I saw buds on the trees today.

Hello Friends:

Are you thinking of spring? It's only the end of January, but many of us are becoming weary of the cold. The remaining Snowbirds are heading South to escape the cold for a few months. Have you noticed the geese are flying in large groups? The ducks back on the creek and socializing in groups. What do they know? February 2 is Groundhog Day. We will have insight into the animal world winter prediction for spring. Groundhogs usually hibernate, but on February 2, groundhogs around the country peek out predict whether we will have six more weeks of winter or whether spring is around the corner.

There is only one event this weekend: Super Bowl XLIX! This grand event is the epitome of American celebrations and sports in our culture. There are Super Bowl parties with special Super Bowl snacks (beware of Pinterest...you may never get back). Corporations rollout new commercials and pay a lot of  money for these prime spots. To run one 30 second commercial it costs $3.5 million! This year the game is tainted by the scandal where the Patriots deflated the footballs during the playoff game!

*We read three versions of the story where Jesus walks on the water about three miles to catch up with the disciples after He goes into the mountains to pray and be by Himself after feeding the crowd of more than 5000 people in International Bible Study.* This story can be found in John 6:16-21, and  Mark 6:47-52, Matthew 14:24-33. Each of these accounts were written by different authors for different audiences at different times. Interestingly enough, the symbolic number for God is the number three; this story is only told in three of the Gospels and shows Jesus as God. Try reading them in the order listed. John simply tells the story. Mark adds that the disciples had been angry and hurt that Jesus had fed all of the people through a miracle, but then they understand that Jesus is God in this moment and they are glad for Him to join them once again. Matthew tells the story and adds that Peter asks to join Jesus in walking on the water. We discovered that we are stronger and can accomplish unusual things when we have the faith to do the things. God invites us to participate. We also discovered that when we have doubts we can ask Him for help. He will immediately reach out His hand and rescue us.

Thank you, Yaying, for teaching us to make Taiwanese bubble tea and tea eggs on Tuesday at our International Friends meeting. Fresh, homemade tea is so much better than any of the bubble teas I have had at any of our shops here. I am glad to know the secrets of tea eggs. They are marvelous tasting and beautiful.

We made our Valentines at our Conversation class Wednesday evening. There were many beautiful ideas. We talked a bit about American Valentine customs. Wednesday, February 4 Conversation class's topic will be a surprise! Bring questions you want answered.


International Friends (Tuesdays, room 100, 10:30-12:00) Planning Ahead:
February 3, 2015: Let's celebrate setsubun!
Join us as we get ready for spring and celebrate setsubun. We will also talk about whether spring is really coming from our Groundhog Day predictions.

February 10, 2015:  Let's get ready for Valentine's Day!
Join us as we enjoy Fondue and talk about our romantic plans for the holiday.

February 17, 2015:  Let's celebrate Mardi Gras!
Join us as we celebrate Fat Tuesday. Should we cook in? Should we enjoy a delicious Cajun lunch out? Tune in!

February is a short month. From our schedule, it looks like we are going to eat our way through the winter to look forward to spring.

Have a nice weekend!
Carolyn

weary: tired
Snowbirds: people from the North who spend the winter in the warm south; our teacher Janey is snowbirding in Florida this month
hibernate: sleep through the winter months
whether: if (this is a great pun: predict whether/predict whether hahahah!)
around the corner: coming soon
XLIX: Super Bowl is counted using Roman numerals
epitome: perfect example; definition
rollout: introduce something new; roll out (two words) is what you do with dough when you make cut out cookies
Pinterest: an addictive web spot to collect and save ideas off of the internet. Create your own "boards" to collect ideas
prime spots: a good place, you can go early to get a prime spot at fireworks or a parade
tainted: contaminated, spoiled
*: This is a really long sentence. How many ideas are there? Where would you break this sentence into multiple sentences? What part of the sentence would you need to add?
versions: a stories that are told by different people
accounts: versions of a story
interestingly enough: a conversational mark to highlight the next phrase as interesting
rescue: save
marvelous: fantastic, wonderful
setsubun: when a word is written in another language, often you will find it underlined or written in italic font or print styleFat Tuesday: The day of feasting (also known as Mardi Gras) before the fasting of the Christian Lenten season.
Tune in: this saying comes from the old days when people listened to the radio and would tune in or choose a station/story to follow.

Hello, Friends!

I hope you enjoyed the January Thaw. You may wonder why people in Indiana talk about the weather all of the time: it is because it is so changeable. This is always a great topic for small talk with another Hoosier. Gloria and I went to the Local Eatery and Pub (North on Gray Road just past 146th Street). I enjoyed linguine bolognese. How's that for coincidence?

