Can always have the lights turn off just after your home, then tend to the plants then, it wouldn't cause much stress at all especially with autos, and then your gf wont be blinded by the lights. Mind you it's always nicer to tend to the plants with the lights on.
You also must have a lot of power draws on that one circuit as your box consumes what around 150-180watts, shouldn't even make a dent on a normal circuit, but i presume older house wiring, and may a older flakey breaker to boot.
Also no need to move the lights up yet especially with cfl's the closer the better till things get warm, as the plants will now notice a decrease in light and will try stretching for it, even if you're trying to induce some stretch they will do that on their own.
BTW late to your thread but i put it on my subscribe list, and will watch till the end and so as long as nothing major happens "GF throwing out the plants" you'll most likely make it to the end.