Is there a hayride format?

I'm supposing there are "standard guidelines," or at the least, suggestions for hayride outings. I can't remember when I last went on a hayride, but joined many community members to participate on one this evening.

First there was the ever-popular weenie roast just prior to the festivities. There were homemade cookies, cakes, popcorn balls, and goodie bags full of sugary treats and bubble gum.

There were 25 children/adults/and one dog on our hay stacked flat bed trailer. There were two other trucks and trailers with at least that many participants. Our dog, Maggie, was the only pooch participating this year and she fully enjoyed herself.

Things were a bit on the boring side as we bumped around on the bales of hay as we travelled the gravel roads criss-crossing our community. We went over two low water bridges, but other than that, the murmurings of cold children complaining was about all that was audible.

So, to inject a bit of fun and distraction into the equation, I began singing The Hokey Pokey. It started rather low key and drug out with the right foot in, and then the right foot out, but ended on a very exuberant note with the whole head in and the whole head out about 10 minutes later.

We smoothly transitioned into Old McDonald's Farm making mention of such barnyard animals as the chicken, pig, dog, turkey, and countless others. There was also a verse or two of Up on the Housetop, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Why is it when you are digging deep into your mental archives for something to sing, recite, or otherwise keep children interested and involved, the memory banks are all of a sudden bankrupt?

Odd what trivia one somehow maintains unbeknownst until necessity calls, isn't it?

All in all, we had a pretty good time, but there is a reason that the saying, "There's no place like home" is one easily remembered. How true it is!!!

A Little Off....