In Which We Repair Our Electricity Using a Pickle Jar

We were in the kitchen a few days ago when I heard a strange noise by the wall. It sounded like perhaps rainwater leaking through the ceiling and coming down. Or perhaps a mouse or some small animal scurrying through the wall. Or a termite chewing wood? Are termites even active this time of year? 

It sounded almost like crackling. Almost like two electric wires sparking against each other. That must be it. The antiquated wiring in this house finally gave in, and our wires were sparking together. Soon, the electrical fire would begin and our house would be engulfed by flames. 

We sprang into action. L went to the electrical panel and started throwing switches one by one, while I stood by the wall and listened for the  crackling noise to stop. As she took out circuit after circuit, the noise continued. Could they have wired this house so that this circuit came from the other electrical panel? Was it somehow hardwired in? 

Then I looked down at the pickle jar. The pickle jar that I had taken out of the hacked chest fridge not long before and placed on the counter. The pickle jar that, as it warmed up, was slowly releasing gas from a small gap between the jar and the lid, making a distinctive crackling sound.

The offending pickle jar.
Also featured: greens from Priapi Gardens, kefir, "Lucky Duck" wine, and a bunch of eggshells.

It actually turned out to be for the best, because a few weeks ago we tried to install a new dining room light switch (the old one was a dimmer switch, which wouldn't work with the ultra-efficient LED light we were also installing).  We shut off the circuit, took out the old switch, and after much cursing and fighting with the wires (which were actually old) managed to get the new one installed. Which promptly did not work. Furthermore, half the ceiling lights in our house did not work either. We couldn't find a solution to this problem, and so we just got some lamps at the second-hand emporium and plugged them in where we needed them.

The exercise with the pickle jar taught us the valuable lesson that when you turn a circuit off at the electrical panel, and subsequently forget to turn it back on, it will remain off and your electrical appliances will not work.

Therefore, pickles are delicious. Q.E.D.