Recovering From Christmas?
Hello Federico!
Well, it’s been some time since I’ve heard from you so I assume you’ve been having a good time enjoying your Christmas holiday to the full. Or have you been recovering from Christmas, like me? I don’t think I drank too much but I certainly ate too much, and now I’m feeling guilty, fat and sluggish. Here, the weather has changed again and it is once again sunny and incredibly mild. There are flowers growing in my garden – very unusual for December.
On Boxing Day (26th December), Lucy and I did almost nothing. We got up late. Late, for me, is eight thirty. For Lucy, late means lunchtime! Anyway, we had a very late breakfast then spent the rest of the day reading some of the new books we’d been given for Christmas, listening to new CDs, and, I have to admit, falling asleep in front of the TV. I feel so ashamed.
Lucy, as ever, got lots of books. Most of them are about art and the history of art but she also got a wonderful book for students about how to cook good food very cheaply. She’ll need that in September when she leaves home for university.
The day after Boxing Day was more or less the same. I’ve got some new leather walking boots and they are very stiff. So I went for a long walk in them yesterday and came back practically unable to walk. The boots rubbed against my feet, gave me blisters, hurt my ankles and were so heavy. So today I decided I needed a rest!
I’m looking after a cat while its owner is away so I have to go to feed it every morning. Unlike most British people, I think, I’m not much of an animal-lover, but I have taken to this cat in quite an unexpected way. This morning he didn’t turn up for breakfast and now I am worried that he’s been run over or injured in some way – or even kidnapped. Am I being too neurotic?
I’ve been having some problems with my computer for the last couple of days. I decided to install an updated form of virus protection and it hasn’t allowed me onto the internet ever since (I’m posting this from Lucy’s laptop). When I finally got onto the blog page and realised there was no news from you, I decided to read through all our readers’ comments again. I am touched and moved by the wonderful comments our readers post. They are not only very generous but also very interesting and I wish I could reply to each one individually.
One grammar point arises out of some of the recent comments I’ve just read. It is a common error with students from a wide variety of linguistic backgrounds: ‘fun’ and ‘funny’. 'Fun' is a noun and 'funny' is an adjective. But it isn’t quite as simple as that. ‘Funny’ is not really the adjectival form of ‘fun’. ‘Funny’ means humorous (for example, He’s a very funny comedian or It wasn’t a very funny joke). ‘Fun’ is used about an activity or situation which is pleasant and enjoyable (for example, The picnic was a lot of fun or We all had fun at the Christmas party).
These sentences are useful:
Have fun at Christmas.
I hope you have a good time at Christmas.
Have a great New Year.
‘Funny’ can also mean ‘strange’ (for example, A funny thing happened to me last night or She can be a bit funny about people using her desk).
Well, Federico, I guess that tomorrow may be a normal working day for you. If you have time, I’d love to hear how you spent Christmas and what, if any, plans you’ve got for New Year.
On Sunday morning I will be taking the 09.04 train from London Waterloo to Paris Gare du Nord (France) to celebrate the New Year there. The train journey takes a little over two hours, non-stop. We have celebrated New Year in Paris four or five times before. In fact, in our family it has become a tradition to celebrate New Year abroad. I’ve had wonderful New Year’s Eves in Moscow, Prague, Beijing, Paris and several other European capital cities. I’ll tell you more about my plans later.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
With best wishes,
STEPHEN
SOME USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
to the full
If you do something to the full you make the most of the opportunity.
sluggish
tired and without much energy, slow and heavy, lethargic
ashamed
feeling embarrassed or guilty about something you should not have done
blisters
painful swellings (caused by friction) containing clear fluid on the surface of your skin
taken to
started to like
turn up
come
run over
hit by a vehicle
kidnapped
stolen
Comments
Hi there! I wonder how did you spend New Year's Eve in Moscow? What did you do and where did you go? Was it fun? *quite a popular word, yyes))* Did you like it? Will you be back? ))) And another *maybe too private* question - was it too expensive to be in Moscow thouse days in comparison with other cities you spent you NY's Eve in? Because it seems to me that Moscow goods and services are overpriced in NY's Eve.. So I suggest this as a subject for your new post in this blog! )
Dear Stephen! I think you shouldn't be ashamed. These days are for fun and rest.We have a whole year to keep on diet. Now we need to be spoiled a bit. Our body need arelax from the sterss. Admittedly,we should't abuse of alcohol and food. To be honest, I wish I were in your shoes around New Year celebration.I nobly envy you for that opportunity.I suppose it's wonderful idea to spend that time abroad. In my country very few people can afford that pleasure. So drink a glass of old red french wine in my stead.I hope you will have a pleasant joyful company and a lot of fun. Have a nice time! Diema
Hello Mr Keeler, I'm so glad to find your blog shared the daily life with Federico. More importantly, I am also surprised you've been in Russia, even celebrated the New Year in Moscow because my major was Russian at uni and I am very interested in russian art and culture. Therefore, I would like to ask you if you could please share something about your life or studies in Russia with me.^..^ Hope I could get your response... Best Regards, Lubophe
Hi!There came the snow over the night to my vilage. When I came out morning, all was beautiful, white and very breakable. It was interesting to read how nice and diffrent it was somewhere else this time. Yesterday, I was mostly talking with colleague. And nice talk with Peter in sister´s flat after work. He was listening to me and saw all easy because the new age is here. He is too busy in taking the body-bulding training (and his girl). We didn´t mention his A-B? level preparing! And how much we will learn from these letters!
Hi, Stephen. I've seen in the news about a mayhem in Peru as a result of flooding. I hope Federico hasn't stuck in his mines which causes the absence of his blogs. It would be horrible. I hope it will be alright with the kitty, as well. And don't blame yourself about gluttony. It's the only joy we have in our life. Besides, of course... OK, I won't say it. :) Say hello to Lucy, she's quite pretty young lady. And all the best in your New Year trip. Good luck.
Could you please tell me why do you call the day after Christmas Day "Boxing Day"? I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that after presents there is always lots of paper and boxes all around. Please, excuse me if this is not the correct place to ask this kind of questions. It is the first time I enter a blog and I am really glad there is a place like this. I wish It had existed years ago when I had more time and more or less the same amount of doubts about English. It is difficult to find the time to do things like this with two children but I find it really fascinating. I hope you do not find my English too terrible. It should not be like this because I have studied it for a long time although my tools have only been my dictionaries and grammars and the mirror I spoke to, of course with no answer. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Belan.
Dear Stephen, as your family had that tradition of spending New Year Eve abroad, I must strongly recommend you to go one year to Krakow in Poland. You will love it! Wroclaw is also great and if you haven't been to Wienna (Austria)- try it too! Have fun in Paris and Happy New Year!
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