I Don't Need Any Help to Look Like a Fool, Thanks Anyway

Last year one of our horses took our sign out front for a walk.  Actually, a wild, crazy, scary run.  During the trip, the lights attached to the sign broke off.  They hadn't worked very well at night anyway, so I didn't replace them.

                                    Unlit Sign During the Day

                                       Unlit Sign at Night

I decided that reflective paint on the lettering would be the way to light the sign.  No unsightly wires, no light pollution, no electric bill...  I would use the cars headlights as they drove by.

Reflective paint is often made by sprinkling VERY SMALL reflective glass beads  onto the wet paint, and they stick to the surface and reflect light.

Very cool.
Very easy.


A half pound of the beads will cost $10, + shipping and handling.  You can get fifty pounds of glass beads for $50, but I'm unsure what I would do with the other 49.5 pounds.  Would be something of a false economy.  Like a single guy shopping at Costco or Sam's.  So I did the obvious thing.

I did nothing.
Sign stays dark.

Yesterday they painted the yellow lines down the road in front of the lodge.  And Hurray!  They sprinkled the glass beads onto the paint!  I waited until this afternoon, and ran out to sweep up some of the the excess to use on my sign.

                              The white sand actually glass beads.

While I was sweeping away I happened to glance up.  I saw the neighbor that I haven't met yet looking at me.
No, staring at me.  Arms hanging, slack jawed, open mouthed, incredulous expression, staring.

His lunatic innkeeper neighbor was sweeping the street.

I gave a little half wave, finished picking up what was in the dustpan and went back into the lodge.

 I'll have to wait a few days before I go outside and work on the sign.

Time spent.............5 minutes
Money saved.........$10
Damage to ego.......priceless

Bill