Hope at Home

Hello, Friends.

When my Dad and I were working to move him to Indiana, we sat at his kitchen table solving problems which included planning and trying to solve "what's next?". Dad wrote this poem:

It's a great time to stop and smell the roses. We have time to spend with our families. We have a chance to start new projects or finish old projects. We are learning to connect with each other across the country and around the world. We are all in this together. Let's care for each other.

Easy English News for April is available for you to read on-line. Click on the link to read the paper. I do have hard copies that may be available in the future. Enjoy reading local stories in your Current newspaper delivered to your mailbox. You will find many uplifting stories and tips for living locally.

COVID:
The Corona Virus Task Force warns that the next two weeks will be the most difficult for most people in the U.S. since cases should continue to increase. Continue to follow the advice for mitigation. The best way to protect others (and yourself) is to stay home, especially if you are not feeling well. When you are out, stay at least six feet (2 meters) away from others.

Masks: The CDC is now advising "mask" wearing. This is not mandatory. A mask should not be one for medical professionals. but can be a simple scarf or bandanna to keep your sneezes or coughs from traveling. If you choose to wear a mask:

• Wash your hands first
• Do not touch the mask while you are wearing it. Do not touch your face while wearing a mask. You will transmit the germs off of your hands on to your face and spread possible infection.
• Wash you hands after handling your mask.
• Continue to practice social distance (stay at least six feet away from those around you) even when you wear your mask to reduce the opportunity for the virus to spread.

Mental Health: Governor Holcomb gives daily briefings. One item in Friday's meeting was mental health. Being socially distance doesn't mean socially isolated. Continue to meet and reach out via text, Zoom, phone calls, video chats, and wave and talk to your neighbors while keeping your distance. Take a break from the news. Exercise. Go for a walk. Get enough sleep. Play music and dance and sing. Breathe! Call your doctor if you need help.

Next Week Holy Week
For the first time in the history of the United States, churches will be closed and corporate celebration of this significant holy day. This year Easter is more in the spirit of that first Easter morning. On  that first Easter, Jesus' followers stayed in their homes. Feel free and learn more about Easter and Holy Week by attending on-line services. Cornerstone Lutheran links can be found here. At the risk of being a spoiler, here are the references to read in Mark!

• Palm Sunday: Jesus arrived into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. The people welcomed him. (Mark 11: 1-11)
• Maundy Thursday: Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples. He was taken into custody. (Mark 14: 12-26)
• Good Friday: Jesus was put to death on the cross. (Mark 15: 21-47)
• Easter Sunday: Jesus rose from the dead. (Mark 16)

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, Zoom with us at 9:30.
In our Bible readings for the week (Mark 8:31-Mark 9:1) Jesus makes predictions to prepare his followers for what is to come. With this training He tells them that he will be put to killed but WILL BE RAISED AFTER THREE DAYS. Peter takes Jesus aside to reprimand him. Jesus calls Peter out: get behind me Satan. Jesus goes on to teach what it means to follow him. He tells them that people take up their cross and follow him. In other words, when you follow Jesus it doesn't mean that you won't have trouble. But with Jesus, how much easier it is!

April 7: Read Mark 9. We will read about Jesus transfiguration.

International Friends: Tuesdays, Zoom with us at 10:30.
We had a great time showing and telling. It was fun to see how many people have foam rollers to relax our muscles. Selina had a great rig to relax. We even got to see a really cool toy to build great construction!

April 7: Hard boil your eggs and gather your supplies to dye your eggs (or show and tell your handiwork) and bring them to your Zoom to dye them. I plan to prepare some Tea Eggs.

Conversation: Wednesday, Zoom with us at 4:30.
We started with a very small gathering, but then had a surprise visit from Stephanie in Michigan. We are so lucky to have this vehicle to visit and catch up with each other!

April 8: Zoom on over and let's chat. What are you working on lately. Bring your latest project. I will share my latest crochet effort!

English Classes: Thursdays: Zoom with us.
Plan to join your class and enjoy a morning of English and fellowship. For myself, I am enjoying our Level 2 units on sharing stories. Since schools in Indiana are closed to meeting we will end up the year on Zoom. Zoom over and visit your class!

