March 12, 1993
Dear Everyone:
Last weekend was one of those Fix-It Weekends.
I have a closet (actually, I have
quite a few closets) which I called the Christmas Closet because that's
where I store the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper when it's not
Christmas Time. I also use this
closet to store all of my tools, close I can't fit into but won't give
up just yet, the sewing machine and sewing supplies, some old bookcases
(which double as storage shelving), empty boxes (you never know when
you'll need a box of a particular shape and size) and a drop-leaf
dresser-desk because it fits in the closet.
It's an equal opportunity closet.
A few weeks ago, I went into the Christmas Closet for something, turned
on the light…and nothing happened.
"Rats!" I said. "The bulb’s
burned out."
So, I got the step ladder and a new light bulb from the Supply Closet
(not to be confused with the Linen Closet, the Pantry/Wine
"Cellar”/Utility Closet, or the "Torture Chamber", so-called because
that's where I store all my exercise equipment), and set about changing
the light bulb. When I'd put in
the new bulb, I tested it by turning on the light switch.
Nothing happened.
"Rats!" I said. "Bad bulb."
So, I got another bulb from the Supply Closet and tried again.
Nothing happened.
"Rats!" I said. "This is too much
of a coincidence."
I tested the light bulbs in a lamp. All
of the bulbs were good, including the one that was in the ceiling
fixture in the first place.
"Rats!" I said. "It must be the
wall switch or the fixture."
I voted for the wall switch on the grounds that it was much easier to
get at than the ceiling fixture. I
consulted The Magic Book (a.k.a. The Complete Fix-It-Yourself Manual).
It described repairing a faulty wall switch as relatively easy,
taking less than an hour*. Nevertheless,
I decided that This Was A Job For…a weekend.
In the meantime, I could use a flashlight.
Ever try selecting appropriate
gift-wrapping paper by flashlight? Bummer.
So, last Saturday, “Jeannie” came over and
very bravely volunteered to
hold a flashlight for me. We
started by turning off the circuit breaker (always a good first step
when dealing with electrical things, assuming you can't just unplug
something). Naturally, the first
one I tried was the wrong one, but in time, we successfully plunged the
bedroom (where the closet resides) into relative darkness.
Next, we tackled the switch. According
to The Magic Book, if the switch isn't working, you don't fix it; you
just replace it. The switch had
two wires going into it, one top, one bottom.
You just pull out the wires and
connect them to the new switch. Of
course, this presupposes that you have a new switch.
Ever buy something on impulse and then find that you can't really use
it, so you put it away just in case it might come in useful someday?
Well, some months ago, I bought a
dimmer switch, thinking I'd use it for the chandelier in the Dining
Room. The chandelier uses those
25-watt "flame-shaped" bulbs and it can be rather bright at times.
(At other times, of course, it's
too dim.) I thought that the
dimmer would allow me to set the lighting to fit the mood, so to speak.
But, when I looked at all the wires behind the plate, and read the
instructions, including some rather dire references to "grounding
wires", I decided to table the matter for a more propitious time.
So, when “Jeannie” and I had removed the (possibly) faulty wall switch,
I just happened to have on
hand a new wall switch that we could use to find out quickly enough if
that, indeed, was the problem (cross your fingers).
Following the directions on the
package, as well as the advice of The Magic Book, we connected the
wires, and flipped the circuit breaker back on.
EUREKA!
The ceiling light came on, just
like magic. We stuffed the wires
into the switcher box and attach the plate.
Now I have a designer dimmer
switch in my closet. No doubt, it
will be a significant selling point when I get ready to trade up to a
real house.
Now all I needed to do was reset all of the digital clocks that had gone
out when I turned off the circuit breakers.
And replace all of the electrical
tools that I'd dragged out of the closet so I could see what I needed to
use.
As long as things were going so well, I went to the hardware store and
got another designer dimmer
switch and braved the wires in the Dining Room switcher box.
Now I have to dimmer switches.
I also replace the worn washers in the kitchen faucet, but we've been
through that before.
In other news…
“Jeannie” and I are going to
Disneyland the
last weekend in April. She has
one of those Continuing Adult Education tests to take for credits and
I'm going along for the ride and to provide company and moral support.
We’ll spend Friday at Disneyland.
Then “Jeannie” will spend
Saturday taking her test and we’ll bum around Southern California Sunday
before flying home.
So,
we need suggestions and recommendations for things to do in the general
Anaheim area. What can I do while
“Jeannie's” taking her tests? Where
can we both go for most of the day Sunday?
Please rush your answers to (510) XXX-1559 (my phone) or (510) XXX-7334
(“Jeannie's” phone). Or mail them
to the return address on the envelope that this letter came in, the one
you threw in the garbage a few minutes ago.
The best suggestion will win a
postcard from Southern California and a really tacky souvenir.
Love, as always,
Pete
*Do they include multiple trips to the hardware store in these time
estimates?
| Previous | Next |