Monday, February 8, 2016

SHOCKING

Not my picture

S#$#%, I just got zapped by Winters practical joke.  I swear I am a walking generator and I don't even have carpets.  I so hate static electricity but it reminded me of a time when those blue flames had more power and a better outcome.

Rerun from 2009.

Florida is known as the lightning capital of the country. I have no doubt. We have thunder storms in Florida that are not surpassed by any other state. They are spectacular to watch and can make you whimper for your Momma even as a graying adult.

People always told me NOT to buy property with tall pine trees as they just attract lightning. So naturally, I bought a heavily wooded property. Duh. It took a lot of clearing to provide a pasture for my animals but I left a hedge about 75 feet thick across the front of the property of nice tall pines and shrubs for privacy.

It had been a hard day and I was really tired. The rain was coming down in sheets and the lightning was snapping close by, lighting up the rain darkened sky. It was afternoon but it could easily have been dusk. My mother used to say that lightning was just God taking our picture. He was taking a lot of candid shots that day.

I had a double set of gates leading into my property. I would open one, drive in, close the first one behind me, then open the next gate and drive to my home. This arrangement was to keep my dogs from possibly leaking out into traffic as I drove in. However, this day, I was really tired and dreaded the gauntlet of gates. Besides, the weather was awful and the lightning fierce. So I sat in the car and waited and then I waited some more.

I really just wanted to get home and take a nice long soak in a steaming tub. So I finally decided to be really dumb. I got out in the rain and reached over the gate to unlock it. I drove in, locked it behind me then reached over the second gate to unlatch it. I was about to push the second gate open when my world turned blue and I felt the earth reach up thru my feet and slap my entire body, hard. My muscles spasmed violently and I felt everything inside my skin shake violently.

"You fool," I thought, "You just killed yourself."

I did not leave my feet and was glued to the gate. My ability to think or focus was gone. When I broke free, I stumbled around in the rain, at first unable to make it back to my car. I would try to aim my feet in one direction but they would spasmodically flop in another. I don't know how long I floundered about bouncing off the fence and my vehicle till I finally made it into my car. I was alive.

When I made it inside my home, I just sat and stared at the walls   As my senses returned, I sent some serious gratitude sky ward. Should not have been alive but I was and desperately grateful for this second chance. God was not done with me.

Then a strange thing happened. I started feeling like I had way too much coffee. I was extremely restless and needed to move about. A wonderful feeling of well being washed over me. It was a feeling that drug addicts would kill for. Along with this marvelous feeling of well being came pure energy.

When the rain stopped I ran out to the gates to see what had happened to me. Not walked but ran, almost feeling if I ran fast enough, I could fly. I saw no apparent strikes on the trees. No burn marks anywhere. I was pretty sure I did not get a direct hit but may have taken a charge that traveled the fence line or struck near by. Still today, I don't not know what really happened.

What I do know is that I didn't sleep for over 2 days. I felt good, no WONDERFUL and was full of energy. My friends kidded me that I had gotten my battery charged. I do know that the after effects were great and if I weren't such a sissy, I would stick my finger in a light socket daily to try and recreate that feeling. I understand addiction.

I realize how fortunate I was for my outcome is not the norm.  Today when I do something really stupid, I just attribute it to my lightning strike. It is rather neat having an excuse for not having good sense.

 ***************

Oddly, all these years later when I get zapped with winters gift of static electricity, it irritates the everlovin crap out of me and makes me say a bad word or two.  Guess my batteries are fully charged these days and I now worry the bolt of blue shooting from my finger will irritate my pacemaker or short out my computer. How viewpoints change with time. 

Are you one of those that shuffles their feet over the carpet to zap an unsuspecting family member or are you the victim?? 

47 comments :

  1. I guess I missed reading that in 2009. I certainly would have remembered. Yikes! You had me on the edge of my seat reading. Glad you didn't return and try to relive that high like drug addicts do. Loved the phrase about keeping the dogs from "leaking" out. We have neighbors with several dogs who all attempt to leak out when the gate is even slightly open. About your question, I am the victim always.

