A Cup Of English

I'm feeling really happy with myself at the moment. It's almost ten o'clock at night, and I have just finished a DIY project that has been (1)hanging over me for close to a year. It really wasn't anything very difficult or complicated, just time consuming. The task was simply to hook up a bathroom sink. "Not a big deal," some of you might say. And that is correct; it's not really a big deal at all. Now, I already have a bathroom sink, and that was the problem. The pressure was off. However, I have two bathrooms, and the second one wasn't finished. When 2024 ended and we entered into 2025, then the guilt hit me. I have been in my condo for a year and I've been too lazy to finish the second bathroom. So, I thought I would start this new year with a better attitude, and do the annoying, fiddly job of securing the sink to the wall and hooking it up. I'm hoping that my proactivity will set the tone for this year. Because the condominium where I live was totally renovated, I have lots of tools, pipes, wires, and other useful things left over. I have still a huge bag of plumbing equipment. I suppose it is inevitable that after a big renovation, there will be lots of extra, unused materials. But what I have is ridiculous. You could say (2)"Pipes galore!" Honestly, I have enough plumbing stuff to hook up about seven more sinks. In the future, AI should be able to help us plan these kinds of expensive projects with great efficiency, so we don't overspend. If you are an extremely organized person, which I'm not, the leftovers probably wouldn't be an issue. It's good, I think, to have extra wood in the garage. It can be expensive nowadays, and it's great material for quickly (3)whipping up some shelves or a box. As an English learner, I'm sure there will be lots of vocabulary that is unfamiliar to you about building, renovating, and the materials used. For example, do you know what a 'nut' is? How about a 'washer'? And a bracket? Well, the three things I mentioned are made out of metal. The first two are classed as 'fasteners' - small metal items of 'hardware' that hold things together. A bracket can also be made of wood and usually has a 90 degree angle, looks like an 'L', and holds up a shelf. You know, I have learned a lot of new English vocabulary myself this year during the renovation! Obviously there is a name for everything! Well, now that I know more, I can certainly teach you a handful of the most commonly used tools and materials that we use for DIY in my future podcasts. 1. 'Hanging over me' indicates pressure or a burden of some kind. There are many other ways of saying this, such as: 'that is on my back/ on my shoulders', or 'that's weighing me down.' a. I have a huge essay for my English class that is hanging over me. I can't wait to get it finished! b. After her friend got fired, the fear of losing her job was hanging over her. 2. 'Pipes galore'. Any noun can go in front of 'galore' to indicate that there is a lot of something. It has a celebratory tone to it, but can be used sarcastically as well. a. She loves to paint. You enter her house and see paintings galore! b. Look at my mail; it's just bills galore! 3. 'To whip up' just like whipping eggs, you quickly create something, including influence. a. We were all starving after the race, so I whipped up a mushroom omelette in no time. b. At the protest rally, the speaker whipped up a lot of anger.

There are few things as relaxing as walking on a beach. I don't think many people would argue with that. And when I say "beach", it could mean either next to the ocean, a lake, or a river. I walked on a beach on a little island that juts out from the shore in one of the parks we have here in Wenatchee. The Riverfront park follows the Columbia river for eleven miles, then crosses a bridge and continues on the otherside for another eleven. So, it is basically a long park that was built right next to the river. As such, there are many beaches of different sizes, some accessible and sandy, others less accessible and muddy. A dog walkers favorite in this park is this long, thin peninsula of sand that runs parallel to the river. The breeds of dogs that love to swim and fetch sticks and balls from the river, have made this their own special spot. I'm not sure what the name of the beach is, but I do know that a few special creatures enjoy what it has to offer. There are certain dogs that live for water. Even in the winter, their owners will take them to this peninsula, and the dogs jump with excitement and cannot wait until their masters throw the ball or the stick into the water. They run as fast as they can and jump into the water to fetch whatever was thrown. It's amazing and impressive. I wouldn't dream of swimming in the Columbia in this season. Believe it or not, once recently, when I was walking in the park, I saw a group of four ladies meet up on that same beach, remove their outer clothes, (they had swimming suits underneath), put their swimming caps on, and wade out into the water. They swam up river and didn't act horrified by the cold at all. Very strange creatures I think. It certainly is a special spot. Being next to any body of water is, I think, very relaxing, even if it is in the middle of winter. Opposite the peninsula are a few little muddy bays where small, bent trees grow down to the water's edge. Ducks live here all year round. There must be enough shelter and food there to support them. They take advantage of the sunny days by warming themselves on the sand where there is no snow, until, that is, the dogs chase them away. Those enthusiastic swimming dogs love to chase their fellow swimmers, especially the ducks. The wings win though, don't they? Somehow the dogs don't remember that, and whenever they see ducks, they try again to chase them. There are thousands of paw prints on the sand of this little peninsula, and each is a little testament to a happy dog, doing what he loves to do most.

