festivus for the rest of us

You know, Festivus, from "Seinfeld"--the wacky holiday George's parents invented which no one outside the family could make sense of. That's like Picnic Day at UCDavis for me.

For CAMB members Picnic Day as the biggest day of the year and just because you've graduated doesn't mean that designation entirely disappears. I realize this makes no sense to non-Aggies. So many of my alum friends make a point of going to cheer on the current band, and see each other and the campus again. I try to go most every year and since there are so many things for kids to see and do, I like to bring Erin with me and so far she's really enjoyed going. This year was going to be challenging though--rain predicted, and my favorite events are outside. But it was only supposed to be a 40% chance of rain, in the morning, and mostly a clear day, so I tempted fate, bundled us up, brought umbrellas and changes of clothes and we were off. No use sacrificing the whole day just because we'd see a little rain early on.

Well it rained, and rained, all day. Sometimes very hard, sometimes not so hard, but it didn't stop. We still watched the band's big street show and some of the parade then ducked inside for some indoor activities. We went over to avian sciences and looked at new chicks in incubators, and some chickens and japanese quail that were just hatching. We went to animal science to see some cow milking and see some horses, goats, and sheep. We went to environmental toxicology and Erin made a paper ladybug craft and we got to take a bag of 300+ live ladybugs home with us. We had cotton candy and popcorn and walked all over the place while running into friends, seeing parade floats, grown-ups wearing animal suits, cowboys on horses, the usual idealistic college student left-wing wackiness, and general Picnic Day goodness.

We had a bite to eat with some friends and then they were all going to see the Battle of the Bands, which started at 2, outside on a huge lawn area. But neither standing up with Erin on my shoulders so she could see, nor sitting in mud appealed to me, so we reluctantly left. It's the first time I've been to PD but didn't stay to at least see the Battle get started, and with a new addition this year no less, from Oregon State University. I think they brought the rain with them. Bastards.

Back at home we decided to sprinkle our new ladybugs around our yard. I hope they like it here.

Go Ags!