We’ve been having extraordinary rainfall in eastern Tennessee lately.   The ground’s been so softened, about two weeks ago one of my big oaks toppled right beside the house.   It fortunately missed us, but it smashed the mailbox and probably mortally wounded my lovely magnolia tree.

So.  I’m at work.   Twenty minutes ago my brother called to tell me that lightning has just struck the house and blown a hole through the roof and into his bedroom.  If he’d been in there, it would almost certainly have killed him.