Solar System: Part Three

Hat Trick Time!

 Are you ready to get cheap and easy with us again?

 We're not just going to do that, we're also getting high!

Like 6 feet high!

And we're going to get trashy while we're at it.

 Scrounge up the following:

Goop adhesive

1 solar stake light $2

1 quart ball jar (12 for $10.97) $0.91

A discarded pole. We had a 6 foot dowel left over from making curtain rods

A large, low clean can. Ours was from canned chicken. Hey, it was taco night

One 1 1/2 inch screw

Drill and bit the size of your screw

Spray paint remnants. We used Rustoleum Sunny Yellow Gloss and Apple Green Satin

 Start out with the drilling part.

Find the center of the Ball Jar lid and drill a hole.

 Drill one in the center of the can, then three on the perimeter for rainwater drainage.

Paint the can on the outside and the dowel the colors of your choice.

Use Oil Rubbed Bronze if you want.

I'm not watching.

Allow everything to dry.

Duh, right?

Drill a hole in the end of the dowel.

 Place the Ball Jar lid inside the ring.

Run a bead of Goop around the edge of the ring and place it in the can.

 You want this to be stationary in the assembly so you can unscrew the jar later

to replace the batteries.

 Allow the Goop to dry.

Test the light while you're sitting there bored.

Remove the solar unit from the stick.

Stare at the stick and vow to find a way to use it.

 Put the screw through the lid, can, and into the dowel.

So far so good.

 Does anyone else realize the colossal FAIL?

 At this point, realize you're an idiot and take the jar off the ring.

Um...how is this going to charge???

Brilliant, Redhead, just brilliant.

Growl a little, swill your Merlot Faux, and be thankful

you devised a way to take it apart easily.

Put some Goop on the top of the solar light and adhere it to the bottom of the jar.

Go to bed feeling like an idiot.

About 3:00 in the morning, drag yourself out of bed, 

thus proving either your great dedication to your readers,

 your refusal to admit defeat, 

or your talent for ducking

humiliation.

Whatever.

 Put the whole thing back together.

 The first of several solar torch lights: $2.91.

Snatching victory from the gaping maw of failure: priceless.