I have an overly futuristic space light in my super-modern doesn't quite go with the rest of my house kitchen. I simultaneously love it and hate it. Love it, because it's an overly futuristic super-modern space light; hate it, because it's a pain in the tushka to change out the bulbs.
For those of you just joining us, the reason I have a super-modern kitchen is because we got picked to have it remodeled on a show called Kitchen Renovations, which aired (and is still airing, strangely enough) on the DIY Network. It was a really cool thing to have done, and I've amply documented it through our lovely scrapbooking hobby, making a layout which some of you remember was in my first book, right through to a totally cool before and after album (which appeared in some issue of Simple Scrapbooks, but I honestly couldn't tell you which one.)
All that's well and good, but back to the bulb changing.
A few weeks back, I enlisted the help of One-Three to help me twist off the light globe so I could get at the bulbs. It takes two people to get that inverted dome off—one to hold the stainless steel fixture, and one to twist off the dome.
Once it was off, I swapped out the three bulbs, and replaced the dome in the stainless fixture, or so I thought.
See, I'm never quite sure if it's twisted back into place all the way. It's never a smooth twist. It's always like, "Uh, yeah… I guess that's in."
Well this time, I guessed wrong. Wrong to the point that two minutes after I'd figured, "Eh, it's in," it came crashing down onto the kitchen table, exploding and shattering all over sweet little One-Three, who was just trying to do her algebra homework. No one was hurt, thankfully, but Cole shrieked loudly enough from the other room to nearly break window glass, and One-Three? She just sat there silently, a bit shell shocked, while I began methodically removing glass shards from every single space on and around her and in my kitchen at large.
Long story short: I was able to order a replacement globe and it just arrived the other day. (There's actually another story about me wigging out on Dan because I just KNEW we'd never be able to replace the globe and that now we'd be the family living in a kitchen with a broken light fixture until the end of time, but that's for another day…)
I picked up the fresh dome, returned home, and once again enlisted the help of One-Three. At last, success! But this time we weren't taking any chances.
We've found it only mildly annoying during meals.
Heather says
Love the kitchen WOW, lucky girl! lmao @ your falling light protector!
Joanne says
I gotta agree wih Heather..you are lucky girl and I too am LMAO! You are just too funny! Glad that One Three was not hurt. Hopefully you put in those long lasting bulbs so you won’t have to go through this for another couple of years!
Melissa says
I’m beginning to think that you may overshare a bit, or I follow you a little too closely, because I’m pretty certain that’s the comforter off your bed. And it kinda weirds me out that I know this.
Julie Mitchell from Montréal, Canada says
All ends well. Gorgeous tablecloth!
Megan says
Hahahaha, hilarious!
Irene says
But it is perfect for power naps during dinner 😉
Rhonda Hestir says
I’m thinkin’ I’d buy another one of the domes to keep on hand. With the economy, many companies are cutting back their lines…your dome might get cut any day now! Glad to hear one-three is O-kay.
Brit S. says
Haha! Thanks for the chuckle. 🙂 My sleeping roommate was less-than-pleased, however. Ha. That’s awesome that you were on DIY! I’ll have to try to catch the episode sometime.
Zewa says
Amazing humor as always….Thanks you made my day…
Zewa
Terri says
LOL Made my morning. I have a light fixture sort of like that and I down right refuse to change the bulbs, so I make The Husband do it. If it comes crashing down I can blame him then :0)
{vicki} says
Another funny story!!!!!!!!! just makes my day!!!!!!!!!
Jill says
More than all of your other talents. . .I LOVE your sense of humor. And since I’m a relative newbie. . .what great fun to have been picked for this renovation!!
Jennifer Larson says
Hysterical! I’m teaching a humor unit now, and I always have my students write light bulb jokes about our school for bonus. You could come up with some for this story. : – )
Jane says
LMAO! That is just too funny!
Ruth in OZ says
Hi ther Cathy – so totally relate to the light bulb thing – we have a fitting in one of the bedrooms that needs 3 of us to change it, but much easier when DS is home (he is 6’8″ so can do the line up the catches thing much better than the rest of us)we too put a doona on the floor underneath – just in case. I have not been you your blog for a few days – don’t ask – and the found your post that referred to the Neti pot – thinking this must be some kind a cool pot for brewing tea etc went off to investigate – shared the link with my dh and we both looked at each other and went, What the? Needless to say, not heard of these things down under, so thanks for expanding my education – cheers Mate.
shimelle says
…and see, I get nervous every day when I turn on the light in our kitchen because some *genius* fitted it with an OFFICE FLORESCENT. Not only does it make the tiny kitchen feel even more like a Dilbert-worthy cubicle, we’re not allowed to remove it and it’s nigh on impossible to buy just one replacement bulb. Since I guess an OFFICE would order them in bulk. So going into our kitchen is now a game: ‘Do I REALLY need the light on, or can I do this in the dark?’
