Monday, August 23, 2010

Picnic in the rain.

Yesterday was the day we took Adrian on his once-monthly "half-day trip." In such a trip we travel for up to two hours by car from Ottawa, have a meal, "just look at some stores", and then come home.

We picked Adrian up at his group home at 2 00 pm. Anne had prepared a picnic supper for us as well as the planned destination, Gananoque, two hours south on the St. Lawrence river. Gananoque is the gateway to the Thousand Islands and the home of tour boats.

As we started, there was a slight scotch mist or drizzle in the air. This slowly increased in intensity as we took the scenic route through Richmond and Smiths Falls to Gan. It was pouring down by the time we reached there. Adrian loves a picnic.

We drove around and found a parking lot with picnic tables set up under the trees. "Shall we sit outside in the rain and have our picnic there or stay in the car?" i asked Adrian. "Rain", was his answer. Donning our rain gear, we set up the meal.

Anne had done the usual superlative job. We has home-made Cornish pasties, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot sticks, cheese cubes and a pack of ketchup for Adrian and HP sauce for me.

Despite the rain, the picnic was going well until the wasps found us. Adrian was stung once. "Wrong!." "Doctors." Fortunately there was no swelling or adverse reaction.

I gave him another choice. "Shall we have our pop and tea in the car now, or stay in the rain?" "Car," was his immediate response.

Once we were in the car we could savour the thermos flasks of tea and enjoy the black currant tarts covered in meringues.

Our return journey was via the St. Lawrence Parkway to Brockville, then north to Smiths Falls and on to Adrian's home by 7 25 pm.

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