Gainfully employed

My true test of patience, apart from tolerating the constant crib-crib-crib of the Blubbering Bimbo was how not to die of boredom in a house full of strangers.

Thankfully, my little friend, the Canon Powershot SD400 was there to keep me company.

I quietly sneaked out the front door and closed it gently behind my back. As I stepped into the pitch black porch, a streak of lightning lit up the sky. I involuntarily cringed and started back towards the comfort of the house but the loud crib-crib-crib arrested my steps. I was damned if I was going back in there now.

I turned around slowly and walked back into the darkness. Another flash, brighter and longer, greeted my tentative steps and I shut my eyes tightly.

I hate to admit it but I am quite chicken when it comes to lightning and thunder. All I can think of is to hide under the bed with my eyes closed, sixteen pillows at my side and Rambo standing guard outside. I peered around the blackness hoping to distract myself from the spectacle in the sky. I looked down at my camera and a slow wicked grin lit up my face.

I knew exactly what I had to do. It would keep me gainfully employed, away from the Blubbering Bimbo and with luck, help me get over my irrational fears.

I played around with the settings and aimed my camera at the spot in the sky where I had seen the maximum flashes and waited with bated breath.

It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. First, the ligthning was not tongues of fire all the time, it was more of an ambient blaze of light in the dark sky. Second, it was very very very cloudy. Third, it was drizzling a wee bit. Fourth, I wasn't fast enough with the clicks. Fifth, the camera was not fast enough either. Sixth, I could hear the baying of two hundred dogs and it sounded quite near...

I shook myself and concentrated on getting good shots, hell, any shots of the lightning. I changed my camera settings five times to see what would be best. I snapped off about a thousand frames relentlessly. About 45 minutes later, they called out that dinner was ready and I went inside.

"You look like the cat who swallowed the canary. Spill it!"

"Take a look at the shots I got" I cried in excitement. I had got about a dozen photos of lightning, but there was one that was mind blowing.

And now, I don't think I will be that afraid of lightning anymore.