Storms up the mountain gives you an idea of a big storm that hit us and caused some degree of chaos! This is a post I originally wrote in 2016 and have updated and republished. Sitting typing while a storm crashes overhead! Déjà Vue!
Storms
One hot August afternoon in 2016, the clouds started to build and during the evening there was a lot of thunder and some rain. When Barnet Boy walked the dogs just before bedtime there was no rain and I left some windows open upstairs to let in some cool air. I must just clarify that our house is upside down! We sleep downstairs where it is cooler and the living area is upstairs where we can see the fantastic view.
Lightning Display
Not long after we went to bed I realized there was lightning, and not just any old lightning at that. This was like being in a disco with strobe lightning (my 1970s and 1980s experiences showing here) and was absolutely spectacular. I thought about going upstairs to watch the lightning but it is such a rigmarole as it wakes up the dogs and you have to negotiate the burglar alarm. Anyway I went back to bed as the thunder really got started. Then the heavens opened and we had a massive hailstorm, the noise was incredible. I remembered my open windows and went upstairs to close them.
Water Coming In
Sure enough, water was pouring in the office window where the dogs sleep and they were howling at the noise of the hail. I closed that window and went through to the living room to find out two cats, Stevie Mouse and Emmy, running around all wild eyed and fluffed up. Sure enough rain was coming in there too but I had to disengage the burglar alarm to close things up, so back to the alarm control box to switch off. I closed up in the living room reset the burglar alarm and as I walked through the kitchen a lightning bolt struck close to the house with an enormous bang and all the lights went out. Well, let me tell you I jumped so high with fright my head nearly hit the ceiling and my hair was standing on end!
Stuck In the Dark
So, now here I was in pitch dark apart from the lightning with frightened animals going potty! Now I needed a torch, one was in the hallway which mean navigating two rooms in the dark or I have a torch on the phone by my bedside.
I thought I had better involve Barnet Boy in this mayhem. So I used the light from the lightning to make my way through the office. Then as I opened the door to the stairs I could see lights. This meant that it was only one electricity ring main that had been affected. I went downstairs and got my phone and then came back up and used the torch to find my way to the electricity box. Sure enough, the trip switch had been activated. As soon as I flicked the switch we had lights again. At that point I went back to bed.
A Disturbed Night
Barnet Boy did better than me going on the snoring. But I had a dreadful night with the flashing lights and noise from the storms coupled with the sound of the dogs upstairs. Amazingly, apart from everything being water logged in the morning there was no obvious damage from the large hailstones! Plus there was a short period of coolness before the heat kicked back in.
Fast Forward to 2 April 2022
Inevitably, on the day two new sofas are due to be delivered the weather has gone all weird and wobbly on us. After three months without rain and fear of early wild fires, the rain is here with a vengeance. Except for today. Today we have had rain, hail, sleet, snow, brilliant sunshine and strong winds. As I type we have a thunderstorm overhead with loud crashes and snow falling – thunder snow! We just hope the delivery people are not put off as we have dismantled our old sofa and if they don’t come it could be interesting. But hey! Stuff happens when there are storms up the mountain!
Before you go
My name is Dorothy Berry-Lound an artist and writer. You can find out more about my art and writing at https://dorothyberryloundart.com.
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Thank you for reading!
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