Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Weather or Not, It Doesn't Add Up

Duel front gate opener ~ $600.00 (plus tax)
5.1 Surround Sound headphones ~ $240.00 (plus tax & shipping)
Atomic clock ~ $29.00 (plus tax)
Cordless phone ~ $59.00 (plus tax)
La Crosse Remote Weather Station ~ $110.00 (plus tax & shipping

____________________________________________

$ TOTAL: Over a Thousand Bucks

Do you know what these above items have in common? Actually, they have TWO things in common.

  1. They are all wireless devices.
  2. They are all toast.

Saturday, just after 2 PM, I walked back up the hall after putting our toddler down for her nap. My other half had his 5.1 surround sound wireless (in other words, expensive) headphones on -he had just started watching a movie (while Little Someone took her nap). I came from the hall, entering the foyer area that opens into the living room, and CRACK! (was like a loud bullwhip going off in my ears) accompanied by a white light.

Holy Cannoli! I about wet my pants ...but didn't. My husband turned and took his headphones off. We looked blankly at one another for a second and then I told him what I heard and saw... he heard it too and his headphones stopped working. So, he went up in the attic to see if we had been hit. No signs. Came back in the living room and we smelled a distinct burnt smell... an electronic burnt smell, it IS distinct. It was the receiver for his headphones.

Well, poopy-doop. That wasn't all... everything we had that was wireless was toast ~ no worky, kaput, out of commission, done for AND we each had headaches for short period of time. Aaarrghhh!

BUT, at the same time, I was having SUCH great respect for Momma Nature and LIGHTENING and EMFs. We were getting some weather outside at the time, but hadn't particularly noticed much lightening. That's probably what the last golfer that got struck by lightening said too... well, if it didn't kill him. Okay, so I'm thankful nothing more happened.

But, what doesn't add up is the amount. Well, yeah, it adds up. But, it's less than out home owner's insurance deductible. Hence, it doesn't add up.
Well poopy.

3 comments:

Robynn's Ravings said...

O.M.GOSH................!

The Wild Man is going to salivate when he hears this. He loves all things weather related. We all do. But not THAT weather related! I would have had a heart attack! That must have hit inches from your house or right above it. Have you checked for burn marks anywhere? I had no idea it would knock out wireless devices like that. And has that happended before? Lightening that close?

Boy, I'm sorry about your equipment but sure happy you all weren't outside! Your life flashed before my eyes!

Bz said...

Yeah, we had no idea too. This hasn't happened before. It must have ?? surrounded the house or ?? heck, I don't know. My dad suggested we check our gutters because (as it was raining) it could have covered the house and grounded out along the gutter through the water to the ground. Haven't individually looked at every gutter. But, with just walking around outside, we have not seen any big burn makes. We have a OLD Pecan tree that was struck quite a number of years before we bought our land. We sit up high, which is nice when it rains, but not so with wind ... or ?!? lightening. I hope this is only a somewhat isolated event.
:-o

Tatersmama said...

Girl, get yourself a lightening rod! Seriously!
I know, I know, we're not supposed to need them anymore, with all the fancy schmancy stuff they build into houses nowadays, but even an el cheapo lightening rod could have saved your wireless stuff.