I have a light outside the back door.

It’s one of those LED yokes and is mounted up under the eaves in a spot that’s difficult to access.

Naturally it has one of those motion sensor gizmos and when someone, or something moves in range it fires up. I’m not sure what its power is but I reckon it must be somewhere in the megawatt range as it is fucking powerful. When it lights up it not only lights up the entire garden but a fair percentage of the parish as well. I have had a few complaints from the airport authority about the light interfering with navigation but I know the Air Sea Rescue Helicopter uses it as they frequently fly directly over, rattling the chimney pots.

Anyhows this light developed a fault. It was nothing serious – it just wouldn’t switch off. It has been permanently lit, night and day since last summer. I didn’t bother with it though it tended to be a bit dazzling even on a bright sunny day.

Yesterday I tried to fix it. I found a thing on the Interweb that said I had to switch it off at the mains for a specified period and then switch it on again. I did that. I checked the light and it was off. Woopee!

Last night Penny looked a bit depressed. She was lying in one of her favourite spots staring out the glass doors to the garden. Normally everything is brightly lit including all the trees and the local hills but suddenly she found herself staring at darkness. The poor thing was confused and probably thought someone had stolen her garden. I opened the door and let her out. The light promptly lit. Success!

A while later I let her in again. I could see the relief on her face.

I was going to bed later in the evening and realised the garden was still floodlit. Fuck! It’s broken again.

I’ll leave it to its permanent glare.

Air Sea Rescue needs it anyway.