What the Hail?

I haven't really been paying attention to the weather in the rest of the country the last couple of days (why would I watch the news? Wimbledon is on!), but the weather in Ohio has been crazy stormy for about a week.

Last Wednesday Dave, Dad, and I went out for a run and about half-way into it, as far away from our car as we could be, we got caught in a storm. We were running around the golf course and thunder had been rumbling for a while, but it was a low thunder and it seemed far away. But, the alarm sounded at the country club indicating lightning had been seen and for the golfers to come into the clubhouse. I was worried about the lightning so we stopped under a gazebo right by the course. Then the skies opened! It POURED and lightning CRASHED all around us and we were pelted with hail. The golf course marshall came by on a cart and I thought he was going to pick us up, but instead he said "that's gotta suck!" Thanks a lot buddy! We waited under the gazebo for probably 20-25 minutes and then went on with our run.

Monday Dave and I went to Kroger (grocery store) to pick up supplies to make tacos and bean dip. As we checked out, Dave realized we had forgotten the Tostitos, but we had already paid for our purchase so I told him we'd just stop on Meijer on the way home (we live right next to the Meijer). The skies were starting to look ominous so we headed to Blockbuster to get a movie and then on to Meijer. As we left Blockbuster it had started raining and continued as we got to Meijer. We purchased our Tostitos, but it was too late...it was storming and it was a big storm. I had been watching the weather map all day and there had been several tornados spotted outside of central Ohio. The weathermen had said those same storms were going to reach us around 6:00 and it was 5:45. Damn weathermen! Dave and I contemplated making a run to the car, but it was lightning pretty good so we decided to wait under the canopy of the building. The wind started picking up and shopping carts were rolling themselves through the parking lot. Then a loud crack of thunder and I freaked enough to run back into the store. The sky started to lighten in a few minutes so we headed back outside to try to make a dash for it. We thought too long, however, and then lightning literally struck in the parking lot and I jumped out of my skin and immediately back into the store. Finally, several minutes later Dave and I sprinted to the car and lightning hit across the road just as we made it to the car. Funny enough we both ducked. Yeah, like that was going to save us!

And yesterday we celebrated the un-Fourth of July. The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday but not so much this year. Yesterday I was awoke with the rumble of thunder around 6:00 and realized this would be the first Fourth of July I wouldn't be running a race. The thunder rumbled all day and the rain pounded down. No race, no parade, no fireworks. At least I got to bed early. The fireworks have been rescheduled for tonight. Of course, the weather is beautiful today...just in time for me to go back to work.