I have defined some of the words (underlined) in the dialogue, which you can add to your Personal Dictionary. Click on the Excel icon to download the word list to your PC or mobile device, which you can thereafter import into your Personal Dictionary. They are also listed below.
Scroll down to the bottom for links to a crossword and word search using words from this post, as well a YouTube video.
Lawn: a piece of ground covered with grass, usually in front of or around a house.
Poky: small and cramped, or slow-moving.
Swing a cat: a phrase meaning to have little space, used for emphasis.
Landlord: a person who owns a building, house, or land that is leased or rented to another person.
Wardrobe: a piece of furniture used for storing clothes.
Tenants: a person who rents a room, apartment, or house from a landlord.
Deposit: a sum of money paid in advance as security or in order to reserve something.
Mortgage: a loan taken out to buy property or land with the property or land being used as security.
Furnish: to provide or equip with furniture or other necessary items.
Bungalow: a small, single-story house.
Rural: relating to the countryside, not urban.
Urban: relating to a city or town.
Driveway: a private road leading from the main road to a house or building.
Estate agent: a person or business that acts as a middleman between the seller and buyer in a real estate transaction.
Nosy: overly curious about other people’s affairs and intruding into their privacy.
Ahh, home sweet home!
Yes, it’s nice to go away Judy, but it’s always great to be home. An Englishman’s home is his castle.
Well it’s a shame my Englishman’s castle is an end of terrace home.
There is nothing wrong with this place my dear. We have a front and back garden, with a lawn that rivals Wimbledon’s tennis courts.
Which me and the kids are not allowed to walk on.
Well, with a park nearby, why would you want to? Besides, anything is better than the first apartment we had.
You can say that again. What a poky place that was. Couldn’t even swing a cat in there.
We didn’t even have a cat.
It’s an idiom Ed, which means it was very small. Do you remember the awful landlord we had? What was his name?
Mr Snow. You always used to say, ‘oh no, here comes Snow’.
Oh yes, I remember now. He used to say, ‘Rent money’, never a polite ‘good morning’. We weren’t allowed to have pets, so we had to hide the dog in the bedroom wardrobe.
Yes, that was funny. Apart from that, we were good tenants. The rent was cheap too. So much so, we were able to save money for a deposit on this place.
Tough times, but at least the bank gave us a mortgage. We were home owners at last. We even had enough money to furnish the place.
You’ve always been very house proud Judy, even if it’s ‘just’ an end of terrace. You are happy here, aren’t you?
Well, I have had my eye on a little bungalow in the village where your parents live.
Really? You said that you would never live too close to them.
I know, but I think I’d prefer living in a rural area, after living in an urban area all my life. Even though our neighbours are lovely, the neighbourhood where the bungalow is located, is much quieter.
No barking dogs?
What! Do you mean our dog? He’s the noisiest dog around here! Another thing Ed, the bungalow has a driveway. You wouldn’t have to wash the car on the road anymore.
Well, I would welcome that. I guess I should call up Mr Dixon, our estate agent, so he can put our house on the market.
Would we have to have one of those ‘For Sale’ signs in our front garden? What would the neighbours say?
People will find out soon enough anyway. You know how nosy, neighbours can get. Look! I can see Mable’s curtains twitching. I bet she’s an expert lip reader.
Oh Ed, you read too many spy novels. Let’s go in and have a nice cup of tea. This is still our home, for now.
Yes Judy, and home is where the heart is.
To test your knowledge, why not do a crossword puzzle, using words from this text?
Click here for instructions on how to play.
To test your knowledge, why not do a word search puzzle, using words from this text?
Click here for instructions on how to play.
