The Show Must Go On...

While a storm had hit our display pretty hard, we managed to correct most of the damage to at least finish the season. Several of our handmade controllers were severely compromised by the rain and no longer function. By moving the light elements closer together and piggy-backing on other controllers, we were able to once again make the lights dance. We had hoped it wasn't too noticeable and we still want the public to come see it. Next year, we will add more precaution against storm damage, wind and water intrusion by adding stakes, tie downs and domes over electrical connections as well as adding more GFIs.

It hasn't dampened our spirits for the blinky-flashy but it has given us an opportunity to expand on it.

 Christmas Joy

What have you done for Christmas?

Due to a string of technical problems, some of our light elements didn't get put out this year. Some because of material shortages and some because of pure procrastination. The "I will get to it later" attitude can be a show killer, so beware of that. Most know that it takes a lot to put on a big show but how much is a lot? How much time do you need? Here is my list and I'm quite sure its not complete.

TimberTownChristmas Infrastructure Assessment
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Computer
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Vixen
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Sequences
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Music
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Audio System
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Timbertownchristmas.blogspot.com
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Master Inventory List
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Repairs
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Webcam Streaming
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Main Data Cable
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Grinch X 2
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SSRs
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AC Extension Cords
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AC Accessories
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Radio Transmitter
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Substructure Hardware
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Light Elements
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Donation Box
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Advertising
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Signs
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Promotions
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Parade Contest
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Home Illumination Contest
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Storage
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New Stuff
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 What are you waiting for? Christmas?
You have a lot of work to do, get to it.

The Good with the Bad...

After winning 3rd place in the Willamina Lighted Christmas Parade, we were in high spirits and ready to win a prize in the Home Illumination Contest. While not all of the light elements were put in place due to some technical problems and a bit of procrastination on my part, the show was up and running in time for the start on December 10th. Judging for the contest was on the 19th and 20th, plenty of time to work the bugs out of the system. Then a few days before the judging, a major storm swept through our area, destroying about a third of our show. Shorting out several of our mini-trees and a number of our controllers, it ruined a lot of the show. Because, we at TimbertownChristmas are not quitters, we assessed the damage and reorganized what was left. It still has a bit to offer for the public to see and we hope it will draw them here to help us with our charity, the local food-bank. On with the show!

Following Suit.

December 1st. The day (or night depending on how you see it) of the Willamina (in Oregon) Lighted Christmas Parade had finally arrived! After several weeks of talking, planning, scrounging up items and annoying others with the details, my dear, sweet wife wrapped me up in about 1000 LED lights after donning my camo coveralls and backpack filled with electronic hardware. A bit of testing and we thought we were good to go, however....

We arrived at the starting point at one end of the town with the rain just pouring down. There were at least a dozen entries there before we showed up and several more came after we got there. We came equipped with umbrellas and as predicted, we (I mean I) were going to be the only one(s) walking the 1.1 mile route through town. Just to make sure, we conducted another test and found out the system wouldn't work. You may know how frustrating it is to find out your creations don't work, much less trying to repair them in a downpour. Then, after pulling everything out of the backpack, my wife (trying not to blow her cool, trying to follow my directions and me not being able to help or see what she was doing) finally found the problem. A faulty switch on the APC was not on, causing the whole thing to fail. She pressed the button and beat on the thing to make it come on, then put the whole mess back into the backpack and sealed it up just in time. 

Having to walk the route meant I was going to be last in line but just before SANTA in a one horse open (you probably thought I was going to say sleigh) buggy. The man driving the buggy won last year with a beautiful Cinderella coach. Walking with me was my Dachshund Penny and she was dressed up in a Mrs. Santa skirt made by my wife. It was decorated with bells, white fur and 35 LED lights! Penny was well aware of the horse following us as she had never seen a horse before. I wonder if she thought it was a giant dog. She kept looking behind us to see if the horse was trying to get her. =LOL=  I kept pulling her leash a bit and talking to her, telling her it was alright. Amazingly, while the rain before the parade had come down in buckets, it stopped almost completely while we were walking the parade route. We were given an entry number (mine being #8) at the beginning.  I had the lights turned off to conserve power and still the parade director asked me if i had lights? with 1000 LEDs obviously zigzagging all over me. I promptly hit the ON button on my remote and lit up!

So on we walked, Penny and I, down the center of the street (technically a highway) through Willamina. What fun that was, people clapping and pointing at us, a great feeling it was. Meanwhile, my wife and our friend were following a ways back, handing out mini-flyers for our Christmas Light Show that starts on December 10th. They handed out over 80 mini-flyers and walked most of the route. Kudos and Good Job to them!

