My husband’s company picnic was last night–I told someone it was like something from an 80’s movie and they asked me to clarify, so let’s go with this:
It was sort of big and overblown and decadent. For starters, they rented out the local minor-league baseball field and the kiddie bounce houses therein. (There were a lot of them, including a GIANT slide that my 2 year old insisted on climbing all by herself and sliding down all by herself, and an obstacle course in which she got trampled, jumped up and continued on with a smile–all of the attendants agreed that she was a little red-headded, blue eyed warrior.) There was face painting and fencing and a magic show–the Cave Troll got his face painted like a tiger, and we were able to track him all evening by the giant ROOOOARRRRRRSSSS coming from his epicenter. There was a ‘Hardware’ vs. ‘Software’ softball game–complete with trophy. (Software won–woo-hoo! My husband got to pitch!) It was catered, there was a magic show and face-painting and free soda and fireworks at night and a clown on a baseball field, under the lights, blowing bubbles while a hundred kids ran about with balloon swords, trying to pop them. I kid you not. The only place I’ve ever seen something like this was on ‘Mr. Mom’, with Michael Keaton, and that wasn’t even at baseball field, it was at the boss’ house!
So there–that was our Saturday night. I’m still not even sure how to think about it–all those kids under the light, chasing bubbles? Lovely.
And sur-freaking-real.
And other than that?
My weekend was consumed by angst, mostly–writer’s angst is a terrible thing to behold, but I finally came up with a resolution to my dilemma. I may never be Dickens, but I think you all will be happy with the results.
Besides that little bit of business–and the fact that Bitter Moon II probably won’t be out until December because I’m changing my dumbassed mind at this stage of the freaking game–there was a trip to the yarn store (mmmm…malabrigo…mmmm) and a run to the park and a chance for the big kids to wander around the book store with birthday money (for Chicken) and allowance money (for Big T) in their pockets. Needless to say, there is no more money in their pockets, and our TBR book pile can now be seen from space–go kids!
And other than that? I’m going to have my head buried in my ass, I mean my editing for the next month. Editing team? Well done! I love you! Thanks for all your hard work!!!!!
Now it’s time for me to earn it.
My dad’s company used to do that when I was little, but that was in the 70s and the 80s. And it was a computer company (both hardware and software), I think most other types of companies stopped doing that kind of thing (if they ever did it in the first place) decades before… Most of the places I’ve worked at we’ve been lucky to get a work Christmas party…
Sounds like a great time! Our company picnic was cancelled again this year. (Something about being cheap.)
One of my husband’s former companies (a software development place) had a very elegant party in which we all got to go to Washington DC because we were a satellite office and they wanted everyone together. A weekend away in DC and they paid for the hotel and everything. It was fabulous. Now, he works for an insurance company and we’ll just say their celebrations are a bit more conservative.
I do love me some bubbles and the image of kids running around trying to pop them is a good one!
I’m amazed that a company is still doing a big blowout like that but it sounds like a great time.
Glad to hear you have come to a resolution on Bitter Moon II. I’ll be waiting whenever it is ready 🙂