(More than) Fourinarow.net

When we constructed a new kitchen in our home, this is the light we chose to hang above our table:

Unfortunately, it recently met its demise.  When Grandma and Grandpa were here taking care of our children so that Dan and I could head West for my sister’s wedding (yes, back in August), the glass shade broke.  It hangs fairly low, and Grandpa is pretty tall, and I think the table had become off center (imagine that), and the shade ended up with a Grandpa-shaped cut out in it.  Thankfully, no one was hurt.

A few weeks after returning home, I sat with the kids while they ate an early dinner and pondered with them how long it would take for us to get a new light fixture.  It had been, after all, quite some time since the shade had broken.  We all agreed that we’d be lucky to have a replacement by Christmastime.

I mentioned our discussion to Dan, who promptly suggested that we remove the shade (yes, it was still there with the Grandpa-shaped hole in it) and that I take it to a lighting store for a replacement.  I explained that I didn’t think we’d find one, as we had a) bought the fixture online; and b) it would probably cost as much for the shade as a new fixture.

I went anyway.

And, was told by the store owner that a) she wouldn’t be able to order parts, as she didn’t carry that fixture; and b) a new shade would cost almost as much as a new fixture.

I headed to Home Depot to look around and snapped a few pictures of some things that might work and sent them on to Dan.  Nothing, mind you, was right.  They were simply temporary fixes.

I think we discussed the possibilities that evening and then… Nothing.

That trip to Home Depot was over a month ago, and we’ve had nothing but a bare bulb hanging above our kitchen table since.

Last night (after a fun-filled trip to BassPro for some camping gear), Dan headed out to fill the van with gas.  (Sweet guy, I know.)  It seemed to take him FOREVER, but I assumed it was a ploy to avoid putting kids to bed.

I quickly, and unfortunately, discovered that his trip took so long because he had stopped by Home Depot and purchased a “shade” for our kitchen.

I felt sick.  WHAT was he thinking?!?  “It’s better than just a bulb,” he told me.

“NO, NO, NO, NO it’s not!!!  Accccckkkkkkkkk!” I screeched.  And then I reached for my iPhone, took pictures, and texted my family and friends for support.

You can see that a) it doesn’t fit the fixture; and b) it’s UGLY; and c) it’s too small for the space.  I was starting to think my husband had some sort of problem.

I could not get that thing down fast enough.  I even shocked myself trying.  I told Dan that if he didn’t get it off quickly, I was going to simply break it off with a hammer.  Probably save someone else from buying it in the future anyway.

“I still think it’s better than the bulb,” he told me.  “And I didn’t want to spend more than $10.  By the way, it’s a shade made for a ceiling fan light fixture,” he informed me, as if that somehow helped the situation.

We got the thing removed and back in it’s Home Depot bag with its receipt.  After dropping the kids at school this morning, I headed for the store.  I couldn’t get there fast enough.

I returned my “item” and headed to the lighting department, set on getting one of the temporary fixes I’d seen before.  It wasn’t $10, but it wasn’t all that much more.  And, despite not being the best choice, it’s WAY better than that other thing.

Plus, it was installed by a professional