International Bible Study: We read John 6:1-15 where Jesus feeds five thousand people with five small barley loaves and two small fish. Large crowds of people were following Jesus to see miracles. When He saw them following Him out into the middle of nowhere, He asked where they could buy bread to feed everyone. Not only were there no bakeries near, it would have taken a year's salary to come up with a bite of bread for each person. A boy has five small loaves of bread and two small fish; they ask the people to sit down and the count was 5000 men. Jesus gave thanks and then they distributed the bread and the fish to the seated people, as much as they wanted, and they ate until they were full. They gathered up the leftovers and there were 12 baskets full (there where 12 tribes of Israel, this is a significant number showing that God plans to feed His people). They wanted to make Jesus king by force. He withdrew alone to the mountains. The people all got to experience a miracle (which is what they were looking for). This story was meaningful to our class because it showed us:

• that God can take our small possessions and turn them into blessings to everyone around us
• that God has us participate in miracles
• that Jesus didn't come to be a king to one nation, but to be a Savior to all people
• a new idea; several of us have read this story many times, but we each got a new idea and insight this time

International Friends: We practiced small talk encountered during casual meetings (like with the people at the grocery store). We talked about small jokes that are usual (and usually about the weather). We talked about how to end small talk: thank you, have an nice day! And about other shoppers who may start conversations (what are you making for dinner, asked by a man in the produce department::steak for my husband!)

Wednesday Conversation Class did not make Valentines: we will do that next week. Instead, we welcomed some new faces and learned some great slang and enjoyed conversation with Wendy.

Tuesday, January 27
International Bible Study, room 100, 9:00-10:30: Let's read John 6:16-24
Join us as we read and discuss the famous story where Jesus walks on the water.
International Friends, room 100, 10:30-12:00: Let's make Bubble Tea.
Join us as Yaying shows us how to make real boba or bubble tea!

Wednesday, January 28
Casual Conversation, upstairs classrooms, 4:30-6:00: Let's make Valentines.
Bring you card making skills, supplies, and sentiments and we will make cards (and eat Rice Krispy treats!)

Thursday, January 29
English Classes, upstairs classrooms, 9:30-12:00.

Join us to work on your formal English language skills.

Have a great weekend!

Carolyn

changeable: irregular, inconsistent
linguini: long flat noodles or pasta; this is an Italian word
bolognese: Italian for meat sauce. In this case it was made with ground meat: lamb, bison and beef.
How's that for a coincidence?: What do you think of these things happening
coincidence: things that are accidental connected
out into the middle of nowhere: slang meaning away from everything, into the countryside
bakeries: plural of bakery (the "y" follows a consonant, so it is turned into a "i" and then you add the "es")
come up with: get
gave thanks: offer a prayer of thanksgiving before a meal
withdrew: to remove yourself both emotionally and physically; you can also withdraw from a battle strategically.
produce: fruits and vegetables (pronounced pro DUCE) versus produce: to make something or cause something to happen (pronounced PRO duce) Do you get the puns?

Welcome Back. Really, this time!

Welcome back, Friends. Really.

It was so good to get together this past week after a very, very long break! This weekend we may get a peek at warmer weather. I think that anything over 40 degrees will feel like a heatwave. Don't worry, winter isn't over yet. Enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts.

Thank you Masami and Ai (and all the helpers) for hosting a mochi party at International Friends. What a delicious way to come back from our break.

In International Bible Study we read John 5: 31-47. Jesus continues to discuss who He is and His role with the legal authorities of the Jewish community. He has a compelling argument.

It was good to get back to classes. Welcome back from South Africa, Debbie. We are glad you are back home again in Indiana! Many of you took home poinsettias. Thank you! You can find month by month instructions for caring for these beautiful holiday flowers here. According to the next article, poinsettias are not poisonous (but they aren't edible, either). You may have a reaction if you get the milky, white sap on your skin. Wash your hands after handling your plant to avoid problems.

Tuesday, January 20
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30, room 100: Let's read John 5:31-47
This is a famous story of Jesus feeding 5000 people (and more) with five loaves of bread and five fish.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00, room 100: Let's make small talk and learn more about American humor in small talk.
By popular demand: when the cashier at the grocery chats with us: what are they saying? How can we answer?

Wednesday, January 21
Conversation Class, 4:30-6:00, upstairs classrooms: Let's make Valentines!
Bring your sentiments and your card making supplies, and we will make Valentines for our sweethearts.

Enjoy the beautiful day.
Carolyn

Really: when someone says really like this, they are saying that something is finally happening
peek: a quick look
while it lasts: a situation is tempory
heatwave: days of warm weather
compelling: demands attention; is strong and forceful
argument: reasoning and discussion that an idea is right or wrong
back home again in Indiana: the opening lines of the Indiana State song refrain (this is a pun)
make small talk: conversation for social purposes only
edible: able to be eaten
handling: touching
have a reaction: an allergic response, in this case you may break out in a rash
sap: liquid in the stems of plants
chats: makes friendly informal conversation
sentiments: thoughts and ideas written to convey feelings

Stay Warm and Safe! Let's try again next week.

