New Zealand

It may have been a substandard picnic, but it was still a picnic. You went to a location for that purpose. You brought the food. You made numerous attempts to prepare the food. The kids played and interacted while they waited. You probably did lots of other things that people do at a picnic, too.

There is more to a picnic than consuming food.
If someone invited me to a picnic and all I did was stand there and eat a hamburger and chips on a paper plate and then went home, I would not feel that I had been at a picnic.

However, if I stopped by a park where the Jamisons were hanging out and spent a couple of hours talking with you and Debbie and playing tag with the kids, and even trying to help get the charcoal started, I could go home without having consumed one morsel of food and still feel as though I had a nice afternoon/evening at a picnic.

It may have been a disappointing picnic, but it was still a picnic.

We used charcoal for the first time in ages and ages at Malachi’s graduation party at a community park in July. We used to use it all the time picnicking on Lake Erie and at Grandma and Grandma’s cottage. So when it does work, it works well.

Maybe you want to get a little George Foreman Grill–but then you have to have access to an outlet.

Portable propane grill? I hate to travel with propane in the vehicle.

Perhaps always pack a back-up sack with bread, rolls and lunchmeat/peanut butter & jelly so you can make sandwiches if you need to, but if the grill works you won’t have to.

I certainly think that your event should still count as a picnic, though…

Where do you live again?

We’re done perhaps 3 picnics. Last was father’s day (in September here).