fireworks in february?

So today I was driving home from work a bit late (about 6:30pm) because I stopped to see my good friend Shannon, who is due any day with her lovely baby girl... Can't wait to meet that little gal!

Anyway, I was driving the Chumstick Hwy (the 13.5 miles of curvy curvy road between the town of Leavenworth and the valley of PLain, where we live). It was pretty nasty conditions - about 2-3 inches of heavy icy slush on the road. Nothing new, but I was going slow due to the precious cargo in the backseat. I had just passed mile marker 4, and was coming up on the canyon (Sunich Canyon?) where Tierra Learning Center is. Out of nowhere I saw this orange/red flash of light which lit up the WHOLE sky. I didn't hear any noise accompany it so I had no idea what it was. Lightning? Nah. Then it did it again! I saw someone come out of their house and look around (confirming that I was not crazy). STill had no idea of the source. Then up ahead of me I saw this huge blue cloud and brightness and puff of smoke -- oooohhh, must be some crazy person, excited that it was snowing, lighting up leftovers from New Years. I saw it again up ahead, and started driving slower because MAN those were big blue fireballs. As I approached the next straight stretch I finally got a glimpse of what was happening -- about 40 feet ahead on the right side of the road, there was a huge blue fireball and SPARKS coming from the powerline! I HIT the gas just in case it was about to come down. Perhaps the ice had built up and a line had fallen? I don't know but I am just happy I passed it and didn't have to turn around and drive Tumwater instead.

And then there was darkness, because it apparently also cut power to the whole upper end of the Chumstick. (thankfully it did not extend to my trailer in Plain) So that was my excitement on my very long drive home. Aside from the one car I passed which had gone off the road and was at a 45 degree angle up on the cut bank. Yes I stopped and yes the people were okay and already had people on they way. Luckily they got a call out prior to the power being cut out. Since cell phones don't work on the Chummy.

Whew.