January 18, 2017 – In the dark – what again?

          There is an old saying:  Death always comes in threes; and then there is also another old saying – Luck comes in threes.  I guess it is your choice – you are pessimistic or optimistic.

          I see it as we had a lot of death of light bulbs and more than enough so-called-luck to last the weekend when it comes to light bulbs.  But, when it comes to light bulbs it seems to me it is never just one light bulb has blown out.

          I have frilly light globes in the bathroom over the vanity.  One day last week I flipped the switch on and two bulbs were out, not just one, since the night before.  Later that afternoon, I turned on the ceiling light/ceiling fan combo which also has frilly light globes and one bulb was blown out.  All were within 15 feet from each other.

So, I will need to dig out 3 bulbs, not just one and I have to get the short step ladder out to change them. They can wait a day or so.

          Then, Saturday night after cooking and cleaning up, I look up at the light as I go to turn it off.  One bulb on the end is blown out.  I make a mental note to myself:  Those are special bulbs; I’ll need to go out and get some.

          Sunday morning my husband asks, “Where are the light bulbs?” and adds as he comes towards me. “Where is the step ladder?” 

“The overhead light in the mud room has just blown.” He states.

I direct him to where I had the ladder last; he is not happy that I left it there.  OH WELL!

          We both go scrounging for light bulbs. I have already retrieved three and put them in the vanity sink to take care of my three blown bulbs.

          “When you are done with that bulb, I have three that I need your help with.  I need the step ladder to replace them.” I say as I am watching him climb up and remove the globe and then put in the bulb and I stay handy in case he needs to hand me something.

          When done I take the step ladder to the bathroom and tell him to hold onto my waist as I climb up.  He does hold onto my waist band, but as typical he pats my ass in-route making me teeter.  I change the two over the vanity.

          The next bulb is changed in the ceiling fan. I think we are done and he proceeds to pull out our bulb “vault box” which holds an assortment of new bulbs and is digging in it.

          “What are you looking for?” I ask thinking we are done.

          “The light over your computer desk is out.” He answers.

          That was news to me it wasn’t dead the night before and I sit under it every day and night writing blogs.  I look up and verify a blown out bulb.

          “I thought all these new bulbs were supposed to last for years?” I complain.

          “Yeah, well” . . . was his non-committal remark as he is replacing the bulb over the desk.

          We now look in the new bulb box vault together.   He states, "We've got two of those expensive bulbs for the center kitchen light, but only one of those bulbs for over the kitchen sink, I will have to get another one."

          "There was only one blown over the kitchen sink last night." I retort.

          "There were two out when I turned the light on this morning." He answered.

          That is 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 7 light bulbs at one whack?  And, they all require the step ladder.

          So, everything happening in threes doesn’t seem to fit this household; more like everything happens in sixes and sevens.

I used to just exclaim, “And, then there was light” when we changed light bulbs, however I am now thinking I need to exclaim,

 “Can we afford this?”