A Cup Of English
Episodes
Pipes Galore!
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I'm feeling really happy with myself at the moment. It's almost ten o'clock at night, and I have just finished a DIY project that has been (1)hanging ...
Paw Prints on the sand.
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There are few things as relaxing as walking on a beach. I don't think many people would argue with that. And when I say "beach", it could mean either ...
97 Rock House.
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 fore...
Yoga and wine for New Year's.
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Photos of Christmas
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 yea...
Happy Winter Solstice!
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 dr...
I love Turkey, part one.
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Steamer's West.
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Finley and the moon.
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 appe...
Roll Out The Problems.
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"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...
A Reading Haven.
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Things Are Looking Up.
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 tha...
half-in
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ten Thousand Dahlias.
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"I had no idea that there are so many!" I said to the lady in the garden who was busy cutting off dry flower heads. "Oh yes!" she said excitedly. "The...
Renovation mess!
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shocking isn't it? If you can see this photo, I'm sure you will be thinking, "What a mess! What has Anna been up to?" It's renovation time, people. Ev...
A Winter Return.
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As I looked out of the kitchen window this morning, I was shocked but partly pleased to see a sheet of ice on the entryway to the back door. I say 'sh...
An Inspiring Day Out.
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A week ago I went on a drive to explore an area of Eastern Washington that I'm not familiar with at all. It was the rolling countryside north of where...
The New York City Marathon.
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hello happy podcast listeners, I've missed you! However, I have resurfaced, as I have done in the past, with exciting news. I am going to run the New ...
A Lunch Break.
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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. ...
A vaccination for teachers.
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since my last podcast, I have started working full-time at a middle school. I am an eighth grade ELA and Social Studies teacher. ELA means English Lan...
Frost and flowers.
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Winter is a special time. I suppose all of the seasons are. I find winter to be a struggle with disappointment which is relieved by exciting and meani...
Unending colors.
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The frosty days of early winter are here, so most people are staying indoors. Covid, of course, has made that worse. However, everywhere I see people ...
Saddle rock.
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Saddle rock is the name of one of the hills that overlooks Wenatchee. It's name comes from the fact that, from a distance, it looks like a horse's sad...
Nurse's Assistant Clinicals.
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish my nurse's assistant training this summer because of Covid. The last part of the course was going to be 40 ...
Washington State Bird.
20 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Goldfinch is the Washington State bird. I learned this from my enthusiastic mother-in-law, who was trying to encourage me to get a specific birdfe...
Assistant Nurse's Training.
02 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I've been busy for a few weeks, as you might have noticed. I didn't mean to abandon you, but I had to for a short while. As you can see from the photo...
Timber!
11 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Spring is notorious(1) for changeable weather. Over the past month that is certainly what we have been experiencing. We have had hot, still days, rain...
A Dog Day.
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mother's Day in the U.S. is May 9th. It's supposed to be a day when people show their appreciation for their mothers in different ways. Some people wi...
Connected.
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Online group chats have become so common in the recent few months. And is it any surprise? With so many people staying at home, and travel paralyzed, ...
A Dogwood Trail.
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the great distractions of this time of year are the dogwood trees. Like many other kinds of flowering trees, their display is brief but stunnin...
Thoughts on the stay-at-home mandate.
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here are some of my thoughts on the stay-at-home mandate because of the Coronavirus, and how I have been feeling about it. First of all, I must say th...
Rosie's pace.
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Staying close to home to exercise is one of the mandates that we have to follow to combat Covid-19. I see people biking, jogging, and walking, trying ...
A mental health break.
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With all that is going on around the world with the Coronavirus, I have felt overwhelmed recently, probably you are too. If you are following a mandat...
A new kind of empty.
22 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
My son was flying home. Thank Goodness! He was coming back from Sevilla, Spain where he had been studying. "I'm really sad to be leaving, mum," he tex...
Words of Encouragement.
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As I work in the schools in Wenatchee, I see, on a regular basis, all kinds of posters in the classrooms. They are designed to encourage the students ...
Tapas
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As I looked through my photos today of my recent holiday, I came across one of a bar in Sevilla. I hadn't gone inside, but I certainly did look in fro...
Coronavirus.
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The news is full, these days, of reports about the Coronavirus, now called COVID-19. There is a sense of panic in the reports, as we hear about more a...
Christopher Columbus, really?
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A couple of weeks ago, I took my son to Sevilla in Spain. He is staying there to study Spanish and the culture. What a place! I had been there a long ...
Scared of airports?
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever met anyone who is afraid of airports? If you have, he or she is probably a person who is not familiar with them. It takes a while to get...
Tacky.
