Flash, crack, boom

Howling storm last evening, and I'm not a fan of them. It isn't the noise, or the crackling of the air, I just don't like 'em.

There I am, in the middle of editing - and having a right time of it too - and I can hear the rumbling come ever closer. When I looked out the window, one, then a second jagged bolt of white light streaked down.

I didn't want to shut down the computer, but, you know... lightning strike, fried circuits, destroyed work.

So I took myself upstairs, made myself some coffee and leaned against the door to the balcony to watch. Sure as eggs, flash, crack, boom, a streak of pure white hit the house across the street.

I think it took out their electricity, because when one of lads got home, he couldn't get the electronic garage door to open.

We don't usually get storms coming right over the house - the last one was some years ago and hit the house next door; saw that, too. Fried everything in the neighbour's house.

Saxon, mah faithful hound, was near havin' a panic attack. She stuck right by my leg; where I went, she followed and touched. I could feel her tremble and shudder. She didn't settle down for hours.

I think there was another strike on one of the boats in the harbour. It was close by, I know that.

The result is that I backed everything up.

Mother Nature can be pissy and the randomness of lightning strikes means if I hear a storm coming, everything goes onto thumb drives then electrical devices are turned off and unplugged. It doesn't take much, but if the worst happens, I won't lose my work, nor any other device I absolutely need - like the coffee machine (that's essential).

So. Go and back up your work. Right. Now. While you remember.