I was inside the house having a popsicle to cool down after mowing the lawn. I had just finished a strawberry one and got up to throw away the stick. As i walked across the room it was as if the light left with me, as if a sheet had been quickly pulled over the sky. I looked out the window. It was looking mighty dark to the south east. I heard a clap of thunder. I checked the radar. There was indeed a blip on the radar coming at us fast from the south east. I wondered if i had time to get the dogs and filter half a gallon of well water for the house tonight before the rain arrived. As if in answer to my question it thundered again and large droplets of rain began to pelt the earth. The dogs were whining in the dog run. I hurried away from the well house and towards the dogs, “im coming, im coming, dont worry! Im coming!” I grabbed the dogs and put them in the house, left the electronics inside and ran through the rain to unscrew the spigot cap and fill the half gallon pitcher with well water for the house. As soon as i got the pitcher full i put the cap back on and covered the spigot with its bag, then ran back to the house. The dogs were inside waiting for me. I patted their heads and tried to reassure them as the rain intensified. I sat down in the rocking chair and they both gathered next to it for petting and comfort. I was reaching out to pet cashew’s head when a blinding light erased everything i was looking at. I knew what it was immediately. Right before the light i noticed Cashew flick her head in the direction of the window and brace as if someone was going to hit her. Then, everything went white. Its like your eyes are open but you cant see. The only thing i can liken it to is if you keep your eyes open when the airbag goes off during a car crash. You have your eyes open and you know you should be able to see but all there is in all directions is white. I reached out and caught a bit of cashew’s long fur. I tried to pat her, “it’s okay…” but my voice was drowned out by an ear piercing crack. I dont remember in what order what happens but you feel the vibrations through the floor with your feet, the bottom of your chest drops out and you feel a hollow rumbling, and the hairs stand straight up on your arms and legs. I was so frustrated because i just spent a good year at least explaining to the dogs that rain was not to be feared and go ballistic about because i had both unplugged the buried wire dog fence and had a surge protector installed on the utility pole outside and as long as those two things were in place we didnt have to worry about lightning popping things out of the sockets and lighting them on fire anymore. Cashew did not believe me one bit. She saw any and all rain as intensely and thoroughly dangerous, and here nature had just proved her right and she was basically dancing from paw to paw seemingly saying, “i told you! I told you it was dangerous! I knew all rain was deadly and i should bark incessantly, shake like im having a seizure, drool non stop, pee myself and pace ceaselessly any time i hear water!” Once vision was restored and the ground stopped vibrating i walked over to the window to check the surge protector. The lights were still on. The stove was still working. The window unit was running. When i looked out the window i saw that both green lights were on at the surge protector on the utility pole. I patted and smooshed the dogs, “we’re okay, we’re okay, we’re okay, everything’s okay, the surge protector did its job.” I pointed to the green lights out the window but the dogs werent interested. I returned to making supper and the thunder and lightning continued. The storm was right on top of us for about five more minutes and then as quickly and furiously as it had arrived it blew away. Sili laid down on the floor for a nap. Cashew followed suit.
I went out and tried to see if i could find where the lightning hit but i did not see anything unusual on my walk about the yard. I checked tall trees and metal objects in the yard but i didnt see anything noteworthy. We are at the top of a hill which is one of the highest elevations in town so lightning is a problem here but its been a good while since we had a ground strike, perhaps just because it hasnt stormed all that much since 2020. The air had been hot and humid as all get out. The storm brought cool air with it. Now steam was rising from the ground and evaporating into a mist and it looked somewhat ominous in the yard. Not a day to play the lottery with this one.