Kids Corner:
In addition to Reggie, I have two husky dogs. These dogs do two things: they go for walks and they shed. I walk them twice a day in our neighborhood and noticed some spectacular things from our neighborhood children. They are chalking hop scotch paths on their front walks. These beautiful, fun, and creative patterns give us activities to follow and break up our walk. Read more about this “challenge” and see how to create cubes to add to the game. Hopscotch Inspiration Cubes


smell the roses: 🌹 look on the bright side,
advice: information to help
mitigation: actions to reduce an outcome
at least: more than
in the spirit of:
isolated: stay alone
keeping your distance: stay a safe distance (you wouldn't want to pat a bear)
reprimand: scold, rebuke
rig: equipment for a specific purpose
handiwork: results, your project
vehicle: a way or medium to get something done
shed: loose hair or fur coats to accommodate the changing seasons
neighborhood: homes around your home; the community around your home

Wash Your Hands and Stay in Touch

Dear Friends,

For the optimum experience with this update, visit our webpage. From there you can see video links. From your email you can still click on the links and be redirected to the different sites. Also, thank you for your information and tips to include in this update.

Thank you for asking about my dad. Karol, continues to do well. He continues to be on lock down and we talk on the phone or FaceTime a couple times a week (if I can catch him, he's a busy man). I miss our daily visits in person.

This last week has significantly changed how we think about so many things. Cleaning, washing hands, washing hands, washing hands, social distancing. Is this the new normal? Is this going to change how Americans and the world meet one another? For now, this seems to be the case.

15 Days to Slow the Spread
Each community is making the call for what is best to keep the needs of their specific community. Some communities may need to stay home longer than others. Follow the directives from your local authorities. Keep safe social distances. Go for a walk. Order carryout. Did you know you can order a pitcher of margaritas to go in Indiana with your dinner! Amazing!

In the United States, companies are stepping up to serve their communities in best way possible in their wheelhouse. In additional to healthcare and financial relief, we are seeing companies and individuals coming together to feed and care for the elderly and children. Continuing schooling and getting other assistance to rural families where wifi is non-existent due to terrain is another problem being solved. Amazingly, more and more jobs are being created to support our current environment. Some of these jobs are temporary to fill needs. When businesses reopen these jobs may go away. Meanwhile, eight and half to 12 million viewers are are watching the daily Whitehouse press briefings. These statistics are greater than the numbers that typically watch sporting events!

Please continue to wash you hands.
Are you tired of singing the ABC song or Happy Birthday (twice)? Many children's songs are 20 seconds long and singing can help you with your pronunciation of difficult sounds!

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: Enjoy Annebel reading and singing aloud with her girls.

And last but not least...BABY SHARK to teach good hand washing and other healthy behaviors.

Baby Shark Wash Your Hands!

Something to Do to Help
Can you sew? Jo-Ann Fabrics has free kits available along with directions for making protective masks for our healthcare providers. When you are finished, drop them back at Jo-Ann and they will distribute them to healthcare providers.

Census 2020
You should have received a letter from the United States Census. Please take time to fill out this form and return it. It is vital for our country and community for planning for living safely and productively. It is through the Census that planning for roads, hospitals and clinics, shopping, schools, utilities, and so much more. The Census also helps state and national government in the allocation of funds. You can complete the form on-line or mail your answer back. Get answers to your questions, complete your Census, state completion statistics and so much more at the site.

Toxic Cleaner Combinations
We are all working hard to keep our hands and homes clean. The chemicals in our cleaners can be dangerous when combined. Be careful because you could accidentally combine bleach with vinegar, alcohol, or any other number of cleaners can cause burns or respiratory problems. One example is if you spray your shower with a bleach cleaner and then spray on a glass cleaner that often has vinegar or alcohol in it. Be careful.

Read Aloud, Lists, Online Books and More
Help us with fun things to see and do while staying home. Email me with links to share on our Fun at Home page.

Kids and Weather
Fox 59 has a fun online program on Wednesdays for parents and children on Facebook Live at 10:15

Reading Rockets Book Finder
Try this great source for books to read aloud with your children (or enjoy them yourself!).
Do you have a library card? You can download books for free (Hoopla, Libby) with your library card.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30, Zoom
We had a good and extended discussion about our two stories. Jesus healed a blind man (Mark 8:22-26). This time the healing took three steps. Since Jesus was still traveling out of Judea, he told the man to go home and not to tell anyone (again, he is out of town and they would make him king).

Jesus asks Peter who did Peter think he is in Mark 8:27-30. Peter answered "the Messiah". Why do people ask a question when they already know the answer? Is it for reassurance? Is it for confirmation? Why is Jesus asking Peter this question? He is getting ready to teach them about how He will save them and us.