There is a place like no other for a brief get away from where I live. If you don't mind a twenty minute drive on a highway that goes into a deep forest, then this is the right place. 97 Rock House is the name of this coffee roasting, food serving establishment. It's not your average quick stop for a coffee. A lot of hard work went into its design and decor. The theme of 'rock' is carried into the interior, which has a stoney, wooden cabin (1)vibe. It has high ceilings, garage doors for windows, (2) heavy duty stringed lights, and even artificial gems embedded in its rock walls. Live music takes place regularly, and it also sells merchandise. The usual behavior of someone who walks in for the first time is to look up at the ceiling, and then all around the walls, to the doors and floor. Generally, you'll hear them say, "Wow!" or "That's neat!" "Wow!" is something I always think when I look at the cookies in the glass display cabinet. They are huge and heavy, probably weighing half a pound. I know this from experience. My mother refuses to buy her coffee from anywhere else. What a luxury! In fact, recently we went there three times (3)in a row to get their freshly roasted Arabica beans. At the first attempt, there had been a sudden snowfall and they had closed early. The next day, my mother chose ground coffee instead of beans, and we didn't realize until we had driven all the way home. As coffee is one of the only luxuries that are actually worthwhile, we had to get it right, so we went back the third day in a row. Talk about two coffee enthusiasts! It's funny when she buys her coffee because she will purchase seven or eight packets (4)in one go. Needless to say, some people raise their eyebrows or give questioning looks, as if my mother were a hermit who lives deep in the forest and only comes out into civilization every few months for her supplies. 'A + adj + vibe' means a style of environment or a type of feeling. a. She renovated the apartment and now it has a French cottage vibe. b. Last night's party had a great, relaxed vibe. *A note about 'vibe', it is common now also to describe an event or a place as 'a vibe' to say it is fun or enjoyable. c. Do you like French class? Yes, its a vibe. 2. 'Heavy-duty' describes something that has been manufactured to be tough/ strong/ long lasting. It can be used figuratively. a. That is a heavy duty rope; it is used a lot on fishing boats. b. The suspension on that truck is heavy duty; it can withstand a lot of abuse. c. (Figuratively): My final exam was heavy duty. 3. 'A number + times in a row' means consecutive occurances, one immediately after the previous one with a specified total amount of times. (What a mouthful!) a. They performed the concert four times in a row on the same day! b. They have been late to school five days in a row. 4. '(All) in one go' means all at once. 'All' is optional. a. You need to swallow your medicine all in one go. b. He cleaned his whole apartment all in one go. *Note when it comes to watching television or eating, you can also use the phrase 'in one sitting.' Probably because you're sitting down to both watch tv and eat. c. They ate the pizza and the lasagne in one sitting.

