It is grey and raining outside, though pleasantly cool. Today is the day of my company's picnic. I missed it last year (when it was sunny) but made it the first year I worked there. 2000 was the Year of the Rain in Madison, and sure enough, that day was a torrential downpour. The picnic was supposed to be held at Lake Kegonsa State Park but we held it in the company's second (warehouse-y) building.
I was scheduled to work Saturdays, so I put in a half day and then headed across the parking lot to socialize and eat. I didn't mind the rain, as I had a big umbrella. However, I didn't realize how deep the puddles in the parking lot had gotten, and suddenly found myself hip-deep in water. Icky. I slogged around the party for afew minutes in dripping jeans and squishy sneakers, then headed back through the rain for my car, where I was lucky enough to have a pair of shorts and sandals to change into. Not quite warm enough for the day, but it was dry.
It was my first real socialization with co-workers, and I was still pretty nervous around them. Now I hang out with some of them so much that I look back on that day with amazement. What a shy little goof I was.
