Thunder and Lightning!!

I haven't heard thunder and lightning hit at exactly the same time ... which means it's just over your head ... but yesterday it did!!  Ay yi yi!!!!  It was certainly an electrical day!!

I checked the weather site and it didn't show much at all, so I made a beeline for the western clothing stores in Amarillo.  It's my last chance to get something from Texas.  Unfortunately, my GPS took me 3 miles out of my way to an empty lot.  I finally found Sheplers, not my favorite, but it would do for a start.  Ladies, you know how it is trying on levis ... it takes the right frame of mind and at least an entire day, but I only had an hour or so.  If I wanted my levis to hang off my hips, I probably could have found a pair quickly, but it took the full hour.  One pair in hand and one cute long sleeve shirt for Albuquerque, I took off for the BEST store that I saved for last.  BAD idea!!

When I got to Cavendars, my all time favorite, I received a severe thunderstorm warning.  If you have a weather-alert radio, you know there is an Advisory ... A Watch ... and a Get In The Basement Warning!!  I quickly checked my phone to find the darkest red of the radar screen at my front door.

I jumped in the car and raced the 15 miles back to the rig.  As I drove, I could see lighting striking just to the south of the freeway (we are parked just to the north) ... but they are BIG strikes.  I mean light up the sky strikes!!  I drove faster!!  Just as I made the off ramp, the 1" drops of rain started hitting my windshield.  Within 200 yards I had to turn the wipers on high to see.  Another 200 yards and I was at the back of my rig when the hail began.  This is the view out my window about 15 minutes later.  Water everywhere!!

It poured down rain and hail on and off for maybe an hour as the weather radio screeched more warnings of hail and flooding.  It was then that I discovered I had a leak ... one of my vents was open.  Two hand towels later, I had that cleaned up when more thunder and lighting hit so close it scared ME, let alone the dogs.  With 60 mph winds predicted, I pulled my slides in and cuddled up with the puppies.  Not that I had a choice ... Jessie's nose was either in my pocket or up the sleeve of my shirt for the next couple of hours.  Cooper just laid out and took a nap.  Tom had just finished cleaning the windows on their rig while Barbara cleaned inside.  Pansy was sleeping!!

It all finally passed us by as it circled around almost 180 degrees and headed for Tucumcari.  This morning most of the black clouds are gone.  It's going to be rather muddy getting out of here, but we are leaving for Tucumcari Cactus RV Park ... the same place we stayed on the way out here.  You know, the place where my electrical system went haywire after THAT lightning strike???