Lightning Is Not Your Friend

We had a front creep through, some thunderstorms, but nothing severe. As the storms subsided, and the rain let up, lightning struck close enough where the flash, and sound, were simultaneous. A step out on the porch showed the security light was out. The television, which will sometime turn off when lightning strikes close went off. The lights didn't flicker. 

My nephew lives across the road, and he soon drove up with his wife to check on me and my wife. He stated they saw sparks falling after the strike, and thought our house was hit. I noticed something in the yard under the security light, and went to investigate. 

Apparently, lightning struck the fixture, and the high current blew the top cover off the fixture when the insides instantly blew apart. Examination of the roof, around the yard, and the service drop didn't show any damage, which gave me some relief. I was concerned lightning struck the roof, and there was fire in the overhead. 

 

When the lightning struck, we were watching a DVD, so when we turned the television back on, everything was working. That was a relief, but examining the bedrooms showed the televisions would not turn on. To make things worse, when we switched to satellite to watch, it's out too.  

The security light is on a service pole is less than twenty feet from my house, so the strike was as close as it can get without striking the house. Too close for me, but far enough I thank God it didn't hit the house. That, and the lightning went to ground through the provider's grounding system instead of through the wiring in my house. 

So, tomorrow will require a call to the satellite provider, a trip to the box store for two televisions, and the hope none of it will cost too much. My feeling is that the damage will be below my deductible, and calling the insurance company a waste of time. 

Spring has Sprung

 As I was checking my phone this morning, while sitting on the porch, I noticed a fine coating of pollen on the screen. The longer I sat, the more accumulated. According to the weather folks, tree pollen is heavy today, and I can testify they're correct. My sinuses agree. Right now, it's mostly oak pollen. The pine pollen will soon appear, and the pond will have a thin coat of yellow on the surface.

Kitchen Sinks

I've changed kitchen sinks. It's not a tremendously complicated process with some, and can change the look of a kitchen. One thing I don't care for is the kitchen sink in the island. I never thought much about this, until I visited a relative that had one. 

I don't see how this is sanitary. So much food is prepared, and served from an island, and when the water is turned on, any nasty water in the sink can splash on the food. Maybe I'm being too cautious, but the popularity of sinks in an island just doesn't make sense to me. The sink is where dirty pans, and dishes, accumulate. Just the sight of such things can curb my appetite if they're in a serving area.

Infrastructure and Incompetence

It's becoming common for news reports about water system problems in my hometown. I left there years ago, except to take care of my mother during her last years, but I read local news about the town. Problems with the water appear too often, and it's obvious the EEO/DEI quagmire of incompetent officials has turned what should be healthy water into something that needs boiling. Of course, the diverse/racist bunch of incompetent boobs pontificate on their supposed efforts to take care of problems, but reality shows their ridiculous efforts led to those with money leaving, mishandling of public funds, and a failing infrastructure. From my past experiences, such problems won't lead to anything but bandaging bad components, until grants are acquired, or taxes are raised. It's the plight of too many cities, and the scourge of the United States. 

Sycamore Balls, Riding Mowers and Sciatica

 My sister-in laws told me the riding mower stopped mowing, so, if I could, take a look at the mower. I did, found the deck belt had jumped off the clutch, and quickly put it back on. We both knew why, and any sycamore balls in the yard will have to be raked before mowing in the future. They will find their way into the belt, get caught, and knock the belt off the clutch pulley. A minor problem, and easily taken care of. 

Up to this morning, I was dealing with my occasional sciatica. I've dealt with it off, and on, since my early twenties. I have a pretty good idea of why I developed it. Trying to lift a heavy object while working offshore caused some bad pain, and over the years, something as slight as stepping wrong can set it off. It lasts for a few days, with the first day leaving me wondering if I should just pee the bed, instead of getting up, and the next two days dealing with the soreness. Some rest, and over the counter pain meds, take care of the pain. 

The local foresters are making prescribed underbrush burns until next Friday. With a wind shift from a cold front, the smoke is now drifting/billowing through the area. We'll probably see more of the same tomorrow, and as the wind shifts more to the East, we'll be rid of the smoke. As far as I know, they have everything under control. I've seen this before, and the result is a removal of all the dead growth, and accumulation of pine straw, with leaves, that accumulate on the forest floor. The trees will get some scorched bark, but the flames never are intense enough to light the trees. Squirrels probably are not affected, but I wonder about the critters that can't climb. Deer can easily outrun the flames, but slower critters might not be able to escape. Reptiles are probably safe, since it's too cold for them to be about. 

I've been reading some about the tariffs, military in the Middle East, the Guthrie woman, Epstein file, and all the other things I can only wonder about, since expecting anything but garbage from most of the media is prevalent these day. So, it's time for a cup of coffee, and some time on the porch...if the smoke isn't too heavy.