My Gran used to do the same thing....AND she would cover up all the mirrors........all metal objects were covered with pot towels and electrical appliances (the radio!) was unplugged.
I have never been scared of thunder and lightning...in fact my sister was quite perturbed when I carried on swimming in her pool during a tropical thunderstorm....she had visions of me being turned into soup and her pool being made a mess of with my charred remains
