by Kim Huffman
The following blog was written by Kim, Maxine & Don’s daughter who has sometimes been mentioned in the other blogs.
This past Saturday I had lunch with the “girls1.” For the past 25 years, the “girls” have gotten together for lunch. I have known them since I was a little girl2, and have always liked them. Once a weekly lunch, this group of nine now gets together once a month. Included in this group are:
Maxine: my mother, a retired college English professor3;
Mina: a retired college home economics professor4, who is the daughter of a Dutch Dominie5 (minister);
Lilo: a retired college German professor6, who is originally from Germany and makes wonderful coffee as dark and rich as the night sky7;
Charlotte: a retired high school and college Spanish teacher8, who also spent many years as a pilot9 and flying instructor10. (She was one of the first women pilots in Iowa);
Janice: who has taught almost every level11 of English and mathematics from high school to graduate school;
Mary: who is still a college level English professor, and whose mother Nora (born in Scotland12 and then a World War II war bride13) was a part of the group as well.
The years have taken three friends from this group14: Miss Madeline, a college librarian15, Nora, and Evelyn, a gifted musician16. Also, Donna moved away17 18 years ago.
I joined the group recently18 when I moved back to Pella, and love being with these active, interesting ladies19, even though they are much older than I. We talk about everything, from the weather, flower planting20, our travels21 (it is a group that has traveled a lot over the years), and grandchildren (for those who have them). Every once in a while22 some one will mention23 something about herself that no one else ever knew. This is why we’re such good friends.
The saying goes, “Make new friends; keep the old. One is Silver, the other Gold24.” No doubt, these are the Golden Girls.
Notes:
1. “girls”: women of all ages in the U.S., usually good friends may call one another this when they are going to get together.
2. little girl: a female child (小女孩).
3. a retired college English professor: 退休的大学英语教授。
4. home economics professor: a person who has taught classes related to homemaking, such as cooking, sewing, child care, etc. (家政学教授).
5. Dutch dominie: a person in the tradition of the Netherlands who is a professional preacher in a church (荷兰教堂专职牧师).
6. German professor n. a person who has taught courses related to German language and literature in a college or university (德语教授).
7. as dark and rich as the night sky (simile): a simile that describes the color and taste of excellent coffee (一种明喻，用来描述高级咖啡的颜色和味道).
8. Spanish teacher n. a person who has taught Spanish language and literature (西班牙语教师).
9. pilot: a person who is capable of flying an airplane skillfully (飞机驾驶员).
10. flying instructor: a person who teaches other people how to fly an airplane (飞行教员).
11. level: a specific stage or grade of learning, i.e., of math, of Spanish language, etc. (年级、层次).
12. Scotland: the name of a country; part of the British Isles (苏格兰).
13. war bride: a person who has married a serviceman from another country, and who then immigrates to the husband’s country (战争新娘，指与一位来自于另一国家的在役军人结婚并移居其丈夫国家的新娘).
14. The years have taken three friends from this group: 已经有三位朋友在这些年里去世。
15. librarian: a person who is trained to work in a library; at any level of school, or in a private or community library (图书管理员).
16. gifted musician: a person with excellent music skills (有天赋的音乐家).
17. moved away: left a particular place (搬走了).
18. recently: a period of time not long before the present ( 最近).
19. ladies: a formal way of referring to cultured women (女士).
20. flower planting: The activity associated with planting flowers, either with seeds or bulbs; also called flower gardening (种花).
21. travels: extended journeys made by an individual or a group of persons (旅游).
22. every once and a while: occasionally, now and then (偶尔).
23. mentioned: spoken of casually about somebody or something (提到). For example, one day when we were having lunch Lilo mentioned that after World War II when people were suffering from hunger, she worked on a farm to keep from starving.
24. “Make new friends, keep the old. One is silver, the other gold.” (结识新朋友，保持住老朋友。新的是银，老的是金。): a metaphoric saying stressing the great value of having both new and old friends.