some reason. I was glad to get in my car, in the relative quiet, and drive easily and safely home, no bumps, and no falls. Related vocabulary and expressions: a set of, eager, blurry, to rev the engine. 1. I bought a set of storage boxes and a set of flower pots that were on sale. 2. After swimming in the sea, my eyes were all blurry; I couldn't see clearly at all. 3. My neighbor was making such a noise revving his engine; does he think that he's a race car driver? // // //

There has been a scraping sound in Wenatchee for about a week. It's the sound of snow shovels. Finally, the snow is here. And there isn't just a little of it. Out of the blue*, a storm moved in, just as we were getting used to a snowless Winter. It took us all by surprise*, and it has had its usual impact on everything. Our lives have adjusted by becoming slower. You can't rush around if you are walking or driving on snow and ice. You can't afford* to be a little late, because by the time you get to where you planned on going, you will be very, very late. One of my kids told me yesterday, that one of her classmates was late for school because her front and back doors were frozen shut! There are inconveniences everywhere, and you just have to get used to them. On my way to the grocery store, there was a hold up* in the traffic. One car had slid into the snow bank that was in the middle of the road. It was stuck, and sticking out*, right in the way of the traffic. People were looking out of their windows, honking their horns, and generally looking impatient. Finally, a hero turned up to rescue the stranded person. It was a policeman. He walked slowly over to the stranded driver who was desperately spinning his wheels, assessed the situation*, got back in his car, and literally pushed the car out of the way with his police car. It worked; problem solved. One thing about living in this area is that you become more flexible in the Winter. I think you become more understanding. Everyone has things to do; we are all in a hurry, but there is a white obstacle out there, in the streets and driveways, that slows us all down, and sometimes causes accidents. So what does all of this mean? It means we have to be more thoughtful. One of our neighbor's boys cleared the snow from my friend's driveway because she's in her late seventies, and lives alone. You'll often see people snow blow their own driveways and walkways, and then continue on to the neighbor's. I'll be going over to my mother's house today to clear her walkway while she's at work because she's terrified of slipping and falling. To avoid an accident, she wears attachable*, rubber crampons, believe it or not. They keep her stable and safe. Whoever sells those should be making some good money this time of year. Related vocabulary and expressions: out of the blue, to be taken by surprise, you can't afford to, to stick out. It was a quiet, Spring day, when, out of the blue, a noisy jet screamed through the air, right above my house. I was in a daydream, looking at the flowers, when John came up to me and started talking. He took me completely by surprise. You can't afford to spend your time watching television when you have an exam tomorrow. I cut my leg on a nail that was sticking out of the step. // //

Something has grown in my mother's kitchen this Winter. It is tall, beautiful, and bright red. If you're in the room, you can't help but * look at it. It's an amaryllis. It was given to her as a Christmas present, and she has been growing it from a bulb since then. They are originally from South Africa, a member of the lily family. As there are no plants growing here in the Winter, it is common to give the gift of an amaryllis bulb in a pretty pot, as a plant to be grown inside the house. Once planted, it will quickly grow tall, and produce a stunning flower. It's the kind of plant that you want to photograph up close. Its stamen are a contrasting yellow, and hold a lot of pollen. It's similar to some of the orchids that my mother has grown through the years; they also have a very fleshy*, waxy feel to them, and have very rich colors. The other day when I visited her, I was reminded that I also have bulbs at home that need to be planted. Actually, in the Autumn, I bought three bags of bulbs, to be planted that season in the garden. Let's just say that I put them 'out of sight'*, and they are still in the bags. They have actually started to sprout, even though they are not in soil. Apparently, even though I missed the season, I can still plant them in pots and keep them in the house where they will slowly grow. Then, in the Spring, I can transplant them outside. It's a bit like the potatoes that I buy for making chips, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. If don't use them in time, they will have sprouted all sorts of roots and become inedible. Plants are programmed to grow, and they will do it, whether or not we are taking care of them. A friend of mine told me that one year she planted too many zucchini plants (they are also called courgets). They had a car parked next to the vegetable patch that was not used much. Before anyone knew it*, the zucchini vine had grown all over and inside the car! All this talk of plants is making me yearn* for the Spring. First things first though; I need to find those bags of bulbs and get them planted! Related vocabulary: you can't help but..., fleshy, out of sight, before you know it. 1. You can't help but admire him. Everybody thinks he is brilliant. 2. These apricots are so fleshy. They have a lot of body, and are filling. 3. He didn't really clean the houe. He just put everything away, out of sight, in the cupboard. 4. You'll have a child, and, before you know it, he will have grown, and will be leaving for college. // //

It's been such a mild Winter. There has been no sign of snow for weeks and weeks, which is very odd. Christmas didn't feel very Christmasy because of it. But there is an up side* to this strange weather. Everyone has been able to go for walks. Normally, when there is so much snow and ice around, you don't see people walking on the street at all. They stay in their cars, nice and warm, if they want to go anywhere. But this year, people are still walking and jogging on the streets. The parks are almost as busy with people as they are in the Spring or Autumn. Walking in the countryside is something that I love to do. It gets the heart pumping, the circulation going*, and clears the mind. So, a couple of days ago, my brother and I went up into the hills that are nearby. We followed a road called Horselake, up to a rough, primitive road, that took us winding up, away from the town. It was a cold day, with mist sitting on the tops of the hills. The grasses and bushes up there were all different hues* of brown, blonde, and pale greens, - very gentle on the eyes. We were hoping to see some wildlife: perhaps a coyote, or a deer. My brother noticed all kinds of foot prints in the mud. Some were definitely those of dogs, but a few looked as though they could have been cougar prints. We do have them in the area; we've even had a couple in town in recent years. Yikes!* I don't like the sound of that! Well, we walked upwards, following a ridge. On one side of it we could see a valley with the Wenatchee river cutting through it, and on the other side, a steep slope down into a ravine*. It was hard work, but worth it. The view was great. We ended up walking down onto the road because from there, we could access some sandstone caves. I had been up this way before, but had never seen the caves. They blend into the side of the hill, so they are very hard to see. We scrambled* down to reach them, and then spent some time exploring. It was fun. It reminded me of rock climbing in England when I was young, though I'm not as brave now as I was then. We crawled up to the biggest ones, and took photos, and looked for signs of animals. The wind and water had carved out fascinating shapes, mini bridges and arches, and little places that would be perfect for small animals. There was evidence of birds staying there: droppings*. After taking photos and having a good look around, we headed back to the car. There was still no sign of coyotes, but, then again, they are very smart animals, and had probably been observing us the whole time. Related vocabulary: an up side to something, get the circulation going, a hue, yikes. 1. This weather is terribly wet. Mind you, the up side is that the garden is getting plenty of water. 2. That aerobics class is hard. It really gets the circulation in the body going. 3. She painted her whole house in different hues of yellow. 4. Yikes! I wouldn't want to hold that rattlesnake! // //

There was a special day to celebrate, back in November. A friend of mine was graduating from a nursing program(me) which she had been in for two years. Normally, as a young student, two years of study isn't that much. However, she is in her forties, married, and has two boys, so it was quite a challenge. Mijung, is my very good friend from Korea. We have known eachother for about seven years. Infact, our boys went to the same preschool, and it was there that we met eachother. We got together once after preschool and had lunch while the children played, and our friendship took off* from there. Mijung is both compassionate and intelligent, so I think that she has the right qualities to make an effective nurse. I actually haven't seen her much for the past two years because of her busy schedule*. Knowing how much effort she had put into her studies, and how difficult it had been to maintain a balance between studying full time, and also having a family, I was determined to go to her graduation ceremony to show my support. It took place in the gymnasium of the college that she studied at, here in Wenatchee. By the time I found a parking spot and ran into the building, it was packed with people, and the teachers were giving their speeches. It was warm in the gym. Families, dressed elegantly, were sitting in groups, holding flowers, and looking very proud. There was a surprisingly large number of children running around (girls in pretty dresses, boys in smart suits) unaware of the formality* of the occasion. They must have enjoyed the spacious feel of the room, and the shiny floors. A few mothers got up and told their kids not to roll around on the floor, and they did their best to wipe off their children's now not-so-clean clothes. Finally, the time came to give out the graduation badges. I took off my coat, got out my camera, and squeezed past* a few people so I could see my friend clearly enough to take a good photo. "We will hand out the badges in alphabetical order," announced the speaker. "Oh, great! Mijung's last name begins with 'W'; I'm going to be waiting for a while," I thought to myself. It was a school day, and I had just over an hour before having to pick the kids up. The graduates approached the podium* to say a few words and receive their badges. Most of them were tearful and happy; they thanked their family members for supporting them, and those with children said a big thankyou for everyone's patience. I actually grew impatient, listening to all of the mini-speeches. I didn't want to leave without seeing Mijung. I couldn't quite get to the perfect spot to photograph her: if I moved to the left, a flower arrangement blocked her face. If I moved to the right the podium was in the way. Finally, a little frustrated, I just walked out in front of the first row of seats and started to take pictures. Her name was called. She got up quickly and joined her family at the podium. She hugged her family and everyone applauded. She was one of the few students who received the extra honor of graduating with straight 'A's': Magna cum laude, I think it's called.  During the applause, I managed to catch Mijung's eye, and I waved and blew her a kiss. What an accomplishment! She deserves to feel proud. I'm sure she'll make a positive impact on people who need physical help. It was such a happy moment for so many students. Even the very young children who were running around and sliding on the floor, clapped as if they knew what was going on. I checked my watch, and I was glad that I did, because I only had five minutes left before I had to leave. I fumbled* to get my camera back in the bag, I quickly handed a present for Mijung to her husband, and waved goodbye. Related vocabulary:to take off, busy schedule, formality, to squeeze (past) 1. The business took off as soon as it opened. It has done really well since then. 2. I have to change my busy schedule; it's too much. I'm so busy that it's not even practical! 3. You must understand the formality of the occasion; the correct dress and etiquette should be used. 4. She squeezed through the crowd to get a better look at the pop singer. // //

It's that time of year when a lot of people are waiting to go South. Normally, by now, we would have snow, lots of it, and icy roads. This year, however, has been very strange. We experience hard frosts at night, but sunny days. Everyone is talking about how strange the weather is. Children have their winter boots, gloves, and hats at the ready*. At the first sign of snow, they will frantically get dressed, and run outside to play in the glorious white stuff. But, it's just not happening. By now, also, most migrating birds have left to go to either California, Florida, Mexico, or some other sunny destination. But, even some of them are hanging around* the town still, waiting for the snow to come. I was coming out of Walmart the other day, when I saw a cloud of birds swirling around in the sky, 'practicing' moving as a group. They looked playful, and amazingly skilled*. They moved to and fro* effortlessly like hundreds of acrobats working in unison*. As I got closer to my car, I saw that they had settled on a radio tower across the highway. I took out my new camera to zoom in and get a closer look. There were hundreds of them sitting on the metal poles. It was like a chatty, nervous group of people, waiting excitedly for something. I'm not surprised that they were excited. The thought of going somewhere sunny is very appealing right now. Many people I know have already made plans to spend a month or two in Arizona. They are usually retired, and therefore can afford to take off* for a long time. Younger people can usually only go for a couple of weeks because they have to come back and work, of course. Golf or tennis are usually the planned activities for those Winter vacations. And, when the travelers come back, they show off their tans to the rest of us. I'm sure, even though the weather is strange this year, the migrating birds will soon be gone, and our retired family members and friends will have packed their bags and left too. Perhaps a heavy fall of snow will come a month late, so we can enjoy a little more sun for a little longer. Either way, we'll cheer up our long, dark nights with Christmas lights, and stay cozy by the fire. Related vocabulary: at the ready, to hang around, skilled, to and fro. 1. Water pistols at the ready! The water fight is about to begin! 2. A group of suspicious young men were hanging around our neighborhood last night. We should find out who they were. 3. Look how skilled the potter is! The detail she puts on her ceramics are amazingly fine. She is excellent and exact at what she does. 4. I watched the bird go to and fro from its nest, bringing worms and bugs to feed to its babies. // // // //

My morning routine has ups and downs*. First thing in the morning, I find myself rushing around like a frantic woman, trying to get my children up out of bed, and off to school. I'm usually still in my pajamas (pyjamas)* when I drop the kids off, and I drive off quickly before anyone sees me. But, when I get home, I can slow down a little before I start the chores of the day, or run errands. I take my time over my morning coffee, stretch, pet the dogs, check my emails and Facebook, have a bit more coffee, and then plan my day. I was doing that this morning, when there was a knock at the door. A Federal Express delivery man handed me a package, a large box. I had to sign in order to receive it, and then he went on his way. I assumed that the package was for my husband, who buys a lot of cycling and hunting equipment on-line*. However, it was addressed to me! I was instantly awake, and opened the box quickly. The side of the box said 'Greenvale Scottish baby potatoes'. I knew that I hadn't ordered any potatoes; why would I? But the word Scottish gave me a clue as to what was inside, and who it was from. My father lives in Scotland, on the West coast. And, yes, it was from him. Thankfully, the box wasn't full of potatoes, but rather, it was brimming with Christmas presents. I was so surprised! He and his wife had wrapped up all of the gifts in traditional wrapping paper, with colors of red, green, gold, and white. I took them out of the box, and tried to guess what they were. " The children will be so excited to see them under the Christmas tree when they get home," I thought to myself. This is their last week of school, and they are beginning to anticipate# the holidays. I noticed that one of the wrapping papers had one of my favorite English Christmas carols on it: The Holly and the Ivy. The first two lines were visible under the bow. It says: 'The Holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown. And the rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.' It really sets the scene for Christmas. I must rush out and send off a package as soon as possible to Scotland. I hope it gets there on time! Related vocabulary and expressions: ups and downs, pyjamas, on-line, (to anticipate   at Anna From A cup of English on Facebook). 1. We all have ups and downs; sometimes we are positive and energetic, and other times we are the opposite. 2. Pyjamas is the English spelling. Pajamas is the American spelling. 3. I do a lot of my work on-line, which is very convenient. I can even do it in my pyjamas.   // //

Do you ever watch the programs (programmes) on television that show the funniest international advertisements? They generally come out about Christmas time, and provide an hour of side-splitting* entertainment. Advertising is to be scrutinized*. Even my children will comment on whether or not an advertisement is any good. Some are very clever, some are downright* annoying, and some are confusing. I've found that as my children's critical thinking develops, so do their comments about anything in the media. "That advertisement sucks," one of them will say. Obviously 'sucks' is slang for something being awful or of very poor quality. I will ask why it 'sucks', and the answer will be something like, "It's not convincing," or "there's no point to it," or perhaps even, "they're trying to be funny, but they're not." I suppose the whole point of advertising is to catch the attention of the public, and to convince us to buy something. So, everyone should be a critic, and we should use our own brains to decide how good an advertisement is, and if the product is really worth buying. Sometimes the simplest advertisements are the best. I remember a series of Australian beer commercials for Foster's, that were really funny. They were very basic, showing how rugged* Australia is, and then indicating that Foster's beer is also rugged. The commercials used exaggeration to get their message across, and they did a good job. The other day I came across an unusual form of advertising: a large pretzel hanging in a tree. It sounds a little strange, doesn't it? It was outside a bakery, in the town of Leavenworth. Several pretzels were hanging on several trees along the street, and they had obviously come from the bakery which displayed pretzels. I thought that this was a genius idea. I went inside and asked a lady who was arranging cakes if there was a story or tradition around# the pretzel hanging in the tree. "Oh no," she said, "it's just for advertising." It had certainly sparked by interest. Infact, whether they intended it or not, that bakery had established  its own tradition  through advertising. Related vocabulary and expressions: side-splitting, to scrutinize, downright, rugged (a story/ tradition around  on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish) 1. The comedy night at the local club was side-splittingly funny. When I got home, my stomach and my sides hurt from laughing. 2. My neighbors scrutinize everything that I do: how I park my car, when I mow the lawn, even how often I walk the dog. 3. She is downright lazy! She sits around, watching tv, and expects everyone else to work! 4. The men who live in this area are rugged; they are tough, hard working, and basic. // //

What kind of characteristics or behavior can get you the title of Student of the Month? What would you imagine them to be? Intelligent? Avid* reader? High scorer? Or, are there other qualities that can get you noticed by teachers and rewarded. It looks as if there are many traits* and behaviors that can get a student both noticed and appreciated. Recently, in my childrens' middle school, there was an awards ceremony for a group of students who had 'stood out'* as community builders. By community, I mean the student body*, and the overall atmosphere that it carries. When I received the letter from the school, that my son Cass, had been nominated by his teachers for a community award, I was intrigued. I assumed that he had done something for the community of Wenatchee, perhaps for a charity. When I asked him what it meant, he told me that he didn't really know. Knowing that the principal would give some kind of speech about the award, I decided to wait and see what he had to say. The ceremony took place at ten in the morning, during school. The students who were nominated were excused from their various classes, and joined the parents in the assembly hall. The principal introduced himself, and then started to talk about what 'community' actually means within the school, and why it is so important. He talked about students having a positive and caring attitude, and being the 'glue' that holds the student community together, and helps to create a generally positive environment. As I listened to what he was saying, I realised that, yes, community is essential in school. If the student environment is safe and friendly, the young people can learn so much more, and feel free to be themselves, and perhaps even enjoy their school days. The last thing that students need is stress, so if the school system rewards community, I suppose it elevates the comfort level of all members. I took lots of photos of Cass and the other students, who had all been nominated by various teachers. They stood on stage in a group, holding their certificates proudly. After the ceremony, there was time for refreshments#, and mingling# with the other families. I read Cass' award which said, "His maturity, friendliness, and willingness to accept all kids makes him a wonderful member of any group." I felt very proud. I have his award on my desk now, and plan to frame it and put it in a place where everyone can see it. Related vocabulary:avid, traits, to stand out, student body (refreshments, mingling - found on Facebook, at Anna Fromacupofenglish). 1. He is an avid bird watcher; it is his main passion. 2. Characteristics and traits really mean the same thing, though traits can automatically mean physical features. 3. He stood out in the crowd; he was much taller than most people, and was wearing unusually colorful clothes. 4. The student body is putting on a play next week. Every student has his or her own part. Join me on Facebook at Anna Fromacupofenglish, and find more related vocabulary!   // //

Those of you who have been listening to my podcast for the past three years, will know that I have complained about my camera on quite a few occasions. Though it has been both useful and practical for my podcasts, and small enough to fit in my handbag, I have been frustrated with it most of the time. I've described it as a 'dinosaur' more than once. This is a term we often use for an out-of-date piece of technology, such as a computer, or an old cell phone. Well, my little camera is going to be handed down to one of my kids, recycled you could say, because I've got a new one. It's a Cannon, a birthday present from my husband. And, let me tell you, it was love at first sight!*I actually hadn't spent any time researching the best buy*, nor had I asked anyone for advice on the matter. However, I did have a mental list* of prerequisites*: 1. It should be compact enough to fit in my handbag (I'm more likely# to lose it if I have to carry it in a second bag), 2. It needs to take good quality video so I can get action shots of my children playing sports, and also be able to upload video easily to my app., 3. It needs a powerful focus to pick up small detail very clearly. I'm really into# detail when it comes to photos. You know the kind of photos that show the middle of a tiny flower, with pollen on the stamen, and by comparison the petals look huge; that's the kind that I would like to take. I'm going to experiment with my cannon, and find out just how much detail is possible. Perhaps I can focus in enough on a small flower, to be able to get a tiny bug sitting on a stamen. Or even better: I could shoot the hair on the back of the tiny bug that is sitting on the stamen! Wow, that would almost be ridiculous. Seriously, I would be quite happy with clear, close-up detail. I tried out# my camera the other day when we went for a walk up one of the local hills: Saddlerock. Most of it was a steep climb, but it was a perfect day, and everyone was enthusiastic about the exercise. Though the path was really muddy all the way up, the views of the town and surrounding hills were impressive. We reached the top, and sat down at a rocky outcrop. As the children played with the dogs, and my husband tried to spot deer, I took lots of photos. The ones that I like most from that trip, were those of the rock formations and the lichen. If you see the picture on the blog or the app, you'll be able to make out the cubic, stair-step pattern of the rock, and the different colors of lichen growing on it. Marvelous. I'm hoping to upload some impressive photos from now on. I'm so excited about the camera that I bought another, bigger handbag to make sure that all of my stuff plus my camera, can go everywhere I do. Well, that's my excuse. Related vocabulary: Love at first sight, the best buy, mental list, prerequisites, (to be likely to, to be into, to try out). 1. Cinderella and the Prince looked at eachother, and it was love at first sight. 2. I got the best buy on this oven; three magazines say it's the best, plus it was on sale. 3. I've a good memory; I can make a mental list of what I need in the supermarket, and I remember everything! 4. The most important prerequisite we are looking for in a store manager is to be personable. **If you join me on Facebook, at Anna Fromacupofenglish, you can read the last 3 items of related vocabulary. // //

The tenth of November was a day of great excitement for my son, Hudson. He had been waiting for months for a new video game to be released. Skyrim is a game of battling dragons, strange worlds lost in time, heroes, enemies, and lots of gore*! It was going to be released at midnight, so the very beginning of 11, 11, of 2011. Skyrim is one of a series of games called the Elder Scrolls, made by Bethesda. It's appeal is basically a concoction of everything that teenagers, and some adults, like in a game: knights, weapons, spells, fights, castles, and graphics guided by endless imagination. The music is awesome as well. You could say that it is epic and mythological. I'm actually a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so perhaps my son gets the love of such things from me. Well, it just so happened that all the schools in our area were going to be closed on Friday 12th because of Veterans Day. Perfect timing! Hudson could look forward to not only the whole weekend of playing his game, but Friday as well. However, someone had to go with him to the store, and wait in line. Now, who would that be? I can only think of one person: me. Of course I would do anything for my kids: climb the highest mountain, fight the fiercest dragon (or neighborhood dog), or even jump infront of the school bus if I had to. But lining up at midnight, in freezing weather, outside a video game shop didn't seem as heroic or appealing. But I did it. Infact, I did it twice. You actually had to turn up at ten o'clock and line up to get a ticket with a number on it. Then you had to come back at midnight, line up in numerical order*, hand in your ticket, and get the game. Well, it just so happens that Hudson had fallen asleep at about 9:30, so I had to drive over by myself to make sure that we got a ticket. Now, we did also have the option* of having a normal night's sleep, and just buying the game first thing in the morning* on Friday 11th. But where's the fun in that? This was special, so we had to do it the exciting way. Seeing that Hudson was asleep, I got in the car and drove to the video game store as quickly as possible, too quickly actually, because I forgot my coat. As I parked, I realised that there was already a long line of customers waiting, and they were all bundled up in warm clothes. I looked around the car in a panic, hoping to find an extra coat. There was one, belonging to my eight year old son. I took it and quickly lined up. Time went by really slowly; I stamped my feet and wrapped the small coat around my shoulders, finally squeezing the little hood onto my head. Of course, I looked ridiculous, but I just wanted to stay warm. An hour and a half later, I was handed my ticket: number eighty two. Phew! What a relief! I felt sorry for the other one hundred people behind me, but I was mainly thinking about getting back into my warm car. I drove home, picked up Hudson, and back we went. When we arrived, there were even more people there, still waiting for their tickets. Thankfully, we were able to walk straight into the store and get the Collector's Edition of Skyrim; I even took a photo of the occasion. Mission accomplished. I had proven my love for my son by braving freezing weather, and battling lines of evil customers. Now, it was time to kill some dragons. Related vocabulary: gore, numerical order, to have the option, first thing in the morning. 1. I dont' like all that gore in the movies. There is far too much blood and guts! 2. We will announce the winners in reverse numerical order, from fourth place to the overall winner. 3. You know, you have the option of flying instead of driving; it's more expensive, but it will save you a lot of time. 4. The best light is early in the day, so we'll get up first thing in the morning and set up the camera. // //

Those of you have been following my podcasts over the past few months, will know that my husband has recently 'got into'*hunting. He is now fully licensed, fully equipped, and on his way to becoming an experienced hunter. Today, instead of leaving at six in the morning, as he usually does, to go to work, he spent the morning with me. He has taken a few days off to go with a friend to Minnesotta to hunt White Tail deer. He deserves a small vacation, so I have enthusiastically watched him pack all of his gear*, and listen to his plans for a successful hunt. Because he was ready ahead of time, he had a couple of hours to kill*, so we went up to the local shooting range to try out a couple of his rifles. I am a novice*, so I was quite happy to watch as he shot at the targets. It was freezing cold, and I had bundled myself up in three coats, a scarf, and a bobble hat: not exactly the right fashion sense for a tough shooter. The first rifle that Tom used was extremely loud; thankfully we both had heavy duty* ear protection on. The funny thing was, each time we said something to eachother, we couldn't hear; we spent the whole time saying,"What?" and having to repeat everything in loud voices. As Tom tested his rifles, I had a good look around. There wasn't that much to look at. The range is basically a long roof that shelters the marksmen. There are a few chairs here and there, but no houses around (who would want to live next to a shooting range?). There was nobody but us there; the hills surrounding us were bare, and there was no wind, not even a sound. Well, the only sound was the horrendously loud noise of the rifle, but other than that, it all felt desolate. I imagined someone whistling the theme tune from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but then I realized that with my woolly bobble hat, I had destroyed any image of cowboys. I did notice, however, some very interesting signs, three to be precise. Obviously, from the looks of them*, some people who come to practice get silly with the guns, and do dangerous things. I read the word "don't" over and over. Apparently, some people shoot beyond the shooting range on to private property, or they shoot at the ground (which is dangerous), or at objects that they shouldn't. T-t-t-t-t-t, very naughty. Someone needs to have his gun taken away, doesn't he? And someone needs to be put in time-out*. I'm glad that I'm not at the shooting range when other people are there; it's potentially very dangerous, and I wouldn't trust other people's sense of safety. Anyway, before we left, I had a go shooting a lighter rifle, one that would be good for hunting birds or rabbits. I found it hard at first to look through the scope, but I go the hang of it. I calmed my breathing, and tried not to move. The cross was over the bullseye, and POW! What a shot! Not bad at all; almost right on the bullseye!. That felt good. I continued, each time thinking carefully about keeping still and controlling my breathing. POW! POW! BANG! WHAMMO! And another BANG! Hey, I'm not a bad shot at all. I even brought the target home to prove it. Related expressions: to get into something, gear, heavy duty, a novice. 1. She really got into sculpting a few years ago, and now is quite good. 2. To rock climb, you need the right gear. You should also check your gear after using it to see if any of it is worn out. 3. I need some heavy duty earplugs; my husband snores like a rhinoceros. 4. Novice hunters are potentially dangerous; the experts are much safer. // //

I had never heard of a Round Robin, until this past Sunday. My friend, Jody, invited me to a ladies' round robin in the town of Issaquah which is on the outskirts of Seattle. We left at about eight o'clock, stopped for coffee on the way, and reached the town of North Bend at about ten thirty. Jody had decided to expand our day trip to include an hour of shopping, and North Bend is a great place to do that. There is an open mall area that has many discount, name brand stores; we call them 'outlet'* shops. The items are new, but very reduced in price, possibly because they are a season or two old. I rarely* go there, but I know many women will make the two hour trip, just to get some bargains. My mind wasn't set on shopping; I was intrigued about the round robin coming up. I was also distracted by the beautiful countryside. Going over the Cascades towards Seattle from Wenatchee is awesome, if you love miles of dense forest, and high mountains. Of course, as you approach Seattle, there is a drastic climate change; the area obviously gets lots of rain. There is nothing but green, and trees everywhere. Overlooking North Bend is the impressive Mount Si, a huge mountain that seems to appear out of nowhere. We got back on the road*at about eleven thirty, and reached our destination just before twelve. Walking into the house was quite surprising. The place was packed with ladies, all wearing different hats (everyone was told to wear a hat as a conversation starter). The house itself was intensely decorated, and filled from floor to ceiling with memorabilia, ornaments, photos, and collectibles. I have never seen anything like it in a private home. I have been to a few antique and collectible stores that were chock-a-block* with items. After being introduced to the host and several other ladies, I turned to Jody and said, "This place must be a nightmare to dust!" Every piece of wall was covered with something, and shelves were full to overflowing with things. We were all called to sit down in the main lounge, have vodka and orange, and introduce ourselves. The point of a round robin tea party is to get to know everyone in the room, at least for a few minutes. So, a five course meal was served by the host's husband, and with each course we were to sit in a different room with a different group of ladies. Each course took about half an hour, and during that time we ate, drank far too much tea, and chatted. Some of the ladies had done this for years, and others like myself, were experiencing it for the first time. And, you know, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I had the opportunity to briefly get to know some fascinating ladies. One of the most fascinating was the host, Mary. She had started having parties at the age of seven, and had arranged them ever since. She fills her calendar with gettogethers, parties and trips, for the whole year, and organizes who will be there, and when the invitations go out. It's amazing. Her husband is as amazing as she is. Most men I know would want to live in a house that is like a 'living scrapbook', and certainly wouldn't be interested in serving lunch to a large group of chatty ladies. But, thankfully, it takes all sorts*. Related vocabulary: outlet shops, rarely, to get on the road, chock-a-block (chock-full), it takes all sorts (to make a world). 1. There's no point buying a coat for full price at a regular shop. Go to the outlet shop instead, and save money. 2. "Do you drink?" "Rarely." "How often?" "Once a year." 3. We need to get on the road (be on the road) by six, so we'll get to the office on time. 4. His room is chock-a-block with books and magazines; you can hardly walk in the room, it's so full. 5. That man goes everywhere on a unicycle. Oh well! It takes all sorts! // //

Paying bills can be such a pain. It's a necessary evil. It's also something that keeps us honest: when we have to look at our true expenses in the face*, it makes us consider our life styles, and whether or not we are being responsible. But still, it's a pain. I have to have peace and quiet to do it properly: no one around, no music, no tv. Like other people, I have a system that helps me. Daily, I sort out the bills from the junk mail. The junk goes into the recycling bin, and the bills go in a neat pile on my desk. Then, later on, I'll open the bills and sort them out chronologically, so the ones that need to be paid soonest go on top of the pile. The system cuts down on paperwork, and it makes me feel as if the job is already half done. So, when I eventually sit down to pay the bills, I'm organised: I have stamps, stickers with my name and address, extra envelopes, and the bills. What else do I need*? Enthusiasm.... The bills that take up most of my time are from the credit card companies that we use. Why? Well, it's because I pay a lot of my bills automatically with my credit card. It saves me* getting a late fee because I've forgotten to pay, let's say, my electricity bill, or my phone bill on time. It's convenient, and nowadays, most credit card companies have security arrangements, so you only pay what you really owe. If there is a charge to your credit card that you're unfamiliar with, you can always question it, or even stop it. Suspicious charges do crop up every now and then, and so it's important to check all of the charges on your monthly statement. That has been my experience. Even today, as I looked over the list of figures, I saw a substantial charge from a company that I know I owe nothing. I had previously bought a product from them, but had paid 50% of the total cost when I placed the order, and the remaining 50% when I received the product. "Gosh!" I said to myself. "They're charging me a third time!" I got on the phone, and told one of their billing specialists. Surprisingly, she was not apologetic at all, quite the opposite; she was abrupt and impatient. Perhaps she'd been hearing from lots of people about the same issue. She asked for my credit card number in order to reimburse* me, and we said goodbye. I wasn't satisfied, however. So, I called the credit card company and asked them to make a note that I don't owe anything else to this particular company. The lady said that customers, like myself, need to be vigilant. It is our responsibility to keep checking to see if the reimbursement has taken place. "It can take three days, or even up to 28 days, depending on the company." I was glad that she told me that, and have decided to check every few days to make sure that these suspicious bills don't crop up again. Related vocabulary and expressions: to look something in the face, what else, it saves (a person) or (a continuous verb), to reimburse 1. He looked his laziness in the face, and decided to take action and do his laundry. 2. We've got everything for the trip: passports, money, credit cards, hotel reservations....what else do we need? Oh, luggage! 3. Pin the socks together before they go in the washing machine. It saves searching for the other sock afterwards. OR It saves your mother time! 4. I was overcharged when I bought the sofa, but after telling the company, they reimbursed me. // //

The Skagit Valley is a beautifully dreamy green valley located between the Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sound. It is very close to the border with Canada, and right next to the West Coast. I went there a few months ago with my husband, as he had a business meeting with some potato growers. We drove along miles of tree-lined coastal roads, and finally came to a large, flat, lush valley that is farmland. It was cooler and more moist than Wenatchee. There was a consistent breeze coming from the ocean, and everywhere you looked was green. As we drove along, I tried my best* to take photos of the shady lanes and coastal views with my cell phone, but as with many photos, they do not do the beauty of the landscape justice*. We finally arrived at Wallace Farms. It is located in a fairly remote part of the valley: there's not much else around other than potatoes and more potatoes. As this was a business meeting, I decided not to sit in with my husband and his fellow company workers, as I would certainly be the odd one out*. So, I hung out* in the vestibule, and read all about the Wallaces. The family originally came from Scotland. They settled in Ireland, where they grew potatoes on the rolling hills of the far West coast, overlooking the Atlantic. In the 1800's they immigrated to Skagit Valley, and put their farming experience into practice. This particular area of the country is one of the best in the world for raising potatoes. The climate is mild and moist; the land is rich, and there is no lack of water. These happen to be the best conditions for growing this root vegetable. And they do it well. Their farm produces rich, healthy varieties with very smooth skins. The colors range anywhere from very white, to bright red, and to deep purple. They grow conventionally and also organically. I browsed through the well-known Cosco recipe magazine, and Wallace potatoes were recommended for several recipes. Having a mention from Cosco is like having a stamp of approval put on their product. As I waited for the meeting to finish, I thought about how popular potatoes are. Let's face it, everybody loves them. Have you ever met anyone who doesn't? And think how their use has spread from central America to the rest of the world. The simple potato is quite grand, if you think about it. And the high quality ones produce a lot of business.  Related vocabulary and expressions:to try one's best, to do something justice, to be the odd one out, to hang out. 1. He tried his best to fix the car, but it was too worn out to be repaired. 2. That photo doesn't do her justice; she's far more beautiful in person. 3. They all knew about knitting, and I don't know anything about it; I really felt like the odd one out. 4. While I see the dentist, you can hang out in the waiting room. // //

Halloween has become a bigger and more celebrated holiday over the past few years. I suspected that it would. There is something innately fun about being scared, and telling scary stories. Parties and dressing up appeal to the child in all of us, of course. But I've noticed just how the machine of materialism is driving these occasions. There are Halloween cards now in the shops, so the expectation will soon be that you must give your friends and family a 'Happy Halloween' card. The decorations for Halloween have also increased and become extremely varied. It's not just a pumpkin and a skeleton anymore. People are beginning to put up lights, as they do for Christmas. It's not a bad thing in itself; it does get dark early this time of year, so lights are a good thing. It's just that our actions tend to be driven by what is sold in the shops and what is seen on television. For example, if a large shop like Walmart advertises a cute Halloween scene on television in which we see lots of purple and orange lights, children happily dressed up, plastic pumpkins, skeletons, witches, people giving eachother cards and presents, then the expectation becomes that of doing the same thing. In a way, we are dictated to. Or you could say that we follow like sheep. Now, don't get me wrong, I love to decorate my house, and to have special occasions to look forward to. However, where does the materialism end? Even Martha Stewart, who is the American guru for home decorating and cooking, has a line of elegant Halloween decorations for the home. I was curious to see what exactly they were when I found them on sale in a craft shop. So, I bought a couple of packets. They are pre-cut shapes of rats, crows, and spiders that you stick around your house. It's actually a good idea if you want to add a little spookiness to your home without overdoing it. The shapes are simple but artistic, they catch the eye, but they aren't overpowering like some other Halloween decorations. So, am I a sheep? Was I dictated to by a big, money making corporation? Maybe. Ah, but these decorations were on sale. Plus, they satisfy my need to decorate the house. And I haven't given in* to the whole* card thing. That's where I draw the line: I won't buy 'Happy Halloween' cards, so there! And you know what's coming next, don't you? Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. It's all about being thankful, and spending time with friends and family. Perfect. No presents, no cards, no stress. My prediction is, however,  that that is changing. Last year was the first time that I have ever seen Thanksgiving cards in the shops. I believe the manufacturers' angle* to encourage sales is thankfulness! "I'm thankful for you on this Thanksgiving day," say some of the cards. Mark my words*, next it will be presents. So what's next? Gifts and cards for Bank holidays? Related vocabulary and expressions: to have an 'angle', mark my words, to give in to, the whole .... thing. 1. The angle of his argument is that businesses should have more freedom. 2. I know you don't often listen to me, but I was right about him, wasn't I? Mark my words: he's trouble! 3. She gave in to the pressure to shave her head with her friends. The next day she regretted the decision, and wore a paper bag over her head. 4. I just don't have time for the whole "look at my expensive car, aren't I great" attitude. Who cares what kind of car you drive? // //

During my visit to the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, there were several Native American displays. One was a story telling session, inside a large, colorful, inflated salmon. Two ladies from the Yakima Indian tribe sang songs and told a couple of stories. One was about salmon. As with many Native American stories, the main characters are animals with superpowers and human characteristics. It was an emotional story, told well by the ladies, wearing long skirts, and braided hair. It begins with the Creator giving humans the gift of salmon, along with instructions as to how to take care of them. They were never to be greedy or wasteful, only taking the amount of salmon that they needed to eat. For the first few generations, the people were obedient. However, their attitude changed and they became wasteful. Before long, there were no salmon left, and the people started to go hungry. Seeing that they had been disobedient, they were desperate to find a way to bring back the salmon to their rivers. One day, the story says, some of them found a dead salmon on the side of the river. "If we can bring it back to life, other salmon will return." They tried jumping over the fish five times, as legend said that that would revive the creature. Nothing happened. "Let's call on Old Man Rattlesnake. He is wise and has great powers." He lived away from the people, and was so old that he took a long time to walk. As he was on his way, Coyote, the shrewd and sneaky one, tried to trick the people into believing that he had great powers. He wanted to be famous. He quickly jumped over the fish, and at the fifth jump, knocked it with his stick, claiming that he had made it move. However, the people knew not to trust him. Then Old Man Rattlesnake arrived, and with great effort jumped four times. At the fifth jump, he suddenly disappeared into the fish which sprang to life. The salmon then returned to the rivers, swimming upstream. The people had learned their lesson about being greedy and wasteful. To this day, if you cut open a salmon, and look at its spine, you can see a long, white line of flesh which is the mark of Old Man Rattlesnake, and how he revived the salmon. Related vocabulary: braids, wasteful, shrewd, sneaky. 1. Her mother braided her hair every morning. She would part the hair into three sections and fold them over expertly. 2. The Yakima Indians learned not to be wasteful with the Creator's gift of salmon. 3. She is a shrewd business woman. She thinks and plans carefully, making the most of every opportunity. 4. Watch out for him. He's like a sneaky fox. He'll know your private information without you realising. // //

Yesterday, I had the most unusual thing to do. If you had asked me a couple of years ago if I could see myself doing what I did yesterday, I would have told you that you're insane. I delivered a Bobcat to a taxidermist. Take a while to chew on that sentence*. I will explain. My husband recently developed the hobby of shooting. He started by acquiring a rifle, a shot gun, and a pistol. Fine, I thought. Then, the passion took hold* more substantially. His gun safe became quite full, he learned the hobby of loading his own bullets (that will be a whole other podcast), and several full length camouflage suits can now be found hanging in his closet. His obsession has grown. I'll give you some background to this situation, so you can get a clear picture. First of all, in this area, hunting is a major sport. There is a wide variety of wild animals, including predatory animals, that you can legally hunt. This activity is controlled and monitored by the Fish and Wildlife department of Washington State, which is responsible for preserving all of the native animals, and controlling their populations. Some years, the deer population explodes, which in turn, leads to a huge increase of cougars over the next few years. Crops and gardens can suffer because of too many deer, and farmers' livestock disappear with the increase of cougars. So, in a relatively short space of time, the situation can get out of control. It's great to know that there are plenty of the native animals in this state, but a safe and healthy balance needs to be maintained. Another reason for my husband's new love of hunting, is that all of his cousins (who live in a small, rural town about an hour away) are hunters. They are the type that always have hunting permits ready, and carry guns in their trucks, on the off chance* of running into a wild beastie. One of Tom's cousins is a cattle rancher. He and his hired cowboys take the cows up into the hills to pasture*. "The place is crawling with cougars," he has said to Tom. And he has often lost cattle to the cougars because they are so healthy and well-fed. There are no predators of cougars, so they need to be controlled through hunting. Anyway, my husband so far has managed to get a coyote, and a bobcat. I knew that it would be up to me to take the bobcat to the taxidermist because my husband leaves early for work, and comes back late. So, with mixed feelings, I took this beautiful cat to Tubb's taxidermy to be turned into a rug. How bizzare. The first thing that I saw when I walked into the building was a huge cylindrical machine that was humming, and inside were a couple of dogs. "Are those dogs?" I asked the owner. "Yes," he replied, and explained that they were beloved pets that were being freeze-dried for their owners....As I looked around the room, I felt, actually, as if I was the one being observed. There were animal heads and skins everywhere, and all eyes were on me. Even the massive moose head on the wall seemed to say, "What are you doing here, you silly woman?"Well, I went over the details of the kind of rug we want, made a deposit, and had a quick, last look at the stretched out skins, the hanging furs, the skull molds, and the freeze drying Foofy and Bingo. I made a quick exit. I've come to the conclusion, that being a helpful wife can often open the door to strange experiences, and good material to write about. Related vocabulary and expressions: take a while to chew on that, the passion takes hold, on the off chance, to pasture. 1. He chewed over the situation in his mind before he confronted his boss. 2. The passion for sailing took hold of him at a young age; he's been sailing ever since. 3. I took my umbrella with me, on the off chance that it rained. 4. The farmer put the cows out to pasture early in the morning; now they're ready to come into the barn. // //

On my recent trip to Leavenworth, I had an unexpected opportunity to see a song and dance performance by the Colville Native American Indian tribe. As the salmon festival has expanded over the years, it now includes historical and cultural displays that are related to the salmon and wildlife of the Northwest. The Colville Indians, whose real name is the Shipwoyelpi, have a culture that is strongly tied* to salmon fishing. When European settlers came to this area, they gave the tribe the name of the river they were based by, the Colville. Salmon has always been an important part of their diet, and therefore, has deep cultural significance for them. I wasn't aware that any Indians at all would be at the festival. I walked around to see the different displays, taking with me a small group of children from the school that my son goes to. As we made our way* from one booth to another, we suddenly heard drums. We followed the sound until we came to a circular, sheltered area that was covered with pine tree branches. Underneath were displays of animal skins, antlers, bead work, and cultural posters. Inside the sheltered area was a large circle of earth where young men and women were dancing. They were very colorfully dressed, and had all sorts of bells and feathers on their costumes. One performance was just coming to an end as we sat down, so we settled down, and waited for the next. A different set of dancers from the troupe came into the circular area, and when the two singers started banging the drums  rhythmically and singing, they started to dance. One young man in particular caught my eye; he was dressed as some kind of bird. He danced slightly crouched over, with jerky, pecking movements. I couldn't take pictures fast enough. The singing was also impressive; the two male singers sang in a very soulful, high pitched manner that certainly kept my attention. I only wish that I knew what they were singing. One of them stood up afterwards and explained that he and his friend inherited their love of singing these cultural and historical songs, and had learned how to do so by listening to others, and with the help of* tapes. More school children started arriving, and filling up the seating area. But soon we had to leave because our bus was going to take us back to Wenatchee. I was anxious to hear and see another performance, and disappointed that we had to leave. However, the images and sounds of the Colville were, for me, the best part of the day, and, at the very least*, worthy of a podcast. Related vocabulary and expressions: at the very least, with the help of,to make your way , tied to. 1. At the very least, the famous sculptor deserves an impressive memorial. 2. With the help of podcasts, video clips from You-tube, and magazines, he became fluent in English! 3. We slowly made our way through the maze; it took a lot of time and concentration to get out. 4.His family is tied to the land; they have farmed here for generations. // //

It was field trip day last week for Robert who is in third grade. He was particularly excited because it wasn't going to be the ordinary kind of field trip that schools make, you know, to a park, or the fire station, or a bakery. It was to the town of Leavenworth which is about a half hours drive. Each year, among other celebrations, there is The Salmon Festival. On the outskirts of town, there is a salmon hatchery which opens its doors to the public. The salmon have returned from their long, long trip around the ocean, and have come back to spawn. It is an important part of the Northwest culture because the salmon are plentiful here, and huge. Because the Salmon Festival has been held for many years, it has expanded substantially. Now there are different sections that teach about other wildlife, and even Native American Indian history and tradition. Well, after our short trip on the bus, we got off, and walked to the Raptor section of the Festival. We sat in the shade of a pine tree, and listened to an expert on birds of prey. She had a display of four stuffed birds: a golden ealge, a bald eagle, an ospray, and an eagle owl. Though they weren't alive, the creatures were very impressive. We learned all sorts of facts about them. There are only two types of eagles in North America. That really surprised me, because there are 48 species in total. The golden eagle is larger than the bald eagle, which, you may remember, is the symbol of the United States. Unlike many predatory animals, the females are larger than the males. The lady who spoke to us really kept our attention. She had obviously spoken to children for many years, because she knew how to keep the flow of information fast and fun. At one point, she was talking about the wingspan of the birds. Two students held up a large banner that showed the 7ft wingspan of a bald eagle. One by one, children and adults stood with their backs to it, to see if their arm span was equivalent. Of course, nobody's was. Then she talked about the sound of wings, and how different shaped wings sound different as the bird flies. Eagles have feathers sticking out of the ends of their wings, so they make a swooshing noise. Owls, on the other hand are silent fliers; their wings are rounded and smooth, so they can sneak up on their prey. The children were very impressed with the talk. I could hear some of them telling eachother their own stories of seeing birds of prey in our area. We had a few free minutes to walk around afterwards, and I was really pleasantly surprised to find a live display of birds of prey. A shy looking golden eagle was held by a bird trainer, and several other birds were on perches observing the people as we observed them. The bald eagle stared with its well known piercing frown, and the osprey and owls just looked out with little expression; their minds must have been elsewhere, up in the clouds, I'm sure. Related vocabulary: elsewhere, the outskirts, raptor, to sneak up on... 1. The newly released prisoner wasn't allowed to live in this town, so he had to go elsewhere. 2. The center of town is too busy for us, so we decided to live on the outskirts. 3. The eagle owl is an impressive raptor that is strong enough to bring down a young deer. 4. The cat quietly watched the birds play, planning to sneak up on them and perhaps catch one.   // //

 It was during this Summer vacation that my family and I came across the best toy shop that I have ever been to. It was in the town of Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho, the state that is to the east of Washington State, and next to Montana. As we were only on vacation for a few days, we had a very short time in this particular town, a few hours in fact. The town itself is very clean and organized, with lots of greenery, and right on a lake. It's a tourist attraction, and has a seaside feel to it. It's main street is called Sherman Avenue and is a quaint mix of cafes, restaurants, and specialty shops. It was a hot day, so we stayed on the shady side of the street. You could tell that it was Summer; there were people everywhere, especially in the outside seating areas of the cafes and restaurants. As we walked down towards the lake, I noticed several children a little further down, getting excited, pointing at one of the shops, and going in. My kids soon picked up on this*, and before I knew it, we were inside 'Figpickles Toy Emporium'.It wasn't my intention to buy anything, “We're only going to look,” I said. Well, you know how that goes*, don't you? It was an impressive place, not because of its size (it was a fairly small shop, but long, and divided into different sections). There were ornate, wooden decorations attached to various parts of the ceiling, creating the theme of a magical ship. The shelves that were on every wall, reached to the ceiling, and were completely full of modern, classic, and old fashioned toys. I assumed that they would have the typical toys that you find in big department stores, but they didn't. This was definitely a specialty shop. There were books, puzzles, and building kits about ancient civilizations, pirates, and major battles. I think that my children became so engrossed*, that they forgot about their parents completely. I stood back and watched. The 'girls' toys were tasteful: detailed wooden houses, paper doll kits, dressing up clothes. And actually, most of the toys were unisex*. We must have spent about an hour there. We couldn't leave because the young man who was working there that day was playing with the toys himself. He was using a rubber bow and arrow, firing it from one end of the room to the other, over the heads of the customers! He was having a whale of a time*! So, how could you not get involved when the employee was having so much fun. Thankfully, my kids got hungry after a while, so they were willing to leave. We did buy a couple of things, not because we needed any toys, but more to commemorate our visit. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: unisex, engrossed, you know how that goes, to pick up on something. That jacket is unisex; both males and females can wear it. The boys were so engrossed in their soccer match, that they didn't notice a storm moving in. We told the kids not to get up too early on Christmas day to open the presents, but you know how that goes (i.e. they did get up early). The two men argued in a civilized manner, but I picked up on their mutual loathing. // //

This past weekend was very special. We had friends to stay. What made the weekend special was that, at the beginning of their stay, we actually didn't even know them. This unusual situation started back in June. There was a knock at the door, and when I opened it I found a blonde, young man, with a shy smile, and an armful* of books. "Hello," he said in an accent that I couldn't exactly place. "My name is Mikhail. I wonder if you have five minutes for me to show you these books that I'm selling." I didn't want to buy any books, but neither was I in a hurry to do anything else, so I asked him to come in. It turns out that he is from Estonia, and has spent the Summer going from door to door, selling educational books made by a company called South Western. Mikhail was charming and friendly, and immediately attracted the attention of my children, who proceeded* to crowd around him and ask all kinds of questions. Well, he showed me the benefits of using these books during my children's school years, and how they help to prepare them for exams, including college entrance exams. I decided to take the plunge* and buy them. He told me that they couldn't be delivered until the beginning of September, and that he would personally bring them to us. Fine. Well, Summer came and went, and the last thing on my mind at the beginning of term were books. I received a reminder card from him about his return, but because baseball season is here, and we are up to our eyeballs* in practices and games, I forgot all about Mikhail and the books. Then, a few days ago, he turns up as he had promised, with our set of books and DVDs. He looked tired. He still had a car load of books to deliver, and time was running out. It was 100 degrees that day, some of his customers hadn't paid yet, and he didn't even have a place to spend the night. My husband and I agreed that they could stay with us. We have a roomy, spare lounge which the kids use as a playroom. It would be cool, comfortable, and if they got bored at night, they could always play with the kids action figures.... They quickly became part of the family, infact, we were all disappointed to see them go. We talked about our countries and cultures, about work and families. In a week, they will go to New York, as a reward for their hard work. They also have the chance to win a trip to another country; those who sell the most books get to go. Mikhail's friend, Olev, who stayed an extra day with us, told us that this kind of Summer work is very hard. It forces you to grow up, become industrious, to persist even when you get a lot of negative responses from people, and to learn self control. These are qualities that he hopes to use in his career back in Estonia. They told us that their Summer experiences were completely varied. "I have been bitten by dogs, and had a gun pointed at me," said Mikhail. I laughed in shock when he told me that. "But in contrast to that," he continued, "we've stayed with some really kind host families." I hope they experience kindness for the rest of their trip, and perhaps, one day, they can show us around their home towns in Estonia. Related expressions:  an armful of, to proceed to, to take the plunge, up to your eyeballs. 1. He walked through the door with an armful of potatoes; the harvest has been good this year. 2. The birds flew into the orchard, and proceded to peck at the cherries. 3. We took the plunge and bought the house. It wasn't cheap, but we can imagine staying here for a long time. 4. I'm up to my eyeballs with bills; it's really too much.   // //

Summer has been and gone, can you believe it? For me, it has flown*. I suppose you have been wondering, "Where on earth is Anna? Has she fallen off the planet? Has she given it all up*, moved to Nepal, and become a monk? Or is she just enjoying her Summer too much?" The latter is the correct answer. Yes, I have enjoyed my Summer. I've taken long breaks from the computer. But, you know, to tell you the truth, I have felt the pull back to podcasting. Something in me has missed doing it. I must admit, sometimes it's therapy for me! And the best part of all, is when I make connections with you listeners. One young man called Denis, emailed me from Russia recently. His English is very good, and he uses my podcasts for a little extra practice. Great! That's exactly what they're for. Good luck in Boston, Denis! Well, I have lots to tell about the Summer, but I'll start by telling you what I'm doing right now. I'm sitting in my favorite spot, which is the front door step. It's quiet and fresh; there's nobody around, so I'm admiring the plants and trees, sipping coffee, and writing for you. It's still warm enough to sit outside without a jacket, thankfully, though that will change soon, I'm sure. I don't know what the weather is going to do, come to think about it*. It has been a very unusual year. The heat of Summer came very late this year. Even the bees were late out of their hives. I have loads of green tomatoes hanging on their vines, which usually, by now, would have ripened and been eaten. Fingers crossed* that the frost doesn't come too soon. I've been hoping to show you photos of my spectacular anemones, but they haven't even budded yet. "It's the coolest Summer in twenty years," I heard someone say the other day. I will certainly enjoy this Autumn season, as it's my favorite. Apart from the garden, which you know is an obsession of mine, it's the routine that I appreciate. Summer, with the kids at home, is a wonderful time, but a bit random. It's hard to feel as though you are achieving very much. But today, all the little monkeys are back at school, I have their baseball practice schedules on the calendar, and I'm feeling pretty organized. I also have signed up for substitute teaching again, as I am no longer homeschooling, and I've already had a week's work, with promise of more. So, the lazy days of Summer are gone, but Autumn will be a time for achievements. Grammar notes. Related expressions: flies/ flown (with time), to give it all up, come to think about it/of it, fingers crossed. 1. I can't believe our vacation has finished; the time has flown! 2. He was a CEO of a major car company for ten years, then he gave it all up, moved to the Bahamas, and opened a tattoo salon. 3. I need to get some money out of the bank today. Come to think of it, I don't have a penny on me! 4. I hope we get a good price for our house when we sell it. Fingers crossed!   // //

There is a simple principle that can be applied to all homes: if you don't do the chores, the place becomes like a pig pen. But, if you're wise, you can train the little pigs to do the chores. That is something that I have discovered recently. My four little piggies are starting to really help around the house. Now, when I refer to my children as piglets or piggies, it's not meant insultingly at all, though I am aware that in some cultures it may be so. The diminuitive form of the noun shows affection and endearment. However, if you call someone a big pig, or a big fat pig, that is completely different, and quite insulting. So, my little piggies are put to work every now and then. They only do what they are capable of, and actually not very much work. But, because there are four of them, their efforts add up to a substantial amount of help. My son Cass is big and strong, so I have him take out the garbage to the dumpster that is at the end of our driveway. My oldest son, Hudson, mows the lawn. My husband is thrilled about that. And you know, it's not a boring chore either. He gets to use the riding lawn mower, so he has fun driving around. The two little ones help to pick berries and vegetables from the garden, lay the table for dinner and clear it, and occasionally pick up their toys. Phew! It takes a lot of training on the part of the parents. In the past, people would have large families to help run a farm. Well, there are less farms now. We don't live on one, though my house resembles a farmyard sometimes. Anyway, the children are all proud of doing their chores, and my husband and I make sure to praise them for their work. I have a plan to introduce them to the laundry this Autumn. I will open the doors of the laundry room, and let them step in and experience the mystery. It's not my favorite thing to do, at all. So, if, little by little, the children can learn to sort the clothes into color piles, learn about the machine settings, and practice folding the clean clothes, the laundry can become a shared experienced. Now that would be nice! The trick is to develop a routine, so certain chores are done consistently. That's the hard part. Sometimes it seems that it's easier to do the work yourself, instead of supervising other people while they are doing the chores. Ah, but the benefits come later, don't they. I can see myself in the future, with my feet up, eating bonbons, and my medium sized piggies doing their chores, perhaps. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: dumpster, to supervise, chore, benefits. 1. The garbage truck comes to empty the dumpster every Thursday. 2. Those kids need to be supervised in the lounge, or they might break something. 3. You can go to your friend's party after you've done your chores. 4. The benefit of getting to the cinema early, is that you can choose the best seats.

