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myrealnameismama_goose

Lightning strike, but who cares?

About 1 1/2 weeks ago a lightning strike took out our electric (briefly), our phone (two days), our internet (two days), our remote phone (forever), and our computer/printer/modem (until we could order new parts, and hubby could make repairs this past week-end.)

I was standing at the kitchen sink peeling peaches to put in the freezer when I heard a loud POP off to my left side (the wall with the telephone, fridge, microwave and coffee-maker.) Simultaneously, the electricity went off, I heard the thunder-clap, and one of our grandson's BATTERY-OPERATED toys started talking. LOL, at least it was daylight, or I'd have another 'incident' to add to that list.

Anyway, after I recovered from the shock, I checked all the appliances, and found that we had no phone service. I was very relieved that the refrigerator and microwave were still working--replacing a blown remote phone is much easier, financially and physically.

Since the storm, our internet service has been intermittent, patchy and very slow. Very frustrating, so I usually give up when I start getting the "can't find the server" display. Today seems better, so far.

SO, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE GOOD NEWS!!:

Our son is home from Afghanistan! He was supposed to arrive today, but was able to get here a week early--last Wednesday. After arriving in the US, he called and told us he would have to stay on base for a few days, and he would be home on Aug 3rd. INSTEAD, he took a bus to the city where our younger daughter is going to college, then she was going to give him a ride home and surprise us. Coincidentally, our older daughter was signing up for a class at the same college, on the day that he arrived. The other two decided to surprise her, and then let her in on the plan. So, she returned home as planned, and our son walked in right behind her! They were all tickled that they could 'pull a fast one' on the old folks. I had to scramble to get his bed ready, and cook a big supper to celebrate.

It's been great having him home--he walked in, and it was just as if he'd never left. He's healthy, and happy to be home for a few weeks, and he and his fiancee are starting to make wedding plans for the coming year.

My brother-in-law and his two boys are arriving today, and there is a big family re-union planned for Saturday, so this will be a busy week. I'm glad that our son arrived early, so that we could have him all to ourselves for a whole week! I'm a 'control freak'--don't usually like surprises, but this one was WONDERFUL!

Comments (7)

  • Shades_of_idaho
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OH Good Heavens. So glad no more damage was done. This happened to a neighbor of ours at our last house up on the hill and they had much more damage. One tiny reason I am glad to be off that hill. They were higher so more likely to get it but still. I am glad we are not there.

    Hoping you have a great time with family and all gets resolved electrically.

    Chris

  • desertsteph
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    you're lucky that strike wasn't worse! goodness that would be scary!

    so glad ds managed to get home early and the 3 of them surprise you. What fun! Enjoy your time with him - and I hope he gets out soon for good. Tell him thanks a million for me!

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, shades and steph, we live at the base of a low ridge--I think the strike was close, but not a direct hit, thank goodness.

    We're having a great time--LOL, kitchen is always messy, washing machine is working overtime, and I never know who I'll find on the couch in the AM--just like the good old days!

  • TxMarti
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How wonderful that he is home! I hope your appliances continue to be ok; I've heard the damage isn't immediately apparent.

  • User
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey, Mama! Best of wishes for your son's visit, and all the activities this reunion brings. I've noticed quite a bit of turbulent electrical storms this summer, and have decided to take cover instead of strolling around while it rained. I used to love the thunderstorms, but life is too precious to risk now.

    My computer is doing better since I added Comcast telephone and got a newer modem to handle it. I did not realize they had two classes of modems, but it does make a difference. However, I'm having slowness with Gardenweb. It does not want to scroll or load, and that really irritates me. And I'm half way down the sentence before the letters print. Bummer.

    Well, I'm glad you have your internet back, we like to hear from you. After the son returns to duty, we'll still be here to cheer you up.

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you for all the good wishes! He'll be here for another week or so--we'll have to make the most of it!

    Well, we've been without internet again--it's been intermittent at best, and really not worth the trouble. I think I've mentioned that I've been using internet for only a little over a year, and I'm still timid when it comes to technical issues. We've had three (3!) telephone company repairmen here six times in various combinations, sometimes alone, sometimes two together. Of course, they are here during the day, when my husband is at work, so imagine these poor guys asking me questions, and instructing me to check the modem--a week ago I had no idea where the modem was, let alone that it had lights that tell what it's doing.

    So, all these guys couldn't figure out the 'intermittent' problems. It seemed to be working when they were here, and all the 'physical' components seemed to be in order, but we would have service for only a short time, then it would quit. We'd re-boot the modem for a few minutes (a couple of hours, if we were lucky) of service, then it was off again. The phone co sent a new modem which didn't solve the problem, and we even unplugged the new remote phone, thinking that it might be the cause.

    We've had our son here for two weeks, my BIL and his boys haven been around a lot, my younger DD has been here a couple of times, and all their various friends have been coming and going, too, at all hours of the day and night. Except for yesterday:

    DH, BIL and all the boys went whitewater rafting, DD went to Cleveland with a friend, and I was here on my own (except for 2 yr old grandson) for most of the day. The phone guys checked lines in the early afternoon, and gave me the 'everything's working now' line, so I settled in to try and catch up on email and gardenweb :)

    My son-in-law called to say that he was coming to pick up grandson later in the evening, and when I returned to the computer, the internet was out. I re-booted the modem, and had no problems for an hour or so, then DH called to say that everyone survived the rafting trip, and they were on the way home. When I returned to the computer, the internet was out again. I re-booted, then shortly my daughter inadvertently slammed the back door, which is beside the telephone. The internet immediately went out AGAIN. And something clicked in my brain--we've had a lot of traffic in and out of that door, and more people have been here using the phone--maybe there was a connection?!!

    I told DH my theory, he picked up a new phone this AM, ran home to install it, found a FRIED WIRE, held down by a LOOSE SCREW, evidently damage from the LIGHTNING STRIKE. He replaced the wire, installed the new phone, and here I am typing to you all, with no problems so far. We've tried the phone, answered phone calls, slammed the door, plugged in the remote phone, no problems. Evidently whenever we answered the phone, or closed the door hard enough to 'disconnect' the line, we were losing internet service.

    So why didn't THREE phone guys and my computer-savvy DH think to check the phone that I told them 'popped' when the lightning hit?!! LOL, do I have to do EVERYTHING around here?!!

    Sorry for the long, rambling post, but can it be that simple?!!

  • emagineer
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's always the simple things that we forget....like turn on the Switch. I remember a call I went on (clear across the country) because of a printer problem. No one had figured out for 2 weeks that people were tripping over the plug connection enough to cause irratic behavior.

    Don't you love it when you solve the problem? Good for you.

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