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    Replies
    1. Annie,
      Pretty sure it could never happen upon the same exact charge. One that thrills but does not kill. Mention to your neighbor about double gates. It works perfectly.

      Delete
  2. Amazing story, Patti. So glad you lived to tell the tale!

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    1. Olga,
      Thanks and me too. Be careful, you are in lightening country although the worst is in the summer.

      Delete
  3. Whoa! I never heard of being zapped like that and still standing. And the side effects are definitely amazing. You did indeed get your batteries charged. Glad you told this story again, since I missed it the first time around. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Djan,
      Unfortunately, not all out comes with a round of lightening turn out so well. I knew a lawyer who was hit on a golf course and he was never the same.

      Delete
  4. Wow, Patti! What a wild, exhilarating experience. I can't imagine experiencing such a thing. I had an acquaintance many, many years ago who was hiking with friends in the Rockies when a sudden lightning storm struck them. He was the only survivor, and he was quite shaken and jittery all those years later. I'm glad your experience was so profoundly different.

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    1. robin,
      Sadly that is the usual outcome.I am so happy the fellow you knew at least survived. That is amazing in itself. Had I gotten a direct hit, this blog would not exist.

      Delete
  5. Not me. I get mad when somebody does that to me. You have an amazing story as well as an interesting one. Don't think I've ever heard someone describe their experience of being struck by lightening.

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    1. Linda,
      Unfortunately, people who are struck don't usually live to tell the story though there is one guy who has been hit multiple times.

      Delete
  6. Wow, what a dramatic experience, Patti! So glad you survived that encounter. Up north here, my central heating makes a static electricity hazard. I turn wall light switches on and off with my shirt clad elbows!

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    Replies
    1. Out to pasture,
      Thank you. Me too. I know how you feel. If I forget to use static guard in my car, I push my leg against the car frame when I get out to take the jolt. Such fun.

      Delete
  7. Holy CRAP, Patti! Great story, but sheesh!
    I can't stand static electricity. It's worse in my car, especially when wearing certain clothing. As I exit the car the loud SNAP comes when I touch the door to close it. Yes, loud, bad words come flying out of my mouth.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Barry.
      I do the same thing and have started spraying my car seats with Static Guard. Works like a charm. Give it a try.

      Delete
  8. This could have had a far more tragic outcome. So glad it ended up being a positive experience for you.

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    1. Stephen,
      I know and I do realize how darn lucky I was.

      Delete
  9. Wow, what an enlightening story, Patti! Glad you are here to tell it.
    Static guard and bounce sheets are our friends.

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    Replies
    1. Brighid,
      Me too. This could have gone such a different direction. I do love static guard and try to remember bounce sheets. Laundry still gets me now and then.

      Delete
  10. I don't remember those 'shocking' feelings since I was YOUNG... We did have carpets and I hated getting shocked.... I have never been THAT close to a lightning strike --but you truly did get your battery recharged... YIPES.... Glad you were okay...

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    Replies
    1. Betsy,
      Thanks, I know I was lucky. I still shoot sparks if I am not careful. My poor computer takes a beating.

      Delete
  11. Great story...funny twist about being full of energy, I've never heard of that effect and if given the chance to try I will pass.

    Good advertisement for a wooden gate.

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    Replies
    1. Joeh,
      That was a real surprise to me also. The sense of well being was the biggest surprise. That was nice. You are right,I think a wooden gate would have left me without a post today.

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Fran,
      Thanks. I said those words a lot for the two days after the blast.

      Delete
    2. What an incredible experience Patti....! It sounds like your 'batteries'were truly charged....! And that you lived to tell the tale.....FANTASTIC!!!
      I wonder what would happen now that you have a pacemaker---would that make the "charge" more of a possible killer?? Just for safety----Do be careful, my dear.

      Delete
    3. Naomi
      I understand my pacemaker would have never survived and actually static electricity can be harmful. I try to be careful.