"We've got a bunch of poles missing," said my husband *in a huff, as he got in his car to go to a meeting. He had been looking in the storage area above our garage for tents, and all that goes with them. We needed the tents because nine boys had come over for a Summer party, and the expectation was, that they would camp out in the back yard. The weather was perfect for camping out, plus the thought of having an extra nine, *rowdy boys in my house at night, didn't appeal to me at all. So, camping it was. But you can't do any camping if you're missing any of the tent poles. Now, knowing that men aren't very good at finding things, (I know, that's a huge generalization, but *I'm sticking with it), I decided to go up to the storage room and look for the poles myself. The worst thing about our storage room, is that it isn't insulated, so this time of year it's boiling. We do have a couple of vents and a little fan, but when the temperature reaches over 100, they don't make much of a difference. When it isn't too hot, the storage room is an interesting place to poke around in. A few antiques, Christmas decorations, boxes of painting equipment, snow suits, jack-o-lanterns, memorabilia from trips, and piles of camping equipment fill the room. The missing poles were right where they should have been, next to the tents, not missing at all, you get my point. Well I was glad that I found them. While I was in the storage room, I decided to get all of the tents that we have accumulated *over the years, and set them up. Firstly, it would give me an opportunity to see which poles and pegs fit which tent, and secondly, the tents would get *aired out. I layed out each tent and its fly sheet on the lawn, counted out the pegs, and put the poles together. I layed the poles side by side to compare their lengths so I could avoid wasting time using poles that were either too long or too short. It took some time, but I was happy to do it by myself while the kids all played their noisy army game. When I finished, I looked at the tents and realised that I had erected them in a huddled group, like a little community. The kids would love that. There was ample room for everyone, plus the two dogs. It was about midnight when we went to bed. The dogs and the boys had piled into the biggest tent, and there were whispers, giggles, and flashes of torches here and there. The party had been a success, and everyone was exhausted. The next day, the friends stayed until about midday. Parents turned up here and there to pick up their boys, and slowly the group of kids got smaller and smaller. Everything was cleared away, and I took down the tents. And, do you know what? I found that we had extra poles.... Grammar notes. Related expressions: in a huff, I'm sticking with it, over the years, to air out. 1. She went off in a huff after our argument; she didn't talk to me for weeks. 2. No one will change my mind. That is my opinion, and I'm sticking with it! 3. We planted that oak a long time ago. Over the years it has spread magnificently, and now shades the whole garden. 4. The blankets had been in storage all year, so I aired them out. // //

I learned a few things this past weekend about the fruit industry. My husband has been involved in national and international export of fruit for over twenty years, and right now, he is *up to his neck in this season's fruit: the cherry. Washington state is one of the major cherry producers, and July and August are the two months for harvesting and shipping. We happened to be in a town called Brewster which is about an hour and a half north of Wenatchee. As you head north, the landscape becomes dryer, and fascinatingly *moon-like. You travel right along the Columbia river all the way up North. At either side of the river are high, dry hills, that continue off into the distance for miles. There are countless *gullies and tucked-away areas where wildlife live, such as coyotes, deer, and even big horn sheep. Down at the river's edge is a different story. Because of the available water, communities have sprung up, including many lush parks, and, of course, the orchards. Ironically, the dryness of the area and the heat suit many of the kinds of fruit that are grown. The water that they need is simply supplied through irrigation. So, you have a contrast between the dry, earthy, barren hills, and lush green areas all the way up the river. Brewster is a small town right on the Columbia that is in the heart of orchard country. My husband works with people who have hundreds of thousands of acres of orchards. And when it comes to cherries, there is a short window of opportunity to get them picked, packed, and shipped off. It is a very perishable fruit, and a lot of care and attention are required in bringing fruit to the customers that is in excellent condition. My visit to Brewster was actually not to visit orchards. The cherries had already been picked. There is a huge packing plant there, and that was our destination. As we approached the packing house, I could see that it was a busy season for them. The parking lot was full, and workers were coming and going, starting new shifts, and getting off of  completed shifts. Hundreds of people are employed, in many different capacities. My children and I were all wide-eyed as we were shown around. We went into the cold storage room, where thousands of boxes that were already ready, were waiting to be shipped to supermarkets around the world. There were fork-lift trucks zooming forwards and backwards, busily stacking boxes up high. And then, we went to a sorting and packing line, where people sorted through a conveyor belt of cherries. They had to take out unwanted cherries, and let the others fill up various containers of different sizes. It was a fast job. There were also lines of clean water flowing past much of the machinery; a lot of washing takes place. As we left the plant, I noticed a man-made lake infront of the building. I was told that they are planning on recycling their water, and also using it for both the heating and cooling of water inside the plant. It's incredible to think that about four million boxes get packed in the region, this particular plant doing at least one million. To say that it is a remote area, there is a lot *more going on than meets the eye. Grammar notes. Related expressions: to be up to your neck, moon-like, more to.... than meets the eye. 1. The office is really busy at this time of year; we are all up to our necks in paperwork. 2. Our land is moon-like. However, once we put in irrigation, we'll be able to plant anything. 3. There's more to him than meets the eye; he's not much to look at, but he has a heart of gold. // //

For those of you who are following the Tour de France, you will recognize the name Tyler Farrar. He is from the town where I live, Wenatchee. The fact that he is not only in the Tour, but also doing well, has really created a buzz of excitement here. The local newspaper, The Wenatchee World, has a daily spot about the race so we can all keep up to date with how Tyler is doing. What we are holding our breath for, is the sprint into Paris. He will be against Mark Cavendish, the English missile, and other sprinters such as Thor Hushov and Alessandro Petacchi. My husband and I are amazingly addicted to the tour; we have it taped, and so, in the evenings, that's what we watch. Sorry kids, no cartoons. Tyler's father lives and works in Wenatchee; he is a surgeon, and is often seen biking in the local parks. Tyler must have been an unusual child for this area of the States. Most boys become deeply involved in baseball, basketball, or football. Now, soccer and hockey are also popular. However, Tyler started competitive biking when he was only thirteen years old. His father said that from then on, he knew that cycling was what he wanted to do. He is still young, only twenty-seven, so he has many years of cycling ahead of him. As far as his training is concerned, he lives in Ghent, in Belgium. His upbringing here in Wenatchee served him well for building strength and stamina for cycling. There are many, ideal roads for cycling in the hills here, as well as trails for mountain biking. I suppose the four very distinct seasons that we have here can also prepare a cyclist for hot and cold extremes while biking. Now that he lives in Ghent, however, he has all-year-long cycling because the climate is much milder, with less extremes. Being a sprinter means that he has explosive power towards the end of the race. He, like the other sprinters, tends to stay anywhere in the peloton until the end, when he makes his way to the front, and suddenly speeds towards the finish line. He has already won a stage in the Tour de France, and also in the Vuelta a Espana, and the Giro d'Italia, and others in less known races, so he has plenty of experience. So, when we spot him in the peloton, on the television screen, we get excited and hope to see a successful performance. Even though Mark Cavendish is one of my favorite cyclists, if Tyler beats him and wins the grand, final stage of the race, Wenatchee should commemorate his achievement with a statue in his honor. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: a spot (on tv, radio, written), to serve ...well, to tend to, to commemorate. 1. She has a spot on prime-time television, talking about the latest movies. 2. These rubber boots have served me well. I've used them for twenty years, and they still have no holes. 3. I tend to get phone calls whenever I am trying to take a nap. 4. The bronze statue was erected in the center of town, to commemorate independence day. // //

*It's no secret that boys of a certain age like guns, even if they are *make-believe. I remember that before my boys ever had any plastic weapons, they would use other toys, or even sticks, and pretend that they were guns. Perhaps they were influenced by something that they had seen on television, or maybe in a book. Who knows? Even at snack time, they would hold up their carrots at eachother and pretend to shoot. Well, now that my boys are older, we have found a happy medium between play and reality. Air soft. These guns are fashioned to look exactly like the real thing, but often smaller in size. And what they shoot is harmless: bb's. These are small, plastic balls that come in various colors. We have white, orange, and fluorescent yellow ones. The boys *take their weapons quite seriously. They have already had a proper air soft battle with friends up in the forest where they camped out for the night. It was supervised, of course, by parents. Eye protection is a must, and nobody is allowed to play unless their eyes are covered. The extent to which you cover yourself in clothing is up to you. Some people don't want to risk getting hit with a bb because it stings a little. As long as you wear long sleeves, long pants, and cover your face and neck, you are completely sting-free. Airsoft is the sort of hobby that grows on you. Some adults are devoted to it. You-tube is full of video clips about the air soft weapons, and battles among friends in lots of different countries. When my two sons had their air soft camp-out, they came back with stories of all the cool stuff that people had. There are heavy duty combat suits that you can use that not only completely cover you, but also are camouflaged. Some of the air soft guns are CO2 powered (carbon dioxide), so the bb'ss fly hard and fast at their target. What's really fun, is having a make-believe battle in our back garden as the sun is going down. We use the glow-in-the-dark bb's, so we can see when someone is shooting at us, and duck. Our kids absolutely love it; it's intense and exciting. The only trouble is, there are bb's everywhere. If you pick any room in my house, even after it's been cleaned, you will find bb's somewhere. Even the driveway has bright yellow bb's glowing against the black asphalt, and from underneath bushes and plants. Those little plastic balls started out in a factory in China, made their way by boat to the U.S., were transported by train to Washington, and then by truck to our local store. And now, those tiny things will be turning up for months in my house and entryway.  Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: it's no secret, make-believe, to take something seriously, glow-in-the-dark.  1. It's no secret that their money influences local politicians. 2. My daughter's unicorn lives in our backyard; it's make-believe, of course. 3. She takes her cake baking very seriously; don't disturb her when she is making them. 4. My Halloween costume was a glow-in-the-dark skeleton. // //

Oh, I haven't been getting much sleep recently. It seems as though* the whole world is noisy. It's summer, and every living thing is feeling fully alive, and therefore, making lots of noise. I often have to put our two dogs in the garage in the early hours of the morning because they have a barking fit* at who knows what*. There are racoon families in our neighborhood. At night they scurry* around, looking for food in the garbage cans. They need to feed their babies, so they are busy. And, of course, when the dogs pick up their scent in the air, it's barking time. Also, the birds are busy feeding their chicks. We have a bird house next to  our deck, in our back yard, with three chicks in it. Very early in the morning you'll hear the chirp, chirp, peep, peep. It's adorable, even if it is at five in the morning. My children have asked me if we can feed them, but of course I told them "no", because who knows what they would give them to eat when I'm not looking..... I would probably find remnants of Oreo cookies in the nest, and some very sick birds. A couple of other birds have nested in our garden recently which I call my angels. They are wood pigeons; over here they call them doves. They make a very soothing ooo-ooo-ooo sound. When I was growing up in the English countryside, that's a sound that I heard all the time. It takes me back to my childhood, and makes me feel very comfortable. I decided to take a photo of the nearest nest the other day. It's higher up than my head, so I can't see into it without standing on something. So, I took the chance of just lifting the camera over my head, clicking, and hoping to get a good shot. It worked. I had obviously made enough noise to disturb the chicks, and, not being able to see whether I was their parent or not, they leaned towards the opening of the birdhouse, and opened their mouths. It's amazing to think that in a few short weeks, these totally vulnerable babies will be flying around, catching insects. There will be a lot less chirping, and a lot more flying. Grammar notes. Expressions: it seems as though, who knows what, to scurry. 1. It seems as though everyone is wearing skinny jeans these days. What ever happened to baggy trousers? 2. The attic was full of junk: broken furniture, moth-eaten clothes, broken cups and plates, and who knows what else. 3. Mice are rodents. They run with fast bursts of energy which we call scurrying. // //

 One of the things I like most about Summer is barbecuing. As a person who cooks all the time, it's so nice to have a break from the kitchen, and to do some rapid, easy clean-up cooking on the barby. Over here, it's often the men who are in charge of barbecuing the meat; it's like a tradition. However, because of its convenience, I take over often, and get everything prepared before anyone else turns up. The other day, when I went grocery shopping, I stocked up* on sauces that I can use for marinading different meats and fish to keep my barbecues interesting. I bought an Asian ginger sauce, a Teriaki, a smoky barbecue sauce, and an Indian marinade. That should keep meals interesting for a while. I also bought a packet of wooden skewers onto which I can put all sorts of vegetables. So, now I'm prepared, with a fridge full of meat and vegetables, and also the freezer. “What's for dinner?” no longer has to be an annoying question. Part of getting prepared is making sure that there is enough propane in the gas canister. If that is empty, then dinner is not going to happen. So, I took a trip to the local DIY store (which is short for do-it-yourself). In its gardening department, it has an area that is reserved for propane. And, what makes it interesting is that you serve yourself. First, there is a machine which accepts your credit card for payment. You swipe* your card, as you do in shops nowadays. Then, an automated* voice talks to you, giving you instructions on how to retrieve your propane. From a large set of cages, one of them opens automatically, and the voice says, “Place your empty canister in cage number 23.” So, you follow directions. Then, once you shut the cage door, the voice says, “Retrieve your new canister from cage number 42,” and so you do. And there you have it, an easy, human-free transaction. I felt a little strange photographing the cages afterwards, as if the automated machine would suddenly say to me, “Hey, what do you think you're doing, lady?” So I took the picture, took my propane, and left quickly. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and phrases: to stock up, to swipe, automated, d-i-y We stocked up on Australian wine when it was on sale. Swipe your credit card to complete the purchase. The car wash is automated; there are no workers to be seen anywhere. I need to go to the d-i-y store to buy a closet building kit. // //

A routine is a habit, often one that gives us comfort, or some sort of benefit. We say in English that we are 'creatures of habit'. Humans like to have a routine, a familiar way of living. I've noticed that even my children have developed their own routines: how they dress and take care of themselves, what they like to eat and when, and even how they play. A routine that I have in the morning that makes a positive impact on my day, is my coffee routine. A few years ago, my husband and I decided that it was time to get a decent coffee maker: an espresso machine. Espresso, and the whole mediterranean style cafes that are enjoyed so much here, have only really taken off over the past fifteen to twenty years. When I first came over here, Starbucks was very new indeed. They were the first company that brought the laid back, sit and have a coffee, culture to the states. And now there are many other such companies. So, when we decided to buy an espresso machine, Starbucks was the obvious choice for us. If you've ever been in a Starbucks, you'll find that they don't just serve espresso. They have a huge variety of coffee, tea, and juice drinks, as well as pastries, and some savory food. Also, they sell coffee by the pound, either ground or whole bean. And then, you'll also find shelves of cups, tea and coffee pots, and espresso machines. So, Starbucks seemed to be the obvious choice when it came to buying our espresso machine. We ended up with one called a Barista, which is medium sized, and perfect for two people to use. It has a spout which can be used to heat and froth-up the milk, and of course the coffee brewing section. Using an espresso machine was not new to me. I had worked at an espresso stand for a year when I first go married. Before that, I worked in a restaurant in Leicester Square, London, where we had a huge, Italian, copper espresso machine. It could make several drinks at once. It was so big and gorgeous, that we would polish it every day to make it really shine. When it comes to my coffee routine, it's quite simple really. I turn it on, add fresh water, and flush out some of the day-old water. While it is heating up, I put about a tablespoon full of ground espresso into what is called the coffee basket. This is the metal cup with holes in it that is part of the arm that attaches to the machine. When the light comes on that indicates available hot water, I press the 'brew' button, and the hot water flows through the coffee and the filter, and out into the shot glass. It's hot, fresh, and frothy. When it comes to the milk, I cheat a little. I don't bother heating and frothing it in the traditional way. I just warm up some soy milk in the microwave while I'm making the espresso. I add the coffee to the milk, and that's it. Perfect! It's the best part of my breakfast. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: froth, filter, impact, the obvious choice. 1. I like my latte as plain as possible: milk, espresso, no flavoring, no froth. 2. The irrigation system needs a filter so seeds and organic matter don't clog up the pipes. 3. The chemical factory hasn't had any impact on our environment because they have strict safety laws. 4. A German chocolate cake was the obvious choice for the anniversary party; everbody likes it, and it is the baker's specialty. // //

Are you enjoying your Summer? It is in full swing now. The clothes shops are full of swimming suits, bikinis, and barbecue equipment. Flowers are out, and most families find a swimming pool to enjoy. There were end of year celebrations for schools, held in parks around the area. We went to the end of year barbecue for the alternative school that two of my sons have been going to for about six months. It took place in a well manicured park that is next to our nearest dam, Rocky Reach Dam. There are covered seating areas with sinks, tables, and chairs, for picnickers. There is also a large playing area for younger children, to keep them occupied. Each family was asked to bring a plate or two of food to share, and if possible, watermelon. It was hot when we got there, and there were already lots of young people running around in swimming suits, having water fights. The atmosphere was generally laid back, with most people eventually sitting on the grass in groups, eating, and chatting. When most of the food had been eaten, a whistle was blown, and there was a call for all participants of the watermelon eating competition to sit down and get ready. Several ladies had been busily slicing up the melons for quite a while. They piled all of the slices and pieces into plates, and servers gave each of the children a slice. The rule was, nobody could use hands; they had to be behind your back. Three, two, one, and off they went, *chomping away on the juicy stuff. As soon as a person finished one slice, he would call for another, and keep score of how many he had eaten. It was the only time in the get-together that it was actually quiet! And then, when all the watermelon was gone, there was a quick *tally of those who had eated the most. And the prize? A watermelon! No, I'm only kidding. I don't actually know what the prize was, but it must have been something good, because the winner and both *runners up were very excited about it. As you can imagine, there was a huge, sticky mess to clean up afterwards. Luckily, with concrete floors, you can just hose the place with water. When we finally left, the kids were *worn out. It had been an exciting day, and a hot one too. I could hear people saying goodbye as we pulled out of the parking lot. Some of the kids won't see eachother for a while because they will be travelling. They'll be excited to see eachother in September, and have stories of the Summer to share. Grammar notes. Related sayings: to chomp, a tally, a runner up, to be worn out. 1. The pig chomped on the vegetables, making a lot of noise. 2. When we finished playing monopoly, we tallied each person's gains to find out who owned the most property. 3. He wasn't first place in the race, but he was a runner-up, so he received a medal. 4. The hikers had been lost for two days, and had walked the whole time. They were completely worn out, by the time they reached safety.   // //

This is the first week of Summer vacation. The first couple of days seemed a bit unreal; my two youngest kept on asking if they had school the next day. "Nope," I would reply,"it's the Summer, remember?" Thankfully, we are getting used to a slower pace. I don't have to drive as much, which is a relief. There are a few things that I have arranged for the children this Summer to keep them occupied and learning new things. My first and third sons have been attending a basketball Summer camp. It is only for three days, and is taught by seasoned coaches. It is held in the High School, which is exciting for them, because that is where the 'big boys' go. It's a place they don't go to very much, so there is a certain appeal about it. The turn out for the camp has been quite substantial. The morning session, for the younger kids, has about thirty five all together. They turn up at eight thirty, and finish at noon. Then it's home, lunch, and dropping off Hudson for his four and a half hours. The afternoon session has even more participants. There are High School students helping the coaches, and giving demonstrations, so the little ones can get a clear idea of what they need to do. The aim is to teach fundamentals in a fun, mixed age environment. My children know some of the kids there from school, and from having played with them on basketball teams. It's a good opportunity to 'mix it up' as they say here. That means, to mix with people of different ages and abilities, and to do something that is either interesting, or that stretches you. The verb 'to stretch' is used to mean that the people involved have to grow, or learn, apply effort, and improve. It's a good visual image for what it means. The last day of the Summer camp is today; they will be finishing their time together with an awards ceremony. They'll be given some sort of momento so they remember the camp, and hopefully what they have learned. In a couple of weeks, my children will be going to other camps in the mornings. There is a mathematics camp planned for the older boys, and cooking and art for the youngest. What with the camps, swimming, a little bit of school work at home, and lots of play dates, the Summer will probably fly by. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: seasoned, a turn out, to turn up, to stretch a person. 1. He is a seasoned golfer; you can always get good advice from him about the sport. 2. There was a really good turn out for the first Farmer's Market; I think about three thousand people came. 3. In the middle of a snow storm, a little, black puppy turned up on my doorstep. 4. This computer class is really stretching me; I haven't had to focus like this for years!       // //

I have an excuse for not updating my podcast for a few days, honestly....I dove into a renovation project in my house. It's something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but something always seems to come up*, so the project gets put off. The powder room on the first floor of the house has had a face-lift. It was a sweet, little, room, but really quite out of date. Getting involved in this kind of project is tempting, but also dangerous. What you plan on taking a few days to do, can easily spread out to a week or two. And, wouldn't you know, that once I bought the paint, and made a mental note of my great plan, I suddenly needed to do other things. My daughter had to go to the hospital for an exploratory examination. Thankfully, that turned out fine, but it took the best part of the day, and all of my energy. Then, the car had to be taken in to be looked at because its front end has been making a sort of whining, yawning noise. So, that was another two hours spent in a waiting room. And with dropping kids off, picking them up, taking them to practices, meals, laundry etc etc, it began to seem as if I would never get my project even started, let alone* finished. But, Tuesday's are my glory days: all the kids are at school. So, I did as much as I could this Tuesday. I tore off the wallpaper, turned off the water and took out the sink. I peeled off the old counter top. I turned off the main electric breaker to the house, and took off the light. And finally, I took off the wooden trim from around the door. Then, when I finished all of that, I realized how much my back ached. So, a cup of tea to the rescue; that soothes most aches and pains. Then I stood back and planned the painting part of it. I had chosen a cappuccino color for the walls, but they had to be prepped first. That is short for prepared. I had to buy and apply a couple of cans of stuff called 'spackle' which, when you spray it on the walls, creates an orange peel texture which helps to disguise imperfections. This was very strong smelling, so I would hold my breath, spray for a minute or so, and then run outside and breathe. Phew! I was glad when that part was over. Then, I painted three coats on the walls, sanded the vanity*, and painted it with four coats of black paint. Finally, the hardest part is over. I am very pleased with the result. My husband has to help me put on the new, one piece counter top and sink, as it weighs 97 lbs. Then, we will choose a light fixture, and that should be about it*. Well done Anna. The update to the house was a pleasant, creative diversion. Grammar notes. Expressions: something comes up, that's it, the vanity, let alone. 1. When I'm busy, something else always seems to come up. OR "I know your dog has been missing for a few days, but don't worry. I'm sure something will come up." 2. All you have to do to the cake is put the frosting on, the candles, and the sprinkles; and that's it! 3. I don't know why they call the vanity by its name. Perhaps it's because often people will look in the mirror while they wash their hands, and that might be considered vain. 4. I'm sure the hotel will be very expensive, what with room service, parking the car, and let alone the price of the room. // //

I bet if you have downloaded this podcast, you are wondering what on earth it is about. I know, the title is curious. Well, let me tell you. I'm in the city of Yakima at the moment, writing for you from a lounge chair, next to a pool, at the Oxford Inn hotel. It is situated right next to the river, in a lovely tree-lined area, quite close to the baseball park. And that is why we're here. Yes, you've heard about our involvement in this sport before. This summer, we have weekend tournaments just about every other week, and most are out of town. So, right now, we're relaxing after a long morning of driving here, and then sitting through two games. Our team, called the River Cats, actually won both games. We have more games tomorrow, and then drive home. In between games, I walked around the nearby area with my children, and took them to a play area of the Kiwanis park. Over a little shady hill, we discovered a large skateboarding park. Boys and young men were busily whooshing by on their skateboards, making jumps and turns, and doing all sorts of acrobatics. Unfortunately, my camera's battery was completely flat, so I had to use my phone to take photos. You could definitely see a hierarchy of talent out there. The most talented was an older boy who had obviously skated for years. He and I chatted for a while. It turns out that he has backpacked around England, and builds muscle cars. Who knew? You never know who you'll meet unless you start a conversation....Anyway, as I was taking photos, a boy called Eloy came up to me and asked if I would take his photo. "Of course," I said. He excitedly chose a few routes to show off his talents, and I snapped away. After a while, I realised that the next baseball game was about to start, so we would have to leave. I asked Eloy which school he goes to, and I also wrote down acupofenglish.com on a piece of paper, "Give this to your English teacher, and you will see yourself on my blog," I told him. I hope he has a chance to read this blog, and see his photo. These talented young people need to be celebrated. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: involvement, to make/ do a jump/ turn, hierarchy. 1. His involvement in the project was unexpected but useful; he really helped us. 2. The skateboard champion made lots of jumps and turns, and impressed the crowd. 3. The hierarchy of power in the government is seen in the different responsibilities that each has. // //

I know a few people who have Stetsons. Infact, when my brother was visiting a few months ago, he bought himself a couple. They are good quality, and last for a long time. Where he lives is very sunny, so they are a charming, and unusual way to get shade in New Zealand. Stetson is an icon of American society. It's typically American, like baseball, and Elvis Presley. Close to the end of the 19th century, the Stetson Hat Company was the biggest in the world, producing over three million hats a year. Even in our little, downtown museum, we have a glass case that is dedicated to the Stetson company. I had no idea that women's hats were also made. John B. Stetson started his company in 1865. Initially, only men's hats were made. It wasn't until the 1930's that ladies hats were also made. The company is based in Garland, Texas, and is now one of the largest in the country. This success story is said to have started when John Stetson went to Colorado to prospect for gold. While he was there, the story goes, he made a hat out of the untreated leather taken from furs that he had collected on his journey. Because his father was a hatter, he had experience with materials and design. He wanted to show off what he could do to his friends. The resulting hat was soft, and protected him from the elements. What started out as a joke, proved to be the first stepping stone to a business. This hat had a wide brim, a large crown (or head piece), and could even be used to carry water. Apparently, later on, John's group met a cowboy who paid him five dollars in gold for the hat. It was this experience that encouraged him to create his signature hat, 'The Boss of the Plains'. He replicated the fashionable hats, but when he launched his own design, it was then that he became successful. The original company was sold in the 1970's to another company, but it, to this day, retains the Stetson logo for those particular hats. I have noticed around town, that some men, especially of Hispanic origin, or older caucasian men, will wear a Stetson for an elegant occasion. When it's time to dress up, the Stetson hat comes out of its box, to put the finishing touches in a formal situation. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: a couple, initially, ...is said to , proved to be. 1. The eclairs in the bakery looked amazing, so I bought a couple. 2. Initially, sales were slow at the beginning of the season, but then things improved. 3. She is said to have been seven feet tall and covered in hair. 4. The cheapest wine proved to be the very best. // //

Clyde Edward Pangborn, a stunt pilot, and flight instructor during the First World War, arrived in Wenatchee on October 5th, 1931, after 41 hours and 15 minutes of flighing. He and his partner, Hugh Herndon Jr., had just made a historic flight from Shabishiro, Japan, the first time the pacific had been flown across. What's exciting about that historical trip, is that they completed it in Wenatchee. They had been scheduled to land in Seattle, but couldn't do so because of bad weather. I had heard about this flight a long time ago when I first came here, but I didn't really think much about it until I went to the museum the other day. There was a free day for the public on Friday, so I took my children and another friend to explore. The children ran around like rats, going into all of the different rooms, the art display, the electric miniature railway room, and a real apple sorter from the last century. I followed them into the room that was dedicated to the transpacific flight, and read them a few of the details that were written on the walls. The plane that they used was called the Miss Veedol. There is a model of it hanging from the ceiling. There are also maps, signatures, and details about the lives of both pilots. I was amazed to find out that before leaving Shabishiro, they were both imprisoned, and nearly lost their maps. Then, when they actually took off, the landing gear of the plane (the wheels) were supposed to fall off to decrease the weight that they would carry. Well, they didn't. So what did they do? Pangborn got out of the plane, and at 14,000 feet, got onto a wing, barefoot, and detatched the landing gear himself. What a brave man! Being a stunt pilot, he was used to taking risks, so he was the right man for the job. I can't even imagine climbing out onto one of the wings while the plane is in flight. That's crazy! But they did it, and they managed to land in Wenatchee safely almost two days later. An airport was built later on in Wenatchee at the place where they landed; it's called Pangborn airport. It's very much celebrated here in Wenatchee; there is even a sister-city connection in Japan. Most years during the Apple Blossom Festival, representatives from Japan ride in the parade. It's great to think that, even though Wenatchee seems far away from most places, there is a historic international connection that keeps this place on the map. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to detatch, celebrated (as an adjective), to be on the map. 1. You have to detatch the safety brake before the remote control car will work. 2. He is a very celebrated artist; his work is on display in the National Gallery. 3. That amusement park really put this town on the map. // //

I have noticed recently in the shops, a new season of toys on the shelves. When I say a season of toys, what I mean is a new set of toys for this warmer season. The Summer toys are here, and they have a very outdoorsy and watery theme. As you browse the aisles, you will find goggles and snorkeling gear, noodles which are made of styrofoam (also for swimming), buckets, spades, parasols, and slip 'n' slides. Let me explain what some of these are. A noodle is a piece of cheap styrofoam that looks like a giant noodle, but is usually a bright, primary color. It is perfect for hanging on to, or wrapping around oneself. You can even bash a friend on the head with it, without hurting anyone at all. It's a floatation device, of sorts. A slip 'n' slide, on the other hand, is a very long, and wide, sheet of plastic that sometimes has perforated hoses running down its length. The hoses wet the sheet, and you and your friends run as fast as you can, and jump stomach first onto the plastic sheet. You then slip and slide all the way to the end. Now, they come in all shapes and sizes, from the simple sheets that you have to wet yourselves, to the cave-like slip 'n' slides that have inflatable sides, moving hoses, door flaps, and other features that increase the fun, and the speed at which you slide. One other Summer toy that kids love is the squirt gun. And you know that there are many different kinds. This past weekend, during the baseball tournament that we went to, there was a birthday party for one of the players. Squirt guns were some of his presents; and there was a swimming pool in the hotel. Well, it was like a war scene in the pool. We parents, sitting at the side to supervise and keep our kids safe, were sitting ducks. That means that we were prime targets. Even giving our children serious looks didn't make any diffference. The coach even got a good squirt right at his head. Boys with squirt guns just have to be left to squirt until they are tired. They had a blast, and made new friends, and I'm sure some new enemies. The streams of water were hitting people in the side of the head, on the chest, and in the ears. You couldn't help but laugh. It's a good job that we don't have a pool; I don't fancy being a sitting duck again any time soon. Grammar notes. Related expressions: any time soon, a sitting duck, outdoorsy, a feature. 1. He won't be coming back any time soon (an Americanism). 2. If you camp here where the mosquitos are, you'll be sitting ducks. They'll have you for breakfast! 3. That family is very outdoorsy; they are always hiking or camping in the wilderness. 4. My camera has a very useful timer feature; I use it often. // //

We had an interesting weekend this past Memorial Day weekend. We went to the town of Monroe which is on the outskirts of Seattle. My son had a baseball tournament. It would have lasted for three days if they had won on both Saturday and Sunday. However, they didn't do so well on Sunday, so we were free to leave. There is a saying in England, 'A change is as good as a rest,' which I think applied to our weekend. We don't often get out of Wenatchee, and although Seattle is only three hours away, it is a totally different environment. The climate is much wetter, so the whole place is green, with trees everywhere. Being from England, it makes me feel quite at home. And it is obviously more populated than our small rural town, so there is a lot more to do. After the last baseball game, we headed into town to have lunch and do some shopping. There is a place that I always try and visit whenever I'm in Seattle. It's called World Plus Imports. The name gives away the theme of the store. It is a very colorful international shop, that has everything from food, to jewelery, to furniture. It's one place where none of my children get bored, so I have enough time to really look at everything. There are also English products that I cannot get in Wenatchee. So, I load up on them whenever I'm there: English style baked beans (the ones over here are really sugary), Digestive biscuits, and Maltesers. Some of you who have been to England, might have tried these. I told my kids, who were scampering everywhere like mice, that they could each choose something. Within a few seconds, one of them was waving a huge, plastic tube of bubblegum in my face, “Can I have this, Mum?” “No!” was my very plain but to the point answer. It was a whole yard of bubblegum. We're talking about three feet. They would never stop chewing if we had bought that! And, I'm sure, the dentist would have plenty to say at their next checkup. What will they think of next? Grammar notes. Practice of 'would have', 'could have', and 'should have'. We could have saved time if we had taken the short cut. I would have called you if I had known that you were in town. They should have been here by now; I hope nothing has happened. I couldn't have driven my car yesterday even if I had wanted to; I dropped my keys down the drain! If we were able to, we would have helped him. // //

This is a very special podcast because I have some thanking to do. Every now and then, I check on the statistics of my podcast, and yesterday I saw that I have had more than a million downloads all together. Thank you, to all of you who have listened to my short ramblings for the past two and a half years. I suppose one million downloads isn't really that much when it comes to the internet, but for me, it's a rare number, and one that I am very excited about. Now, I can tell my friends and family, "Hey, my podcast has been downloaded more than a million times!" It's a great way to show off. A million isn't really a number that I hear very much, apart from the occasional expression. 'One in a million' is a common expression which means something or someone very special. 'A million to one' is obviously a very low chance of something happening. For example, 'The chance of me getting that job is a million to one.' However, there has been a lot of talk recently using the word 'million' because someone in our little town won a million dollars a few days ago. I'll go into the details in another podcast, because it is a story worth telling. But I will tell you that it is a deserving family of seven, both parents are teachers, and three of the five children were adopted. It's the type of story that makes you glad, because they are the kind of people who seem to deserve something special. Anyway, I'm just glad that some of you are still listening to what I have to say, and putting up with my imperfections. I must tell you that what I enjoy more than anything about podcasting, is receiving emails from you, and getting to know you a little. It's like traveling without leaving home. So, I send you all a sincere thanky ou from Wenatchee, and look forward to the next million. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: statistics, to ramble, to show off, one in a million. 1. Statistics show that it is safer to fly than to travel by car. 2. I wish he would get to the point. He just rambles on about unrelated ideas. 3. He polished his new car and showed it off around town. 4. My grandmother is one in a million; she's a very special and unique individual. // //

You can really feel that Summer is on its way. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork. People are actually walking on the streets. You don't often see that; it's usually empty sidewalks and everyone in cars. But now, there is plenty of reason to walk. The air just feels soooo good, and the sun is not yet too hot. As I was driving home the other day, I saw two very sporty men on bicycles. Now, there happen to be a lot of cyclists in this area. It's a cycling paradise actually, because of the nearby hills and trails. But, these men were different. You could tell that they weren't cycling for pleasure. They were policemen. And they were cycling up my road! I felt sorry for them actually; our road is very steep. By the time they got to the top, they would have been exhausted. They looked as if they were in really good shape, not the typical, overweight, doughnut eating policemen in patrol cars. If you love cycling, it would be an ideal job. You'd get paid for riding your bike all day. And I doubt that they have to deal with many hardened criminals. First of all, they wouldn't get very far if they had to chase anyone in a car. And secondly, in a hot, hilly town that doesn't have many people on the streets, who would they arrest anyway? Perhaps they are showing a friendlier, healthier type of policeman to the community. They would be handy in places where people gather, like baseball parks, and community events that are outside. I suppose they could even race through a mall on their bikes, or a huge store like Walmart. Now, that would be useful because a lot of shoplifting goes on in those kinds of places. Seeing policemen on bikes, certainly changes their general image, and though they look friendly, remember that they are armed and dangerous. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: sporty, a ...... paradise, to deal with. 1. She looks fit and sporty; I bet she works out, or does some kind of competitive sport. 2. That shop is a chocolate lover's paradise; it is nothing but chocolate. 3. He had to deal with customer complaints all day, and then his car broke down on the way home, the poor man! // //

It's not very often that you get the opportunity to try out many kinds of instruments. Have you ever blown a bassoon? Have you ever strummed an electric guitar, or tried a set of drums? We had the chance to do that on Saturday. The Woodshouse Conservatory of Music was holding what they called an 'Instrument Zoo' for the public to come and enjoy. When we walked into the entryway, we were greeted by a face painter (for the kids) and we were given a map showing us which instruments were in which rooms. On the main floor, we walked into the room which is normally used as an office. A young man was there with a clarinet. Cool! My sister used to play one when she was little. I love its cool tones. He played a great piece from Pirates of the Caribbean. We are movie soundtrack buffs in our household, and that is a soundtrack that we are very familiar with. He caught our attention immediately. "Do you want a turn?" he asked. Of course I did, but I wanted to let my kids try it first. They all looked shy, and I could tell what they were thinking, "He's just had that in his mouth; do I have to put it in my mouth?" I thought the same, so I asked if he could clean the mouthpiece. He graciously did more than that; he put a new reed in it for me. Anyway, after my obsessive compulsive disorder was satisfied, we all had a go and loved it. Next, we moved onto the bass saxophone. It's huge. Infact, it's about the same size as my daughter, who did her best to blow it, but couldn't. Upstairs to the second floor we went, following the map, hearing all sorts of lovely sounds coming from the rooms, and walking past signs that said, 'Don't feed the animals.' Yes, very funny. In the next room, something very special happened. The oboe teacher, seeing us walk in, played a track from Star Wars. The mouths of all my kids dropped open. This was the 'bomb' as they say here, which is slang for the very best. The boys lined up to have a turn, germs or no germs they didn't care. But believe me, it's hard to blow. That beautiful, haunting sound of the oboe requires a lot of breath! Suddenly, another lady walked in carrying a very long instrument, a bassoon. She gave us a demonstration of what it can do by playing some Mozart. Again, we all had a go, mixing and spreading germs, which now makes me cringe, but at the time seemed to be irrelevant. We finished off our tour with the electric guitar and the drums. Pink Floyd and The Rolling Stones were played by the guitar teachers, and my children just strummed one or two notes to accompany. What a great experience. When would you normally have that kind of an opportunity? Not very often, I think. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: tone, graciously, to strum, reed. 1. His tone of voice was very harsh and threatening. 2. I accidentally scratched his car, but he graciously forgave me. 3. Don't strum the guitar too loudly; it sounds better when it is quiet. 4. Reeds grow near rivers; they are also used for instruments. // //

Like many good things, the Garp started out as an idea. A boy had been told by his Science teacher to make an instrument involving specific measurements and the number eight. Well, the idea moved around in the mind of the boy for a few days, changing its shape a little, becoming more real and more possible each day. A day before he had to produce the instrument, and show it to his teacher, the boy set to work. He sneaked into his father's workshop and looked around. Gosh, look at all those tools. "I can surely create something wonderful here," he thought. First, he picked out a piece of wood from the many that were there. He put it in the vice, and tightened it. Then, he very carefully marked in pencil the measurements that his Science teacher had given him. Then came the screws. He screwed them in at each point where he had marked the measurements. Finally, he chose eight elastic bands, stretched and looped each one around two screws, creating a stringed instrument. "Yes," he thought, "this looks good." But, when he plucked the elastic bands, there was hardly any sound. Even the most stretched band didn't make much of a noise. He scratched his head. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he thought. He paced up and down the room for a few minutes, going over the steps he had taken, wondering what had gone wrong. He sat down with a sigh. Then, he started to think about stringed instruments that he had seen: guitar, cello, harp, violin. "Ah-ha!" a light bulb went on in his head. All of those instruments have a hollow; the strings are not right up against the wood. Perhaps a hollow will help to create a sound. He considered other materials that were lying around that he could use for a stringed instrument. He came up with a cardboard box from the recycling bin. He removed one side, making it into a triangle. Taped it all together, made the measurements, cut little notches at each measurement, and put the elastic bands in each notch. Surely, this would work.....He ran his fingers along the line of elastic bands, and to his delight heard a 'drrriiing!' Yes, he had found a hollow big enough to make it all work. Happily, to complete his creation, he spray painted it gold. He admired it for a while. "It's like a cross between a guitar and a harp. I'll call it, The Garp." So, that is how it came to be, and that is how he got an 'A' in his Science class. Grammar notes. Related expressions: involving, to set to ..., to pace, to take steps. 1. Exs: I'm considering involving Peter in our discussion. They were in an incident involving a gun and a stolen car. 2. They set out on their journey. We set to work immediately because it would take hours to finish the project. 3. The lady paced up and down the hospital room; she would soon deliver her baby. 4. The council was going to cut down all of our neighborhood trees, but we took steps to stop them. // //

What does a food drive mean? It's nothing to do with driving a car, that's for sure. You could also have a clothes drive, or a drive of something else. It is a call for donations, to put it simply. I received a plastic bag in the mail, placed there by the local postman himself. He, and many others like him, do a yearly food drive to help hungry people in our community. Everybody gets their mail, so everybody will have received the same bag. All the information that you need is written right there on the bag. It tells you what the drive is for, and that the National Association of Letter Carriers and the local Food Bank are working together to collect for the poor. 'Stamp out hunger', it says. To stamp out something is when you finish it, or do away with it completely. You will probably have heard the expression in other contexts such as: 'stamp out violence', 'stamp out bullying', 'stamp out racism'. To stamp out gives you a good visual for the meaning of the expression. I think that this particular food drive was well organized, in that, the information comes straight to everyone's home, in a bag that will be used to carry the food to the mail boxes, where, the next day, the mail man will pick them up. Very smart. If it is easy for everyone, then it is likely to succeed. The only requirement for the donators was that the food be 'non-perishable', which means nothing that can go bad easily. Canned foods, dry food like rice, pasta, dry milk, or dry soups, and boxed food are just those kinds of non-perishables. So, you simply pop whatever appropriate food you have in the bag, take it out to your mail box, and leave it there. The plastic bag will protect the food if it rains, and the postmen or mail men will take it from there. Somehow, there always seems to be something that you can give. A community effort to stamp out hunger. What a good idea! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to stamp out, non-perishable, to drive. 1. We are trying to stamp out dangerous speeding, by putting warning signs along the roads. 2. Non-perishable food is the easiest to transport because nothing happens to it. 3. He drove me crazy with his constant talking in the car. // //

Hello everyone, no podcast today, I'm afraid. For a few days I have a lot of appointments lined up. So, I will podcast again on Wednesday. I'll let you know what I've been up to then. // //

Morris Park is loved by many people in Wenatchee. It is a little league baseball park that has been around for more than forty years. Up until recently, it was in desperate need of repair and renovation. There were electrical problems, no heating or air conditioning, and the toilets were unspeakable...so I won't say anything about them. The parking lot was also a disaster; people would park badly, taking up too much space. Everything needed to be changed and updated. Well, over the past few months, a team of very focused volunteers has managed to raise money, put in many hours of labor, and transform Morris Park. It is barely recognizable as the original little league park that has been used for so many years. But you know how it is; when a place changes completely, for the better, you soon get used to it, and even forget about its former appearance. That is the case now with Morris Park. Now, as you pull up in your car, you see a brand new parking lot, with freshly painted lines for each parking space. Then, you walk through an attractive, brick gateway which leads to a large, area that is roofed. People can shelter from the sun or rain in this area, and it is right next to the concession stand, so the queues of people lining up for food and drinks are also sheltered from the elements. The original building which housed the concession stand, toilets, and storage for equipment was pulled down. Now, in its place, stands a totally new, heated, air conditioned, safe, and larger facility. There is even an upstairs meeting room with an attached deck. Everyone is impressed at what a good job the team of volunteers did. We have all benefitted from it. You know, most of the people who got involved, already had full time jobs, but they donated their time over many weeks, for the sake of keeping little league in the area. Other people donated materials that they no longer needed for the construction. It's encouraging to think of what can be accomplished when people work together for a good cause. Grammar notes. Useful expressions: to be around for..+ time, to house, for the sake of, to be in desperate need of. 1. This brand of jeans has been around for about fifty years. 2. That storage facility houses expensive vintage cars. 3. Sometimes landscapes are ruined for the sake of economic progress. 4. The climbers were in desperate need of sleep, but they had to get down to base camp before nightfall.   // //

Art seems to be a very personal thing, as far as what a person does and doesn't like. You must have found that, at some point in time, you have been in a place where all of a sudden you come across a piece of art that you absolutely love. That happened to me on Saturday. When I was hanging around the ball park in Moses Lake, in between games, I noticed what looked like a statue outside one of the many non-descript buildings that were close by. I had nothing else to do, as the next baseball game wasn't going to start for another twenty minutes. So, I decided to walk over to the building and take a look. I'm glad that I brought my camera, and that the battery was charged, because I came across a beautiful work of art. It was a metal statue of a very defeated looking Native American Indian, on an exhausted looking horse. It was large, and very detailed. Partly, the surprise of finding such a soulful work in a really soulless collection of buildings drew me close to the sculpture. "Who on earth made this?" I thought to myself as I walked around the base of the statue, looking carefully for the name of the artist. There was no name, however, nothing on the base or the statue itself. The base of it was surrounded by weeds and gravel. It almost looked as if this piece of art had been thrown away. What a find! I lay down on the floor in various positions, just so I could get some good shots of all the details. Since leaving Moses Lake, I have been searching on the internet for the artist's name. So far, I have not come up with anything. I tried to phone the auto museum, infront of which the statue stood. Surely someone in the building would know something about it. I will keep on looking for the artist's name, and I'll let you know who it is. In this Northwest region there is actually a lot of Native American art of all kinds, from totem poles, to jewelery, to sculpture. If I were part of the council of Moses Lake, I would put the statue in the middle of town and have it lit up. It is a significant find, because Moses Lake is where Chief Moses comes from. He was a well known, very educated chief who advocated for his people and their land. The statue echos the history of this area, it's very identity. It's as beautiful as it is historical, and deserves a place in full view of residents and visitors. Grammar notes. Related expressions: to come across, a find, to come up with something. 1. I went for a walk, and came across a necklace in the leaves. 2. That car was a real find. It was in great condition, and a great price as well. 3. We are trying to solve the problem, but so far we haven't come up with any solutions.   // //

You know, I'm getting better at learning about technology. I wouldn't say that I am totally ignorant about social media, but neither am I an expert. At least now I have a Twitter button on my blog page, in case anyone likes a blog and wants to send a Tweet about it. I also joined Facebook a while ago. For about a year I enjoyed my personal Facebook page; I reconnected with friends who I hadn't seen for a long time, and I quickly got up to date with what they had been up to over the years. That's the beauty of Facebook. Then, I thought, "Why don't I create a Facebook page for A Cup Of English?" So I did. It had a very positive reception, and many people joined it quickly. Someone then suggested that I create a group especially for my podcast followers. "Good idea!" I thought. That worked too. But then, everything went pear shaped (that's an English expression for things no longer being straight forward). I canceled my A Cup Of English page because some of my personal friends had joined, and I wanted to keep it strictly about the business of English. So, I canceled the page. Little did I know that the group continued, even though I, the administrator, had disappeared. I hope that some of you out there can come up with a suggestion for me. The problem that I have created is the following: the A Cup Of English group is an open group, so I can neither control it, nor become it's administrator again....Mmm, so what do I do? It is impossible to contact anyone from Facebook. I have tried to re-do my Facebook page, but that would mean using my email, and that was already used to set up the original page and group which I'm not allowed to do. I wrestled with the situation so much that I got totally frustrated. My only option is to create a different email address that is similar to my usual one, and join the group....I haven't tried that yet. At least it would give me the option of commenting on the page. There is a saying in English that applies here, "What you don't know can hurt you." It basically means: be careful and be informed before you take action! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: pear shaped, the beauty of, the business of. 1. We had organised the event for weeks, but half way through, everything went pear shaped. 2. The beauty of the Apple iPad is its speed. 3. She is a very busy woman; she doesn't want to sit around and gossip. She wants to get on with the business of baking exceptional cakes for her bakery.  // //

We drove home Saturday evening from a town called Moses Lake after watching baseball games all day. The boys were tired and we were quiet in the car, looking forward to being at home and out of the wind and cold. It had been a great day, with three wins all in a row. We stopped in a town called Quincy because we were starving, and didn't want to wait until we got home to eat. We ordered food in a sandwich shop, ate quickly, and then continued on our journey home. Quincy is an agricultural town, very flat for miles and miles. Farming is the life of the town which, itself, is very small indeed. Because the landscape is flat, the sky seems like a huge expanse. As I gazed out of the window sleepily, I suddenly realized that I was looking straight at the most beautiful cloud. It was enormous, and in the darkening sky it was still lit up by the last rays of sun. There were only patches of cloud around, but for some reason this cloud was huge. Streams of rain were coming from the bottom, and were easy to see. It was awesome! I snapped away with my camera, hoping to get a good shot, but doubting very much that I would. The light was changing quickly, and so was the cloud, so I took as many photos as I could, on the off chance that one of them would come out well. When I got home, I took my SD card out of my camera and put it in my laptop to download the photos. After discarding the ones that were blurry, I found that four of them had come out okay. I immediately opened up my Picasa editing program, and got to work. The first thing that needed to be done, was to crop the photos, so there would be nothing unnecessary in them. Then I used the saturation option to add color. You have to be careful with that, because it is easy to make a photo look unnatural if you use too much color. After fiddling around until I was happy, I finished off by adding more definition. And I was finished. It's breathtaking, although it pales in comparison to the real thing. I love my Picasa photo editing program. Often, a photo won't capture the grandeur of a subject; however, with the right program, you can go a long way to achieving something wonderful.  Grammar notes. Useful expressions: all in a row, on the off chance that ..., to fiddle (around), to pale in comparison to... 1. I had three accidents all in a row today; what's going on? 2. I left the note under his front door, on the off chance that he would find and read it. 3. He fiddled around with his sculpture and really improved it. I fiddled with mine, and really messed it up. 4. That pianist is good, but he pales in comparison to that one over there who is amazing. // //

