My Family Picnic (Part 1)

It has been a dark lonely three years. The pandemic happened so fast and lasted so long, it has been years since my extended family and I have been together.

I was so looking forward to going on this day outing. Since I don’t get out much anymore, it takes a bit of planning and many people to make my outings a success

Planning an outing

For me, it is not a jump-up on the spur-of-the-moment thing. Oh no, those days are long past me.

Outings these days take some planning, so about a week before I start planning for the actual day. I make a list of things that will matter and keep me comfortable.

Making advance plans is hard. I wait for the day and see how I feel. Some days I can jump out of bed and be out the door by 8 am.

Then other days, I drag myself out of bed around 11 am, mainly because I feel guilty for sleeping so late, not because I am rested. And, there are the days I also have an afternoon nap.

Getting There and Back

The logistics of getting to the park are a no-brainer. My husband is the chauffeur. He drives me everywhere.

My big deal is everything I must take in order for things to be comfortable for me.

Must haves for leaving the house

• Enough oxygen canisters to last for the day, and a spare
• My walker
• My scooter

Depending on where we can park, my walk from the car could be a long one. Once there, the washrooms are out of the way, and the park is vast.

My family had seen me use my walker, but only a few had seen my scooter. After much discussion between my husband and son, the decision was made.

I would use my scooter!

Going to our family picnic

Our picnic was a potluck because no one could feed that many people. I had to prepare something that would go well with the 45 attendees.

There were no barbeques, so burgers and dogs were out of the question. It might be cheating, but my solution was a few buckets of chicken and salads, and we picked it up on the way.

It was the hit of the day. Not cheap, but it was fast and easy.

Global warming means the sun's intensity is stronger than I ever remember.  The furthest I have been away from my house is taking my grandson to the park.

Now, I always wear a hat when I am exposed. Due to not being out in the sun, I don’t have my normal tan base, so I tend to burn easily.

I wore a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. For the first in my life, I bought and used sunscreen.

Part two is coming soon!

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.