Last Hoorah: Class of 2013 Picnic

If you thought the graduation was the last event for the Class of 2013, you got it wrong. There was one more. And personally, I think this was one of the most fun activity we've ever had that I can remember. We had a picnic at Lake Elizabeth at Central Park in Fremont.

It was a gorgeous Sunday. The sun was out and was quite hot. We couldn't have asked for a better weather. The huge task of organizing this event rested on the shoulders of Vicky D. She was assisted by my wife and a few other moms. But it was Vicky who did the heavy lifting.

We had reserved picnic site "D", which happened to be on the far end of the galaxy. No matter where you parked, it was quite a trek, especially if you had a load to bring. A portable cart surely came in handy. But no one seemed to mind because it was just a relaxing, fun day all around. If I counted correctly, I believe we only missed 4 families due to prior commitments. Each family contributed a certain amount, which basically took care of most of our food, such as burgers, hotdogs, sausages, chicken, and buns, and all the fixings, plus more, as well as the deposit for the use of the facility.

In typical fashion, everyone brought something to complete the whole picnic experience, from side dishes, drinks, and appetizers, to BBQ utensils, table clothes, water balloons, and even a volleyball net. We practically had everything we needed, and much, much more. But I think we ran out of water balloons because of some naughty and playful moms and dads.

Families started trickling in just after 11am. At 12, we started up the grill. By 12:30, most have arrived, and food was just about ready. Meanwhile, the kids were all over the place. Some played catch, while the others simply chilled and chatted. One of the dads decided to be playful, and started tossing water balloons. Then, the kids joined in. You could hear screams and shouts as water balloons burst and cold water doused unsuspecting victims. Soon after, it was time for lunch. There was just more than enough food for seconds, even thirds.

After lunch, everyone settled down in small groups and chatted. It was a perfect time of a little siesta after a
big meal. A couple dragged their picnic chairs just a bit out of sight, under a tree, and and snoozed. For some, it was time to bring out the booze to get a little buzz. Bottled margarita and beer were the alcoholic beverage of choice that afternoon.

By mid afternoon, most were up and about, and began snacking. Some of the dads took to the field and started a game of volleyball. As one parent commented, after all these years, she never knew that the dads could play volleyball. I played, too, and we all had a blast.

Unfortunately, we had to cut things short and leave earlier that everyone else because of another event that we had to go to right after. The new bishop of Oakland was presiding at the 6:30pm mass at St. Joe, and my son was alter serving, while I would be taking pictures. We left the park at 3:30pm.

It was a fun afternoon among friends. It's sad that it's probably the last one. If it weren't a logistical nightmare to organize, we should have done it more frequently over the course of the 9 years we've been together. But I'm glad we had it, even for this one last time.

Thanks again, Vicky. Take one more bow.