Pretty much ever since we moved in, this light has bugged me. I don’t know if you can tell from this shot, but there is only 1 side glowing light on the ceiling. It’s a 3-light fixture. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve changed one of the bulbs, only to have it burn out … before I was even down from the ladder. No matter how hard I tried, or what brand of bulbs I got, 2 of the 3 always blew out in a matter of days, if not hours.
Eventually we learned to just … live with the dark.
I hate poorly lit kitchens. Some people are fine with that kind of ambiance, but for me, the kitchen must be BRIGHT. I’m handling knives here, people! ;) 
A few months ago, we asked management if it was possible we could change out the fixture and buy our own. Oh sure! they said. Matter of fact, if you want one of the crew to put it in for you, just say the word!
We were so excited! So we planned that after the holidays, sometime into the new year, we’d go light shopping.
Finally this past weekend, we found one we liked at a price we liked, on sale even! Score!
I went over and talked to one of the ladies – she’s such a doll, Miss C – and told her we’d found a light and could she schedule a maintenance call for me to have someone install it. Which she did.
The next day, of the guys came over – we’ll call him MG D. (for Maintenance Guy D). He thought I needed a light bulb changed – do people really call for that? – and balked when he saw that it was a fixture. First he told me they weren’t allowed to put in non-standard fixtures, and I explained that I’d talked to everyone at the office and they’d all cleared it. Then he said it was a much longer job than he anticipated and would I mind if he came back after lunch?
Sure, I’m good with that.
That was Monday.
On Tuesday, I went over to the office and talked to them again. There’s a new head manager there, Miss J, well, new since last year anyway, and she told me that no, I wasn’t allowed to put in a non-standard fixture. Ummmm. Hmm. A rule change?
I explained that I’d talked to management about this for the past few months, was there something I could have misunderstood?
She said she’d get back to me the next day.
Wednesday came and went.
Thursday I went over to the office again, and asked if there was any update on the status of me getting my light installed.
The new lady, Miss J, said, “Yes, you’re on schedule for this week. If they’re not there today, they’ll be there tomorrow.” And she smiled. She’s a hard one to get to know, pretty shy and reserved like I am, more of the paperwork sort than the people sort. And our first introduction to her was over the whole oven thing. So we’re still kind of tentative around one another. But the smile was good.
Perhaps there really is a payoff to taking in a couple dozen cupcakes to the office every so often. 😉
Friday morning I got the knock on my door and MG D was back, with drill in hand. We chatted while he worked and I got to know him a little better. That was nice – I like knowing who’s in my home.
By the time he left a couple hours later, I had this:
LIGHT! Bright, beautiful, glowing light! The kids and I cheered, we were so happy. We can see!
It’s so nice and bright that I don’t always need to turn on the light above the stove now, unless I’m actually cooking. Bonus, it fit ALL my criteria:
- it’s bright
- it’s pretty
- the shades point down so bugs can’t get in there and die, leaving those charming bug corpse shadows that occur from time to time
- the light points down, where I need it, and not up, where I don’t
- it hangs lower, saving me from having to climb at least 2 steps on the ladder, and my knee will be ever so grateful
- I won’t have to take it apart just to put a new bulb in if one burns out
- there’s no fiberglass insulation to get in my eyes if I need to change a bulb either, like the old fixture
- and it was on sale and cheap
WIN!
This is where I do the Snoopy Happy Dance. 😀
And how was your weekend?
Monday’s sunrise – 02-18-13. Pretty! What a nice way to start the day. 🙂
The "Ness" in DarcNess ;) 
What did you say?