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Post by showmedot on Jun 22, 2014 22:31:16 GMT -6
Thought it looked like we were gonna get rained on while I was on the way home from the grocery store today.
I got home, stashed all the food and sat down to look over a library book while listening to the Yanks-Orioles game. (Yes, Steve, you can rejoice. Orioles waxed 'em, 8-0.) I'm hearing fairly distant thunder when suddenly there's a huge clap CLOSE. I jump up thinking, "Dammit! I knew I should have unplugged hubby's computer when I got home!" Got over to it to find the surge protector going click-click-click and CPU shut down. I quickly pull the plug on everything in there since it's all along a southwest outside wall, precisely the direction most thunderstorms come from.
And then, I realize I really need to pee and would rather not be doing that if we get another close one.
So, I finish that while still listening to the game and get back out to the living room to hear commotion outside our front door. I figure something unusual is going on and open the door to a crowd of neighbors from our end of the building, two BIG fire trucks and half a dozen firefighters milling about outside. Our next door neighbor said they knocked but thought no one was home, since the firefighters ordered everybody in the half dozen apartments on our end out due to lightning having hit the top floor apartment above ours. Seems the people in it saw sparks coming out of a ceiling fixture and all their breakers blew.
No fire found, and we get the all clear. Fire guys load and leave.
Fifteen minutes later, there's another immense boom really close. I hear sirens, and damned if there isn't a fire truck right outside again. I open our door as one guy passes me saying, "Weren't we just here? Seems like it." This time, the other end of our building took the hit. Again, they check it carefully, no fire.
And when hubby gets home from work, he finds out his computer may have a fried ethernet card or possibly something in the Uverse modem got toasted. Plus, the Uverse box in our bedroom at the other end of our apartment is shot cookies. Fortunately, that appears to be the only damage, and renter's insurance should cover his CPU if it's toast.
But hubby got a series of semi-hysterical texts while all this was going on with his boss wanting to know if I could tell which way the storm was headed. Northeast of us, and their office was in the path or due east, his house.
Way too much excitement for me to claim boredom for sure! But it could have been a helluva lot worse.
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Post by stevec on Jun 23, 2014 7:17:15 GMT -6
So, no god is trying to send me a message revelations? Your atheism is still resolute?
Happy to find out you're not crispy.
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Post by showmedot on Jun 23, 2014 12:52:50 GMT -6
I sincerely doubt I'd have been embraced by St. Pete after screeching, "Holy SHIT!" when the first boom struck. What I said for subsequent ones would certainly not have been favorably regarded by the heavenly hosts. I must be irredeemable. I looked at it as a variation of the old joke about the priest and nun playing golf. Luckily for me, God's aim with lightning bolts sucks as badly as mine.  Hubby got a new CPU and surge protector out of it at least. Geek Squad said network card was toast, and since that card is integrated with the motherboard...no cheap solution but just under our deductible amount, of course. |
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Post by Jim on Jun 24, 2014 20:23:01 GMT -6
Thought it looked like we were gonna get rained on while I was on the way home from the grocery store today. I got home, stashed all the food and sat down to look over a library book while listening to the Yanks-Orioles game. (Yes, Steve, you can rejoice. Orioles waxed 'em, 8-0.) I'm hearing fairly distant thunder when suddenly there's a huge clap CLOSE. I jump up thinking, "Dammit! I knew I should have unplugged hubby's computer when I got home!" Got over to it to find the surge protector going click-click-click and CPU shut down. I quickly pull the plug on everything in there since it's all along a southwest outside wall, precisely the direction most thunderstorms come from. And then, I realize I really need to pee and would rather not be doing that if we get another close one. So, I finish that while still listening to the game and get back out to the living room to hear commotion outside our front door. I figure something unusual is going on and open the door to a crowd of neighbors from our end of the building, two BIG fire trucks and half a dozen firefighters milling about outside. Our next door neighbor said they knocked but thought no one was home, since the firefighters ordered everybody in the half dozen apartments on our end out due to lightning having hit the top floor apartment above ours. Seems the people in it saw sparks coming out of a ceiling fixture and all their breakers blew. No fire found, and we get the all clear. Fire guys load and leave. Fifteen minutes later, there's another immense boom really close. I hear sirens, and damned if there isn't a fire truck right outside again. I open our door as one guy passes me saying, "Weren't we just here? Seems like it." This time, the other end of our building took the hit. Again, they check it carefully, no fire. And when hubby gets home from work, he finds out his computer may have a fried ethernet card or possibly something in the Uverse modem got toasted. Plus, the Uverse box in our bedroom at the other end of our apartment is shot cookies. Fortunately, that appears to be the only damage, and renter's insurance should cover his CPU if it's toast. But hubby got a series of semi-hysterical texts while all this was going on with his boss wanting to know if I could tell which way the storm was headed. Northeast of us, and their office was in the path or due east, his house. Way too much excitement for me to claim boredom for sure! But it could have been a helluva lot worse. Hi Dot: I though of your post as I was walking the dog just now - and watching the attached thunderheads form over the plains. These bad boys are pounding some farms and towns in Eastern Colorado right now... Jim  |
