We Insiders are summer-loving people. We find cold weather depressing, and because we don't ski or snowboard, we have little to look forward to when the mercury drops. You can imagine, then, our sadness as fall approaches. Yes, it's a pretty season and the temperature isn't so bad to start, but it's also a short season. It only takes one windstorm to displace the last of the turning leaves, making way for the bareness and desolation that is the hallmark of chilly weather.
Alas, season changes are inevitable – but we can still take advantage of every last second of summer. Because we really wanted to embrace that goal, we decided to set up a lemonade stand in White Park. Lemonade sales are something of a summertime institution for kids hoping to make a few bucks, and we figured it would be a good excuse for us to sit outside.
We got permission from the Recreation Department with assurances that we would give the lemonade away for free. The Slip 'n Slide fund would have to wait.
We scoured our cupboards for pitchers, packed camp chairs and a folding table, and made a totally awesome sign. Then we headed to Shaw's to purchase cups, ice and lemonade mix. We settled on the Shaw's brand mix for $1.99 – it is a free drink, after all, and Country Time just didn't seem worth the extra $2.
We couldn't have picked a better day last week to set up shop. It was warm and sunny, and there was a nice breeze. We found a shady spot by the pond that was close, but not too close, to the playground. We didn't want to creep out the moms – you don't see two grown women at a makeshift lemonade stand all that often.
The park was pretty busy for a weekday at 1 p.m., so we figured we'd be out of there in an hour. Instead, we sat. And sat some more. Cassie started making a mark on her cup every time she refilled it with lemonade. We fed the ducks. I took some pictures. And we waited.
Finally, a man in a T-shirt bearing a questionable statement said he'd love some lemonade. We weren't surprised that it was a guy who accepted our offer of free lemonade first. We guessed that the moms were a little suspicious of our presence and probably wondering what we wanted in return. In truth, we only asked our customers to fill out a comment card about their lemonade experience.
Eventually, folks started wandering over. Usually they would see someone else walk away from the table unscathed, lemonade in hand, and then they'd approach us. A cute young couple stopped by, a mom and her kids, a dad who took his son for a walk and a nice guy who we think attends Franklin Pierce Law Center. The lemonade seemed to go over well – only one little boy puckered his lips when he took the first sip, but he soldiered on and finished his drink.
By the time 3 p.m. rolled around, we had given away about one and half pitchers of lemonade. We decided to call it a day, so I dumped the ice and surreptitiously disposed of the remaining lemonade near a drain. (If there are now copious amount of ants in that location, I apologize profusely.)
It was pretty nice sitting in the sun for a couple of hours. Maybe you don't need to hand out lemonade to enjoy the weather, but it did make it feel like July again, even if just for a little while.
