Saturday, August 29, 2015

Lab126 family picnic report

Today was the annual Lab126 family picnic. The event was held at Saratoga Springs this year. Let me begin by saying that this place is much nicer than Coyote Ranch. The venue is beautiful and has lots of shade. It's also closer to our house.

One highlight was seeing the Pann family there. Spencer and Jennifer were more than excited to meet with us again. This was also my first time seeing their son Robert in almost five years. It's always nice to reconnect with old friends.

However, I didn't see many familiar faces besides the Panns. This was surprising given that Saratoga Springs is in a more convenient location. On the other hand, my father suggested that I invite my friend Katie as she has done a lot for me. She was more than happy to come. The more the merrier!

The food was similar to that served at Coyote Ranch, although there were more desserts. The only downside is that the ice cream stand was only available for two hours. The entertainment included a DJ and carnival games. This made for a great atmosphere.

There was a scary moment when a kid passed out on the ground. I'm guessing he had a heat stroke as it was pretty hot outside. The area was closed while the paramedics tended to him. The good news is that he turned out to be fine. That was a relief for everyone.

On the whole, this has been the most enjoyable picnic so far. I definitely hope next year's event will be at Saratoga Springs again. Feel free to check out my pictures from the picnic.

A commemorative event was held at the Silicon Valley Asian Art Center later in the afternoon to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory over Japan. Dad wanted to go there after finding out that several people from Eileen's poetry club would be giving talks. Some of their relatives were high-ranking officers in the Republic of China Armed Forces during World War II and had interesting stories. There was also free food. :-)

Currently listening to: "Surfin' U.S.A." by the Beach Boys