the tait family move into the stables, an old house in a shropshire village, with plans to make it a beautiful family home. after their first night in their new home, alan is surprised to see a man and a dog staring across at the house, and even more so when they seem to disappear in the blink of an eye. his daughter molly sees them too but wife donna and son billy remain unconvinced. as the taits settle in to village life they strike up friendships with a range of characters who have lived their whole lives there and who can shed light on the history of the stables, its former owners and the lasting effects of the second world war on the village and its inhabitants. no picnic for sam is a story of love, war and friendship - and how, although the world must move on, there are some things which will never be forgotten.