"I understand French a little."
Our attempt to learn French continues, and it seems to get funnier each day. Our recent adventure in learning the "eu" sound (as needed in the sentence above) reminds me of a great story my Father-in-law Tom and Mother-in-law Thea often tell. When they were living in France Thea, who is Dutch and therefore is more familiar with the sounds made in French speech, tried often to help Tom learn French pronunciation better. There are 2 sounds for "u" that the French make that are very hard for the American ear to distinguish. So there were endless times when Tom would say something and Thea would attempt to correct the "eu" sound. One day Tom said something, pronouncing the "eu" wrong, and of course Thea automatically corrected him
"U" he said.
"Eu" she said.
"U" he said, trying to stay calm.
"Eu" she said a bit more forcefully.
"U" he said, not able to stay so calm.
"Eu!! Eu!! Eu!!" she exclaimed in exasperation.
Tom looked at her with concern, "are you having a problem?"
Needless to say she is feeling very exasperated with OUR current serious mispronounciation of this particular sound right now. So, you will often find us walking through the house practicing our "U" sound, and each time we say "U" you'll hear from another part of the house "Eu!!!" It must just drive her nuts.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Our beautiful seahorses
Dave just took some more pictures of our adorable seahorse tank that I couldn't resist sharing. This tank is 150 gallons, so it's huge and we are going to have to dismantle it when we leave for France. We are really going to miss these guys.
Isn't this one a beauty? The seahorses are very aware of what is going on outside the tank. When I come close to the tank they completely ignore me. But when Dave comes near the tank, especially in the morning when it's feeding time, they get very excited. This one is waiting to be fed. It's like he's posing for Dave. Feed me first. Aren't I so pretty?
This is Jacque. He is our very, very industrious cleaner shrimp. Dave calls him his little monster. He has an "office" in the tank. This is where the other fish, on a swim-in basis, come to get their scales and gills cleaned. Jaque's business has been really good evidently because he has gotten HUGE since he openned shop in the tank. Of course he is so industrious that he always gets a good share of the frozen shrimp that are put into the tank at feeding time too. You should see him. He has all of his little shrimp legs stuffing food into his little mouth. My mother-in-law has given Jacque the nickname Homer because he always looks like he's stuffing his face as fast as he can during feeding time. Num, num, num, num, num. The fish guides say that these cleaner shrimp grow to be a maximum of 2 inches. Jacque, however, hasn't read the fish guide and continues to grow to brave new lengths.
Another hide and seek picture of one of our shy little seahorses. Can you find him?
Meet Rocky Outcropping. She is the fattest fish in the tank. A friend of ours named her this because one day he was looking in the tank and suddenly one of the rocks moved!!!! But this rock is all personality.
Here is a couple doing their "love dance." When a seahorses are ready to mate (and the mate often!), they begin an incredible gorgeous mating dance. Starting in the morning, the first sweep across the sand at the bottom of the tank. Then they spiral around each other up to the top of the tank. Through the day they follow each other around, wrapping thier tails, spiraling their bodies around each other, he chases her a little, then she chases him a little. About mid-afternoon he starts to open his pouch to display it as if to say "hey baby, see how big mine is." Then eventually she delivers her eggs into his pouch to be fertilized. He carries the eggs in his pouch to gestation.
This is what happens when you act foalishly and don't use protection.
Our little seahorses. I just love them!
Isn't this one a beauty? The seahorses are very aware of what is going on outside the tank. When I come close to the tank they completely ignore me. But when Dave comes near the tank, especially in the morning when it's feeding time, they get very excited. This one is waiting to be fed. It's like he's posing for Dave. Feed me first. Aren't I so pretty?
This is Jacque. He is our very, very industrious cleaner shrimp. Dave calls him his little monster. He has an "office" in the tank. This is where the other fish, on a swim-in basis, come to get their scales and gills cleaned. Jaque's business has been really good evidently because he has gotten HUGE since he openned shop in the tank. Of course he is so industrious that he always gets a good share of the frozen shrimp that are put into the tank at feeding time too. You should see him. He has all of his little shrimp legs stuffing food into his little mouth. My mother-in-law has given Jacque the nickname Homer because he always looks like he's stuffing his face as fast as he can during feeding time. Num, num, num, num, num. The fish guides say that these cleaner shrimp grow to be a maximum of 2 inches. Jacque, however, hasn't read the fish guide and continues to grow to brave new lengths.
Another hide and seek picture of one of our shy little seahorses. Can you find him?
Meet Rocky Outcropping. She is the fattest fish in the tank. A friend of ours named her this because one day he was looking in the tank and suddenly one of the rocks moved!!!! But this rock is all personality.
Here is a couple doing their "love dance." When a seahorses are ready to mate (and the mate often!), they begin an incredible gorgeous mating dance. Starting in the morning, the first sweep across the sand at the bottom of the tank. Then they spiral around each other up to the top of the tank. Through the day they follow each other around, wrapping thier tails, spiraling their bodies around each other, he chases her a little, then she chases him a little. About mid-afternoon he starts to open his pouch to display it as if to say "hey baby, see how big mine is." Then eventually she delivers her eggs into his pouch to be fertilized. He carries the eggs in his pouch to gestation.
This is what happens when you act foalishly and don't use protection.
Our little seahorses. I just love them!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Mahna Mahna
Good morning Everyone!
There is one other thing regarding the dance performance on Sunday that I can't resist sharing with you. One of the soloists in the contest did an absolutely fabulous dance to the song Mahna Mahna. She had everyone laughing out loud. Owen was with us at the contest and he and Dave couldn't remember the name of this song while we were there. Owen did some research on the song, and came up with this terrific video clip. I hope you enjoy it....
http://www.devilducky.com/media/7452/
There is one other thing regarding the dance performance on Sunday that I can't resist sharing with you. One of the soloists in the contest did an absolutely fabulous dance to the song Mahna Mahna. She had everyone laughing out loud. Owen was with us at the contest and he and Dave couldn't remember the name of this song while we were there. Owen did some research on the song, and came up with this terrific video clip. I hope you enjoy it....
http://www.devilducky.com/media/7452/
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