For the last 3 decades, I have fixed completely all the old light strings I had for the Christmas trees. I’ve very seldom had one I couldn’t fix. I had no choice, I couldn’t afford new ones.
All the strings but one that were on the old tree had been working when I took them off on Wednesday morning. On Thursday morning when I went to check them for dead bulbs, 5 of the 9 strings weren’t working, and I could not get them to work. I spent far too long trying.
This left me very short of lights for the tree. Instead of going and getting some more even older lights, I opted to buy 2 more sets of 500. There were 7 in stock at Home Depot. So my cleaning helper took me to ransom my truck and bring it home (muffler repair) and then we headed to Home Depot.
Well, it turns out a pallet of lights disappeared earlier in the season and the contents weren’t taken from inventory. In fact, these sets of lights were not available anywhere in the greater area.
So we headed home and I was trying to think of some way of getting really working lights. Then light dawned on Marblehead. I had set after set of brand new lights up in the attic, strictly reserved for use on the outside tree. There was no outside tree this year, so….
It took 5 more sets to finish the tree. There’s faded old ones in the middle with new ones on top and bottom. So not a very balanced job, but I’ve spent all the time I plan to on these lights!
I’d hoped to check the bubble lights and get them on also, but alas… That’s tomorrow’s job, then the garlands and then the ornaments.
The Luminaria has been postponed a day due to rain and won’t happen until Sunday. So I have an extra day to finish.