Picnic

Yesterday we had the company Family Farm Fun Day picnic. This is really the pre-harvest kick-off. We used to hold a picnic during work hours for the employees in July/August depending on when the harvest would start. However, someone had the idea to open it up to whole family. This has been a great idea, and this was the fourth annual picnic. The first year we held it, it was in August and it as 103-106. I can't remember what it really was, but boy it was hot. This year it was unseasonably hot and it was 101.

I have an allergy to the sun, so I always put SPF 50 sunscreen on and that usually works and I don't react. However, I think I was sweating too much and the sunscreen came off. I didn't realize it until it was too late. However, everything is fine.

I was in charge of the dunk tank. It was great. I had a list of 5 people to dunk. There was one that didn't show up for it, and another that decided at the last minute that he wouldn't be able to do it until really late. However, it turned out really well. I had picked one person and he was such a good sport. I probably shouldn't have picked him because of his age, he didn't really seem like he was up for it. However, he was a good sport and went in several times.

Our boss has been against a dunk tank since we started the picnics. However, this year I asked him in front of everyone if we could have one, and he looked at me like I was going to be in trouble, but replied that it didn't matter. So we took that as a yes and got started. I was careful and didn't ask him to sit for it. I knew that wouldn't go over very well. However, at the picnic, he was almost one of the first people to come up and throw balls to dunk a co-worker. He missed with all three balls, but then ran up and hit the mark with his hand anyway. The guy that was in the tank had brought a water gun and was shooting everyone. So of course he squirted the water at the boss. At some point the guy ran out of water and went to fill it up in the tank, but leaned too far forward and fell in. That was unexpected, but funny.

There was an elderly lady there that didn't speak any English and she was mad at me. I couldn't figure out what she wanted, or why she she kept trying to take the winners tickets out of my hands. I kept telling her I didn't know what she was saying, and I turned to the kids that were there to translate and they told her that she would need to throw the balls to win a ticket. Finally after about 4 minutes of her angrily gesturing at me, I handed her a ball and showed her how to throw it, she did, I handed her a ticket and then she walked off. I still am not sure what she wanted.

We had a party crasher that brought along his 4 or 5 year old daughter. They hung out at the dunk tank and kind of took over. That was fine because it was over at that point. I had heard of party crashers showing up at the park parties, but didn't really believe that it would happen. Oh well. It was amusing.

Then it was time for the pinatas. I hadn't volunteered to help out with this, but somehow since I had helped last year, it was assumed and I just pitched in. I did learn from last year, and made sure all the kids were back far enough and would yell stop if the kids got to close. That would either stop the running-candy hungry-kids from dashing in, or at least the wild swinging at the pinata. I can't believe what happens when the pinata breaks open. Kids can't be slow. If they are slow, they won't get anything.

All in all, I think the picnic was a hit. Kudos to Carmen for the planning and preparation.