A Well Decorated Home

Denise Chatman

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Share some ways you have transformed a space to make it feel personal and cozy.
2. What ways do you decorate without spending too much?
3. The author mentions midnight blue and aqua blue in this article. Describe those colors. What other blues can you name?

Stars on My Son’s Ceiling
One of my favorite homes was the apartment we had when my son started grade school. It was small, but it was close to my son’s school. My mother helped me buy new furniture for it. I decorated it to make it feel like home for me and my son.

We bought a new bed and dresser for my son’s room. I painted the ceiling midnight blue with glowing stars all over the ceiling. I tried to mimic some of the constellations. We always had story time under those stars. He liked it when I read “Beauty and the Beast.” It was one of his favorite stories. I made the sounds of a grumpy beast, and he laughed each time.

Pink Towels and Bathtime
For the bathroom, we bought a new vanity with a matching mirror. I got a beautiful shower curtain and pink towels. Bath time was my favorite time of the day to spend with my son. I would sit kneeling on the floor next to him in the tub and he would tell me all about his day at school and what he did with his friends. He knew he could tell me anything and everything.

A Bed in the Dining Room for Me
For me, I put a full-size bed in the dining area. It fit perfectly. I draped curtains from the ceiling to make it feel like a separate room.

Special Touches
I love the sea, so I painted the kitchen a light aqua blue. I found some blue glass ornaments to put around the window. They were from Turkey.

That apartment may not have been big, but I made sure it was cute. I installed a stained-glass window I purchased for $100. (It was worth a lot more!)
The stained-glass window was full of irises, my favorite flower.

Happy Memories
My younger brother, David, came to visit. He spent the night. He complimented me on my decorating. I have many happy memories from my days in this apartment, which I made into a very personal and cozy space.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What strategies does the writer use to make her apartment personal and cozy? Be specific.
2. How does she avoid spending a lot of money?
3. Bring to class a picture of your favorite piece of art or home decoration.

Denise Chatman is a student in the Oakton College Adult Education Program in Des Plaines, Illinois. She has been a licensed cosmetologist for many years. She has always wanted to work on her writing, so she participated in a program at the library. She is grateful to the seasoned volunteers for their support of the creative process.

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My Family and Our Imperfect Home

Adelin Cibrian

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Read the title and the headings. Do you think you will be able to relate to this piece? Why or why not?
2. Read the box on p. 29. Discuss the difference between imperfect and impeccable. Is your home imperfect or impeccable?
3. As you read, note the words in bold italics. Use context clues to figure out what they mean.

Teamwork
Can you imagine living in an impeccable,
clean, quiet home, where there are no conflicts, everything is in order, and there are no financial worries? No, no, and no. That is definitely not my home. Keeping our house clean and in good repair and keeping the family out of debt is very challenging. It sometimes means we have
arguments. That does not mean we are not a close family or that we do not love each other. We know that a home does not need to be perfect to be happy; it just needs teamwork.

Kitchen Duties
In our home, every family member has a role to play. My husband and I are in charge of the food. Since my husband is a sous chef at a restaurant, he sometimes brings food home. He also cooks several specialties. While he cooks, I wash dishes. He prefers cooking, and I prefer washing dishes. We make a good team. My daughter sometimes joins us in the kitchen. She likes to make desserts, like banana bread or strawberries with cream.

Repairs
My husband makes small repairs around the house. If the sink is leaking, he can fix it. If there is a power outage, he knows what to do. My husband says, “If you know how to fix something, there is no reason to pay someone else to do it.” He is right about that! Especially these days, when everything is so expensive.

Chores
Fortunately, in my family, everyone washes their own clothes and picks up their belongings. My daughter keeps the living room neat and helps clean the bathroom. My son is supposed to be in charge of taking out the trash and recycling. But I always have to remind him. Sometimes I get angry and scold him, but he still forgets!

The Pets!
There is one more big chore in our home: taking care of the pets. We have two rabbits, Caramelo and Nieve. My husband said he would take care of them, but he only does it on weekends when he is off work. I do it on the other days. My daughter said she wanted a cat, and she promised to take care of it; but that was a lie too. When we brought the cat home, we thought it was a male, but it was a female. Later, three kittens were born. And I am the one who looks after them all. I enjoy doing it, but sometimes I have to rush. I have a job and a lot of chores. When I am off work, I cuddle them and talk with them.

The Expenses
Nowadays, everything is so expensive. The income of just one or two people is not enough. When my son turned 21, we let him know that he needed to help cover the expenses. Sometimes one of us has to lend money to another when we have an emergency, such as taking our pets to the veterinarian, or when we have to help our families in Mexico.

Not Aiming to Be Perfect
Our home is not perfect, especially when we argue about household chores and struggle to resolve financial issues. But we are not aiming to be perfect. We are aiming to take responsibility and support and love each other. When everyone shares the chores and contributes to the finances, life is easier and more fun.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Which sentence best summarizes the essay. Explain why you picked your answer, and why you didn’t pick the other answers.
A) Mothers do most of the work around the house.
B) While managing chores, pet care, and finances creates occasional arguments, a family stays close and happy by sharing responsibilities and supporting one another.
C) It’s okay to have an imperfect home.
D) Fixing household leaks and cooking meals at home are the two most important skills for keeping a family out of debt.
3. Note the structure of this essay. It has an introductory paragraph, four body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Find the topic sentence in each paragraph. In the introductory paragraph, find the sentence that best points to what the essay will be about. How does the author prove her point? Be specific.
4. Write an essay describing how you manage food, repairs, and chores in your home. Write an outline first and make sure you have an introductory paragraph, at least three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence and supporting details.