Waving to the crowd and shouting "Merry Christmas!" in a parade is something I have never done and let me tell you, your arm will get tired. As we got near the old drugstore where the judges were, I did a little dance and got Penny to do her prairie dog trick (sitting up and bouncing a little). The crowd in front of the store clapped and cheered including the one with the clipboard. Sweet! Continuing on, we passed the grocery store and went over the bridge to finish the route. We rounded the last corner and arrived at the old High School when all at once, the APC in the backpack ran out of power. Talk about a close call! It failed as predicted by our tests earlier in the week almost to the minute.

Penny and I waited there until my wife arrived and it was then we learned we had taken 3rd Place! WoooHoooo! We (Richard-that's me, Sandy-my wife, our Good Friend Marianne and Penny the wonder dog) had done it! Now there was going to be something extra in our food collection bin. We will shop around and buy as much food as we can with the prize money. We did that last year when we won 3rd place (I hope that's not going to be the trend) in the Home Illumination Contest.

We still have a chance to win that again this year with the judging to be on the 21st or so. 

A lot of fun was had by all!!  I'm still trying to convince my wife to join me in the parade for next year.

Suits me.

In our little town of Willamina, Oregon, we have a Lighted Christmas Parade every year. Last year, there were about 6 entries with one of them being a "Cinderella" type coach complete with princess. We were there watching it and of course, we were lit up with a portable power supply and a few hundred LED lights. I had thought we could enter it and maybe win a prize that we could donate back to the cause in the form of food for the food-bank. The first plan was to decorate our car (a Ford Taurus) with a white lacy shroud and Santa with reindeer or something to that effect. But now, a smaller and redefined plan has been devised.

And here it is..... The Mobile Light Suit!

Six channels of LEDs with a total of 1000 lights in a rainbow of colors.It will be really cold so the Camo suit will keep me warm. Complete with Christmas music, it plays 20 tunes really loud. Total weight of the suit is around 30 pounds. Total cost of the suit was around 30 dollars due to buying it all secondhand. Sometimes your hobby carries you away instead of the other way around.

Our dog, Penny is a 3/4 Dachshund 1/4 Pomeranian and such a sweet and obviously, a tolerant patient soul because she put up with the fitting and a bit of training but we knew she would do anything to get a "One" (that's her word for a treat of any kind.) She will be walking alongside of me in the parade in her cute Santa Skirt that my wife made for her. Its stocked with 35 LED lights and will use a dark green extension cord for a leash. She knows something's up but not sure what it is. Maybe it will get her another "One"

And so it begins....

The turkey has been eaten, the last of the pumpkin pie gone and the parade is over, now the start of the CHRISTMAS season has begun! You won't find me at the sales or watching the game, instead I will be outside, possibly in the pouring rain, setting up our ever-increasing light display. With a lot of new items, the old ones and some that were handmade or remade by us to set up, we will be very busy in the next few days. Our show starts on the 10th with testing starting before that. Hopefully, everything will go right and soon the brilliance of lights will bring out the smiles and the oooh aahhs. Some of the lights are being replaced with LEDs.Wish us luck, we will need it.

Stop to think

Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is soon to come. Food is a big part of the holidays and most of us will be setting down with friends and family to partake in the wintertime feasts. Some people aren't so lucky and will have to go to local foodbanks just to get food for regular meals, much less holiday feasts. We at TimberTownChristmas are committed to raising food for the foodbanks in our area. We tried to include the collecting of food in our Halloween show but nobody gave any. Actually, this is not true. A man showed up on our porch and was asking for food. Turned out, he was also collecting food for the same foodbank we collect for. What a coincidence! When he heard we had not collected anything, he gave us some of his! No loss there, it will end up in the same place. Its a joke, right? Nope. Food donations are needed at all times of the year just so some families can have enough for basic nutrition. It doesn't take much from everybody if they just give a can or two each. Please give to your local foodbank when you can. It will make you feel great!  Meanwhile.....
Its time to finalize the Christmas Show layout and do routine checking of the light elements. Hopefully, some of the new elements will be put out to see if they will blend in with the show. Some new icicles will adorn the roofline and our herd of reindeer has grown to a total of 14. As the show increases in size, the more popular it becomes and there are a lot of people that can't wait to see it.We will have to be on our top game to wow the crowd. Good luck to us and happy holidays to you.