Picnic!
By Raffaella Buschiazzo
When we left San Francisco at mid-morning Sunday the 26th of June, it was foggy, of course. I kept telling myself that by the time we got to Coyote Point Park in San Mateo County, the spot we had chosen for the picnic, the fog would have disappeared, but nothing happened for a long while. We were worried. Then suddenly, right before San Mateo, the fog left room for a nice sunny day and at that point we knew that we could enjoy our NCTA picnic without the need to dress for a winter camp in Alaska!
We arrived at the aptly named Eucalyptus Picnic Area # 1 and started exploring the surroundings. The location is pretty, in a grove of the trees on top of a gentle hill facing a green golf course at the foot of the coast range on one side, and a small harbor on the Bay side.
When the first NCTA members began arriving around one, the charcoal was ready to cook the delicious ribs that Marianne Pripps had brought, along with our humble sausages. That is how the feast started. We wrapped mushrooms and other vegetables in aluminum foil and put everything on the grill. This is the way I prefer to cook: checking the fire from time to time, with a glass of wine in my hand, chatting in very good company. There is nothing better and easier.
We had a taste of France when Sonia Murray and her husband and son arrived, bringing with them her famous homemade pâté, made from a family recipe that we all appreciated very much. When Tatyana Neronova and her family joined us, we all moved to a big table under the trees, not far from our barbecue but sheltered from the sun that was getting very warm. Later, Tetu Hirai arrived with the perfect summer dessert: fruit salad with grenola and soy yoghurt. Delicious!
The picnic lasted all afternoon, with comings and goings, and good food and good moods. It was once again a successful NCTA event, where people had an opportunity to meet, socialize, and share the ups and downs of the translator’s life, all in a very pleasant atmosphere.
So next time you feel lonely and uninspired in front of the screen—or elated at finding the perfect translation for that tricky word—just think of the next NCTA event, when you will be able to meet the people who understand your travails and triumphs! See you at the next one!
