Well it seems as my Christmas Curse continues. The neighbors fence has drawn first blood. I was hanging the lights that I was hanging last year when I leaned on the neighbors chain length fence and got a little gouge in my right hand from the pointy things on top :roll:. I did not hang them on the roof again. We decided to do the back yard as it is on the water and when the weather is nice, hopefully soon we spend some time back there around the fire pit. I also did it for our Daughters enjoyment because she loves Christmas and all the holidays just like her Mama.
I told my wife I had a feeling something bad was going to happen. She actually had the guts to ask me if the ladder was still outside and would I put the lights on the roof again. I could have fell over after for the last year. Everyone who has heard my broken heel story has heard me say at least I never have to hang lights again.
PLEASE BE SAFE WHILE DECORATING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
DON’T BE LIKE MIKE !!!
Post your injuries or mishaps that happen this holiday season and I hope they are all minor. This should be interesting and teach us all a few what not to do’s
My biggest problem with Christmas lights is stringing them backwards. I had to make a male to male extension cord this year because frankly I was going to fast and was not thinking. On a good note my wife and daughter think there pretty!!
I still hang, them Mike, but I can’t say I like it. I always do it from the ladder-never from the roof.
Must have been about 1997 or 1998. My rancher was on a hillside (as are most in WV), but sat beautifully atop a hill on my 8 acres, and visible from the road below. So I propped my ladder on the front gutter, about 10 or 12 feet off the ground, and climbed on the roof, my ball of lights in tow. I had done this every year for the last 4 or 5 years. But this time was different.
The back of the house, the downhill side, was about 25 or 30 feet off the ground. As I hung over that side, clipping the lights to the gutters, it hit me. I cannot move. I am frozen, scared s hitless. I yell and yell for the wife to go to the front and bring the ladder around. It took me an hour to move from that position, knuckles clasping the gutter, and get on the ladder. I just felt I was going to fall. From then on, I am scared of heights. Not really scared of heights, scared of falling. I realize I won’t just bounce, at my age. A ladder is fine, or even the top floor of a building on the balcony.
Crazy for a HI to be scared of heights? Not really. I always use either a safety rope or an extension pole like Bob Elliott. I still feel it’s my duty to walk the roof provided I feel safe. If not, it’s just not worth it. Like you have found, falling would stop my income until I healed. I cannot take the risk.
I no longer live in that house, and the house I now live in is only about 12 feet off the ground on all sides at the eaves.
