Summer Fridays 2013: Washed Out

After a very long, busy, hectic crazy winter, and an equally as intense spring, Big J employees start counting down for our much-beloved Summer Fridays. About May we start to dream of all the things we are going to do with these days off.

What we often forget to factor in is Mother Nature's odd sense of humor seasoned with a hefty dose of payback. May is also the cusp of Atlantic hurricane season - which the "authoritative" source Wikipedia says is "...currently defined as the time frame from June 1 through November 30."

June is when our Summer Fridays start.

Yesterday's first June Summer Friday is when the first named storm system of the season swept up the Atlantic coast and ended up drenching parts of New York with four to six inches of water.

Mother Nature is ticked off and karma's name was Andrea.

Unlike some of my colleagues I watch the long-range forecast. I knew it was coming. I had no outside plans. I had movies stockpiled, as well as projects, but instead decided to venture out and do some volunteering up at Caramoor -- of course. A busman's holiday seemed to be a good way to get out of the house, help out a worthwhile organization, see my friends, and really - a way to transition into the concept of a day off. I'm a workaholic .... it takes me a while to get the idea I'm not supposed to be working.

It was soggy on the train platform going north in the morning ... and for some reason, my train car smelled like wet dog!

But even in the rain, Caramoor is pretty as a picture. What's the old saying?

Red sky at night / Sailors delight 

Red sky in morning / Sailors take warning 

Rooster crows: It is grey / Rain rain, please go away

It was delightful to spend the day in familiar territory, even if most of the faces these days are new. I got to help out with the collation and stuffing of membership materials, all emblazoned with the new logo. This is the new member bag - which Christine took on our beach day trip a few months ago. 

via @caramoor's Instagram

Here are Talia and Karla are putting together pre-festival membership packages! Packed with parking passes, menus, etc. Those folder were packed with information, and should be hitting mailboxes sometime next week. I saw mine ... er. ... someone named Anon Y.. Mous ... got a special delivery ahead of the pack.

Did I ever point out these semi-hidden murals in back of the Administration building? Shame on me.

Look at all these colors and textures of this office building. How do I work in a big grey box every day? (Oh yeah, the many many reasons, including burn-out, paycheck sizes, and summers being not so busy.)

 

I ask you, though, how can you stand in the area between these two pictures, turn left, and then, in all certain earnestness, ask people coming out of these buildings: "Excuse me, where is the Box Office?"

 ??

Really. If Caramoor had a quarter for everyone that did exactly that ... THERE ARE 2 SIGNS ... RIGHT THERE!

On the way back through Katonah to the train, I spotted the only kind of bike I will ever consider getting ... an adult tricycle. (After my "shark" experience on the Cape - no two-wheelers for me.) I could actually tote groceries in this blue beauty. Plus, isn't the view on the Katonah platform much nicer?

One last note. When tropical storms come through, with their bands of wind and rain, umbrellas are pointless. You are going to get wet. It's just something you accept. So I stood out on the platform - in my "water-proof" hat. I understand the concepts "drowned rat" and "soaked to the skin" so much better.

Partly because ... well... Grace struck again.

What was a little rain on my head and shoulders when I was already wet from the ankles up anyway?

I was tromping through the swampy woodlands at Caramoor from the office to the car park, when I ended up knees first in the mud. The blur of green on the left there -- the exact moment it happened.

 WHOO HOO! Summer Fridays. Always an adventure.