Thunderstorms - Finally Understanding the Generational Gap

Every time we get a thunderstorm warning in town, I revert to my childhood training from the 1940s and 1950s. If it is really close and striking nearby, I turn off the TV, do not use the water (no dishes, no shower, etc.), do not use the landline phone, that sort of thing.

I never really give it much thought. But a week ago when a t-storm was approaching, I was on the landline phone with a younger friend and mentioned I was getting off, and why. She seemed surprised and said she had never heard of lightning coming through home wires or the phone. I mentioned we had many instances of it in the past and let it go at that, although it made me think.

A few hours later, maybe even the next day, I realized why those things happened when I was growing up, and recognized a gentle generational gap there.

See, back in the 40s, and even the 50s, our older homes in Philly, and elsewhere, did not have the 3-hole grounded outlets that almost all homes have today. So, back in those days, it very definitely was an issue.

As for the water, well, that's really an active issue that some folks still ignore. In fact, I was surprised by the news last week where a lightning bolt struck outside a home, FL, I think. It somehow hit a small methane leak from the sewage system of a home, and literally blew up their toilet inside their house! Hmmmm....

So, maybe I won't worry so much about anything that is obviously grounded these days. But it behooves us all to be careful when lightning is active nearby, in other ways.