After 23 years in the same apartment, all of a sudden I had 60 days to move.

While taking measurements of artwork to sell I felt tears sliding down my cheeks! I was so afraid to let myself cry. Several weeks earlier after talking to a Police Detective about the theft of my bank safety deposit box contents [an inside job], I had one of those really ugly cries. It gave me a 10 hr migraine plus lockjaw for 3 weeks. I realized I caused it myself; but I wasn't going to do it again! So  I tried to grab hold of my emotions anyway I could. 

People claim crying is healing. Maybe that's true, but not that one. That was scarey. 

I took a few steps back, looked around and realized my apt hadn't been a "happy" place for 4 years. [Mom died & came back 3x in the past 4 years]. Determined to do everything I could to help her want to get back to good health, I focused all my energies on making things better. Which I did! Both doctors were amazed with her improvement. Said I should be very proud of myself. I was! But it later took its toll.

Not for long. The 1st year was slow steady improvement until she relapsed. With each relapse I lost momentum & enthusiasm; finally collapsing with pneumonia. Balancing work & taking care of Mom took top priority. Along the way I'd forgotten to take care of myself.

Back to the present: I decided to re-evaluate which was the most important task: raising money, or packing. Instead, I listened to my instincts! I heard "bring HAPPY BACK!"

With a shot of enthusiasm, I jumped up, grabbed my Xmas twinkling lights, and strung them across my balcony from one end to the other with ease. Wasn’t concerned with bailing twine to secure lights, or whether the display was balanced, I just used the light's own wires; wrapped them around each other. BINGO! In minutes everything worked fine.

Found the large electric snowflake light I bought 4 years ago, but never got to use. I didn't want to hang it on the outside of the balcony for only others to enjoy; this was my turn.

Like a flash came a light bulb moment, there’s my empty torch holder, sitting upright in my cement planter.  I flipped the snowflake upside down and placed it in the top of my torch stand. It fit like a glove. Meant to Be! What used to take hours took less then 20 minutes and was more beautiful then I ever expected.

Leaning against the wall, I took in the view. It was breathtaking. I felt like myself again, buoyant in both heart and spirit. Hadn't felt this relaxed in what seemed like forever.

You know how a little project grows & grows until you end up doing more work then you ever intended? That's what happened. As I admired the balcony I noticed both glass sliding doors were filthy. So, I grabbed a squeegee & cleaned both glass doors; top to bottom.

The glass sparkled! Job well done! I felt so proud.

Ha! That feeling didn't last long either!

Here comes the curse: with the glass doors open I saw how filthy the screens looked! 4 years of grit & grim.. Ugh! No more light show! No more magic!

I have absolutely no idea what possessed me or where the burst of energy came from.  Without hesitation and not realizing the time, I enthusiastically grabbed the 8 ft screen door, wiggled it out of its tracks, and carried it through my living room, trying not to break anything else on the way to the bathroom. 

Forgot the screen is 8' tall. My apt. ceilings are also 8' tall. I maneuvered the huge screen back and forth, back and forth, up & down, tilted this way, tilted that way until I could figure out how to turn the tight corner toward the bathroom without breaking something. Reminded me of a funny Laurel & Hardy sketch; except there was only one clown! Me!

Getting closer to the bathroom I noticed the bathroom door’s at least a foot shorter. As if that wasn't bad enough; the sliding glass shower doors, where I planned to wash the screens, were even shorter then the entrance door. OYE! There was no way I could get the screen into the shower. None!

After the long and futile manoeuvring back & forth just to get the screen to the bathroom, I wasn't about to give up. This mission needed to be broken down into smaller sections.  OK! I figured I could clean 2 foot sections at a time.  I managed to get the first 2 feet at the top of the screen into the shower. Reached for the shower head and scrubbed away 4 years of dirt & grime with a brush. 

Now I’ve got to maneuver the bottom section into the shower. I backed the huge screen slowly out of the bathroom, down the hall. This time I was going to outsmart that terrible turn. I cleverly walked the screen into my hallway walk-in closet. Hoping to get enough extra space to either flip the screen or, I don't know, to tell you the truth I hadn't a clue what I was thinking. I just knew I wasn't going to let this screen beat me! No Way!

Once in the closet I got stuck with the screen but I still wasn't discouraged. Took a deep breath, told myself I could do this, and then wiggled the screen back and forth, back & forth until I could flip it over and get the other end facing back toward the bathroom. Grabbed the shower head; sprayed the bottom 2 foot section of the screen and scrubbed away another 4 years of dirt & grime.

Two sections accomplished! 2 feet on top and 2 feet on the bottom of the screen were now clean. But, there was a whopping 4 feet of filth right smack in the middle of the screen! Looked more like a barnyard eyesore!

Refusing to admit defeat, I grabbed every bath & beach towel I owned; threw them on the bathroom floor piling one on top of the other. I attacked the screen, with the shower head and scrub brush right smack in the middle of the bathroom. 4 feet of filth and smudge gone!!!

Did I clean the screen?  .. . .. .YEP!
Did I make a flood?  . ... . . .. . YOU BET! . . . . . . . At least several inches
Did it leak to the apt below? . DON'T KNOW! . . . Security didn't knock on my door.

I was too tired to move the screen. It stayed there overnight! As for me I went back to the balcony window and stood in blissful silence admiring the lights, unaware of how much time passed; then left and collapsed in bed.

Funny part: the next day I had to wiggle around the screen to use the bathroom. As I sat and admired my handiwork, I noticed several huge holes in the screens. So THAT'S HOW THE BUGS GOT IN!!

No Way was I putting that screen back with holes. Being creative, I grabbed a tube of SHOE GOO, filled up every hole with the thick gel. I thought I was so clever! HA!  The screen looked repulsive with gigantic globs of glue.  Aww, geeze!

Not to be discouraged I grabbed some HUGE gorgeous Swarovski Pear-shaped & Round deep faceted rhinestones; arranged & placed them right smack into the SHOE GOO!  It looked awesome!  Way too expensive a fix for a screen; but what's the cost of "Happy" for 60 days, right?

I put the lights on an automatic switch. Every night at sunset they turned on.  Each morning before dawn they turned off. One less thing to think about.

I was dead to the world the entire next day! But the 60 days turned into 150 and the spectacular view from my apt. every evening brightened my spirits!