The Rookwood Picnic

    The picnic was a huge success, exactly what I hoped for in ever way, it was a small but great gathering of fun people in a casual way.  In total only five people attended, but everyone was great fun and added something to the conversation and dynamics.  We had a nice variety of people from very different backgrounds.  There was even one person who had never worked in the industry but was keen on joining it.

    The weather forecasts had warned of afternoon rain, yet it was already raining by the time I got up.  Not a great weather for a picnic, but the place was under cover and the rain was only light, so I was not too worried.  In the end the rain turned out to be a mixed blessing.  As due to the building design the rain gently fell off the roof into the little pool, creating a very nice background trickling and sloshing sound.

    Having enough food is always important for functions, you want too much so people do not feel uncomfortable eating as they please.  In this instance we were spot on, there was more than enough food to share, and also a decent diversity of food.

    We all sat on a blanket in the middle of the building, it was not exactly the most comfortable but it was certainly acceptable and good fun.  Despite the rain we managed to create the picnic vibe while staying dry.  The discussion was also quite good, ranging in topics but focusing on the industry as everyone there had a real interest and passion for the industry.  We shared experiences of what it is like to work funerals, funny stories and company information.  Everyone had a good time, and we were there from 11:00 to just after 16:00, so five hours all up.

    Overall I count this as a huge success, the numbers were low and weather bad, yet we all managed to have a great time.  So I will be trying to organise more casual events in the future, from cemetery walks to specialty museum visits.




An~~

    Below are some pictures of the where we had the picnic in good weather for anyone interested, as it really is a unique, interesting and nice place.  A very modern place which downplays religious imagery, it was built by a Catholic organisation and yet has no crucifix.  Perhaps an indication of where things are going.

It really does have a nice feel about it, relaxing and inviting.

I found it interesting how they had downplayed the religious images here.
In front of the coloured glass is a thin iron cross, not a crucifix, and
barely visible even in person.

Bubbler, bin and yet no toilet.  They want to hold
functions here yet provide no toilets.

An~~