froglivers

or, by speaking to your dog!

I work at home, and need to go into my mental cave to do it, so I have very limited contact with real spoken Dutch.

My solution was watching NOS Journal news and the Pauw and Witteman talk show on TV everyday, and trying to say what they said immediately afterwards. They have the best pronunciation anyway. (Much harder to understand and repeat is what the Smurfs are saying!)

I’d repeat segments to myself. Then I’d tell my dog what happened in Dutch news on our walks. Of course, you look like a complete crazy person, but Dutch people just smile and nod, so it’s ok.

Emily the dog was so helpful!

1. LM Montgomery- Anne’s House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside: Indulgence re-read (from childhood fave) so 4 count as one (maybe not even)

2. Nancy Mitford- Don’t Tell Alfred: 2/6 stars

3. Chris Cleave- The Other Hand: 6/6 stars

Well, I just had to go and pack on a couple more, WHILE on the “be sensible and don’t pig out on beer and chips” diet. thud

So, 8 pounds it is, not 5. Who knows. Maybe the “right for me” plan will end up being -5 after all.