fivecats: (Default)
fivecats ([personal profile] fivecats) wrote2005-12-21 04:31 pm

Lessons Learned from Leaving Christmas Lights Out All Year


Red Light

Red Light

December 2005 Raleigh, NC

____________________________________


Contrary to popular belief, I actually do learn from my past. Most of the time. Okay, some of the time. For instance, at work, "The Wizard of Oz" and I are ancient history. I will check the yard for Big Rocks before mowing the lawn now. And I won't be cutting my hair again for a long, long time.

Today's "What Have We Learned" comes from a story I told back a few weeks ago having to do with being the first on our block to have our house's Christmas lights turned on. Those who have been following along with the story will remember that we were the first because I never took them down last year. They've been up there, unlit, all year long where I've smiled at them through the seasons.

What I failed to mention a few weeks ago was that a number of the lights no longer worked. Like lots of them. The one string that ran across the apex of the roof (which, in my defense, had some serious problems last year) was completely dead with some of the bulbs partially filled with water. Those that ran along the gutters were maybe 20% dead, with many of them suffering from a sad lack of paint on the outside of the bulb.


Green Light

Green Light

December 2005 Raleigh, NC

____________________________________


I climbed up on the roof this past weekend and spent some time replacing most of the dead bulbs and resolved to take them down sometime after Christmas.

It almost feels like cheating now.

...

[identity profile] myasma.livejournal.com 2005-12-21 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I...resolved to take them down sometime after Christmas

After christmas of what year? ;)

[identity profile] fupher.livejournal.com 2005-12-21 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Our dad used to just repaint them, lol. Unfortunately for me, I think [livejournal.com profile] yes_rhade got all the frugal genes, lol.

[identity profile] vavaverity.livejournal.com 2005-12-21 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I always did like white lights better... *snerk*

[identity profile] ruralrob.livejournal.com 2005-12-22 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
A project for a rainy day for the terminally bored: painting those lights. Actually we keep lights out all year on two very large blue spruce on the front lawn. They have faded over the years, but it sure beats taking them down every year. In actual fact, they still have enough colour to produce the effects on my post today - those are them . .

[identity profile] ladyamybug.livejournal.com 2005-12-22 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
hahahhahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
*falls out of chair*

i love you!

[identity profile] zeppo-marx.livejournal.com 2005-12-22 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
It's not cheating.

You didn't say WHICH Christmas you'd take them down after....

;)