Powdered sugar crime scene

Here’s a story about my Yorkie’s unexpected encounter with a plate of angel wings*. I was reminded of it recently while discussing Fat Thursday traditions with one of my students, and I decided it was too good not to share.

It happened about ten years ago, when my Yorkie was still young. I was ill that day, so I was lying in bed with a terrible headache, a fever, and a painfully sore throat. I was home alone, and the flat was completely silent.

Suddenly, I heard a strange noise — a soft, almost inaudible scratching, tapping, and faint* crunching. It puzzled me because there was nobody else at home, but in my miserable state, I chose to ignore it. I assumed it might have been my imagination, or perhaps a sound coming from the pipes. Feeling too weak to investigate, I simply turned over and fell asleep.

Some time later, I woke up and went to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. That’s when I discovered what the mysterious noise had been. On the coffee table stood a plate of angel wings. When I had last seen it, the plate had been full. Now, half of them had vanished. A delicate trail of powdered sugar led directly to my dog’s bed.

The evidence was undeniable.

The culprit* was sleeping, blissfully unaware of the crime she had committed. While I was sleeping, she must have been quietly stealing the pastries one by one, carrying them to her bed, and devouring* them in peace. Halfway through the plate, she must have grown tired - and fallen into a deep, sugar-induced sleep.

What made the situation even funnier was the fact that my dog had never tried to steal anything from the coffee table before. That’s why I had felt completely safe leaving the treats there. Otherwise, I would never have done such a thing.

This time, however, the irresistible aroma of freshly fried, sugar-coated angel wings must have been too tempting. She must have forgotten all about her manners.

When I saw the scene, I burst out laughing.

At the time, it didn’t even occur to me that she might have upset her stomach — which, in hindsight*, she might well have done. Now, as a senior dog, she has to follow a strict diet because her pancreas* has become rather delicate.

Still, that powdered-sugar heist* remains one of my favourite memories.

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✨ Who knew Fat Thursday could turn into a grammar lesson?

But it’s true — it’s a great excuse for storytelling practice. Because behind every good story there are… tenses. And yes, even if grammar isn’t your favourite thing, narrative tenses are something you simply can’t avoid 😉

So, let’s take a look at some examples from my story:

✅ Past Simple

Completed actions:

It happened years ago.

I woke up and went to the kitchen.

✅ Past Continuous

Background / ongoing actions:

I was lying in bed with a terrible headache.

The culprit was sleeping. 

✅ Past Perfect

Earlier past action:

When I had last seen it, the plate had been full.

Half of them had vanished.

...unaware of the crime she had committed.

✅ Past modals of speculation

It might have been my imagination.

She must have been stealing them.

She must have grown tired.

She might well have upset her stomach.  

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🧩 Glossary

• angel wings: traditional crispy pastry, deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar, popular in Poland especially on Fat Thursday. Also known as faworki or chrust.

• faint: very soft / hardly audible (ledwo słyszalny)

• a culprit: a person or animal responsible for a crime or a bad action (sprawca / winowajca)

• to devour: to eat something quickly and eagerly (pochłaniać / pożerać / zjadać łapczywie)

• in hindsight: looking back at a situation from the present; knowing what we know now (z perspektywy czasu)

• pancreas: an organ near the stomach that produces insulin and a liquid that helps the body to digest food (trzustka)

See how I teach