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever heard of the word 'tacky'? This a word that I love. It's actually more of an American term than an English one. I thought about this wor...
Cloved Oranges.
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When I walked into my mothers house yesterday I smelled something wonderful. "What is that smell mom?" I asked. "Well you know what that is," she said...
Small Talk
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you heard of the phrase, "Small talk"? Can you guess what it is? I have been thinking about it for a few days, as my oldest son sent me a video a...
New Year's Eve in the U.S.
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are the biggest times of celebration in the United States. New Year's Eve iin particular is a time of parties, firew...
A Christmas Adoption grammar points.
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Well, here are the grammar points for the podcast about me resisting the temptation to buy a cat. 1. To drag your feet. This gives a great visual of b...
A Christmas Adoption
20 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are only eight days to go until Christmas including today, so people are rushing around trying to get the last few things organized. Most people...
A flu fighter grammar points.
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Here are some super useful grammar points from the last podcast. 1. A few ......... apart. This can be used with different measurements: time or dista...
Be a flu fighter.
06 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
"Ow!" I said to myself, as the pharmacist put the needle in my upper arm. I hadn't expected the vaccination to hurt. It wasn't a regular one, you know...
Sea Stones.
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I love stones, rocks, and crystals. I always have. I wouldn't say that I am a student of geology, but nevertheless, that subject does fascinate me. Pe...
Grammar notes for Youtube channel.
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
1. 'To put your toe in the water' means to test something, to very carefully have a look, or try something out. a. When I first started my podcast, I ...
My Youtube Channel.
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Well, I've done it. I have waited long enough. You could say, "It's about time!" So, I finally decided to put my toe in the water and try it out. Am I...
Powder Puff.
08 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One American tradition that I have experienced is Powder Puff. It has a strange name, I know. It is a high school tradition, and is centered around(1)...
An October Garden
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Come with me, for a walk around my October garden. This day has a touch of magic, so I must be in it; I don't want to miss it. For a few minutes we ca...
Oh Sushi.
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is there a certain food that makes your mouth water? A few of my favorites are: curry, lasagne, pad Thai, and sushi. We are lucky enough to have a few...
A Small Climate Strike.
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The phrases: climate strike, greenhouse gases, and global warming should be familiar with anyone who listens to the news. And now with the help of soc...
English Medical Language (blood pressure and appendicitis).
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For all of you nurses, nurses' assistants, doctors, and anyone else who is interested in, or involved in the medical profession, this podcast is for y...
A Beach in Seattle.
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
About one week ago, I found myself on a beach in Seattle called Alki Beach. I had gone there with my husband for a couple of days, just to get a way f...
Cockleshell Beach.
28 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine being in a tiny, coastal(1) village in Scotland in the summer. The air here is pure: a mix of ocean and forest smells, as the village is sandw...
A Colorful Secret.
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It was the first day out in a few months that my mum had had, when we came across a hidden treasure. I had expected simply to take my mother for a dri...
Another Furry Friend.
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
They're furry, flexible, and playful. They have sharp teeth, and will nip (1) you if you are not careful. They are highly energetic, but will sleep fo...
Track.
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spring sports in our local school district have almost come to an end. This seems to be such a short season! The weather is also now closer to summer ...
Grammar Points from 'Jungle'.
10 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As promised, today I will go over the grammar points from my last podcast, 'Jungle'. As you will remember, I danced the night away to the music of thi...
Jungle.
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
About a month ago, a friend and I went to Seattle to do something that we don't normally do. We went to a concert. Winter had been extraordinarily(1) ...
Shingles.
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you haven't heard of the shingles, then today I will teach you something both interesting and important for your health. The shingles is actually a...
A Good Start.
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Does your mind ever wander? Mine does, all the time. I find that I am constantly thinking about things. My brain rarely(1) seems to keep quiet. In Tai...
Beau.
15 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We've lucked out this year (1). We're lucky because the winter has not been too hard. Yes we've had snow, and some freezing conditions, but it really ...
The Lanyard.
17 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Things are changing fast in my household. My third boy, Robert, is now driving. He's only 16, and that to me seems far too young to be 'behind the whe...
Boo.
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Halloween was fairly uneventful this year. It is a huge day of celebration here in the U.S, but as my children are teenagers now, we are less involved...
Ed Sheeran in Concert.
17 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing like(1) being in a crowd of 60,000 people. There's nothing like it, if they are all happy and dancing to the same music. Yes, you gues...
Snake Skin Surprise.
14 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Snakes are creatures that I rarely see. Actually, I have no desire to see them. They're not really my cup of tea. My sister, however, used to have a v...
The 4th at the lake.
07 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We spent the 4th of July at Lake Chelan for the first time just a couple of days ago. As you know, the 4th is the national holiday celebrating the ind...
