Lightning never strikes the same place twice?

If that were true we have now used up our quota. Last night our house was struck by lightning. More correctly I should say there was a lightning strike and we were affected by it. After climbing on the roof today to check for damage, Dave did not find any signs but noticed that our neighbor's house (attached to ours) still has an old anetenna on the roof and we are wondering if that was that acted as a lightning rod. However, the surge came in our house was affected.

I was not home. Dave was (and he is fine, by the way.) When he described the noise to me he said it was 5 times louder than another recent storm that came by. That being said, I'm really really glad I was not home. (Carolyn is not the only one who is bothered by loud noise). One of our bobble head dolls was knocked over too! Dave said the static electricity also set off the smoke detectors. (I am sooooooooo glad I was not home. I'd likely still be recovering)

The surge flipped three circuit breakers. At first Dave thought the power went out until he realized some things were on and some were not. After restoring the breakers he discovered that the GFI outlet in the kitchen blew. And of course this is the one where the refrigerator is plugged in. Perhpas more important that that, it is also the outlet where the coffee maker is plugged in. And we all know how that affects Dave. We found a new outlet for the coffee maker and ran an extension cord for the refrigerator.

Other issues:
The phones were out, the hard wired internet connection was out, the light on the ceiling fan in the family room works but the fan does not. Verizon restored the phone service but the internet is still out. I'm on the wireless. Verizon will be back for the internet although the service guy said they had a LOT of calls so not sure how soon.

Checking in with our neighbors; They lost phone service and their xbox and TV. Everyone next door is ok but their five month old baby was in a baby seat on the floor near where the xbox was plugged in. Sparks flew out of the outlet and the noise from the lightning burst hurt her ears so much she cried for hours after. :( :(

A man in Middletown Twp (only a few miles from here) was killed by lightning in the same storm.

So all in all our inconvenience is just that... an inconvenience.