Ecobulbs for the Bathroom

It used to be when a lightbulb went out it was easily replaced. We used to keep a lot of replacement bulbs around just for that purpose. But these days the light fixtures and bulbs that are required are not the old fashioned kind. Above the sink in the bathroom are two fixtures that have a very different stem. The bulbs do not screw in, they twist in, using two metal parts. Of course one of them went out this week and we didn’t have a replacement. So we took the bulb with us and went to the neighborhood hardware store. We found something similar and bought two - even though these bulbs are supposed to last for years. This brand says eight years. We have lived in this house over three years and have already had to replace two of these long lasting lights. I think the replacement soft light bulb wasn’t as bright as the other one that was replaced last year. My husband can’t tell the difference but I notice everything. So it will have to do since the bulbs cost $8.00 each. Now we have a bunch of the old fashioned bulbs that we still can use in the old fashioned lamps. We have a halogen lamp in the dining room that is even worse to change out - it may look like an interesting fixture but it certainly isn’t worth the effort to change. I burned my thumb on it one time and we broke the socket another time. Everything is getting more complicated. I used to think I could keep up with all of it. Now I’m not so sure. 

Weird Weekend

All I can say it was a weird weekend. We had planned to visit our family in central Virginia like we always do for Christmas. But with the pandemic resurgence we thought it best not to worry ourselves and our family. So the appropriate grinch wrapping paper gifts will remain undone until another time. We decided to take a ride on Christmas Eve to find some lights. It was a rather disappointing event except for one house that was over the top. It was also rush hour and we got stuck in traffic. That evening the tv stopped working and we both had a heart attack. Our lifeline to normality was snatched away - even more so when the internet quit and I couldn’t even use the version app to troubleshoot. We couldn’t even find a number to call. Luckily after plugging and unplugging everything a few times it finally came back. What a lousy weekend it would have been to buy a tv when everything is shut down. We had leftovers for dinner both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Last evening we thought we would try to visit Alexandria to see the Christmas lights one last time. It was a bust except for the canopy of lights on King Street. The only thing good about going there was to find a gas station with gas for $3.17. When we came home we watched a really awful movie, but it made us forget about the pandemic and our cares. Sometimes I dread the holidays. This was one of those times. And I’m glad it’s over. 

Christmas Lights Not Allowed on the Balcony

The verdict is no. Christmas lights are not allowed on the balcony. When you live in a condo you need to abide by the rules. Usually it wouldn’t matter because we aren’t home at Christmas. But this year is different. I had a feeling that would be the answer because people can’t set limits and it could get out of hand. I was just going to string a single length on the window boxes that face our living room. So rather than put the lights there, they would go on the console table with all the plants and the Christmas greenery that was placed in the vase. I have battery operated strings that were intended for the garland in front of the tv and the wall vase. One of those quit working so there’s one less option. The new lights are plugged in so we will be able to keep them on longer. Since we haven’t gotten Christmas trees for a very long time I prefer to make several spots to decorate. So when the lights were hung and they were turned on for the first time yesterday it was very pretty. So we will look at the window boxes during the day and enjoy the lights in the evening. That’s just fine. 

Stairway to Heaven?

When I was in college one of the most frequently heard songs was “stairway to heaven.” An obnoxious  residents in my brother’s dorm was enamored by it to the point that we were getting quite sick of it because he played it over and over and over again! Years have passed and a deteriorating eyesight goes along with that. What does one thing have to do with the other? Well, the other day we were walking home from our morning promenade and something caught our eye. At one of the townhouse developments by the House Office Buildings was a flight of steps with an interesting enhancement. We never noticed them before over the last many years so we think it was just installed. There was a tiny shining light in the middle of every other step that would most likely help anyone see the path to the house better - especially at night. It was unique in that none of the other units had this interesting accent, not had we seen anything quite like it. The placement of the light was different. It reminded me of the song “stairway to Heaven” in some odd way. No, it really isn’t Heaven. But to the homeowner it might be - even if a train track is located in their back yard!

 

Halogen Track Lights

We have lived in DC for ten years, and for the first time, one of the track lights in the kitchen burned out. All I know is that whenever one of these has bitten the dust, no one can figure out how to remove the halogen light from the holder. My husband was able to figure out how to finally get it out, and it was a good excuse to walk down to Frager's hardware store and stock up on a few new bulbs. The slogan there is "if we don't have it, you don't need it," and with a little help from the staff, we were able to locate and find what we needed. So we got four replacement bulbs and decided to update all of them. It so happens that we had wall damage being repaired at the same time this happened, and our expert handy man, man of all trades, was kind enough to replace all of them for us, along with a couple other things that needed attention - like the squeaky bathroom faucet. Now let's hope the new halogen lamps all last another ten years. 

The Capitol Christmas Tree

We've been to one official lighting ceremony. We completely missed this one, but went for a visit on Saturday evening. I needed a break from non stop painting on a lot of Christmas orders for digital art pet portraits. It was a beautiful evening - no wind - and at dusk it was even better. The Capitol Christmas tree came from Chugach National Firest in Alaska! Since it was still barely light outside there were a lot of people milling about - not usually the case whenever we have been here before. We started at the base of the Capitol building looking over the Mall to the Washington Monument, and walked down to the reflecting pond as the sky turned a lovely red/orange. I took a movie of the scene and sent it to my mom. It's happens just once at this time of year, and it's a pleasure to behold - especially when one can actually stand around without freezing and take in all the sights. 

Christmas Lights in London

From the back seat of a small car it is very hard to take photos. And so it was last evening when we headed to London to see the Christmas lights. Every time I thought I had a decent shot, a bus or taxi would get in the way, or the camera would not focus, or the car would take a lunge. In spite of it all, the trip was fun if nothing else but to see the landmarks and holiday fare combined. The iPhone 6 Plus does take fine photos in low light, but unfortunately I didn't get many of those. I did get a great video of a seatbelt and Big Ben. We are visiting with friends in England for the fourth year in a row. The first time was October, then August, then July, and now November over Thanksgiving. We didn't have turkey or a Macy's day parade, but it was a great holiday all the same. Now the trip is winding down and we head back home tomorrow. It's nice to be here, but it's also nice to be home. I know at least my photos will more than likely be in focus.