Wow. Just yesterday I was wondering why we hadn't heard from you in a  
while.

Jim

On Jun 15, 2006, at 11:01 PM, John Rodgers wrote:

> Monday, June 12, 2006; 2:30 pm, Chelsea, AL
>
> *The Main Event:*
>
> I worked in my pottery studio today, fulfilling an order of communion
> ware for the national Presbytery Conference happening here. Usual  
> story,
> seated on my throwing stool, potters wheel was wet, hands were wet and
> on the wheel, some water on the floor, left foot on the wet spot.  
> Being
> engrossed in my work, I did not really notice nor pay attention to the
> thunderstorm that had brewed up. Seated well back from the open barn
> door � probably 15 feet or so - I just kept on working.
>
> Suddenly there was a tremendous thunderclap, and a large blue  
> streak of
> electricity zig-zagged across the floor from the door to where my foot
> was in the puddle. There was a burst of blinding blue-white light  
> as the
> electrical energy of the lightening entered my foot and traveled up my
> body through my left leg and trunk, out my arms and to the wheel  
> and to
> a ground. In a split second I was slammed against the wall four feet
> behind the potter�s wheel. I slid to the floor, stunned, unable to  
> move,
> talk, or open my eyes.
>
> Others in the shop with me called 911 and the Chelsea Fire Department
> Paramedics came to the rescue. They checked me out on the spot. I  
> slowly
> came around, but as a precaution an ambulance arrived which  
> transported
> me to the Birmingham VA Hospital Emergency Room for a more thorough
> checkup. After several hours I was released and seem to have had no  
> ill
> effects but I go for a follow up checkup in a week.
>
> *The rest of the story:*
>
> When I returned home, I found in ruins beside my shop my favorite tree
> in the yard��a big towering red oak tree that had stood for many years
> and is a main food tree for the squirrels in the area. Lightening had
> struck the tree and it had exploded �.. splitting major limbs, and
> blasting chunks of bark, wood, leaves, and twigs out in a forty foot
> radius from the tree. Long 4 inch wide strips of bark were peeled
> vertically from the limbs and trunk as the electrical energy traveled
> the tree trunk.
>
> Unknown to me at the time, three others in my studio had also  
> received a
> jolt, but not nearly so bad, since they were standing on dry concrete
> and had on rubber bottom tennis shoes. But it was enough of a jolt to
> make them quite animated for a few moments.
>
> We were all very lucky, especially me.
>
> In the future, during a lightening storm, I will work on no  
> machines and
> have no damp feet. I am going to retire to a quiet place in the middle
> of the house, sit on a wood chair on a wooden floor, wear my tennis
> shoes and read a book!!!!
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> Chelsea, AL
>