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April 2021

Same Sounds 2

Same Sounds 3

Short Letters 21

Diary Day 8 - Lesnes Abbey

Same Sounds 2 (2 April 2021)

See March blog for intro

It is a very tight knot and I think it is not possible* to undo* it.

I know that there are no emails and no letters for me today*.

She hurt her nose and no-one knows how it happened.

He made ten laps of the circuit with no lapse of concentration.

She led the group up the mountain for a tour of the lead mine.

I wanted to water the leeks but the watering can leaks.

* Omission phrase "it is not poss(ible)"

* "undo" Not using the short form, therefore shows both vowels

* "today" Generally advisable to insert the vowel, especially here as "to do" would make sense

The animal on the golf links was an escaped lynx.

We have had just one lone customer asking for a loan.

I made the beds every day until I hired a maid to do it for me.

A notice was sent by mail to all the males in the area.

The lion’s big mane is its main feature for identification.

The marshal was very experienced in martial arts.

We decided to meet at the restaurant and order some meat dishes.

When the judges meet, they will decide what punishment to mete out to the offenders.

You have to keep in mind that the area used to be* mined for gold.

A thick mist descended on the village and I missed the path I should take.

As was his usual mode of operation, he mowed the grass then swept the paths.

The moose was attracted by the smell of the mousse in the food bag.

* Omission phrase "used (to) be"

He was collecting mussels but pulled his muscles bending over.

The nun had heard many excuses but none like that.

I bought one ticket for the draw and found I had won a small prize.

They made a pact to always stay* together in the packed crowds.

The pail of milk from the cow was a pale yellow.

I was in great pain from the cuts after breaking the glass pane.

* "stay" "sit" "seat" These and their derivatives are best vocalised, as they are all similar meanings

I saw a pair of dishes on the table each containing an apple and a pear.

The children asked me to pare the apple and pear for them.

He put a fence round the pea patch so the dog could not pee on it.

I found a piece of land* where I can camp out in peace.

He decided to peek over the wall and saw the snow covered peaks.

In a fit of pique, she complained to them about the barking Peke*.

* "of land" Not phrased, as here it could be read as "island"

* "Peke" Abbreviation for Pekingese dog

There was a peal of laughter as he tried to peel the orange with one hand.

He would pedal around the village every week to peddle his goods.

We would peer over the edge of the iron pier and watch the waves.

The waiter had reserved their place and brought a meal of plaice and chips.

It was quite plain to me that he had taken a plane trip out of the country.

Please read this report about all the pleas that have been made in the court.

The man with the quartz watch bought three quarts of milk.

The king would reign for many years but had to rein in his nobles.

It will rain heavily so I will not be putting the reins on the horses today.

He raised his eyes to the sky and saw the rays of sunlight on the clouds.

They may raze the town to the ground but we will raise it up again.

I started to wrap the present but then there was a rap at the door.

I have read all the books you gave me, except the little red one.

You must read this book about how to use reeds from the river.

It was a real* joy to be given the antique fishing reel.

If you reek of smoke, you will wreak havoc at the party.

The poor wretch was very ill and would retch at the sight of food.

It is only right that the wedding rites be observed by them. (636wds)

* "real" This is sometimes pronounced the same as "reel", although derivatives have a clearer diphone: reality, realtor, realistic, realism

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Same Sounds 3 (3 April 2021)

See March blog for intro

A wright is a worker and I shall write the definition in my notebook*.

The cyclists rode down the same country road every weekend.

In my role in the play, I have to make rolls in the kitchen.

The builders removed the tree root from the route of the trench.

I have several rows of beautiful rose bushes in full bloom.

He wrote about how he had to learn by rote at school.

* "notebook" Insert the first vowel, compare "handbook" (written through the line, being a short form joined to a third position outline)

I began to rouse myself when I heard the noisy rows next door*.

I will sail through the morning’s work, then go to the sale later on.

I have seen the painting in the gallery of the famous battle scene.

I see that you are off on holiday next week* to stay by the sea.

It would seem that the tailor has not finished the seam properly*.

I am going to seize this opportunity to travel the seas of the world.

* Omission phrases "ne(k)s(t) door" "ne(k)s(t w)eek"

* "properly" "appropriately" Insert the vowel/diphone as these are similar in outline and meaning

He sees his new yacht as one of the best vessels on the seas.

I am so pleased that I learned to sew when I was younger.

Sow all the seeds in lines, so you know which ones are the weeds.

Through sheer hard work, they managed to shear all the sheep.

They sighed with relief when the side of the box was removed.

I am the sole musician left from that old soul band.

Please help me with this sum, so that I can save some time.

