"LCBO." came the weary response.
"You got it!" I was both taken back and pleasantly surprised. "You are learning!"
An early chiropractor appointment awaited me on Saturday morning. The calendar booking had been brought to the attention of the sleepy polar bear, who had been tasked last-minute with preparing an itinerary while I pursued other home endeavours. Despite having previously been informed that strawberry picking plans would be cancelled due to pending weekend showers, a potentially forgiving forecast had me changing my mind.
Locating indoor plumbing facilities was the first order of business. When a local café had blocked access to washrooms, noting them for staff only, we meandered across the street to Butcher Bar, an establishment operating as both a café (with outdoor dining area!) and a source of meats, cheeses, and frozen pastas.
The Works was also unexpectedly delectable. Although the vanilla ice cream had melted far sooner that I would have liked, the jammy consistency of the strawberries and fluffy, vanilla-laced sponge slices were of impressive quality for just five dollars.
Another nearby stall sold Pancakes, Hamburgers, and Hot Dogs - again at just five dollars each!
I almost burst out laughing when I heard that the term "BBQ" had been associated with "brisket". After a millisecond of speechlessness, I reminded that we were attending an outdoor fair, not a restaurant, and that the items we received were absolutely reflective of my expectations.
The air was heavy, prompting us to hop onto the tractor in the direction of the strawberry bushes. Despite being informed that tractor rides were available every thirty minutes, the bale-stocked trailers definitely appeared more frequently than this interval.
The sleepy polar bear, on the other hand, embarked on a hunt for the largest, plumpest strawberries possible, even heading towards a different field altogether. We both agreed that the best berries were found at the centre of the bush, usually dewy with rainwater from the days prior.
My gradually decomposing basket came to 4.88 lbs, while the sleepy polar bear's half-full and fully intact basket at 1.65 lbs. Retailing at $4.75/lb, the berries set us back $23.18 and $7.84 respectively.
Surely enough, expressions depicting disgust emerged without remorse. Though, a small sip of blueberry- and currant-based wines also had me cringing slightly. They were sharp-tasting and not at all palatable. The same comments could be extended to Andrew's White, which neither exuded the airiness nor elegance of green grapes.
They weren't particularly pristine, though better than Chudleigh's outdoor facilities and ice-cold water for rinsing. To ensure a kid-friendly facility, there were plastic stairs positioned before one of two sinks and paper towel dispensers installed at varying heights.
It was undeniable that, while Chudleigh's served as a tourist attraction for adults, Andrew's Scenic Acres was more family-friendly with kid-inclusive installations. In particular, garbage bins were frequently found throughout the site, sporting various colourful designs from ice cream cones to butterflies to strawberries.