I made a display case for my collection of old fishing floats. I found these floats on the beach over the last few years. They are all different except for three. Can you find the three which are the same?
There are two spaces left (残り) in the case. In 2019, I hope to fill them!
Vocabulary:
- float (動詞) = 浮く, 浮かぶ
- float (名詞) = ウキの種類
- soda/ice-cream float = soda with ice-cream floating on top
I bought this minature teaset for my daughter last Christmas, but she didn`t have a good place to keep the pieces, so last weekend I made this rack for her. When I gave it to her, she was so happy (which was a nice change; when I give handmade gifts to my wife, she often looks unhappy...).
Grammar:
- buy/make/cook 何か for 誰か
- give/send/take 何か to 誰か
I went camping at Wakasa-wada beach in Fukui. It`s late autumn now, so the campsite was empty. There were no campsite staff, so I didn`t have to pay. Nice.
I didn`t go swimming, but I enjoyed beachcombing (= looking for stuff on the beach). I found these colourful fishing floats, and some other stuff, which I kept.
Vocabulary:
- stuff ("スタッフ") = 物
- staff ("スターフ") = 部員, 使用人 etc.
Sometimes I help my son with his homework. This summer I helped him make this money box for his summer holidays homework. I collected most of the parts (except for the screws, ネジ以外) from the beach.
You insert a coin at the top & it rolls down to the bottom.
Grammar:
- help + 誰か + 動詞 or help + 誰か + to 動詞 (both okay)
- help + 誰か + with 名詞
My kids collected lots of small things such as coloured glass from the beach. I didn`t collect much, but I picked up these pieces of agate ( メノウ? 瑪瑙?). I don`t know what kind of agate it is - sorry, I don`t know much about stones. I didn`t have much time, so I didn`t find much - just a few pieces. Next time I go to that beach, I hope to find more.
Natural English:
- "don`t + 動詞 + much (+ 名詞)" = "動詞 + little (+ 名詞)" e.g. "I don`t have much money" = "I have little money" but the first style is much more common & natural in spoken English.
At the beach, my sons picked up various small items of `treasure` (宝) & put them in plastic boxes which I gave them. They also picked up some old turban shells (栄螺) but they stank (鼻をついた) so I told them to throw them away. They also wanted to pick small pine cones (松毬) from trees but I said "No!"
Vocabulary:
- Be careful: pick = [木から] 折る, pick up = [地面/床 から] 拾う
My kids wanted to make a cardboard (段ボール) house, so I asked my wife to get some cardboard boxes from the supermarket. However, we didn`t make a house. I decided to make a cardboard caboose (車掌車), like the one in my kids` book. I used a goods trolley (台車) as the base, so this caboose can move. I pushed it along the street outside my house, with my kids riding inside it. My kids were excited. My wife was embarrassed. I was satisfied. It was a fun holiday project.
Vocabulary:
- Be careful: 段ボール is a Japanese word, not English. (It sounds kind of like English, but it`s not!).
Before buying this toy car, I weighed up (considered & compared) the pros & cons (good & bad points):
Pro: only ¥50................................Con: My wife will still say, "a waste of money!"
Pro: My kids will play with it..........Con: My kids will probably break & lose it
Pro: Hatchback opens..................Con: Doors don`t open
Pro: Wheels in good condition......Con: Paint in bad condition
Finally, I looked at the bottom. It said "Made in Macau." That`s interesting! And `interesting` is a pro.
The pros outweighed the cons. I bought it.
I made these for the school lobby.
They`re not so big, & not so heavy. It didn`t take me so long to make them.
But what are they? Can you guess? Come on - it`s not so difficult!
The answer is in comments.
Vocab:
- not so... = そんなに... じゃない/くない です
I was so impressed by the 1967 Ford Mustang that I saw in Ichinomiya, I decided to make a toy version. As usual, I used recycled components.
In the background you can see the other similar ones that I`ve made. I wrote about them here: http://jp.bloguru.com/otto/158699/one-mans-trash-14
If my kids want, they can drive this one like Steve McQueen in Bullitt. It`s okay.
Vocabulary:
- As usual/ever/always = いつもと いっしょ
- Same as usual/same as ever/same as always = いつもと いっしょ
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