On Saturday, the mouth-watering smell of hamburgers and hot dogs barbecuing on a grill wafted through the parking lot behind Brumfield School Apartments.

There, Mary Harrison and her family had decided to celebrate the sunny spring weather by holding a spur-of-the-minute barbecue behind the apartments where they live.

&uot;It’s kind of warm and sunny today, not like yesterday,&uot; Harrison said, referring to thunderstorms that dumped 2 1/4 inches of rain on the Miss-Lou Friday.

&uot;It’s a good day for something like this,&uot; she added, just minutes before colder winds whipped through the area.

Harrison was joined by her husband, Antoine, and their twin 12-year-old boys, Justin and Dustin, who passed the time before their early supper riding their bikes or just hanging out near the grill.

Several other girls and boys who live in the apartment complex or at nearby houses also gathered in the parking lot to play tag and engage in a little horseplay.

Members of the group ranged in age from 2 to 12.

Most go to school together at McLaurin Elementary and said they hang out together every chance they get — at school, after school and on weekends.

And to hear them say it, they hardly ever have a shortage of activities to keep them occupied.

&uot;We ride bikes and play dodge ball and football,&uot;&160;said Roger Allen, 9 1/2.

&uot;And he (Roger) gets mad,&uot; said Jamar Jackson, 9, laughing.

Why?

&uot; ‘Cause I&160;always lose,&uot; said Allen, laughing at his luck.

&uot;For me, there’s always something to do — football and basketball, mostly,&uot; said Shonkeith Calvin, 12. &uot;I can always find something to do.&uot;

&uot;This time of the day,&uot; said Mary Harrison, &uot;they’re almost always out here.&uot;