For most people in the U.S., Labor Day1 week end signifies2 the end of summer. True, there will be more warm, perhaps even hot, days, but those days will be quickly followed by cool days with cool nights; the leaves will start turning3, and my favorite time of the year will have arrived. Labor Day week end is the last big camping4 week end of the year. We have a large lake near us, Lake Red Rock5, and its eight camp grounds6 were full for the week end. In fact, we heard that the camping spots had all been reserved7 in advance.
My brother and his wife from Indiana8 drove out to see us for the week end. Busy Interstate 80 runs past just north of where they live so they “braved”9 the heavy traffic10 Friday and came. We were really happy to see them and had a good time talking, laughing etc.
Saturday Don, my sister-in-law and Song Bo, our new Chinese teacher this year, went to see Central11 play football. I stayed home and visited with my brother12. Central won by a score of 35 to 10 so it was an exciting first game for Song Bo to see. In the evening we drove to Des Moines to meet another brother of mine and his wife at an Italian restaurant13. Again, it was fun with much joking14 and laughter.
Sunday we drove around the lake and looked at the many different types of tents15 and trailers16 in the camp grounds. It was a hot day so we were happy to be in air conditioning17 in our car, as well as when we were at home. In the evening we ate at a Chinese restaurant in a neighboring town and I particularly18 enjoyed their Mongolian beef19 and stir fried green beans20. After that we returned home and played one of our favorite games, Sequence21. It’s a game of strategy22 using playing cards. It’s fun and I was the big winner of the evening.
Bill and Bev had to leave yesterday for their long drive (8 hours) home. We hope to see them some time soon. But with winter coming it probably won’t be until at least next spring. I’m sure there were many enjoyable family gatherings over the long week end and I’m thankful we had ours too.
Notes:
1. Labor Day: a U.S. holiday set aside for the recognition of workers, the first Monday in September (劳工节，为工人确立的美国节日，九月的第一个星期一).
2. signifies: means or implies a specific thing, a sign of something (表明，意味着).
3. turning: changing color due to the loss of green pigment (变颜色).
4. camping: 露营
5. Lake Red Rock: a large lake in Iowa formed by the Des Moines River impoundment (红岩湖，爱荷华州的一个大湖，由德梅英河围蓄而成).
6. camp grounds: 露营地
7. reserved: 预订
8. Indiana: 印地安那州
9. braved: had the courage to do something, such as heavy traffic (勇敢地面对或忍受).
10. heavy traffic: automobile and truck traffic on highways or roads (繁忙的交通).
11. Central: Central College
12. visited with my brother: 同我兄弟叙谈
13. Italian restaurant：意大利餐馆
14. joking:（开）玩笑
15. tents：帐篷
16. trailer：汽车拖的活动住屋
17. in air conditioning: 有空调的环境中
18. particularly：特别，格外
19. Mongolian beef：蒙古风味的牛肉
20. stir fried green beans：炒嫩菜豆
21. Seqence: a combination board and card game (一种由棋盘和纸牌组成的游戏)
22. strategy：策略
