Bah - Humbugg^&$(@#*#

[RonB]

I'm sitting here going through morning email and WRECK posts. Sitting next to me is a large dog and 3 big boxes of tangled exterior Christmas lights.

The dog is OK.

The lights are a different story because without opening the boxes I know at least 1/2 of the strings are skrewed up. I waited until it got cold. I have a lot of other things to do; not the least of which is building a jewelry box for my wife and a some candle holders and frames for our kids.

OH WELL, I'll get over this long before the grandkids get here!

Merry Prelude to Christmas RonB

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Put a single light candle in the window and be done with it.

[RonB]

Oh, come on Ed. You know better than that! Send me your phone number and I'll have my wife call you. Then my kids. Grandkids next.

Actually this is the only part of the season that makes me shudder and it will be over with my dusk - hopefully today.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

For 38 years I've managed to find a reason not to put lights outside. Have your wife call and I'll go over the excuses one by one.

But honey, the single candle looks so elegant, just like Colonial times!

[mac davis]

shit-can the lights and hit walmart! every year they get better, cheaper and use less electricity... So much easier to put the suckers up when they're new in the box..

take your time and do a great job on her jewelry box... place receipt for lights in it with a few pics of the lights at night.. be prepared to duck..

[Jay]

I have yet to get the ambition to do this, but I've always considered:

1. Measuring my eaves
2. Installing eye bolts every 8 feet or at corners.
3. Cutting a bunch of 1x2's to size.
4. Putting (big honkin') hooks on the ends
5. Priming and painting to match eaves
6. Stapling on the icicle lights.
7. Making a storage rack in my attic.

That way, all I'd have to do is pull out the 1x2's hang them on the eye hooks and be done with it.

Oh, I forgot a few steps..

1. Cursing that I forgot to label the boards on a diagram
2. Swearing and vowing I would label them next year.

[Dave Hinz]

Suggestion: I've seen, but can't find, bolts with _glass_ rings maybe

1.5" in diameter. Those would be _great_ for this purpose.

Yes.

Why not just pull the strings through the bolt/eyes, space 'em at 4 feet, and let tension keep 'em mostly straight?

I need to do something different, somewhere between your approach and mine might be it.

1. Continuing to not label them year after year, repeating 8 and 9 as necessary.
2. Saying "Screw it, I'm putting up a wreath and a single spotlight this year". (been there, done that, looks just fine).

Dave Hinz

[RonB]

Lights are up. They look purdy. Wife is happy.

Now, back to the shop.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It is people like you that make life difficult for the rest of us. I still have not come up with this years excuse, but be assure, I will. .

[Silvan]

I just get the stupid things up in October so I don't have to worry about it after the weather becomes less agreeable.

[patriarch]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:qc0sd.120$gF5.84@trndny01:

I'm a firm believer in recycling. ;-)

Patriarch

[RonB]

If it wasn't for the stupid neighborhood association I'd try leaving them up for Valentine's day, Easter, Memorial Day, .......................

Hmmmmm. Maybe Neighborhood Association Day?

[Norman D. Crow]

Isn't that what Grandsons are for? SWMBO called 15yr. old(6'1", size 15 shoes!) yesterday, picked him up after school and got it done, only cost us pizza for supper.

[patriarch]

"Norman D. Crow" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Yet more evidence you married a clever one!

[Tim Douglass]

If he eats like either of my teen-agers it would have been cheaper to buy a new house that was already decorated.

What is it with big feet any more? When I was in high school I wore a

10 1/2 and it was considered pretty big. My 13 year old wears a size 14 and doesn't have the biggest feet in his class!

Tim Douglass

[Norman D. Crow]

Dunno. However, he gets the height from both sides. When he was about 1mo. old, a family friend took one look and told his mother "Aha! Footballs next major appliance."

[Norman D. Crow]

"patriarch [e-mail]" "Norman D. Crow" wrote in

Well, SHE likes to think so . . . and most of the time I let her get away with it.

[Silvan]

We don't have a neighborhood association (which is a big reason why I live here; neighborhood associations can kiss my lily white ass) but leaving the lights up isn't really a viable solution. The year of sun and UV and rain and UV and sun and UV and rain, and they're no good by the following winter anyway.

I think one of these days I'd like to do some fancy thing with track lights built into the gutter permanently or something. Some kind of lighting installation that can take the weather day after day. I've seen stuff like that on commercial buildings.

Oh, but then where is the fun of having the star or the little lighted elf ladder hanging from a slightly different spot from one year to the next? she says.

Hork.

[TBone]

Be glad that you don't live next to me.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Saturday, my wife mentioned it was a nice sunny day. Good day to put up lights. I was going to, but fortunatly, Iooked at the sun and it damned near blinded me as it was so low in the sky. Had I been on a ladder, I might have been killed!

Yep, that was j ust too close. Maybe next year. Today is out because it is starting to snow. That makes it much too dangerous to attempt it. Ed