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Clocks and telling the time
I recycled this book today, after having quite a bit of use for it over the years in my classes. You would not think that intermediate level English speaking adults would need training in talking...
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A sign of the times – designer face masks
I was recently browsing Cornelia Webb’s sample sale, where you can find bargainous jewellery samples from previous and present seasons. Like many Scandinavian designers (for example Bjørg, Maria...
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Nostalgia
I recognise everything on this list except the bottom left and the bottom right. And I can definitely smell the pink strips in the middle! These photographs brought back memories of my beloved L’Oréal...
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This really made me think
Can anyone my age remember the Little Boxes song, written by Malvina Reynolds in 1962? Little boxes on the hillsideLittle boxes made of ticky-tackyLittle boxes on the hillsideLittle boxes all the...
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Why do hairdressers do this?
I have had this happen to me several times. And honestly, running down my previous hairdresser does not make you look better. The last time someone did it to me it was actually her sister who had done...
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Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers
We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the rest of the world (apart from Canada in October) but I see so many photographs on my feeds about such a happy day. I hope my US readers are all having the best...
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5 years ago today, the first case of covid-19 was found in Wuhan, China.
…and it changed the world. I am still working from home about 40% of the time, and business premises around us have kept the plexiglass screens and ‘keep distance’ signs. I have also done some...
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Lucia celebrations in Sweden
One interesting tradition in Sweden – Lucia – happens on 13 December. Sweden is a VERY secular country, and the primary religion is Lutheran. But every year there is a big celebration for Saint Lucia...
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A day
The narrowest street in Stockholm is in the Old Town. Wikipedia says: Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Swedish: “Alley of Mårten Trotzig”) is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Leading...
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Happy St Stephen’s Day, aka Boxing Day
From Wikipedia: Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it...
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Entrée and entrée
When I was growing up in South Africa, an entrée was an appetiser. It came before the main course. When I lived in the US I was confused because an entrée was the main course. I looked it up and read:...
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Dinner, supper or tea?
Following on from entrée vs entrée, there is the tea divide in the UK and Ireland. My former mother-in-law used to use the word tea for the evening meal. I am not sure whether language, over time, has...
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Dinner, Supper or Tea part II
Vocabulary and Social Class Of the many indicators of social class in Britain one of the most common is the choice of meals and names for these meals. It is a source of great confusion for foreign...
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The life of a senior citizen
I always thought I would want to cry the first time someone offered me a seat on public transport. I did not think it would happen so soon either. But for the past couple of years I have regularly...
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Seen at the supermarket
I bought some cat food for the cat basket. In addition to the animal donations, you could also buy sanitary products for those suffering from period poverty. Many girls have to drop out of school...
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Semlor
Growing up in a Catholic family in South Africa, we used to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday to use up all the fat and sugar in the house, and then on Ash Wednesday (after having these done at Mass)...
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In commemoration of Ash Wednesday
I am not religious but I grew up in a very Catholic household and went to a Catholic convent school. I had plenty of these works of art on me over many many years. For everyone who does take part in...
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Women’s Day
My mother, born 1930 Today is International Women’s Day (though South Africa celebrates their own Women’s Day in August), and for me it is often a time to ponder. My older students tend to say ‘Happy...
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