I received an email a couple of weeks ago from the part-time school that my oldest son attends. It was a reminder about a special evening presentation that they were going to have, 'a living museum'. At first, I actually ignored the email because I assumed that my son had nothing to do with it. It was a few days later that he asked me to help him get his costume ready for the event. Now, it just happens that we have been studying some ancient history at home: Roman, Greek, and Egyptian. At school, my son's History teacher had asked each student to choose a person from history to study. Hudson chose Emperor Augustus. His first choice was Alexander the Great, but someone else chose him before he had a chance to. So, he settled for his second choice, but someone equally influential and famous. Now, this is the sort of history that kids love to learn. What made this presentation even better was that they had to dress up. You could say that it was going to be a cross between drama and history. The night came. I had to drop Hudson off at the school early so he could help to set up the presentation tables with all of their work. I turned up about an hour earlier with my son, Robert, when everything was ready. We walked into the gymnasium where the event was taking place, and found that it was already packed with people. Everyone was milling around, looking at the presentations, and talking to the students who were all dressed up as different, famous people. There were about twenty students, all loaded with information about the people they were representing, answering questions, and trying to help the parents guess who they were. There were famous inventors, poets, composers, politicians, and royalty. I recognized only about half of the characters; the others I learned about for the first time. It was a great atmosphere, and, I think a great lesson plan for many kinds of classes in school. I can imagine English students doing the same thing, and having to explain who they are. Education doesn't have to be boring after all. Grammar notes. Related expressions: to settle for, a cross between ... and .., to mill around. 1. The restaurant didn't have any fresh fish, so I settle for a steak. 2. That dog looks like a cross between a fox and a small bear. 3. The evening was perfect; the square was full of people chatting in cafes, and milling around.   // //

There's something in my daughter's bedroom that takes center stage when her friends come around to play. It's her doll's house. It's a typical girls' toy, but one of the best and most interesting. She got it as a birthday present a couple of years ago, and squealed with delight when she opened the box. I would have liked to have to got her a wooden one; they seem better designed, more traditional, and the type that you keep as an heirloom. However, the only decent one that was available was the plastic one from Walmart. So, that was the one that was chosen for her. The outside looks ornate, with Victorian style architectural elements. However, the fun starts when you open it. One side of the house is split in two, like a double door fridge. Inside the two parts that open up, are two rooms. A patio folds out, and there are three floors revealed in the main area of the house. Of course, you have to furnish the house. The manufacturers are very smart; they sell sets of furniture separately from the house itself. So, for example, you have a kitchen set that you can buy, or a living room, or a bedroom set. My mother and mother-in-law got several sets of furniture as their presents, so by the end of her birthday, Domini had the house totally furnished, and ready for a doll to move in. It's a toy that really stimulates the imagination. Even her brothers have played with it. I think that that is great, but I can tell that they pretend that they're not interested in it, when they actually are. The doll's house is up in her bedroom, in a corner where it is safe; you know how these plastic toys can get damaged easily. I clean and pick up in her bedroom during the week, and often I find myself in that corner where the house is. I start by picking up furniture that has been left all over the floor, and before I know it, I have spent fifteen minutes arranging everything nicely in the house. It's a brief playtime for me when nobody is around, and it's a lot easier to tidy that house, than to tidy my own! Unlike the doll's house that I used to have, it has an eclectic mix of traditional furniture, and modern appliances. It even has a computer desk with a laptop! Those lucky dolls have the internet at their fingertips, and I'm sure they listen to podcasts whenever they can..... Grammar notes. Related expressions: to take center stage, an heirloom, before you know it, to have something at your fingertips. 1. To take center stage is to be at the center of everyone's attention, or to be the most important in a performance. 2. I bought an heirloom tomato. These seeds have been kept and replanted for generations! 3. It was icy when I went outside for my walk. I locked the front door and headed towards the street, when, before you know it, I had slipped and fallen. 4. To have something at your fingertips is to have convenient access to something, like technology, or the use of transportation.   // //

It was a perfect Sunday. We had two games, one at eleven and one at three. We didn't have to worry about the wind coming down from the mountains today because the weather was calm. Sunscreen would have benefitted a lot of people who, by the end of the day, must have been a bit red and sore. I had brought my broad brimmed black hat and sunglasses because I wanted to focus on the games, and not have to squint and shield my eyes. The first baseball team that we faced was Wenatchee. Our team is called the River Cats. We usually get beaten by this team, but somehow, the River Cats played well as a team and beat them by four points. That was a confidence booster! And, when you go into the finals against a team from Seattle, you need all the confidence you can get. And so, the game began. Seattle quickly got into the lead. The team members were all good hitters. They had obviously practiced hard. Even so, our fielders did a good job of running and catching some of their balls. We cheered loudly whenever that happened. When enough of their team have either been caught out or struck out, the inning changes, and it's our turn to hit. I don't recall us having any home runs, as we had had the previous day. In fact, on Saturday, we had about seven all together; for this age group, that is quite rare, and very exciting when it happens. I've been watching baseball games for a few years now, and have picked up on some of the strategies used. For example, if the bases are loaded (which means: if you have a team member on each base), the next batsman can sacrifice his ability to get to the first base after hitting the ball, in order to allow the team member who is at third base, to run to fourth base. This gets the team a point. Only when you have run to all four bases without being tagged out, does the team get a point. Sometimes, the next hitter will do a 'bunt'. This is when he holds the bat at each end horizontally, and the ball hits the middle of the bat. The ball doesn't go very far, and the pitcher has to run in and get it. The man at third base, therefore, has more time to run to fourth. It sounds complicated, I know, but when you watch the game, it really makes sense. Well, there was bunting, and regular hitting from our team, but it wasn't quite enough to win. We got second place. However, we didn't lose by very much, and the River Cats received an impressive trophy. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to squint, a booster, an inning, to strike out. 1. You squint on a sunny day if you have no hat or sunglasses, and the sun is too strong for your eyes. 2. He was exhausted after his marathon. He drank an energy drink as an energy booster. 3. An inning is like a round. It is a team's turn to hit the ball in baseball. 4. A team member strikes out when the pitcher throws well to the catcher, and the batsman cannot hit the ball. // //

For the first time in about six months, I creaked open the tool shed that is at the bottom of our garden. Yesterday happened to be a beautiful Spring day, so I couldn't avoid getting into the garden. Everything is green again, and the blossoms on the trees are just about to fully open. I had been at baseball games all morning, until about three in the afternoon, so there was still plenty of daylight left for gardening. When I opened the shed, it was like saying hello to an old friend. I've been in and out of it so many times for years, that it is a very familiar place to be. It was actually too hot to do a lot of work, so I chose to transplant a perennial from one shady area to another. It's the kind of hardy plant that comes back each year, no matter what. It is a low growing plant with delicate leaves and white, spiral-shaped flowers. And it is already out, and almost fully on display. I hacked it in two, and dug up one half which I carried over to a path. I then continued to chop it into sections with a spade, until I had enough clumps to line a little path on each side. I was careful to cover the roots, and gently press it down, and water it, of course. When it recovers from the transplant, and grows a little, it will really compliment the pathway. That's the sort of thing I like to do: use what I have, and either move it around, or change it's look. It's what we call 'pottering around' in the garden, or 'to potter'; it's not heavy work, but rather, it's fiddling around here and there, but still making a small difference. Ah, the tool shed. I needed a spade, but there are many kinds of tools in our shed. Here's a list of them: shovels (basically a big spade), forks, rakes, trowels (a small, hand-held spade), loppers (huge scissors for cutting a hedge), a lawn mower, bags of fertilizer, sprinkler parts to fix ours when they break, stakes (for holding ropes that in turn hold new trees in place), gloves, watering cans, and electric equipment. And there are plenty of mice and spiders as well..... I was happy with my little job, and pleased to make the first step back into the garden this year. I've got a mental list of projects that I have to get done, starting with pruning my roses and raspberries. But, you don't have to be an expert; you can google the 'how to's' of all of your projects, and find out exactly what to do. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: a mental list, to potter, a fork, a rake. 1. Keep your mental list of projects short, so you don't drive yourself crazy trying to get them done. 2. I pottered around in the garden, pulled out some weeds, pruned a bush, and basically tidied up. 3. A garden fork is like a shovel, but it's three prongs help to separate, and break up hard clumps of soil. 4. We use a rake to gather up the leaves from the lawn. It's like a broom for the garden. // //

Once a week, as part of his practice schedule, my son Cass has batting practice for baseball. It takes place in a sports complex called Sportsplex. The building actually used to be an ice skating rink, but has been converted into a place where you can play sports that don't involve ice. It is an old building that has a comfortable, used feeling about it. Cass usually has to go on Wednesday's for a an hour and a half. A small corner of the building has been reserved for any team that wishes to book in advance, and perfect the batters' swings. The boys put on their helmets, and face the pitcher. Thankfully, the pitcher is usually the coach, so the pitching is good and accurate. However, because the coach is an adult, there is no mercy when it comes to the speed. The boys have to be ready, with their eyes on the ball. Another piece of protection that the boys wear is the 'cup'. It's to protect their genitals, or as we say, their privates. It's a very necessary piece of equipment that older boys won't play without. In fact, if you can't find your cup, you'd better not play. It could be used as an excuse to get out of playing... "Your son not playing today, Bill?" "Nope. The poor boy couldn't find his cup." "Oh, gees. He'd better not be out there without it. Nope. No way!" I don't see what all the fuss is about, really. I thought that sportsmen were supposed to be tough. Anyway, I digress. Batting practice is essential. The kids acquire what's called 'muscle memory', when their correct response to the approaching ball is automatic. Practice makes perfect; it's the same with anything, isn't it? Another good thing about batting practice is that it can take place any day of the year. If it is snowing heavily, or blowing a gale, it doesn't matter. You don't have to miss out on your practice time, because you have the Sportsplex. In a town where the longest seasons are cold Winter, and very hot Summer, it's a relief to have a place where the temperature is a consistent seventyish degrees. There is a full weekend of games coming up, and we'll see how the practices pay off. So cameras and cups at the ready! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: ...doesn't involve, reserved, the pitcher, converted. 1. I'd like to see a movie that doesn't involve shooting and police for a change! 2. Our table was reserved for six thirty, but we were an hour late, so the table was taken. 3. The pitcher stared fixedly at the catcher, as if the batter wasn't even there. 4. We converted our garage into a playroom, and our basement into a wine cellar.   // //

It was a windy, sunny day. You certainly needed to have a jacket on, as the wind was blowing down from the snow-capped hills. The crowd had gathered in the park, as scheduled. Everyone was excited, and waiting for the teacher to appear. A few passersby looked over and wondered why this group of people was standing and waiting for something. Finally, a car pulled up, parked, and out stepped the teacher, with a big box in his arms. There were all sorts of smaller boxes and pointy things protruding from the larger box. Anyone watching would wonder what he was up to. A couple of the kids ran up to him, "Hey, Mr. Mugg. Do you want some help?" After putting the box down, the teacher set up two launch pads, or rather launch sticks, for the morning's event. Some of the younger kids jumped up and down with excitement, and giggled nervously. It was time for the first student to see what he could do. He got his rocket, that he had spent the last few weeks building, from the box, put it on the launch pad, and started the count down, "Five, four, three, two, one, blast off!" And with that, the student pressed the button and there was a sudden, loud, "woosh" noise. Smoke blasted out of the bottom of his rocket, and up it went at great speed, high into the sky. Loud cheers sounded out from the crowd, and even people jogging in the park stopped to take a look at the disappearing and then reappearing rocket. This was the special rocket launching morning that the students had worked hard for. They had spent weeks learning all about how they work, why they work, and building them. Today, it was time to show off their knowledge. Some of the rockets had plastic soldiers with parachutes attached, and others had folded up glider planes tucked inside which out of the rocket and down to earth. There were so many cheers and squeals of excitement from one of the youngest students, that an older classmate said to him, "Hey dude, could you quit yelling!" You couldn't blame the little kid, though. It's not exactly an ordinary day in class. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: passersby, snow-capped, to protrude, to launch. 1. The street entertainer amused the passersby with his mime. 2. The snow-capped mountains contrast with the green forests that are further down. 3. The robber's gun was protruding from underneath his long coat. 4. We all stood back while my father launched firework rockets into the sky. // //

Those of you who follow my podcast probably remember that I live in a rural area. Our house is located towards the outskirts of a small community. Our neighbors tend to have lots of trees, vegetable gardens, and animals. Across the road from us is a horse. Around the corner are two mules (which are like donkeys), and right next door we have chickens and goats. So, you can imagine that in this neighborhood there are lots of interesting noises and smells. There is a new set of noises and smells now, to add to those that we are used to. A baby goat was born a few weeks ago, right next door. Cheri, the lady who breeds them, invited us over to take a look. She has always kept animals and bred them for shows, and as a general hobby. The goats live in a triangular shelter that has a heat lamp, and they have an area to run around in. They are black and white, plump and playful. We were all very excited to see this newborn. The children desperately wanted to hold it, but it was still a bit too young. It was the size of a very small dog, and bleated beautifully. I was surprised how agile and strong it was for its age. The family next door also has bred doves and wiener dogs. Animal shows take place throughout the spring and summer months, so our neighbors travel a lot to different towns to show off their animals. And we have the advantage of seeing the newborns, as we live so close. Until recently, they also had a miniature pony, but they sold it to someone who has more land. An animal like that needs room to run around. Sometimes I feel like we have a bit of a farmyard here, with our dogs, fish, and bearded dragon. Animal breeding is taken quite seriously around here. I know of many people who have farms of different types. My husbands cousin has a large cattle farm, and requires good quality horses and cattle dogs. Goats, of course, are great waste disposal machines for a large vegetable garden. And, after consuming the waste vegetable matter, they produce wonderful manure. For a gardener like myself, that stuff is priceless. I'm planning on beginning work in my vegetable area, and I could really do with some manure. Once I take out the weeds, and airate the soil, that precious stuff needs to be mixed in. I might just ask my neighbors if they have any that they can spare. Grammar notes. Using 'used to' and 'to get used to': 1. We used to go to the beach every weekend; now we only go once a month. 2. She used to sing, but now she prefers to dance. 3. I used to have to get up really early. Now, with my new job, I can get up at eight o'clock. 4. I can't get used to the time difference; when we reset our clocks, it takes me days to adjust. 5. We got used to our new car quickly because it was more comfortable than our last. 6. You have to get used to practicing, otherwise you won't improve. // //

Every now and then, I make a trip to the local library, sometimes by myself, and sometimes with my children. I love the quiet that you can experience there. It also reminds me of the fact that there is always something that you can learn; there is always something to read about. I've heard it said that it's good for children to become 'library rats'. That means that they should get used to going there; it should be familiar to them, as if they were rats who lived in its walls. Our local library has an upstairs children's section that has recently been renovated. It's a good idea to keep the kids separate from the rest of the place, so noise can be controlled. In their area, they have a castle-style entrance, all kinds of floor toys for youngsters, Legos and puzzles, puppets, and a fish tank. It's a really cozy place where kids can explore and do the things they enjoy. I also use another library that is in the part-time school that my two homeschooled children go to. It has some amazing resources. I was there today, and found that I didn't have enough time to see all that they have to offer. You can choose whichever book, video, game, or manipulative, and check it out for the whole year. You don't even have to show your identity card to a librarian. Most of the time there is nobody in charge. Everything works by an 'honor' system. That means, that once your children are registered, you have a right to use the library, and you simply have to write down the number of each item on a piece of paper, and sign. They trust that you will bring everything back when you are supposed to. I left the place with armfuls of items. They even have interactive writing systems that you can borrow, which you would normally have to buy for about fifty dollars. All of this borrowing and returning is great, because I can keep my house full of great educational materials that are specifically targeted to what my children need. As I write this, I have in front of me, a pile of books that need to go back. I've got books in the kitchen, books in the lounge and in the bedrooms. Ahh! There are too many of them, but they're all so good. Another good thing that we are encouraged to do during the summer, is the summer reading program. You sign your kids up, and every two weeks you visit the library, get books for them to read in two weeks, and then keep coming back. The children get a small toy when they have read a month's worth of books. The summer holidays are so long here, that kids need an incentive to keep reading and not fall behind! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: puppets, registered, to borrow, an incentive. 1. There was a puppet show in town that taught children not to bully. 2. You have to be registered as a resident before you can use the local library. 3. If you can't find the book in the shop, maybe you can borrow it from the library. 4. We all need incentives to get our work done; sometimes a treat or a break will work. // //

As you study English, you will become familiar with question tags. A tag is a little something that is added on, just like the tag on your shirt that tells you the size and type of material. We use question tags all the time in English to add a brief question to the end of a sentence. Some examples are:   It isn't raining, is it?       He works in real estate, doesn't he?   You're okay, aren't you? You might have noticed already, that there is a pattern that is followed when using question tags. Usually, when the sentence is positive, the tag is negative. And vice versa. Also, the same auxiliary verb should be used, though there are some exceptions to this rule. Listen to the following that use the verb to be:  This dress is too tight for me, isn't it? The film is going to start, isn't it? They're late, aren't they? We're on time, aren't we? She's our tour guide, isn't she? You can see the pattern quite easily here. In the tag, the subject comes at the very end. Before that, you simply put the verb 'to do' or 'to be' in its correct form, and contract it into a negative. So, 'we are' becomes 'aren't we', 'she is' becomes 'isn't she', 'they did' becomes 'didn't they', and 'he does' becomes 'doesn't he' etc. There are a few exceptions to the rule that I will cover at the end of the podcast. Let's try the opposite way around, negative to positive. When I read these examples, listen closely to the verb form: It isn't raining, is it? We're not in a hurry, are we? I'm not in the wrong building, am I? He doesn't have any spare change, does he? They don't sell hot coffee here, do they? Can you see the pattern? Once you get used to it, it's as easy as riding a bicycle, isn't it? Let's go over some of the exceptions. When we are using the verb to be with the 'I' form, we end up using 'are' or 'aren't' as the tag, instead of 'am'. Let's listen to some examples: I'm picking you up at 3pm, aren't I? I'm ordering the cake tomorrow, aren't I? * Note, this second sentence is more like a confirmation, rather than a question. Now let's look at the 'you' form with the verb 'to have to'. You have to study for your exam, don't you?  We have to cook the fish while it is fresh, don't we? She had to wash the car, didn't she?              We use, as you can see, the verb 'to do' in the tag, after we use 'to have to' in the main part of the sentence. Likewise, with a negative statement using 'to have to', we would use 'to do' in the positive. You don't have to drive tonight, do you? They didn't have to pay again, did they? He didn't have to go to the office for more paper, did he? So, there you have it. Like most things, it's a question of practice. But, you are all very clever, aren't you? You didn't have much of a problem with regular questions, did you? And, I know that you will practice and learn tags very well, won't you?                                              // //

The local news the other day was just the kind of news that I don't want to hear. A cougar had wandered down from the nearby mountains and was found in a residential area of town. Now, I know that we live in an area that is close to wilderness. You don't have to travel far from here to encounter bears, cougars, coyotes, and now increasingly, wolves. I remember having a conversation with my brother about the wildernesses around here. He is in love with wild, out of the way places. I, on the other hand, quite like towns and cities, though I do appreciate the beauty of the wild. As he is a photographer, he tries to find a way to wildernesses whenever he can, to have encounters with wild animals, and take photos whenever possible. I, on the other hand, came here to marry my man who is only slightly wild. I have deep respect for all the predatory animals that surround us, and I enjoy the fact that they are up in the hills, and we are down in the towns. I hope it stays that way. But, instances of both worlds colliding are bound to happen. The cougar in question turned out to be a young, starving orphan who had come to the town in desperate search of food. The police managed to find it. They had to scramble to find it. They brought in dogs to help them. They had very little time, as it was early morning, and children from the residential area would soon be walking to school. There was another incidence a year ago in a town nearby, this time with a full grown female. A man had fallen asleep in his lounge, and woke up to the sound of his dogs barking and growling outside. He went out sleepily, and in the half light saw what seemed to be a huge dog attacking one of his dogs. He ran up to it and swung his fist to punch it. When his fist hit the animal's head, he said, it felt like punching steel. It was an immensely strong cougar who, thankfully, was frightened by the man approaching it. It sprang up in the air, like cats do, and ran off. My husband laughed when he told me about the cougar news the other day. He knows that I am quite fearful of cougars, more for my children's sake than mine. He always tells me how it's much easier to have a car accident, or seriously fall down the stairs, than to be attacked by a cougar. I'm still not comforted. Oh well, I'll keep my eyes peeled, and if I see anything bigger than a large dog, I'll certainly let you know! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to collide, to scramble, to keep your eyes peeled. 1. The plane collided with the mountainside; thankfully, no one was hurt. 2. We scrambled to get to the camp breakfast on time, where they were having scrambled eggs. 3. I've lost my iPod; keep your eyes peeled because it could be anywhere.   // //

Have you ever wondered what a stereotype is, and why we have them? Do you, culturally, have certain stereotypes about certain people? Of course, all countries do. I'm sure that, in the past, I have judged people according to stereotypes I had learned, and been completely wrong about those individuals. One definition of a stereotype is an assumption about someone based on his looks, dress, job, age, and ethnicity. When I first came over to the U.S., everything was quite new to me. I had, up until then, only experienced the U.S. culture through television, and through some American friends who I had met in London. But, as they say, 'there's nothing quite like being there.' One day, while I was visiting for the first time, I walked into the lounge and saw Tom, the man I later married, and his father sitting on the sofa watching baseball on television, both wearing baseball hats. My immediate reaction was to laugh. It seemed, to my ignorant eye, that they had put their hats on out of enthusiasm for the game. To me, because baseball is very much an American game, it seemed typical or stereotypical. Well, now that I live here, I realize that nearly everybody wears baseball hats because it is so sunny. Wenatchee receives about 300 days of sun a year, and a very strong sun at that. I wear baseball hats regularly to protect my eyes and skin. Some people wear cowboy hats for the same, practical purpose, or even because they are cowboys. So, my immediate assumption was wrong, and I had made that assumption by judging how two people looked. It's scary how easily, and quickly we can make an assumption like that. To widthhold judgement I think needs higher thinking skills and some wisdom. And I think the most important part of not living in judgment of others is to see them as absolute equals, so rather than fearing the unknown and forming ill informed judgments, we can perhaps respect and care about the individual, simply because he is our equal. Gosh, I'm getting philosophical! I have experienced a lot of assumptions from people about me because I am from England. They have assumed a lot about my knowledge, likes and dislikes, and even experiences. The U.S. is faced with a huge challenge, at the moment, of how to deal with a stereotype that came up ten years ago on September 11th, when the Twin Towers in New York were bombed. How do you control a stereotype that has developed through something so tragic and violent, so as not to make terrible wrong judgments? What do you think? Are we capable of withholding judgment? There is a saying here that you have to read to understand properly. It says, 'When you ass-u-me, you make an ass out of you and me.' Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to withhold, stereotypical, ethnicity. 1. My boss withheld my salary for two months until his tax troubles had been resolved. 2. A man in a bowler hat, drinking tea is a stereotypical view of an English man. 3. My ethnicity is English, though my blood is mixed. // //

Hands up any of you who don't like English phonics. I can't see your hands, but it certainly sounded like a lot of them went up. Do you think English phonics are a pain? Well, do you know what I think? I agree with you; they are a pain. Believe me, as an English person, learning my own language was not that easy. Of course, speaking it came easily because I'm a native, but the writing part was much more problematic. I'm reminded now of the struggle that it can be to come to understand and remember all the different rules to English phonics. My second grader, who I homeschool, is climbing up the hill of phonics knowledge. He has almost got to the top, but still has a little way to go. It's extremely satisfying, as a mum, to see a child make progress with reading or writing, and to see how, once they know a rule, they can apply it. I'm looking forward to the day when he can read for pleasure. Today, in an effort to help my son get to the top of that reading and writing hill, I went to The Academic Toolbox. It's an amazing shop that supplies teachers and homeschoolers with everything: books, DVDs, games, toys, maps, art supplies. You name it, they have it. I didn't have enough time to really look around, but I did manage to find an interesting series called 'Explode The Code' all about phonics. These books give very clear, simple practices of all the phonetic rules that we use in English: vowel combinations, double consonants, endings, beginnings, irregularities, and comprehension. I like the style of the series; the art is simple but cartoonish at the same time. Kids like that. Many of the sentences are funny, and some of the activities are simply to draw a line or a circle to identify a word or its meaning. I'll have to do a podcast some time on the history of English. I think then we can all understand why it is such a mix of different things. Remember, that England, being a small island, was invaded many times by people of many different languages, my ancestors. So, it makes sense that the language has its complexities. Hopefully, my son will like these books as I do. And I also hope that he will quickly learn from them, reach the top of the hill, and then discover what fun English books can be, Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: in an effort to, problematic, comprehension, cartoonish. 1. In an effort to clean the kitchen, he ended up making a real mess. 2. The situation is problematic; there are many possible solutions, but also many risks. 3. His reading is great, but his comprehension is not at the same level. 4. That expensive painting looks too cartoonish to take seriously. // //

Confidence, it seems, can get you a long way in life. Confidence around other people can actually make those around you feel comfortable. I'm talking about the kind of confidence that lets you just be yourself; you don't have to prove anything or impress anyone. When I took my daughter with me to the hair dressers so I could get a hair cut, she charmed everyone there and made herself at home. As the hair stylist wet and combed my hair, I heard Domini chatting to a lady in a wheel chair who was waiting to have her hair cut. She openly asked her questions about her lack of mobility, and talked about all sorts of things, until both of them were smiling and laughing. The woman obviously felt at ease. Then Domini moved to someone else and chatted for a while, asking questions, and talking about her school and her friends. Finally, she jumped up on a seat next to me and got the attention of my hair dresser. I had hair in my eyes, so I couldn't see very well. I was concerned that the stylist would lose concentration and chop a chunk of hair that she didn't mean to. Domini swung around in the chair, asked her what she was doing, and what all her equipment was for. I've taught my kids that if they start a conversation with people and are polite, then people will like it. But, while I sat in that chair and listened, I heard my daughter take her 'niceness' one step further. She called each woman in the room "pretty". You can guess what kind of response she got. They all thought that she was a sweet angel. She even told the ugly ladies that they were pretty. Perhaps she'll be interested in politics when she's older.....Well, the compliments came back in her direction. She was given a balloon, and finally, she was allowed to sweep up the hair that was on the floor, press a button that turned on a vacuum that sucked all the hair out through the wall. She thought that was the greatest thing. I thought about our little trip later, and realized that with a bit of initiative and confidence, she had managed to turned a potentially very boring half hour into a fun practice of using charm to get people on your side. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to charm, mobility, to feel at ease, to take something one step further. 1. He certainly knows how to charm; he always buys us chocolates and flowers, and is extremely polite. 2. After the accident, he lost some mobility in his hand. 3. After paying my bills, I always feel more at ease. 4. He took the conflict one step further and started punching and kicking. // //

My daughter is obsessed with fashion. She is only six, and it comes as a surprize to me that she is so fashion conscious. She is not so concerned with the seasons' colors or styles, but she does like to know the 'pop' fashion. I think it comes from her being very musical. When she hears a pop song, or sees artists sing on television, she really takes notice of what they are wearing, and their general style. Also, she is influenced by her girl friends at school. If so'n'so has a pretty, new jacket, she will want one that is similar. She won't necessarily get the jacket, but she will certainly talk about it a lot, and try her hardest to get what she wants. So, she started to become interested in makeup. You know, you can find little girls makeup sets that they play with at home, and with their friends. I went along with this, thinking that, as long as she keeps it at home, but washes it off before going out, then it was okay. However, sometimes we would be going out, and without me realizing, she would have eye shadow on, or blusher. Once, she even got into my makeup and put on mascara which looked ghastly. So, I decided that I had to do something about the situation. My thinking was, if I could transfer her attention away from her face, and onto something else, it should help. So, I came up with nails. I bought her a collection of cute nail polishes, and she immediately took the bate! This now has developed into a habit. She'll paint her tiny nails, and go to school and show her friends. We're both happy. So, the other day, I took her to V-tech nail salon for a special, professional manicure. They didn't actually do much. Her nails were short anyway, and clean, so they only had to paint them. Plus, her nails are so small, that they hardly had to use any nail polish. She sat down at the table with the lady and picked out some nail stickers that would go on each nail. Then the lady set to work. She applied one coat of pink, carefully placed the stickers, and then applied a clear coat to keep the stickers on, and to add shine. Domini felt very special and grown up. She had to hold her nails over a dryer, and then place her hands in a UV machine that quickly sets the polish. The salon was packed, with nail technicians working away, beautifying ladies' nails and toe nails. It was warm and colorful, and there was a buzz of conversation from these happy females. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to take notice, so'n'so, to go along with something, eye shadow and blusher. 1. He was very angry, but I didn't take any notice. 2. So'n'so is an example of someone who you don't know, a nameless example. 3. The group played a joke on my friend; I went along with it to really trick her. 4. That eye shadow really brings out the color of your eyes, and the blusher makes your cheeks look healthy. // //

You see the strangest people in the most unlikely places sometimes. I was at the bank the other day, making a deposit, when I heard a, "Clomp, clomp, clomp" to my side. I turned to look at the person next to me, and standing there was a Norman soldier. Yes, I'm not kidding! He was completely dressed and ready for battle. I recognized him as Norman because of his helmet which was very round, with a long nose piece. From his neck to the floor was a cloak of chain mail. He had a sword, a helmet, and long leather boots. I laughed, and said, "Well, you don't see that every day, do you?" The bank clerk who was serving the man also smiled. "Could I take your photo for my blogpage?" I asked. He was perfectly happy with my request, and even posed for me. "Actually," I said to him,"could you act like your just getting money out at the bank?" I wanted the photo of this Norman conqueror to be amusing. After having his photo taken, he handed me a flier. It was for the Renaissance fair at the local college. It will have historical characters from many different ages. I think calling it 'Renaissance' is a loose name. There will be archery, costumes of different times, knights fighting, and all that sort of thing. It'll be worth a visit. I'll have to take the kids there because they are obsessed with battles between knights. I'm sure the gentleman I met at the bank had no trouble handing out his fliers. He certainly got plenty of attention being dressed like that. I've seen some very interesting people around town. You can always find one or two people who are dressed outlandishly, or who are shouting at the traffic. A fascinating looking individual who I would love to interview was standing at the bus stop the other day. He was dressed like a wizard, exactly like Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings. Someone like that surely has some stories to tell. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: unlikely, to make a deposit, to kid, clerk. 1. He is the most unlikely man for the job; I don't know if he will have any success at all. 2. They made a huge deposit in the bank, and then, a week later, took all the money out. 3. She married the same man three times; I'm not kidding! 4. The bank clerk is so helpful, much more so than the others. // //

My sister-in-law called me the other day and asked me if two of my children would be interested in taking part in a commercial. "I think so," I replied. I thought that it would be an exciting, new experience for them. One girl and one boy were needed. They would be brother and sister to my nephew in the commercial. We arranged the date and time. When we turned up at her house, I didn't know what to expect. There was only one camera man, and that was it. He has done work in the past for the company called Crunch Pak, so he was in charge of telling the kids what to do and say. I must say, he handled all of the kids really well. He has four children himself, the youngest of which is only a couple of weeks old, so he is used to lots of movement and distraction. Crunch Pak is a company that sells bags of sliced apples. They also have Mickey Mouse shaped plastic containers that have three sections for different, healthy food, including fruit. The filming started in the kitchen. One by one, the children had to walk to the fridge, open it, take out a packet of Crunch Pak, and put it in a brown paper bag, as if they were packing it as part of a home made lunch for school. That went well. They had to do a few retakes because the kids looked at the camera when they weren't supposed to. My daughter got quite excited about being on film, and started to show off a bit, but the camera man said that they could edit out anything they didn't want. Then it was time to go outside and play a little basketball. Cass was filmed shooting hoops and dribbling, so was my nephew Boone. Then Domini had to ask the boys if she could play. The story behind the commercial is that Domini ends up beating the two boys, dunks a basket, and is left hanging from the hoop, saying, "Can someone get me down from here?" Very cute. Two hours later, we were finished. The kids were very pleased with themselves, and are anxious to see the finished product. "I'll send each of your kids a little payment in the mail," said the camera man as we left. That made them doubly pleased. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: To take part in, to handle .../it, to dribble, to shoot hoops, to dunk. 1. My children took part in a play in the local theater. 2. It was a difficult situation, but he handled it very well. 3. In basketball you must dribble the ball. That is when you bounce the ball while you run. 4. To throw the basketball at the basket and get it in is to 'shoot hoops'. 5. If you get really good at basketball, you might be able to dunk the ball. That means to jump up, put the ball in the basket, and then hang on to the rim or the hoop. // //

Oh, what will I make for dinner? There's nothing for dessert; what could I quickly make? It's a real pain when the evening has already begun, and my plans for dinner have been delayed for whatever reason. When that happens, I look around in the fridge, hoping to stumble across something substantial that can quickly be cooked. Or, sometimes, mid-afternoon at the weekend, if we are at home, everybody fancies something sweet, like cookies. Yes, of course, I could make some, and sometimes I do. However, it's becoming easier now to reach for a packet of this or a box of that, and whip up some convenience food. When I go to the supermarket, and read labels of different products, I find that I get a general view of the kinds of products out there. In the past, convenience food was made from very refined and artificial ingredients. However, I am finding that there are more and more healthier options on the market. People are beginning to get more of what they want: convenient real food. Let's take cookies for an example. The packets or tubes of cookie dough that were available usually had hydrogenated oils, super refined sugar, coloring, flavoring etc etc. Now, you have a choice. There are some convenience foods that have what we call 'whole' foods. I picked up a packet of ready-made cookie dough the other day, and was very pleased to read the ingredients:organic flour, sugar, eggs, butter, chocolate, oats. The list was short, and nothing on it annoyed me. Great! I'll keep that in the fridge this week, and when 'crunch time' comes, I can whip it out, throw it into the oven, and voila, please everyone. It's all about saving time, for me. And I'm sure that the marketers realize that. Making everything from scratch in the kitchen is ideal, but it can take away alot of time from other activities. Life is certainly different from when my mother was a child. You used to have to warm up your irons, and then iron almost every piece of clothing in the house. Nowadays, you can buy tumble dryers that have settings you can choose to avoid having to iron your clothes. And it's the same with cooking. Instead of having to gather eggs, and milk cows, and cook all the food, now we can cook if we want to, and supplement that with pre-bought, ready to eat food, that is actually food. It might cost a little extra, but it's great to have choices. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to fancy something, to whip up, to whip out, hydrogenated oil. 1. I fancy some extra rich chocolate cake. 2. Could you whip up some eggs for breakfast, please? 3. All of a sudden, the man whipped out a gun from inside his coat. A passer-by jumped on him and seized it. 4. Hydrogenated oil is oil that has had hydrogen pumped through it, which makes it thicker. // //

The other day, when I stopped to get some free firewood, I realized that I'm not as strong as I would like to be. The owner of the tree that was chopped down, had left huge chunks of wood to be taken away. But, when I say that they were huge, I mean really huge. I'm a fairly muscular female, but some of those pieces were far too heavy for me; I was glad that my brother was with me. He is huge, and very muscular, and not intimidated at all by heavy stuff. "Okay," I said, "we can lift some of these together." So we did. Now, I don't know why, but when I lift very heavy things, I get the giggles, especially if I'm with someone else. So, I only managed a few pieces with my brother, but then I started to get silly, so he had to finish loading up the car himself. "It's very handy having a big, strong guy around," I said to him. He seemed to enjoy the work, and tried to fit as many huge chunks as possible inside the car. I wish I was that strong! "I bet you can't hold that piece above your head," I said to him. Oh, it was an easy challenge. He immediately lifted the thing up, right over his head, and posed for a good photo. "Gosh, I hope he doesn't drop that thing on his head," I thought to myself. Of course, he didn't. He just swiftly put it in the car. He told me later that, back in Christchurch, he had to dismantle three tons of bricks from his house. They had formed the chimney sections, but the earthquakes had separated them from the rest of the house. "I had to take them down, one by one, and stack them in the garden." His muscles have certainly been working a lot. And you know what that means. His bones must be good and dense, full of calcium. They say that the best way to avoid osteoporosis is to lift weights. I don't think that that is a condition my brother will have to worry about. When we got back to the house, again, he did most of the work, lifting the chunks out of the car, and I simply cleaned up. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: muscular, to get the giggles, a challenge, dismantle. 1. After a year of lifting weights, he became very muscular. 2. She seems to get the giggles at the most inappropriate times. 3. Sudoku is a good game to play to challenge your mind. 4. The wall needs to be dismantled because it is unsafe. // //

On my recent trip to Nice, I was fortunate enough to go to an open market. Oh, the colors and smells were fantastic. I strolled around just taking everything in. It was February, but the weather was wonderful. It was very sunny, and you only needed to wear a light jacket. So walking around outside was very comfortable. Because my visit there was so short, my good friend Lorraine took me to as many places as possible near the coast. The market that we went to was a photographer's paradise. There were so many colors and textures there. Thankfully, I have a digital camera, so I didn't run out of film. There were all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There was a stand loaded with salamis of all shapes and sizes. Flowers, local honies, cheeses, and finally, olives. Oh the olives! Just looking at the photo makes my mouth water! Having a mother who is a Spaniard, means that I have had a lot of olives in my life. My favorites are green olives stuffed with anchovies. Mm, mm! I think also, olives represent a lot for me. They represent my experiences in Spain, and they remind me of sights, sounds, and smells that are typically Mediterranean. It's funny to think that when I was a teenager in the North of England, a lot of kids my age weren't familiar with olives at all. Delivery pizza was not yet a big thing. And the favorite foreign dishes in England were Indian. Since then, even the small, rural towns have become more exposed to the rest of the world, and more cosmopolitan. Thank goodness. In my 'A' level Spanish class, I remember my teacher bringing in a couple of small jars of Spanish olives to pass around to the students. Most of them had never tried them before. I was amazed. One by one, they smelled the olives, and slowly put them in their mouths. And when they chewed, they were really unsure about the taste. I, on the other hand, wolfed down most of the olives quite happily. I'm sure that now, all of those people who were in that class, are a lot more familiar with olives. I think that we humans have a special connection to foods that we have been brought up with, that also have an important traditional role in our particular cultures. The food might be good in and of itself, but it is the context in which we have experienced it that makes it important and familiar. My Mexican students in High School would tell me about a soup of their culture which they absolutely loved. It's called Menudo. Finally, one day I was able to try it. It turns out to be cow's stomach soup......Well, I just wasn't too sure about the taste, or smell, or texture...But I realize that if I had been brought up with it, I would probably love it too. That's the power of culture right there. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to stroll, to take it in, to make your mouth water, to wolf down. 1. Instead of rushing, it's nice to stroll down a street or in a park. 2. We took in the river boat cruise with delight; there was so much to see. 3. Just thinking about the summer fruits makes my mouth water. 4. The travelers had been walking all night in a storm. When they got to the inn, they wolfed down some hot stew and went to bed. // //

We've had teeth all over the house recently. My children just happen to be at the ages where they are all losing teeth. For my oldest boys, it's no longer a novelty. They have gaps here and there where teeth are growing in. And the contrast between their new, big, adult teeth, and their baby teeth is quite amusing. My third son still gets excited about losing teeth because of the prospect of getting money. In his mind, each dollar he gets is a step closer to him obtaining a Star Wars Lego kit. My daughter, on the other hand, is still taken up by the mystery around the Tooth Fairy. Does she exist? How does she sneak into the bedroom and take the tooth away without waking anybody up? Is she beautiful? Surely Mom isn't the Tooth Fairy. And Dad certainly can't be. So, fairies do exist, right? And is what the older brothers say true, or are they just being old meanies, as usual. The big boys laugh about the idea of believing in fairies. But, you know, I don't think that upsets Domini very much. She has a natural resistance to anything her brothers say or do anyway, so what they say might actually encourage her to believe in fairies even more. I personally believe in garden fairies. I admit it. I haven't seen them, but I'm sure that they live at the bottom of the garden, are tiny, have wings, and are very quick, and very smart. All inteligent people know that.... The Tooth Fairy must be a cousin of some sort. There, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. One thing that I have noticed about fairies is that they keep up with the cost of living. They no longer leave coins; they leave paper money. They know a good commodity when they see one. I suspect that they know more about the value of teeth than we do. They have their bills, and we have ours, so they need a good quality tooth in exchange for a dollar.  After all, food, clothes, wing maintenance services, and babysitters, are all more expensive than they used to be. So, with the fall out of teeth in this house, I find that a couple of quarters just isn't enough. The nice sound of two coins clinking together is not acceptable anymore. It's the lonely, silent dollar that is wanted. It's dangerous to mess around with fairy tales. And it's wise to keep the children and the fairies happy. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: novelty, the prospect of, mean, commodity. 1. That novelty shop sells the most unusual items. 2. I'm excited at the prospect of winning the marathon. 3. That person is mean. Perhaps, he doesn't have any friends and that's why he's like that. 4. Wood is a commodity that is globally more in demand. // //

"Hello, we have a special triple grande caramel mocha with whipped cream for only three ninety-nine. Can I take your order?" That's the kind of information-loaded question that you get asked when you pull up to a Starbucks drive-thru. Just as you are about to speak, the lady inside the building beats you to it. And there is always a special of the day, a huge, sugar-filled, creamy thing that costs fifty cents less than it normally does. And, because Starbucks opens early, the people who use the drive-thru to get a coffee on the way to work, also get asked the same question. I doubt if many would buy a triple grande caramel mocha with whipped cream first thing in the morning. Whose stomach would be ready for that? But, as far as drive-thrus go, they have one of the best. There are drive-thrus all over town, and in every town. There are even drive-thru banks. The service of Starbucks, though, is probably the best. Firstly, the speaker system is loud, clear, and effective. Generally, the person taking your order is articulate, and doesn't speak too quickly. I've been through some drive-thrus where the person taking my order has spoken so fast, that I haven't understood a word. Saying, "I beg your pardon," just adds to the confusion in a situation like that. What is needed, quite simply, is a "What?" So, at Starbucks, you can relax and not worry about not understanding the employee. You can spend a few seconds looking at the list of drinks and pastries before ordering. All of this takes place, of course, with the smell of fresh coffee wafting your way, encouraging you to buy more. You pull the car up to the second window, where you pay for your drink, and everybody is happy. That's what it is; it's a happy place. Think about it. The people who work there are instantly pleasing each customer. That can't be bad. Compared to other businesses, like, say for example, clinics, insurance companies, or even banks, you don't always have happy customers. Then, as you drive off, sipping your not-too-hot coffee, you quickly glimpse the happy customers who are sitting inside Starbucks chatting, or on their laptops, all getting a creative caffeine high, writing lists of how to improve the world, or at least, cause a local revolution. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to beat someone to it, articulate, to waft, say for example. 1. I was going to buy the last pair of silver high-heels, but someone beat me to it. 2. She is so articulate for a young person; talking to her is like talking to a college literature professor. 3. The smell of fresh baked bread wafted from her house all over the neighborhood. 4. You might need an umbrella in the rain. Another instance is, say for example, to hit someone who is trying to steal your purse.   // //

Well, everyone, I've taken the plunge and joined Facebook. I signed up months ago, but didn't really start communicating properly with people until a couple of days ago. You can find me under, believe it or not, Acupof English. I had to put in Acupof as my first name, and English as my last. I couldn't figure out how else to do it. So, I've jumped on board with the millions of people who chat and network on this social media. At first, I was a bit baffled by how Facebook worked, and I was a bit concerned about the privacy settings. However, the recent update to Facebook has, I think, given us users better and more specific options to keep our network as private as we want, or the opposite. Everybody I know has a Facebook page. Infact, my brother showed me that his High School students back in New Zealand had created a page dedicated to him, and they did this without him knowing anything about it. It all started when he decided to grow out a beard. Well, this hairy mass on his face got bigger, and bushier, and longer by the day. It became quite an eccentric looking feature. He liked it because it kept his face warm in the winter. His students, however, formed a plan to take a photo of him in class and sneak it onto a Facebook page. So, one of them secretly took a photo during class with his cell phone, and the rest is history. I think it is quite a compliment that students would make the effort to do that about a teacher. I wonder, how many of you are on Facebook? Do you find it useful? What have been the major benefits from using it? For me, catching up with old friends has been wonderful. I have a few really good friends in Europe who I hadn't seen for many years. Facebook allowed us to catch up on eachothers' news, and photos, by sending both public and private messages, and really soon, it seemed as if all those years of not seeing eachother disappeared. Getting to know new people as well is a prospect that I find exciting. So, if you're interested in a bit more English, and want to network with others that are posting on my wall, feel free to look up Acupof English. I hope to hear from you soon! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to take the plunge, believe it or not, network, an update. 1. I took the plunge the other day and paid for a sky-diving lesson! 2. He is very skinny but, believe it or not, he is incredibly strong! 3. It's good to have a social network. We all need friends and support. 4. There are constant updates to some of my computer program(m)es. These updates are downloaded directly, and make the program(m)es more efficient, or give them more features. // //

I have something pretty that sits on my windowsill in my kitchen. It's a shell from Hawaii. I'm not sure what kind of shell it is, or what it is called, but it certainly is something that I love to look at. My mother brought it back from her recent trip there. She went during the Winter, which apparently is one of the best times to go, with it not being too hot. I would like to say that she went scuba diving and found the shell, but then again, you would never find a shell that looks like this underwater. It has been processed, in a way. The outer most layer of the shell has been ground off. Underneath, a pearly white layer is revealed. It's stunning. There must have been a creature like a crab that lived inside it, because there is plenty of room for a little animal in its cavity. I'm not really into jewels, ornaments, and decorations around my house, but I do love shells. I think it's because there is usually a story that comes with them about when they were found, or how a person found them. I still have a tiny shell in my handbag that I found on one of the beaches in Mallorca, Spain, last summer when I went with the kids. When I'm rummaging around, looking for my cell phone or my check book, I will stumble across it. It gives me an unexpected reminder of our vacation. My sister also brought me a beautiful shell from New Zealand. It's called a Paua shell, and has the coloration of a bluish, greenish rainbow. Again, the outside has been ground off, revealing the unexpectedly beautiful layer underneath. When I started to write this podcast, I remembered that up in our storage area, we have a collection of large, conch-type shells from Mexico. My husband and I found them years ago while we were snorkelling. We used to have them placed around our bath in our previous house, but when we moved, we boxed them up and forgot about them. I'll have to fish them out today, to add to our growing collection of shells around the house. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: recent, to grind, cavity, to rummage. 1. His recent illness has left him tired and thin. 2. He uses a metal file to grind down the piece of stone. He ground off enough stone yesterday to make the basic shape of the statue. 3. When they knocked down the old, rock house, they found a large cavity in one of the walls where the owners stored stolen paintings. 4. The table in the shop was covered in clothes. You had to rummage around to find what you wanted. // //

Ah Guinness! We have lots of it in our house at the moment. My brother loves it. I'm not unfamiliar with it either. Back in London, I used to drink it mixed with 7Up. I found it too bitter to drink neat. If you've never tried it, you should. It is a black, thick, creamy alcoholic drink that is served by the pint. It has a rich, cream colored head of bubbles that is one of its main features. The head is produced by the use of nitrogen when the beer is poured. It's actually considered a dry stout. A stout isn't a regular, cold beer. It is a strong, dark beer that is made from roasted barley. 'Stout' as you might know, is another word for strong, or proud. Guinness, in particular, is known for its slight burnt taste, or what we call its 'bite'. You might have noticed that I spelled burnt b-u-r-n-t. This word isn't used in the U.S. They use the past participle 'burned'. Anyway, Guinness is produced in Dublin, Ireland, but is sold all over the world to stout-lovers. It is actually quite nutritious as well. My ex-stepfather's mother drinks half a pint of Guinness every night to get her daily dose of iron. That was recommended to her by her doctor. So there! When I was researching Guinness, I came across a very interesting fact about it. One of its ingredients is the collagen from fishes' swim bladders. Yuck! Apparently, it helps to clarify the beer, and is also used in some wines. I'll think of that the next time I have a glass....Mind you, it's not as bad as some drinks. There is a famous cider from the south of England called Scrumpy. Traditionally, when it is being made, or so they say, a sheeps head is thrown into the mix. The fermentation process kills anything harmful, and, I suppose, the quite scary ingredient adds a special flavor. I don't know who the genius was who came up with that idea, or what inspired him to do it. It's not the usual thing to do when you are making up a drink. If I'm making a punch for a special occasion, it doesn't occur to me to throw in an animal's head. But, there you go; maybe I'm not a natural drinks mixer. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary:neat, stout, collagen, to occur to someone. 1. I cannot drink neat alcohol. I have to have it mixed with something else. 2. That farmer is really stout. He is big, and strong, and impressive in stature. 3. They say that collagen is the protein that keeps skin smooth. 4. I turned on the vacuum cleaner, but it never occurred to me to plug it in!   // //

 I'm afraid that I'm going to talk about one of my dogs. The reason for my apologetic tone is that some dog lovers go on and on about their animals, and often the people listening have no interest in their little beasties. Well, I'm actually not a dog lover, but I do love my dogs. There is a difference. You could say that I love my dogs because I know them so well, we have a history together, and they form part of our family. One of my responsibilities as a mum, is to make sure that the family members stay clean. One member, in particular, has a real problem with this, Rosie. I don't think she consciously likes to be dirty, but when the good Lord designed her, he gave her the rattiest, wiriest, dirt-holding coat of any dog. I remember taking her for her one and only haircut last year. What a performance that was! The dog stylist patted Rosie lovingly when she first met her, and about a handful of dirt fell out of her coat and onto the counter top. Well, I'm not going to let that happen again. The poor dog was so embarrassed; she looked up at me with her big brown eyes for comfort, by I had already turned and looked away. So, I made it my oldest son's job to give her a bath. The hardest part was getting her in it, and keeping her there. Once that was accomplished, the rest was easy. He used a huge jug to pour gallons of warm water over her while rubbing her hair. I'm sure after her bath, she was half a kilo lighter. These dogs that dig and go down holes, just accumulate layers of dirt and dust while they are busy sniffing out mice and rats. Anyway, Rosie came out of the bath and gave a tremendous shake. She was as shiny as a penny, and the bath looked as dirty as a sewer. Now, our little princess just needs a pink bow on her head to look like one of the royal family. Um, maybe that's not the best comparison....., to look like a movie star. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: apologetic, in particular, consciously, sewer.  The man who bumped into me on the street the other day was so apologetic. He didn't need to be. It is so important to learn good grammar, and in particular, expressions using prepositions. I'm sure his strange habits are unconscious; he doesn't do them consciously. The local council is mending the sewer lines before there is a huge, smelly disaster.   // //

It's always fun when my brother comes to visit from New Zealand. Because he is a math and science teacher, he often thinks of interesting things to do that fascinate the children. When he heard that one of my sons does experiments in the kitchen for his science homework, he had the idea of making a list of fun experiments. "The next time you go to the supermarket, could you get three large bottles of diet Pepsi, and some Mentos mints?" he asked. I had a sneaking suspicion that the experiment he was thinking of would involve either a mess, or an explosion of some kind. By the time I got back from the supermarket, the three boys and my brother were ready to start mixing things together. We took the ingredients outside to the back garden. I have a wooden planter pot that is upside down that we used as a base. Each boy took turns holding the top of the bottle, with five mints lined up in his hand, ready to drop them in when told to. The camera was set up, and then the count down came, "Three, two, one, put them in!" As soon as they were dropped in, the boys had to jump back, out of the way. A brown column of fizzy Pepsi came shooting out of the bottle, going five to six feet in the air. "Wow!" they all cheered, with smiles on their faces. The Pepsi splashed on their jeans and got all over the deck. Their uncle Richard is the coolest, according to them. Who else would encourage them to make a big mess? The next experiment is, apparently, one that is powerful enough to launch a Pepsi bottle over the roof of the house. I think a little supervision by me will be necessary. I don't want to upset the neighbors by knocking out one of their pets. That wouldn't do much for neighborly relations.......As they say, "Boys with toys..." it could get a little dangerous. Grammar notes. Expressions: to take turns, a sneaking suspicion, out of the way. 1. When we play this game, we have to take turns. 2. You have a sneaking suspicion when you suspect something, but you are not yet convinced about it. 3. Move out of the way; the delivery truck is coming. // //

