The Church Picnic

Every year the end of summer is marked with our church's picnic.  Most years the picnic is in September, but this year the picnic was August 20^th.  Dave, Rosi, the Kids, and I headed to McAuliffe Park to join the rest of our church family.  It was a beautiful day and had it not been for the wind that came and went it would have been perfect.  Everyone enjoyed a leisurely lunch of hamburgers, hotdogs, and salads and of course desserts.  Well almost everyone, Ryan was too busy playing to stop and eat. 

Since the playground was right next to the picnic area the kids were able to play and have fun, while the adults visited. 

Caryn Sparacio had games for the kids to play after lunch.  The group of kids surrounded her and Nic and had a lot of fun.  They worked hard to win the prizes of bubbles, airplanes, and pencils. 

Then it was time for the annual softball game.  While the softball group headed off to the field, Dave recruited a group to go Geocaching. The only other adult brave enough to join Dave was Dave Chinn.  However, seven children eagerly signed on for the adventure.  So while Rosi and I settled in to watch the “game”, the geocaching group headed off. 

I use term game loosely.  When the game started there were three benches in the middle of the softball diamond along with a garbage can.  Since they were missing bases, it was decided that any ball hit in the infield was an out and that any ball hit in the outfield was a hit.  Well Sarah and Sarah didn’t stand a chance with these rules.  It also turned out that most of the men did not stand a chance either.  So next thing we knew the benches were being moved and Nic had found plastic “bases” to use.  However, there still were not enough players per team to cover all the spots.  So first base was covered by the pitcher.  If the ball made it to the pitcher before the runner made it to first base then they were out.  Just as with all friendly games there was a few times where the runner was held, the runner ran being chased by the ball all around the infield, and a few great hits. 

Meanwhile, deep in the woods the group on a geocache mission was making progress and battling swarms of mosquitoes (very thankful for the deep woods off we had along).  In honor of international geocaching day Dave had planned to find three geocaches.  The coordinates were slightly off for the first cache but with determination the group found it.  This cache was not very exciting so it was off to the next site.  Along the way the group spotted a frog and found a blue jay’s feather.  They also identified a unique looking plant with berries that looked like eyeballs, so the kids named it the eyeball plant.

The next find required a trip across Baird Creek.  Dave stood in the middle of the creek and had each child step on a rock part way across and then he lifted them the rest of the way.  The gnome cache was easy to find.  Each child traded for a treasure from it.

The group was 500 feet from their last find when I called to say the softball game was over.  It was also about this time that a few kids said they were ready to head back.  This find was in the midst of an overgrown area. Dave ventured in and found a cement wall.  Realizing that the cache was down a little farther Dave sent Josh in for it.  Joey was the only one brave enough to fetch it from the bushes next to the wall.  It was upon finishing this cache that the two Dave’s realized one very important thing.  Neither of them had put the starting coordinates into their GPS.

They began trying to find their way back to the picnic area.  Neither of them had a map to show them which trail to take and since they had zigzagged around the Baird Creek Area searching for their three caches.  At this point Dave called to say they were slightly lost.  We later discovered that Dave had a map program on his phone that would have helped them.  They followed a trail and kept trying to find their way back.  

In the meantime 4pm was quickly approaching and Sandy and I were supposed to meet a group from our book club to see the movie, “The Help”.  The problem was that my purse was locked in the car.  Nic decided to head into the woods to find them and Sandy and I headed off to our meeting as we had people waiting for us.  As we were on our way Dave called to say they had made it to the road by Baird Creek where the highway goes over.  A group headed to pick up our adventurers. Sandy and I headed to the movie knowing that everyone was safe and sound!

I am sure that this is one picnic that will not be forgotten for some time!