To Stumble Upon.
30 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Summer is a busy time, though some people think that it isn't. "So, what are you doing with all your time off, now that you don't have to drive here a...
Alibaba
09 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When my husband and I visited China, I must say that we weren't very organized. My husband was focused on work, but I hadn't done enough research into...
Impressions of Shanghai.
09 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I never thought that I would get here, but here I am. China, that is. I'm so excited that I'm sure even my sentences will have grammatical errors. Thi...
Seattle's Coffee.
13 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Coffee is very important to people in the U.S. Washington State is the birthplace of Starbucks, and the city where the first one of them opened is Sea...
The Hoxton, London.
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It has been many years since I've lived in a big city. I used to live in London, and part of me is still there, I think(1). If you follow my podcasts,...
Sweet Belgium.
27 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Just about the time that I consider giving up sugar, I visit Belgium(1). It wasn't good timing! I wouldn't have missed my day in Brussels for anything...
Elegant Brussels.
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After my trip to Paris this January, I decided that I would spend one day in Brussels. I had never been to Belgium before, and I longed to(1) go to a ...
A Blink of Paris.
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
During my recent travels, I had the opportunity to go to Paris. I was only there for a few days with my son Hudson. I went there to get him settled in...
A Home At Last?
15 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In your country, do you have a Humane Society? By that I mean an organization that looks after unwanted animals. The U.S does; it is a charity that wo...
Enter at your own risk!
21 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I am becoming a minimalist. It's a slow process, but it is definitely happening. For many years I haven't practiced giving or throwing things away, ne...
The Autumn Blaze.
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's already the end of October, and everywhere there are signs of magic. There is no debate that this season, at least in this part of the world, is ...
App Update.
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I have recently updated my app. Some of you will be thinking, "Thank Goodness!" It was overdue (1), to say the least. Some people think that I'm quite...
An Eagle Owl.
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Monreith Animal World is a small petting zoo that is just down the road from my father's house in Scotland. When I was visiting him in August, we deci...
Face Mask Instructions.
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
"Very unhealthy" reads the daily smoke report on the internet for our area. I've been checking this website each day for the past week, as the smoke f...
Intelligent Design 2.
26 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From my last podcast you already heard how impressed I was with Amsterdam. What I didn't talk about was how(1) much fun it was. Another point of its '...
Intelligent Design.
21 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back from a trip; you might have noticed that I was gone for a few weeks. I apologize for the liberty; I do tend to(1) disappear once a year witho...
A Bowling Party.
22 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bowling is, I think, an underestimated sport. It's often just considered entertainment. The nearest bowling alley to us is across the river, and is a ...
A Day at the Lake.
09 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
So what do you do when it is too hot outside to garden or play? If you're smart, you will call some friends, jump in the car, and go to the nearest la...
Tarantula in the Garage.
28 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ok, I've got your attention with the title. Not everybody has a tarantula in their garage. I don't, actually. It is a temporary resident at my mother'...
A Time For Instruments.
20 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the U.S, most school-aged children have a very long summer vacation indeed: two and a half months! Can you imagine? It's actually a huge relief for...
A French Addition.
15 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I was at Pybus market a few weeks ago. It was a Saturday and the place was packed. I had gone with my mother and friend to a conference that was held ...
Rattle Snake Land.
01 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you drive for about two hours South of Wenatchee, you come to a city called Yakima. It is another place that carries the name of the Native America...
Strength and balance.
19 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Have any of you ever rock climbed? It's not the most common activity, but(1) its popularity is growing, I think. Recently, an indoor rock climbing wal...
Fresh Eggs and Goat's Milk.
11 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Across the river from where we live is a place called 'Annie's Fun Farm'. I have written about it before, as you might remember(1). It is a corn and p...
People Watching at the Carnival.
08 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
People watching is something that I love to do whenever I can. There are only certain places where it is appropriate to do so, I suppose. Looking at o...
April, - The Month for Children.
27 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I learned recently that April here in the States is the national child abuse prevention month. I had no idea that this was the case, until I saw a lad...
A budding photographer.
24 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For my podcasts I usually always add a photograph, to show what I am talking about. For years I carried around a cheap little camera with me, on the o...
The Great Bagel.
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
While my family and I were spending time in Seattle, we went to a bagel company for brunch. The company is called Blazing Bagels, and they are based i...
Cirque du Soleil
12 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Last week was vacation for the whole school district. It's a time we call Spring Break. It is a much needed rest for students, teachers, and principal...
Amazon Bubbles.
01 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
I was in Seattle last week visiting colleges with my oldest son, Hudson. We happened to be quite near the Space Needle, in an area of the city that is...