It's already 2025. Can you believe it? The celebrations for the New Year came and went so fast! Typically I don't do much on New Year's Eve during the day, but this year, or should I say 'last year' I did a lot. I worked a little in the morning, and then, in the afternoon I checked online to see if there were any yoga classes available at my local gym. Most of the teachers at the gym were already on vacation, so my expectations were low, but there was one. "Great!" I thought to myself, "I'll be able (1)to stretch out my stiff hips, and get (2)nice and loose for the New Year." I quickly got changed , filled up a water bottle, and (3)headed out of the door. Just as I was turning on the car, my son texted me, "Mum, do you want to go for a walk?" Well, I realized I would be doing more exercise than I had planned, which isn't a bad thing, of course. "Sure," I replied. "I'll be back at 5:45 after yoga." When I reached the gym, there was already quite a large group of people gathering outside of the yoga room. They were taking off shoes and hanging up coats. "Help yourself to wine!" said the yoga teacher loudly, with a big smile on her face, as she raced past us to get something before the start of the class. "Wine?" I thought. "What is wine doing in a yoga class?" I walked in, and there on a little table were four bottles: Prosecco, sparkling apple cider, and two other drinks. I poured myself a glass of wine, got a yoga mat, and walked to my spot carefully, to avoid stepping on the many candles that were spread all over the floor. This was really festive, and the best part was that it was unexpected. My fellow yoga participants, who are usually very quiet, started to chat, laugh a bit, and losen up. The typical wine jokes started to flow: "I should come to this class more often," said one person. "If I do the downward facing dog wrong today, I'll just tell him 'Namaste'," said another with a giggle. We were already loose before we had even started! What a great idea, and what a lovely way to wrap up the year! At the end of the class, the yoga teacher told us how her favorite part of 2024 was teaching this class. We exchanged our appreciation of eachother, feeling very lucky that we had this opportunity all year long. So we raised our glasses, and all said "Cheers!" 'To stretch out' really means just to stretch. You know how much, in English, we use prepositions. It's a little crazy, actually. LIke the phrase 'to tidy up'. There really is no need to say 'up'. It's more for the mood, a sense of completion and satisfaction. a. The physical therapist taught me how to stretch (out) my shoulders and hips. b. We stretched out the rope to measure it. 'Nice and +adjective,' is an idiom, a short one based on the adjective 'nice'. 'Nice and' in this idiom aren't necessary, but as in other idioms, they convey a subtle sense or feeling. They stand for a word like 'pleasingly.' a. When we got home, the house was nice and warm. b. You worked hard to clean the house. I can see that it is nice and tidy! 'To head out' means to exit or leave. It's a very casual phrase. Sometimes 'out' is left out. a. Are you heading out? I would take your umbrella. b. Did John leave already? Yes, he headed to the store two hours ago.

Lights, decorations, games, there are so many photos in my camera of the recent Christmas celebrations. For me, it is one of the best times of the year. And it has been that way since I was little. A Christmas tree is a staple of the festivities. Strings of lights also keep the darker season jolly. Santa, on the other hand, (1)is a different matter. I've never liked him that much, to tell you the truth. My dad actually used to dress up as Santa and carry a big bag of presents to the tree, saying "Ho! Ho! Ho!" in a very dad voice. Well, of course I knew that it was him. It was very sweet of him to put on the performance. I prefer snowmen. In the UK and here in the States, snowmen are everywhere during Christmas, real ones and toy ones. When my children were little, I had a tradition of placing snowmen up the stairs, one on each step. Another tradition is making cloved oranges, patterns of cloves pushed into the orange skin. My mother has done it for years. This year it was my oldest son who bought the supplies and organized us around the table. It was a very relaxing time of crafting and chatting. I suppose, when I think about it, a lot of what I enjoy about the Christmas season, is the beauty and art. More of an effort is made by people to beautify the environment. And music is everywhere. The whole atmosphere is celebratory, with so many events to look forward to. My church, like most in the valley, is decorated with greenery and candles, and has carol services, and a calendar of practices to prepare us for the celebration on December 25th. I think that, more than any other time during the year, faith and hope are beautifully displayed, (2)taking precedence over work. I know that commercialism rears its ugly head, and shops overdo the decorations and music just to make money. However, for those of us who take the celebration seriously, its time for freedom and expression. Inside my home, like a busy mouse, I rush around placing wreaths here, and garlands there. Ornaments and lights go up, and candles and decorations are placed in corners and hung on the walls. Its a busy time! And I do it all because I love it. I don't want to take it down. Some years, I've left the decorations up until Spring. I don't think I'll do that this year, but I'll definitely let them linger through the snowy months. Grammar Points. 1. ..'is a different matter' is a sign of contradiction, or opposing opinion to what has just been stated. a. I can lend him some money, but lending him my car is a different matter. b. Doing yoga is fine, but leading a yoga class is a different matter! 2. 'To take precedence over' means to be more important than. a. For a while, his studies took precedence over his social life. b. In a car accident, a patient's life takes precedence over the car or insurance questions. 3. Christmas vocabulary practice: Wreath wreaths Garland Strings of lights Frosted greenery. Candles.

