Monday, June 2, rolled around and it was my Zoey day. Zoey arrived at 7:30 a.m., and now she is walking by herself. She loves to pick up the dog dishes and bang them together. We went outside and played under the trees where it was shady. Zoey also likes to put the cover back on the Aquaphor after a diaper change.

Danielle left work at 4 p.m. as we all intended to attend the wake for Jack Carnevale. It is always hard saying goodbye even when someone is in their 80s.

During the day, on Monday, my granddaughter, Kassi Neal, stopped by so I could trim her hair before she attended her grandfather’s wake.

Tuesday, June 3, is a day I’ll never forget. I knew the air had a frightening feel to it. I mentioned it to Wanda Gardener, but she said a bad storm was not predicted. Well, it did happen. At 4 p.m. lightning struck a locust tree right behind my house. It sheared the bark off the whole tree. Pieces of the tree flew into my house, onto the roof, and over the house into the road. I was terrified. I stayed back from the windows, but went from the kitchen to the dining room and even the bathroom looking out the window. Reba walked right behind me. Ginger stayed under the kitchen table where she remained the whole time.

The tree struck by lightning appeared to glow a gold color to me. It was without bark and later as I touched it, the tree was moist.

I saw several lightning strikes over Danny’s house but I didn’t go outside until after the storm.

After the storm passed, I sat at the kitchen table in the middle of the room. I was left without a telephone and the cable TV was off. I felt tired by just the intensity and length of the storm.

I am so thankful the lightning didn’t hit my house. In 1987, lightening hit our house and we lost the upstairs.

When I was in high school, lightning struck three cows and a bull in our pasture. My brother, Len, and I went to get the cows early the next morning and made the grizzly discovery. Also a dear friend of ours was killed by a lightning strike.

It’s an understatement, just to say I respect the power lightning has.

On Wednesday, June 4, the Time Warner Cable technician came and had to run a new cable wire. He could not repair the phone but did get it to operate off the computer.

The phone is in the living room and I don’t hear it ring but I hear the answering machine come on. By the time I get there, I’ve usually missed a call, but if it’s important they will call back.

I went with my grandson, Brandon Clark, on his dinner visit with his children, Samson and Nichole, and he was able to show them a picture of the tree struck by lightning on his cellphone.

Thursday, June 5, was a quiet day and I needed that.

On Friday, June 6, I called Tammy Stempel to ask if they could cut the tree down. Tammy and Greg Stempel came to look at the tree, and then their son, Allen, who said he would take it down on Saturday.

My grandson, Miles Pangburn, stopped in to see me and our big discussion was lightning. Miles is a permanent substitute teacher at Cobleskill High School and is presently teaching physics and biology. Science is of great interest to him and we talked about other trees he’s seen struck by lightning.

Saturday, June 7, was a day I’d been waiting for. In January, I had purchased tickets for Phantom of the Opera. Brandon and I were excited about seeing the performance.

The day was a busy one. My granddaughter, Danielle Ricketts and I had an appointment with an agent for a cemetery headstone for Danny. Then my son-in-law, Gary Carnevale and Dan’s friend, Tommy Ryan, came to fix a water pipe that froze last January.

It was a hard project because the pipe runs under the kitchen floor to the back room. Ray put a sink in the back room in 2005 when he remodeled the kitchen. Nothing froze before, but everyone says we had the worst winter in 20 years.

Gary and Tommy finished replacing the pipe about 4 p.m. Then Gregg, Tammy, Allen and Logan Stempel came to cut down the tree.

Allen tied the split tree to another tree and went by rope to cut limbs off. Allen is an expert at safely taking down trees. It was a relief to get the tree down and it's now cut up and ready for the stove.

After that Brandon and I left for Schenectady. He took me to Canali’s for dinner, and then we went to Proctor’s to see the Phantom of the Opera.

It was amazing. I couldn’t believe the sets they had on stage. What a wonderful experience.

On Sunday, June 8, I went to church with Brandon, Jenn Smith, my daughter, Marcia Pangburn, and her daughter, Kyra Swan. We enjoyed the worship service in the Knox Park and the picnic afterwards. I thank God for my wonderful family and friends. I am truly blessed.

Bible study

There will be an adult Bible study led by Rev. Bob Hoffman to discover new insights in the faith. The next session is Thursday, June 19, at 7 p.m., in the Knox church hall. You are invited.