Things Can Quickly Change

  Mark and I have been starting our days by fishing.  Each morning before daybreak, we head to the pier to cast a line and also enjoy the sunrise.   Recently, the sunrises have been phenomenal due to the heavy cloud cover.  We sit back and enjoy a perfect start to our day.  The other morning, the sky was incredible.  Deep, rich colors dominated the entire sky and not just the horizon.  Brilliant reds ruled!  That, in itself, should have been fair warning but we failed to heed it.  We were intent on our fishing and not much else mattered. That inattentiveness could have been bad news for the two of us.  

  Along about 8am, we decided to call it quits and started reeling in our poles.  Clearing up the fishing gear, I turned to the north and noticed some heavy clouds overhead.   "Hey, we better hurry!"  No sooner had the words left my mouth than a loud crackling sound whizzed by our heads and the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard followed instantly.  ZAP!   A bolt of lightning had struck less than a hundred feet from us!  Uh, oh!  Not good!  It is not the brightest idea to be on the open pier in the middle of an intense thunderstorm!  We both scampered up the hillside and into the Little Bayou House!  Never have two old folks run so fast!  Once inside, he and I collapsed in a fit of laughter!  The safety of the Little Bayou House once again surrounded us and we were relieved.  What could have been devastating was over!  

  Several years ago, our pier had been struck by lightning and it split one of the tall posts asunder.  Three foot long splinters of the post littered the pier and water.  Just think!  That could have been my head!  Yep,  lesson was learned.  Stay off the pier during storms and, if you are there, be alert to your surroundings!  The weather can go downhill really fast and, with no warning, can deal some mighty heavy blows!  Thankfully, I still have my head!