Early===Happy New Year

[Annie]

Happy New Year to everyone!
I hope all your dreams come true!

[Lisa]

Happy New Year from Lisa, the kids and me.

- Matt.

[leenewham]

Happy new year from me, my much better half and Thomas, who will be enjoying his first ever new years eve.

[Tim Lund]

Some not so seasonal floral greetings New Year's Day greetings from me






All from my garden today - it's either global warming - or I'd not got round to dead-heading this autumn

[mosy]

Hi and Happy and Prosperous New Year from me also

@ Tim Lund: My Christmas flowering cactus has a beautiful flower open today; this the nearest I can find on Google images: http://catnipandcoffee.com/files/2010/1 ... lowers.jpg Not sure why the plant has only one flower rather than a profusion - must be a diva flower

Goodness knows what global weather will be like this year - the mind boggles. Still, a mild start to the New Year is a blessing in itself

[Annie]

We are having such an easy winter so far!
I have marigolds in bloom, also geraniums and a rose, Its so lovely to see colour in the gloom.

[Tim Lund]

Mosy - if we allow indoor flowers, here's a nice hyacinth, bought from Angie's flower stall, and repotted in a recycled ground coffee pack



And here are your Christmas cacti

[mosy]

Thanks Tim Lund for linking the actual photo - I must learn how to do that. I love the smell of hyacinths, about three will fill a whole room with their lovely scent As a kid, my mum would tell my dad to leave them in the gas cupboard (understairs one) so they came out when ready and were my mum's pride and joy, rightly so. Are you 'puter savvy enough to waft some of your hyacinth's scent over to us virtually? Perhaps one day...

@ Annie, yes indeed. On the blog whose cactus "my" picture came from, she/he noted "I hope you have something beautiful in your life too". A sentiment I echo as It is indeed a delight, especially after looking at mountains of washing up over the last few days

On gloom, my "daylight" light bulb arrived (mail order) just in time for Christmas (prompt delivery after order too). I was fed up with peering through yellow gloom from low energy bulbs (even of 20W) despite table lamps and sidelights as well, so this is a single 30W energy-saving one which gives off a very white light which is sitting in my ceiling rose and lo and behold I can see again! If anyone wants details, I'll post up what and where-from I bought it. I looked into also this lux and luminens business and decided to go for this one. Haven't figured out what a suitable lampshade would be yet (as it's not dimmable) but don't care - can see

[paultreacy]

I can smell 'em from here. Yum.

[Annie]

On gloom, my "daylight" light bulb arrived (mail order) just in time for Christmas (prompt delivery after order too). I was fed up with peering through yellow gloom from low energy bulbs (even of 20W) despite table lamps and sidelights as well, so this is a single 30W energy-saving one which gives off a very white light which is sitting in my ceiling rose and lo and behold I can see again! If anyone wants details, I'll post up what and where-from I bought it. I looked into also this lux and luminens business and decided to go for this one. Haven't figured out what a suitable lampshade would be yet (as it's not dimmable) but don't care - can see [/quote]

I would be interested in your light bulb discovery if you would kindly post the link

[mosy]

Hi Annie, I bought the stock list lightbulb item 5558 from BLT Direct. The mfr's (Pro Lite) part no is shown also. http://www.bltdirect.com/product.php?pid=5558

My lamp holder is standard bayonet size. Not sure if they do other "caps" e.g. screw-ins whatever).

On the box it says
"Ultra compact design"
"Average life 10,000 hours"
"Up to 80% energy savings"
"Unsuitable for dimming circuits"
"Long Life"

Also:
1900 lumens
240V 6400K Daylight White

Also a pictogram which I take to mean can be switched on and off more than 20,000 times. I guess the significance is that incandescent ones were meant to wear out quicker by on/off switching.

The second review incidentally says that "it does what it says on the tin". Sure can't argue with that

Although only £8.38 onscreen, the bill was £14.80 incl VAT & £3.95 P&P so not cheap, though I'd willingly fight anyone who tried to take it off me now. I wish I'd bought two given I know I'm a happy bunny as it'd be brilliant (literally, lol) in any room for things like decorating whatever and it's easy enough to change it down if not needed

In case I get told off for advertising, I've only said what I've bought and there is enough info above for people to work out if alternative sources or brands are available.

I mentioned it to my sis who initially thought I was on about one of those SAD lights that cost £several hundreds - this seems a pretty good compromise to me

[Annie]

Thanks mosy,I will check it out

[Annie]

They look really interesting mosy,I have just ordered two to try them out,Thank you for the link

[mosy]

Annie, you must let us know how you find your daylight bulbs. A visitor just said my front room looked as bright as a dental surgery, which was useful to me as I was doing some fine stitching on black fabric at the time. It surprised me at how yellow the light is in other rooms comparatively, notably even the kitchen which has "normal" spots which add up to more equalised wattage yet are in a smaller space and "was" singularly the "bright room" versus ineffective low energy bulb lit rooms. Not any more is it the brightest. It's definitely the daylightness (i.e. bright whiteness) of the daylight bulb that makes the difference (they show a colour gradation scale on the website I linked).

Sainsbury Homebase are advertising a teardrop pendant lampshade at the moment on TV for £15 here: http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st ... ber=870817 My 30W bulb could do with something like that. I've seen classier albeit very much dearer shades that I'd prefer so still deciding on a shade...