It’s now sweatshirt and sweater2 weather. It happened this week. On Tuesday the weather was so mild3 that we broke the weather record4 for the date of the 28th (Don’s birthday). When friends came for dinner and to celebrate with us, one of the big topics of conversation was how warm it had been that day…66 degrees F5. However, we also discussed the fact that things were to change the next day when a cold air mass6 from Alaska and Canada was scheduled to arrive. The weather forecasters7 were correct and on Wednesday, the 29th, the temperature dropped 34 degrees F. during the day.
I like to wear sweatshirts when it’s cold. They are comfortable8, warm, and colorful. Some of mine are seasonal9; others are humorous10; still others remind me of interesting places I have been. For Autumn I have several that have Autumn leaves on them. Of course, I have about four different ones with Christmas motifs11 on them. I even have one or two pastel12 colored shirts with spring flowers on them. Iowa is cold enough that I can wear sweatshirts from November (sometimes October too) through May.
As for humor, one of my favorites is a white sweatshirt with the photograph of a squirrel13 on it. The squirrel is sitting on a tree branch, eating out of a bird feeder14. Below the picture are the words, “Got seed?15” Most people who see this recognize the question as a parody16 of a widely used TV commercial17 “Got milk?” which shows nice looking people with milk “mustaches18.” This commercial is sponsored by The Dairy Council of America19. Kim gave me the sweatshirt because I love to feed the many squirrels in our back yard, as well as to laugh at their gymnastic antics20 as they rob our bird feeders of seed. Kim gets irritated21 with the squirrels because she is the one who fills the bird feeders and she has to do it rather often because of the amount the squirrels eat. However, our squirrels are fat and happy so I don’t think she cares too much. Tomorrow when we go shopping in Des Moines we plan to buy two 20-pound bags of bird seed (perhaps even four) as the price for it is one of the advertised specials22 at the home improvement store23 that Don likes to shop in. I might even get some dried corn, as squirrels are especially fond of that. When the snows finally arrive, we want to keep all of our backyard wild life (squirrels, rabbits, birds, and an occasional opossum24 or raccoon25) well fed.
I mustn’t forget about the sweatshirts from special places. One of the oldest ones I have is one I purchased at The Great Wall the first time we visited that wonderful structure. It says, “I climbed the Great Wall,” and I was very proud and pleased that I did go a long way up it. That was fifteen years ago. My problem now is that it is much too small. I forgot once when laundering26 it and put it in the drier27. Sweatshirt material will shrink28 a lot when put in the drier. A sad mistake indeed! I really should get it replaced some time.29 A sweatshirt that I bought last year came from The Smithsonian gift shop30 in Washington, D.C. It has a traditional American Indian design on it in honor of the new Indian museum complex31 which we were visiting. I am being very careful when I launder it (as well as my other favorites) now. I use cold water and hang them to dry. I’ll be wearing them now until May so want to take good care of them.
Notes:
1. sweatshirts: 长袖运动衫
2. sweater: 毛线衣，针织套衫
3. mild: (天气) 温暖的，暖和的
4. broke the weather record: 打破了天气记录
5. F.: Fahrenheit (华氏)
6. a cold air mass: 冷空气
7. weather forecasters: people who predict the upcoming weather on the basis of highly technical information (气象预报人员).
8. comfortable：舒适的
9. seasonal: having to do with a particular season, i.e. fall, winter, spring or summer (季节性的).
10. humorous: funny, causing one to laugh or smile.
11. Christmas motifs: designs or pictures such as a Christmas tree or Christmas stocking, etc. (圣诞节图案).
12. pastel: light in color, not bright colored (浅色的)
13. squirrel: 松鼠
14. a bird feeder: a container with seeds and food for wild birds (盛鸟食的装置).
15. Got seed?: Do you have any seeds?
16. parody: a humorous imitation of something or somebody that is well known to the public [(对大众熟知的人或物的) 滑稽模仿].
17. TV commercial: 电视广告
18. “milk mustaches”: a deposit of milk on the upper lip which resembles a mustache (牛奶胡子).
19. The Dairy Council of America: an organization involved with the production and distribution of milk and milk products (美国乳品委员会).
20. gymnastic antics: 滑稽的体操动作
21. irritated: bothered or mildly angered by some word or action ( 讨厌，烦人).
22. advertised specials: 打广告的特价商品
23. home improvement store: 家居装修商店
24. opossum: one of various small animals from America and Australia that have fur and climb trees (负鼠).
25. raccoon: a small North American animal with black fur around its eyes and black and grey rings on its tail (浣熊).
26. laundering: washing clothing items either by hand or by machine (洗衣).
27. drier: a machine which produces hot air to dry clothing (烘干机).
28. shrink: become smaller in size (收缩).
29. I really should get it replaced some time：我什么时候确实该同样的再买一件。
30. The Smithsonian Gift Shop: Smithsonian 礼品店
31. complex: a group of associated buildings (综合建筑群).
