8

Gramma has ALL the cable channels, and luckily she didn't shut THOSE down for the winter. But we couldn't risk attracting Mrs. McNeil again, so we put a blanket over ourselves AND the television, and watched it THAT way. I guess we kind of lost track of time, because when we shut off the TV, it was DARK out. By now it was nice and toasty in Gramma's house, and I really didn't wanna go back out there in the cold. So I had an idea for how to make the walk home a little more COMFORTABLE. I figured if we warmed up our clothes in Gramma's dryer before we headed back out, it would take the edge off for the rest of the trip. So we went down to the basement where Gramma keeps her laundry machines and put in a load of clothes.

奶奶开通了所有有线频道，幸运的是，她冬天从来不会关掉这些台。 不过我们可不想再被麦克尼尔太太撞见，所以用毯子把我们和电视机都盖住，就这么偷偷看。 我们不知不觉忘了时间，关掉电视的时候，外面已经全黑了。 这时候奶奶家已经暖乎乎的，我真不想再出门挨冻了。 所以我想了个办法，让走回家的路能舒服一点。 我觉得出发前把衣服放进奶奶的烘干机烘暖，走回家就不会那么冷了。 于是我们下楼去到奶奶放洗衣设备的地下室，把衣服塞了进去。

We set the timer to thirty minutes and waited. But it was a little awkward hanging out in our underwear while the dryer did its thing. Mm. Plus, it was COLD in the basement, so we looked around for something to WEAR. Rowley found a sweatshirt I gave Gramma for her birthday, and he put THAT on. the sweatshirt, said, worlds best grandma, But I didn't feel RIGHT wearing Gramma's clothes.

我们定了三十分钟定时器，在一旁等着。 不过烘干机烘衣服的时候，我们只穿内裤待着，实在有点别扭。 嗯。 而且地下室很冷，所以我们就四处找衣服穿。 罗利找到我送给奶奶当生日礼物的运动衫，穿上了身。 那件运动衫印着“全世界最好的奶奶”，我穿奶奶的衣服总觉得怪怪的。

I found a sweater that Gramma knitted for Sweetie, and it fit better than I expected. But it was a little ITCHY, and I couldn't remember if Sweetie ever had fls itch, itch. Ich. But while I was looking around for something to swap it with we heard NOISES upstairs. My FIRST thought was that Gramma gave Mrs. McNeil a key to the house, and now she was inside. But Rowley said it might be a BURGLAR who knew no one was home, and I thought maybe he was right. cause we could hear to calm. CLOMP

我找到一件奶奶给甜心织的毛衣，穿上居然比我预想的还要合身。 不过这件毛衣有点扎人，我记不清甜心会不会皮肤发痒发痒。 痒。 可我正找别的衣服换的时候，听到楼上传来了动静。 我第一个念头是，奶奶给麦克尼尔太太留了钥匙，她现在进屋了。 可罗利说这可能是知道家里没人的小偷，我觉得他说的说不定对。 因为我们能听到沉稳的脚步声。 咚咚。

We heard some more stomping around upstairs, and when the door to the basement opened, we both freaked out. I looked around for something to use to DEFEND myself, but the best I could come up with was a toilet plunger. Rowley grabbed a can of lemon dust spray and one of Gramma's purses. And when we heard footsteps coming down the stairs, we braced ourselves. Stop, stop, stop. The footsteps PAUSED when they got near the bottom,and that's when we made our MOVE. la. Scream hit four. Uh,

我们又听到楼上传来更多脚步声，地下室门一开，我俩都吓懵了。 我四下找能防身的东西，能找到的最好的家伙就是个马桶搋子。 罗利抓了一罐柠檬味除尘喷雾，还有奶奶的一个手提包。 听到脚步声走下楼梯，我们绷紧身子准备好了。 不许动，不许动，不许动。 脚步声走到楼梯口停住了，这时候我们冲了出去。 啦。 尖叫着冲上去。 呃，

It turned out it wasn't Mrs. McNeil, and it wasn't a BURGLAR, either. It was MOM. She was there to do a load of laundry, since our washing machine at home is broken. Mom didn't say much. She just told us to get our winter clothes back on and to get in the car. And she was totally silent on the ride back to our neighborhood, which was really AWKWARD.

结果那人既不是麦克尼尔太太，也不是小偷。 是妈妈。 她来这儿洗衣服，因为我们家的洗衣机坏了。 妈妈没说多少话。 她只叫我们穿上冬装，赶紧上车。 开车回我们小区的路上她全程沉默，气氛尴尬极了。

I figured as soon as Rowley was out of the car, Mom was gonna yell at me for being at Gramma's house without permission. But she didn't say ANYTHING, and she didn't mention it to Dad during dinner, either. After I finished doing the dishes, Mom told me she wanted to have a talk in my room. She said it was "perfectly normal" for boys my age to play "make believe," and that there was nothing to feel ashamed of. Then she said she was glad me and Rowley were using our imaginations instead of playing video games. I have no IDEA what Mom thought we were doing in Gramma's basement. But to be honest with you, I kind of wish she had just GROUNDED me instead.

我本来以为罗利一下车，妈妈就会骂我没经过允许就乱跑。 可她什么都没说，晚饭的时候也没跟爸爸提这件事。 我洗完碗后，妈妈说要去我房间跟我谈谈。 她说我这个年纪的男孩子玩“过家家”完全正常，没什么好难为情的。 然后她说她很高兴我和罗利发挥想象力玩，而不是抱着电子游戏不放。 我完全猜不到妈妈觉得我和罗利在奶奶地下室做了什么。 不过说实话，我倒宁愿她直接禁我的足，也比现在这样强。