A Visit from Marty

2012-06-05 22:31:07.000 – Samantha Brady,  Summit Museum Supervisor

A hard-working cat

Summer has finally arrived here at the Mount Washington Observatory. The Auto Road isrunning all day, the cog is now running every hour, the Sherman Adams building is open to hikers, and the Mount Washington Observatory Museum & Gift Shop is open!

I started my work week off on Wednesday. A day full of meetings and chit-chattingwith the other museum attendant. We conversed for a few hours, sat through a fewmeetings, and shortly after I was in full working mode. I work pretty much bymyself in the museum all day, with the exception of our interns helping out whenneeded. So, I have to say, because schools are still in session and even though oursummer has started, not everyone else’s has, and it does get pretty lonely down thereat times.

As I’m sure you all know, we have a summit cat, Marty, who stays up yearround while we rotate shifts. Marty is an exceptional cat. Some of you may be luckyenough to have met him wandering around the summit. Others have asked or wished tohave seen him. I have to assure you he appears one moment, then gone the next. Hesure is a sneaky one. However, I was greeted on Thursday morning by his presence. As I was opening up the shop and patiently awaiting the first visitor up from the auto road to walk down the stairs, I started to hear footsteps…and they sure weren’t human. It was Marty.

For the first time this summer, Marty decided to come hang out and explore our museum and gift shop; or possibly just to keep me company.

The first thing he did was walk around and sniff out every new fixture, piece of clothing, and wall imaginable. He then chose one standing fixture we have in the middle of the shop that he decided to climb on top of. The monkey-like cat that he is, he madeit to the top and hung out for a good 20 minutes before deciding to climb down.After that adventure to the top of the tower he decided he was ready to get somework done. He jumped up on top of the cash wrap and walked over to the registerand computer. After doing so, he seemed as if he were all done working hard, orshall I say hardly working.

Marty then again plopped himself right down in the middle of the cash wrap foranother 20 minute chill-out session. This consisted of him rolling around andlicking himself. I have to say having him around in the summit shop was veryentertaining, and it was exciting to see him enjoying himself to the max. I hope all of you on your next trip up get the great opportunity to meet him!

Samantha Brady,  Summit Museum Supervisor