英语播客 A Cup of English Fresh day in the sun.

"Mummy, can I pet the horses?" said my daughter as we crossed the road to the center of the town of Leavenworth. We had decided to spend a few hours in a nearby town, for a change of scenery. The horses in the road were attached to carts that were well decorated, intended for tourists. There were leather straps on the cart with bells and flowers, and the drivers were dressed in traditional German costume. "One day, darling, we'll go on one of those rides," I told my daughter as I took her by the hand and we all crossed the road. There is a restaurant on the main strip of Leavenworth called Pav's, a creperie, where I planned on taking everyone. I wasn't sure if it was open or not, with it being Sunday. Mind you, Leavenworth is a tourist town, so I had a feeling that it would be open. The children and I walked along the main road, past many shops of all kinds, and tourists who had obviously come from all over the world. I could hear people chatting to eachother in many different languages. What a refreshing change! We found Pav's, and yes, it was open. When we were seated, I told the kids that they could only have a dessert, because the dishes are huge, and there was no way that they could eat a main dish and a dessert. As the kids looked at the menu, I looked around at the decor: thick, heavy curtains in each room, dark, earthy colors on the walls, a massive mirror that takes up a whole wall, and lots of French pictures. The kitchen is in the entryway, and completely open. It is a restaurant that has a lot of atmosphere and character, which is important to me; I like to enjoy my surroundings when I eat. My husband joined us after a while; he had cycled up to Leavenworth. The food came and, oh my, what a feast! Two of my sons had ordered fresh pear crepes with vanilla icecream and whipped cream. The other two had chocolate gelato and lemon cheese cake. Hey, you have to make memories while you can. I actually only ordered a coffee, because I knew that my children would never finish their food, so, like a vulture, I would finish it off. After Pav's, we walked through the town and down to the park which has two bridges and lots of trails. We saw several deer and geese with their goslings. It was a magical day, a full Spring day with a feast for the stomach and the eyes as well.

Grammar notes.

Practice of the preterite with related vocabulary: the strip, to finish off, to take up (space), surroundings.

1. The main strip of Las Vegas was a sea of flashing lights and giant hotels.

2. The caterers finished off the wedding cake while everyone was still dancing.

3. The sofa took up too much room, so we got a smaller one instead.

4. All of a sudden, he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings.