97 Rock House.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Yoga and wine for New Year's.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Photos of Christmas
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Happy Winter Solstice!
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
I love Turkey, part one.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Steamer's West.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Finley and the moon.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Roll Out The Problems.
A Cup Of English
"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...
info_outline
A Reading Haven.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
Things Are Looking Up.
A Cup Of English
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...
info_outline
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.