Let there be light!

One year ago we moved down here to Mazatlan and I insisted on bringing down 10 of our metal, silver solar lights. Hub repeatedly reminded me as I was packing them in our suitcases that they would rust...but come on, you don’t have to pay for the hydro, and surely he could understand that!

Slowly I would move some of his stuff to another box and packed each light carefully into the suitcases. Course now that we’ve been down here a while you can find solar lights everywhere, but that wasn’t the point...I had them...they worked...I wanted them!

You see, for years I have noticed that Hub doesn’t like to spend  money. I’ve called it cheap over the years and of course his mother, God rest her soul, always made a point of correcting me repeatedly,“He’s not cheap, he’s thrifty!”  Well, I guess it’s all in the eyes of the beholder, but I’d hear Hub over and over again... “Do you really need all these lights on?”

'Only if I want to see.’

He then throws up his hands in the air for dramatic  effect...“You know we’re not made of money!...OMG 100 watt bulbs, are you crazy???”

You see hydro and the problem of how to cut the ever growing costs has been Hubs quest for years, and as he goes from room to room his personal mantra has been heard over and over again... “turn out the lights...you forgot to turn off the lights again...HELLOOOO!”

Upon moving into our casa, I discovered a few of those old, black, plastic ones that glow orange. I kept those too.  After all, just slap in a few new batteries...use the sun and voila...no cost lighting!! Even Hub couldn’t argue with that!

Then I discovered Home Depot! For under 15 Canadian dollars I could get small white solar lights. Ok, I have to admit I didn’t stop there. I bought 4 one week...four the next week...and 4 more this week.

But I don’t care. This place is gonna shine and without hydro!

Yes, it does cost a few bucks to purchase the lights but we’re talking solar! Infact, this week I’m going to pot them in cement to anchor them down on the roof, so they won’t blow over. That means I don’t have to drill them into the walls, which should keep Hub happy. (Seems he’s not particularly fond of me using his precious tools.)

After a few days of full sun the lights are up and look fabulous and I found Hub relaxing on the rooftop deck in the early evening. He’s now taken to wearing his sunglasses at night to make a point.

I stand back and admire my handy work that evening as I lean against the wall... ‘See! Told you they’d work.’

“uh huh.”

‘and they look great up here if I do say so myself!’

I notice him leaning back in the lounge chair, waving. ‘What are you doing?’

 “Waving at the space station.  Seems they want you to turn down the lights too!”

Turning on my heels I head back downstairs... ‘It’s nice that you have new friends.’

Just a couple of thoughts from 2 Canadians living and loving it in Mazatlan!
Linda and Hub.