The official first day of Spring came and went on 20th of the month. We've had a few very spring-like days, but usually the next day, it has returned to wintry weather. That's okay, though. There are signs that Spring is on its way. The birds are beginning to get noisy in the mornings. And, little patches of colors are appearing here and there; the Spring flowers are coming out. The ones that I have noticed in my garden are the crocuses. They are one of my favorites; they are purple with yellow-orange stamens, and only about eight or nine pointed petals. They are a simple reminder that Winter is long gone. I have been meaning to buy some bulbs and quickly pop them in the ground. The most popular ones around here are tulips and daffodils. Its a cheap way to fill in an empty or boring area of your garden with color that returns each year. I don't know if you remember when I changed the entry way to my house. I transplanted five big bushes last year, planted perennials, and eventually found a Japanese maple tree to shade the walkway that leads up to the front door. Well, that red barked tree has gone bananas. It is about a foot taller than when I planted it. It will very soon been arching over the walkway, which is exactly what I want it to do. I've noticed that as the weather has improved, people have been coming out of the woodwork. That means that, like insects, people have been coming out of their homes where they have been avoiding the cold, and now they are walking around and enjoying the change of weather. Woodwork is actually the various wood panelling that you have on the walls in a house. The shops are doing their part, getting ready for the hoards of shoppers who will want plants, seeds, and gardening equipment. I'll be doing my best to find bargains, and to focus, I think on growing vegetables. If I want flowers, I will go for either seeds or bulbs. That will force me to be patient, and have to wait for the final outcome. Grammar notes. Vocabulary: a patch, stamen, to arch, woodwork. 1. After painting the kitchen, I realised that I had patches of paint on my jeans. 2. The stamen is the center of the flower where the pollen is. 3. The trees leading up to the manor house, arch over the driveway. 4. We pulled out the old woodwork in the lounge and just plastered and painted the walls. // //

I was driving down the road the other day, to go to Walmart, when I saw something that really caught my eye. On the left hand side of the road, infront of a house, a huge tree had been cut down. It was so big that it took up all of the house owner's front garden. I was really surprised at first, because this tree, that I drive past every day, had not appeared to have any problems at all. It hadn't looked diseased or weak, infact, quite the opposite. It had been one of the biggest and oldest in the neighborhood, so much so that it dwarfed the house that was near it. That might be the reason that the owner doesn't want it anymore. Perhaps it was just too big. Well, the workmen started out the project of bringing down the tree, by hacking off the limbs, one by one. It's the only safe way to do it when the tree is right next to a busy road. Over the course of a day, all the limbs came off, and only the massive trunk was left standing. Then the next day, that too was cut down. I would be interested to measure the diameter of the tree, or at least count the rings inside the trunk to calculate its age, because it really is quite thick. As I drove home yesterday, I noticed a sign that had been put next to the trunk, "Free firewood." A great idea. It would be hard to get rid of all that tree from your front yard if you didn't have any help. Our firewood supply has dwindled because we've had quite a few fires this winter. We need to stock up again, chop some wood, and let it dry out for next winter. I hope that the big tree will be replaced by something tasteful and pretty, not just a two foot little twig that takes years and years to grow. There seems to be a gap now, where the big tree had stood. Let's hope it gets filled with something worth looking at. Grammar notes. Expressions: quite the opposite, to hack off, to dwindle, tasteful. 1. He's not noisy at all, quite the opposite. He's as quiet as a mouse. 2. The arms of all the statues got hacked off during the rebellion. 3. The survivors' supplies had dwindled to almost nothing; they had to go and search for more. 4. The decor of this shop is so tasteful; it is well coordinated and quite soothing. // //

I'm sorry that I missed a couple of podcasts last week; I was really sick. When I spoke to you last, I was beginning to lose my voice and feel achy with a sore throat. I assumed, however, that with some good food, and a good night's rest, that I would be fine the next day. Wrong! I went downhill from there. I had originally caught the cold from my son, and then my daughter and I both got really ill. So, it's been a miserable week, with no energy, coughs, fevers, chills, and not a lot of fun in the house. Thankfully, my brother has been visiting from New Zealand, so he has been able to entertain the children more than me. What does a person have to do to get over this kind of sickness? One thing I have found to be very helpful, is to drink lots of fluid. That is something that doctors always say, and, at times, I haven't really paid much attention. But, you will find that if you have a cough or a blocked nose, drinking lots of water and juices makes you feel much better. Your mucus isn't so thick, so you can cough or blow your nose more effectively. I know, these details are a bit gross, but it's all common English that's useful. We normally use the word 'snot' for mucus, or we say that we are 'snotty'.  However, in the U.S.A the word 'snotty' is very commonly used to describe a person as proud or unfriendly. So, when you use this word, make sure that your listeners know exactly what you mean. Anyway, another thing that helps when you are experiencing a bad cold, is to use an extra pillow at night, so your head and chest are elevated. This helps you breathe more easily, and it helps your nose and sinuses drain more easily. You might wish to take spoonfulls of medicine to help relieve some of they symptoms you are living with. Nasal decongestant unclogs your nose; an expectorant loosens the mucus in your chest so you can cough well; cough suppressant reduces coughing; and anti-histamine reduces the kind of allergy symptoms we get such as itchy eyes and throat. Most people have these medicines in their bathroom cabinet somewhere. It is useful to keep them handy, just in case. I'm so glad that I'm over the worst of my cold; I'm about one day away from being fully recovered. Our routines will get back to normal: the kids in school, some at home for homeschooling, and me back to podcasting. So, don't make the mistake I made of over-extending yourself and getting ill; it's not worth it. Sometimes we need to baby ourselves to avoid these yucky colds. Grammar notes. Cold related vocabulary: expectorant, to baby oneself, sinuses, decongestant. 1. Expectorant is great for loosening mucus in the chest so you can cough well. However, you must drink lots of water so your mucus doesn't get thick and choke you! 2. Relax, keep warm, take vitamins and chicken soup, and basically baby yourself. That way you can avoid getting ill. 3. When you have a sinus infection, you get pain and tightness across your forehead. 4. Decongestant unblocks or unclogs your nose. // //

Mythology seems to be all the rage these days. There have been films released recently, like 'Percy Jackson and the lightening thief', and 'Clash of the Titans', that have had a lot of people talking about mythology and what it means to us today. Other books and their subsequent films, like the Harry Potter series, have also used mythological figures. Children, teenagers, and adults have, therefore, had mythology as a subject to be discussed, or at least commented on. Video games seem to have followed suit. Heroes battling hideous mythological beasts, and the powers of good against the powers of evil, are very common, and advertised on television often. I don't remember it being that way ten years ago. This interest in mythology has come about as a new kind of fashion, brought on by book sales. Mind you, I love it. Myth is a fascinating world. When I was in Vienna a few weeks ago, I came face to face with some colossal reminders of a mythological figure who has been portrayed on many buildings and in many paintings, Hercules. I found myself wandering around Michaelerplatz, when I was drawn to the huge statues. I didn't recognize the characters, but I photographed them anyway, and planned on googling who they were later. Hercules apparently had 12 labors, or things to do. I spotted three of them in the square, the most impressive of which was when he kills the Lernaean Hydra which is a nine headed sea serpent that has poisonous breath. I'm sure that beast kept him busy for a while...The statues are located on a wing of the imperial palace, the massive Hofburg. They are in keeping with its neo-Baroque design of the 1200's. Gosh, if I had had the time, I would have explored the Hofburg; apparently it has 2000 rooms! And there is a feast of classical mythology to be found inside the palace as well.  Grammar notes.  Expressions: all the rage, to follow suit, a reminder.  Low-cut jeans are all the rage now-a-days; everyone is wearing them.  The groom took the bride out to dance, and everyone followed suit.  The flowers in Spring are a good reminder of new beginnings. // //

 You know, being a mother is an interesting job. I sit back sometimes and consider the influence that I have over my children; it's quite a responsibility. My likes and dislikes are obviously reflected in how I run the home, in what I do, in places we go, and even in the things that we eat. Because I am homeschooling two of my sons at the moment, I have decided to exert my influence over them for their physical good. Cross training! I first heard about it through my other son, Cass, who goes to a cross sport training facility to get in top shape for baseball. It is a total body workout. When I spoke to one of the trainers, he told me that, unlike other gyms, they do not isolate muscle groups in cross sport. The whole body moves in each of the activities. Because of that, the workouts are intense but short. So, Hudson and Robert have started to go twice a week for a hard and fast muscle building experience. The first time they went, I sat and observed. The workouts are never the same. They started by raising and throwing to the ground an eight pound ball. They did this about ten times. Then they had to jump up with both feet at the same time onto and off of a huge wheel. Next, they climbed a net up to the ceiling. Finally, they had to run around the track a couple of times. They repeated all of this three times. The whole thing only took about fifteen minutes. Another thing to take into consideration is that you don't get any breaks at all, not even one minute of rest! So, when the boys had finished working out, they came and collapsed on the sofa that I was sitting on. They were all red faced, but happy. I chatted to the trainer a little, and the next thing I knew, the boys were up and pulling weights on a sled. Kids recuperate so quickly! They wanted some more action. I'll take them again tomorrow, and see what other whole body work outs the trainer has planned for them. Grammar notes.  Expressions and vocabulary: to sit back and …., to recuperate, to isolate.  It is important to sit back and reflect on one's day, don't you think?  It took the marathon runner three days to recuperate from the race.  He had to be isolated because of the virus he was carrying. // //

If you've never had a pasty, you've never lived. That means that eating one is an experience you must have because they are so good. I actually haven't had a pasty for years and years, though I did eat them up until I was a late teenager. So, do you have any idea of what a pasty is? It's a bit like a pie; it's usually meat and vegetables in a pastry shell that is the shape of the letter D. It has a thick crust that is twisted which you hold the pasty by. It originated in Cornwall, in the south west of England. Records of pasties in Cornwall date back as far as the 12th century. It is said that the tin miners in the south would take them to work. They are a whole meal in themselves, and the crusts are perfect for holding on to the pasties without getting them dirty. If you are a miner, that's a good thing, especially if your dirty hands have traces of arsenic on them. A tradition was to leave the crusts for the spirits of the mine to keep them happy, to stop bad things from happening. Well, I'm not a miner, and most of the time I have clean hands, but I came across a pasty shop in the York train station when I was visiting my sister. I had just said goodbye to my sister, and was waiting in the chilly station for the next train to King's Cross in London. I suddenly smelled the most wonderful smell; it was familiar. I followed it until I came to the West Cornwall Pasty company, where there were hot steak and vegetable, and chicken and mushroom pasties lined up, warm and crispy. We had had a huge lunch, so I didn't have one, but for old times' sake I took several photos. They even had some steak and stilton pasties which I had never heard of before. Stilton is a very strong blue cheese that melts deliciously, so I should imagine that that combination would be worth a try, especially on a cold, wintry day.   Grammar notes. Crust, to come across, lined up. Cut the crust off of the pie, would you? It is overcooked and too hard. Whilst looking through my papers, I came across a war medal that belonged to my grandfather. The children were lined up, waiting for their chance to talk to Santa Clause. // //

I have never really been much of an ice skater. When I was a teenager, I would go indoor skating with friends, mainly to have a good laugh. When people are wobbling and falling down on a regular basis, it can be amusing! My friends and I never practiced enough to get really good. And that, I'm sure, makes all the difference. When you see someone who really skates well, it is like looking at good art. I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to see world class skating. A friend of mine had bought tickets to see 'Stars on ice'. Well, I had heard of the show, but didn't really know any details about who would be performing. I assumed that it would be a group of ice dancers, so to speak, but not anyone you could consider a champion. How wrong I was! The whole group of dancers were Olympic and World gold and silver champions! I couldn't believe it! They had come all the way to little old Wenatchee! You might recognize some of the names: Kurt Browning (4 times World Champion from Canada), Evan Lysaceck (Olympic gold medalist from U.S), and Ekaterina Gordeeva ( 2 times Olympic gold medalist). The performance lasted about 2 hours, with a short intermission. I took my little girl, who was mesmerized by the acrobatics and the beautiful dresses. And the stadium was packed, as you can imagine. There were cheers and claps all the way through as the stars spun in the air and landed flawlessly. I'm sure that young people in the audience were inspired to rent some skates, and go to the next public ice skating session, to wobble around and imagine themselves as stars.   Grammar notes. So to speak, mesmerized, flawless. The wedding cake she made was a triumph, so to speak. The ladies were mesmerized by the diamond rings in the shop window. This antique vase is flawless; it doesn't have any cracks, or even one scratch. // //

 Many of you have seen some part of the Alps, I suppose. They're spectacular, aren't they? I saw a small part of them recently from a plane. I was traveling from the south of France up to Germany. Luckily, I was sitting next to a window, so I could look at every detail as we flew over. Now, typically, when you take a photo from a plane, it won't come out very well at all. The plane windows aren't the clearest, for sure. And it is impossible to control the light. Add to that the fact that my camera is a little cheapo. I certainly didn't expect to get a good result from any of my pictures taken on the plane. So, I snapped away when I could. When I got home, I looked at what I had taken, deleted most of them and then edited a couple that had come out well. I use an editing software by Google called Picasa. You can do all sorts of things with it. You can crop the photos, which means to cut them. Then you can add color, texture, shadow, and definition. You can even add text, which means writing. One of my photos was taken at a strange angle, so I used the straightening option to give it a better perspective. A couple of years ago I decided to create nice portraits of my children. I looked through our collection of different school photos, and those taken at home. I scanned them into my computer, edited them, saved them onto an SD card, and then printed large versions of them in a sepia tone. Sepia is a lovely dark beige or light brown color that gives the photo a soft, sometimes older look. These photos now hang formally in frames going up the stairs. I'm so thrilled that this software can improve photos. Now I have a beautiful snap shot of the alps that I otherwise would have deleted.  Grammar notes.  Expressions: typically, text, formal.  Typically, this shopping center is packed with people on Saturday mornings. You must edit that text; it is full of errors. That dress is too formal for our casual get-together.   // //

I couldn't visit York Minster without telling you about it. What is a minster? It's the name of a major cathedral that used to be associated with a monastery, and considered the most important building representing the church in a large area. So, okay, it's a cathedral. But, you know what, it's a treat to visit. The city of York is what I call 'the complete package', which means that it has everything that you could want. If you check out york.com, you will see what I mean. It is about as historical as anywhere could ever be, it's a thriving center of education, it has all the facilities and entertainment of a city, but is clean and rural at the same time. York was a strategic political center for hundreds of years. It was founded by the Romans; they called it Eboracum. They used this point as a stepping stone on the way to Scotland. Well, as you know, they didn't manage much in Scotland, but York became fortified and busy. Then, after the Roman Empire fell, Vikings took over. York didn't avoid the Norman invasion either, but became a center of prosperity and trade from then on. When you are there, you can sense the history. It is all around you. The well preserved wall around the center of the city is a great reminder of the Roman presence. In fact there are even remains of Roman shrines to Jupiter and Mars. The cathedral started as far back as the Romans, but obviously not as a cathedral. The Roman buildings which were recently uncovered under the cathedral were stations for some of the 5000 legionaries. With each invasion and different people groups taking over, it was added to. It has survived fires, destruction through invasion, and the civil war. Oh, and you should see it now. It is a Gothic beauty. I walked around it with my sister, and we silently soaked it all in. I know that you don't need to know all of the vocabulary about cathedrals, but a few words are common in conversation. The nave is the large, often central part of the church. There are towers on some, spires on others, with spires looking like cones with a point. In the York Minster there is a crypt, underground, where tombs are kept. You can't go to York without admiring the Rose Window either, which is a spectacular circular stained glass window in the cathedral. I have seen a lot of cathedrals during my travels, but I would say that this should be in the top three of 'must sees' when traveling in Europe.  Grammar notes.  Expressions: a must-see, to soak it in, as far back as.  The 'must-see' in that town is the central park; you shouldn't miss it. We stayed at the gallery, and silently soaked in the art. My grandmother can remember as far back as the Second World War. // //

Have you ever been to Vienna? I was lucky enough to get there by chance during my trip to Europe. How can anyone go to Vienna by chance? Any person with a brain would go there deliberately, right? Well, because I didn't have a lot of time, I had to fly to a different place each day. After visiting a friend in Frankfurt, I flew the next morning to Nice to visit my friend Lorraine. Now, when I had organized my flights back at home, I had chosen the cheapest flights possible. My reasoning was, well, I would be by myself, having an adventure, so I could easily put up with a bit of discomfort, or a few extra airports. My flight from Frankfurt to Nice was not direct. I booked it through Expedia.com, which I have used before. There was to be a short change of plane in Vienna, and then the journey would continue. So, Thursday morning came, and my friend, Blanca, dropped me off at the airport. I noticed that it was quite foggy, but I really didn't pay much attention. I got to the gate just when the announcer told us that the flight would be delayed by about one hour. Mmm, I would be in a big hurry to catch my connecting flight. And, as you can guess, when I arrived at Vienna, my connecting flight had already left, and I was put on a later flight, five hours later. It just so happens that there is a bullet train from the airport into the city. So, before you could blink an eye, I found myself in Stephensplatz, the center of Vienna, gazing at the cathedral wide-eyed and open-mouthed. I say open-mouthed because the architecture is stunning. I walked through the maze of cobbled streets and squares taking pictures and video clips. I rushed into a bakery and bought a pastry; well, everyone was walking around eating pastries! I wanted to fit in! It was a beautiful, sunny day, but very cold. So, I had a good excuse to buy myself a scarf. By the time my four hours in Vienna were up, my feet ached because I had walked non-stop. I would have loved to have stayed longer, of course. But, I contented myself on the plane by resting my feet and having a good look at the photos of my day's adventure.   Grammar notes.   Expressions: to put up with, it just so happens, in the blink of an eye, to fit in. Our neighbors are very noisy. We have to put up with it; we have no other choice. Do you need some nail clippers? It just so happens that I have some in my pocket. Someone let the dogs out of the front door, and in the blink of an eye, they had disappeared. Teenagers try so hard to fit in at school. They often change their style to look like everyone else. // //

A double treat for me during my week's vacation, was to visit my dear friend, Lorraine, in Nice. I hadn't seen her for eleven years, which, of course is far too long. But, as you probably know, when you get together with a great friend, even if you haven't seen her for a long time, it is as if you haven't been apart for very long. We stayed up until late, catching up on eachothers' news. Since I had seen her, she had had a little girl, started her own business, and moved several times. We chatted late into the night, and it felt like old times. The next day, although I only had a few hours, she took me out for breakfast. She chose a patisserie that just about blew my socks off. It's display case was so attractive that I asked the owner if I could take a video. Everything was presented so beautifully. And there was just about everything you could imagine, when it comes to baked goods. Believe it or not, I actually didn't have a pastry with my coffee! I know, I know, it was an opportunity that I shouldn't have missed, but I like savory in the morning. So, I had a delicious ham and cheese baguette instead. This time of year in Nice is perfect; it's sunny but not hot, so we sat out and enjoyed the view while we chatted. Afterwards, Lorraine drove along the coastal road, pointing out famous landmarks, and showing me the different areas where she used to live. Nice is so clean and pretty. For someone coming from the cold and dark, it was like a large dose of medicine. We went down to the port, where lots of yachts are moored. She showed me where the Microsoft yacht is. It's massive of course. Lorraine took my photo next to it, just so I can show off and tell people about it. I actually don't know what I would do with a huge yacht like that. It would be a nightmare to clean! I would probably sell it, and with a small portion of the money I'd make, I would fly all of my friends and family to Nice for a two week tour of all the patisseries. Grammar notes. Expressions: When it comes to, to show off, to get together. 1. She is a master at arranging flowers. When it comes to decorating entryways, she is the most creative. 2. He is such a show-off! He is always talking about his latest purchases and how much they cost. 3. The reunion was a real success. It was a get together that we will all remember. // //

Hello everyone. I'm so pleased to be back, podcasting to you again after my week of fun in Europe.I have lots to tell, as you can imagine. I saw some amazing places on my trip, and had a very meaningful and inspirational time. So, where should I start? I'm a fairly emotional person, deep down,so I'll startthis podcast by telling you about something that I love to do, and found myself doing right in the middleof London. It was on Saturday, a lovely sunny but chilly 12th of February, when I had arrived in Londonwith my husband from Berlin. We immediately went to our hotel in Leicester square, put our luggage in ourroom, and met up with my father and his wife. They had come down to see family in London, so it was a perfectcoincidence that I was going to be there. As you might know, central London is very 'walker friendly', meaning that basically it's great to walk around, and you can easily get from one major, famous spot to the next. We walked to Trafalgar square. I snapped away with my camera as we all chatted. There was quite a crowd in the square. Amnesty International had a big, peaceful rally going on, which is similar to a demonstration. There was a lot of music, and different groups representing their causes. The group that caught my eye, however, was a tiny one of only two people. Their signs said 'Free Hugs'. Well, how could I refuse? A free hug, and from perfect strangers, .....what better way to make world peace? So I dove in and gave the two lovely guys a good old hug. In retrospect, I should have asked their names. They might start a hugging revolution, right there in Trafalgar square. Can you imagine, with all the different people from every corner of the world, hugging? That would be absolutely fantastic. Perhaps it would spread throughout London and into the Houses of Parliament...; imagine the changes that could take place there if people started to hug. I'm sure the MPs would make better decisions, and pass better laws. They could start each parliamentary meeting by doing the conga, and having a big hugging session. I think those two fellas giving free hugs in London are a couple of geniuses. Expressions To do the Conga, what better way to..., fella/ fellow, a good old .... 1. The Conga is a dance where you line up, holding eachother's waists, and kick your legs to the side as you move forward to the music. 2. 'What better way' is like saying 'There is no better way'. Ex: What better way to relax than in a warm bath. 3. 'Fella' is English for 'guy'. It is the short form of 'fellow', and is similar to 'chap' which is more antiquated.          Ex: He's a nice fella, isn't he? 4. 'A good old hug; a good old arm wrestle; a good old pot of stew; a good old roaring fire.' Good old can be added to give a sense of endearment to a thing or an activity. It is also used sarcastically when you mean the opposite of something being good. Ex: Nothing like a good old invasion to mess everything up! // //

Hello everyone, just a quick note to let you know that there will not be any podcasts this week, as I am going to visit friends and family in Germany, France, and England. I will have lots to tell when I get back.                  Take care, Anna. // //

Before I start today's podcast, I would like to mention a little something about the title of yesterday's podcast. One of my listeners, called Bahareh, asked me to explain the expression Super Duper Slither Scooter. First of all, the scooter is just the thing that you ride. Slither is the brand name of it; you could call it 'The Slither'. Super Duper is a silly phrase that we use to say that something is wonderful. We also use it sarcastically. Most often, super duper indicates that something is brand new, or of good quality, or just quite special. And, of course, the two words rhyme, which makes it a little more playful in speech. "My father bought a super duper car" is less serious or formal than "my father bought an elegant, expensive car". I hope that is clear. Anyway, the sixth grade science experiment found its way into my kitchen. I discovered it sitting on the counter top. There was a strange smell in the air, something unpleasant and sharp smelling. So I looked around, and there it was. It was a glass with an egg floating in white vinegar. Okay, that makes sense. My son, Hudson, has started to learn about the Periodic table, the different elements, the molecules, and how they interact. I remember many years ago doing the same thing in science class. If my dim memory serves me well, the experiment showed how the calcium carbonate of the egg shell dissolves in the vinegar. I think that's right. So, my son is bringing home all sorts of instructions for kitchen experiments. He has to carry them out, and then write down his observations. He loves it. It reminds me of a story my husband told me about when his cousins were young. They made a concoction in the kitchen that ended up blowing up. They were very lucky that they didn't get seriously hurt. They charred the kitchen ceiling, and singed off their eyebrows. Unsupervised kids are a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, Hudsons' eyebrows are safely on his face, and I am keeping a close eye on his experiments. Grammar notes. Expressions: to singe, concoction, someone's memory serves them well, to char. 1. The coal fell out of the fireplace and singed the carpet. 2. What kind of concoction is this drink; it's disgusting! 3. I remember that day; my memory serves me well. 4. The walls had been charred black by the fire. // //

It's time to rock and roll. Glide, wobble, balance, and slither. Let's try something new to get ourselves moving. Did you know that the part of the brain that deals with balance, also deals with focus? Isn't that interesting. An educational specialist told me that the other day. One of my sons is going to see her each week to increase his reading abilities. I am really intrigued to see what she will do, and what the effects will be. I would like to pick her brains. One of the things that she recommends for children who need to control their focus, are balancing exercises. So, another trip to Walmart, and we have a Slither scooter. It's a super duper one. It's actually a combination of two things: a regular scooter, and a rip stick. I won't go into detail about what a rip stick is because it will actually take too long, but I think you get the gist. If you check out one of my previous podcast, 'A Refreshing Park', you will get more of an idea about what a rip stick is. So, we have the box in the kitchen, and my two oldest pounce on it like a couple of cougars. They immediately tear the box open, and start putting the thing together. "Shouldn't you read the instructions?" I ask them. My experience is that males will often put something together, and then later have to take it apart and start all over again, this time reading the instructions. I could be wrong though, ....... I shouldn't generalize, so you men out there, please don't get offended. But of course, mothers are always wrong, right? So, I let them get stuck at one point, and then intervened, pushing the instruction manual under their noses. And guess what happened? They followed the instructions, and put it together correctly! Mmm, am I making my point clearly? Anyway, they all tried the super dooper Slither scooter on our driveway. They described it as "cool", "difficult", "awesome", and "tricky". That means that they like it. I'm going to try it tomorrow to see if it will help me to super duper up my focus. Grammar notes. Expressions and vocabulary: to pick someone's brains, the gist, to pounce. 1. He knows so much about history; I should pick his brains about the First World War. 2. The gist of his speech was that the company needs to expand into new territories. 3. If the rabbit doesn't run and hide, the fox will pounce on it. // //

Entertainment at half-time is a big deal over here. Whenever you go to a college level or professional level sporting event, there is entertainment half way through the game. I saw some interesting half-time performances the other day in Spokane. My family and I had gone with my in-laws to see Whitworth's men's basketball against Lewis and Clark. Three of my husband's second cousins actually play on the Whitworth team, so there was an added incentive to go.  At the moment, Whitworth's team is second place in the nation, as far as college level goes. And Lewis and Clark have only been defeated by them. The rivalry was quite intense. I actually have never seen players play so hard. Both teams were really trying to win. Someone made a good point, that at the college level, you often see a better game because the players are so intense. At the professional level, often there is a lot of showmanship, and playing for the crowd. Anyway, half time came, and there were two performances. One was a modern dance troup who performed to rap music. The other was a group of little girls who looked like fairies. They danced in a fairly modern style to a song entitled 'It's all about me'. It was perfect for the age of the girls who were dancing, because, after all, they are really into themselves. It would have been great if my daughter had been there. I'm sure that she would have come home, dressed herself up, and danced to the same song. Mind you, it's a good job that she didn't because we didn't get home until after 1am. Spokane is three hours away from Wenatchee, so all together, its a long trip. And, on top of the distance that we had to drive, there were thick patches of fog on the highway, so getting to the game was an ordeal! But, when there is a good game going on, you have to find a way to get there. And when you do, there is not just a great game, but also some half-time entertainment. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: intense, fairy, ordeal. 1. This chocolate is 90% cocoa; the taste is intense. 2. My daughter said that she thinks there are fairies in our garden. 3. The flight was a real ordeal. First it was delayed by three hours. Then the plane was grounded because of technical difficulties. // //

On Wednesday, the Reptile Man came to visit my kids' elementary school. It is a very worthwhile show to watch. The owner of the Reptile Man business, and the Washington Serpentarium is Scott Peterson. You could say that he is an advocate for reptiles of all kinds. He is based in Monroe, in the Seattle area. His business is open 365 days a year, and speaking at schools is part of his commitment to spreading the word about how necessary and wonderful reptiles are. He is very informative, having studied zoology in college. And he has a very calm, soothing voice. And that's just as well, because when he is holding up a venomous snake, or an alligator in a room full of people, he has to keep everyone calm. I have seen him before, and I've also visited his serpentarium. However, each time I see his show, I learn something new. At one point, for example, he held up Lucy the alligator, telling us many facts about the animal. I didn't know that alligators never stop growing, and can reach up to 1000 lbs in weight. Lucy is just a baby, and was raised as a new born by Mr. Peterson. In fact, he raises all his animals from newborns or eggs; he doesn't keep any wild-born animals. All of his venomous snakes have had their venom sacks removed, obviously for the safety of everyone around them. And, talking about snakes, he has many, many kinds, including the deadly black mamba, cobras, and rattle snakes, and the non-venomous pythons, anacondas, and boas. I also didn't realize just how important snakes are because of their diet. They mainly eat rodents, and that saves us all from diseases and a lack of crops. One of the animals that I liked best was the African tortoise. They can live up to 200 years. I was able to pet the one he brought. It was amazing. It's shell was thick and hard like rock. In fact, you can drive a car over one and it won't be crushed; it is that strong! Lions try to eat them, and have to give up, because they cannot penetrate the touch shells. It really was quite a show. The children and parents loved it. I recommend his website too, at : reptileman.com. Enjoy! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: an advocate, venomous, rodents. 1. He is an advocate for abandoned animals, and works hard to protect them. 2. The black mamba is the most dangerous venomous snake in the world. 3. Rats and mice breed very quickly, and spread diseases if uncontrolled. // //

I'm so used to going to Walmart, that I could probably get there with my eyes closed. It's two blocks away from our house, so it's the perfect place for a quick shop stop. There have been renovations going on there for several months now. It started out with heavy machinery digging up a large section of the parking lot, then scaffolding on the outside, and lots of building noises. I happened to pop in the other day to buy some basic essentials, like milk and bread, when I realized that things had progressed somewhat. Where I usually walk in, was locked. It looked derelict actually, as the entryway sign had been taken down. And where there had been covered scaffolding, a new entryway was on display. It isn't quite finished yet; the sign is actually just a hanging sign. However, the entryway is usable; people were walking in and out, there were several drink dispensing machines there, and a lot more room. In true 'buy some stuff' style, the entryway was full of tasty, unhealthy treats like chips and coke, stacked like a tunnel that you had to walk through to get to the rest of the store. I'm actually excited about the rest of walmart being finished, because it will cut my shopping experience in half. After I shop at walmart, I always have to go somewhere else for fresh fruit and vegetables. Poor me! I always seem to be in a hurry, so shopping in one place will be convenient. I'm not sure what the other shops in town will do when Walmart becomes a 'super store'. Competition is healthy, but that is easy to say if you don't own a shop in the same town as Walmart. The reason I'm talking for the second time about Walmart is because it's a 'big deal' over here; it is a monstrous business that keeps its customers because of its unbeatable prices. Its slogan is "Save money. Live better." That is simple and straight to the point, isn't it! So, let's see if, in the near future, their grand re-opening lives up to their tremendous reputation. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: scaffolding, basic essentials, no big deal. 1. The cathedral is being cleaned, and has scaffolding all over it. 2. We have run out of some basic essentials, so I will run to the store and get them. 3. The cinema is full, so we have to wait an hour until the next showing. No big deal! // //

Wow! What a shot! I have been hoping to get a photo or a video of deer to show all of you. This time of year is crazy with the deer coming down from the nearby mountains. They are all over the place, and obviously very comfortable in town. I think the fact that there are orchards here and there in town help. They sleep in the orchards, and have plenty to eat there. Then at night they walk around the neighborhoods, looking for more tasty treats. It just so happens that a favorite spot for some of them is our property! A few years ago, we found three of them sleeping on our back porch! Now, however, we have dogs, so they keep away. The two dogs that we have live in the back garden. It is a large area that is fenced in, ideal for dogs. So now, we don't have any deer visitors in the back garden. Our dogs do, however, alert us as soon as they smell them approach. Infact, they bark like crazy and drive everybody nuts. It doesn't happen during the day, because the deer only come around at night. We have often had to put the dogs in the garage at 3am because of the noise. We don't want to make enemies of our neighbors. I can see that deer have been hanging out in our front yard because there are hoof prints and droppings everywhere. One of my neighbor friends told me that she saw a large herd of deer walk up the road, and settle in my front garden where we have alpine trees. When I was pulling up to the house the other night, my headlights flashed in the eyes of three deer who were happily munching away at the plants near my entryway. The dogs were barking, of course, but the deer seemed to know that the noisey want-to-be-wolves couldn't get out. I drove towards the deer very slowly, illuminating them. Their ears pricked up and they turned to face me. Then, they gracefully turned and walked into the darkness. It doesn't happen very much, but when it does, it is so worth watching. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to alert, to drive ...nuts, hoof/ paw prints, a herd. 1. The alarm alerted us to the fire that had started in the kitchen. 2. That music is driving me nuts; can you please turn it down, or off! 3. A good hunter can track an animal by its prints: paw prints for wild cats and bears, and hoof prints for deer, elk, and moose. 4. There are so many names for groups of animals: a herd of cows, a school of fish, a pack of wolves, and a swarm of bees are just a few. // //

Have you heard of skeet shooting, or perhaps clay pigeon shooting? Well, we are beginning to do it. Having  been inspired by his grandfather in Scotland, my son Cass caught the bug. Doing it once when we went to stay with my father last summer just wasn't enough for him. When we returned to Wenatchee, he brought with him two of 'Grandad's' shooting magazines. I, at first, tried not to think about guns; I don't know much about them, and quite frankly, they scare me. However, my dad has been a hunter all of his life, and is an example of using guns responsibly, and only for hunting or clay pigeon shooting. My husband decided to try skeet shooting recently. He bought a couple of shot guns, ammunition, and a skeet thrower. So we are set. We have everything that we need. It just so happens that guns are very popular in this part of the country. Many men hunt deer, wild turkey, or even bear and cougar. A lot of them are very skilled, and even become bow hunters. There are several gun shops in town, gun sections in major stores, and all sorts of clubs to join. Having seen my father shoot birds while I was young, I feel that that would be a reasonable kind of hunting. You can eat the birds as well. Bringing down a larger animal, however, doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm certainly not an expert, nor do I intend to be. I'll leave that to the people who know what they're doing. For now, starting out skeet shooting, learning all about safety issues, the equipment, and how to aim, are enough for me. We went to a shooting range at the weekend. It is a simple place, a couple of miles from our house, up towards the mountains. You have to have a club key to unlock the gate and get in, and then you drive to either a pistol range, a rifle range, or a shotgun range. The place was empty when we went. It is still very cold outside, so I'm sure a lot of the regular shooters were staying at home. And yes, I actually had a go. It was funny though. Looking back now, I realise that I was standing in the wrong position, my head was uncomfortably leaning on the gun, and I barely knew which eye to close in order to look down the barrel. I must have looked ridiculous! However, my husband and my son gave me all the advice I needed to stand and aim properly, and that made a difference. I didn't manage to hit any skeets, but at least I feel that I'm a step closer to aiming and firing. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to catch the bug, ammunition, issue. 1. After travelling to Australia, he caught the travel bug. 2. They found some old World War II ammunition in their back yard. 3. We have to play the game fairly, so it doesn't become an issue. // //

I hope that this never happens to you. You're driving along, minding your own business, when suddenly your car stops. It could be because of engine trouble, or because of something in the road that is preventing the car from moving. I spotted this poor man the other day as I was pulling onto the main road. He was digging the snow out from around his tires. The trouble was, he wasn't parked on the side of the road. He was right in the middle of the main road, with two lanes of traffic on either side of him. He was in the turn lane. That is where the snow plows pile up the snow from the rest of the road. And that is where, if your wheels aren't  big enough, and your engine isn't strong enough, you get stuck. I was relieved to see that there was another man with him who was also digging around the wheels of the little truck. Lucky for them, they had shovels. Who ever carries shovels in the car when you drive? If I got stuck like that, I would have to dig myself out with my shoe, or the cup holder of the car. It must have been something to do with their job. They were both dressed in the same uniform, and I could make out that there was a company name on the vehicle. I had to drive off before I saw them dig themselves free. They're not there now, so their efforts paid off. I remember getting 'stranded' on a road once. It wasn't because of snow, either. It was years ago. I was driving my husband's Chevy truck across the large, main bridge. It was a great day, I was listening to music, I had the window down; everything was perfect. Then, suddenly, the truck started to slow down. Before I knew it, I had pulled over to the hard shoulder. A few cars beeped me as they passed. The traffic speed was fifty, and I was doing zero. I had been too busy enjoying the wind blowing through my hair, to notice that the fuel level was blinking 'empty'. Oops! Thankfully, my brother-in-law came to the rescue with a canister of gas, and I was able to complete my trip and get home. How embarrassing! That was a mistake that I won't forget. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to spot, to make out, a canister. 1. I spotted an owl in the tree, so I zoomed in with my camera and took a picture. 2. It was hard to see, but through the clouds, I could make out a castle. 3. That liquid only comes in half gallon canisters. // //

It's a strange sight. You get so used to seeing the lovely clean snow falling, and getting piled up on the side of the road. But then, all of a sudden, it seems, that beautiful stuff has turned ugly. I was driving to the shops the other day, when I drove past a huge pile of snow that had recently been dumped there by a snow plow. There seemed to be no mix of the colors at all. The black snow was, obviously, the snow that had been right on the road. It had all kinds of grit, gravel, and dirt mixed in. The white snow was from the most recent fall, which had been heavy. This season creates quite a lot of work around the town. There are snow plows busy every day, moving this pile of snow, clearing that neighborhood, or turning three lanes of traffic into two. I can hear them drive into our neighborhood early in the morning. Beep, beep, beep, I hear as they back up. Their lights flash to make it obvious that they are here. Some people actually make good money by mowing lawns during the warmer months, and then snow plowing during the snowy months. I've got a little 'putt-putt-putt' snow blower for clearing our driveway. I've used it enough to realize that it is super easy. Just follow the instructions, turn the different knobs, push a few buttons, and pull a cord very hard, and it's ready to blow. You just have to make sure that you concentrate, otherwise it's easy to blow a load of snow at your own house or garage. That defeats the object! So, we have a couple of more months to deal with this white stuff. I don't mind using the snow blower on it when it is pretty and clean, but I wouldn't like to deal with the dirty stuff, yuck! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: grit, gravel, knob, the recent...... 1. You won't slip on the snowy road because the plow spread some grit on it. 2. Before we put tarmack on our driveway, it was just gravel. 3. The door knob is wooden, but the one in the dining room is glass. 4. The recent election was very interesting. The recent snow storm was very inconvenient. I was unaware of their recent football victory. // //

One part of my daily routine during the week is to pick up the kids from school. I'm sure that a lot of you listening now probably do the same thing. Thankfully, I live very close to the school where three of my children go. It's literally a three minute drive from my house. My kids used to catch the bus home, but, interestingly enough, it would take them an hour to get home. We decided that it was a bit of a waste of time sitting on a bus for an hour, when they could be at home relaxing or doing homework. So, now you can find me sitting in the line of cars, waiting for my little ones to come running out. I watch the school buses pull up to the sidewalk, just in front of the kindergarten block. The children who take the bus have to line up outside a little earlier than the rest of the kids; they wouldn't want to miss the bus. Some of the students live far away, so it's a good job that the buses are available. Other children live quite close to the school, so they can simply walk home. There is an interesting system of road safety to get the kids safely across the various roads on the way to and from school. The oldest students in the school, the fifth graders, put a bright green vest on, bring out green plastic models of children that stand on the road near the cross walks, and they help the younger children cross the roads in a safe manner. Cars are supposed to stop at a cross walk anyway, if there are people there. So, that is the system. I sit in my car and wait for the bell. I love to see how the masses of children pour out of the building; they spill out like different colored beads, going everywhere, and of course, making lots of noise. The parents put their magazines away, or put their cell phones down, start up the cars, and get ready for the kids. It's time to hand out some snacks, and to hear the stories about how the day went. Grammar notes.  The use of 'enough' + adverbs to express surprize or contrast: strangely enough, oddly enough, interestingly enough. 1. The new hotel was finished in May, but strangely enough, it wasn't open for clients until a year later. 2. She is very loud and opinionated, but oddly enough, in a group she acts very shy. 3. He is hard of hearing, but interestingly enough, he is a great piano player.   // //

Do you ever fancy eating something really fresh? Something savory, healthy, and tasty? I'm so thankful that there is a place in town where we can get food that is just like that. It's a restaurant called the Wok-About-Grill. It is a play on words. You might already know that a wok is a special kind of frying pan used in Asian cooking. And, because 'to walk about' is an English phrase, the owners of the restaurant decided to change 'walk' to 'wok'. Anyway, it's a cool place. When you walk in, you immediately smell the wonderful stir fries. It's a simple place, but very clean, and nearly always packed. The main idea about the Wok, is that you put the raw vegetables, meat, and uncooked noodles that you want on your plate. Then you add oils, garlic, condiments, and sauces as you like. You hand the plate to one of a group of cooks who puts everything in your bowl on a large, round, cooking surface. After tossing and scraping it for a few minutes, he then sweeps all the cooked food into a new, clean bowl, and there you have your food. It's a smart set up. Think about it: you do some of the work, so the staff can concentrate on cleaning up rather than getting orders of different food. Plus, as a customer, you don't feel as if you are waiting for your food because you experience your meal happen, instead of sitting at a table and not being involved in the process. In this culture of fast food, and other restaurants that use pre-prepared food, it is refreshing to know that what you eat is fresh, fresh, fresh. If you fancy a stirfry that has loads of garlic and onion, then that's what you have. If you want just vegetables and no meat, no problem. I usually have lots of vegetables, some beef, and no noodles. So, the owner must be happy knowing that, with this system, the customer is always satisfied. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to toss, to scrape, a set up. 1. Put the salad dressing on, and then toss it. 2. I had to scrape my car's windshield this morning because there was so much frost on it. 3. That business has an ingenious set up. The customers actually do most of the work. // //

Well, it was about time that I got myself a camcorder, a decent one. I have been meaning to for a long time. The app that I have has bonus content which can either be an extra audio file, or a video. Until now, I have not really offered this bonus material because my little camera that takes pictures and videos, does not make quality videos at all. So, I took the plunge. What was I looking for then? Firstly, I wanted something that was easy to use. I also really didn't want anything big. I thought that if I could fit it in my handbag, then I would be happy. And, finally, I wanted something of quality. So, bearing these three things in mind, I drove to Walmart, and went to the electronic department. They mainly had cameras. There were the regular cheapo ones, all the way up to Nikons. Well, I didn't want to spend that much. A friend of mine recommended that I get just a camcorder, not a camera that also takes videos. "A video taking camera could compromise quality," he said. I took his advice. There were only two camcorders to choose from. Both were the same size, shape, and quality. They both had a USB plug to download directly into a computer. However, the slightly more expensive one had HD quality picture, and a stabilizing capability, so when you walk or run while filming, the video doesn't jump around and get blurry. Bingo! I finally got what I needed. I am thrilled with my new device. I'm looking forward to adding video to my apps to become more of an expert producer. I have used my camcorder already: at my son's basketball game, and in a restaurant. One of the cool options is to plug it into our television to see what I have recorded on a big screen. I can also send decent videos to family and friends around the world through email. I'm feeling very proud of myself; I feel like I've caught up to the twenty first century! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to be meaning to, to take the plunge, to bear in mind, cheapo. 1. I've been meaning to call you for weeks; I've just been so busy! 2. He took the plunge and started a business; fortunately for him, he was successful. 3. You can borrow my car to drive there, but, bear in mind, the roads are very icy. 4. I finally bought a decent toaster. The one we had was a cheapo, and kept on burning the bread! // //

Today, I  found in my bag forty stamps that I had bought around Christmas time, and not used. I had bought them for mailing Christmas cards, but this year, for some odd reason, I didn't mail out any cards at all. I usually do. I must have just completely forgotten. Anyway, I'm keeping them with my stationary and office supplies for sending off bills. One thing that I have noticed about stamps is how they increase in price every year. Mailing, or posting letters as we say in England, is becoming more and more expensive. Living far away from friends and family doesn't help either. My mother recently sent off a package of Christmas presents to my sister; we shared the cost of the package, and it is just as well. The postage generally costs more than the value of what you are sending! Then there are all the different options you can choose for the freight. There is Federal Express which is super speedy and very costly. US postal service offers regular delivery, next day air mail (for national deliveries), or mail with tracking. A few days ago my mother also sent a small package to my brother who lives in New Zealand. She was told in the post office that it would cost eighty nine dollars. "What?" she replied. "Why so expensive?" was her next question. Apparently, they had added the tracking charge which was the majority of the total cost. "Forget about the tracking," she said. "Just send it the cheapest way possible." They did, and the price was only one tenth of the original cost. The world of mail is fascinating. When you think of how we manage to communicate with and send things to people on the other side of the planet, and most of the time with success, it is quite impressive! Yes, there are disasters with mail getting lost, held up, or broken, but most of the time, our precious packages arrive on time and in one piece. Grammar notes  Common expressions: .... doesn't help, forget the...., to be held up. 1. The car is stuck in the mud, and this rain doesn't help! OR  It doesn't help that the only supermarket is closed, and we don't have any food! 2. Forget the travel insurance; just buy the plane ticket! 3. My parcel was held up in customs for three weeks. // //

Have you ever come across anything that someone has done that has made you wonder how on earth they had managed to do it? I've often wondered about how on earth window washers manage to clean the windows of high rise buildings, or how traffic controllers in airports manage to organize flights into and out of the airports so that all of the planes land and take off safely. There are jobs out there that we sometimes don't even realize exist, and the tasks involved in that job are either difficult or unusual. I haven't really got a stomach for heights, so I am always impressed when I see a job that has been done way up high somewhere, where most people would choose not to go. The other day when we were walking around Leavenworth, my husband suddenly said, "Gees, look at that. How did they do that?" He pointed to christmas lights that had been wound around tree branches in the central high street area. The trees were litterally covered all the way up to the top of the branches. Now, this might not sound like much, but you have to remember that Leavenworth is a huge tourist attraction, especially around Christmas time. There is a special lighting festival that is repeated a few times. The bavarian style buildings are beautifully decorated with lights, and the trees, which measure at least fifty feet, are also covered. I'm talking about every branch, from the bottom to the top. So, how do they do that? And, who are the they? They must be people who don't mind climbing up extremely tall ladders, up to the tree tops, or perhaps, hanging from a crane. Do they do this every year, or are the lights kept up all year long? I wonder how much they get paid. I would certainly not be a good candidate for that kind of job. I can just see me the first day of work, half way up, clinging hold of the ladder for dear life, crying for mama. I wouldn't be a useful employee. The trees would be beautifully decorated for the first six feet, but that would be it; I couldn't go any further. Grammar notes.  Common expressions: how on earth did you ....?, clinging hold of ... for dear life, to have a stomach for... 1. How on earth did you manage to lose your wallet twice in the same day? OR   How on earth did they manage to stay alive at sea for a month with no supplies? 2. They found the man clinging hold of the cliff edge for dear life. OR   She was nervous about losing her passport, and clung hold of it for dear life. 3. I don't have a stomach for roller coasters; they don't suit me at all. OR   I can't stomach musicals; they make me nervous and irritated. // //

Have you ever been sledding? In places where it is snowy, I think it is a great thing to do. In a way it is as good as, or even better than skiing; I'll tell you why. First of all, you don't need any skill at all to sled. Secondly, if it is speed that you love, you can easily find a way to meet your need for speed. Thirdly, there is no expense involved, and hardly any equipment at all. The best kind of sledding I have ever done was on an inner tube. An inner tube is a circular tube that is made of rubber, and made to go inside a wheel. It is very bouncy and comfortable to sit on, and protects you from landing hard on the ground. A few years ago, I went sledding with my brother who had come over from New Zealand for a visit. We took an inner tube up to Mission Ridge, which is the ski resort of this town. We found an empty slope that went through a bit of the forest and up an embankment. It was safe, secluded, and provided an easy way to slow down at the end. Perfect. On the way up there, I stopped at Goodwill to pick up a second hand pair of ski pants, as I didn't have any. Once we were both ready, we set off, and within about twenty minutes we were out of the car, and scoping out the area for the best place to sled. Now, my brother is a very big guy, tall, broad, and much heavier than me. He made the first few runs. His big body on the big inner tube smoothed the snow down perfectly, making a track for us to use. It was so much fun. We laughed our heads off. The best runs were when we went together. Because of our combined weight, we picked up tremendous speed, and literally flew over the bumps on the track. Oh, I forgot to add a fourth reason to sled; you do actually do a lot of exercise. Once you have reached the bottom, you have to pull your inner tube back up to the top of the hill again, and again, and again. By the end of the day, we were exhausted, not only from the exercise, but also from all the laughter. Grammar notes. Some common turns of phrase: to laugh one's head off, to work one's rear end off, to talk someone's leg off. 1. The comedian was very clever; we laughed our heads off for a whole hour. 2. You must have worked your rear end off to get the whole house clean in one hour! 3. My neighbor is a lovely friend, but she'll talk your leg off if you're not careful. // //

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. // //

I have recently been conducting interviews with people in town who have businesses. Why? Because I am beginning to build a website of interviews and dialogues. I hope to launch it before Christmas;....let's see if I can get it ready in time. It sounds like a simple procedure, doesn't it? Interview a person, add grammar notes and pronunciation practice, edit it until it is clean and professional, and then upload it to my website. Well, it's actually all new for me, including the interviews. Most people, I have found, are not that comfortable with being interviewed. That's understandable; they don't want to sound silly. Some people might not even want their voices on the internet. So, there are steps that I have to take to keep everyone happy. First of all, I must ask their permission, and see if they are comfortable with being interviewed. Secondly, I must inform them that the audio of their voice will be on the web, and then together, we must arrange when and where to conduct the interview. Well, I've done that so far with four people, and it's all turned out to be okay. But, one thing I have noticed is that they all got nervous during the interview. Now, when you listen to the interviews, they don't seem very nervous. That's because I have edited out all of the ums and ahs and stuttering. However, as I sit in front of the people, I can see them fidget, scratch thier heads, chew their lips, and even sweat. Do I make them nervous? Is it me, or is it the experience of being interviewed? I do my best to make them feel comfortable. I smile, but not too much. I put my head on one side, to act friendly and not domineering. I agree with them and nod my head, and I make sure that I don't stare at them for too long. If I put myself in their shoes, I would probably feel the same. Thank goodness for editing. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to conduct an interview, to launch a website, to stutter, to fidget. 1. Yesterday, we had to conduct ten interviews. 2. He launched his website last year, and has had great success with his new venture. 3. He had to give a speech, but he was so nervous that he stuttered quite a bit. 4. Most kindergarteners fidget a lot, and find it hard to sit still. // //

Hello everyone. I'm afraid there won't be a podcast today as I am really busy with preparations for Thanksgiving. There's a lot to do, as I am hosting the holiday meal at my house for a lot of people. So, catch up with me next time! // //

This past Friday night, I was settling in for the evening, when my youngest son said, "Mum, can we go to the family bingo night at school?" I groaned inside, not wanting to go anywhere. I had received an automated voice message from the school a few days previously about the fundraising night. Bingo was on the agenda, and the winners would win large baskets, or hampers, filled with all kinds of goodies. These hampers had been donated from various businesses in town to help the school raise money. I had actually never been to any of the bingo nights, but I had heard that they are very popular. So, being a push-over, and wanting to please my kids, I took my two youngest. My older two wanted to stay at home and hang out with their dad; anyway, they are far too sophisticated for school bingo, now that they are eleven and twelve.....As we turned up at the school, it was starting to snow. The parking lot was full of cars, so I knew that it would be a full event. We walked in and found the whole gym full of people sitting at tables, concentrating on their bingo cards, and munching away on snacks that they had bought at the concession stand. There was a table where you could rent bingo cards for five dollars for the evening. "Which one do you want?" said the lady who was in charge. "Oh, I don't care. Just give me any of them," I replied. "You're obviously not a serious bingoer,"she said to me laughing. She's right; I'm not. I've barely ever played it. But we sat down and started to cover the numbers that were called out. My children really got into it. We didn't win anything at all. I was hoping that we could take home one of the Christmas hampers, but it wasn't to be. What made it worse was that a couple of people each won three hampers. Three! There should be a rule against that! But we tried our best. My kids were very disappointed that we went home empty-handed. I told them, "Most of the time, you don't win anything. Only a few people ever win in these games, but there is always a chance." That didn't cheer them up, but I suppose it was a good lesson in reality. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a hamper, a push-over, to hang-out, to be in charge. 1. The first prize will be a hamper full of all kinds of coffee products. 2. She is such a push-over; you can ask her for anything and she'll give it to you. 3. How about we stay in and just hang out together? 4. When you train your dogs, you have to be in charge. // //

