Four years ago, my parents decided to pack in their city life and started a vacation cabin business on Ganghwado Island. They bought a place that has great views, with room to breathe in a big yard and a small swimming pool.
My Family and my little brother's family all gave up our summer vacation that year. Instead, we got together for ten days to really go to town on the clean-up. With a fresh coat of paint, the cabin looked as good as new.
We bought everything we needed online, including the bedding, towels, tableware, and barbecue equipment. For the washing machine and dryer, we bought an extra each. We were all tuckered out by the end, but it felt rewarding.
It's a small cabin, but it's more than a handful for just my parents to manage. So, my brother goes to pitch in with the work on weekends. I go once or twice a month to help out with the cleaning. My kids have a blast whenever we go to Ganghwado, and I enjoy being able to barbecue meat to my heart's content.
pack in sth - to stop doing something
go to town on sth - to do something eagerly and as completely as possible
pitch in - to start to do something as part of a group, especially something helpful
handful - an amount of something that can be held in one hand
to one's heart's content - do something enjoyable for as long as want to do it
- Let's make some room so we can really go to town. / I don't clean up often, but I go to town when I do.
- They were tuckered out, but didn't want to sleep. / It was a long flight, so we were all tuckered out.
- This recipe is more than a handful. / Simply ordering food might be more than a handful it you get nervous.
1: What did you do over the weekend?
2: I went with my family to a vacation cabin that my parents run.
1: Your parents operate a vacation cabin?
2: Yes, I pay a visit each month to lend a hand.
1: That sounds out of this world.
2: The kids are crazy about it.