Christmas Tree fail

[Harry Bloomfield]

I got the Christmassy stuff out yesterday, to get it set up, despite us agreeing we couldn't be bothered this year. We got rid of most of the stuff over the years, to reduce the effort needed. Lights, I always check, before installing, as fault finding is then easier if they don't work.

Everything worked fine on initial test, except that the tree packed in a couple of hours after it was set up. It's a fibre optic type, single 12v 16w MR11 QH lamp in the base, with a geared 12v ac motor driving a multi-coloured disc filter around, between lamp and fibre bundle and the lamp had failed.

Not complaining, we have had the tree and lamp 20 years, but since LED came out I have promised myself that I would swap it. LED 5w MR11 12v AC/DC lamp now ordered, but to get it working temporarily, I remembered I had swapped the caravan over some years ago, from 12v MR11 10w QH to MR11 LED's. Luckily, I had kept the removed QH lamps, as backup's for LED's failing, so had plenty of them, to fit to the tree. The tree has always been a bit dimmer than you would expect, so once the LED arrives, it should be quite a bit brighter than before, with less waste heat generated.

We bought the fibre tree, because it takes much less effort to set up and pack away, than the alternatives. Just one, single light source in the base and it looks OK.

 

[conny]

Today I have the task of setting up a real 12' Scandinavian pine tree at the college. Thankfully my job is to just set it upright into it's wide base. The girls from the office are going to decorate it over the next few days, (though I bet I get called on to get my big ladders out).

 

[conny]

.

 

[conny]

Didn't get chance to erect the tree as we had a woman with mental health issues on the grounds. Took two of us to try talking to her for about 2 hours before police and ambulance turned up to take care of her. By that time it was too late in the day as I needed to start locking up the building. Unfortunately, on my second tour, the lift deposited me on the second floor instead of the third without me realising because I was taking a call on the radio. Checked all the rooms and then quickly worked my way down and around the rest of the building. All 'appeared' clear and there were no cars in the car park so locked up and went to meet my wife in the Chinese buffet. Just about to sit down with a plate of hot food when my boss called me. I'd locked a maths teacher in on the top floor!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Didn't get chance to erect the tree as we had a woman with mental health issues on the grounds. Took two of us to try talking to her for about 2 hours before police and ambulance turned up to take care of her. By that time it was too late in the day as I needed to start locking up the building. Unfortunately, on my second tour, the lift deposited me on the second floor instead of the third without me realising because I was taking a call on the radio. Checked all the rooms and then quickly worked my way down and around the rest of the building. All 'appeared' clear and there were no cars in the car park so locked up and went to meet my wife in the Chinese buffet. Just about to sit down with a plate of hot food when my boss called me. I'd locked a maths teacher in on the top floor!

But did you finish the buffet before going to release him/her?

 

[JP_]

Should have said, put the tree up and I'll let you out.

 

[AngleEyes]

But did you finish the buffet before going to release him/her?

Have you seen how much food there is in these Chinese Buffets?

 

[conny]

But did you finish the buffet before going to release him/her?

Thankfully I didn't need to. He was spotted by a security guard from one of our sister colleges who, because it was his night off, was walking his dog past our college as he lives near by. He had his keys on him so was able to let himself in and the teacher out, but not before the police turned up as the teacher had tripped the alarms on his way down stairs.

Have you seen how much food there is in these Chinese Buffets?

Always plenty in the two we frequent and a good variety.