March 31: Zoom over to talk about Mark 8: 31-33. Jesus prepares his disciples for future events that appear to be bad, but are going to be the best result for everyone.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30, Zoom
We did some planning with the help of my pet snake Reggie. I am glad you got to meet her via Zoom. You would love her in person!

March 31: Zoom on over and show and tell! Let's share aspects of our lives that we couldn't if we were meeting at church or elsewhere (because you know that Reggie wouldn't be allowed in most places!).

April 7: Zoom over and let's dye Easter eggs! There are many ways to dye eggs. Head over to the Incredible, Edible Egg and see what's cooking!

Otherwise, when you are making your grocery run, pick up a traditional egg dying kit from Paas. These kits shouldn't cost more than a couple of dollars.

Chinese Tea Eggs are another beautiful and delicious dish to enjoy.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30, Zoom over!
We continue our conversations. It is nice to see each other's faces as we remain at home. This is a great opportunity to practice your speaking and English listening (if you feel like you can't keep up with the conversation). Join in.

April 1: We will meet! No fooling!

English Classes: Tuesdays, various start times (10:00 and beyond), Zoom over to your class!
A giant thanks to our teachers for learning to Zoom and keeping our classes going at home. They are working hard to make our classes work in this new format. This is a great experiment for us and we hope that you are enjoying learning these new skills as much as we are!

I hope that you can to join your classes via Zoom. This is an exciting way to touch base while we are apart. If you wish to join a class, please contact me. Additionally, many of your children may need to Zoom with their school classes at the same time your class meets. Feel free to join your classes in progress. We would rather you show up than miss out.

optimum experience: best
significantly: greatly
how we think: my opinion
new normal: a change in what is normal
to go: to take home to eat
nonexistent: not real or present
due to terrain: because of geography, like mountains
daily: each day
elderly: old people
for now: currently
be the case: be the situation
making the call: ruling
directives: official instruction
local authorities: government
behaviors: actions
vital: critically important
toxic: poisonous
stepping up: coming forward
wheelhouse: area of expertise
Paas: company that makes
reassurance: remove doubts or fears
confirmation: establish corrections of facts
aspects: character or feature
what's cooking: what's happening, what's up (this is a pun here, so enjoy a good laugh!)
making your [grocery] run: going to buy something, you may hear about someone making a beer run
additionally: used to introduce a new fact
in progress: after they have started and are running
show up: appear, participate
miss out: not participate
make [something] work: bring about a good result

Indiana Stay at Home!

Hello, Friends:

The Governor of Indiana has issued a health emergency for the entire state Indiana ordering Hoosiers to stay home March 25 through April 7.

What does this mean for all of us?

• You can go for a walk, run, bike ride. Stay a minimum of six feet away from your neighbors and their pets.
• You can go out for groceries, to the pharmacy. Limit your trips. Limit your exposure.
• Stay in your home if you are sick.
• Call your doctor if you have a fever, cough and shortness of breath.
• The Corona Virus Self Checker: a guide to help you make decisions about getting health care.

For more information about the and other links visit official webpages. You can find more on our webpages: Official Information

Wash your hands!
Love,
Carolyn

Hello Friends,

For your best experience go to our webpages for the Update and other current information.

Welcome Spring. Today is the Equinox! We have equal hours of day and night today. This means longer days of sunshine. With this latest round of showers, you will see leaves begin to grow. Go on a walk: the crocus are blooming.




March is Severe Weather Awareness Week: Learn more on the National Weather Service Education Pages. Make a plan, prepare your space, have a tornado drill.
Words you may be hearing:
lockdown: this means that people are not allowed enter or leave. My dad is currently in lockdown at his senior living space.
quarantine: a disease is present and people are restricted to their homes or a particular building.
shelter in place: stay where you are until it is safe to leave. This could be home, church, school, Walmart, etc. This is particularly true for severe weather.

COVID-19
So much of what you hear and see as it relates to our current situation reminds me of what I was taught by my mother and teachers: Wash your hands! Do not share drinks/food.

The City of Carmel has declared a local emergency. You can see the details or specific instruction  here: City of Carmel Mayor's Declaration.

Remembering that our priority is to keep our families and those around us safe by breaking the ability of this virus to move from person to person:

Do not make play dates. Kids or grown ups.

Do not play at playgrounds; they are closed.

Do not go out if you don't feel well. 

