Let There Be Light

This afternoon I finally got my kitchen light in working order again. Around four months ago my kitchen light, the strip variety started getting a bit temperamental when I'd want to switch it on with more flickering than was usual. Once I managed to make a cup of coffee before the flickering stopped, at which point I knew I had to replace either the bulb or the starter. In the meantime I used a desk lamp next to the kettle. While this was bright enough where I needed it it was a bad angle to work from, and only planned as a stop gap.

I know nothing about the spec of strip lights, what to note down and ask for to make sure I got the correct wattage, fitting, length etc so I hoped it was the starter. The starter could easily fit in my pocket so I could nip into the lighting shop when I passed to ask for a new one of these, and was able to show the member of staff. I did that but it changed nothing, which meant it was the bulb.

Since strip bulbs are not really pocket sized it had to be a specific trip for it and I kept forgetting. I lost count of the number of times I passed by the shop thinking "I'll need to get the kitchen light sorted" or going into the kitchen and walking across the room in the dark to feel for the lamp switch with the same thought.

Well, finally I made a point today of taking the old one out and into the shop for a new bulb. I did feel a tad self concious walking down the street with a strip light bulb but maybe that's memories of my childhood finding stuff like this and pretending it was a lightsaber. I can assure you I was not even the least bit tempted to repeat that fantasy this time, apart from having grown up, I'm also nowhere near as agile as I was then. The result is that I have a working light again, although since I've gotten used to using the lamp it'll no doubt take me a little while to remember I actually have a working strip light and use it.