Hello, Friends.

Brrrrr! It's cold outside. This weather is a little shocking after such a nice beginning to winter. The Farmer's Almanac predictions are proving to be accurate. Be sure to dress warm and wear your gloves and scarves and hats to protect you skin from frostbite. You can also prevent problems in you home and with your cars.

Cold weather and your home:

• The water in your pipes in your home can freeze and burst. 
• Keep the heat on in your home: set your thermostat at at least 60 degrees and leave it there, even if you leave for an extended time.
• Turn on the faucets to run a small stream of water. This is necessary on faucets that are against an external wall. This keeps the water moving so it will not freeze.
• Open the cabinets under your sinks in kitchens and bathrooms so warm air can get to the pipes.
• Keep windows and doors closed.
• Remember to close your fireplace flue when you don't have a fire.
• Small animals like mice will come in where it is warm. Watch for evidence of "new tenants". Larger animals, like squirrels can be caught and released. It's best to use a professional company for this. They will catch the animals and repair the damage. Mice can be caught the usual way using traps.

Cold weather and your car:

• According to mechanics, you do not need to warm your car engine up before driving in very cold weather. This was something you needed to do in the past, but it isn't necessary with the newer models.
• If you choose to warm your car up (for comfort), do not leave it running in your driveway unattended. This is an opportunity for someone to steal your car.
• Your tire sensors may go off or may "leak" because the cold air "shrinks" the volume of air in your tires. Use a gauge to check your tire pressure and inflate them as needed. As the weather warms back up, you may need to let out the excess air. When you have your car serviced for oil changes or to have your tires rotated, the technicians will take care of this for you (which is usually every month).

Stay safe and warm!
See you next week!
Carolyn

Classes are cancelled January 8, 2015

All English classes are cancelled Thursday, January 8.

Stay warm!

Carolyn

ALL MEETINGS AND CLASSES ARE CANCELLED: JANUARY 6, 2015

Due to the weather:

ALL MEETINGS AND CLASSES ARE CLASSES ARE CANCELLED TODAY, TUESDAY, JANUARY 6.

Please stay safe and warm.

Carolyn

Happy New Year! Now, back to work.

Happy New Year, Friends.

Today was a tough day: back to school and back to work. It has been difficult for me to get back into the groove.We have a great opportunity for an extension to our break: there is a winter weather advisory for our area beginning later today through tomorrow. This reminds me to remind you our cancellation policy:

We cancel our meetings and classes when Carmel Clay Schools delays or cancels classes. 

• Watch the news for the most recent announcements.
• Check the online news stations.
• Check your mail and this page; I will send an e-mail and post on this page as soon as I know something.

Most important: use your discretion when coming to our classes, and please be careful!

This brings me to some important weather vocabulary:

• Watch: there is a chance the stated weather will occur. Conditions are good, but here in Indiana weather changes rapidly, so they may not...
• Weather Advisory: We are confident the weather will occur as predicted.
• Warning: Take immediate action. The severe weather is occurring. Please follow directions to be safe.

This time of year we are concerned with snow, ice and cold weather. Be prepared put a shovel, blankets and a bag of cheap Kitty Litter (for weight in your car and sprinkle for traction on the snow and ice if you get stuck) in your car.

Tuesday, January 6:
International Bible Study, 9:00-10:30, room 100: 
Let's review and then read John 5 beginning with verse 31.

International Friends, 10:30-12:00, room 100: Let's Make Mochi.
Join us as we make fresh mochi and enjoy this delicious New Year Japanese tradition. We will talk about what we did over break and catch up with each other.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone again!
Carolyn

tough day: not easy, hard
get back into the groove: get back to schedules, events and activities
cancellation: when scheduled events are not held
policy: stated action due to particular circumstances; the rule of thumb for when a situation occurs
delays: when a schedule is pushed back (starts at a later time than scheduled)
delays or cancels: the "s" is added to delay and cancel in this case because Carmel Clay Schools is singular even though it is made up of schools
use your discretion: use your judgement, participate or not based on conditions or your abilities
are you coming or are you going?: this is a tough one! Since you are coming to me, and your movement is toward me in this sentence, you are coming. I could ask you if you are going (moving toward another place with or without me). You can be invited to "come" with a group someplace to "go" somewhere. In this case, come means to join the group. Easy answer? Just join the fun and say, "yes!".
Do you know if you are coming or going?: This is a a slang that means you don't know what you are doing--you are confused.
This brings me to...: an expression that introduces the main point of a discussion
criteria: the conditions that need to be met for something to happen
Kitty Litter: the stuff you put in a box for an indoor cat to go to the bathroom. The clay is great for traction on ice and snow.