会話の中でよく使われるフレーズやたのしいイディオムをシェアします。
タイトルをクリックしてください
A hedge or a fence?タイトルをクリックしてください
I'm still on the fence about what to replace our old fence with. In the meantime, as promised, here are a few idioms about hedges.
- Hedge your bets. Do something to prevent or prepare for future damage or loss. With the banks failing in the US, it's a good idea to hedge your bets by putting half your money in gold.
- Hedge in. To make a border or barrier around something. When I came out of AEON, I discovered my car had been hedged in on all sides by other cars! I was stuck.
- Hedge fund. A high risk high return investment. In 2011, his hedge fund had a return of 50 percent.
- Dragged through a hedge backwards. Look messy or disheveled. What happened to you??? You look like you got dragged through a hedge backwards.
- A hedge between keeps friendships green. Privacy is important for good friends also. I didn't ask too much about his children. You know what they say; A hedge between keeps friendships green.
Little hedgehog song:
https://youtu.be/UmbgykJLavY
How was your Golden Week? I spent three days in Tokyo, visiting my grandkids. It was wonderful. Then I was very busy for the rest of the week, but I did find time to finish some projects, and enjoy spring a little.
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My new sign. New classes start Monday.[/caption]
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I finally finished repairing and staining my terrace. I'm satisfied with the results.[/caption]
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Visited Inokashira Park Zoo with my grandkids. Surprised to see a カモシカ in the zoo![/caption]
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Had dinner at Sizzler restaurant in Mitaka City. It was delicious![/caption]
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Enjoyed beautiful azaleas at Senshu park.[/caption]
NEW CLASS INFO 新クラスタイトルをクリックしてください
5月より、新しい子どものクラスをはじめます。
定員：７名
月謝：4,500円
- HOP クラス：毎週金曜日（１－3年生） 4:30~5:20 (残り2人）
- STEP クラス：毎週月曜日（4－6年生） 4:30~5:20 (残り5人）
Thanks to your continuing support, I am happy to announce three new children’s classes.
- HOP CLASS: Friday; 4:30~5:20（3 seats open)
- STEP CLASS： Monday; 4:30~5:20
A fence or a hedge?タイトルをクリックしてください
Do you have a fence around your house? . . .a hedge?
My home has had a tall metal fence around two sides for the last 20 years. Suddenly in February, it was torn down without any warning. Our house is fully exposed to the world. I feel NAKED!
We have been thinking about what to put up in place of the old fence. There are many pros and cons to both fences and hedges. Please give me some good advice.
In the meantime, here are a few phrases, idioms about fences and hedges.
- On the fence. To be undecided about something. I'm on the fence about building a fence.
- Good fences make good neighbors. It's always good to have clear lines marking your side and their side. My neighbor's dog keeps coming into my yard, I guess I'll have to put up a fence. You know what they say, "good fences make good neighbors".
- Fence in. To trap, or feel trapped. I really feel fenced in by all these Covid 19 restrictions!
- Go for the fences. To try your hardest, make your best effort. I'm going for the fences in starting my new classes. (This comes from baseball, homeruns).
- Mend fences. To repair relationships. I was finally able to mend fences with my high school friend after 30 years of separation.
Taihei River April 9th, so early![/caption]
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Taihei River[/caption]
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Kakunodate, Hinokinai River, April 15th, my first time to see Kakunodate Cherry blossoms.[/caption]
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Hinokinai River[/caption]
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Famous Kakunodate Weeping Cherry Tree[/caption]
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Skunk Cabbage at Sashimaki, April 15th.[/caption]
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Dog tooth violets at Sashimaki[/caption]
Shopping Part 2タイトルをクリックしてください
To continue from my last post, here are 5 more uncommon shopping phrases.
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Separate checks / split checks. Divide the bill for each person of a group. Could we have separate checks please, all I had was a cup of tea.
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It's a rip off. Something that costs more than it's worth. $10 for a glass of OJ! What a rip off, they're taking advantage of us!
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Shopping spree. To spend a lot of money for many things. As soon as my Christmas bonus comes, I'm going on a camp gear shopping spree.
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Yard sale / garage sale. Selling your old things in front of your house, or in your garage. We'll have to leave early if we want to find anything worth buying at his garage sale.
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One stop shop. A store where you can get almost anything. Costco is almost a one stop shop, I really wish we had one closer than Sendai!
Have you had any fun shopping trips recently?
I bought a tent last week, I can't wait to try it out when I go hunting mountain vegetables this spring.
Next time, "Fences or Hedges"
Shop til you drop.タイトルをクリックしてください
In many of my classes, we have been studying shopping. Unfortunately, the inflation in Japan (and around the world) has taken some of the fun out of shopping. I did have a nice day shopping yesterday, and unexpectedly found many good deals at Dodger's Supermarket. So with a little newfound positivity, let's learn some uncommon shopping phrases.
- Shopping Therapy. (or Retail Therapy) Buying something to make you feel better. I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday, I think it's time for some shopping therapy.
- Shop around. Going to different stores to compare prices or services. (also used for dating). Don't settle on the first man you see, you'd better shop around! (see video below)*
- Shoplift. 万引き. One of the signs of the bad economy is a startling increase in shoplifting.
- Fit like a glove. to fit perfectly. That suit fits you like a glove. You should definitely buy it.
- Shop til you drop. To keep shopping until you're too tired to continue. (it's an exaggeration). I used to shop til I dropped all night! These days, one or two stores is my limit.
