ME
Never, ever, try to remove a broken bulb from a strand of Christmas lights while the lights are still plugged in.
What in the hell was I thinking?
I plugged a strand of lights in to see if they still worked and one of the bulbs on the end was busted.
So without engaging my brain I reached over and grabbed the broken bulb to try and unscrew it.
"Maybe I should unplug the lights" went through my head at the same time the electricity went through my fingers.
There was a loud pop, a puff of smoke and of course a scream from the idiot holding the bulb.
Both of the Island Boys were standing there watching me and as soon as I screamed the Oldest Island Boy went flying out into the office yelling for his Dad.
"Mom's hurt, there's smoke, come quick!"
The poor man almost broke his neck trying to get to me.
Meanwhile, I'm in the kitchen trying (but not succeeding very well) not to cry.
He took one look at my fingers, grabbed some ice and got that on my fingers. One of the kids got him a bowl with more ice which I stuck my hand in while he cut a piece of Aloe plant to rub on there.
He wanted to know what happened and I told him I'd tried to remove a broken bulb without unplugging the lights.
Which caused him to look at me like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"Are you kidding me?"
Does it look like I'm kidding?
And now the ends of my index finger and thumb are black.
After they stopped hurting some I tried to wash the black off and it isn't coming off.
I asked the Island King why he thought the black wouldn't come off and he said "Because you've arc welded your damn fingers!"
Crap.
They've stopped hurting but are still tender. And black.
After looking at the lights we've decided to throw them away. They're VERY old and since there is a fuse on the strand that didn't blow when the big pop occurred we're thinking that maybe they aren't something we want attached to our house.
I liked my old fashioned "ginger bread house" lights but now they make me nervous.
So into the trash they go.
After it was all over I looked at the kids and said "You should never touch a broken bulb while it's plugged in."
And all 3 of my children looked at me and said "We knew that."
Thank goodness they're brighter than their Mother.
You know, I never have to look very far to find something to blog about.Labels: Done
