Lightning

I've been spring cleaning and in my spare time knee deep in genealogy. Late last night I found the name of a person in the second generation that was really exciting (for me). So this morning I got up early and decided to check things out further. There were rumblings of thunder and a light rain this morning, but nothing major. I had just sat down at the computer and Gertie was curled up at my feet, already sound asleep. I wish I could fall asleep that fast! My office has one window behind me and two big windows on my right hand side that look out onto the street. I wish I had the words to adequately describe the sheer brightness of the red glow that suddenly filled those windows, the sudden smell of electricity that filled my nose, and the sound that filled my ears. On the other side of the those two big windows to my right is a big old elm tree. It now has a giant scar running down it's entire trunk where the lightning traveled to the ground. Bits of bark litter the ground, as well as a few unfortunate animals that happened to be in the tree. One of those animals was a giant rat! I hope that thing hadn't found a way to get in the house.

In the seconds after the lightning struck and I was sitting dazed at what just happened, I suddenly realized that I had a dog stuck to me! Gertie had jumped into my lap, buried her head in my shoulder and didn't want to let go. I realized I had to laugh the whole thing off and set her down or she might become afraid of lightning and while that bolt was indeed the scariest lightning I think I've ever been through, I don't want her to fear every bolt of lightning. I don't know if I was very convincing or not, but she finally went back to sleeping at my feet. I really do wish I could fall asleep that fast....