Free Picnic Table Rides?!
This picture just made me laugh and it begged to be blogged about for an explanation. When you live in the country, fun often comes in strange and crazy forms. This summer, my city-raised son experienced yet another new adventure at Mammy and Papa’s house in the country…picnic table rides! (Yes, you read that right…not pony rides, but picnic table rides.) Ok, probably not the most exciting thing in the world or his most memorable experience, but it was different to say the least.
Remember last post I was talking about how easy it is to move my parents’ Lifetime 4-person picnic table compared to the wooden A-frame picnic table we had when I was a kid? My parents did in fact get rid of the small wooden A-frame table and now use their Lifetime 4-person picnic table for daily use by the pond. But, what I didn’t mention is that they are still hoarding two more picnic tables that aren’t Lifetime! I know, I know. I wish I could say it’s not true, but it is. Sigh.
If my parents have big family or neighborhood picnics and need more eating space, Dad will pull (and yes, I literally mean PULL) out their old, heavy, long picnic tables. The things are HUGE….8' long, made out of 2” thick wood planks bolted to steel legs. Simple translation…HEAVY! So heavy that he literally ties a rope around them (look closely, you can see the red ropes in the photo) and pulls them with a lawn mower to get them from the barn (where he stores them) to the yard…which is when my son decided to hop on for a free ride. The old tables are in somewhat good condition and since my parents live in the country with a large barn, storage isn’t a huge problem. So, needless to say, my parents have been reluctant to get rid of the heavy tables even though Dad has to repaint them every few years despite keeping them stored inside the barn during the winter.
Well, at least the heavy tables made for a fun ride for my son! But, my point (yes, I really do have one) is that if my parents would simply buy the Lifetime 8-person picnic table and get rid of those other contraptions, they definitely wouldn’t have to use a mower to move them anymore! Since my parents already have a Lifetime picnic table, they are well aware of how lightweight and maintenance-free Lifetime picnic tables are…and that they even fold flat for easy storage and transportation. (Hint, hint.) But, well, hmmmm. There are just too many clichés that can be applied to this saga…"old habits die hard"…."if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it"…."a penny saved is a penny earned". Etc. So, until those old tables really fall to pieces, I suppose the picnic table rides will continue. But, for those of you who don’t have the luxury (er, desire) to move your picnic table with your lawn mower, lesson learned – just buy a Lifetime table the first time and save yourself a lot of trouble! :)
Have your own story about the crazy ways you struggle to move heavy tables? Do share, I’d love to hear!