In case your own lightbulb drama inspires the same game, can I suggest that if anything has been broken on the floor in the last week or so, then the answer is ALWAYS ‘No, I cannot do this in the dark.’
Not that we may have learned this one the hard way or anything. Of course not. Never.
sue Treiber says
Maybe puffy tablecloths will become all the rage!
Renee says
LMAO! Seriously. The cat came to see what was so funny! I just love that pic of the comforter under the light fixture. So totally something that I would do. Thanks for making my ho hum morning funny!
Ann Grounds says
You are funny Cathy! I’m glad that One-Three is not hurt or cut. Our kitchen light fixture came crashing to the floor one day-some electrician professional didn’t install it properly–I was lucky and got a new fixture and floor out of it!
Heather P says
LoL! Thanks for sharing the laugh. Glad to hear One-Three is ok. Great story.
Angie says
The whole Kitchen Renovations stint is still one of the coolest things about you. They could recognize your star quality immediately!
Houston says
Ah yes the kitchen that launched a thousand more… one of them being mine, I saw it long ago on tv and in your book and knew I wanted that pennisula into the main room… happy to report after taking down a wall a year ago I have it… love it, thanks for the inspiration.
Love the new centerpiece, very homey!
young c says
Glad no one was hurt! And great padding idea. =)
con-tain-it says
Cathy…you “crack” me up…thanks for sharing…really needed to laugh after three days of rain. Roberta
Heather says
This story cracked me up. Especially when you said that there was another story about how you freaked out because you knew there would be no other globes and you’d have to live without a cute light forever. That sounds EXACTLY like me. LOVE IT. Love the honesty =)
Lauren says
OMG, this is hilarious! The part I laughed the hardest at was this, “we’d be the family living in a kitchen with a broken light fixture until the end of time” That’s exactly who I and my family are. After my 30th b’day surprise party there was silly string on our kitchen ceiling for ALMOST 10 YEARS. It took renovating the entire kitchen for it to actually get cleaned up.
LOVE that wall color. Will you follow up and tell us what it is? (I followed the Kitchen Renovations link, but didn’t find the resource for the paint)
cathy says
And to think, Angie… you knew me when.
alexa says
Ouch, my sides are hurting with laughter! You are the only person I know whose killer last line in a funny story is a photo! Delicious …
Ann Grounds says
oohh I forgot to mention—ask me someday about the scar on my hubby’s chin (that he hides with a gotee), a cat, a closet, and the bedroom light fixture….
Lisa says
That just so sounds like soemthing that would happen to me.
beth s. says
How did you get on Kitchen Renovations?? That’s so neat! I’d love to get some help from any of those people. Hope I get to see the episode!
emily ruth says
how much do i love that you call her one-three? so great…
Linda says
Love your post today!! I think I may call my darling daughter two-one for awhile–it might help me remember why she acts as she does!!
michelle says
hHAHAHAhhahahaaaaaaaaaa
Brenda says
Thanks for the laugh!!! I guess I should mention that there’s been a nerf gun bullet in my entry way light fixture for 2 years now!! Teenage boys – need I say more???
robyns says
I am glad you ae safe and sound. I had a similar story except mine started with a dish that was stovetop safe and had boiling noodles in it. My 14 yo son is next to me talking about the fact that I am making a meal and the entire dish exploded. Yes exploded and went everywhere with glass, water and noodles all over my kitchen. It was not a happy moment since I am known as Ms Safety. After a long clean up the menu plns changed to Wendy’s since there was glass all over the prepared food on my counter. Love how we all have stories.
RobynS
Elaine says
Baha! You should get those five year bulbs. Then you won’t have to change them again until one-three is one-eight!
Lisa H. says
You are hilarious!
Angie says
I actually have nothing of significance to add – but you did make me laugh out loud – at work – at my desk – in my office – where I should be working – but instead am reading – reading because you make me laugh – and today – it’s all about the laughter 🙂
margaret says
You made me laugh; thank you SO much. Out Loud!! Luckily, only for my birdie to hear.
And I just started reading the comment ahead of mine and had this deja vu moment. Wait!!! That’s MY story. We’ve had a MOMENT together!!!
Thanks, Cathy. That was great.
stacey cox says
i was cracking up when i read this because, just last week, i shattered our light fixture over the kitchen table. i tried to turn on the fan by pulling on the fan cord and apparently the glass lightbulb cover wasn’t on tightly enough. to make matters worse, we were a half hour away from an open house — we’re trying to sell this place! i had to vacuum and sweep like mad while my husband ran to lowe’s to buy a replacement. he made it back just in time. whew! 🙂
Christy B. says
Too, too funny!! You’re so smart…love your solution, and your blog!!
Nisa Fiin says
holy cats! super jealous you have left me behind in the “we still have a busted out light in the kitchen” club…
melody says
Simple. Practical. Off course you have a comforted on your dining table.
LOL
Kent says
Wow, thanks for pooling the photos together and sharing this. Really love the picture of the room with a light in center and red background.
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