Family Picnic!
By Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23393)
United Kingdom
August 13, 2017 4:00pm CST
Well last weekend I organised a family picnic in one of the local parks in Dover. The park is called Kearsney Abbey. My father used to take us there often when I was a child. The river runs through this park and there is a large ornamental lake with bridges fountains and it is full of ducks, geese and swans. Some of the trees are hundreds of years old. It really is a super park. The youngest there was 3 months old and the oldest was 94 years old.
Around 50 members of my family showed up. Some of whom I didn't even know. It really was a good turn out and the weather stayed beautifully warm all day. We arrived at the part at around 11 AM and picked a lovely spot in the park which was pretty central to all around us. A children's playground, the lake, the cafeteria and toilets were all within easy walking distance.
We had taken some chairs for my aunts to sit on whilst we made do on the rugs on the ground. I took the advice of some of the members here and made an assortment of rolls, fruit, cakes and other fancies. The watermelon went down particularly well as it was a right thirst quencher!
Here is a photo of some of my family and the park.
31 people like this
30 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
13 Aug 17
Is this the one where you made the sandwiches Gary?
What kind did you make if so?
It certainly looks a lovely place.
Who organized it you?
4 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
@TiarasOceanView Not really I am sure you would do exactly the same! Funnily enough I thought of you and the sandwiches. It would have been great if you had joined us too!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
Yes I organised it Tiara. It was a great day. We had all kinds of sandwiches, chicken and sweetcorn, tuna and cucumber, cheese and tomato, ham and tomato, Sausage rolls, pork pies, All kinds of cakes and lots of fruit! Plus ice creams for the kids! ( and some adults I might add). Fruit juices, tea and coffee. I got up at 6 oclock to start making all the food. Was ready by 10AM and we left shortly after!
3 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
It was a really great day. They want to do it again perhaps next month. I don't know if I could stand doing it all again! It was fun though!
3 people like this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
13 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 Of course they want to do it again. Let them do some of the work, silly!
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
13 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 wheni used the net to go my family tree IL found I had cousdii ns I had never heasrd of lol lol
by the way my best chidhood Dorthy Peterson has a dauthter whoi married a Gary Marsh so yu \are
mot alomein this bi world lol
do
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
@Hatley What a coincidence Patsie. We are practically related then! 
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
It is amazing all the new little babies from our nephews and nieces plus my old aunts too! (My mums sisters)
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
It was great thanks to you Judy. You were right about the water melon it went down a treat!
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
They were nephews and nieces with their partners and their offspring some of whom I had never met!
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@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
14 Aug 17
It all looks really wonderful.
Food sounds very nice too.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
15 Aug 17
@garymarsh6
You did really well to get them altogether in one place for a picnic like that too.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Thanks well most of it went thankfully! I hate wasting food.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16517)
• China
16 Aug 17
You have an extended family!So many people got together in the park with a beautiful setting,just the atmosphere was joyful enough to charm guests,not to speak of those delicious food.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16517)
• China
20 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 Thank you !I feel as if I were on your family picnic and shared in your happiness.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 17
It was a very enjoyable day! Wish you could have joined us!
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36382)
• Toccoa, Georgia
14 Aug 17
That looks like so much fun! I am glad you all had that special time together!
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36382)
• Toccoa, Georgia
15 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 That is something my extended family needs to do. We all don't see each other as often as we would like.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
I hope it has inspired you to do the same??
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
13 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 I love those kind of gathering.No more here.All of them are gone.(sighs)
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
@amadeo sorry to hear that but you have lots of friends to do that sort of thing?
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
It was a really nice get together they want to do it again before summer is over!
@Tampa_girl7 (48874)
• United States
15 Aug 17
It sounds like a lovely gathering.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48874)
• United States
16 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 my parents will celebrate their 56 th wedding anniversary in October.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
It was nice to see everyone get together. The next one is due in October to celebrate my aunts golden wedding!
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
16 Aug 17
What colourful rugs, Gary! It looks like everyone was relaxed and having a great time! And I just lurve the menu you had for the day @garymarsh6 . I am happy the weather played along.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
19 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 good morning! Yes, we should be, but the weather has an odd sense of humour! But you have given me a great idea for when the weather does behave. I hope you'll have a wonderful weekend. 
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 17
@bluesa You too. I have snuck on as the grand children are here and they are currently eating!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 17
Thankfully the weather was great! I guess you are about to enter spring now. You could organise your own with your friends and family!
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
13 Aug 17
I miss having family gatherings. Glad you had one.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
I know what you mean. It is quite some time since we all turned out to meet up!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
13 Aug 17
@Courtlynn perhaps you could organise one? It didn't take much doing. I just messaged on facebook and made a few phone calls and hey presto it was arranged!
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
14 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 nope, as i said my fsmily was only held together by my great grandmother.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Thank you Siva. I know that you probably have big family do's for example weddings the people invited to attend will outnumber British weddings any day!
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26187)
• Singapore
16 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 Yes, at big Indian weddings some uninvited have a ball too as they easily pass muster as invited guests. And the food is inviting!
Weddings have changed in character over time with a bigger splash in terms of festivities that can go on for days.
It is not easy to be an organizer but you seem to revel in it leaving no stones unturned - siva
@allen0187 (58438)
• Philippines
14 Aug 17
Glad everyone enjoyed the picnic!
Kudos to you for organizing it!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Thank you. It was good everyone decided to turn up!
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47038)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
15 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 I'm glad that you guys have another one planned. I hope that the next one is just as much fun.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Our next family gathering will be in October to celebrate my aunts Golden wedding!
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111064)
• El Paso, Texas
15 Aug 17
The only kind of green I have are the weeds 
@garymarsh6
@garymarsh61 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Haha so green yes because we have had so much rain!
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
14 Aug 17
That really sounds a beautiful family picnic.Nice photo of family members of different age groups.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
16 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 Glad that the effort you made paid off-- happiness all around.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Thank you yes there was very young and very old. All age ranges which made it fun too!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457243)
• Switzerland
16 Aug 17
@garymarsh6 I also do not know all the children of my cousins and their grandchildren.
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
I knew my nephews and nieces of course but not all their children. Some are still babies.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Aug 17
Yes very thirst quenching! Are you still in Europe Judy? I will catch up with your travel tales they were so interesting!
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@JudyEv (325255)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Sep 17
@garymarsh6 I don't know how I missed responding to your comment. It might have been during one of the patches when we were without internet. We've just returned to Ireland and have about 10 days before we return home.
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