      Delete
  13. Wow! What a story! You are very fortunate. Truly, God wasn't through with you yet. Lightening scares the heck out of me. Colorado is also a state with high hits. I have had three close encounters, actually four if you count the time I was just plain lucky that nothing hit close-by. Once I was barefoot and sweeping with a metal handle broom when the house behind our house was hit. I threw the broom across the room as I felt the shock move through my body. Once a tree next to our house was hit just as I entered the house. I saw the computer explode (as in it went crazy) and heard an explosion. The tree, a cottonwood literally exploded and broke to pieces. Thankfully, our house was spared, but we lost all of our electronic equipment and our A/C was knocked out. Two years later another tree in the yard was hit. It burned up and the current traveled through root system and killed the tree across the yard from it too.

    Yes, you are a very fortunate woman. I do worry about strikes with pacemaker! I also have one of those shocking personalities and seem to always have a lot of static electricity. (I could have written a blog post with this long comment. TeeHee.)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Sally,
      Wow, you really have had a bunch of close calls. You and I should never be in the same room during a storm. Don't ya just hate those zaps. Yes,we are both shocking types.

      Delete
  14. What an electrifying tale! (sorry)
    As to static electricity, my cat's ears are often the recipient of my generated charge.

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    Replies
    1. Ha,ha you and Brighid get the best play on words. Poor kitty. My cat's fur crackles when I pet her.

      Delete
  15. Oh my gosh, Patti- that's wild! You are so lucky that you weren't thrown up in the air, right out of your shoes! I have never been too awfully frightened of lightening...it's tornadoes that freak me out. I just told Mark yesterday that Arkansas is expecting to have a strong storm season (well weatherman Todd Y says so anyway) and that we need to work on a safe room. I am bound and determined to get one.

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    1. Terri,
      Ooh, I hadn't heard Todd's prediction. You and me both. I have a storm shelter but it is over 70 years old, far from the house and homemade. I like the idea of a safe room. If you build one--blog about it.

      Delete
  16. I always knew you were full of sparkle and snapple. WOW t hat was really an electrifying experience. LOL Excuse the corn, it's early. I find lightening excitine along with all the negative ions from the storm but always a little fearsome too, as in, stop playing golf when a storm approaches. Ha

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    1. Manzi,
      Aw, aren't you sweet. I agree about the beauty of lightening, especially if I am inside. Something about all that power.

      Delete
  17. I scared to death of electricity from any source and call the electrician for any reason except to screw in lightbulbs which I bravely do myself.... really!

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    1. TB
      I sure don't like the feeling either. Gotta watch where you put your fingers when you change the bulb.

      Delete
  18. Whoa! That sounds absolutely terrifying! Your feelings afterwards were amazing. I might need a small hit now and then to get me going some days.

    Used to live in a small subdivision where four or five houses were hit by lightning within a relatively short period. Some thought that maybe some mineral in the rocks was drawing the lightning. I thought the chimneys were too tall.

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    1. Mary lee,
      If I could guarantee the feeling, I might take an occasional hit. However since static electricity makes me crazy, think I will pass. That is interesting about the minerals. Possible.

      Delete
  19. As Sally said, CO is a lightning rod state when it storms. I have some hairy lightning stories myself. I've had hits to the house and have felt the hair on my body standing out from the electricity in the air. Getting caught above treeline is especially dangerous. Now I know why you have such a magnetic and electrifying personality, Patti! Just don't stand near me when it storms!

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    1. Barb,
      Aw, thanks, I wish I did:))
      Ok no problem especially since you have close calls a lot. We both need to stay under roof.

      Delete
  20. Right after I read this post, I saw a link somewhere that led me to this: http://www.classicfm.com/music-news/videos/electric-shocks-double-bass/

    Nope. I don't think so.

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  21. Hubby shocked me today. Said he didn't mean to but I'm not sure.

    You were very lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gail,
    Un huh, sounds fishy to me:)) Yep I sure was.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I nominated you for the Beautiful Blogger Award. Come collect it here:
    http://goldendaze-ginnie.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-challenge_14.html

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh my gosh! Holy Hannah! What an incredible story. I don't think I knew you in 2009 yet, so I missed this post before. I agree with Linda R. You should write a book! Wow! You're making me want to get struck by lightning too. No, just kidding.

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  25. Funny thing, I have a post scheduled for tomorrow which is about a post I wrote in 2009 too.

    ReplyDelete

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