Thursday, June 20, 2013

My Picnic Was Cancelled Today

    Today was a nasty, cold, rainy windy day. We had a picnic scheduled for our ice skater's group. Because of the weather the picnic was cancelled.

Long retired skaters like to come back for a visit

More pleasant picnics.


    Now I like picnics so I was disappointed that the picnic was cancelled. It was my favorite kind of picnic where we roast wieners over a fire. 

    My liking for this type of picnic goes back a long way to when I was in early grade  school. On the last day of the school year we would have a wiener roast and it was a big deal. The school trustees supplied the goodies. We had to get our own wiener sticks . There were no fancy metal forks in the days of my youth. This meant we had to go out in the brush and cut a proper stick that would hold a wiener. Some of us got a fancy forked stick. Others found the biggest stick they could cut off with their jack knife. Some wanted willow. Others wanted a curved stick. Everybody bragged that their stick was best. There were play fencing episodes with the newly cut sticks.

    So the time to roast hot dogs  arrived. Some found that the stick they had carefully selected was a failure and the wiener dropped off in the fire. The style of cooking went from totally charred to barely warm. Into the bun went the wiener. Mustard? Oh ya! 

    So as a little eight year old I started enjoying my hot dog. I had the hot dog, my treasured stick and a pop to look after at the same time.  So a little mustard got on my fingers. Another hot dog. More mustard. Now some mustard  is on my shirt. So it was a very exciting time eating, drinking and running around. I would get home with lots of mustard on my shirt and some on my pants.

     Now girls don't behave this way. Girls have things under control and no mustard gets on their clothes. Mothers know about boys and hot dogs. Mothers know how much work it is to clean mustard off a shirt. I remember bringing my son home from cubs. I debated whether he should go in with other gross material that was discarded. However, I didn't have the heart to leave him with the trash.

     Now back to my cancelled picnic and how I got on about school hot dog picnics. On occasion our school outdoor picnic had to be cancelled as we would have a day like today. So the great event was held in the school. The great old Waterman and Waterman heater in the corner of the classroom was lit and functioned as our campfire and all the shenanigans occurred indoors. 

    Now come to think of it, I don't think much has changed. I still get home with mustard on my shirt!

30 comments:

  1. oh, this was so cute. i had images in my mind of you boys cutting your sticks and huddling around the fire. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When you're little you don't huddle around a fire. You run around a fire.

      Delete
  2. Few things taste as good as a hot dog roasted on a stick outdoors. Yummy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've done it. It's much better than metal forks.

      Delete
  3. You're so much fun. I love your stories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can hardly believe some of this stuff but it did happen. The poor teacher!

      Delete
  4. Sorry your picnic was canceled. Maybe it can be rescheduled. We had a bonfire a couple nights ago and roasted marshmallows. We buy sticks at the store made for marshmallow roasting : )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We only get one kick at the cat with the booking. Calling everybody to reschedule is too much!

      Delete
  5. Mustard on your shirt is a must at a picnic. Thank you for the vivid description - I love childhood memories like these - they are so valuable and precious and didn't those wieners taste so good.
    I still love marshmallows roasted over an open fire.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I forgot about the marsh mellows. yes they had to be heated many times and they certainly got on my shirt.

      Delete
  6. Ha Ha I just really enjoyed this story Red ! Because it was a great story and because I am one lady that always mansges to get mustard on my shirt no matter how careful I am

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always have a good excuse but none of them work.

      Delete
  7. I think the group should have found an indoor place and had a lovely visit.
    I remember have wiener roasts with my 4-H group. Afterwards - roasted marshmallows.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing doing. We stay inside all winter. We have coffee after every skate so the picnic is a treat.

      Delete
  8. Boys will be always boys with some dirt on the shirts. But that doesn't matter tough, we have washing machines now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The think is you have to prewash with something to make sure the mustard stain washes out.

      Delete
  9. Too bad they had to cancel rather than postpone, or have a rain date.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Too many people to contact to re book.

      Delete
  10. I think you must have the weather we just got rid of. Yesterday it rained all day, pretty hard for most of it. I have never liked hot dogs, so I am afraid I can't relate. But when I was younger, I loved corn on the cob at summer picnics. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some places south of Calgary have had 166 mm (6 in)of rain.
      Yes corn on the cob is a big favorite of mine!

      Delete
  11. What a cute post. You had me chuckling. I wonder if your rain is coming here? Oh yes, it will, right at second cutting of hay! :) :(

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We've had enough rain! We were not in the worst area. Some areas south of Calgary got over 200 mm (8 in.) We have to be out of town tomorrow so I hope it doesn't rain.

      Delete
  12. This looks like a wonderful time. Enjoy! :-)

    Kind regards from the Netherlands,
    Gert Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even if we're old we can have a good visit. These pictures wee from 3 years ago.

      Delete
  13. Cute post! That mustard is the best!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The wiener roasts were one of the only picnics just for kids and it happened only once a year so it was a big deal.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I remember being invited to a cub scout wiener roast when I was in 3rd grade. Great memories. Funny, but true about the mustard.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Fun post.. despite the unfortunate cancellation. Many a child.. girls included.. come home with mustard on their clothes.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This was the cutest post and it took me back to brownie and guide camp. By the time we came home, our clothes had many mustard, ketchup stains. They were cleand at camp, but they couldn't get stains out like my Mom could. We also roasted weenies in a nice fire pit my Dad constructed in the back yard, and in the summer my Dad would set up an olde Army Tent, with those olde wooden and canvas sleeping cots. We camped out in the yard - there were not many houses around at that time. My fav was the roasted marshmellows and we also had to cut our own roasting sticks, which sound much like yours. Oh Red, thankyou for taking me back to such a wonderful memory. I haven't been on reading posts this past week, as busy with kidz graduation, taking photos for all the families and relations. I did see the title for this post and knew I was coming to read it as soon as I could. Have a wonderful day Sir Red :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Now I want a hot dog with mustard..and I haven't had breakfast yet! Sorry your picnic was cancelled..I hope it gets rescheduled:)

    ReplyDelete