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How many Zielske’s does it take to change a light bulb?

April 16, 2009

How many Zielske’s does it take to change a light bulb?

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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.)

Happy

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.

Table

We've found it only mildly annoying during meals.

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Comments

  1. Heather says

    April 16, 2009 at 7:32 am

    Love the kitchen WOW, lucky girl! lmao @ your falling light protector!

    Reply
  2. Joanne says

    April 16, 2009 at 7:44 am

    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!

    Reply
  3. Melissa says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:02 am

    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.

    Reply
  4. Julie Mitchell from Montréal, Canada says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:03 am

    All ends well. Gorgeous tablecloth!

    Reply
  5. Megan says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:03 am

    Hahahaha, hilarious!

    Reply
  6. Irene says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:11 am

    But it is perfect for power naps during dinner 😉

    Reply
  7. Rhonda Hestir says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:16 am

    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.

    Reply
  8. Brit S. says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:23 am

    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.

    Reply
  9. Zewa says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:28 am

    Amazing humor as always….Thanks you made my day…

    Zewa

    Reply
  10. Terri says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:53 am

    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)

    Reply
  11. {vicki} says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:55 am

    Another funny story!!!!!!!!! just makes my day!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  12. Jill says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:25 am

    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!!

    Reply
  13. Jennifer Larson says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:40 am

    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. : – )

    Reply
  14. Jane says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:43 am

    LMAO! That is just too funny!

    Reply
  15. Ruth in OZ says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:45 am

    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.

    Reply
  16. shimelle says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:49 am

    …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.

    Reply
  17. sue Treiber says

    April 16, 2009 at 9:52 am

    Maybe puffy tablecloths will become all the rage!

    Reply
  18. Renee says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:03 am

    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!

    Reply
  19. Ann Grounds says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:09 am

    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!

    Reply
  20. Heather P says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:25 am

    LoL! Thanks for sharing the laugh. Glad to hear One-Three is ok. Great story.

    Reply
  21. Angie says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:26 am

    The whole Kitchen Renovations stint is still one of the coolest things about you. They could recognize your star quality immediately!

    Reply
  22. Houston says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:36 am

    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!

    Reply
  23. young c says

    April 16, 2009 at 10:41 am

    Glad no one was hurt! And great padding idea. =)

    Reply
  24. con-tain-it says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    Cathy…you “crack” me up…thanks for sharing…really needed to laugh after three days of rain. Roberta

    Reply
  25. Heather says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    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 =)

    Reply
  26. Lauren says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    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)

    Reply
  27. cathy says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    And to think, Angie… you knew me when.

    Reply
  28. alexa says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    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 …

    Reply
  29. Ann Grounds says

    April 16, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    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….

    Reply
  30. Lisa says

    April 16, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    That just so sounds like soemthing that would happen to me.

    Reply
  31. beth s. says

    April 16, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    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!

    Reply
  32. emily ruth says

    April 16, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    how much do i love that you call her one-three? so great…

    Reply
  33. Linda says

    April 16, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    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!!

    Reply
  34. michelle says

    April 16, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    hHAHAHAhhahahaaaaaaaaaa

    Reply
  35. Brenda says

    April 16, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    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???

    Reply
  36. robyns says

    April 16, 2009 at 8:42 pm

    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

    Reply
  37. Elaine says

    April 17, 2009 at 1:35 am

    Baha! You should get those five year bulbs. Then you won’t have to change them again until one-three is one-eight!

    Reply
  38. Lisa H. says

    April 17, 2009 at 4:48 am

    You are hilarious!

    Reply
  39. Angie says

    April 17, 2009 at 9:57 am

    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 🙂

    Reply
  40. margaret says

    April 17, 2009 at 11:17 am

    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.

    Reply
  41. stacey cox says

    April 17, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    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! 🙂

    Reply
  42. Christy B. says

    April 18, 2009 at 11:23 am

    Too, too funny!! You’re so smart…love your solution, and your blog!!

    Reply
  43. Nisa Fiin says

    April 19, 2009 at 11:05 am

    holy cats! super jealous you have left me behind in the “we still have a busted out light in the kitchen” club…

    Reply
  44. melody says

    April 20, 2009 at 1:59 am

    Simple. Practical. Off course you have a comforted on your dining table.

    LOL

    Reply
  45. Kent says

    August 20, 2009 at 2:01 am

    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.

    Reply
  46. cabinets NJ says

    December 1, 2010 at 12:42 am

    We get to appreciate the features of a room or space when it is properly lighted. The position of the light is also important to give emphasis on a certain furniture of to make it look more spacious. This is not as difficult as you might think. Ask assistance from the experts who know effective storage solutions or read more home remodeling magazines to give you additional ideas.

    Reply

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