The Three Way Switch: A tale of my Dad's awesomeness.

It's true, my Dad can do anything.

For example:

• He hiked the Grand Canyon
• He helped me win won three science fair competitions at a 6th, 7th and 8th grade level
• He built me a tree house without even using a tree
• He taught algebra to ninth graders in the public school for like, 50 years
• Did I mention he taught ninth graders algebra in public school?

He's pretty awesome.


So last week when I encountered a major problem with my house, of course he was the first one I had to call.


Me:  Dad, I have a problem with the house.

Dad:  Oh no.  What's the problem?  Washing Machine?  Roof?  HVAC?

Me:  No Dad.  It's the light switches.

Dad:  The light switches?

Me:  Yes, the light switches.  I can't get them all to turn off.

Dad:  You mean you can't turn the lights off?

Me:  No -  they turn off, but one of the switches is still up.  I want them to all be down.



Have I mentioned that I'm a little obsessive-compulsive?

It may seem like a silly detail to you, but this really bothered me.  Something in my gut just wouldn't settle knowing that somewhere downstairs a little switch would be pointing up at the ceiling, like a finger, taunting me all night.

At one point I was pacing up and down the kitchen between the switches thinking that a certain combination of switch flipping would solve the problem.  The next morning I even spent a large chunk of my time browsing the Internet and Googling things like, "how to make your light switches all point down when the lights are off."


That got me no where - so I called Dad.

[note to self: in future crisis, call Dad FIRST]


So Dad then explains to me that I have what's called a THREE WAY SWITCH which is basically a light that is controlled by two switches.  In this case there is a light in the kitchen that is controlled by a switch in the front of the kitchen and by a switch near the back door.

Apparently, whoever installed this three way switch stuck in the wall upside down.  And so in order to turn the light off at night I had to flip one of the switches up.

Very unnerving.

Luckily, Dad had an answer.  Just flip the switch around.

So this weekend when he was in town to help me do a "few things" around the house... that was our very first project.

And now you see that the light is off...

And the switches are down!

Tonight I will rest easy knowing all those stupid switches are facing DOWN.


And just to further impress upon you the AWESOMENESS of my Dad, check out some of our other weekend projects:

hang wind chimes

paint back deck

(okay so the credit for this really goes to MG, my bro Justin and my friend Matt - but Dad totally could have done this if he wanted to)

pour concrete slab at base of back steps

hang Picklebug's shelf and wall decor

install TWO deadbolts
(not an easy task - just ask our babysitter who helped me watch him do it)

and install additional shelf for storage in guest room.

Dad is coming back again in a few weeks to knock out some more projects including:  installing a second electrical outlet in master bath, landscape front yard, install shelf in kitchen and continue hanging pictures.

While he's at it I might see if he wants to pave my driveway, dig out my basement,  install hardwood floors, build a garage and end world hunger.

You know.  'Cause he could if he wanted too.





P.S. Special thanks to my brother Justin, who, in addition to painting my deck (and he HATES painting by the way) managed to assemble this lovely Ikea bookshelf.  So I guess he's awesome too. :)