My energetic daughter has been begging me to take her to karate classes. She had already enrolled in gymnastics, and our rule is to do only one after-school activity each season, so I decided to only look into it, and not agree or commit myself to taking her. The other day, however, we were in the neighborhood, so we popped into the karate school, just to have a look. It is situated in one of the older brick buildings, near the railroad tracks. It has been nicely converted, preserving the brick and old wood feel, but updating it at the same time. There are three rooms in the school. One long exercise room with a big mirror which is used for lots of running and jumping exercises, a room with lots of punching and kicking bags, and then the entryway with a large wooden floor space for further exercises. Domini had a twinkle in her eye when she saw the children exercising in their black suits. They all looked so cute! "Mum, can I quit gymnastics and do this instead?" Domini asked me. She was extra excited because there was a little boy there who she recognized from preschool. She had always played and got along well with him, so she felt at home. Well, I agreed. Domini will finish this month of gymnastics, and in the meantime, she will try a few classes of karate, and see how she gets on. So, today was her first time. Let's just say that it wouldn't surprize me to see my daughter with a black belt on in a few years. She loved it. There was a warm up, a break, more exercise, and then learning some forms. She was in a beginners' group with children her age. At one point they all had to do 10 push-ups because one of the boys wasn't listening. It was serious business, and you know, I think most kids enjoy that side of it too. It makes the whole event seem important. So, to conclude, she will get her black suit and join the rest of the little dragons, that's the name of her class. My only advice to her is not to practice on her brothers, at least, not yet. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: energetic, to update, instead of, to conclude. 1. The old lady was feeling energetic, so she went for a long walk. 2. I updated my address book; I added many more names and addresses. 3. I don't feel like cooking tonight; let's get chinese food instead. 4. To conclude the concert, the trio played a piece by Bach. // //

One of the things that I had on the calendar this month was the bilingual night at my children's school. It is held a few times a year, to inform parents about progress being made with the school's dual language program. Tonight was the first meeting of the year, and there had been lots of preparation for it. My daughter, who is in kindergarten, had been practicing three songs. I had heard her singing around the house, but it took me a few days to ask her if there was something that she was practicing for. Sure enough, kindergarteners and first graders were going to perform on stage for the parents, to impress them with some bilingual songs. It was a rush to get there on time because Domini had just finished a gymnastics class, I had to drop of one of my sons at his basketball practice, and then get to the school lunch room on time, where seats had been put out in rows for all of us. Going to one of these is not a new thing for me. All four of my kids are going through the same elementary school, so I know all about the bilingual program. I'm thrilled that they can be exposed to Spanish, and, hopefully, each year pick up more and more. As I sat chatting to another parent, the students came out and lined up on the little stage. The music teacher played the guitar, and sang loudly, opening his mouth very wide, to get the children to follow him. The kids did a great job. They sang four songs, each a mix of Spanish and English. Every now and then, when they came to a difficult part, the singing trailed off and became quite quiet, and then in the easy parts, they got very loud and confident. You know what it's like with children: they fidgeted, looked at their shoes, at the ceiling, whispered to eachother, and some even picked their noses. It all added to the performance. When the singing was over, we actually sneaked out, and didn't stay for the talk about the importance of being bilingual. I've heard the talk many times, and, besides, I'm already a believer in language learning! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to be exposed to, to trail off, confident. 1. The miners were exposed to toxic gas; they need medical treatment. 2. He forgets what he's talking about, and his speech trails off. 3. She is confident, and speaks her mind with ease. // //

As we move into the middle of November, the countryside seems to be changing every day. The colorful leaves that decorate the whole valley are beginning to fall, and preparations are being made for the long, cold winter. I am trying to go for walks as often as I can because the days are so beautiful. As long as you wear warm enough clothes, you can be refreshed by a lovely walk. There is no reason to stay inside, really. On my walks, I take my camera, to capture anything that I can write about. Recently, I have been using alot of space on my camera's SD card for photos of the sun shining through the trees. It's become a bit of an obsession. Every part of every tree is different. Each hour that the light changes, everything looks different, and each day, of course, there are marked differences in what you can see. My camera is just a cheapo, digital one, but with a good editing software ( I use Picassa), you can get inspiring photos. So, on my walks, it's not unusual for me to quickly make my way into an orchard, or into a hedgerow, to get the shot that I want, before the light changes. I'm sure it looks a bit strange to people driving by. The photo on the blog today, was taken in my back garden one afternoon. From our kitchen, as you look out, there are several trees, one after another. The closest is a red japanese maple, behind which is an aspen. The change of season had made their colors quite dramatic, and contrasting with eachother's. So, I abandoned my cooking, grabbed my camera and got out of the door before the sun went down. My dogs didn't know what the excitement was all about. They brought me a ball to throw to them, and dropped it at my feet. But I was too busy focusing my camera. I climbed onto the patio table to get a good shot. So the dogs climbed up too. The three of us stood there on the table: me, totally engrossed in the trees, and the dogs probably wondering what we were doing on the table. But, when the light is right, you have to forget everything else and focus. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: as long as, a marked difference, engrossed. 1. You can go to your friend's house, as long as you're back by eight. 2. There has been a marked difference in his reading; it is very much improved. 3. The film was so good that we were thoroughly engrossed. // //

We used to have a large pine tree in our front garden. It was a very tall, old one. It was planted about thirty years ago, but last year, we decided to cut it down. I wouldn't normally agree to chop down a tree, but this one was yucky. Half of one side of it had no branches, and it looked weak. My husband and I are really into trees, and really into planting them, so we had a plan of filling in the area with new pine trees. I found it hard to imagine what the front garden would look like once our shade giving old pine was gone. We need shade in this area, so I hesitated at first. However, I know how enthusiastic my husband is about getting a permit each year to go up into the mountains to dig up trees for our garden. I imagined that the area left by the old pine would soon be filled in with many more trees, and probably healthier ones as well. And I was right. The new trees are growing fast, creating shade, smelling and looking great, and givng the impression of a mini forest. So, what did we do with the old tree? The same thing that a lot of people do around here. You see, we need trees for the shade in summer, but we need wood to burn in the freezing winters. So, our need for winter wood has been met. With the help of a good friend who used to be a forest ranger, Tom cut up the old pine into large logs for our fireplace. Both of them used chain saws. It was a noisy process, but exciting at the same time. The front area of our garden smelt like pine and smoke for a while, as the tree was getting chopped up. Now we have an organized pile of wood, sitting next to our garage, ready for when winter comes. Our boys are big enough now, that we can ask them to run out and each get a log so that we can build a fire in the fireplace in the evenings. As we sit and watch the fire dance, and hear the wood crack, we can remember the old pine, and look forward to our new mini forest getting taller and thicker. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to hesitate, a permit, to give an impression, fireplace. 1. He hesitated before asking for help; for a moment he thought that he could handle the problem by himself. 2. You have to get a permit from the forest ranger before you dig up trees. 3. They gave me the impression that they are not from around here. 4. The hotel's fireplace was huge, made of rough stone, and with a massive mantlepiece. // //

My good friend Nataliya called me a few days ago, and invited me to a concert at a local church. "There is a very good Russian pianist, Oksana Ezhokina, you might have heard of her." I vaguely remembered the name. She has performed a few times in Wenatchee. At the moment, she lives in Leavenworth, and is the artistic co-director of the Icicle Creek Music Center, and a member of the Icicle Creek Piano Trio. Accompanying her were Daniel Schlosberg, an accomplished pianist, and Artist-in-Residence in the Music Department at the University of Notre Dame, and also Russel Rolen who is a professional cellist and teacher, and is studying for his doctorate at Northwestern University. I was excited to hear about this trio coming to town; it had been a while since I had been to a classical concert. Nataliya gave me directions, and I decided to get there a little early, just in case there were a lot of people, I could get some good seats. It's a good job that I did because the place was packed. I made sure that I got a couple of seats as close to the front as possible. Nataliya arrived, and we looked at the program. They were going to play some very interesting pieces, and quite a variety: Gershwin, Schumann, and Rachmaninoff. Oksana started off the concert with a piece, and a little talk at first about how the concert was to raise money to buy a grand piano for the town. Several private donations had been made already, but money still had to be raised to have enough for the purchase. The concert flew by quickly because the music was so good, and so well performed. It was a delight to see real musicians at work who had obviously dedicated years to becoming accomplished. Everybody was impressed, and gave the musicians a standing ovation at the end. I'm so glad that my friend had told me about this concert. I must keep my ear to the ground for other concerts in the area. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: vague/ly, to accompany, just in case, donation. 1. He looked at me vaguely. I don't think that he remembered me at all. 2. I will accompany you to the train station. We can chat while we wait for the train. 3. Let's take the umbrella, just in case it rains. 4. The clinic received a huge anonymous donation last week. // //

For a while now, there has been a lot of construction going on at our local Walmart. I am a frequent shopper there, as it is only a couple of blocks from my house. Walmart is expanding. After a few years of doing tremendous business here, the owners have decided to turn it into a superstore. That means that it will soon sell fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. It will become the 'one stop shop' for a lot of people, including myself. Instead of shopping at Walmart, and then needing to go to a regular supermarket for food items, everything will be in one place. That's a relief! The local shops and supermarkets won't be very happy about it, but that's competition I suppose. It will force a lot of merchants to lower prices and create more special offers. Walmart is quite a ferocious animal. There are more than 8,500 stores in 15 countries, and it's annual revenue is similar to that of a small country. Personally, I'm looking forward to the expansion. Because so many people shop at Walmart, their produce is quite fresh; they don't have goods hanging around on shelves for weeks. We call that a fast 'turn-over'. So, by Christmas, I think, it will be ready. For now, the machines of different kinds are digging, and banging, and lifting. One of the employees I spoke to told me that she had to hear a jack hammer for 8 hours one day. The workmen had to do a job close to her check-out till. By the time she went home, she said, her nerves were shattered. When you walk in the building, all of the aisles have changed position. The pet food is where the stationary used to be, and the stationary is where the diapers were. It's a little confusing. The parking arrangements have changed because work is taking place on a large area in the front of the building. These things take time; it's good to see the progress each time I go there. I expect that in true American style, there will be a grand opening with all sorts of freebies and special deals. But until then, there will be cranes, dump trucks, and jack hammers creating all sorts of noise and commotion. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: one stop shop, a relief, ferocious, to hang around. 1. If I have time, I love to go to specialty shops: a bakery, a delicatessen, a wine shop. But most of the time I go to 'one stop shops' for convenience sake. 2. My headache has finally stopped. What a relief! 3. The new lion in the zoo was quite ferocious. 4. I wish those kids wouldn't hang around in the mall. It's as if they have nothing to do. // //

Do you use calendars very much? I do. Without them, I'm sure I would forget a lot of appointments. I have a calendar conveniently placed in my kitchen, just above where I do my podcasts. I have a collection of other important things on this 'mini-desk' of mine, so it keeps me organized while I do my little projects, check my E-mails, or pay the bills. My husband has one on his iPad that is much more sophisticated than mine. He relies on his to keep his business affairs straight. However you use a calendar, it can be a great tool for remembering important appointments or events. In English, we say that people have a busy 'social' calendar, when they have appointments with friends, or commitments that are fun. I have a few of those on my calendar, but most of the things I have written down are mundane: dentist appointments, volunteering dates, taking the dogs to the vets for shots etc etc. But as I look up now to my calendar, I see that I do have some fun, social things planned for this month. I have lunch with my siser-in-law next week. Then there is a walk with a friend of mine in the park. We go every fortnight (or two weeks) There is a school bingo night which is to raise money for school supplies. And then, of course, there is Thanksgiving on the 25th. My birthday is also somewhere on the calendar, but I won't tell you where. This one calendar has been so useful for the whole family, that I bought a dry-erase version that hangs in the children's mud room. It is reusable, and has all of their school, sports, and music dates. If other people stay organized, it certainly takes the pressure off of me. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: convenient, to pay the bills, to keep your affairs straight, mundane. 1. A large supermarket is being built where we live, how convenient! 2. It's that time of the month again; I have to pay the bills. 3. This business is very complex. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep your affairs straight. 4. Household chores are so mundane; they can get downright boring. // //

The other day I went for a walk in the park with a friend of mine. We don't see eachother very much because she is busy taking a nursing degree, so it was a treat to spend some time together. The day couldn't have been any nicer. It was a cool but very bright Autumn morning, there was color all around, and still a little mist over the river. I had a feeling that it would be a good occasion to take my camera, just in case. There is all sorts of new development planned for the river front. There are already a few new buildings that are used for offices and a cafe. However, a developer has posted a big sign, showing the plan for a building complex of condominiums, shops, and restaurants to go in where older buildings now stand. The plan looks very attractive, nicely landscaped, and quite modern. Already, the roads and parking areas have been changed a little. Roundabouts have been put in to avoid the expense of traffic lights, and they have been beautified with statues and plants. I was amazed when I first saw them. Roundabouts are so common in England, and actually in the rest of Europe. They are a very logical, easy way to keep the traffic organized and flowing. You don't find roundabouts very much over here, at least you didn't until recently. Most roads are dead straight with traffic lights. I'm happy to see some European influence where we live. After looking at the new roads, we started our walk. Our aim was to walk to the bridge and back, and then to have a cup of coffee in the nearby cafe. On the way there we passed under some trees that had turned all sorts of colors. I couldn't miss my opportunity. I got out my camera, zoomed in, and clicked away until I got a picture that I was pleased with. You can't help but look up at this time of year because of the colors in the trees. When I got home, I put my SD card into my laptop and edited the photo. Actually, all I had to do was crop it and give it a touch of saturation. I liked it so much it has become my new screen saver. Check out my blog and see what you think. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to spend time with someone, to have a feeling, a building complex, to flow. 1. It was so nice to spend time with my relatives over the Summer. 2. I have a feeling the taxi will be late; let's ask our neighbor for a ride. 3. The building complex includes residences, shops, cinemas, and even a swimming pool. 4. The architects designed the city center well; the people and traffic flow well. // //

Well, Halloween came and went as it does every year, leaving a house full of sweets! We had a lot of fun yesterday. I told my children that I wasn't going to buy them costumes this year. They had to find bits and pieces around the house and make do. It worked out really well, actually. One of my sons used a simple sheet to be a non-scary ghost. He ended up getting too hot under it, and not wearing it at all. My daughter dressed as a gypsy, and my other sons dressed as a Swat man, and an ugly clown. So, Tiong, to answer your question about whether my oldest is still into scary, dark stuff, I think the answer is no. So we set off around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, ringing bells, and hoping for treats. Most people in our neighborhood weren't in, so we drove to a busy area, where the houses are closer together, and the general atmosphere is one of a close community. You should have seen some of the houses! Talk about decorated! One lady opened her front door to hand out candies, and as I looked inside her large family room, I could see that she had decorated the entire ceiling with fake spiders webs, and purple and black bats and bugs. Normally, those who make an effort to decorate, just do the outside of the house. But, as they say here, she had 'gone the whole nine yards' (which means that she had taken the idea of decorating very seriously, and almost overdone it). The streets were packed with people dressed up in all sorts of costumes. There was even a tall man (one of the dads) dressed up as a deer. One house that we went to had scary statues in several places, spooky music playing, and eery lights. As we approached the candy bucket, I touched one of the statues, "Hey, he feels almost real," I said to my kids. They squeezed his arm and poked him, and at that moment he turned his head towards me. Ahhh! He was real! "How can you stand so still?" I asked him. He just shrugged. Thankfully there were some very pretty houses to stop at as well. Pumpkin carving is quite an art form, you know. And some of these neighbors were excellent at it. All in all, it was a fun and successful evening. Then came the mathematics. As soon as my children got home, they spread out their candies, grouped them, counted them, traded them, and even noticed mathematical patterns with them. Of course, as the evening went on, the groups got smaller and smaller. Grammar notes.  Related vocabulary: to make do, the whole nine yards, eery, to shrug. 1. We only have potatoes and green beans to eat. We'll just have to make do. 2. My mother went the whole nine yards for Halloween. She decorated, dressed up, and held a party. 3. That abandoned house in the field looks quite eery, especially at night. 4. He never answers a question; he just shrugs his shoulders and says nothing. // //

As I drive around town, I find myself saying the occasional "oooo!", "ahhh!", or "oh?!" Do you know why? There are Halloween decorations all over the place, and they make a real impression. There seem to be two approaches to decorating for Halloween: friendly or scary. Personally, I prefer friendly. The time of year leads me to decorate with themes of pumpkins, Autumn leaves, and the harvest. Okay, I throw in the odd friendly ghost here and there, a black cat, or some fake bats. But you can find a pleasant version of those things. Other people, however, choose to really scare. Perhaps they don't get frightened easily. Some of the houses near us are quite shocking. There is one with a huge skull picture in the window that is pulling an awful face, and then outside, on the front lawn are fake tombstones everywhere. I suppose it's all a bit of fun; it just depends on your taste. My oldest son seemed to enjoy the dark side of things a few years ago. One Halloween night, when all of my children dressed up and we took them out to trick or treat, he chose to go as the Grim Reaper, you know, Death. He wore a long black hooded cape, and had a mask on like 'the scream' by Edvard Munch. The rest of us were friendly looking creatures, and so he stood out in contrast. We stopped by a local church that had free hotdogs and lots of candies for Halloween night, and as we went from booth to booth, people would look at my son twice, the first time in shock, the second time in horror. On another occasion, he was dressed like Darth Vader from Star Wars, which wasn't bad at all I thought. However, he had a battery run voice pack that had some pre-recorded sayings by Darth Vader. I didn't pay much attention to it at all, until we got to the church parking lot, and the kids were filling up their candy buckets at the booths. Hudson turned on his voice pack, and you could hear, " You don't know the power of the dark side!" I'm sure some people found it distasteful or inappropriate; I actually thought it was hilarious. And Hudson, like the rest of the kids, was only concerned about getting as much candy as possible. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to make an impression, the odd....here and there, version, hooded. 1. He made a real impression on me; he was polite and very helpful. 2. You can see the odd farmhouse here and there in the valley. 3. The new version of 'Thriller' is not at all as good as the original. 4. My sweater is hooded, so I can keep my head warm when I go out in the snow. // //

It's funny how ordinary items or actions can show your knowledge of a language. Sometimes when I do something, or say something, I ask myself the question, "Could I say that in Spanish or French?" Your question would probably be, "Could I say that in English?" With that in mind, I was looking for a pen, the other day, to write down some notes. I couldn't find one anywhere which is really annoying. We seem to have little elves that come at night and steal useful items of all kinds, like pencils, pens, note paper, even envelopes. Mmmm....I wonder who they could be. I couldn't find a decent pencil either. The ones that were in the pencil holder didn't have any nibs. Whoever had previously used them had worn them down, or simply pressed down so hard that the nib had broken off. The solution? A pencil sharpener. But no ordinary pencil sharpener. We have always had the ordinary little plastic ones that have a small blade in them. You insert the pencil, turn it a few times while pushing against the blade, and voila, a sharp pencil. But I decided to buy something that would give immediate gratification. A super-dooper electronic office sharpener. Ooooo! It's black, and very serious looking. Now, with ease, I can insert a pencil into the hole, and the blades automatically come on. They do their job in a few seconds, and out comes the pencil, with a sharp nib, and ready to be used. No more messing about with pencil shavings. My kids were impressed with my new buy. They, by the way, are the culprits for the disappearing pens and pencils. My daughter sat down and sharpened about fifteen pencils straight away. I had bought a battery run sharpener a couple of years ago, but my youngest son tried to sharpen the other end of some pencils, you know, the end with the eraser in the little metal holder. Well, you can guess what happened. The sharpener broke. However, now the youngest are older and less likely to do that again. And their fingers are too big to put in the hole, ....thank goodness! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: with that in mind, elf/ elves, no ordinary...., nib. 1. The concert was cancelled because of the rain; with that in mind, we should think of something else to do. 2. They say that Santa is helped by elves. 3. She is no ordinary woman. She's an astronaut, a racing car driver, and a best selling novelist. 4. The nib of this pencil is broken. Where's the sharpener? // //

I received a flyer in the mail the other day. It rang a bell; I had seen something like it in previous years. It was the annual Make a Difference Day information sheet. From the title, you can tell that it is about getting involved in the community and making a positive difference. This event has grown since 1990, and is held the fourth Saturday of October. It started through USA Weekend and the 800 newspapers it serves. It is a day dedicated to serving neighbors and the community, to meeting needs and offering support. There are thousands of people involved in organizing it. Just letting people know which needs exist is a big job. Nowadays with the internet, people can find out much quicker who needs what and where. Last year, over three million people got involved with local groups to help in many ways. As I glanced through the list of places to help in our little community, I counted at least thirty. However, there are other charitable groups that are not mentioned. In a large city, there must be hundreds of causes that people can help. Several of the groups here are set up to help poor and homeless people in the Winter. It is an awful prospect to be caught in a freezing climate with nowhere to live. Free coats, blankets, and all sorts of basic essentials will be donated at various places. Also the shelters, such as the Salvation Army, will be cleaned, painted, and prepared for the Winter. Volunteers are asked to sign up ahead of time, sometimes bringing their own equipment, and then they will be assigned a job or two. The projects are not just charitable, though. People can choose to plant trees or flowers in public places, pick up litter along highways and roads, or even provide babysitting. It's not compulsory; it's all about volunteering, doing a job, helping. Of course, once you are out there, you begin to see other areas in the community that need help. That is probably why Make a Difference Day has grown each year. I've put it on the calendar, and will be deciding with my family what we can do to help in our town. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a flyer, to ring a bell, a prospect, to assign. 1. We get all sorts of flyers in the mail, advertizing this and that. 2. Your name rings a bell; have I met you before? 3. Finally getting a promotion is a wonderful prospect. 4. He assigned us jobs. Mine was to clean up after the event. // //

Are turkeys a part of your culture? They are over here in the U.S. You have probably heard about the Thanksgiving turkey. Did you know that the tradition of celebrating by eating a turkey started with the Native American Indians? It was the Wampanoag tribe, specifically, that in 1621 shared food that was naturally available locally, with the European Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. They celebrated having survived a cruel winter, and having made important friendships with the Native Americans. There were other, earlier Thanksgiving celebrations by the Canadians and the Spaniards, but the American celebration of 1621 seems to be more famous. The native bird chosen as an important part of the feast was the turkey. That bird is also native of Mexico. It's an American bird, and a big one, come to that. A healthy turkey can easily weigh 20lbs or more. If you're going to cook one, you have to make sure first of all that your oven is big enough! In recent years, people have taken to deep frying them. You need an enormous deep frying pan for the job. And, it is actually quite a dangerous undertaking because of the large amount of boiling oil. Though the turkey cooks more quickly than it does in the oven, it has to be supervised at all times because of the risk of fire. Apparently, though, it is the best way to eat the bird because it stays extremely moist. Yes, turkey eating is big business here. In 2006, farmers raised 270 million turkeys to do almost 8 billion dollars worth of business. A third of those turkeys were consumed at Thanksgiving. So, if you're a turkey, run and hide! If someone offers you lots of corn, and a comfortable nest, don't be fooled. Thanksgiving is coming soon! I came across two lucky turkeys the other day during my trip to a petting zoo. They are caged, and on display, - not for eating. They really are odd looking things. Their colors are quite vibrant, but their heads are so ugly. They have the long, red flesh that hangs from the top of their beaks called the 'snood' in English, and the similar 'wattle' that hangs from underneath. The black and white body is more attractive, as it is nicely proportioned and looks like it is wearing a pretty skirt. That is what interests most people because, unfortunately for the turkeys, it is that part that will be served with stuffing and vegetables! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to take to, to raise, on display. 1. He has taken to walking his dog every morning; it's so good for both of them. 2. I was raised on a farm, and now I am raising chickens and goats. 3. The car is only on display; it isn't for sale. // //

Every year, either in the summer, or around October, we make a trip to Smallwood's Farm. It is a family-run farm with a petting zoo. All of the produce grown on the farm is sold directly to the public. Through the years, it has grown from a small attraction, to one that does an awful lot of business for most of the year. Each year I have seen more attractions and events added, to draw in a bigger crowd of spenders. The journey from our home is only about twenty minutes. As we drive away from Wenatchee and head west, the hills become greener, and there is more forest; we are no longer in the desert region. The roads become a bit more windy as we get closer to Leavenworth. It's just outside of that town, that there is a turn-off to Smallwood's. You can't miss it. There are flags and tall signs, seasonal decorations, and, usually, a car park full of cars. When we went at the weekend, there was even a coach, so the place was packed. The kids ran all over the place excitedly. There were so many things to do and to see, that they didn't know where to go first. There was a big pumpkin patch, where you could choose from very small to huge pumpkins. A hay maze had been made, that you could walk around in, and, hopefully not get lost. There is a play area for the kids with swings and other toys. And there is even a cow ride. Not real cows, just little, metal cars, painted like cows with wheels pulled by a tractor. I've been on that a few times with my kids, their cousins, and my mother-in-law. The last time we went, we laughed and screamed as we whizzed around the corners. I think we had more fun than the kids. We still, just about, fit in the seats that are designed for children. It's encouraging that our rear ends aren't too big to exclude us from the fun. What a comforting thought! And then there is the petting zoo. There are llamas, goats, peacocks, pigs, sheep, and rabbits. You can feed the animals crushed corn, and pet them. It's always fascinating to be around animals, especially when you are not used to it. And when there are baby goats or rabbits, everybody flocks to see them. After the animals, and sanitizing our hands, there is a visit to the gift shop. There is so much to buy, and it is all so nicely presented. They must do so much business! There are lines of people with cash or credit cards in hand, waiting to buy fruits, vegetables, sauces, ornaments, candies, drinks, and even kitchen equipment. The owner of Smallwood's must have perfected his skill at attracting consumers of all ages. We are certainly hooked. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to pet, to draw a crowd, a coach, to exclude. 1. If you buy a cat or a dog, it is important to pet it. They need affection and attention. 2. The street performers drew huge crowds over the weekend. 3. The tourists were travelled by coach; it was the most comfortable way to see everything. 4. The boy was excluded from playing because he wouldn't follow the rules. // //

The photo on today's blog is one of the most unusual I have taken since I started A Cup Of English. Bras on a bridge.....um.....it makes you think. It's symbolic, of course. There are so many of them, each being unique. They represent the women who have suffered or are suffering with breast cancer. Many people use that particular bridge in Wenatchee, and so, have had the opportunity to think about the subject. The organizer of this display asked for one thousand bras to be donated. A walk to raise funds for cancer research took place that afternoon, and donations were to be given to an organization in town that supports families of ladies with breast cancer. This is the third annual breast cancer awareness event in Wenatchee. Someone had told me about the decorated bridge, so I had to see it for myself. From far away, it didn't seem like much. But, as I got closer, the double line of bras made quite an impression. They seemed to go on forever. Each one was different from the last. They were colourful (colorful), pretty, silly, sexy, and bizarre. It was an effective way to understand the large number of ladies who die from this each year: over fourty thousand. It also emphasized that each lady affected is an individual, not just another number. But, action and awareness are giving hope. Educating women and girls on self examination, mammograms, and a healthy lifestyle, can all make a positive impact and reduce fatalities. This sort of thing brings up questions as well. The local newspaper, The Wenatchee World, hosts a blog about its articles. Many men wrote in to comment about cancers that affect men, such as prostate cancer. One man suggested hanging up jock straps on the bridge as well. That would certainly get people talking. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: symbolic, display, awareness, article. 1. The statue is symbolic of man's struggle against oppression. 2. The watch display was spectacular, with some rare jewelled watches also on display. 3. Once there is awareness of the problem, we can start looking for solutions. 4. I enjoy reading the articles in the local newspaper about the native americans.   // //

I realized today, that yesterday's date was special: 10/10/10. It was October 10th, 2010. I had been too busy over the weekend to stop and realize the curious and interesting date. While I was chatting to my sister-in-law today, she mentioned that she had measured the height of her three boys, as a way of commemorating the day. It could be what we call an 'auspicious' date, a day of significance and importance. My children told me that a popular kids' program called 'Ben 10' had been on the cartoon channel all day. Now that sort of thing is important to children. The date 10,10,10 however, is very important to some adults. Apparently, many people who have been planning on getting married this year, decided to do it on that day. It will be impossible to forget an anniversary! Also, it seems that the number 10 gives us a sense of security, or familiarity. 'The top 10' is common in our world. We hear about 'the top 10 pieces of music', 'the top ten reasons for ....whatever', 'the top ten keys to success in business', and other top ten lists. As far as the date is concerned, though, it depends on which calendar you use. The Chinese calendar is based on astronomical observations of the sun and the phases of the moon. Numbers are considered lucky if they sound like words that are positive. The numbers 6, 8, and 9, are considered lucky because they sound like other words that are positive or fortunate. Some people will pay large sums of money to have these numbers as their home numbers.  The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar. Because it is number based, rather than meaning or sound based, a date like 10,10,10 does draw attention to itself. Mathematicians might have something to say about it. One website that had various people send in their ideas, had this comment from a man who took the date very seriously: " I was explaining yesterday how 42 is the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything to my girlfriend, when one of my employees brought up that it's going to be 10-10-10 this year. I realized that 10-10-10 in binary equals 42." Perhaps that man will be lucky enough to get all of his questions answered this year! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: auspicious, anniversary, phase, observations: 1. The December 12th, 2012 might be a special day, an auspicious day. 2. It's my parents' anniversary tomorrow. 3. He's going through a shy phase. I'm sure he will grow out of it. 4. In science class today, we had to make observations about the growth of the plants. // //

Sorry everyone, there are no podcasts for a few days as I will be busy in one of the local schools. But, don't worry, I will resume normal podcasting after this week. So, keep up with the English, and have a great weekend. Anna. // //

Kindergarten is proving to be quite a fun place for my daughter. They went on their first field trip the other day; it was a 'tree walk'. They have been studying trees: how they grow, and how they change with the seasons, so a tree walk was the perfect ending for their studies. I volunteered that day, and arrived at the school a few minutes before the bus left. There were several mothers there, and we all helped the teacher line the children up and get them ready for their big trip. When I say 'big trip', I mean that it was big for them, because it was exciting, and their first so far this year. It was actually just a five minute trip, up the road, to the Wenatchee Valley College grounds. The bus parked and let us off. We walked over to a shady area where one of the college staff greeted us. There were several stations of fun activities, all to do with trees. One was an observation of chlorophyll. The children had to find a large leaf, put in on a wooden board, under a white sheet of material, and then bang it all over with a hammer. Kindergarteners with hammers? Now, that sounds risky! They loved it! And they could see, as they banged, the green chlorophyll come out of the leaf and soak into the material. Another activity, which I'm sure was one of their favorites, was to build habitats for wild animals out of bark and pine cones. They paired up for this, and had a little toy mascot representing the kind of wild life that is found in the forest. Some had beavers, or squirrels, and others had mice. There were habitats of all shapes and sizes built for the little furry forest creatures. And, of course, when the children had finished, they wanted to keep the soft toys. It took some convincing to get them to put them back into the boxes for the next group of children. The last station was where we sang songs in the shade of a big tree. The songs were carefully chosen by two of the school district's music teachers; they were, of course, all about trees. The teachers passed out different percussion instruments to various groups of children, and each was told to play the instrument when a certain part of a tree was mentioned. So, for example, one group of kids would play the triangle when they heard the word "roots", other kids would play the wooden blocks when they heard "branches" etc. It was a well organized event for the first year students, and, I think, a great way to, solidify their knowledge of trees. Grammar notes. Useful expressions: so far..., to soak, pine cones, solidify. 1. So far this season, the pumpkins have stayed quite small. Let's hope they get bigger for Halloween. 2. Let your shirt soak in water with a little bleach in it; that should get rid of the stains. 3. We collected pine cones as fire starters. They catch light very quickly because of their natural oils. 4. The liquid gelatin will solidify as soon as it gets cold enough. // //

Yesterday, there was a knock at the door. "Mum, there's some guy at the door," said my son, letting me know that he didn't feel like opening the door. I had just woken up from a nap. So, still feeling drowsy, I unlocked and opened the front door. I expected to find, perhaps, a neighbor, or someone selling something. To my surprise, there was a large man who I didn't know, who was dressed in an eighteenth century military costume. He beamed a smile at me, and handed me a plastic envelope containing a copy of the U.S. constitution. "Hello Ma'm," he said. "I'm just out encouraging folks like you to read our constitution." "Oh, thanks," I replied. "Can I take your photo?" I quickly added, seeing a good photo opportunity. He posed for me and then went on his way. He was part of the Patriot Corps, which is part of the Foundation For Liberty. Their aim is to, "educate our citizens on limited government and constitutional rights." He made quite an impression, especially dressed as he had been. Thinking about it, however, his costume was just like the British Redcoat uniform..., now that must have been a mistake. I checked on the internet, and actually, the American revolutionary uniform was blue, with soldiers wearing a lot of brown as well. Oh, well. Perhaps I'll send him an email and let him know that he looks more British than anything else. I appreciate having a constitution around, though. Of course, when I was doing my paperwork to become legal, I had to become familiar with some parts of the constitution. And when I was a teacher at the High School, I taught a 'citizenship' class, which included a lot of the constitution. But a reminder is good, especially if, like me, you enjoy political discussions. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: drowsy, to pose, aim, thinking about it. 1. His medication made him feel drowsy, so he took a nap. 2. The models posed for the cameras next to the monument. 3. The governor's main aim was to reduce crime in the city. 4. The comedian was very funny, but, thinking about it now, he was offensive. // //

As I walked outside yesterday to throw the garbage in the dumpster, the evening sky caught my eye. There was a spread of small clouds that were lit up by the sun, beautiful and pink. An English saying came to mind: Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning. I remember hearing that saying when I was a child. At that time, I lived in a rural area where there was a lot of farm land. It was important to know when to plant seeds, and how the weather would affect the work on the farm. Who knows if this saying is accurate? Scientifically speaking, it is an indication that the low sun is lighting up clouds that are heavy with moisture. By the time the night has come and gone, it will either have rained, or the clouds will have gone. If the clouds are pink in the morning, the moisture will be around for the rest of the day, meaning that rain is on its way. That makes sense. The saying is one of many that we find in what is called 'weather lore', lore is a word that we don't often use which means 'old sayings' or 'old stories'. There must be some truth to some of them. They developed through the experience of people who have observed weather patterns over time, like fishermen and farmers. Another saying I like is: When windows won't open, and the salt clogs the shaker;The weather will favour (favor) the umbrella maker. Salt, as you know, absorbs water from the air. So, when there is high humidity, the salt will expand and not pour easily from the salt shaker. Also, the wood of doors and windows will expand because of moisture in the air. It's reasonable that generations of people tried to figure out what the weather would do, as a way of preserving their livelihoods. We're luckier nowadays, with weather satelites and weather stations, that can warn an inform us of important changes in the weather. We can even, ahead of time, evacuate areas that will be hit by hurricanes. And think what that saves! Weather lore has its uses, but science and technology now lead the way. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to clog, ...speaking, to make sense, to figure out. 1. Leaves have clogged the drain, so there is water everywhere. 2. Financially speaking, he is wealthy; however, emotionally speaking, he is poor. 3. That newspaper article didn't make sense. The argument was very weak. 4. I tried to figure out the instructions to put the shelves together, but they were not clear at all.   // //

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. // //

"Oh no," exclaimed Darzee so the snake could hear, "my wing is broken and I can't fly." The bird just needed to get the snake away from her eggs. The bird fluttered down the garden path and Nagaina followed closely. Rikki-tikki ran to the melon patch and carried off the eggs. he was carrying the last egg, when Darzee flew over him. "Oh Rikki-tikki, Nagaina has trapped Teddy and his parents on the porch of the house." Rikki-tikki ran as fast as he could. He reached the porch with the last egg in his mouth. Teddy's family had sat down to eat, but none of them moved. Their faces were white as snow. Nagaina stood inches away from Teddy's chair. She was ready to strike at any moment. Rikki-tikki dropped the egg on the floor. He yelled, "Nagaina, I have the last of your eggs here. I have taken all the others from the garden. This is your last one. Leave them alone and I will give this egg to you." Nagaina spun around. She forgot everything for the sake of that one egg. As soon as she turned away from them, Teddy's father grabbed him and pulled him to safety. Now Nagaina turned on Rikki-tikki, and a wicked fight began. The two animals moved round and round in an angry dance on the porch. But Rikki-tikki was very quick. He jumped back with each of Nagaina's wicked strikes. Rikki-tikki forgot about the egg, though. After a few minutes, Nagaina got close to her treasure. Before Rikki-tikki could catch her, she snapped up the egg in her mouth and raced down the steps off into the garden. Rikki-tikki followed behind Nagaina. Darzee flew straight at the snake to slow her down a bit. She gave Rikki-tikki the chance to grab Nagaina's tail just as she slid down into her hole. Deep in the hole they continued their fight. The long grass at the entrance to the hole shook as the two struggled underground. Then the grass stopped waving. All the animals thought that Rikki-tikki had lost. Suddenly, Rikki-tikki's head popped out of the hole. "Nagaina has taken her egg and gone," he said. "She will never come back to this garden." The tiny mongoose was content. He owed Teddy's family a big favor for saving him from the flood. By keeping his English friends safe from Nag and Nagaina, Rikki-tikki had returned the kindness. // //

"Who is Nag? I am Nag. My family has ruled this garden for thousands of years. Look at me and be afraid." Rikki-tikki was scared for only a minute. He knew that as a mongoose, he was supposed to fight snakes. Nag knew it too. "Look out!" yelled Darzee's wife. At just that moment, another snake struck at Rikki-tikki from behind. The snake, Nag's wife Nagaina, had tried to bite Rikki-tikki. She just missed him. Then, the two snakes quickly slithered off into the grass. Later that night, Rikki-tikki heard a peculiar sound. Rikki-tikki could make out what seemed like the sound of snake skin rubbing on bricks. Nag or Nagaina was in the house! As quick as he could, Rikki-tikki ran off to Teddy's parent's bathroom. There he heard two voices whispering in the dark. It was Nag and Nagaina. "When the house is empty of people," Nag said to Nagaina, "we'll force Rikki-tikki to go away. Then the garden will be ours again. We are the king and queen of the garden. Remember, our eggs in the melon patch will be hatching soon." "Go in quickly," Nagaina said, "and scare off the people. Then you and I will take care of Rikki-tikki together." "Go in quickly," Nagaina said, "and scare off the people. Then you and I will take care of Rikki-tikki together." Rikki-tikki's eyes glowed the deep red of a polished ruby. He heard Nagaina slide away into the grass outside. Rikki-tikki thought of all the nice things that Teddy's family had done for him. He inched closer to the deadly snake. He would fight the snake and send him away for good. Then, as quickly as lightning, Rikki-tikki jumped. He grabbed the snake by the back of the neck. Nag whipped his head around. Then snake swung Rikki-tikki like a limp rag doll. Then Rikki-tikki heard a large crack. Teddy's father had taken a stick and hit Nag in the head. The cobra lay still on the cold tile floor. Teddy's father picked up the snake and got rid of him. "Oh my," Teddy's mother cried from the bathroom doorway. "That mongoose has saved all our lives." Rikki-tikki walked back into Teddy's room and slept. When morning came, he knew he would have to find Nagaina and fight her too. Once she found out that Nag was gone, she would be very dangerous...to everyone. Rikki-tikki went to the garden with a plan. "Darzee," he called, "you have to help to distract Nagaina while I go and find her eggs." Darzee agreed to fly over to where the snake was lying in the grass and lure her away. Nagaina was sitting by the house and crying over her lost Nag. // //

This tale is of a brave mongoose, named Rikki-tikki-tavi, and his great fight to help a family that saved him. It all took place in the far-off land of India. It began on the first sunny day after many days of darkenss and rain. A young English boy, Teddy, went outside to explore. There he found a mongoose in the road. A mongoose is a small animal, a bit like a cat and a bit like a weasel. This mongoose, Rikki-tikki, had thick hair and a bushy tail that made him look like a cat. His skinny head and the way he moved his feet were just like a weasel. His wiggly nose and eyes were pink. But when he got mad, his eyes turned deep, deep red. A big summer flood had washed Rikki-tikki out of the hole where he lived. The water carried him along and dumped him in a ditch just outside Teddy's house. This was how Teddy found him. "Look, Mummy, a dead mongoose," Teddy said as he carried Rikki-tikki inside. "Let's have a funeral." "No Teddy," said his mother. "Maybe he's just wet. whey don't we dry him off?" Teddy's father wrapped the animal in a towel to warm him up. The towel tickled Rikki-tikki's little pink nose. The mongoose sneezed and then looked around. Rikki-tikki was very curious. Rikki-tikki ran up to Teddy and rubbed his wet head under the boy's chin. "Hey, that tickles," Teddy cried. "He wants to be your friend," Teddy's father laughed. "Wow, how amazing," said Teddy's mother. "He's a wild animal. I guess he's so tame because we've been kind to him." "As long as we don't pick him up by the tail, or put him in a cage," said Teddy's father, "he'll be happy here." Then Rikki-tikki spent the whole day running through Teddy's house making himself at home. At bedtime, he climbed up into bed right next to Teddy. The next morning Rikki-tikki went out into the garden. It was a large yard with rosebushes and plenty of tall grass. Rikki-tikki heard a sad song coming from the trees. He looked up and saw Darzee, the songbird. One of her eggs had fallen out of her nest and a snake had eaten it. "Those snakes, Nag and Nagaina, are evil," Darzee cried. The snakes were cobras, some of the biggest, deadliest snakes around. "I'm sorry," said Rikki-tikki, "but I am new here. Who is Nag?" Just then, a big snake slithered up through the tall grass. It hissed a low breath that was harsh like steam from a radiator. Rikki-tikki was so scared by the sound that he jumped two feet. // //

The smell as they approached the dragon's den was horrible. George and the princess put George's shield near the sleeping dragon's head to protect themselves from the dragon's fiery snores. They watched the grains of sand fall every second. Suddenly the dragon woke up. Now, Sabra thought, surely the dragon would find them before the sand finished running through the hourglass. The dragon stood up and rubbed his eyes. As soon as the last grain of sand ran through the hourglass, the dragon yawned a great fiery yawn. "Now George!" Sabra shouted. George threw the hourglass up into the dragon's mouth. It shattered on its tongue into a cloud of icy mist. Now our two heroes had made the beast furious. He looked down to see them. Both George and Sabra hid behind the shield. The dragon took a breath to blow fire at them. But, because of the hourglass, only cool ice and soft snow came from the dragon's mouth. It took another deep breath, but the hermit's magic had changed the dragon. His mouth shut tight with ice. He quickly jumped into the warm lake with a huge splash, for his whole body was beginning to freeze. George and Sabra had saved the kingdom. It was Sabra who was the second knight that the old hermit had spoken of. The two returned to the castle to cries of joy and triumph. The grateful people of Silene were no longer prisoners in their own kingdom. The king offered George all he had in thanks, but George didn't want any payment. "I have many more adventures left to face," George told the people. "They are my greatest reward." George shared the story of the dragon of Silene to everyone on his journey. And it is still told today as an example of bravery. That is how George, the brave knight from the land of the fairies, earned his sainthood. // //

"I am Princess Sabra," she said. "Come with me." They tiptoed through what was once a deep, green forest. Sabra explained why the kingdom lived in such fear. A fearful dragon had lived in the kigdom for many years, she told him. The horrible beast had ravaged the land. May men had tried to kill the dragon, but its sharp claws, huge wings, and fiery breath made it impossible to reach, let alone kill. The people had moved inside the castle for protection. But soon the dragon had run out of animals to eat. "If you do not feed me sheep each day," the dragon roared,"I will come through those walls for my breakfast!" So each day, as the sun rose, so did the dragon, looking for its breakfast. "The dragon sleeps now," said the princess," but we gave up our last two sheep this very morning. Tomorrow we shall have nothing to give the dragon, and we shall all perish." "Then I have arrived at the right time," said George bravely. They came to a cave in the dark forest. "To slay the dragon," Sabra told George, "we need help, that is why we are here." In the cave lived a wise old hermit. Some said he was a wizzard who was over 900 years old. Sabra and George crept up to him. He did not turn to look at them, but he spoke as if he knew they were coming.  Long ago, it was told, Two brave knights would come to know, The only way to save the rest: The Serpent's weakness in his breath.   With those words, an ancient hourglass appeared at their feet. George did not understand. He asked the strange little man, but the hermit wouldn't say anything else.When George and Sabra left the cave, it was already dark. They knew they must hurry to the dragon's lair. They had to get there while the dragon slept. "The hermit speaks in puzzles," Sabra sighed. "What do we do with this ancient timepiece?" George remembered what the fairy queen had told him. His best weapon, she had said, was his brain. He studied the hourglass closely. Each bit of sand looked like a magic crystal frozen in time. They arrived at the lake. George and Sabra walked softly through the fog so they would not be heard. The sands in the hourglass dropped with every careful step. "The hourglass will lead us," George whispered. "We must wait until all the sand has dropped through." // //

This is the tale of Saint George and the dragon.Iit has been told for over 15 centuries. It takes place during a time called the Dark Ages, when kings ruled the land, wizzards cast spells, and monsters roamed free. The queen of fairies had taken young George in as a baby. The fairies raised the child to grow up brave, strong, calm, courteous, quick, and clever. They taught him to be a noble knight. At last the time came when George was old enough to look for his destiny. The queen of fairies called hiim to see her. "Your journey starts today," she told him. "You have many adventures before you. Your fantastic quest will take six years. The world is filled with monsters to be killed, and battles to be won. You'll meet kings and poor men, wizards, witches, evil princes, and kind princesses." "Yes, Your Majesty," George bowed before the queen. He was very fond of her. He was sad to leave the land of the fairies, but he was not afraid. "Always remember one thing," the queen added, tapping his helmet. "You're greatest weapon is your brain." With those words, George set off. He traveled for weeks, through many wonderful kingdoms. But as George approached a place called Silene, he noticed that the land changed from lush and green to dark and desolate. It seemed the ground had been burned. there was no grass, only the darkest mud. The trees were bare and black, and a foul smell filled the air. As George walked through this stark land, he did not see a soul - not a bird, not a squirrel, and certainly not a single person. George finally saw a castle in the distance. A high, solid wall enclosed the castle and the small city around it. The gate was locked. Again, George saw no one around. When he got closer, he saw a young lady. She came silently through the gate. "Excuse me, dear lady," he started to say to her. "Quiet!" she said quickly. "Have you no sense? You should leave and never return." "But I am a brave knight here to help you," George whispered. "Alas, sir," the woman replied, "you are only one man. I'm afraid you cannot help." George looked into her eyes and said, "It is my destiny. I will not go until I have done all I can, even if it costs me my life." // //

Thumbelina told the field mouse of the horrible frog who took her away from her home. She told her how much she couldn't wait to get back to her mother and her garden. The field mouse invited Thumbelina to stay with her for the Winter. Together they gathered nuts, grains, and berries for the cold months ahead. Thumbelina sang songs and told stories, while the field mouse cokked their dinner or sewed by the fire. One day it began to snow lightly. Thumbelina had never seen snow before, so she opened the door to peek outside. But as she looked outside, she saw something strange. Lying near the front door was a young sparrow with a broken wing. He was shivering and he looked sad. Thumbelina called the field mouse. Together they helped the sparrow into the burrow and fed him some soup. Thumbelina, the sparrow, and the old field mouse spent the Winter together in the burrow. Thumbelina helped to mend the sparrow's wing so that he would be able to fly again. She told them stories of her kind mother and the beautiful garden where she was born. She hoped she would see her home again. One day, Thumbelina poked her head outside the burrown again. Tiny green shoots were beginning to appear all over the meadow. "Spring is coming!" she shouted to her friends. Soon the days were warm and sunny. The sparrow decided it was time to leave the burrow. "Thumbelina," he said, "you saved my life. Now I woiuld like to help you find your mother." Thumbelina said good-bye to her field mouse friend and climbed on top of the sparrow. She held on tight to the sparrow's feathers as he flew high above the trees. "Do you think we will ever find my mother?" Thumbelina asked the sparrow. "Yes, but first I have something special to show you," said the sparrow. He flew deep into the forest and landed gently in a thicket. All around them, beautiful flowers blossomed. No sooner had they landed, than a lily opened and out stepped a tiny boy. He wore a crown on his head, and he had a pair of shiny wings. "I am the Prince of the Flowers,: said the boy. "Live with us and be the Princess of the Flowers." He gave her a tiny pair of silvery wings and a beautiful crown. But Thumbelina missed her mother. She agreed to come back to the prince, but she had to see her mother. When Thumbelina flew into her mother's garden, the woman was so overjoyed to see her tiny daughter that she laughed and cried for joy. // //

The frog watched and waited until Thumbelina's mother went inside the cottage to get a cup of lemonade for Thumbelina. Then the frog jumped out from behind the reeds where he had been hiding and captured Thumbelina. He carried her away to the river where he lived and placed her on a lily pad. "Rest here while I go and make the plans for our wedding," said the frog. With that, he hopped away.Thumbelina did not want to be the wife of a frog. She wanted to be back home with her mother. She became so sad that she began to cry. Her tiny tears fell into the river and made ripples in its glassy surface. When the fish in the river saw Thumbelina crying, they decided to help her. They nibbled through the stem of her lily pad until it broke free and floated down the river, far away from the frog. Thumbelina flowed gently on the river until finally the lily pad came to rest on a grassy bank. She climbed up the bank and found herself on the edge of a meadow. "I miss my home, but this will be a fine place to live until I can find my way back to Mother again," she said. She wove herself a tiny hammock out of grass blades and hung it up beneath a large daisy which sheltered her from the dew at night. During the day, she wandered through the meadow. If she was thirsty, she drank the dew off a blade of grass. If she was hungry, she had a bite of clover or some honeysuckle. She became friends with the butterflies and ladybugs in the meadow, and at night she slept safely under her daisy roof. One day, Thumbelina noticed that the days were getting chilly. Fall was coming. Leaves began to fall from the trees. The nights were becoming colder too. She made herself a blanket out of cotton from the meadow, but soon it was not enough. "I am so cold and I don't know when I'll get back home! How will I keep warm in the Winter?" cried Thumbelina. She began to take long walks, looking for a place where she could be safe and warm. One day, she found a small burrow inside a tree. She poked her head inside to see if anyone lived there. Inside the little burrow lived a friendly old field mouse. The burrow was snug and cosy, for the mouse had lined it with cotton and hay from the meadow. "Excuse me," said Thumbelina quietly, "may I come into your warm burrown for a moment?" the old field mouse almost never had any visitors in Autumn, and was happy to have one. "Come in, come in! You poor dear. Come over by the fire and have a cup of tea." // //

There was once a woman who lived in a tiny cottage which had a beautiful garden. She was very happy tending her garden, but over time she became sad. She had no children who could share her garden with her. She decided to ask the old witch in her village for her help. When the woman explained that she wanted a child, the old witch thought for a moment. Then she pulled a tiny bag out of a pocket in her cloak. "Plant these wildflower seeds and look after them. Soon you will have your wish." The woman was overjoyed that the witch had given her a solution to her problem. She took the seeds home with her. The next day, she planted them in a sunny corner of her garden. It was the prettiest spot that she could find. She watered and watched over the seeds every day. Soon, tiny green sprouts began to poke up out of the ground. Before long, the sprouts grew and blossomed into a beautiful patch of wildflowers. In the corner of the wildflower patch grew a single, beautiful tulip. Its deep pink petals were closed up tightly. The flower was so lovely that the woman could not resist bending down to smell it. As she knelt in front of the flower, its petals suddenly opened. The woman was amazed to find a tiny girl sitting inside. She wore a tulip petal for a dress and had long, gleaming hair. "You are the most beautiful child I have ever seen! And you are hardly even as big as my thumb. Would you like to stay with me in my garden? asked the woman. "Oh, yes!" replied the girl. "I will call you Thumbelina," said the woman. At home, she made Thumbelina a tiny bed out of an acorn shell. Thumbelina slept soundly under rose petal blankets. She and her mother lived very happily in the garden the whole summer long. She loved to play in the little pond in the middle of the garden, so her mother made her a tiny boat out of a maple leaf. She rowed around the pond using two blades of grass for oars. Her mother sat by the side of the pond and read stories to her while she played. Sometimes, Thumbelina sang as she rowed. She had the most beautiful, silvery voice that her mother always loved to hear. One day, a frog was hopping by the garden pond. Her heard Thumbelinas's beautiful voice. When he saw the tiny girl rowing her maple leaf boat, he said, "What a lovely creature! I must take her away to my lily pad to be my wife // //

In the yard, the Captain whispered to his men, "Wait until you hear my signal. Then leave your barrels and storm the house." Morgiana helped Ali Baba's family feed their guest. She thought it strange that a man would arrive so early for market, but the oil merchant seemed very polite. After everyone had gone to bed, Morgiana finished cleaning up. Her lamp ran out of oil. She thought she'd have to finish cleaning in the dark until she remembered the barrels of oil in the yard. She walked up to a barrel. A voice whispered, "Is it time?" Morgiana sensed danger. She answered in a deep voice, "Not yet, but soon." Then, gathering some hay around each barrel, Morgiana lit the hay with a torch. The 39 cowardly thieves coughed from the smoke. They popped out from their barrels and ran away to keep from getting burned. The Captain of Thieves made his signal, but none of his men moved. Something had gone wrong again. The Captain returned to the cave to find his 39 robbers gone. Now on his own, the thief decided he would have to use all his cunning to plan his revenge. it would take time, too. The Captain dressed as a shop owner, went into town, and took up lodgings at an inn. He opened a shop across the road from Ali Baba's shop. The Captain pretended to be somebody else for many months. He waited in this disguise until just the right moment. After a while, Ali Baba invited the newest shop owner over for dinner. The Captain accepted and brought a basket of fine goods. He smiled as he met Ali Baba and his family. Even though he was polite, the Captain carried a dagger in his belt which was intended for Ali Baba and his son. Morgiana saw the dagger first. She then recognized the man as the oil merchant who had threatened Ali's household. Morgiana quickly came up with a plan. She wore long, flowing scarves, then entered the dining room to dance for the guest. Morgiana danced close to the Captain. Stepping behind him, she wrapped a scarf lightly around his arms then pulled hard. He could not move. "What are you doing?" Ali Baba cried. "This man is our guest." "He is your enemy," she exclaimed. "He has a dagger!" At that, Ali Baba's son took the dagger, and the Captain of Thieves was sent directly to prison. "I owe you my life, Morgiana," Ali Baba said. "Please marry my son and join our family." Morgiana agreed and they celebrated with a splendid wedding. // //

