Day 219: Grease - Lightning

Today started off beautifully and we walked at Five Rivers with our visitors. It was sunny, but not too hot and everyone was on good form.

We had a lazy middle of the day (including some naps) and then set off for our expedition to see Grease performed in the park. This is a performance that runs throughout the summer and is free to those who sit on the floor (or bring their own chairs) in the amphitheatre arrangement. Tickets are sold for plastic garden chairs in the 'stalls'.

As darkness fell, a few clouds appeared on the horizon. Literal ones - we were still feeling fine. About halfway through the first half I saw some lightning in the distance, but again it was nothing to concern us. In the interval, Exile #3 and Exile #4 made a contribution and collected a sticker each and then I returned to discuss with Exile #2 what time I would have to leave to go to the airport and collect my colleague and his family (delayed from yesterday). At that point Exile #2 felt a drop or two of rain. It was quite gentle. Exile #3 put her umbrella up and Exile #4 came to stand underneath. Then suddenly there was a rush of wind. People's chairs and bits of set started blowing around. We decided to leave. The wind got stronger. Someone said "Twister." Someone else, "Tornado." They are rare but not unheard-of here. We started to try and collect all our stuff together. One of my nieces suddenly arrived from nowhere to help, we managed to get coats, E5N1 (in pushchair) and the girls down to the side of the stage. It started raining hard. Bits of fallen tree (mostly small twigs, but a few branches) were everywhere. My sister and my other niece were nowhere to be found, then suddenly they appeared and we started a very brisk walk towards the cars. I took a wrong turn and took us on a wild goose chase, but we eventually found our way back to the three cars we had brought so that I could make a dash to the airport whilst everyone else could watch the rest of the show and still get home OK.

The first half of the show (Greased Lightning and all) was good - lots of fun. The second half was cancelled. Anyway, we got home OK, and I got out again to collect our friends and everyone is now safe and sound and in bed (except me that is). Phew. Actually looking back, it was a fairly minor storm and we didn't have any thunder and lightning, just rain and wind. Just another summer's day in Upstate NY.