Adelin Cibrian is a student in the English Multilingual Learner program at Santa Rosa Junior
College in Santa Rosa, California. She lives in the city of Cloverdale, California. Adelin always enjoys learning something new; she believes it never hurts to know a little extra. “You never know when you might need it.” She loves challenges, especially those involving academic improvement.

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Home is Where the Board Games Are

Alvaro Perez

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Did you (or do you) play games with your family? If so, which games?
2. What are some of the conflicts that come up when you play games? How do you navigate those conflicts?
3. Some games involve competition. Others involve cooperation. Some games involve teamwork, and some are played individually. Which kinds of game do you prefer?
4. Note the sentence in the first paragraph that includes em dashes. What is the role of the em dashes in this sentence?

A Good Way to Learn
When I was little, my family always enjoyed playing board games. My wife and I decided we wanted our children to have this same experience. We believe that if you give children the tools to entertain themselves with things other than screens—which seems to be the only thing they can entertain themselves with these days—they will have a better relationship with their siblings and their parents.

We started by teaching them simple card games and board games. Then we moved on to Parcheesi, and after that, we let them discover different games on their own. We have games that focus on different skills, such as math, logic, and strategy.

A Good Way to Have Fun and Connect
Now that they’re a little older, the game they like best is a strategy game called Catan. Before starting, they set up the board, which has several parts. Once we start playing and everyone takes their positions on the board, that’s when we have the most fun, because each one has their own strategy, and it almost always clashes with someone else’s. There’s usually someone who thinks we’re all playing against them.

The moments we share together are a great chance to strengthen our relationships. From time to time, big feelings surface, and home is the perfect place for that. In the safety of family, my wife and I can help our kids navigate frustration, learn that life doesn’t always unfold as expected, and develop healthy ways to cope with disappointment. We try to do this in a relaxed, playful way that keeps everyone feeling supported and connected.

Those fun times we spend playing as a family are what define a home for me.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. According to the author, why are board games good for his family?
2. Write a paragraph describing a game you play. It could be a card game, board game, or outdoor game. Start with a topic sentence. Then explain the rules and skills needed to play. Use sequencing words, like first, then, and next. Finally, end your paragraph with a concluding sentence.
3. Write another paragraph explaining why you like the game. Make sure to use a topic sentence and include at least three details about why you like it. Finish with a concluding sentence.

Alvaro Perez is a student at Eastconn Adult Education in Willimantic, Connecticut. Two years ago, he moved to the United States with his wife and their three children after his wife received a job opportunity here. The transition was challenging at first, especially because Alvaro did not speak English. However, as he began learning the language, he discovered the opportunities the U.S. has to offer. Over time, he came to feel at home in his new community.

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Home, Sweet Home

Cinderella Tran

BEFORE YOU READ:
Think about the title. Note the punctuation. It includes a noun, an adjective, and then the same noun. Pick a noun and write your own phrase modeled on this one.

I don’t care if my house is big or small. I just want my house to feel comfortable. I always feel comfortable with my family. We are a loving family. We laugh a lot together. We never use bad words, or argue in front of our children. When we go to the store, we buy something that our children love. We take care of our children if they get sick. That is our lovely family.

I also like being at home alone. When I am alone, I have a lot of things to do. I like my home to be clean and neat every day. Every morning, I mop the whole house in only 15 minutes. When I use any item, I put it away at once. I never mess up my house. Any time I go outside and come back home, I don’t need to clean up again. I only sit down on the couch to rest.

I don’t want to be boring, so I love to decorate my house each season. We like to celebrate the Lunar New Year with lanterns that hang on the ceiling. We decorate with five fruits, apricot flowers, and red envelopes.

I like my simple life. I wish my sweet home is always sweet home.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Notice the phrasal verbs mess up and clean up and sit down. Make a list of other phrasal verbs and try using them in sentences.
2. Share how you decorate for the holidays.

Cinderella Tran is a learner at the Redlands Adult Literacy Program at AK Smiley Public Library in Redlands, California. Her Vietnamese name was Thu Bich Ngoc Tran. She came to the USA in 1999. She likes “Cinderella,” the movie, so she took that name when she got her U.S. citizenship.

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Me and My Cats

Emmanuel Mesa

BEFORE YOU READ:
Describe what you see in the portrait of Emmanuel and his cats. What adjectives come to mind when you study the picture?

When I adopted my cats, they were not healthy. Their paws and their eyes were injured. Parts of their tails were burned. They had a lot of fleas and parasites. I took care of them. I took them to the vet for treatment and for vaccinations and sterilization. It took almost five months for them to be healthy and happy. Since that time, they have shown me their love. They love it when I’m at home with them.

Now they’re part of my life. Sometimes I’m busy at work. I am away from home for 15 to 17 hours. My roommate sends me videos of them. He says they are asking for me, which is funny.

When I’m feeling sad living in New York City, they remind me that I’m not alone. In fact, it’s the opposite. I adopted them, but they have adopted me too! They show their love to me. They show me that I am their favorite human.

They have known me since they were kittens. They were hurt, dirty, and had no home and no love. But now we are each other’s home and each other’s family.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Describe the relationship Emmanuel has with his cats. What does he mean when he says “they have adopted me”?
2. In your experience, do pets make a house feel more like a home? If so, how?

Emmanuel Mesa is a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. He loves animals and nature, and he believes this planet is our home.

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