The sky, when I woke up this morning, was a blurry white all over, not of snow, just a layer of cloud with the light of the sun behind it. It was a dreamy look, nothing like the blue sky, bright sun, and streets and houses covered in snow that we have had recently. I was tempted to stay in bed. I remembered, however, that there is a Saturday morning yoga class just up the road at 9 o'clock. "Should I go, or shouldn't I?" went back and forth in my head. I realized that exercising first thing in the morning would be better than staying in bed, and I would feel energized probably for most of the day afterwards. So, I threw on(1) some comfortable clothes, brushed my teeth, poured my tea into a flask, and off I went. There was friendly chatter in the yoga room when I walked in. It was already quite full. Some people were stretching on their mats, others talked in pairs, and some typed on their smart phones. Soon we were moving, breathing, and stretching obediently as the teacher instructed us: downward dog, tree pose, sun salutation, and warrior one. The names of the poses are so interesting; they paint a picture, which actually really helps you when you are trying, perhaps wobbling and straining, to get a pose right. As the session drew to an end(2), we were doing our shavasana, or the quiet, mindful state that we finish in, and our teacher said, "Happy Winter Solstice!" "Oh yes!" I thought to myself. "Now, that is good news!" Her words seemed to excite the whole class. What a great thing to be reminded of first thing in the morning. Being late December, of course, it gets dark early, about 4:30pm. That's rough for most of us. But from today, the days will get longer and longer; the sunset will be later. This happens because today, December 21st, the northern hemisphere is tilted the furthest away from the sun that it will be all year. Because of that, the day is the shortest. So, from now on, we can look forward to a few more rays of sunshine to help us through the rest of winter. Grammar Points. 1. 'To throw on clothes'. I know its a bit odd to think of throwing something at yourself' usually we throw away from ourselves. But I think the sense of 'throw' here is that we dress so quickly, it is as if our hands are just throwing the clothes at our bodies. a. Just before I left for work, I threw on my coat. I could sense that it would rain soon. b. She never looks smart; she just throws anything on before she goes to work. 2. 'To draw to an end' is a wonderful, quite poetic way of saying that something is slowly ending, closing, finishing. This comes from a marvelous Old English word 'dragan' which means to pull or drag. So you can see an image of something slowly dragging on the ground to reach a certain end point. a. As winter draws to an end, many people feel like thoroughly cleaning their homes. b. As his speech drew to an end, people came up to get his autograph.

I wasn't sure, starting this podcast, about the title. "I love Turkey, part one" is very basic, and sounds like a child is saying it. But, honestly, I can't think of another because my recent trip to Turkey left me both astonished and dying to go back. I had only done a little research about the country before I left, so I confess that I was quite ignorant about it. Unfortunately, (1)add to that the fact that in secondary school we were not taught anything about Turkey, and you get a picture of just how ignorant I was before my trip. My father had the good fortune of working in Turkey when I was a baby. He loved his experience! "I like the Turkish people," he said. "Very direct and friendly as long as you are polite. There's no messing with them." I found that to be true. People in general were very warm and helpful, very Mediterranean, like my Spanish family. I travelled for ten days with my son, Cass, who had already been there for a couple of weeks. We went to Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Izmir. What a tapestry of beauty and history it was! I was impressed, the first day, by the massive river, the Bosphorus. There was a constant coming and going of fishing boats of (2)all sizes, and avid fishermen on the bridge all day, even into the evening. From our hotel, early in the morning, after waking to the morning prayers, I would climb the stairs to the roof and watch the boats with their twinkling lights move back and forth as the city woke up. And then there were the mosques, of course. We only had time to visit the Blue Mosque, and the Hagia Sophia. The latter made quite an impact on me. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site which is about 2000 years old. For almost a millenium it was the largest cathedral in the Christian faith. It was a center for political, artistic, and religious life. Then after 1453, when Sultan Mehmed 2nd conquered Constantinople, it was designated a mosque and remained one for almost 500 years. A friendly security guard, called Umut, gave us an impromptu tour and explained much of this history. And then, there were the cats. I am a cat-lover, so I can say, with authority, that it was a cat-lover's paradise. I have never seen so many, and with such a variety of fur colors and patterns. They were all so well looked after. And this was the case everywhere I went in Turkey. The cats are basically spoiled! Apparently, the prophet Mohamed declared that cats are clean, and so this humane routine of meeting all of their needs is practiced all over Turkey. I bet the mice and rats are not too happy. There must be armies of cats at night that (3)decimate the rodents. On a quick trip to the east side of Instanbul, in Asia, we came across a cat hotel. It was a large metal box-like structure that only cats could get in, with stacks and rows of individual sleeping compartments. And on the floor was food and water. I've never seen anything like it. There is so much to tell, and still so much to know about this fascinating country that I certainly cannot fit it all into one podcast. The Bosphorus, the Hagia Sophia, and the cats were my first experiences of Turkey. In my next podcasts you will find many more. Grammar Points. 1. 'Add to that...' is a great way of extending a sentence by including more information. It definitely gives a sense of emphasizing a point. a. She has never worked. Add to that her lazy attitude, and you can see why I think she will not keep this new job. b. After being outside for hours in the freezing rain, the protesters were not happy. Add to that the transportation strike, so the protesters couldn't get home! 2. 'All sizes' or 'all shapes and sizes' are wonderful phrases in English that give an upbeat tone about the variety in life. a. My customers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are nice, some, not so nice. You never know what you're going to get. b. People are like fruit, they come in all shapes and sizes. And while some are quite sweet, others are downright sour! 3. The verb 'to decimate' is a strong sounding verb of violence. It means to utterly reduce, or severely weaken. a. The city was decimated by the hurricane. b. The disease decimated the wheat crop and so prices for flour went sky high.

