And There Was Light

I'm not an electrician.  I don't think one needs to be to install light fixtures.  But then I've never really done it before, so what did I know.  My knowing told me that getting rid of the light over the dining table and putting in a track with pendant lights was on my list of Things I get to do today.  I'd been waiting for my hubby to do it.  Turns out he was less interested in the project than I thought, hence my awareness of the bulb being in my court so to speak.

16 panes of glass to clean--got to go!

Have to tell you right here and now that one of the hardest parts of all the fun things I get to explore is remembering to document with the camera so you can follow along.  I did remember to catch the final minutes of the "before" light.  We loved it nearly twenty years ago.  Over time, it became too bright, even when we didn't replace the burned out bulbs--lots of glare in ones eyes and not much light on the table.  So a change was desired and gradually took shape.

Amazing device making electricity available for 36"

Finding the right circuit breaker before starting, removing and wrapping all the glass panes and the light from the ceiling--no problem.  Installing the box and the track, well, not so easy since reading simple instructions is still challenging for me.  But all went fine.

A loop for fine-tuning the length

Since we were unsure how high we wanted the lights from the table, a temporary adjusting mechanism helped us play until we were satisfied.

Marks to measure how many inches shorter it would be

The most difficult part was cutting and wiring the lamp cords to the right length so the lights would be even/level with each other since the ceiling is vaulted and the track goes from low on one end to high on the other.  Just too many numbers to hold in my head.  But the Handy Andy part of me found a way to cheat a bit and reposition the knot in the connector to make up for a slipped memory. Next time (if ever there is one) I will write down all the steps.

Finished lights.  We love it.

When we turned on the lights over dinner that first night, it was like coming from a gymnasium to a classy restaurant. And the food looked fabulous.

How Many. . . Does It Take to Change a. . .

The real questions is how long does it take.  One Handy Andy can most likely manage this simple task, being tall enough to reach and moderately clever enough to find a structure to make up the difference if not.

All the light has leaked out of this bulb

A bulb over the kitchen counter has been out for weeks. Not a real problem since there are six other lights on full-blaze, and meals have continued to come through the production line.

Fresh bulb waiting to be installed.  Waiting.  Waiting.

A replacement bulb has been waiting for a lift for about that same period of time.  The bulb is willing, but its jumping muscles are weak.

Careful eyes can see the tan dribble on the wall.
All cleaned up by only one H. A.

Very ordinary Things I get to do today are pull up a chair, step on the chair, step up on the counter, unscrew the dead bulb, put in the new one. Less than two minutes.  But wait!  I'm pretty sure it's been six or eight years since I dusted off the lamps and the rail.  And while I'm up here with a soapy, wet rag, it would be smart to get the food spots off the wall (how on earth did food get on the wall nearly 10 feet up?  Don't ask, just clean.  So a simple two-minute task is extended by another two minutes.  No big deal. What took me so long, anyway?