The dog licked my shoe and I had to shoo it away.

Their son and his friends stayed out in the sun all day yesterday.

I stayed at the house of my aunt, a very old and staid lady.

I stopped to stare at the woman as she sat on the top stair.

I feel I need a stake to break up this overdone steak!

They tried to steal the vehicle but it was secured with steel clamps.

We have a new style of gate instead of the old wooden stile.

A very sweet couple came in to buy a suite of chairs.

In the drawer I found some old brass tacks and a tax return form.

He told the children an interesting tale about the foxes' tails.

We shall have tea at one and then tee off at about half past two.

It began to teem with rain, so the football team could not play.

The stadium seats were in tiers, and the fans had tears in their eyes.

He would tease them with stories of the delicious cream teas he had eaten.

The children threw their ball through the open kitchen window.

In the throes of the final battle, the hero throws down his weapon.

Sitting on his throne, the king had the rebels thrown into prison.

Now that the weather is dry, it is time to pick some thyme leaves.

They tied up the boat so that the tide would not carry it away.

The toad is a five-toed animal that lives in ponds.

The big toad jumped out as we towed the van out of the field.

We looked in vain for someone to make a weather vane.

The doctor searched in vain for an easy vein for the injection.

It was a beautiful vale in the country with a veil of mist over it.

He did not waste any food but then his waist grew bigger.

We had to wait a long time for them to check the weight of the box.

We could wave goodbye to our worries when he decided to waive the charges.

I was very weak afterwards and stayed home for the whole week.

She spilled some egg yolk on the white yoke of her dress. (617 words)

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Short Letters 21 (12 April 2021)

Thank you for your letter in regard to* your order which you placed with us last month. I am pleased to inform you* that we are now able to send these goods and you will receive them within the next day by express courier. Please accept our apologies for this delay and we hope that you* find the goods to your complete satisfaction. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is* any query or if you require any further information* or advice. We look forward* to being able to* supply orders, now that the manufacturer has increased production. (100 words)

*Omission phrases "in (re)gard (to)" "I am please(d to) inform you" "and we (h)ope that you" "further (informa)tion" "look fo(r)ward"

* "if there is" Doubling to represent "there"

* "to being able to" Based on the short form phrase "to be"

Thank you for contacting us to request details of our delivery services in your area. I have pleasure in enclosing our leaflet which gives full lists of services offered and rates for delivery to different regions. We are now offering a premium service which guarantees delivery within twelve hours, which is ideal for important documents that require a fast and secure passage between offices in different places. For an even greater saving, a yearly subscription ensures your documents get priority delivery within a timescale that suits you. I would be happy to discuss this with you if you are interested. (100 words)

With reference* to our telephone conversation* on Monday, I regret to have to say that* we cannot supply the exact articles that you asked for. Production of these has ceased but we have an alternative similar product available at the same price, of which I enclose details for your consideration*. If you would like to receive these, I will ensure your order is dealt with immediately, so that you can take delivery within a week of receipt of your instruction. This price will be held for one month and I hope that the* items will be of interest to you. (100 words)

* Omission phrases "w(ith re)f)erence" "telephone (conversa)tion" "to have (to) s(ay) that" "for your (con)sideration" "and I (h)ope that"

Thank you for your letter asking about job opportunities at this company. We do have several vacancies in our accounts and customer services departments at the moment*, and if you are interested in pursuing any of these, please enter the code below on the jobs section of our website, in order to* gain access to full descriptions*, requirements and application form downloads. Your application may be made online, and if selected for interview, we would expect to see originals of your exam certificates. Please ensure that you make your application in good time. We look forward* to hearing from you. (100 words)

* Omission phrases "at (the) moment" "in ord(er to)" "look for)ward"

* "descriptions" The plural does not use the contraction, in order not to look like "discourse" which has a similar meaning

I am writing to enquire if you have any openings in your company for a position as a junior* clerical assistant. I shall be leaving college very soon and I am looking for a post where I can make good use of the office, computer and accounting skills that I have studied over the past year*. My exam results are due in one week and I am confident that they will be positive. I already have a shorthand pass certificate at 90 words a minute* and am aiming to take the hundred test shortly. I look forward* to your reply. (100 words)

* "junior" Showing how the intervening diphone is written, but not generally necessary to insert it

* Omission phrases "pas(t) year" "words (a) minute" "look fo(r)ward"

Your letter of last week* enquiring about job opportunities has been passed to me for attention. I am the Head of the Outsourcing Department where we provide office staff for companies that need short and medium term help. We do have a great need for shorthand writers* who can take minutes of meetings, as our clients are realising the value of having a trained independent person to do this. We also offer further training facilities where you can improve your speeds, English and report writing skills. We would be interested to hear from you if you would like to apply. (100 words)

