It's time for me to start preparing our Summer holiday. This year, my family and I will take a trip to Spain for a month. We will visit my father and sister in Scotland and England first, and then family and friends in Spain. I can't wait. Our preparations actually started last Summer, when I discovered that we had accumulated quite a lot of air miles over the past few years. I wondered how many return tickets from Seattle to London could be bought with those air miles. To my surprize(se), most of our tickets were covered. "I have to organize(se) a substantial trip," I said to myself. "Who knows when we will have another opportunity..." So, I got the tickets over the phone with a representative from British Airways, got the confirmation number, and jumped for joy. Now, I need passports for my two youngest children. So, off to the Court House I go. It is one of the oldest buildings in town, quite ornate compared to the plain buildings that are typical of towns in the U.S. I walked up the marble steps to the third floor, to the passport department. I was suddenly confronted with two security guards, a metal detector, and a body search. Gosh, I didn't realize(se) it would be like this. My bag was searched, my body was checked, and I was given the ok. Phew! All I needed were two application forms. It was a quick in and out visit. As I left, I walked past other departments: marriage license, car license, building permits, and the court house that serves all of Wenatchee. It was all business and activity. There was even a jail! It was actually exciting to be in a place where important contracts and decisions are made on a daily basis, in a place where it all happens.

Grammar notes.

Practice of the verb 'to be' + past participle as an adjective.

1. The chair was painted the most beautiful blue.

2. The corn fields are harvested by machine nowadays.

3. The words of the prayer are carved into the stone.

4. We were driven to the opera by my cousin.