Ahhh... so that's what a super derecho is. Did you miss me? lol

So Friday night I'm trying to finish up a client's project and I bought a big file. I live in the country and have to go into town (McDonald's) to download it. It's about 9:30 pm, I hear distant thunder, but no wind and no rain, so I hop in the truck and head off to town. I didn't get far.

The road to town is a narrow, heavily tree lined paved road, with one large area with nothing but corn fields on both sides. I just got to the corn field section when an 80 mph wind ripped through that corn field and was flinging debris at my truck. I thought I might be on the edge of a tornado, but couldn't see a funnel, but the wind and debris was dangerous.

I turned around to go back home. Too late. Trees came crashing down behind me and the road to home was now blocked. I turned around again to try to make it off that road. Too late. Trees came crashing down in front of me and now I was wedged in from both ends. I had enough road in between downed trees to back up to an area that had fewer trees, hoping that one wouldn't fall on the truck.

It's pitch black and debris is flying everywhere and it's pouring down rain and the wind is like something I've never experienced except for when I was in a hurricane in the Outer Banks, NC.

I had my cell phone and called 911. Told her what my situation was. She said "well honey ... just sit tight and stay in the car unless it becomes too dangerous in the car, then get out of the car. Trees and power lines are down all over the county so you're going to be there for awhile."

And I was ... until 3:30am. I finally make it home because some people who lived on that road arrived with chain saws and started removing trees from the road.

Naturally, when I get home, the power is out. There are at least 3 power lines strewn across that road, along with too many trees to count and many more downed trees and power lines throughout the state. Something like 2M without power.

... in a record breaking heat wave.

So, we have well water. When the power goes out, the electric pump doesn't work, so we have no power and no water. We have animals that need water and of course, I can't survive without coffee ... all day long.

In the morning, I get into the truck to try to find water. Back on the road of devastation that I was stuck on til 3:30 am. I head towards town. Right at the end of the road, there are two huge trees that fell across the road together, parallel, but they got caught by other trees when they fell, so they formed like an overhead bridge. I didn't have a clue how stable they were, but I took a chance and drove underneath them. I made it.

Went into town and there's not a drop of water at the Food Lion. It's already been sold out, as most people around here have wells. So I grab some coffee at McDonald's and download those files I wanted ... remember the files? lol.

From Friday night until just an hour ago, no power ... in 100 degrees temperatures every day. Miserable. Finally got water from a friend's house. The animals were very happy.

Eastern U.S. swelters with heat wave, power outages | Reuters

This is the first I've ever heard of a super derecho, but I'll never forget it

Intense Storms Called a "Derecho" Slam 700 Miles of the US