In search of light...

In the midst of my cleaning this last week, I smashed not one, but two lamps. One was repairable with a new bulb ($12.00), but the other was beyond saving. It was mostly a pile of shattered glass. There was nothing to do except go in search of a new lamp.

My quest began at Walmart. Accompanied by my friend Jane, I roamed the newly organized Walmart (why do they insist on moving everything???) until we stumbled across the lamp aisle, mostly by accident. It was a very short aisle, filled with remarkably cheap ugly lamps.

I was a bit dismayed as I have in the past bought several quite nice lamps from Walmart. However, it was clearly not going to be the case this time. Disappointed with the sad collection available, we went home.

The next day the house hunk and I headed for Home Depot in search of the special bulb for the sunlamp. We were very pleased to find it without any trouble. Bulb clutched firmly in hand, we cruised by the lamp aisle. Out of a selection of about thirty lamps, one was a vague possibility, but I held out, refusing to buy until I'd done a little more searching.

We left there and went to a different Walmart from the previous day--to no avail. This Walmart was in the midst of reorganization and the selection was even more pitiful. Persevering, we went downstairs to the Sam's Club. They had no lamps of any description. Foot sore and tired, we went home.

The next day we went out to the next county in search of some other items (and dinner). While sitting in Applebee's, the hunk asked, "What about Lowe's?"

I agreed that Lowe's was a real possibility so after dinner we stopped there to search out their lamp aisle. Actually, there were three lamp aisles with a couple possibilities, though nothing that really sang out to me. Having consumed two large glasses of tea, I soon found it necessary to seek out the ladies room.

On my way back to the hunk, I passed a huge cart filled with "clearance" items. And there, sitting in solitary splendor, I discovered my lamp. It's a standard table lamp with a single pole running from a flat round base to the light bulb. BUT sitting on that base is a chubby pale blue ceramic fish. One look and I fell in love.

It's exactly the quirky, happy type of accessory I wanted for my new office. When I get things straightened up, I'll take a picture and post it. In the meantime... the best thing? It was a forty dollar lamp that I paid seventeen dollars for. That's actually less than any other lamp I looked at, including the ones at Walmart.

So... perseverence counts!

anny