* Omission phrases "las(t w)eek" "short(hand) writers"

Thank you for your enquiry about our office services. We can certainly supply staff for you on a temporary basis to do this extra work that has become necessary in your business. We have several high speed writers who can attend all your meetings, and we will allocate one person to you to cover the whole of this period. All our staff are carefully tested for their aptitude and ability to do this demanding work, and we are confident that our staff will provide an excellent service for you, at a reasonable cost. We await your decision in due course. (100 words) (Total 700 words)

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Diary Day 8 - Lesnes Abbey (28 April 2021)

This is the time of year for our annual bluebell hunt. In the past we would arrive at a newly-discovered park or woodland, and on seeing a swathe of spent spring flowers, we would make a mental note to revisit at the right time next season. Over the years we have reduced the number of misses, although this year the reason for missing has been the restrictions on travel. April is the best time* for seeing bluebells and the most dense display is to be found in Perivale Wood in north west London, which has an annual bluebell open day. We were not able to go there this year but we did get our bluebell fix at Lesnes* Abbey Woods in south east London.

*Omission phrase "bes(t) time"

* "Lesnes" Pronounced "lez-niss"

The woods are on a steep high hill overlooking the ruins of Lesnes Abbey. Its full name is the Abbey of St Mary and St Thomas the Martyr at Lesnes, and it was built in 1178 by Richard* de Luci, who was the equivalent of Prime Minister of England, answerable directly to the King. St Thomas refers to Thomas Becket who was murdered* in Canterbury Cathedral at about that time. The monastery was the home of Augustinian monks and in addition to their administrative duties they ran an infirmary, and accommodated guests and travellers. The Abbey was closed in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey at the beginning of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and was then pulled down. Some of the foundation stonework has been restored and all we can see today is the outline of the buildings at ground level.  The first part of the name Lesnes is from an old English word for burial mound or shelter, and the second part means headland. Nearby Lessness Heath is a variation on this.

* "Richard" Distinguishing outline, compare "Roger" which has a hooked Jr stroke

* "murdered" "martyred" Helpful to insert the intervening vowel signs in these, as theses outlines only differ in position.

As that week was the last part of the school half term break, the lower parkland and café areas were fairly busy with families enjoying some new freedom on a warm sunny morning. Despite the notices dotted around, many children were climbing excitedly over the stones, which presented an irresistible invitation, especially as there are such long lengths of them to walk along.  As the tops of the foundations are the interior stones, they are irregular and angular, and so not really the ideal safe playground. Some children had reached the top of one of the taller walls and were not so much Kings of the Castle, more like Abbots of the Monastery, although that doesn’t rhyme with “rascal”!

* "rascal" Downward L to continue the anticlockwise motion of the circle, likewise "scale" "skill" "squeal" "quell". Upward L if there is a final vowel: "rascally" "scaly"

We made straight for the steep flight of steps into the high woodland, out of the direct sunlight and into the shadier paths through the trees, which were just coming into leaf, with a pale green haze over the branches. There are many paths to take, and we were led on by the amount of blue streaks that we could* see. After very many stops to take photos, we eventually settled on a bench at the top of the hill to have our sandwiches. Despite the main road being not far away, the woods are quiet, other than the conversations of occasional passing walkers*. We were surrounded by bird song, the twittering and repetitive calls of the smaller birds, and the raucous complaints of crows and magpies. A ring necked parakeet was sitting high up in the tree in front of us, gently chattering to itself, which is rather a change from the usual screeching that they are better known for.

* "we could" Not phrased, so it is not misread as "we can"

* "walkers" Derivative of "walk" therefore just adds the Ar stroke. "Wicker" has Way plus Kr stroke.

The bluebells were not at their fullest, so we made a return visit a week later. The weather was again sunny and warm, and the place was much quieter, as the children were back at school. The bluebell display was indeed thicker and bluer, and we made a different circuit of the paths. In amongst the blue were patches of white wood anemone. The trees were now covered in pale yellowy* green new leaves, very different from the dark and shady* appearance it will take on over the summer. I imagined the monks walking about here, inspecting the state of their precious resource, and collecting firewood and useful plants. We left the bluebell area and continued further into the woods, up a wide shallow stepped path. It was clear that following this route would involve another long circuit of the other side of the woodland, so we decided to leave that exploration for another visit during the summer, when the scenery and sounds will be entirely different. (746 words)

* "yellowy" Insert the final diphone, as "yellow green" also makes sense

* "shady" Insert the final vowel carefully, as "shaded" also makes sense

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