By now, Ali Baba had opened the shop which he had always dreamed about. He was a fair and generous shop owner. He was happy, his family had plenty, and every neighbor was his friend. Ali Baba hired a helper named Morgiana. She was a very clever and beautiful young lady. She enjoyed her work at the shop. And Morgiana cared for Ali Baba and his family very much. One day, a stranger came calling at the shop. He asked Morgiana many questions about the owner. The odd stranger's questions worried Morgiana. She vowed to keep a watchful eye on the shop. The stranger was really a thief in disguise. The thief returned to the robber's cave to report back to the Captain. "His name is Ali Baba, Captain," said the thief. "He lives behind his new shop in town. He was a poor woodcutter only a few weeks ago." "Go back there at nightfall," the Captain ordered. "Mark his house with this white chalk, and later, I will take 20 men to the marked house and finish him." As he was told, the thief crept in the shadows to mark Ali Baba's home. Little did he know that clever Morgiana had spotted him. As the thief marked the door, she followed with white chalk, too, and marked all the doors. When the Captain and his 20 thieves arrived later that night, they found every door was marked. They did not know which house to attack, so they crept away in shame. Their leader was angry and said, "Who will get this right?" One brave thief stepped forward. "Here is some red chalk," the Captain offered. "Mark the door, and I will lead 30 men to storm Ali Baba's home."The thief did as he was told, but again Morgiana played her trick on the Captain and his 30 thieves. The Captain decided to use all his power against Ali Baba. The Forty Thieves gathered together and made a plan. The Captain would disguise himself as an oil merchant. He would lead a train of mules that carried 39 barrels. The thieves would hide inside the barrels and await their Captain's signal. It was a great plan. Early that night, they arrived at Ali Baba's shop. "I have brought some oil to sell at market tomorrow," the Captain lied. "But tonight I need a place to stay and I have a lot of cargo. Will you take me in?" Ali Baba was as generous as usual. "Of course you can stay here," he replied. "Leave your cargo in the back. There is hay there for the mules. Then come in for dinner." // //

 In a town in Persia there lived a man called Ali Baba. He was a poor woodcutter, and he struggled each day to feed his wife and children. All he ever wanted was to own a shop in the town, sell goods to his neighbors, and have plenty for his family. One day Ali Baba was cutting wood in the forest. He saw a troop of men on horseback approaching. Ali Baba thought these men were robbers, so he climbed a tree to hide. Ali Baba counted 40 men. He wondered whether this could be the band of Forty Thieves he had heard so much about, the robbers that all of Persia feared. Their leader got off his horse and stepped around a bush towards a large rock wall. The powerful man faced the wall, and Ali Baba clearly heard him shout, "Open, Sesame!" A door opened in the rock wall! The door revealed a secret opening to a cave. The leader of the thieves stepped in, and the other robbers followed him. Ali Baba waited until the thieves filed out from the cave. The Captain closed the door, saying, "Shut, Sesame!" Then the thieves rode away. When he was sure they were gone, Ali Baba stepped toward the rock and shouted, "Open, Sesame!" And the door opened for him just as miraculously as it had for the Captain of Thieves. Ali Baba stepped through the threshold to find a large room, filled at every inch with all sorts of valuables, so brilliant with gold, silver, and jewels that Ali Baba had to squint. He feared the robbers might soon return. He quickly gathered as much gold as he could carry. Ali Baba remembered to say, "Shut, Sesame!" when he left the cave. Ali Baba did not notice that a single gold coin dropped from his cloak to the base of the bush that covered the secret door. The Captain of Thieves caught sight of the coin glimmering in the sunlight one day. He was very angry. "How could you drop this and risk revealing our hiding place?" he shouted at his 39 companions. "But, Master," the thieves said, "we know that the punishment for such a mistake is severe. Surely, none of us has done this." "Then we have been discovered," the Captain growled. He paced for several minutes with the thieves waiting anxiously for him to speak. Then he announced, "We must learn who has just become rich in town. That man and all his famiily must die!" // //

The minister saw the odd procession and cried out at the three sisters, "Have you no shame, girls? Why are you running after the boy? It's just not right!" He tried to pull the youngest girl away. Suddenly, he felt that he was stuck in the crowd and had to follow the goose, like everybody else. The minister's wife saw her husband running along with the three girls. She cried out in amazement, "Dear husband, slow down! We have to be at a wedding in a few minutes!" She pulled on his sleeve to try and stop him. Then, she was caught in this silly parade too. They passed two farmers on a road. The minister's wife called for help, but as soon as they touched her, the farmers were pulled along, too! Samuel hurried into the next town, with the curious party of seven behind him. There a king lived with his only daughter. The princess was so serious that it was believed that she could not laugh. So the king sent out a proclamation. Whoever made the princess laugh would have her hand in marriage. When Samuel heard about the princess, he took his golden goose to her. At the sight of this silly group of people, the princess burst into laughter. The king thought she might not stop. Samuel asked the princess to marry him. But, before she could answer, the king stepped in. He did not want Samuel to marry his daughter, so he made up a list of conditions. "First," the king said, "bring me a man who can drink a whole cellarful of cider, then a man who can eat a mountain of bread." Samuel thought of the little man in the woods and rushed off. The old man was sitting in the same spot as before. "Oh, I'm so thirsty, and so very hungry," said the man to Samuel. "I cannot seem to drink enough cider or eat enought bread." Samuel quickly took the old man to see the king. The little man happily drank all the cider and ate all the bread in the king's cellar. Then Samuel approached the king and asked for his bride. But the kiing was ready with a third demand. "Now bring me a ship which sails on land as well as on sea." Again, Samuel went to see the little man. " I will share all my magic with you," said the old man, "because you have been so kind to me." Soon Samuel was back at the castel with a ship that sailed on land and sea. The king had no choice but to let Samuel marry the princess. The two were married that very day. // //

  When Samuel reached for their snack, he found a magnificent sweet cake and a large bottle of cider for them to share. "My, look at this," said Samuel. "I am glad I have much more than stale bread to share with you." When they finished their tasty meal, the old man told Samuel, "You shared your goods with me, and for that I am grateful. Now you will have good luck to go with your kind heart." The little man pointed at an old tree nearby. "Cut down that tree and you'll find something special there in its roots." Then the man walked away without another word. Samuel was puzzled, but did as the old man had said. Samuel raised his ax and cut down the tree. When the tree fell, more than just a stump remained. Samuel found a goose sitting among the roots. This was no ordinary goose. Its feathers were made of gold! "What a wonderful surprise!" shouted Samuel. He had never seen anything like this before. He picked up the goose. Sure enough, its feathers were pure gold. Samuel took the goose and hurried into town. He had to show this goose to everyone he knew. Samuel was proud as he carried this goose through town. He passed an inn, and the innkeeper's three curious daughters came out to see the bird. Each of the three daughters wanted to take one of the goose's golden feathers to keep. When Samuel stopped to show off the golden goose to the three sisters, the oldest sister tiptoed behind Samuel and tugged at the goose's wing. her hand stuck there so tightly that she could not move it away. She waved to her sisters for their help. The sisters thought that together they could surely pluck out three gold feathers. They joined hands to pull. Instead, the three sisters found they were all stuck to each other! The sisters hushed their worried squeals and scurried behind Samuel, who never noticed the girls hanging on behind. He marched for the next town to share his goose's beauty with anyone who wished to behold it. Samuel hurried through a field on his way to the next town. The three stuck girls followed closely behind. // //

Hello everyone, just to let you know, there will be no podcasts this week, but I will continue our readings the following week. Keep up with your English! // //

There once was a gentle boy called Samuel. He lived at the edge of the forest with his parents and two older brothers. His family often treated him poorly. They didn't know that he was capable of much greater things, until the day that he met a strange old man in the woods. That day began as Samuel's oldest brother went to cut wood. Their mother packed a sweet cake and a bottle of cider for her oldest son to take into the woods. Samuel stayed at home and chopped nuts. In the woods, Samuels's brother came upon a little gray man. The man kindly said good day and asked, "Will you share your meals with a tired old man? I am very hungry and thirsty." Samuel's brother yelled at the man. "If I share with you, I won't have enough for myself," he said. "Now out of my way!" The brother left the man standing there and went to chop a tree. After a few strong swings, his ax slipped and hit his arm. He suffered a deep cut and could no longer continue his work. The little man saw all this happen. He smiled as the oldest brother hurried home to dress his wound. Now, the second brother was called to get the firewood. Their mother gave him sweet cake and cider for his journey, as she'd done for the oldest brother. Before long the second brother also met up with the old man in the woods. The man kindly said good day and asked if he would share his meal with him. This next brother was as selfish as the first. "If I give you my food and drink, I won't have enough for myself," he said. "Now get out of my way!" The second brother walked away and found a tree to chop. He swung so strongly with the ax that the head dropped off. It fell right on his foot, and so, he also had to go home hurt. Back at the house, young Samuel said, "Let me go and cut wood, Father." "You know nothing about it," replied his father harshly. "But if you want to get hurt, then go." Samuel's mother gave him some stale bread and a jug of warm water. In the forest, Samuel met the little gray man as well. "Would you share some food and drink with a tired old man? I am so very hungry and thirsty," he said. "I have only stale bread and warm water," Samuel said, "but if you don't mind that, we can eat together." They sat in the woods to eat. // //

Alistair led Oliver through the dining room. They hid behind potted plants and raced under tablecloths. They waited until the chef went to check something in the dining room, then they scampered across the kitchen and into the dark pantry where Oliver stumbled over something. "Do be careful," said Alistair. Oliver saw what he'd stumbled over. "It's a-a-a..." "A mousetrap," Alistair knocked it under a shelf with his paw. "You will learn to stay away from them." Alistair led Oliver up the shelves to the hors d'oeuvres. Alistair gobbled fancy crackers, nibbled pasta, and even managed to chew a hole in a tin of smoked salmon. "Now this," said Alistair, patting his tummy, "is fine dining." Oliver was still so frightened, that he barely ate a crumb. "Tonight the chef is preapring roast duck with herbed potatoes in a delicate cream sauce." Alistair's mouth watered. His whiskers twitched. "One taste and you'll never go back to the country." The mice crept out of the pantry. The kitchen seemed empty. Alistair rushed about, gathering up bits of duck and potatoes. He didn't notice the chef coming back into the kitchen. But the chef noticed Alistair. "You again!" shouted the chef. The chef chased the mice around the kitchen with a broom. Alistair and Oliver escaped through a hole under the sink. "No main course tonight, I'm afraid," said Alistair. "But don't worry, cousin. We'll make up for it with dessert." Alistair showed Oliver the tarts and pies and cheesecakes. Oliver nibbled the edge of a flaky cream puff. It was so delicious! He leaned forward to get a bigger bite and splat! He landed face down right in it. Alistair helped him climb out, and cleaned him off. "I'm not cut out for life in the city," Oliver said. "You take too many risks for your dinner. A mouse could starve to death here, too. I'm going home to the good life." So Oliver dragged his carpet bag back through the crowded city streets, over fields and valleys, until he reached his hole under the roof of the big oak tree. He ate a late supper of acorns and wheat seeds, then curled up in his leaf bed. He could hear the crickets chirping. Back at his hotel, Alistair curled up in his linen napkin and listened to the orchestra play. Both mice sighed. "I love being home," they said. // //

Oliver gathered acorns and stacked them near his hole. Then he collected seeds from the grass and carried them into the hole. Then he went to the cornfield to find fallen corn. While Oliver was hard at work, Alistair yawned and leaned against the root of the oak tree. Then he wiped the dust from his shoes with his silk handkerchief. When Oliver returned with some corn, he piled it neatly. "Thank goodness you're done." Alistair collapsed into the wheelbarrow. "Now I'd say it's time for a snack and a nap." Oliver giggled. "The work isn't finished. We still have lots to do before we can rest." Alistair sighed. "I'm simply not cut out for the country life," he said. "A mouse could starve to death here. Come home with me for a while. I'll show you the good life." Alistair packed his silk pajamas into his fine leather suitcase. Oliver packed his long johns into his old carpet bag. The two mice set out for Alistair's home in the city. Oliver followed Alistair over fields and valleys, into dark, noisy subway tunnels, and through crowded streets, until they reached the luxury hotel where Alistair lived. Alistair stopped in front of the door. "Polished marble floors and shiny brass knobs," he said. "Now, this is how mice like us are supposed to live." Oliver stared up at the revolving glass door. "H-h-how do we get inside?" "Wait until the opening comes around, then run through," Alistair replied. The door swing around, and Alistair disappeared inside. It took a few more spins before Oliver gave it a try. Oliver spun around and around in the door until Alistair pulled his carpet bag and got him inside. Oliver followed Alistair across the lobby and through a small crack in the wall hidden by velvet draperies. "My appartment," Alistair said when they were inside. Oliver looked around in amazement. Alistair's home was filled with gold candlesticks, crystal goblets, and linen napkins. "We're under a bandstand." Alistair pointed out of the hole that was his front door. "An orchestra plays, and ladies and gentlemen dance every night until dawn." "How can you sleep with all the noise?' asked Oliver. "Sleep?" said Alistair. "I can sleep during the day. We do things a little differently here. Dinner, for example. At a five-star hotel, dinner begins with hors d'oeuvres." // //

Once upon a time, a country mouse named Oliver lived in a hole under the root of a big, old oak tree. Oliver loved the sound of squirrels chattering during the day and crickets chirping at night. He loved the smell of rich dirt and sweet grass all around him. One day Oliver invited his city cousin, Alistair, for a visit. Before Alistair arrrived, Oliver tidied up his hole. He straightened his leaf bed. He spread fresh pine needles on the floor. He scrubbed the tuna can table and polished the bottle cap plates. Then Oliver sat by the entrance to his hole, gazed out at the stars, and waited for his cousin to arrive. When Alistair arrived, he put his fine leather suitcase on the pine needles. "I say, cousin, is this your cellar?" he asked Oliver. "No," said Oliver, "it's my home." Oliver showed Alistair the back of the hole, where he stored his grain. He led Alistair up to the top of the old oak root, where he sometimes sat to watch the sunset. Then he sat Alistair down at the tuna can table and served him a dinner of barley and corn. Alistair nibbled his meal politely. "This certainly tastes as though it's good for me." He coughed and swallowed. "A bit dry, perhaps. Could I bother you for a cup of tea?" Oliver brewed a thimble of dandelion tea for them both. "Here's to my cousin Alistair! Thanks for visiting," toasted Oliver. When the thimbles were empty, Oliver changed into his long johns, Alistair changed into his silk pajamas, and the mice settled into their leaves for the night. After Alistair rustled around in his oak leaf for a while, he finally went to sleep.Oliver woke up early the next morning, as usual. A robin family was singing in the old oak tree. A rooster crowed in a nearby farm. Alistair squeezed his pillow over his ears. "Oh, dear. What is that terrible noise?" he mumbled. "That's the sound of morning in the country," said Oliver. "It's the wonderful music that makes me want to start the new day." Alistair pulled the pillow from his face and opened one eye. "You start your day in the morning?" he asked. "Here in the country we rise at dawn," Oliver said, putting on his clothes. He pulled on his work boots, and pushed his wheelbarrow out into the garden. Alistair rolled to the edge of his bed. He wiped the sleep from his eyes. He slid his feet into his shiny black shoes, and followed his cousin outside. // //

Summer time is check-up time for the kids. When school is out, it's convenient to take them to their various appointments with doctors or dentists. Now, believe it or not, dental check-ups are quite exciting for my kids. I know, it sounds crazy. The reason for the excitement is that we have an agreement. If they have no new cavities, then they get a cash prize. The aim is to encourage them to brush their teeth well. They make their plans to buy a certain toy, and I hope that they don't need any fillings. You might think that it's a bit extravagant to pay the kids for not having cavities. Well, when you consider that one filling costs anywhere between one hundred and two hundred dollars, it's worth paying a lot less to a child to keep them brushing. Of course, I help my little ones brush. They always need a bit of extra help cleaning out the hard to reach places of their teeth. But, so far, I'm happy with our system. Only once did one of my children not get his prize, and that was because he would sneak candies into his room and eat them at night, and then fall asleep without brushing his teeth. I only realised this after cleaning his room one day, when I decided to pull out everything that was under his bed. What an experience. Amongst the jumble of toys, books, dirty socks, rocks from the garden, and gross unrecognisable thing, were candy wrappers. "Uh-oh," I thought to myself, "I wonder how long this has been going on..." When we found out that he had a couple of cavities, I had to give him the bad news that he wouldn't get his cash prize. That made a lasting impression! So he had two appointments with the dentist. They gave him the gas to relax him, the injections in his mouth, the fillings and the clean-up. Fortunately, the dentist and his assistant are extremely friendly, - not scary at all. They made every stage of his appointments fun and pleasant, as far as is possible at the dentist. And you know little kids, they love all the equipment, from the reclinable chair, to 'Mr. Thirsty', the liquid extractor that is put in your mouth. And the place looks so nice. There are flowers everywhere, nice furniture, photos of smiling people, and little toys for kids. They manage to create quite an illusion! Grammar notes.   Related vocabulary: check-up, fillings, extravagant, 'hard to reach' places. 1. It's time for a dental check-up; we have them every six months. 2. He didn't brush his teeth at all. When he went to the dentist, he needed to have twelve fillings! 3. That lady is quite extravagant. She spends a lot of money on jewellery. 4. My new mop helps me to clean the 'hard to reach' places of my kitchen. // //

Hello there podlisteners. I hope your Summer is going really well so far. I realise that I have 'slacked off' this week when it comes to podcasting. The Summer bug has bitten me, and I have been having too much fun to sit down at work at a computer. To slack off means to become lazy, or to not do your job properly. And, we talk about being 'bitten' by a certain bug, when we mean that we become enthused by an activity. For example: The baking bug has bitten me; I bake every day. OR The tennis bug has bitten me; all I want to do is watch the matches on television. So it is with me. There's the good weather, the baseball, the gardening etc etc, so I have officially 'slacked off' this week. However, I'm back in gear again (that's another expression which means to be ready and prepared) to give you all some more podcasts. The thing about slacking off is that it is not satisfying in the end. When you know that you should do something, but don't do it, it's hard to enjoy everything else. My children were watching an episode of Spongebob Squarepants the other day that showed him 'slacking off' and being miserable because of it. He had to write an essay for his boating class. He procrastinated and procrastinated so much, that his time ran out, and he got into a big panic. For some reason, he occupied himself at home with all sorts of activities and chores, even things that he normally wouldn't do, instead of writing his essay. He exercised, cleaned the house until every square inch shone, and did all kinds of unnecessary, silly things, just to avoid his essay. Well, I remember those days in college when I would have an essay to write, and for some reason it would become a painful process of procrastinating. Finally, I would get on with it, and feel much better about myself once it was finished. Podcasting, though, is much more satisfying than writing an essay because I know that my international friends will be listening. Grammar notes.   Related vocabulary: to slack off, to be in gear, to procrastinate, a chore. 1. I'm not surprised that he didn't do well in his exam; he slacked off and didn't study. 2. We are prepared and in gear to take part in the sailing race. 3. You must get on with the job and stop procrastinating! 4. I have lots of chores to do. The laundry needs to be done, and then I must mop the floors. // //

Hi everyone, just to let you know that the schedule for A Cup Of English is changing for the Summer. Life gets a little crazy around our house during this season, with the four kids being at home, and all of them being involved in different activities. So, in order for me to not become a 'basket case', I will be broadcasting on Monday's, Wednesday's, and Friday's. I will also be including some readings from popular and traditional children's books. So, keep listening and learning, but have plenty of time to enjoy your Summer.                         Best wishes, Anna. // //

Have you ever lost something, and looked and looked for it? I've been doing that lately. My oldest son had a PSP and an iPod touch. I say had, because he doesn't have them anymore. They have disappeared, vanished, evaporated. I have looked everywhere. We have all wracked our brains. That means to think and think hard to try and reach a conclusion. Sometimes the grey matter just doesn't work well. The grey matter is, of course, the brain. I tend to get forgetful when I am busy, and when there is a lot on my mind. I often forget something at the supermarket even if I take a list with me. Have you ever walked into a room to get something, and forgotten why you went there? Or perhaps you've met someone on the street who you know, but if you need to introduce them to someone, you forget their name. That too has happened to me. We call these incidences 'senior moments'. It is as if we are very old already. Mind you, a lot of elderly people I know have great memories. Apparently, your memory is like a muscle: the more you use it, the better it works. My mother does sudoku and crosswords to keep her memory sharp; perhaps I should do something like that. Exercise is great for the memory aswell. It forces oxygen rich blood into the brain, and helps you focus, and feel more 'in the moment'. We all laugh about the times we have looked for our sun glasses, and realized that they are on our heads. The other day, I was talking on my cell phone and tidying up in the kitchen at the same time. I wanted to charge my phone, but for the life of me, I couldn't find it. It was only when I finished my conversation and hung up, that I realized that I had been talking on the cell phone, so, of course, I hadn't been able to find it. It's just like the funny story of the busy thief, who went into a bank at lunch time to rob it. His head was covered, but unfortunately for him, he had forgotten to take off his name tag from his place of work. So he was instantly recognized. Oops! I think he needs to do some sudoku too. Grammar notes. Useful expressions: to wrack my brains, for the life of me, mind you, unfortunately for ( a person). 1. I wracked my brains to figure out where I had left my keys. 2. For the life of me, I don't know where I put my wallet. 3. London is such a thrilling place to be; mind you, it is very expensive. 4. The student studied for the exam. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten to memorize the vocabulary. // //

Today, I went to the awards ceremony at my children's school. It was for the fourth and fifth graders who have made great improvements during the year. It was also to give the fifth graders a good send-off, because they will be moving up to Middle school in September. The principal was the speaker; he handed out certificates and talked about all the activities that the students had taken part in during the year. It was a fairly emotional assembly; I could tell that the teachers would miss the students, - well, some of them. It made me realise that time is moving on. The Summer holidays are upon us! And we will be leaving in a month. I am going to take my kids to Europe for six weeks to visit family and friends. We will fly into London, stay with my step-brother, then up to Scotland to be with my father for about ten days. Then, back down the country to Yorkshire where my sister and two nephews live. The beginning of August we will travel to Mallorca and stay with my mother's family for two weeks, and then we will fly to Girona where we will meet up with my husband for the last two weeks. He plans on getting some serious cycling in, and I just want to discover another part of Spain. I also hope to visit two friends who live in the south of France; it's the perfect opportunity. I can't wait. I will load up on inspiration, I'm sure. Believe me, there will be tonnes of podcast flowing after the Summer, from all the experiences we are going to have. There are no substitutes for beautiful european countries; I'm really looking forward 'going home' for a while. Travelling with four children, however, makes me feel a little nervous, but then again we will be with family most of the time, so that eases my nerves. One month and counting. We will have just enough time to finish up with baseball season, load up the computer with podcasts for my lovely listeners, and off we will go. I won't take my lap top with me, for fear of losing or breaking it. But, I will have a whole Summer of podcasts ready for you. So, here's looking forward to the Summer holidays! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a send-off, to hand out, to load up, for fear of... 1. We gave the newly wedded couple a great send-off before they flew to Paris. 2. A man on the street was handing out free concert tickets. 3. During Thanksgiving, we loaded up our plates with all kinds of good food. 4. I drove extra slowly this Winter, and put chains on the wheels, for fear of losing control of the car on the ice. // //

I was on Facebook today, updating comments to friends and family, when I came across a health test that I chose to take. It is called the 'Real age' test that many people have seen on Oprah. Well, I haven't seen Oprah in years, but I did want to find out about this age test. The main question to be answered by taking it is, "What is your biological age?" You might be forty, but physically you could be older or younger. I have heard of the potential difference between our biological and chronological clocks. So, of course, I was curious about mine. I'm forty two, but biologically how old am I? Thirty, forty, fifty? Eek, the thought of being older didn't please me. I clicked on the link and got on to the Real age page. There were some very simple questions to answer: my age, height, weight, my eating, driving, and exercise habits, and general lifestyle. I was thrilled to find out that I'm only thirty four biologically. Well, perhaps it's true. This Real age thing started at the Cooper clinic longevity center, and Dr. Michael Roizen examines patients with the aim of them changing a few things in their lifestyle to increase their longevity. An improvement can always be made. From the information I put into the test, apparently I don't eat enough whole grains. Okay, I agree. I buy lots of whole grain food for the family, but I don't necessarily eat it myself. I could probably eat more fruit as well. So, a good result of taking the test is that I will make a few changes. I also spent a short while on a yoga website, as I'm thinking of adding more gentle exercise to my daily routine. Whatever I do has to be doable, if you know what I mean. Something that easily fits into my day. Do you do anything for health each day? Let me know and I'll mention it on a podcast. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to update, chronological, longevity, improvement. 1. I need to update my address book. I have a lot of friends who are not yet on the list. 2. The video was in chronological order; it showed my grandfather from when he was a baby to his present birthday. 3. Taking a daily vitamin supplement is a key to longevity. 4. Improvement is proactive; it is something getting better, or making an effort to do something better. // //

Something has been happening recently that pleases me a lot. My newly planted roses have been flowering. For some reason I didn't expect them to make such a show this year, with them being new. My entryway project has continued, and I ended up planting two scented roses right next to a row of lavender. My idea was to get a mixture of sweet smells and color altogether. I wasn't a rose fanatic when I was younger, but I am quickly becoming one. It's the smelly ones that I love, and by that I mean, of course, the ones that smell wonderful. I look forward to the day when my floribunda roses have grown substantially, and fill the area with perfume. Having horses across the street, and goats right next door, the smells in this area can become a bit....um...shall we say overpowering. So I'm going to combat evil with good, stinky with sweet smelling. Another one of my plants that is healthy and has a heavy perfume is my honeysuckle. This Spring, it has been loaded with flowers. The humming birds and butterflies love it. As I was looking around a garden center the other day, I noticed that they had some bougainvilleas. Now there is a plant that I would love to have. I have seen some in Sevilla in Spain that were spectacular, and must have been very old because they were huge. Here, however, our winters are very harsh, and I don't believe that they would do very well. I'm on a mission to find wonderful smelling plants, and beautiful creeping plants to transform my garden. Give me a few years, and I will have done it. Grammar notes. Related expressions: to make a show, to end up, to look forward to..., they had (as in a shop). 1. My dogwood made a spectacular show of white flowers this year. 2. I went to the florist to buy flowers, and ended up talking to an old friend who was in there. 3. I look forward to the day when my sister and I can travel together. 4. They didn't have any sneakers in the shoe shop, but they had them in the department store. // //

It was championship night on Monday. My son Cass and his team were through to the baseball finals. They had worked hard all season, and were about to face an equally good team. It was going to be the Blacks against the Greens. The game started at five thirty. My husband had already taken Cass to the team's warm-up session before the game, so I arranged to meet them at the baseball field at the start of the game. As I entered the ball park, I saw my father-in-law, already situated comfortably to watch the game. I chatted with him a little, but was interrupted by my phone ringing. "Anna, it's Doreen. I've broken my arm. I've broken it badly," I heard my neighbor say with difficulty, and then she hung up. I had to leave. There was no one else to help her. Her son, who lives in town, had a stroke last year and can't drive or talk. Her daughter lives in California, and most of her friends are in their eighties, so it was up to me to help. I told my father-in-law what was going on, and he agreed to look after my kids. I ran off to the car and got to her house as soon as possible. The door to Doreen's house was open, as was her car. There were shopping bags full of groceries here and there; she had obviously fallen whilst trying to unload the car. She was standing in the kitchen crying, and holding on to her arm. After easing her into her car, off we went to the hospital. The nurses cut off her sweater; it was too painful to move her arms and to take off her top. They gave her pain medicine, and then x-rayed her arm. It turned out to be a very bad break, in three places, with one of the little bones in fractures. Doreen looked exhausted. She was tired and hungry, drowsy from the medicine, and now, suddenly, nauseous. She has a delicate stomach, and does not take medicine easily. "I'm going to be sick!" she said covering her mouth. I held a plastic bowl under her chin and held her forehead; that's what my mother used to do when I was little. "Fan her!" I said in a bit of a panic to a lady in the room. After a while she felt better. Poor, poor lady; I felt sorry for her. At least she was in the right place, and arrangements were being made for her surgery in the morning. Her daughter-in-law turned up and said that she would take her home. Of course she wouldn't be able to drive herself, not even for a few months. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to warm up, the ball park, stroke, nausea. 1. The athletes need to warm up otherwise they might get an injury. 2. The championship game will take place in the local ball park. 3. She recovered from her stroke; with therapy, she has learned to walk and talk again. 4. That boat ride will cause a lot of nausea. // //

It is very fashionable here for kids to have portable computer devices. My boys have Psps and Dsis. Their peers all have them, and, therefore, they expect at some stage to get them. The advertising on television doesn't help, as far as being a parent is concerned. The exciting new games that they see advertised make kids want to have the latest thing to play. There is quite a difference between the two devices, so I am told. The Psp has longer games with better graphics. The Dsi, on the other hand, has more variety and shorter games. Cass, for example, can record his voice, take pictures, and then distort both, and add them to a fighting sequence. He can create his own hilarious computer game. The other day, I heard a lot of loud laughter coming from his bedroom. When I investigated, my boys showed me their crazy, newly invented game that had both of them karate kicking, and throwing special power balls at eachother that were made of cropped photos of objects from their bedroom. Hudson, on the other hand, spends time every day trying to go up the various levels of his long games. He has to defeat more monsters, gain more points and weapons, until he can finish. We even have some of their friends calling them to see what level they are at, and if they have any pointers or advice as to how to defeat certain creatures. At the moment, Cass is in the kitchen, making a 'French macaroni and cheese' by following a cooking program on his Dsi. It gives the recipe, the equipment needed, step by step instructions, and extra video information on different foods and cooking methods. The dish is in the oven, and the Dsi is ticking away, timing its cooking. I was a little scared of my son taking the kitchen over. I imagined a complete disaster taking place, but actually he has tidied and cleaned everything! How unusual! That must be one of the instructions from his Dsi.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: portable, to crop, graphics, a pointer.1. I'm so glad that I have a portable computer, a lap top. I have access to all kinds of information whenever I need it.2. The wedding photos had too much background, so I cropped them. Now, they mainly show the people.3. That game needs better graphics; the figures are fuzzy and very simplistic.4. Could you give me some pointers as to how to grow disease-free roses? // //

The bell rang today while I was tidying up after dinner. I wondered who it could be at eight o'clock at night. As I approached the door, the bell started ringing very fast, which made me guess that it was one of my children. When I opened the door, I found three boxes on the doorstep. One was a box lid full of dry cut grass, one was a similar box full of tree bark, and the third was the baseball box emptied out and filled with pine cones and pine needles. My son Robert was standing there with a big grin on his face, "D'you see what I did, mum?" His hands and torso were filthy. He had gathered all of these things from the front garden, and had got a lot of the stuff on himself rather than in the boxes. I have been saying for a long time that we should gather up the debris from a tree that we cut down, because it would make great burning material for the Winter. Pine cones catch fire quickly, and keep burning nicely, helping to set the wood on fire. We have two large pines that give a lot of cones each year, so I would like to make the most of this resource that is in our own garden. I am a hunter-gatherer at heart. I have been putting off this task for months, procrastinating, and doing other things instead. So, Robert took the initiative, and did the hard work for me. If we are smart, we will gather the pine cones from the many little pine trees that we have. Though they are small, they have already produced a lot. All together, we will have at least three huge garden bags full of fuel for the Winter. It's funny to think of stocking up for the Winter now that the season is getting warmer and warmer. Grammar notes. Use of '(even) though...,...' plus related vocabulary: pine cones, torso, to procrastinate. 1. Even though I had collected lots of pine cones, they were too wet to burn. 2. Even though her torso is very toned, her legs have cellulite. 3. Even though I reminded the students every day about the vocabulary test, they procrastinated and didn't study until the night before. // //

I don't know if any of you are into photography or not, but it is becoming a passion of mine. I have a cheapo digital camera, but it serves me well. I find myself feeling lost without it. I try to take it with me wherever I go, because you never know when a fabulous photo opportunity will present itself. One such opportunity did the other day, after a heavy rain shower. Most people I know had been complaining about the unusual amount of rain we have had recently. However, one day, after one of those showers, my husband called to me from outside, "Hey, babe, come and see this." When I went out, he was standing by our honeysuckle which grows up and over the fence. It is covered in sweet smelling flowers this time of year. The leaves are waxy and smooth and form a cup shape around the younger flowers. Tom stood quietly and pointed to something down inside the bush. It was a little pool of water that had gathered in the leaves, forming a shiny mound, that sparkled like a diamond. It took my breath away. I immediately ran into the kitchen and grabbed the camera. You'll see on the blog page the result. Later, Tom and I talked about the value of water, the amazing combination of hydrogen and oxygen that we completely rely on, and yet which we take for granted. Water was all around me in England, and here, in the North West there is also an abundance of it. A water shortage for me seems bizarre because I have never had to work hard to obtain it. And yet I know that for much of the planet, a lack of safe drinking water is normal. I remember when I was little, my father would tell me to turn the tap off while I brushed my teeth. He had worked in Nigeria for many years, and was familiar with water preservation. He understood the need to take care of this resource. And now, in many ways, the weather seems to be upside down, with floods in rainy nations, and droughts where water is always short. How can we bring back a balance of water for all? It is, surely, after air, the most precious resource we have. Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: cheapo, resource, to rely on, precious.1. This cheapo umbrella broke the first day I had it.2. Electricity is a resource that that village really needs.3. I hope the bus drivers' strike stops soon; I don't have a car, and I rely on the buses to get around.4. Look after that watch; it was your grandmothers, and is very precious.Please remember, if you have the time, rate my podcast in iTunes.Go to 'A Cup Of English podcast' in iTunes search, find my homepage, and choose a star to rate it. Thanks! // //

What do you do at the weekends? Do you do anything special to let off steam or to get inspired? I suppose it depends where you live and what is available. After a hard week's work, it is nice sometimes to not do anything. If you look around, though, sometimes you can find entertainment that is designed to attract the public at the weekend. I went shopping on Sunday, and as I pulled into the parking lot in front of the mall, I saw a large, fenced off area where cars are usually parked. I could hear a lot of noise, as well, even though the car windows were closed. I parked, and looked over to see what was going on. A large go-kart track had been set up inside of the fence, with stacks of tires here and there making the shape of the course. All of the diesel run go-karts were running at top speed. It looked like great fun. I contemplated bringing my kids over later. The trouble is, my youngest two wouldn't be allowed to, and would, therefore, feel left out. It would cause more problems that it was worth. Infact, I didn't even mention what I had seen, because I knew that if I did, they would beg me to take them. So, I just stood there and watched as the drivers zoomed around the track, having a great time. Each person wore a white helmet, and was given about twenty minutes to ride freely. There was a smell in the air of rubber, and an atmosphere of excitement. It was an unusual thing to see in front of a beauty store and a sushi bar. But, I suppose, if the parking area is available, why not? When my youngest are a little older, I might let them put on the gear and race eachother. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to let off steam, a fence, a stack, to contemplate. 1. My friend bounces on a trampoline to let off steam. She has such a good time when she does it. 2. We put up a fence so the dogs wouldn't escape. 3. After I chopped up the wood, I stacked it next to the garage. 4. We had dinner out on the deck last night, and contemplated the stars. // //

“The track meet will be postponed until tomorrow,” said a recorded message on the phone, for the second time. The end of the school year is the time for track and field events for all elementary schools. Recently, however, the weather has not been cooperating. Though my flowers have loved the heavy showers, the organizers of this sport have not. Parents of all the contestants have been looking at the sky from about lunchtime onwards, to see if the clouds are moving in. There must be hundreds of phone calls needed to inform everyone about a cancellation. It is a time when, hopefully, everyone involved gets the message. Especially those people who live out of town. Well, today I’m looking in the sky, and I only see a few clouds, so I assume that the event will take place. My son Cass will be sprinting and doing the long jump. He is long and thin, so he is pretty good at that. The administrators have told me that they keep an eye out for good runners during the year, and then they ask them to represent the school in the Spring. The track and field takes place on the Wenatchee High School grounds, because they have the right facilities. Each elementary school wears a different colored t-shirt, so the crowd knows who is who. It is a big, colorful mix of children of different ages, most of whom have long, insect-like legs. There are teachers and volunteers waving their hands around and yelling instructions, so kids know where they need to be. Names are called from lists, and the students line up at the ready. Parents and friends come to cheer them on. We will all go and watch, take a picnic of some kind, and I will look for photo opportunities. The other events include the eight hundred meter relay, the four hundred meter, the two hundred and the one hundred meter dash. And, as far as practices, there haven’t really been any. How do you train a child to run fast? Most of them just do. All of that goofing around in the back yard playing tag will pay off today. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to postpone, to cancel, at the ready, a relay. 1. The soccer match has been postponed because of rain. 2. The concert has been cancelled because the musicians have the flu. 3. The runners are at the ready. As soon as the gun goes off, they will start running. 4. The runners pass a baton to each other in the relay. // //

Every two weeks, on Wednesdays I meet up with a friend of mine, and go for a walk in the park. Today was that day, and though it was really rainy, we had a nice time walking and chatting. I took my camera just in case a photo opportunity presented itself. One did. Coming over a small hill, I saw in the distance about twenty, huge poles sticking up out of the ground, equally spaced, and filling the view. "What on earth are they?" I asked my friend Jody. She told me that they were poles for the power lineman climbing competition. Phew! That is a bit of a mouthful. Power linemen are the men who put up and repair the power cables that are held up by very tall, wooden poles. I had no idea that there were pole climbing competitions anywhere. Who has ever heard of that? Anyway, about the time that school is out for the summer, there will be a day of competition and family fun in the park. Linemen from all around the Northwest will compete to win special belt buckles, and the reputation of being strong and skilled. One of the great things about this event, is that it helps to raise scholarship money for high schoolers who are active in preventing drug and alcohol abuse in the community. Now, that's always a good thing. This competition is named after a lineman who was killed by a drunk driver, and so the fundraising is appropriate. There will also be talks on electrical safety, the dangers of drinking and driving, and the need to wear a seat belt. I will take my kids to the park. They will be allowed to talk to the linemen, handle their tools, and have a photo taken with them. I might be able to try my hand at climbing a pole. Wouldn't that be funny! It sounds like an unusual event, so I'm curious to take part. Grammar notes. Practice of the past subjunctive using the phrase 'in case'. 1. I took my umbrella just in case it rained. 2. She prepared herself in case he proposed. 3. I studied extra hard, in case the test was difficult. 4. They took a compass on their hike, just in case they got lost. // //

Muddy, brown water. A couple of wiffle balls. An old, dirty snowman toy. A plastic Dora the Explora figure that has been buried in the earth for over a year. Add to these things a stinky sock and a few sticks, and you have the perfect recipe for 'sock soup'. And of course you have to mix it all together in a wheel barrow. That is what took place today in my vegetable garden. I was peacefully planting some seeds, and making sure that everything was just right, when I heard some little monkeys come running in my direction. "Uh-oh," I thought to myself, "here comes trouble." Robert and Domini were wanting to get involved in the garden, get their hands dirty, do no work at all, and make a huge mess. You know, like kids normally do. So, I gave them a few rules to follow, and then let them get on with their project. I think they were pretending to be scientists. They stirred the chemicals carefully, and immersed their patient, the snowman, in the mix. It was very serious play time. This experiment would change history. As I watched them, I was reminded about a similar occasion, when a little boy (my brother) and a very little girl (myself) were also mixing a very important cocktail. We were at my grandparents house in the Summer. They had chickens, and some how my brother and I had got hold of the corn feed. We mixed it with water in a very large watering can. And we invented a chant, "Corn and water, water and corn. Corn and water, water and corn." We were so happy, mixing and chanting, chanting and mixing. We could have continued for hours. However, my very traditional, serious, and a little impatient grandfather was trying to sleep on a lawn chair nearby. He tossed and turned, and tried to ignore us. But then, suddenly, he just couldn't take it anymore. He sat upright, and barked like a bull dog, "For goodness sake, would you be quiet!" Surprised, and a little amused at how cross and red-faced he was, we fell silent for a few minutes. But then we started whispering our chant, instead. How kids love to mess about. It's great. I let my children get on with it, and use their imaginations, until it gets too messy. Then we call it a day. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a wiffle ball, to call it a day, a watering can, red-faced. 1. A wiffle ball has lots of holes in it, and makes a sort of whistle when you hit it with a bat. 2. I'm tired. We've been digging all day. Let's call it a day. 3. The water flows gently from the watering can and doesn't break the tender flowers. 4. The teacher was so cross that we was red-faced. // //

A few weeks ago, while my oldest son was having a check-up with the pediatrician, I collected several pamphlets from the clinic's reading area. I thought perhaps I could learn something while I waited. One of the pamphlets was about back health, something that I don't really think about very often. A couple of years ago, however, I had no choice but to think about it, because I suddenly developed back pain. It was nothing serious. I had been carrying my baby on my left hip for a year, and, I think, my back finally had had enough of the imbalance. So, it sent me a message, in the form of pain. Gosh, it was awful. I didn't know what to do. I tried stretching carefully, lying on the massaging chair that we have, and I finally took a pain killer. My husband advised me to go to the chiropractor to check out my spine, and get it adjusted if necessary. The next day, I found myself in line at the chiropractic clinic, waiting for my turn, and reading the posters on the wall that talked about back health. The chiropractic philosophy is that each vertebra affects a set of nerves that influence other parts of the body, including organs and glands. So everything is interrelated. If the spine is okay, the rest of the body can take care of itself. "Makes sense to me," I thought as I read about the parts of the spine: the spinal column, the spinal cord, vertebrae, sciatica, the discks, and the upper, middle, and lower back. As I looked at the people in line, I wondered which part of their backs were hurting, and why. I had met people who had been in car accidents and who had suffered whiplash. That was common. Some people had worse conditions which needed on-going treatment. My back pain was acute, meaning sharp but not long lasting. Others had a chronic condition which goes on for a long time. Well, my turn came. After having an x-ray, the chiropractor told me that I just had a couple of vertebrae out of place. He was pleasant and relaxed, and chatted away as I lay down on the adjustment bed. I remember that I was in the middle of answering one of his questions, when WHAMO! He pushed and twisted my lower back in one second. I heard a 'click' in my back and felt some pressure, and it was over. After checking my mobility, I was on my way home. The pain was gone, and my spine felt loose again. What a relief! I'll take an acute back problem over a chronic one any day/ Grammar notes. Related vocabulary and expressions: to have no choice but to...., to have enough of..., spinal cord, whiplash. 1. I have no choice but to sell my house; it is far too expensive to keep. 2. We had had enough of the cold weather, so we flew to the Caribbean. 3. The spinal column protects the spinal cord from which nerves go out into the body. 4. When the other car hit me from behind, my head was thrown back, and I got whiplash.   // //

Have you ever walked into your kitchen first thing in the morning and found that little, tiny strangers have moved in? And not only have strangers moved in, but there are hundreds of them, and they are eating your food. Ants. Ants. Where do they come from? And how do they sense where the food is? For the past few days I have been paranoid about people dropping crumbs in the kitchen, because it seems that ten minutes later, some clever ants have gathered around whatever was dropped, and they're figuring out how to move it. And I have to tell you about what I saw a few days ago in my dining room. I was filing some paid bills into a filing box that is close to the floor, when I spotted a dead moth. "No big deal," I thought, until I noticed several ants around it. I bent down to look closer, and I could see that the ants were holding the moth and rocking it back and forth, trying to move it. They succeeded, and started to move the body slowly, slowly towards the wall. Well, believe it or not, I don't have that much time on my hands that I can sit around and watch ant activity, so I had to leave for a few minutes to get on with some work. But, when I did come back, the moth was gone. I couldn't believe it! It was so much bigger than the ants, and they had quite simply taken it. I was so impressed that I am now sitting in the kitchen writing, watching a piece of cracker that I put on the floor a few minutes ago. I am hoping that in a few minutes lots of ants will gather around it, and I can take a good photo. I don't want to encourage them to invade my house, but I have to get a good photo for the blog page. I admire ants; they really get the job done, and they work as a team. Just imagine what we could do if we had their energy! So, for over a week I've been hovering over my kids when they are getting something to eat, saying, "For goodness sake, can you put that on a plate? Ants! Ants!" I have nicknamed one of my sons 'Senor Migas' which means Mr. Crumbs, because, no matter what he eats, he always manages to drop crumbs on the floor. Now, he would probably come in handy. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: paranoid, to figure out, back and forth, to come in handy. 1. She is paranoid about germs; she washes her hands about twenty times a day. 2. Please help me figure out how to get my car keys out of the drain. 3. Wiggle your loose tooth back and forth to see if it is loose enough to pull out. 4. That flash light will come in handy; I'll keep it in my car. // //

I was running errands today, when I spotted a new business in town. At the bottom of a three story building, in the basement area, a cafe has opened this week. I noticed it because there are some colorful flags flying in the outside eating area. "Oooo," I thought as I waited in the traffic, I must go in there for a quick bite to eat, and to 'check out' the atmosphere. Well, I'm very pleased that I did go in. Not only does the inside have a lot of character, but it's purpose serves a good cause. AZ's cafe is a business that gives the unemployed an opportunity to learn skills that will help them get better employment in the future. From dealing with money, a computer, working in the kitchen, waiting on tables and serving the public, or any of the other jobs that are needed to run a cafe properly, this place offers training. It's profits are used to keep it self-sustaining, so it can train people for many years to come. It is run by the YWCA, or the Young Women Committed to Action, or the Young Women's Christian Association, which fights racism and promotes opportunities for women who need help. There were quite a few people eating and drinking in the cafe. The decor was casual, a little eclectic which I like, and antiques were for sale here and there. Well, my eagle vision spotted something dark in a corner that drew me to it. It was a piece of furniture which I immediately recognized as being both a real antique, and English. An extra small church pew, you know, the hard, dark, but ornate seats that you find in old churches. Well, this really was the 'real deal'. I asked if it was for sale. The lady told me that it had been donated after someone had passed away, that it was three hundred years old, and that it costs $850. I almost choked on my coffee! When she went back to the kitchen, I investigated. I opened it to have a look for a brand, or a name, or something. "These people around here don't know what 'old' is," I thought to myself. "It's probably not 300 years old, but it could be. I'll have to ask my mom to have a look; she's an antique's expert." The price tag actually said $500 dollars. That's still too much, but perhaps I can work on these people and over time charm them into giving it to me for a bargain....you never know. But even if that doesn't happen, I will make AZ's cafe my regular place for coffee with friends, to support the people in training, and to keep my eye on that little piece of England. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to check out, self-sustaining, to draw to (to be drawn to), to choke. 1. Let's go to the new museum and check out the historical artefacts. 2. We must create self-sustaining farming projects. 3. I feel drawn to horses; there is something about them that fascinates me. 4. Pat him on the back! He's choking! 　Please,  please rate my show. It's easy if you have the time.1. Go to iTunes store.2. Put 'A Cup Of English app' in search.3. The next page shows the podcast and the app. Double click and rate the one you want.  Thanks! // //

The entryway of our house is finally beginning to look pretty. I have recently transplanted plants from other areas of our garden to the walkway that leads up to our house. After choosing a tree to shade the area, I thought that I had finished. About a two weeks ago (a fortnight in British), I saw lots of green shoots coming up right next to the path. I could immediately tell that these new plants were not weeds; they were too uniform, and had pretty leaves. As time has gone by, these little shoots have developed into larger plants that have now flowered. I had completely forgotten that I had planted anemones in the Autumn. And now, they are beginning to flower. Wow! What color they have! It is hard to believe that a little bulb can produce such a spectacular display of beauty and color. These anemones need partial to full shade to grow properly, and the great thing is that they are perennial. They come back every year, each time in larger numbers. I just googled anemones to find out more about them. Their name is Greek for 'wind flower', and they even have medicinal powers to help get rid of cramps and emotional distress. I have a love of shade and semi-shade plants. One of my other favorites is the cyclamen. The flower head is so unusual in the way that it hangs down but all of its petals stand up towards the sky. Each flower is spectacular in its own way. One of the many things that I enjoy about gardening are the surprises that come along. Seeds of a certain wild vine that is in our garden have blown over to the front area, and so now we have baby vines growing all over the place. I try to imagine sometimes what my garden would look like if it were abandoned for a while. It would become a gorgeous jungle of color and shapes, with a mixture of weeds, vines, roses, and stunning anemones. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a fortnight, uniform, a display, cramp. 1. A two week period in England is what we call a fortnight. 2. The tables at the wedding looked elegant and uniform; they were identical. 3. The shop window has a wonderful flower display. 4. I had pain and tension in my stomach. I took some medicine and my cramps went away. // //

In the kitchen yesterday, I was considering all of the language that we are exposed to around the house. Containers of food and cleaning fluids can all teach us a lot of a new language. Even some small appliances often have instructions of some kind on them. When I'm at the kitchen sink, which is very often, I use all sorts of liquids for all of the cleaning that I do. My dish soap is anti-bacterial. Then I have a hand sanitizer that you can use without water. Even some of the hand creams that I put on after washing have ant-bacterial properties. One item that is very popular among housewives are the 'wipes'. They come in a large, plastic, cylindrical containers. They are disposable, already wet, and either have bleach or alcohol in them, so they blast germs wherever you wipe. They are so convenient to use in almost any room in the house, especially the particularly germy rooms, like the bathroom and the kitchen. I remember about 10 years ago, there was an E-coli outbreak in one of the fast food chains here in the U.S. Jack in the box, the American food chain almost came to ruin because of the scandal. And when I say scandal, it really is, if a chain of restaurants is unclean or serving unclean food. It took years for the company to come back and start getting customers again. This, and other incidences have caused standards of cleanliness in restaurants to go up, partly because the restaurants can easily be sued if people get ill. We expect the places where we eat to be very clean, even if the food is no good. And so it is at home. When flu season gets here, we take extra precautions: hand washing, avoiding people who are sick, and using antibacterial wipes everywhere. When I volunteer at my children's school, I often think that handwashing should be part of the daily curriculum, because so many children have runny noses and coughs. Classrooms are a breeding ground for germs. At least, at home, I can do my part and go to war against the germs. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to volunteer, to be exposed to, disposable, precaution. 1. You don't get paid for volunteering, but it's very satisfying. 2. You need to put your face mask on; you mustn't be exposed to this gas. 3. We can throw these cups in the rubbish bin; they are disposable. 4. She always takes the precaution of double checking the meat for freshness. // //

I have great neighbors. They are friendly, I trust them, and they are helpful. What more could I ask for in a neighborhood? As a friendly neighbor myself, I do what I can to keep my relationship with the people next door to me a positive one. The neighbor to my left recently got married to a lady who loves animals, infact, she used to have a farm. When she moved in she had goats, a pony, chickens, and she bred dogs. Gradually, to please her husband, she has sold some of the animals. That is actually a good thing because the smell of goat manure was becoming a bit overpowering. The neighbor to my right is a busy father of two, who goes to work early in the morning, and only has a cat. He is lively and amusing. He is also honest. He has always made it clear that he hates dogs. He thinks that they are noisy, messy, and silly. Cats, he thinks, are intelligent and sophisticated, and of course, much easier to take care of. Well, I happen to have two dogs, both of whom are still puppies. These dogs live in our back yard which is fenced in. They have a warm, insulated dog house, and plenty of space to run around and play in. But, they are dogs, and they bark. Not very much, mind you. But if they sense a deer is nearby, or if they smell a racoon, they will certainly bark. I think that they can also sense when people don't like them, because when Don, our neighbor who hates dogs, goes to work at six o'clock in the morning, they run up to the fence where they can see his car, and they start barking. They bark as if they have spotted an enemy. So, in order to stay friends with Don, I bought some 'shock collars' for the dogs that 'encourage' them to stay quiet. When they bark, they get a little vibration on the neck that they don't like. And you know, it works, but not enough to give Don a quiet morning. Now, when he gets into his car, the dogs still run up and bark once, "woof!" But then they howl slightly because of the collars, "argh!" After a couple of seconds they do the same thing. After about three times, they give up, and by then, Don has gone. I have to wake up at six, so it's actually an alarm clock for me, an amusing one. But poor Don must think I'm a terrible neighbor. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to breed, overpowering, racoon, to sense. 1. The farmer near us breeds work horses. 2. I think you put too much garlic in that sauce; it's overpowering. I can't taste the fish at all. 3. There is a family of racoons in the neighborhood. Sometimes you can see their black and white bodies running into a bush to hide. 4. I could sense that he was angry. I knew that he would start shouting. // //

