He said, she said: Let’s go on a picnic

*The most exciting thing about He Said, She Said is wondering if we’ll still be married by the end of each post! We both write on the same topic but only get to read the other’s work after it’s published.*

He said:

I quite like the chocolate bar type…

She said:

Picnics are a way of life in Australia. What’s not to love?

What’s more, he says:

Every time Mrs Romance suggests a picnic, I wince. I feel bad as soon as I do it because I know how much she enjoys them. I do. I feel terrible. But I have many reasons for hating picnics. Here are some of them:

• I don’t like eating off the floor. To quote John Merrick: “I am not an animal.”

• I don’t like sitting on the floor. See above quote.

• I don’t like sharing food that much. I don’t think I’m a particularly greedy or selfish person, but when it comes to food, the above quote is null and void!

• The twee blankets you’re expected to sit on irritate me. I don’t like putting my food on the same surface as everyone’s butts. Also people end up standing all over the blanket/chair/food table and get grass, sand, mud or whatever else they step in all over the place.

• If I am convinced to sit on the floor, I don’t find it comfortable. I like to lean my back against something. I can’t sit cross-legged for very long because my knees explode and my feet feel like pin cushions. I end up reclining on my side or leaning back with my arms behind me. Not comfortable.

• Because I don’t like picnics, I always have to come up with lies to get out of them. I don’t particularly like lying either. Once I convinced a friend I couldn’t sit on the floor because of a rare medical condition where I didn’t have any veins in my arms. This meant all the blood collected in my hands and was very dangerous. I would have to stand with my arms in the air for hours, which was very embarrassing. But usually I just tell people I’m busy.

• Picnics are a French invention.

Strangely enough, I do enjoy barbeques. They are somehow different to picnics and are a valid way to enjoy a meal.

And another thing, she says:

Growing up in Australia, we live our lives outdoors.

We have verandahs and big backyards and we often eat meals outside. Picnics are an extension of this, and how we catch up with our family and friends.

Grab a blanket, an esky* and a basket of food and head outside to play. It’s part of our culture. Lots of parks and beaches have public BBQs for people to use (free, or a small coin payment) so that you can cook outside too. It’s the Australian way.

We’re lucky with a temperate climate that makes this possible. I understand for Mr Romance, growing up in England this wouldn’t be as fun but I’m determined to change his mind.

Not only are picnics fun, they are also an easy and inexpensive way to spend time with friends and family. I love packing a picnic basket and heading to the beach. It’s the basis of so many childhood memories.

Mr Romance would have you think I’m being too nostalgic, but he’s just being lazy. A bottle of wine and an antipasto platter is the perfect way to relax in the Botanic Gardens. Much better than a meal at home.

My family background is Italian and we have lots of Italian friends who know how to picnic in style. It’s more of an outdoor feast than a humble picnic.

Either way, I’m a fan of the picnic and I’d like Mr Romance to come with me on a picnic date so I can change his mind.

Are you for or against picnics?

*esky (Australian slang) – noun – a portable cooler box