I have discovered a local (1)haunt that I have (2)made my own: Steamer's West. It's a cafe/ restaurant I can pop into in between my interpreting jobs for a quick bite to eat. It's a simple place, actually a converted mechanical garage. It has been renovated to be appropriate for serving food, but has maintained the two large mechanic shop doors, and its very basic structure. It's only open until 3pm every day, and it swarms with customers until then. That's a good sign, I think. The simple, clean food and good quality coffee keep the humans coming back. There is a quaint outdoor seating area that overlooks Memorial Park which is considered the center of Wenatchee. You remember, the park with the splendid trees. The doggy people of this town can bring their pets, enjoy the view, and socialize. After a quick break here, I can head back to work and get there within a few minutes. There is a second good reason I come here regularly: my daughter works here. We get to chat a little as she operates the espresso machine, and, occasionally, she will give me a free cookie. Now that's a ritual I certainly approve of. My little routine here is on my list of what I call 'The simple pleasures in life.' The founders of Starbucks had as one of the premises of their company the human need for 'a third place.' By that, I mean that apart from home and work, we need a third place where we can hang out and feel at home. Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl were influenced by a Dutch entrepreneur who introduced them to the coffee culture which we have had for centuries in Europe. He showed them high quality roasting techniques, and they (3) married that with the place with atmosphere where people like to linger. I actually remember when Starbucks really became big in the early 90's. Since their tremendous growth then, the United States has adopted what I call 'a cafe expansion.' There are cafes everywhere that are designed to be 'the third place' in almost every community. They are an upgrade, I would say, to the well known American diner which was more of a restaurant. Now you can find swarms of online business owners filling these cafes, working at their laptops whilst sipping coffee., as well as groups of friends and retirees who get together for a good chat. Its a real evolution of culture, and a much nicer place to write podcasts than at my kitchen table. Grammer points. 1. 'A local haunt' is a wonderful, I would say slightly comical expression about a place a person likes to go to. Obviously only a ghost haunts a place, but I think it is because of the implied frequency of visits that the place of choice is described as the noun 'a haunt', meaning the place that is visited. a. The Fox and Crown pub has been our haunt for over thirty years. b. That abandoned house became a haunt for groups of teenagers up to no good. 2. To 'make your/my own' means to take possession of either literally or figuratively. In the podcast I say that Steamer's West has been made my own. Obviously I don't own it; it simply means that I have emotionally adopted it, I like it, and I frequent it. a. With a bit of creativity, the lady took the secondhand cabinet and made it her own by painting a beautiful fresco on it. b. We recently discovered a small secluded park in the neighborhood, and we have made it our own. 3. 'To marry something with something else' is the same in meaning as to join or connect very suitably. a. The chef married the roast beef with a slightly spicy red wine sauce. b. The teacher successfully marries important content with exciting delivery.

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.