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Post by stevec on Jun 24, 2014 22:37:37 GMT -6
I'm usually up north by now, but this year I've had to stay in FL for various reasons. We've been pounded every day by vicious thunderstorms and I noticed the the 7 day forcast predicts severe thunderstorms every day. Btw, I'm driving north tomorrow, Wed, and staying near Philly to visit my son, so I'll be posting briefly every night. Im driving again rather than flying, because I can't take my daughter's rabbit on a plane and my wife has some immune issues. She's afraid she might catch something being in a confined area with so many people. It's been a tough year so far, to the point that my daughter's rabbit has been the highlight of 2014. Oreo cracks me up.  |
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Post by westom on Jun 25, 2014 8:33:43 GMT -6
Hubby got a new CPU and surge protector out of it at least. Geek Squad said network card was toast, and since that card is integrated with the motherboard... Existing protector did not protect hardware. So a new one with same near zero protection numbers will do something useful? Protectors adjacent to appliances do not claim to protect from destructive surges. In some cases, can even make appliance damage easier. Also demonstrated is why unplugging is a least effective solution. Protection of all appliances involves something completely different. Unfortunately the superior solution uses a name similar to the ineffective one - surge protector. Lightning seeks earth ground. It did not find a connection to earth via a lightning rod and earth ground wire. So it connected to earth via the building - destructively. Lightning seeks earth ground. It did not find a connection to earth via a 'whole house' protector with the so critically important low imepdance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to earth. So it connected to earth via the computer and AT&T equipment - destructively. |
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Post by showmedot on Jun 25, 2014 13:28:14 GMT -6
Have a safe trip, Steve.
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Post by woodrowli on Jun 25, 2014 14:37:08 GMT -6
Just now saw this. Glad to hear you are OK Dot
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Post by showmedot on Jun 25, 2014 18:26:14 GMT -6
Thanks, Woodrow. It was really pretty scary to have the building get hit several times in less than 30 minutes. That was the worst thunderstorm I've seen in years!
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Post by Jim on Jun 26, 2014 10:23:44 GMT -6
Hi Dot, Steve, Woodrow and Ken: Eric has not returned my email or posted here, so I am guessing that I’ve pissed her off completely. I sure didn't see that coming. My apologies to you all for my part in eviscerating the forum. It certainly was not my intention to diminish the place. If Eric decides to come back, I’ll be happy to keep quiet or at least play nicer. Later, Jim |
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Post by showmedot on Jun 26, 2014 10:55:26 GMT -6
I suppose we all just hang loose and wait to see what happens here if we each feel inclined to be that forbearing.
As we all know, brouhahas and dustups are commonplace on forums, and typically the best course of action is to let the dust settle and then endeavor to go on, mending fences as the opportunity presents itself.
Anyway, I've decided to wait and see. I'll let you all know formally if I eventually conclude otherwise.
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Post by woodrowli on Jun 26, 2014 14:03:15 GMT -6
I suppose we all just hang loose and wait to see what happens here if we each feel inclined to be that forbearing. As we all know, brouhahas and dustups are commonplace on forums, and typically the best course of action is to let the dust settle and then endeavor to go on, mending fences as the opportunity presents itself. Anyway, I've decided to wait and see. I'll let you all know formally if I eventually conclude otherwise. Forums are a great place to get your patience tested. When entering forum doors one needs to learn to leave "fear of altercations" at the door. When one enters a forum it is best to wear steel toe boots and flame proof underwear. Then just settle back and learn it is possible to enjoy people that think different then you do. If person A wants to express his views he must know person B wants to do the same. As far as I know disagreement on a forum is not going to kill me or anyone else. So like you just said: " let the dust settle and then endeavor to go on, mending fences as the opportunity presents itself. " Now everybody grab some chocolates:  |
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