You can:

Enjoy quality, family time. Limit your close exposure to a small number of people.

Give each other space in the house.

Go for walks, runs, etc. Say hello, but keep your "social distance".

Order food from your favorite restaurant for pick up or delivery.

Some practical information.
When you pump gas:
Avoid touching the pump or buttons on the keypad. Use a paper towel, tissue or put your hand in plastic bag to dispense. Throw away the paper towel, tissue, etc. Thank you, Jackie for this advice.

We enjoyed our first “classes” from home. I have to say, I really enjoyed meeting, seeing and hearing you. Please continue to meet with us. Let us know how we can improve in this new way of learning. For parents of older children, this is a great way to demonstrate a new skill and attitude. We are all in this together.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30.
We had a great meeting in four languages. Mark 8:14-21  is the teaching lesson about bread and yeast. Jesus warns about the "yeast" that grows and contaminates. We talked about yeast being "hypocracy" or demanding a certain behavior of others while breaking the rules. Jesus refers back to the number of leftover baskets of food for the Jewish people (12: one for each of the tribes), the Gentiles (7: one for each of the churches/and the number of completion). The disciples only had one loaf: they assumed there was a problem there, but they only needed one loaf of bread since they had Jesus with them. Jesus teaches not to listen to the negative spin and to look for the truth: God loves and protects us and will provide us with all we need.

March 26:  Zoom in with us as we talk about two stories Mark 8:22-30.

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30.
We learned to cook corned beef and cabbage. This is a traditional American dish to celebrate the Irish culture on St Patrick's Day.

March 26: Join me by Zoom as we talk about life in America these days and plan to dye Easter Eggs amd meet over what was supposed to be our spring break.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30- 6:30.
We caught up with each other. Let's continue the conversation in Zoom. Our text chats are very informative. Thank you to this group for braving the new format that is dictated by our current health situation.

March 27: We will Zoom together again. Look for the invitation and the text conversations.

English Classes: Thursdays, flexible with your classes.

English For Children:  March is our Fairy Tail Month. This week is Princess and the Pea. Here is a very nice rendition of the story on YouTube: The Princess and the Pea.

Questions to think about:

• Why was the prince sad?
• How did the queen test to see if the girl was a real princess?
• How many mattresses did the queen put on the bed?
• Why couldn’t the princess sleep throughout the night?
• Do you think the princess could really feel the pea?

The goal of a fairytale is to teach a truth about life and survival. What do you think is the message here?

Important sources of immediate information

Dear Friends,

It is so very important to keep updated on the rapid changes in our communities. Currently, meeting outside your family group should be avoided. Stay a minimum of six feet away from those around you. No more than 10. Lay low for now.

I have replaced our header information with a quick reference to sites to keep you up to date. As you find/hear community resources and information, pass it along so I can add it to our resources.



15 Days to Slow the Spread

Fishers has declared a local emergency.
Travel is suspended for the next seven days as a minimum unless you are going to a medical appointment or testing, going for groceries, household or personal hygiene. This does not apply to food delivery (you can order pizza, etc.), store resupplying, etc.

Town of Fishers: Watch the Mayor talk here

Everyone is urged to stay at home. Can you take a walk? Yes. Can your kids play in your driveway, yard, garage. Sure. DO NOT PLAN PLAY DATES OR PLAN TO GO MEET FRIENDS OUT.

City of Carmel Information.
Right now Carmel does not have this level emergency declared, but all public buildings, libraries, etc. have been closed.

Zionsville Community Information

lay low: stay home and enjoy Netflix and catching up on everything you set aside during our busy life.
for now: at this time

Snow and Virtual Learning

Hello Friends,

Things change fast. You never know what life will bring next. One sure thing is snow! Don't pack away your winter gear, yet. As you snuggle up and spend quality time at home with your family, enjoy the last weekend of winter snow. Does that mean Indiana is finished with snow? Probably not. We can look forward to spring snow! From my experience My Magnolia blooms and then it snows one last time!

Zoom on over!
Let's meet via Zoom. International Bible Study and International Friends are free flowing, so I need you to email me to send you an invitation if you haven't received one from me. This is a great opportunity for our alumni to come on in and join the discussions. How fun is this!

For our English Classes: Please be looking for an invitation to join your class from a teacher in the very near future. This first meeting could last about 40 minutes for you to become familiar with using this application. We are very excited to add this option to our teaching and meeting repertoire (and you can add it to your skills on your resumes).

