Bill and Juanita, owners of Allenspark Lodge B&B, are living their dream...

running a successful business and riding as often as possible.



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

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

9 comments:

  1. OMG. I have peed myself from laughing picturing you out there and the neighbor. However...very smart. And green. And wise beyond your years, grasshopper. LOL

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  2. That's great!!! LOL.

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  3. God I wish there was just a "LIKE" button for your posts, Bill. And a "share" button!

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  4. I almost ran back outside to yell at him-

    "I'm not OCD, just cheap!"

    But I got distracted counting the number of squares on the toilet paper roll.

    Bill

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  5. Oh my gosh - I nearly wet myself too!

    That is simultaneously genius and disturbing (I'm just worried about those drivers on the road who suddenly can't see the reflective stripes ;)

    And you say you don't have any TSTs... cluck cluck :)

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  6. "Priceless post!" I laughed myself silly at the picture of your sign at night!!!

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  7. Rolling On The Floor...Laughing!!!

    Brilliant...However, how come the people observing such acts of brilliance NEVER seem to 'get it'?

    Hope it works.

    And how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop...I mean squares of toilet paper to get to the cardboard center...???

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  8. Forget green and wise Momma Fargo, Bills just CHEAP!! I loved it Bill. Now you have no excuse to get that sand reflection in those letters. All that work I put to repainting it for you I want people to be able to see it!! Don't worry about the neighbor, he'll soon understand all about you. And I'm sure your ego needed a kick anyways!

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