dinosaurs' picnic

That's what we call these kinds of meals. Do you have them too? It usually involves a few left overs and lots of fruit and vegetables. There should be almost no cooking, only maybe, a little reheating. Everyone has small plates. There should be olives. Apples and cheese are also staples. If you were in the supermarket and saw some raspberries that were woefully out of season but reminded you of summer, you should include them too. If you keep buying too many clementines, long after the whole family is sick of them, they should go on the table as well. You have to have candles. There is no dessert, that is part of the meal, so add some chocolate on the table too. Everyone gets to eat what bits they like and they get to ignore the things they don't like. We usually have a several rounds of saying the same phrase in different styles, accents or silly voices and each round has a winner. Last week we all had to say the phrase, "Good gracious Mabel, I don't know what the world is coming too." You don't have to play this game at your dinosaurs' picnic but I recommend it.