Dentist: Hello Liz. What seems to be the problem? Liz: One of my small molars has been aching for a while. I was waiting, and hoping that the pain would go away, but it hasn't. Dentist: You are due to have an x-ray, so let's do that and then talk about all your teeth. Later. Dentist: Ah, yes, you have quite a large cavity in the side of a molar. The hole in the enamel is small but deep. I'm afraid the pain won't go away until you have a filling. Liz: Oh, ok. I'm so disappointed. I brush and flos...
Mar 04, 2016•14 min
Every six months, my family members and I are supposed to go to the dentist for a check-up. I say "supposed to" because we don't rush to get there. Sometimes it's several months later that we have our appointments. I don't have a problem with going(1) to the dentist; I don't have tooth problems, and I like looking after my teeth. My children, however, have needed more of a push to take care of their teeth. Through the years, I have become familiar with the phrases and vocabulary related to denta...
Mar 01, 2016•8 min
Advertising is everywhere nowadays. Most of us are used to seeing advertisements every day. Having coffee with one of my friends a week ago, I saw an amusing advertisement for the coffee shop. It wasn't pushy(1), or overly dramatic, but just funny. It's actually the photo for today's podcast. It made me think of a unit of study that I was helping to teach recently. The students were learning about the science of advertising to children in the U.S. Apparently, there are no regulations(2) to prote...
Feb 24, 2016•8 min
“Mum, what are all those scratches on your arms?” my daughter asked me with a look of fright. I laughed and told her that I had got into a fight with a bush. She frowned and looked at me with questioning eyes. “I transplanted a giant bush from Barbara’s garden into ours. It was a struggle, and I had forgotten to put on my long sleeve top(1), so my arms got scratched,” I explained. It had been quite a battle. Barbara moved a year ago into her home, and has been wanting to get rid of some of the p...
Feb 19, 2016•10 min
In an effort to(1) get my children away from computers and the television, we play games. Mostly we play cards, but we also have a cupboard full of games of different kinds. One of them is called Suspend. It requires calculation and a sense of balance. The main point of the game is to hang as many colored, plastic sticks as you can from a metal hook without any of them falling. This sounds easy, but its not. The sticks are long and wavy. Each stick has to go in a different place, so the places y...
Feb 19, 2016•10 min
Isn't it fun when you stumble across(1) something interesting or worthwhile in a very unlikely place? Perhaps you have gone for a walk through a forest, and along the way you find a beautiful stone statue. Or you are at the beach, and you find a small cave with hieroglyphics in it. These are exciting things to find. My daughter and I found the largest party store in the whole of the U.S in a small town called Moses Lake. Ok, it's not historic, or beautiful, but it is fascinating. If you heard my...
Feb 13, 2016•9 min
Liz gets pulled over for speeding by a policeman. Liz: Hello Officer. What seems to be the problem? Officer: Well, Miss, you were going eleven miles per hour over the speed limit. Can I see your driver's license please? Liz: Yes, of course. Here it is. Officer: Also, I need to see your car insurance card. Liz:Ok, let me find it. I think that its mixed in with all of my papers. Ah yes, here it is. Gosh, I didn't realize that I was going so fast; I must have been distracted by the music on the rad...
Feb 11, 2016•17 min
Moses Lake is a town that is situated about an hour and a half from where I live. I don't usually choose to go there; however, in the winter, my children will often have basketball tournaments there once or twice. The journey there takes you through flat farmland, and then through miles of dry open areas of, well, nothing really. The type of land is called 'scabland' where there is very little rainfall(1), and a bush called 'sagebrush' grows everywhere. Geologically speaking, it's part of the la...
Feb 09, 2016•8 min
Have you ever walked into a house when someone has just made a delicious dessert? What is it that most people do in that situation? Yes, they sniff. I know that when my family comes home from school or work, they are hungry(1). So, when they walk in the house and smell some good food that is ready, I know that it brings a smile to their faces(2). One such dish that smells really good is baked apples. It is a super easy, and healthy alternative to other desserts. The key is to choose the right ki...
Feb 07, 2016•8 min
In our modern societies, its quite normal to coexist quite happily with other species: dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, and many other kinds of pets. I have seen people take their animals into shops, take them into restaurants, and even travel with them on planes. I think it is becoming more common. Being a pet owner myself, I understand the strong attachment that some people have to their animals. However, there are some places where you don't expect to find animals of any kind. I picked up my daug...
