The bathroom light ceased to work in any sort of effective manner on Tuesday evening. It now choses to flicker and flicker in an alarming way – which would be enough to induce seizures if any of us were that way disposed.

In ordinary hausholds, one might immediately grab a new light-bulb from a stash. But this haus is different, our bathroom light fixture requires a rather unusual circular fluorescent tube. Admittedly this one has lasted for an age, I well remember a lunchtime excursion with Don and our cronies to the hardware store to buy a new tube a month or so before we got together, so that’s, gosh, roughly 3 years, 9 months, give or take a week or so (not that I am keeping count or anything).

Rather than potter about in the dark or try to fiddle with candles which certain lanky/gangly/exceedingly tall teenagers may have knocked over, Don arrived at the brilliant idea of utilising the brand new camping light!

And what a success! Although it casts a horrible hospital-quality white light, it is the perfect interim solution until we can get to the hardware store.

I also take this as evidence that my mental state has improved a good deal, for rather than bemoaning our lighting misfortune, I am celebrating our good fortune in having planned our camping trip and being able to re-purpose some of the equipment.

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