See ya later, alligators!
Hello for the last time,
Kiran I wish you all the best for the festive season and that you have a lovely time visiting your family during Dashain. Thanks for all your fab posts and sharing so many interesting things about Nepal. I really hope I’ll be able to visit again before too long.
A big huge thank you also to our readers for writing in – you are all very dedicated blog readers and comment writers! I like how Kiran described you as ‘blog lovers’ :-) Here are just a few short final replies… (I’m sorry if your comments haven’t appeared yet!)… and then a little quiz, as promised!
Ana Paula - hope you liked the recipe! Yes, we had a lovely time with no rain! Hurrah! Great to have been in touch again. All the best :-)
Cristina - yep, Ed’s Granny is pretty amazing, she’ll be trying out for the 2012 olympics next!
Rianto - nope, she doesn’t take any special nutrients, just plenty of fresh air.
Zaya - you’re welcome!
Habooba - sadly there’s no time to do an interview with Ed’s Granny but I agree it would have been very interesting.
Maryam - as far as I know you can use ‘pictures’ and ‘photos’ interchangeably… serious photographers probably say ‘photos’ though :-)
Dino - yes, I feel the same way about my Grandfathers who have both passed away… I’m so grateful that our Grannies have been able to meet our children.
Marianna - Ed and I met at university – 10 years ago!!
Leila - mine are pretty hectic too! Wishing you a lovely long sleep tonight :-)
VR - yes, I think it’s really a blessing when old people continue to enjoy life and so sad when they don’t or can’t. Have another read through the joke explanation… each of the highlighted words has two meanings. You’re almost there!
Mauricio - no secrets as far as I know, just luck! I don’t think she’s had her gall bladder removed! Yes, that joke also includes a pun – it doesn’t have to have the same spelling. You’re right, we’re very lucky having such a wide choice of food.
Josette - I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the blogs and it’s been lovely to hear from you too. Yes, hanging out with the Grannies is a lot of fun!
Jorge - that’s interesting about the flower names – I’m always fascinated by the connections between languages. I think there are often more similarities than we realise.
Wisarut - all I know is that she doesn’t eat very much! She does eat most things though.
Monica - yes, I was the photographer. I had a go in the canoe on the lake too but then I was looking after Ozzy. Thanks for the good advice! You’re absolutely right. Hope you liked the recipe! Loved the jokes!
Concetta - I think a lot of it comes down to luck, you know. And lots of fresh air too! Great list of puns and I love that Panda joke
Sheila - I’m sending all my best wishes to your Granny for a speedy recovery xx
Carlita - welcome to the blogs! I loved your story about your tree-climbing Grandfather!
Gaitrie - I know! Me too!
Hanan - not all elderly British ladies are like this, no! She’s quite remarkable.
Adek - yes, you’re absolutely right, although this was quite a small and shallow lake. Louie always wears a life jacket when he goes out on my Dad’s big boat, whether he likes it or not! Nice to hear from you!
YPW - no time to do an interview, unfortunately :-( Good idea though!
Michela - I’m sorry you had so many problems finding somewhere to camp! School holidays, you see :-( I totally agree – Cornwall in the winter is much nicer in many ways!
Silwal - no! I can’t guess the answer! Please post it in a comment to put me out of my misery! :-)
Luo Fang - well spotted! It was a mistake which I corrected in my next post. I was tired!
Ernesto - well done on the puns! Once you think of one they all start coming into your head, don’t they?
Min - veg box schemes are quite common all over the UK now – I think a farmer somewhere started doing them about 10 years ago and then the idea just caught on.
Filippo - I was interested to hear that you have veg boxes in Italy too. I’m very interested in the Slow Food movement which started in Italy, have you heard of it?
Jackson - welcome to the blogs! Excellent work on the homework – all correct! :-)
Phewf! Okay, here is your final task Kiran and everyone! A vocabulary quiz on the words I’ve been highlighting in the blogs this month. Choose a word from the ‘word bank’ at the top to go in each sentence. Each word or phrase is used only once. The answers are at the end… no cheating though! :-) Good luck!
Word bank:
a. Get up to mischief
b. Intrigued
c. Atrocious
d. Brainwave
e. Upmarket
f. Spill the beans
g. Scald
h. Shattered
i. Clear-out
j. Lie-in
k. Meltdown
l. Compelling
m. Context
n. Drawback
o. Authentic
1. Don’t take the toy away from the baby – she’ll have a _____.
2. I was really _____ when I heard about your plans to walk to Australia... how are you going to do it?
3. I’ve been trying to get her to _____ _____ _____ but she just won’t tell us the secret!
4. It’s important to think about the _____ when choosing which words to use.
5. My kids are always _____ - they're very naughty!
6. I've had a _____! Why don't we try and learn 5 words every day? Don't you think that's a good idea?
7. I really enjoyed that film, the story was really _____.
8. Be careful with that hot water, you might _____ yourself.
9. The weather this summer has been absolutely _____... it's just been rain, rain and more rain.
10. I think this is an _____ Picasso painting… although it’s more likely to be a copy, I suppose.
11. I am absolutely _____ - I need to go straight to bed.
12. Some parts of London are more _____ than others, and the houses are much more expensive.
13. He decided to have a _____-_____ and then take everything he didn’t need down to the charity shops.
14. The only _____ about living in England is the weather.
15. On Saturday I had a lovely long _____-_____. I didn’t get up until 10 o’clock.
Answer key:
1. k
2. b
3. f
4. m
5. a (getting…)
6. d
7. l
8. g
9. c
10. o
11. h
12. e
13. i
14. n
15. j
Well it really is time to say goodbye and to pass you over into the hands of Simon. I’m really looking forward to reading his posts about Turkey as we’re hoping to go there on holiday next year! Very best wishes to you Simon, I hope you enjoy blogging as much as I have.