Feb 02, 2016•8 min
I have written on several occasions about Leavenworth. It's about 30 minutes by car from where I live, and a very popular destination for tourists. Because of its mountainous landscape(1), it receives more snow than we do, and stays a few degrees colder. There is a skiing area in Leavenworth that is busy each winter. It offers regular downhill skiing, tubing, nordic skiing like cross country and skate skiing, and also a ski jump. We usually go tubing there. It's the easiest of all the activities...
Jan 28, 2016•9 min
Mr. Brown: "Did you want to see me, sir?" Principal Stevens: "Ah yes, Mr. Brown, do come in, please." Mr. Brown: "Do you want me to close the door?" Principal Stevens: "Yes, if you would. Don't worry about the broken handle; it doesn't work. The custodian was going to fix it, but he didn't. I don't know what he does with all of his time... Make yourself comfortable; you can take your coat off. I'll get the secretary to bring us some coffee." Mr. Brown: "Thank you. I'll keep my coat on; its a bit...
Jan 22, 2016•8 min
Liz calls Barbara on the phone: Liz: Hi Barbara, are you up for yoga tomorrow at 7?(1) I know its a bit early, but it'll be worth it. Barbara: I'm really sorry Liz, but I can't go. (2)I threw my back out yesterday, and I'm really miserable. Liz: Oh, you poor thing! How on earth did you do that? Barbara: You know I work in the library on Wednesday's. Well, I had to carry boxes of books from the storage room and stack them on the shelves. I overdid it, of course. That kind of thing always throws m...
Jan 21, 2016•15 min
My husband and I have developed an addiction to Japanese food. We are so happy that a few Japanese restaurants have finally opened in our town. Though we don't often have the opportunity to go out to dinner alone, when we do, we choose to eat at one of those restaurants. For a long time, we have enjoyed shushi, with its mixture of sticky rice, vegetables and a small amount of raw fish. It has been our only experience of eating uncooked fish, as I am British, and my husband is American, we are ac...
Jan 20, 2016•9 min
Last Tuesday, I had an impromptu trip(1) to Olympia, the capital of Washington State. I have been taking exams to become a medical interpreter in Spanish and English, but those exams can't be taken in Wenatchee. If you want to take the test, you have to sign up online when a spot(2) becomes available, and that doesn't happen very often. You usually have to wait for at least three months. I have become impatient with the whole sign up process, and all the waiting involved, so when I found an open...
Jan 19, 2016•8 min
The old man woke to the sound of his dog barking. He knew that his companion could smell the deer outside, so he slipped his winter boots on, and opened the door to let him out. The biting cold wind blew on him; he shivered and closed the door. Thunder, his Karakachan Bear dog, could be heard in the distance barking at the deer. He didn't feel the cold because he was so fluffy, a true winter dog. It could be far below zero(1), and he would still want to play and run in the snow. The old man stok...
Jan 08, 2016•8 min
Two days ago, we were hit hard(1) by snow. It snowed all night, leaving a thick blanket that seemed to insulate everything. The entryway, driveway, and neighborhood road looked like they had been carpeted with white. The back garden has got deeper and deeper with snow, as we don't clear it. There is nothing to do in the garden now that it is winter, nothing other than playing and building snowmen. There is, however, one place in the back that I have to keep clear of snow. That is the bird feedin...
Jan 05, 2016•9 min
Barbara: Hi Liz, sorry to bother you. I know you're busy studying, I just wanted to double-check(1) the time that we're going to the basketball game. Liz: Uh, let's leave at about six thirty. It starts at seven thirty, but it'll be packed, so we'll need time to park and find seats. Barbara: Ok. Oh, I love what you've done(2) with the Christmas cards! Liz: Thanks. I like to arrange them on the wall and save them for at least a month. Look, I got several from my friends in York. This one is made f...
Dec 29, 2015•13 min
I hear almost every day about useful apps. I have many already on my iPhone that make my life easier and more productive. One of the most practical that I have found is Google Maps. It has saved me so much time and frustration. It is essentially a map with a voice that guides you, step by step, to your destination. Hurray for that! For those of us who love languages, there are hundreds of language learning apps. A friend of mine from Iran recently told me about an extremely popular app that can ...
Dec 28, 2015•8 min
Ellensburg is the home of Central Washington University. I have been lucky enough to be a student there twice. The building was constructed in the late 1800's, and makes a lovely center piece for the town. The town is quite small really; there are only about 18,000 residents. It is odd, actually, to think of such a large university being in a small town. This happened because, in the 19th century, Ellensburg made a bid(1) to be the political capital of the state, but lost. As a consolation(2), t...