"Did your teacher give you your homework packet?" is a question I ask my children often. Every week they get a set of papers that are stapled together, each paper being either a math sheet or a reading and writing sheet. For the longest time, I couldn't get my youngest son to do his daily sheet. The teachers expect the students to do one sheet each afternoon at home. If they concentrate, it hardly takes any time, but, obviously, the longer you wait to do it in the evening, the longer and harder the homework seems to become. I remember those days of putting off the essay or the written exercises, just hoping that by some miracle they would disappear. Oh, the frustration. The way I got my son to do his homework every day was by using a strategy that included three things. First, he wasn't allowed to play on the Wii until he had done one page. Secondly, I would always be near him to help him, encourage him, push him a little if needed. And third, I would praise and congratulate him once he had finished. After a few months of this, he adopted the habit of always getting his job done. I think that being consistent is really one of the hardest things in life, especially if you haven't managed to turn your obligation into a habit. At least, that's how it is for me. These homework packets are cute, obviously simple; afterall, he is only in the first grade. On most pages there are cute characters drawn, to make the sheet look friendly and fun. And a lot of the exercises are in the form of a game, or a puzzle. You find things like dot-to-dots, crossword puzzles, and counting pennies exercises. It's great to see my son's progress, and I realize that it was worth using strategies to get him to 'dig in' and get the work done. Grammar notes. Use of 'used to' and 'would' to show past habitual actions, + related vocabulary: to dig in, strategy, to adopt a habit, to staple. 1. That boy was a great student when he was in my class. He used to dig into any new information and tasks. 2. The special ops comander would always outline his strategy of surprizing the enemy. 3. They used to adopt these unhealthy eating habits, like having icecream or cheesecake just before bed. But then, the doctor told them that they couldn't continue that way. 4. The secretary would always use too many staples on the documents; it was difficult to turn the pages. Please, pretty please, go ahead and rate my show at: 1. iTunes store 2. Enter 'A Cup Of English podcast' in search (top right) 3. Click on 'see all' next to the soccer ball. 4. The new page will show my podcast. Double click and rate. Thanks! 　 // //

It's time that I bought a new camera. I need a digital that has a decent zoom. I realized that the other day when I was outside, trying to get a good shot of two birds who were nesting. I had been busy throwing the ball to our dogs, when I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. When I turned to see what it was, I saw a bird, obviously the male, sitting on top of the bird house, with a beak full of white feathers. There were so many of them, that they covered half of his body. He had seen me looking at him, and was nervously twitching his head back and forth, waiting for an opportunity to get into the house in order to carry on with his project. The female was off to the right; she was hard to see because her coloring was so pale. I inched my way forward with the camera already in focus and zoomed as far as it could go. However, these smart, nervous little creatures aren't stupid. Their eyes were fixed on me, and they didn't go anywhere near their birdhouse entrance while I was around. They would fly off and observe me from a distant tree. So, I would back off each time and wait for them to return. This went on a few times, until I realised that I was getting nowhere. So, I did a balancing act on the edge of an outside reclining chair, whilst leaning on a wall, holding the camera around the corner towards the birds. I couldn't even see what I was taking a picture of; I just knew that I had more of a chance of getting a good shot if the birds couldn't see me. I risked my own health for the sake of art, people; I hope you appreciate it. Anyway, I got a fairly good picture of the busy parents-to-be, making the nest cosy for their future chicks. It was worth the danger. But next time, I'll just get a better camera. Grammar notes. Useful expressions: out of the corner of (someone's) eye, decent, to twitch, male and female. 1. He was hiding, but I saw his red shoes out of the corner of my eye. 2. You really should buy yourself a decent suit for the interview; give a good impression. 3. My eye has been twitching the whole morning; it's really annoying. 4. If you want puppies you need to buy a male for your female, you know. 　 Please, pretty please, go ahead and rate my show at: 1. iTunes store 2. Enter 'A Cup Of English podcast' in search (top right) 3. Click on 'see all' next to the soccer ball. 4. The new page will show my podcast. Double click and rate. Thanks! // //

Today, I'm going to continue with my series of 'Getting to know our planet' with the country of Rwanda. What do you know about this central african nation? What springs to mind when you hear the name Rwanda? Before I began this study, I didn't know much at all about this country, apart from the conflicts between the Hutus and the Tutsis, and the genocide of 1994. However,in 2009 a report by CNN called Rwanda the greatest success story of Africa. It is stable, it's average income has tripled in the past ten years, and it has developed positive international relationships. It has turned itself around and become a model for developing countries. How has it managed to do all of this? The answer is good leadership and sensible foreign aid. It's economy is still growing at a rapid rate, such as 11% in 2008. Rwanda is well known for its mountain gorillas which live in the Volcanoes National Park. Out of the one million tourists who visit each year, many choose to track these large primates. The savannah, forests, and rolling hills keep the visitors coming back, and have helped the economy greatly. Other money makers are coffee, tea, and mining. Though Rwanda is so successful, it is actually a very small country. It is under 27 thousand square kilometers, and land locked by Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since its independence from Belgium in 1962, and its initial civil problems, it has become a safe and democratic country which protects all Rwandans from discrimination of any kind. Its capital is Kigali, its currency is the rwandan franc, and its population is over 10 million. It has recently adopted the goal of becoming a knowledge based economy by 2020 with every child owning a laptop in the next five years. That is quite an ambition. But, judging by its record, Rwanda is determined, organized, and will meet its goals. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: currency, stable, to turn oneself around/ a business around, to be well known for... 1. The currency of Europe is the euro, but in England we still use the pound sterling. 2. The doctors told me that her condition is stable; she is awake and doesn't need oxygen or medications. 3. That guy really has turned himself around; he used to be unskilled, but he went back to school. He used to be unemployed, but now he has a decent job. Another example: We must turn this economy around before it is too late. 4. He is well known for his funny stories; he can make any audience laugh. Rate or buy my app by clicking the link   // //

Sunday, May 9th, it's Mother's day! I don't usually give it much thought, apart from choosing what I should buy for my mother and mother-in-law. I always forget that I will receive presents as well. Mind you, I shouldn't forget. There are plenty of reminders all around. The television has countless commercials for shops that have special offers for mums, and the local newspapers also advertise the deals on flowers, chocolates, clothes, and other things. We are actually bombarded with info. about the special day. I was taken by surprise the day before Mother's day when my husband and second son walked in after returning from baseball practice. The door to the garage opened and in walked, what looked like, an enormous, walking bouquet of flowers. All I could see was a pair of legs (still dressed in baseball pants and shoes), and a huge armful of flowers on top. How lovely! It took my breath away. I've never received such a big bouquet before. It has lillies, roses, daisies, and lots of other flowers that I'm not familiar with. It's big enough to divide amongst two or three vases, but for now, I'll keep it in one. Talk about over the top! Then, each of my children handed me their cards that they had made in school. They were even better than the flowers! What could be nicer? And the spelling mistakes in the poems were so sweet. The typical poem is: Roses are red, violets are blue; sugar is sweet, and so are you. But I received the following: Roses are red, vilets are blue; your smile chers me up, and I love you. I'll have to explain to Cass how to spell 'violets'; I hope I'm nothing to do with vile....His picture is a keeper, however. I'm going to frame it and hang it on the wall in the kitchen. He drew a vase of flowers that he painted with watercolors. It is so soft looking and dreamy,- very impressionistic. It's just what I like. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a reminder, a deal, over the top, spelling. 1. I write on my hand, as a reminder of my appointments. 2. I got a really good deal on my new car; it was such a bargain. 3. That performer is over the top. Her bright pink dress, loud act, and shockingly red lips are all too much. 4. My kids need to practice a list of words for their spelling test. Click the link to rate or buy my app. // //

'Prevention is better than cure' is a saying that I fully believe in. Similarly, using the correct tools for a job, or wearing the correct protection, is just as smart. I've been thinking about this recently because my little girl has been learning how to ride her bicycle without the training wheels. If it were up to me, I wouldn't teach her yet. However, my husband is confident that she is ready to take this big step. Each afternoon for about a week, they have been practicing on our driveway and around the cul-de-sac. He has given her plenty of coaching about all the things that you need to bear in mind: watch for traffic, get your balance, put the pedals in the right position, don't go too fast, give yourself time to make a turn etc etc. And, you know, she is doing very well. She is completely safe because from head to toe she is protected with pads of all kinds, and then, of course, she has the crowning glory of the all important helmet. Not wearing a helmet is looked upon as being seriously unintelligent in this house. My husband is a serious bike rider, and even some of his veteran riding buddies have had serious accidents. In some of their accidents, if they hadn't worn their helmets, they wouldn't be here today. So, our kids know that you cannot get on the bike without putting your head protection on first. But once that is taken care of, it's time to have fun. I love watching my daughter's sense of achievement show on her face; she's such a tiny little thing, but now has freedom on wheels. I suppose being five is actually a big thing; you learn to read, you learn to ride your bike, and you start school. Gosh, those are big steps! Grammar notes. Hypothesis and speculation using the subjunctive + related expressions: to bear in mind, from head to toe, veteran, the crowning glory. 1. If he doesn't bear everyone's efforts in mind, he could become quite unpopular. 2. If you had been protected from head to toe, you wouldn't have got hurt. 3. If the war veterans received a decent pension, there wouldn't be a need for their charities. 4. If the architect's plans for the new park were approved, it would be the crowning glory of the whole city.

The weather is one thing, where I live, that is consistent. It is one of the attractions about living here. The tourist information about Wenatchee talks at once about the 300 days of sun each year, and the regular, consistent four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Rarely does the weather 'step out of line' or not follow the typical patterns of this climate. Yesterday, however, was a different story. The first thing that made me realize that something was different was that, at six o'clock in the morning, the birds were not singing. Usually they are making a terrible racket at that time. I could hear, instead, the whooshing noise of the wind, and a buffeting or banging as it was hitting the house. I was immediately reminded of the poem 'Wind' by Ted Hughes, but I could hear my kids getting up, so I didn't have time to dream about poetry. As I pulled out of the driveway, I saw that most of the asphalt of the cul-de-sac was under water. The trees were being thrown around by the wind, and the rain poured heavily without stopping. The children were excited at the change in weather. It makes the day interesting, after all. "We must make cookies today, after school," I said. "Yes, and have a fire too," replied one of the children. The idea of getting cosy on a day like today is the fun part of bad weather. 50 mile an hour winds were recorded, and continued to blow most of the day. The baseball game was cancelled, and nobody was out on the street. Our warm front was over for a while, now that a cold one had moved in. C'est la vie! I annoyed a few people by telling them that I love the rain, but it's true. It's in my genes. Well, by evening, the storm had blown itself out, and everything was soggy and still. No harm done, just a good reminder that we can never get too complacent about our consistent climate. Grammar notes. Combining similar consonants from the ends and beginnings of words + related vocabulary: to step out of line, a racket, to buffet, soggy. 1. If that employee steps out of line and behaves badly again, no way will he keep his job. (1 n's) 2. The birds were making such a racket today; I'll be glad when Spring is over. (1 t's) 3. The wind buffets the house so much that the walls seem to shake. (2 s's). 4. After your walk, could you please take off your shoes and socks; they will be dirty and soggy, and I don't want to get the carpet dirty. (1 k/c's) (1 t's). 　 Please, pretty please, go ahead and rate my show at: 1. iTunes store2. Enter 'A Cup Of English podcast' in search (top right)3. Click on 'see all' next to the soccer ball. 4. The new page will show my podcast. Double click and rate. Thanks!

These past two weeks have been Apple Blossom here in Wenatchee. It is a springtime celebration that brings in a lot of business to the area, and is great fun. Just around the time that the apple blossoms appear, the setting up of this week begins. We see large trucks coming into town with the equipment for the food fair, the carnival, the parade, and all the related games and stalls. This annual event has taken place for 90 years, and has grown from a one day event to about eleven days of celebration. It is run by volunteers from different groups, and overseen and organized by the Applarians, which are a group dedicated to the festival. The carnival was the main attraction for us this year. Our children are now at the ages when we can relax a bit more; when you have young babies and toddlers, it's a bit hectic and tiring to go to a carnival. In fact, our oldest is what we call a pre-teen, so he is very much into the scary rides, the fastest, scariest ones that would probably make me throw up. "Are you sure you want to go on that, Hudson? It looks at bit crazy to me," I said when he asked me if he could go on the 'Hard Rocker'. Silly question, really. Obviously he was sure that he wanted to go on the ride, otherwise he wouldn't have asked me! Sure, go ahead, get locked in a metal cage that swings 360 degrees, and then the whole ride spins around fast. As long as it's you and not me. He did the scariest rides with his friends who were as braves as him. Oh, to be a teenager again. No thanks. I would rather keep my feet on the ground and just watch. We did, however, all have a great time. The kids went on several rides each, and finished off with cotton candy. And I enjoyed the colors and interesting sights of our little yearly carnival. Grammar notes. Practice of the subjunctive in positive and negative phrases plus related vocabulary: cotton candy, hectic, a stall, to oversee. 1. If I had known that they sell cotton candy, I would have brought some money. 2. Your life wouldn't be so hectic if you were more organized. 3. If she could choose her career, she would own a large organic vegetable stall. 4. He wouldn't oversee the project as general manager, if he wasn't qualified. Click on the link to rate or buy my app. // //

Do you like to shop? I actually do not like to at all. I always find that I am in a hurry, I don't enjoy looking through aisles and aisles of clothes for just one piece that I like, and I get impatient when I have to wait in line. But, one thing makes a very big difference. If I can find a good bargain, then I am a happy camper. That means that I am quite content to do the shopping 'thing', just like everybody else. There is a place just over the river from here called Ross. It is one of a chain of clothing and houseware stores that sells new items for incredible bargains. But, how is that possible? As far as I know, the store buys out of season clothes and surplus items from big department stores. Now, I have a hobby of second-hand store shopping; getting ridiculously cheap items from stores that sell second-hand items. That is different all together. When you go into one of those places you never know what to expect. You know that you might not find anything suitable at all. You are very unlikely to lose money or feel cheated, because everything is so, so cheap. And, occasionally when you do find something worth buying, it feels like a major achievement. Ross gives a similar experience, but you also know that you are buying something that is brand new; it's never been used. It is brand spanking new. So, if you do happen to have some time to browse, it is worth making a trip to Ross. I bought a couple of bags worth of tops today, that I threw on in the changing rooms to make sure that everything fit well, and when I got to the check-out till, I had a smile on my face because I had managed to spend very little for what I had bought. "Good deal!" as they say around here. Grammar notes . Related vocabulary: a happy camper, the aisle, houseware, brand spanking new. 1. I am a happy camper today because I got so many bargains. 2. The clothes store was huge; there were ten aisles of jeans. 3. This is a houseware catalogue. You can find anything that you can think of for your home. 4. His shiny new car is brand spanking new; he bought it an hour ago. // //

Fire up the barby! The good weather is here, minced meat is on sale in the supermarket, and the nights are longer. It's time to clean the outside furniture, put a tablecloth on the table, buy propane for the barbecue, and decide what's for dinner. Our barbecue has spent the winter under a heavy duty, plastic cover. Now we can get it out, clean it up, put in a new tank of fuel, and get out the recipe book. The longer days are so much more cheery than the short ones of winter. Eating outside, 'al fresco', is a real pleasure, and always makes the food taste better. This weekend is a special spring celebration in Wenatchee; it's Apple Blossom weekend. There will be a parade through the center of town, a food fair in one of the parks, and a carnival in another. It is the perfect time to invite friends and family over, after the day's events, and have one of the favorites: hamburgers, hotdogs, marinated chicken, thinly sliced beef, vegetables on a scewer, or a vegetarian kebab. Yummy! A potluck is also a good choice. That's when each couple or family that comes over brings a dish of some sort. One person brings a salad, another brings a dessert, perhaps drinks can be brought, and then the host family supplies the main dish. You can eat and chat away until the sun goes down and the stars come out. I look forward to the days when it stays warm until nine or ten o'clock at night, so we can all stay out until we all get sleepy. A friend of mine barbecues all year long. She has a covered deck or patio, so even when there is snow outside in the middle of winter, she can barbecue whatever she wants. So, this weekend, tell your friends, bring some beer and some punch, and come and join us. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: minced meat, propane, heavy duty, deck. 1. This recipe calls for minced meat, just like the beef we use for hamburgers. 2. Propane is the gas that is best for barbecues. 3. I bought myself some heavy duty gloves; they are perfect for gardening and rough work. 4. I need to sweep the deck before our friends come over for a barbecue.

Grab your baseball hat or something else that will keep the sun out of your eyes, your sunglasses, a blanket, and a chair that isn't too hard. It's time to be a spectator. It's the season. You'll see these people, parking in the parking lot of a baseball or soccer field, opening up the back of their cars, and getting all kinds of equipment, blankets, coolers full of food and drinks, hats, gloves, newspapers. They've thought of everything. Spectating is a serious business. When a family member is involved in the sport that you watch, you don't want anything to distract you; you want to keep your eyes on the game, keep score, and not miss a thing. I made the mistake of taking my laptop to my son's game the other day; I had to do my podcast, and, I thought, while he was in the dugout (or not playing) that I could get some work done. Big mistake! I had all kinds of dirty looks coming in my direction. It is not the done thing, not kosher; it's breaking an unwritten rule. So, I won't do that again. It's interesting, you know, watching all the other spectators. Most of them sit quietly and occasionally cheer someone on, but some of them really stand out. You have the ones who are particularly loud, and yell instructions at the players, even though the coach is quite capable of doing that. You have the ones who have practically set up camp, who pass out food, chat through the whole game, and spend a lot of time setting up and packing up. And then there is always a scattering of people who have just got off work in time to see a son or daughter play; they rush to the field, coffee in hand, baseball cap firmly on their heads, nodding and saying "hi" to people here and there. It's generally a positive place, and friendly too. Everyone is enjoying themselves, even when their team is losing. I suppose it is a shared experience: the sport, the parenting; we are all in the same boat. How could I possibly think that a laptop would fit in here? I've had some good conversations with people at the ball park, and a good laugh too. It's one place in the U.S. where people can leave the rush of work, and sit and enjoy a sense of community. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a cooler, serious business, the dugout, to be capable. 1. A cooler is an insulated container that keeps food cool; you generally half fill it with ice and add the food. 2. Coin collecting is serious business for my nephew. 3. The dugout is the sheltered area where the baseball players rest when they are not playing. 4. My mother is good at fixing things; she is capable of fixing her car or anyone else's.

Helen the hippo is my friend at the moment. My little girl is learning how to read, and Helen is the type of character that is helping her to do so. It has been wonderful and fascinating to see the transition from knowing the alphabet to putting words together. Today, in the car, while we were waiting outside of the music school for my oldest son, Domini picked up some books that we keep in the back. To my amazement she slowly started to spell out the words, reading slowly. Every now and then, she would get a word wrong or guess it, but I noticed that she would recognize the first two letters in each word, and often the last one or two. In English, you have to use tricks like that because we have so many odd spellings: the silent e's, the silent gh's, the ph's, and the wh's that can be anything from 'what' to 'who'. Believe me, native English speakers have a hard enough time learning how to read English, not just the non-natives. My daughter squealed with delight when I would say,"Yep, you got that right." Her sense of satisfaction is tremendous; at last she can tell her brothers, who are all readers, that she too can do what they do. Good for her! Now I can get out the series of beginners books that I have used with the boys, and they can be kept in her room. Helen the hippo comes from this series, along with Olive the octopus, and Suzy the snake. The books work their way through the alphabet, introducing what we call 'sight words', those common English words that have to be memorized because they are essential, and a lot of them are irregular. Some of these words that you will be familiar with are: there, their, who, what, one, two, eight, night, and the list goes on. I've noticed, when I volunteer in Robert's class, that children's books use a lot of patterns, rhyme, and humor or surprize to keep the children's attention, and to make the words memorable. You'll find sentences like:                      Zoe the zebra likes to cook,                     she gets her instructions from the book. This is a good technique for those of you who are learning English. If you make up some sentences that rhyme and have a pattern or are funny or bizarre, the chances are that you will easily remember all of the vocabulary and how to use it. So:                       If you follow these podcasts it will not hurt,                      the world will say you're an English expert! Grammar notes. Common expressions: at the moment, every now and then, good for (person), the chances are. 1. Professor Penguin is busy at the moment; he will be available shortly. 2. Every now and then, Lucy the lion will visit her neighbor Betty the bear for a cup of tea. 3. David, the doggy detective, cracked the case. He solved the crime, good for him! 4. If you play roughly with the kitten, the chances are you will get bitten. Begeebees. Similar in meaning to completely, utterly, the tar, or heck. Examples: 1. I rubbed the begeebees (heck) out of the stain on the carpet, but it still wouldn't come out. I rubbed the stain on the carpet completely, but it still wouldn't come out. 2. The boxers beat the begeebees (tar) out of eachother, and had to be taken to hospital. 3. What the begeebees (heck) do you think you are doing?

"Mummy, can I pet the horses?" said my daughter as we crossed the road to the center of the town of Leavenworth. We had decided to spend a few hours in a nearby town, for a change of scenery. The horses in the road were attached to carts that were well decorated, intended for tourists. There were leather straps on the cart with bells and flowers, and the drivers were dressed in traditional German costume. "One day, darling, we'll go on one of those rides," I told my daughter as I took her by the hand and we all crossed the road. There is a restaurant on the main strip of Leavenworth called Pav's, a creperie, where I planned on taking everyone. I wasn't sure if it was open or not, with it being Sunday. Mind you, Leavenworth is a tourist town, so I had a feeling that it would be open. The children and I walked along the main road, past many shops of all kinds, and tourists who had obviously come from all over the world. I could hear people chatting to eachother in many different languages. What a refreshing change! We found Pav's, and yes, it was open. When we were seated, I told the kids that they could only have a dessert, because the dishes are huge, and there was no way that they could eat a main dish and a dessert. As the kids looked at the menu, I looked around at the decor: thick, heavy curtains in each room, dark, earthy colors on the walls, a massive mirror that takes up a whole wall, and lots of French pictures. The kitchen is in the entryway, and completely open. It is a restaurant that has a lot of atmosphere and character, which is important to me; I like to enjoy my surroundings when I eat. My husband joined us after a while; he had cycled up to Leavenworth. The food came and, oh my, what a feast! Two of my sons had ordered fresh pear crepes with vanilla icecream and whipped cream. The other two had chocolate gelato and lemon cheese cake. Hey, you have to make memories while you can. I actually only ordered a coffee, because I knew that my children would never finish their food, so, like a vulture, I would finish it off. After Pav's, we walked through the town and down to the park which has two bridges and lots of trails. We saw several deer and geese with their goslings. It was a magical day, a full Spring day with a feast for the stomach and the eyes as well. Grammar notes.Practice of the preterite with related vocabulary: the strip, to finish off, to take up (space), surroundings. 1. The main strip of Las Vegas was a sea of flashing lights and giant hotels. 2. The caterers finished off the wedding cake while everyone was still dancing. 3. The sofa took up too much room, so we got a smaller one instead. 4. All of a sudden, he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings.

I did a really unpleasant thing the day before yesterday. It was totally necessary; in fact, it was a service to my family. There is the most delicious yet simple meal that is very traditional around this area, but to make it requires getting your hands dirty. That special meal is barbecue chicken. Now, that doesn't mean that we actually put chicken on a barbecue outside. This type of barbecue chicken is cooked in the oven, the longer the better. For this dish, I use the drumsticks ( or legs). I have to, very meticulously, peel off the skin from the raw chicken legs, one at a time, before putting them into a deep oven-proof dish. I do about twenty to thirty at a time. This is the unpleasant part, partly because it isn't easy, but mainly because the skin feels slimey, and gets under your nails. But that's the sacrifice you have to make. You put the lid on the dish and into the oven it goes at about 400 degrees for at least an hour. No water, oil, or condiments are needed. You just bake the begeebees out of the drumsticks. The next step is to take the dish out of the oven, and to discard at least three quarters of the juice that has come out of the meat. Just throw it away. Then cover the legs with barbecue sauce, either one large bottle or two small ones. Honey barbecue sauce is a favorite around here, as well as smokey flavored sauce. Well, you cover the dish again and put it back in the oven, this time at 300 degrees for an hour, or even better, two hours. The meat wil be more tender the more you cook it. And that, my friends, is it. Simple, simple, simple. It goes really well with mashed potatoes, baked beans, and a crispy salad or coleslaw. The meat literally falls off the bone, and there is no fat or skin to deal with, so even children can tuck in without complaining. It is great if left overnight in the fridge, or even frozen for a while and then reheated. You can't really go wrong with it, as far as using it for left-overs. In fact, I had some for breakfast just yesterday! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: meticulous, raw, the 'begeebees', to discard. 1. That cake decorator is meticulous. You should see the details she puts on wedding cakes. 2. We cannot eat the turkey; it is still raw on the inside. 3. The boxers beat the begeebees out of eachother and had to go to hospital. 4. Open the package and discard the little packet of silica inside; it must be thrown away and not eaten. If you need the app, or wish to rate it, click on the following link. // //

Just opposite where we live is a cherry orchard. It must be about four or five acres. In the late winter or early spring, the trees get pruned. Excess branches are cut off in order to make the trees more productive. That system works, and is understood by everyone around here. It is part of being effective when growing fruit. The trouble is, that habit of seriously pruning fruit trees has crept into the rest of Wenatchee. Although Wenatchee is a dry valley, people over the years have made the effort to plant quite a number of trees. We also, thankfully, have quite a few very large trees that were planted by the first settlers. In a hot climate you need your shade. Most of the oldest trees have been left alone. They are splendidly huge, and spread out nicely. Of course, every now and then a limb must be cut off if it is diseased, or weak enough to blow off in a wind storm. However, if you look at the photo in the blogpage, you will get an idea of the crazy pruning that I have seen in quite a few places here in town. It alll started when I saw, in the main outside mall area, a shocking sight of big trees that have been cut in half; their top halves have been chopped off. It looks like a war zone! What were these pruners thinking? Who gave the instructions? Were these people actually licensed? Ever since then, as I drive around town, with my camera at the ready, I have noticed more and more butchered trees. Then, about two weeks ago, a tree expert wrote in to the daily newspaper to comment on how unnecessary the pruning is, how it weakens the roots of a tree, and makes it more of a hazard. Being a tree lover myself, I am very alarmed, and I will certainly send in my thoughts to the towns newspaper, along with a number of photos of the disfigured trees of Wenatchee. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: productive, to creep, a settler, a limb. 1. There are many methods of making an orchard productive; pruning is one of them. 2. The cat crept into the pantry and started sniffing around for food. 3. The first settlers who came here planted fruit orchards, and also many shade trees. 4. That limb needs to be cut off of the tree. It looks weak, and could be dangerous in a storm. Rate my podcast, or buy or rate my app here. //   //  

A strange type of creature has been appearing in Wenatchee recently. Apparently, it comes out when the weather gets nice. It is very tall, furry, and generally has a smile on its face. Unlike most other animals, it likes to be close to people and traffic, rather than near trees and bushes. It is also very friendly to humans, just like dogs, but instead of wagging its tail, it waves its hand. Have you guessed what these creatures are? They are the happy mascots of different businesses around town. They stand on the street corners, or just outside where they work, and they wave at the passing cars. I drove past a drive-through coffee business, and found a panda dancing around on the corner. His black and white costume caught my eye, and I suddenly heard, "Mum, please, please, can we go and hug him?" coming from the back seat. So, I pulled the car around and parked in the parking lot. We got out and hugged the silent panda, who is best at hugging, so there is no need for him to talk. My daughter was thrilled. I haven't quite figured out if she knows there is a person inside, or if she chooses to believe that this really is a special kind of creature. Then today, as I was waiting at a traffic light, I spotted another furry salesman, dancing around outside a fast food hamburger business. I don't know how much business he had encouraged, but he certainly looked happy. Cars were zooming past him, but he just kept on waving. It actually got quite hot today, and I wondered if these furry salesmen were doing okay in their very warm coats. Perhaps they had been able to have a cold diet coke or an iced latte to cool them down. I have seen mascots at ball games, and in High Schools, but it seems that more and more are getting employment in Wenatchee these days. They are obviously willing to do the work that the natives do not want to do..... Grammar notes. Practice of the past with related verbs: to catch someone's eye, to figure out, to spot, to zoom. 1. The colorful clown caught my eye as he walked down the street, holding a large handful of balloons. 2. My son hasn't figured out the math solution yet; it might take him some time. 3. I spotted my mother's car outside her favorite antique shop; I know what she was doing...... 4. The airplanes zoomed past our house. They seemed to be very close to our rooves!

The financial crisis has hit Wenatchee quite hard in the past year or so. Businesses have closed, some people have lost their homes or jobs, or both. Everyone seems to be more careful about spending, and it has become normal to be frugal, or very careful or thoughtful about money. My husband and I have been trying to find ways to cut costs. One expense that was easy to lower was our television bill. The cable and satelite companies here in the U.S sell packages to their customers: a certain amount of channels for a certain amount of money. The more you pay, the larger the choice of channels. Well, I realized a while ago, that we only watch a few channels, but we pay for a lot that we don't even like. After calling the company we use and lowering our package, I was happy to find that we saved about forty dollars a month. Good savings! But, I knew that we could do even better. I signed up for an on-line, instant television and film viewing network called Netflix. It's monthly cost is less than ten dollars, you can instantly view on your computer from a list of thousands of items, or you can have them send you, at no extra cost, DVDs in the mail, one after another. Brilliant! It works, and we love it. The next step was trying to hook my PC up to the tv. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem," I said to everyone confidently. Oh my goodness. I had to make four trips to Radio Shack, where they sell all kinds of cables, plugs, and computers. Each time I went I experienced great service, but I came away with something that didn't quite work. I was so frustrated. By the forth time, I was absolutely determined to get the right stuff, even if it meant buying a thousand cables. Okay, I'm exaggerating. I bought a package of cables that is used specifically to hook up a PC to a tv. I was almost scared to open it. When I did, I was horrified to see what looked like an ocean of cables. There were so many of them! The instruction booklet was so difficult to understand that I looked everything up on Google to get my step by step instructions. Thankyou Google! After plugging everything in, putting the tv on the correct setting, and changing the display setting of my PC, suddenly what was on my PC screen, appeared on the tv. Hurray! I did it! Now, we can instantly view programs and films that we like on our big tv. Grammar notes. Practice of 'should' and 'could' with related vocabulary: frugal, package, to hook up, booklet. 1. We should be more frugal these days and think carefully before we make a big purchase. 2. We could save money by getting the phone, the internet, and the television all in one package. 3. If he wants to make a speech to the crowd, he should hook up the microphone to the speakers. 4. The instruction booklet is hopeless, but you could google the instructions.

Ah, Spring is here, and we are back to the normal good weather activities. This weekend, we had a couple of the kids' friends over for a 'sleep-over'. You can probably tell by the name what a sleep-over is: the kids come and play in the evening and end up spending the night. It is the latest thing that seems to be extremely important to my children. If only one of them can have a friend over, then it's just not fair, so we have to have at least two to keep everyone happy. The next morning, all the kids were running around outside, playing 'army' and climbing trees. My husband busied himself by mowing the lawn and fixing an irrigation pipe that was broken. I noticed that he was gathering wood and dry brush from the garden, going back and forth, back and forth. What was he up to? It got to late afternoon and he was still out in the back garden. I went to check on the children who were now playing in the front garden, when Hudson suddenly yelled, "Hey look everyone, a fire!" We ran over to the fence that separates the front yard from the back yard, and, sure enough, there was a big fire in the firepit. The plan was to burn a few things in the firepit, and then, as the fire died down, we would sit around it and roast hot dogs and marshmallows. This was cause for a lot of excitement! The idea of fire and sugar always excites the kids. Okay, so,let's get organized. Get the chairs, get the food, and get the long sticks to put the hot dogs and marshmallows on. When we had everything together, we sat around and gazed at the fire, while the kids held their special treats over the flames. The trick with marshmallows is to get them nicely browned, but not burned. If one catches fire, it is done for. So, you hold the stick over the fire, and slowly turn it, to cook the food just right, keeping an eye on it, so it doesn't get overdone. The packet of marshmallows soon ran out, the fire died down, and I could hear people starting to yawn. What a perfect way to spend a Spring evening. Fire and sugar, what a combination! Grammar notes Common phrases: to busy oneself, it's not fair, sure enough, to be up to... 1. They busied themselves by setting up camp and preparing the dinner. 2. He has a bigger slice of cake than I do; that's just not fair! 3. The lady wasn't looking where she was going, so, sure enough, she tripped and fell. 4. What are you up to kids? How come the cookie jar is empty? Have you been up to no good? If you would like to rate or buy my app, click on the link. // //

I got a phone call from my husband the other day, " Hey babe, can you take the car to get the oil changed please? It's overdue." As he works forty-five minutes from town, he rarely has time to run those errands back in Wenatchee, so he gets his secretary, me, to do them. No problem. As you probably know, a car's oil has to be changed regularly. How often depends on your car and your driving habits. If you drive a lot, you might have to change the oil every three months or three thousand miles. If you drive very little, it might be a couple of years before you need to have the oil changed. Why does it need to be changed anyway? Apparently, it breaks down over time and stops performing as well. It no longer works well enough at cooling the engine. So, out goes the old, and in goes the new. Oil Can Henry's is a new chain of oil changing stations in town that is making a name for itself. What you notice first of all is its appearance. The building is brightly painted in red and tan, and everything is spotless. The workers are dressed in a smart uniform which matches the building; their shirts are stripey and their hats are paperboy hats. So all together, it looks like a very clean, professional place of business. As soon as I got out of the car, one of the employees handed me a complimentary newspaper, and I headed off to the waiting room . I had only been there a few minutes, when one of the gentlemen came in and politely offered me extra service of my car for a very special deal. I actually didn't understand what he was talking about; he used details about engine oil, the air filter, number of miles, and the color of the lubricants, which all sounded like a very foreign language to me. "Shame on you Anna," I thought to myself, " you need to read up on cars and how they work. Females should be just as savvy about cars as males....." I politely told the man that I would just have a regular oil change, nothing fancy or expensive. Before they finished the service, I walked out to where they were working on my car to take some photos for the podcast. There was a large room right underneath the car where the man was changing the oil. He was talking back and forth to another man who was looking at the engine from the top, under the hood. They were exchanging details in a way that reminded me of surgeons talking to eachother during an operation. Car maintenance certainly is a science, and one that I should get to know. Grammar notes. Practice of 'might' with related vocabulary: it depends, spotless, to match, lubricant. 1. We might be able to go to the beach tomorrow; it depends on the weather. 2. If you clean your room and make it spotless, I might let you go to the cinema. 3. He might be famous but his inteligences does not match his fame. 4. You should put a quality lubricant in your car to keep it running properly; it might not work with with that brand of lubricant. Please click on the link to rate my podcast. Thanks! // //

I have been making excuses recently, to avoid doing some gardening. I have had pots of plants ready to plant for at least a week. I even put them right on the spots where I intended to plant them, but they sat there for a long time. Every time I happened to go outside, for whatever reason, I would catch a glimpse of them and feel guilty. I made sure that I kept them watered, because I would have felt terrible if they had died in their pots, waiting for me to plant them. Anyway, today, Sunday, happened to be a perfect day: sunny, warm, and still. My husband inspired me to go out at first to help with the blackberry bushes. He had built some sturdy poles, and put wire horizontally to create a support for them to grow up. I helped him with that, and then got on with my project. The entryway to our house, as you might remember, had had five huge bushes that my husband had transplanted. There was nothing left in their place. I had put a few bags of manure and peat moss on the area, but had not mixed them or dug them in. So, that was my first job. Now, I don't know why, but I love to dig. I always have done. So this job, though it was hard, suited me. I dug the spade (shovel) deep into the earth, and then lifted and turned it to mix it in well. As I did this, a lot of roots came to the surface that had belonged to the bushes. I had to pick those out before planting the new beauties. Finally, I got to the fun part. I dug holes for each of the potted plants, turned them upside down, popped them out of the plastic pots, and put them in their holes. I filled in the remainder of the holes with soil, and continued until they were all done. My next job was to transplant the Bleeding Hearts, which are stunning this time of year. You have to be careful with them because they are delicate. So, I dug a large root ball for each one. That means the round collection of roots and earth that the plant is using. The bigger the root ball, the more successful the transplant. And yes, they filled in the corner where I put them beautifully. Finally, mission accomplished. I gave them a long water and then stood back and admired my work. Grammar notes. Useful verbs and expressions: to intend to, to catch a glimpse, to get on with, to suit. 1. He intends to catch the train early in the morning. 2. I caught a glimpse of the actor as he got out of the car and went into the theater (theatre). 3. We need to hurry up and get on with the project before it starts to rain. 4. That dress really suits you; it goes well with the shoes that you are wearing.

Baseball season is here, and even though it is chilly, we gather our troops and head off for the baseball field. Everyone who has a child involved in the sport knows that this time of year is very changeable when it comes to the weather. You have to be prepared for all sorts of weather: cold, icy wind, rain, hot sun, or perhaps even hail. Today was no exception. Unusually for Wenatchee, we had rain during the first game of the season. Mind you, it wasn't torrential at all; I didn't even take an umbrella. It was more like a 'chiri miri' which is what we say in Spain for a very light, misty rain. There are some comforts at the ball park, however. One of the traditional ones that springs to mind is the hot dog. It is an 'all american' thing to eat, even though it's origins probably lie in one of the germanic countries of Europe. There is just something about the smell of the warm hot dogs wafting through the air, mixing with the fresh smell of grass. When you've been sitting on a bleacher (which is the american term for the set of benches), and you start to get a little chilly, the smell of hot dogs is enough to prompt a little trip to the concession stand. I volunteer occasionally to help at the concession stand. It is definitely part of the American culture. The hot dogs are turning on a mechanical warmer, there is popcorn popping away in the popcorn maker. There are slurpies of different flavors to drink, and candies to buy. The last time I helped out, I had a smile on my face because it reminded me of some of the typical American films that I had seen when I was young. Boys would come up to me with baseball caps on and dirty knees from having played; they would usually ask for candies or a slurpy. Then the parents would come, asking for popcorn, coffee to warm up, and of course hot dogs. Plain, with relish, or just with ketchup, they would sell out so quickly that we would have to turn people away with a , "Sorry, we'll have to get some more tomorrow." It's all part of the experience of being involved in baseball, and, thinking about it, we probably have only another ten years of it left, because our youngest son is seven. There is a lot to observe at a baseball game, especially if you are a foreigner. I'm sure I will be telling you of other things I notice in the ball park in the future.  Grammar notes.  Expressions: to gather the troops, changeable, to spring to mind, to prompt.  1. Come on, get the children ready. We'll gather the troops and go to grandma's house for lunch.  2. He is so changeable: one minute he's in a good mood, and the next minute he's grumpy.  3. I'm trying to think of a good restaurant to go to, but nothing springs to mind.  4. Seeing my neighbor digging prompted me to get my garden tools out. Click the link to rate my app if you like. Thanks! // //

The Wenatchee golf club is a place that was introduced to me by my in-laws. For quite a few years now, they have played golf several times a week, and also enjoyed the club's other facilities. I don't golf, or at least not yet, but I have become familiar with the goings on there. It was established in 1923 in East Wenatchee. To get there from here, you have to cross over the Columbia river and head up to near the top of the valley. There are spectacular views from the club, which I have heard is a feature of many good golf courses. There is also an outdoor swimming pool which is a wonderful treat for family and friends of those who are members. In the summer heat, when golfers who have been brave enough to play in the sun have finally had enough, they can cool off in the pool. My family and I only go there occasionally to eat. The kids always get very excited about the food; the desserts especially are very memorable, like the devil's chocolate pie. So, who are the golfers of the club? They are mostly retired people or business men and women. Some business owners will bring their clients to the golf course for a game and lunch, a clever way to make business more pleasant than usual. There is a busy calendar of events, as well. Tournaments of all kinds take place for different age groups. There are lessons with the expert golf instructors, and there are even all female or all male days, when the opposite sex is not allowed. Prizes of money or trophies are awarded at the end of each tournament, and each year, more and more high school students are signing up for lessons and tournaments. The balance of generations in the club is changing, as golf becomes more 'in' with youth, and also more in the media. One of my nephews golfs at the club regularly with friends, and in the local high schools, golf is now offered as an alternative sport to the traditional ones. I have often heard about my in-laws winning tournaments and prizes, but now some of the younger people are walking away with first place. Grammar notes. Common expressions and vocabulary: the goings on, a member, to be brave enough to, to be 'in'. 1. The two ladies were gossiping about the goings on in the house of the new neighbors. 2. I'm sorry, you cannot come in the club unless you are a member, and have a membership card. 3. My son is cooking dinner for us for the first time; I don't know if I am brave enough to eat his food! 4. Do you like my new shoes? The fashion magazines say that they are really 'in' this season

Before I start this podcast, I'd like to let you know that I have corrected a mistake I made on yesterday's podcast about cherry blossoms in Japan. The photo I included was actually of dog wood blossoms. I didn't realise at the time, but I have corrected the photo and uploaded one of cherry blossoms. Today's podcast is about a very special bird house that was presented to me the other day by my husband and son. The day that we came back from our recent trip to Seattle, I was busy unpacking and puttiing things away. The kids went off to their various bedrooms and started playing, and my husband disappeared for a while. I assumed that he was in the garage, tinkering with his bicycle. It's his hobby afterall, and he enjoys cleaning and preparing his bike for the next big ride. Some time had gone by when I realised (realized) that I hadn't seen my youngest son around the house. He is usually the loudest and busiest, so normally, I can tell exactly where he is. Suddenly, I hear him stomping through the garage with his cowboy boots on, running upstairs, rummaging noisily around in his room, and running back downstairs. I met him as he was zooming around the corner to head outside again, "What are you up to, monkey?" I asked. "I'm building a birds house with dad," he replied, showing me his armful of kids tools that he had gathered from his room. I only had time to say, "Oh," and he had already disappeared. About half an hour later, my husband walks in carrying a bird house made of thin branches. It was very well made. Most of the branches had been cut to the same size, so it looked very even and balanced. There was a little, square hole in the middle of the front, the entryway, and a perch just above it. "I can't believe you just whipped this thing up!" I said in amazement. "It's lovely!" "Robert made most of it," said my husband. Robert gave me a big smile; he was very proud of himself. "So, where shall we put it?" asked my husband. "In the front yard," I replied, "far away from the house; the birds are already very noisy early in the morning." For now, the house is still in the kitchen. I'm not in a hurry to have birds move into it. I think I'll keep it around as a reminder of my kids' creative skills.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: to tinker, to stomp (stamp), to rummage, to zoom.1. My father loves to tinker with old engines. You can always find him fiddling around with mechanical bits and pieces.2. The child was really angry about having to share his toys, so he stomped (stamped) his feet and frowned.3. When you go to a yard sale, you will have to rummage around in all the clothes to find something you like.4. The motorbike zoomed right past the police car at ninety miles per hour.

This podcast was inspired by Kimiyo from Japan who recently E-mailed me a photograph of the cherry blossoms on the street where she lives. She told me that, at the moment, the wave of blossoms is moving through Japan, and so she decided to capture it on film and send it to me. Thanks Kimiyo! Blossoms are dear to my heart because they are a central subject of the area where I live. Without blossoms orchards cannot produce fruit, of course. I decided to investigate blossoms in Japan, and I ended up learning a lot. The word for cherry blossom is 'sakura'. It is such an anticipated event in Japan that the national weather bureau makes a forecast, and charts the progress of the blossoming, as it moves from the south to the north. The first cherry blossoms in Japan start in January, in Okinawa. As the season continues, the wave of blossoms moves slowly up the country, reaching the capital, Tokyo, in about the beginning of April. It finishes in Hokkaido a few weeks later. There are flower viewing parties, where people will eat under a blossoming cherry tree, and also tea drinking rituals, and artistic events. In most places, the trees are also lit up at night. Because so many hundreds of thousands of these trees were planted in Japan, the season is one of extreme beauty. For the Japanese, cherry blossoms represent love, affection, and good fortune, as well as mortality. Cherry trees are native to Japan, Korea, and China, Japan having about 200 different kinds. The mass planting of these trees started in the eighth century, and the tradition of blossom viewing, practiced in China, became part of life in Japan. Admiration of these beautiful trees is international, of course, with countries all over the world celebrating and enjoying this flowery display. The Japanese government has made a gift of flowering cherry trees to the U.S. on several occasions, and so now, they are enjoyed here also. One of the biggest collections is found in Macon, Georgia where there are over 300,000 trees. Even if they don't produce fruit, the short season of pleasure they give is an inspiring annual event.Grammar notes.Useful common expressions and vocabulary: to end up, a forecast, to chart.1. I tried and tried to write my essay last night; I ended up just taking a bath and going to bed.2. I heard the forecast: stormy weather and snow.3. The pirates charted their course using the stars.

Because it is Spring break, we have arranged a quick get-a-way to Seattle for a couple of days. My husband has been extremely busy at work, and hasn't even had a weekend break for a while, so I decided that it is time for us to 'get out of dodge'. He has taken this Friday off, and we are heading West. I got online yesterday and booked the hotel. What do you look for in a hotel? Location? A good rating? An available restaurant or swimming pool? These are all things to take into consideration. Because all of us are going, the location was most important to me; we don't often go to Seattle, so we should be close to downtown. The web page for this particular chain of hotels offered locations all over the city, at varying rates per night. The cheapest was in an area close to where my sister-in-law lives. Mmmm, that would be good, because we want to visit her anyway. But there wasn't a swimming pool available, and that is a priority for the kids. We could always travel a little from a different hotel to visit family. How about a decent breakfast? I have had experiences of staying in hotels that claim to serve a 'continental breakfast' which ends up being a dry pastry and a cup of coffee. If a breakfast is included, it should be substantial. Those two prerequisites limited our choice to about three out of the original list. So, I thought, what else would make our stay comfortable and pleasant? A free shuttle service to different parts of downtown. You know what it's like to drive in a big city when you don't know the streets; it can be a nightmare. A free shuttle would be soooo helpful! How about internet access. It seems to be a constant need in our lives, and so useful in so many ways. After considering this, I crossed off the least appealing hotels from the list, and ended up with, believe it or not, the same hotel we stayed in the last time we went. It has the amenities that we were after, all of them: location, a huge breakfast, a free shuttle, and internet service. I was even able to order a roll away bed, and extra towels. How convenient. I am so looking forward to our little break, especially as the hotel is just the right choice.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary and expressions: a get-a-way, to get out of dodge, a prerequisite, access.1. The travel agency is offering cheap weekend get-a-ways this month.2. This place is driving me crazy! It's time to 'get out of dodge'.3. If you want to get the position, the prerequisite is being bilingual. It is a must.4. There is no wheel chair access to the theater, so we will go to the cinema instead.

I've been getting some things ready for our Summer vacation. The most important thing, for now, is the passports of my two youngest children. My daughter has never had one, but my son has an old one that has already expired. I want to make sure that these important documents are up to date, or, as we say, valid. I popped into the court house to get the passport application forms, and then I read through the instructions. When I send in the forms, I need to also send in a fee and a birth certificate. No problem, I thought. I can just send in Robert's expired passport, and I will find Domini's birth certificate and send it in. Well, for the life of me, I couldn't find it. I looked in all of our files. I checked drawers where we keep important papers. And then I double checked. It was nowhere to be found. Okay, what do I do now? Nowadays, if I have a question, I immediately reach for my laptop. I googled where to get a copy of a birth certificate, and I was given the phone number of the Health Department. Great! After speaking with a lady on the phone, the birth certificate was ordered, payed for, and due to be mailed to my home in two days. Well, that was easy! So now it was a question of just filling in all the info. correctly, and double checking that. The form asked for the usual information: gender, last, first, and middle names, address, date of birth, parents, social security number, height, weight, and eye and hair color. Finally, I took my two little ones to Walmart to get their photos taken. They were excited about this quick, simple trip; I think they imagined it to be something very, very important. They stood infront of a white screen and waited for the photographer to take the photos. They looked a bit scruffy, and had big, cheesy grins on their faces. He told them not to smile, so they put on very serious faces, which made them feel like the whole experience was even more important. Well, we got home in one piece, and I finished the paperwork. It'll be good to get this done and out of the way, to avoid any delays. Grammar notes.Form related vocabulary: valid, gender, expired, to double check.1. Sir, I'm afraid your library card is not a valid form of identification for travel.2. You need to check one of the gender boxes: male or female.3. Your driver's license has expired; you must go to the department of licensing and get it renewed.4. After you have filled in your personal information, you need to double check it.

Did you witness any of the events of Earth Hour this year? There was a lot more participation this year from around the globe, than last year. 125 countries signed up to turn out some major (majour) lights, and out of those countries, 56 national capitals were to turn off lights on buildings that have great significance. I saw some of the 'turning off' on my laptop the next day, and I was impressed at the scale of this organized event. It is a statement that people want action, and that we can become an organized group and do something good for the planet. Last year in December, there was a meeting in Copenhagen about climate change. Politicians joined in discussions, trying to agree about what can be done to reduce global warming and its effects. There were a lot of hopes that strong action could be taken in every country to reduce CO2 emissions, and to develop clean sources of energy. It's never that easy though, is it. The U.S. and Europe have been the biggest polluters, and now China has caught up, and other developing nations like India. Development has to happen. Economies have to grow, and people's standards of living have to go up. It is only fair. The trick would be finding a cleaner way to do it all. So far, the political meetings, like the ones in Copenhagen and Kyoto, have been the first steps. But actions like Earth Hour show a public awareness, and a hope that we can all learn about what we can do as individuals. Watching the great monuments and symbols of nations turn their lights out was an inspiration. Yes, it saved energy aswell. But more than that, it was a symbol of greater things that we can do in the future.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: participation, the scale, standard of living, public awareness.1. There was a lot of participation in the local tree planting day.2. The scale of the new buildings is enormous.3. Since we are both working, our standard of living has gone up.4. There should be more awareness about the pollution in the rivers.

About two weeks ago, I found that my eyes were feeling quite itchy. The feeling lasted all day, and has continued ever since. About one week ago, my nose started running, as if a little water tap had been turned on all of a sudden. No, I'm not sick. It's just allergy season. Most people I know suffer from some allergy or other. I'm not sure exactly what I am allergic to, but I can guess that it is something to do with plants. It is Spring, the weather is warming up, plants and trees are budding, so I assume that there is something in the air that is seasonal that causes me to have an allergic reaction. The trouble with seasonal allergies is that, when you have them, you look like you are sick. Red eyes, a runny nose, general discomfort or annoyance because of the symptoms, all add up to a look of being ill. I'm not very good at taking medicine either. I choose not to, unless I'm feeling really bad. Mind you, the allergy medicine in the cupboard has been looking very attractive recently. My husband also has allergies, but he doesn't mess around and waste time. He goes straight for the solution, takes the pill or the liquid, and gets on with life. Deep down I don't want to believe that I have allergies. I would prefer it if my symptoms came from a cold. Around here, they say that if you have lived in Wenatchee for seven years, then it's your turn to develop an allergy. Well, I've been here for eighteen, so I am overdue! It must be something to do with all of the orchards and agriculture. Thankfully, we don't have any food allergies; now, that would be rough. A good friend of mine is wheat intolerant, and has to be careful with her diet. In restaurants and at parties, she has to ask lots of questions about the food that is available, and sometimes avoid the food just in case. I can't imagine having to avoid wheat, or my favorite, dairy products. So, I will put up with the sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes by remembering that some people have far worse allergies than I do. Perhaps I'll look in the medicine cabinet today, and give one of them a try.Grammar notes.Common phrases: ever since, deep down, the trouble with, just in case.1. Ever since I went to the art gallery, I have been wanting to go back.2. She won't admit it, but deep down she is in love with him.3. The trouble with this restaurant is that, even though it is elegant, the food is far too expensive.4. Even though it was sunny outside, we took our umbrellas, just in case.