This opens a whole new world of possibilities for meeting all around the world!

COVID-19 Corner
Most of the advice for weathering these next few weeks is practical hygiene and courtesy:

• Wash you hands for at least 20 seconds...alot.
• Use a tissue to sneeze or cough. Throw it away and wash your hands.
• Don't touch your face.
• Use hand sanitizer when you can't wash.
• Wipe down often touched surfaces with antiviral cleaners. 
• Don't shake hands, hug, etc. Keep "social distance".
• Stay home if you are sick.

There are so many changes for the next weeks for our daily lives:

• Senior living facilities are closed to visitors and our senior saints are being kept in to reduce exposure.
• Schools are on hiatus. E-learning is a thing!
• CLC in person services are cancelled. Watch CLC services.
• All meetings and events involving the close gathering of people are cancelled.
• It's ok to go shopping or out to eat.

International Bible Study: Tuesday, 9:30-10:20, in our new virtual room.
We read Mark 7:24-30 and 31-37. Jesus travels outside the borders of his country to reach out to non-Jewish people. He drove out a demon and healed a deaf and dumb man. Read these excellent stories. Listen to the audio to practice your English listening. Crowds continue to follow him. Mark 8:1-14 tells how Jesus feeds the 4000 with seven baskets of leftovers. The numbers are so important: in the feeding of the 5000 there were 12 baskets of leftovers: the number of the tribes of Israel. There were seven Gentile churches! Jesus returns home to Israel. Jesus shows compassion and love caring for all people. He teaches us to do the same for one another.

March 17: Let's meet on Zoom to talk about Mark 8:14-21. Jesus teaches a lesson here. Get ready for a great discussion. You may have received an invitation or email me for the invitiation to join in. Alumni and out of towners are free to join us!

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30, in our new virtual room.
We made delicious beer cheese soup. Everyone pitched in cheese and a vegetable. The recipe is fairly simple. Finely chop your vegetables of choice (about 4 1/2 cups). Saute them in a little bit of butter to release the flavor. Add the vegetables to four cups of chicken (or vegetable) broth or stock and a can or bottle of beer. Let them simmer until tender. Add seasonings including prepared mustard, dry mustard, pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce (wouldn't Okonomiyaki sauce taste good here? Maybe a splash of catsup?)

Meanwhile, melt 1/3 cup of butter in another pan then add 1/3 cup of flour and stir constantly to make a roux or thick paste golden brown in color. Slowly stir in four cups of milk to make the base for the sauce. Stir in six cups of shredded or finely chopped cheese (we had a great variety).

Mix the two together and voila!

If you want a great basic recipe with more specific details: Wisconsin Natives Beer Cheese Soup.

March 17: Join me on Zoom to chat about St. Patrick's Day.  Alumni are welcome to pop in! Shoot me an email so I can create the invitation if you plan to join us. Unfortunately the parades and parties are cancelled, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a pint of Guinness and corned beef and cabbage. Take a break from buying TP and hand sanitizer and pick up cabbage, onions, carrots potatoes and corned beef. We can all make it in a cook along!

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, in our new virtual room.
We tested out our new Zoom classes meeting in classes. This class is wide open for you to join!

English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-11:30, in our new virtual rooms.
Look for e-mails from teachers inviting you to join our Zoom classes. It's easy. It's fun! Be cool like the college kids! Zoom even has a filter to make you beautiful!

gear: equipment
alumni: former students or members
from my experience: what I have encountered over time
repetoire: set of skills
opens a whole new world: new options
daily lives: how we live each day
exposure: having contact with someone or something
filter: a lens or setting that enhances a video or photo
voila: French for there you are or there it is
shoot me: send me something
pop in: join

Classes Suspended in an Abundance of Caution

Dear Friends,

Given current concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we are suspending classes and meetings beginning March 12 in consideration to our students and Friends, our staff, and CLC.

We plan to continue forward with our classes next week using Zoom, a video conferencing/meeting platform. Please load the app on to your computer or smart phone to be able to participate in our classes. Watch for more information to participate.

Please wash your hands and stay healthy.

Love,

Carolyn

March Madness

Hello Friends.

March is known for changeable weather and winds. The saying is that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Sunday was pleasant and that night we had our first spring thunderstorms. Lion?Lamb? It’s Indiana weather: if you don’t like it, wait a few minutes and it will change! It is a time of sudden and severe weather. Keep an eye out, listen to broadcasts and be prepared:

• Watch: be prepared to take action.
• Warning: take action!

