英语博客(A cup of English):025 When you've gotta play

　　Beginners.

Well, the snow is finally here. It came two days ago. From now on, it will be snow, snow, snow for about three months. My two little ones wanted to go sledding. I took them to a local park. There were a few people already there. All the children had plastic sleds. There were happy faces everywhere. Parents, holding cups of hot coffee, stood around chatting. It was great. My two youngest slid down the hill a few times. The trouble is, the wind got colder and colder. Little toes and fingers got colder and colder. Noses turned red, and lips turned blue. I finally said,"That's it, we're off. It's too cold. Let's go home and get warm." There will be many more days of snow and sledding. For now, though, I think tonight will be a perfect night for an open fire.

Grammar notes.

Verbs: to come (come, came, come). Ex: The snow came yesterday.

:  to be (am/is/are, was/were, been). Ex: There were a few people.

:  to stand (stand, stood, stood). Ex: The soldier stood still.

Related vocabulary: to sled, to chat, to slide, cold/colder/coldest,   though from now on.

Advanced.

Well, when you've got to play, you've got to play; or should I say,"When you gotta play, you gotta play." That means, come rain or shine, heat or chill, you've got to get outside and play about. My two youngest children insisted on us sledding today, even though it was perishingly cold. I obediently bundled everybody up efficiently 1, or so I thought, and off we went. The poor kids sat like Michelin men in their car seats as we drove to the park; they could barely turn their heads to look out of the window. Anyway, we got there, and joined in the whizzing kids who were lining 2 up at the top of the hill, and flying down with colorful smiles, and,"ooh" and "woah!" After a while, though, my children slowed down and started to look pale with cold. We decided 3 to go back to the car and drive to pick up some hot "curly fries" at the nearest fast food drive-through. On the way home, my six year old boy took off his coat and boots to 'warm up'. To my horror, he had no top on, and no socks. I'm not surprized he got cold. He is quite hot blooded normally, probably because he is so active; but this was ridiculous. From now on, all the kids will get a thorough inspection 4, army style, before they are allowed out.

Grammar notes.

Related expressions: come rain or shine. Ex: Come rain or shine, you will find him gardening.

Perishingly cold/ bitterly cold = extremely cold.

To bundle up = to put lots of warm, thick, clothes on.

To fly = often used to mean moving very quickly. Ex: That car was flying!

Curly fries = french fries made in spirals and slightly seasoned.

To pick up food from a fast food drive-through is very common in the States.