Jan's Day 12: Home improvements

Day 12 Happy Trigger: Changing lightbulbs with the dad.

Dad's been on a lightbulb changing spree lately, determined to swap all our old lights for LED bulbs in order to reduce energy usage.

Since we have recessed lighting, the internal housing had to go because the LED bulbs have a screw base instead of the old wedge base, so it was way more work than just replacing bulbs.

Always the handyman, he usually does everything himself and stubbornly refuses to accept help, and it's tough to see a 65 year old man who has a spinal condition stand on a stepladder and make improvements to the house while I stand by and do nothing.

Today, he finally agreed to let me help, and a mere lightbulb-changing experience became an unexpected bonding experience as he guided me on how to remove the housing, replace the trim rim and rewire the circuit.

My hands are dirty, I have plaster flakes in my hair, and my fresh manicure is chipped. But this is the best I've felt all week.

(It is rather ironic that I had to sweet-talk someone to let me do "manly" work heh.)