So long Kiran! So long blog lovers!
xxxxxxxx
Amy
Ooh almost forgot – here are the definitions from last time…
Inconceivable - impossible to imagine
To oblige - to do something you have been asked to do
Authentic - real, not a copy
Pastry - dough made from flour and butter that is cooked until it is crisp. Usually used to make pies.
Tender - (in this context) soft
To grease - to put oil or butter on something so that nothing will stick to it.
Comments
Amy, thank you for your wonderful blog, you were very dedicated to it and to Kiran and each commenter. You encouraged everybody to keep on studying, learning new words, etc. I liked this month very much, better than the prevoius two. Good luck for your nice family.
Hello and goodbye Amy, I've enjoyed reading some of your blogs and it's been a pleasure to hear from you again. Please forgive me because I couldn't spend more time reading all your excellent blogs. Unfortunately, I've been really busy recently and it's been a pity not being able to follow you properly. I just want to say that I'm very grateful for your lessons and I think your work is incomparable. Say hello to your hubby, children, grannies... Thanks, kisses and good bye.
Aaaah! Why is so hard to say good bye?! Dear Amy, I´ve enjoyed very much indeed having been in touch with you again :-). I wish all the best for you and your family ( you and the boys are lovely on the pic). By the way, I´m going to prepare the quiche tomorrow for lunch :-). See ya later, alligator, Ana Paula xxxxx.
Dear Amy, many thanks for all your very interesting, very useful lessons during the past two months. In my view you are a great and dedicated teacher. God bless you and your beloved family. I hope we'll get another opportunity to blog with you again in near future, best wishes, H.
Amy, it has been a very educational august, thank you very much. I wish you a very good autumn. The fall is closing in here in Finland also; the coldness in the air is very evident.
Dear Amy, many thanks for your very interesting, useful and motivated blogs. It was pleasure reading your blog.I will miss you. Wish to happiness to your big family. By the way you are very lucky to have the big a family. Maybe one day you will take part of the blog as this time. We will have chance to be in touch. I couldn't write comments properly but I read regularly. Thank you very much again.Bye. Take care. :))
Dear Amy, You brought us brilliant blogs throughout the month. Thank you for answering every comment I made and thank you for teaching me new words. Your kids are beautiful. So are you. Hope everything will go well with you and your family. I wish you, your kids, your husband, your granny, your hubby's granny and the rest of your family THE BEST. Take care and good bye Best wishes, xxx Cris
I'm already buzzing excitement. How cool is this?!
Hallo! I would like to thank you, and tell you that I've spend a very nice time reading your blog. I think learnig is really your vocation. You do it with passion - it's a real treasure for all learners. Big hug to every member of you family and see you I hope. We'll miss you I'm sure :-)
In a while crocodile... Dear Amy, Doesn´t time fly? It seemed it was yesterday that your blog started! Well, I hope next time I see you you have another baby!Everytime a meet you you have a new surprise! Well, I hope you have had a nice weekend enjoying the last rays of the summer sun! Here in Brazil, unfortunately, we have no rest of sun rays! Now although we are still in the wintertime the temperature has been 42 degrees!Cna you feel what it is like? Well, just to finish here is a funny "cultural" joke. There has been a world research in which the following question was presented: Please, what is your opinion about the lack of food in the rest of the world? The result was a failure! The reasons: 1. In Africa nobody knows what food meant. 2.In Europe nobody knows what lack meant. 3.In the Western nobody knows waht is opinion. 4. In Argentina people do not know what favour meant. 5. In the USA the have no idea of what is meant by the rest of the world! Love, Take care, See you around in the cyber space, Monica
Me again to say thank you for the time you spentsharing your knowledge with us. I loved reading each one of your blog where I could peep into your nice and warm English-like daily routine!A flavour of the British culture!Thanks for the quiche recipe, I´ll be trying it this week! Love, Monica Give my Brazilian love to the kids and hubby.
Me again to say thank you for the time you spentsharing your knowledge with us. I loved reading each one of your blog where I could peep into your nice and warm English-like daily routine!A flavour of the British culture!Thanks for the quiche recipe, I´ll be trying it this week! Love, Monica Give my Brazilian love to the kids and hubby.
Good luck to you and your family.
My dear Amy I have planned to join your blog first because I miss you here and want to know more about you and second because of my worsening English....and you are saying good bye!! Oh pity. Hope to hear from you soon :-)
Hi Amy i have caught up on back reading of all your blogs, and i really enjoy and admire your hobby,family and lovely children.i benefit from your blogs too much improving my english skills and realize the real english person's life.thank you very much!!Best wishes to you and your famely!!i hope i will read your blogs in the future!! Dino
See you Amy, thanks.
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