Thursday, April 24, 2008

And Then There Was Light!

I'm good at procrastinating in all areas of my life, and Sorting Stuff Out is no exception. But recently, I have been rather overwhelmed by work, and everything else has slipped, including my writing time. This has focussed my otherwise befuddled mind (in a way that cheerios on the carpet never do), and I have been trying to work out why I haven't cleared out all the junk as was my ambition six months ago.

These are the excuses so far:
1. Can't clear stuff out - need to organise stuff first.
2. Can't organise stuff - too much of it in the way - need to put some in loft first.
3. Can't fit any more stuff in loft - must tidy loft first.
4. Can't tidy up loft in winter - too cold.
5. Can't tidy up loft in summer - too hot.
6. Can't tidy up loft in spring or autumn - too dark up there anyway.

Thus, it was with a glowing heart that I selected £16.82 worth of bulkhead bayonets and two-ply cable from our local DIY store (sounds technical, doesn't it? Made me feel Very Knowledgeable).

"Are you fitting this yourself?" The girl on the checkout asked with a frown.
Fearing a health and safety lecture, (or worse, being told that it was illegal for me to fit lights in my own loft) I lied. "Oh," I said airily. "Just buying the bits. Electricians always rip you off, don't they?"

She seemed satisfied by this reply, and I consoled myself with the fact that I hadn't actually told an untruth; I was just being a tinsy bit deceptive. (I don't want you to think, Dear Reader, that I am a Dishonest Person. I'm not. I'm just not very good at receiving lectures from HSE-wannabes without SHOUTING before they've finished.)

I spent a couple of hours fitting the lights. And I think they look splendid. Sadly, having eliminated the 'too dark' excuse, the others have fallen like dominoes, and I shall now have to do Clearing Out.

Watch this space - for space there will be!


-----------Darkness-----------------------Lightness

9 comments:

Karen said...

Uh-oh. Nice lighting job, but maybe it would have been better left in the dark??

When you mentioned bayonets, I thought you were going to blow it up instead...

Good luck, anyway :o)

I've tagged you, by the way, if you feel like a break...

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I've just sorted out my wardrobe, it was hell. I daren't go into my loft.

Tamsyn Murray said...

Cor blimey, you did it yourself? I suspect I'd plunge a large area of East London into darkness if I tried that.
Any chance you can come round and tidy my house when you're done? I've got two of my daughter's friends staying over tonight and there's only two rooms they can go into safely at the moment...

Jill Steeples said...

Wow, I am impressed, Leigh! Trouble is, now you have no excuses, you'll have to make a start. What will you do with all that empty space, I wonder ....

HelenMWalters said...

Beautiful! (I wouldn't even know what bulkhead bayonets are - which is probably a good thing)

DAB said...

First there was light, followed by shelving and colour co-ordinated storage boxes.... I'm impressed TFX

Lane Mathias said...

I'm very impressed you know your way around cable and electical thingies. I feel like a right girl now:-(

You've now got an extra space to store your laundry mountain:-)

Leigh Forbes said...

Oh, Karen, you're sooo right. (Thanks for the tag - will do it soon!)

Debs - Ha ha ha! I've overcome the wardrobe problem by stuffing it all in the loft. But that technique's coming home to roost now!

Tam - Who's to say I didn't stuff the electrics in half of Sussex! As long as I don't get to know about it! Sure I'll tidy your house when I've finished here... just don't hold your breath!

Maddie - That is the trouble! Empty space? No problem - I'll just do what I always do with it... fill it with stuff (but it will be different, better, more useful stuff).

Helen - Well, that's what it said on the packet!

TF - Ooh, yes! Colour-coordinated shelving. I like it.

Lane - Knowing these things comes from living with my particular husband. If you want something done... ;-)

Kath McGurl said...

Cor, well done! I do a lot of DIY but not electrics, and I don't let hubby do them either, ever since he electrocuted himself changing a light fitment.