"We can't move forward until you mail it back" is the saying on the recent campaign to get everyone to fill in their census form. As required by the constitution, a census has to be conducted every ten years. We have all received the forms in the mail, and now it is up to us to fill them in and send them back. The data collected by the census will help determine which towns need roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Schools, hospitals and senior citizens' homes will also be funded as part of the 400 billion dollars of federal money given for the needs of the country. It's tax money, of course, so it makes sense that we fill in the forms and get our communities what we need. If people fail to mail the census form back, a census taker will actually come to that house up to three times to get the paper work filled out. It is that important. Another thing that is important about the census is that it will determine how many seats our state will have in the House of Representatives. The way that works is as follows: each state has at least one representative in the House of Representatives, or 'the house' as it is commonly known. The more populated the state, the more representatives it can have. The number of representatives allowed is fixed by law at 435, the highest number coming from California. All of these members can vote on issues like revenue bills, or to impeach an official. You might already know that the house is part of Congress, it's position being under the Senate. So, I will fill in my census form, to let the government know that I am here, where I am from, what I do, and about my family. I certainly want us to have proper representation in the house, so the basic needs of our community can be met. Just think, the oldest recorded census was taken over 4000 years ago in China, during the Xia Dynasty. It has been a practical tool for governments ever since.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: representative, state, member, to vote.1. That woman over there is one of our state representatives; she visits Washington DC regularly.2. Washington State is called the evergreen state because of all of its forests.3. We were members of the YMCA, but we gave up our membership last year.4. It is very important to vote, to have a say in the country's future.

I love to use my laptop, to play around with different programs, to surf the web, and to edit photos. Today I have been doing that for hours. Now that my app has come out in iTunes, I have been trying to design a really good photo for it. The existing photo of a red cup with flags on it is fine, but I wanted something a little more elegant. So, I have been playing around with a little tea set that I inherited from my grandmother on my father's side. It is a 'tea for two' set which is extra small. It is what we call 'fine bone china', and hand painted. It has a lot of sentimental value for me, as it is my only connection to a grandmother who died when I was just a baby. The idea of a cup of tea is a theme for my work for several reasons. First, I come from a tea drinking nation, England. Secondly, I love the stuff, and even though I try to avoid the stereotype of drinking tea in the afternoon, it is exactly what I do! Thirdly, I love the idea of filling up a cup with knowledge until it overflows. So, the tea cup image will always be in my work. To make just the right photo, I bought a large sheet of red paper, placed the cup and saucer on it, arranged some extra lighting, and held the tea pot over the cup. It would have been perfect if I had had an extra hand, but I just about managed with two. After taking the photo, I then had to edit it. I started by sharpening the picture. That means that I selected a button which adds strength to the edges in a picture. There is a feature in the program that I use which allows you to add text (or writing). What I hadn't realised before is that after writing the words, you can turn them to point in different directions. Perfect! I wrote and arranged lots of words on the photo. The 'look' that I was after was that of English pouring out of the tea pot into the cup. It took me ages to finish. I couldn't bend the words, so I had to reposition the words part by part. When I finished, I was relieved. It had taken a long time. You must check out the new photo and tell me what you think. It should replace the old one on the app in a couple of weeks. Grammar notes.Practicing the past participle with related verbs: to edit, to design, to arrange, to select.1. The photographer edited the wedding photos and made everybody look much younger.2. The architect designed a beautiful park for the center of the city.3. The florist arranged the flowers carefully in the vase.4. Select the undo button in the program if you want to erase what you just did.

Something very exciting has happened in Wenatchee. A professional american football team has been developed which is called The Wenatchee Venom. The team has a mixture of men from all over the country, and has just had its first game. I was lucky enough to go to this big event on Saturday night. It was held at the new stadium in town. We got there about half an hour before the game started, but still, the parking lot was full, and there was a long line of people waiting to get into the building. We were fortunate enough to have box seats for the night, so basically we had a private room with meals and drinks, and a great view of the field. Because this is an indoor stadium that is used for many different events, the field is not as big as an american football field usually is. In true U.S. style, the evening was not just about the game. It was a show from start to finish. There were performances by cheerleaders, three mascots dancing, a pretend sumo wrestler running competition, and loud modern music throughout. It is big business really. Advertisements for local companies and sponsors were announced all the way through the evening, and even in one of the end zones, a sponsor's name was written right on the field. It was interesting to observe all the elements of this sporting event. The game itself was great fun. Wenatchee won, and the players were real showmen. They danced and encouraged the crowd to cheer and clap. I was yelling, applauding, and making all kinds of noises, which suprised the people I was with. I couldn't help it, the Wenatchee Venom made some very good touch-downs. I hope I can go and see Venom again, because they are a team that plays with heart, as they say here. I think that means that they give it their all, they hold nothing back. A few of them were injured during the game and had to leave. It's not surprising considering how they would throw themselves head first at their opponents to block them. It must be like getting into a car crash when they collide! I hope the team continues to be successful. It would be exciting to put Wenatchee on the map through a professional sport. We'll see how their season goes.Grammar notes.American football related vocabulary: touch-down, field goal, end-zone,line of scrimmage.1. The team scores points by getting touch-downs.2. If a field goal is kicked after a touch down, the team gets an extra point. If it is kicked without a touch-down, it gets three.3. The-end zone is the area at each end of the field where the touch-downs are scored.4. The line of scrimmage is when the teams bend down close together and the ball gets passed along the floor.

Today, I have an announcement to make. I am very excited to tell all of you that A Cup Of English is available in app (or application)  for the iPhone, the iPod touch, the iPad or similar devices. It is already available in iTunes. For those of you who have such a device, you can have instant access to all of my podcasts with the text, grammar notes, and photos that automatically come with the blog. Pretty cool, isn't it? No more need to turn on a computer and download; it's all there at the push of a button. I had no idea that I would get an app. until I was contacted by the company that hosts my podcast, Libsyn. They told me that there was a time-limited offer for producers of podcasts. There were a few forms to fill in and sign, and details to work out, but the whole process went quite smoothly. Have you ever looked at some of the apps that are now available? There are so many of them! My husband has a Droid which also uses apps. He has one that gives step by step directions to anywhere you want to go. Another lists restaurants, their times of operation, comments on the food, and makes recommendations. And the list goes on. Apple first opened its app store in iTunes in July, 2008. As of 15th of January, there were one hundred and thirty three thousand nine hundred and seventy nine applications made by different producers. And guess how many downloads? About three billion. I love those big numbers! I suppose apps are supposed to make your life easier by giving you quick access to needed or wanted information. What a great invention. Technology is changing and getting updated so quickly that I feel I need to keep up with the changes. When I think back to the first computer games we had, Pac Man and Pong, I am amazed at the progress that has been made. In this area, I certainly don't want to be left behind.Grammar notes.Using the past participle of a verb as an adjective: watched, needed, signed, recommended, left.1. The new movie has been watched by more people in recorded history.2. You are needed in the conference room please.3. The document will be signed and delivered tomorrow.4. That hotel is not recommended by people I know.5. The passports were left on the kitchen table; the couple didn't realise until they arrived at the airport.  // //

This Spring, we have experienced an unusual amount of rain, so much so that it has caused problems in many areas. I was driving to a local bakery the other day, when I came to some road works. I had to stop my car and wait for the heavy machinery to get out of the way, so I took a few minutes to look around at what had happened. The road followed a hillside that was cut away to look a bit like a cliff, but the mixture of rock and soil looked crumbly. The consistent rain over the course of a week had loosened the rock from the soil and brought some boulders down onto the road. A very dangerous situation! Watch out drivers! The heavy machinery was clearing the road so the traffic could continue. When I got home, I looked up the geology of this area on the internet. It turns out there are two trails that a person can drive along to view an enormous variety of geological activity. Apparently, about 17,000 years ago there were enormous glaciers covering a lot of North America. It just so happens that there was a blockage of ice that stopped a huge lake of melted water from flowing south. When the ice block finally gave way, the gigantic flood affected this area by depositing massive 200 ton boulders in strange places, and tons of gravel in other places. Scientists say that there is evidence of 50 cubic miles of earth and rock being displaced up to a hundred times, and contributing to what is now this area. It's funny what you learn by looking something up on the internet, isn't it? A man who has written a book about the geology of this area, Mr. Charles L. Mason, writes that there has been "a buffet of geological events....that are unparalleled nearly anywhere else on earth." Gosh, and I learned all of that because I had to wait for some road works. Whatever will I learn next?Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: glaciers, boulders, gravel, geology.1. There are small glaciers in the mountains nearby.2. Some people climb on the large boulders that are a few miles away.3. Our driveway used to be all gravel, but the little rocks would get everywhere, so now it is asphalt.4. Geology is the study of rock formations.

Well, podlisteners, I thought that it was about time that you saw my husband and I, so check out the photo on the blog page......Okay, I'm only kidding. We look nothing like the two people in the photo. They are fitness trainers from the P90X program that my husband and I have just started to use. We saw an advertisement a few weeks ago on the television, you know the kind: it shows what people used to look like when they were overweight and soft, and then, it shows them after using the P90X, and they have been transformed into Greek gods. The system is based on, what they call, 'muscle confusion', never letting your muscles get too used to an exercise. It involves a lot of variety. I understand that advertising is a lot of exaggeration, but we decided that even if there was a moderate improvement in our strength and flexibility, that it would be worth it. So, my husband paid with his credit card over the phone, and a few days later we received the package in the mail. Now, you are supposed to exercise six times a week for about an hour, for ninety days, to see optimal results. Then you can reduce the exercise to two or three times a week. So, that is the plan. And, you know, so far we have stuck to it. Even our kids have joined us, in their own way, in the push ups and sit ups. In typical kid fashion, they get bored after about fifteen minutes, and start goofing around. But it's all great fun at the moment. Tom, my husband, and I are definitely transforming into something....I'm not sure exactly what. The other day, we did yoga, and it was tough. I have never had such a good workout for my abdominal muscles, and do you know why? It's because I was laughing the whole time at my husband. He looked like an arthritic pelican, with long limbs in odd places, flapping around, and struggling. My stomach muscles are still aching a bit, but it's a good ache, one that I've earned through hard work. I am actually quite impressed with the instructor, Tony, who always emphasizes safety, the importance of warming up and stretching, and keeping good form (which means the correct posture). The last thing you want to do is injure yourself and not be able to exercise at all. So, we are full speed ahead on our fitness program. Arnold Schwarzenegger watch out!Grammar notes.Exercise related vocabulary: sit ups and push ups, to warm up, biceps and triceps, to stretch.1. Sit ups really work your abdominal muscles, while push ups work your arms, back, and abdominals too.2. If you don't warm up before exercising, you could hurt your muscles.3. We used weights to work our biceps and triceps, which men around here call their 'guns'.4. It feels so good to stretch before and after exercising.

In our house, at night, when everyone is asleep, the sounds of nature fill the air. Actually, the noises don't come from outside, but inside the house, and I'm not talking about my husband snoring. Chirp, chirp, chirp, is what we hear. It is the familiar sound of crickets. Normally, we would get cricket noises in our garden in the Summer. But it's only March, and these crickets are in a glass cage, living happily for a few days, until they get fed to our lizards. We have a leopard gekko and a bearded dragon who need a good, tasty meal every now and then. The lizards belong to the kids, but because I am the mum of the house, I am the one who basically takes care of the animals. I'm the one who goes off to the pet shop to by these bags of wriggling, jumpy insects. I'm also the one who has to feed them, so they can be healthy enough to feed Anthony and Dillon, the family reptiles. There is a lot of feeding going on in this house, and unfortunately for me, it involves crickets. I do love their chirping noises; however, at night they get very loud, and so I have to put their cage in the room that is farthest from the bedrooms. My sister-in-law used to have reptiles, and told me a horror story that involved crickets. She had bought an extra large bag of crickets from the pet shop, so she wouldn't have to return for a few weeks. She purchased two hundred and fifty crickets in all, and happily took them home so her sons could feed the lizards. Well, at some point in the process, a hole appeared in the bag, and all of the crickets escaped and ran into various places of her house. Two hundred and fifty of them! She said that it took them days to find the noisy ones, but it's a mystery what happened to a large number of the others, the smart ones who kept their mouths shut, or should I say, their legs still.Grammar notes.Related verbs: to fill the air, to feed, to chirp, to involve.1. The sound of jazz filled the air as the musician practiced the saxophone.2. Come on kids, you need to feed the dogs!3. In Spring, the birds chirp very loudly early in the morning.4. The criminal case involved a teacher, a lawyer, and a baker.

You remember, don't you, that last week I was busy in the front garden. I was enjoying the weather and changing the look of our entryway. Well, I had had enough of digging, weeding, and raking, so I decided to go on a hunt for the perfect tree. The closest nursery garden to our house is just down the road, literally about one minute by car. It is actually a home appliance business which opens up a nursery area for the Spring and Summer only. Bark is poured out over a large area and then a variety of trees and bushes are placed on top, watered regularly, and put up for sale. With a quick glance at the nursery garden from my car, I could tell that they didn't have what I wanted. I am not a fussy shopper, but I can quickly tell, in a shopping situation, if I'm in the right place to get what I want. So, I turned left at the traffic lights and headed west to Blueberry Hills nursery. They have a large selection of good quality everything. Their items tend to be more expensive than in other places, but the quality seems to make up for that. I got out and an employee helped me find the Japanese Maples. They had a kind called a Coral Bark which was gorgeous. As its name suggests, the bark is a brilliant pinkish red. The leaves are not out yet, but apparently they are green with a red outline. It sounds like it would make a stunning focal point for the entryway. I looked at the price tag and gasped. Nearly a hundred and fifty bucks! A bit too much for me, I'm afraid. I think I would have to talk to my husband first before I spend that kind of money on one tree. I walked around a little more, looking at other trees, and taking in the pretty landscape. Blueberry Hills overlooks a small valley to the side of Wenatchee where the Wenatchee river runs into the Columbia. It is very picturesque setting, especially with all of the blueberry and lavendar bushes covering large areas of the property, and, in recent years, they have planted vineyards and opened a wine tasting area. Even if we don't get the tree, I plan on returning for another look, or perhaps to sample some wine. Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: to have enough of..., bark, fussy, picturesque.1. I have had enough of this cold weather! It's time for the sun!2. That tree doesn't look healthy; its bark is peeling everywhere.3. My boy is so fussy about his food. He will only eat white cheese, and when we have chicken, he only eats the wings!4. The area really is picturesque; it literally looks like a picture from a fairy tale. // //

I was pulling out of the parking lot of a country bakery today, when the orchard opposite caught my eye. All the bare trees were a bright white color, from the bottom of the trunks to the tips of the top branches. It was quite a sight, and contrasted beautifully with the dark hills in the background. The reason that the trees were so ghostly white is that they had been sprayed with diatomaceous earth, which is like a clay powder that stops the eggs of insects developing .Maintaining an orchard is a full-time job, as the orchardists around here know. When you have an orchard, there is a list of jobs which start, of course, with planting the young apple trees. In this area they are irrigated because Wenatchee only gets about 9 inches of rainfall each year. Putting in the irrigation pipes, and maintaining them is a job in itself. Like any plant, apple trees can get infested with harmful insects, so certain pesticides have to be used, in accordance with the state laws. Fertilizers are also used at certain times of the year. Then comes the pruning in the winter which is especially necessary if you want a big crop. Not many people know that the orchards are sprayed with calcium. This mineral helps replace the calcium that is lost when a tree goes through very cold or hot weather. A tree will remove calcium from the fruit to protect itself, leaving a poor quality fruit behind. Applying calcium can stop up to a 50% loss of some varieties of apple. It sounds like science, doesn't it? Well, it is. Researchers and orchardists have worked in this area for over a hundred years, trying to find the best ways to care for the trees, in order to produce the best fruit. That is why half of all the apples sold in the U.S. come from here.  Grammar notes.Common expressions and orchard vocabulary: to catch one's eye, a crop, fertilizer, irrigation, to prune, a variety.1. The red hat in the shop window caught my eye; I had to buy it.2. Wheat is a crop that is grown in the flat lands near us.3. My roses need fertilizer; they produced very few flowers last year.4. In very dry areas, one must have irrigation if plants are to be grown.5. The team of workers pruned all of the fruit trees, which will produce bigger and better quality fruit.6. The Red Delicious, the Granny Smith, and the Pacific Rose are three varieties of apple sold in supermarkets. // //

I make no appologies today for talking about one of my passions: gardening. It's that time again, whoopee! The weather has been perfect recently. Though there is snow on the tops of the nearby mountains, and the breeze is cold, the bright sun makes up for it. There is always something to do when you have a garden. This time of year means clearing the place up and getting ready for the Spring. Our entryway had five large bushes in a row. For years, I wanted to move them, and finally, we have. My husband dug them up, and replanted them next to the garage. Now, what am I going to do with the space that is left? I have a plan. There is a certain tree called a Japanese Maple. Its leaves look delicate and feathery, and the slim branches create a layered effect. I will look all over town until I find just the right one. This type of tree looks great next to a building because the branches grow delicately close to the walls, and often they form an arch that you can walk under. They come in green, red, or a mixture of both colors(ours). Then, I think a variety of perennials and bulbs will do the trick for the rest of the area. It's surprising just how much work it is to add manure, peat moss, to dig, to rake, and then to clean up. It's a great workout! I think one of the reasons I love to garden so much is that you see progress very quickly, and nothing, apart from rock, is static. Growth can be seen in so many ways. After I finish this project, I will start tackling the vegetable garden. It is full steam ahead this year for maximum production of crops!Grammar notes.Common expressions: to make up for (it), to do the trick, to tackle, full steam ahead.1. Having our friends over for dinner made up for the miserable weather.2. You sound like you have a sore throat; this medicine will do the trick.3. Tonight I have to tackle my tax forms; I'm not looking forward to it because there is so much paperwork.4. We will not wait or delay progress. For us, it is full steam ahead. // //

Last week we learned a little about Germany. Today, we will learn about a country that is close by, Italy. You probably know already that this country of sixty million people has been a major(our) influence on Western civilization. So, what is Italy famous for? The Roman Empire, the Renaissance, music, food, cars, and motorbikes. Mainland Italy consists of a peninsula that lies in the Mediterranean Sea, with the Adriatic Sea to the east. It shares its northern boarder with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Sardinia and Sicily are two very large islands amoung about seventy much smaller ones that belong to Italy. Rome, its capital, was the seat of the Roman Empire, from about 400 BC, for 800 years. The influence and power of Rome stretched to the north of Britain, the Iberian peninsula in the west, to Egypt and North Africa, and as far as the Persian Gulf. In AD 313 Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, which Christianized the empire. The Visigoths, an east Germanic tribe, invaded Italy repeatedly from the north. Other invaders followed including the Franks and the Normans. Italy became a divided country of powerful states, the strongest being Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Genoa. The Renaissance came about in Florence, bringing a revival of art, music, literature, and science. Napoleon conquered most of Italy, but, finally in 1861 Italy became unified. It is a mountainous, fertile land which has crop and hydro-electric resources. It has marble and oil in the south, but its main industries are car manufacturing and tourism. 30 million visitors come every year to the lakes, mountains, and well maintained historical buildings for inspiration, and to learn about this historically influential country.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: tribe, a seat of power, fertile, influential.1. The Native American tribe that lived in this area was the Wenatchi tribe.2. The seat of power in England is London.3. The soil in Canada is so fertile; it is rich and black.4. The Renaissance was an influential period for Western Europe.

On our way to the basketball game at the weekend, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. The consensus was that we wanted asian food. So, as we drove along, half of us in the car looked out in one direction, and the rest of us looked in the other, until someone spotted a chinese restaurant. We turned into the parking lot and looked at the building. It was pink, it had colorful (ourful) accent colors (ours), and its style was very chinese. "I have a bad feeling about this place," said my husband all of a sudden. "What do you mean? Why, just because it's pink?" was my question. He told me to trust his instincts, and to let him drive us to a different restaurant. We turned up at another, very large chinese restaurant that immediately caught our attention because of the huge fish tank full of koi. Wow! There were at least ten, large, brightly colored (oured) koi, swimming around gracefully. The history of koi is interesting. About 1000 years ago, the carp was bred in China specifically for certain colors, resulting in the goldfish. About four hundred years later, the carp was introduced into Japan. It wasn't until the 1820's that carp were bred for color in Japan. By the 20th century, the famous red and white koi had been established, and were revealed to the world in the Tokyo exhibition in 1914. Koi can live easily for more than 100 years. The longest living recorded koi lived 226 years, and outlived several owners! While the children and I gazed at the fish and oohhed and aahhed, my husband looked up the restaurant on his droid to see what the food was like. Well, it turns out that the food was not worth eating, and the previous restaurant was highly recommended. So, we had a last look at the incredible koi, and then sneaked out and headed off to the pink restaurant which, in the end, turned out to be the perfect place for chinese food.Grammar notes.Useful common verbs: To spot, to turn (into), to outlive, to sneak out.1. As I looked through the binoculars, I spotted a golden eagle.2. The bus slowed down and turned into the parking lot.3. The parrot outlived two owners before it eventually died.4. "Children, it's dark. Don't let me catch you sneaking out!" 

Here in the United States, basketball is really popular. Children start at a young age going to practice and joining teams. Both college and professional basketball games are televised, and most adults have a favorite(urite) team. I was lucky enough to see a college basketball game this weekend, in the city of Spokane which is about a three hour drive. We all piled into the car; we took blankets, pillows, snacks, drinks, video games, and colors(ours) and paper to keep the kids busy. The drive is fairly uneventful as it goes mainly through flat, wheat growing areas where you only see an occasional house. We eventually arrived at Whitworth college where the game was being held. Now, I have to tell you that I am used to watching ten and eleven year olds run around on the court, so this was an entirely different experience. The gym was packed with spectators and college students; many people had to stand up because the place was so full. There was a huge banner across one wall that said 'Pirates' which is the name of the Whitworth team. The game started, and in typical U.S. style the show began: loud, popular music, cheerleaders, chants that are specific to basketball, and a very tall man dressed up as a pirate with a huge, mask. It was all great fun. At half time there was even a karate display! Anyway, the game was amazing. These huge college players charged around the court with great skill. The way they moved and passed the ball was, at times, more like a well practiced dance; everything was smooth and well orchestrated. Whitworth won the game. The California team they played against had played almost as well, except they hadn't been as accurate when shooting. The home team, however, has the advantage; a large crowd rooting for you can make all the difference to the final outcome.Grammar notes.Basketball vocabulary: the home team, spectators, to shoot/ to make a basket, the court.1. The game was played in our town, so our team was the home team with the advantage of the local people cheering for them.2. The spectators were standing up throughout the game; I could barely see any of it because they were in the way.3. The new player shot many times, but only made two baskets.4. The home team's logo is painted on the court in shiny red letters.

Sorry everyone, my cold has got the better of me, so there is no podcast today. I will be back, on Monday with your next podcast. Have a great weekend!

Do you ever have aches and pains? Do your muscles ever get sore? Do you get headaches? My husband used to until a couple of years ago. He would come home from work with tight shoulders, or a headache, or a knot in his back, near his shoulder blades. Tension was the problem, caused by stress from work, and sitting too long in front of the computer. I tried to help by massaging his back, but it wasn't very effective. Then he went to a chiropractor for an adjustment. You know the routine: you lie on a bed and get pulled in different directions until your tight back cracks loudly. It's a scary situation; you really have to trust the chiropractor. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to your spine. It is usually very effective and gives relief quickly, but, it didn't do the trick for my husband. So, he tried Yoga. What an excellent choice. It's good for relieving stress, and for the body. I think, if he had done it properly, it could have worked, but it wasn't enough to get rid of his headaches. He really had to find a solution to his problem, because, as you know, headaches can wreck your day; they get in the way of everything. Finally, we went to Seattle to look at some massaging chairs that he had heard about. We spent the whole day trying out different kinds, until he chose one, and we brought it home. It replicates Shiatsu massage, so, when you sit in it and lie back, the rotating, metal balls inside the chair actually push up on specific parts of your back, neck, and legs.  For the first few days, I had to put up with his exclamations of relief, "Ooohhh!" and "Aahh!" and "Did you hear my back just crack? This chair is amazing!" I'm glad to say it worked, and has done ever since. It has been a life saver; he is now free of headaches. For him, it has been like magic.Grammar notes.Common expressions: to put up with, as you know, to do the trick.1. When we stayed with my dear, deaf aunt, we had to put up with her dog barking all night.2. The weather is getting worse, as you know, so we will not take the boat out until it is safe.3. I fixed the squeaky door; a spot of oil did the trick.

For a small town, Wenatchee is actually quite musical, I'm pleased to say. There are lots of choirs, trios, quartets, jazz groups, singers, and locations for them to perform. It is a growing trend, as well. Music isn't very well funded in public schools, but the availability of music centers(res), teachers, and musical groups, seems to make up for it. The Woodshouse Conservatory of Music is a historical building that has been converted into such a place. It was actually donated by the Woods family in 1997 specifically for the conservation of music. It has fifteen teachers and one hundred and seventy five students. On any given day, if you walk into the conservatory, you will hear a piano, a violin, viola, or cello, a guitar, perhaps a flute, or an oboe,.....and the list goes on. I first discovered the Woodshouse when I signed up for violin lessons a couple of years ago. Its antiquated design and creeky floors reminded me of my home country, England, and I felt immediately at home. But the real gem of the conservatory is not the building itself, nor the number of students. It is how the teachers really love music and want to share it. That feeling fills the building. This past summer, the administration arranged for a kiddies' workshop, in which small children could experience, perhaps for the first time, different instruments and the basic concepts of music. The younger a person starts, apparently, the better. And then, at the other end of the spectrum, one of my violin teacher's students who I met, turned out to be in his late seventies. What an inspiration! Since I started going to the Woodshouse, my two oldest sons now take piano and guitar there, and thanks to the great teachers, our house is becoming musical.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary: choir, trio, quartet, to fund.1. The choir has over fifty singers. When they sing Handel's Messiah, it is spectacular!2. The violinist was ill today, so the trio was down to two people.3. He said that his lucky number is four; he should do well in the quartet.4. The government no longer funds music programs (mmes) in schools, so we will have to raise some money ourselves.

You have probably learned from my podcasts, that the region where I live is agricultural. It is rural, the communities are small, and its post native american indian roots lie in the apple tree. I realised the other day how I take the apple tree for granted. Not only is it everywhere in this and the surrounding towns, but there are so many businesses built around the fruit. There is a large juicing factory called Tree Top which, of course, uses apples. There is also a special candy, unique to this area, called Aplets and Cotlets. It is similar to Turquish Delight, just a little more rustic, and made of apples and apricots. Then there are businesses that supply the farming industry, the apple art and collectibles products, clothing, and the Apple Blossom Festival in the spring. There is always something on the calendar that has something to do with the apple. My husband is a fruit broker, believe it or not, and so I hear every day about conditions of apples, how they are being shipped abroad, and the global market. I visited his office this weekend, and came across some apple box labels that originated in this region. They were framed, and displayed in a group of about twenty. Though no longer in use, they reflect some of the history and culture of the inland Northwest. Native American indians feature on several of them, which makes sense; most of the towns in this area have Native American names, and were originally established by indians. Other labels show aspects of the landscape, such as mountains or rivers, and one is even called Trout, after the fish which is found abundantly here.Grammar notes.Related vocabulary and expressions: post, to take for granted, rustic, believe it or not.1. That is a post-war novel; it was written after the war.2. I took our big garden for granted. Now we don't have one, so I really appreciate what we used to have.3. The house is very rustic. It is not elegant or polished; it is simple and earthy.4. That very short man is, believe it or not, an excellent basket ball player.

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.  

Every year in Wenatchee, there is a home show. It takes place in a large convention center that is called the Town Toyota Center. This place hosts concerts, sporting events, and any kind of large function that involves lots of people. It is a great, new facility for our area. The home show includes many exhibits of products that are used to either build, furnish, or decorate the home. So, you can imagine, there are ton(nes) of items being displayed. It's all about networking, really. The NCHBA stands for the North Central Home Builder's Association. It was established in 1993, is non-profit, and has over 600 members. As far as the general public is concerned, the home show provides an exciting view of all that goes into making a home. Also, if you happen to be looking for a general contractor, a sub-contractor, a realtor, or a craftsman, then this is a good place to start. Their association agrees on standards of quality. They also petition for or against legislation that affects the building industry. 'Our membership is united and committed to promoting and protecting affordable housing, so that families can achieve the American dream of owning their own home.' That is one of the goals of the association, as well as to increase business. There are posters all over town advertising the event which will last for three days. It is really quite an eye opener to go and see all that is involved in home ownership. I think that January is the ideal time to have the show here, as the cold weather keeps most people at home with little to do. This attracts those people, gets them out of the house, and provides a kind of entertainment, or, at least, interest. It is one of those areas of life that is easy to take for granted, especially if you have never built your own home. Grammar notes. Present continuous plus new vocabulary: to host, facility, general contractor, electrician, realtor, craftsman. 1. The new convention center in town is a fantastic facility: it is always hosting great concerts. 2. We are hiring a general contractor to be in charge of the building project. 3. The electricians and plumbers are sub-contractors. They are working under the general contractor. 4. I am conducting an interview with Mr. Brown. He is the most successful realtor in town, and sells houses really fast. 5. He is quite a craftsman; his company is growing rapidly.  

As most parents, I am concerned about what my children eat. Do they eat healthy food, and if they do, do they eat it consistently? And what about me? Am I careful about what I put in my body? It will, in time, influence my health and those around me. I find it is easy to quickly grab food when I am 'on the go', and not necessarily feed my body everything that it needs. School kids, especially, need a balanced diet. When my children come out of school, they are always ready to devour something. I have been experimenting recently, to see just how healthy I can make their after school snacks. There are so many quick, processed foods that I could feed them, but how would they benefit? So, the other day, when I picked them up, I presented them with chicken and a bag of blueberries each. "Ah, cool!" was their only reply as they tucked into the food. You would have thought that they would want something sweet, or starchy, but they were totally satisfied with what I had brought them. "Great!" I thought to myself, "I can feel good about feeding them all kinds of healthy snacks on the way home." Once when I was at the check-out till at a supermarket, the cashier made a remark about a box of pumpkin bread mix that I was buying. "Oh, this is really good stuff," she said. "I bought this the other day because my kids were getting tired of Oreo cookies as an after school snack." I was actually horrified at the thought of the super processed Oreos being eaten every day! Processed ingredients sneak into all kinds of foods these days, but every day Oreo cookies take the biscuit! Grammar notes. The past conditional with the past subjunctive with the new expressions. 1. 'On the go' - I would have grabbed a quick 'on the go' lunch if I had known that the cafeteria was closed. 2. 'To tuck into something' - We would have tucked into our chicken if it had been cooked properly. 3. 'Starchy' - If they had realized(sed) just how starchy the bread, pies, and cookies are, they wouldn't have bought them. 4. 'Check-out till' and 'cashier' - If the check-out till hadn't been so slow, the cashier wouldn't have been so frustrated. 5. 'To take the biscuit' - I would have been embarrassed to have performed like that on stage; she really takes the biscuit.

It's no secret that computers are a large part of our lives, a huge part. The other day, I noticed as we sat in the lounge, that my husband and I were both busy on our laptops. The television was actually on as well. A couple of years ago that would have seemed like an odd scene, but now it is the norm. My oldest son keeps on begging me for a laptop. "Mum, I will need one in middle school," he insists. Hmmm, why on earth would he need one in school? When I went to school, we just needed paper, pens, and pencils, and those were supplied by the school. "He's just working you, babe," says my husband. What he means by that is that he is using whatever he can to get whatever he wants. Clever boy. But he has to get a bit more clever to get around his mother. I've only just got a laptop myself; there's no way that I'm going to buy one for an eleven year old, especially when there is a perfectly good computer available in the house. Half the time, my laptop drives me nuts. Infact, the day that we were both working on our laptops in the lounge, my husband was also having problems. What kind of problems? Connection problems, the computer working slowly, program(mes) suddenly closing etc etc. There seems to be nothing as aggravating as a malfunctioning computer. Throw the thing out of the window, and let the dogs play with it. Of course, I would never actually do that, but it is so tempting.  Grammar notes. Useful expressions: the norm, why on earth, to get around, half the time. 1. Rush, rush, rush is the norm in our household. 2. Why on earth would he put these shirts to wash when I've just washed them? 3. He's trying to get around me by being really sweet. 4. I try to nap during the day, but half the time the phone rings and wakes me up.

I can't believe that it is almost the end of January already. Where has the time gone? We have had an unusual Winter so far, weather wise. It has gone from being overcast and dull, to sunny and mild, back to freezing and snowy. You don't know what to expect from one day to another. One thing that helps me through the cold season is remembering my New Year's resolutions. Everybody I know seems to make them. They might not tell anybody else about them, but they make them nonetheless. Some people will decide to lose weight, or exercise more, perhaps eat more vegetables, or take up a new hobby. Apparently, lots of people now practice Sudoku to improve their memories, or they do yoga to reduce stress. These all sound like wonderful goals to have. The key, I think, is being consistent. Plan something that is not too overwhelming, something doable, then put it into your daily or weekly routine so it is easy to accomplish. One of my New Year's resolutions is to get toned by lifting weights. For some reason, I like the feeling of that kind of workout. I also know that it is great for your bones and your mood. Well, last week I went to the YMCA with great enthusiasm and had a thorough workout. I felt very proud of myself. A day or two later, my elbows started to ache. A couple of days after that they felt even worse. When I drank tea, I had to bring the cup up to my mouth with my elbows sticking out in a very abnormal way, otherwise they would hurt. You can say that I had overdone my workout. My achy muscles are better now, but I'm still determined to stick to my New Year's resolutions. But I think I'll have to be kinder to myself and use lighter weights. Grammar notes.  Related vocabulary: overcast, hobby, enthusiasm, workout. 1. The sky has been so overcast that we haven't seen the sun for nine days. 2. I love my new hobby. It's pottery! I can make all kinds of cups, bowls, and plates out of clay.  3. The newly elected govenor greeted the voters with enthusiasm. 4. Moving our furniture around was a real workout.

On a cold, dull, Winter day, I sometimes light a fire after picking the children up from school. We gather around and feel cozy. The lounge where we have the fireplace also has a computer and a Wii console, so there is plenty to do for everyone. Though I like to give the kids a healthy snack after school, I make an exception every now and then. Marshmallows are the perfect treat when you have an open fire. Put them on a stick, hold them over the flames, and in no time you will have a light brown, soft, warm marshmallow, ready to be devoured. It is a favorite (favourite) when camping. Infact, there is a special marshmallow recipe that I was introduced to when I came to live here: Smores. Smores are melted marshmallows with a chunk of chocolate, sandwiched in between two square crackers. A very sweet treat indeed. Smores are part of a tradition when people go camping over night, or an occasional treat to make over an open fire at home. Apparently, Americans eat about 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year. Phew! The marshmallow, as we know it, was first manufactured in 1948. However, a much older type of soft candy is found in recipes using the marsh mallow plant that has a spongy inside. This was cut out and either boiled in sugar syrup, dried, and then rolled in confectioners. However these treats began, they are certainly popular in our household, and make a sweet addition to a wintry day. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to gather, to devour, to sandwich, to manufacture 1. We all gathered around the camp fire and sang songs. 2. The Great White shark devoured its prey. 3. The underground was so full of people; I was sandwiched in between two huge people. 4. The car company will manufacture the hydrogen car next year.

The other day I was cleaning inside a free-standing storage cabinet that we have in the dining room, when I came across a tray that I bought a few years ago in Scotland. It is medium sized, made of a light metal, and has a beautiful picture of British birds. Since I bought the tray I have barely used it. It's perfect for tea for two, or a full meal for one. The picture reminded me of the place I bought it. It was in the gift shop of an owl sanctuary near the Mull of Kintyre. Do you remember the song by the same name, sung by Paul McCartney and Wings? Well, I won't sing it for you; I would like you to continue listening to my podcasts. But what I will tell you are the names of the most common birds that we speak about in English. The ones that I am most familiar with from the British Isles are: the robbin, the dove, the finch, the kingfisher, the bluetit, the crow, the owl, and the hawk. The dove, the crow, the owl, and the hawk I have found in any country that I have visited. The others, though they may be found in other countries, have a certain character and reputation in Britain. The robbin is absolutely tiny, unlike in the U.S. It is also ready for a good fight to defend its territory. The finch and the bluetit are common, colorful (colourful), small and plump, and can be found in lots of traditional stories. Because of its mild climate and geographical position, Britain has a huge number of migrating birds each year, and ornithology and pictures of birds are very popular. Grammar notes.  Related vocabulary: robbin, dove, owl, hawk, kingfisher. 1. The tiny little, red chested robbins would visit our garden each Christmas. 2. I love the soothing sound that the doves make. 3. There is an owl in the neighborhood that catches mice at night, and makes a loud hooting noise. 4. Hawks hover high above their prey before they dive down and attack. 5. The kingfisher is such an unusual and skilled bird.

One of the obsessions you will find in our family is Star Wars. My second son, Cass, has been saving his pocket money, birthday, and Christmas money to buy one of the biggest Star Wars Lego toys: The Death Star. For those of you who are fans, or, at least, for those of you who have seen the movies, you might remember the huge space station owned and operated by the 'baddies'. It was a sphere, and from a distance looked like a moon. It housed Darth Vader, the evil emperor, Lord Sidius, and all the storm troopers and imperial workers. What a place it was. It served also as a huge weapon; it had a massive lazer which could destroy whole planets. Anyway, after saving his money for two years, Cass finally had enough to order the Death Star on line. He was thrilled. It only took about a week to arrive. Everyone was excited to see him open up the box, and we all gasped in amazement at the number of Lego pieces and the size of the instruction book. Two hundred and fifty nine pages and three thousand eight hundred and three Lego pieces later, he was finished. What dedication! I had to remind him to drink and eat during the day and a half that he spent in his room, working away like a little elf. And now, there it is, sitting in all its glory on his desk, complete, shiny, and full of Star Wars battles, past, present, and future. Grammar notes. Related verbs: to serve (as a), to house, to gasp, to remind. 1. This Swiss pocket knife is amazing; it serves as a knife, a pair of scissors, a can opener, and a nail file! 2. Our cow barn also houses goats and sheep. 3. When I swam up from the bottom of the lake I gasped for air; I had been underwater a long time. 4. Please remind me to take the garbage out tonight.

Well podlisteners, it is time to continue with important vocabulary about the homes that we live in. There is one room which helps me keep the house both clean and organized. It's the mudroom. It's name suggests that it gets very dirty, muddy even. That only happens sometimes. The mudroom is the first room that you enter when you walk into the house from the garage. It is the place where you hang up your coats and jackets, store your shoes and boots, and even put your extra things away. In our house, the mudroom is just for the children. It is where all of their shoes, boots, coats and backpacks are. Before we had a mudroom, it was frustrating trying to locate an odd shoe, or a certain jacket, as they tended to get left anywhere in the house. Now the children know that this is the only place they can leave those important items. My husband actually made the wooden compartments where everything is stored. They are like heavy boxes of wood of different sizes stacked together. We call them 'cubbies'. Metal hooks are in the largest cubbies, and on them we hang coats and jackets. The floor is tile, the walls are painted, and we have a large mirror and a clock also in the room. There is a small mat for wiping our feet if they happen to be muddy, dusty, or wet. And there is a seating area (actually a shelf) where the kids can sit to put on shoes or take them off. So there you have it, the place that helps us stay organized, and keeps me from headaches.  Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to organize (organise), odd, hook, to wipe. 1. I love to stay organized (organised); it makes life much simpler. 2. My bedroom drawer is full of odd socks; I can only find one of each pair. 3. In Peter Pan, the baddy had a hook instead of a hand. 4. These cloths are so useful; I can wipe all the surfaces in the house.

Beginners. Haiti, as you all know, has suffered a terrible catastrophe recently. The 12th of January, an earthquake hit the nation. It registered 7.0, and there were many after shocks, about 33. Many countries have given assistance and money to help the Haitian people. The greatest need is to find people in the rubble, and then to give medical assistance and basic food and water to those who are alive. One of the many problems faced by the international help groups is the difficulty of getting to the people who need help. With buildings and roads destroyed, it is hard to transport help and supplies. Another problem is that government and infrastructure are almost non-existed. The president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, has already visited Port-au-Prince, the devastated capital of Haiti, and pledged practical help. People will be evacuated to the border in order to receive medical attention and vaccines. The Dominican Republic will help to set up supplies of water and electricity, and also it will help to organize all of the international help. Because these two countries share the island of Hispaniola, many Haitians will flee to their neighboring country. The global response to this catastrophe has been enormous, but the needs are even greater. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: catastrophe, assistance, infrastructure, to evacuate.  1. The flood was a total catastrophe. 2. Further assistance is needed to solve all the problems we face. 3. We need better infrastructure: roads, refrigeration, water, and schools. 4. The Red Cross and other organizations helped to evacuate the people. Advanced. The history of Haiti is fascinating. The Taino people were the original inhabitants. In 1492, when Columbus came to the 'New World', he discovered Hispaniola, claiming it for Spain. Spain profited from the gold mined in Hispaniola by natives who had become slaves. In 1592 Spain created a set of laws called the Laws of Burgos which forbade the maltreatment of natives. African slaves were imported for labor. Hispaniola became a popular destination and stop-over for pirates. In 1697, a treaty was signed between the France and Spain, sharing Hispaniola; Spain would own the eastern side, and France the west. Subsequently, about 30,000 people from France emigrated; most of them came from Bordeaux. These settlers set up plantations of sugar, coffee, and indigo thanks to the skills of the African slaves. In 1791 the slaves revolted, slavery was abolished, and a long battle ending in 1804 brought about the independence and naming of Haiti. Since independence, Haiti has suffered cruel leaders, an attempt by France to re-take control, 32 coups, and international intervention to either change or help governments. The Haitian people are certainly resilient, and have had a tumultuous history. Their geographical location, and tremendous cultural mix give them the potential to be self sustaining and prosperous. Let us hope and pray that the devastation on Haiti can be quickly healed, and that its people can build a future with hope and peace. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: to claim, to forbid, plantation, resilient, intervention. 1. It was only 150 years ago that men came from the East and claimed land here. 2. He forbade us entry; it was not allowed. 3. We used to live near a coffee plantation. 4. That family is resilient; they have gone through illness, losses, and tragedies, but they are still together and united. 5. She needs medical intervention; her wounds from the accident are quite serious.  

Beginners. Mango languages is an internet language learning program(me) that we get for free through our local library. I want my children to learn Spanish very well, so the program will be a useful tool to use at home on our computer. My three boys are in a bilingual program at school. They have about three hours of classes in Spanish. Their knowledge of the language has really grown. At home, I try to speak to them in Spanish at least 50% of the time. I am proud to say that they understand everything that I say. What needs to happen now is the 'speaking' part of it. I decided at the beginning of the year to not only speak to them in Spanish, but also to help them respond in Spanish. They can do it themselves about half the time, but they need help to do it consistently. I am so excited to see their progress. My mother is also delighted whenever she hears them speak her native language. We will go to Spain this year for a month, so I think it is a good idea to prepare the kids. The more they can communicate with their family the more comfortable they will feel. I remember learning different languages in school, all those centuries ago, and, though we had lots of oral practice, it was very time consuming. Nowadays, with computers, we can practice at any time of day or night, listen, read, repeat, and even hear ourselves speak the foreign language. What an advantage! Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: a tool, not only....but also, time consuming. 1. To build the shelves you will need to buy some tools from the hardware store. 2. Tomatoes are so healthy; not only are they full of vitamins, but also they have fibre. 3. This job is really time consuming; I hope it is worth it. Advanced. So, how does this Mango Languages system work? Well, in a similar fashion to other language programs, you log on, choosing a password. Then, you select your prefered level: beginners, intermediate, or advanced. You make sure that you are comfortable, because each session will last for about 15 to 20 minutes. Head phones are a good idea so you don't get distracted by surrounding noises. Then, the program takes you stage by stage, word by word, through a series of practices. You start at the easy stuff: letters, numbers, introductions etc. Then you move into slightly more complex practices of common sentences and dialogues, including questions and answers. It's all good stuff. I'm going to attach some kind of weekly reward for doing it. If they use the program consistently, we should see lots of progress within a few months. There are lots of these types of programs on the market, but because the local library is offering this for free, we will try it first and see how it works out. As, I'm sure you know, the key to language learning is being consistent. Let's see if my New Year's resolution of being more consistent pays off. Grammar notes. Practice of the subjunctive with related vocabulary. 1. If he was more consistent, he could complete his projects. 2. If the team practiced more, we would see progress in their performance. 3. If you finished your homework, you could go out and play. 4. If they advertised the program, the public would hear about it.

Beginners. One of our favorite soups to eat is Tom Yung Goong. It is Thai soup that we first discovered in the local Thai restaurant. Someone recommended it to us. As with the rest of their food, the restaurant gives you the choice of the food being mild, medium, or spicy. We usually order the soup medium; I can't handle spicy. It's far too hot. This soup is a traditional recipe that is used to help people get over colds and flus in Thailand. It's ingredients are not only very healthy, but also extremely tasty, enough to make your mouth water. I decided to download the recipe and try to make it at home. I looked over the list of ingredients and got them out of the fridge. But I had one problem; an essential ingredient was missing. Instead of having fish sauce, I only had oyster sauce. "Well, that will have to do," I thought to myself, "I'll just have to make it work." The way the soup is made is basically mixing the bouillon, then adding raw vegetables, and some briefly cooked shrimp. I suppose you can add anything you fancy. I didn't have any shrimp either, so I used cooked chicken that was nicely browned and tasty. I cut it into short chunks and added it to the finished product. It turned out to be a different sort of Tom Yung Goong, but actually, my family enjoyed it. Grammar notes. Vocabulary: to handle, the choice of, essential, raw. 1. I can't handle this situation; it is too much for me. 2. We had the choice of roast beef or fried chicken. 3. Good sleep is essential for optimal health. 4. I love to dip raw vegetables in ranch dressing. Advanced. To make Tom Yung Goong you will need: 1-2 limes lime leaves Chile paste or flakes (to taste) 1 tablespoon of lemongrass 2 tablespoons of fish sauce 4 cups of water  fresh mushrooms, cilantro, green onions and whatever other vegetables you prefer 1-2 handfuls of raw shrimp. Put the water, lime juice, chile, fish sauce, and a couple of lime leaves in a large saucepan. Bring to boil and then simmer for a few minutes. Add the shrimp and turn off the heat. Watch and stir the shrimp until they are cooked. They get rubbery very quickly, so they don't need to be cooked very long. When the shrimp are cooked, add the chopped, raw vegetables and serve. One of the things I like most about this soup is that it is so easy to make. It is extremely quick to make. You could actually make many variations of this soup, depending on your preferences. Would you prefer a fish based soup or chicken? Would you prefer asian type vegetables or regular. You could even make it more substantial by adding rice or noodles of some type. Yum! I actually looked for the fish sauce today in the local supermarket but they didn't have any. I need to find a specialty shop; it's hard to do so in this small town. I think that there must be a small asian supplier somewhere because we do have a small and varied asian community in town. I must ask where I can find the right ingredients. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: your preferences, specialty, substantial, supplier. 1. When you join an on-line dating service, you have to tell the company your preferences. 2. That specialty shop sells only mechanical toys. 3. This German bread is so substantial; one slice and you are full! 4. He was a garden chemical supplier for many years.

Beginners. When we travel, it is great to feel safe. If you travel by car, train, boat, or plane you want to feel secure. You don't want anything dangerous to happen, do you? One of the safest ways of traveling is by plane. It is true. Just think about it. There is not much that you can crash into. Other planes are easy to avoid, and birds don't cause a problem for a big, metal airplane. It seems a little scary to be flying around, thousands of feet up in the air, with nothing between you and the ground but thin air. But, you have to believe the statistics. Flying is much safer than driving. When you drive, there is a false sense of security. You feel that you are totally in control, and we know that that is not quite true. There are many other factors involved that can either make it safe or dangerous on the road, like other people. You don't know if the other people on the road are safe drivers or not. So, what do you do to stay safe? Drive defensively is the answer. Do all that you can to keep your distance from other cars. And stay alert! Keep your car in good condition, and make sure that everything works properly, especially the brakes. But, what can you do about safety on planes? Though they are one of the safest ways to travel, occasionally there can be a concern.  Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: secure, to avoid, statistics, factor. 1. He had locks all over the house, but he still didn't feel secure. 2. You should avoid that part of town; it's dangerous. 3. Statistics show that 80% of women don't eat enough calcium. 4. The team's fitness was the main factor in their success. Advanced. On Christmas day, the 25th of December, there was an incident on a plane traveling to Detroit. Apparently, when the plane had almost landed, a passenger tried to let off a bomb. Thankfully, this plan went wrong. He only managed to burn himself and part of the wall. Flight attendants and passengers intervened and stopped him. The fire was put out, and the threat came to an end. It must have been a very frightening experience for the passengers, of whom there were more than two hundred and seventy. It just shows that being observant can save lives. The terrorist attempt was an international shock that has caused the closing of embassies, and the tightening of security in airports. Though safety measures and security checks are common in airports, especially those that have transatlantic flights, they are being increased. Metal detectors are not enough. Full body scanners are needed to see everything on a person's body. Some say that it is an invasion of privacy because your whole body will be visible on the screen to the security guards. What is most important, ensuring airline security or personal privacy? I think the answer is obvious. When lives are at stake, every security measure should be taken, don't you think? Grammar notes. Practice of 'should' and 'could' with related vocabulary. 1. Terrorist attacks could be stopped by increased security measures. 2. Airports should have full body scanners installed. 3. How can personal privacy be more important than safety? 4. We should do all that we can because their lives are at stake.  

Beginners. The other day, my friend Nataliya invited me to go cross country skiing with her. We don't see eachother very much, so I was happy to go. "Julia can babysit your two youngest, if you like, and we can leave at about ten o'clock." Julia is her eighteen year old daughter who often babysits my children. "It's okay, Nataliya," I said, "I think I'll take the kids with me." There was a pause on the phone, "Okay," she replied, "if you're sure, it's up to you." Nataliya also has a ten year old boy, so her plan was for the boys to play. Bringing all the kids changed the plans a bit. I packed our sled in the car, extra gloves, hats, and even slippers to warm up cold feet after the fun. The seven of us squeezed into the car and made our way to Leavenworth. The journey takes about half an hour, and before we knew it, we were at the cross country and skate skiing area. We got out of the car and looked around. The place was empty. It was cold, crisp, and sunny, the perfect conditions to ski a little, and to pull the kids on the sled. There was just one problem, Nataliya had brought the wrong skis, so we could only use my rentals. Oops. "No problem," I said, "we can take turns, and the kids can pull eachother on the sled." So that is exactly what we did. Everyone had a good workout, and a good slippery time. Grammar notes.  Related vocabulary: to pack, to take turns, slippery, crisp. Exs: To pack: You need to pack plenty of clothes for the journey.               We were packed into the car like sardines. To take turns: We took turns throwing the ball. Slippery: The icy pavement was too slippery to walk on. Crisp: The autumn mornings are lovely and crisp.           The apple was perfect: juicy, firm, and crisp. Advanced. After we had walked a short way through the forest, along the ski tracks, Nataliya took her turn with the skis and disappeared further into the forest. I stayed behind with the children who found a large snow hill to play on. They marched to the top of it, and threw snow balls down at whoever was unlucky enough to be at the bottom. They played and played until they were tired. I had to supervise a little so they wouldn't do anything dangerous, but they couldn't get up to much trouble, so I relaxed and wandered around the area, enjoying the scenery. It was a clear day; the sun was quite intense, and because there hadn't been any fresh snow for a few days, there were ice crystals all over the place. Every step made a loud crunch, and every limb of tree or branch of bush reflected the light. Even though I only have a wimpy camera, I took it out to capture some of the beauty around me. I kept trying to zoom in closely to some of the ice covered plants, but the photos would always get blurry. "I need to get myself a decent camera for close-ups," I thought to myself while I snapped away. After a while, Nataliya came back, and it was my turn to cross country ski. I'm just a beginner, so I slipped and slid all over the place. Back at the car, we had hot chocolate and something to eat. We warmed up as we drove home; the children were quiet while my friend and I chatted. After reviewing the photos at home, I realised that some of them had turned out well, showing the ice crystals of that wintry forest. Grammar notes.  Multiple meaning verbs: to snap, lucky/unlucky enough, to wander/wonder, to capture. Exs: To snap: Snap the celery in half and share it with your brother.              The photographer snapped away while the models posed. Lucky/unlucky enough: I was lucky enough to get the job immediately.                                   He was unlucky enough to lose his wallet and his keys in the same day. To wander/wonder: We wandered through the rose garden for an hour.                               I wonder why he didn't call me! To capture: The rare monkey was captured and taken to the zoo.                   The photographer really captured the mood of the demonstration.    

Sorry everyone, no podcast today. I finally caught the cold that my husband had had for five weeks. I thought I would avoid it, but I suppose we are all equal in the eyes of a virus. I hope you are all well. I'll podcast later on in the week. Take care, Anna.

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.