CARL: I think we should do the floors before we work on the curtains and walls.
SUE¹: Why? It doesn't make sense.
If we do the floors first, and then paint the walls,
we will get paint all over our new floor.
CARL: Hmm. Maybe you're right. But I can't stand all this green carpet in here.
And besides, I know how to paint. I will just cover everything with drop cloth.
I won't get anything on the floor.
SUE: Are you sure?
CARL: Yes, I'm sure. I've done a lot of house painting in my life.
And my mother was very picky.
If I got even a tiny drop of paint on her furniture, she would get furious².
So I learned³ to be very careful.
SUE: Alright. Then maybe we can do the floor first.
These wood floors under this carpet are beautiful.
And me too--I can't wait to get all this old carpet out of here.
But how can we get it out? Do we have to hire someone?
CARL: Absolutely not. We can remove the carpet ourselves.
Carpet is held down with carpet nails⁴. You just need to pull it hard and it comes up.
SUE: Great.
Then, after we remove the carpet, we need to restain all the wood floors. Right?
CARL: Yes. But we should hire someone for that.
That will probably be expensive. And it has to be done right.
SUE: And then, after the floors are done, we can start to move our furniture in.
CARL: Sure. If we can get an appointment with someone to do the floors,
we should probably be able to have the furniture in here after a week or so.
I can get all the carpet out this weekend.
SUE: So, after the floors are done, and after the furniture is in,
we need to redo the curtains and paint all the walls and ceilings⁵.
CARL: I'm the painter.
You can be in charge of going to curtain shops to choose curtains.
That will probably be pretty expensive too. Having good curtains made isn't cheap.
SUE: You mean we can't just buy curtains already made?
CARL: Absolutely not.
The windows must be measured, and then the curtains need to be made professionally⁶.
So that will take awhile. Maybe a month or so.
SUE: While the curtains are being made, I can start having people look at the kitchen.
I can't stand that old kitchen. I won't be able to cook in there.
I don't want to use that electric stove.
CARL: We will need to find an interior⁷ decorating company do redo the kitchen.
I believe in Portland there are shops that specialize⁸ in kitchen renovation⁹.
I will look in the Yellow Pages. I'd like a kitchen mostly in ivory¹⁰ and light green.
SUE: I agree. The colors must be soft and pleasant.
You should feel comfortable when you cook our dinners.
CARL: Me? Cook our dinners? Hah! You will be cooking, dear. You will cook.
SUE: No, I don't think so. I'll be too busy having tea in our new tea room.
CARL: Well, I suppose we'll have to hire a cook then.
So you won't be able to afford any clothes next year.
SUE: And you'll have to sell your motorcycle¹¹. And your cameras. Right?
CARL: Maybe I'll cook once or twice a week. How is that?
SUE: Four times might be enough. Not once or twice.

卡尔：我想在开始着手弄窗帘和墙壁前，我们应该先来弄地板。
苏：为什么？不太合理。
如果我们先弄地板，然后再油漆墙，
我们会把新地板弄得到处是漆。
卡尔：也许你是对的，但是我不能忍受这里的绿色地毯。
此外，我知道怎么油漆，我会用塑胶布铺好一切，
不会让地板沾上任何东西的。
苏：你确定吗？　　
卡尔：是的，我确定。我这辈子已经做过很多次的房屋油漆，
而且我妈还颇挑剔的。
如果我在她的家具上沾上一小滴油漆，她就会大发雷霆，
所以我学会很小心。
苏：好吧，那也许我们可以先弄地板。
这些在地毯下的木制地板蛮美的，
我也是等不及要把这旧的地毯弄走。
但是，怎么把它弄出去呢？我们要请人吗？
卡尔：绝对不用，我们可以自己移动地毯。
地毯是用地毯钉固定的，你只需要用力地拔，它就出来了。
苏：太棒了。
我们搬完地毯后，需要维修所有的木制地板，对不对？
卡尔：是的，但是我们要雇用别人来做。
可能会很贵，而且要做对才行。
苏：然后，地板弄完后，我们可以开始搬进家具。
卡尔：好啊。如果我们和人约好要弄地板，
大概可以在一周后把家具放好。
我在这个周末会把地毯弄出去。
苏：那么，地板弄完，家具放好后，
我们需要重做窗帘和油漆所有的墙壁及天花板。
卡尔：我是油漆工，
你可以负责去窗帘店挑窗帘。
那可能也会很贵，要订做好的窗帘不可能便宜。
苏：你是说我们不可以买已经做好的窗帘？
卡尔：绝对不行。
必须先量好这些窗户，再特地制作窗帘，
这可能会花上一段时间，也许要一个月左右。
苏：当窗帘做好后，我可以开始请人来勘查厨房。
我受不了那个老旧的厨房，我没法在里面烹煮东西，
我不想用那个电炉。
卡尔：我们必须找一家室内装潢公司来整修厨房。
我相信在波特兰会有一些专门整修厨房的店，
我会翻一下电话簿。我想要一间全是象牙色和浅绿色的厨房。　　
苏：我同意。颜色必须柔和愉悦，
弄晚餐时你要觉得舒服才好。
卡尔：我？弄晚餐？喂，亲爱的，你才要煮，你煮啦。
苏：不，我不认为。我会在新的茶室忙着品茶。
卡尔：好吧，我想我们请个厨子好了。
然后你明年就买不起任何衣服了。
苏：而且你必须卖掉你的摩托车，还有你的摄影机，是不是？
卡尔：也许我一周煮一两次，怎么样？
苏：四次才够，不只是一两次。