Dec 15, 2015•9 min
Thanksgiving was on 26th of November. It is always on the fourth Thursday of that month. It is a day that everyone looks forward to. It is a welcomed break for school children and anyone who works. And, of course, there is a big meal to share with family, friends, or both if you are lucky. This year, I decided to try something different. Each Thanksgiving morning here in Wenatchee, there is The Turkey Run. It is a 5km run or walk that is organized to raise money for charity. Participants(1)need ...
Dec 08, 2015•7 min
"Wake up! Look at the frosty morning!" I said to my children on Monday. I knew that they wouldn't want to get out of bed; after all, it was a school day. But something about the beginning of winter makes the morning more interesting for them. I opened the curtains in the rooms of my two youngest, who normally moan and complain when they have to get up. "Wow, look at all the crunchy frost," my daughter said. She was right. As we looked out on the back garden, there seemed to be a sheet of sparkli...
Nov 30, 2015•8 min
The Redwood forest is located on the west coast, from the south of Oregon to the south of California. There isn't just one forest; there are several along and near the coast. Together they cover 133,000 acres. In the 1800's many people went to the west coast to mine gold. Of course, a lot of people didn't find any, and so logging became a second option. At that time there were 2,000,000 acres of redwoods. The trees were quickly chopped down and used for buildings in the San Francisco area. In 19...
Nov 18, 2015•9 min
American football is an autumn sport here in the U.S. The season goes from September until December approximately. Out of my three sons, only my youngest likes to play it; infact, he loves it. His last game was a couple of weeks ago, as middle schoolers have a short season. We went to the local High School stadium, and sat with a small crowd to watch the game. It was a chilly day, so most people had brought blankets and warm coats. I am more accustomed to football (soccer) and rugby, and so, it ...
Nov 09, 2015•8 min
On one of my many walks on the Apple Capital Loop Trail, I came across an amazing patch of flowers. On a corner of land, next to an indoor market(1), a garden of only one kind of flower had been planted. They were dahlias. I happened to have my iPhone with me, so I climbed in amongst (2)the tall plants, and tried to find the perfect angles for the photos. So what is so special about dahlias? Their variety and sizes are quite incredible. There are 42 species, and many hybrids, so the colors, shap...
Nov 05, 2015•7 min
Walla Walla park is right next to the river in Wenatchee. When I first came here twenty three years ago, it had just opened. Now, twenty three years later, the trees are so much bigger, and the park is well used by the locals. Its biking and walking paths run(1) for about five miles along the Columbia river. Then they continue over a bridge to the north, follow the other side of the river south, and finally, cross over the southern bridge to form an oval, or what we call The Apple Capital Loop T...
Nov 04, 2015•9 min
1.Barbara: Liz! How are you? I'm so glad you're back. We all missed you! 2.Liz: Oh, thanks. I can't believe that the six months have been and gone! 3.Barbara: So, you must be super-fluent in English now, right? It sounds like the language course in York was really thorough. 4.Liz: My English really is so much better! Well, when you live around it everyday, it has to get better, right? The people in York are so friendly and chatty. And the city is amazing. 5.Barbara: We have to go to our favorite...
Oct 29, 2015•15 min
They walk sideways on their ten, bony legs. They are hard, and seem unfriendly. They run away from humans. Some people have them as pets, but I wouldn't! Their world is water, rivers, oceans, where they live with other cold-blooded animals. They are experts at hiding. And if you catch one, watch out! Your fingers will be pinched if you're not careful. You've probably guessed that I'm talking about the crab. It's a wild, sea creature, though some of them live in rivers. And it is unusual, compare...
Oct 26, 2015•10 min
Marie Tussaud was a French woman who became famous for her wax models. She was born in Strasbourg in 1761, and developed her hobby by watching the doctor who her mother worked for. He taught her the difficult art of wax modeling. When she was older, she travelled around Great Britain, showing many of her creations, and eventually settled in London, opening up her famous wax museum. There are actually many Madame Tussauds. One that I went to this summer was in San Francisco. It was the first time...
Oct 23, 2015•11 min
A museum that is close to my house is the Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village. Cashmere is a little town that is just eight miles away. It is a very small, country town surrounded by hills, and is known for(1) two things: a candy factory, and the museum. As my aunt was visiting from Spain, and is very interested in history, I thought that it would be nice to take her and my mother there for a day out. The museum had a lot of Indian artifacts and photos, and by Indian, I mean Native American Indi...
Oct 20, 2015•8 min
