Notice to new members intending to register - from January 9th 2012

danielle · #1 08-18-2003, 11:27 AM

Yesterday I went to visit my sister. I was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon and she always cooks enough for an army on Sunday evenings. Yummy.

While I was there, a freak electrical storm hit over my house. Literally, not a single of of my neighbors were affected. My sister lives 10 miles away and it hardly even rained at her house.

At my place, lightening hit and I've lost 3 televisions. 3 telephones, a satellite receiver box, a satellite dish and have some roof damage.

It could have been much, much worse. My computer and internet phone line were on a surge protecter, which had been tripped. That's all that saved my computer and modem. Several breakers had also been tripped, which is what saved the rest of my house from more damage.

On a happy note - my dad is an electrician! Whoo Hoo! Free labor! Now I also get to go shopping and maybe this time I'll get a flat screen TV. LOL

I was upset last night - but now I'm just thankful that neither me nor the pooch was hurt. "Stuff" can be replaced - we can't.

samiam158 · #2 08-18-2003, 12:16 PM

be careful of that question....an aquantince that i play tennis with....were playing the other night and the lightning was close...i wanted to quit and so did she.....no one else did....i just get freaked out....her .....her mom and sis have both been struck by lightning and survived to tell about....freaky huh

lovinbilly4ever · #3 08-18-2003, 12:33 PM

wow. struck by lightening. scary!
im not sure how many times lightening can hit. but obviously more then once! lol

be safe!

carolK · #4 08-18-2003, 01:11 PM

Oh Monica, I'm so sorry to hear this. Lightening can be so dangerous. Thank goodness it wasn't any worse. Last month my ex-husband's house got struck by lightening and burned to the ground. It was devastating, he lost everything he has worked for all these years. That house was his pride and joy. Thank goodness he has good insurance, but some things just can't be replaced. I'm glad you are allright.

Carol

SCLady · #5 08-18-2003, 01:21 PM

Goodness Gal! LOL @ the shopping thing

I am just glad that you are okay!

ABEJAY · #6 08-18-2003, 01:59 PM

I'm glad to hear that you are safe and sound. I think you have a wonderful attitude about the whole thing. Still, I'm sorry for your hassle and loss.

deb · #7 08-18-2003, 02:04 PM

The hassle is what will be a pain.... Was everything covered by insurance? I hope it was!

Deb

Phil in Paris · #8 08-18-2003, 03:09 PM

3 televisions ????????? What are you doing with 3 televisons ????

I'm happy to know you're safe sweety, and that's great your dad is an electrician !!

Phil who can't understand why people have 3 televisions !!!

danielle · #9 08-18-2003, 04:23 PM

LOL Phil - I'm sad to say that I've actually got 4. One was spared!

One was a gift from my brother (he'd upgraded to a big screen and gave me his old one), Wayne and I had bought 2, and one was one I'd had since high school. The last one was actually the one that survived.

Thank goodness for insurance! Everything was covered and the check should be in the mail.

MizzCandy · #10 08-20-2003, 07:52 AM

Well at least you are okay no serious damage to yourself because like you said things can be replaced you cant.

sodaigakko · #11 08-25-2003, 03:29 PM

Lightning strikes the CN Tower in Toronto many times a year, and multiple times in the same thunderstorm, merely because it's a tall target.
Closest I've been to a lightning bolt was in a car stopped at an intersection and the bolt took down the streetlight on the opposite corner in a shower of hot metal. I did not like that very much. You were lucky not to be home. I unplug electronics when the thunderstorm comes -- most surge protectors are not worth a plugged nickel when the real test comes. And most are good once-only, so if a little jolt took it out and you can't see anything wrong, the next one will go right through it.

*Lysbeth* · #12 08-25-2003, 05:59 PM

Good lord. What a mess! Glad you and pup were OK and glad your house didn't burn down or anything.

But honestly, here's what I've got to say about all this - HOW LUCKY ARE YOU???!!! You electrician's daughter, you! Talk about fortunate, LOL!!!

danielle · #13 08-25-2003, 06:10 PM

I got 2 new TV's this weekend and 2 new phones and replaced the satellite. Yay.

*Lysbeth* · #14 08-25-2003, 06:32 PM

LOL! Probably a good idea to get everything possible on surge protectors too. Lightning has a habit of hitting the same plots of land AND hitting the same electrical appliances. The house we lived in thru most of my high school days, lightning hit our TV at least five times in three years. A couple of times I'd just walk in the door late at night and smell that smell immediately and knew.

And my TV I had at home then, and took with me to college, got hit twice after I went to college in another town. The guy who fixed it the second time told me he'd heard of it happening lots before so I guess it's not that uncommon.

lovinbilly4ever · #15 08-26-2003, 11:15 PM

well, i can tell you that we had this funky lightening/thunder/rainy type of weather lastnight.

i heard on the news that lightening stuck over 85 times like every 15 mins for about 4 hrs or so.

AND, it never hit the ground! which shocked me!

but keep away from the lightening!

Strasse · #16 08-27-2003, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil in Paris
3 televisions ????????? What are you doing with 3 televisons ????

As opposed to ... What?

We've got three TVs; my roommate has his 27" Trinitron from his last apartment, in his room (for XBox and MotoGP), we have the 27" Trinitron that was downstairs at my old townhouse in the living room (for "movie nights" and watching the races with friends), and I have the 20" Trinitron I've had since I was in like 5th grade (lawnmowing money) in my bedroom, also tied into my PC for video editing.

The odd thing is we don't have "television." As in, no antenna, no cable, no satellite. Just VCRs, DVD players, my roommate's video game systems (with a fulltime job and fulltime law school, no time for games, lol), and the video editing board.

Remember, this isn't Yurp; we gots big cars, lots of TVs, and an acknowledged ability to defeat Germans in battle.

Back to the original post ... Surge bars are cheap insurance... Like $14.99 at Best Buy or Walmart for a good one. Anything worth more than $35 in our place is on a surge bar, even the filters and heater for the fish tank.

Heck, you can get a decent UPS for the computer for $65 nowadays, for even more protection...

'Course, in LA, we don't have lightning. I haven't heard thunder in like three years.