My very first flying lesson
Many moons ago a friend moved into a new house. The previous owners had taken the wall lights from the Lounge & Dining room when they moved out and had left the bare wires taped up safely in the holes in the wall that they had been fitted into. Friend buys some new wall lights that she liked and asked me if I would install them for her.

As I was working on wires that would be live and that none of the fuses were marked with which circuit they protected, I decided that the safest way to tackle this was just to flick the main switch while I was actually making the connections and work with all the power off.

One light was duly installed and I went back to the cupboard under the stairs where the main switch was and switched everything back on to test the first light. All OK at this point so I go back to the cupboard to turn the power off again to do the second light. Went to where the other light was to be installed and started fitting it. Suddenly realised that I must have left my screwdriver in the cupboard, so went back to fetch it. Couldn't see as it was dark, so put the power back on to find it. Screwdriver found and I went back to carry on with the second light, but being the cupid stunt that I am, I forgot to turn the power off again. Pulled the bundle of wires out of the wall and unwrapped the insulating tape, touched the bare bits and 'B*A*N*G'

Woke up a few moments later seeing stars at the other side of the room being told that I had shot across the room in a cloud of sparks.

That was my first flying lesson.
(Sir Les Patterson, Wed 2 Jan 2008, 10:10, Reply)