Rocky Mountain Christmas Lights

We had a pretty wet and WHITE weekend last weekend (yes we had SNOW)

I took advantage of the yucchy weather to work in the Garage on the Display.

I finished the NEW animatronic  SANTA IN HIS SLEIGH.   I still have some minor Bugs to work out  but here are a few Pics.

Coming DECEMBER 2009!!!!

 

 

WOW

We had a wonderful CHRISTmas season. 

I estimate we had about 500 visitors to our display this year( this is based on me seeing people while i was home)  we even had a TOUR BUS back into our cul-de-sac.  the neighbors were quite impressed  and yet they took it all in stride.   I gave out 5 boxes of candy canes this season.

All in all the display was a hit!!

 But it did not come without some flaws....

1st we had the santa scene all done and working with out a painted back drop until 2 weeks before the season.   My friend and co-worker, Margi Friedlander painted the back drop for me.  OH MY IT IS AMAZING!!  She did an awesome job THANKS MARGI!!!. the plexiglas window for the scene went together well except i had one minor design flaw  the garage door handle on the bottom of the door caugr a bolt in the wndow  and craked the plexiglass.  Needless to say that flaw has been corrected.  I will need to replace one plexiglas panel.  We had a music glitch because my computer crashed in the summer. luckily i had it backed up and was able to use last years music and squencing.   On Christmas night, one of the trains powerwheels motors died.  and the trian's other motor could not handle the work load  and it just sat there and spun its only working wheel untill the tire went bald.  so back to the drawing board on the trians powertrain.  And Mrs Claus' motor to the rocking chair came loose and bound up on new years eve.  i was able to fix that with loctite.    We had a terrible windstorm during the week between christmas ad new years  and we took some minor damage that i was able to repair quickly.

 

So all in all it was a Wonderfull CHRISTmas. 

So many of you are wondering what is on tap for 09?

The REPAIRS!!

1st  I have repaired Mrs Claus' rocking chair  and added carpet to the base to make her char rock more quietly and smoothly.

2nd I had to rebuild my snata slegh as one side of the sliegh got broke in 09.   I made 2 new panels  and pained and assembled it so it is all ready for 09

3rd .  I am currently working to re build the train with a new electric scooter motor.  (there will be more blogs on this issue to come)

 

now on to the Builds.

The minor builds are the animatronic controlls for santa in the scesne  and the new santa to go into the sleigh on the roof.

also the animatronics for my gemmy snow man and the gemmy band

 

the major build is the ice pond.  ia working ice skating pond.  we are currnetly in the build phase of the pond  which i will discuss in future blogs.

and then a new idea is the talking christmas trees (currently in te design phase)

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL

come back often for updates!!

 

 

 

Yesterday I found out that I lost a Freind in the Christmas decorating world.

 

William J. Hart of Shaler, PA died Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008, of an apparent home accident. He was 18. Bill was a friend of mine in the PLANETCHRISTMAS.com Community.  Although we never met in person, Bill and I always would post back and forth on ways we could improve our displays.

The final plans for this year's Christmas display -- a 30-page blueprint describing how he would lay out and power the lighting display -- was found by his side, his uncle said. Bill Hart delighted in knowing that the carloads of people who passed by his Saxonburg Boulevard home on their way to Hartwood Acres to see the annual Celebration of Lights display got a taste of what was in store at the park.    Bill will be laid to rest in St. Augustine Cemetery in Shaler, PA.  God bless my Friend Bill.