The National Weather Service has some great resources to educate and prepare.

• Severe Thunderstorm Safety
• Tornado Safety

Speaking of the unexpected...March 6, in Settecani Italy people turned on the water taps in their homes and had wine come out! Read all about it! How could you even imagine to prepare for this? What would you do? I know I would fill my empty bottles!

Daylight Savings: Spring Forward
This weekend we have another change: we spring forward. Set your automatic clocks forward one hour. With this change, you will find that it will be dark in the morning when the  busses are running to take our children to school. Be aware. And beware, you may feel a little jet lag.

March Madness!
Hoosiers are basketball fanatics. We love hoops, so college ball playoffs are our cup of tea. The first week in March is the beginning of the end. As the brackets are set, you can play along. Watch for our bracket to open.

COVID 19 Corner: wash your hands
The Corona Virus, now named COVID-19. This is an everchanging news story. More and more information is coming out. A major caution announced recently is not to get caught up in the hype. Watch out for scams and don't be taken advantage of. There are many rumors and misinformation can cause more harm than good. Direct and trusted sources for information:

• CDC Corona Virus Disease 2019
• World Health Organization Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for the public

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30, room 100
In Mark 7: 1-23, we read about another clash the Pharisees and teachers of the law had with Jesus and his disciples. The church leaders were critical of Jesus’s disciples because they didn’t always wash their hands before they ate. We learned that pious Jews had many rules about washing not only themselves, but their cups, pitchers, and kettles, etc. In fact, in addition to the laws that God had given them, they had added many ceremonial laws about sacrifices, dietary and clothing restrictions, circumcision, and other aspects of social order. It’s not that these laws were bad.  In fact, even today we understand how important it is to wash your hands before you eat and whenever you come home from being in a public place. (Corona virus, cold, and flu protection!) But some Jewish leaders had placed more importance on these customs of the nation than they did on obedience to God’s laws. The bottom line is that Jesus teaches us there are two great commandments we must follow.  The first is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul and with all our mind. The second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. ~ Jan Heimann

March 10: Please join us as we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark. 

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30, room 100

We met and played the fun dominos game Mexican Train. This is a fast moving game and it is difficult to predict who will be the winner.

March 10: Bring a couple ounces of cheese and a vegetable (your choice!). We will make Beer Cheese soup! While we cook, we will talk about weather safety.

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, Bride's Room/123
We read an article on a powerful tornado in Nashville, TN and discussed about the safest places to be during a tornado when we are at home. Then we switched our topic to earthquakes and tsunami that often occur in Asia. Japan sits on or near the boundary of four tectonic plates. The pressure among the plates causes earthquakes. We talked about national parks in the US. One of us ranked Arches and Canyonlands in Utah and Rocky Mountain in Colorado as the best three national parks.  And we watched the ending scene of a movie that was shot in the Canyonlands on YouTube. ~ Kay Yokota

March 11: Join the conversation.

English Classes: Thursdays, 9:30-11:30, upstairs classrooms.
Our classes are finally back into swing. It was great to see so many people joined together to learn and talk. Welcome Justin, our newest student teacher.

March 12: Join us as we look toward our last months of the year.

English for Children: Thursdays, 9:30-11:30, Brides Room/123
We read the Three Little Pigs. This classic fairy tale teaches that prepared piggies can survive the huffing and puffing of the wolf and not get caught and eaten! What a fun story to learn about the dangers of a blowhard!

March 12: We will learn the delightful story of the Princess and the Pea.

unexpected: surprising
taps: faucets
Beginning of the end: the start of a season or event where people look forward to the results
be aware: watch out, alert
beware: look out for danger
fanatics: extreme fan
cup of tea: something you like
brackets are set: teams are put together
everchanging: always different
get caught up in: become intensely involved or worried
hype: intense public promotion or publicity
scams: dishonest scheme or fraud; effort to get your money or your information
don't be taken advantage of: be aware and educated so people can't cheat, trick or fool you
rumors: talk or information that doesn't have a real source
misinformation: information that is incomplete or incorrect
cause more harm than good: cause problems rather than be helpful
direct: immediate, without deviation
clash: a conflict; opposition, especially of views or interests
critical: inclined to find fault or to judge with severity
pious: having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations ceremonial: of, relating to, or characterized by ceremony; formal; ritual
on: about
blowhard: someone who talks and brags, but doesn't get the job done