Thursday morning -5. Good morning![/caption]
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The path to our tents.[/caption]
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On the Babame road, a season's worth of snow.[/caption]
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A beautiful winter river.[/caption]
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Our path through unbroken snow, behind us,[/caption]
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In front of us.[/caption]
"Hoppy" New Year!タイトルをクリックしてください
HOP HOP HOP into 2023.
A belated happy new year to all my friends and students, and a VERY belated return to Marks's Phrase.
I've learned not to make promises I can't keep, but in the spirit of new year's resolutions, I will try harder to post more here on this phrase page . . .try, try, try!
I did have a wonderful Christmas and お正月. I spent it with family at home, quietly. I will post some pictures below for those of you who are interested.
In the meantime, I will continue my new year idiom tradition. This year is the year of the rabbit. So here are some common English rabbit idioms:
- Like a rabbit caught in the headlights. To be very surprised and freeze. When I asked my son where he was all night, he looked at me like a rabbit caught in the headlights
- Timid as a rabbit. Someone who is very shy or scared. It took a lot of courage to propose to my wife, I've always been as timid as a rabbit.
- Pull a rabbit out of the hat. To do something surprising or amazing. I can't believe I made it in time for the party New Year's Eve. I really pulled a rabbit out of a hat that day. (I'll tell you the details later).
- Multiply like rabbits. To have a lot of kids. That family has 19 KIDS! The parents really multiply like rabbits.
- The rabbit died. To be pregnant. I guess we're having another kid . . .the rabbit died.
- Go down the rabbit hole. To start a strange journey or search that only becomes curiouser and curiouser. If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, click on this link.
- If you chase two rabbits you can't catch either one. An easy to understand (?) proverb. The government is trying to cut taxes and increase welfare at the same time, but if you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one.
- Rabbit food. Salad greens. One of my new year's resolutions is to diet, so I've only been eating rabbit food this week.
- Rabbit on. To talk and talk and talk! I called to say a quick happy new year but he rabbited on for 45 minutes!
- Rabbit's foot. A good luck charm . . . but clearly not lucky for the rabbit! I put a rabbit's foot in my pen case for good luck on my entrance exams.
Today's BGM:
In a cottage in the wood
In the cottage in the woods, Little man by the window stood. Saw a rabbit hopping by, Knocking at the door.
“Help me! Help me! Help me!” he said, "Before the hunter shoots me dead!” “Little rabbit, come to me, Happy we will be.”
A rabbit song for adults; White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane
https://youtu.be/TKZVUtvjBdM [caption id="attachment_2482" align="alignnone" width="630"]
Building a snowhouse with my grandson[/caption]
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Nothing better than a winter barbecue.[/caption]
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with delicious meat.[/caption]
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This year's Christmas lights.[/caption]
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This year's Christmas tree[/caption]
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Taking my grandson for his first bowling experience.[/caption]
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First winter camp of the year.[/caption]
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Snowshoeing in beautiful Akita.[/caption]
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Blume Messe's Poinsettia tower.[/caption]I'm floored!タイトルをクリックしてください
I spent the weekend on the floor. No, I wasn't drunk (most of the time). I finally decided to put down a new cushion floor in my classroom. It was the first time I've tried it, so I spent a few weeks researching "how to" videos on you tube, and started Saturday afternoon.
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Step 1, measuring and cutting.[/caption]
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Step 2 fixing the holes in the old floor.[/caption]
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Step 3, putting down glue and waiting for it to dry.[/caption]
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Step 4, lay cushion floor.[/caption]
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1st half finished.[/caption]
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Step 5, remove furniture from other half, . . repeat.[/caption]
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Almost finished, completely exhausted![/caption]
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The final product[/caption]
I was actually very pleased with the results. It came out better than I had expected. What do you think? Be honest!
The worst part of the whole job, was moving furniture. I had to take out four big bookcases, a huge desk, three tables, a white board and a big monitor. I hope my back will be okay.
This got me thinking about "floors". There are many idioms in English that use "floor". Here are a few:
- I'm floored! This means "I can't believe something, or I am very surprised. I was floored by the prices in the supermarket last time I went shopping.
- Rooted to the floor. This means I was so scared or interested that I couldn't move. When I saw the terrible news about former PM Abe, I was rooted to the floor.
- Mop up the floor with. This means to win decisively. The Angels mopped up the floor with the dodgers (I wish).
- Get in on the ground floor. This means to start with something from the very beginning. If only I had gotten in on the ground floor of Apple, I would be so rich now!
- Have the floor. This means to be in charge for the moment. I will now turn the floor over to our new President.
- Sink through the floor. This means to be so embarrassed you want to disappear. After I tripped going down the aisle in my wedding ceremony, I wish I could have sunk through the floor.
- On the cutting room floor. This means some idea that was thrown away. I had some great suggestions during the meeting, but now they're all on the cutting room floor.
- Pace the floor. This means to be very worried about something and walk back and forth on the floor, literally or figuratively. I've been pacing the floor for weeks about my new job.
- ROTFL, Rolling on the floor laughing. This means something was so funny I couldn't even stand up anymore. It's used in SNS as ROTFL. That YOUTUBE video had me ROTFL!!
- Eat off the floor. This means the floor, or house is so clean, you could eat off the floor. It's used as an exaggeration. My new floor is so clean you could eat off it . . . .until tomorrow.
