The Books

When I have a free time, I like to read the book. There are many books in the world. It makes me and everybody smart. A kind of books that I like. It is many books for young readers. I like it because there are beautiful pictures. There are many color. Some of these are for youths 12 to 18. Others are for children under 12. There are even some books for babies. And they can’t even read!

People who write for youths write all kinds of books. Some write about real things, like stars, cars, or boats. But others tell stories that are made up. Many of these stories take place in the past. But some show what it’s like to live today. These may be about going to school or being part of a family.

Books for young children use a lot of beautiful pictures. They are a big part of each book. So, many writers of children’s books also draw the pictures. These writers make sure that their books are more than just fun stories to read. They make them look good, too!

Some children’s books tell very old stories. Many have animals in them that talk and do things that people do. Some of these animals might be bears. Others might be foxes. A little mouse and a big lion might even be in the same story.

Many books for very little children are all pictures. Others may have a word here and there. Books for babies may have something to push that makes sounds. This kind of book may make animal sounds. Then it may have a picture of the animal that makes each sound. It may also have its name. This way, the baby gets to know what sounds some animals make.

Stores

Do you like shopping? Where? Ever women like shopping. I believe that. But nobody know, long ago people did not need stores very much. People grew most of their food. They made most of the things they needed. So stores were small. People did not pick up a lot of think there.

In time there were more and more people. They didn’t have time to grow or make as many thinks. So they had to find another way to get them. More and bigger stores were needed.
Today we find stores in every town and city. In these stores you can find food, books, shoes, flowers, and even cars. There are stores for you to find everything you might want or need. Some stores sell only one or two kind of thing. In others you can find all kind of goods.

A stores that sells many kinds of things is called a department store. There people can get everything they need without leaving the store. For department stores to do well, many people come to shop in them. So you find them mostly in big cities.

Department stores are big stores. Many people work there. Some go out and find the thing to sell in the stores. Others sell this thing to the people who shop there. Some store people keep track of the money that is taken in. Others think up ways to get people to shop in the store. Still others are needed to keep the store clean.

A Dream

Do you like animals? Yes I like. It is the answer when other people ask me. Once time I want to be a doctor for animals. It is a best job because animals get sick just like people. When they do, they need a doctor. There are doctor that just take care of animals. They work hard to keep them well. Sometimes sick animals can make people sick. So animal doctors help us too when they care for sick animals.

Some animals doctor work in cities. They mostly take care of pets. They help a dog that has a cold. They take care of a kitten’s eyes. They give dogs and cats shots to keep them from getting sick. Many of these doctors look after birds and rabbits, too.

Some animal doctors work in the country. They go from farm to farm. They care for farm animals like pigs and horses. Or they may help a mother cow. These animal doctors put in a long day. Sometimes they must go far out into the country to help a sick farm animal.

A zoo animal may need doctors, too. So there are those who work in zoos. These animal doctors must know how to care for all kinds of animals. Sometimes it takes a lot of time just getting close to a zoo animal to care for it.

I think, let’s say a lion is sick. How do doctors get near it? First a helper puts food in a small cage. Then the door is opened. The lion goes after the food, and the cage door is closed. Now that the lion is in the small cage, the doctors can get close to it.

Now I don’t want to be an animal doctor. But I know animals want love and care. I can do it and everybody can do it, too.

The Games

What do you do in your free time? Somebody plays spots. Somebody sleep. Somebody watches T.V. or listen to the radio. But somebody plays games, me too. I like to play word game with my friends. You can think about many words in a few minutes. So,I will tell you about many kind of games, you know?

There are many kinds of games. There are board games and card games. There are word games you can play on the paper. All of these you can do in your home. But you play most running games and ball games outside.

People have always had a good time playing games. It’s fun. It’s also a way for people to get together. And playing games helps people rest after working all day. Some people make up games to play. Others play games everyone knows. It doesn’t matter. People just like to play.

Games are not fast. Some games were played a long, long time ago. Many of these were board games and card games. There are pictures that show people from Egypt playing board games. These pictures were made about 4,500 years ago!

Early people liked to play ball games, too. Very early people didn’t use balls, the way we do today. They didn’t have any. So they used rocks. Sometimes they hit these with sticks. Today we hit balls with bats. Many of these early ball games were like the ones we play today.

Some games help people learn how to think. Word games help people learn to spell. Board games make people think things out. Outside games like ball games help people, too. They help them to get good ay things like hitting a ball. And they help make people strong. So go on and play! It’s good for you.

Friend

Are there many friend in your life? I think, I’m very good luck because there are many best friend in my life. And I think everyone need friend. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh, and do thing with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We don’t always want people around. But we would feel very alone if we never had a friend.

No two people are just the same. Sometimes friends don’t get along. That doesn’t mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will make up and go on being friend.

Sometimes friends move away. Then we feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we can call them and write to them. It could be that we will even see them again. And we can make new friend. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them.

Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many place are named after men and women who have been friendly to people in a town. Some parks are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.

There is more good news for people who have friend. They live longer than people who don’t. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy help you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares. If someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself.

What is your favorite food?

There are many food in Thailand. Pat thai is a kind of food whice I like and many people like, too. My mother make it every weekend when I come back home. I think, it good for health because there are many kind of vegetables and you can make it easy. More over when I go to Bangkok, Pat thai find it in Bangkok and comes from testing hundreds of different versions from food cart around the city. In Bangkok, where Pad Thai originated, it is street food that you buy from a food cart; the cook has been making and perfecting it for years, cooking the same dish, day after day. Compared to the red, oil coated version you normally find in western restaurants, this one is drier and more tastes fresher and more complex. I've never seen oily, red pad thai in Thailand.

Pad Thai is another perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. Add more tofu if you like.

Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 10-15 minutes. Julienne tofu and cut into pieces 1 inch long. When cut, the extra firm tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. Cut up Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.

Use a wok if you do not have one but any big pot will do. Use high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the cashew nuts until toasted and remove them from the wok. Add shallot, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to cook a little brown. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce, chili pepper and preserved turnip. Stir. The heat should remain high. If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point. Turn up the heat, if it is the case. Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles. Add shrimp and stir. Add bean sprouts, chives. Stir a few more times. The noodles should be soft and very tangled.

Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with fried cashews. Serve hot with banana flower, a wedge of lime, raw Chinese chives and raw bean sprouts.

As always, in Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste. Some people add more pepper or sugar at this point.
Pat thai is a famous food in Thailand and everybody like it, if you eat it.

Sleepy

We all get tired when night comes. Then we need to sleep. That is why we need beds. But not all beds are the same.

It is a good change for me because my father is a carpenter. He makes furniture for other people and the bed is a kind of furniture which he makes. He say, “there are many kind of bed.”

One kind of bed is the bunk bed. Bunk beds are two beds placed one on top of the other. This kind of bed doesn’t take up as much room as two beds side by side. It is a nice way to sleep if two or more children are sleeping in the same room. That is why families with many children use them.

Second, a water bed can be a lot of fun. It is a very big bag that’s filled with water. The water can be made nice and warm. You move up and down as the water moves. It is something like being on the boat. It pats you to sleep.

Third, a cot is a very light bed. When it is not being used, you can fold it up and put it out of the way. Then you can take it out again when you need it. You can use it for a day. A cot is just right for someone who is sleeping over.

In some places people sleep on mats. The mats are made of long pieces of grass. People take them out at parks. Then they put the mats right on the floor. In the morning people take them up off the floor and roll them up. Think of how much room a house has with no beds.

I think, when we are sleepy, we can sleep everywhere where we feel safe and comfortable. It is in our house where it have bed or don’t know bed.