It could happen to anyone

Sigh

As my bedroom has been drying out due to the mended roof and dehumidifier the ceiling paper has been coming away from the ceiling and slowly drooping downwards.  I've just left it out of morbid curiosity to see how it progresses as I am usually doing something else.  Today, however, I decided that the trailing part was now only two foot off the floor and I should trim it before it got too near the ceiling light in case it was a fire hazard.  That was sensible thinking.

What actually happened is that the moment I touched the paper lightly to steady it the whole thing came down with a slow motion hiss.  It just seemed to keep going no matter what I did.  What I didn't realise is that the previous decorator had put the huge, ornate, faux plaster ceiling rose on top of the paper.  Who puts a heavy ceiling rose on top of paper?  It isn't that bad really, but it's at least two foot across.  I would have thought it would be sensible to cut the paper around it and just tuck the edges in.  I was stuck in the middle of the bedroom surrounded by boxes, covered in paper and with a plaster ceiling rose hanging on the lampshade.  I said some rude words.

I consulted father.  He thought about it and agreed that it was a bad idea to stick a plaster rose on ceiling paper.  I got the lampshade off.  To be honest, I am glad of an excuse to get rid of it.  It's a case of 'begone, foul shade!'  I have never been a fan of surgical appliance pink and as I haven't dusted it in some time it was a dirty surgical appliance. However the ceiling rose still wouldn't come down as it was stuck on the bit where you put the lightbulb in.  I thought about sawing the thing off, but the ceiling rose was made of resilient stuff, so, with the encouragement of father, I cut the wires.  I expected something to go bang, but it went fine.

So now I have no ceiling light, ceiling paper all over the garden (I threw it out of the window, it saved a lot of hassle) and a ceiling rose I will be glad to see the back of.  It could happen to anyone.  On the bright side I can probably use the bottom bit of the lampshade holder from my room to replace the lost bit in the study which has been lost since father first came to stay and get a lampshade in the study.  So it's a good thing really, and could happen to anyone.