Alas! A Slightly Dim Week - Thursday, 14 November

Upon my arrival last Friday, I found that the primary light fixture above my table was burned out.  Alas, but no worries, I thought, as a responsible homeowner I can deal with that!  But alas (again), I couldn’t find a spare bulb in the apartment.  So I “WhatsApp’d” our apartment manager, Luz, who said it was working on Thursday when the apartment was cleaned and I should be able to find a spare bulb in the storage boxes up high over the cabinets.  Alas (again), short people can’t reach those boxes.  Luz would be able to help but alas (again), she was on her way out of town for a long weekend, returning Tuesday.  She advised that I could find this style bulb at Franprix a couple blocks away.

So I went to unscrew the bulb but alas (again) it came apart – the glass and “guts” in my hand with the receptacle/connector remaining in the fixture.  

I looked at the circuit breaker box but couldn’t tell which one was for that fixture, and I didn’t want to get electrocuted (that would have been too big of an ALAS!), and I didn’t want to turn off the master circuit, and I didn’t have the pliers needed to remove the connector anyway, so I decided to wait.   I found a lamp that I could clip on to the edge of the table so that I wasn’t in TOO much darkness in the evening.  

Alas (again) a slight delay – Luz couldn’t stop by until this morning.  She asked for photos so that she could buy the right bulb, but when she looked at them she realized that she’d better send the handyman instead.  He advised “don’t touch anything!”  Ya, I had already figured that out!

So, just after noon the nice Jean Michel knocked on my door.  He couldn’t decide which circuit was for the fixture so decided to switch off the main.  And he had the equipment for removing the connector.  Presto, in about five minutes he was able to fix the problem and install the new bulb.  He stayed long enough to confirm that everything was back up and running (including the internet service).  And he left a spare bulb.  And I am enlightened again!

Whew!  No more alasses, just time for this lass to head out and find new adventures for the day!